Think Pawsitive - Pet Training

09/21/2021

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We know better, so we do better.

(This can be a polarizing topic and we welcome kind debate on this page. Name calling, derogatory, and sarcastic statements will be deleted.)

08/25/2021

Can dogs be deceptive? And if so, do they use that skill to get what they want? I started thinking about this after reading about a new study, that’s gotten a lot of press, that suggests dogs, unlike some primates and young children, ignore people who give them bad advice about where to find some ...

08/23/2021

Let’s talk about: Glamourizing Whips

Growing up I was taught:

The horse doesn't canter - “hit him”

The horse refuses to jump - “hit him”

The horse isn’t moving fast enough - “hit him”

“Just hit him until he listens, it doesn’t hurt”

I was CONSTANTLY told by people and riders I looked up to, respected and admired that whips didn’t hurt and that whips were the solution to a majority of behaviour problems. But let’s look at the science here.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7696388/

This recent study concluded:

“There is no significant difference between humans and horses in either the concentration of nerve endings in the outer pain-detecting layer of skin (epidermis) or in the thickness of this layer”

“Humans and horses have the equivalent key anatomical structures to detect cutaneous pain.”

If it hurts for you to get hit with a whip, it hurts the horse too.

To make matters worse, all these colourful crops are targeted at kids. It makes them excited to use this aversive “tool” without the full understanding of the harm the tool can do.

Whips are often used as a bandaid solution but the root cause of the problem is often overlooked and suppressed.

Instead, we should know:

• There are reasons behind horses “not listening”. Horses aren’t just bad and naughty for fun.

• How to investigate and solve issues without just using force for compliance.

• How to get desired behaviour in an ethical / non-painful way. Creating cues instead of commands. Teaching new behaviours instead of using suppression.

Whip are not glamorous. Whips are not the only solution. Whips hurt.

Want more resources on this topic?

https://worldbitlessassociation.org/uncategorised/drop-the-whip-campaign

08/23/2021

Friendly reminder 🥰

07/30/2021

07/27/2021

Too great not to share 😂

Couldn't resist.

07/04/2021

07/02/2021

Our apartment has an open floor plan. Shortly after we moved here in 2019, we installed this long gate to prevent Foxy from accessing the kitchen on his own, because we couldn’t (and still cannot) modify every aspect of the kitchen space for safety.

A few months ago, Foxy learned to scale the gate. He’s super strong and agile, and he grew taller, and well, here we are. It’s been a challenge. It’s also been a good opportunity to spend more time in the kitchen with Foxy, which he enjoys.

One of his speech therapists observed this gate-climbing during several sessions in our home. She’s amazing and beloved and comes up with strategies that align so well with our values. Yesterday, when I was checking in at the end of her and Foxy’s session, she showed me that she had stuck one of Foxy’s Talking Brix to the gate.

Talking Brix have one large button to play a recorded single message. This one, when I pressed it, said, “Go in” in the voice we use for Foxy’s talker.

I told her I thought it was great and asked how we could model its use.

She told me we could press it when Foxy was climbing the gate to show him another way to communicate he wanted to go into the kitchen. Sweet, sounds easy.

She also told me we could model it when we were inviting Foxy into the kitchen. Inside my head I scoffed, not able to imagine us choosing more Foxy kitchen supervision than we were already doing with this gate-climbing. But I just nodded and smiled.

*

Yesterday evening, Foxy pressed the button himself. I’m not sure if he was intentionally requesting to enter the kitchen, or just pressing the cool button to see what would happen, and it doesn’t matter. I immediately hopped up, opened the door to the gate, and asked Foxy if he wanted to GO IN the kitchen.

He seemed a little in awe as he walked through the opening in the gate instead of scrambling over it, and then he began to delightedly jump and flap his way around the kitchen.

It hit me. He had been waiting to be invited. He had been waiting for us to open the door for him. He had been waiting to be included, not just tolerated.

And in that moment, the Talking Brix button wasn’t a communication support for him. It was a communication support for me. I was the one not getting the message. I was the one who needed another mode. I was the one with the receptive difficulties.

Foxy’s expression had been clear and consistant the whole time: Let me in.

*

What would it be like to have receptive language goals for the people communicating with, caring for, educating, playing with, and supporting AAC users?

[image is a photo taken inside our apartment, looking into our kitchen. The background contains an island and some stools. The foreground shows part of a black fence-like gate preventing entrance to kitchen. On the gate is a Talking Brix, which is a white square of plastic about the size of a person’s palm with a green button in the center.]

07/01/2021

What would you choose?

If you were challenged to live in the middle of the woods/ wilderness for 1 year on your own.
(What ever you consider a wild area near you)

what dog breed or cross would you chosse to live with you.

You can only choose one dog.

You'd have basic survival equipment.

07/01/2021

Lots of dogs are afraid of fireworks and other loud noises. Here are a few ways to help your dog get through the 4th of July.

06/28/2021

Even when you think the temperature is OK or feels fine to you, your fur kids may feel very differently. Animals don't sweat like humans, so they heat up a lot quicker than we do. Their primary source of cooling down is through panting which is woefully inefficient when exposed to heat (they also cool down through their paws, so be aware of this when putting booties on your pups).

The #1 cause of heatstroke in dogs is leaving them in a vehicle! Never-ever leave a pet in a car even on a mild day. While you're in the air-conditioned store grabbing a few things, your car is quickly turning into an oven. Pets can suffer brain damage and die from heatstroke.

Helpful Tips: Walk in the early morning and late evening when it is cooler. Carry water with you. Limit exercise on hot days. Avoid surfaces that absorb heat, like asphalt, pavement, metal, sand, and car seats. These materials absorb heat from the sun and can stay hot for hours (even after the sun has gone down). Temperatures on these surfaces can exceed 145° F (62.7c)‼️

Keep your fur kids safe and cool! Fans, cool surfaces, frozen treats, kiddie pools, cool washcloth under armpits, and sprinklers can all help keep the kids cooler on hot days.

Make sure fresh water and a cool place to rest is available at all times.

06/28/2021

EDIT: This event's spaces have been filled. Microchip appointments are available for only $25 at sdhumane.org/microchip.

We are offering FREE microchipping for pets at Emerald Hills Park this Wednesday, June 30th! With 4th of July right around the corner, it's the perfect time to ensure your pet has a microchip! Registration is required and you can still sign up at sdhumane.org/freechip. Appointment times can accommodate two pets per time slot, so only register for two if you have 3+ pets.

06/22/2021

If it’s your first season with roosters, take heed! Here’s a great resource to help you through this time of year!

And remember, you can absolutely clicker train a chicken!

http://chickenrunrescue.org/filter/Care-and-Rehabilitation/Rooster-Behavior?fbclid=IwAR3_ZbNre3GZ-YDiG3uB7HPMLVHfu9f4eGSSDG9niOQNtHVeVbt8GMUkBLw

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UNDERSTANDING ROOSTER BEHAVIOR and ROOSTER SOCIALIZATION Draft 11/7/08 Mary Britton Clouse, Chicken Run Rescue Dedicated to Bing, who taught me what a true friend a rooster can be. The Inconvenient Truth Roosters are the most cruellly...

06/19/2021

Keep your pet buns safe out there! Ask your vet if they are vaccinating locally.

http://www.malibutimes.com/news/article_6979103e-d007-11eb-b09c-2f60456e3577.html?fbclid=IwAR2d1-E6B3RRq8DZUcEhKB8RWvOUURGdMHHEV-qp27YvxrWUAeMTEnhjamQ

Wild rabbits—mostly Desert Cottontails—in the hills above Malibu have started dying from an affliction never before been seen locally. Rabbit hemorrhagic disease, a highly infectious and deadly form of viral

06/16/2021

🌹💀🌹

05/21/2021

05/20/2021

This is the best Mom! This explanation is amazing 🙂

05/20/2021

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.
(posting an old favorite)
Thank you to all the fur kids out there that help us bare and get through the dark moments. My dogs have saved me many, many times. When my father died suddenly it was my dog Frankie (whom I named after my beloved dad, Frank) who brought me desperately needed moments of levity and comfort.

Our fur children give us purpose, they calm our nerves, they lower our stress, they encourage us to keep moving. They are our most loyal and steadfast friends. They may not be able to rid us of our demons and depression, but they certainly can soften the sharp edges.