Refined Canines Halifax

10/11/2024

09/10/2024

A few pics from this summer

04/30/2024

Album cover

12/29/2023

Love working with puppy development!

Is socialisation what you think it is?

I nipped into my local pet shop today to stock up on some treats for my clients. As I entered I saw a beautiful Kelpie puppy who must have been around 15 weeks old.

The first thing I noticed was what a stunning puppy she was (can’t help myself, it’s the ears!). Then I noticed how ‘wired’ she was.

Her owner was paying at the till and pup was struggling at the very opposite end of the leash, desperately trying to get at the world around her. Neither of them had any clue of what the other was doing.

I instantly knew my proximity to this puppy was not going to set either her or her owner up for success, so I swiped a few feet to the right.

As soon as my movement captured this puppy’s eye, she turned in fast beaming excitement and launched her full body weight at me. Her poor mum being yanked to the side as she struggled to carry her shopping and manage a very over excited young puppy.

I gave them even more room.

To some that may seem strange. Surely it’s important for that puppy to meet as many people as possible during that all important socialisation period?

Well no, it’s not. The quality of what she’s learning from an individual experience is.

If I hadn’t moved and puppy had gained access to me (no matter how nice and friendly I am) I would have made that lovely lady’s job so much more difficult.

Arguably more difficult in that moment but absolutely more difficult longer term.

What would pup have learned? That other people are way more interesting than mum? That I can throw my weight around and it gets me closer to the lady who smells like sausages? And that the pet shop is “THE BEST PARTY EVERR!”?.

If she were to continue being put in situations where it’s too much for her and she’s always trying to get at what she wants and being forcibly stopped by a leash there’s also a chance she might learn leashes and harnesses are yucky because “they stop me getting to the things I want”. That constant frustration in these early experiences could bring with it a whole host of other issues down the line.

Is all socialisation good socialisation?

I really dislike the label “socialisation”. It feeds into this myth that, in those all important first weeks, a pup must go everywhere, see everything and meet every dog, no matter who our puppy is as an individual.

We could talk about how impactful genetics/ early experiences of Mum and Pup are here and yes they are incredibly important to consider as part of the ‘whole dog’ picture. But ultimately socialisation comes down to what that individual baby dog in front of you needs to learn how to navigate the world

There is no one size fits all. It should look slightly different for every puppy.

I see countless puppies happy to be calmly cradled while their owners shop in that pet store. I see other older puppies calmly exploring on a leash in that store. That’s what they need.
But what they need during their critical socialisation period is very different to what the pup I saw today needs. And that might be different again to what your puppy needs. Quality of learning for that individual pup over quantity of experiences wins every time.

Yes pups need to learn to navigate the world and be exposed to crazy things this modern world might expose them to. But if they can’t calmly explore or watch the world around them, or they have no clue you exist in a particular environment then it’s good to reassess early on how you’re doing things.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by knowing what to do to help your pup learn to navigate the world don’t wait to reach out for help from a good, skilled & knowledgeable trainer that has your dog’s welfare at heart. Those first weeks count for a lot 🐾

11/01/2023

08/13/2023

The hard thing with posting about e collars is the negativity. The haters. The naysayers. The force free community. The people who don't understand how we train or why we do what we do. And the first thing I have to say about that is

I get it.

There are a s**t ton of trainers who use e collars who are absolute garbage trash. They don't know what they're doing. They strictly use the tool as punishment to suppress the dog. They are unfair. They lack timing. They lack consistency and they don't use any motivation. They use the tool simply to harbour control over dogs. To make them stop barking. To make them stop moving. To stop them. To make them not do.

We are educated and experienced in the tool. We have attended various workshops, seminars and courses on proper e collar use- we have learned from various people and adapt our methods to fit each dog and handler team we meet.
We use it fairly. We teach the dog everything we want them to know without the tool first. We teach the dog what the pressure means and how to be empowered to turn it off. We use the lowest perceptible levels that will motivate the dog. We reward the dogs heavily- and as a result they are enthusiastic and happy when they feel the stim - not shut down.

We don't train every single dog on e collar- but the ones we do have amazing results. Dogs and their owners are able to live happier and more fulfilling lives together. They get to go on more adventures safely and trust each other more.

There is no "fry to comply" here and the trainers who joke about or preach that should be avoided at all costs.

So to everyone who hates e collar trainers- I truly get it. I'm with you. I hate most of them too.

06/08/2023

https://www.facebook.com/295798660775823/posts/1926856331003373/?sfnsn=mo&mibextid=6aamW6

In recent times, there's been a increase in appreciation of ethological studies on free living dogs (FLD). One insight that is gaining rapid acceptance is "choice". We see discourse on how our companion dogs can benefit from choice and agency.

However, another insight that is overlooked is “overadrenalisation”. It evokes a lot of emotions. There are deep rooted *beliefs* that dogs or certain breeds need to engage in a lot of frenzied movement.

One of the most visually evident differences between FLDs and companion dogs is the “frenzy”. Companion dogs are frequently seen in over-adrenaline states, being further adrenalized by their activities and interactions. They may stop moving for a bit due to extreme physical exhaustion, but their frenzied behaviour is back soon. This is a major impediment to emotional regulation, which in turn makes it harder for dogs to deal with fear, improve communication, problem solve, form secure attachments and build confidence.

FLDs on the other hand are often calm, emotionally regulated and rarely engaged in frenzied activities. When they do run and play, it's in short bursts, not lasting more than a few minutes and followed by “de-adrenalising” activities like chewing, sniffing, napping etc… Juveniles may get carried away, but adults step in and disengage quickly. Studies show that their activity budget is dominated by sleep. If not asleep, they spend a large part of their time sniffing or watching the world go by. Physical movement is limited. "Nap, observe, move sparingly and limit mindless frenzy to a few moments of vulnerability” is a common animal kingdom mantra, at least for megafauna.

But people often believe that our companion dogs are exceptions to this. We’ll discuss where these beliefs come from in more posts this month. Stay tuned.

NOTE : If this line of reasoning is triggering you, we’re sorry. It's an all too familiar feeling since all of us at BHARCS held such beliefs once. More on that too, soon!

If you feel like you are ready to learn from FLDs (streeties), sign up for Canine Essential 101

https://courses.bharcs.com/

04/05/2023

We’re often asked that age-old question – “What “Tips” and “Tricks” Can Help Me with My Dog Problem?”

First, let’s start with some definitions:
A Tip: “a small but useful piece of practical advice”
A Trick: “a clever or particular way of doing something”

If you work with dogs in any capacity, you are likely asked to share a tip or trick about how to do something with dogs. It makes sense – people are always hoping to find that little nugget of information that they haven’t heard before that will be a game changer for them and their dog.

The problem is that there really aren’t tips and tricks that will solve the issues that people typically ask about. They usually ask about complicated stuff – reactivity, aggression, fear, anxiety, hyperactivity…

Now, just to be clear, tips and tricks have a place in this world. There are a few that we’d gladly offer to people…
✅ You should definitely teach your dog to be comfortable in a crate
✅ Don’t let your dog drag you around on a leash
✅ Give your puppy tons of opportunities for naps during the day
✅ If you carry a food pouch on you all of the time, you’ll always be in a position to respond to your dog’s behavior

It’s really the follow up questions to a tip or trick that turn the conversation to something else. Something that has nuance. Something that has specificity. Something that has a few steps. Maybe a lot of steps.

This is really where the internet leads us astray. It makes us think that in a 2-3 minute video we’ll have an answer to a complex and possibly serious problem; that the solution is the same for any dog; that every dog and every human does things in the exact same way; and, that the provider of the tip or trick actually has the knowledge or experience to share useful information.

Here’s what we know for sure about tips and tricks…

There are no tips or tricks about dog training that will solve complex behavioral issues. That’s because resolving a dog’s behavioral issues just doesn’t come down to tips and tricks. Honestly, anything that matters in life probably doesn’t come down to a simple tip or trick either.

And asking someone who has invested time, energy, and skill into a career for a tip or trick devalues the depth of knowledge and information that they can share.
You’ll waste a lot less time and make a lot more progress if you engage a process or system with an expert. Pick someone who you feel comfortable with. Pick someone whose way of training resonates with you. Pick someone who has accomplished the thing you are asking about.

If there really were simple solutions to behavior problems, we all would have solved them all in a 3 minute TikTok video and there would be very few dog trainers walking this planet 😊 After all, if it takes multiple paragraphs to write out a brief description of what’s going on in your house, it will take about that long (and probably longer) for us to give you any useful training plan. And just like that… the idea of “tips” and “tricks” just flies out the window!

03/21/2023

You and your dog can't grow without going through some discomfort in order to grow both as individuals and a team - THAT is what actually builds your bond with your dog!

Discomfort leads to growth!Join our Patreon community at http://www.patreon.com/chrisfraizecaninecoaching

03/18/2023

What is a Good Dog? Basically an easy pet dog has low defense (fight) drive, and a high pack (social) drive. (Volhard.com) A dog with a high pack drive will bond and work for people easily....