Snouts&Kisses

01/12/2024

Teaching your dog to check in while off lead, ensures your dog’s safety, provides direction so they always know where you are and builds a closer bond between the dog and the owner.

28/11/2024

Tribe Vets brings compassionate, personalized mobile veterinary care to your home, ensuring a stress-free experience for you and your pets.

28/11/2024

I share her thoughts! Slip leads are so punishing and cause increased stress.

SLIP LEADS: ARE THEY EVER AN ETHICAL OPTION?

While out for Sunday lunch in a local, dog-friendly pub yesterday, I had the chance to observe lots of people coming in for a quick drink with their best furry pals, stopping by after a long, windy walk in very pretty countryside. Something which struck me was the vast amount of slip leads in use, and on all kinds of pet dogs. It was really disheartening to see, especially as most of the humans were completely oblivious as to what their dog was up to on the other end of the lead, straining away and looking very uncomfortable while the humans chatted away and drank. No doubt the dogs had been walked for several miles in this way, and it made me wonder when, why and how slip leads seem to have suddenly become the "in thing"?

I think most would agree that slip leads do have a place when it comes to emergency and safety use, but where do we draw the line at what is ethical and what isn't? Check out this blog to read more on the topic of slip leads:

https://www.trailiepawsforthought.com/post/slip-leads-are-they-ever-an-ethical-option

I'm also linking a post which details the biomechanics of the slip lead, written by Celia Cohen, MCSP, MSc vet Phys
Chartered Veterinary Physiotherapist ACPAT(A)

Please do have a read.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10158654777121006&id=510121005

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www.trailiepawsforthought.com

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17/11/2024

How absolutely dreadful. It’s not just our pets that suffer. Is the supposed enjoyment of fireworks really worth all this….

Calls for firework bans are growing after the death of a baby red panda at Edinburgh Zoo. 😔 Three-month-old Roxie sadly choked on her vomit on Bonfire Night, which vets believe was probably a reaction to the frightening noises.

Full story: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/firework-ban-call-after-baby-30367769

15/11/2024

15/11/2024

15/11/2024

10/11/2024

I have a dog in yellow, she LOVES people, and given time and space may get on with other dogs, but she is extremely nervous of other dogs she doesn’t know. You never know what a dog in yellow may be worried about, but should never take it personally and respect where they are in their training process. A little space goes a long way!

We're not mean.
We're not nasty or bad.
We’re just a little scared sometimes.
A yellow muzzle or harness isn’t a sign of aggression — it’s a gentle ask for space.
For some of us, close encounters can feel overwhelming.
When my human asks you to call your dog back, it’s not because they think your dog is naughty or unfriendly.
We just like different things, and they're just trying to help me feel safe.
So next time you see a dog wearing yellow, could you do one small thing for us?
Just give us a little extra room.
It would mean the world to us.

09/11/2024

WHEN SECONDS COUNT

This post is not advocating that dogs meet every other dog, but about how to go about it, if and when it does happen, in a safer way.

The 3 second rule for dogs meeting each other is used as a guideline to help foster positive introductions, prevent either dog from feeling overwhelmed or trapped and prevent any potential reactivity and stress.

A short 3 second introduction is enough time to provide important information to both dogs.

Enough information for dogs to know – “are you a threat?”, “do I like you?”, “do I want to learn more about you?”, “do I really dislike you?”, “do I need you to go away?” etc. Both dogs may not feel the same way – one may not be happy to engage while the other may want to.

All interactions should ideally happen like this, not just initially. Just like us, dogs can have off days – things like pain, trigger stacking, lack of sleep or a host of other reasons can influence whether a dog wants to interact or not.

There are countless times I have witnessed meetings or introductions between dogs that have gone on just a few seconds too long and have not ended well. This can have long lasting effects on future behaviour when meeting other dogs.

Understanding body language is critically important. If we are going to share our lives with another species, protect them, advocate for them and help them feel safe, then we need to understand and respect their language.

The examples in this post of red and green flags are just a few general ones to look out for – there are many more and these will differ depending on the individual dog, context and circumstances.

Here are some resources and links to learn more about body language -
On Talking Terms With Dogs - Calming Signals, 2nd Edition by Turid Rugaas
https://www.dogwise.com/on-talking-terms-with-dogs-calming-signals-2nd-edition/?srsltid=AfmBOoqj8ruQJx5bCP7qWb03TqCyAGfmAvCj988UuWk_L1_UHbYcZsES

The Veterinary Behaviour Centre
https://www.heska.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/TVBC-Canine-Dog-Body-Language-handout.pdf

Make sure those first 3 seconds count – they can make all the difference.

09/11/2024

"My dog won't do what I ask unless I have a treat!" 😧
"I don't want to be bribing my dog with food!" 😠

Have you heard or said either of these things before? We have heard them a lot, and there is something that can be done about it - you just need to make sure you 'fade out the lure'!

To fade out a lure all you need to do is:

🔹 Lure the behaviour with food or another lure, until they have successfully done it 3-5 times in a row.

🔹 Lure the behaviour with an 'invisible treat'. This means you have no treat/lure in your hand but your dog may think you do.

🔹 When they have done the correct behaviour, then show your dog there was no treat/lure in your hand BUT still, reward from the other hand you did not use for the lure.

🔹You can then make the lure behaviour itself smaller and smaller until it becomes a subtle hand signal, or add in a verbal cue.

🔹Once the dog can do the correct behaviour, you can gradually reward them less frequently.

This teaches the dog that even if they do not see a treat on you at the moment you ask for a particular correct behaviour, it does not mean one isn't coming, (getting rid of the need to 'bribe' the dog in order for them to do the behaviour).

This doesn't mean we stop rewarding our dog, to maintain a behaviour; rewards still need to occur, albeit less frequently, however, a reward is not a bribe as the dog doesn't know when it will be coming. These rewards do not always need to be food, but they do need to be rewarding to the dog, otherwise, they are not rewards!

It is also important to note that, as with any training, we shouldn't be forcing our dogs into any situations they are uncomfortable with using the luring technique. If you are ever unsure if your dog is comfortable, contact a professional for help. 💕

08/11/2024

Congratulations 🎊 🐾 to these gorgeous puppies and their owners for graduating with flying paws from Puppy Play&Training!!

07/11/2024

We don’t learn good behaviours through fear. We simply learn how to avoid consequences and to appease.

Fear in our dogs is not always taken seriously, with so many videos floating round social media that get a few laughs.

We wouldn’t laugh if a child cowered in fear. We would take action, show concern and the same should go for our dogs.

We have the power to motivate, provide clarity and guide. We should never waste that on scare tactics or intimidation.

06/11/2024

I don’t know about you and your pet family. But ours have had enough of loud booms! 🧨 🙈