Jul 13
If you got a puppy during the COVID lockdown like I did, you’ve probably seen some weird and frustrating social behaviors and anxieties crop up as a result of missing out on crucial socialization time. Between the nightmarish vet appointments and the anxiety-fueled barking, my dog is driving me bonkers and I’ve been at a loss for what to do about it.
Luckily, canine behavior consultant Rene Smith is here to help us take a closer look at the purpose behind our dog’s behaviors and reevaluate our approach to intervention. Being ADHD herself, Rene understands that strict training schedules will never work for her mostly ADHD clients, nor do they need to. Instead, she focuses on building trust and connection between dogs and their humans by giving dogs agency over their space and providing humans with the tools and know-how to interpret communication attempts and reinforce healthy behaviors.
Rene’s passion for helping a population that’s often misunderstood is inspiring (not to mention, so ADHD!), and I’m delighted to have you join our wonderful eye-opening conversation.
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"When we use management tools to set my humans up for success, we can trust our dog faster. If I have a dog that’s lunging and nipping at people, we’re going to muzzle-train that dog so that my human knows that everybody is safe and they can listen to me and learn. If I don’t first address the human’s fear, they can’t learn either."
- Rene Smith
"Most of the time I have dogs that I work with where the whole training process is making the human understand that the dog wants to train them, and we just harness that. Why fight that? If the dog wants to train you–cool!"
- Rene Smith
"We attract our own people, so the majority of my clients are ADHD also, which means they need creative solutions."
- Rene Smith
- Rene shares her experience with dyslexia and how it affected her grades, particularly in foreign languages.
- Rene discusses her experience as a medical laboratory technician, including his ability to memorize large amounts of information quickly and her preference for working alone.
- Rene shares her experiences with ADHD and how it has shaped her life, including her passion for training dogs.
[21:04 - 39:55] Dog Behavior
- Rene explains how adolescent dogs can develop fear or aggression towards dogs due to a single traumatic experience during that critical socialization phase.
- Rene explains that dogs go through a phase of reconnecting neural pathways during adolescence, leading to conflicted feelings and overcommitting in social situations.
- Rene discusses her experience working with clients with ADHD, highlighting the importance of creative solutions and understanding the client's learning style.
- Rene credits ADHD traits (hyperfixation, spatial awareness) for success in pet grooming business.
- Rene discusses her experience with ADHD and how it affects her daily life, including her struggles with time management and self-care.
- Rene shares her passion for aquariums and how it has become a sensory outlet for her, as well as her various online platforms where people can learn more about her and her work.
Instagram: @streetdogrehab
Website: Street Dog Rehab
Facebook group: Human End of the Leash
Podcast: Dog Life with No Spoons
Organization/Cleaning coaching: Fresh Starts Detailers
Discount code for listeners: NOSPOONS
