Force Free St. Louis

03/19/2023

A DOG BITE PREVENTION PROGRAM FOR KIDS & FAMILIES

The Be a Tree program is a dog bite prevention seminar program for school-age children. This program focuses on fun and interactive activities to teach children how to read dog body language and how to act safely around both their own dog and strange dogs.
Learn more here: https://doggonesafe.com/Be-A-Tree

03/19/2023

https://fearfreeshelters.com/

Reduce fear, stress, anxiety, and frustration in shelter pets with Fear Free. All shelter employees and volunteers can register for FREE.

03/16/2023

As dog guardians, we all want our loyal companions to be well-behaved and happy. But when our dogs exhibit undesirable behaviour, we may be tempted to resort to quick fixes like punishment collars or trainers who use forceful techniques. However, these methods come at a high cost to both the dog and...

03/05/2023

A reward-based approach is the best way to deal with behaviour issues in dogs. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior recommends the use of reward-based methods for behaviour issues as well as for basic manners. In their position statement on humane dog training, they review the evidence and explain why reward-based methods are best. They say, "Reward-based learning offers the most advantages and least harm to the learner's welfare. Research supports the efficacy of reward-based training to address unwanted and challenging behaviours. There is no evidence that aversive training is necessary for dog training or behavior modification." You can download their full statement on their website:https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/AVSAB-Humane-Dog-Training-Position-Statement-2021.pdf

02/19/2023

02/04/2023

Window reactivity....highly problematic and stressful for everyone. This "game" is responsible for high levels of anxiety and stress to many dogs.
Barking is NOT the only sign your dog is being stressed by this repeated action....it is just that barking is far more noticeable to some people.....the anxiety/stress started a long time before.

Many dogs will wait and wait and wait......finally they are "rewarded" for that fixation with a fleeting glimpse of whatever they react to.
People
Cars
Dogs
Birds
Neighbours
Cycles
Wind moving a tree....there are many individual triggers.

They may race around the house in a pattern to another window to view and react again......then when out of view, back to the original spot to wait...and wait some more.

This IS a highly damaging "game" for dogs.

Many people with anxious dogs may not actually realise their dogs do this when they are out of the house.....as it may not happen when you or the family are home.
You may have a highly anxious dog but are completely unsure why. Set up a camera and watch while you are gone for a few hours.

There are many ways to help this.
Baby gates.
These limit movement and are one solution (but easily jumped by larger dogs).
The "easiest" solution is window film.....not a popular solution for some people. Blinds and curtains are often ineffective as dogs will position themselves to watch through/under or around them. Watch the height of chairs your dog may use to peer over the film....think about ways to prevent that, you may need to move furniture around.
Aesthetically it may not be appealing for some, or the film has to be incredibly high if the triggers are birds. Some people are reluctant to use film as a solution especially if they have a fantastic view..... but make no mistake.....this very rarely gets better by itself.

It can also get a WHOLE lot worse.

Reactivity can morphs outwards and what once was a reaction to dogs passing has now involved birds also....or cars....or cars and now cyclists and people.

The film may work well for some but there is a big caution sign at the bottom of the graphic.....for a small amount of dogs blocking view can be incredibly stressful....and a SMALL amount of dogs can find themselves in an even MORE stressful environment.

Try the film....it can be a miracle solution but PLEASE get a trainer in if this causes other issues.
Highly stressed dogs need help quickly.

Enjoy the difference and peace...because your dog absolutely will.

12/13/2022

DO YOU NEED SHOCK FOR A RELIABLE RECALL?

Short answer: NO

Longer answer: I met a woman in the park recently with two large dogs who had been trained to recall on shock. She said they had a strong "prey drive," so the shock worked pretty well except when they were focused on wildlife. I observed her repeatedly command her dogs to lie down. They finally obeyed, first one, then the other.

Let's unpack this just a little. First of all, there is no such thing as "prey drive" in dogs. Dogs are NOT predators, they are opportunists and scavengers.

Further, a "drive," another word for instinct, is complex, and is not properly referred to by the object of the "drive." For example, thirst could be said to be a "drive," but we don't say an animal or a person has a "water drive," do we? "Drive" varies by circumstances.

The thirstier an animal is, the less picky it is about what it will drink. I have observed my own dogs drink from muddy tire tracks on a walk, yet only drink from their clean water bowl at home after I add fresh water.

Getting back to "prey drive." Dogs again, are not predators, and they don't chase cats because they are hungry. A trained police dog doesn't attack the arm of a criminal because he is hungry, nor does a Golden Retriever chase and retrieve a ball because it is hungry.

My late dog, Opal, flew over jumps and retrieved dumbbells, not because of "prey drive," but because she was FULL of enthusiasm!

Now, about those shock collars, referred to euphemistically as "e-collars."

Here is another myth: shock is required for a better, more reliable recall.

It is not.

On this page I have repeatedly discussed the problems with punishment, aka as "correction," including shock. As anyone who has seen my dogs in action, or has been in my classes or private lessons knows, positive reinforcement training is powerful!

Unlike the woman who explained to me that shock ("e" ) was necessary to train her high "prey drive" dogs to come when called, I can teach a dog to come when called without this, and so have my clients.

I have had clients who have completed training with me tell me they have been able to call their dogs away from other dogs and wildlife using what they learned from me, and I have reliably been able to call my own dogs away from wildlife and from long distances without the use of any shock.

The use of pain or the threat of pain or uncomfortable consequences is not necessary in dog training. In many cases is is counterproductive. This is borne out by the scientific literature, not just my personal experience.

© 2022 Cindy Ludwig, M.A., B.S., R.N.
Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA, CCPDT)
Graduate, Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training & Behavior,
Professional Dog Trainer Program
Owner, Canine Connection LLC
Willard, Missouri