Wild K9s

21/11/2024

Important read especially for those of us with overseas rescues

Did you know?

If we had NO Brucella canis in the UK and all 12 million dogs in the UK were UK originating dogs we would still get, on average, 120,000 false positives among those dogs if vets made all those owners test for Brucella canis on a routine screening.

That is 120,000 dogs whose owners could be told that the vet recommended euthanasia because this was an infectious zoonotic disease with no guarantee of a cure. They wouldn’t even have the disease OR ever have had the disease!!! 🙈🙄🙈🙄🙈🙄🙈🙄🙈🙄🙈🥰💩💩

This is because the tests used are not 100% specific. Using the APHA combined parallel testing protocol (SAT plus indirect ELISA) the combined specificity of the test is ~99%. This means that if you used the test on 100 dogs that do not have BC antibodies the test will correctly identify 99 of these as negative. it will incorrectly identify one as positive. When you scale it up, the figures are staggering!

TAKE HOME MESSAGE:

Diagnostic testing is a tool to help vets with clinical decision-making, it does NOT replace clinical decision-making. Ask better from your vets!

You’re paying for clinical expertise in line with evidence based practice and contextualised care that puts the patient and client at the heart of clinical decision-making.

Ask them to deliver on BC diagnostic interpretation and the care management of dogs but test positive that align with the quality of clinical decision-making that they would use for other clinical scenarios within the practice.

Your vet is a highly skilled professional, they deliver as a highly skilled professional in other aspects of clinical practice, and you’re paying a lot of money for the expertise of a highly skilled professional so make sure that they are delivering on that in respect of Brucella Canis.

Image: Efra, the Mastin Mix from Spain, showing that she clearly couldn’t give a monkeys about this information and isn’t in the slightest bit bothered by Brucella Canis. Oh to be a dog!

05/11/2024

31/10/2024

Consider the equipment you are using with your precious dogs - this highlights the long term damage that can occur from anything but a well-fitted harness.

19/10/2024

davidavocadowolfe

14/10/2024

What a great study. Dogs really are so special

When Dogs and Humans Connect, So Do Their Brainwaves

New research reveals that when dogs and humans gaze at each other, their brain activity synchronizes, a phenomenon known as neural coupling.

This brain alignment, previously observed only within species, highlights the unique connection between humans and dogs.

The study found that this coupling occurs primarily in brain areas associated with attention and focus, and it grows stronger as the dog and human become more familiar with each other.

Dogs with a genetic mutation affecting neural connectivity showed reduced brain synchronization, suggesting that neural structure impacts this connection.

Interestingly, these dogs showed improved coupling with humans after receiving an experimental treatment.

The findings suggest that eye contact between dogs and their humans enhances their relationship by aligning their brain signals.

https://neurosciencenews.com/neural-connection-gaze-dog-27855/

08/10/2024

This is why I very rarely teach a sit

QUITTING SO MUCH SITTING
How did we become so obsessed with making our dogs sit for everything?
Maybe because it’s believed that dogs that sit on cue are obedient, well mannered, calm, self-controlled and that sitting is incompatible with unwanted behaviours. Maybe because we think it makes us look good as responsible dog guardians.

But is it all really necessary or more importantly in the best interests of our dogs, both physically and emotionally to expect them to sit so much?

Sometimes what we have always believed to be true is not always what’s best for our dogs. As we continue to learn more through research and ongoing education, our methods and beliefs need to change accordingly.

“Sit” is usually one of the first thing puppies are taught. Just one session at puppy school may include up to 20 or more “sits” - that’s a really high intensity workout for a dog at any age, but puppies in the growing stages are particularly at risk.

These sitting repetitions put excessive pressure on the developing skeletal system which may lead to damage or injury that may only become apparent at a later stage.

Senior dogs may find it really painful to sit down and then get back up. Sitting puts pressure on the lower back, hips and supporting muscles. Certain breeds are just not anatomically designed to repeatedly sit.

Asking a fearful or reactive dog to sit in the presence of whatever is triggering that emotion is probably the worst thing to do. The belief that sitting will magically create calmness and stop the negative emotion is not logical.

There is nothing wrong with teaching our dogs to sit and occasionally asking for sits in certain situations, but look at teaching more natural, alternative behaviours, that are just as effective.

In the words of Turid Rugaas – “If you yourself want to sit, sit! If you want your dog to sit, think twice!”

For more detailed information on this subject, here are some links -

https://blog.bharcs.com/2021/03/06/should-we-ask-our-dogs-to-sit/ #:~:text=Young%20dogs%20are%20very%20good,which%20starts%20causing%20compensatory%20issues.

http://www.turid-rugaas.no/sit.html

20/09/2024

I'm incredibly proud to announce that I have joined the Dog Welfare Alliance! 🐾💙 Being a part of this amazing community aligns perfectly with my ongoingcommitment to promoting the well-being and ethical treatment of dogs.

The Dog Welfare Alliance brings together like-minded professionals, trainers, and dog lovers, all working towards a common goal—improving dog welfare worldwide. As a member, I am more dedicated than ever to using fear-free, force-free methods that respect the emotional and physical needs of every dog I work with.

Find out more about their work and mission here: https://www.thedogwelfarealliance.co.uk

19/09/2024

🎉 Congratulations to Rolo for graduating from my Puppy FUNdamentals Life Skills course this summer! 🐾🌟

It's been an absolute joy to work with such a wonderful dog and a wonderful family. It's the best part of my job to see their confidence and skills grow with each session.

Know someone who's expecting a new arrival?

My bespoke 1-2-1 training ensures your puppy gets the individual attention they need to learn essential life skills at their own pace, creating a strong foundation for a happy, confident, calm and well-balanced dog. We also approach socialisation the right way - helping your pup explore the world without feeling overwhelmed and getting plenty of practice in the real world. 🌍🐶

Want to set your puppy up for success? Get in touch today to learn more about my FUNdamentals course! 🐕🎓

Taking bookings from the 14th October!

18/09/2024

🌟💥 Jumping on the banana bandwagon! 🍌🐕

In the dog community, there has been a massive (and justified) drama this week surrounding a ‘study’ 🙈 recently published about shock collars. From a purely scientific point of view, it has more holes and inconsistencies than a rusty colander and some incredible science-led academics and esteemed professionals have bravely spoken out against this nonsense. I'm not even going to debate the ethics of causing pain to an animal that has no control and is entirely dependent on you to meet their needs.

I'm not a big fan of social media drama but I feel it's important to speak out on this as it has really dangerous repercussions for dogs. So I thought it’s time to show how we roll here at Wild K9s.

Spoiler alert: No shock collars or aversive methods EVER needed! 🙌

Check out my latest video where I use the word "banana" 🍌 for a recall (IFKYK) and prove that force-free, fun, and positive training gets the job done quickly and easily - no bananas required! (I even threw a “pineapple” in at the end for some random reason) 😉😂

Because at Wild K9s, we believe in happy, healthy dogs that come running for joy and love (or maybe tropical fruit!), not out of fear.