Wigglebums

22/11/2024

A lot of people are convinced that they know how to train a dog. Having attended a class before or watched YouTube videos or even their parents training their dog, they feel confident in their knowledge about canine cognition and learning.

But the faces I see on owners in class or private sessions as I dispel the myths and teach them how to easily shape their dog's behaviour is telling. Whether it is the grimace of falling for the long-perpetuated myth of "alpha" or "dominance" or just the wonder of how easily a dog will learn a behaviour when properly taught is always interesting to me.

If you want to learn the newest, best way to shape your dog's behaviour, learn what myths have a basis in scientific consensus and which don't, and how to make the most out of your relationship with your pup, you will want to give us a follow! Just as a teaser, I will throw out there that ethologists will tell you that dogs are NOT pack animals. Teaching them in a way that promotes hierarchical power struggles and dominance is extremely damaging to the relationship between you and often results in more problematic behaviours.
long-perpetuated
We have some free resources on our website
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and

Current events local to you at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/yorktonpets

We are booking our New Year's classes (stay tuned) and still have private training sessions (virtual or in person) available every day, evening, or weekend!

18/11/2024

I don’t want to burst anyone’s bubble but dogs aren’t pack animals. They’re still social animals but not pack animals anymore…

Many dogs would prefer being “only dogs” and many other dogs definitely need to have a buddy. It really depends on the individual dog.

Next time you want to get another dog, ask whether your dog really wants a friend.

13/11/2024

November newsletter went out and we made a bit of announcement as well as offered a discount code for training. If you are NOT a subscriber....I gotta ask......WHY? We will have a December newsletter as well, so subscribe today! www.wigglebums.ca

08/11/2024

I would add any behaviour changes & irritability. Any sudden behaviour change should be an automatic trip to the vet for workup, including pain check and bloodwork, because often there are medical components at the root cause. Arthritis in particular leaves them feeling more vulnerable, and they mask pain very well. Getting help to manage pain is a huge asset to any training plan.

Pets can get arthritis too! It typically affects older pets and can make movement hurt!

If you think your pet may have arthritis and have questions, call/text us today at 306-783-3349.

04/11/2024

This is the most common tactic of clients prior to working with me. In an attempt to gain control of the situation, they end up making reactivity worse. Forced restraint, "corrections" and even comforting the dog is not a solution to reactivity. Teaching them to alternative behaviours to triggers is the best long term way to resolve the conflict your dog feels.

🐾There are some methods that may seem logical on the surface, but can have unintended consequences when it comes to teaching dogs what we think is ‘good’ behaviour.

One common approach I’ve noticed people do is holding their dog by the collar and asking them to sit. If the dog doesn’t respond the owner pushes their bum down forcing them to sit. While it might seem like this gives you control, it can backfire by causing stress, anxiety, and worsening your dog’s behaviour – and it may also cause discomfort or pain by forcing them with your hand into the sit position.

Let me explain why physically holding a dog in place isn’t helpful and what you can do instead...

The Problem with Physical Restraint: It Increases Stress!

From the dog’s perspective, being held by the collar restricts their ability to make choices, particularly in situations they find stressful. Dogs naturally find ways to feel safe, and one of their primary coping strategies is to increase distance AWAY from something that feels like a threat. When you take away that option by physically restraining them, it can trigger stress and discomfort.

Imagine feeling cornered with no way to move – this is what many dogs experience when held tightly. The more restricted they feel, the higher their stress levels can become.

🔴Loss of Control Fuels Anxiety and Reactivity...

Just like humans, dogs feel more secure when they have control over their interactions. When a dog loses that control—especially in the presence of a trigger, like a strange person or another dog—it can lead to heightened anxiety.

This anxiety can manifest as reactivity, such as barking, growling, or lunging. What looks like 'bad behaviour' to us is often a dog’s way of expressing that they feel overwhelmed and unsafe.
In these moments, holding your dog still adds fuel to the fire. They’re already stressed, and now they have no way to escape the situation. This makes them more likely to react aggressively or develop a pattern of reactivity in the future.

🔴The Impact of Blocking Natural Coping Behaviours...

Dogs have their own natural coping strategies, including moving or looking away from the trigger (avoidance), sniffing the ground, yawning, shake-off, pacing, or licking their lips to self-soothe. These actions help them regulate their emotions and feel safer. But when we stop them from engaging in these behaviours by holding them by the collar, we remove the tools they need to manage their stress.

This sense of being trapped can escalate fear or frustration, leading to an even stronger reaction. If a dog feels they have no way out, their behaviour can quickly spiral, creating more long-term issues.

🔴Adding to Their Vulnerability...

When you hold a dog in place physically, you increase their sense of vulnerability. They now have two things to worry about—the trigger they were already reacting to and the fact that they can’t move. Even dogs with a generally friendly temperament can start feeling defensive when restrained, especially if they’ve had negative experiences in the past.

This is why some dogs may bark, snap, or lunge even more intensely when held by the collar. Their behaviour isn’t about disobedience—it’s a desperate attempt to protect themselves from what feels like a threatening situation.

🟢Positive Alternatives of What to Do Instead…

Rather than relying on physical restraint and forcing a sit give your dog distance AWAY from the trigger. Allowing them space helps de-escalate a potentially tense situation and helps them feel safer, reducing the chances of a reactive response.

Gradually expose your dog to their triggers from a comfortable distance—far enough that they notice the trigger but don’t react. This isn’t about your dog focusing on you; instead, you want them to visually engage with the trigger and calmly process it. When they stay relaxed while observing, reward them to build positive associations. Over time, this helps reduce their reactivity.

A well-fitted ‘Y’ shaped harness with a handle allows you to guide your dog gently without restricting their movement. It’s a safer and more comfortable alternative to holding their collar - which also puts pressure on the oesophagus and trachea.
helping
Training your dog isn’t about control—it’s about teaching them how to navigate the world with confidence and helping your dog develop the coping skills they are missing. Physical restraint, such as holding them by the collar, may seem like a quick fix, but it can actually undermine your training efforts and your dog’s trust in you.

If you're having difficulty managing a highly reactive dog, seek out a qualified force-free trainer in your area who uses science-based methods.

01/11/2024

YES!! We have a resource on this very topic at https://www.wigglebums.ca/resources

28/10/2024

I often see people providing what they feel is enrichment in a manner that does not necessarily feel stimulating in a positive way to the dog. Let's take the slow-feeder bowls, for instance. The design is to slow dogs down in feeding so they are not gulping down food and causing digestive upset. They are not inherently enriching to the dog, as they do not serve the purpose of providing mental stimulation for most dogs with any degree of intelligence. There is no thinking process really, and it can just serve to frustrate the dog.

There is a lot to take into account when considering enrichment for our dogs. Read our blog post to help you determine what is right for your pup.
https://www.wigglebums.ca/post/is-your-enrichment-enriching-or-frustrating

26/10/2024

Love is an overused word in our culture. That is because it is subjective and leaves a lot of room for interpretation. I often hear how much people love their animals but still seem willing to inflict harm on them in a misguided effort to "help" them.

With neither the training, nor education to understand the long-term effects of the punitive methods of dog training that people employ, it can be difficult to see the downstream effects that positive punishment (adding a scary or painful consequence with the intention of decreasing behaviour) has on your dog.

Often we see what we call "fallout" behaviours stemming from even a single use of P+. The very first time you use aversive on your dog, they learn you are not the person who would never harm them. They learn you are willing to do whatever it takes to gain compliance from them. It tears at the very fabric of a relationship and breaks that trust. Let me give you an example from my experience.

A dog goes outside every day and barks at the neighbour dog. The owners, thinking they have stumbled upon an innocuous and easy solution, get an ultrasonic bark deterrent. It emits a very high-pitched sound that humans have a hard time hearing (although it can cause some pretty serious headaches for your neighbors) whenever your dog barks. The problems: it cannot discern your dogs bark from your neighbor's dog. It is triggered by many other sounds.

A few weeks down the road, the owners notice a hesitation to go out into the backyard to p*e or even for walks. They notice the dog is having frequent accidents in the house. They notice that their dog is getting more reactive to dogs barking. It doesn't make much sense. Why would the dog be suddenly afraid of going outside or other dogs barking?

This scenario took quite a bit of unlearning to get this poor dog to want to venture outside again. I equate it to living in a zombie apocalypse. Unless it is absolutely necessary, I do not want to have to battle The Walking Dead unless it is a life-or-death situation.

If you are unsure as to whether a piece of equipment is going to cause downstream deleterious effects, please reach out.

23/10/2024

It is not always a request for attention!

Quite often in my career, I have had clients whose dogs have developed a real dislike for strangers. When asked if they have always demonstrated anxiety around strangers, they mention that their dog was very social as a puppy, was socialized by being taken everywhere, and would even roll over for belly rubs. The moment they mention rolling over, I feel a figurative red flag go up in my brain.

Not every dog who rolls over is asking for belly rubs. Early on in my career, I learned this the hard way with a foster dog and bear the physical and mental scars of it. Puppies use the roll over to demonstrate that they are not a threat to adult dogs and appeasement, so they are not attacked as such. They learn very quickly that it works on humans too and even learn to develop a love of it as it feels good when humans rub their bellies.

However, a roll over that is preceded by a curvy, slinking, tail between their legs, and avoidance gestures would be a clear indication that the dog is not comfortable and likely to bite when you reach out to rub that belly. My foster dog did not even give me that indication, however, as those stress signals proved futile or were even punished prior to him coming to us. He would roll over, lay on his back and bide his time until he was close enough.

A consent test is a good way to see if the dog is into the interaction. Mentally count to 3 while rubbing a dogs belly and remove your hand. If the dog wants more interaction, they will generally let you know. If they move away or leave, then we can grant them the space they ask for. Watch for signs that your pup is uncomfortable. Flattened ears (behind or out to the side, but tense), lip licking, tail tucked, etc.

If you want to know more about stress signals, check out our video on them at https://youtu.be/ZcwXz2AWWQ4?feature=shared

19/10/2024

My dog's Google search history also revealed:

-current world record for groin injury to a human
-how to hypnotize your human
-what does snuggle nugget mean
-treat training your human
-how to maximize your puppy dog eyes

What does your dog's search history say?

19/10/2024

We are excitedly planning our classes and programs for the new year! We have so many plans to bring you more of the best of education, skills, and a supportive learning environment. We have loads of other stuff we are working on that will be a bit of a surprise for next year as well. You can keep up with subscriber-specific specials, recipes, and advice by subscribing to our newsletter at www.wigglebums.ca. You do NOT want to miss our Christmas Newsletter, where we will find the best of the best gifts and serve up some amazing recipes for your holiday season with your pets!

Join us on our social media pages, Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Wigglebums.ca) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/wigglebums/), and our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/), to which we will be adding more videos soon.

Join us on the Yorkton-specific page for pets at Yorkton Pets

17/10/2024

This sweet baby gives me puppy fever and cuddle aggression. I can't wait to see him again. ❤️

16/10/2024

I see so often in bite cases where people seem to have missed the cues that the dog was uncomfortable and teetering on the edge. I hear all the time how the dog's tail was wagging and so they thought the dog wanted interaction. We are going to go through a lot of the signs that your dog is uncomfortable in the next few weeks so you can watch for stress signs and ward off problems before they happen.

A dog's natural tail carriage does have to be taken into account. For instance, if your dog's tail naturally curls up over their back like a husky, their language will look different than a dog whose tail is perpetually between their legs like a greyhound.

Generally speaking, a high tail is aroused and cautious. IF a tail is wagging high and rapidly, the dog is generally ready for action. It could be excitement, or it could be stress (caution), but taking the extra time to make sure a dog that is "flagging" like this is comfortable is recommended.

Medium, loose wag. This is the friendly, confident, happy tail. This is the tail we want to see. Normally, a dog's whole back end will be wiggling with the tail (note my business name lol).

Low and even tucked tail will always indicate a fearful dog. These are the dogs signalling they need space. Get them space and work on creating more positive associations with whatever the trigger was. Do not ignore this or force your dog to interact when they are clearly afraid.

Ensuring that children are being actively supervised around dogs is important for this reason as well. They cannot understand what the dog is saying. I continually see forced interactions between people, children, other dogs, etc. on reels, Instagram and tic tok and it is heartbreaking how few people are advocating for the dog in all of the comments. Advocating for the dog is advocating for the child or the general public. Dog bite prevention is a win for everyone.

15/10/2024

This handsome and sweet boy is working on maintaining his composure in the face of his exuberance for people and to play with other dogs. Odin is a shining example of the wonderful dogs available through rescues everywhere. He's so dreamy 😍.

14/10/2024

Happy Thanksgiving and Turkey Day! I cannot express how grateful I am to be a part of the lives of my clients for even a brief time. Thank you for including me in your journey

08/10/2024

Barnaby and Everley working on some basics! What an adorable pair these two are!

01/10/2024

What is resilience in regard to our dogs? According to Dr. Patricia McConnell, "Resilience is being able to cool down after you get hot. Resilience is being able to get back to normal and find balance under extreme conditions.

Building resilience in our puppies takes planning and knowing how to navigate the landmines that may occur. There are many factors that are considered when creating resilience in dogs.

The first of which is genetics. Resilient parents have a better likelihood of creating more resilient puppies. Studies have proven that trauma and fear are passed down to future generations in the DNA. It literally encodes itself into the very fibers of life. This is why it is incredibly important and highly recommended that you meet the parents of any potential puppy you plan on bringing into your home if at all possible.

Next up is proper socialization. This is where you come in. You need a carefully constructed plan prior to bringing your pup home of the situations, environment, and things in order of importance that your puppy will need a reference for to accommodate your lifestyle. For instance, if you are an avid horseperson and want your puppy to accompany you to the barn or on rides, it is important that they have positive references for horses and all the things associated with them. Those specific scenarios, along with the everyday references, should be on a scale of necessity.

If your puppy is going to go to the dog park, the kennel/daycare, or even family events with other dogs, it is imperative that they have a reference for group play, different playstyles, breeds that don't look like them, stranger dogs, etc. It is unfair to expect your pup to simply sort it out when those things happen.

Being able to gauge risk assessment for extreme situations looks different for every puppy. Layering in "risky" situations as your pup is ready for them can be difficult to determine. Knowing how to react when your pup is unsure or in deep water before they are ready is critical. Reading your puppy's body language and knowing what to do next means you stand a better chance of creating resilience in your puppy rather than the opposite. Having a written plan, executing it, and mitigating the setbacks is not always easy, and that is where professional trainers can help. Trainers with knowledge of how to create those plans and assist you and your puppy in navigating the world are extremely beneficial.

The last thing to affect resilience would be situations that may leave lasting trauma. For instance, the very first time your puppy or dog experiences other dogs that are not fun and friendly, they may become incredibly suspicious of all dogs they don't know. Again, being able to read dog body language will help you be able to spot situations that your dog will not be able to manage. Early intervention is the best way to mitigate this risk.