Modern Mutts

24/02/2023

Did you know dogs should get 12-14 hours of sleep and puppies up to 20 hours? 😴

If you find your pup is too energetic and you’re constantly trying to tire them out with exercise and enrichment, consider how much sleep they’re getting. Not enough sleep can cause your dog to be hyper and struggle to control their emotions and energy. Make sure they’re getting plenty of quiet time in their own safe space at home to get some good naps during the day 🐕

12/12/2022

Who else has loved playing in this snow? ❄️Murphy loves it so much that she’s like a puppy again - which I absolutely love to see! 🐕

If you have a puppy and are counting the days until they ‘grow up’, I encourage you to appreciate the funny moments and zest for life your pup has right now. One day you’ll miss it and wish you could go back ❤️

02/12/2022

✨ Your dog isn’t naughty ✨

Your dog isn’t trying to disappoint you. They're not doing things they know they aren't supposed to just to annoy you. And they certainly aren’t just being naughty on purpose!

Your dog chooses to do things that once (or many times) were rewarding. She surfs the counter because once she found cheese and if there’s any chance that’ll happen again it’s worth trying again! She grabs the pillow because one time you grabbed it back and you had a brief but exciting game of tug. He jumps up on guests because sometimes people play with him and give him that attention he desires.

Instead of saying no or punishing our dogs - which only shows them that they won’t always get that reward - show them a different way they can get that reward. A way that means you both get what you want.

When she lays down while you’re cooking, she gets a treat EVERY time. When she brings you one of her toys, you play tug and other games for a FULL five minutes! And when he sits nicely for guests, he gets cuddles AND treats.

Dogs are simply looking for the things that bring them joy. So let’s show them the right way to get those things rather than punish them for trying to find them ❤️

I'd love to help you and your dog to live in harmony. Whatever your issue, contact me and let me know what you're looking for. I am happy to answer all of your questions, even if you don't know what you need yet.

26/05/2022

There’s no such thing as spoiling your dog by loving them too much.

It's the owners fault, they spoilt the dog too much.

In varied forms, I hear this statement alot and my heart sinks when I do. Showing affection, empathy and compassion is not spoiling an animal, it's knowing how to support another being when they need it.

Loving our dogs does not make them needy, letting them feel unsafe does.

The only time I see this statement being true, is when a dog is not allowed to be a dog. We can spoil them by:

Not allowing them to sniff and forage.

By not allowing them to explore.

By not allowing them to process their environment.

By forcing them into situations they feel uncomfortable in.

By ignoring them when they are crying or stressed.

When we are inconsistent and unclear in our communication.

We are NOT spoiling them when:

We share our food.

When we snuggle up on the sofa with them.

When we let them sleep with us.

When we comfort them when they are scared or stressed.

When we put a coat on them because they are cold.

When we listen to their needs.

When we take them to the vets for regular check ups or because we are worried about something that appears tiny.

When we pick them up because they are terrified.

Dogs will not become unruly or try to dominate us because we are being kind.
Dogs become unruly when they are feeling unsafe, confused or frustrated.

So keep that love coming!! Love and empathy does not make any animal badly behaved. The opposite does.

13/04/2022

Do you know what signs to watch out for? 🐕

It is dog bite prevention week this week.

I get a lot of people tell me that the bite came from nowhere but generally the dog has been struggling for a while and their more subtle signs have been ignored or punished so they escalate their behaviour.

So why do dogs bite people?

✅ Fear
✅ Frustration
✅ Anxiety
✅ Pain (up to 84% of a behaviourist's case load has a medical component!)
✅ Redirection when they have been reacting at another trigger and the person gets in the way
✅ Over excitement (this is usually mouthing and not what professionals would class as an 'aggressive' bite)

Other reasons that you might hear but are wrong are:
❌Stubborness
❌Dominance (not a thing but that deserves an entire post to itself)

The sad reality is that children are most at risk of being bitten and it is usually the family dog or a dog they know. Unfortunately, this does not surprise me in the slightest.

The most important thing to prevent dog bites is to learn about dog body language. Look at the picture that I found online (just a side note that I do not recommend choke chains due to how they work and also the risk of damaging your dog's neck). The dog is looking away, ears are back, you can see the white of his eye. This is a dog that is not happy in this interaction.

This is a great video by Dog Sense Training and Behaviour.
https://youtu.be/UnCWKL64AaY

How many signs of stress would you have recognised without them being pointed out?

31/03/2022

31/03/2022

31/03/2022

31/03/2022