Dogs Behavin' All Breed Canine Training

10/02/2023

I cannot love and stress this enough!

If you truly love your dog, please, please, please, let them be a dog and not a substitute human.

Dogs are not babies, dogs are not children, dogs are not kids, dogs are not human! Dogs are dogs! They do not have cognitive thoughts, they do not rationalize, they do things that dogs do, not humans. When you treat them like a human child it messes their brains up and you are the one who is ruining not only their life but ultimately your life because they do not know how to be a human.

Dogs need to learn how to be a dog. That means they need to learn to self sooth. They need to learn to play by themselves and entertain themselves. They need to learn to behave. They need to learn that the world does not revolve around them and their needs. They need to learn basic commands, this is security to them. Stop treating your dog like you would your human child, they do not need that kind of attention, they are not going to grow up and be scarred because their parent did not make them the first thing in life.

Let your dog be a dog. Leave them outside in the yard by themselves when they are young so they know how to hang out and play and be alone. Come home and do home stuff without rushing to the dog and making sure it feels ok that you are home. That is done for you, not the dog! You rush to your dog because you are in need of love, not because they are, stop, find your love and acceptance inside of you and let your dog do the same.

There is not a day that goes by that I do not see over a dozen patients with anxiety, this is man made because you are treating your dog like it is a human and it is not. Love them enough to let them be a dog while you love you enough to learn how to let them be a dog and not the solution to the hole in your life.

Dogs are amazing animals. They are love. They are perfect in so many ways but they can only be perfect if they are allowed to be a dog and not a substitute for what we humans are lacking in our lives. The best way you can truly love your dog is to let them be a dog while you be the human.

09/20/2023

As your dog retrieves the first...second...third...maybe fifth or sixth ball, his muscles start to tire and soon they reach overload, where they no longer can fully control and support your dog's movements. Now, when your dog does those amazing athletic maneuvers to snag the ball, soft tissues like the cranial cruciate ligament, iliopsoas muscle and tendon, and the muscles and ligaments that support the vertebrae are overstretching. Minor tears are occurring. Now the ball is thrown 10, 12 times or more and ultimately your dog lies down, exhausted.

That period between when your dog's muscles are in overload, and when your dog lies down exhausted, is the injury zone (Figure 1). But remember, with all that adrenaline, your dog doesn't feel the injuries happening, so you have no idea that the tissues are being used beyond their capacity.

When this game is repeated day after day, month after month, the small tissue tears become large ones, and suddenly it becomes evident that your dog is in pain and has an injury. Of course, it hasn't been sudden at all-what seemed sudden is just the final result of repeated stress and strain until the tissues gave way.

Chris Zink DVM
Discovering Your Dog

09/11/2023

❤️❤️❤️

Www.facebook.com/sammythecockerspaniel

08/06/2023

Sitka had a great outing experience meeting people today at Zearing's Mercantile and Sarge’s Sidearms. Lots of people to great politely to learn the people are ok! She is 9 months old and slightly fearful. But she overcame and conquered her fears.❤️

07/01/2023

I don’t personally know this young lady … but I had this sent to me a while back and I’ve shared it on several occasions What she’s talking about here can be broadly spread over and applied to all dog breeds
1. It states what I’ve preached forever …. We as trainers cannot do but so much with an inferior product …. Lacking drive and desires etc…. As well as mental issues that come from poor breedings
2. Normal folks can’t manage certain types of dogs and certain behaviors
3. If you want a good dog stop keeping those breeding mediocrity in business and wondering why they’re not the same as someone else’s pup from the same breed
4. If you’re not gonna work it at the level it demands then don’t let it waste away and/or be prepared to pay a trainer …. And just so you know … a few months at a trainer isn’t enough
5. Dog trainers can’t always work miracles on dogs that lack talent, or have genetic issues tied to their mental state…. Anxious, nervous, fearful, overly aggressive.

06/18/2023

Several folks (namely Holly Higgins and Meredith Wadsworth) have recently posted reminders on how dogs' vision differs from that of humans -- and principally in terms of color. Because of the structure of their eyes, dogs are the equivalent of red-green color blind, seeing large portions of the natural world across shades of grey.

1) I have seen a dog run right past me at about 15yds as I was trying to call it back to me. The sound of my voice was bouncing back off the screen of trees behind me which was confusing his sound location. And the faded red sweatshirt I was wearing was rendering me invisible.

2) I was force-fetching a dog and took him out 10yds on a leash, placed an orange bumper on the pine duff-covered ground, then brought him back to the start point. The bumper was invisible to him even though he knew it was out there.

Dogs are also less sensitive to shades of color -- which means that they have a hard time distinguishing between light and dark versions of the same color -- which also compacts their visual world into an even narrower range of greys.

3) On a related note, I have seen Mikey, a dog for whom honoring really was a matter of respect, fail to recognize the Weimaraner silhouette I had put out.; and when I cued him to stop, he looked at me like I was crazy.

But the sun was shining directly into the flat grey silhouette with the same intensity as the green grass behind it.

While they are also relatively near-sighted compared to humans, they do have higher 'flicker fusion' -- which amongst other things means that they can detect tiny motion far more easily than we can.

4) Paradoxically, I think more dogs will honor 'naturally' if they see the actual moment that the dog ahead of them goes on point -- the paradox being that it is actually the abrupt cessation of movement that freezes them.

5) I am also in the midst of a hypothesis that when scenting conditions are terrible, a dog may be so determined to point something that they place even more emphasis on sight-pointing -- and that flicker fusion hypnotizes them into a stop on the slightest twitch in the brush ahead of them.

It makes me wonder whether the Bachman's sparrows, so often demeaned as 'stink birds' in the quail woods, aren't in fact stinky at all but merely twitch a dog into a stop on tough scenting days.

So what does this mean?

*It means that we try to set up honoring situations, particularly those involving man-made silhouettes at the onset of the breaking process, that are clearly legible to the dog;

*It means that during the force-fetch, we are also trying to build trust in the command -- which is to say that when I give you a command, there is something for you to retrieve, that I am not setting you up for failure. And if we don't pay attention to what we are asking them to retrieve during the middle parts of the process, we might set them up for confusion;

*differentiating between confusion and resistance also means that when a dog does not appear to be handling and either going with you or coming to you, we have to consider how we can make ourselves less invisible (and not just keep zapping or yelling at the dog);

*the complementary factor to this is that we need to figure out if the acoustics of a setting are throwing a dog off track. As mentioned above, you may have an open field you believe you are calling into, but in fact the sound is traveling clear across that field and bouncing off a treeline (and therefore appears to be coming from somewhere it's not). And so that means we experiment with calling towards the opposite direction, or trying the whistle instead of the voice.

*and especially if we are in a field trial, I try to avoid wearing reds and greens so the dog can also orientate itself to me from a good distance.

06/15/2023

I once said that one of my dogs was autistic, people thought I was crazy..🤷‍♀️

AUTISTIC SPECTRUM DISORDER IN DOGS

Researchers have been exploring the possibility that Autism exists in dogs since the 1960’s. A study was released in 2011, where similarities were found between repetitive tail-chasing behaviours in bull terriers and ASD in humans, but they are yet to produce a definitive conclusion.

You can read about the study here:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/50938423_Characteristics_of_compulsive_tail_chasing_and_associated_risk_factors_in_Bull_Terriers

From the study:

“Although tail chasing in dogs is commonly de-scribed as a compulsive disorder or partial seizure dis-order, findings of the present study lead to another possibility. Males had a slight (8%) but significantly greater risk for developing tail chasing than females. Furthermore, tail chasing in Bull Terriers is closely associated with episodic aggression and trance-like behavior. In terms of the cluster of clinical signs and manifestations of tail chasing, it is speculated that this syndrome in Bull Terriers may have features in common with autism in humans. Autism is also more common in males, is associated with explosive aggression, trance-like staring, and involves repetitive movements and self-injurious behavior. In addition, autism is characterized by autonomy, impaired social interactions, and obsession with objects. Many owners of Bull Terriers with tail-chasing behavior describe their dogs as asocial, somewhat withdrawn, and abnormally preoccupied with objects, such as balls or sticks.”

Despite a lack of definitive evidence from the research carried out over the years, it is now widely acknowledged that Autism may be present in dogs, although canines do not share all of the symptoms which occur in humans. The canine condition which presents with similar clinical signs as ASD is known as Canine Dysfunctional Behaviour, and differs to ASD in that there is no spectrum. It is difficult to diagnose, so vets must rely on observation and analysis of behaviour, noting compulsive tendencies, repetitive behaviours, and impairments in social skills, as well as comparing what is considered normal and abnormal behaviours. In order to diagnose, other medical and behavioural conditions need to be ruled out first, as there are many which present with similar symptoms, such as anxiety, neurological disease, and hypothyroidism. There is no test specifically for it, although a diagnosis is often based on behavioural characteristics.

Some behaviours which might manifest in Canine Dysfunctional Behaviour include:

*Repetitive behaviours, such as tail-chasing, or circling
*Distress from having their routine interrupted
*Difficulty in adapting to new situations or environments
*Hypersensitivity to sensations such as light and touch
*Anxious, fearful or aggressive behaviours when interacting

Once Canine Dysfunctional Behaviour is diagnosed, there are a number of ways to treat it; for example, prescribing medications like Prozac, as well as putting management in place to minimise stress, and tailoring exercise to provide support.

Being able to recognise and understand canine body language is a skill which is really beneficial, as it provides us with insight into how our dog might be feeling, and it can help us to identify when they are in pain or unwell. The more familiar we are with their more subtle communications, the better we can understand and help them. The research available on Canine Dysfunctional Behaviour is far from comprehensive, but in raising awareness that brain chemistry in dogs is highly complex, and differences in the way that the brain processes information do occur, we can foster greater empathy, understanding, and patience for our dogs who struggle, and do our utmost to meet their needs.

* * *

PLEASE NOTE: If you have ANY concerns at all about your dog’s health, behaviour, or well-being, always make a consultation with your vet your first port of call. When we observe a sudden change in behaviour or anything at all unusual, this always warrants a thorough veterinary examination in order to rule out any underlying pain, discomfort, or previously undetected health conditions. The importance of this is highlighted in the recent study carried out, entitled “Pain and Problem Behaviour in Cats and Dogs.” Doctor Daniel Mills et al. found that, of 100 recent referral cases of several authors, around a third of those involved some form of painful condition, although this figure is a rather conservative estimate; the actual figure is thought to be as much as eighty per cent! You can read about the study here:

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/2/318

** Please do not under-estimate the impact of pain, discomfort, gastrointestinal issues, allergies, fear, anxiety, and many other conditions which impact behaviour! **

* * *

References

https://www.petmd.com/dog/behavior/can-dogs-have-autism

https://outwardhound.com/furtropolis/dogs/can-dogs-have-autism

https://www.greatpetcare.com/dog-behavior/can-dogs-be-autistic/ #:~:text=Other%20behaviors%20can%20include%20poor,can%20exist%2C%E2%80%9D%20says%20Parthasarathy.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21453176/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5190146/

https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/47335954/Canine_Compulsive_Behavior_An_Overview_a20160718-10347-ihx1dq-libre.pdf?1468886672=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DCanine_compulsive_Behavior_An_overview_a.pdf&Expires=1686959639&Signature=XA8XHLiUN5IxfQBz7DoXdL4qwvSBGH4Hzw1S2sH4jH0Y9VIlG6LyEz7PyTDbLM-V6kx6qarlg6WM4280XTPtQvqzzpMKeJihKC0ESNNBy9JcKzY6w39pOofUm29W4jYgQ5Bmhjce53EzNisIXSDVufznWo9fr1T-gSMRVGB7pmyoV25q6rXmvRVZuPwIXUQPvciYROn3QB6zt5SoJKaVZIfgPVL4~~ohv8t51ps~ZLYIyQR7HT1Jpuv22WjPtmMlQW3sf8BTG3oe-bq7A2RJbz~D1nnOn5FwI8Gxg6BwebBVl8XTdFJoBxqGj-WeyB8jvBohUo-Yq8Qs~IjiWkZXnQ__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA

https://vaccineimpact.com/2017/autism-symptoms-in-pets-rise-as-pet-vaccination-rates-rise/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/dog-days/201607/can-dogs-have-autism

https://www.vetinfo.com/dog-autism-symptoms.html

https://www.sciencealert.com/anxious-dogs-have-measurable-differences-in-their-brains-that-are-similar-to-ours?fbclid=IwAR069qxeN601TtbAwMppNAmXDA8Kx2LtG1IhIzJsFfbEYrSFoOMpqsTqdzs_aem_th_Af8tjIwM70Pu77VaibbOaMdWxieOxJwgLFCAM-dS-CWyTzftC5m7DQWgbRZOFbwgqDs



© Trailie Paws For Thought
www.trailiepawsforthought.com

05/16/2023

I am always trying to teach my clients about how the pressure affects the dogs. And the direction matters just as much.

Directional Pressure

The leash and collar is the device we use to communicate with dogs. Whether that collar is a buckle, martingale, chain, prong, or electronic, it is still accompanied by a leash that acts as a conduit for information that flows both ways.

People tend to respond by jerking on the leash when the dog pulls. The dog usually pulls harder. The harder the dog pulls, the volume of the pressure generally increases.

What people don't realize is that they are creating that pressure, and the dog is simply trying to escape it.

We have all seen the dog scrabbling at the end of a leash in a frenzy to get anywhere but near its owner. The owner is hanging on for dear life as their dog vaults down the street, executing the best impression of the Naruto run, choking and gagging like they are going to pass out. The owner blithely follows along behind because they don't comprehend that they are actually reinforcing pulling behavior.

The dog is secured by an ever shortening leash, held in a death grip by the bewildered human, who has absolutely no idea that they are contributing to the erratic, hysterical pulling simply because they are pulling back, or at least, continuing to create resistance through the leash.

They never allow the dog the opportunity to escape the pressure.

I have yet to meet a dog that didn't have a powerful oppositional reflex. The very first thing a young dog does when the leash is attached to the collar around its neck is to fight it.

It's our job to teach them how to accept it.

Throughout training, we apply pressure in a variety of different directions. It's important to identify how pressure helps dogs comprehend what it is we ask of them in contextual ways.

When we teach -sit- for example, the leash and collar are held in such a way that we leverage pressure in an upward pattern with the collar, and downward with a hand on the dogs' rump simultaneously. Our message is "sit!" The dog learns how to do this because physics dictates the dog do so, in order to alleviate the pressure. Training creates a series of signals that alert the dog to a required response.

Every behavior we teach is through the application of some form of directional pressure.

To the dog, the signals he registers are the hand placements that preempt that application; the hand placement for the sit cues the dog that sit is expected, before the command is even uttered. Same for down, stand, and stay. Our practiced movements become cues that the next event requires a specific form of participation.

What people don't realize is that dogs read the context of that pressure literally.

If the dog has been conditioned that upward pressure is "sit," applying upward pressure in any other context becomes confusing. If a dog is learning "down," it would make no sense to the dog if the pressure was being delivered in a way that draws its motion in any other direction but downward.

Training should occur in a way that creates a common language between humans and dogs. The training isn't so much to "fix" dogs, but to give humans a means of overcoming the communication barrier between the two species. We may be endowed with speech and opposable thumbs, but dogs are gifted with a sensitivity that defies our cumbersome, inelegant attempts at communication.

We hobble dogs with our devices and yank them around without observing what they are trying to tell us.

The devices we use to communicate are there to help broadcast our meaning in a salient way. By careful manipulation of directional pressure, we can help dogs understand how to move and when. It's when that directional pressure is contradictory, do we see confusion or conflict.

The leash is there to prevent escape or avoidance. It doesn't really need to do much more than be attached to a dog and a thoughtful human. The type of collar determines the amount of pressure applied to the dog at any given point.

Directional pressure isn't initiated as punishment. It's simply a tactic to help a dog determine how to move in order to relieve that pressure. It's not the volume that matters as much as the direction and the constance. Rarely should it have to increase, and it should never be violent. It just needs to last longer than the resistance put up to oppose it.

A lot of attention is given to the concept of "pressure/release," but precious little is spent understanding the importance of directional pressure and how it affects performance.

The context of directional pressure is singularly the most difficult concept to teach handlers, whether they have handled many dogs or are just starting out. The instinctual draw towards oppositional reflex is strong in both species. In order for our dogs to learn not to fight pressure, we need to stop creating it.

09/25/2022

Bisbee has worked really hard to overcome her stranger danger. She even accepts going to the vet and letting them handle her. This is something that all dogs need in their life, so it’s best to start having people handle them when they are young.

09/25/2022

This little man is doing private lessons to be as good of a boy as his big brother. We are addressing potty training and obedience and walking skills. All while building a great relationship with his mom and dad.
While I can teach your dog all of the things, I cannot make it stick unless there is consistency in the home. Consistency in positive reinforcement, consistency in corrections and consistency in their routine. Consistency in routine is the basis for potty training for any dog.☺️

09/25/2022

Shannon had a great lesson out at the mall ! She did tell me that it was a little too “peopley” for her. 😂There was no reactivity. She was able to focus on her mom and still take treats. This is a far cry from the dog I met 2 months ago. While she may not want to hang out at the mall often, this helps her understand that she can coexist with all of these people and be neutral. She doesn’t have to meet them, and she doesn’t have to fear them but she does have to coexist peacefully. I am super proud of the work that her family has done with her. They have come a long way!🎉

09/24/2022

Amanda and I are gearing up our training for Rally Obedience. Our goal is to get some Rally titles on Odin and Freyja in the near future. One of the skills needed is a nice heel. Odin is learning the ropes of pivoting and focus. What a rock star this team is!