Remraf K9 Solutions : Dog Walking & Training

16/08/2024

🤔 READ UNTIL THE END: This weeks events have really reinforced to me how transparency surrounding methods is always so important in the world of dog training and how harmful it can be when the unsuspecting public don’t have the ability to make an informed choice.

Its time that we gave the public what they deserve so they know what they are getting into. Simply stating you are ”least intrusive” or “positive as possible” isn’t good enough.

The public deserve to know what they are getting into.

I am fluffy as they go. But - I have a challenge for ALL dog trainers. Own your method and stay transparent.

If you are an aversive traditional trainer, tell the public you use things that hurt or scare dogs all the time to ensure compliance.

If you are balanced or say you are ”least intrusive” but would use things to scare or hurt dogs sometimes/last resort - say sometimes you hurt/scare dogs into compliance.

If you are FF/AF - please shout about it from the rooftops to let people find you. You aren’t an MI6 double agent! You are a dog trainer!! Help your clients make an informed choice!

—- INTRODUCING —-

The Force Free Training Traffic Lights 🚦

🛑 Use Never:

All Ecollars including vibration
Choke collars
Prong collars
Half choke collars
Slip leads
Moulding
Flooding
Fig-8 or tightening headcollars/harnesses
Any other physical punishment
Any other methods utilising verbal reprimands or intimidation that could be potentially aversive to the dog
Extinction without a MEB taught
Body pressure
Luring based conflict

🔴 Wean off if presented ASAP:

Non tightening headcollars
H harnesses if obviously unsuitable and inpeding movement

⚠️ Use sparingly:

Non reward markers
Anticipation without arousal control
Extinction with a MEB pre taught
Shaping without a lure in non savvy dogs
Luring to confidence build
Flat collars (only in safe environments)

💚 Use generously:

Below threshold CC/DS/Social Learning
Non lure based shaping in savvy dogs
Free Shaping
Lure & Reward without conflict
Conditioned Positive Interrupters with high saliency
Y harnesses (non tightening)
N.E.B
Control/Management
Veterinary Care

16/08/2024

16/08/2024

No caption needed ….

16/08/2024

There is so much online at the moment it is very confusing for all seeking advice for their beloved pet. Let's make it simple - PLEASE do your homework. Check out dogcharter.uk or intodogs.net for listings of positive trainers that help NOT harm .

16/08/2024

The Kryptonian symbol on Superman's chest represents hope, which is why its incredibly sickening to see aversive trainers represent themselves as hero's in the industry. Do you think dogs feel hope when they see that shock collar or prong collar?

When you discuss ethics, with such ones they say ethics are subjective. When you share the wealth of scientific research on training methods, they say science has no place in dog training. When you state the dog's needs should be prioritised, they say the guardians wishes should be prioritised. (Don't forget as trainers we are supposed to be the dog's voice)

There is no common ground. Either you hurt dogs or you don't, and if you understand canine behaviour and the impact of aversives, and you choose to use them regardless, you don't belong in the industry. Dogs deserve so much better than that.

I am all for unity but not if it means sacrificing my beliefs and principles. I can't overlook or support professionals hurting other dogs simply because they have some good knowledge and skills. There are plenty of professionals in the industry with extensive knowledge and skills that don't use aversives. Follow and support them!

15/08/2024

Wanting a behaviour from our dogs to stop is common. Sadly, there are so many 'trainers' who appear on television or have massive social media followings who will advocate using devices and methods that 'will stop it fast'. Let's be honest, as humans we are often results driven, so I can see why these would appeal to people who don't know why these things should not be recommended and used. The reality is that they can make the situation so much worse.

Suppressing a behaviour doesn't mean that the reasons that behaviour happened aren't still there, just that the dog can't do what they feel they need to in that situation. That can lead to increased frustration, stress, fear - depending on what the driver for that behaviour is. Think of it like a pressure cooker, adding more and more pressure, with no way to reduce that pressure. Eventually there comes a point where the pressure is just too much and boom.

If a behaviour is something we can't live with, there are things we can do without suppressing that behaviour. Manage the situation so that the dog is not in a position to practice that behaviour - for example baby gates to stop them jumping up at arriving guests or finding quiet areas to walk if your dog is uncomfortable with other dogs close up. If there is something you would prefer them to do in that situation keep using the management and then, using kind and ethical methods, teach them what you would like them to do instead. If the behaviour is not something that we can simply train an alternative for - a dog who reacts to other dogs around for example - find a behaviour consultant who uses modern and kind methods to help the dog no longer feel the need to use that behaviour.

Behaviour suppression is never the answer.

Here are links to a couple of blog posts that explore the topic a little further:
https://www.goodguardianship.com/post/the-first-question-to-ask-wtf-what-s-the-function
https://www.goodguardianship.com/post/why-we-should-look-beyond-stopping-behaviour

15/08/2024

When we struggle with the guilt, the worry, the compassion. It’s a sign of how much we care and much we give to our dogs.

It’s probably a sign you’re getting it right. Just remember to take care of yourself too.

14/08/2024

DON’T TOUCH MY STUFF!
Resource guarding – also called possessive aggression

We all guard our resources, it’s a natural reaction to a threat of something we value being taken away.

It’s essential for survival and dogs or other animals would not survive in the wild if they didn’t guard their resources.

We also don’t get to decide what’s valuable and what’s not – different things have different value to different dogs and at different times.

Food is usually the most common, but toys, furniture, different items, places, or even a certain person are all things that may be seen as a valuable resource.

A dog turning their head away, freezing, a hard stare, whale eye, moving away, growling or snapping may quickly escalate into a serious bite in an attempt to protect that valuable possession.

Punishing or forcing a dog to give something up is probably one of the worst things to do.

Resource guarding is rooted in the emotion of fear – the fear of that resource being taken away.

Punishment and force further increase that fear, which only increases and reinforces the need to protect that resource.

When a dog is guarding food or an object, we can change the negative emotion of that fear into a positive one by swopping or trading something that has a similar or higher value than what the dog has.

This is one of the most effective ways to address resource guarding of objects as it works at the root cause of the behaviour by changing the emotional response.

A dog resource guarding a person is more complicated to address. A full history of the individual dog, family dynamics, attachment styles, situation and environment all have to be assessed before planning and working on a solution.

Resource guarding can usually be prevented, managed and addressed and by starting early, understanding why dogs feel the need to resort to this behaviour and doing what we can to prevent it from happening in the first place.

12/08/2024

Unfortunately there are way too many paid ‘professionals’ that still use these awful outdated methods and call it training. Owners that know their dogs are being mistreated and yet still continue to use these businesses and promote their services are just the worst 😢

Appearances can be deceiving.

Sometimes, a seemingly well-behaved dog is actually shut down and afraid. Is that the experience you really want for your companion?

08/08/2024

Should be the basic pillars of any behaviour modification or training program…

05/08/2024

Intentionally inflicting pain and discomfort to animals for your own personal benefit is abuse 🫠

If you are paying a so called professional to inflict pain and fear to your dog and call it training - ask yourself does this person really understand dog behaviour and learning theory and care about animal welfare and is this really what you want for your dog?

04/08/2024

01/08/2024

The trouble with ‘training tools’

Force free trainers are firmly opposed to using training tools that are aversive in nature, including slip leads, electric collars and prong collars as some of the most widespread that are seen.

Proponents of their use will point to how well they ‘work’ – for example we’ll often see people proclaim that using a prong collar has completely revolutionised their walks with their dogs and they go on to say that ‘used correctly’ it’s an excellent training tool. So let's use that as an example to see what the issue is with these tools.

The problem is that it’s not actually really training the dog.

Look at how positive reinforcement is used to train a cue in dogs. When the dog makes the right choice, does the right thing then they get a reward. They like the reward and so are more likely to do the same thing again in an attempt to get that same reward.

Once the association is firmly made and the dog is able to reliably respond to the cue in the way we’d like, we start to fade out the use of the reward. If using treats, the dog might start getting a reward every second time, third time, then randomly so they are never quite sure when the reward is coming (but it might be the next time they do that thing, so they will keep trying). Eventually we are using the reward very little, but the dog is still responding to the cue in the desired way.

Ok, you might say, how is that different to the prong collar?

The prong works by contact of the prongs on the skin of the dog’s neck (remember that a dog’s skin is 3-5 cells thick compared to the human’s at least 10-15 cells thick). This is uncomfortable. Some people will say they tried it on themselves and it was fine – look at the difference in skin, and also remember that the dog has no way to know when the collar is going to be tightened.

I’ve had people tell me that the dog’s neck is the strongest muscle in their body equivalent to the human thigh. Not only is this physiologically incorrect (to say the very least!) it is also dangerous. Think about the delicate structures in the human throat.

The windpipe.
Oesophagus.
Lymph Nodes.
Carotid artery.
Jugular vein.
Thyroid.

All of these are in the dog’s neck as well and are very vulnerable to injury. The result of pressure on the dog's neck, especially firm and rapid pressure like a 'lead pop' (even from a flat collar) can be potentially catastrophic.

Danger and discomfort aside, the fact is that, while these collars might stop pulling while being worn, they fail as training devices because no actual training takes place. Take that prong collar off of the dog, put a normal flat collar back or a harness back on, and see how long it takes for the dog to realise they are able to pull again without the pain?

What the slip lead, prong collar (or electric collar if used to shock the dog when they pull) does is suppress the behaviour in that moment. It does nothing to show the dog what they should be doing or deal with why the dog is actually pulling - which is generally because they have not been taught properly to and so don't really understand what we want from them. And also dogs often naturally move faster on their four legs than we do on our two, so again they need to be taught how to match themselves to the pace that's needed.

The absolute best way to do that is to reward the dog when they do what they want, when they are in the right place for loose lead walking. Yes, this can take time and so the 'quick fix' can seem appealing, but the danger of using anything that the dog actively seeks to avoid is that it could damage their trust in the people around them and have serious consequences for the relationship between you.

Teaching them what we would like them to do and how we can both be comfortable during the walk is so much more effective than trying to just stop a behaviour, and using positive reinforcement and force free methods build their confidence and trust in us.

And no, I’m not expecting people to immediately take off the tools, but what you can do when you become aware of the problems of relying on aversive measures that cause discomfort, pain and fear, is find a force free trainer who can help you see how to show your dog where to walk nicely and comfortably for you both, or find other tools that are not aversive, for instance a harness with 2 points of attachment so the dog can be walked from the back clip but the front clip allows for steering the front end if needed while training is ongoing.

31/07/2024

Punishing an animal can have significant negative consequences for their behavior and overall well-being. Here are just a few examples of the fallout of punishment. ​

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To learn more about training, consider completing our DogWise course https://coape.org/coape-courses/dogwise/

28/07/2024

Another lovely and peaceful walk in Bramfield yesterday 🐕 Becoming my new favourite place and stopping at the for iced coffees en route back is a nice little touch ☺️

28/07/2024

Mantra time..."What is rewarded is repeated"✅
This is a simple and powerful message. 🏋️‍♀️
A few things to remember with this though and your timing needs to be clear too.
If you can be more precise when you reward behaviour you want to be repeated, you are making things SO much easier for your dog to understand.
Sometimes people see something they really like from their dog and they stand up, go to the cupboard to get their favourite reward, open the cupboard, get the packet out and the time to reward has long gone.
Have a few rewards on you at all times.✅
It isn't hard to do.
Pop them in a pocket (yes you will curse me on laundry day🙂), but you can make a real difference in your dogs behaviour just by rewarding exactly what you like when they show you.
I am not talking about a sit or a down but all the other times you notice your dog has done well.
They didn't bark at the cat as it ran over the grass YES! Rewardable✅
They chose just to relax on their bed or mat YES! Rewardable✅
They kept all four paws on the ground when your guest arrived YES! Rewardable✅

If you haven't tried rewarding exactly what you want....take up the challenge and try it for 2 weeks.
I promise you, you will see results...but you will probably still curse me on laundry day🙂

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24/07/2024

Dog owners that use a walker and/or trainer…

Would you be happy knowing the person caring for your dog, used a slip lead (or other device around your dogs neck) to lead pop or ‘correct’ your dog until the point they start choking because they can’t breathe or they drop to the ground in fear?

These very old fashioned and outdated techniques are still being used as common practice and owners believe (or are pushed to believe) their dogs require this treatment if the particular walker/trainer cannot control the dog without utilising a tool around their necks.

(it makes the ‘trainer’ look good and as though they’re actually effective at changing behaviour, when in reality it’s only suppressed behaviour and likely to make the dog more unpredictable)

Please do thorough research before hiring any local professional.

No dog should EVER be subjected to punishment, pain or fear for ‘training’ - regardless of breed or temperament.

Any educated professional should understand the basics of canine communication and how dogs learn without the need to inflict abuse - at a minimum! & yes it’s abuse!

Follow us .dogtraining_ to learn to understand your dog better using the principles of reward based learning and positive reinforcement!

23/07/2024

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22/07/2024

Please be wary who you choose to trust with your dog/s! 🚨

Please always do your own background checks, look into the businesses you may choose and pictures on their socials at the body language of dogs they currently care for and any tools utilised around the dogs necks

Make sure the business you choose aligns with your moral ethics and welfare standards for how you would like your dogs to be treated/trained

Unfortunately, it’s shocking what some professionals (and owners) deem as acceptable behaviour towards animals 😔

At Remraf we ensure all animals in our care are treated with respect and kindness, free from fear and pain 🙏🏻

22/07/2024

5 mile trek round Bramfield yesterday 🐕 Then a stop at the on the way back for a lovely iced coffee ☕️

Tested out the new too - footage to come 😁

21/07/2024

These are my best friends!
I would never cause them pain, fear or discomfort.
You have the same choice with yours. Whether you have a new pup, an adolescent loonie or elderly dog. The way you train and interact with them is your choice.
There are so many different methods, techniques and tools in the dog training world, it's hard for a new guardian to understand that some can have long term damaging effects on a dog.
And unfortunately with dog training being completely unregulated, little W***y down the road with NO qualifications or expertise can start calling themselves a dog trainer.

Basically you have 2 ways to train a dog.

1 - the humane, ethical way of "positive" training

Or
2 - the so called "balanced" way which uses corrections, using fear, pain, discomfort, and intimidation
They call themselves balanced because it sounds better than abusive bully training.
I personally cant see anything balanced about a dog responding in fear.

The whole dominance theory was debunked many years ago, but there are still some that try to " correct" behaviours through aversives and punishment. "Me alpha .... you obey"
This is very out of date and studies have shown aversive methods can have a long term negative effect on a dogs mental state.

Extensive research and studies from top scientists have shown that using corrections on a dog increases fear, anxiety and aggression, but unfortunately there are some trainers that do not understand this and use aversive methods because its makes them look as though they can "fix" an unwanted behaviour. (Quickly)
Using aversives may well produce the outcome the "human" desires ......but at what cost to the dog?

A dog might look calm or well behaved, but a trainer that can actually read body language will just see an emotionally shut down dog.

Choking a dog with a slip lead or choke collar is not training
Using metal spikes to stop a dog pulling is not training
Strapping on a shock collar is not training
Squirting air or water to startle or scare a dog is not training
Intimidating a dog is not training
Yelling or shouting is not training
Using physical manipulation, such as pushing into a sit position is not training

A balanced trainer may say things like
- "Some dogs cant be trained positively" .... thats rubbish!
- "I use mainly positive" LIE! they will use mainly correction with a few rewards put in
- "Ive tried it on myself and ifs fine" .... What a tit thing to say,
- "it dosent hurt if used correctly" (talking about aversive tools such as prongs or choke collars) .... how the hell do they think they work then, as they are designed to cause pain and discomfort!
- "I use different methods" ..... this usually means they have no patience or understanding so will resort to aversives if they dont know how to help a dog.
- "I tried using positive methods but they didnt work for this dog" ...... no bloody patience, no thought for the dog only wants a quick fix.
- "you have to show authority" ..... no you help a dog make the choices that YOU think are the right ones.
- "a mother dog would ..so and so " .... omg give the dog some credit, it knows you are not a dog, are you going to lick a puppies p**p off of it ??? Well that is what the mother would do!

It takes understanding of canine cognition and behaviour to be able to change how a dog thinks, feels and reacts.

Positive training isnt just giving treats. It's about setting a dog up for success.
It's about teaching a dog better choices, problem solving and communicating all in a positive way.
It's about learning with motivation, enjoyment and fun
Seeing your dog having the confidence to think for themselves instead of worried of what the consequences may be.

Always ask your trainer what methods they use.
Here at Paw and Order we are proud to be POSITIVE!

18/07/2024

Do you understand what your dog is trying to tell you? 🤔

Learning the basics of dog body language and communication should be mandatory for anyone working with dogs.

Understanding your dog’s subtle communication signals is an absolute game changer for behaviour modification and is one of the first things we cover on our bespoke training plans.

Want to learn to understand your dog better and improve your relationship and training?!

Follow us .dogtraining_ and go grab a copy of the

15/07/2024

Dog Pro Red Flags 🚩

Let me know your red flags so I can add them
& SHARE these to help others spot who to avoid 🚨