Calm Canines

13/07/2023

I recently came across a thought-provoking post that resonated with me, and it compelled me to share its message with all of you. As an advocate for positive animal interactions, I firmly believe in the significance of granting our animal companions the freedom to express their preferences.

Empowering animals with the freedom to say 'No' is a testament to love. It builds trust, fosters strong relationships, and celebrates their autonomy. Let's leave behind old-fashioned notions of constant compliance and obedience, extending this respect to dogs, horses, rabbits, cats, mice, and all animals. Every creature deserves the freedom to say 'no' and have access to real choices.

At Calm Canines, this is how I work. Feel free to contact me if you want guidance on improving your ability to understand your dog and their needs.

09/07/2023

🌟 Certified Force Free Behaviourist specialising in positive reinforcement training and behavioural consultations for dogs.
😍 Get your dog's behaviour on track with Calm Canines Wiltshire.
⚡ Say goodbye to frustration and hello to a well-behaved pup.
🐾 Expert guidance for dog owners seeking behavioural solutions.
Book your consultation with Calm Canines Wiltshire today!

04/03/2023

This is an old video of mine and my daughters dog playing together. (They are both reactive and not dog friendly but have known each other since very young). I have reposted it and slowed it down slightly because it is such a great example of good play! See if you can spot the mirroring of play between the dogs, the calming signals (tongue flicks, shake offs, head turns, break offs etc) and notice how when things get a little tense both dogs calm the situation with a break up.
I cannot stress how important good, balanced play between dogs is. Watch your dogs and see how they play.
I will be interested to read your observations in the comment section, and please do feel free to post any videos of your dog playing with other dogs

24/02/2023

I was talking to a client yesterday on a catch up call (we are currently working on a behaviour modification plan) and one of the things she told me was that , although her dog will still bark at certain triggers he is now able to stop himself and choose to move away ..this little dog has learnt to 'self interrupt ' . This is such a huge achievement for this dog in her journey to becoming a less stressed, more resilient girl and she is starting to make great choices ! 😊
Our dogs are (with our help and guidance) perfectly capable of choosing different behaviours and, although this is just a small part of behaviour change, is a crucial and mighty skill to have .
Dog behaviour is so much more than stopping our dogs from repeating unwanted behaviours, it's about teaching them how to make great choices, have focus, resilience and be confident in who they are. We do this through de-escalation and de-stressing, confidence building, improving critical thinking and focus and gaining trust and understanding of both dog and their owner 😊

16/02/2023

So I've been thinking about our dogs..
nothing new there ..I'm always thinking about dogs🤣
I was out walking my two little dogs today when I watched a lady with a dog on a short lead with a halti on, and every time they crossed a road she made him sit..
and I wondered why
Sit is the most overused training cue I've ever seen
I think, as humans, we've been conditioned to believe it gives us control
I guess visually it does..
but sitting does not come naturally to our dogs
and is actually a very vunerable position for them to be in
Think about it..if your dog is sitting at the kerb and a large, noisy lorry rumbles by he cannot step back and create space
If your nervous dog is sitting as a stranger approaches they cannot back off and retreat
Sure, sitting can be harmless enough..think of the confident, cheeky dog sitting because he's pretty sure it will get him a treat...
but
as with all things dog
context and environment are key
Think about how many things we expect our dogs to sit for
•Before his dinner
•To put on his lead
•To get in/out of the car
•To greet people
•To cross the road
Sitting in lots of these situations can cause frustration. Imagine asking a toddler to sit still when they know they're going to the park, or being made to sit and wait whilst a plate of delicious food is placed in front of you and your hungry.
Think about why you are asking your dog to sit
Is it necessary?
Is there another behaviour that would work better ? (an excited greeter can be taught to keep all paws on the floor whilst still having an outlet for their excitement through carrying a toy for example)
Let's allow our dogs more choices
Trust me, you'll be surprised 😊

13/02/2023

Oh my ! What an awful month ! I have (finally!) had my page and profile unlocked so am up and running again ..just ! Thankyou for everyone who has switched to my new page but I will be continuing with this one as it has lots of history and(most importantly..reviews!) on it 😍
Once again thankyou for your continued support ! 😍🐕

24/01/2023

I was emptying my kitchen bin today (yes, I should've done it yesterday instead of cramming more in 🤣) but it really got me thinking about our dogs, and the expectations we have of them.
Think about it...all the things we expect them to manage
It's a hell of a list !

1)Don't rummage in the bin
2) Be happy home alone
3) Be social with people and happy to be petted by strangers
4) Get on and be sociable with other, strange dogs
5) Listen, be obedient and well mannered in all environments
6) Don't bark too much, be annoying, attention seek
7) Be happy to sleep all day whilst we are at work
8) Learn rules and boundaries
9) Walk nicely on the lead despite all the smells, environmental stimulations
10) Travel well in the car

Phew ! That's just some of the things we envisage our dog doing when we get them. If your dog is struggling home alone, or reactive on walks it's easy to think of the things they are struggling with, but, we must remember all the things they are fabulous at.
Our dogs are amazing ! Each and every one ! Whether they are the 'dream' dog you can leave home alone or take anywhere, or the dog that needs help, patience, reassurance and understanding
Respect your dog for who they are. Work on their anxieties and struggles but always, always think first about if it's an achievable goal and if it really benefits your dog.

For anyone struggling I'm here to help ! 😊🐾

18/01/2023

Science backed studies show that using aversive training methods causes dogs to suffer stress, anxiety and lack of trust in their handler. Choosing compassionate training methods that promote wellbeing, confidence, decision making and engagement through positive reinforcement techniques will improve you and your dog's relationship and give great results!
Choose kindness when teaching and training 🐾🐕♥️

Specific dog training methods have long-term and short-term emotional effects.

24/12/2022

Wishing all my wonderful clients (human and doggy !) a wonderful Christmas and New Year !
Thankyou for all your support, your dedication to your dog's and your trust in me to help you move forward together.
I am very lucky that I love what I do and it's a privilege to work with such a wonderful array of dogs and guardians

11/12/2022

With the cold weather and snow please be aware that small, shortcoated, young and older dogs are less able to cope with the cold ..
great little info graph on this ...😊

11/11/2022

03/10/2022

For those of you who have lurchers..I bet you can totally relate..for those of you who don't...just don't (only kidding)...🤣

A beginners guide to having Lurchers!

THE BASICS

The most common question asked about lurchers is: Where has my dinner gone? The second most common question is: What is a lurcher, anyway? You cannot answer either of these, because your dog has mysteriously disappeared over the horizon.
Put simply, a lurcher is a cross between:
i) a dog which runs too fast for you and chases everything (a sighthound), and
ii) a dog which runs slightly more slowly but still chases everything (a working dog).
A longdog is a cross between two sighthounds, which means you don’t have a chance. The lurcher combination produces healthy, lively dogs, and healthy, exhausted owners. The name is derived from two words:
Lurch – as in to leave someone in the lurch, ie. far behind and helpless, and
Er – as in where’s that bloody dog gone now?
GENERAL NATURE
Lurchers have two phases to their lives, the puppy and the adult. These are mostly indistinguishable, but we can note the key characteristics here:
Puppies
Very fast and quite mad, except when asleep
If you exercise them too much they will fall apart
If you exercise them too little your home will fall apart
Adults
See puppies above, but stronger, faster and more determined
Lurchers are very sociable with each other, and will soon form a pack, which exacerbates every aspect of the above. On the up side, after all this running, they do sleep a lot. Their preferred sleeping arrangements are:
•On your bed when you’re very tired and want to get in
•On the sofa and every chair when you have guests
•On the floor in a doorway where you will trip over them
Lurchers sleep at interesting angles. This often involves strange, contorted positions with neck twisted round, legs bent like an orthopaedic case-study etc.
Important Note. If your lurcher is completely upside down with all four legs in the air and its eyes closed, it is rarely dead. It is just comfortable.
COMMANDS
Lurcher respond well to commands. They don’t usually obey them, but they do respond well, often with great amusement. Common commands include:
SIT is uncomfortable for a lurcher, and will be ignored.
STAY is boring and will be ignored.
DOWN will be obeyed immediately if the lurcher is tired and was already going for a sleep anyway.
HEEL will leave you tangled in three leads at once and unable to move.
COME will leave you clutching your impact injuries and unable to move.
FETCH is also boring and will be ignored, unless a squirrel is involved.
DROP is unreasonable. It’s their squirrel, after all.
Lurchers have excellent recall. They remember perfectly well that you want to them to come back, and will do so when they have finished what they are doing. Which is usually running in the other direction, or round and round in circles.
FEEDING
These dogs have very specific dietary requirements. The lurcher diet consists of four main food groups:
•The nice meal you spent two hours preparing.
•Every cushion, soft toy and stuffed item in your house.
•The squirrel sixty foot up in that oak tree.
•Everything left out on the kitchen counter.
If none of these are available, they will eat what is in the dog bowl, but this is a last resort.
THE FAMILY
Lurchers make excellent family members, and are quite easy-going animals. Detailed planning is required, however, as you may not be able to afford both children and lurchers (see also below). Many people these days worry about aggressiveness in dogs. In general, you are more likely to bite your lurcher than it is to bite you.
The only notable exception to this is when they “play” together. This is why many lurcher owners have massive vet bills because their dogs have “had fun” by leaping ten feet in the air at each other, charging each other with teeth bared, and “amusingly” bitten each other’s noses/lips/ears during “fun” hour. The lurchers wonder what all the fuss is about. The owners wonder if they can take out a second mortgage.
IN CONCLUSION
You cannot afford to keep a lurcher, and you are not fit enough. Your home will be wrecked and you will have nowhere to sleep. You will have no food left. On the other hand…
I love my Lurcher

21/09/2022

Perfectly put 😍

15/09/2022

Absolutely this ! Giving our dogs the power to make choices in their lives will increase their confidence and happiness and lower their stress and anxiety 😍

THE CHOICE TO CHOOSE
WHY DOGS SHOULD BE ALLOWED CHOICE
Imagine that every little detail of your life is controlled - what and when you eat, where you sleep, when you’re allowed inside or outside, when you’re allowed to go out for a walk and if you’re allowed to stop and explore, who you’re allowed or forced to interact with, what activities (if any) you’re allowed to participate in, when you’re shown affection or receive attention, where you’re allowed to be touched etc., etc.…. This situation would create stress and anxiety, a feeling of helplessness, apathy, a lack of confidence and many other negative emotions. The same is true for dogs.
Dogs live in a world where just about everything is controlled by us. Allowing choice, no matter how simple that choice may be, provides many benefits. The context in which we allow choice is obviously relevant. Safety, boundaries, environmental factors, other people or animals always need to be taken into account.
Dogs that are allowed some control over their environment and how they respond to situations are more confident, more emotionally balanced, better able to cope with stressful situations, less anxious, less stressed and have fewer behaviour problems.
Allowing simple choices like which direction to take on a walk, which tree to wee on, how long to sniff that fascinating blade of grass or which toy to play with, which treat to choose, what game to play or allowing your dog to choose to interact or be touched by someone are all simple ways that we can provide choice for our dogs and help them to cope in a world that controls them.

08/09/2022

Saddened to hear of the passing of the Queen. A fellow dog lover who was a patron of the Dogs Trust and will always be remembered by the nation

26/08/2022

Today is International Dog Day ! 🐕🐶🐾
Let's see some pictures of your pup's ! 😍
here's a couple of mine to get you started ...

05/08/2022

It is vitally important for you and your dog's relationship that your dog feels safe around you and trusts you completely. Trust is earned through kindness and understanding. Every time you tell your dog off you chip away at that trust and it has to be rebuilt. This is a great graphic on the importance of creating a solid foundation for your life journey with your dog ❤️

26/07/2022

Using Positive Reinforcement methods is so much more than just handing out treats to dogs ...

26/07/2022

perfectly put 🙂

The way we feel changes our behaviour. If we are scared, we might scream or get angry.

Yet we humans have much more opportunity to control our environment than our dogs do.

We have more opportunities to take a step back and manage our emotional responses.

Our dogs often feel at the mercy of the environment, so that they will be at the mercy of their emotional responses.

By being aware of how dogs feel when they are defensive or frantic, we can identify the reason for their emotional responses and step up to protect them from whatever in the environment is triggering them.

By being aware of our dog's emotions, we can give them the space they need and teach them how to deal with things at a safe distance.

We can teach them that they have choices.

When a dog feels safe and heard, they will act calmly.

We can't create steady behaviour in a dog who doesn't feel safe and calm.

And we certainly can't ethically change behaviour without knowing the reason it exists.

24/07/2022

absolutely this 😍

Agency is crucial for building resilience.

Agency is an action that produces a particular effect. Having control over our environment, especially control over stress & aversive events, allows us to make choices that will result in a desirable outcome. This control is crucial to our ability to rebound from stress (Armat et al., 2006; Maier et al., 2016). Over time, these experiences build upon one another, which is how we - and our dogs - learn to be resilient.

To learn more about building mental resilience and what agency truly looks like, join us for a two-day seminar:

BEHAVIOR VETS TWO-DAY SEMINAR

Resilience in Dogs - What is it, why is it important, and how do we build it?

Saturday July 30 & Sunday July 31, 2022

9am to 5pm EST (USA and Canada)

Neuroscientist Dr. Kathy Murphy, Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. E'Lise Christensen, and Certified Dog Behavior Consultant Bobbie Bhambree will answer these questions over the course of a two-day seminar, providing you with evidence-based approaches to assessing and building a dog's ability to adapt, adjust, and recover. This will be an opportunity to look at an important topic in behavior under a multidisciplinary lens. Whether you are an animal trainer, veterinary professional, animal behaviorist or someone interested in dog sports, there will be something here for you.

This is an online event. This two-day seminar will be recorded for those who cannot join us for the live event.

CEUs

Registration:

Shelter/Rescue/Vet Student/Vet Tech Tickets - no expiration date - Streaming: $125

General Admission Tickets – after June 15, 2022 - Streaming: $195

To register and for more information:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/resilience-in-dogs-why-is-it-important-how-do-we-build-it-tickets-335843245187?fbclid=IwAR3

18/07/2022

Our wildlife is also struggling in this heat with natural water sources drying up. If you haven't already, then please do leave a shallow bowl or 2 out with some water in for them

18/07/2022

The temperature is dangerous for dogs (and cats) today so please, please keep your pets away from the sun and as cool as possible and do not walk your dog today.
This is a great infographic which has a link to a website with info on heat and your pets, well worth a read

11/07/2022

Due to the extreme heat this week it is likely I will be cancelling most consults. It is imperative that our dogs are able to relax and keep cool as much as possible and of course outside work will likely be off limits
I hope everyone understands..The dogs welfare comes first
I will contact everyone on the day of their consult to confirm or reschedule

07/07/2022

So Max had his op today, 5 teeth removed and 1fell out !?! Lots of TLC and scrambled eggs for tea ❤️🐾

05/07/2022

Amen to this !

We truly understand that reactive dog owners need help from other dog owners. Dog on A Lead Day was created for many reasons and at the forefront of our mind was to help raise awareness that popping your dog on a lead for a few minutes could change the world to a reactive dog and their owner, not to mention help them with any training and rehabilitation they may have invested in to help their dog.

If you do nothing else - follow this tiny bit of advice and respect other dogs and their needs. After all we all love dogs and want what's best for them.❤️

05/07/2022

So my Maxy has to go in for a teeth removal op on Thursday as he has a deep root infection that won't go away. At 13 years old it's a lot and a worry but I'm hoping he'll feel much better after X

03/07/2022

Exactly this 😍

♥️

03/07/2022

My dogs and cats are all getting older..Cleo and Bailey are 9 and Max is 13 and my 2cats clyde is 14 and Jake 11. Max is off to the vets on Thursday for tooth removal as he has a root abcess thats not moving and it's a worrying time
I read this and thought it was full of great advice for all of us with aging furry friends
( Here's 3 of mine - feel free to add your oldies in comments )

https://www.thehonestkitchen.com/blogs/pet-obsessed/7-ways-to-add-joy-to-your-old-dogs-life

29/06/2022

This is very interesting and shows science never stops evolving and we never stop learning !

The research and evidence has been updated!! (I’ve updated this on my young dog course) now we are being told not to restrict exercise in our young pups. It could increase the risk of hip dysplasia. The 5 minute rule is on its way out…

Ok let’s not go mad and start pushing it, pups tire out and we certainly want to avoid high impact exercise - stairs, jumps in agility, and long periods of running.

We really need to be mindful of when they are tired and not force them. But a longer sniff walk, meandering on a cool day, meeting new sights and smells, saying hello to new friends, and experiencing new surfaces to help build up muscle groups that’s all good. Strength and socialisation.

My courses will always be kept up to date ❤️

https://www.animallovepetfirstaid.co.uk/

17/06/2022

Great article on canine play behaviour -well worth a read ☺️

Play behaviours cause a fair bit of confusion amongst dog guardians, and it is quite a complex topic, indeed! In this blog, we will discuss how dogs play, what to look out for, and when we might need to interrupt in order to calm things down. First, it is worth bearing in mind that dogs with a well-...