Whattapup Dog Services

18/11/2023

25/08/2023

Landlords or tenabts...know your RIGHTS

Can landlords collect a "pet deposit" in addition to their regular "security deposit" for that chocolate lab, kitten or goldfish? It depends.

11/07/2023

Often training ‘problems’ with our dogs, are actually struggles with ourselves—against ego, expectation, impatience, frustration, the tendency to blame, the opinion of others, the fear of failure, etc.

True perspective I think, is afforded in retrospect. As I get older I realize these struggles, in a way, can actually be blessings, although very difficult to see in the moment.
The person that we become, in moving past life’s challenges, is often a better version of ourselves.

How you train and your success as a teacher is connected to your mindset—it shows in the quality of your work, your dogs attitude and his enthusiasm.
Being a good partner to your dog includes a lot of working on and improving of yourself—and it is absolutely worth it.

31/05/2023

Left....Wm. Geo. Moss Sr
Center...me

lol xx
😻🐱🧶🐈🐈‍⬛

20/05/2023

CART was able to provide pet supplies for three dogs and one cat for a client who was displaced due to extensive house damage from a car accident today. This included some gently used dog crates that were needed.
Anyone looking to rehome gently used pet crates or carriers of any size, we can definitely use those for our clients, who are usually staying with friends or in a hotel so that the animals can be contained safely.

01/05/2023

"We did this sweet lady's lawn today. She is 93, the neighbors told us that she been out their trying to cut her own lawn 😳. Have no fear, raising men lawn care is going to make sure her lawn is done every two weeks ! Making a difference in our community!"
Credit: Rodney Smith Jr.

01/05/2023

That's about us 😂
credits: Pinterest

01/05/2023

http://www.facebook.com/WhatYouToo

30/04/2023

Why Comforting Your Puppy Is Essential for Their Emotional Development: The Science Behind It

As a dog behavior consultant, I have come across many fallouts of classical training that suggest not to comfort your puppy during a stressful situation as it conditions the puppy to be stressed. However, based on scientific research, comforting your puppy is essential for their emotional development. [1]

In humans, the mother acknowledges the child’s affective display and simultaneously draws attention to the child’s internal visceral experience. As this empathic response is repeated during many infant–care-giver interactions, synchronization of affective expression and experience is increased. (D. P. Brown, 1993, p. 18) just like children, puppies develop the ability to differentiate between affective states such as happy, sad, mad, and scared. The caregiver's earlier and ongoing attunement and mirroring and the dynamic reciprocal affective display pattern begin the process of the puppy's clarification and differentiation of affective states.

As a puppy parent, your empathic response is crucial in synchronizing your puppy's affective expression and experience. When you comfort your puppy during a stressful situation, you acknowledge their affective display and draw attention to their internal visceral experience. This repeated empathic response increases the synchronization of affective expression and experience, leading to better communication between you and your puppy.

Moreover, the cognitive developmental milestone of the ability to group and categorize develops in children between 9 and 12 months (Inagaki, 1989). In puppies between 6 and 18 weeks. With the emergence of categorical cognition, the continuing interpersonal mirroring has an even greater effect on promoting differentiation among affective states. Comforting your puppy during a stressful situation, therefore, leads to the categorization and differentiation of their affective states, leading to experiential identification of discrete emotional states.

In a recent Italian study [1] on the effects of petting stressed dogs, the researchers found that gentle petting prior to separation from their owner can promote reduced feelings of stress and calmer behaviors. The study included a group of 10 dogs and their owners, and each dog was tested in two conditions while visiting a training center that was unfamiliar to them.

In the "petting" condition, the owner gently petted their dog for a period of one minute while talking to a friendly stranger. In the "no petting" scenario, the owner talked to the stranger without petting their dog. The researchers measured the dogs' heart rates, salivary cortisol levels, and behaviors before, during, and after separation.

The results of the study showed that when dogs were not petted by their owners prior to separation, their heart rates did not change. Conversely, when they were petted prior to separation, their heart rates decreased, suggesting that petting either prevented or reduced the stress response associated with separation from the owner. Additionally, the petting scenario resulted in significantly longer periods of calm behaviors exhibited by the dogs while they were separated from their owner, compared to the no petting scenario.

Overall, the study found that the level of stress induced by the separation was relatively low, and the signs of stress displayed by the dogs were not severe. The study's conclusions suggest that providing comfort and a secure base to our dogs is a good thing and not something to be discouraged.

As a dog behavior consultant, I believe that this study's findings add to the growing body of evidence that comforting nervous dogs is an essential part of their emotional development. When dogs are stressed, they need reassurance and comfort from their owners to help them cope with their anxiety. By providing a safe and secure environment for our furry friends, we can help them navigate the ups and downs of life and build a stronger bond with them. So, the next time your dog is nervous, don't be afraid to give them a little extra love and attention, it is important to comfort your puppy during stressful situations. This not only promotes their emotional development but also leads to better communication and understanding between you and your furry friend. So, next time your puppy is stressed, give them a warm hug and let them know that you're there for them.

References:
1. Mariti C, Carlone B, Protti M, Diverio S, Gazzano A. “Effects of petting before a brief separation from the owner on dog behavior and physiology: A pilot study.” Journal of Veterinary Behavior 2018; 27:41-46.

30/04/2023

The next eventing generation moving up the ranks... Here's little Edwina & Tusseman posted by her mother Anna Freskgård.

Tusseman picked up a snack along the way too :)

30/04/2023

That's about us 😆
credits: Pinterest

30/04/2023

🤣🤣🤣 I’m crying 🤣🤣🤣

30/04/2023

True, but It's a Realtor trying to get it sold

05/11/2022

Now this is a nice tiny house!

05/11/2022

😂😂😂 same.
www.thecinchycowgirl.com

05/11/2022

😅

30/04/2022

https://www.facebook.com/120516931488557/posts/2174684056071824/

BONE TO PICK: Have you heard someone say that certain breeds MUST be trained a certain way or that they CAN'T be trained another? Maybe a breed-specific website says that their breed requires an especially strong leader. Or someone online won't believe that a certain approach can be effective unless they see it demonstrated with a [INSERT BREED] that is [INSERT AMBIGUOUS CRITERIA].

This is another variation of the "all dogs learn differently" myth.

Are all dogs individuals? Yes.
Does every dog vary in their motivations? Yes.
Should training be adapted to the dog? Yes.
Do the traits of different breeds require consideration? Yes.

However, that does not mean they learn differently or that one breed can only learn through the use of aversives.

All dogs, regardless of breed, have brains. Brains which, regardless of breed, have amygdalas, frontal lobes, and...well, you get the idea.

Now, what do eagles and alligators have to do with it? They definitely have different brains, right?

Yes, they do. Their brains are not the same as dog brains, just as dog brains are not the same as human brains. But they all learn how to change their behavior to manipulate their environment.

At this moment, animals of all animal groups - bird, fish, reptile, insect, amphibian, and mammal - are being trained the same way.

Because all species, at a core level, learn the same way: This behavior is either successful or unsuccessful. This scenario is either safe or unsafe.

Operant and classical conditioning.

Concepts which are not new, have been tested and retested by scientists for over 100 years, and are not trademarked by anyone writing a book or on television.

I've seen alligators, river otters, sea otters, polar bears, tigers, giraffe, tortoises, and much more demonstrate various forms of target and station training; something I do with dogs every day.

I've seen giraffe, polar bears, and hyenas voluntarily participate in veterinary procedures like blood draws, which falls under husbandry training and is now being done with dogs.

This Fall, watch for a BBC documentary about Ken Ramirez's training of 10,000 butterflies to fly from one place to another on cue. And you want to tell me that a [INSERT BREED] presents a special challenge?

http://www.clickertraining.com/the-butterfly-project

So, when I hear someone say that [INSERT BREED] can't be trained a certain way or must be trained another way, I hear someone making excuses for their lack of knowledge or skills.

Fortunately, we're not limited in our learning just because we're humans. I was certainly one of those trainers who thought clicker training sounded absolutely ridiculous. But I learned more and began trying it with different dogs for different reasons. And the dogs proved me wrong - it wasn't ridiculous. It unlocked a world of possibilities.

See the post "GETTING HELP FOR YOUR DOG" pinned to the top of this page for links to resources where you can learn more.

BUTS

"But what about aggressive breeds?" Aggressive behavior is a normal, natural part of an animals behavioral repertoire. Bees sting. Cats scratch. Giraffe kick. Dogs bite. Horses bite. Birds bite. Heck, if it has a mouth it can bite.

With the exception of predation (formerly called predatory aggression), all aggressive behavior serves the same function: to protect the animal or the resources necessary for the animal's survival or procreation. This is not breed-specific.

Now, some breeds have the capacity to cause more damage when they bite than other breeds, but that does not mean that they are more prone to aggression, are more likely to bite, are more likely to cause injury when they bite, or are inherently more dangerous.

It also doesn't mean that they require special methods to change their behavior.

I'm currently working with a 100 # German Shepherd (GSD) and a 14 # Chihuahua for the exact same behavior. The GSD's owner was told by their vet that the dog MUST be trained with a certain piece of equipment, that "positive methods wouldn't work."

And yet, both dogs are responding equally well to the training...the SAME training. I'm capturing and reinforcing the behaviors I want more of. I'm working below threshold to prevent the practice of behaviors I want less of. I'm increasing tolerance through gradual desensitization. I'm doing all I can to keep anxiety and frustration at a minimum, so I can improve their association to the situations that trigger the problem behavior. These strategies are not breed-specific.

"But positive trainers don't work with [INSERT BREED]"

This is the silliest BUT I see. Positive trainers don't only work with those breeds that people use as an excuse for aversive training, they OWN and live with those breeds. And, yeah, from working lines, too.

Have a dog with fear or aggression? Check out these on-demand webinars: http://www.4pawsuniversity.com/dogbehaviorwebinars

30/03/2022

https://www.facebook.com/120516931488557/posts/2150859971787566/

We are soooo excited to officially share our handout on the Stages of Training. Thank you Doggie Drawings by Lili Chin for bringing this to life! This handout is used for clients to follow their dog's training progress!
It goes through all the stages of learning:
1. Acquisition (get the behavior)
2. Fluency (add the cue)
3. Generalization (proof the behavior)
4. Maintenance (maintain the behavior)

Edit to clarify:
1. This is FREE for you to use/make copies of for clients, but not the edit.
2. “As taught by Jean Donaldson” refers to Push, Stick, Drop

Thanks for all the support! 🐾💙🐾

27/03/2022

https://www.facebook.com/120516931488557/posts/2148476268692603/

At first glance a dog’s neck may seem muscular and strong; easily capable of having a leash and collar attached for walking. After all, it’s what we’ve used for the past umpteen years and it’s able…

16/03/2022

https://www.facebook.com/100000707654165/posts/5223299014370302/

14/03/2022

Dog missing? Do these.