Relax Rover

06/27/2024

Thank you, Annie Phenix! This was so much fun! Please take a look at the The Phenix Advocacy Center for Canine Professionals summer auction happening now through June 30! There are so many incredible goods and services to bid on for both dog guardians and dog pros!

06/26/2024

Dog guardians and dog pros! Live auction, June 21-30, with amazing things to bid on!

Please support the the Phenix Advocacy Center for Canine Professionals - a one-of-a-kind nonprofit, run by the most incredible volunteers who have undergone professional training, that provides peer-to-peer support for R+ canine professionals.
Whether you are a dog guardian or a dog pro, there is something amazing at this live auction for you!

"Canine professionals have had incredible opportunities for decades to learn the science behind training dogs. We endorse modern science that acknowledges that dogs have emotions and that they live happier lives with positive reinforcement training.

Our advocacy center provides what has always been missing in the industry: a safe place for professionals to gather to support each other and to learn about well-being from one another. We are here to provide peer-to-peer support for R+ canine professionals. Our volunteer team has undergone professional training and we are ready to offer our support and collective wisdom."

Help Us Help Dog Pros!!

10/28/2023

When a new dog joins your family, it's so important to give them time to decompress, settle in, and build a relationship with them based on trust and joy. Give them the gift of helping them to feel safe, first and foremost. Skills can be taught at any time. Building trust, deep safety, and joy are more important than teaching sit.

09/20/2023

Kindness first and always

As “gentle parenting” has become a popular method of raising kids punishment-free, a parallel shift is happening in the world of dog training.

09/07/2023

09/01/2023

Silence is violence.

I will never condone the "neutrality" of dog professionals who profess to care for the welfare of dogs and yet they condone the practices of abusive trainers under the guise of being a neutral party and trying to bring the two sides together, of creating dialogue, of educating trainers who use abusive methods on dogs.

The denigration of the force-free community for not embracing abusive trainers and trying to "learn something from them" disgusts me. Learn what? How to hang a dog? How to shock a dog? How to discount the feelings and emotions of a sentient being in the name of obedience? Giving a platform to abusive trainers in the hope that you will show them the error of their ways is disingenuous at best and is incredibly harmful to dogs and their humans.

If you profess to care for the welfare of dogs, then show that by taking a stand against abuse and abusers. But don't profess to care for dogs and then prop up abusers, and try to stomp on force-free dog pros who refuse to buy into that bu****it.

I do not and will not ever have a place at my table for trainers who use abuse under the guise of training, under the guise of "saving dogs." That is not what they are doing. Imagine saying you are against child abuse and then allowing a child abuser a place at your table who has no interest in changing. That would amount to condoning their behavior and actions.

If someone came to me and said, "I never want to use punishment again when training dogs," I would absolutely support them and walk with them on their journey to learning a better way of working with dogs in any way that I was capable of. Many force-free trainers have been there.

To put the onus on the force-free community to actively seek out abusive trainers and collaborate with them is wrong on so many levels. That is not our burden to carry nor will I accept that heap of s**t that some are trying to shovel on top of us. I will not be shamed into silence.

It is not wrong or violent or abusive to call out abuse. Nothing ever changes if you just sit on the fence hoping abusers and oppressors will somehow come to their senses.

I can tell you that the most common phrase I see used when you call out this abuse is, "How many dogs will be put to sleep because you refuse to use a shock collar?" or "With you force-free trainers, it's death before discomfort."

I CALL BU****IT.

You want to see what is really going on? There are tens of thousands of videos on TT, FB, IG showing violence, often extreme violence, against dogs. Not in the name of saving them, but in the name of what they call training. Using a shock collar to teach a dog to go to their bed. Teaching dog caregivers to shock their dog on a walk if they dare to wag their tail or turn their head to look at something. Hanging a dog by a leash because that dog barks and lunges at something they are terrified of. Seriously. I could go on forever. That is not saving lives. We know that abusive training increases fear, increases anxiety, increases aggression.

And the current "trainer" who is in the spotlight for his horrendous abuse of dogs? He is a predator and there are many like him. He seeks to work with dogs who are incredibly vulnerable, but have been labeled "psycho" or "aggressive." He forces them into submission. He touches their bodies without consent. They shut down because they cannot escape. If he was working with humans, he would go to prison. And yet, because he is working with dogs and there are no laws regulating dog training, he gets away with it. And he not only gets away with it, he is praised and lauded as a savior.

This abuser is who neutrality supports. Abusers like him are not interested in learning how to be kinder to dogs. Allowing abusers like him a seat at your table gives them a wider platform to peddle their snake oil.

There is literally decades worth of research and educational materials that anyone can study to learn more about dogs and how we can support and guide them, teach them, help them when they struggle in our human world AND how we can learn from them and let them guide us. Choosing not to and making the conscious choice to use abusive methods because you believe that the means justifies the end goal makes you an abuser.

When I first started out as a dog walker and then a trainer, it was difficult to find a mentor. But NOT ONCE did I consider going to a so-called balanced trainer who is okay with using punishment on dogs if it serves them. I even encountered a handful of positive reinforcement trainers who weren't the kindest. They were the not the majority by any stretch. The vast majority of force-free dog pros are amazing and lovely. But I did not chuck my values to the side. I personally experienced the damage caused by abusive methods and I vowed to never use them again on any dog that I came into contact with or to condone them with passivity in the face of the massive amount of violence perpetrated against dogs.

Neutrality supports the abuse of dogs. I will not oblige this ever.

"Be a fence-jumper instead of a fence-sitter." ~Robert V. Taylor

06/17/2023

Do you share food with your pups? We do every day! Here, they are eating fresh radish greens from our garden 🪴🐶🐕

06/02/2023

What Reactive Dogs Really Need

If you’ve had it with dog training methods that just don’t hold up in real life situations and are inherently unkind to dogs and their humans, have I got some great news for you!

Dog behavior experts from across the globe with a lifetime of experience and knowledge are waiting to share their expertise with YOU. And the best part is that it’s all FREE!

My friend Marilyn Mele gathered together an outstanding group of dog professionals who truly care about dogs and people. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to learn from them!

I saved you a seat so all you need to do now is register for the event!

CLICK HERE NOW TO CLAIM YOUR SEAT FOR FREE. https://dogwisdomworkshop.com/erika-j23

05/17/2023

SAN FRANCISCO

UPDATE: SHE IS FOUND AND HOME
Nova is LOST! She was placed in a home in San Fransisco and bolted out the door a couple nights ago. Please like, share, comment, and get this post in front of as many SF people as possible. If sighted call Kenzie (her human) or message me or

05/05/2023

Always

05/02/2023

I also 100% support a ban on shock collars everywhere. They are never needed.

Thank you, Shay Kelly, for saying it perfectly.

04/26/2023

🐾🐾 What if I told you that I didn’t really believe in training? Although I talk about separation anxiety training, what I’m really focusing on is helping dogs to cope with something they struggle with. 🐾❤️🐶

Too often, when we talk about training we’re focused on control and obedience, but there is a better way. Dogs don't need to be trained. They don't need to be turned into robots.

They need to be understood, and to feel safe.

And they especially don’t need to be punished for behaviors that are perfectly normal and natural to them, but just inconvenient for us.

In our confusing human world, it's our job to help them cope.

👉 So, instead of punishment and control, let's focus on communication and compassion. Let's help our dogs understand the world around them and support their natural instincts.

🐕 Let's be the humans our dogs deserve. Let's create a relationship built on trust, understanding, and love.

👉 Have you tried this approach with your dog? Let me know in the comments below! 🐾❤️🙌

04/26/2023

Check out this podcast episode all about mistakes and forgiveness. All too often, we beat ourselves up for errors we may have made with our dogs. It's easy to feel bad about what we could have done or should have done.

But instead we need to focus on what we can do now, and not beat ourselves up about the past.

And if you're working with a trainer who's making you feel bad – move on! The best trainers are empathetic and supportive, so don't hesitate to seek help from a trainer who gets it.

Remember, we all make mistakes and it's okay to forgive ourselves. Our dogs most definitely forgive us!

Know better. Do better. Let's keep learning and growing. You've got this! 🌟

With special thanks to Certified SA Pro Trainers, Erika Liljefelt of Relax Rover, Viv Peel of Pawsitive Mutts Training & Behaviour, and Amanda Dwyer of Westward Hound for the inspiration!

Episode link is in comments.

04/26/2023

Independent Bookstore Day is just a few weeks away! 📚🎈

Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 29th to celebrate all things indie 🗓️ is a huge sales day for local bookstores, second only to the holiday season. Starting on April 24th, we'll be running a sale on over 1,000+ audiobooks, hosting a giveaway, and more. Plus, 250 stores will be hosting a Golden Ticket contest—whomever finds the ticket on IBD will receive 12 Libro.fm audiobook credits!

Learn more about IBD, how to support your store, and more: https://libro.fm/ibd
__

[ID: Reads: "Independent Bookstore Day: Celebrate with your local bookstore on April, 29 2023!" Balloons are underneath.]

04/20/2023

04/13/2023

I am honored to have been quoted in an article on separation anxiety in dogs along with some other great trainers & behavior professionals.

There’s SO MUCH misinformation and outright harmful “training” advice about separation anxiety that mislead dog caregivers and further traumatize dogs.

Here’s to getting ACCURATE information about separation anxiety and how to treat it out to the world!

Thank you, Val Hughes, for using your platform to get this important information out there.

https://www.fox28spokane.com/separation-anxiety-or-not/?fbclid=IwAR0xtJ3gjpft1Fm8ozk79bM7SwFckkZYXXtWqj0c3GQWb2tCIvSWymYicRU

Recently, I got a request for advice from a local friend who’d helped her neighbor “rescue” a puppy that had been abandoned on a doorstep. “I wanted to reach out for some advice. My neighbor across the street had someone leave a German Shepherd puppy on her porch in a tiny, filthy kennel.

04/12/2023

Consent from THE DOG - not their human - for touching/petting is what counts. Imagine your partner saying to some random guy, “She likes hugs. Go right ahead!”

We need to teach children that dogs are not toys for their entertainment.

“Dogs aren't unconditional lovers—love muffins—who can be approached and touched whenever and wherever people want to have close contact. Similar to humans, dogs can have good and bad days, and our advice, even with familiar dogs, is for humans to be very careful about abruptly entering into their personal space and that they shouldn't touch or hug a dog until they're certain that the dog consents to be touched on their terms. The same goes for cats.”

Many bites are avoidable if we honor what a dog is saying to us.

04/10/2023

04/04/2023

The connection between pain and behavior.

Give your dog the benefit of the doubt.

If your dog is struggling with behavioral issues - for example, fear - it is worth looking into whether they have underlying pain. Dogs are often in a lot of pain before most of us start to see it. This is true if a troubling behavior starts suddenly and when it has been happening for a long time. Puppies can also experience pain from a very young age.

Think about your own behavior when you are in pain.

Ever experienced tooth pain? How's your behavior then?
Back pain? How's your behavior then?
Headache? How's your behavior then?
Gut pain? How's your behavior then?

How often do we ignore our own pain? How often do others not know we are in pain because we don't show it? That doesn't mean it's not there.

Sometimes, we are told by our vets that there is nothing wrong with our dog, that they are just "quirky" or that when they "skip" with a back leg or do a bunny hop that it's just a "habit" or that a leg shaking is common so it's not showing pain or that something is "common" in a particular breed or just common in dogs.

Well, common does not mean it's normal and fine and that we should ignore it. It's very real.

I have heard many stories of people consulting with a few vets before the dog was properly diagnosed. Yes, there are amazing vets who understand this, but it is not uncommon.

Yet another reason not to purposely use punishment on dogs.

THE BIDIRECTIONAL LINK BETWEEN PAIN AND BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS

With the publication of landmark of research such as Mills et al. (2020), pain is commonly being considered as a potential factor in “behaviour problems” diagnosed in dogs. Vets, behaviourists, and other professionals are becoming increasingly aware of the effects of pain, and how this may present as fearfulness or aggression (or in other ways) because when a dog is in pain and feeling vulnerable, emotions like fearfulness and irritability can increase (much like in humans).

Before getting onto how distress may influence pain, some of background information is needed. It was previously thought the amount of tissue damage an animal experienced directly correlated to the amount of pain they experienced, this concept was known as “specificity theory” (Moayedi & Davis, 2020). It is now well known that the concept of “specificity theory” is flawed as contextual cues massively impact how we process pain (Wiech et al., 2008). Additionally, some individuals are hypersensitive to pain, there are two broad categories of pain hypersensitivity: allodynia and hyperalgesia.

Allodynia refers to when normally non-painful stimulus elicits a pain response and hyperalgesia refers to when a normally mildly pain eliciting stimulus induces an extreme pain response (Jensen & Finnerup, 2014). See the image below for a comparison of allodynia and hyperalgesia. This type of pain is no less real (we still see exactly the same pain neurocircuitry activating) and can be very distressing for the individual that experiences it. There is also some evidence this type of pain is adaptive from an evolutionary perspective as sensitisation of pain circuitry can reduce predation risk (Crooke et al., 2014).

Pain hypersensitivity has been associated with some medical conditions, especially those that cause nerve damage such as diabetes, however it can also be caused by emotional distress. There is a growing body of research that suggests that hyperalgesia can be caused by chronic stress and emotional trauma (Jennings et al., 2014; Qi et al., 2016) with similar results indicating chronic stress and emotional trauma increase the risk of allodynia development (Dib et al., 2021; Bardin et al., 2009).

So with this in mind, there is strong evidence the link between pain and distress is bidirectional. This has really important implications for practice, as it indicates when we are working with a dog that experiences pain, a pain management plan should consider both medical interventions and interventions that reduce stress or support trauma recovery to help the dog get out of “survival mode” (still ensuring all behavioural interventions are not contraindicated with the medical side of the dog’s pain management/pain recovery plan).

For more on this sign up to Trauma Informed Pet Professionals in May 2023.

Daniel Shaw GMBPsS, CDBC

References:

Bardin, L., Malfetes, N., Newman-Tancredi, A., & Depoortere, R. (2009). Chronic restraint stress induces mechanical and cold allodynia, and enhances inflammatory pain in rat: Relevance to human stress-associated painful pathologies. Behavioural brain research, 205(2), 360-366.

Dib, P., Zhang, Y., Ihnat, M. A., Gallucci, R. M., & Standifer, K. M. (2021). TNF-alpha as an initiator of allodynia and anxiety-like behaviors in a preclinical model of PTSD and comorbid pain. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 721999.

Crook, R. J., Dickson, K., Hanlon, R. T., & Walters, E. T. (2014). Nociceptive sensitization reduces predation risk. Current Biology, 24(10), 1121-1125.

Jennings, E. M., Okine, B. N., Roche, M., & Finn, D. P. (2014). Stress-induced hyperalgesia. Progress in Neurobiology, 121, 1-18.

Jensen, T. S., & Finnerup, N. B. (2014). Allodynia and hyperalgesia in neuropathic pain: Clinical manifestations and mechanisms. The Lancet Neurology, 13(9), 924-935.

Mills, D. S., Demontigny-Bédard, I., Gruen, M., Klinck, M. P., McPeake, K. J., Barcelos, A. M., ... & Levine, E. (2020). Pain and problem behavior in cats and dogs. Animals, 10(2), 318.

Moayedi, M., & Davis, K. D. (2013). Theories of pain: from specificity to gate control. Journal of Neurophysiology, 109(1), 5-12.

Qi, J., Chen, C., Meng, Q. X., Wu, Y., Wu, H., & Zhao, T. B. (2016). Crosstalk between activated microglia and neurons in the spinal dorsal horn contributes to stress-induced hyperalgesia. Scientific Reports, 6(1), 1-12.

Wiech, K., Ploner, M., & Tracey, I. (2008). Neurocognitive aspects of pain perception. Trends in cognitive sciences, 12, 306-313.

(Figure reprinted from Lolignier et al., 2015).

03/21/2023

I still feel confused at times as to why there is still such a pushback to using food to train your dog.
“When will I not have to use it anymore?”
“Will I always have to have food on me?”
“Won’t he then become obsessed with all food?”
“I want him to do it because he loves me, not because I have food”
“Using food is cheating”
“Using food means you’re bribing not training”
“Using food will make my dog fat”
“I never had to use food with my last dog.”

These are all just some of the insane things I’ve heard and still hear. And it makes me crazy because I can’t imagine saying these things to my employees.
“When will I not have to pay you anymore?”
“If I pay you are you going to just become obsessed with money?”
“I really want you to work for me because you love me, not because I pay you”

Food is a tool. It is a TOOL. And just like any tool it can be used well or used poorly, but it’s one of the only tools in dog training that I hear more myths about than any other. And that’s unfortunate because when used properly it does so many good things -

Food is a primary reinforcer and for most dogs it’s the most valuable thing they can get. This makes it enormously powerful when trying to teach them how to do something new and/or complicated. That doesn’t mean they don’t appreciate a pet on the head, but they’d rather have the food and there’s NOTHING wrong with that. Just like you’d rather be paid in dollars rather than chocolate bars.

Food is fast. It’s easy to deliver, portable, and also variable in value (kibble vs cheese) so it’s very flexible also depending on your level and stage of training.

Food can help create powerful positive associations for dogs as well as counter condition negative associations they already have because of its value to them. Using food in the presence of other dogs, people and environments helps your dog have a positive association with them and this in and of itself is incredibly powerful. That’s something I don’t think we consider nearly enough when training our dogs even when they’ve past the learning phase.

Food does not have to make your dog a beggar, fat, or totally dependent on it. The context in which you deliver it, the way you ration out the food - treats vs meals and healthy choices - and also the way you cue the dog when training all help alleviate these issues.

I pay my dogs regularly and have no shame in that. As they get better at skills I ask them to work harder or longer for the pay just like as adults we have to work a full week or two before we get our paychecks. I use higher value for harder things - just like you like to get paid time and a half when you work Christmas, and lower value for easy stuff. I watch to make sure my dogs hope for the reward but don’t expect it and don’t take it personally when they’d rather come back to me for cheese instead of a pet. I focus on the fact that they came back.

Getting paid at work is a big reinforcer for us but it’s also not the only reason we go is it? The relationships you have with your coworkers, the pride you have in your job etc are all intricate parts of your motivation, but that takes TIME to build, and at first it’s usually just for the pay. Same with training your dog. At first, yes, it’s for the food, but as you continue and do it right it becomes more about the teamwork, the fun and the relationship, not just the pay. And THAT’S what I wish more people understood. Over time your dog will work often without food for you because he truly enjoys it now, and he’s been reinforced by the relationship and countless reinforcements over time. But you have to put that time and patience in first to get there. And it’s worth it. I promise.
-Helen St. Pierre

03/17/2023

In anxious dogs, the structure of their brain is different than those who are not anxious. This makes a lot of sense and helps to explain why it can be so hard to help our anxious pups. It also gives more strength to the belief that we should not ever punish our dogs for anxious and fearful behavior (or anything else, for that matter).

https://www.sciencealert.com/anxious-dogs-have-measurable-differences-in-their-brains-that-are-similar-to-ours?fbclid=IwAR3QKDNIRVbdfilRxKzzFd6zqGNSpMQ-B84s16KflAACKCjqPk65xl5RoXk

Dog ownership is a lot of furry companionship, tail wags and chasing balls, and ample unconditional love.

03/14/2023

"Choose snacks not shocks"

It's all very well trainers and dog professionals debating training methods, but has anyone thought to ask the most important stakeholder in the debate—dogs?

You only have to watch a dog being trained with treats to know how much they love rewards-based methods.

Contrast that with the body language of dog being trained with methods intended to hurt of scare.

Dogs don't get to choose the training we impose on them. But we can choose ethical, kind methods for them.

Choose snacks not shocks.

03/07/2023

It is never worth it to use punishment on your dog.

https://www.woofliketomeet.com/2021/03/a-lifetime-of-correction/?fbclid=IwAR0yDTvk_509Lkmy-_6jPHhDPyXb3nO4KxBOPBL19IeEvwLz4Fm4EUQKOT4

Recently, the dog-training social media world has been once again in dispute over punishment. I hate this. Nobody ever really falls out over using toys as a reward. The arguments are always the same. Some people claim that punishment works. And it may - with many, many provisos. First off, you need....