Force Free Alliance Canine Welfare

19/05/2025

16/04/2025

Do dogs ‘have’ to eat on the floor?

26/06/2024

You know a smile when you see a smile 😍 such a happy boy

08/12/2023

“You’re making your dog anxious with your anxiety!”

“Just stop being anxious!”

“Your anxiety is making your dog worse!”

Whew. It’s really time we move away from these ableist sentiments in the dog world.

Sure, our dogs can read our subtle behaviour changes and body language, but that’s not necessarily on how we feel, since our feelings, anxiety, etc. are not really measurable.

In times where we may be feeling more anxious, we may exhibit certain behaviours that our dogs have associated with something concerning about to happen.

What’s great about understanding this is that we are empowered to change what our behaviours mean for our dogs. For example, if you’ve observed that when you feel anxious you may turn your head quickly and scanning the environment, then you can recreate that behaviour in a quiet and safe environment where you and your dog are relaxed, and turn that into a cue for your dog to get a handful of treats on the ground in front of you, and then build things up from there.

On top of that, we have to remember that there may often be other things in the environment that are influencing our dog’s behaviour that may have little to do with us.

But what about the scent changes with our emotional states?

A dog can potentially smell changes in scent, especially in a controlled environment, but that doesn’t mean they naturally know what that change in scent means without a learning history with that specific person and training. Just think about how service dogs have to be trained to respond to such biochemical processes, and how they don’t just “feed off” someone’s emotional state.

If you’ve ever heard been told your dog’s behaviour is a result of your anxiety or simply the fault of your emotions in some way, I want you to know that it isn’t.

There are many reasons why behaviour occurs and you should not be shamed for how you feel and what you’re going through as you’re on this learning journey with your dog.

As an industry, we need to move past the ableist rhetoric that dogs somehow “absorb” our “emotional states” and really empower people and their dogs, not shame and guilt them.

ID: The text says “Your dog is not ‘feeding off’ your anxiety” and under this is a cropped out picture of a brown dog jumping up on a person’s arms with the leash in their mouth.

10/11/2023

100%

10/11/2023

Still it amazes me that dog guardians continue to use unethical ways to teach their dogs and when it comes to growling, they even punish this too! It amazes me even more that a growl is unwelcome. Growling is the step prior to a bite and some dogs will react quicker than others. It is not however, a guarantee that a dog will or will not bite if they growl, just as it is not guaranteed a dog will not bite if they don’t growl 1st.

Growling is a healthy behaviour that expresses boundaries between individuals and it serves a purpose. Listening to boundaries is important for any relationship to flourish and ignoring those boundaries destroys trust. Look at every canine relationship, particularly those who fight and generally aren’t viewed as cohabiting peacefully. Does the growl work? Is one not respecting the others boundaries?
Look at dogs who are afraid and who react to someone approaching them, their behaviour communicates ‘I’m not comfortable, you’re overstepping my boundary.’

If we listen more to what our dogs are saying and helping them in ways they understand and that are helpful, you will see that all undesirable behaviours are rooted within an emotional response. They are no robots who are made to obey your every command, they are sentient beings with a mind of their own.

Every interaction with a dog should be one that is agreed by both parties, whether that be dog, another animal or human.

Overstepping boundaries makes for an unstable/insecure relationship.

How do you feel when someone doesn’t respect your boundaries? Would you trust that person implicitly? Or exercise some caution?

Between dogs, their method of communication and receiving of communication is understood well in dogs that are well socialised.

Between humans, their method of communication is different to a dogs but between the same species, it is understood well.

Between dogs and humans, we both have different methods of communicating but that doesn’t mean there needs to be a language barrier.

When someone uses a punishment tool on their dog, a dog will in some way communicate they are uncomfortable, they will avoid the negative consequence where they are able to control it, and they will merely comply with whatever behaviour you intend to create (sometimes). But what is this doing to your relationship? Do you have a truly beautiful bond? Does your dog feel entirely safe in your presence? Do you overstep your dogs boundaries and not care because it is ‘necessary’ to get the behaviour you desire?

There is no argument to be had when it comes up that ‘dogs punish each other or a mother dog disciplines her puppies with force’
Dogs do not go out of their way to punish anyone, they react on what they feel and use the methods they have available to them to communicate in a way that will work. We are not dogs, we do not growl to tell someone we aren’t comfortable, and we do not bite if someone oversteps our boundaries. Likewise, dogs do not punish us or their own kind for things they dislike. They do however try and avoid things that they dislike. A person coming along and suggesting they must deal with something they dislike because they have to learn what a human wants them to do is just an unimaginable concept and one that is abnormal. Naturally, this is not how things work. You cannot force another being who has a mind of their own to do only what you want. Sure, you may achieve compliance, but that compliance is forced, it is not truly given because your dog wants to engage with you. The underlying motivation was to avoid something they dislike. I call that abuse! It is the same with any unhealthy, toxic, abusive relationship. The vulnerable party has no power and the abuser has all the control and power. Even if you only use that halti on walks to stop your dog pulling you, you are the provider of something your dog doesn’t enjoy, he is unlikely to even enjoy the walks you say he must have because he must walk next to you or endure something he dislikes.

There are no excuses here.

Listen to your dogs boundaries in all senses, including the subtle calming signals so he doesn’t even need to communicate with a growl and when it comes to teaching your dog, don’t resort to methods that causes something unpleasant for your dog, consider their feelings instead.

Choose kindness and harmony

04/11/2023

On the 15th of September 2023, Rishi Sunak released a statement proposin… Licenceme Group Ltd needs your support for Official legal ‘xl bully’ ban fundraisers

31/10/2023

This morning we had a lovely walk along the beach. Juno was off lead, minding her own business, having some sniffies, playing with me, exploring. We passed a few regulars and said hello. Then I clipped on her lead and we headed home along the road.

Three things happened on that journey home:

1. We passed a lady we have seen a few times. Her frustrated dog was on a retractable lead. She locked the lead as we walked by them. Juno, on a drooping loose leash, politely walked by on my outside. The lady turned around and said, "your dog is so GOOD! I should give you my dog to train for a few days!"

2. We passed by a car where Juno found a cat hiding. She looked at him, and then turned back to me. That's a skill she has learned, and a hard one for her. I rewarded her for her fabulous choice. A man walking by said, "lucky dog getting treats!"

3. We ran into our elderly neighbour. She has a small dog who is pretty excited to see Juno when we pass. She came in close to tell me about some suspicious activity in the carpark. Juno stood calmly, engaged with me, while her dog whined and wiggled and pulled. As she walked away she pointed at Juno and said, "she's so well behaved!"

Look, Juno isn't "well behaved" or "obedient" and she is not any better than the dog on the retractable lead. Her skills are better! The behaviours she has learned that are socially acceptable are reinforced (meaning, I use something she values to maintain and strengthen those behaviours), and I set her up to succeed by never forcing her into uncomfortable situations and giving her plenty of information about what it is I expect her to do. But she wasn't born this way. This isn't something that she just does. And it didn't happen overnight! It something she has learned and something that involves all of these "behind the scenes" activities.

I make sure she gets out a lot to see the world (for us this is 2+ hours a day but everyone is different), experience all the things, and thus, learn to navigate them in socially appropriate ways. She gets a good balance of exercise and sleep because none of us learn well if we are brimming with excitement and finally get a few minutes to do something fun, nor do we learn well if we are tired!

The rules of our society are very humancentric. They are arbitrary to our dogs and we have to give them meaning if we expect certain behaviour! By teaching Juno some simple skills that she demonstrated today, she knows exactly what to do and can successfully and safely navigate these social situations. But that takes effort, consistency, mindfulness, and heaps of practice in a methodical and systematic way to ensure our communication is clear, easy, and enjoyable.

*PS, this is my attempt at drawing an iceberg. 😆

31/10/2023

29/04/2023

📢 NEWS ALERT: England Introduces New Regulations to Ban Electronic Collars for Cats and Dogs 🐾🚫
BUT ITS NOT A LAW Yet unless we push it.

Thank you Miyagis Dog Training and Behaviourist Services for providing info to this.

Starting from February 1st, 2024, the Animal Welfare (Electronic Collars) Regulations have been proposed to be banned in a draft of a bill of law in England, making it illegal for anyone to attach electronic collars to cats or dogs, or possess a remote control device designed to activate and control such collars.

As a trauma-informed behavior consultant, I am thrilled to see this positive step towards protecting the welfare of our beloved pets. Electronic collars have been known to cause physical and psychological harm to animals, as well as negatively impacting their training and behavior.

Under these new regulations, anyone found guilty of breaking these laws will be subject to fines, and local authorities will have the power to prosecute offenders. Additionally, the Animal Welfare Act 2006 will provide post-conviction powers, such as disqualification and seizure of animals in connection with disqualification.

Let's celebrate this important milestone for animal welfare and continue to advocate for the safety and well-being of our furry friends. To make sure this happens.

Call to action:

Teamwork makes the dream work. If everybody within the force free community whether a guardian or a professional sends a written letter. They will have to listen. It's a stamp. That's it. One stamp to speak for dogs and cats in England!

⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️‼️‼️‼️‼️
You can help by printing this open letter and sending it to: Rt. Hon Rishi Sunak
10, Downinng Street,
London,
SW1A 2AA

Open letter: https://ppgbi.com/Open-Letter-Response-To-The-UK-Decision-to-Ban-Shock-Collars

Linda Michaels MA

🐶🐱

Reference:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2023/9780348247305

These Regulations make provision for the purpose of preventing the use of electronic collars in England.