Professional Fear Free Dog Training using Positive Reinforcement techniques only
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Most of you remember in September I went to a 3 day Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy course with Steve Mann to gain a lot more knowledge on all things puppy! I am pleased to announce after an assessment process Kirsty’s Kindred Kanines is now a qualified easy peasy puppy instructor! Do you need help finding the right puppy or ethical breeder or rescue! Do you need help setting your puppy up for success then go to kirstyskindredkanines.com and contact me 😃
Had a fabulous weekend with IMDT Australia Steve Mann and Puppies what more could you ask for
Such an important read 🥰
PLEASE CHOOSE YOUR TRAINER CAREFULLY
For the last couple of months, I have been working with a lovely puppy and his owner to identify the cause of his extreme puppy biting, stopping on walks, and barking at other dogs.
Including me, this dog has had 3 trainers in 4 months.
The owner had been told the dog is trying to dominate her, is naughty, stubborn and needs to be put in his place. Using a shock collar to get the dog moving was another suggestion given to the owner. Thankfully that never happened.
Given the severity of the biting and the dogs’ behaviour on a walk, the first thing we did was to get a vet involved and assess the dog for any underlying medical conditions. This involved a blood test, stool & urine samples, and an x-ray.
Unfortunately, a diagnosis of severe hip dysplasia came back which explained everything.
The dog wasn’t being stubborn, he was in pain. He wasn’t being naughty; he was frustrated about being sore. He wasn’t barking at other dogs because he was top dog, he was barking at them to stay away.
Since the diagnosis we have changed many things. Reduced walks, non-slip rugs, steps, raised beds, pain medication, hydrotherapy and removal of some activities that were causing him pain. I’m pleased to say that the puppy is doing much better, and the owner is more relaxed.
We still have work to do but most importantly, we have a reason for the dogs’ behaviour.
Now imagine the dog’s quality of life if his owner had taken the advice from the other trainers. The dog would have been left in pain and punished for that pain. Not only would this be incredibly cruel to the dog, but it would have been a ticking timebomb and his behaviour would have deteriorated as his condition worsened.
When choosing a dog trainer, please check their reviews, qualifications and social media for any advice/training videos they post. Question them about their training methods, what happens if the dog gets it wrong and what affect pain/medical issues can have on your dog’s behaviour?
A reputable and ethical trainer will welcome these questions and your dog will thank you for it.
Thankyou to Dogs Disclosed for this really informative post it is important that we teach our dogs alternative behaviours that are more rewarding for them than shout at them in a foreign language 😄
TELL ME WHEN I GET IT RIGHT!
Imagine this – You work for someone who continually reprimands you. You never know from one day to the next if there is anything this person is happy with, because the only feedback you receive from them is what you are doing wrong – it’s all just so negative!
You are never thanked for a job well done, never given any positive feedback, recognition or encouragement.
This leaves you feeling demotivated, confused, insecure and unhappy. You have no idea what this person really expects of you or wants from you.
Surely you must be doing something right, some of the time? If only you had more feedback about what that was – you could do more of that and you would both be in a happier place.
We often treat our dogs this way, only focusing or providing feedback on the “wrong” behaviour and neglecting to provide feedback and encouragement for the “right” behaviour.
Rewarding, reinforcing and encouraging a dog for whatever they are doing right is an effective, scientifically proven way to communicate, teach, create trust, build confidence, security and build a strong bond in a positive, force-free way.
Just like us, when a dog does something that results in something good happening, they’re far more likely to keep repeating that behaviour.
Reinforcement or rewards don’t always have to be food or treats – it all depends on what that particular dog finds more rewarding – lots of praise, a favourite toy, playing a game or anything else a dog really enjoys can be rewarding.
Keep telling your dog when they get it right and very soon, they will be doing less of the wrong thing and more of the right thing.
Stop focusing on the unwanted behaviour and communicate to your dog that they are getting it right by rewarding the behaviour you are looking for.
BRAIN UNDER CONSTRUCTION!
The challenges of teenage dogs
There’s a saying that parents who have gone through the teenage years with their off spring will relate to - “Parents with teenagers understand why some animals eat their young!”
Many dog owners are unaware that dogs also go through a teenage stage and are frustrated and unprepared for the changes this brings. It’s a sad reality that this is the age that many dogs are surrendered to shelters as their owners no longer “like” the way their dogs behave, can’t handle them and give up on them.
The teenage brain is going through many changes. Think of it as being “rewired”. The rewiring process can cause some parts not to work at all or only work sometimes. Some parts work too much with too much current and new wires cause unexpected results.
There are many similarities to the changing human teenage brain. There’s a valid scientific reason why car insurance premiums for young adults under 25 are more expensive. The brain is not fully matured – irrational decisions, risk taking, poor choices and accidents are more likely to happen.
Be patient, understanding and most of all consistent with your teenage dog. Don’t give up on them. They are feeling just as frustrated as we are. Being aware of what is happening in their brain as it develops to full maturity helps us to be more accepting. Remember that this is just a phase and it will get better.
If you plan on gathering with friends and/or family this holiday season, there are a number of things you can do to keep your dog (and your visitors) safe.
Remember, there is nothing "wrong" with your dog if you need to manage amid all the chaos; that is 100% normal.
Check out this week's blog post for more info on how you can implement each of these strategies: https://rescuedbytraining.com/2022/11/14/holiday-gathering-tips/
Meet Beautiful Bella ! When I first met Bella last week she was hyperactive, anxious and struggling to get some decent rest because she struggled to switch off. The biggest worry was she was chasing shadows all day and into the night. My first recommendation was a Vet Behaviourist, however coming up to Christmas it is difficult to manage and organise so Bella's Mum asked to wait until after Christmas. We implemented a safe space for Bella, outlets for her herding instinct, and lots of food enrichment. This week I can tell mum has been working extremely hard I walked into a house with a different dog. Bella is sleeping in her crate through the night and much more relaxed and able to settle. We worked on some recall games, some scent work games and the start of some loose lead walking. Go team Bella !
I love this.
Today I met the gorgeous Marley who I am helping with some excitable puppy behaviours that he finds so entertaining and exciting however his mums and human sister can sometimes find it ouchies as he doesn’t realise his size and is a big goofball 😍 if you need help with puppy or teenage behaviours in your pup feel free to contact me !
IN THE FACE OF FEAR
There is a common belief that comforting a dog that is scared, anxious or stressed will just reinforce or encourage them to feel this way. This belief is incorrect. Fear is an emotional response and one that a dog does not choose or makes a decision to experience. We cannot reinforce something that is an involuntary, uncontrolled response.
Imagine an intruder broke into your home, tied you up and took off with your belongings. After freeing yourself and getting help, a close friend arrives to see how you are. Your friend tells you that she can see that you’re really anxious and scared but she’s just going to completely ignore you, is not going to attempt to comfort you, sit with you or give you a hug because by doing that she will cause you to feel even more afraid and upset. Does that reaction make any sense? Dogs experience a range of emotions and the same principle applies to them.
Why then is it still believed that you should ignore your dog? Probably because there is confusion or misunderstanding about the difference between an emotional response - which is an involuntary response and a learned response - which has varying degrees of conscious control.
If we acknowledge that providing comfort and support to a dog that is experiencing these emotions will not reinforce them, do we know that providing comfort will reduce these emotions? Research on this subject is showing evidence that providing comfort and support in stressful situations decreases a dog’s heart rate, salivary cortisol levels, reduces stress responses and increases calm behaviour.
Ignoring a dog’s emotions because of misinformed advice that this will change the behaviour is not helpful. Recognise the emotions for what they really are and be there for your dog.
I always give this advice to people when researching a dog trainer 😄
Today I met this lovely boy Grogu ! with his equally lovely family. As you can see Grogu is a lovely lad who struggles around new humans because they move funny and weirdly, and he struggles to feel safe around them, working with the family and a Vet behaviourist
to help him and his gorgeous little brain to feel safer is my new mission ! Did you know reactivity is an attempt to make our loved Doggies feel safe ! Management to not put them in the situation that stresses them out is key and help from all avenues is best to make them feel safer !
Dogs can’t be Dominant
DOMINANCE IS A DIRTY WORD!
We hear it so often - “my dog is dominant” or “trying to be the alpha” or “I have to be the pack leader to show my dog that I’m in control”.
It’s so easy to attribute any unwanted behaviour to these popular labels. It’s easy to use what many people believe to be “educated” phrases that enable them to feel “knowledgeable” about what’s causing their dog’s behaviour.
The definition of dominance - dominant in the chain of command / occupying or being in a commanding or elevated position / having a controlling, prevailing, or powerful position in a social hierarchy. Do we really believe this of our dogs? Are they really trying to take over our households and rule the world? We control what and when they eat, when they go out, their choices, where they sleep, who they interact with, their entire environment etc. etc. and yet we still label them as being dominant.
Research clearly shows that the outdated theory of an alpha wolf controlling a pack through aggression and dominance is a myth. Decades of observation by wildlife biologists studying wild wolf packs show that leaders actually observe from near the back of the pack when moving around, not by taking the lead. In times when food is scarce, rather than eating first, the leaders allow the young to eat first. There is no evidence of leaders seeking high positions over the pack, no evidence of moving a lower ranking member from a desired resting place or pinning down another pack member to exert authority. These biologists describe the role of leaders as parents— guiding, teaching, looking after and caring for their family members. When their offspring reach sexual maturity, they don’t battle it out to overthrow the leader, but leave the pack, find a mate, and start a family of their own. In addition to all of this – domesticated dogs are not wolves!
As dog guardians we have a responsibility to take the time to understand our dogs and meet their needs. Mentally, emotionally balanced and confident dogs are achieved through understanding the emotion behind the behaviour, positive reinforcement, force / fear free methods and allowing choices when appropriate. Believe in the research, believe in the science and help to dispel the untruths that cause so much damage to our dogs.
DON’T STOP REWARDING
WHY DOGS SHOULD ALWAYS BE REWARDED FOR A JOB WELL DONE
Many people are initially willing to use rewards when teaching a particular behaviour, but often seem to be overly concerned about when they can stop doing this. There seems to be a focus on “the sooner I can stop doing this the better”. Surely my dog should just listen to me because I’m in charge, because they need to be obedient and should just do what I say because I say so! or “If my dog always gets rewarded it’s a bad reflection of my “authority” over them – It’s a weakness and I’m bribing or spoiling them”.
A common analogy used to explain this is a person starting a new job. You are offered a good salary and are excited to learn new skills. You are enthusiastic, motivated and learn quickly. Your employer is really happy with your progress and you are rewarded at the end of that month with your salary. At the end of your second month, you are told that you will no longer be earning a salary. You are told that because you now know the job and really perform well, it's become no longer necessary to pay you to do it. How would that affect your motivation, excitement and willingness to continue performing or even showing up for work?
The same applies to our dogs. To maintain a behaviour, motivation, satisfaction, a sense of achievement and to keep communicating in a way our dogs understand, we need to continually reward the behaviour we are looking for. Yes, there are different ways of rewarding or reinforcing our dogs if we are going to get technical - differential rates of reinforcement, fading, distance, duration or distraction or building behaviour chains etc. but the principle of rewarding a dog for a job well done, remains unchanged.
One life. ! 🐶
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Perth, WA
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Valda the Staffy X pup and her lovely Mum Sonja winning at their loose lead walking ! If you need he lp don’t hesitate to contact me ! Enjoy 😍
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