Sociable Paws

31/03/2016

Are you ready to have some fun with your puppy and raise money to help other pups in need? See you all there!

02/11/2015

Received a lovely email from Maisie today who's missing classes having recently graduated :)

09/09/2015

Fantastic recall from puppy play tonight!!! Really proud of how well these puppies are all doing! :)

05/09/2015

Hope to see you all in Primeose Hill at the pupaid event today!

29/08/2015

08/08/2015

What are you up to today? Come along to the Barnfield Open Day :) we'll be there and hope to see you

27/05/2015

If getting a dog from abroad or travelling make sure rabies vaccinations are up to date!

A case of canine rabies has been reported in Chambon-Feugerolles, close to Saint-Etienne in the Loire Valley. The seven month old bull terrier died during the night of May 17 to 18, while under quarantine at a veterinary practice, after biting a family member and the dog of a neighbour. Tests at th…

19/04/2015

We are experiencing huge problems with our emails at the moment. If you have contacted us we will get back to you but it is taking a while to work through the back log.

30/12/2014

MYTHBUSTING MONDAY: "When a dog ________, you have to _________ so he learns not to do that."

So goes most of the training advice of the last century. Human beings are amazingly creative when it comes to punishment (just look at medieval torture devices), and dog training is no exception. From devices that intentionally cause pain and discomfort, to innocent-seeming products like "The Pet Corrector," which is a can of compressed air, and ultrasonic "bark control" boxes.

Here are two problems with this line of thinking and the consumer industry that supports it:

1) It only occurs after the dog has ALREADY barked, jumped, run off, snapped, etc., and

2) Dogs don't misbehave just because they haven't been told not to.

Unwanted behavior is caused by a variety of factors that vary with each individual dog.

DOGS DO WHAT WORKS. Dogs bark for a variety of reasons. It scares off the mailman (or at least that's how it appears to your dog). When a dog jumps on visitors, it gets people to pay attention to her. By allowing dogs to practice unwanted behavior, there's a better than even chance that the behavior will work for them BEFORE you can administer the punishment. Also, if your timing is off, the punishment won't be associated with the unwanted behavior, but with YOUR behavior. This is how dogs end up learning to avoid owners who reach for their collars, or worse, start to use aggression as self-defense, or quickly eat something after hearing "leave it."

So, what are you supposed to do? Outsmart your dog, that's what.

Parents don't leave sharp objects laying next to exposed outlets and then scold babies for electrocuting themselves. They baby proof the house. Putting away dangerous items and using a variety of tools to lock cabinets, cover outlets, and discourage busy toddlers from getting into places where trouble could happen.

This is management. By carefully managing your dog's environment, you can prevent a lot of problems.

Once that's done, you can work on teaching better behavior. When the "bad" behavior is no longer working -- meaning you've prevented opportunities for it to happen, thereby preventing opportunities for it to be rewarded -- you can now focus on making "good" behavior work better for your dog.

How? Well, that's where you use the formula in the image below. You know that ________ is a problem. Now, think about when it happens. All behavior has a trigger (antecedent). It could be the sight of something, the sound of something, even the smell of something.

When you identify the trigger, you can predict the behavior. When you can predict the behavior, you can manage it. Common management tools work in most cases, but you might need to get creative.

Dog owners are always surprised that such a simple solution exists. They never even considered that they could place their dog behind a baby gate in the hallway before opening the front door because they were so focused on what to do AFTER the dog escaped...or jumped...or snapped.

Now, here's the catch: Everyone has to be consistent. Management won't work if Mom is the only one doing it, but Dad thinks that's silly and a magical snap of the fingers (which worked on his last dog) is all it will take, or teenager forgets to put the gate up. But, that's true of training, in general. Everyone needs to be consistent...or the one person who can be consistent must take on full responsibility.

Once a solid management plan is in place, training sessions can begin. Training is not what you do or say once something goes wrong, it is practicing for those situations - this is why sports have "training practice," not "after-school football tournaments."

Training is practice. Management just helps you control WHAT your dog is practicing!

COPYRIGHT NOTICE
These images are free to share on Facebook via the “Share” link. Downloading for redistribution online or in print form is strictly prohibited. ©2015 Lisa Mullinax. All rights reserved.

16/12/2014

Due to technical issues I'm currently unable to contact anybody who has enquired recently. We are working hard to fix our technical problems and will get back to you all during the Xmas period.

19/11/2014

A few of the pups playing this evening in class :)

19/11/2014

Make sure your Christmas doesn't involve an emergency trip to the vets!

In a few weeks we will all start putting our Christmas decorations up. We all have pets who are rather inquisitive when something new comes in to the home.We have found a few tips on how to keep them safe during the festive period.If you have any further tips please feel free to share them with us either on here or mail them to me directly [email protected]

08/11/2014

At the launch of the kennel club manifesto today.

22/10/2014

Lovely evening of puppy classes :)

28/09/2014

Hope to see you all at the Chiswick House Dog Show today :)

27/09/2014

:)

27/09/2014

Chiswick house dog show tmrw!!!!

23/09/2014

Has your pet ever been poorly? Was their vet practice there for them in their time of need? Give your pet a voice & say thank you on their behalf, nominate here http://bit.ly/VANompage for the

16/09/2014

only 19 days to go until I head up Kilimanjaro! It's all for medical detection dogs and starfish malawi. If you would like to sponsor me and help these great charities please visit my page by clicking on this link http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MichaelandNathalie

Nathalie Ingham Kennedy is raising money for Medical Detection DogsStarfish Malawi. Sponsor them with Virgin Money Giving.

05/09/2014

Remember, if you're thinking of getting a dog, the best breed is Rescue. Pup Aid

31/08/2014

With a spaniel the "edible" generally is classed as everything!

Happy "Lab"or Day weekend!
If you're planning on doing something fun with your dog this weekend, share in the comments!

31/08/2014

Available online 27 August 2014 In Press, Accepted Manuscript ?

27/08/2014

Floyd showed everybody up with his fab "stay" this evening in class :)

26/08/2014

Great advice from Ali on how to get your pets ready for fireworks...

Fear of Fireworks - With November fast approaching it is important to prepare our dogs for the firework season.

It is believed that as many as 40-50% of dogs have a sensitivity to sounds with thunderstorms, fireworks and gunshots the most recognised. Some behavioural responses can be extreme in nature and result in dogs becoming destructive, running away, hiding and toileting. For many, pacing, shaking, barking and panting are also common symptoms. Despite the prevalence of such problems, very few owners seek professional help as they deem their dog’s fearful response as normal. As a result, treatment is often delayed until the problems are extreme and have become generalised to lots of sounds.

Many dogs may not like the sound of fireworks but have strategies to help them cope. This could be seeking owner-contact or hiding. If left untreated their fear may develop into a phobia where there is an ‘all or nothing’ response to even low levels of noise. Management and treatment is therefore essential for the welfare of the dog.

Preparation and treatment:

In preparation for the firework season it can help to modify your dog’s emotional response using desensitisation and counterconditioning techniques.

- Desensitisation is a process used to gradually reduce an animal’s fearful response by gradually exposing the animal to increasingly intense forms of the stimulus while the animal is relaxed and behaving ‘normally’.

In respect to firework fears and phobias, CD recordings can be used by introducing the sound on the lowest possible volume (ZERO!) and gradually increasing the volume over lots of short sessions. The volume should only be increased until the dog recognises the sound by a prick of the ears or lifting of its head. This volume should then be maintained until no response is seen. The process is then repeated until the firework sounds can be heard at an audible volume.

As the fear or phobia may also be triggered by things associated with fireworks (smell of bonfire, flashing lights), it may also help to work on these stimuli ensuring that each component is introduced separately and at their lowest intensity first.

- Counterconditioning is a process by which an animal’s emotional or behavioural response to a stimulus is altered, by conditioning a response which is incompatible with the unacceptable emotion or behaviour that currently exists.

In respect to firework fears and phobias, this can be achieved by pairing the sounds from the CD with something pleasurable, such as the dog’s favourite treats or games. This can be combined with teaching the dog a ‘settle’ or ‘sit-stay’ but the behaviour must be reliable before using it in the treatment programme.

Alongside the use of the treatment CD, creating a ‘safe haven’ that you can train your dog to start using is really important. Many people make something on bonfire night which the dog will have no previous positive association with and therefore may not want to use if they are already scared. Ideally the ‘safe haven’ should be made as sound proof as possible, usually helped by using thick blankets and cushions. The dogs food, toys and when possible a tasty treat, should then be added to the area. Most dogs already have somewhere they go when they become worried, such as a cupboard or under the bed, so try to utilise the area the dog has already chosen.

Management during the firework season:

During the firework season it is important to take steps to manage your dog and its environment. This can be achieved by:

- Ensuring that someone remains at home with the dog at least one week leading up to bonfire night and the week after.

- Avoiding walking your dog as it becomes dark for the same period. If you do find yourself out and about then ensure that your dog remains on the lead so there is no risk of it bolting and causing harm to itself or anyone else (e.g. running into the road).

- Closing all the windows and curtains and playing rhythmical music, preferably music the dog is used to hearing.

- Ensure that 24 hour access to the ‘safe haven’ is provided. It would also be beneficial to place a water supply either in or nearby.

- Install a Dog Appeasing Pheromone (ADAPtil) diffuser, as these provide a feeling of comfort, safety and reassurance. ADAPtil diffusers can also help support dogs who have not experienced a firework season before (e.g. puppies, or dogs that have moved into a town). The ADAPtil should be plugged in as close as possible to the ‘safe haven’ or the area the dog spends most of its time.

- Many books recommend that you should ignore your dog if it becomes fearful as you run the risk of reinforcing the fear. As only behaviours not emotions can be reinforced, this is misleading and can result in more anxiety for the dog. If your dog is showing signs of concern, petting it is therefore very unlikely to make things worse but it may help to comfort the dog and provide some distraction. ‘Jollying up’ games or finding their favourite toy for a game may also help. The main thing is to give the dog choice and if it would rather stay hidden under the bed, do not try to make it come out.

If your dog has previously shown concern about fireworks, thunderstorms or gunshots try filling out the following sound sensitivity questionnaire (http://surveys.ethometrix.com/s3/CEVAssqtp) to see how affected your dog is by these sounds. If your dog is showing any fear or anxiety it is strongly recommended you speak to your vet and asked to be referred to a companion animal behaviourist.

** Recommended treatment CD – ‘Sounds Scary’ www.soundtherapy4pets.com
NB. Ensure that you read through the supporting manual thoroughly before commencing the programme.

If you have any questions or concerns about your dog’s response to sounds, please do not hesitate to get in touch on 07738817775 or by visiting www.dogbehaviourconsultant.co.uk

26/08/2014

Have seen some really wonderful clients over the last few days who are committed to working with their dogs and building great relationships :) makes it all worthwhile :)