Furever Behavior

10/12/2023

I never post my two dogs. Gilly has finally decided Gigi is worthy of staying.

10/04/2023

This!

We often refer to dogs as our pets. An animal that the kids can play with. A captive friend whose fur we can cry into on a bad day. We often hear them called ‘it’ and expect them to fit into a little set of rules to be a good family pet. And if they don’t meet our expectations or stay enthusiastic and trouble-free housemates, we have cultivated a belief that we must train them, and then they will behave better.

But what about what the dog wants?

Or how they feel?

And what about all the lessons we can learn from them? What if we stop trying to impose our will onto them? Imagine if your dog could do so much more than being a good family pet.

I urge you now to give pause on the idea that your dog might just need more training and instead step back and watch them better, learn their language, question their beliefs, and improve their agency.

Dog training has been the go-to response to the family dog simply showing us their needs for too long. It’s time to rethink the place of dog training.

It’s time to have a much better and more enriching relationship with our dogs, where creating different responses and behaviour through training is a small part of the bigger picture -and not the whole canvas.

22/03/2023

This!

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

09/03/2023

25/02/2023

All kibble is extruded and denatured. There are a few brands that are not. Honest kitchen, carna4, lotus. There might be a couple more that I'm not aware. If you can't feed raw, then find human grade dehydrated or freeze dried food. Even the commercial balanced raw retailers are selling now is questionable about where the meat is sourced. Organic human grade is important. The information is out there, vets get their information from the dog food companies and thats it unless they do their own independent education. Think about it. Kibble is extremely processed industrial waste. How can you trust someone that says processed food is better for your dog than whole foods. An imbalanced diet is a huge problem, but the information for balance is easily attainable. I'm tired of lying to a vet about what I feed my dog because vets insist, guilt, shame you into buying kibble. Ignorance and convenience are making our dogs sick. Please educate.

Below is from a friend/associate.
**** PLEASE READ ******
4 years ago our vet suggested Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach. Our German Shepherd started getting horrible ear infections and hair loss when we put him on it.

I reached out to Chelsea Kent who has worked closely with Rodney Habib’s philanthropic non-profit, Paws for Change, and in collaboration with HRI Labs. She also works with Drs Barbara Royal and Natasha Lilly with the Royal Animal Health University and the College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies. She has worked to implement laboratory analysis to determine nutritional adequacy and toxin load of popular commercially available pet foods; and to gain cohesive, structured, factual information about regulation, industry insights, company stories and more throughout the industry.

She is also the founder of FoodRegulation Facts Alliance, a stakeholder organization that represents retailers in government and regulatory settings. Specializing in Pathogen and Industry Regulation, she works in tandem with NGPFMA (Next Generation Pet Food Manufacturers Association) and TruthAboutPetFood to change regulation, where needed, through government channels and educate retailers about regulation.

Here is what she sent me about the food I was feeding him at that time.

"To start, if you visit www.KnowYourPetFood.org you can view test results of a ProPlan product. You have to register to see results. There are also test results for a Royal Canin, Taste of the Wild, Natural Balance and VDog product. Here are some of the concerning results for ProPlan (and they are not too different from every other kibble brand):
(These were randomly selected packages from retail sales channels - just like what you would purchase from a store)

- ProPlan tested positive for Aflatoxins

- Their amino acid and B-vitamin profile showed slightly higher than other brands - we believe this is because they source several of their ingredients from the fermented trash of the Biodiesel industry. What's generally not mentioned regarding these by-products is that they are also soaked in several EPA regulated toxic chemicals - since the manufacturer did not add them themselves, they are not required to list them on the label. Your dog is still eating, though, thinks like Sulfur Dioxide, Liquid Urea, Antibiotics, etc. The grain ingredients themselves are actually classified by the EPA as chemicals, not food, when they enter pet food. See Canola Meal MSDS as an example.

- Their glyphosate tests showed 38.52ng/g of Glyphosate. So in Buck's 3 cups/day he would be consuming 13,289.4ng (ppmg) of Glyphosate (primary ingredient in Roundup W**d Killer). While this is far from the worst that was tested it still has extreme potential to damage the liver. Scientists note that Glyphosate consumption in excess of 0.1ppm caused fatty liver disease in rats. Of course, each batch would contain a different level of Glyphosate but the highest that we found exceeds 170,000ng/day for a 50lb dog... so it could be more or less in each batch of Bucks food. The State of California proposes that on the very, very high end an adult human (154lbs) should not consume more than 2ppm/kg/day (or 140ng/day).

- The DNA analysis of the ProPlan Chicken formula that was tested showed that it also contained Beef and Pork. So it's very likely that the Salmon food that you're feeding is cross-contaminated with other proteins.

- The heavy metal test results showed that the ProPlan product that was tested was high in Arsenic, which aligns with (a) the high level of white rice in the product, and (b) the numerous synthetic minerals. Click here to see the symptoms of Arsenic toxicity - this alone could account for many of Buck's issues (again, ProPlan is minimally different from every other brand so he could have had this same heavy metal consumption no matter what kibble he was eating)

- The test results on Minerals shows that the specific bag of ProPlan that was tested had extremely high levels of Zinc (recommended = 80mg/kg, contained 257mg/kg), Phosphorus (recommended = 0.4%, contained 0.8%), and Manganese (recommended = 5mg/kg, contained 150mg/kg) and Selenium was not even detected. Now, that package really doesn't matter that much because every package is different. The point, though, is that minerals in pet food are highly unregulated. There are minimum requirements but in most cases there are no maximum limits. It's not because there is no toxicity in pets, but rather that they don't know what it is so they just don't seek to regulate it. Even the manufacturers of the vitamin/mineral pre-mix rarely know exactly what's in the blends - but they are sold with a skull & crossbones on them. There are 21 synthetic ingredients in the ProPlan that you're feeding and only 14 "food" ingredients (several of which are registered as EPA chemicals or labeled with misleading titles such as "animal fat," or "sunflower oil" (see below)

- The ProPlan that was tested was also higher in several phthalates (endocrine inhibitors) than any other brand. We believe that this is not because of consistent exposure to more plastics than other brands. We actually believe that this is specific to each bag .... when kibble is extruded it is pumped through a machine at high-temperatures and puffed at the end. In this process there are machinery lubricants, dessication agents, flavor enhancers and a variety of other chemicals that are used to create a final product. It seems reasonable to assume that the first product through the extrusion machine will have the highest exposure to machinery lubricants... therefore, the beginning of a batch would likely consistently have higher phthalate levels than the end of a batch. So the beginning would have more phthalates while the end would have more acrylamides (carcinogens caused by high heat)

- Every kibble that was tested came back as containing about 5% Phytic Acid - an antinutrient that blocks absorption of nutrients. The tested foods included grain containing as well as grain -free products. They were all the same as far as contributing factors to heart disease are concerned (which I'm sure is why your vet recommended that food).

- Separate from KnowYourPetFood results, the "animal fat," "sunflower oil," and "fish oil" in ProPlan are likely Used Cooking Oil, aka Yellow Grease... this is collected from restaurant grease fryers. This is also treated with several other chemicals (ethoxyquin, TBHQ, silicone anti-foaming agents, etc). This, again, is likely the same in every other brand of kibble except Carna4. This is obviously inflammatory.

- According to the ProPlan Salmon label it contains 26% protein and 16% fat - so a total of 42% potential animal meat. Judging from the order and number of ingredients I'd assume that about 50% of the protein and fat is from animal products (you can call the company to verify if you want). This would mean that you are feeding 0.84oz of meat per cup of food, or 6.3lbs of meat per 30lb bag. Therefore, you're primarily feeding glyphosate dessicated, highly allergenic ingredients. "

Purina says two dogs who ate the recalled brands became ill and showed signs of vitamin D toxicity.

15/01/2023

https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/overweight-pet/?ui=b9c32448d147ef310a69c5c252a00bd41c0a6382fd6617f5ae8e24c4e869e245&sd=20130920&utm_source=petsnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1HL&utm_campaign=20230115Z1

One in 2 pets are, but many owners don't realize their pet has the disease. And, surprisingly, sometimes veterinarians don't even mention it if they know it. But being the greatest health threat, it kills millions prematurely, creates immense pain and suffering, and costs owners money.

21/12/2022

Part three of three part series of leash reactivity.

13/12/2022

This is part 2 of the podcast I did last week on leash reactivity. Part 3 will come out next week.

‎Show The Doodle Pro: Expert Doodle Dog & Puppy Training, Grooming, Health, & Behavior Tips & Tricks, Ep How to Stop Dog from Pulling and Barking on Leash - Dec 12, 2022

07/12/2022

I did a podcast on Leash Reactivity. Please share if you find helpful. Part 2 the "How To" should come out next week.

‎Show The Doodle Pro: Expert Doodle Dog & Puppy Training, Grooming, Health, & Behavior Tips & Tricks, Ep Why is Your Doodle Barking on Walks: Addressing Leash Reactivity, Fear, Anxiety, or Aggression on Walks - Dec 5, 2022

27/10/2022

04/10/2022

A good explanation.

Is mounting or hu***ng a sign of dominance in dogs?

Hu***ng or mounting is a fixed action pattern (FAP), which are innate behaviours. These are behaviours that are common to all members of a species and require no learning. A Fixed Action Pattern (FAP) is a predictable series and stereotypical sequences of complex actions triggered by a cue - www.simplypsychology.org. www.sciencedirect.com.

Hu***ng or mounting is NOT:
Dominance
Controlling you or another dog
Alpha behaviour
Only seen in unsterilised dogs
Only seen in males
Only seen in younger dogs
To cause you embarrassment
To get your attention or get back at you

Hu***ng or mounting by male or female dogs of any age CAN be due to:
Excitement
Sexual rehearsal
Burning off pent up energy
General stimulation...yippee, something’s happening!
Stress/Anxiety/Displacement behaviour
Play
Hyperarousal
A medical issue
Boredom
Frustration
Burning of excessive energy (like zoomies)
Ambivalence about a situation or a dog
Unease
Tiredness

If you are worried:
Make a note of how many times a day this is happening.
Take your dog for a medical check up.
Contact a up to date science-based behaviour consultant to identify the triggers and the emotions to be able to develope a modification plan to improve the emotional state and hence the behaviour.
What to do in the moment - if the dog underneath seems uncomfortable and stressed then please interrupt. It may mean that the 'top dog' is unable to read the body language of the other one. Rather redirect that energy to a toy or chew as opposed to saying off. Give him something mentally stimulating to do instead. If they are having turns and alternating this behaviour with other behaviours like chasing, tumbling, play bows, etc., then leave them be.
Be careful of your dog doing it to random dogs in a park that he does not know. The unknown dog could become aggressive due to not wanting the behaviour.

Note - many Google searches for this behaviour will bring up the word dominance. The behaviour is not due to such a simplistic, misunderstood term. Dogs do it to pillows, toys or furniture - do you think that they are trying to dominate those inanimate objects? Every dog is an individual with unique emotions. The feelings and motivations for the behaviour will differ from dog to dog but it is certainly not about dominance. Don't believe everything you read on Google and check your trainer's/behaviourist's credentials. Let's not label every behaviour beyond our understanding as dominant 🙂

Most guardians rush to sterilize their dogs when this happens...it may not make a difference.

20/09/2022

Just because a dog approaches someone doesn't mean they want to be pet, snuggled, and kissed. Often people tell me their dogs give mixed messages - they approach a stranger, then react "aggressively" when that stranger goes to pet them. But these signals aren't mixed at all to the dog - they wanted more information before deciding that person was safe, approached to get it, and then before they felt comfortable the person "assaulted" them!

If you're approached by a dog who doesn't know you, don't assume they want your affection. Let them get the information they need, and stay safe!



[image description: text reads "Is your dog ISO Information or Affection" with two columns. One column has the image of a stiff dog, with upright tail and standing tensely, with pursed lips. This column, under the word "Information" text reads "forward or straight approach, stiff body, tense face, "flag pole" tail, does not lean with shoulder or head". The second column has a dog in a sit rolled slightly to one hip. The dogs face is soft, mouth relaxed, and one paw is softly reaching towards the person. This column text, under the word "Affection", reads "Angled or curved approach, wiggly body, soft face, low flexible tail, leans shoulder or head for petting."]

19/09/2022

20/08/2022

Yes, this in fact is why I'm so successful on my board and trains. I provide the environment and the dog resets. Once the dog is happy, it becomes possible for the parent to meet the dogs needs better. There is nothing magical about dog training, but with all the societal restriction we put on our dogs...they are going crazy. Literally.

We know that there is a correlation between stress and unmet needs. When our dogs are stressed, their needs are more acute and when those needs go unmet, they experience more stress.

But there is another layer in this equation: How our human responses and behaviors come into play.

When our dogs' needs aren't met, they experience stress and find outlets for meeting them. This, in turn, stresses us as their guardians because the outlets that are available to them usually aren't aligned with our wants. Ironically, this can result in less of our dogs' needs being met because we disconnect and fail to recognize the root cause. And the cycle continues.

To prevent this, try to be as proactive as possible in meeting your dog's physical, emotional, social and cognitive needs.

25/05/2022

Ever wondered why a puppy's behavior seems erratic during adolescence, which occurs between six months and 18 months of age?

The neurobiology of adolescence is fascinating, with some key events that alter both the structure and function of the brain.

During canine adolescence, s*x hormones are changing which effects the animals stress responses. Adolescent dogs have a decreased ability to modulate sensory processing and subsequent behavior.

The connectivity between the frontal cortex (responsible for decision making) and amygdala (responsible for emotional processing) decreases, resulting in less behavioral control.

So what does this mean? This could mean that your dog, who used to come when called, suddenly cannot. This could mean that your dog, who didn't jump up on guests, suddenly does. Your dog that walked nicely on leash is now pulling. Or perhaps it seems like some days your dog responds to behaviors you ask of them, and some days they don't, without any rhyme or reason.

We also see increased risk taking and more sensitivity to fear.

As your puppy undergoes this transition into adulthood their inner world is intense, even chaotic. Many pet owners experience an increase in undesirable behavior and find themselves becoming increasingly frustrated. In turn, frustration and impatience sometimes cause us to act unpredictably.

This adds to your puppy’s inner turmoil. When the inside and the outside are both unpredictable it can be difficult for puppies to adjust.

By understanding this we can gain greater compassion and understanding. When we approach adolescence with patience we can help create a world that is predictable and gentle so our puppies grow up to be their best selves.

25/04/2022

12/04/2022

Besides making the blue and teal sections larger I totally agree.

This is a good illustration of puppy socialization needs, shared from Good as Gold Training, but I would also add that all of the listed exposure and experience needs to feel *safe* for the puppy. If s/he is nervous, tentative, or fearful the fear should be handled by backing off a little and reintroducing very slowly and with lots of praise, food and patience. Sometimes, for the sake of "socialization", owners push their puppies too far and too fast, and it can backfire. Good socialization requires that we "read" our puppies and help them feel safe as they navigate the sounds, textures, people and animals in their new world.

15/02/2022

Don't ignore your dog when they are "being good". Its not a treat. It's feedback that they can understand. If "good dog" was enough, all dogs in the country would be well trained.

09/12/2021

Love this post! Dogs are never allowed to be dogs anymore. Because of this they develop behavior problems. iF you are going to get a dog, especially a breed specific dog like a hound and never allow them to track, or a bully and allow them to bite/hold.then expect major problems.

09/11/2021

Nice article, but I need a vet who supports this protocol.

Every case of food intolerance in dogs is unique, which is why it's extremely important to design a custom-formulated healing protocol for each pet.

08/10/2021

The human is also usually doing their best to confuse the dog too!

I have come to the conclusion that on a subconscious level people must believe that dogs are more intelligent than humans!!

You see if I was to ask a four year old child to write a book I'd probably be met with comments, such as:

"Are you crazy?"
"They don't know the alphabet, let alone how to write!"
"In what crazy reality do you think this would ever be possible?"

And of course, they would be right!

We know that writing a book would be impossible for a child because they haven't got the skill set required to do this and let's face it: most adults would struggle to write a book as well!

When we begin to learn to read and write we start with the alphabet, then we learn to put the letters together to form short words and then longer words. Over time we begin to string these words together to form sentences but it's a long process and it doesn't happen overnight!

However, when it comes to our dogs we expect them to come knowing where to sleep, what they can and cannot chew, what food they can eat, how to behave around guests, how to interact appropriately outside their home, how to cope with surprise events and how to walk nicely on a leash!

So let's take a look at Loose Leash Walking. There are so many different skills involved in loose leash walking that expecting your dog to be able to do it straight out of the box, really is like asking your four year old to write a book!!

The skills needed for loose leash walking include:
✔having a strong positive relationship with you
✔harness shaping (getting your dog comfortable wearing a harness)
✔building value in proximity to you
✔building value for staying at your side
✔teaching them how to disengage (ignore distractions when that squirrel appears)
✔thinking in arousal (being able to listen to you when that naughty squirrel runs out in front of you)
✔confidence and optimism (because just like humans some dogs find the world a scary place)

I'm sure you can see your dog needs to learn their leash walking ABCs before we can ever expect them to put it all together and 'write their book'.

Of course, once your puppy can walk nicely for 5 or even 10 steps in a quiet area it doesn't mean they'll be able to manage it for 60 seconds, five minutes or the entire walk with lots of distractions. It takes time, patience and practice!

So the next time your dog doesn't do exactly what you expected just STOP and ask yourself?

"Have I taught them their ABC's?"

And if the answers no: just take a step back and build those awesome foundations that will help you and your dog!!

16/09/2021

Agree!

Think about the last time that you had to defend yourself. Not to the extent where you needed to get physical maybe but just to the point where you had to tell someone that you were uncomfortable. Think about your own individual threshold in that scenario. Some people wouldn't tolerate much and others could have someone pressing them and pressing them before they decided to speak up.

Maybe the next time you see that person you're not going to have the best feeling about their presence.

Every negative encounter your dog has with another dog creates an association that dogs can bring unpredictability and discomfort. The individual dog and the degree of severity within that negative encounter predicts your dog's future feelings and behaviour.

Some more resilient dogs would shake off a negative encounter and it might then take many for that dog to start to feel uncomfortable. For other dogs it may take a single negative encounter to cause weariness or reactivity.

When your dog reacts to another dog step in and remove your dog calmly and positively from that situation. Equally if your dog is one causing distress to another dog step in and remove your dog calmly and positively from that situation. Understand that there is discomfort on either side of the equation. When dogs are left to handle situations how they best feel appropriate this may not be in line with your dog going on to feel comfortable around other dogs.

When dogs "correct" one another this is something to address rather than brush off. Even the most tolerant of dogs will lose their cool, don't let it get to that point. For puppies, this is even more important as they are always making associations to the world around them.

Remember that it is your job to help your dog feel safe in this world.

03/09/2021

This is the first time a study has specifically investigated whether early puppy training ( less than three months of age) presents clear advantages over training at a later age, in terms of the subsequent development of adult behavior problems.

The study involved 641 owners and 1,023 dogs that had enrolled in a training program. Most all of the dogs included were reported to have exhibited at least one type of behavior problem.

The researchers found:

🐶No significant difference in the age of puppy training and the subsequent development of behavior problems
🐶Aggression, compulsive behaviour, destructive behaviour, and excessive barking were all reduced in dogs that had formal puppy training before six months of age
🐶Puppy training based on reward-based methods substantially reduced the odds of aggression in adult dogs
🐶Punishment-based methods increased the odds of aggression.
🐶More frequent use of punishment is associated with increased aggression and excitability.
🐶The use of punishment when training dogs is related to an increase in both fear and aggression.

REFERENCE:
DINWOODIE, I.R.; ZOTTOLA, V.; DODMAN, N.H. AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE IMPACT OF PRE-ADOLESCENT TRAINING ON CANINE BEHAVIOR. ANIMALS 2021, 11, 1298. HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.3390/ANI11051298