Dog training for rural communities, including Counties of Strathcona, Beaver and area.
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What is a "Sniffari"?🐶
Sniffaris are dog-led walks! They're a fantastic enrichment activity that can be done in just about any low-traffic area. Not only will this help burn energy, but allowing our dogs to make decisions and think independently can help them build confidence in different situations. It also gives us a chance to stop and take a breath along with them AND allows our pups to do a natural, essential behavior for their mental and physical well-being.💙
When it’s this hot, heatstroke in pets becomes a serious concern, and it can be fatal.
Help your animals stay cool and watch for these signs of heat exhaustion and .
I've swithered about the wisdom of posting this for fear of backlash but I keep coming back to these questions and I think they are important so here goes nothing...
I was working in the park yesterday and saw things which, if I'm honest, kind of broke my heart a wee bit. A beautiful puppy on a slip lead being corrected (by a 'trainer') whenever they stopped to sniff. An obedience class of dogs half of whom appeared to be on 'grot' collars (choke collars). A dog being walked on a prong collar in a strict heel and never allowed to stop, sniff or interact with the world around them.
So my questions are...
What has happened in our relationship with our dogs that makes more and more people feel ok about training their dogs with force & coercion & discomfort/pain?
Do people believe these things don't hurt? That the dog truly doesn't mind? Or do they acknowledge that these things are unpleasant (at best...painful at worst) but believe this is the only way to teach dogs? Do they understand what they are doing but feel there are no other options? Is the dog's discomfort simply a price worth paying for the human's convenience? Has frequent exposure to coercive trainers on social media numbed us to the casual cruelty with which they treat dogs? Or do we just avoid thinking about it all too deeply for fear we may have to face some uncomfortable truths?
Where is our empathy, kindness and understanding for the captive animals we have chosen to bring into our lives? If we truly care about our dogs (and I believe most owners do) then why are we often so quick to use physical force & discomfort? If we are prepared to sacrifice their wellbeing and experience in favour of our control over them - and it's worth saying these are not mutually exclusive - then we have some serious reflecting to do....
It's essential that every puppy learns to enjoy being handled, especially on the parts of the body that turn into common bite triggers. Early puppyhood handling and socialization is easy to do and makes a huge difference in a dog's temperament and quality of life, for the rest of their life!
Learn more or download the PDF version: https://dunbar.info/puppy-handling
🗣️ One common frustration voiced by puppy parents is the repetitive cycle of saying "no" to their biting puppy, only to find the behavior persisting despite being told “NO!” a thousand times.
🤔 It's not surprising, considering that "no" is not a behavior itself. When your puppy jumps, bites your hands, scratches you, and you suddenly utter "NO," your puppy doesn’t understand what you want. Do you want them to stop biting, scratching, jumping, or tugging at your clothes?
No doesn’t tell your puppy what you want them to do.
🐶 Puppies don't comprehend English by default. Words hold no meaning for them unless we associate specific actions with those words through training. To them, it's merely sound.
🚫 "No" doesn't provide your puppy with clear guidance on what you desire. They might be just as puzzled about your intentions as you are about why they "aren't listening."
⚠️ And, if you say "NO" while your puppy is jumping and biting, you might unintentionally reinforce the behavior. Your attention becomes a form of reward when you engage with them (remember, they don't understand the word "no"). Your instinctive movements to protect yourself by shifting your hands, feet, arms, and legs can inadvertently encourage the jumping and biting—creating a super fun game for puppies.
🔄 Instead of tirelessly repeating "no," redirect your puppy's attention to an appropriate toy or chew.
🗨️ "You can't chew on me, but you can chew on this."
It’s always good to have an older dog show puppies the ropes!
I’m not sure how I’d write a behaviour modification plan for this….
Best Comic funny..
Fingers in your dog’s food to teach him what, exactly? Handfeeding, fine. Interrupting, not fine.
🤣🤣
Frankly, dog parks do scare me. Here are the reasons why. For some, they work. Maybe it depends on the time, the park?
The Alberta SPCA Education Department is looking for Education Program Planners to develop new resources (K-9) that reflect current pedagogical strategies and help realign current resources with the updated Alberta Programs of Study. Deadline to apply for the eight-week position is May 22nd. Please share with educators who may be interested. Full job description can be found here: https://buff.ly/4bt4abS
The Ten Myths about Canine Behavior
Myth #3: My dog is afraid because they were abused.
If your dog cowers and flinches every time you raise your voice or you give the "you should know better" stare, chances are they were not abused but rather under-socialized. Genetics can also play a role in this behavior.
I’m not sure if she’s still missing, but passing it on.
This gal has gone missing near the Lindbrook,Ab area.
She's mostly black, with some white on chest and around her muzzle.
Her name is Ally and she has some mobility issues due to age.
She currently is wearing no ID.
Please call 780-977-3449.
She is greatly missed.
Valkyrie has several opinions on human's misunderstanding of dog behavior....
This is an oldie. And ridiculous response to puppy errors. All he learns is that you are not safe to potty in front of.
Ten myths about canine behavior!
Myth 2: If your puppy has an accident in the house rub their nose in it.
Never punish your puppy for having an "accident" in the house. Punishment only teaches your puppy that it is unsafe to eliminate in front of you.
The lovely realities of sharing your home with a dog. ❤️
If you are going to have a dog, you are going to have to make sacrifices. You cannot expect to have an animal that was designed to live primarily outside and bring it into your house and not have to make changes or adjustments. A dog is not an ornament, a commodity or a display. A dog is an animal. You are sharing your life with another species. This is life with a dog.
Your yard will not be pristine. The grass will get burned from their p*e. Holes will be dug, bushes shredded, mud will come in the house. You cannot ask them to not p*e in your house and then also try to control even their outside bathroom. Please see how unfair this is. This is life with a dog.
You house will need management. Your counters will need to be clear. Shoes will need to be put away. Laundry room blocked. Kids toys picked up. Some things will get destroyed anyway. This is life with a dog.
They will bark at noises. They will protect their territory. Sometimes fiercely. They will not welcome strange people into the home easily even if you “know them” because this is in their genetic DNA. They don’t understand family gatherings and they don’t always see things the way we do. They won’t love playing with every dog they meet. This is life with a dog.
They will need enrichment and work and productivity. They will need training that is kind and fair and consistent and then maintenance to maintain that training. They will need guidance and coaching and lots of reinforcement to help them perform unnatural behaviors against their natural phenotypes. This is life with a dog.
They will mature and change and modify in their likes, behaviors and preferences as they age. Their behaviors aren’t guaranteed. They are not robots and they can be mercurial as they grow into their own personalities. They are allowed to change their mind and shift naturally just as we do. They need to be seen for what and who they are, not what and who YOU want. This is life with a dog.
Life with a dog is not a human right. It is a privilege and a responsibility and an education. They are animals and should be treated and expected to behave as such. That doesn’t make them any less loved or family members and it doesn’t make them any less deserving of respect, in fact it makes them more so.
Enjoy your life with a dog, and help them enjoy life with a human.
- Helen St. Pierre
Picture of the best baby giraffe Kettle ❤️
Wow! You have to be so careful when selecting a harness.
Love this! Sophia’s legacy lives on and I’m so glad.
"𝘿𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙤𝙣 𝙖 𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙠?"
Normally, yes. I've almost always got a few pieces of food in my pockets.
"𝘿𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩?"
Well, that depends on what you mean by "need". Will Charlie come back when called without it? Yes. Will he ignore other dogs if I need him to without it? Yes. Will he walk on a loose lead without it? Yes. Will he do the things I need from him without it? Yes.
I don't "need" food on me for him to do any of these things. He does them because they all have a strong history of reinforcement which we've built up over the years. It's not the reinforcement he gets today which makes him come when I call him, it's the cumulative effect of all the reinforcement he's experienced in the past.
So why take food out with me?
• Because it's fun...he likes to search out a treat that's been tossed into the long grass (& he thinks I'm amazing because I know just where the good hunting spots are 😉)
• Because if he does something awesome (like recalling away from something he loves to do like hunt for mice or stalk squirrels) I want to be in a position to reinforce that. Every. Single. Time.
• Because he can sometimes be spooked by things around him and predictable games with food help him settle if that happens
• Because why not? I have to carry a lead, poo bags and my phone so popping a few pieces of food in my pocket isn't a burden.
For most dogs food is fun. It's a reinforcer and a motivator. It can strengthen behaviours we like. It can help settle and soothe. Taking food on your walks isn't cheating and it's not bribery. So instead of asking why maybe we should ask why not?
I didn't watch the Oscars. Anything interesting happen
🐾 CHECKING YOUR PET FOR TICKS 🐾
Bites can often be difficult to detect. Transmission of the bacterium from the attached infected tick takes 36 - 48 hours. Therefore, it is important to check your pets for ticks every day, especially after they have spent time outdoors.
Ticks can almost be too small to see when they first attach themselves to your pets. So check carefully! 👀 Signs of tick-borne disease may not be apparent until 7-21 days after a tick bite.
Both dogs and cats are at risk of getting ticks, so it is important to check your outdoor cats just as much as your dogs.
This list from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) outlines the process of checking your pet for ticks. Run your fingers through your pet’s fur with gentle pressure to feel for any small bumps. Looks for ticks in the following areas:
- In and around the ears
- Around the eyelids
- Under the collar
- Under the front legs
- Between the back legs
- Between the toes
- Around the tail
Every dog owner thinks their dog is intelligent. In flashes of brilliance, your dog lets you know what time it is because he wants dinner and runs to...
Did you spot all the signs?
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Ok, gang.... I'm going to be experimenting with video and pictures here with training ideas and time fillers. I'm pretty challenged technically, so be patient and excuse my goof ups. If nothing else it may be amusing. We'll start with Cooper and just a plain old snuffle mat. It's likely many of you won't have one of these, nor have the supplies for making one but I'll see what I can pull together for you as ideas. The mat is made of fleece strips that are about 12 x 2 inches. The back is made of that fatigue mat material. I've also seen them made with a mat that you might use in your sink - it's got uniform holes that you would pull the strips through. If you are stuck at home and not wandering out to shop, I've heard of someone taking a piece of cardboard and punching holes in it. That seems a bit desperate and time consuming, but perhaps you are reaching that point! I made one using strips of an old flannel sheet, which tore pretty nicely. I've seen these mats on Amazon, too which may come faster than you can make one of these! Cooper's mats have tiny pieces of dry kibble in it. He had to sit and wait for me to put it on the floor, then was given his release cue - which is the word "OK." When he's pretty much done, the mats get taken away. I give them a shake to get the last bit out - which I hope it sends the message of my being safe to help him finish the puzzle. Cooper has a bit of a resource guarding problem, so it's important that he sees I am here to help, not take away something he's working on. Shaking the mats out releases the last of the kibble so he can clean them up off the floor while I put the mats safely away. These do not sit out for the dogs to play with because they could be torn up a bit. Let me know how all this looks, folks. It's a simple start and I'll scrounge around the house to figure out more puzzle ideas so you don't need to go out shopping! Take care!
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