Teaching dogs the way they naturally learn. 1-2-1 home visits with Author Caroline Spencer Problem
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Caroline Spencer and her supporters seek to establish leadership of the dog in a kind manner, respectful of its nature and instincts.Becoming a decision maker for your dog, so he may relax in the knowledge that you are there for him. It is not a way of dominating you dog or turning it into a robot. Pure and simply it is a way to show your dog that you are the decision maker and it can sit back and
relax knowing that all the important decisions regarding danger, safety and food are taken by you. The primary principal underpinning PURE Dog Listening is to allow the dog to gather information given in a language it understands and allow the dog to draw conclusions of its own free will.
Wow. Published 8 years ago. Time flies.
In this practical, readable and entertaining book, Caroline Spencer and Lesley Harris bring a new slant to a well-explored subject and propose significant shifts in an owner's understanding of why their puppy behaves as he does and what makes him tick. Like children, dogs are born without behavioura...
Every behaviour a dog presents with has a function. Understand the reason, work with their natural instincts to help them feel safe & listened to
No better place for early walk 🥰
Many times we train dogs to prevent problems and by doing so actually create them
Do you need help with your dogs separation anxiety ? Message me for details and a no obligation chat.
My blog Link in comments for you
The peaceful mind of a street dog. Have you ever wondered why street dogs in Rhodes etc are so well behaved? Why do street living people have such well behaved dogs? BECAUSE no pressure is put on them to be anything but themselves. They are free to move away from that which worries them, they are free to investigate that which interests them. No stranger approaches to have a conversation, no dog is put in a vulnerable position. No intense training, they simply follow, feel safe and understood and can lead a relaxed dog's life, laying, sleeping, pottering and scavenging.
Can dogs lie with a growl? Can and do they change, the pitch, the complexity and length of a growl to lie about their size when unseen? Research led by Péter Pongrácz at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary has some answers for us
Fascinating new research into the growl of a dog published 1st March 2024 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00265-024-03452-9
When you remove the uncertainty you remove the fear. Distance is your dogs friend, it gives them time & space to process in safety. How does your dog show uncertainty?
A thought provoking piece by Lesley Harris
Old school or no force
There is so much angst between ‘old school’ and ‘no force’ trainers. If only there could be a happy medium – but hang on, actually why not?
Take a look at the evidence. There really should not be a doubt in this enlightened age that training by force and fear is an outdated and abusive regime. So, ‘no force’ is the way to go isn’t it? Weeell... again take a look at the evidence of this regime being applied to both children and puppies.
Children and puppies need boundaries, so how to go about this? The current trend is to ‘understand’ everything, to empathise and NEVER introduce a negative into their upbringing.
Sounds good, but children and puppies have not yet even begun to understand cooperation, social skills, how to fit comfortably into the society in which they will live, so by allowing them to consider that anything at all they do will be ‘understood’ that nothing they do is wrong, are you doing them any favours?
Social skills have to be taught. In children empathy and consideration for others also has to be taught. For puppies the ability to cooperate and to fit into their society is taught effortlessly by their parents, siblings, and often other family members if they are living in a family group, or by unrelated members of a loose social group if not.
We take a puppy from its mother many months, in fact years, before it would naturally leave, so we have to be the educator
Watch a mother with her pups. She allows a great deal of leeway, but when they cross a boundary reprisal is swift and quite aggressive. This is followed by the mother ignoring the puppy doing all it can to appease, then (very shortly afterwards) the mother accepting this and often giving him/her a good grooming – a great way to show all is forgiven. The puppy has learned a short sharp lesson in canine etiquette, and understands perfectly.
So can we replicate this?
Not really. How can we know when and at what level to issue this kind of aggressive reprimand? We are human, they are dogs, and we can never fully understand and replicate the body language and appropriate reprimand that a mother of the same non verbal species gives so easily.
With children we can increasingly use language to reinforce the body language we use when the child does not understand speech, and most importantly we are both human, and the adult understands what the child needs to learn to become a fully functioning member of human society – or this used to be the case before the trend never to reprimand or check ‘natural’ behaviour has resulted in an awful lot of ill-mannered and socially inept children.
The tide will inevitably turn – but only after this trend has failed a whole generation of children who go out into the world to find that they suddenly DO have to obey rules, they are not allowed to do anything they want, that their efforts are not always ‘wonderful’, in fact they need to ‘do better’, that their desires are not actually the most important things in the world to be pandered to at all costs, and that shockingly, the world does not revolve around their needs. That is a hard and cruel lesson to learn, far too late in their lives.
We can never do this with dogs anyway, but the same principle applies.
All young creatures need guidance and boundaries. To do this with dogs I believe we need to tap into their instincts.
The most important thing for dogs is to survive, thrive, and procreate (although this of course is something we often deny them of necessity and has to be dealt with separately). In order to do this they need to fit into their canine society. This is not so they can become the most popular kid in school, but because their survival depends on it.
If they are to find a mate, to eat, to interact (and as social creatures they do seek the company of other dogs) they need to fit in. Because of this they take the lessons learned from mother and siblings, use them, and then increase their awareness by observation and lessons taught by their peers, of what it takes to thrive in their society.
Nothing pink and fluffy about it, they do it because this is what is best for them – nothing more. Dogs are not humans with elaborate thinking processes, a conscience, and complicated feelings of right and wrong, they are survivors.
So, how do we apply this to our domestic dogs?
Dogs are hugely adaptable, and they take their instinctive need to fit in, with them into our human lives.
They want to please; they need to be accepted, so they will do what it takes to achieve this – if they understand what it is that we want from them.
That is where most of the issues arise.
We see a puppy which has wrecked the furniture while left unattended, we get angry, the puppy goes into appeasing mode, and often the human says ‘Look how guilty he is, he knows what he has done is wrong’
No he doesn’t! He sees your angry body language and tries to appease. He doesn’t connect the wrecked room with your anger – that is in the past and he only did it because he was bored or stressed or teething - or just because it was enjoyable! He doesn’t ‘know he has done wrong’, but he knows he has lost your approval and that is something he instinctively knows is necessary for his wellbeing, so he tries to appease without understanding why.
The human then feels justified and accepts the ‘apology’ until the next time it happens and he is outraged ‘Why did he do it again when he knows it is wrong?’.... and so the beat goes on with neither side understanding the other. Other behaviours get the same treatment, and before you know it you have a human who says ‘The dog is impossible – I’ve tried everything. Nothing works’.
Yes, ‘everything’ except actually understanding what you dog needs from you and giving the guidance he understands to achieve that.
So what do you do?
Start by working WITH not against your dog’s natural instincts.
So what happens with bite inhibition with his siblings? One puppy bites, the other either bites back harder then refuses to interact, or just walks away and refuses to interact.
Either way the puppy that instigated the biting has not got the result he desires, so he learns not to bite if he doesn’t want to lose interaction. He also instinctively understands that a dog which is ostracised by his family will be cast out, and being an outcast means a threat to his survival, so he learns canine etiquette quickly – not for human reasons of popularity, but for good canine reasons of survival.
This is why the mother reprimands. Each reprimand will be for a specific behaviour, but of course the lessons are cut short almost before they have begun, so now it’s down to you.
Puppies are fairly easy because they are looking to you constantly for guidance, they need the security of being with you, so distraction, moving them away from an undesirable behaviour, showing them a better one, all work well at this stage, and if you really work hard at this point, their future education will be so much easier, but as puppies are cute and engaging, and often small enough to pick up if they are getting into something they shouldn’t rather than engaging them to make a good choice for themselves, and the attitude of ‘Bless them they are only babies they will learn’ is often the top of a very slippery downhill slope just at the time when early guidance is key. They won’t ‘learn to be good’ unless you help them to understand what ‘good’ is - and this should start very early in their lives. Then comes adolescence when even if you have done your puppy work diligently and your teenager may pretty well know what is required of him, they often decide not to do it!
If you haven’t put in the early work, they haven’t a clue what you want anyway, and the teenage angst is multiplied exponentially!
Dogs understand that we are verbal creatures, so a sharp ‘No’ followed by withdrawal of approval, and if necessary, presence when addressing a behaviour WHICH IS HAPPENING not after, works far better than the pure body language dogs do so well – but that we don’t.
As always dogs will do what serves them best, so the equivalent of a maternal canine snap, followed by withdrawal of interaction, will be fully understood by them and this will stick with them, so next time (or maybe it will take a few times for the lesson to be learned) they will remember and do what they think you want. Huge praise and loving interaction from you if they ‘get it right’ will cement this, and a lesson has been learned without force or fear – and also with the dog thinking independently and choosing for himself, not just following a command.
Trust in your ability to make good choices for them follows as they mature. Choosing to make good decisions for themselves in the atmosphere of respect and trust you have created and built upon during their ‘time of learning’ makes for a great relationship of mutual respect.
In our human world you will always have to be the safe person to look to when they are confused, but apart from that you can be an independently functioning team, not master and slave.
So. No fear and force? Yes. No carefully thought out and effective consequences of unacceptable behaviour? No.
Balance in all things!
Lesley Harris
2014
The importance of Mindfulness & our Emotions When Getting Connected With Your Dog.
Dogs mirror our emotions. When you are positive and confident your dog will be too.
Many times we mirror theirs and react as opposed to be proactive.
Live your lives together by doing things you enjoy together, in environments you feel confident and relaxed. A place your dog can connect and feed off that.
Location, environment, your thoughts, feelings, emotions and reactions are most important when building trusting relationships.
|So, Be in the location where you both feel safe. This will most likely be be at home initially. Then low stimulus areas increasing to busier places as you both progress. Be in the moment with your dog and enjoy watching your bond grow strong.
Be mindful of what your dog is communicating and be proactive when you need to be as opposed to reactive. You'll get there with patience and when you go not only at your capabilities but thst of your dogs.
People ask when getting a puppy. What do I need? Educate yourselves in canine ways as your puppy needs your understanding above all else.
The greatest gift we offer any living being is
Patience & Understanding.
Reading so much recently about the new way to puppy parent, the new way to connect with dogs. It’s been around for millennium. It’s been written about for decades by a few and brushed aside until now. So many in very recent years now write and talk about trust, empathy, understanding, safety like it’s brand new.
Re write others writings like they are the ground breakers and Blatantly plagiarise, give no recognition for the source.
Were laughed at for talking about the benifits of herbs and music and massage for dogs 20 years ago and raw food was a well known swear word then too. Talked about things people were not ready to hear.
When Lesley Harris and I wrote “Parenting Your New Puppy” back in 2016 the publishers were concerned about the title. They asked if we could fight out corner relating bringing up children to bringing up dogs. Hell yes.
It’s now a common theme. Puppy Parenting and dog parenting. And apparently very new and ground breaking.
Nether Lesley or myself are psychologists, or technical IT wizards, no huge string of letters following our name’s, I’m unbelievably useless at reading let alone remembering any scientific data etc but what we are both good at is understanding dogs and children, because we’ve been parents and carers to both.
Followed, listened to and read publications of Turid Rugaas, Temple Grandin, Alexandra Horowitz, Marc Bekoff, Gregory Burns.
And most of all the dogs we’ve had, the ones we’ve worked with who continue to teach us more than any human could dare to dream.
My world is giving help 1-2-1 now. That’s where I get my kicks my happy feeling inside. My passion is working with dogs with Separation Anxiety issues, and did you know that the dogs parent is also suffering the same issues? Working with both is key. Many make it sound so difficult to solve, many do not understand what is and what is not separation anxiety.
What we need in the world of people and people, people and animals is bucket loads of patience, empathy and an open mind.
Education over training every time. If they are not coping then there is a piece missing in their education in how to negotiate our human world.
🐶🐶🐶Muzzles 🐶🐶🐶
Struggling to find a muzzle that gives the dog freedom to eat, pant and drink? That are Soft, comfortable and colourful
Take a look here, for advice
And a huge array of sizes for every breed.
The muzzle movement have bright, colourful muzzles
When ignoring your dog works
When your dog is doing a behaviour to gain your attention. Such as when your dog is whining / barking or / and jumping at you.
So, How do you ignore ?
1. turn your self side on and avert your eye contact.
2. Walk away whether you’re inside or outside
3. Pick up the trailing line on your dog and move them gently to a walk left to right. No eye contact or speech.
4. Walk out of the room
When your dog is quiet carry on doing what you were doing. Then when remain quiet call for affection. They get you for coming when called.
Do not give a treat when they stop as this is still connected to the initial behaviour you wish to extinguish. Dogs are very clever, they track back to the beginning of the routine they started.
🐶What does calm look like ? 🐶
Peaceful is a state of mind a dog can look calm but inside they are still alert rather than peaceful.
Reward a resting dog with food and you keep them alert. Reward for them is to leave them relaxed but you still present so they can truly reach a peaceful state of mind.
A touch or a massage to aid relaxation is ideal. To give a dog choice where to rest as opposed to insisting they rest in their bed is in my experience the route to true happiness.
The power of words by Lesley Harris 2014
This subject was recently raised in connection with what “commands” we give to our dogs – what words are used to achieve a result.
One person said that she did not like the word “command”, and preferred the word “cue”, but many said that it did not matter as long as the command was issued in a kind way, and in any case the word was unimportant as dogs do not interpret the word, just the intention behind the word.
I have always believed (and still do) that this is correct in as much as you could (as an example) just as easily use the word “bananas” as a cue word, accompanied with the appropriate body language, to invite your dog to join you, as the word is just a sound to catch your dog’s attention, it is mainly the body language to which he responds. However we as humans communicate largely by speaking – body language is important, but vocal communication, and the inflections we put on our words as well as the words themselves, are the means by which we express ourselves.
So, if we accept that words in themselves are largely meaningless for dogs, why does it matter what words we use?
I believe that the words we use create a state of mind within ourselves.
You will probably laugh, but I always say “Excuse me sweetheart” when I want my dog to move. I don’t say “Move” or “Out the way” (well.... maybe sometimes!), but until this discussion was instigated, never thought about why.
I believe our choice of words, without doubt, affects our mental state, so for me, it makes sense to use words or phrases which create the state of mind I feel is useful when educating your dog – respect for him as a sensate creature, calm, confidence without dominance, the feeling that “We are friends – in this together”, and most importantly projects this state of “being” to our dogs. So, “Excuse me sweetheart” immediately creates a feeling of respect for my dogs in my head – I am asking, not commanding, them to comply. “Out the way” or “Move”, would create a feeling of disrespect.
I want a partnership with my dog (albeit, from necessity, with me leading the way), a thinking dog, a dog which makes good choices on its own – only looking to me for guidance when a confusing situation arises, but which is always aware and connected to me and ready to follow my requests, not a dog which jumps to attention at the trigger of a command word without thought. I believe mutual respect and trust is an essential starting point – and, purely for humans, the choice of words matter.
Words like “No”, “Leave”, “Wait”, “Come” all have their place when something needs to happen immediately for safety, but if they are used only when necessary and in the tone which brooks no argument, they are much more effective. It is quite hard to use words like these without sounding “commanding”, and if you have educated your dog with understanding and empathy, being “commanding” is only necessary in certain situations.
I have respect and love for my dogs. I have to be in charge in a world where they are dependent on me, but I want co-operation, not “obedience”. That may seem to be something of an oxymoron when I DO expect them to follow my wishes, but just because I want them to “Do as I say” this does not mean that I have to come across as an uncompromising dictator.
So, for me at least, words are important.
Lesley Harris
September 2014
Why do our dogs take our important belongings? Because they get our attention, a game of chase, you begging and making a big deal of wanting it back and also its a way of getting food if we always swap for food. Its important we make no big deal about possessions, so when it comes to really needing an item back it does not become a battle. Leave items that have no value to you in easy reach, when they take it walk out of the room, walk away from the display. Teach find and retrieve and praise with touch and a welcoming peaceful voice with elongated vowels, as opposed to over the top vocals, to keep the game thoughtful as opposed to over stimulating, where things can go against to learning process.
These Macacs' have stealing down to a fine art.
"Just a generation ago if you went near a dog when he was eating and the dog growled, somebody would say, 'Don't go near the dog when he's eating!, what are you crazy?' Now the dog gets euthanized. Back then, dogs were allowed to say, NO. Dogs are not allowed to say no anymore...They can't get freaked out, they can't be afraid, they can never signal 'I'd rather not.' We don't have any kind of nuance with regard to dogs expressing that they are uncomfortable, afraid, angry, or in pain, worried, or upset. If the dog is anything other than completely sunny and goofy every second, he goes from a nice dog to an 'AGGRESSIVE' dog."
- Jean Donaldson
Many expect their dogs to be “obedient”, to not react or be reactive about anything. To be seen and not heard, to do as they are told, with no regard for who and what they are. “A dog is a living thinking being with thoughts and emotions. Treat them with respect and understanding, then they will respect us back” Caroline Spencer.
Does your dog look unhappy with their new coat even if they’ve work costs before ? Has someone tried it on their dog before you bought it ? Make sure you wash it and have it around your house, 🏠 not your dogs blanket and rub under your dog and your scent on it before they wear it for any length. Short a sweet wearing sessions so they get used to the new sound and feel.
Positive thoughts, emotions, and actions build relationships
Dogs mirror our emotions. When you’re positive and confident your dog will be too. How you feel, think, and react in any given situation has an effect on your dog and whoever else you are with.
Location, environment, thoughts, feelings, emotions, and actions are most important when building trusting relationships. Be in a location where you can connect and show confidence and patience. Home initially, then low stimulus outside areas (industrial estates and wilderness locations).
As you build your connection, you can move to places where you can build trust at a distance from the triggers or distractions. Be in the moment with your dog and enjoy watching your bond grow strong.
Be mindful of what your dog is communicating amd what you’re communicating towards your dog. and be proactive when you need to be as opposed to reactive. You’ll get there with patience and when you go not only at your capabilities but importantly your dogs.
🐶New Year’s Eve is upon us and with that comes fireworks & sadly put our dogs and many people and other animals in a state of stress and fear 🐶
You need to Be peaceful and unflustered, zen out on the sofa and concentrate on your breathing.
How you feel has a huge effect on how your dog feels and therefore behaves. You need to feel right to help your stressed dog.
*Help you dogs Keep your dogs safe and peaceful.
*Walk well before dark
*Make a cozy space for them at home
*Shut the curtains
*Play their calming music,
*Some love a jumper
*Some love a Calm massage making no big deal or fussing.
*Some love just to sit with you, others prefer their own space but you about relaxing.
*Some may be helped if you give them a chew or a licky board.
*Calming herbs such as chamomile and lemongrass
Find what suits your dog to help them through the best you can, to enable them to have a peaceful mind and body.
🐶 Dogs tell the time by scent. 🐶
Does your dog become agitated when it’s time the children are due back from school or partner back from work ? Their scent has dissipated through the day and your dog works out at what level the scent is when you are due back. ( Studies by Alexandra Horowitz )
Any behaviour is a display of how your dog feels in any situation. Your dog has many emotions, thoughts and feelings. To live naturally and content within the constraints of our modern world is a tall order. It’s hard enough for many people.
Dogs like children need a consistent protective adult in their lives. One who takes time to understand all their little nuances , their language and their individuality. Their likes and dislikes. Their loves and hates. Understanding they can only be them, but we can make the world a better place for them when we are their guide.
They will look to us for support when the going gets tough for them. When we do the right thing that fits in with their natural instincts as opposed to distract or control This IS when a relationship blossoms.
Happy New Year and get connected mind for mind. Build that relationship both you and your dogs need above all else.
Happy confident you leads to happy confident hounds.
How do you do this? Get in tune with dog talk. Take a read through how to bond and build a trusting relationship
Why Does My Dog Do That. By Caroline Spencer.
When you give your dog an enriching puzzle. Do ensure it is enriching & not so difficult it becomes a frustration.
🐶 Weekend Paws 4 Thought 🐶
Dogs do not lie. They do as they feel, and will react positively or negatively to situations and environments they find themselves in. Including ours and others emotions, actions and reactions.
See the signs they display, understand why and be their supportive mentor. Help them fit in to our cramped and many times confusing world.
Take a look at the link in comments to help you give you and your dog peace of mind and to take the world in their stride along side you. With the ability to make great canine choices.
Dogs tell us how they feel in any given situation.If your dog shows signs of stress eg barking, jumping up. If you can’t change the environment. Leave. Give your dog space from the trigger.
Dogs have a universal language.
Every dog talks dog, it’s their universal language regardless of breed. Every breed can bark, every breed can guard etc, certain breeds are more predisposed to guarding, herding, retrieving, etc but they all communicate in the language of the dog, their native language
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