Lucky Farms Animal Rescue

Lucky Farms Animal Rescue Lucky Farms Animal Rescue is a 501c3 devoted to rescuing & finding homes for giants breed dogs
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11/12/2024

BONE TO PICK: Dominance is one word that I really, really, really would like to remove from the dog owner's vocabulary.

Let me start by saying that what people think is dominance almost never is. In fact, out of the over 4,000 dogs that I have worked with in group classes and private lessons over the last 15 years, I have never seen a behavior that didn't have a more reasonable explanation than a quest for total domination.

Aggression and dominance are not the same thing. They do not have the same meaning. Just because a dog has exhibited aggression does not mean it has anything to do with dominance.

Fear. Frustration. Incomplete training. Learning history.

The causes of every behavior problem I see. And, before your reply to this post with, "But you don't work with aggressive dogs," know that my practice is limited to fear and aggression. That's all I work with these days. Still, no dominance to be found.

Fear. Frustration. Incomplete training. Learning history.

Take a look at any behavior that you might consider to be dominance and then ask if any of those explanations might make more sense.

-The dog at the dog park who growls at other dogs. Fear, not dominance.
-The dog who doesn't "listen" when called. Incomplete training and learning history, not dominance.
-The dog who snaps at the vet. Fear and learning history, not dominance.
-The dog who lunges and barks at other dogs on-leash, but plays well with dogs in the dog park. Frustration and incomplete leash training, not dominance.
-The dog who bolts out the front door and leads his family on a 45 minute chase through the neighborhood. Incomplete training and learning history, not dominance.

I'm not dismissing the scientific concept of dominance entirely. However, it is very complex, with multiple definitions depending on who is defining it and what they apply it to. And if it comes from the mouth of a trainer using dominance to justify a particular training method or equipment, the definition is not even close to accurate and they're missing the signs of fear, frustration, or the fact that something has gone wrong in the training process.

The most simplified and scientifically-accurate definition, as presented by Patricia McConnell, PhD, is "priority access to preferred resources." That's basically what it's about. Who gets first dibs.

Now, who, with their bigger brain and opposable thumbs, has first dibs on things the dog wants, the dog or the human? Hint: Dogs don't have thumbs. That means, by a stroke of evolutionary luck, you already have priority access to everything, since your dog can't get food, water, toys, etc., without your thumbs...not to mention your debit card.

You're ALREADY dominant. No need to jerk, roll, hang, poke, pinch, or shock the dog, just use those preferred resources wisely in exchange for good behavior (see prior post on Premack Principle).

Dogs don't get to choose where they live or who they live with. They don't get to choose where they walk or even if they get outside for walks. They don't get to choose what you feed them or when. They don't get to choose whether or not you take them to the dog park or the beach. They don't get to choose what vet they see or what medical treatment they receive. They don't get to choose whether or not they accompany you on vacation or where they get boarded. They don't get to choose whether they live with you for the rest of their lives or get returned to the shelter.

Their safety and survival is subject to our every whim.

And we're obsessed with whether or not we're dominant???

Instead of worrying about whether your dog IS dominant, is BEING dominant, or THINKS he's dominant, focus on what your dog DOES. She growls at people who reach for her rawhide. She jumps on the counter when you're preparing food.

Now, rather than try to punish out a dog's thoughts (a'la Harrison Bergeron - great short story, BTW), we can focus on teaching our dogs what we want them to do. That's where a training or behavior modification plan comes in.

Dominance is just not a useful concept. It relies on assumptions about what a dog is thinking. You're never going to know what your dog is thinking (at least not until they invent the collars from "Up"...Squirrel!).

Frankly, I'm not concerned with what a dog is thinking, I'm concerned with what they're doing. And, when they are relaxed and lying on a mat and looking at me in anticipation of something good instead of growling and lunging at visitors, I've already solved the problem without trying to read their thoughts.

And, yes, that includes feral Malipits from working lines who were born under a full moon on Leap Year. Or Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and any other breed that anyone might want to claim have super special different brains and learn differently from every other species on the planet.

Don't just take my word on the issue of dominance, here's information from people who study the behavior of dogs and wolves for a living:

http://img2.timg.co.il/forums/1_139885255.pdf

http://avsabonline.org/uploads/position_statements/dominance_statement.pdf

http://4pawsu.com/alphawolf.pdf

BUTS

"But, what about dogs in the same household who fight? Isn't THAT dominance???" Again, that requires us to make assumptions about what the dogs are thinking, to assume that they are fighting for status in a hierarchy of their imagination.

Usually, it's a complex combination of access to resources (including access to owner, sleeping areas, toys, bones, etc.) AND learning history. In other words, once fights start to happen, the dogs are living under a heightened level of stress and overly defensive, especially in situations or locations where fights happened before.

This article accurately describes "status-related aggression." However, notice that the reference is is a small paragraph, not the basis of the entire article. Because there are many other reasons that dogs in the same household may begin to fight.

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/13_4/features/Dog-Fighting-Behavior-Aggression_16214-1.html

COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Because there are some [expletive deleted] people out there who have begun to take and modify my materials, please note: These images and the articles that accompany them (along with the typos) are 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.

11/12/2024

Great infographic from SpiritDog Training

11/12/2024

What is a ‘sociable dog’? 🤔

A sociable dog is not one that will simply play with every dog they see; it is a dog that can be in the presence of other dogs in a calm way. A sociable dog is not always a ‘friendly’ dog either, it is one that chooses to not react when around other dogs, so long as the other dogs leave them alone.

Play is important of course, but more important is having a dog that is able to ‘just be around’ other dogs in a calm way, as some dogs are over-enthusiastic and some are reactive if other dogs rush-up.

We definitely should never ‘let them get on with it’. Just think about that; should we let a Great Dane rush up to play with a Chihuahua? Of course not, one overly-friendly paw from the Dane onto the Chihuahua’s back, and it’s likely to be game-over for the little fella…. 😬

So, in order to get a sociable dog, we may need to manage the environment for them to help them succeed in being calm around dogs in general; take time to allow them all to settle and relax, and don’t allow any non-consensual play or high-energy games to start with (and only then with dogs of a similar character).

More often than not, it’s the initial meeting that sparks confrontation, so watch the dog’s body language and manage them for their best possible outing.

Let us know if you would like some help with this.

11/12/2024

Dogs want boundaries, set expectations, structure & consistency. They thrive with it. Just like you wouldn’t/shouldn’t let children make all decisions on their own, neither should you let a dog.

Thank you Veterans!!
11/11/2024

Thank you Veterans!!

On this Veterans Day….. daletoons.com

11/11/2024

Love your pet. Protect their heart. Give heartworm preventive for life.

11/11/2024

When a dog growls that is communication, it is your warning that something is not right. The dog is clearly uncomfortable with the situation, and your job as the human (with the big brain and opposable thumbs and reasoning skills) is to figure out what is wrong, and fix it. Punishing a dog for growling means they will stop warning you when things are uncomfortable or too difficult for them. That is how you create dogs who "bite out of nowhere." So love a growling dog, he doesn't want to hurt you, but he needs you to stop and figure out what's wrong.

Adopted!! Wilson found his forever family and we couldn't be happier for him!!
11/11/2024

Adopted!!

Wilson found his forever family and we couldn't be happier for him!!

🧡Available for adoption🧡🧡Axel🧡approx 2 year old 55 lb male English Bulldog✅Neutered, had cherry eye surgery & UTD on vet...
11/10/2024

🧡Available for adoption🧡

🧡Axel
🧡approx 2 year old 55 lb male English Bulldog
✅Neutered, had cherry eye surgery & UTD on vet care, vaccines & preventatives
🐶Axel is a lady's man and prefers female dogs. No male dogs.
🐱Cats unknown
👧🏻Good with kids
🏠Housebroken & crate trained
✅Physically fenced yard PREFFERED
✅We REQUIRE separate fencing to any bodies of water, such as pools & ponds.
✅English bulldog experience PREFERRED
🌎Located in Nashville TN area
🚗We adopt NATIONWIDE

Axel is a young & playful bulldog. He loves to play keep away with his toys. He loves playing tug o'war and will cheat to win. He will crawl up in a chair to be in your lap. He likes to look out the window and watch for visitors. Axel will let you know when someone pulls in the driveway. He loves to ride in the car and always ready for the next adventure. Axel is very chill and low maintenance. He loves being with the family and will follow them around the house. Axel is a lady's man and needs to be the only male dog in the house.

If you need personal space, he’s not for you but if you’re looking for a low maintenance, adorable best friend that snuggles with on the couch ( or preferably your bed) Axel is your bully.

Axel is neutered, had cherry eye repair and UTD on vet care, vaccines and preventatives. He is currently in a foster home in the Nashville TN area. We adopt NATIONWIDE but require adopters to travel to the foster home with their current dog/dogs (to ensure they will be friends) to pick up. Out of respect for our foster family's time and privacy, we do NOT arrange meet and greets without an approved application on file. If you're interested in adopting Axel, you can view our requirements and fill out an adoption application at https://www.luckyfarmsrescue.org/adoption

11/10/2024

A TALE ABOUT TAILS
A wagging tail doesn’t always mean a happy dog.
It’s commonly believed that a waggy tail means a happy dog, but that isn’t always the case. Whether it’s long, short, curly or straight, the tail is a very important communication tool.
Before we try to learn the language of a tail, it’s important to recognise that the neutral or natural position of a dog’s tail differs between breeds. Beagles may naturally hold their tails pointing straight up, while Greyhounds and Whippets, naturally look like their tail is held between their legs. Pugs and Bostons have tails that coil up against their back and may not wag at all.
A wag to the right generally indicates that dogs are happy or excited, while a wag to the left is usually from uncertainty, fear anxiety or other negative feelings. This makes sense from a neurological point of view because each side of a dog's brain controls opposite sides of his body. The left side of the brain controls emotions like love and attachment while the right-side controls feelings like fear or anxiety. So, when a dog is happy the left side of the brain causes the tail to wag right and when a dog is not happy the right brain causes it to sway left.
Besides communication, the tail also functions as a rudder when swimming and is important for balance, especially when running as it allows for fast turning without falling over.
When we understand the function of the tail and how important it is, it’s difficult to comprehend why many owners / breeders chose to dock a dog’s tail. Some observational studies have shown that there are a higher number of aggressive incidents involving dogs with docked tails. This is not surprising, as an important communication tool is missing. Thankfully this inhumane and cruel mutilation practice has been made illegal in many countries.
Have a look at what your dog’s tail is doing in different situations. It’s so interesting to watch (at least for me!) and can tell you so much about how your dog is feeling.

11/10/2024

What do you do when you feel uncomfortable in a social situation? Do you fiddle with your hands, get out your phone or excuse yourself? 😳

Dogs also have similar strategies, but we don't always see them; these are called 'Calming Signals' and are subtle behaviours used to show stress and discomfort and to diffuse tension in ambiguous social-situations.

Have you ever seen your dog yawn, even though they weren't tired? Or stop in the middle of play to sniff the ground? They could be using these very signals! This means your dog has excellent body language skills. 🙌

You can also clearly see them being used in Youtube videos by certain punishment-based trainers that may be trying to 'dominate' the dog, but when looking at the dog's body language and calming signals, we can see the dog is trying their utmost to diffuse the situation, rather than take them on as an aggressor...

'Calming signals' are truly key in dog-on-dog interactions, not only in their use but also in other dogs recognising them; if a dog is showing clear signals they are uncomfortable and if another dog ignores it, this is when aggression and other problematic situations occur. This is exactly the same with people, so if you see your (or another) dog displaying calming signals when a human is interacting with them, make sure you take steps to give that dog space. 😊

**It is also important to be aware of breeds, as some, like the bulldog here, may have the whites of their eyes showing, due to droopy skin etc. Always be aware of context.

11/10/2024

Reactivity and fixation. Often hand in hand.
While many may be familiar with the staring, hard face, stiff body and possible closed mouth when fixating on a stimuli...there are plenty more signs your dog may be fixating.

Raised hackles/Piloerection....
This can cause a dog to "fluff" up or bristle their tail...it could be in just a few areas, a ridge down the spine or the whole coat. This can certainly happen at many other times too and many of these are not connected to reactivity/fixation.
As with everything in reading your dog...context is everything.
As is the whole picture.

Another sign your dog may be fixating is the lengthening of the whole neck...straining forward while usually not moving the body..... often this is paired with the chest puffing/sticking out and legs anchored well back.
The lengthening and stretching out can accompany a lower or higher neck/head position or just straight out in front.

Peeking is often displayed too.
This is a dogs head moving their head side to side without turning their head.
It can look like they have an invisible tree in front and need to peek around it to see the stimuli....but the body usually stays still.

These are only some of the signs of possible fixation.
There are many more and some dogs will certainly not display them all. Some breeds will never have their hackles raised due to their type of coat...but may certainly have other signs.

Please respect that these graphics take time and effort to make. Everyone is free to share on social media, however off social media use of these marked graphics is prohibited. Unmarked graphics are available for $ 1.20 USD or $ 2 NZD each (approx), these are then able to be used off Facebook for client handouts, posters or for personal use.
Please visit ABC Dogs Patreon Shop for Graphics Unmarked All graphics belong to ABC Dogs NZ and are under copyright.




















⭐️Available for adoption⭐️💜Elina 💜1 yr old petite female Great Dane ✅UTD on vet care, vaccines & preventatives 🐶Good wit...
11/10/2024

⭐️Available for adoption⭐️

💜Elina
💜1 yr old petite female Great Dane
✅UTD on vet care, vaccines & preventatives
🐶Good with other dogs
🐱Good with cats but will try to play with them
👧🏻Kids 8+ yrs old unless they’ve lived with a giant breed recently
🏠Housebroken and crate trained
🌎Location Huntsville AL area
🚗We adopt nationwide

Elina is a typical “Velcro Dane” and loves to snuggle with her foster sister Chloe, or with her foster humans. She is friendly and playful with other dogs her size, she has not met any smaller dogs as of yet. She’s good with cats, though she does sometimes chase them. She is a young dog with lots of puppy energy, and she is very food and treat motivated. She loves attention and belly rubs, and napping on the couch. She’s house and crate trained, and is learning leash manners.

Elina is UTD on vet care, vaccines and preventatives. She is currently in a foster home in the Huntsville AL area. We adopt NATIONWIDE but require adopters to travel to the foster home with their current dog/dogs (to ensure they will be friends) to pick up. Out of respect for our foster family's time and privacy, we do NOT arrange meet and greets without an approved application on file. If you're interested in adopting Elina, you can view our requirements, age based adoption fees and fill out an adoption application https://www.luckyfarmsrescue.org/adoption

🖤Available for adoption🖤🏴‍☠️Pirate 🏴‍☠️1 yr old male purebred Great Dane (DNA test confirmed) ✅ UTD on vet care, vaccine...
11/09/2024

🖤Available for adoption🖤

🏴‍☠️Pirate
🏴‍☠️1 yr old male purebred Great Dane (DNA test confirmed)
✅ UTD on vet care, vaccines and preventatives
🐶Good with other dogs
🐱Cats unknown
👧🏻Kids 8+ yrs old unless they've recently lived with a giant breed
🏠Housebroken & crate trained
🌎Location Memphis TN
🚗We adopt NATIONWIDE

Pirate is a sweet, playful, active puppy who loves everyone he meets, human and canine. He is so funny! He loves to sleep on his back with his mouth wide open and often snores. He loves stuffed squeaky toys. He also loves pulling the fluff out of them, so keep an eye on him!

Pirate knows sit, come, and is working on lay down. He is food motivated and loves treats. He is a classic velcro Dane and will follow you from room to room.

Pirate suffered a broken leg that developed an infection before coming into the rescue. After several weeks of antibiotics, he was cleared by the specialist. He has some swelling at the site that may never completely go away, but he doesn't seem to notice! He loves zooming around the yard with his foster siblings!

Pirate is good with other dogs. He currently lives with big and medium dogs. He would do best with another energetic dog to play with. He would also do well as an only dog because he loves people so much. He is potty trained and great in his crate. He will go in on his own if you tell him "kennel."

Pirate is UTD on vet care, vaccines and preventatives. He is currently in a foster home in Memphis, TN. We adopt NATIONWIDE but require adopters to travel to the foster home with their current dog/dogs (to ensure they will be friends) to pick up. Out of respect for our foster family's time and privacy, we do NOT arrange meet and greet without an approved application on file. If you’re interested in adopting Pirate, you can view our requirements, age based adoption fees and fill out an adoption application at https://www.luckyfarmsrescue.org/adoption

"Learning to speak our dog’s language is the first thing we should do for them, as they try so hard to learn ours." -
11/09/2024

"Learning to speak our dog’s language is the first thing we should do for them, as they try so hard to learn ours." -

Learning to speak our dog’s language is the first thing we should do for them, as they try so hard to learn ours.

Find weekly body language videos on the app. Start your free trial with the link in my bio.

11/09/2024
11/09/2024

A dogs eyes can clearly show us how they feel BUT everything needs to be taken in context.
Some dogs naturally have a tighter face and more whites of the eyes will show....yet it is also a sign of extreme anxiousness for some.
So how do you tell ?

There will be other accompanying signs.
Posture hunching.
Ears flattening.
Changes in behaviour.
Skulking.
Seeking shelter under tables or beds.
Lowering heads and gazes.
Tension and wrinkling in the face...and much more

There are many signs of stress a dog can give and their eyes certainly do show some.
Another common one is avoiding eye contact...or not taking their eyes of someone.
Blinking, squinting and quick glances at something they may be unsure about.

As always, it is very important to take the WHOLE picture into account....because a blink can just be a blink.

Please respect that these graphics take time and effort to make. Everyone is free to share on social media, however off social media use of these marked graphics is prohibited. Unmarked graphics are available for $ 1.20 USD or $ 2 NZD each (approx), these are then able to be used off Facebook for client handouts, posters or for personal use.
Please visit ABC Dogs Patreon Shop for Graphics Unmarked All graphics belong to ABC Dogs NZ and are under copyright.




















11/09/2024

Dog licks are often thought of as doggy kisses. But, it’s actually something to take a step back and notice. And could sometimes be considered a, “Kiss to Dismiss” (more on that below). These licks do trigger some questions that may seem a bit silly to ask in response. Something like, “Describe the licks for me. Fast, slow, and then does the dog move away?”
“Is it a full tongue or a little bit?”
“Full tongue lick or quick flick?”
“Is the child sitting and the dog approaches or vice versa, what level of mobility does the child have, is food present or remnant?

There’s many questions! But, these questions help us gather valuable information to help us understand what the dog may be communicating. At Family Paws Parent Education, we want to help parents consider and recognize that dog licks may not always be what we think they are, “affectionate kisses”, or indications of “love,” but could have other meanings. We refer to this as “Kiss to Dismiss”. If you are curious of these doggy “kisses” and if they are a “Kiss to Dismiss”, ask yourself,
🐶 Is your dog in need of space? (what just happened? Did your baby crawl closer to your dog?)
🐶 Is your dog in need of space and there is a reason they may choose not to move? (example: comfy spot, resource, pain)
🐶 Does this licking deter closeness or lead to an increase in space?

Thank you, Steve Bishop of Bishops Gate Dog Training for this graphic! Steve is also a Family Paws Parent Educator.
We do not recommend baby and dogs interact as shown in these illustrations. Never allow your baby to crawl up to or freely explore your dog in this way.

You can also find him on Instagram at

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