Dogs ‘N Action - DNA

08/14/2024

https://www.mosselbayadvertiser.com/News/Article/LifeStyle/dog-dominance-theory-a-debunked-myth-202408140251?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0OA6Z8e3pW3NtNQadyc7tMnsc5q_Psg5uRRKu1kumCA2j5wVjcmaHdhAo_aem_ArAqa-rpGj-W1dNqIXfSCQ

LIFETYLE NEWS - In 1947, Rudolph Schenkel,...

08/14/2024

Excellent puppy advice.

08/13/2024

Vet checks are the very first step when there are behavior changes.

Dr. Lisa Radosta discusses the connection between pet behavior and pain, which is often overlooked by pet owners.Many people believe their pets aren't in pai...

08/12/2024

I’m here to help you better understand your dog.

08/12/2024

Dogs don’t lie.

08/11/2024

Class 4 of our 6 week AKC CGC. They’re doing so good!!

08/09/2024

Debbie's 4 Dogs always shares excellent information.

08/06/2024

Choose your trainer wisely.

Working with dogs or in some sort of dog-related industry is a dream come true for many people. Unfortunately, an incredibly small percentage of those people take the time to learn about the dogs they love and work with. Instead, they rely on exposure to dogs as their expertise.

If you work or volunteer in a dog-related business, you should have a basic understanding of the following:

1. BODY LANGUAGE. If your description of body language is limited to dominant or submissive (or calm-assertive and the like), it's time to learn more about body language. Here’s a DVD I consider required viewing:

https://amzn.to/2vciSSS

Without it, you could be missing the signs that tell you a dog is frustrated instead of stubborn, afraid instead of dominant, or dangerously close to biting instead of “fine.”

2. HOW DOGS LEARN. I don’t care what methodology you subscribe to or what equipment you use, you damn well better understand the science behind what you're doing. This includes both classical (learning by association – affecting emotions) and operant conditioning (learning via consequences – affecting behaviors), which are in effect regardless of the method.

https://amzn.to/2OFMRKT

http://www.scienceofconsequences.com/

3. STRESS AND LEARNING. If you think a dog is dominant and not food-motivated because he “doesn’t listen,” and ignores a treat waved under his nose when encountering other dogs on walks, you need more information on how stress affects concentration and learning.

http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/pets/dog-behavior/how-to-tell-when-your-dog-is-stressed

4. CHANGING BEHAVIOR. It doesn't take any knowledge or skill to drag a dog across a linoleum floor, but if you believe that a dog “gets used to” something by being exposed to or immersed in it, now is the time to learn what desensitization and counter-conditioning actually are.

http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/pet-health-information/article/animal-health/introduction-to-desensitization-and-counterconditioning/131

5. How HEALTH affects behavior. Because sometimes a dog's refusal to sit or lie down is not defiance, but pain. And pain and discomfort increase stress. You don't have to be able to diagnose (nor should you, unless you are a veterinarian) a medical condition, but if you are giving training or behavior advice, you should be able to spot a potential health problem and/or recommend a veterinary exam.

6. MODERN METHODS. If you think that clicker training means carrying a clicker to get the dog to listen. If you think that dogs trained with food must see food before they will respond, it's time to learn how to use food rewards with skill. If you claim to use “whatever works,” then you should be open to adding capturing and shaping techniques to your training toolbox.

http://a.co/gfms5tx

STREAMING KNOWLEDGE

You don't have to spend thousands of dollars to attend days-long seminars like I have (and still do). The following organizations offer free and low-cost webinars on all of these topics and more:

www.4pawsuniversity.com

www.apdt.com

http://caabchats.com/list-of-chats/

www.centerforshelterdogs.com

http://www.dog-ibox.com/

www.petprofessionalguild.com

There is a service that delivers DVDs of seminars by top experts right to your door. Just like Netflix. They recently added 500 streaming titles to their collection, as well.

www.tawzerdog.com

KEEP LEARNING, DO BETTER

I've been in the world of dog training for fifteen years. I have worked with over 4,000 dogs and over 150 breeds. I've used "balanced" training. I've used prong collars and e-collars/shock collars, alpha rolls/dominance downs, collar grabs, scruff shakes, hard stares, leash corrections, verbal corrections, and more.

I don't use those methods any more. I don't need to. And the reason I don't need to is because, in spite of my belief that those methods and equipment were absolutely necessary with some dogs and in some cases, I loved learning and kept attending seminars, webinars, online courses, and workshops, as well as reading new books on learning and behavior.

And just when I think I'm at the top of my game, I read or watch something by animal trainers like Ken Ramirez, neuroscientists like Dr. Jaak Panskepp, biologists like Dr. Robert Sapolsky, and experts in psychology and learning like Dr. Susan Friedman. And I realize just how much more I can learn.

I made plenty of mistakes in my career. I look back on some of the things I wrote and recommended and cringe. We all do the best we can with the knowledge we have in the moment. The key is to keep expanding our knowledge so we can continually improve.

Choosing to maintain ignorance of these subjects only serves the ego. And egos don’t make for good dog trainers, vet techs, shelter directors, daycare employees, or rescue volunteers. More importantly, egos tend to become a priority over a dog’s quality of life. It’s hard and sometimes painful to admit that your knowledge may be outdated, that advice you’ve given could have been harmful, or that you’ve made life/death decisions about dogs that might have been wrong. I've done it. Any positive reinforcement trainer who has been in the business for over 10 years has done it.

You have a choice. To stay where you are and trust that your knowledge is sufficient, or to admit you might have more to learn. If you choose to move forward, try to forgive yourself as you learn. You can’t change the past, only the choices you make going forward.

“I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.” ― Maya Angelou

COPYRIGHT NOTICE
This post is free to share on Facebook via the “Share” link. Downloading for redistribution online or in print form is strictly prohibited. ©2015 Lisa Mullinax. All rights reserved.

08/05/2024

New Classes starting October 12th, 2024! AKC STAR Puppy and AKC CGC. Classes are an hour every Saturday for 6 weeks. Contact us for more information.

08/04/2024

💯

*Image used is to emphasise the point of the post, and is in no way an endorsement of such tools.

07/30/2024

07/26/2024

Truth.

07/26/2024

It’s time for a change.

07/24/2024

The more you know…

07/24/2024

Fear and pain are never acceptable ways to train.

07/23/2024

True for choke chains and slip leads. Choose your trainers wisely.

From a client:

Our last dog passed away due to laryngeal paralysis after a trainer trained him using a prong collar/e-collar and led us to believe it did no harm.

Learn from them.
So terribly heartbreaking.
These parents believed “the professional “
You pay someone, you trust them, they assure you that it’s ok.
Spread the word that these people are wrong.
Save a dog.
Save a family unneeded heartache.
It’s never ok to use pain, fear and intimidation.
Never ok
💔😞
Hug your own dog, if they like it. Tell them that you will always have their back.