TAKE A HIKE

01/09/2024

RESEARCH REQUIRED!

Choosing a dog just because of the way they look.

We wouldn’t choose a partner or make a commitment to sharing our lives with someone based purely on the way they look – (I suppose there could be exceptions in some cases!)

We would first really get to know them, what kind of personality they have and who they really are before making that sort of commitment.

Yet people continue to choose dogs just because of the way they look.

Maybe they saw a dog like that in a movie that they enjoyed or maybe they just really like the way they look, without having any understanding or thought to learn about what that particular breed was selectively bred to do and what behaviour might be expected.

The way a dog behaves is not always specific to the breed. Dogs are individuals, with their own unique personality and their behaviour is shaped not only by genetics, but by specific life and learning experiences and environment, but problems can happen when the traits of that breed and their specific needs are not taken into account.

Some breeds may just simply not be compatible with a particular person or family’s needs, lifestyle, environment or expectations.

Is it fair or ethical to need to suppress, train out or even punish breed specific tendencies, calling them behaviour problems, when we hold a dog in a captive environment that is unsuitable for them.

First research the breed and learn all you can about potential traits and what to expect before making that choice.

10/20/2023

We’ve certainly been enjoying the fall sunshine this week! Happy weekend, everyone 🍁

09/22/2023

QUITTING SO MUCH SITTING
How did we become so obsessed with making our dogs sit for everything?

Maybe because we believe that a dog that sits on cue is obedient, well mannered, calm, has self-control and that sitting is incompatible with unwanted behaviour. Maybe because it makes us look good as strong, respected leaders or disciplinarians and allows us to feel in control.

But is it all really necessary or in the best interests of the dog, both physically and psychologically to expect them to sit so much?

Sometimes what we have always believed is not what’s best for our dogs.

“Sit” is usually one of the first thing puppies are taught. Just one session at a puppy school may include up to 20 or more “sits” - that’s a high intensity workout for a dog at any age, but puppies in the growing stage are particularly at risk. These sitting repetitions put excessive pressure on the developing skeletal system which may lead to damage or injury that may only become apparent at a later stage.

Senior dogs may find it really painful to sit down and then get back up. Sitting puts pressure on the lower back, hips and supporting muscles. Certain breeds are just not designed to repeatedly sit.

There is nothing wrong with teaching our dogs to sit and occasionally asking for sits in certain situations, but look at teaching more natural, alternative behaviours as well, that are just as effective.

Wait, stand, 4 paws on the floor, hand touches or chin rests are all some behaviours that can replace repetitive sitting.

08/17/2023

DOUBLE TROUBLE
The challenges of raising two dogs together.
The problem behaviours that are commonly seen in dogs that are raised together is known as “litter mate syndrome” or “litter mate dependency”, but these behaviours are not specific to dogs from the same litter and can occur with any pair of dogs that are raised together.

These behavioural terms have been a topic of discussion for some time as to whether they really exist and are also not recognised as a “syndrome” by veterinary behaviourists or other experts.

If this “syndrome” isn’t real, then why do we see a pattern of this behaviour in dogs raised together?

These behaviours are more related to the challenges and time commitment involved in ensuring that each dog develops as an individual and reaches their full potential.

Raising just one puppy can be frustrating, challenging and time-consuming. Housetraining, socialisation, habituation, management, mental and physical stimulation, training, adolescence, etc is challenging enough with just one, let alone two.

Some people may believe that it’s a great idea to get two pups at the same time - they will be able to keep each other company when you’re not around; they won’t be bored; they’ll have each other to play with; they will always have a friend; both children in the family can have one; the breeder said it’s a good idea, you just couldn’t bear to leave the other one behind….and more, but this can lead to long term problems if not handled correctly.

Think of it as having twins. Parents of twins are advised to separate them into different classrooms when they start nursery school to help them develop as individuals and reach their full potential without one child over shadowing the other. Parents are advised to do all they can to ensure that they raise two separate individuals, confident within themselves and not reliant or overly dependent on one another. Dogs are not people, but a similar principle applies.

Yes, some pups raised together may form healthy human bonds and develop into well-adjusted, confident dogs without too much intervention from us, but it’s important to be aware of what could go wrong and how to prevent problems from developing.

08/08/2023

DON’T FORCE ME TO BE SOCIAL!
Do we like everyone we meet? Do we all enjoy socialising and spending time with lots of different people? I certainly don’t and refer to myself as a “caninetrovert” – a person that much prefers to spend time with dogs rather than people. Maybe I’m a little different to the “norm”, but be that as it may, we are all individuals with different personality styles and social preferences.

Some of us are extroverts, gaining energy from interacting with people; some of us introverts, who find people draining and need alone time to recharge our social batteries and some of us are somewhere in between.

If we acknowledge that we are all different in this way, we also need to acknowledge and accept that our dogs are similar.

They could be overly affectionate or fiercely independent, approachable or nervous, energetic or laid back, confident or cautious, sociable, tolerant, selective or reactive.

We may be really disappointed when our dogs turn out not to be the socialite we expected them to be.

Some may even see this as a behaviour problem that needs to be “fixed”. Sometimes it can be improved, especially if the cause is from a negative experience, but genetics, breed tendencies, individual personalities, health and age all contribute to tolerance levels and sociability.

Accept your dog for who they are, allow them to choose whether they want to be sociable or not, respect their choices and never force an interaction that your dog is not comfortable with.

07/25/2023

ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION?
Distracted dog walkers
The distracted dog walker is obliviously chatting away on their cell phone, listening to music or a podcast while wearing headphones, catching up on the daily news or socializing with other people while they’re not aware of what their dog is doing or what is going on in the environment.

This may not sound like a problem to some people, but it is something that I have a problem with.

I understand that we often need to multi task – there simply doesn’t seem to be enough time in our day to accomplish everything we need to, but walking your dog should not be one of these times.

Some people might say – “but my dog is really friendly, well socialized, gets on well with everyone, is well trained, knows this environment well etc. and I hear that. But another dog might not be – maybe they need space, are reactive, are not sociable, are recovering from an illness, might be terrified of another dog racing straight towards them chasing a ball thrown from a ball launcher….

If distracted dog walkers have no regard for other dogs or other people, they should at least have regard for their own dogs. Walking your dog should be a time of bonding, of relationship, of seeing the environment through the eyes of your dog, of reinforcing or teaching wanted behaviors, of keeping them safe and protected from the unknown.

Leave the multi-tasking for another time – your dog needs you to pay attention.

07/09/2023

Agreed 😊

Fun facts about dog walking: studies show that people who walk their dogs regularly are happier, more energetic, more relaxed and less stressed! 🐕 It’s great motivation to get out with your furry bff along the .

06/29/2023

PESKY PULLERS

Why dogs pull on leash

This is a really common problem and one that often causes us huge frustration.

It can make walks really unpleasant or we may even stop all together because our dogs pull so much.

Understanding why dogs pull is important. They don’t pull because they are trying to be the Alpha, be the top dog, trying to dominate us or take over the world.

Getting out for a walk is a really exciting, stimulating time for our dogs, especially if they’ve been cooped up in the same place for hours or days at a time without anything to do.

Pulling is normal, natural behaviour. Having to walk slowly, calmly, stuck to our side when the only thing our dogs can think about is pulling forward and exploring the environment requires a huge amount of impulse control that may be just too much for many dogs to master.

Yanking the leash, using choke collars, prong collars, slip leads or similar types of tools in an attempt to control this natural impulse is not the answer.

They may provide us with a feeling of being in control but leave our dogs feeling even more frustrated or they pull even harder in an attempt to make us move forward.

Do we really need to have our dogs walk calmly stuck to our side? Is this being fair to them?

Learning and practicing loose lead walking, using a long line when it’s safe to do so, taking your dog for a decompression walk where they can choose which direction to go and when to stop and sniff, booking a sniff spot or a walking area, driving to a safe, open area where they can explore, rewarding them for checking in with you are all ways to meet their natural needs and might even result in a dog that stops pulling.

05/30/2023

The ticks are HORRIFIC this year and the best way I’ve found to combat them is lint rollers! I’m rolling ticks off our dogs and my clients’ dogs almost everyday 😔

05/17/2023

A Mother’s Day hike at the Amherst Bird Sanctuary… hope everyone had a lovely weekend 🌸

05/17/2023

BRIBES OR REWARDS?

A bribe is something that is offered before a behaviour, while a reward is something that is offered after a behaviour. It’s all about the timing.

Using rewards as a way to communicate with our dogs what we want them to do should no longer even be debated.

Rewarding the behaviour we want is an invaluable, effective, scientifically proven way to build communication and maintain a wanted behaviour.

Using rewards is not what this post is about. This post is about the belief that using rewards is just about bribing our dogs to do something. It’s about the all-too-common problem that many people have – “but my dog will only do something if I show him a treat first”.

In these cases, the reward has become a bribe because it has to be offered before a behaviour is performed. The reward prompts, influences and encourages a behaviour and without it, the dog will not “perform”.

To use rewards effectively and avoid this issue, the reward needs to be presented after the behaviour has been performed. It then becomes a way of communicating – “Well done, I really liked your behaviour!”

There are times when bribes or luring are necessary. Teaching a new behaviour, helping a dog that is fearful, unsure, establishing trust and building relationship, bribing a dog to drop something by trading it for a yummy treat or at times when you temporarily need to address a potentially dangerous or frustrating situation.

When correctly timed, rewards are not bribes. Rewards are an effective tool in helping our dogs understand what to do. Keep on rewarding a behaviour well done.

05/05/2023

Out for a sunny but cool hike with my Lily 😎

05/02/2023

Even though it’s mud season, a full house of dogs (and kids) always makes me happy 😃

Still spots available for me to come feed/walk/cuddle your pet … $10 for 30 minutes, $20 for an hour 🐾 Can be daily, weekly or a one time visit!

04/26/2023

DO YOU WANT AN OBEDIENT DOG?

CHOOSE TO BUILD CONNECTION INSTEAD OF OBEDIENCE OR CONTROL

Is having an obedient dog that you can control all that society makes it out to be? Do we want a relationship with our dogs or a robot that complies with our every command?

If our dogs are not obedient, are they challenging our power and authority over them? Are they plotting to dominate the human race because they are trying to be the alpha? Are they an embarrassment to us or a bad reflection on our ability to control another living being?

Everyone wants a well-behaved dog, but contrary to popular belief, a well-behaved dog is not the same as a controlled, obedient dog.

What we need to focus on is building connection, relationship and a deeper bond with our dogs.
Focusing on these things is often the answer to many behaviour problems. When this is in place it results in a dog that chooses to do the right thing, wants to be connected to us, feels safe and secure in their environment and builds resilience from having a secure base to rely on.

Take the focus away from control and obedience and instead focus on building a connection with your dog. When we have established connection and built a secure relationship our dogs will automatically be more “obedient’’ not because they are forced to but because they freely choose to.

03/30/2023

Not sure who’s walking who this morning 🤣

03/25/2023

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.

03/23/2023

03/23/2023

Sad to be saying goodbye to these clients who are moving away 😊

Have absolutely adored my time with them ❤️

03/23/2023

This is my favourite leash I’ve ever had and there are many reasons why:

1. I find bungee leashes give the dog more lead and control. Easy correction and encourages loose lead.
2. The multiple hand grips and clip rings give me many options for the length of the leash.
3. It comes with the leash splitter or two leashes (which I prefer).
4. As a fairly small person, I like a waist belt for control and then it’s also hands free.

Still have spots available during the day if you need your dog let out and walked while you’re at work. Rain or shine!

03/22/2023

Excellent info!

REACTIVITY REDEFINED
Although reactivity has other causes, many types of reactivity are triggered by the core emotion of fear.
The fear of whatever is making a dog feel unsafe, the fear of a valuable possession being taken away or the fear of a strange person or animal coming into their territory. Anxiety, stress, over excitement, over stimulation, feeling overwhelmed, trigger stacking, or a dog that is tired, in pain or even has chronic itching will often feel irritable and may be reactive in certain situations. When being reactive is successful in making the scary thing go away, it becomes a rewarding behaviour because it’s something that works and makes them feel better.
Reactive dogs are often misunderstood. A dog that is reacting is not trying to be difficult, they are having a difficult time coping with that particular situation and are trying their best to make the thing go away in the only way they know how.
It’s not easy to be the owner of a reactive dog. One of my dogs is reactive and I know how dogs like this can leave you feeling embarrassed, ashamed, angry or frustrated. Why do they have to be so difficult, why can’t they just behave normally? Everyone is looking at me, judging me, thinking that I’m a bad owner, have no training skills, can’t control my dog or have a unsocialised, vicious dog that shouldn’t be taken out in public.
As hard as it may be, we need to take the focus off how we as owners feel about their reactivity and focus on how our dogs are feeling and what is causing their reaction. Whatever it is, it’s not something our dogs can overcome on their own and we need to take steps to help them cope. Reactive dogs need compassion, understanding, management, force free, positive reinforcement interventions and decompression – a return to a normal, more relaxed state after a period of intense stress, psychological pressure, or urgent activity. These interventions take time and patience but are so important in helping our dogs feel safe and learn more acceptable ways of coping.
I have learnt through many mistakes, to recognise what triggers my reactive dog and take steps to either avoid those situations, provide enough distance, or provide her with an alternative choice where she feels safe and more in control. There will always be unexpected triggers around the next corner that are not within our control, but doing all we can to manage reactive triggers has so many benefits.

02/23/2023

Great info!

WHOSE WALK IS IT ANYWAY?
Imagine going on a long-anticipated walk, through new scenery and enticing scents after being cooped up in the same place all day, but you have been fitted with a blind fold and are being dragged or yanked along at a quick pace.

I imagine that this is how dogs feel when we don’t allow them time to stop, sniff and explore the environment. Dogs largely perceive their world through scent and it’s how they collect and process information and make sense of the world.

Taking away an opportunity for sniffing on a walk really isn’t fair and as much as physical exercise is important, the mental stimulation that sniffing provides is equally, if not more important.

Allowing dogs to choose when to stop and sniff provides so many benefits – increases self-confidence, promotes calmness, lowers stress and anxiety levels, lowers pulse rates, reduces cognitive decline in older dogs and provides important mental and environmental enrichment.

Make time for a slow sniffing walk when you can, where your dog is allowed to choose which direction to go and allowed time to just investigate, interpret the environment and follow wherever their nose leads them.

It may take far more time and patience as we wait for them to finish smelling that particular blade of grass, but the benefits are well worth it – after all, whose walk is it anyway?

02/10/2023

Dogs love the snow ❄️ Me too!

Still slots available for walks during the day … half an hour to an hour. Send me a message 😊

01/16/2023

Lili Manilli wasn’t very happy I was doing yoga instead of taking her for a hike today in that freezing rain 🤣

01/07/2023

All the very best in 2023 from some recent happy clients and Take A Hike!

12/25/2022

Merry Christmas from Take A Hike ❤️

Many thanks for your support this year and all the best in 2023!

12/10/2022