Dogs Behaving Badly, Horsham

19/11/2024

Some good simple advice here that I always incorporate into my training plans: Management of the environment so your pup does not get opportunities to practice unwanted behaviours

ARE YOU MANAGING?
Are you managing your dog’s environment to prevent or improve unwanted behaviour?

As people, we tend to prefer and look for the more complicated solutions to problems. This tendency is termed “complexity bias” - the tendency to prefer complicated explanations and solutions instead of looking for the simpler ones.

Surely a complicated, time consuming, detailed solution has to be more effective, superior, impressive, or correct?

Complexity bias is so relevant when it comes to changing a dog’s unwanted behaviour. We often get so stuck on trying to modify behaviour through counter conditioning, desensitization or detailed training plans when sometimes the simplest solution to the problem lies in simply managing the environment.

Dogs will do what dogs do – when an opportunity arises to help themselves to food left on a table, to bark at the gate at anyone passing by, to have a drink from that big water bowl at the perfect height, that we call a toilet, to running off with irresistibly smelly dirty underwear, to rummaging through bins in search of anything that may or may not be edible, to running out an opened door in search of adventure - the list is long - dogs will be dogs.

Parents of little children use management all the time without giving it much thought. Baby locks on cupboards, covers on electrical sockets, valuable or dangerous items put far out of reach, fences and locks around pools, etc.

We wouldn’t just train a toddler not to stick their fingers in an electrical socket, not to open cupboards, not to touch a hot plate – it’s far safer, simpler and logical to first manage the environment, to prevent potential incidents.

The same principle should apply to managing a dog’s environment to prevent unwanted behaviour.

The more a behaviour is practiced the more difficult it is to prevent. The more a behaviour is rehearsed the better dogs become at it.

Preventing the behaviour from happening in the first place by using management is the logical, simple and effective way to address it.

Be a good manager – it’s far less stressful, for both us and our dogs.

30/10/2024

The last puppy course before Christmas starts on Saturday 30th November at 11.15am. This is a 5 week course held outdoors in Broadbridge Heath. Note that the last session will be in the New Year.

Actual dates are:

Saturday 30th November
Saturday 7th December
Saturday 14th December
Saturday 21st December
Saturday 11th January

To register please email [email protected]

01/10/2024

A new puppy course is starting in Broadbridge Heath on Saturday 19th October at 10am. This is a 5 week course run over a 7 week period. Lessons are held outdoors so the pups will be learning with distractions. Price is £60. The course dates are below:

Saturday 19th October
Saturday 2nd November
Saturday 16th November
Saturday 23rd November
Saturday 30th November

Please email [email protected] to book your place

17/09/2024

There are so many unqualified dog "trainers" and "behaviourists" around these days. Please look out for these red flags, and check qualifications. Would you trust an unqualified doctor to assess and treat your human family? If not why choose an unqualified trainer to assess and treat your dog?

08/07/2024

Here's one thing you can do right now to make your dog’s life even better than it already is: let them sniff! Walking your dog provides physical exercise, but letting them sniff along the way will provide your dog with mental exercise and stimulation, too. Not only is sniffing important to your dog, but it is essential for your dog’s wellbeing. Studies have also shown that olfactory stimulation lowers a dog’s heart rate and reduces stress levels. Next time you take your dog out, we encourage you to slow down and let your dog "smell the roses" and other epic scents on their walk!

07/07/2024

What is socialisation, and can we over-socialise our dogs with other dogs? Of course we can - this article explains.

Socialisation. Yes, there really is such a thing as "over socialised".
Play is NOT socialisation.❌
Play is a separate and important skill.✅....but it isn't socialisation.
What is socialisation ?..... Calmness and acceptance of the world.
What it isn't......over excited, scared, hyper, wary behaviour or PLAY.
I know that seems like a big statement to make for some people but society has some strange ideas of what socialisation is.

That doesn't mean dogs and puppies shouldn't play, it simply means one of the FIRST things they need to learn in life is not go to that place of extreme overarousal at the sight of a puppy. Puppies need to learn how to be accepting of dogs in general....then play can be added as a separate skill.

Calmness and acceptance IS socialisation.
Play is play.
Two completely separate things.

Dogs and puppies are a very small part of having a socialised dog. An important small part... but a very small part in a much bigger picture.
The word socialisation seems to be associated with play and that is a big issue with new puppy guardians/owners.

How you let other dogs meet yours and how your dog meets other dogs forms patterns of behaviour.
The more these dogs have over excited, over aroused and hyper behaviour around other dogs...........the more they understand this IS exactly how to meet dogs....and that is really problematic for many dogs.

True socialisation is acceptance and calmness in ALL the world has to offer.
Everything you encounter in everyday life...is exactly what you need to expose your dogs to.

Little and often
Positively and calmly......and you are well on your way to a well socialised puppy or dog.

They don't need to go to that hyper excited behaviour when other dogs are near.

They can be calm, assess the situation and choose to play and interact if they wish.....

That is true socialisation.

Please respect that these graphics take time and effort to make. Everyone is free to share on social media🙂, however off social media use of these marked graphics is prohibited.
Unmarked graphics are available for $ 1.20 USD or $ 2 NZD each (approx), these are then able to be used off Facebook for client handouts, posters or for personal use.
Screen shots are a violation of the copyright.
Please visit ABC Dogs Patreon Shop for unmarked graphics. All graphics belong to ABC Dogs NZ and are under copyright.

01/07/2024

This is a game I play with my nervous foster dogs. It is their choice to approach me, which in turn helps them to gain confidence around me ❤️

30/06/2024

Does your dog feel safe with you?...

Dogs need an anchor in the world; someone they have a secure attachment with based on a loving relationship and someone who makes them feel safe. There’s a lovely quote from John Bowlby about child/parent secure bases that says ‘all of us, from the cradle to the grave are happiest when life is organised as a series of excursions, long or short, from the secure base provided by our attachment figures’.

What this means is that dogs do best if they feel safe and have a secure bond to someone. This means they need contact- both physically and emotionally and they need to feel safe and with no concern that they will be punished. This secure attachment helps them to be resilient and cope with the world as they always have a safe base to return to.

I’ve seen this in action with my little hand reared yorkie. From 6 days old she lived attached to me, to keep her warm she mostly lived inside my jumper (actually in my bra really 😂). She slept next to me, I bottle fed her and cared for her every need. You’d perhaps think this would create a needy monster who would never cope without me being right there- who would have awful separation issues and who would really struggle emotionally in life. Quite the opposite occurred, she’s the most independent and confident dog I’ve ever had. When she was a few months old she decided she didn’t want to sleep in my bed anymore- she’s big and brave enough that she doesn’t need me like that now. She’s grown her wings to fly the nest. She returns in the night if she gets cold and always every morning for a cuddle under the covers when I’m half asleep-it’s like I’m her docking station for a recharge and then she’s off, without a backward glance (actually maybe she silently swears at me 😂) and she’d face the world alone if she could, she is totally fearless.

There’s no short cuts to a secure attachment- you can’t achieve it by using food and you can’t get it by training. You can’t get a secure attachment by using coercion, quite the opposite occurs- if you punish your dog they won’t feel safe. It takes time, trust and understanding. If you haven’t had your dog from a puppy you can still have a really strong, secure relationship. I’ve had a mix of puppies and adult rescues and some of my strongest relationships have been with my adult rescues but it all takes time, and if they’ve had a series of broken attachments in the past it can take time for them to trust but it’s so worth it.

Don’t ever worry about loving your dog ‘too’ much or giving them too much care or attention, just like children, they need to feel safe and understood to thrive.

29/06/2024

Thinking about getting a puppy. The following is great advise about what contributes to a dogs personality from birth

Puppies are not clean slates !
You often hear people say 'get a puppy they are a clean slate'

As a behaviourist and breeder I can confidently tell you this is not true. Both nature and nurture has a huge impact.
A puppy will inherit genes from its parents and these genes will impact the puppies genetic potential to behave in a particular way.
Such as :
Using aggression as a strategy to deal with difficult situations
Sociability towards people and dogs
Fearful responses
Sound sensitivity
Strong instinctive behaviour to hunt, chase, grab, hold and guard.
Trainability which includes the ability to learn self control as humans desire it.

When people breed dogs they sometimes select for specific traits and sometimes not. If someone is breeding for a particular look, colour or just money then these traits can become altered becoming stronger or weaker or unbalanced. This can make a dog dangerous for example breeding a dog with gameness and reducing human sociability.

Then the puppy is born and the first 8 weeks learning with the breeder will have an huge impact on the development of all these genetic traits.

My five puppies have all come from the same parents and been reared in the same environment. They have very individual personalities. The training and socialisation they receive in their new homes will only influence the genes and first learning, it won't change their personalities.

So if you are looking for a puppy
Firstly learn about breed traits and instincts and make sure you pick a puppy that will suit your lifestyle. For example there no point getting a breed that is 'aloof with strangers' if you have 3 young children and lots of friends visiting.

Secondly meet the parents or (genes), see what they are like. Make sure you are meeting the actual parents, some people buy in puppy farmed litters and then 'hire' an adult of the same breed to pretend the puppies were bred there!!

Thirdly make sure the puppy has had plenty of early neurological stimulation and learning before it leaves the litter. Ask these questions.
1) What have the puppies seen?
2) Who and what have they met?
2) What have they learnt?
3) How have they learned to play?
4) What do they do if they get frustrated?
5) What do they do if they get bored?

A professional trainer can help support and guide you on the process of looking for a puppy. Don't wait till afterwards for help.

Prevention IS better than Cure. This goes for training and socialisation too, get a professional to help and guide you.

Puppies are building neural pathways with every experience, every day, make sure they're building ones you like.

First Learning is the strongest, make sure you get it right first time.

Written by Jane Ardern BSc (Hons) KCAI (WG)
WaggaWuffins Canine College
Bury Lancashire

*Permission to share this post from this source. No cutting and pasting please and pretending you wrote it yourself 🙄