These Dogs Are Made For Walking

10/08/2022

In areas that experience very hot weather summertime is not the time to be out and about with your four-legged friend. Here are some tips...

02/08/2022

Have you ever heard of a big dog suddenly chasing and killing a much smaller one? Perhaps they were playing even, just before the sudden switch. I have. It's unfortunately happened in the last few years in my own village. It's devastating, it's unpredictable, and it's real.

Importantly, IT IS NOT AGGRESSION. It's a phenomenon called predatory drift and it's why my own canine family are managed so closely and responsibly.

Pictured are two of our dogs. Little and large. Beast and button. Big sis and little sis. Call them what you like, but just because they know each other VERY well does not mean they will ever coexist together like similar sized dogs can. It would just not be safe. And it would be neither of their faults.

Just a run and squeal from the little'un could trigger off the big'un. Any "prey-like" behaviour and she could trigger off instincts in her that are akin to a wolf catching and ingesting prey. It's instincts, not aggression. It's not even a choice she would be making.

ALL DOGS CAN BE TRIGGERED INTO PREDATORY DRIFT if the environmental circumstances around them trigger it off e.g. if they're around a dog much smaller than themselves. Daycares for example and even dog walkers need to be aware of this when mixing breeds.

The risk of predatory drift is heightened as well if:

* There is more than one large dog to the small
* They are allowed to play (which has its risks just for sheer size differences as well!)
* The smaller dog is in any way fearful and likely to run, whine or squeal
* The dog is likely a "finisher" i.e. would normally not hesitate to catch a squirrel and eat it right then and there. Some parts of the predatory sequence have been enhanced and/or inhibited in some breeds, but some dogs would still exhibit the full sequence from eye to kill to digest.

How do we manage our family?

* The dogs are never walked together without the both of us humans present. EVER.
* We use long lines as a management tool
* We keep all walks calm and environment focused.
* Absolutely no direct interactions with each other is encouraged on walks. They are in fact called away from any direct interactions.
* They are kept in separate rooms in the house. ALWAYS.
* We do not slack on our management or supervision even for a second. Because that's all it could take. And again, it would be neither of their faults.

(It is our choice to implement this level of management from our own risk assessment of these particular dogs since our family joined together a year ago. Our dogs also have other difficulties beyond the risk of predatory drift so strict management is key for their safety).

As you can see the size difference is significant. They have a lovely relationship. Their tails will wag when they see each other coming into the house and they will touch noses either side of the baby gate. But being the "best of friends" wouldn't stop an accident happening. Predatory drift is not born out of anger, frustration, dislike of one another. It's completely separate. The only way of ensuring it doesn't happen is through awareness and management.

A quick google search will bring up lots of articles on predatory drift and the risks. It is important to be aware of this, whether you're the guardian of a giant breed, or guardian of a toy breed, or frankly, anything in between. Predatory drift between dogs is not too common, but it always has devastating consequences.

Knowledge and awareness is key 🐾💜

Please note: predatory drift is NOT dogs fighting as a result of over stimulated play. Predatory drift is NOT dogs arguing over a resource such as food. Predatory drift is NOT dog-dog reactivity. There are many reasons why one dog may show aggressive behaviour responses to another and the majority of them would not count as predatory drift.

06/11/2021

25/10/2021

09/09/2021

I am continuously managing expectations on how tolerant and social dogs should be. If early cut off ("no thanks") signals are ignored, dogs will have to shout a bit louder to be left alone. If a dog has not given consent to an interaction and it’s forced upon them, they may object!

These are the signals that often scare people, but, in some cases ritualised aggression is PROPORTIONATE and IN CONTEXT!

Examples;

If I tried to disengage from someone and they followed at me tugging on my arm, trying to force me to chat, I would probably turn round and assertively ask them to back off. A growl, bark, tooth flash or stiff, upright posture is little different.

If someone I didn't know rushed up to me and gave me a massive hug, I'd find it quite the intrusion of my personal space and ask them 'excuse me, what on earth are you doing?'. if they grabbed me from behind I'd probably have a moment of feeling in total danger and may respond quite strongly to protect myself.

I don't hurl abuse at people across the street who are minding their own business and I don't punch people in the face for politely saying 'good morning’ to me. That's disproportionate and out of context.

I may not appreciate or always tolerate poor social etiquette, but if it's clear someone isn't trying to hurt me physically, I try to avoid hurting or scaring them while communicating my thoughts or navigating myself out of the situation. My level of response depends on their behaviour, and even then, I try hard to avoid escalation. That's proportionate.

However, some days I'm less tolerant than others, such as if I'm in pain, tired or unwell, I may be more quick to say something rather than ignore it. Other days, I may say nothing and walk on.

I am also not consistently social. Occassionally, I keep myself to myself intentionally. Some days I may have short, polite conversations with people before being ready to move on. Other times I may hang out and chat or continue to walk and talk with someone I've just met. I don't always want to avoid nor do I always want to chat (generally, I chat more than I avoid!).

I also may migrate towards certain personality types than others. There are certain behaviour traits in humans that I wish to be around, and others I would prefer to avoid.

Selectively social and varying levels of tolerance (depending on the situation) is normal in dogs!

Learn to spot what 'mood' your dog is in today, which dogs they enjoy being around and which dogs bring out the best in your dog! Give dogs that are an obvious mis-match a wide berth if you can- to set your dog up for success and prevent stress for all.

Remember- selectively social is NOT dog reactive/aggressive. If your dog reacts from a distance or responds to situations with disproporationate levels of aggression, get support from a qualified behaviourist (check out the ABTC register)

Thanks for this fab infographic Every Dog Behaviour Training

20/07/2021

JUST BECAUSE WE CAN

Doesn’t mean we should.

This is a topic that I’ve been pondering both privately and with colleagues recently – the ethical implications of behaviour modification and where to draw the line.

As has been well documented both here and on my personal page, Steve and I have worked for years to help him overcome a fear of dogs brought on by a puppyhood trauma using behaviour modification. It is with this same approach that I also help many other dogs like my Steve.

Steve is now able to enjoy walks anywhere, hang out with his dog friends, attend group classes and packed workshops and bustling shows and enjoy himself, be cheeky and know that he is safe. He can observe and disengage from other dogs. He can hang out and train with other dogs. His quality of life now that he knows he is safe and I will listen to him has improved exponentially.

However, Steve does not and will never appreciate strange dogs rushing up to him. He has his circle of dog friends and that’s all he needs. Steve will never be a social butterfly and approach other dogs – given the choice, he will ignore unknown dogs.

We will avoid busy walks as to subject Steve to that amount of out-of-control dogs would set back his training as well as our relationship. Very occasionally, we do have to do a dog heavy walk but these are the exception and plenty of decompression is encouraged afterwards. And he is a much happier, relaxed and more resilient dog for not having to face his biggest fear on a daily basis.

Of course, we could push Steve’s behaviour modification plan to make him more tolerant of space invaders and to cope with a busy dog park setting for example.

But who does that benefit?

And is it ethical?

Not Steve. For Steve, pushing that training on further would be detrimental and damage our relationship. He doesn’t enjoy the company of many other dogs so to subject him to such on a regular basis would be damaging. Neither is it ethical to put him in those situations considering his past trauma with dogs.

Pushing him on would only benefit me as we could do lazier, local walks instead of meeting his physical and emotional needs with quieter meanders. We could go to the dog park and let him be worn out by the others whilst I sip a coffee and chat

When applying a behaviour modification plan, we need to meet in the middle and manage guardian expectations. Not every dog will enjoy busy walks. And that’s ok. Not every dog wants to interact with other dogs. And that’s ok. The focus is to improve their quality of life.

29/06/2021

22/06/2021

02/06/2021

Testing Teenagers.....

We all aware that having a teenage dog is a testing time. We also (hopefully) understand that this is "normal". However let us talk about our emotions involved during this time.

You have a gorgeous puppy whom attracts attention wherever they go, a god like adoration from almost everyone they meet....and it feels GOOD! That very same puppy then enters horror stage. Take ‘guarding’ breed which no longer has a downy baby coat and god forbid it now has pointy ears and people's attitudes have done a complete 180. Those looks are now of a completely different type and it feels BAD!

Welcome to the teenage stage! This is the time in your dog's life when you have to dig deep. You are struggling but hey your dog is struggling more. Your puppy may have become hypervigilant, overreactive, non responsive, afraid of even the most familiar things and quite likely a complete pain in the butt! It is so easy and completely natural to take these things personally but here is the thing....he is having a hard enough time at the moment and you don't even factor in his thoughts.

Now is the time to step up and support your teenager. You may not like them much at present. This feeling alone brings all sorts of feelings of guilt but step up you must. Lower your expectations and I mean really lower them! Keep your well rehearsed cues out of daily life for now. If you continue to use your cues in the vain hope that they will eventually respond on the 4th or 5th attempt then you will poison them. But they know what those words mean right? Not right now they dont! Tuck them away safely and manage every situation in order that you do not feel tempted to use them. You will be able to use them again in future just not right now.

You need to be a solid support for your teenager. It is the most frustrating time for us as owners but you owe it to them to remain calm and non emotional during these times. A touch of your hand or a quiet word can make all the difference when your dog is a whirling dervish or suddenly having a panic about that same litter bin they have previously walked past every day of their life. Do not underestimate how much your emotions affect your dog. You can and should help your dog through this phase.

Now dont get me wrong, we are all human and we all have times when we become frustrated or we get it wrong. That also is normal but try to remember these guys are having the hard time, it is your job to step up and help them.

Find things you can do together, albeit if only at home or in a secure field. Take time to have enjoyable contact with them every day. Life can be a chore at this stage but you can find times where you have fun together. Focus on these times not on the difficult times and it will help you feel more positive about the relationship you are building. Some relationships are strong from the start others take time. Let me tell you from experience that those slow burners can often become the most intense and rewarding bonds. I know its a cliche but try to embrace the journey ..... every bit of it.

It’s not easy, it sure as hell ain’t fun but you can do this.....and there is always gin.....lots of gin!🍸🍸🍸

10/05/2021

Is ball play really the right way to entertain your dog on a walk?