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22 February 2020

Punishment or reward (kindness) based training – research

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Punishment or reward (kindness) based training – research

Generally, well-informed, dog owners understand that aversive (punishment) based methods of dog training are bad for our dogs. However, although this is accepted by many there is very little decent research that underpins this view. One, of course, that I, agree with.

I read a very interesting piece of research from Portugal

Does training method matter?: Evidence for the negative impact of aversive-based methods on companion dog welfare

Unlike much so-called research that is published, this is a well structured piece of, evidence based clinical, research that does not rely upon owner questionnaires and a limited study pool.

This study looks at a number of dog training schools in Portugal, some using aversion (punishment) techniques and others using positive reinforcement methods.

I have linked to this research, above. If you are interested it is worth a read.

Extract from study conclusions:

“Dogs from Group Aversive displayed more stress-related behaviors, spent more time in tense and low behavioral states and more time panting during the training sessions, showed higher elevations in cortisol levels after training and were more ‘pessimistic’ in the cognitive bias task than dogs from Group Reward. These findings indicate that the use of aversive-based methods compromises the welfare of companion dogs in both the short- and the long-term.”

This will not be news to anyone who has studied dog behaviour or/and training methods. Unfortunately, there are still too many ‘trainers’ who do not understand this concept and, continue to use punishment (in whatever form) as a ‘training’ method.

I would urge anyone looking for a trainer to choose carefully. Find out how a trainer goes about working with dogs, read reviews and look for recommendations – even then, take time to verify claims before deciding on who to entrust the training of your dog to.

9 February 2020

Can you train your dog? Poor advice…

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Can you train your dog? Poor advice…

I was prompted to return to this subject after an encounter with a lady a couple of days ago.

A responsible dog owner who had her rescued dog on an extending leash (a pet hate of mine) was walking a few yards in front of me. We struck up a conversation. I asked her if her dog ever came of the lead. She said, no. The reason was, one I’d have heard many times, that the dog had a poor recall and she was worried it would not come back.

This lady had, of course, sought expert advice from a trainer / behaviourist. This ‘learned’ individual told this lady that it would be impossible to train this dog in the recall. Therefore, keep it on the lead at all times. This responsible owner was, simply, following the ‘expert’ advice. To make matters worse, she had been told her dog was no good with other dogs, therefore, another reason to keep the dog on a lead.

Those of you that have read my missives will know this is rather like waving a red rag at a bull to me. After telling this, very reasonable and responsible lady what I did she was open to suggestions.

We were in an enclosed, safe and very large area. I encouraged her to let the dog off the lead. Of course, as soon as the dog was off lead, he had a good run around and, indeed, socialised with my dog with zero problems. Not bad for a dog labelled antisocial by ‘experts.’

The next step was to look at the recall. I let the dog get 50 yards or so ahead. I recalled the dog. Surprise, surprise, it returned directly to me, at speed. I repeated this during the rest of our walk together, inside the large area that was fenced and then outside of the area in open woodland. The dog can back each time when recalled. Again, not bad for a dog that an ‘expert’ had assured the owner it was not capable of doing.

I am concerned that this type of story is all too common. In my opinion, there are not many dogs that are untrainable. There ARE, apparently, quite a few ‘so-called’ trainers who, regularly, dispense this sort of advice – of course, dooming the dog to a substandard life.

The take-home message here is to think carefully before taking the advice of ‘experts’ such as the ones described above. If you are unsure, seek a second opinion or two. Your dogs deserve it.

16 January 2020

Keeping your dogs safe…

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Keeping your dogs safe…

Keeping our dogs safe
Increasingly, dogs are being stolen throughout the UK. You need only to take a look at Facebook to see distraught owners looking for help. Of course, some dogs are found but most aren’t. I, of course, feel for the owners who have ‘lost’ their dogs. However, prevention is always better than a cure. There are a number of things to consider when thinking about the security and safety of our canine companions.

For instance, is it sensible to leave your dog outside in the garden, unattended for long (or any) periods of time? I would suggest this is making it very easy for a stranger to steal your dog with ease. I see a dog, who is always in the garden with no humans about; the house in on a quiet lane – it would be very simple for me to take this dog if I had a mind to. So here are a few specific suggestions:

Do not put names on your dog, either on a tag, collar or a harness. This makes it simple for a stranger to use the dogs’ name to entice it away.
Do not leave dogs unattended in the street, no matter for how short a period. This, again, is an invitation for someone to take your dog. (I once saw a dog in an open hatch of a car, in an unlocked cage, just left while the owner went shopping).
Train your dog in the recall. This is essential. A dog with no recall is going to get lost; it is inevitable.
Do not leave your dog unattended in the garden, particularly the front garden.
Vary your dog walks. Keeping to a familiar pattern can make it easier for someone to take advantage of the situation.

I could go on but, you get the picture. By being a little more vigilant and thoughtful we can keep our dogs safer.

It can be, of course, a little inconvenient for us to change our habits in relation to our dogs. But, surely, it is worth it to keep our dogs safe?

6 January 2020

Dogs do it for kids (or how living with a dog when a child can lower the risk of Schizophrenia)

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Dogs do it for kids

(or how living with a dog when a child can lower the risk of Schizophrenia)

Given my interest in the impact of dogs on human mental health, I was very interested to read a recent study published by John Hopkins Medicine suggesting that living with a dog from an early age can lessen the risk of developing schizophrenia in later life.

I have, long believed that living with a dog can have, significant, beneficial effects on human health, both physically and mentally. This study would appear to support this in the types of cases identified by the researchers.

The potential, impact of living with a dog or a cat in early life was examined. Two, fairly common, mental health issues were considered – schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Robert Yolken MD and his colleagues at Sheppard Pratt Health System in Baltimore, US looked at how exposure to a pet cat of a dog during the early years of life, up to age 12 impacted upon a later diagnosis of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Researchers were surprised to find a significant reduction in the risk of a person developing schizophrenia when exposed to living with a dog at an early age. However, there no impact on bipolar disorder. The researchers also noted that living with cats had no impact on either condition.

The study was quite large and the full paper can be found here.

Work such as that described above convinces me that dogs can have a significant impact on human mental health, that is why I developed, with my wife (a mental wellbeing professional – First in the Q) Paw Support, an initiative working with Walnut Tree Health and Wellbeing to bring together rescue dogs and sufferers of mental health conditions that can benefit from canine companionship.

4 January 2020

Mental health in our dogs – a disturbing trend…

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Mental health in our dogs – a disturbing trend…

Increasingly, insurance companies are paying bills for dogs, diagnosed with mental health issues (as reported in The Sunday Times 29/12/2019).

Certainly, my behavioural studies and experience make me sceptical about attributing human mental health issues to dogs; such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression. I would agree with Daniella Dos Santos, the president of the British Veterinary Association who says ‘using the term ‘mental health’ is inappropriate for pets, as they are responding to environmental changes.’ Indeed, the owner and the dog featured in the Times article would appear to demonstrate this.

This owner had paid a Small Animal Hospital, £550 for a diagnosis of probable ‘anxiety-induced obsessive-compulsive disorder. The owner, actually, thinks the dog has agoraphobia. Again, a very dubious conclusion. The clue to her dogs’ problems comes from the owners’ statement about her dog ‘she is overindulged in everything and we have done everything we can think of to make her life easier.’ This dog is fed M&S chicken and sleeps on a memory foam mattress. You get the picture.

The dog has developed a twitching eye when worried or hungry, shakes and shifts from side to side while scratching her paws (this scratching is a form of repetitive behaviour known as a stereotypy). These are behavioural problems, probably, resulting from an owner not understanding dogs and anthropomorphising them. This is not uncommon, however then subscribing human mental health diagnoses to our dogs is not, in my opinion, helpful to the owner or the dog.

Daniella Dos Santos makes an obvious and important point; behavioural issues can often stem from physical conditions causing a dog discomfort or pain. She gives an excellent example of the dog becoming, seemingly, aggressive while being stroked. This was not a behavioural issue, it was simply the dog letting humans know it was in pain from an ear infection, therefore, uncomfortable when stroked. It is, clearly, important to have a dog checked for any physical or medical problems before proceeding to, potentially, expensive treatments that may not be necessary.

Of course, this is a, potentially, lucrative area. Some professionals may be tempted to reach inappropriate diagnoses, resulting in expensive ‘treatment’, more readily than others.

In summary, I would suggest owners learn to treat their dogs as dogs, not babies or humans in any way. It is important to fully understand the needs of your dog including general health, socialisation, routine, diet, exercise and, generally what it is to be a dog.

7 December 2019

Run away!…

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Run away!…

Fearful dogs are of particular interest to me. I see an awful lot of them. Often, owners are making the problem worse. Not deliberately of course, They are, simply doing things that reinforce the fearful behaviour. I saw another example of this today.

I met a very nice lady, again, today with her canine charges. Two were running free and two where on extending leads (a pet hate of mine). One of these dogs on the lead, a small terrier, had a ball in her mouth and was zigzagging, clearly desperate to be anywhere but where she was. The owner explained to me that she was scared of the noise, to be heard in the remote distance, of gunshots or farmers’ bird scarers in the fields.

The first thing to understand here is the acuity of a dogs’ senses. Their hearing is much more keen than humans. So, that distant noise, to her dog was much clearer and appeared closer to her. Her response because of her fear was to try to escape from it (fight or flight).

The extending lead was allowing this dog to try to escape from a perceived threat. As we continued with our walk, this dog continued with its’ efforts to escape, becoming more distressed as it did so. This behaviour had been allowed to persist for a number of years, indeed, sometimes the owner picked the dog up to comfort it (a compassionate, human action); entirely, the wrong response for the dog – this only serves to reinforce the fear this dog was feeling.

So, was there anything that could be done to help this dog? Of course. The thing to understand here is that a behaviour that has gone on for some time, a number of years in this case, can prove a little more difficult to deal with. However, in many cases, this just means it may take a little more time and effort to correct.

Clearly, this little dog, was in a state of distress, one that was being allowed to persist. It was important to interrupt this mindset and behaviour. In this case, I asked the owner to stop at one of the many park benches, sit down and shorten the dogs’ lead and to just relax. The response from this frightened little dog was almost immediate. The pulling on the lead stopped, the tail that had been tucked between the legs started to wag and she started to play with her ball. This took a couple of minutes of just sitting calmly and waiting. Nothing else.

In the future, this owner will be stopping regularly at park benches for a sit down if her dog is distressed. By the way, she had a spray collar alleged to calm her dog; this had zero effect. By, simply, understanding what the dog was doing and why, she was able to start to help her dog with her fearful behaviour.

In these types of cases the most important things for success are understanding and taking time to work with your dog. Often this will achieve good results. But, you have to stick with it.

Remember, if you have dogs with problems such as described here, the person to help is a qualified canine behaviourist. These are not training issues, they are behavioural problems.

26 November 2019

Mummy, mummy! Get me a puppy for Xmas!

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Mummy, mummy! Get me a puppy for Xmas!

Ho, ho, ho. It’s getting that time of year again. Families, overjoyed with the festive season think it’s a great time to get a dog. Although there are exceptions, most of the time I would say getting a dog at Xmas is a very bad idea. This is true, particularly for the poor dog.

I am a great believer in re-homing dogs and giving them a calm, happy environment to live in. However, homes, over the Xmas period are often far from calm, peaceful environments that are suitable to bring a new dog into. It doesn’t matter whether the dog is a puppy or rescued. Great care should be taken when homing a dog.

Over the Xmas period, there will be hundreds of dogs, young and older, finding themselves in new homes only to be taken to re-homing centres when the fun, festive period is over and the realities of having a dog sets in. A sad situation repeated every year. I realise this is an often repeated refrain but it is worth covering again and again until it gets through.

Why does this keep happening? It’s quite simply really. Dogs are a serious proposition and long term responsibility. They need homes that understand this and can commit to their new dogs needs including, love and affection, training, physical and mental wellbeing, exercise and happiness, in fact, being able to live as a dog in a human home. These are the basics that many dog owners fail to realise or achieve. I would suggest a dog is NEVER given as a present. They should be thought about by all family members before they are brought into a home.

Back to Xmas for a second. Try to imagine an adult dog or a puppy being brought into their new home during the festive period. They have been taken either from their mother or have been traumatised by previous owners and endured a rescue centre (most of whom do a great job) that is really not a place where they wish to be. These dogs are thrust into the hubbub of a home filled with strangers, some who come and go, frequently, parties, food, noise – you get the picture. For the dog, this is an extremely stressful and, often frightening time.

For a new dog to be able to settle into it’s new home it must be treated with respect, understanding, calmness and given time. This is just not going to happen over the Xmas period in most homes. We are, in fact, setting the dog up for failure and the inevitable visit to a rescue centre in many cases.

So, my advice is simple. If your family really want a dog, go visit a rescue centre after Xmas, take advice and find the right dog that needs a home. Don’t do it over the Xmas period. Don’t buy a puppy for your loved one. THINK, carefully about what a dog means and what they need.

Places in Norfolk to rescue a dog in need of a caring home

Meadowgreen Dog Rescue Centre

Dogs Trust, Snetterton

West Norfolk RSPCA Rehoming Centre

People for Animal Care Trust

F.A.I.T.H. Animal Rescue

Hillside Animal Rescue

RSPCA Mid Norfolk & North Suffolk Branch

Norfolk Greyhound Rescue

Further reading

A dog is forever, not for Christmas

24 November 2019

The myth of the naughty dog…

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The myth of the naughty dog

The internet is full of pictures of ‘naughty dogs.’ I meet many dog owners who have been excluded from ‘puppy classes’ because their dog was ‘naughty.’ Or, the trainer banishes the owner and their recalcitrant pup to the corner of the room because of their ‘disruptive’ behaviour. A tale frequently told.

Well, here’s the thing. There is no such thing as a ‘naughty dog.’ This is a human ‘construct’ assigning human terms to our dogs. Dogs behave like dogs, not humans. They do not do things because they are naughty or trying to annoy their humans. Most behaviours can be explained if we take the time to understand the reasons behind canine behaviour.

For instance, the dog that is constantly jumping up on people, whether at home of out and about is not being ‘naughty.’ It is simply, looking for attention and a response from the human who is the focus of it’s attention. By, simply, understanding the ‘why’ we can react in the appropriate way to diminish or stop this behaviour.

Another example can be seen in the picture above. These dogs appear to have been very naughty indeed. However, there will be good reason for the behaviour. They may not be getting enough exercise, need more play time or, indeed, may be experiencing separation anxiety. Assigning a human description of their behaviour as them being ‘naughty’ is unhelpful. Humans often then respond in the wrong way by displaying anger, punishing or scolding their dogs.

We need to stop thinking of dog behaviour in terms of the human condition. We can help our dogs learn to live with us if we take the time to learn ‘why’ they do things. With this knowledge we will be able to address many issues that are, actually, examples of fairly normal canine behaviours that are misunderstood by their human companions.

25 October 2019

Raw pet food and superbugs

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Raw pet food and superbugs

I have written about raw food diets in the past raw meat and your dog. This is often met with derision on social media, delirious owners opining how wonderful the raw diet is for their dogs – shiny noses, coats, etc. Any suggestion that the raw diet is not to be recommended can be met with fairly aggressive and zealot like responses.

A recent study was undertaken at the Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene, Vetsuisse Faculty University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 272, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland (Nüesch-Inderbinen M, Treier A, Zurfluh K, Stephan R. 2019 Raw meat-based diets for companion animals: a potential source of transmission of pathogenic and antimicrobialresistant Enterobacteriaceae. R. Soc. open sci. 6:191170. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.191170) (supplementary information) looked at Raw Meat Based Diets (RMDB) and would suggest that my concerns are well-founded.

Of course, there are many claims made about the positive impact on dogs health and wellbeing reputed to be offered by raw diets. However, these are all anecdotal; there is zero scientific research to support these claims. This new study makes for disturbing reading.

The paper is quite long but is well worth a read. Some key points:

37 of 51 raw dog foods tested did not reach EU hygiene standards
32 products contained bacteria resistant to antibiotics (so-called, superbugs)
in 2017, four serious e-coli infections, related to raw dog food were reported in the UK, one of which was fatal

The researchers concluded:

RMBDs represent an emerging route of exposure of pets and their owners to bacterial pathogens
Resistant bacteria occurring in RMBDs include those that are identical to those causing disease in animals and humans worldwide and those resistant to crucially important antimicrobials
The possible transmission of harmful bacteria from RMBDs to companion animals and their owners poses a severe health risk, particularly to vulnerable persons such as infants, the elderly, pregnant or immuno-compromised individuals.

I have, of course, only provided some extracts from this research. Reading it in full is something I would recommend to responsible dog owners.

However, I will continue to avoid RMBDs at all costs. I believe it is like playing Russian roulette with the lives of our animals.

23 October 2019

Dogs need responsible owners…

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Dogs need responsible owners…

I was minded again today while talking with some dog owners of the need for owners to take responsibility for their dogs seriously.

Two, very similar, cases were brought to my attention.

The first was a family with a number of dogs, a small pack, basically. These dogs had been gathered by the family in question to protect the household. They, of course, live in a quiet village where protection is not really needed.

Unfortunately, as is the case with many families I come into contact with, these people did not understand, or perhaps, care about their responsibility to their dogs. The dogs had not, apparently, received any training and were barely in control behind the gates of their home. They did not seem to get much walking or exercise away from their home. So, that is case one.

The second follows along the same lines. This time a family living behind gates again. The husband had bought a powerful dog, again for protection. This dog was young and patrolled his patch, rushing aggressively to its gate in an attempt to get to any passing stranger, be it human of another dog. The people I was talking too were fearful of their and their dog’s safety. Again, this dog did not seem to be taken out for exercise and, clearly had not received much or any training. It sounded to me to be a serious problem in the making.

Both of these cases appear to demonstrate owners who fail to understand their responsibilities regarding their dogs. Indeed, the dogs in these two cases may at some stage represent a danger to humans and dogs alike.

All dogs need basic things, without exception:

Shelter
Safety
Food
Training
Exercise
Socialisation
Responsible owners

Any dog owner or potential dog owner must provide the above as a minimum. If you are unable to provide these basics for your dog, you should, simply, not bring a dog into your home.

30 September 2019

Humans and dog companionship

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Humans and dog companionship

I was reminded of the impact dogs can have on our lives recently.

Nearing the end of a walk in one off Ziggys’ (my rescued companion) favourite places and heading back to the car we met a lady with a rather nervous dog. We stopped to chat.

As we talked Sue, my better half was chatting with a lady just within my eye line who did not appear to have a dog. A number of cars started pulling up. These cars brought with them the sound of extremely excited dogs.

The car doors opened and a variety of very happy dogs leapt out and all rushed to the river, closely accompanied by the ‘nervous’ dog, who by now was very happy indeed.

The lady without a dog joined the group of dogs and their owners and of they went for an enjoyable walk together.

Sue told me that the lady without the dog lived alone and this group of dog owners welcomed her for regular walks with the group and their dogs. This lady lived alone and could not accommodate a dog even though she loved to be around them. She told Sue that she got an enormous amount of pleasure from this group and the dogs.

There is a lot written about dogs and their impact on lonely people. This little vignette displayed it admirably. Thank goodness we still have people that appreciate the ‘value’ of canine companionship and are happy too share it.

26 September 2019

Understanding dogs…

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Understanding dogs – misconceptions

I was prompted to write this post after making a few comments on a piece in a local paper – https://www.edp24.co.uk/features/dogs-should-be-kept-on-leads-letter-1-6284729#comment-4626941131

I was disappointed to note some of the responses and the apparent, lack of understanding relating to dogs and their owners.

The thrust of the reader’s letter was to demand that all dogs should be kept on leads in public places, all the time. The writer of the letter had experienced a few dogs who had approached her small dog, always on the lead, and ‘frightened’ it. The experience for the dog was such that the owners now exercised their dog in the garden. This, of course, denies their dog the life of a dog – no socialisation in the big bad world.

This type of response is common, unfortunately. Keeping a dog away from ‘anything’ that you think might disturb it is detrimental to the wellbeing of your dog and the ability for it to experience life as a dog. It is no good just evading anything that is a little challenging. There is help available to the owners and dogs. An effort is required to help and change the behaviour of dogs in human charge.

The response to some of my legitimate comments from a behavioural point of view demonstrated a lack of understanding about dogs in general. There were demands to ban all dogs from nature reserves because ‘they are not for dogs.’

Views expressed ranged from all Bull Terriers are dangerous, Huskies should be banned, anyone with a physical impairment should not have a dog, etc. None of which are based on any knowledge or understanding of dogs at all.

I could go on for a long period here. That won’t be helpful. I would say that, yes, dog owners should be responsible and consider others. However, the intolerance of people towards dog owners is indicative of the common trend for people to be outraged at anything.

Many breeds are maligned by people, simply, not having the knowledge before they expound their views.

Most dogs can live happy lives alongside the public if the owners take the time to find the right dog for their lifestyle. Once they have done this, they need to take time to learn about their dog, train it and instil in it the way to behave with another species – humans. Those, that seem to be outraged all of the time and, prone to overreacting need to develop some humility and tolerance for others.

9 September 2019

We should NEVER hit our dogs

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We should NEVER hit our dogs

This is a subject, I find myself having to return too, all too frequently.

Should we hit our dogs? The simple, unequivocal, answer is no.

I have now met a chap with his two dogs on a number of occasions while out with Ziggy. One dog is off the lead, the other is, permanently, on a long lead. The reason for this is that the dog on the lead ran off once and he had to spend some time getting her back. The first point here is, dog owners must make the effort to train their dogs in the basics. One of these being recall. Not always easy but, essential,

I stray off the point. The dog on the lead is very lively and, jumps up a lot. This, of course, is pure excitement and, a consequence of not being allowed off the lead to exercise and socialise properly.

So, this dog jumps up, the owner shouts at her and then raises his hand to strike her. I, of course, stop him from doing this. I then demonstrate the simple exercise of getting his dog to sit, calmly and, then be rewarded, positively, with a biscuit for its’ behaviour.

Further discussion reveals that this chaps’ wife, regularly, hits’ this poor creature when it gets a little lively. He compounds this behaviour by threatening to put a muzzle on the dog. I have to appraise him on the errors of their approach.

NEVER strike a dog
NEVER threaten a dog
ALWAYS use positive training to influence the behaviour of a dog
1. Ask the dog to respond as you desire
2. Reward it, positively, when it does

The owner behaviour described above is all too common, unfortunately. IT is NEVER acceptable to threaten or physically punish a dog to force it to do what you require. This is, simply, cruelty.

All dog owners, HAVE to take the time to learn how to train and socialise their dogs. They need to understand that the ONLY way to train dogs is by positive reinforcement methods. There is no place for the cruel approach outlined in this article.

If you are unwilling to invest the time needed to give your dog the best life possible, free from cruelty and fear, here is my recommendation. DO NOT get a dog. If you already have one – REHOME it.

2 September 2019

Positive action, not evasive action helps our dogs

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Positive action, not evasive action helps our dogs

When out walking with my dog (Ziggy), I meet many people with their dogs. I am struck by how many of these dogs display some type of behavioural issue, or other. Many of these owners are not, really, helping their dogs overcome their problems.

Most of these owners, clearly, love and care for their dogs. However, unfortunately, they are, often, accommodating difficult behaviours, rather than helping their dogs to overcome them.

One of my pet hates is the extending lead. This is used, inappropriately, in many of the cases I see, that clearly need some positive behavioural assistance. For instance, dogs that can be a little grumpy, occasionally, with other dogs, are kept, permanently on these extending leads, whenever they are in the vicinity, however, remote of ‘strange’ dogs. The same is done to dogs that are nervous, labelled by their owners as ‘frightened of other dogs.’

By adopting the approach of keeping our dogs away from anything that, we think, may be a problem is not helping them, rather, it is serving to reinforce their behavioural issues and responses.

Although I have only described a couple, common, issues I see every day, there are, of course, many more.

The main point here is, that by simply accepting a dogs’ odd behaviour and then accommodating it, is not the answer. Rarely, are issues solved by, simply keeping away from them. If you cannot work out the problem yourself, you should seek some ‘professional’ advice. By taking positive action, you, just might be able to improve the quality of your dogs (and maybe, yours) life.

24 August 2019

Parallels between helping dogs and humans

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Parallels between helping dogs and humans

Following on from my last post about traumatised dogs; my, much better half, Sue ( www.firstintheq.co.uk ) and I, often discuss the parallels that exist between her work, dealing with people with complex mental health issues and, mine – dealing with dogs, often, exhibiting difficult behavioural issues.

Sue has observed me, on many occasions, helping people with their dogs on our frequent walks. I often stop to give a little, impromptu, advice. I realise I should charge people every time; however, that is my nature; I can’t help myself.

For Sue, some of the things I do, naturally, show, exactly the same approach and elements needed to help humans suffering from mental health issues such as PTSD, for instance, from Sues’ own experience and watching me operate. Let me explain.

When dealing with a dog that is showing indications of behavioural issues, of whatever kind, I adopt a common approach. The first aim is to relax the dog (together with its’ owner) and to gain its’ trust. This is mainly done through careful observation and adopting a gentle presence, allowing the dog to relax in my company. I think this is inherent in me and, something that is difficult to teach. Sue does, precisely, the same with the extremely traumatised people she works with. By helping our subjects relax, we foster the feeling of a safe environment. Without this, there is little chance of helping the human or dog in question.

Although it is possible to gain a wealth of qualifications, supported by the membership of ‘august’ sounding organisations, these become less valuable if the individual lacks certain things. These ‘things’ are inherent in an individual and, are difficult to teach. The other ‘things’ I allude to, as well as those already mentioned, are empathy and compassion. These are self-explanatory. However, they are often in short supply. For instance, the doctor who is knowledgeable, but is a cold fish when he talks to you. To achieve the bests results, it is critical for the therapist or behaviourist to be able to empathize and sympathise with the subject they are trying to help.

Therefore, take time to think about the qualities of the individual who is, possibly, able to help you with your dogs’ behavioural of, indeed, training issues.

23 August 2019

Reactive dogs are traumatised dogs

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Reactive dogs are traumatised dogs

Throughout the dog community you will see references to ‘reactive dogs.’ Indeed, there are quite a few courses, that offer to help these ‘reactive dogs’ in group sessions. The other, common sight, is a dog wearing a coat that signals it is ‘reactive’ or, has some other problem.

For me, there are two issues with the above. The first is that trying to ‘fix’ a reactive dog in a group session is a difficult thing to do – these dogs may be reactive for any number of reasons; group sessions may not be ideal for dealing with the background cause of the problem. Second is the labelling of dogs with coats – this, on the surface, seems reasonable. The owner is letting other people know that their dog has an issue. That is fine; however, many of these owners don’t seem to understand that these dogs need help in overcoming the background issue that is making them ‘reactive.’ Simply labelling them does not, ultimately, help the dog if the next steps are not taken to help the dog overcome it’s problems.

I think more thought should be given into how we describe these dogs. Their ‘reactivity’ should be viewed as a symptom of their behavioural problem. Many, if not most, of these dogs are, in fact, traumatised. They may have been abused, attacked by other dogs, frightened by something, or may have other, identifiable behavioural issues causing the reactive behaviour.

There is no doubt, in my mind, that the only way to help these ‘traumatised’ dogs is to, clearly, identify the underlying causes of their problems and to work, carefully and in a focused way on these problems. This is the only way to, successfully, deal with ‘reactive’ behaviour in these ‘difficult cases’ in my view.

To illustrate my point, let me describe a case that I dealt with a while ago. While walking with my dog in the forest, we were approached by a very nervous lady with, a very aggressive, snarling whirling dervish of a dog. My wife took my dog, away from the scene. The lady stopped, some distance away. She told me that her dog was a rescue, from abroad and, she had had her for 3 weeks, or so. In that time she had bitten her a couple times, had bitten other dogs and tried to bite other people. During our, brief, conversation, her dog was snarling, barking and lunging towards me. A ‘reactive’ dog, indeed.

I asked her to let the dog of the lead, she did so. Of course, this dog rushed at me, snarling and barking as it came. My reaction? I simply ignored this dog and kept talking to the owner. The dog backed of a little and stopped snarling and barking, now looking at me nervously and, clearly, a little puzzled by my behaviour. I, then, knelt down, with a small biscuit in my outstretched, open hand; still not looking at or acknowledging the dog, at all. The dog, slowly, approached and took the biscuit and dashed away to a ‘safe’ distance. I repeated this a few more times. The dog, relaxed enough, to approach me and to place its’ front paws on my knees to take from my hand. This, whole process, took around 5 minutes.

Of course, I would not recommend an ‘unqualified’ individual doing what I have just described. I, however, had seen this type of behaviour many times. Given the dogs’s history, I was pretty sure I knew why this dog was behaving as it was, and that it was not an aggressive ‘killer.’ My suspicions were proved to be correct. After a couple of sessions, this dog was developed into a more relaxed, sociable creature, happy to be with other dogs and people.

So, the question is, what was ‘wrong’ with this dog. It was, clearly, ‘reactive’ and, apparently, very aggressive. The reactivity was, in fact, a symptom of fear. This dog, no doubt, had suffered cruelty on the streets and had to fight to survive on a daily basis. This was a traumatised dog. By understanding the reasons behind the reactive behaviour, it was possible to approach the dog in the right way and, to help it overcome its’ behavioural problems.

Many ‘problem’ dogs, in my opinion, are exhibiting behaviours as a direct result of traumatising events, somewhere in they’re lives. Therefore, it is essential to understand that a ‘traumatised’ dog will need specific strategies to deal with the behaviours resulting from trauma.

Although, any dog, can be exhibiting behavioural problems because of earlier trauma; I see these types of problems commonly in dogs that have been rescued and rehomed, sometimes on multiple occasions. Of course, most of these dogs can be helped when a clear understanding is reached of the causative factors influencing their behaviour.

6 August 2019

Canicross – fun for you and your dog – I think not…

wmike Blog caninebehaviour, Dog behaviour, Dog exercise, Dog owners, Dog ownership

I get regular dog information updates emailed to me. The most recent, prompted me to write, again, about attaching dogs to humans and then running with them.

Canicross is a ‘sport’ where dogs, of any breed, are harnessed to idiot humans, who then run in competition with them.

This ignores what is good for your dog and panders to humans desire to force their activities upon them. Dogs, should not be strapped to humans bodies, bikes, or anything else.

If you wish to run, competitively or otherwise, leave your dog at home!

Dogs need proper exercise and socialisation. Attaching them, to whatever, is a bad idea, in my humble opinion.

Exponents of this type of rubbish, always point at that their dogs love being strapped into a harness and forcibly run, often in hot conditions. Trust me – they do not like it. They accept it, because they have no choice. This is, actually, a pretty good example of ‘learned helplessness’ – the poor dog knows it can’t get away from this ‘forced’ activity, it, therefore has to ‘accept’ it. This is not to be confused with the human thinking that the dog ‘enjoys it.’ It does it because it has no choice.

Try doing this activity with the dog ‘not attached’ and see what happens. Most dogs will be stopping to sniff, socialise and be ‘dogs.’

Dogs are sentient beings and their human carers should, really, think carefully about what they do with them.

21 July 2019

Dogs and horses

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It was hot today, so Ziggy, Sue (my long suffering wife) and I went to a favourite river walk for some fun this morning.

We had spent some time walking along and playing in the river, when we returned to a spot for one last session in the water. By now, there were quite a few owners and their dogs enjoying the sun and the water. As is usual for me, I waded into the river with Ziggy and threw her balls for her. The other dogs got involved in the fun and another owner waded in to take part in throwing the balls and various toys for the pooches.

So far, so good. Everyone, humans and dogs were getting along well and enjoying the water. I glanced to the opposite bank of the river and saw a horse and rider enter the water, they headed straight towards the dogs in the water, closely followed by 7 or 8 other horses and riders. Now, horses can, easily get spooked by dogs and vice versa. Therefore, I was staggered by the behaviour of these riders.

Following the lead rider, they just, simply walked through the group of excited, barking dogs, paying no attention to them, whatsoever. Fortunately, none of the horses reacted to the lively dogs, some barking around there legs. The dog owners managed to get there dogs under control.

I was dumbfounded by the ignorance, arrogance and lack of regard for anyone else displayed by these horse riders. Imagine if a horse had been spooked by a dog and thrown a rider of causing injury. Who would be held accountable? Well, of course, the horse riders would have blamed the owner of the dog. This, potentially, dangerous situation could have, easily, been avoided. The lead rider, had simply needed to call across the river, alerting the dog owners of their intentions. The dog owners would then have had time to get their dogs on leads and made way. Obviously, these riders thought this, simply, courtesy was not needed.

The point here is that all users of open spaces should pay, due attention to the safety of people and their animals. Luckily, on this occasion, nobody got hurt.

20 July 2019

Shouting at your dog is unhelpful…

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Shouting at your dog is unhelpful

I was out with Ziggy today at a local park. As usual there were quite a few dogs out and about with their owners, having fun.

We were approaching a lady who was shouting, angrily and aggressively at her dog. The dog was paying no attention whatsoever. I observed the picture for a few minutes – it was clear that the owner was exasperated by her recalcitrant puppy. I noted that she laughed, somewhat embarrassed, occasionally. As she crossed my path, I stopped and had a chat with her.

She was a nice lady, just frustrated by, what she saw, as her naughty pup. The dog was quite elderly. I, gently explained that shouting at her dog was not going to encourage it to come to her. I demonstrated by gently calling the dog and encouraging to come to me. It, duly, did and was very happy to respond to a friendly voice. Off she went gain, and I encouraged the owner to follow my example; she did and, surprise, surprise, her pup came back with enthusiasm.

This dog had always been obedient and had good recall. The owner was baffled why she had turned into this ‘ naughty’ dog. After a little more discussion, the behaviour had deteriorated after the dog, that had been almost blind, had cataracts removed, thus restoring the dog’s sight.

I explained that, the new ‘naughty’ behaviour was probably due to her dog now, being able to see the world again and, it had a natural enthusiasm to investigate all it could, again.

All that was required here was, to work, a little, on the dog’s recall and to do it calmly and regularly. It was clear that this dog was not going to respond to aggressive shouting from it’s owner.

I would point out, that this lady was not aggressive or a bad dog owner. She was, simply frustrated by her dog’s change in behaviour.

The take home message is, to remain calm and to resist ‘sounding’ aggressive with our dogs. They will respond to a kind, calm approach form someone who is calm. They will not respond to, apparently, aggressive tones in an owners voice. Also, stop to think why your dog may have changed and to adjust your approach to deal with it.

15 July 2019

Reward or bribery?

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Using rewards in dog training is an established and effective method for training dogs. However, if used incorrectly it can be counter-productive.

I am seeing an increasing number of videos on Facebook and Youtube showing treats being used in the wrong way by ‘dog trainers.’ These videos show the trainer, or handler, constantly feeding treats to the dog, thereby encouraging it to do what is required. This, of course, is then taken to be the standard for many owners who experience this ‘training.’ In fact, this is ‘bribing’ a dog to do what is asked of it. This ‘method’ demonstrates a, fundamental, lack of understanding of why a dog does something, from a behavioural perspective.

The point of using treats is to REWARD the dog for a job well done. This is done AFTER the dog does whatever is required. Focusing the dog with a continuous supply of treats will not result in the dog learning the new skill or behaviour. As soon as the treat is removed from the equation, most dogs will, simply, not comply. This is bribery – not recommended.

An effective method is to keep a treat out of sight, ask the dog to perform what is required – when it does so, it is immediately rewarded with the treat. This then goes onto an intermittent reward – the dog, sometimes gets a treat, other times it gets just praise. This is rewarding a behaviour not bribing the dog to do something.

Adopting the approach outlined above, is much more effective in helping a dog learn and retain its training.

13 July 2019

Temperature is rising – get those layers on!

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Temperature is rising – get those layers on!

OK then, it’s starting to get hot. Temperatures are rising – maybe as high as the +30C.

It’s time to take your, much loved, furry friend out. You always take him out in the early afternoon (by now, it’s very hot out there), don’t you? No need to change your routine because of the weather. So, let’s get ready.

You first. Put on a couple of heavy sweaters, gloves, woolly hat and a heavy coat. So, that’s you ready. No, sorry, forgot something – make sure you have nothing on your feet.

All righty, then. That’s you ready for the off. What, you say this is madness? Well, of course it is! Just as mad as taking your dog out in the sweltering heat and, maybe onto hot pavements.

Dress like I have suggested and you would collapse in a few minutes. So, why, do you think it fine to take your dog out in high temperatures. Remember, they cannot sweat, or regulate their temperatures like us.

Dog owners are warned, over and over again. Yet, dogs are still taken out in sweltering temperatures, left sitting in the baking sun or locked in car that is, in fact, an oven.

Our dogs, need their humans to think for them. This means, looking out for them when temperatures are extreme. Taking them out early in the day or later in the evening when it is cooler is caring for our dogs. It’s very simple, however inconvenient, you must change your routine to take care of the welfare of your dog. If this means, not taking them out, then that is what you should do.

So think how you would feel wrapped up in heavy clothing in the sweltering heat – THAT is what you are doing to your dog.

4 July 2019

Dogs and water – don’t force the issue…

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Dogs and water – don\’t force the issue…

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For those that read my missives, you will know, I am very keen to get dogs into the water. It\’s fantastic fun for them and vital, in hot weather.

I witnessed, recently, another example of what not to do with a dog and water.

A couple and their children were playing with their youngish Labrador at one of Ziggys\’ (my pup) water holes. Their dog had, clearly, been in the water before Ziggy and I had arrived. What they were doing now was silly and, possibly, dangerous.

They and their dog were standing on the riverbank, above a small weir. The dog was peering into the water, where his ball was bobbing in the flow from the weir. The humans were encouraging the dog to leap into the water. He was, obviously, frightened by this prospect – his body language was signalling his discomfort very clearly. The humans, unperturbed, kept on shouting at the dog to jump. It, eventually, did.

They then approached Ziggy and I, who were on a small beach and playing in the water. I heard the dogs\’ owner, saying to her dog \”what a good dog, you were frightened, weren\’t you?\” So, she realised the dog was worried but, still made it jump into the water.

I met this group a little later on another part of the river. The dog got into the water and played, happily, with Ziggy. I was able to strike up a gentle, general, conversation about dogs and water. They left me, understanding, now, that getting dogs to jump into water is, potentially dangerous (who knows what is below the waterline?) and, it can frighten a dog, putting them of water, altogether.

I will make it clear, again. NEVER, force dogs into water, whether by pulling it in by the lead or, indeed, throwing them in. Gentle encouragement from a dog owner in the water themselves, is highly effective. Remember, most dogs love water; some do not. Think about what you are doing and pay attention to your dogs\’ body language.

4 July 2019

Expert advice? Confused owners…

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Expert advice? Confused owners…

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Advice from, so-called professionals, can be confusing for dog owners.

I was chatting with a chap who had re-homed a dog from a farm. The first time I met him with his new canine charge, the dog was off-lead and romping around with other dogs.

The next time I met them, things had changed. The dog was now on a long lead and was not being let off, at all. My interest was peaked. He told me that the dog had poor recall. He had been to a \’trainer\’ who had advised him, because the dog had run free on a farm, to keep the dog, permanently, on the lead and, away from other dogs.

The advice given to this chap astounded me. Instead of the \’trainer\’ teaching the dog recall, his \’professional\’ opinion was to not socialize this young dog and, to not make any effort to train it properly.

Unfortunately, the dogs\’ owner was, now not interested in an alternative view. Therefore, this dog was now doomed to being kept on the lead.

The bottom line – take care about who you take advise from. There are many \’trainers\’ and \’behaviourists\’ that have limited qualifications, and are happy to give out poor advice. Do not be fooled by the fact that an individual is a member of multiple organisations and, has been involved with dogs for many years. These are not guarantees for the best advice about what is best for you and your dog.

4 February 2019

Out of control?…

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Out of control?

So, you are walking your dog, she is off lead playing with other dogs and, generally, having a good time. Suddenly, another dog appears on the scene and bites your dog. Your dog responds with some aggression, understandably. The other owner, demands you control your vicious dog, ignoring the fact that they’re dog was the aggressor and cause of the problem.

This is a common problem. Many dog owners have seen this type of thing. I was chatting to another dog owner recently, he had experienced a similar situation; his dog was attacked and bitten and had reacted by grabbing hold of the offending mutt – not biting him. The angry owner picked up her, offending dog, stormed off and reported the incident to the police. Of course, she neglected to mention, her dog had caused the incident.

The net result of this was that the chap whose dog had been attacked and bitten was visited by the police. They seemed unwilling to accept this owners explanation and tried to have him sign a form agreeing his dog was aggressive, to his credit he refused to do so.

Unfortunately, this incident has led the owner, whose dog was attacked, to keep her on the lead in the exercise field where she was attacked and, has done for the past year. The owner of the offending dog, still lets her dog run riot.

So, we have a situation here were the dog who had been attacked and it’s owner has changed their behaviour to accommodate an irresponsible dog owner. The net result is now that the dog who had been attacked is denied the chance to socialise with other dogs. In my opinion, this is not on. I recommended to this owner that he lets his dog of lead again and allows it to enjoy life and socialise with other dogs. Of course, keeping an eye out for the idiot owner and her dog.

The take home message here is that incidents do happen. However, if you and your dog have done nothing wrong, do not allow yourself to be bullied into behaviour that directly effects the quality of life for your dog and yourself.

31 January 2019

Cold concerns

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Cold can kill

I was prompted to write this after finding a dog loose in a lane. I know this dog, so returned it to it’s house – the gate had been left open. A knock on the door elicited no response.

This dog is often in the garden when I walk by with my pup, I usually stop, have a chat and give her a little biscuit. So far, so good.

However, this morning the outside temperature (without wind chill) is -5C. That, is cold. Prolonged exposure to these kinds of temperature will result in hypothermia, both for humans and dogs. Stating the obvious – hypothermia kills.

Now, this dog spends quite a bit of time in the garden, she is in good condition so no real problems there. However, it is NOT acceptable to keep doing the same things with a dog, irrespective of changing conditions. Regardless as to whether this dog has some sort of shelter to retreat to – it is, clearly, wrong to expose a dog in this way. Some temperature guidelines can be found here – https://www.gopetplan.com/blogpost/cold-weather-and-dogs

The bottom line here, is use common sense and be aware of the potential problems changing condition present to your dog. Be responsible and take the right steps to care for your dog.

4 December 2018

Stressed dog owners

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We seem be be living in an, increasingly, stressful world. We worry about what people are saying on Facebook, Twitter or any other social media outlet. We worry about what people think about us in any circumstances throughout the day.

When considering dog owners, I see more and more people out with their dogs showing quite marked levels of stress and worry. Of course, this state has a direct impact on the’re dogs and their quality of life.

Dog owners are worried that a dog barks too much, is too boisterous, tugs on the lead, etc. The net result is that an outing with the dog is another source of stress to these owners. Dogs are kept away from people and other dogs. Owners keep dogs on lead and, continually rebuke them for the smallest misdemeanor in their eyes.

I think there is a need to help owners relax. They need to be able to enjoy going out with their dogs and allow their dogs to be dogs.

I am developing a course with my wife (First in The Q) aimed at helping people live happily with their dogs. It would be of interest to see what people think. Click on the image below to vote in my poll. Do you think a course would help?

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20 November 2018

Give a dog a chance…

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Once again, I find myself having to talk about owners not doing the best thing for the dogs in their charge.

A couple approached the group of dogs I was with, socializing with Ziggy (my pooch). The approaching dog was a Setter on a 9 foot, or so, lead. The owner was, continually, yanking hard on the lead and admonishing her dog. She was, clearly, irritated by her dog. The crime this dog was guilty of? Well, it, simply, just wanted to meet the other dogs and people. It wasn’t pulling, uncontrollably, it was just a little excited.

I, politely, encouraged the owner to allow her dog to interact with the group. She did, to a point but, still kept yanking on the poor dog’s lead. As it happens, I was advising a lady on using a suitable training lead to prevent her dogs pulling on the lead. The new arrival, sort of listened but, it was clear that she wasn’t open to any advise. Her poor dog was getting the brunt of her irritation.

She had had this dog from a pup and it was now 2 years old. So, the behaviour demonstrated by the owner had been going on for some time. She said that she regularly took the dog to a trainer. Yet, two years in and her dog couldn’t walk on the lead without pulling. Perhaps, time for a new trainer?

Unfortunately, any words from me were falling on closed ears here.

When we take on a dog, it is our responsibility to train them in the behaviours we desire. Walking without pulling on the lead is one of them. Skills such as these are not difficult to train, however, it requires effort from the owner. Sometimes, these skills may take a little longer teach with certain dogs. It serves no purpose, whatsoever, if the owner becomes angry with the dog – something, this, particular, owner clearly was.

Allowing a dog to continue with a behaviour for long periods will make it harder, but not impossible, to sort out at a later stage. Clearly, if something you are doing isn’t working, STOP doing it and try something different. Showing anger and aggression to your dog is NEVER a good idea. So, again, owners have to take responsibility and find, appropriate, ways to help the dogs in their charge.

17 November 2018

Taking responsibility

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‘I don’t understand. My dog is really friendly. Why did that dog try to attack my dog?’ I’m sure, we have all heard similar comments from dog owners. I met a chap with his lively Labrador yesterday. He used similar phrases to describe an interaction with another owner. But first, picture a common situation.

His was a lively dog, friendly, enthusiastic and just wanted to play with every dog she sees. Yes, I know, these dogs are seen everywhere, running free and having a great time. So far, so good.

Today, this lively girl rushed up to Ziggy (my dog) and bounced around her, excitedly, getting ‘in her face.’ Both dogs were off lead. I monitored Ziggy’s response; in this case, she was fairly relaxed so, no action was required from the humans.

This, happy picture wasn’t the case a few days ago when the lively lab rushed up to a dog on the lead with a female owner, with her male partner nearby. This time, the dog on the lead reacted aggressively and lunged towards the lab. The owners, equally, reacted with some aggression, shouting and demanding that the lab should be put on the lead.

The lab owner, was incensed. After all, it was the other dog that was aggressive – NOT his, ‘friendly’ pup. Who’s right and who’s wrong? What should have happened?

The first issue is the dog on the lead. The approaching owner has no idea why the dog is on the lead. It might be fearful, aggressive or, perhaps, is recovering from injury. Whatever, the reason it is important to understand that a dog, on a lead, can react differently to one of the lead. If they cannot escape (flee) a situation that bothers them, the next strategy is, often to show aggression (fight or flight).

The owner with the approaching, of lead, dog, needs to think about the picture in front of him. It is not, acceptable, to adopt the approach that your dog, because it is friendly and just wants to make friends and play, will be well received by the dog on the lead. It may go against the grain, but if you can’t control you’re excitable dog, you must put it on the lead. This will prevent any unfortunate incidents as described above.

Not, only will you be keeping you’re dog out of trouble and away from the risk of injury, you will be helping the other dog and, helping it by not forcing it into a behavioural response that is undesirable.

The message to take away is that you must assume responsibility for the behaviour of you’re dog and, ensure you keep it from bothering other dog walkers and, to keep it away from, potential problems.

3 November 2018

Understanding the needs of rescue dogs

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There are thousands of, unfortunate, dogs that need re-homing throughout the U.K. Many organisations put up dogs for rescue; many are destined to remain in rescue centres for long periods of time.

This is a question that troubles me. I wonder, WHY is this the case? Rescue dogs are of particular interest to me. I believe, they are often misunderstood, often resulting in difficulty in finding these dogs new homes. People are, simple, put of.

Visit any number of dog re-homing sites and you will see comments such as ‘not good with cats’ or ‘doesn’t get along with other dogs’ or ‘ must be only animal in home.’ Now, of course, there might be situations where this type of comment is true. However, many times the opposite is the case.

I have, personally, re-homed ‘difficult’ dogs that were at ‘the last chance saloon.’ Often these dogs had, apparently, serious issues. However, with care, understanding and advice – these ‘difficult dogs’ lived long and happy lives and, overcame most of their issues.

Working with these ‘difficult dogs’ is what prompted me to train as a canine behaviourist. I had always thought I knew a lot about dogs. Well, I was wrong. Through properly studying canine behaviour I came to realize that my lack of knowledge had made it harder than is should have been to help some of the dogs in my charge.

Dogs that find themselves needing new homes, usually through no fault of their own, can’t speak up for themselves and let us ‘humans’ know what troubles them. It is, therefore, incumbent on us to try to understand each and every rescued dog that needs our help.

I would urge, those, kind people, who wish to help a dog, NOT to be put of by descriptions on websites. Visit these dogs, take advice and ask questions. If you can, ask the advice of a canine behaviourist who, may be able to help you and your, potential, new canine addition to your family. Remember, introducing a new dog to your home needs careful thought and, needs to be done in the right way. It can be a challenge, but, believe me, it is one worth your time.

25 September 2018

A new dog – it’s a team effort

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I was chatting to a lady today who was out with her young pup – around 6 months old. She had been trying to train her dog and to do the right things at home. However, it was proving difficult. Her situation is one that is all too common.

Whilst, she was trying to do the right things; train her dog to sit, walk on the lead, not beg for food, etc, her partner wasn’t.

I see this quite frequently. A dog is brought ito the home. One person is very committed to the dog but, the partner isn’t interested. As far as they are concerned the dog is the responsibility of the other person, its’ their dog. This means they do not involve themselves in the development or the care of the dog. In fact, they ignore everything that the, responsible, partner is trying to achieve with the new dog.

For example – one person makes the dog lie down when the humans are eating, the other allows the dog to beg and rewards it for doing so. One person stops the dog from jumping up, the other encourages it and rewards it by interacting with it. I think you get the picture.

This situation is grossly unfair on the dog. It has no consistency, therefore it will become confused. Dogs’ need structure. Without this, they will not develop reliable behaviour and will struggle in the home and away from it.

The message here is do not bring a dog into your home unless, it is a decision agreed by all, the adults, that live there. It has to be a group thing – EVERYONE takes responsibility for the new dog – they ALL do the SAME things. If this is not going to be possible – do not get a dog.

31 July 2018

Getting a dog – choosing carefully

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The choice is overwhelming. However, finding the right dog for you should not be an impulse decision. It needs, careful, thought before deciding on the pooch for you. So, why then, do so many people get this important decision wrong?

I see many people that have, simply, not thought about what a dog means, potentially, too their lives. Often, decisions are made, simply, on such ideas as ‘I’ve always wanted this breed” or “they look nice, so I had to get one”. Ridiculous approaches to such an important decision, showing little regard for the needs of the dog or the owner.

Taking on a dog is, almost, as important as deciding to have or adopt a child. So, before leaping in and, going for something that looks cute or meets any other weak criteria; stop and think.

Here are some things to consider:

Why are you getting a dog?
- Companionship
- Support
- Protection
- Getting out of the house and meeting people?
- Status

The above, are just some of the many reasons why someone might want a dog.

Home situation
- Size of property
- Garden
- Other pets
- Family members
- Work commitment
- Time to commit to dog (play, walking, socialisation, etc)

As you can see, there are quite a few things to consider; the list above is, by no means, exhaustive.

Certainly, when considering the home environment, it is critical that everyone in the household are committed to sharing their home with a dog. I see too many people who have partners, for instance, that have no desire to have a dog, yet – their partners still get one. Not good for the people and, definitely, not good for the dog.

If your work keeps you away from home for long periods, meaning your dog has to be left alone for long periods or, you don’t have much time for walking and spending time with your dog; think, very carefully, before bringing a dog into your home. It is, simply, not fair on the dog.

If you want a dog to help you get out and meet people, don’t get a trophy dog such as an Akita. People may well be put of by such a dog. Don’t, misunderstand me, in the right home and with the right owner, Akitas’ can make great pets. However, they need someone who knows what they are doing and, are willing to make the compromises needed for such a dog.

I could keep going, so I will stop at this point with a few, final words.

When getting a dog, think about the commitment, time, effort and involvement needed to give that dog a good, happy, social life at home and out in the world. If you can’t commit fully to all of the needs of your canine companion – DO NOT get one – get a budgy instead.

23 July 2018

Reactive dogs – help them…

wmike Blog canine_behaviour, caninebehaviour, Dog behaviour, Dog behaviourists, Dog exercise, Dog owners, Dog ownership, Dog play, Dog rehoming

Over the past week or so, I have met a number of owners of ‘reactive dogs.’ Two different examples follow.

The first person had 2 dogs, one of which was a nervy, mildy reactive terrier. He’d been attacked a couple of times and now snapped at other dogs. Therefore, the owner tried to keep him away from other dogs. A responsible approach.

After chatting with me for a period, she understood more about how to help her ageing little fella. I saw her a few days later and she had followed my advice – the difference in her pup was marked. He had made significant progress, in a very short time, and was much more relaxed around other dogs. He still had his moments but, they were definitely improving.

The second individual, I encountered today. She approached the water with a number of other dogs, all on the lead. Ziggy was splashing around with me in the water. This owner, let one of her dogs off and kept one on the lead, adopting a very defensive attitude to Ziggy who was showing passing interest but, wasn’t getting near her dog. She explained that her dog had been attacked a couple of times and was now very aggressive to dogs it didn’t know. Therefore, she kept it on the lead. This lady was not open to any advice – her dog would get over it in time (highly likely, it wouldn’t without help).

Heres’ the thing, dogs, often, struggle to ‘get over things’ without our help. In these cases, simply keeping them on an extendable lead is NOT helping. Seeking some professional advice and working with your dog is the way to go.

For example, my dog, Ziggy, has been attacked and injured twice. She has not been kept away from other dogs but, has, instead, continued to be socialised, at the same time, keeping her away from potential problems. Takes a little thought and effort but, it is worthwhile. Not doing so, fails to address the needs of a dog.

18 July 2018

Staffies – dangerous dogs?

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Parliament has just debated whether or not Staffordshire Bull Terriers should be placed on the dangerous dogs register (16/07/2018) . Fortunately, sense won the day and, the petition was rejected. In my opinion, rightly so.

This debate was forced by a petition from The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). They argued that the breeding of such dogs, encouraged their abuse. Therefore, banning them would sort this out.

Of course, this ignored the thousands of responsible owners of ‘the nanny dog.’ Anyone with a hint of common sense would understand that the problem is the owners who treat these dogs as trophies and status symbols. There are very few ‘bad’ dogs, there are many thousands of ‘bad’ owners.

ANY dog can become dangerous in the wrong hands. Is PETA going to insist that all breeds with potential, in their eyes, to exhibit uncontrolled and dangerous aggresion should be banned? So, no more German Sheppards, Rottweilers and Dobermans. All of which are beautiful breeds that need competent owners and, all of which are powerful and capable of harm. In the hands of competent owners, all of these breeds make great family pets.

It is, rarely if ever, the dogs fault for being encouraged to demonstrate aggressive and dangerous behaviour. Organisations such as PETA should think, carefully, before seeking to impose draconian measures on responsible dog owners.

Finally, back to the Staffie. This, lovely breed, is known as the ‘nanny dog’ for good reason. They make great family pets and are, usually, great with children. The, occasional horror story, involving this breed can, more often than not, be traced back to what a human has done to generate an extreme behavioural response from the dog.

Staffies are very gregarious, sociable and lively. They are, however a powerful breed and, their temperament is such that they do not back down – if another dog gets in their face, they will fight. This can be said of most dogs – some react more quickly and decisely than others. It is up to responsible owners to do the right thing and keep their dogs away from potentially inflammable situations.

10 July 2018

Physically punishing our dogs is not training — it is abuse!

wmike Blog canine_behaviour, caninebehaviour, Dog behaviour, Dog behaviourists, Dog exercise, Dog owners, Dog ownership, Dog play, Dog rehoming

I am staggered by the number of dog owners I see that think it is acceptable to hit their dogs. (I will not be using any pictures in this post — they will be too upsetting for most caring dog owners).

I would recommend ‘How dogs learn (Burch MR et al, 1999)” as a good starting point for those interested in doing the best for their dogs.

Modern canine behaviourists and trainers adopt positive procedures to train dogs. The other end of the spectrum is the trainer who thinks ‘breaking a dog’ through physical punishment is the best way.

Frankly, I would hope that we have progressed over the past 50 years and, now take the view that physical punishment is purely just cruelty. Most of the incidents of this type of abuse are perpetrated by owners that are angry and, simply, lose it when their dogs does not do what they want. Often, they physically assault there dogs, simply because they can.

Two recent examples I have witnessed whilst out with my rescued deerhound:

a) A woman had two, lively (as is the norm for the breed), springer spaniels. In the space of a couple of minutes, this woman, clearly in a temper tantrum, struck one of the dogs, repeatedly with a leash, whilst shouting at it. Ridiculous and downright cruel.

b) A man, with two dogs behind a low garden wall — a boxer and a staffordshire bull terrier, struck both his dogs with a strap as I approached. From what I could see, their crime was to have just shown a little interest in my approaching dog. The dogs stayed behind the wall as I passed. A glance over my shoulder saw the man again strike the dogs with the strap. Why? I have no idea.

Physical punishment such as the above is simply cruel and ineffective — the dog learns nothing from such abuse, just fear of the owner.

Burch M R et al (1999) describes, in behavioural terms, punishers taking a number of forms:

Time out
Withdrawal of attention / time out (separated, for instance: in another room or kept on the lead in a park away from the play of other dogs.
Response cost
Removal of toys / removal of play time
Verbal reprimand
Aahh!! / NO!! / Stop that!!, etc
Physical punisher
Leash correction (jerk on the leash) — considered by many to be reasonable / hit / shove with foot to stop a behaviour / knee in the chest (stop jumping) / pinch collar / shock collar, etc
Natural punisher
Bitten by another animal whilst sticking head down a whole, for instance

The issue of physical punishment is, for me, clear. Sometimes the gentle jerking on a leash might be required — but that is it. Any more than that is abuse. ALL of the other examples described in 4 above, are examples of abuse. NONE of them should EVER be considered.

A dog that is cruelly treated, for whatever reason the human (wrongly) thinks it is an appropriate response, will only learn to be fearful or aggressive, or both.

I strongly recommend that, if you really are a dog lover, you do some reading. “How dogs learn” is a reasonable starting point.

A positively well trained dog is a happy dog!

Reference
Burch, M.R. & Bailey, J.S., 1999, How dogs learn, Howell Book House.

1 July 2018

Heat and dogs — give them a break

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So, we have a bit of a heat wave in the UK. Unfortunately, there are, as usual, many dog owners that do not understand that extreme heat and dogs don’t mix well.
I was at the beautiful North Norfolk Holkham beach at the weekend. The weather was forecast to be fine and hot. So a trip to the sea was in order with Ziggy. A trip not to be taken lightly.

Here’s the thing — dog’s have fur coats. They wear them all the time. They can’t strip down in the heat. They struggle to regulate their temperatures. Therefore, it is up to us to help them.

So, back to Ziggy. We got to the beach early, around 10am — an early start for us humans but very important for Ziggy. We went to the beach and had a couple of hours fun in the water. By midday it was very hot. Time to get back to the air-conditioning of the car, more food and water for us all. Then back home. Yes — a fairly short trip but a very enjoyable one.

What was everyone else doing? Well, clearly, after having a nice lie in and a leisurely trip to the beach, the great unwashed were turning up now the temperature was really getting hot. There were tiny children, countless dogs all swarming to the now boiling beach. The small children were already crabby. It seems that many dog owners are not listening or, are not prepared to adjust how they do things when they have a dog or, a child for that matter.

Dogs can suffer with heatstroke, a potentially fatal condition. Something that is entirely preventable. Some of the signs:

Heavy panting or rapid breathing
Lethargy, drowsy or uncoordinated
Excessive drooling
Glazed eyes
Weakness or seizures
Vomiting
Bloody diarrhoea
Seizures or collapse

How to avoid it:

Never leave the pet in a parked car, even for a few minutes, and break the window if you see an animal trapped in a vehicle who is clearly in trouble (you might be in a little bother with the law but, you may save the dog’s life) .

Walk your dog before the sun comes up in the morning or after sunset and, if they are outside in the day make sure they have access to complete shade and plenty of water.

Avoid long car journeys.

Stay off hot pavements. As well as burning your dog’s paws, heat rising off concrete and asphalt can overheat smaller breeds.

Limit the walks. Too much physical exertion in hot weather can cause heatstroke.

Make sure your dog has plenty of drinking water to stop them becoming dehydrated and ensure they are drinking it.

Gently hose or sponge them down with cool water to lower their body temperature.

Consider using a rectal thermometer to take your dog’s temperature

If your dog is showing signs of heatstroke, do the following:

The RSPCA say for the best chance of survival, dogs suffering from heatstroke urgently need to have their body temperature lowered gradually.

Move him/her to a shaded/cool area.
Immediately douse the dog with cool (not cold) water, to avoid shock. If possible, you can also use wet towels or place him/her in the breeze of a fan.
Allow the dog to drink small amounts of cool water.
Continue to douse the dog with cool water until his/her breathing starts to settle but never so much that he/she begins to shiver.

Once the dog is cool, take him/her to the nearest vet as a matter of urgency.

Failure to act promptly could result in the dog’s death.

Final thought — prevention is better than cure. Think about your dog before venturing out on hot days.

I make no apologies for posting this again. Only yesterday, I saw 3 large dogs in the back of an enclosed truck – the sliding windows a few inches open. It was extremely hot, however, the dogs owners – a few yards away, were queuing for coffee, while the’re dogs were, clearly, overheating.

THINK ABOUT YOUR DOGS!

Time – 11.30 – Temp – 30C. This is NOT the time to take dogs out. I have seen multiple idiots today with their dogs – walking them in extreme temperature on hot pavements, in the blazing sunshine. NO! NO! NO!

I make no apologies for posting this article again. What is it that idiot dog owners do not understand – heat can KILL a dog. In temperatures like we are experiencing at the moment – take your dog out early or a lot later in the evening – when it is COOLER. Better still. get of your butts and take you dog to the nearest river, stream or sea and get them in the water to cool down.

C’mon people, THINK!

15 June 2018

Short nosed dogs – time to stop…

wmike Blog canine_behaviour, caninebehaviour, Dog behaviour, Dog behaviourists, Dog breeding, Dog owners, Dog ownership, Dog play, Dog rehoming, dog training, Dogs, Short nosed dogs

A short piece by Jonathan Leake in last weeks’ Sunday Times regarding short nose (brachycephalic dogs) gave me cause for optimism.

Over the centuries, man has bred dogs to be more extreme in their appearance all for the benefit of fashion. This has been to the detriment of the wellbeing and quality of life of the breeds of dogs affected.

All of these types of dog suffer. British Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Pugs and King Charles’ Spaniels to name a few. There are many more. ALL of these breeds are beset with health problems caused by ‘breeding’ for a specific look. In my view, this practice is cruelty, plain and simple.

The dogs that have been bred like this, all have difficulty in breathing, to the point where they cannot function properly – they can’t run, play and swim like other dogs. They, simply, can’t breathe properly and are exhausted by ‘normal’ activities associated with healthy dogs. They often have behavioural issues because of this indiscriminate breeding.

The environment secretary, Michael Gove, has drawn up new legislation aimed at dealing with this practice. Breeders’ of these types of dogs will face prosecution if they breed dogs with unhealthy deformities – all of the aforementioned breeds must, surely, fall under the terms of the new legislation.

Of course, ‘lovers’ of these types of afflicted dogs will shout long and hard. Do I have any sympathy for these owners? Of course not! If they were true animal lovers they would not be perpetuating this barbaric practice by fueling the demand for such dogs.

Jonathan Leakes’ article quotes Gufrun Ravetz, of the British Veterinary Association, who says ‘the new regulations are a significant step forward to crack down on unscrupulous dealers and put a legal duty on breeders to prioritise the genetic health of puppies.’ Well said but, I would go further. The breeding and ‘future’ ownership of brachycephalic dogs or, indeed, any breed of dog with conditions bred into them that affects their quality of life should be banned.

All of those people that think these dogs are ‘cute’ should look beyond this shallow, ill-informed view and wake up to the fact that these dogs suffer their ‘whole’ lives.

18 May 2018

Out of sight, out of mind – No!

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I came across a chap with his terrier type dog this morning whilst out with Ziggy. He proceeded to behave, somewhat, oddly with his dog.
As we approached, he turned away from us, shortened the dogs’ lead and made him sit, all the while blocking the dogs’ line of site to us. During our approach he was also constantly feeding his dog treats.

As we reached him, he continued to try to get between his dog and us. Of course, I asked him what he was doing. ‘Stopping my dog looking at your dog’ came the reply. Strange indeed.

He explained that his dog could be a little unpredictable. I asked him to relax and allow his dog to relax a little also – as the dog sat, calmly, I offered him and my dog a treat – duly taken by both dogs.

I have seen this type of behaviour replicated a number of times now. In my opinion, this is a disturbing trend in how to deal with ‘reactive’ dogs. In fact, it is counter-productive. Instead of dealing with a behavioural issue, owners are encouraged to take this, rather drastic, avoidance action. This doesn’t serve the dog well – in fact, this may prevent him from getting over his behaviour issue.

What should be happen is that the dog with reactive issues should be exposed to dogs in a controlled manner – at distance and then ever closer as the dog begins to calm when in proximity of other dogs – desensitisation.

There are always exceptions to the rule. Some dogs are extremely reactive and it can prove very difficult to help them modify their behaviour. These dogs need to be dealt with very carefully by experienced handlers.

However, the majority of dogs, can be helped with careful desensitisation to the issue that challenges them. Simply, stopping the dog from experiencing other dogs or situations naturally is a flawed approach.

So, think carefully before adopting the ’out of sight, out of mind’ approach too readily.

16 May 2018

Over excited dogs – putting the time in -the Royal Navy way

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I met a couple with a very excited dog today. It reminded me of my time in the Royal Navy.

Way back in 1982, after 9 years, I found myself drafted to my first ship. This was, of course, en route to the Falklands Islands and a conflict going on in those chilly waters..

I had been used to the RN focus on exercises and drills. Stay with me, I get back to the dog a little later.

During the 7000 mile passage to the war zone, we were exercised and drilled relentlessly. Action stations, crash landing, man overboard, fires, casualties, the list goes on. At the time, it seemed a pain in the neck. However, there was a serious point to all of this, By the time, there was any real incident, the exercises had made the ships’ company’s responses automatic, second nature. It could be the difference between life and death.

So, you may be wondering, what does this have to do with the owners and their excitable dog? Well, quite a lot, actually.

The owners of this dog, had done some training but, now didn’t bother that much. This is the point, right there. Unlike, the Royal Navy, this couple did not understand the importance of repetition. Dogs will not retain their training if it is not reinforced by repetition throughout the dogs’ life. This is fundamental to the approach adopted by the Royal Navy. It is no good just doing some training, maybe repeated a couple of time. It has to be practiced to make it stick.

Dogs are no different. If you want a dog to change its’ behaviour and to respond appropriately in any situation you must practice. There is no BIG RED BUTTON that does the job. It is through the owners effort, commitment and persistence that a dog learns what is required of it and, how to live with another, very strange species, US.

14 May 2018

Re-homing – loosen the lead a little

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In April 2018 the Times newspaper reported there were 130,000 dogs in UK rescue centres. a staggering number of animal, I think most sane people would agree.
Perhaps it is time that the rescue centres revised their re-homing policies. I’ve visited some of the bigger charities websites such as the RSPCA and the Dogs Trust – both advise that there is no lower age limit for children. However, I meet quite a few prospective re-homers that have been advised by these organisations that they do not allow dogs to go to homes with children below a certain age (this varies).

A recent example, that came to my attention, was a friend of mine with a daughter aged around 2 ½ years. He is very experienced with dogs and clearly knows what he is doing. Nevertheless, he was turned away from quite a few centres because of his daughters’ age.

I understand the reservations displayed by rescue centres. They re-home and something happens – they find themselves with negative publicity and, possibly, in court. No good for anyone.

There are many ‘behaviourists’ dotted around the UK. Rescue centres should, maybe, call upon them to carefully assess dogs for their suitability for re-homing with young children. This should be supported by a program aimed at helping the re-homing family to understand their dog and to do the right things to integrate it into their family home.

I know this is quite simplistic. However, we need to try to find reasons to re-home these unfortunate dogs rather, than find reasons not to.

7 May 2018

A bit of a stretch – the curse of extension leads

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In every vet surgery, pet shop or any store selling pet supplies you will see them. Hanging in their rows and plastic cases, promising the owner the perfect answer for walking their dogs.

Why, with these leads, you need never fear your dog running off again and, they get to have a good walk on their extending lead. Fantastic right?

Well…No.

These types of leads are aimed at those owners that are not prepared to put the time in to train their dog properly.

Using these leads prevents a dog from experiencing a free run and a walk, free from the umbilical cord tethering them to their owner. Dogs needs to be able to explore their surrounding, be it woodland, the beach or any other area that allows them to be a dog or, indeed, to socialise properly with their own kind.

Many owners point out to me that their dogs enjoy their walk on these leads and get plenty of socialisation at the same time. This is delusional. The ONLY reason these leads are used are for the convenience of the owner, NOT the well-being of the dog.

These types of lead never control the dog, they just can’t run off. They, in my opinion, represent a danger to other animal and humans; they wrap round arms and legs and cause injuries.

It is the responsibility of owners to make sure their dogs are properly trained in lead walking and recall.

So, please, stop making excuses – if you are unable or unprepared to do what is right for your dog, think carefully whether the dog is getting the quality of life it deserves.

Blog

Punishment or reward (kindness) based training – research

Can you train your dog? Poor advice…

Keeping your dogs safe…

Dogs do it for kids

Mental health in our dogs – a disturbing trend…

Run away!…

Mummy, mummy! Get me a puppy for Xmas!

Places in Norfolk to rescue a dog in need of a caring home

The myth of the naughty dog

Raw pet food and superbugs

Dogs need responsible owners…

Humans and dog companionship

Understanding dogs – misconceptions

We should NEVER hit our dogs

Positive action, not evasive action helps our dogs

Parallels between helping dogs and humans

Reactive dogs are traumatised dogs

Shouting at your dog is unhelpful

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Temperature is rising – get those layers on!

Dogs and water – don\’t force the issue…

Expert advice? Confused owners…

Out of control?

Cold can kill