I recently looked at a few ‘dog training’ websites and happened upon an American site with an extensive article, written by a horse/dog trainer (an interesting combination. The article was a detailed account of how to train a dog to ‘mush’.
‘Mushing’ means attaching your dog to your bike and getting it to pull you along, similar to the principle of a Husky team (bred for that very purpose). The trainer in this case actually states that “if your dog tries to pull your arm off when on the lead, they are perfect for mushing”.
There seems to be a proliferation of people forcing their dogs to drag them along on their bikes. I suppose, these individuals think that their dog is being properly exercised by this, ill-informed, practice. But, in this case there is a very important point to make about the impact this type of ignorance can have on a dog’s behaviour.
Just consider the comment the trainer makes above. He is basically saying a dog with a pulling on the lead problem should be encouraged to pull even more. If you follow this advice, you a going to make the lead pulling much worse.
What you should do in this situation is to train your dog NOT to pull on the lead. Failing to do this gives the dog no chance to develop the right behaviour while on the lead. After all, how can he be expected to know the difference between pulling his owner along on a bike and, walking on the lead.
Let me also be clear, a dog is a major responsibility. It is encumbent on the owner to care for the dog and to make sure it gets all it needs to live a well-balanced, enjoyable life. Dragging it along attached to a bike or and owner, while running does NOT meet the dogs’ needs for proper exercise and socialisation. So, if you wnt to ride or run, do so. However, when exercising your dog – make that your priority and, do it seperately from ypur other exercise. That is the right thing to do for your dogs’ wellbeing and quality of life.
So, you have a dog, adult or puppy, that is proving challenging to train. It may run off and have poor recall or, it may not respond to commands as you would wish. You are at your wits end, perhaps not have the knowledge or experience to deal with the situation. The next step is, usually, to find professional assistance. At this point stop and think carefully before choosing a dog trainer. Be prepared to seek clarity about there approach. Many trainers recommend the use of shock collars.
note the prongs for delivering the shock
These shock collars are in common use throughout the UK (in fact, there is a staggering number sold to dog owners — with little, or no useful guidance on how to use them); these devices should never, be used in my opinion. Anything that inflicts pain to elicit a desired behaviour should be avoided. Unscrupulous and ill informed trainers push these awful devices for anything ranging from stopping barking, keeping the dog with home boundaries or anything else they can think off.
How does the shock collar work? The clue is in the title. an electric shock is delivered (the intensity is variable — from very low to quite extreme and painful levels). Trainers will, often, demonstrate on a client with the lowest setting ( a little discomfort) but, then make sure the setting is much higher for the dog to ensure the desired response.
In anyone’s hands, let alone the untrained, these collars can cause significant pain and resultant behavioural problems for your dog.
Because of the use of such devices, a dog can quickly start to display learned helplessness. Lindsay (2000, p.253) states that under conditions where aversive stimulation (in this case, the shock from the collar) is used on a non-contingent basis, this can result in a number of devastating interference effects called ‘learned helplessness’. This impedes the dog’s normal escape and avoidance learning (owner’s often describe this a the dog ‘shutting down’). Learned helplessness was first described in 1967 with Seligman’s experiment of dogs (Seligman and Maier, 1967). Put in simpler terms, the dog experiences pain that it cannot get away front — they, eventually, just give up and stop responding to the pain inflicted.
An example of learned helplessness is the dog owner who uses a shock collar to prevent the dog from running away. The dog is shocked when the owner thinks it is getting too far away, the shocks continue, even when the dog is returning to the owner. Clearly, the dog is unable to get away from the pain of the shock — eventually, it does not know how to respond, so it either, just stops or keeps running.
To retrain a dog who is suffering in this way, I would recommend:
stop using the shock collar, immediately
introduce the dog to a ‘normal’ collar — this should be done slowly and gently (the dog will have associated the collar with negative experiences) — this should be accompanied by positive reinforcement using treats and a calm, gentle approach and praise (primary and secondary reinforcers)
when the dog has associated the new collar with a positive experience, the next step:
teach sit / stay — this should be done using positive reinforcement:
on successful sits — use a primary reinforcer, a treat and a
secondary reinforcer, ‘well done’ verbal praise
use the same for the stay
when the sit / stay is reliable and reproducible, proceed to
recall training (this may take time — the dog has strong, negative associations with this)
using a long lead ◦ put the dog into sit and retreat a few feet. Call the dog (an alternative to ‘come’ may be appropriate, if the dog is already used to ‘come’ with a shock) using ‘here’ — positive and with some excitement
when the dog comes, reward with a special treat, praise the dog ‘well done!’
repeat until the dog is able to sit/stay at the full length of the lead (maybe, 30–50 feet, or so)
now repeat the above with the dog off the lead, starting short and then increasing the distance
I would also use visual signals and for longer distances a whistle
This training should be fun for the dog, yanking on the lead to get compliance will not help with this dog. All of the above steps should have been done in a secure location (a large garden, for instance).
Finally, take the dog to a more open area, perhaps a park and repeat the steps above. This process, will probably be a long one.
This method of training and behavioural modification relies on kindness and positive reinforcement for the dog. ANYONE that eschews the use of kindness based techniques and promote the use of shock or prong collars should, be avoided at all costs.
References
Lindsay, S. (2005). Handbook of applied dog behaviour and training. Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press.
Seligman, M. and Maier, S. (1967). Failure to Escape Traumatic Shock. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 74(1), pp.1–9.
Dogs and water — a marriage made in heaven?
I’ve rescued quite a few dogs — all of which have not been, particularly, bothered about going in the water. All of these dogs came to love being in the swim. I’ll return to how this happened a little later.
So, why is having a splash so good for our dogs. First and foremost, it is HUGE fun for them. There is nothing quite like seeing a dog swimming, splashing and, generally, mucking about in the water. Add a human element and, it just gets better for them — doggie nirvana!
Swimming is also great for a dog’s health — it is a fantastic form of exercise. In fact, as your dog gets older and perhaps develop some degree of arthritis, swimming takes the weight of the joints and enables your dog to get relief from their pain, together with having some fun, to boot.
Now, we must accept that some dogs just do not like water — period. Well that’s OK as well. Although, in my experience over many years, there are not too many who don’t enjoy a romp in the wet stuff.
The question is how do we introduce our dogs to the pleasures of water?
As in all things, there is a right way and the wrong way. The wrong way — throwing a dog into the water or forcing it to go in by dragging it by it’s lead. Only fools and insensitive owners adopt this approach. This is, in my view, the best way to instil fear into a dog, for life with regards to water. This approach, simply, makes water a frightening place for your dog.
The right way/s. Here’s an example of learning, by accident, an effective approach. One of my earlier rescued dogs (described by my son as one of the goods guys) was Bert, a Labrador Cross. Bert was around eight years old when we rescued him. Bert would not put a paw in the water; he did, however, love to chase a stick. One day I waded into a deep stream to recover a stick for Bert. Imagine my surprise when I turned around and, there was Bert doggy paddling right behind me.
Bert enjoying a dip
Bert, for the rest of his long life, thoroughly enjoyed the water. He was happiest when swimming after a stick; he also loved the sea.
I have used the lesson I learnt from Bert with not only, his successors but, with other peoples dogs over the years. Readers of my ramblings will already know Ziggy, my current canine charge. Again, like Bert, she was not interested in water at all. I followed the approach taught to me by Bert with Ziggy. So, shorts on and into the water (me that is). After a couple of days of doing this and allowing Ziggy to gain confidence with water, in her own time; she is now a fully fledged water baby. There is, of course, one potential gotcha here — Ziggy loves me to be in the water with her! Well, hell, it’s fun — so what’s a bit of trench foot between friends?
Ziggy in the sea at Holkham beach in Norfolk
Ziggy now enjoys the water so much, part of her daily routine is a visit to the river for some fun with Dad (me).
Another, effective way to help a dog get to know the water. Take a small treat in an open hand. Let the dog see it and step back a little into the water. The dog will, usually, pluck up the courage to paddle to you for the treat — praise the dog a repeat a few times, going a little deeper each time. It’s important not to overdue this and push the dog too much. If your dog is starting to show reluctance — stop. Go back another day — you will be amazed how effective this is.
Believe me, there is nothing quite like getting in the water with your dog and having some fun — I’m nearly 60 and I love it!
A word of caution — take care with where your dog goes in the water. Watch out for strong currents and potential dangers below the water such as sticks and branches that might impale a dog. Make sure the water is flowing — still or stagnant water can be a health hazard.
Taking care and applying your common sense will keep you and your canine buddy out of trouble but, it will allow you to give you dog some serious fun throughout it’s life with you.
While walking with my dog, Ziggy, I was reminded about the importance of visiting the vet, before the canine behaviourist.
We met a lady with two small border collies, both, apparently very friendly. The older dog changed it’s demeanor in a split second, going from relaxed to bared teeth as Ziggy approached. So, an aggressive dog. But why?
In this case, the dog had a serious, but controlled, disease called Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI). This is a rare disease but one that is life threatening. Simply put, the dog’s pancreas fails to produce digestive enzymes; therefore, the dog is unable to digest food. Without treatment the dog will die. This can be exacerbated when combined with vitamin B12 deficiency (this dog was also affected by this). From a behavioural point of view, affected dogs often show aggression towards other dogs (although, not always).
Another condition that can result in behavioural changes in dogs, including aggression, is Hypothyroidism. This is a condition that is often missed, however, a diligent vet should be able to identify both of the aforementioned conditions. Of course, there are many medical conditions that will affect how a dog behaves.
In a wider context; dogs with health problems causing behavioural issues can result in difficult situations. An owner will experience negative responses from people they meet when out with their dog. Therefore, the dog that may have problems with aggression or fearfulness, for instance, may elicit unexpected responses from these people. This is not surprising. There, of course, is no way for the person meeting you to know why your dog is behaving as it is.
I would say to people who respond badly to a dog; you should stop for a moment and think about why a dog is behaving as it is. Perceived poor behaviour does not mean that you are faced with a bad dog rather, it may be one that is poorly and needs, alongside it’s owner, help and understanding — not a judgement from you.
Getting back to helping the owner with behavioural issues — clearly, without prior diagnosis of underlying diseases, it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to effect any behavioural changes that may be needed. It is for this reason that a dog’s vet should be consulted BEFORE any consideration is given to appropriate behavioural therapy. A medical condition may indicate appropriate pharmacological therapy to be used alongside efforts to effect behavioural changes.
Dogs are descended from wolves, right? So, they should eat what wolves eat in the wild, right? This is the basic tenant believed by those who support a raw diet for their dogs. This is a highly contentious subject and, one that generates strong views. A leading proponent of raw diets for dogs is Dr Ian Billinghurst, a vet who promotes the BARF diet (Bones and Raw Food) based on the theory that wolves eat raw meat in the wild so dogs should too.
Unfortunately, his arguments are based on no scientific data, at all. He, and the supporters of BARF argue that wolves don’t eat dry food. That’s true but it ignores that the domesticated dog is long separated from the wolf in evolutionary terms.
Both sides of the argument make spurious claims, making it difficult to decide on which side of the fence to sit.
BARF proponents argue that all commercial diets are inadequate and unhealthy for our dogs. In fact, Billinghurst claims that most degenerative diseases in animals are a direct result of commercial foods. That’s again based on zero clinical research.
A huge range of conditions in dogs are blamed on the horrors of feeding commercial food to them by BARF advocates.
The other side of the argument, discussing the risks of and reasons to avoid raw diets, is put forward
McKenzie claims that “wolves kept in captivity live longer than wolves in the wild. And what are captive wolves fed? Commercial dog food. Evidence suggests captive wolves fed raw diets suffer from poor nutrition and health. Wild wolves often die because of disease, parasitism and malnutrition.’ Some of this is true – wolves in captivity do, indeed, live longer. However, a review of some of the institutions that keep captive wolves, reveals that they are, generally, fed a raw diet, similar to what they would eat in the wild. Commercial food is used, sometimes, to supplement the diet.
The assertion that ‘ wild wolves often die because of disease, parasitism and malnutrition’ is plausible. It could be argued that the ‘raw’ meat elements of their diet could be the sources of parasitic and other diseases, contributing to mortality.
BARF proponents argue that commercial food lacks nutritional quality and is unsafe. That’s also wrong — commercial food production is strictly regulated unlike the raw diets, and is based on extensive nutritional research and testing for digestibility and nutritional content.
Commercial dog food is accused by BARF fans of making dogs sick, being indigestible because of grain content, lacking nutrient content and, most crazily, of being made from dead pets! None of these claims are substantiated by research.
Many raw diets have been found to contain pathogens including E.coli and Salmonella which are harmful to our dogs and us. For me, this is the major source of concern. In my, humble opinion, from a common sense perspective, it seems logical to cook meat before feeding it to our dogs. Why take risks?
There appears to be no evidence for BARF diets. They are not based on sound research. I would go as far to say that feeding dogs on RAW foods is tantamount to playing Russian roulette with their health. I am open to this view being challenged when there has been proper clinical research into this area.
This, of course, is a personal opinion based on my medical knowledge gained while serving in the medical branch of the Royal Navy, an understanding of food hygiene and, most importantly, applying some common sense.
License: Creative Commons (Flickr) — original by Brett Jordan (https://www.flickr.com/photos/x1brett/)
Walking with Ziggy again. We met a chap with a 5 year border collie — a lovely dog, if a little lively.
A typical collie, he was focused totally on his ball, to the exclusion of anything else (not a good thing). I would recommend taking the ball for specific periods of play / exercise and, then to put the ball away and allow the dog to socialise with other dogs and people. Dog’s that are fixated on one thing can develop bahavioural problems (this one was showing a little protection aggression — common in dogs fixated like this one).
However, the dog was a nice animal; he just required more informed handling and some additional training.
This is the nub of this piece. The collie’s owner had taken the dog to a trainer and had been told ‘the dog is untrainable’. Wow! Here we have, again, an ‘expert’ who dismisses a dog in such an offhand manner. My advise for anyone that is told this — about turn and get as far away as possible from said ‘trainer’.
Most dogs can be trained — it requires commitment and effort; sometimes it is far from easy. There are too many ‘trainers’ out there that, clearly, aren’t very good.
The owner is now taking advice from another trainer. This one extolls the virtues of the ‘clicker’. However, as with all forms of training, if the clicker is used properly, it can be effective. This chap, clearly, did not really understand how to use it — so, he was clicking at inappropriate times and confusing his dog.
Again, any ‘trainer, worth their salt will take time to make sure an owner understands, fully, how to use any form of training aid. Not to do so is irresponsible and counter-productive.
A thought regarding dog intelligent. We have all heard ‘my dog is very intelligent, more than other dogs…’ — this owner thought his dog was tricky because of it’s higher level of intelligence than other dogs. Well, here’s what research tells us — dogs all have, pretty much, the same level of intelligence. The important point here, is that some dogs (breeds) are easier to train than others, particularly if you focus on training geared to what they have been bred for (Hart et al, 1985; Scott et al, 1971).
Finally, a take home message. When looking for a dog trainer — choose them with care. Ask around, find out what other people think, quiz your trainer about methods, experience and satisfied customers. As for the trainers out there who write dogs of because their skills aren’t up to scratch— ‘shame on you’.
(Hart, B. and Miller, M. (1985). Behavioural profiles of dog breeds: a quantitative approach. JAVMA, 186(11), pp.1175–1180).
Scott, J. and Fuller, J. (1971). Genetics and the social behavior of the dog. Chicago-London.
So, here we are again at Ziggy’s (you should know who she is by now) favourite woodland and water walk. This is where she gets to meet lots of mutts and people, and — she gets to run in the woods and play in the water — pretty much doggie heaven!
After having had a good stomp through the woods, plenty of chasing squirrels in the undergrowth (never get’s anywhere near them), we get to Ziggy’s best place — the doggie water spot. Lots of fun here leaping in and fetching sticks; too exciting for words (barks).
We are joined by a couple of other dogs and their owners — more fun now.
Soon, a large group of people with their dogs arrive — all on the lead (15–20 or so, dogs). One owner comes and stands next to me. She has two beautiful dogs — a ridgeback puppy and a labrador — both on the lead. Both very excited — I suggest letting them of for a romp in the water. She tells me she is out on a group walk — dogs have to be kept on the lead — the walk is under the guidance of a local ‘dog trainer’. She frowns upon letting them off the lead.
Really?
Let me be clear; we are in a fantastic place for dogs. To keep them on the lead is tantamount to cruelty, in my humble opinion. Dogs are social creatures and, deserve to be allowed the chance to do this as much as possible.
Keeping a large group of dogs on a lead is NOT SOCIALISING them — it is stopping them from being a dog!
Quite a few of these dogs were, clearly, excited, some were, obviously distressed — they NEEDED to be of lead and enjoying the fun of playing and interacting with their own kind.
This, unfortunately, is another example of a so called ‘dog training professional’ displaying a breathtaking lack of understanding of what dogs NEED.
A couple of the walkers stayed at the pool while the rest moved on under the ‘guidance’ of their ‘trainer’. These dogs were then let of the lead and, hey presto, their demeanor changed completely — they relaxed, socialised nicely and had a romp in the water with the other dogs.
The take home message here is, group walks are good, but, for goodness sake, if you are in a place where the dogs can be off lead, enjoying their own company — THEY SHOULD BE. Treat ‘professional trainers’ who do not encourage this with caution.
Walking in the woods with my rescued dog, Ziggy, and Sue, my wife, I came across another incident of canine aggression.
Whilst talking with a dog and it’s owner, Sue warned me that there was another dog ‘incoming.’ I thought it was just another pooch approaching to socialise with the other dogs. It was, in fact a small 9-month-old miniature schnauzer.
As soon as the dog reached Ziggy, he immediately jumped up at her and, was clearly trying to bite. I stepped in and blocked the dog, keeping it away from her. The owner reached us and, without a hint of apology or concern, said: “Oh, he does this a lot but, he’s only a puppy,” His tone suggested this was okay and only to be expected.
Here’s the thing: it is not okay. This is a behavioural problem in it’s early stages. First, get the dog castrated, second, adjust the dog’s behaviour through training (you may need a professional to help).
Do not write these sorts of incidents off as just ‘puppy’ behaviour, he’ll grow out of it. No he will not. If the dog is not handled correctly, he will go on to establish a pattern of this type of behaviour.
The result will be the dog biting another dog or human. The outcome of this may be expensive for the dog owner or, perhaps, biting a larger dog may result in serious injury to the schnauzer.
My final comment, do not think that because a dog is small it can do no harm. It most certainly can. It is our responsibility, as dog owners, to do what is right for our animals. Take RESPONSIBILITY.
Out on my daily walk with my dog Ziggy, I came across another example on what not to do with your dog.
All dogs need to be given the opportunity (every day) to ‘be a dog’; this means allowing them to socialise properly with people and other dogs, in different environments. Failure to do this amounts, in my view, to a form of cruelty.
We came across, in open woods, and parkland (a form of doggie heaven) a beautiful chocolate labrador and it’s owners. Unfortunately, this dog was on an extending lead (an awful lead that is dangerous and should never be used — the premise that the dog is under control is wrong — it simply can’t run off).
The owners actively restrained this dog, who was extremely excited to see another dog — the owner did not stop, but pressed on. I was going in the same direction and asked them, did they let the dog off the lead — answer — never (the dog was 5 years old!).
Their reasoning — it would run off because it had no recall. Had they tried to train the dog — yes (very briefly) but, it was untrainable. Of course, this is utter rubbish. It is more likely, that this required some effort and, clearly, these owners were not prepared to do it properly.
Let me be clear, all dogs need to be able to meet their, often breed specific, needs. In this case, the dog needs to be allowed to stop and socialise, it needs to be off lead enjoying it’s environment and the company of other dogs.
This dog was like a bottle of pop, full of energy and bouncing around like a lunatic. This is because, the ‘exercise’ it was allowed was woefully inadequate and it was not being socialised.
My message is: If you want a dog, you must be prepared, and willing, to train the dog, understand and meet it’s needs — particularly exercise, socialisation and letting it ‘be a dog’.
So, please think about your life style and whether you can really give a dog the life it DESERVES. If you have any doubts that you can’t — DON’T get a dog. PERIOD.
Dogs that, sometimes, misbehave should not be met with all out aggression. Of course, this is all too often the case, particularly with men.
Whilst out with Ziggy (my shaggy dog) and Sue (my wife — not a shaggy dog), we witnessed yet another example of the results of an unpleasant encounter.
Approaching us was a woman with two labs — one on the lead, the other off. She told us that her lab, on the lead, had began ‘humping’ dogs sometimes. He was 11 years old, arthritic and of a good nature. I encouraged her to let the dog loose, telling her, I would deal with any inappropriate behaviour.
Of course, the dog, behaved impeccably, whilst his pal romped with Ziggy.
We met the lady a little later — the dog was back on the lead. This time she told me that another dog was approaching from behind; she was worried that her dog may misbehave. I, again, got her to let the dog off the lead – we then saw a number of dogs come and go — on one ocasion the dog showed a little too much interest; a simple ‘come’ took his mind of the other dog.
This lady had become, excessively, nervous of letting her dog off the lead because a man had become aggressive with her and her dog, after the dog had tried to mount his dog — he had threatened to kick her dog. There are a couple of points her: first, how very brave of the ‘man’ to behave in such an aggressive manner with the unfortunate lady. Second, let’s be clear — this is a fairly normal behaviour in an intact male dog. We should not over-react but, simply get the dog under control (which, by the way the lady had done , during the original incident).
I would also say that if your dog has begun to exhibit inappropriate behaviour, with no apparent cause, take the dog to the vet for a thorough checkup — there may be a medical issue that needs dealing with.
For those dog owners out there, who have experienced this type of thing — do not let it influence your behaviour — get the dog back off the lead (let it enjoy it’s walks) — tell other owners that he might misbehave — keep your eyes open and deal with any issue BEFORE it happens (you will learn to recognise any signs).
In this case, we see just a mild behaviour — no aggression or danger to other animals — therefore, for goodness sake — keep calm, do not over react and, for those aggressive human males out there — BEHAVE yourselves!
Dog aggression is often misunderstood by owner and onlookers, alike. On the surface, it is scary and, of course, threatening.
It is important to understand that aggression can be the result of many issues, often not obvious to the owner. It is all too easy to adopt the wrong approach for an aggressive animal.
I can give an example from today’s walk with Ziggy (my rescued deerhound cross) in a large, open part of woodland (safely fenced off, making it ideal for some dog training and observation).
We came across a lady with a rescued lurcher, quite a large male. At distance he was fairly relaxed, however, as we got closer, the dog (he was called Storm), lunged forward, on his lead, bearing his teeth and barking aggressively. On the surface, an aggressive individual.
However, after talking with the owner, it was clear that this dog was exhibiting fearful aggression, in other words he saw each dog as a potential threat and was acting accordingly. We have to remember that dogs default to two clear approaches — flight or fight. This fearful dog could not take flight, he was on a lead and harness, therefore he defaulted to his other option, fight.
So, what can be done? The first point to make is that aggression, from whatever source, can be difficult to deal with; it needs an experienced person who understands how a dog functions. I would strongly recommend seeking the help of a canine behaviourist in this case (not a trainer).
This dog, after my dog backed off quickly became calm again, although still alert. He was friendly with me, a complete stranger, and was happy for me to give him a treat and to stroke him, gently.
I would suggest, that this dog is another example of an animal that, probably, has not been socialised properly in earlier life. He was being taken on group walks (with a trainer) with other dogs. But here’s the rub, these dogs were never being let of the lead — essential, in my opinion, to allow dogs to socialise together in a pack type environment. Therefore, this dog was never of the lead, allowing him the chance to behave as a dog with other dogs.
My suggested solution would be to muzzle the dog with a baskerville muzzle, then take the dog for walks with another, relaxed dog — but keeping significant distance between them, gradually decreasing the distance as Storm becomes more relaxed with the situation (systematic desensitisation). After this — both dogs should be let off the lead — any response from Storm should be dealt with calmly. Eventually it will be possible, after meeting other dogs of the lead, to remove the baskerville muzzle.
What an owner should not do is comfort a fearful dog when another approaches — this will just make matters worth — you will be reinforcing the behaviour that you wish to eliminate.
Finally, I would strongly suggest that professional assistance is sought in any case of aggression. Proper assessment is paramount here, including veterinary examination (many medical conditions can be the source of aggression).
Taking on a dog for the first time is a serious matter. There’s a vast choice. Do you want a designer dog like a Labradoodle or another breed treated as a fashion accessory? If your thinking is along those lines, here’s my advice: Get a new handbag/manbag or a smart new phone.
DO NOT THINK ABOUT GETTING A DOG.
When you take a dog into your home, you’ve got a major responsibility to give that dog the best life you can. It is not a child substitute, it is a sentient being, an entirely different species.
We should not treat dogs as accessories to our lives or as a replacement for children.
Cesar Milan (the Dog Whisperer) described the dog in simple terms: animal > dog > breed. Research the type of dog carefully. You won’t necessarily want to go for an established breed. Find one that suits the way you live, your family, your work and your environs.
Too many people, fail to understand dog development stages. That’s vital to having a well-balanced, happy dog.
The critical period — 3 weeks to 14 weeks of age for the development of a puppy’s temperament and social development, is poorly understood by many ‘breeders’. That results in dogs that go on to develop various behavioural issues as they get older.
Unfortunately, many owners do not understand what to do when their dogs develop problems; a situation compounded by receiving poor advice from so-called dog trainers. There are many good ones out there and, unfortunately many bad ones. When looking for a trainer, tread carefully.
Do not forget the many dogs in rescue centres. They need a caring and understanding person to give them a good home. Many people assume that rescued dogs will be difficult to take into a home with children or other animals.
This is, more often, not the case — a rescued dog can prove a fantastic addition to any home. However, take advice from the rehoming centre and a good dog behaviourist who can assess and help you with what to expect and give you guidance on how to introduce a dog to your home.
Dogs of any type, be they puppies or rescued, need a great deal of time and effort to help them learn to live with another species (us). Think carefully and take a dog into your home, only after serious consideration.
My final thought: A dog is for life — it is your responsibility to get it right.
For me, there is nothing quite like seeing a dog enjoying the water. Their sheer exuberance is a joy too see, never mind that it is excellent exercise for them.
But here’s the thing — this should not be something forced upon a dog. I mention this because, over the past few days I have seen a number of dog owners getting this horribly wrong. When the weather is fine, Ziggy (pictured) and I regularly go swimming in the river, often with other dogs and Sue (my better half) looking on, somewhat bemused.
Ziggy would not go near the water a couple of months back (when she came to us from a rescue centre). By encouraging her, very gently, by entering the water myself, Ziggy started paddling, as she grew in confidence she has transformed into a canine version of Mark Spitz!
Yesterday, I saw, yet another example of how not to do it. A couple (late 40s) with their Cockapoo (maybe 9–10 months) came to the place where Ziggy and I were romping in the water. On seeing this, he tried to force the dog into the water (he was more concerned in getting it clean — not interested in some fun for the dog). I encouraged the pup into paddling depth with a ball — he thought this was huge fun.
The owner, driven by his need to ‘clean his dog’, regardless that the water was doing that already — grabbed the dog and forcibly ‘washed it’. Result, the dog became nervous and would no longer enter the water. This fool also informed me that he had thrown the dog into the sea — yep, that’ll work.
From a behavioural point of view, this little episode demonstrates a staggering lack of understanding how a dog thinks. The poor puppy, obviously quite keen to play in the water, had his fun turned into an unpleasant experience through the forced ‘washing of him’.
This type of owner behaviour is a surefire way to turn your outgoing puppy into a nervous dog, afraid to do some the the most fun things. So, think before you do anything to cement a fear in your dog, as a direct result of what you do.
Many dog owners pay little attention to properly training their dog.
While walking in the woods with my rescued dog, Ziggy, my wife and I came across a woman, yelling, frantically, for her dog. The dog, a labradoodle, had disappeared around a bend and then disappeared (this was a densely wooded area).
I asked the lady if the dog had any recall. ‘No’ came the answer, he never comes back and, she had made no real effort to get the dog trained in the recall.
My wife and I helped this lady to find her dog (it eventually returned). However, it was not seen for quite some time — this dog may have run into a road or drowned in the river for all we knew.
I cannot stress enough, the importance of training your dog in the recall — it could save his life…
