24/03/2026
If there was ever a dog perfectly suited to debunk common dog myths, it would be my girl Sheena.
Myth 1 – If a dog comes up to you, it wants to interact with you.
Not necessarily.
Often dogs are just gathering information, having a sniff and figuring you out, not inviting interaction. That doesn’t automatically mean they want to be patted or fussed over.
Sheena is a great example. She’ll run up, have a sniff but if touched she will make it very clear (sometimes quite sassily) that she’s not interested in being your new best friend.
Sure, some dogs are naturally social, but a good rule of thumb is to let the dog lead and avoid reaching out straight away. I regularly tell people to just ignore her. She does her thing and moves on.
Myth 2 – All dogs love being patted.
Nope.
Not all dogs value physical affection the way we think they should. Sheena enjoys a firm scratch when in the mood but lots of hands all over her, especially on top of her head, is not her idea of a reward.
That’s why understanding the individual dog matters. For her, food, play and verbal praise are far more meaningful reinforcements. She’ll tolerate pats from people she knows, but if you understand body language it’s pretty clear she’s not loving every second of it.
Just like people, not all dogs are touchy feely types.
Myth 3 – Hackles up means a dog is aggressive.
Not on its own.
Hackles simply indicate heightened arousal, excitement, adrenaline, stimulation. Sheena often looks like a wild little wolf when she meets another dog, which can look confronting, but there’s no aggression behind it.
High arousal can tip into aggression in some situations, but hackles alone don’t tell you that story.
Myth 4 – High energy dogs just need more exercise.
If only it were that simple.
With Sheena, more exercise would just create a fitter, more demanding dog.
It’s not to say exercise isn’t hugely important but what was also required was teaching her how to switch off, how to rest, settle and cope with doing nothing. Without that, you just end up with a dog that can go all day and expects to.
Myth 5 – Dog trainers have perfectly trained dogs
Hahaha… no.
I can confidently say Sheena is mostly a “good girl.” But she’s also extremely energetic, wildly adventurous and full of personality. And maybe a little bit weird. 🤪
She also still chews un**es, eats pegs and pens, and occasionally jumps on people. Living with a well trained dog doesn’t mean living with a perfect one, it means understanding them and working with who they are.
Sheena is a constant reminder that dogs are individuals, not checklists of behaviours or stereotypes.
She keeps me on my toes, makes me laugh daily, and I genuinely wouldn’t want to be without her.
