K 9 Kidz

11/16/2024

11/15/2024

Shutting down behaviours through aversive methods such as loud noises (shakers, rattles, clapping, shouting), air sprays or water sprays, shock collars or physical punishment may certainly suppress behaviour in the short term, which can be very reinforcing for caregivers.🐾🐈🐕

However, what we MUST consider is what effects this may have in the long term.🌟🐾

Animals will learn that they can no longer use certain behaviours to communicate, relieve stress or show their emotional state.🐶😿

This in turn may lead to learned helplessness, reduced welfare and quality of life, or in some instances to physical disease such as Feline Idiopathic Cystitis.💔

So, before choosing the easier option of shutting down behaviour, please consider what this may do to your pet in the long run…🌟🐕🐈

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11/13/2024

It can be all too easy to look at a behaviour, particularly one that we find problematic, as an isolated thing that just occurs, or is put down to false and outdated ideas like 'dominance' or 'stubbornness'.

Think of behaviour as a symptom - underlying that behaviour there is an emotion driving that behaviour. Behaviours don't happen just 'because', there is always a reason for them and so it's up to us to learn how to understand what they are trying to tell us so we can work out what that emotion is.

And at the root of it all there will be a need. Something that is causing the dog to feel that particular emotion and so lead them to show the behaviour that we are seeing. Once we have discovered the emotion the dog is feeling, we can work out what the dog needs and help them to get whatever that may be.

The three pictures here give an example:

Behaviour: the dog is barking at something. If you look at their posture and body language the body is leaning back, away from what they are barking at. The ears are back, whiskers flared, and eyes fixed on something. The front paw is slightly lifted and there is a back paw in the air, and the back end of the dog may be lowered towards the ground a little.

Emotion: what the overall picture of the body language is telling us is that the dog is scared of the thing they are barking at, so the emotion they are feeling is fear.

Need: What this dog needs is immediate space from the thing that is bothering them, so they can feel relief from that fear and feel safer again. What they need going on is an increased feeling of safety and security, more trust in us to help them if they need it or get them out of a situation if it's too much for them.

When we can understand the need and emotion driving the behaviour we can understand our dogs far better and see where they need our help.

11/09/2024

Let’s welcome our newest team, Officer Goslin and K9 Atlas from Hartford PD!
📸 @802.puparazzi
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11/09/2024

Rattle cans or bottles filled with stones or coins or 'dog discs' designed to be thrown down near the dog to startle them are things we see relatively often being used. Because they do not have to make contact with the dog to 'work' it can mistakenly be thought that they are not doing any damage to the dog.

Startling a dog to stop ‘bad behaviour’ is a bad idea for a number of reasons.

Simply aiming to stop the behaviour does not show the dog what we would like them to do instead. If we concentrate on teaching the dog the things we’d like to see then there is less likelihood they are going to show behaviours we find problematic.

Focusing on stopping a behaviour doesn’t look at the reason the behaviour is occurring in the first place. What is the emotion that is underlying the behaviour? Why is the behaviour being shown in that moment? Is the dog scared, stressed, under stimulated? What is the need that is driving the behaviour (safety, mental or physical stimulation, carrying out natural behaviours, hungry etc)?

Startling a dog in this way can cause them to become stressed and anxious. Their hearing is very sensitive and the noise that may not seem so bad to us is likely more intense and highly unpleasant to them (if it wasn’t, it wouldn’t ‘work’). Doing things that cause our dogs to feel stress and become anxious means that the people that dog should most be able to trust is no longer as trustworthy, and so the relationship and bond between dog and human can be damaged.

What we can do to replace the need for startling the dog is work on getting our cues really strong and showing the dog the behaviours we’d like to see in different situations.

Make sure that our dogs are allowed to be dogs and can safely carry out those natural behaviours in ways that are not problematic. Let them sniff when out in the world. Find a safe spot for them to dig, such as a sand pit. Let them dissect their toys (under supervision for safety) – soft toys can be restuffed and sewn up so this can happen multiple times and avoid needing to spend a lot of money.

Work on a ‘positive interrupter’, a cue that means stop what you’re and come to us (and really make this worth their while – an example of this would be a cue that means ‘come with me’ where we run to spot where the absolute best rewards for that dog are kept, so really tasty treats, favourite toy etc).

Most importantly, don’t try methods that involve startling or scaring your dog. There is always a better way than one involving fear.

11/06/2024

Did you know that the way we greet as humans and the way our dogs greet is very different? 🧐

This is why we often see signs of discomfort, stress and uncertainty when we are trying to force introductions between our dogs and new family members! 🐾

We usually go in multiple times for hugs or kisses at a close proximity and our dogs usually enjoy a quick sniff and a greeting from behind 🐶

Often when bringing home a new baby or a new family member it is a HUGE event for us, but we don’t want it to be a huge event for our dogs!

Stay tuned for a reel tomorrow that shares some tips and tricks on bringing home a new family member in a way that is safe and comfortable for everyone involved, especially our dogs! Spoiler alert, it doesn’t involve bringing home a blanket!

10/30/2024

10/30/2024

What if you were allowed to scroll on social media, just briefly... just enough for something to catch your eye, but once you showed some interest you were told to move on before reading the post properly?
What if you were physically yanked away from your phone (by your collar) when you made a move to like/react/comment on something interesting?
Don't do this to your dog.
Please, LET THEM SNIFF! 🤩

10/29/2024

Every. single. time. 😆😆

10/28/2024

Training your dog should build the bond between you, improve their confidence and help you to enjoy tour lives together. We can help with that, drop us a line in the comments.

10/23/2024

Encouraging dogs to sniff on walks is not only natural and instinctual for them but also has many benefits for their physical and mental well-being.

Sniffing provides mental stimulation for dogs, which is important for their overall mental health.

A good sniff also helps them to learn about their environment, identify scents, and understand the world around them. Through sniffing they can also release pent-up energy, which can help to reduce behavioural problems.

Additionally, sniffing can help to alleviate stress and anxiety in dogs, making them feel more relaxed and comfortable on walks.

10/23/2024

BORN THIS WAY?
Why is a dog the way they are? Are they just born this way?

Genetics certainly play a part, but genetics are not always a reliable predicter of behaviour.

Genetics can provide us with insight as to what could be expected, but it’s so much more than just that.

Genetics, environment, life experiences and individuality all play a role in shaping a dog’s behaviour.

Just like us, dogs are unique individuals, each with their own personalities, emotions, likes and dislikes, sociability, preferences or different health issues. These often change throughout life.

Just as we learn and change through our life experiences, so do dogs. Negative or positive experiences, trauma, stress, learned habits, training methods, trust, feeling safe and secure, predictability and stability are all part of how these type of experiences affect behaviour.

Many dogs live in environments that are not compatible with what they were selectively bred to do.

People bred dogs to do certain jobs like guarding, herding, hunting, pointing, scenting, tracking or companionship. When dogs that were bred for specific jobs, find themselves “unemployed” and have no outlet for what they were originally bred to do, this often leads to pent up frustration and behaviour problems.

Conflict between the environment and a dog’s genetics are an increasingly common reason for behaviour problems.

Yes, a dog may have just been “born this way”, but always look at the whole picture to understand the why of behaviour.

Genetics, environment, individuality and experiences – they all matter.