What do bubbles have to do with dogs? It's our job as dog owners to keep our dogs safe, the definition of safe: protected from or not exposed to danger or risk; not likely to be harmed or lost.
I want you to think of a bubble being your dog's safe space, every dog will have a different-sized bubble and that bubble size can change from day to day. It's important to not only be aware of your dog's bubble but to also respect other dogs' bubbles too.
Some dogs will have big bubbles which will mean they need space in order to feel safer in the environment, other dogs will have small bubbles as they may be confident and resilient. The bubble size can change depending on the environment, changes to routine, events, health, triggers etc.
Being aware of your dog's bubble can help to keep them safe, and to help them feel secure in all situations. Being an expert in reading your dog's body language and having knowledge of other dogs' body language can help to protect your dog's bubble and those around you.
An acronym which applies to driving I believe can also apply to keeping our dogs safe. The acronym is COAST
Concentration- concentrate on your dog walks, stay off your mobile phones and be aware of what is going on.
Observations- be observant of what your dog is doing, how your dog behaves in the environment can have a huge knock-on effect on other dogs.
Anticipation- if you are concentrating and being observant then you are able to anticipate any threat to your dog's bubble, this will allow you to make the right choices for them. Equally, you can anticipate what your dog may do that may affect another dog.
Space- Space and distance should always be on your mind, space and distance will help to keep a dog under threshold and allow them to cope better. If you don't have a reactive dog then you must to be aware of how much damage your dog can cause by invading another dog's space.
Time- allow plenty of time for your dog walks, allow time to let your dog sniff, allow time to let your dog take in their surroundings, time to gather information, and don't always be in a rush.
Are you aware of your dog's safety bubble?