Heidi's Haven Canine Camp Dog Boarding and Training

08/30/2024

07/30/2024

Our boarding friend Lena would stay and play in water for HOURS if you let her. I learned to just wear crocs I can kick off and go into the water to get her when it is time to leave. 😉 She *is* a joyous guest. 😃❤️🐠

07/12/2024

A good thing and a bad thing.

A good thing. I had a remote consultation with someone this week about their dog. We discussed various aspects of the dogs care and some of the activities they did together. The client's starting point was that they wanted the absolute best for their dog and and hadn't realised that some aspects of what they had been told and the activities they were involved in were detrimental to the dog's overall well-being.

With this new education they changed their mind and had a several "ah-ha" moments. they thought deeply about what we had discussed and made BIG changes in their dog's life. Excellent.

The bad thing. I was sent a video which a "trainer" fairly local to me had made. In the video, the "trainer" refers to teaching "a compulsion heel." Basically teaching the dog to walk on a loose lead using compulsion. Think about that word for a second. Compulsion. They compelled the dog to comply. How did they do that? They put a noose around the dog's neck which tightened cutting off air and blood, causing pain and discomfort. What would the associated emotions be? Fear? Anxiety? Lack of trust. All of the above. The "trainer" who calls themselves "balanced" (such a misnomer in itself) proudly stated the use of the word "compulsion". I will compel you OR ELSE.

What makes one person have a moment like the first client and the the other influenced by the compulsion bozo? It's not just the luck of the draw. What is the starting point for each of these people? What's their education, their moral and ethical standard for the treatment of their dogs? What's their world view or their belief systems? Their politics?

All of these questions make each of those people susceptible to influence, from me or from the compulsion person. At least they're now honest and not hiding it. I don't know if that makes it better or worse.

Compulsion should cause revulsion. Why are we moving backwards? Is it maybe because certain dark and unacceptable views, which we worked so hard as societies to fight and diminish have become ok again? Maybe?

Let's make compulsion unacceptable again.
Let's make kindness and intelligence and compassion mainstream again.

N.B. I fully realise this post may, and likely will, provoke a reactions from those who disagree with me. This is not your platform and you will have no voice here. You will not influence others on this page if you think the use of pain and fear is in anyway acceptable in training a dog. I have no issue deleting comments and blocking people.

06/29/2024

06/26/2024

Great Ted Talk discussing our relationship to dogs.

Applied Ethologist and Dog Behavior Specialist, Kim Brophey, analyzes the issues with the pet industry and outlines a new dog training program that values a relationship based on mutual understandings rather than one based on dominance and control.

06/25/2024

The use of aversives in dog training always risks fallout. So what is fallout you might ask? Fallout in dog training is the unintended consequences (bad side effects) of using aversive tools or techniques as part of a training plan. So what might a real world example look like?

In theory these “tools” are meant to teach your dog something like pulling causes discomfort, therefore they should learn to stop pulling, right? But what if, as you’re walking along, your dog sees another dog or a person? They may want to go up to say hello. In their attempt to greet, they pull on the leash toward the other dog. The prong collar or choke chain now tightens around them causing pain. Say this happens a few more times, now a pattern has begun to develop. The sight of the other dog now predicts an unpleasant sensation or feeling is now about to happen. This is a great way to set your dog up for reactivity on walks! 😬 This can happen whether or not the equipment is used “correctly.”

Fallout is not limited to reactivity. Another example of fallout can include damage to the human-animal bond. When you rely on pain to accomplish training goals, you’re teaching your dog that you are a source of discomfort. Overtime this can damage your relationship, especially from the dog’s point of view!

There is no way to prevent fallout unless you don’t use aversive equipment, because the equipment wouldn’t work if it didn’t cause pain!

For more information I’ve included links to various studies on the use of aversive tools in training.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7743949/

https://banshockcollars.ca/pdf/The-effects-of-using-aversive-training-methods-in-dogsdA_review.pdf

https://vth.upei.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Behaviour-Tips_Shock-collar_final.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3474565/

06/25/2024

With summer comes record temperatures across the states. in the summer while keeping them stimulated? Here's what we're doing in the hot weather.

06/25/2024

Sweet timid little Bella stayed w us for a couple of days last week. She loved tiny Camo (resident chi). 😊❤️

06/14/2024

This post explains the issue really well. Dogs are not stuffed animals.😔

Let's talk about this photo. It's cute, except it's not. I see a dog who cannot get up without telling the child to get off. How do you think a dog is going to do that?

The 7 Golden Toddler Dog Rules:
#1: If a dog walks away from you, you DO NOT FOLLOW.
#2: Always leave room for the dog to walk away from you.
---that right there is 90+% of dog bites eliminated---
#3: We do not climb on the dog.
#4: We do not grab or pull on the dog.
#5: We do not hit or throw anything at the dog.
#6: We do not touch the dog's food.
#7: We do not go into the dog's kennel.

I promise these are not overly difficult concepts for littles, nor will they rob a kid of their bond with the family dog. It will deepen that bond, while keeping everyone safe.

"Oh, it looks like Moose is walking away from you. She is saying she wants a break. Let's play with this instead!"

"It's Moose's dinner time! Let's give her space to enjoy her yummies."

"That is Moose's room(kennel) and only she is allowed to go in there."

"If Moose wanted a break, could she walk away from you right now? No she really couldn't. Let's move away from the play house. You can keep playing but now she can leave when she wants a break."

In conclusion, ***parent your child or your dog will do it for you, and you will not like how they do it.***

06/04/2024

Spring is the time of year for allergies to kick in for humans and dogs. Medications that relieve a dog's allergy symptoms are appreciated.

06/04/2024

Beautiful boy Jake has been coming to us for boarding for 10+ yrs (he is 16!!). Love this sweet, friendly boy. I originally met him when I went to his house for a behavior consult. His mom has done an AWESOME job making her timid boy a little more confident in the world. ☺️❤️🐕

05/18/2024

Happy girl Stella just here for a visit! 😊

05/11/2024

04/18/2024

Boarding Dobie pup Mollie came to us w some fear of new dogs. Each day here she gets to go for a hike w one other dog. She has met several now- and is quite confident w her bad self. 😎Today's companion is owner's personal pup, Gloria.

03/21/2024

*Please stop hugging dogs!! With a few exceptions, they don't like it, they (at best) tolerate it. Read "The Other End of the Leash". Dr. Patricia McConnell has some great photos and information in her book about canine behavior and how it sometimes clashes

Hugging is a normal behavior for humans, but dogs often find it hard to understand and anxiety-inducing.

02/01/2024

We'll say it again- you do not need to use pain and fear to train your dogs. And you can truly damage dogs if you do use pain and fear to train. 😔

The Unintended Consequences of Shock Collars - Dog Behavior and Training Green Acres discourages the use of shock collars on pets for containment, training via positive punishment or negative reinforcement, or management of barking because they; 1) cause

01/31/2024

We'll say it again... you do not need to use pain and fear to train. Read the article. Find a positive trainer.

The scientific research overwhelmingly demonstrates that shock leads to or contributes to fear, pain, aggression, panic and stress.

12/22/2023

How to prepare for the arrival of your new puppy.

12/22/2023

Great interview with one of the leaders in positive dog training, BY one of the leaders in positive dog training. Two take aways: First, you have to motivate your dog. Food works for many dogs. Toys (like engaging in a game of tug, which you will often see at the end of an agility run) work for some dogs. I once had a very timid GSD and me and the agility instructor realized that the only reward he could respond to *while in training bldg* was me running and "falling" to the ground. It made him silly- leaping on me and kissing me. So, when Dillon did an obstacle correctly, or a sequence correctly, I would run 5 or 6 ft w him and fall to the ground. Making a fool of yourself so your pup learns and enjoys agility class? You betcha! Second take away, which Jean Donaldson discusses clearly in her book "The Culture Clash" is that dogs are NOT furry humans. They are a totally different species and we need to remember that. Learning about the species you are sharing your home with is a good way to create a harmonious relationship. 😉

To mark 20 years of The Culture Clash, an interview with Jean Donaldson on dogs, dog training, and motivation.

12/08/2023

Ian Dunbar's new book "Barking Up the Right Tree" is an easy and must read.

12/08/2023

I inadvertently trained my personal dog Crosby to climb and pose on things while on walks. Did I reward him 3 times before it was learned behavior? 5 times? I don't know because it was entirely unintentional. Now it is a constant on our walks together. I don't ALWAYS reward him, but intermittent rewards definitely work. Sometimes he cannot find a fallen tree or large boulder so he puts his front paws against a tree trunk. I call that cheating and tell him to find something better. ☺️ **Just a reminder that you are ALWAYS training, whether you mean to be or not.

10/16/2023

10/10/2023

Using pain and punishment causes psychological damage to your dog- and can exacerbate issues, ESPECIALLY aggression issues. Your dog will feel that the world is, indeed, unsafe. Please find a qualified **positive** trainer for your pup.

As dog guardians, we all want our loyal companions to be well-behaved and happy. But when our dogs exhibit undesirable behaviour, we may be tempted to resort to quick fixes like punishment collars or trainers who use forceful techniques. However, these methods come at a high cost to both the dog and...

10/02/2023

This.

If They Could March   -by Jean Donaldson If dogs could march on Washington, what would they march about? Adequate food, shelter, veterinary care? Big ticket stuff, but I doubt it. When people march, it’s never for something everybody already agrees on and for which there are laws on the books. Ev...

06/17/2023

HHR alum Zorro (tan short haired dog) here boarding. Playing w Remi (white and gray dog, HHR alum and here boarding) and Presley- current HHR dog.

06/17/2023

Remi playing w current HHR dog Presley.

06/17/2023

Remi having fun in the mud. 😊

06/17/2023

Remi playing w one of the resident pups. ☺️