Wag The Dog

13/12/2024

The same goes with dogs, kids, all mammals. Focusing on the bad only creates more bad. Focus on the good and forgive the bad, and they'll move heaven and earth for you.

What would you guys do

27/11/2024

At least twice a month I try to explain to someone why they may not want a malinois or an australian cattle dog or bully xl... people say "but I read that they are smart and loyal!"

Smart is sometimes code for "pain in the ass" and loyal is sometimes code for "won't let your partner kiss you". Genetics are powerful.

The problem with gatekeeping breeds

Anyone who has spent more than a minute online in dog world will have seen the rhetoric of how it takes someone very special to own a power breed such as a Belgian Malinois or a Cane Corso or an APBT or the like. Social media platforms are filled with posts either showing these breeds doing incredible things, or posts about how you should never get a breed like this unless you are going to work them and unless you are able to fulfil their needs. These posts are spot on and I couldn’t agree more. But they are creating a problem.

Everyone thinks they are special.

It’s a bitter pill to swallow.

As humans we have an ego and our ego often leads us to believe we are more capable than we are. The problem with gatekeeping breeds is that it makes them more desirable. People want to say ‘yes I can handle my Belgian Malinois because I am special’. We desperately need approval and admiration from others, especially in a world that is chronically online.

We saw it happen real time with the XL Bully. People saw this incredibly powerful breed and said ‘I’m special enough to handle one of them’ and then promptly bred them in the hundreds of thousands leading to many ill equipped homes owning a dog they absolutely could not handle.

The truth is, that to own a truly intense, working bred dog, you actually need to have an incredibly small life. You need your entire being to be obsessive about training, handling and working with the dog. It’s a full time career in itself to truly meet the needs of these dogs. You need to be absolutely addicted to it. That level of obsession however isn’t ‘cool’ or ‘sexy’. It doesn’t make for great online content either. That level of obsession however is what makes the dog easy to live with.

Even as I’m writing this, I know someone out there will read it and go ‘yes I can do that’. If you’re that person, please really look inward and be truly honest with yourself. Confront your ego.

I work at a rescue centre and years ago all we had was bull breeds, terriers and lurchers. Now all we have is fad colour Frenchies, Cane Corsos, Shepherds and Malinois/Dutch Shepherds. It speaks volumes.

I don’t know what the solution is. The more we say ‘not everyone can handle this breed!’ The more that is perceived as a challenge to the ego, and the more the ego grabs at a chance to prove itself.

We are heading down a very dark road of breed bans and dog legislation and those of us in the industry can see the patterns unfolding. We don’t know how to stop it, or even if stopping it is the right answer.

The issue is that our human egos and our desperation to be seen as ‘worthy’ is ruining our dogs and creating real danger for the general public.

Look inward. Really question why you want a certain breed. Take pause from the online rhetoric on both sides. Choose a dog that you and those around you need, not just one that you want.

- Kahla

📸 Alison Bowkett

17/10/2024

Due to various reasons, at no fault of his own or the handlers, I am now accepting applications for Hudson's placement.

Email or DM to receive the application form

About Hudson:

- age: 12 weeks

- DOB: July 17, 2024

- breed: standard poodle

- estimated size: 60-70lbs

- colour: cream

- vaccinations: UTD

- guarantee: if genetic health issues arise, I will take Hudson back. Environmental does not apply

- type of service: psychiatric and/or mobility time of placement: February 2025 (7 months of age then)

- price: 7️⃣k

Hudson is a wonderful standard poodle puppy from in California, and at just 12 weeks has already experienced a lot to set him up for success as a service dog! While my hope is to place him as a psychiatric or mobility dog (cross training available) I am open to other service roles for the right home. While I am hoping for a successful placement by February, I am not in a rush for a placement, as I want him to find the best home.

More details will be available in the application for those who email, but please note the only mobility tasks that will be taught before the age of 2 are non-weight bearing ones such as retrievals.

11/10/2024

Teamwork. Dogs are better at it than people are.

03/10/2024

September is National Service Dog Month!

Is a service dog the right choice for you?
There are many things we need to think about before embarking on the service dog journey.

See the infographic for more information.

29/08/2024

New FDP study ...results showed that the so-called functional breed selection that created the main types of working dogs, could also have fundamental effects on the ways these dogs interact with us....
Link to the Department News section: https://ethology.elte.hu/en/content/you-talkin-to-me-dogs-response-depends-on-the-breed.t.41571

Link to the paper: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-024-01983-1
Video abstract: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.26662573.v1

22/07/2024

Well thank heavens for that.

Updates to CDC’s August 1 dog importation rule: If you are bringing a dog into the US from a dog rabies-free or low-risk country, you now only need to fill out the simple CDC Dog Import Form. Other forms are no longer needed. The requirements for dogs arriving from high-risk countries have not changed, and these dogs are still required to have additional documents. Read the full requirements: www.cdc.gov/dogtravel

28/06/2024

Love is not a reward.

Love is not a motivator to hang over our kids.

When our children know that they are unconditionally loved and respected and accepted, that is the root and the foundation on which they are able to stand, grow, and mature. Through mimicking us, the people they love. Through wanting to behave the way they see us behave.

[Image description: A white background with a question-and-answer style text on it. The question is, “If I respond to bad behaviour with love, doesn’t that reward the behaviour I don’t want?” The answer given is, “Society has taught us that love is conditional; a reward for palatable behaviour. With Responsive Parenting we work to change this perspective so our children can experience unconditional love. Rather we see punishment as having risks of consequences, especially when expressions of love are revoked as punishment. It’s about no longer seeing love as a reward, but rather the oldest and most natural emotional regulation tool on earth.” The quote is by J. Milburn. The image is by Parenting Inspirations. End description.]

28/06/2024

Is it true that if we use cold water on heat stroke pets they will go into shock?

One of the most common things we still hear is that we can only use tepid water on a pet with heat stroke, incase they get some complications like hypothermic overshoot, peripheral vasoconstriction hindering a cooling response, and cardiogenic shock...

We have heard not to use cold water in case it causes shock... this rarely happens!

But guess what? In a recent study over 26% of dogs presented with heat stroke died, with flat faced breeds making up nearly half of heat stroke cases seen in the study.

You should:

💧Get someone to call the local veterinary practice and tell them you're going to travel down with a heat stroke patient
💧Pour, hose or if possible immerse the pet in very cold water (this should obviously be done under constant supervision, ensuring the head is fully above water and immersion should not be attempted if the animal is too large, or you are unable to do so without hurting yourself)
💧NB: If using a hose pipe, make sure it has run through until cold, as they can often contain water that is extremely hot in the tubing initially
💧Do not drape in towels and leave them in situ. Keep the cold water flowing.
💧Move to a cool, shaded area
💧Prepare to transport to vets in a cold, air conditioned car

In studies they found that:

🌅International consensus from sports medicine organisations supports treating EHS with early rapid cooling by immersing the casualty in cold water.
🌅Ice-water immersion has been shown to be highly effective in exertional heat stroke, with a zero fatality rate in large case series of younger, fit patients.
🌅Hyperthermic individuals were cooled twice as fast by Cold Water Immersion as by passive recovery.
🌅No complications occurred during the treatment of three older patients with severe heat stroke were treated with cold‐water immersion.
🌅Cold water immersion (CWI) is the preferred cooling modality in EHS guidelines and the optimal method applicable to UK Service Personnel
🌅Studies suggest using either ice-water or cold-water immersion

The best intervention is PREVENTION, but if you find yourself with an animal with heat stroke, using cold water either by pouring, hosing or ideally (if safe) immersion then this may help reduce their temperature to safe levels while you transport to a veterinary practice.

Read more below:

https://www.vetvoices.co.uk/post/cool-icy-cold-or-tepid

12/06/2024

01/06/2024