MHT Legacy Dog Training, LLC

08/23/2024

DOGS IN PAIN STILL RUN AND PLAY

This is Twig my yorkie, as many of you know she was born with deformed back legs. She has patella issues, cruciate issues, malformed hocks and also elbow disease.

Despite all of this, Twig would play all day. She is a young dog and would run non-stop, play with toys, play with my other dogs 24/7 if she could. She always wants to go for a walk- she never wants to turn to go home, she would walk all day if you let her.

She’s never grumpy, never shows any aggression even when she’s in pain. She partially ruptured a cruciate a few months ago and despite not being able to use her leg she was still desperate to go for a walk and kept dropping balls in my coffee (obvs I didn’t let her walk or play!) 😳

She has phases where her legs are really bad and she is in pain. It would be really easy for me to think she’s ‘fine’ and not in pain as she would still play all day if I let her. My only behavioural signs of pain with her are that she wakes in the night and takes a while to settle again and she barks a bit more than normal at outside noises.

I’ve also seen night-waking with my Dalmatian, Lucky, when he was in pain and my first sign of his back issues was that he would wake up and wander around in the middle of the night. He also still wanted to walk and play.

People often think that a dog who is in pain won’t want to go for a walk but dogs in pain are often still keen to go for a walk and they will want to chase a ball etc and play if you let them. Don’t ever assume they aren’t in pain because they want to run and play!

Signs of pain can be subtle and these are some that I commonly see in dogs I work with -

🛌 They may wake in the night or find it hard to settle in the evening, pacing or moving from bed to bed

🐕 They may vocalise more (whine or bark) and be more attention-seeking (nudging your hand to stroke them all the time or following you from room to room)

🛋️ Hesitating or unable to climb on/off the sofa, go up the stairs or get in and out of the car or needing a bigger run up to get in. Being slower to get up from resting.

😔 Being unhappy about being handled (groomed/dried etc) or unhappy about people sitting next to them on the sofa or walking past their bed

🐩 Changes in interactions with other dogs on walks- less keen on interacting or less keen on certain types of play etc

🏀. Lying down on walks or walking at a slower place but also conversely running excessively (‘runners high’ endorphins make them feel good temporarily)

You may also notice physical changes (the way your dog moves or the way their body looks.

💊 Please chat to your vet if you see any changes, dogs don’t suddenly change and start or stop doing things for no reason.

Pain is one of the primary causes of many aggression in dogs. Dogs also often don’t stop running and playing when they are in pain- signs of pain can be subtle and easy to miss so please, please seek advice from your vet if you see changes

Laura McAuliffe, Dog Communication 2024

06/01/2024

Today is Heat Awareness Day so we want to get a jumpstart on educating pet parents on heat risks for pets! Check out the graphic to find out how to keep your pets safe in warm weather, and then head over to our blog to learn more: https://aercmn.com/summer-heat-risks-for-pets/

05/08/2024

CRY IT OUT
Cry It Out – Why What We Learned from Children Applies to Puppies.
There has since at least 1913, been a school of thought that suggests allowing tiny babies to ‘cry it out’, ie, cry until they give up crying, with the parent no longer responding to cries for attention, comfort or contact, is beneficial or indeed, necessary in raising children.
Somewhere along the line this also became the advice applied to puppies, with the warnings that if you did respond to a pups cries for attention, you would as with the child oriented version of this advice, create a needy individual who was insecure and lacking in confidence.
We now know the opposite is true, unfortunately from a dog perspective very few studies are done on dogs, simply because there isn’t the money in it to do them.
So we are left to extrapolate from studies done on children, but that’s actually ok, because a dogs brain is very comparable to the brain of a child under 2 years of age. They have similar needs for comfort, warmth, food, physical contact, social support. They have similar difficulties in communicating orally, in lacking impulse control and lacking fine motor skills.
So here’s the grim truth.
Young mammals left to ‘cry it out’ do not ‘self soothe’. In fact what they learn (Bowlby J. 1960’s) is that after going through a cycle of protestation, then despair, they reach a third phase of detachment – in effect they give up trying to get a response, get comfort or contact and become apathetic. Their distress is still present, they simply have learned it will not be alleviated as a result of their behaviour, they have shut down.
Whilst the theory ran that if you provide attention constantly so that the young mammal in question does not need to cry, or you respond promptly to their cries, they will cry more, seek attention more… in fact the opposite is true.
A study in 1986 demonstrated that the more the mother holds and carries her baby, the less that baby will cry and fuss. Other studies (cross cultural but still human, not dog) showed that those parents who responded quicker to crying babies also have babies who cry far less often!
Going back to puppies – we have taken them from their mothers, their litter mates and their familiar environment.
If we compare our domestic dog to feral and wild dog populations we see that our domestic puppies experience this separation from their primary care giver and litter mates at (on average) between 6 and 12 weeks of age.
Their wild/feral counter parts are in the constant company of litter mates and the near constant company of their parent until weaning. Beyond weaning, they are still in the constant company of littermates, parent and other relatives unless they choose to be alone, which is unlikely to happen before adolescence and the hormonal changes that are related to adolescence.
It is true that domestic dogs and wild or feral canids are not the same, but the difference is that domestic dogs actively want to be with humans rather than with other canids.
That being so, they are in no way equipped to be isolated and alone, any more than the feral or wild dogs would be.
So what are the risks of subjecting a puppy to isolation from a social group or new primary caregiver,and ignoring cries for company, comfort or contact?
* The increased cortisol levels can actually damage or kill off neurons and the neuronal interconnections – this can affect how well your dog copes with stress, anxiety and fear in future, predisposing them to be more reactive and fearful.
*Stress hormones go up faster than they come back down – so that stressful experience is affecting the dog for much longer than you might think. Possibly days.
*Repeatedly putting stress hormones up will inhibit learning, affect sleep, affect bonding and attachment.
*Repeated stressful experiences that the subject cannot escape from leads to PTSD in humans – we have no evidence to suggest that this does not also happen in dogs. Given the similarities between the human and canine brain, it is reasonable to assume dogs can also experience something similar to PTSD.
The short version of all this is – there is no benefit to leaving a dog to cry it out, separation anxiety is normal for puppies, they need to be with someone most of the time!
Separation anxiety as an abnormal behavioural issue comes about as a result of an insecure dog, who has not been taught how to cope by themselves, not as a result of creating a secure, confident dog who is given what they need as a puppy.
Emma Judson

To get free dog training advice, please visit our group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/dogtrainingadviceandsupport/

01/22/2024

Prevent Pet Suffocation is excited to launch our latest Infographic with the data from our Pet Suffocation Survey!

Please share this important infographic with your family, friends, pet sitters, and dog walkers. Ask your vets, rescue groups, and pet shelters to post it on their social media sites and in their offices, etc.

To save the infographic, click on it, then right click, and choose "Save Image As". The infographic will be available to print off from our website soon. Sharing spreads awareness! Thank you!
www.preventpetsuffocation.com

12/11/2023

Tis the season for a little pup enrichment!!
Enrichment for dogs can look like many different things such as toys, sniffaris, snuffle activities, play, enjoying the outdoors in a variety ways, the list goes on. But what is all the same no matter the activity, is how much the dog enjoys the activity.
Tadi LOVES looking at Christmas lights and tonight we took the boys out for Christmas lights drive around town. Here are just a few of his favorites 🤩🌟🎄🐶
He especially likes the blow up deco, the musical one and the deer lights. We drove slow & made sure we stopped at each of these houses & waited until he let us know he was ready to move on.
He was one happy boy!!
Bodhi enjoyed some of the lights but it's not really his thing, he would rather go for a ride to a destination, like a drive thru 🤣 but this ride was more for Tadi this time 🥰

10/31/2023

TRICK OR TREAT!!! 🎃🍬🍭🍪🎃

LOTS of treats please!! 🧡🐶🧡

09/13/2023

Thank you to The American College of Veterinary Behaviorists for this statement!! ❤️❤️
Training/Learning should never hurt, cause fear or compromise the welfare of an animal. Training should be enjoyable, humane, ethical and fun for the learner

08/02/2023

07/09/2023

Great article! When walking our dogs, the walk should always be about them, giving them choices and having their needs met.
My dogs aren't walked regularly but when we walk our dogs, they are always allowed to sniff as much and how long as they want and be a dog. Tadi loves to browse & literally sniff everything and enjoy everthing that the grass, trees, poles, rocks, are offering up and take his time; while Bodhi is just an occasional sniffer, he likes to visually observe and enjoy a quick casual walk.
This is their time to get caught up on the latest dog "gossip", browse shopping or messages left, etc. Not only are they sniffing p*e mail from other dogs but also so many other scents left behind by us humans, other animals & mother nature.
It's enriching for their mental & physical health.

New research shows that allowing dogs to exercise their noses is good for them.

05/30/2023

Now is the time to start preparing! Don't wait until the storms or fireworks have already started, it makes it much harder on both you & your pup.

🌩️ Thunderstorm season is upon us, and firework season is fast approaching. Keep an eye on this page to learn how to help your pets stay safe and comfortable during this noisy time of year.

📅 Remember, if you want to speak with a veterinarian, many have long wait lists, and you will want to make an appointment as soon as possible.

🏠 Giving your dog a special place to call their own will help them feel as comfortable as possible.

🔍 Check local listings for displays and events that may impact your pet.

🐾 Ensure all microchips and tags are up to date and consider investing in GPS collars or geolocation tags.

🎆 On July 4, many animals become startled or frightened by the noise of fireworks. This may cause them to flee from familiar environments and people, and sadly become lost.

05/26/2023

Foxtail plants can be risky for your dog. The barbed seed heads of the foxtail plant can work their way into any part of your dog or cat, from the nose to between the toes and inside the ears, eyes, and mouth. They can even simply dig themselves directly into a patch of skin.

The foxtail plant is a grass-like w**d. It is mostly found in the Western half of the U.S.

The danger of foxtails goes beyond simple irritation. Because these tough seeds don't break down inside the body, an embedded foxtail can lead to serious infection for your dog. It can even lead to death if left untreated. The seeds can be hard to find in your dog's fur.

So how can you tell if your pooch has a foxtail that’s causing problems? If you find a foxtail should you extract it? And when is it time to call a vet?

Stay tuned for a couple more posts at this time over the next couple day for more info about these potentially dangerous threat to your pets.

05/15/2023

Happy Mother's Day!!

05/10/2023

BRIBES OR REWARDS?

A bribe is something that is offered before a behaviour, while a reward is something that is offered after a behaviour. It’s all about the timing.

Using rewards as a way to communicate with our dogs what we want them to do should no longer even be debated.

Rewarding the behaviour we want is an invaluable, effective, scientifically proven way to build communication and maintain a wanted behaviour.

Using rewards is not what this post is about. This post is about the belief that using rewards is just about bribing our dogs to do something. It’s about the all-too-common problem that many people have – “but my dog will only do something if I show him a treat first”.

In these cases, the reward has become a bribe because it has to be offered before a behaviour is performed. The reward prompts, influences and encourages a behaviour and without it, the dog will not “perform”.

To use rewards effectively and avoid this issue, the reward needs to be presented after the behaviour has been performed. It then becomes a way of communicating – “Well done, I really liked your behaviour!”

There are times when bribes or luring are necessary. Teaching a new behaviour, helping a dog that is fearful, unsure, establishing trust and building relationship, bribing a dog to drop something by trading it for a yummy treat or at times when you temporarily need to address a potentially dangerous or frustrating situation.

When correctly timed, rewards are not bribes. Rewards are an effective tool in helping our dogs understand what to do. Keep on rewarding a behaviour well done.

04/07/2023

This graphic has been stored away for a while.....because every time I thought about posting it another high profile dog attack on a child has occurred...and it didn't seem appropriate or the right thing to post.

The biggest thing that I can say about all of this is WE need to teach our children how to act responsibly around dogs.

If we allow our children to pick up, sit on and annoy our own family dogs....why would they behave any different around other dogs?

It is OUR responsibility to teach our children to not pat or approach dogs they don't know....
Controversially (for some), I advocate and advise for children to NOT pat dogs they do not know.... even if they have been told by an adult it is "OK"....
Why ?
Quite simply it is a far better and simpler message to teach children, especially younger children.

That doesn't mean they can't pat at a latter time when both parties are comfortable with this.......

but the days of patting strangers dogs on the streets are well and truly over.

Permission to pat is NO guarantee a dog will not react.

If we allow children to pat dogs they don't know...when we are THERE supervising....when we aren't supervising, your child will be tempted.

There are really high number of bites/attacks occurring with children visiting other homes.

Ask what the rules are with their dog.
Ask how long they have had this dog.
Ask if the dog is allowed to interact with the children.
If you are concerned with any answers you get.....

Ask their child to visit your house instead.

This graphic shows just a small amount of what I wanted to say....as this is a complex subject, however I just wanted to concentrate on some of the more common reasons why dogs can bite children.

Be proactive and teach all of this before you need it.

03/31/2023

Great post!

TRIGGER STACKING – WHEN BEHAVIOUR HAPPENS “OUT OF THE BLUE”
We’ve all had those days when nothing seems to go right and one frustrating thing after another happens, leaving us feeling wound up, stressed and ready to explode at the next unsuspecting person who dares to ask us something. This “unsuspecting” person may think we have a serious behaviour problem or need anger management coaching, when the truth is that we’ve just had a really bad day and don’t usually behave like this at all.

Dogs are no different and a behaviour that seems completely out of character or happens “out of the blue” is often caused by “trigger stacking”.

A trigger may be anything that increases a dog’s stress levels and has a negative impact on their emotional, mental or physical state. These may be small things that we may not even notice or seem insignificant to us, but they are all adding to an increasing “stack” of things that may end in a “trigger”.

When stress levels reach a certain point, the next stressful event, however small, may cause a reaction that is completely unexpected.

Instead of just focusing on a particular behaviour and seeing it as a problem that needs to be prevented, take a step backwards, look at the bigger picture, look at events, circumstances or environmental factors that may have played a role in causing that particular behaviour.

Being aware of potential stressors and allowing your dog time to decompress, relax and unwind can often make all the difference between “normal behaviour” and a behaviour that seems completely out of character.

03/10/2023

Perfect! 🍷🥂

Share the good news..... 😎

03/03/2023

Dogs can certainly teach us a lot about this! Live like a dog... be crazy & do zoomies 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️. Laugh & wag your tail end 😆🐕. Joke & spin in circles 🤡💃. Be joyful, smile with your tongue out 😛

02/27/2023

Appeasement Licking.
This is always a difficult subject as often this is something which is misread or dismissed as affection or "kisses".

Not ALL licking is appeasement licking, appeasement licking is usually paired with other stress signals or calming signals....and I know that may be tricky for some to notice.

Licking is completely normal for dogs. It can be a healthy and socially acceptable behaviour between other dogs. It is relaxing, soothing and can be displayed for many reasons.
However appeasement licking can also be shown to other dogs, even ones they know and live with.

Licking can be used as a greeting, a show of affection and can also be a sign of a deep bond, seeking more information and tasting.....so absolutely your dog can lick you as a sign of affection.....there is no question of that.🙂

However...sometimes others can misconstrue or misread these signals.

If you are in any doubt over why your dog licks either you or another dog...video the interaction.
Watch that video and look for tell tale signs of stress (some are mentioned in the graphic).

One of the worst feelings in the world is when I have to inform someone that those certain types of "kisses" do not come from a place of affection but can be from a place of fear, mistrust and stress.

02/04/2023

💯%

01/16/2023

Beautiful explanation! Reactivity is always a process. Take it slow and definitely celebrate the small with the big

A repost (with a bit added) but important for all reactive dog guardians/owners.
If a fear reactive dog is in the height of a reaction your dog is beyond learning anything.
They are in flight, fright or fight state and correcting this does absolutely nothing to teach your dog how to not be reactive....neither does insisting on "obedience" in this emotional state.
"Obedience" does not solve reactivity....if it did NOONE would have a reactive dog.
Reactivity IS emotions and asking for a sit/down/stay in a full reaction is next to impossible BECAUSE they are in a full flight/fright/fight state.

When a dog is reacting it means that this dog has lost control of logic and their brain is flooded with stress hormones. This makes reasoned thought or learning impossible.

Your dog cannot learn in a reactive state.

Counterconditioning and desensitisation, while keeping your dog under threshold (or just over) is a proven, effective way to lessen reactivity.
The best thing to do if your dog goes over its threshold and reacts is to walk away in the opposite direction.....keep going until your dog stops and do a U turn to reengage at a better distance.

If you do not reengage your dog will begin to think its reaction worked (it created distance between themselves and the fearful object)....and you can have a cyclical reaction for a very long time after.

Always work under your own dogs threshold or just over .

Celebrate the wins and remind yourself this is a process.

01/09/2023

Just like people, dogs vary in how well they tolerate cold weather. In addition to significant physical injuries like frostbite and hypothermia, exposure to ...

12/25/2022

From our family to your family 🐾🎄

12/02/2022

Great post & infograph from International Canine Behaviourist... As someone who is extremely sensitive to scents, I can also relate to this but even to the most sensitive human, our dogs sense of smell is even more sensitive. Dogs have 300 million olfactory receptors compared our 6 million.

As we lead up to another Christmas (already? What?!?) we look at some of the things that our dogs may face over the festive season and how best to ensure that they are not compromised in the midst of the activity. We begin with the first week of Christmas, and home fragrance....(click to view in full 😁)

11/30/2022

Canine welfare & ethics matter a great deal

We all know what a canine is, but what are canine ethics? Ethics are moral principles that govern our behaviour when carrying out an activity. Moral principles are determined by our beliefs and how we have learned as we grow into the people, we are to become. To be immoral, we make decisions that pu...

11/24/2022

So grateful to you all! Thanksgiving blessings to you & your pups

11/21/2022

Oldie but goodie. Hailey's Thanksgiving tips for pups & their families

Hailey's Helpful Hints: Thanksgiving Edition

With Thanksgiving here in just a few days (yum, yummy) I thought I’d share a few safety tips for you and your best furry friend.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays! I love the smells, watching Mama preparing the yummy morsels in anticipation knowing that I’m her special taste tester and quality control superviser. I’m exceptional at the task and I enjoy helping her!

Even though Thanksgiving is a great holiday to spend filling your tummy with delectable tasties, it is also a time to be thankful for the blessings in our life.

I’m thankful for my family, being loved more than I can ever imagine, having a home where I am warm, safe and have plenty of soft pillows and blankets to rest my beautiful head on and also given opportunities to play, work, relax and of course eat some of my favorites Mama makes and gets just for me and my brothers so we can enjoy the holidays too and everyday!

What are some of the things you are thankful for?

With every holiday there is always safety to keep in mind and these are just a few tips to help you and your pup (kitties too) enjoy the bountiful blessings of Thanksgiving.

• Supervise children around us and be mindful of our body language and what we are communicating. If children or other guests make us nervous, let us be in another room thats quiet and helps us to feel safe. Then give us a stuffed frozen KONG or other food puzzle and chew toys to keep us busy. Play soft music like Through A Dog’s Ear or Pandora Music for Dogs Radio to help keep us relaxed and calm.

• Remind guests not to feed table scraps to help prevent us eating something that could be harmful to us.

• Keep food on the table out of our reach and afterward immediately take the trash out. Bones and other foods such as dough, turkey skin & bones, grapes, onions and some desserts can be toxic or potentially dangerous for us.

• Give us our own special treat to reward our good behavior and while everyone sits down at the table give us another treat like a food puzzle or KONG stuffed with a small portion of cooked turkey breast meat, plain sweet potatoes, green beans and/or carrots mixed with some kibble to keep us occupied.

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving everyone and Happy Tails!
Hailey xoxo

©MHT Legacy Dog Training, LLC

11/20/2022

Yes! 👇