Unleashed Joy Dog Training

30/08/2024

Dog of the Day: Willow

Willow is a Black Mouth Cur mix.
Who else has a Black Mouth Cur? Show me your pics!

30/08/2024

30/08/2024

Dog of the Day: Checkers

Checkers is a Beagle!
Who else has a Beagle? Show me your pics!

29/08/2024

28/08/2024

Dog of the Day: Heidi

Heidi is a Cavachon.
Who else out there has a Cavachon? Show me your pictures!

28/08/2024

FACING THE FEAR
There is a common disbelief that comforting a dog that is feeling scared, anxious or stressed will only reinforce, encourage the feeling and make it worse.

This belief is incorrect. Fear is an emotional response and one that a dog does not choose or decides to feel.

An emotion is an involuntary, uncontrolled response that cannot be reinforced.

Punishing fear-based behaviour is even worse than not providing comfort as it creates even more negative associations with whatever the “scary thing" is.

Behaviour and emotions are intrinsically linked in important ways, but they are still not the same thing and require different approaches when they become a problem.

Imagine an intruder broke into your home, tied you up and took off with your belongings. After being freed and getting help, a friend arrives to see how you are.

Your friend tells you that she can see that you’re really anxious and scared but she’s just going to completely ignore you, is not going to attempt to comfort you, sit with you or support you because by doing so she will make you even more afraid and upset. Does that reaction make any sense?

Why should it be any different for dogs that also experience a range of emotions? Why then is it still believed that we should ignore our dogs?

Probably because there is confusion and misunderstanding about the difference between an emotional response - which is an involuntary response and a learned response - which has varying degrees of conscious control.

If we acknowledge that providing comfort and support to a dog that is experiencing these emotions will not reinforce them, do we know if providing comfort will reduce these emotions?

Research on this subject is showing evidence that providing comfort and support in stressful situations decreases a dog’s heart rate, salivary cortisol levels, reduces stress responses and increases calm behaviour.

Ignoring a dog’s emotions because of misinformed advice in the belief that this will change the behaviour is more damaging than helpful.

We need to accept and acknowledge that our dogs are having an emotional response and not a behavioural problem.

We need to show compassion, understanding, be a secure base, a safe haven and provide the appropriate comfort when our dogs need it.

30/07/2024

A great read if you are thinking about getting a puppy!

27/06/2024

With the holiday weekend quickly approaching, we'll share some tips over the next several days to help keep your best friends safe and content during what can be a scary time for them due to our noisy celebrations.

02/06/2024

BARRIERS TO LEARNING – WHY SOME DOGS STRUGGLE TO LEARN

“My dog is stubborn, doesn’t listen to me, a slow learner, not the smartest, tries to be in control, will only do it at home, will only behave sometimes, is uncontrollable……” – these are comments that are often heard.

Just like us, dogs need the right kind of conditions to either be able to learn something new or to bring about a change in behaviour.

Dogs are not robots that can be programmed by a set of specific inputs that guarantee consistent results. They are individual, sentient beings that need to be understood.

If we’re feeling stressed, anxious, tired, over excited, too distracted, not feeling well, have no motivation etc. we will find it really difficult, if not impossible to learn something new, change our behaviour or change a habit. The same applies to dogs.

A dog’s emotional state, the surrounding environment, motivation, age (pups, adolescents, seniors) or any health issues all have a significant impact on their ability to learn.

If your dog is having a hard time learning something, look at these factors and see if there is a reason that may be preventing progress.

Maybe your dog is just having an “off” day, just like we do.

Try again tomorrow or next week and set your dog up for success by having realistic expectations.

Learning or changing behaviour takes time, patience, consistency, understanding and the right conditions.

02/06/2024

Did you know that the senior research scientist David Mech, whose book into hierarchy in wolf packs created the 'alpha theory' idea, then went on to disprove his own work with a later more naturalistic study? 😮

Although wolves and domestic dogs are worlds apart nowadays, David Mech's original book on captive wolves is still used regularly as evidence for alpha-based and dominance training styles. Touting you need to act like a wolf and an alpha and put your dog in their place so they respect you. However, even if domestic dogs and wolves were closer in how they acted than they are, David Mech went on to do further research and instead found that rather than one domineering 'alpha' wolves actually work as a family group with the parents leading the pack. That doesn't sound that far off our human families really does it? In fact, despite what 'alpha theory' states in regards to an 'alpha' wolf always eating first, in reality wolf parents often feed their youngest, most vulnerable offspring first.

The issue with the first study the book used is it was based on captive wolves and not wild wolves and how they behaved in their natural habitat, once David Mech realised his mistakes he did more research, and with new understanding and data he has since gone on to try and repair the damage his original study has done in how we view wolves, and by extension dogs. This is what scientific study is about, updating with the times and the most up to date information. I give huge props to David Mech for instead of trying to save his ego and stick to what he said in his original work, he has followed the science and admitted the flaws of his original study, bringing new knowledge and research forward.

It is a shame that the original idea is still so prevalent in our cultural knowledge and understanding of wolves, whereas the later study is less well known to the masses. I can only hope that will also change over time by us bringing the more up to date information to the forefront. 🐺

You can check out the study mentioned in the graphic for yourself here: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1343&context=usgsnpwrc

28/04/2024

Beautiful day at Waredaca Brewing Company! Getting ready to paint some ponies. (And a dog and a cat…)

04/04/2024

12/03/2024

There is an overwhelming need for fosters right now-we can't help with help from the community......

Scotty, a 17 pound adorable yorkie mix (2 years old and very sweet) is arriving to Maryland Saturday evening and in need of a foster home-can you help? We provide whatever you need-food, leash, harness and collar...you provide the love. He will need a quick physical and then ready for adoption. He's a great little dog.

To apply, go to almosthomedogs.org and click on "foster" or "adopt" to send in an appliction.

12/03/2024

https://www.facebook.com/seespotlearn/posts/809631541172873

28/02/2024

30 people at the quarterly in-person Animal Positive Coalition meeting and who do we take pictures of? Why the adorable bb Corgi, of course!

Animal Positive Coalition is 132 affiliates strong! Do you work in the animal care industry using positive reinforcement methods? Interested in joining? Email [email protected] for an application!

25/02/2024

The science supporting positive-reinforcement dog training is abundant. It's more effective and more humane than force-training. Here's why.

10/02/2024

Do you have a dog that barks and lunges at other dogs and people when you go for a walk? Dread walking them?
Join Unleashed Joy's next Reactive Dog Class. Level One.
Saturday, February 24 at 12:00 Noon. It is a 6 session class. The first two sessions are on Zoom. The remaining 4 are in Damascus, MD in-person.
Cost is $390.
For more info and to register: https://www.unleashedjoy.com/reactive-dog-class

We hope to see you in class!

01/01/2024