All About Dogs

14/01/2025

🐕 How does good play look? 🐕

If you are thinking of letting your dog interact and play with others then there are some important things to know about appropriate play etiquette between dogs.

✅ You’ll need to match your dog to others in terms of their size, play style and energy level so that each dog enjoys the experience. Some dogs love to chase and be chased, while other dogs enjoy making body contact or wrestling. Your dog’s individual play style will depend on several factors, including their breed, social history, individual character and the environment at the time. Please note: I appreciate dogs of different sizes can also play well together, but it's still worth pointing out that size is a factor to consider to prevent injuries and dogs becoming worried.

✅ Good play, no matter the style, should look loose and wiggly. You should be able to see crescent shapes in the dogs’ bodies as they move, and there should be some space between each dog as they move back and forth. The dogs should take turns to chase or be chased, be on top or roll underneath.

✅ When dogs are well versed in play, you should also see moments where they disengage from the game and do something else to calm themselves down again, like sniffing, or engaging with their handlers.

Often young dogs have not had a chance to practise this enough to naturally moderate their own play so it’s important that you help them to do this by giving them a break between bursts of play and keeping sessions short - no more than 5-10 minutes, including breaks.

⚠️ Know When to Take a Break:

⏸️ Speeding up: If the play becomes too fast or one-sided, take a pause.
⏸️ Stress signals: If you notice signs of stress in either dog (like growling, stiff body language, or panting), move them away to a distance that will help them relax.

Creating a chance for your dog to experience appropriate play with a selection of social dogs as they grow up can help them learn useful skills, but be mindful and set your dog up for success by only putting them in social situations that they are ready for.

Picture of Juno (red Labrador), Poppy (black Labrador), and Ruby (Chihuahua cross) out on a walk.

07/01/2025

"When you stop relying on aversive controls such as threats, intimidation and punishment, and when you know how to use reinforcement to get not just the same but better results, your perception of the world undergoes a shift. You don't have to become a wimp. You don't have to give up being in charge. You lose nothing of yourself. You just see things you didn't see before."
Karen Pryor. 1932-2025
Nice words, but can you back them up? Oh, you can.
Books:
On My Mind: Reflections on Animal Behavior and Learning – 2014
Reaching The Animal Mind: Clicker Training and What It Teaches Us About All Animals – 2009
Click to Win: Clicker Training for the Show Ring – 2002
Dolphin Societies: Discoveries and Puzzles –ed. with Kenneth Norris; University of California Press, 1998
Don’t Shoot The Dog: The New Art of Teaching and Training – 1984, 1999, 2002, 2006
A Dog & a Dolphin 2.0: An Introduction To Clicker Training – 1996
Getting Started: Clicker Training for Cats – 1999, 2002, 2004
Getting Started: Clicker Training for Dogs – 1999, 2002, 2005
Lads Before the Wind – 1975, 1994, 2000 (Harper & Row 1975)
Nursing Your Baby – 1963, 1973, 1991, 2005 (HarperCollins Publishers 1963)
On Behavior: Essays and Research – 1994
Crunch and Des: Classic Stories of Saltwater Fishing – 2002
How To Teach Your Dog To Play Frisbee – 1985
Pryor, K. (2014). A dolphin journey. Aquatic Mammals 40th Anniversary: Special Issue, 104–115.
Pryor, K. & Chase, S. (2014). Training for variable and innovative behavior. International Journal of Comparative Psychology, 27, 218–225
Pryor, K. & Ken Ramirez, K. (2014) Modern Animal Training. In The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Operant and Classical Conditioning. McSweeney, F.K and Murphy, E. S. (Eds.).
Pryor, K.W (2001). Cultural transmission of behavior in animals: How a modern training technology uses spontaneous social imitation in cetaceans and Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 24, 352–352
Pryor, K. & Shallenberger, I. (1991). School structure in spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuata) in the tuna purse seine fishery in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. In Dolphin Societies: Discoveries and Puzzles. Pryor, K. & Norris, K.S. (Eds.). Berkeley: University of California Press
Pryor, K. (1981). Why Porpoise Trainers Are Not Dolphin Lovers: Real and False Communication in the Operant Setting. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 364, 1, 137
Norris, K.S., Pryor, K. (1970). A Tagging Method for Small Cetaceans. Journal of Mammalogy, 51, 3, 609–610
Pryor, K.W., Haang, R., & O’Reilly, J. (1969). The creative porpoise: Training for novel behavior. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 12, 653–661
Lang, T.G., Pryor, K. (1966). Hydrodynamic Performance of Porpoises (Stenella attenuata). Science, 152, 3721, 531–533.
Pryor, T., Pryor, K.,& Norris, S.K. (1965). Observations on a Pygmy Killer Whale (Feresa attenuata Gray) from Hawaii. Journal of Mammalogy, 46, 3, 450–461.

26/12/2024

⚠️ BOXING DAY : EXTRA CAUTION REQUIRED ⚠️

Your dog or puppy may be over stimulated, tired, sore and irritable 😠 🥱 😩 😵‍💫

Take extra care today, please keep in mind that sometimes the first symptom of a dog or puppy being too tired, sore or over stimulated is behaviour change. Behaviour change which, in some instances, can appear to come from nowhere.

‼️ A dog’s usual levels of tolerance may be at risk of lowering.
‼️ Their startle responses may increase.
‼️ Their sensitivity to stimuli, including being touched, may heighten.
‼️ Their ability to recollect prior learned information (their training) may decrease.
‼️ Their social skills may become compromised, which may result in them failing to read the room or being more irritable.
‼️ They may be quicker to fatigue on walks.

Nick and I travelled to see my step mum on Monday. Christmas Eve, we spent the first part of the day cleaning the house and Christmas Day we travelled to see Nick’s parents.

My dogs don’t sleep deeply in the car and despite taking their beds to both family homes, they didn’t sleep for as long, nor as well as they would have at home. They were understandably easily disturbed by the activity and were even following me to the bathroom each time.
Our cleaning related hustle and bustle on 24th would have also interfered with their usual sleep quality.

Yesterday Amigo also dedicated a good hour of his day on his feet putting pressure on kitchen door activity - hoping for a management slip up that would get him access to the food being served and the plates being cleared away from the dining room. You can take the stray off the streets…… 😆

So all in all, across three days- I would guess that my dogs are about 15 hours in deficit (of sleep).

During sleep, stress hormone levels are lowered, the brain’s toxins are removed, cellular repair across the body occurs, and the immune system gets a boost. The body is given an MOT that helps regulate its responses to stimuli the next day.

This includes regulating the perception of pain and of course, quality rest supports the reduction of any inflammation.

My dogs were on their feet - getting up and down more than normal - across the past three days. Any muscular or skeletal pain can become heightened- especially for my senior dog Kanita.

Additionally, during sleep information is processed and stored. Whilst relevant for all dogs, those with young puppies should be especially considerate to the fact that there’s only so much sensory stimuli the young brain can process. A high intensity of stimuli (noise, sights, scents, and touch!) parallel to compromised sleep can lead to an over stimulated puppy- this usually results in a puppy that jumps and mouths more!

Lastly, most of us humans get tired from all of the activity. The usual level of management and ‘tolerance’ of our dogs and puppies may start to slip.

Contexts in which to be cautious:

☑️ Visitors arriving to the home- caution letting dogs greet them at the door or in narrow hallways!

Also be cautious of your dog accidentally escaping out the door or gate left open. Stay vigilant and remind guests to keep the usual doors and gates closed.

☑️ People touching your dog or puppy! Does the dog WANT to be touched? Have they asked to be touched? Is touching the puppy leading to them jumping and mouthing? Is the dog and puppy being touched and/or picked up too often?

Make sure everyone, especially children, leave a resting puppy or dog well alone and that there's understanding of what 'no thanks' looks like (they don't approach to interact when asked, or look away, move away or tense up when being interacted with).

☑️ Monitor anyone playing with the dog/puppy very carefully. Normally, it's the humans that struggle to regulate their behaviour intensity or duration - and the dog/puppy simply responds to that.

☑️ People (including children) behaving in an animated way (loud noises and sudden or unusual movement).

☑️ How WE humans respond to undesired behaviour. Are we appearing confrontational? Are we intensifying the level of stimuli or calming things down?

☑️ Leaving dangerous foods and items around. Keep things out of reach of your dog or shut them away from your dog.

If your puppy or dog 'steals' an item that they 'shouldn't have', trade it for treats. Don't rush to grab things off them and ensure everyone present knows to do the same (or better yet, alerts you to do it). You'd be suprised how many bite incidents happen towards people who aren't the dog's primary carer and who go to take things off the dog/puppy.

☑️ Interacting with unfamiliar dogs on walks (or even their buddies!). Dogs who are tired or in pain may be more quick to be defensive, over stimulated dogs and puppies may be more likely to socialise inappropriately- which may result in them being the target of defensive behaviour.

☑️ The walk itself! Pay attention to the environment, something that’s harder to do when walking in a group!
Be aware and considerate of others, but also towards livestock and wildlife if you’re walking somewhere different to usual.

Keep your dog on lead if you’re not sure their recall is up to the usual standard! Remember, memory recollection AND sensory processing is compromised when dogs are tired.

Lastly, if your dog doesn’t normally go on epic, long hikes, then stick to a distance similar to their usual walk duration. Please don’t exhaust your dog by taking them on an endurance hike they’ve not built the fitness up for, or that they may be too old or less physically able to enjoy.


Today we are meeting my brother, his wife and my two young nephews at the pub for lunch. Kanita doesn’t like children too close and Mohawk gets a bit nervous of their excitement- so we have opted to meet away from the home so my dogs aren’t put in a situation they may struggle with more than normal.

It’s just not worth the risk! I’d rather be labelled as too cautious than there be a concerning or serious incident. My dogs will be happier at home resting.

Be your dog's advocate ❤️

26/08/2024

21/06/2024

🐾 Let Your dog Snuffle and Sniff! 🐾

Did you know that letting your dog snuffle for food in the grass can actually enhance their training and mental well-being?

Snuffling is a natural behaviour for dogs, especially for our gundogs. It engages their incredible sense of smell, stimulates their brain, and provides a form of enrichment that keeps them happy and relaxed.

Contrary to popular belief, allowing your dog to search for food doesn’t make them a scavenger. Instead, it channels their natural instincts in a controlled and positive way. This can actually reduce unwanted scavenging behaviour since their need to hunt and forage is being met in a safe and structured environment.

Hide small treats or their kibble in the grass during times for relaxation, mealtimes or during your training sessions, or on walks. Not only does this make meal times fun, but it also tires them out mentally, making for a well-rounded and content dog.

08/06/2024

Think of the "what socialisation is not" list as the potential seeds of FUTURE behaviour struggles.

What socialising your dog 🐶 is NOT 👇👇👇

26/05/2024

27/04/2024

Teaching a fold-back down to stand is a great exercise to improve flexibility in elbows, shoulders and hips.

23/03/2024

Rani the GSD, and her owners have just completed my 6 week ‘foundation to fitness’ course.

Rani is still young, and is just starting out on her fitness journey.

We tailored the exercises for her, and focused on building body awareness / proprioception and confidence, which are critical components of coordination and injury prevention.

The exercises included in this Program have a strong focus on building confidence, increasing the value of controlled movement, stillness and precision, all while being fun and motivating to both owner and dog.

If you would like to find out more, please get in touch to discuss your own requirements.

07305 523870

22/03/2024

22/03/2024

22/03/2024

Lincoln the Labrador, and his owner Michelle have recently completed my 6 week ‘foundation to fitness’ course.

They absolutely smashed it and have developed some great skills, targeting hind end awareness, coordination, flexibility and strength.

If you would like to find out more, please get in touch to discuss your own requirements.

07305 523870

25/01/2024

FREE TRAINING
Even if your dog is not reactive, I guarantee there will be some useful learning

GOING LIVE! Dog reactivity, the reactivity switch and practically how to transform behaviour! You just need to follow this link to be able to access it for free: https://www.helpmydog.com/join-live
There’s going to be:
💚a FREE gift for everyone that turns up,
💚LIVE practical dog training you can copy at home,
💚and (as always) you’ll go away understanding what to do as well as WHY it works…

13/01/2024

Quick fixes might sound very appealing.

Who wouldn't want to change their dog's behaviour as quick as possible? Maybe even overnight? Get them to stop chasing the neighbour's cat, barking out a storm as soon as they see another dog, or pulling you down the road like a train?

The internet is full of people promising to fix your problem quickly and videos showing complete behaviour transformations that seemingly appear to occur in just one training session.

The first problem with this is that, more often than not, these videos feature the use of what we call 'aversive tools', which are tools designed to cause pain and discomfort to deter a dog from performing a certain behaviour.

Using punishment and aversives can indeed suppress a behaviour, but it doesn't address the root problem, the real cause of the behaviour. It also comes with several downfalls, such as potentially disrupting the relationship between the dog and their guardian, impacting the dog's overall confidence, and interfering with their ability to learn.

The second problem with the 'quick fix' approach being promoted on the internet is that we never get to see the dog several weeks or even months down the line.

How is the dog doing several weeks and months after the session in which their behaviour got 'magically fixed'? Was the change long-lasting? How are their welfare and well-being? Are they happy and comfortable and living a serene life?

Behaviour change can take time.

Think about how long it took you to give up a habit or establish a new one!

I know it might be tempting to look at these videos and wonder why you are investing so many hours every week in training your dog and trying to achieve your goals. Wouldn't it be easier to opt for a 'quick fix'?

Remember that all the hard work you are putting in now is for the long term. It might take you a few weeks or months to get there, but it will last.

Any effective and long-term change takes time, patience, and commitment. Whether that's learning to play the guitar or training your dog to come back when you call them.