Dog Days Training for Life

28/08/2024

Here's the important first step in prepping your dog for back to school.

27/08/2024

Does your dog qualify for just a home-alone refresher?

14/08/2024

Oh, what a feeling!

L-O-V-E when your client has switched from managing exposure to triggers to intentionally going out looking for them. That feeling of happy anticipation, when those triggers do appear. It must be the same feeling the dog is now experiencing, as well.

The time spent on creating a sense of well-being combined with some solid conditioning has paid off yet again.

07/07/2024

https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/health/natural-antiseptics-for-dog-wounds/

Natural antiseptics for dog wounds offer anti-microbial treatments for minor wounds without the pain and discomfort associated with alcohol.

28/06/2024

This little girl rocked our first session in an urban area. So proud of her.
Yet again The Mat Game helped as a stepping stone to success.



https://hippup.ca/

26/06/2024

Here are some simple ways to add wholesome freshness to your dog’s diet.
As with anything new, introduce the item in a small quantity (appropriate for your dog’s size) and try only one new thing at a time.

Adding fresh foods like eggs and carrots to a kibble or canned dog food diet can greatly improve your dog's health!

10/06/2024

Posting more on Lyme because there’s a lot of misinformation floating around - even from some clinics. Get informed so you know how to navigate your way through prevention, testing and treatment.

https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2018-04-04-nl-lyme-disease-in-dogs/?

The nasty parasite is now rearing its ugly head and presenting a high or moderate risk for exposure in about 30 locations. However, the way it presents in humans and dogs is much different. What you need to know if you live in one of these higher risk locations.

30/05/2024

What you feed your dog not only affects their health. It also influences behaviour.

https://www.facebook.com/share/E6ZLZK5FBNq8rvSK/?mibextid=WC7FNe

20/05/2024

Horses and dogs. There is so much focus on just suppressing unwanted behaviour thinking this will ‘fix’ the problem. It doesn’t. AND it gives people an excuse to do terrible things to the poor animals.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=985810560216534&id=100063627967527

OUR MORAL & PROFESSIONAL OBLIGATION TO NOT WORSEN THE BEHAVIOUR OF HORSES

In January I started a podcast, Not Another Dog and Pony Show, with my friend and colleague, Matthias Lenz. Recently, I had cooperative veterinary care champion Monique Feyrecilde of Teaching Animals on the pod. One of my favourite talking points from this episode was when we discussed our moral obligation as professionals to not cause animals to be dangerous for others to handle in the future.

I’m frequently the ‘last resort’ for horses with behaviour problems. When I see a new client, they’ve often been to several other equine professionals, including trainers, without success.

In most cases, the horse’s behaviour has also worsened after these interventions. The horse who pulled their leg away from the farrier now rears and can’t be touched. The horse anxious about loading now rips the lead out of the owner’s hands and runs away when led towards the trailer. The horse who bolted on the lunge line now comes off the circle and attacks the handler. The horse who wouldn’t stand still at the mounting block now explodes and bucks hard.

The reason these problems worsened is that techniques were used to try and suppress the behaviour: the horse who pulled their leg away from the farrier was aggressively backed up every time they did so; the horse anxious about loading was hit with a whip every time they balked; the horse who bolted on the lunge had a chain put over their nose, and they were je**ed when they bolted; the horse who wouldn’t stand still was worked hard when they fidgeted and allowed to ‘rest’ next to the mounting block while the person tried to mount again. The horses all learned that trying to escape the source of things that caused them fear or pain wasn’t effective, so they had to try harder. They reared. They ripped the leadrope out of hands. They attacked, or exploded.

In every instance, this worsened behaviour made it more dangerous for others who followed to handle the horse – whether that was the horse’s owner, or the next professional hired to try and address the problem. This is because suppressed behaviour isn’t changed behaviour. You can make an unwanted behaviour appear to ‘stop’ by making the consequences for performing the behaviour much worse for the horse. But, you won’t have addressed why the behaviour was happening. You won’t have eased pain, or removed fear. In the same way you can make a beach ball temporarily ‘disappear’ by pushing it forcefully underwater, if you don’t address the reason why the horse's behaviour is happening, it will once again pop up – but with more intensity.

Our industry (horse training) is unregulated, which I have mixed feelings about. But one of the clear downsides of a lack of regulation is that anyone can hang out their shingle, without knowing about things like the effect of behaviour suppression, making it more dangerous for the next professional. The actions we take as trainers don’t just impact the horse in front of us, they also impact people. If we know that we can make horses safer for others to handle in the future, by choosing appropriate training techniques, don’t we morally have this obligation?

It’s certainly food for thought as we work with our horses this weekend. Here’s a link to the episode with Monique: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/YRjPI0yiJJb

08/05/2024

This is an awesome post from 4Paws University with Lisa Mullinax CDBC.

BONE TO PICK: Have you heard someone say that certain breeds MUST be trained a certain way or that they CAN'T be trained another? Maybe a breed-specific website says that their breed requires an especially strong leader. Or someone online won't believe that a certain approach can be effective unless they see it demonstrated with a [INSERT BREED] that is [INSERT AMBIGUOUS CRITERIA].

This is another variation of the "all dogs learn differently" myth.

Are all dogs individuals? Yes.
Does every dog vary in their motivations? Yes.
Should training be adapted to the dog? Yes.
Do the traits of different breeds require consideration? Yes.

However, that does not mean they learn differently or that one breed can only learn through the use of aversives.

All dogs, regardless of breed, have brains. Brains which, regardless of breed, have amygdalas, frontal lobes, and...well, you get the idea.

Now, what do eagles and alligators have to do with it? They definitely have different brains, right?

Yes, they do. Their brains are not the same as dog brains, just as dog brains are not the same as human brains. But they all learn how to change their behavior to manipulate their environment.

At this moment, animals of all animal groups - bird, fish, reptile, insect, amphibian, and mammal - are being trained the same way.

Because all species, at a core level, learn the same way: This behavior is either successful or unsuccessful. This scenario is either safe or unsafe.

Operant and classical conditioning.

Concepts which are not new, have been tested and retested by scientists for over 100 years, and are not trademarked by anyone writing a book or on television.

I've seen alligators, river otters, sea otters, polar bears, tigers, giraffe, tortoises, and much more demonstrate various forms of target and station training; something I do with dogs every day.

I've seen giraffe, polar bears, and hyenas voluntarily participate in veterinary procedures like blood draws, which falls under husbandry training and is now being done with dogs.

This Fall, watch for a BBC documentary about Ken Ramirez's training of 10,000 butterflies to fly from one place to another on cue. And you want to tell me that a [INSERT BREED] presents a special challenge?

http://www.clickertraining.com/the-butterfly-project

So, when I hear someone say that [INSERT BREED] can't be trained a certain way or must be trained another way, I hear someone making excuses for their lack of knowledge or skills.

Fortunately, we're not limited in our learning just because we're humans. I was certainly one of those trainers who thought clicker training sounded absolutely ridiculous. But I learned more and began trying it with different dogs for different reasons. And the dogs proved me wrong - it wasn't ridiculous. It unlocked a world of possibilities.

See the post "GETTING HELP FOR YOUR DOG" pinned to the top of this page for links to resources where you can learn more.

BUTS

"But what about aggressive breeds?" Aggressive behavior is a normal, natural part of an animals behavioral repertoire. Bees sting. Cats scratch. Giraffe kick. Dogs bite. Horses bite. Birds bite. Heck, if it has a mouth it can bite.

With the exception of predation (formerly called predatory aggression), all aggressive behavior serves the same function: to protect the animal or the resources necessary for the animal's survival or procreation. This is not breed-specific.

Now, some breeds have the capacity to cause more damage when they bite than other breeds, but that does not mean that they are more prone to aggression, are more likely to bite, are more likely to cause injury when they bite, or are inherently more dangerous.

It also doesn't mean that they require special methods to change their behavior.

I'm currently working with a 100 # German Shepherd (GSD) and a 14 # Chihuahua for the exact same behavior. The GSD's owner was told by their vet that the dog MUST be trained with a certain piece of equipment, that "positive methods wouldn't work."

And yet, both dogs are responding equally well to the training...the SAME training. I'm capturing and reinforcing the behaviors I want more of. I'm working below threshold to prevent the practice of behaviors I want less of. I'm increasing tolerance through gradual desensitization. I'm doing all I can to keep anxiety and frustration at a minimum, so I can improve their association to the situations that trigger the problem behavior. These strategies are not breed-specific.

"But positive trainers don't work with [INSERT BREED]"

This is the silliest BUT I see. Positive trainers don't only work with those breeds that people use as an excuse for aversive training, they OWN and live with those breeds. And, yeah, from working lines, too.

Have a dog with fear or aggression? Check out these on-demand webinars: http://www.4pawsuniversity.com/dogbehaviorwebinars

07/05/2024

Here’s an easy way to put some super-charged freshness into your dog’s meal.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/6iLwiXU16N2pohJM/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Don’t throw out your broccoli stalks! 🥦 Upcycle broccoli stalks by chopping into bite-sized training treats or puree and use as a food topper in your pup’s bowl.🐶

💬COMMENT “NOWASTE” to get your copy of The Forever Dog LIFE, where we show you a ton more cost-saving hacks to make your pet’s food better. And when you get your copy today, claim access to over $250 in digital resources including our video showing you HOW TO BEST PREPARE BROCCOLI to help prevent cancer, according to science.🧬

29/04/2024

17/04/2024

Chemicals and pesticides are dangerous to our pets. They get absorbed through their pads and into their bloodstream and ingested when licking contaminated fur.

https://www.facebook.com/share/thHecYBdyjZypM8B/?mibextid=WC7FNe

STUDY REVEALS THE PRICE OF A GORGEOUS GREEN CHEMICALLY TREATED LAWN🏡 IS A 70% UPTICK IN THE RATE OF CANINE CANCER🔥🐾

Treating your lawn with yard chemicals☠️, allowing your pet to eat or play on grass that’s been sprayed💦, or walking your pet on golf courses⛳️ can negatively affect our dog’s health, according to several studies. In fact, it can impact your entire family, as pets can bring those chemicals back inside!

Dogs whose owners have had their lawns professionally treated have a 70% higher risk of lymphoma, the most common canine cancer 😱.

Here are some scary stats from the studies:

• 76% of dogs tested had herbicide residues in their urine following home lawn chemical application.

• 8 days after application, residues on dog fur were 14 X higher than normal.

• Pets track lawn chemicals into the home, leaving them on the floor or furniture which can end up in you & your children.

• According to researchers, even if you don’t use lawn chemicals be aware of your neighbour’s lawn as wind can cause herbicides to travel up to 50 feet away from the application site.

Our NEW book, The Forever Dog LIFE, focuses on how to raise the healthiest, happiest, long-lived dogs and cats, and in it we teach you how to evaluate your dog’s indoor and outdoor environmental chemical exposure⚠️. We offer you tips like:

• Safer lawn-care options
• DIY non-toxic w**d killer recipes
• Forever Dog Paw Soak Recipe for after walks in parks
And much, much more.

This resource is crucial this summer if you have pets spending time outdoors because even if you don’t use lawn chemicals, it doesn’t mean your dog isn’t being exposed.

The Forever Dog Life is available now for pre-order all over the globe! www.ForeverDogLife.com

If you’ve already pre-ordered, get your free DIY recipes & $200 in free resources gifts available for the next 5weeks only here: The Forever Dog Learning Lab

13/04/2024

Going down a rabbit hole reading about neurotransmitters, reward cascades and the influence of diet and environment on serotonin and dopamine.

13/04/2024

We know that dogs have an amazing sense of smell, having vastly more scent sensors than we do. It's how they 'see' their world. Literally!

A new anatomical description of how smell works in a dog brain shows why they’re such good sniffers.

11/04/2024

This is a great video to clarify why some fresh foods that are safe when fed appropriately end up on some toxic lists.
Great to know as they offer so many benefits and are a great way to add fresh food into your dog’s diet, if they are fed processed food.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1uVzWEXiYCxrMVnE/?mibextid=w8EBqM

23/03/2024

https://hippup.ca/are-you-ready-to-deal-with-separation-anxiety-in-your-new-dog/

Many dogs are not ready to be left alone when they first join their new family and home. Are you prepared to deal with that?

11/03/2024

https://hippup.ca/get-back-on-track-when-your-dog-is-peeing-in-the-house/

Do you have a formerly housetrained dog that has suddenly started soiling in the house? Find out why this is happening and what to do about it.

08/03/2024

Do you check your dog on a daily basis for ticks?
If they spend time in woodlands or grassy fields they are likely to be exposed.
Here are the most common attachment sites.

Wondering where the most likely places a tick might attach to your dog? Take a look at this helpful diagram from a recent study out of the Ontario Veterinary College.

06/03/2024

This is on my list of pet peeves. I understand that some dogs cannot be left home alone, but leaving a dog unattended outside the home is wrought with danger.

Taking dogs with you is great, but not if you need to tie-out or tether. Dogs may be stolen and are generally very unhappy, and more

01/03/2024

https://hippup.ca/the-nitty-gritty-of-positive-dog-training/

Learn the essential factors that need to be addressed before getting into the nitty-gritty of positive dog training.

29/02/2024

https://hippup.ca/help-my-dog-is-changing-and-not-for-the-better/

Change can be stressful, especially when it involves our young dogs displaying new behaviours we don't like. Learn common behaviour changes to expect and what to do about them.

26/02/2024

https://hippup.ca/dog-training-101-the-3-must-haves-for-success/

If you spend time training your dog, you want results. Learn the 3 must-haves for your dog training success.