Animal Culture

Animal Culture Companion animal education and fear-free, science-based remedial behaviour consultations for families, charities, organisations and businesses.
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Workshops, seminars and consultations available New Zealand-wide. Dog and horse training available in Whangarei

28/10/2024
28/10/2024

This is becoming a welfare issue!

Im tired of hearing “the vet says there is no pain” by a guardian after they have taken their dog to the vet. It leaves me deflated and frustrated and feeling so sorry for the dog.

Myth Bust:

PAIN CANNOT BE RULED OUT IN ANY ANIMAL (dog, cat, horse or hamster), by anyone!

* A quick palpation - CANNOT RULE OUT PAIN

WHY?

The dog may shut down due to environmental factors or dislike of a strange human touching them, they keep still to get it over with ASAP!

The dog may be over aroused or overwhelmed by the clinical environment (excited/scared etc) to the point that adrenaline is so high it blocks pain!

* Blood Tests - CANNOT RULE OUT PAIN

There is currently NO blood test that can detect pain.

* Diagnostic imaging - CANNOT RULE OUT PAIN

Yes they can pick up a variety of conditions, but even the GOLD standard MRI doesn’t pick up everything, but NONE of them can detect PAIN.

Just because a source cannot be found doesn’t mean there is no pain.

PAIN is subjective, it is whatever that being (human or animal) perceives it to be!

Pain can come in many different forms, it is extremely complex, and can effect the individual in many different ways. A dog may get injured, the injury may have healed, but the pain remains … this is known as maladaptive pain.

Behaviour can be a HUGE indicator for PAIN:

* There could be a change of behaviour that has been directly caused by PAIN.

* There could be a worsening of behaviour due to an increase or new presence of PAIN.

* There could be a lack of “normal” behaviour due to PAIN.

* There could be behaviours that are present but that the guardian/owner don’t deem to be problematic that are indicators of PAIN.

* The dog may have ALWAYS displayed behaviours that are indicators of PAIN, but they have been ignored and put down to “just the way they are”.

* There may be NO problematic behaviours at all …. And the dog might still be in PAIN!

* The dog might be energetic, always on the go … and still be in PAIN.

* The dog might be lazy … and still be in PAIN.

* The dog may zoom up and down stairs … and still be in PAIN.

Diagnosing PAIN is not simple and can be difficult to get on top of.

A PAIN relief trail can be great! But often only one type of analgesic is tried and sometimes this doesn’t get results leading to the ASSUMPTION that there is no PAIN!

Here’s why:

* The drug was only trialed for 2 weeks - when living with chronic pain it can take longer to relieve. 2 weeks is not enough.

* The drug used wasn’t targeted to the type of pain the animal is feeling; soft tissue, bone, nerve or a combination of all.

It might take a number of different medications or a combination OVER TIME to see a difference.

ALWAYS keep in mind, NO ONE can rule out another being’s PAIN.

NO ONE. Not me. Not you. Not a Doctor. Not a Vet.

If you would like to continue working with your reactive dog with professional guidance and peer support in a private se...
27/10/2024

If you would like to continue working with your reactive dog with professional guidance and peer support in a private setting, our S(a)ss option is for you! Causal attendance, but bookings essential.

Did you miss Puppy Class, or would like a helping hand though the first stages of tackling the big wide world with your ...
24/10/2024

Did you miss Puppy Class, or would like a helping hand though the first stages of tackling the big wide world with your pup?

Our Life Skills class is designed specifically to walk you through this awkward stage, and to give you and your pup the skills to work through upcoming adolescence.

To enroll send us a text or Whatsapp on 02102221467

Do you have a new pup on the way or recently acquired your new four-legged family member? Let us help you start things o...
22/10/2024

Do you have a new pup on the way or recently acquired your new four-legged family member? Let us help you start things off on the right paw!

6 spaces are available per course, so don't miss out!

To book a space call 094371101

We have some exciting events coming up in November!Ngunguru School Dog Show Fundraiser! 10amNo need to register for this...
21/10/2024

We have some exciting events coming up in November!

Ngunguru School Dog Show Fundraiser! 10am
No need to register for this one - Just turn up to Te Maika Road in Ngunguru on 2nd November and enjoy the fun! There is a whole day of fun planned - Sinead from Animal Culture will be giving a demo on clicker training for tricks at 10.30am!

Emotional Wellbeing for animals in professional spaces 10am-4pm - Are you a pet and/or veterinary professional looking to improve the emotional welfare of animals under your care? Come and join Sinead and Dr Lucy Scott from Veterinary Behaviour Services NZ for a day (or two!) of online learning https://events.humanitix.com/host/6154ab840fd5d50af924bf2a?hxchl=mkt-sch&_gl=1*waykqf*_gcl_au*MTQ4ODY2ODI3My4xNzI4OTMwODcx*_ga*MTk1ODU4MTYyMy4xNzI4OTMwODcy*_ga_LHKW5FR9N6*MTcyODkzMDg3MS4xLjEuMTcyODkzMDg4NS40Ni4wLjA.

Muzzle Fitting, Auckland 1.30pm-6.30pm
Does your dog need a comfortable well-fitting muzzle? Whether part of a behaviour modification plan, or for piece of mind we have become an affiliate business of the Muzzle Movement to help fit the dogs of New Zealand comfortably. To book your fitting at Kiwi Vet Behaviour in Ellerslie follow this link!
https://forms.gle/ygJQHTGKkR8f1nNs5

Muzzle fitting, Whangarei 9.30am-1pm
Does your dog need a comfortable well-fitting muzzle? Whether part of a behaviour modification plan, or for piece of mind we have become an affiliate business of the Muzzle Movement to help fit the dogs of New Zealand comfortably. To book your fitting at The Doggy Den Downtown in Whangarei follow this link!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1hOZw6H6-rpMlsfhB55iXJwUlhgbL5tMCSYSLAYfYmLA/edit

Bringing a Baby Home to your Dog 2-4.30pm
Are you expecting, or have recently welcomed a new bundle of joy in to your home? Come along to our free event, courtesy of Pet Essentials Whangarei to ease the transition for you, your pup and the whole family. Call 09 438 8835 to register your space.

18/10/2024

𝗙𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿-𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

I saw yet another post in a local group this morning supposedly promoting systematic desensitisation when in fact what they were doing is flooding. There is a huge need for education so that caregivers, riders and coaches understand the very crucial distinction .

I first came across titration and pendulation some years ago as part of my own on-going healing journey from trauma and complex ptsd. Ever since, this had made so much sense to me than the more frequently used systematic desensitisation and counter-conditioning.

I have also had the opportunity to deep dive into this on the EQUUSOMA course and further learning from Laura Donaldson which only emphasised for me that this is my preference when working with horses and dogs.

When systematic desensitisation and counter- conditioning are introduced too soon or if the intensity of the trigger is misjudged can lead to re-traumatisation. On the other hand with tiny drops of stress with titration the risk is greatly minimised.

Systematic desensitisation is the graded exposure to a trigger at a level the horse can cope with (Butler et al,2011, Wolpe,1950).

The aim is to maintain relaxation throughout. If your horse becomes tense go back a step to where they are calm.

Systematic desensitisation involves the following criteria:

• Distance
• Intensity (strength)
• Duration (start with seconds)
• Distraction ( layer them in one at a time)

Increase one criteria at a time. For example it you move closer (distance) then you lower intensity, duration and distraction. We need to recognise that we can still be removing agency from the horse when we use systematic desensitisation.

Counter - conditioning

Counter-conditioning is a type of classical conditioning. In this case the aim is for the horse to develop a positive or neutral response to a stimulus or situation that worries them ( positive conditioned emotional response or CER) (Bouton,2002,Dickinson & Pearce,1977). It is challenging to tell if what we are seeing is just a change in behaviour response or if the emotional response has truly changed with the behaviour.

This is frequently done by pairing the fear or anxiety provoking stimulus with something pleasant such as food or scratches.

For example a person on a bike is paired with food. However, this is not easy to apply as it requires precision and good timing. If your horse spots the bike before you then the association may be weakened .

Systematic desensitisation and counter-conditioning protocols can be long and complicated to follow.

Both can lead to flooding and potential re-traumatisation if done too soon, too quickly or at too high a level of intensity!!

If your horse has had a very frightening experience it is important that this is addressed FIRST through minimising every day stress and any veterinary treatment if required (Saur et al,2019)

👿FLOODING This is the process by which the horse is exposed to the fly spray at full intensity whilst escape is prevented. It is extremely poor for welfare, detrimental to the horse/ human relationship and unethical. DO NOT FLOOD YOUR HORSE!!

Titration and Pendulation

This way of working is more suitable if your horse is phobic or traumatised.
The goal with all horses to AVOID causing explosive BIG reactions as this worsens fear responses, erodes trust and can hinder progress. The aim is to settle the nervous system to optimise it's functioning (Levine, 1999,2010,Van der Kolk, 2014, Payne et al,2015) and allow for stress to be discharged safely.

Essentially pendulation and titration are about returning an individual to a more balanced state that allows them to calmly re-engage with the world (Levine, 2010). The process involves moving from a tiny droplet of stress or activation back to a sense of safety.

Dr Peter Levine describes pendulation as a primal restorative rhythm of contraction and expansion, that indicates to the individual experiencing the stress that does not last forever (Levine, 2010 p79) .

For example breaking stimuli down into it's sensory components drop by drop ie sound, sight, sight observing from a distance, tactile walking over different surfaces.

Working in tiny droplets makes flooding almost impossible. For example allowing your horse to observe a bike moving in the distance then move or graze or mutually groom with a friend to return to a sense of safety. This also allows for completion of the stress cycle (Schwartz, 2020).

References

Bouton, M. E. (2002). Context, ambiguity, and unlearning: sources of relapse after behavioral extinction. Biological psychiatry, 52(10), 976-98

Butler, R., Sargisson, R. J., & Elliffe, D. (2011). The efficacy of systematic desensitization for treating the separation-related problem behaviour of domestic dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 129(2-4), 136-145

Dickinson, A., & Pearce, J. M. (1977). Inhibitory interactions between appetitive and aversive stimuli. Psychological Bulletin, 84(4), 690.

Levine, P. A. (1997). Waking the tiger: Healing trauma: The innate capacity to transform overwhelming experiences. North Atlantic Books.

Levine, P. A. (2010). In an unspoken voice: How the body releases trauma and restores goodness. North Atlantic Books.

Payne, P., Levine, P. A., & Crane-Godreau, M. A. (2015). Somatic experiencing: using interoception and proprioception as core elements of trauma therapy. Frontiers in psychology, 93.

Sauer, F.J., Hermann, M., Ramseyer, A., Burger, D., Riemer, S. and Ge**er, V., 2019. Effects of breed, management and personality on cortisol reactivity in sport horses. Plos
one, 14(12), p.e0221794.

Schwartz, A. (2020). The complex PTSD workbook: A mind-body approach to regaining emotional control and becoming whole. Sheldon Press.

©️Jessie Sams (2023) Animal Behaviour and Trauma Recovery Service

We know Christmas probably feels like a long way away...Every year on the first week of December we get inundated with c...
29/09/2024

We know Christmas probably feels like a long way away...

Every year on the first week of December we get inundated with calls and emails from people that have known for some time that their dog (or cats) struggle with strangers or people in the house. When a Christmas visit is organised they realise that this could be a point of contention, fear, conflict or worry for their animals. This post (and the upcoming reminders over the next few months ;) ) is designed to give you a nudge to get in touch now :)

Why?
1. Understanding and changing behaviour takes time. Christmas is 12 weeks away! If you find it difficult to change your habitual behaviour, or feel differently about something in 2 weeks, we shouldn't expect your pets to make miraculous changes in this amount of time either!

2. We are now booked 2-6 weeks in advance for Behaviour Consults. Spaces may be limited.

3. We can't see you all at once! By getting you started earlier we can help more people, more efficiently and with better outcomes for the festive season.

Now taking place 17th November!
27/09/2024

Now taking place 17th November!

👄Have you been hanging out for a really good muzzle?👄In October we will begin our monthly orders to The Muzzle Movement....
14/09/2024

👄Have you been hanging out for a really good muzzle?👄

In October we will begin our monthly orders to The Muzzle Movement. We wish to be able to provide these excellent, ethical, beautiful muzzles to New Zealanders without the wait, a reduction in shipping costs, and with more security around sizing. Our bookable fitting appointments will begin in Northland and Auckland, and we will expand this as time goes on.

Once this order touches down we will have all sizes available for fitting (except Mitzy- we will make an order for these once they are back in stock).

If you are certain on your size already, or there is something else on their website that takes your fancy, please let us know as we have space for a few more items in the September order (postage will be shared across everyone making a purchase).

We can't wait to see these beauties out and about!

⏰️Scheduling announcement!⏰️From 23rd September the office will be closed on a Monday! Mya will still be taking Support ...
12/09/2024

⏰️Scheduling announcement!⏰️

From 23rd September the office will be closed on a Monday! Mya will still be taking Support Sessions, but we will get back to any weekend/Monday enquiries from current and future clients on a Tuesday from this date.

This reflects our spring time move in to evening and Saturday training sessions 🥰 hooray for longer days!

A big thank you to handsome Syd for helping us spread the word!

Hi everyone!Our emails and website are down today whilst we work through a few upgrades. We look forward to being back o...
08/09/2024

Hi everyone!

Our emails and website are down today whilst we work through a few upgrades. We look forward to being back online ASAP to respond to your enquiries. Thank you for your patience!

The Animal Culture Team

06/09/2024

Agency & Choice

I fully support giving our dogs as much agency as possible to make decisions that they feel are in their own best interest. This can include choices like whether to engage or walk away, how much space they need, what food or treats they prefer, whether to go in or out, where to sleep, or which toys and activities to enjoy. My approach is to be as unobtrusive as I can, allowing their preferences to guide their experiences.

However, as humans, we possess the gift of foresight, and sometimes it’s our responsibility to make decisions that prioritize their wellbeing, even when those choices might override their immediate desires. There are time we can provide choices that lead to a better outcome.

Take this morning, for example. As with most mornings, Juno chose the route for our walk, leading us to the park. There’s a double-gated dog “exercise area” within the park, where she loves to snuffle around for hidden treats when it’s empty. She took me directly to the gate this morning, asking me to open it. But today, about five large, exuberant dogs were inside—dogs I knew, based on her personality and preferences, would overwhelm and frighten her if they approached her with such gusto. She noticed them, but they were distracted by another dog entering the area, so their focus was elsewhere.

Juno tends to expect other dogs to respect her space (and many do). And she can navigate most social interactions without conflict. But a fenced-in area is not set up to provide any kind of escape if needed. And I wasn’t about to let her walk into a potentially stressful situation—I knew this wasn’t in her best interest.

Instead of pulling her away abruptly, I gently suggested we move toward the playground equipment she loves to climb on. With some tasty treats on hand, the alternative suggestion became just as appealing to her as the first desire.

Whilst teaching dogs is crucial to their ability to thrive, supporting them is just as important. If we expect them to depend on us for nearly everything, we damn well better include their emotional wellbeing in that account!

These handsome fellas are dropping in to let you know that we are now taking consultation bookings for October! 🚫 We are...
01/09/2024

These handsome fellas are dropping in to let you know that we are now taking consultation bookings for October!

🚫 We are running a cancellation list, and have online appointments available for existing clients should they need to touch base.

🐶 Our next puppy classes at Mill Road Vet Hospital start on Friday 13th Sept and Wednesday 25th Sept.

🐩 We have 2 spaces in our Life Skills class that will look to begin in the final week of September/first week of October.

🐺 For those newly enrolled in Reactivity Packages, our next S(a)ss session is fully booked, but we do have some availability in our October, November and December sessions.

🦮 We do have Support Sessions/walks available on Tuesdays in Whangarei going forward 🥰

🐕‍🦺 We currently have a few black biothane longlines in stock, with more coming mid September in black and perriwinkle!

💻Rest assured we are working hard behind the scenes to enable easier booking, and expand availability for training and follow-up sessions with our accredited/qualified trainers. 👩‍🏫 We hope these will be available from November! 🥰

To book in for any of the services mentioned please get in touch!

💜 Thank you all for your patience! 💜

**EDIT: We are now starting a class on 5th Sept and have a space available! Get in touch ASAP to enroll 🥰**We have two s...
24/08/2024

**EDIT: We are now starting a class on 5th Sept and have a space available! Get in touch ASAP to enroll 🥰**

We have two spaces in our Life Skills course that starts 26th September! If there is sufficient interest, we do have the option of starting a course on 5th September too 💜

This is open to both Puppy Kindy graduates, and those that missed the early stage puppy classes. Let us help you hit the pavement with your pup's development stage in-mind.

Simply send us a message to express interest in one or both dates 😀

*Pups must have had their final puppy vaccination and be no older than 7 months when the course starts.

No plans for your Sunday afternoon? Head on down to Pet Essentials tomorrow for a free seminar on Loving a Rescue dog 💜
23/08/2024

No plans for your Sunday afternoon? Head on down to Pet Essentials tomorrow for a free seminar on Loving a Rescue dog 💜

Do you have a rescue dog?
Our next FREE Sunday education session is loving a rescue dog!
Free goody bag and refreshments provided. Limited to 50 spaces so please contact us if you would like to be apart of this great education session call us on 09 4388835 to book.
Locals supporting locals from your locally owned Pet Essentials store in conjuction with Animal Culture 💜🖤🧡

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Northland

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+642102221467

Website

[UNDER CONSTRUCTION UNTIL DEC 2024]

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