Speak Canine

08/19/2024

This is not a shade shelter, it's an oven

08/19/2024

RED ALERT!! These dogs are currently destined for a "shelter" that is infamous for neglect and abuse. Their owner is facing eviction, and she is afraid for her babies. PLEASE just give a few dollars to support their vet costs so that they can be transported out of state to safety.

08/18/2024

You can't love your dog into (or out of) clinical anxiety like separation anxiety. It's just more complicated than that. We're here to help, though, if you need to make changes.

08/18/2024

Thank you Chirag! 🙏

07/29/2024

07/29/2024

Please ignore the chain collar.

Did you know?

Dogs release pheromones from a variety of body parts. The term pheromone derives from the Greek word "pherein" which means "to transport" and the word "mone" meaning hormone.

The term is therefore utilized to depict those volatile, odorous substances that are secreted for the purpose of causing a physiological reaction in the dogs who receives them.

Discover more about 6 fascinating ways dogs release them and how they impact their behaviors: https://dogdiscoveries.com/curiosity/dogs-release-pheromones

07/16/2024

"It may be tempting to keep exposing our dog to a trigger in the hope that they will just get over it, but without careful behaviour modification through counterconditioning and systematic desensitisation, the most likely outcome is that we flood them and they will become further sensitised instead."

SINGLE EVENT LEARNING

I would say that most guardians are aware that puppies go through sensitive periods where it is crucial that they have positive experiences in order to build confidence and resilience as they grow and learn. It is becoming more widely recognised that there is far more to socialisation than simply repeatedly exposing a puppy to anything and everything, having as many experiences as possible. Positive associations must be made in order for a puppy to thrive and develop an optimistic outlook.

However, once a puppy reaches maturity, this does not exclude him from the risk of developing fearful behaviours later on. Single Event Learning, also known as One Trial Learning, can occur at any stage in a dog's life. Just one encounter resulting in a negative experience can trigger a fearful reaction which becomes ingrained in the memory, having a long-lasting impact. If this fear isn't addressed appropriately, it can lead to emotional shutdown, long-term fear, trauma, anxiety, and phobias; therefore, we must always respect how our dogs are feeling, regardless of whether we view their fear as justified or rational.

It may be tempting to keep exposing our dog to a trigger in the hope that they will just get over it, but without careful behaviour modification through counterconditioning and systematic desensitisation, the most likely outcome is that we flood them and they will become further sensitised instead. A neutral level of exposure is essential, allowing the dog to feel safe and remain below threshold; a stressed, worried dog will not have the mental capacity to facilitate learning and the creation of new emotional responses.

Although we cannot shield them from every potential stressor, we can help them feel safe by managing them and their environment, and by not placing them in situations in which they do not yet have the skills with which to cope.

© Trailie Paws For Thought
www.trailiepawsforthought.com

I’m very happy for all of my content to be shared, but please do not copy and paste (to avoid sharing from source), screenshot, or download any part of it. THANK YOU! 🐾 🐾

07/11/2024

There is not one single dog on earth who "needs a heavy hand."

07/11/2024

Behavioral Euthanasia

[CW: Animal death. May be upsetting to read.]

There was once a shelter dog with no name. He was brown and white with floppy ears and a sweet little face. And he was terrified. For the 2 weeks he was with us, we tried so hard to bond with him safely. Every day I sat with my back to the kennel, tossing treats and speaking softly, but he was too frightened to do anything but growl. It wasn’t safe to move him without a catch pole because his fear made him lash out… He never would have been happy in a home.

So I advised them to put him down. He wasn’t the first or the last, but he stuck with me the most.

Behavioral euthanasia is one of the most stigmatized subjects in the dog world. Many people see it as “giving up” on the dog. They’re wrong. When your family lets a pet go for behavioral reasons, it’s because you’ve done literally all you could for the safety of everyone involved. You’ve used every available resource, you may have even tried rehoming your dog to no avail. But let me be the first to tell you: IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT. YOU DID NOT FAIL.

BE is the most loving, selfless gift you could ever give. You sacrificed your own happiness for the sake of your dog’s quality of life, and that was very brave. Maybe you made the sacrifice for the safety of your family, your other pets, or the public. Maybe your dog was not able to enjoy life due to the restrictions of their behavior. Maybe you just didn’t have the time or money to commit to further training, or training was extremely stressful for your dog. Whatever the circumstances, THAT’S REAL LOVE.

You’re absolutely not alone. We BE owners and consultants feel isolated from other dog enthusiasts because of the judgment (and straight up hate) that we might face. We keep it a carefully guarded secret, even from our closest friends and family. We dread questions like “Did you even try THIS?” Of course we tried that! We tried every ethical way we could. We made a call that was gut-wrenchingly awful, and we had a damn good reason, pardon my French.

But no matter what you’ve tried (or not), you’ve done your absolute best. Others may not understand that, but I do. You’re grieving, and you can’t share your grief for fear of being ostracized, so your mourning is multiplied. I GET IT. I REALLY DO.

When no-name was sedated, I was finally able to rub his ears. He leaned into me and my heart exploded. I am so happy that he got some love in the end, and I was honored to be the one who gave it to him. He had a name somewhere inside him, but he chose to keep it a secret and I won't go against his wishes by trying to name him. He is my symbol for every unnamed shelter dog who needs help. His memory means more to me than any human-made label ever could.

We make all our decisions based on love, however our pets go, and however long they stay. We can give them kindness, dignity, and compassion no matter how or why they leave this world.

If you are struggling with a BE decision, please meet with a veterinary behaviorist. There may be options like medication or specific behavior modification.

Please seek any necessary help for your grief. It is OK to not be OK.
You can reach the US National Crisis Lifeline 24/7 at 988.
Support group for BE - Losing Lulu
Or you can message us any time.

🐾💙Shannon

07/10/2024

Researchers in Hungary used MRI and EEG technology to understand how well a puppy understands human words.

07/02/2024

Please donate, as many stray pets are having a hard time in this heat. And remember, spaying and neutering your own pets has more effect on animal welfare than adoption, fostering, volunteering, and donating combined!!

Shelter animals need your help. Donate today.

06/23/2024

If you are blessed with a pool, your dog may enjoy swimming, and this device looks like it would reduce the risk of drowning.