The Stop, Drop & Flop
Your Livestock Guardian breed is refusing to walk? Planting themselves in the middle of the road or in the Park? Laying on their back with their legs in the air, rolling around? You can’t get them back up, no matter how hard you try?
Yup!
The STOP, DROP & FLOP is a very real thing ……
It is very normal for dogs to try any way possible to get their genetic needs met.
Labrador Retrievers will happily parade around with your socks or the Remote Control in their mouths or whatever else they can find because they have a genetic need to “retrieve” things ….. Collies will desperately try to “herd” up the children who are running around the garden because they have a genetic need to keep everyone (sheep!!) together ….. The Terriers will happily dig up your garden because their genes tell them to hunt underground for rats …. Your Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD) has a genetic need to use THAT part of their brain; To watch, to observe, to catch all of the scents blowing in on the wind (see KANGALING for further details) and this need can only be met when they are outside.
The trouble is that, in the UK, most of these LGDs have found themselves living in pet homes. In a house. In Cities & Towns. Going out for a couple of walks per day if they’re lucky and that just doesn’t satisfy their needs sufficiently enough.
If they were in their native countries and if they were actually allowed to be LGDs and if they were living amongst livestock / on the look out for predators / patrolling their territory then they would be outside for most of their day …. Working …. Identifying threats …. Sussing out the environment …..
They would be KANGALING!
When your Kangal NEEDS more KANGALING in his life he will do whatever he can to try to achieve this. He will desperately try to tell his owners what he needs in the only way that he can.
He can’t talk. He can’t use human words. He can’t ask if hes allowed to stay out for a bit longer so, instead, he’ll drop to the floor and he quickly learns that this behaviour does indeed delay the process of going home so the behaviour is repeated again & again …..
Your Livestock Guardian Dog IS NOT being “stubborn” because he won’t come back home with you. Your Livestock Guardian Dog is just trying to be a Livestock Guardian Dog. He’s just trying to get his needs met. He’s just trying to make himself feel good by doing his job that he is supposed to be doing.
The STOP, DROP & FLOP is a sign that you are not creating enough opportunities for your dog to do KANGALING.
If you can create more time for KANGALING and if your dog feels complete …. Fulfilled …. He’s got his ‘fix’ ….. If all of those needs are met then your dog will not need to desperately try to keep himself out of the house.
He will not need to Stop, drop & flop if you allow plenty of Kangaling