Pawsitive Steps

08/07/2024

We have all been there at some stage so why should your dog be any different?

08/03/2024

It's as simple as that!
The DoGenius Institute

07/28/2024

I would love to credit the artist, but have no idea who it is. Let me know if you know so I can give proper credit.

07/16/2024

07/12/2024

Children represent a massive proportion of reported dog bite cases.

These pictures, selected from a massive library of similar stock photos of children with dogs, show some of the reasons for this.

Humans like physical contact. We're generally huggers, particularly with a gorgeous animal like a dog - that soft coat and gorgeous faces just look perfect for a hug, especially to a child.

Dogs are definitely not like us in this way. True, there are some dogs who may enjoy cuddling up with their people, and even like or don't mind hugs. One of my dogs is very much in favour of physical contact. Importantly, however, it is only with the people he chooses. The ones he knows and trusts.

Kids often cannot read canine body language. The signs are here in the photographs used of a tense and unhappy dog, but the children in these pictures can't see and interpret them.

It's up to us as adults, whether parents, dog caregivers, or both, to make sure that we are educated on canine body language and can see the signs of stress.

That we make sure to advocate for the dogs so that they are not put in this position.

To make sure that the children around us are educated and taught about the likes and dislikes of dogs.

To stop putting children and dogs into potentially dangerous situations for the cute photo or video (the videos of babies propped up against dogs make most behaviour professionals shudder because that is so not fair on either species!)

Let's be fair to both dogs and children and use education and understanding to keep children and dogs happy and safe together.

06/18/2024

New Beginner Class starting Wednesday, June 26th.

Send a message to learn more

06/09/2024

Members of The Pet Professional Guild actively recommend against the use of any training tools and equipment whose purpose or intent is to interrupt or redirect behavior using fear, force or pain.
Discover more here: https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/

05/08/2024

New Beginner Class starting Tuesday, May 21st.

Send a message to learn more

04/15/2024

What is agency?

Agency is:
🐶Choice
🐶Giving your dog a voice
🐶Allowing her the ability to BE a dog
🐶Allowing them to process
🐶Learn their language so you CAN offer agency.

If you truly want the deepest and most authentic relationship with your dog, agency must be your top priority.

04/06/2024

ADOLESCENCE:
As dogs go through adolescence, it’s safe to say things turn a little topsy-turvy! 🙃

If you’re currently at this stage and feeling like you’ve taken one step forward and two steps back, don’t panic! During this stage of life, there’s a lot going on in their busy little brains.

Here are three facts about the adolescent brain 🧠👇

1. The inhibitory neurons of the amygdala that help to dampen down emotional responses don’t fully mature until the END of adolescence.

2. Communication between the frontal cortex and amygdala, which is essential for skills training, decreases during adolescence.

3. Extinction memory is impaired during adolescence, so if your dog has a bad experience it’s much more likely to lead to a ‘hard wired’ fear memory.

Have patience and compassion as you support and guide your dog through this vulnerable period of brain development.

03/28/2024

Many calls I get are from concerned parents after their dog has snapped or bitten their child. This usually happens when the child approaches the dog while resting or just being comfortable.

👦Toddlers especially are prone to a bite for giving a kiss goodnight. The awkward and unsteady tiny human is concerning to dogs. Dogs will offer signals prior to a bite but often we miss them as they happen fast.

❗This is why we suggest blowing a kiss, waving night night or as The Family Dog suggests kissing your hand and then touching your dog. Children leaning down on to a dog to give a kiss is often seen as threatening to the dog and we don’t want any unfortunate bites to happen. Keep this in mind and express love from a dog’s mindset.

❗Give space, stay out of their face. Dog and baby on the scene a parent in between. Most of all INVITES DECREASE BITES.

03/12/2024

https://www.facebook.com/seespotlearn/posts/809631541172873

03/09/2024

New research finds around a quarter of Labrador retriever dogs face a double-whammy of feeling hungry all the time and burning fewer calories due to a genetic

02/28/2024

Here’s how that happened. We unintentionally set up an unwanted pattern that your dog responded to and it was reinforced each time we did the same thing.

Your dog doesn’t bring the ball back to you because you threw it then chased your dog.

Doesn’t come when called because you repeated the cue then when he didn’t listen you went to him. He learned that “come” means you go to him. Or you used the cue to punish him for doing something you didn’t like or you used the cue them locked him in his cage, etc Come should ALWAYS be followed by fun, praise and games.

Is reactive on leash with other dogs because you didn’t socialize her during the critical fear period between 7-16 weeks of age, you didn’t practice loose leash walking during the same period, your dog was bullied by a dog and is now fearful but you didn’t realize he was being bullied and continued exposure to the bully dog

Pulls on the leash because you didn’t teach her how to walk on a loose leash and went faster when he went faster perpetually reinforcing leash pulling.

You can still help your dog by undoing those patterns and setting up new patterns.

Teach your dog what you do want. Spending time teaching what you want will save time being upset with your dog for always practicing the unwanted behavior. By setting up new patterns you are rebuilding your trust account.

Enjoy your dog.

02/22/2024

I saw a kid walking his lovely lab having a great time and then he gave him a big old yank on the lead, which was on a collar and my heart did that achy breaky thing.

Underneath that strong looking neck, are some vital life supporting structures connecting your dog’s gut and nervous system to the brain.

If you have a big dog that lunges or pulls on the lead, a collar is not going to stop him. A harness is not going to make him lunge or pull more. However, it will distribute his weight through a part of the body designed to protect the organs instead of the full pressure being on the neck and all it contains.

A yank on the lead can cause emotional associations that lead to behaviour issues and pressure around the neck can cause multiple physical injuries some terminal.

With thanks for the illustration and we recommend https://perfect-fit-dog-harness.com/harness.html

Neck injuries include bruising, whiplash, headaches, crushed trachea, damage to the larynx, fractured vertebrae, neck and spinal cord injury and paralysis or neurological problems.

If the parasympathetic nervous system is tweaked through a tug to the neck the vagal reflex can cause instant death.

Higher intraocular pressure can cause serious injury to dogs already suffering thin corneas, glaucoma, or eye injuries.

It has also been linked to hypothyroidism as the collar rests on the area of the thyroid gland causing damage.

It can impinge the nerves supplying the front legs leading to an abnormal sensation in the feet that can present as a dog that starts licking their feet. Often misdiagnosed as having allergies.

A dog's epidermis is only 3-5 cells thick, in humans it is at least 10-15 cells thick.

Excessive pressure can cause damage to the dog's eyes, larynx and thyroid gland.

Particularly risky for puppies under 6 months, a time during which the cartilage of the trachea is still delicate.

A dog that feels pain and discomfort on saying hello to another dog, or trying to sniff the environment, is in danger of associating other dogs or other stimuli in the environment with pain and discomfort resulting in a dog that we would label “reactive” and/or “aggressive” when on lead, “but ok when off lead”.