Force Free Alliance Canine Welfare

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

25/06/2023

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.

29/04/2023

Whoop whoop!!! Fantastic result!

Shock collars negatively impact welfare whether used ‘correctly’ or ‘incorrectly’ and this is a very welcome step in the right direction!

In a ‘historic moment for animal welfare’ The Kennel Club has welcomed news that the Government has laid legislation which will completely ban the use of remote controlled electric shock collars in England, as of 1 February 2024, following a ten year campaign to .
https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/shockcollarsbanned...

11/02/2023

THERE IS HOPE

After reading many comments on videos about the dog training crisis, I concluded:

Ivan Balabanov and Robert Cabral may be amazing and skilled trainers and champions but they are stuck in a place of ego that may serve their social media accounts, sponsors and 50 Billion Dollar industry, but not the dogs to the level they believe.
Their tools don’t work in animal kingdom, only to dogs they get their tools on.
Does a prong or shock collar work on crocodiles ?
Does a prong or shock collar work on lions and elephant?
What Force free reinforcement can do:
Make a lion voluntarily gives his paw for nail trimming, and crocodile to wait patiently to get his ointment on his leg to name a few.

Ignoring scientific evidence, academics of animal veterinary and behavioral field, and welfare organizations are not traits of a champion or animal lover.

They are stuck in the beginning ( x mark on the diagram ) of their journey. I wish they can free themselves, as I was at that stage a decade ago buying into I’m more advanced trainer and help dogs exit the shelter using aversion.

Meanwhile, they push for a “shock, choke and prong” inclusive dog training regulation.

I wanted to share with you they root cause of the crisis as I perceive it.

THE ROOT PROBLEM
Dunning-Kruger Syndrome (DKS) is a cognitive bias in which individuals with low ability in a particular domain overestimate their skills and are unable to recognize their own incompetence. This syndrome was first described by psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger in 1999. DKS has been observed in a variety of domains, including intelligence, memory, math skills, and social skills.

To understand DKS, let us take the example of an aversive dog trainer. Aversive dog training involves the use of punishment, such as shock collars or choke chains, to train dogs. A trainer with DKS may overestimate their abilities and believe that their methods are effective, despite evidence to the contrary. They may be unable to recognize the harm their methods can cause to the dog, including physical and emotional harm. They may also dismiss alternative, positive reinforcement-based methods as ineffective or "soft."

Research has shown that individuals with DKS tend to be less accurate in their self-assessments of ability and performance. They also tend to be less receptive to feedback and less able to learn from mistakes. In the context of dog training, this can lead to harmful training practices that may not only harm the dog but also perpetuate the trainer's mistaken belief in their own abilities.

SOLUTION
To combat DKS in the field of dog training, it is essential to encourage trainers to engage in ongoing professional development, including learning about positive reinforcement-based methods and their effectiveness. It is also important to provide feedback to trainers and encourage them to seek out feedback from other professionals and dog owners.

BE PART OF THE SOLUTION
Don’t be afraid to speak up, for what you believe is ethical, keep up with your research and education, learn from your peers and dogs you work with, and read scientific literature with a critical eye.
Share, engage and like content from force free and ethical professionals.
Do not engage in comments of professionals you don’t support.
May the “Force-Free” be with you.
Shay Kelly - Dog Training & Behaviour
Zak George Hierarchy of Dog Needs

References:

Dunning, D., & Kruger, J. (1999). Unskilled and unaware of it: How difficulties in recognizing one's own incompetence lead to inflated self-assessments. Journal of personality and social psychology, 77(6), 1121.

Kruger, J., & Dunning, D. (1999). Unskilled and unaware of it: How difficulties in recognizing one's own incompetence lead to inflated self-assessments. Journal of personality and social psychology, 77(6), 1121-1134.

Krantz, G. (2010). The problem with aversives in dog training. Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 5(6), 347-349.

Pryor, K. (2002). Don't shoot the dog!: The new art of teaching and training. Bantam.

09/02/2023

It’s the responsibility of you, the parent, to educate yourself on what is psychologically harmful and safe for your dog. Do Not risk your dog or your child’s like for the sake of ‘quick fix’

06/02/2023

Within this is link is the truth… from the man who labelled ‘alpha’ and the same man who debunked it!

Dominance/Alpha theory is no longer valid and considered a myth since 1999!

It is highly dangerous to suggest these methods in groups or to anyone that is having any sort of behavioural issue! Especially where there is reactivity or ‘aggressive’ behaviours.

Do you call your dog a member of your pack or consider your dog a pack animal? Here are 8 reasons science says they are not.

09/01/2023

😂😂

Love this from LotsDogs.

05/01/2023

Put a shock collar around it, a Facebook expert said it’s the fixer of all things

🤞🏽

05/01/2023

A dog returns from boarding and training with matted fur and infected wounds with pus. A welfare group advocates not using tools for training.

05/01/2023

Belly rubbing.
Are you sure your dog enjoys this ?...even when they "want" a belly rub.

I do have to start with saying this is very individual and you will have a good idea of when your dog truly wants and is enjoying a belly rub, though many don't know that rubbing bellies when your dog continually offers it can be an issue.

If you have a dog that you consider nervous or anxious, it is best to be REALLY sure this is something they enjoy....many dogs show their bellies for a variety of reasons.
Body language is key to deciphering whether your dog enjoys this or is telling you they are no threat and are actually stressed. Showing a belly can be a sign of appeasement. It does not mean they want a belly rub.

Some reasons a dog may show its belly....

* Touch...wanting touch and a connection with you.
* Not wanting touch but trying to relax.
* Attempting to cool themselves
* Frightened or anxious....showing they are no threat.
* Play

So is it a big deal to pat a dogs belly when they anxious ?

If we continually pat dogs bellies when they show us (even if we "believe" they truly want a belly rub) it can lead to them continually showing their bellies to us....and others again and again. This does NOTHING to help an anxious dog and certainly doesn't help this dog gain confidence in these situations.

Anxious dogs need self belief, awareness that they are safe, confidence in themselves and in humans they are surrounded by.
By showing their bellies over and over it is a clear signal they can sense a threat....and that is something no one wants.

How to tell if your dog truly likes belly rubs?

Their bodies are far softer, looser and wigglier.
Their faces are relaxed, not tight, tense or closed.
The eyes are softer and relaxed in their gaze.
The ears are usually floppier and more naturally positioned.
Mouths are usually not tense, they are softer and the tongue may slip out the side.

How to tell if your dog may NOT enjoy belly rubs.

The dogs body is stiffer, more rigid and the paws and tail may be tucked in tight.
Face may be tense.... tight, mouth closed
A dog that stiffly and slowly "falls" to the side when on its back is probably not all that relaxed.
The eyes gaze may avert, gaze may be fixed and the dog may have a "whale eye" this means the face and eye area is tense so the white of the eye (sclera) shows more.
This dog may have a tight mouth or the tongue may just show and occasionally lick outwards, or upwards to their nose.
The lips may be tight and they may even appear to grin.
Ears may be flat, backwards or stiff against the head.

If you believe your dog is offering you their belly as an appeasement sign....walk by. I know that sounds harsh to some. You can call them to you when you have passed and give them a toy, a scratch on the chest....anything else they may enjoy......or just leave them be.
If this behaviour is ignored the dog will start to realise that there really is no reason to feel anxious....nothing happens when you walk past.
When a dog starts to realise that "nothing" can be a consequence of a roll on their back...this can be a real turning point for some.

There's a lot of use of the words "possible" and "may" in this post as it really is very individual.

One last word on belly rubs....there is also a big difference in enjoying a good belly rub..... or just tolerating it.
Maybe look at this a little differently and if in doubt get someone to video and see if there are signs of appeasement........if not.....give that belly a good new years rub.
🙂

04/01/2023

I just saw a video from a “dog trainer” page saying:

“Want a secret to raising a GREAT dog? Give your puppy less affection and more direction”

Screw that.

Seriously, where do these people come from? It’s like a competition of who can be the most nonchalant, uncaring, apathetic people towards dogs and then slapping the word “trainer” on it. If you hate dogs that much, consider another career.

This video had thousands of views- thousands of new owners potentially seeing that and restricting affection towards the baby animal they’ve just taken from their mother and siblings. Using a basic right for a social species as a way of coercing control. Gross.

My puppy has slept on the bed since day one. It’s not for everyone, sure, but that’s what I decided. She gets unquestioned affection WHENEVER she asks for it. She wakes up at 1am asking for a cuddle, she gets one. She might have had a bad dream, she might have heard something scary outside. Affection is unwavering and unconditional. Do you know what? She’s a freaking incredible dog. Pretty much perfect in every way.

Because behavior expression is so much more complex than that. Only an uneducated person and a crappy trainer who has no business giving advice would say otherwise.

If a puppy, which I have to remind you- you CHOSE to bring into your household- they had no choice whatsoever in the matter, requires affection (as baby animals do), it is your DUTY to provide that affection. It should not be conditional.

They deserve so much better than emotional coercion and loneliness. They are babies, and if you cannot provide that affection or disagree, don’t get a dog. And jfc do I have to say it, DON’T become a dog trainer!

04/01/2023

Exactly this 😍😍

How do you decide when to work on an unwanted behaviour or to accept it?

Not a cut-and-dried question to answer!

My two basic criteria for going with behaviour modification are these:

1. Your dog is in distress or has lower quality of life due to the problem
2. It really bothers you

In my view, no.1 always justifies going down the behaviour modification route (with or without professional help) for the welfare of the dog.

No.2 is more complicated. Many 'problem' behaviours I'm asked about are based on the owner's expectations rather than the dog's needs. For example, digging, barking, puppy
mouthing & resource guarding in a general capacity are all normal behaviours.

Much of my work is therefore about managing owners' expectations: if their dog needs to dig, can we give them a sandpit or special part of the garden to dig in away from valued plants, rather than expect them to stop digging? If a puppy mouths, let's give them toys and chews to gnaw on instead rather than expect them to stop mouthing.

The whole picture has to be taken into account: we cannot outtrain breed drives or genetics, only channel them. If someone owns a guardian dog (by breed) and wants to have parties or big family gatherings regularly, then is that a reasonable expectation of the dog to tolerate that? Likewise, is it ethical to train a dog to tolerate being jumped on by other dogs with no manners every week?

Further, some dogs will always be 'pessimists' and chronically anxious. This can be caused by poor breeding, genetics and trauma, to give some examples.

Ultimately, is the behaviour something we can do something about? Is there an underlying neurological condition or pain?

To use my own dogs as examples:

Freja: things I cannot outtrain:

- She has an attachment disorder. At least in part, this was due to premature separation from her mother and abandonment without food or water at 2-3 weeks of age. This stuff sticks. She will never be ok to be left alone.

Freja: things I could train but don't because they don't bother me & they don't cause her distress:

- hard mouthing when she needs something, pulling on lead

Blue: things I cannot outtrain:

- abusive handling for the first 1.5 years of his life
- lack of socialisation as a young dog with people & dogs
- pain that is just about being managed & other incurable medical conditions
- breed traits: he is a guarding breed & was bred to be a resource guarder & suspicious of strangers (he was tried as a police dog)

Blue: things I accept because they don't bother me & they don't cause him distress:

- we do not have strangers visit our home.
- we avoid dogs on walks
- he cannot tolerate proper walks so we make up for it in other ways
- barking when he needs something

Ask yourself: do I have the time & commitment to train this problem fully? What are the risks? Would it increase my dog's quality of life to train them to cope with X?

Blue is 11 years old & poorly. All I care about is him being happy & healthy. He is a high bite risk & training him to accept unknown people & dogs would mean putting him pain & would just add stress to his life. He has no desire to like people or dogs (apart from Freja).

Freja has a long term injury, which means I can expect an increase in stress-related behaviours - that's ok with me, because I understand & they make her feel better.

Ask yourself part 2: what's your dog's breed traits? History - including their parents' experiences, in utero & before 16 weeks of age?

Even when we can help a dog to cope better, some things will never go completely. We can manage & help a resource guarder or dog with stranger issues for example, but they will always need help & will never be a 'people dog' just as they will always guard resources when they need to.

Finally, if your dog struggles with certain situations, unless their welfare is compromised there is NO requirement to train them. If you can realistically avoid those situations then it is 100% completely acceptable to do so.

04/01/2023

This mindset of “train your dog” what does it mean? When the child throws a tantrum over getting no sweets, do we need to “train the child?”

04/01/2023

It’s ideas like this that HARM the ff community!

The ‘logic’ simply isn’t logic and the ff label is to teach without force, pain, fear or tools that cause the same. It’s to allow choice, the ability to make mistakes without being afraid or apprehensive of the consequence. It’s the ability to feel free.

We live in a world bound by rules and laws, does that mean we too can’t teach our kids in a force free, non coercive way? Nonsense! Teaching with kindness and welfare in mind can exist!

The idea of purely positive/force free training sounds really nice in theory. Simply reward your dog for behaviors you like, ignore/redirect everything else and never force a dog to do anything it doesn't want to do. Sounds great who wouldn't want to train like that?

If you think a little bit past the surface level and really look at what purely positive means you'll find that not only does it not work but it really doesn't exist.

So much of owning a dog involves non force free ideas. We start by taking an animal into our homes against it's will. Did your dog really have a choice about coming home with you? We use leashes which restrain dogs and take away their freedom. (What is a force free harness?) Once again we are forcing dogs into staying with us. The very idea of owning a dog isn't purely positive, which should make you wonder what the whole idea behind it is. Do they just not want dog ownership to exist at all?

A truly force free trained dog would be one that lives in the wild and humans somehow got it to do everything they wanted without ever putting a leash on it, taking it indoors, trapping it or restraining it in any way. As soon as the leash is placed on the dog, the car door closed or it picked up off the floor it is no longer purely positive. If you believe in the force free/purely positive ideology then why do you close the door to your home so your dog doesn't run out into the street? Seems kinda forceful to lock an animal in the house and not let it decide if it wants to stay or not.

Don't fall for the idea that you can have a well behaved dog without ever saying no. If this whole idea was real we wouldn't have so many struggling owners and dogs with behavioral issues. Before paying money for all sorts of no pull harnesses, and endless purely positive training sessions that won't get you too far stop and take a real close look at the idea. With just a little bit of basic logic it should be very clear how false the whole concept is.

Life simply isn't purely positive. 🤷‍♂️