K9 Pawsitive Solutions

08/30/2024

The following content may be disturbing for some viewers, as it covers the tragic demise of Crocky.

In the short time he lived in our home, he spent a vast majority of his time being carried around or cuddled by one dog or the other, with Nyssa often opting to abandon Cooper in favor of her new, blue, best friend. Crocky's only alone time was while a squirrel mercilessly taunted his soon to be murderers from the safety of a tree in the yard.

Crocky knew love and life for a lengthy 22 hours and 51 minutes before being brutally disemboweled by my two vicious beasts.

In order to spare you the full horror of this heinous attack, I've trimmed Crocky's final 5 minutes down to a mere 70 seconds, and placed his final photo in the comments.

Crocodile tears will be shed by all.

08/28/2024

Every once in a while, I like to waste money and play a game called "How long will this survive my two, 60-lb dogs?" My initial bet was 20 minutes... but it does seem fairly sturdy, so I'm going to give it a full 48 hours before it gets its first hole, and a week before it's completely destroyed.
What are your guesses?

07/27/2024

We had a wonderful discussion on creating clarity between you and your dog for this month's roundtable. If you weren't able to join us live, you can catch it here:

Join Victoria and the Positively Episode in another information packed Roundtable Discussion about creating clarity between you and your dog.

06/11/2024

I feel like I've seen this video somewhere else and I loved it then, too. What a fun way to help humans empathize with our dogs and some of the quirky habits we humans have.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/mtqa7uS81raiWaGk/?mibextid=oFDknk

05/25/2024

Koda has been in rescue since November of 2022. I've been working with him since May of 2023. Today, with a whole team of people behind him to celebrate (some couldn't be there for the photo, but definitely there in spirit) he found his 'furever' home with an amazing woman.
Today is a great day! 🥹
K-9 Freekz Rescue Voice for Companion Animals West Villa Animal Hospital

05/23/2024

Whoo hoo! Last month's roundtable discussion was an excellent one, and if you missed it, you can catch it here: https://positively.com/dog-training/video/aggression-reactivity-positively-roundtable-aggressive-behavior-in-dogs

04/12/2024

Synchronized chewing is officially a sport in my house. What do your dogs love to do together?

02/24/2024

Thanks to Pawsitive Purpose for this one!

02/03/2024

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=969296148018231&id=100048135651184&mibextid=Nif5oz

WHY DO DOGS REACT BADLY TO SOME DOGS?

I was walking my easy pair today who love everyone and we saw a young cockapoo coming towards us who was really pulling on the lead. The lead was attached to a collar and the poor dog was making an awful choking noise and walking on his back legs as he dragged his owner along.

I could see Twig stop and growl slightly under her breath, she absolutely loves a curly friend normally but she wasn’t loving the look of this one and it’s entirely predictable that she wouldn’t and neither would many other dogs. Dogs who are really pulling on the lead and are up on the back legs are sometimes not loved by other dogs as they look like they are highly aroused and a bit out of control, they may feel unpredictable to other dogs.

Combine that with a choking sound or snorty sound and it’s a bit off putting for other dogs as they don’t sound at all at ease or relaxed and the snorting or choking may even sound like growling. If you have a dog that looks like this when they are walking onlead and they are getting bad reactions from other dogs it’s really worth working on loose lead walking and switching to a harness. Switching to a harness will mean they can breathe easier and aren’t potentially damaging their trachea and they will also sound a lot better to other dogs.

Other dogs who tend to get a hard time are the starers. Dogs who walk down the street staring and making prolonged direct eye contact with other dogs are often not well received. We say staring is swearing and it’s absolutely perceived like that by most dogs. Some dogs naturally do stare lots and are friendly but they are just intently interested in other dogs. If you have a starer it’s really worth trying to encourage them not to stare- encourage them to sniff (do a ‘find it’ with treats) or get them to check in with you to break eye contact. Dogs are likely to be friendlier to dogs who don’t stare. Staring can be a prelude to play and dogs who know each other well may stare and stalk their buddy before play bowing- that’s totally fine between friends and normal rules don’t apply between good friends. If you are trying to help your dog make friends with new dogs though, try not to let them stare.

Other dogs may get a hard time because of the way they look- certain breeds and types can be harder for other dogs to read or may have a body confirmation that makes them look unfriendly (like my Inuit (pictured) who looks permanently confrontational as she has a curled tail, prick ears and stands with her weight fowards!), flatter faced dogs and all black dogs can also get a hard time as other dogs may not understand them well.

Dogs can also be targeted by other dogs due to the way they smell- chemical messengers (pheromones) can tell other dogs everything they need to know about your dog and some dogs seem to not like the way other dogs smell. Stress hormones and other hormones are also detected by other dogs and are likely to influence how they react to each other. So much of a dog’s communication is by scent and that’s a whole world we have no access to.

Communication style can also cause some dogs to have a hard time, some dogs communicate effortlessly and have a great range of communication and some are more awkward and this can also cause issues around other dogs too.

Does your dog get a hard time from other dogs and do you know why if so?

Please share from this post and don’t copy and paste text or save my images or the original source gets lost

Laura McAuliffe, Dog Communication 2024

01/13/2024

01/13/2024

Great reminder. If you have huge drifts by your fence you may need to take your pup out on leash until you can safely get out there to remove the snowy step-stool.

01/08/2024

Anyone who knows me, knows foster care and rescue are very near and dear to my heart. This article talks about how powerful fostering can be for the dogs.

https://chewonthis.maddiesfund.org/2023/05/foster-care-has-an-impact-on-dogs-welfare-and-adoption-study-suggests/?fbclid=IwAR2uScMbft-ryz2jtgNTKG-gui3nFw_CzB7PcCpHNz8dPbvt4Ct2zmJTSSM

This post was originally published in 2019. We are republishing today as foster care is as important as ever. Button had been at the Kansas City Pet Project for about a month, and he wasn’t doing well. He was displaying alarming signs of kennel stress, including pacing, spinning, vocalizing and

12/19/2023

Click the link to check out our most recent roundtable discussion on the new positively website and resources!

https://positively.com/dog-training/video/positively-roundtable-the-power-of-positively-website

12/06/2023

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=204842949338694&id=100094389693088&mibextid=Nif5oz

11/19/2023

This illness is nasty and very contagious. Keep an eye on your pups for any sign of respiratory illness, and make sure they're fully vaccinated. I haven't heard of it yet in Nebraska, but it is in Colorado and North and South Dakota.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=749424820563039&id=100064865825272&mibextid=Nif5oz

An emerging respiratory illness is a mystery to experts in veterinary medicine, raising concerns among dog owners.

The illness is being closely monitored, but definitive information is not available at this time. It’s important to note that there's no confirmed widespread outbreak at this point.

Experts advise dog owners to consult their veterinary care team if they suspect their pet is unwell. They recommend ensuring their dogs are fully vaccinated and limiting their contact with other animals until the illness is identified and contained. The signs pet owners should watch for are:
· Coughing
· Sneezing
· Nasal or eye discharge
· Lethargy
· Trouble breathing, especially from the stomach
· Blue or purple gums

For a comprehensive understanding of ongoing efforts and insights into the illness, check out this informative article from the American Veterinary Medical Association: https://www.avma.org/news/oregon-dealing-respiratory-illness-incidents-dogs

Our team is monitoring the situation and will report any new helpful information as it emerges. Let's band together to keep our beloved companions safe and healthy! Please seek veterinary care promptly if your furry friend displays signs of this emerging illness.

10/24/2023

I've never understood trying to scare the fear out of someone, human or dog.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=639027458410007&id=100069082749324&mibextid=Nif5oz

One of the most common mistakes that people make when trying to help fearful dogs is the tough-love style method of thinking “they need to get used to it!”

Usually this way of thinking leads to an owner exposing their dog to the thing that scares them over and over again, in the hope that the dog will figure out that it isn’t scary.

Dog trainers call this “flooding”, and it very rarely has the desired outcome. Just like suddenly throwing a bucket of spiders at an arachnophobe, forcing a dog into a situation that terrifies them is more likely to INCREASE their fear. An arachnophobe covered in an unexpected bucket-load of spiders will not be calmly rationalising the situation and realising that spiders aren’t scary – the overwhelming nature of the situation will place them into flight and fight mode, and it’s likely that they’ll walk away from the encounter with an even greater fear.

The same logic applies to dogs when they’re forced way beyond the threshold of what they’re comfortable with, like when a dog who is nervous about other dogs is forced into a busy dog park.

This method also has the added side effect of destroying the dog’s trust in the humans who forced them into the terrifying situation – just like how the arachnophobe would feel about the person that attacked them with spiders.

Instead of forcing a dog to face their fear, it is much more effective to gradually desensitise a dog to their triggers, moving carefully and slowly to create new, positive associations.

- Maddie Ross, That Dog Geek

10/23/2023

Perfectly said.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=940500437600319&id=100049211145093&mibextid=Nif5oz

No one would look at this picture and think it was cute. No one would look at this picture and say “omg look how much the baby loves the stove! Look how good the stove is being to the baby! Get a picture!!” And if the baby got burned by the stove, no one would blame the stove. It was, after all, just being a stove.

Yet, this is what I see when I see pictures of babies or children crawling on or towards dogs, leaning on them, grabbing them, and invading their space. I don’t find it cute or charming, I find it dangerous. No matter how tolerant a dog appears to be, sometimes that tolerance runs out, or the child tries to do the same thing to another dog with less tolerance and the worst happens. I’m often on the receiving end of the panicked, distressed and terrified phone calls after these events, and it’s heartbreaking to say the least.

As soon as babies start to get mobile we start talking to them about safety with things like hot stoves, outlets, busy roads, fireplaces. We use safety measures like gates or covers and always supervise. We need to be doing the exact same thing with our dogs.

Dogs only have their body language to tell us they are uncomfortable, and often times the beginning signs are incredibly subtle. Ignoring these, or worse punishing them, can lead to a dog feeling they have no other option than to bite or snap. Even worse, when we don’t teach our children respect and boundaries around dogs, we set them up to potentially get hurt. And when that happens, it’s not because of bad parenting, it’s truly because of a lack of education and understanding.

The other thing I hear often is “well if he didn’t like it he would move” and that’s not always true. Dogs sometimes don’t know they can or should move. We need to teach them that coping skill and reward and respect them for that choice.

Dogs and children living happily together is possible. Bonds can still be formed even if there are boundaries and your child can have an amazing relationship with your dog even without kissing them or hugging them. Management, active supervision and structure are all keys so success to everyone can live under the same roof happily, and more importantly, safely.

- Helen St. Pierre, No Monkey Business Dog Training
Originally written - 10/12/18

10/22/2023

Which one of us is doing the training? 🤔

09/15/2023

Flirt pole basics for impulse control:

The book I mentioned in the end can be purchased here:
https://a.co/d/0YQLwPM
The flirt pole I'm using can be purchased here: https://www.squishyfacestudio.com/flirt-pole-3/

09/15/2023

Beginning loose-leash walking outside.

A quick note: if your dog is losing interest, either increase your rate of reinforcment (give treats more often) or increase the value of the reward you're using. That means when working outdoors, if you're using kibble or something else that's not very exciting, switch to a meaty treat or anything else your dog will do cartwheels over. Duck jerky is usually a big win, even with my picky eaters.

08/26/2023

Door Dash Training with my little buddy Harley.

08/22/2023

Yesterday, I noticed that Koda (who is shockingly STILL available for adoption after nearly a year in boarding!) had an issue with excitedly jumping on people when they sat down on the floor. To help him with this, I taught him to lie down when I squatted down. When deciding to teach this, I neglected to factor in that I'd be doing 9,723 squats. By the time I recorded this, I was really struggling to get back up. Send help, I can barely walk today. 😂

K-9 Freekz Rescue
West Villa Animal Hospital

08/08/2023

I can't count the number of times I've thanked my dogs for notifying me that one of the neighbors is in their own yard...

So glad they warn us. 😵‍💫

08/02/2023

Let's talk about positive training with reactive dogs for a minute.

This is Koda with me on the green leash. He's been stuck in boarding for nearly a year, waiting for a foster home or an adopter.
The hard part? If a dog walked into view, even across a park, Koda would bark and lunge to the end of his leash, hackles up, until they were out of sight. Because of this, we had to list him as "no dogs".... Which severely limited his potential adopters.

Koda and I have been working on this off and on with something called counter-conditioning, which, oversimplified, means that when he sees a dog, before he starts barking, I start feeding him something he loves. This helps him learn that the other dog predicts good things happening and helps him change how he feels about them.

Monday, my husband (who was nice enough to take some video and photos) joined me, and we were able to strategically walk Koda and another rescue, Lindy, (who is also stuck in boarding) around each other, but far enough away that no one was feeling threatened. As we were making a close pass to walk by, Koda surprised me... He suddenly chose to lie down, roughly 8 feet away from Lindy!

Then ANOTHER dog came out and charged toward the fence, settling less than 2 feet away from us. Koda didn't bat an eye until he heard barking, and then I was able to successfully ask him to walk away with me rather than barking. It was a powerful session, and proof that positive training works, even with reactive dogs.

Koda has really come a long way, and I know he'll keep progressing in the right direction, especially if we can get him in a home where he can relax. The staff at West Villa has been amazing with helping him cope, as well as always making room for us to work when I get there. He has a tribe behind him, and even though he's been stuck in boarding, I think he's a pretty lucky dog. He's gotten a chance many dogs don't, thanks to both K9 Freekz Rescue, and West Villa Animal Hospital.

This boy has a bright future, and I'm thankful I've gotten to be a part of his story.
I'll share some video in the comments.



West Villa Animal Hospital
K-9 Freekz Rescue

07/30/2023

https://youtu.be/qRXkxr1i5JQ

07/21/2023

I could cut this short and just show the wins, but I love this session with Koda. He's not 100% on things he's just learning, and sometimes he goes back to old behaviors (the jumping) but we're having fun and he's happily working hard.

If you know anyone looking for a high energy dog who loves to learn, please reach out.
K-9 Freekz Rescue
West Villa Animal Hospital

07/20/2023

When your dog tells you they are afraid, believe them. Comfort them. You don't want to dive into their fear with them with frantic repetitions of "It's okay, It's okay!" Instead, let them know calmly "I know you're scared, but I've got this, and I've got you."

You may worry when your dog is scared that you'll make things worse by comforting them. You won't. And there's plenty of things that make having a fearful dog stressful, but this doesn't have to be one of them. You *cannot* reinforce fear with kindness.