Di Terra Meiga hondenschool

25/07/2024

Scientific Wednesday 🔎

As summer heats up, it's important to be aware of how hot asphalt can get and how it can affect our furry friends.

Did you know?

When the air temperature is around 77°F (25°C), asphalt can heat up to 125°F (52°C).
On hotter days, when the air temperature reaches 87°F (31°C), asphalt can soar to approximately 143°F (62°C).
When the air temperature is 95°F (35°C), asphalt can reach a blistering 149°F (65°C).

Dog Paw Safety:
Dogs can suffer from burns when the ground temperature exceeds 52°C. High temperatures can cause burns to a dog's paws within 60 seconds of exposure. Prolonged exposure to hot asphalt can also lead to heat stress and other health issues.

▫️ Test the Pavement: Place the back of your hand on the asphalt for 7 seconds. If it's too hot for you, it's too hot for your dog.
▫️ Walk During Cooler Times: Opt for early morning or late evening walks to avoid the hottest parts of the day.
▫️ Use Protective Gear: Consider dog booties or paw wax to shield your dog's paws from hot surfaces.
▫️Stay on Grass: Whenever possible, walk your dog on grassy areas which are cooler than asphalt.

21/11/2023

31/12/2022

Vuurwerk-leed

Vele collega-gedragstherapeuten doen hun zegje op social media over honden en vuurwerk. En terecht. Want er zijn nog steeds teveel dieren die er last van hebben, door een hel gaan deze dagen, vaak samen met hun mensen, of zelfs de dood tegemoet gaan wanneer ze ontsnappen, in blinde paniek, om weg te komen van dat enge geluid.

Hoewel het mij haast onmogelijk lijkt om het niet te weten, dat jouw ‘plezier’ voor een ander de ergste avond van z’n leven kan zijn, was er een tijd dat ik het als kind ook niet wist. Strijkers waren ‘supercool’, ik geloof dat de trend nu shells en nitraten zijn. Misschien is dat wel hetzelfde. Ik heb er geen verstand van. Ik denk wel dat het onze taak is, van ons ouders, om de jeugd te informeren.

Ik geloof zeker dat sommigen gaan voor de kick. En ja, ook soms wel voor de rottigheid, daarom kon ik met mijn poepzakje, als brave burger het hele park door terug naar huis want er staat deze dagen geen prullenbak meer. Blijkbaar moet vuurwerk volgens sommigen de prullenbak in maar niet om het weg te gooien. Nee, het doel is dan om die prullenbak met inhoud op te blazen.

En ik vind, eerlijk gezegd, dat er bar weinig voorlichting is over vuurwerk. En dan bedoel ik niet over blaas je eigen hand of gezicht niet op, hoewel ik daar ook geen Sire spotjes over zie, wil je jezelf opblazen is dat één ding, hoewel je daar toch ook anderen mee belast.

Ik heb het over voorlichting over de dieren in de stallen. Die in paniek zijn maar nergens heen kunnen. Ik heb het over paniek onder de vogels, die gaan vliegen tot ze uitgeput raken. Ik heb het over de katten, die ontsnappen of thuis in een hoekje wegkruipen, ik heb het over de honden. Over de honden die ik al 16 jaar begeleid. Over mijn hond Willem. Hij maakt dit niet meer mee maar wat was hij bang. Uren bibberend, hijgend, achter de toiletpot. En ik zat daar met hem. En ik kon het niet voor iedere incidentele knal een pilletje geven. Dus wanneer er ineens op 15 december iemand besloot een prullenbak of nog ‘leuker’, een put op te blazen dan kon ik mijn hond weer zien lijden. Hopend dat er niet nog iets afgestoken zou worden als hij net weer hersteld was.

Afschuwelijk leed, dat is het. Een deel van de mensen is op de hoogte en doet het toch. Een ander deel heeft geen idee hoewel je toch een beetje onder een steen moet leven om niet te snappen wat een impact het kan hebben op dier én mens. Neem bijvoorbeeld veteranen.

Vandaag was ik bij het tuincentrum. Om wat voorjaar in huis te halen. Er was ook een vuurwerkafdeling. Terwijl ik mijn karretje tussen de rijen wachtende mensen met hun kinderen door loodste voelde ik verdriet. Om alle angst wat nog gaat komen. Om al het leed wat nog gaat komen. Om de dood, die sommigen vandaag, morgen en overmorgen hierdoor zullen vinden, al hebben gevonden. Net als ieder jaar. Terwijl ik daar liep vroeg ik me af hoeveel honden die bang zijn voor vuurwerk er in een gemiddeld huizenblok wonen. 10? Met 1 rotje 10 honden uren lang in paniek? En ja, de jeugd doet dat het liefst voordat het mag en lopend. Dus is het ene blok in paniek dan gaan we toch gewoon naar het volgende?

Het lijkt of het me ieder jaar meer raakt. Overgevoelig? Wie weet. Maar doe mijn werk als gedragstherapeut maar eens, zie het eens van dichtbij bij je eigen dier. Of mens. Dan praten we daarna wel weer verder.

Roos heeft nog nergens last van maar ik ben alert. Één knal kan de trigger zijn, één knal, argeloos afgestoken en weggegooid kan de oorzaak zijn.

Het is nu nog rustig. Maar ik weet wat er komt. En ik wens iedereen veel sterkte…

Marlene Vonk | www.wijzermethonden.nl

DIt bericht delen mag, dat stel ik uiteraard op prijs, kopiëren en plakken niet.

30/10/2022

Halloween in het park 👻

21/09/2022

Online & Free | Limited Time

19/08/2022

Just because a dog behaves well in societies eyes, does not make their human a dog expert.

I see plenty of 'well behaved' dogs trying to communicate with their humans but their communication falling on deaf ears. I see scared dogs, uncomfortable and unhappy dogs that get praised for being quiet and well behaved.

There are people out there that work tirelessly at being amazing advocates for their dog. That understand their dog. That continue to educate themselves about dogs. Some of these people have dogs that walk beautifully with them, that love everything and everyone, who hang off every word they say and some of these people have a dog who society deems as badly behaved. There are so many factors that contribute to how a dog behaves. Their human is just a part of it. There are plenty of dogs who struggle but have amazing humans.

Many dogs walk around with people who think they are amazing dog people but who dont realise that they actually just got lucky and have a dog that is well behaved inspite of them, not because of them.

A person that can get their dog to obey them says nothing about their understanding about dogs as a species.

The people that really impress me are the people that make no apology for putting themselves out for their dog.

The people that walk their dog at 5am in the morning because their dog is socially sensitive and that's the best time to walk them.

The people that make no apology for not being able to come out because their dog is under the weather or may need comforting in a firestorm.

The people who sit on the floor because they dont want to disturb their dog.

The people that dont take their dog to the pub because although they would love it, they know their dog doesnt.

The people that have bubble wrapped the whole of their house to protect their furniture whilst they support their new dog who is terrified of the world. (Yes this is a client I have at the moment who I think is amazing!).

The people that are brave enough to tell other people to not stroke their dog whilst the other person looks at them like they are mad, because all dogs love to be stroked by strangers, right?

The people that always know that they need to learn more about dogs because they cannot possibly know everything about such a complex, beautiful species.

So if you want to impress with how great you are with dogs. Dont try and get them to sit, give paw or lie down. Show what YOU can do for your dog, not what they can do for you.

To all the lovely people out there that constantly impress me with their efforts to be better humans for their dogs. Dont listen to the people who think they know best. Keep up the good work.

I will let you into a little secret. Training dogs to do things is pretty easy. But understanding them, being able to communicate with them,compromising for them, earning their love and trust but not expecting it and being their advocate, is not always quite so easy.

You can be lucky enough to have dogs that fit in with the world easily, all your life. But dont assume that because a dog is not behaving the way society thinks they should, that it is the humans fault or because they dont know anything about dogs.

All dogs are unique and untill you have spent time with every single one of them, you still have a lot to learn 😉

14/06/2022

Reactive behavior is the tip of the iceberg. It’s what we see: the lunging, the barking, the snarling, the growling, etc. It’s what’s above the surface and it’s what we often want to stop. What we don’t see and what’s driving this behavior is the rest of the iceberg below: the fear, the anxiety, the stress, the frustration. So if we want the behavior to change, we need to look at the root cause, not just the symptoms.

When we change how a dog feels about a trigger, we help change how they act around it. We do this through the application of modern, science-based positive reinforcement behavior modification techniques including desensitization, counter-conditioning, and reinforcement of alternative behaviors.

What we don’t do to change how a dog feels about a trigger is use punishment and aversive tools such as prong or shock collars. No matter how these tools are marketed, packaged, and sold to us, and no matter how “properly” or “correctly” we use them, they work by means of pain and fear avoidance. They “work” by stopping the behaviors we see—the barking, the lunging, the growling. They “work” by temporarily suppressing these behaviors. They “work” by addressing the symptoms not the cause. They “work” by trying to chip away at the tip of the iceberg. But even if the entire tip is gone, the mammoth below remains.

What also remain are the countless risks associated with the use of pain-based tools including increased fear, anxiety, stress, avoidance, aggression, and behavioral shutdown.

The year is 2019, folks. Let’s get real. Don’t mistake behavior suppression for behavior modification. If your dog needs help, hire a reputable professional who understands the science of behavior and has the education, skillset, and experience (yes, those matter!) to create real, lasting, and humane behavior change.

12/02/2022

Puppy-les met Marcel en Yoshi. Twee leuke mannetjes.

01/02/2022

03/01/2022

We know dogs are cognitively similar to toddlers in many ways. One of those ways is in their ability to understand our words and expressions.

As captive pets, dogs are dependent on us for all of their basic needs - biological, emotional, and psychological. They look to us for support, guidance, and information about how to navigate the modern world they've found themselves in.

Let's help them out.

Next time your dog sees something in the environment that they're not sure about, think of them as asking you a question. Then answer them.

Example:
Your dog hears the garbage truck outside, runs to the door and alert barks. Instead of distracting them or calling them away, try walking to where they are and saying "yep, it's garbage day!" And then do a "go-find it!" treat scatter.

Be reliable and say the same phrase paired with a find-it or something else your dog enjoys to create a pattern.

Do this throughout the day with each activity and with each "question" your dog has.

Some of us probably already do this. Some of us may think "that sounds bananas!"

Just try it. See for yourself!

In creating patterns and routines, we become someone our dog can hang their hat on. We become predictable.

Predictability is a critical component of adaptation and survival. It enables the brain to save time and energy, lowers anxiety, and has a direct correlation with one's feeling of safety in their world and trust in their relationships.

Be your dog's benevolent life guide and narrator in 2022.

Happy New Year!



Graphic ID: Maroon circular background with the words "Talk To Your Dog" and little conversation bubbles that say:
"Guests are coming over, time for a special treat!"
"We're safe, that's just the neighbor."
"Yep, that's for friend, but we're not saying hi today."
"Thanks for the alert, we're safe!"

19/12/2021

11/11/2021

Some thoughts on how walking equipment can hinder the dogs communication, offering the reasoning for use of longer leashes. However leash handling is a broader topic, with wider considerations than equipment choice and technique. Shared in the post are three known educational sources for longer leash handling, who offer broader education when giving consideration to leash handling.

"The reason for a longer leash is to allow the dog to express his natural behaviour and communication. The dog is able to interact with the environment by moving authentically. Dogs use their bodies to communicate. The dog should be able to express natural behaviour when on leash, such as investigating, sniffing, marking, and making choices." Continued in linked article.

https://www.silentconversations.com/reasons-for-walking-your-dog-on-a-longer-leash/

22/09/2021

Yesterday I met a handful of animals who appeared truly phobic in their response to being at the vet clinic.

Phobias are different from fear although differentiating this in pets may be trickier than in humans.

Fear is a normal response to a potentially threatening or dangerous situation. It makes sense from an evolutionary perspective.
Phobias on the other hand are fear responses of a much greater intensity which are out of proportion to the risk the situation poses and are accompanied by dysfunction in the body-brain fear circuitry. They are maladaptive because the outcome of the intense response is actually a greater risk of damage than the trigger eg: a loss of self control accompanying fast “blind” flight that risks you throwing yourself out of a window / through a glass barrier, is more likely to create injury than a loud noise inside the room is.

Pets are justified in their fear responses to vet clinics! It is a normal, sensible response to avoid a situation that may well cause you pain or other experiences that could cause you harm such as prolonged restraint. So whether animals showing strong fear responses at the vets are truly “phobic” is a matter of debate and perhaps related to the individual and their experiences and responses.

I write this because I believe there is so much we can do to avoid pets becoming this fearful. And a lot we can do to respond appropriately to that fear, and minimise it, even in animals with existing strong responses.

Earlier this year a piece of research showed that gabapentin given 90 minutes before a simulated thunderstorm (which had been demonstrated to cause a fear response in known thunderstorm fearful dogs) significantly reduced their fear responses and another study this year showed dexmedetomidine oral gel given prior to vet visit significantly reduced fear in those dogs.

This followed previous research showing cats given gabapentin prior to a vet visit had significant reductions in stress responses.

But it’s not only medicines that can be used.
A change of examination and handling style (or perhaps location) makes a HUGE difference to many animals.
Personally I examine almost all my patients on the floor, sitting next to them - rather than leaning over them or having them on a table.
I also respond to their body language and actions- the dog who was teeth baring at me yesterday, was responded to - I stopped, I paused, I verbally reassured and then I restarted in a slower, slightly different way. Always giving the perception she could move away if necessary. And guess what, she stopped teeth baring and the nail clip was performed successfully without restraint and without a muzzle.

This won’t work in all individuals - sometimes that fear response is just too strong but it doesn’t mean we lose our respect for their perception. I really dislike hearing “oh come on, it’s not that bad”. We should never disrespect another s perception of their own sensory or learnt experience.

Riemer produced an excellent paper on reducing fear in dogs and cats at the vets earlier this year.

So, whether you work professionally with animals or are their human companion in life, remember it is ok to acknowledge and take empathetic action to their fear. I ll be taking a good look at this in an upcoming (October 13th) presentation for the Dog Training College called “Phobic Fido - responding to fear in the dog” - link coming soon.

We can be the voice for the silent.

Bleuer‐Elsner, S., Medam, T. and Masson, S., 2021. Effects of a single oral dose of gabapentin on storm phobia in dogs: A double‐blind, placebo‐controlled crossover trial. Veterinary Record, p.e453.

Korpivaara, M., Huhtinen, M., Aspegrén, J. and Overall, K., 2021. Dexmedetomidine oromucosal gel reduces fear and anxiety in dogs during veterinary visits: A randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical pilot study. Veterinary Record, p.e832.

Riemer, S., Heritier, C., Windschnurer, I., Pratsch, L., Arhant, C. and Affenzeller, N., 2021. A review on mitigating fear and aggression in dogs and cats in a veterinary setting. Animals, 11(1), p.158.

Van Haaften, K.A., Forsythe, L.R.E., Stelow, E.A. and Bain, M.J., 2017. Effects of a single preappointment dose of gabapentin on signs of stress in cats during transportation and veterinary examination. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 251(10), pp.1175-1181.

21/09/2021

Turid Rugaas's Stress Escalation Ladder.

It is important to understand Calming Signals.
It is also very important to understand when a dog is feeling unsure or is placed in a position he is unable to remove himself from.

There are many steps our dog will take before biting.
1. He will communicate to lower his stress levels or perceived aggression in others.
2. If this does not work or is not given the ability to do so, he will stop using calming signals and prepare to take action.
3. If he is unable to move away, he will move into extreme levels of stress and has no option but to take action.

Please, never place your dog in this position. Allow him to communicate and remove himself from the place of uncertainty.

14/09/2021

Nå teller vi ned til PDTE online konferansen 25 – 26 september, men det er fortsatt mulig å melde seg på.
Mange interessante foredrag som blir liggende ute et par uker om du ikke kan følge med på selve dagen.
Gå ikke glipp av dette !

25/08/2021

16/07/2021

Due to Covid-19 and the uncertainty if travelling is possible for everyone, we have decided to stream the entire event live online. 

16/07/2021

“Once it’s done, there’s no going back”

Making decisions whether to, how to and when to, neuter male and female dogs is a complicated process. It should involve discussion on the potential pros and cons for that individual dog living in their particular environment.

There are multiple medical pros and cons.
There are multiple behavioural pros and cons.

This 3 hour (with a short break) webinar will look at the most current science behind these purported pros and cons and aims to provide owners, vet professionals and non vet dog professionals with information to help make informed decisions as well as how to minimise any negative learning experiences during, and after the procedure itself.

Simultaneously translated into Polish, the presentation is given in English and participants will have access to a PDF of slides in both languages at their preference. Participants will have access to a recording of the presentation for 72 hours after the live event on Wednesday 21st July.

Places and full info available here

http://psiawachta.pl/neutering-in-the-dog/

18/03/2021

18/03/2021

18/03/2021