Tao of the Hound,LLC

08/09/2021

This is what I've been doing for the past week. I'm now a Certified Family Dog Mediator. I now have the knowledge to use Applied Ethology when working with behavior cases using the L.E.G.S model. This will be a game changer. Thank you Kim Brophy for all your hard work bringing this to the world.

08/08/2021

Tomorrow will be the last day of our five day conference at Wolf Park. Lots of learning mixed with the beauty of the animals and some sillyness.

08/01/2021

07/22/2021

Shut down is neither calm or submissive.

👉There are different levels to an emotional state just like the ladder of aggression. Here we have what I like to call the ladder of adaptation.

🟢The bottom of the ladder represents a normal state.

🔴The Middle indicates when something happens to trigger a flight and fight response. This is a survival response of the nervous system and is involuntary. Fear is not what YOU as the human perceives to be scary… it is what the animal perceives as scary and a possible threat. If the situation were able to be defused and the dog was able to regulate then he/ she may go back into a normal state.

🟣If the dog is unable to address the situation/ threat or regulate, their nervous system goes into overdrive as the threat is so overwhelming, they cannot cope, and they may end up in a state of learnt helplessness.

😐Learnt helplessness is what happens after an incredibly stressful experience or situation, and the animal is unable to change or escape the unpleasant experience. They then stop trying to escape/ deter/ avoid the situation and completely shut down.

🖐This is the last option in order to survive if all other behaviours failed and any of the energy left is not worth wasting! The dog has gone into an adapted survival mode, this means they adapt to the situation in order to survive. Almost like…

‘If you can’t beat em, join em’...

😩They may still not be safe but are at least still alive. Being immobilized in fear is a tragic thing - NOT successful training outcome.

🧨Even if the dog is forced to act in aggression like the aggression ladder shows, some dogs may skip that part all together and go straight into a learnt helplessness/ shut down state.

🧬There is no exact science to dictate how a dog will behave as all dogs are different and respond differently to different stimuli, however, understanding how dogs may behave/ respond, or seeing the lack of behaviour may give you enough tools of observation in your tool box to help identify triggers and help support the dog by setting them up for success to build their confidence and help them feel safe.

07/14/2021

Be kind to your veterinarian. Every day is a rollercoaster for them.

07/01/2021

It stopped raining so we could get some work done.

06/21/2021

We humans love to simplify things. Always categorizing, labeling, searching for fixed formula’s, theories, rules, laws, systems. 
It is understandable, because the predictability and explanations we try to provide ourselves with, will make us feel more in control.

Though it can be helpful and valuable, we must never forget that when working with humans and dogs, we are working with complex mammals. Unique individuals.

Some scientists call emotions ‘systems’. This can be very helpful in understanding functionality, but in reality emotions are not fixed systems, but complex neurological networks within the brain. Not universal, but individual. Though many mind blowing similarities in brain and behaviour of all mammals have been discovered and proven, emotional arousal can arise in countless variaties and in many different intensities within each individual brain.

Some biologists analyze and categorize the behaviour of wild social animals living in family groups using dominance theory. This may be helpful in order for biologists to predict behaviour outcomes around scarce resources, but I reckon survival and individual needs are far more likely to drive the behaviour of animals than (in my humble opinion, strongly humanized) social systems.

Many animal trainers analyze and categorize behaviour outcomes using behaviorism laws and theories. This can be very helpful and valuable, especially during training, but not all behaviour is learned through interactions with the environment. Not all behaviour is functional and not all behaviour is driven by consequences.

After years of studying, years of practical experience and spending a fortune on gaining knowledge and still I keep learning and evolving which I hope and expect to never stop.
I can only come to one conclusion: understanding and influencing behaviour can be complex.
So many influences, so many factors, so many variaties, it can be quite a puzzle!

We are all unique, individual, complex mammals.

I find it fascinating.🤓

© LotsDogs​ | www.LotsDogs.com

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06/19/2021

Coming back to you should be good fun!

06/17/2021

I made this cartoon in order to explain to some clients why it is important to try and keep their dog below threshold during behavioral therapy and training in a controlled environment (with very gradual exposure) that could potentially cause their dog to become emotionally distressed.

I just published a brand new article about the commonly used word 'threshold'. Read it here:
https://www.lotsdogs.com/behavior/threshold.html

Some quotes from my article:
“It is often claimed that dogs who are over threshold are not capable of learning. This is not accurate. In fact, research has shown that memories of events that triggered emotion, are actually stronger than memories of events that triggered little to no emotion. Emotional events actually ‘dig’ a deep and strong neurological pathway within the dog's brain, because the body considers them to be of high importance (for survival).”

Some forms of training involve the dog being over threshold and a dog who is over threshold can also be in a positive emotional state!

“If you want to change a dog's response within certain context in which it could become emotionally distressed, then you may need to set up an environment in which exposure to that context can be controlled in such a way that the dog remains below threshold and open for learning new, alternative responses/behavior while also building neutral or positive associations.”

More information: https://www.lotsdogs.com/behavior/threshold.html

© LotsDogs

Copyright notice | Support my page and show some love❤️
Please share my content using the 'share' button (you can share in groups, on your business page, on your timeline, etc..all possible through the 'share' options). This is highly appreciated!🥰💞
Please do not download/save my content on your device and upload my images elsewhere. This is illegal.📵 Many thanks for understanding.

05/21/2021

I'm so blessed to have animal care specialists that are willing to work with the cows in a force free way. This morning Bufie had a pedicure. Thanks Katie I can't express how much I appreciate you working with the boys.

05/21/2021

Photo bomb.

05/20/2021

Now we know what facial expression the rodents make when they’re feeling good.

05/18/2021

Anthropomorphise freely, but wisely 🤣

05/14/2021

Last night of parkour class.

05/13/2021

We finished day four of Dr. Overall's relaxation protocol this morning. That may not sound like much but it is a huge milestone for Toby. Toby decided for whatever reason I was his human and I was never to be out of his sight or walk away from him. If I did he would SCREAM! I was able to walk 20 steps to an entrance, which actually put me out of sight too and he stayed on his Cato board and remained quiet.

05/12/2021

05/08/2021

What a great day to get out and do some parkour with friends.

05/08/2021

Scientists in the Netherlands have trained bees to identify COVID-19 through their sense of smell, according to a press release from Wageningen University.