Art and Science Behavior Services

13/08/2024

10/08/2024

08/08/2024

07/08/2024

A lot of my clients seem to be very uncomfortable with the idea of separating their dog and child for safety reasons. But I recently had an epiphany - they all assumed that separation was the same as isolation. And it's not.

Using management strategies, such as using a pen to cordon off an area for a child to play, provide separation between the dog and child. But neither the dog or child is isolated. Everyone can still see each other. The parent can still interact with everyone. And with time and patience, everyone can be very comfortable and safe with such an arrangement.

So now, I am always reminding clients that "Separation is not the same as isolation." It's simply a way for parents to function and do the impossibly difficult job of raising kids and dogs together.

05/08/2024

I recently came across the video in a Facebook group and the theme of the video is one that I have encountered countless times before.

The video was a dog being walked by a dog trainer.

The dog had on a harness attached to a long leash.

The person was using food.

The dog was given time to sniff.

What the public saw in this video is a dog who was highly responsive, focused on the handler, responding promptly to every cue when it was given.

Cues like when to sniff, when to turn and when to walk in heel.

The comments gave nothing but praise.

You may think that the video would fill me with joy, but what I saw in this video was different.

I saw a dog under complete control.

A dog fixated on food.

I saw a dog who wasn't performing natural behaviors - even when they were given the opportunity to.

A topic that is left out of the conversation when discussing how we teach our dogs is how positive reinforcement can suppress behavior.

The positive reinforcement can be controlling.

Understandably highlighting how damaging and coercive positive reinforcement has the potential to be is not a popular topic.

But it's one that I think about often.

It's also a topic that I guide clients through shifting their mindset around.

When a client asks me how to teach their dog something I will often ask "Why do you want to teach your dog _______?"

Asking why allows me to understand what outcome they are looking for so I can guide them to the most dog-centered approach.

When we have all of the power and control over a vulnerable species like our dogs it's important for us to be intentional on what we teach.

Questions you can ask yourself to assess if something is important to teach:

❓Why am I teaching this? (ie Is it necessary?)

❓What is the least invasive way to teach this?

❓Am I suppressing a natural behavior?
Follow on Q: Am I routinely providing an alternative outlet for this behavior?

We want to believe that if we are using treats, toys and kindness to teach our dogs that this is enough, but there is more nuance that needs to be explored in the conversation so we are safeguarding our dog's mental health.

Follow .plus.dogs for more 💜

04/08/2024

"Training Takes Time"

Have you watered your dog today?
(Also, because the world needed more Laekenois content)

03/08/2024

Is it surprising to you? Is that what you would have expect to be the first step? Would you expect it to be "kindness" or even "education" to be first? Or perhaps something a little more in line with how we have traditionally been taught to view those under our authority? "To be disciplined." "To be a leader. Or the dreaded "You must be alpha."

But the truth is it starts with Curiosity. When I look at any relationship a guardian has with their dog, no matter how rosy it might seem on the outside, the first thing I do is start asking questions. In fact as soon as people schedule a consult I send them a long intake form to get more information, and it's full of questions. When I find myself in a position where I am struggling to connect, or relate to dogs in my charge (be they a client's or my own) the thing I challenge myself to do; is take a step back and ask Why. I ask why this is happening, why am I struggling, why is the dog behaving the way they are ... And why does it matter that their behavior changes?

If you find yourself struggling with your dog, your horse, your cat, or even a human in your life; start by asking why. Be curious first, kindness, empathy, freedom and wonder will follow.

02/08/2024

You go to a restaurant and you use your phone: it works the same way it does at home. It works the same way it does in the restaurant as it does when you go to the grocery store. You pass the phone to a friend, it will work the same way it does with you. Alone, at a party, even in another country, same response. If the signal is spotty you may not get as fast of a response, but you don’t wonder if your phone just doesn’t respect you or needs to be shown who is boss.

We’ve become so conditioned to machines and devices that just DO and respond the SAME way in every context they are put in that we often lose sight of the fact that animals, sentient beings, and ourselves, behave differently in different contexts and that’s completely normal and expected and part of life. I know I behave completely differently in a crowded party with strangers than I do alone with my best friend. I know that when I’m in pain or stressed or feel pressured my behaviors will be different than when I’m relaxed and comfortable. How I handle a conflict with a stranger versus my husband, in public versus at home etc etc, This isn’t new information, yet I find myself reminding clients this all the time. Your dog can be wonderful and love playing with other dogs off leash, but on leash in another context behave completely differently. This isn’t weird or bad. This is normal. Context will often change behavior, unless you’re a machine.

Your dog is not programmable, and even when we think they are predictable they can still surprise us. Your dog may love handling and enjoy you rubbing his belly on the couch, but absolutely panic and get defensive when handled and restrained at the vet. Different context, different relationships, different responses. This doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with your dog, it means you need to work on coping skills in those particular contexts that elicit that response, even if that means management to prevent further escalation. The problem comes when we just assume because our dog is FINE in one scenario and context, they should be fine in all. They aren’t cell phones or laptops or cars.

I know this is hard sometimes to grapple with because predictable feels safer when it comes to animals. So unfortunately we often resort to training that gives us that predictably simply by suppressing any reaction at all. DONT move, don’t react, don’t do anything unless I say, immediately when I say. But that’s not healthy. That’s not a relationship, that’s a dictatorship.

Real relationships happen and develop and strengthen when you accept someone (this goes for people and dogs and all species) for what they are, who they are in all contexts and allow them the space to be that way and support them. Just as you would want yourself understood. What’s amazing is when you do that, you actually get MORE predictability in different contexts than less, because there’s trust between you now. It’s taken me a long time to learn that, and love the fact that they are animals, and I’ll never fully understand or know them and they will still surprise me. But, I’m here for the lessons and the journey.

09/06/2024

Looking at the why behind a behaviour is the best thing we can do for our dogs, and ourselves.

When we see behaviour for what it really is, we realise it’s not personal, just practical for our dogs at the time.

08/06/2024

07/06/2024

TIME WELL SPENT: A GLIMPSE INTO ACTIVITY BUDGETS IN DOMESTIC DOGS

A time activity budget is a detailed record quantifying how animals distribute their time across various activities. These budgets are typically represented as proportions or percentages of time spent on activities such as feeding, resting, grooming, or social interactions. Time activity budgets are essential for understanding the natural behaviour patterns (also known as ethograms) of animals.
Out of the 900 million dogs worldwide, only 15-25% are kept as pets, which equates to approximately 135-225 million dogs.
Comparing time budgets of free ranging dogs to pet dogs has its limitations but can provide a valuable blueprint for functionally assessing behaviour issues in pet dogs. It may help in identifying deficits and can also play a role in understanding stereotypical behaviour.
Several studies have been conducted on Free-Ranging Domestic Dogs (FRDD) but creating comparable data sets of time budgets in pet dogs is much more challenging due to individual variability ,regional and cultural differences.

However, a paper by Griss et al, 2021, comparing the movement-specific activity of healthy adult FRDD, farm, and pet dogs across three continents using a Fitbark monitor revealed some interesting findings:

• A bimodal activity pattern was observed in dogs under the least human control, showing two peaks in a 24-hour period, similar to findings in other canids such as wolves and foxes. In owned dogs, the activity pattern was more adapted to humans.
• The second important finding was that dogs in all categories (FRDD, farm, and pet) were equally active overall across all sizes of home ranges. The pet category showed little bimodal activity; however, the total activity levels was similar across the groups.
• Pet dogs had high activity and higher rest compared to FRDD but their moderate activity was shown to be lower.

These new findings are relevant because they impact our understanding of locomotory effects such as exercise, movement, as well as confinement ( link to study in the comments)

Other studies, such as by Banerjee and Bhadra 2019, have examined FRDD dogs’ time distribution in areas such as feeding, resting, grooming, and social interaction ( ref pie chart) We might compare some of these data sets to pet dogs, but how can we know pet dogs are fulfilling their role as ‘dogs in their environment’? It is a complicated and nuanced issue.

Agency, or lack of it, is likely the largest difference between the groups. But also highly relevant, that within the time budget of FRDD, they are rarely observed alone; one or more members of their social group are always present ( which may include humans) Compared to dogs under full human control, FRDD have a higher prevalence of agency. Both these factors fundamentally affect behaviour diversity in all groups, as behaviour diversity has been shown to be a robust measure of positive animal welfare. That said, lives of FRDD aren't all rosy despite higher levels of behaviour diversity and agency, as the mortality rates are high from disease, accidents or culling.

Interestingly, in FRDD, as seen in the chart, vocalisation behaviours make up a significant part of their repertoire. While this might be considered a nuisance in some areas, these vocalisations are largely accepted and even warranted as many of these dogs serve multiple functions in their ecology, such as guarding and alerting. In stark contrast, pet dog owners spend considerable time and resources trying to prevent or stop this behaviour. Descriptive phrases such as ‘demand barking,’ ‘boredom barking,’ or ‘anxious barking’ are commonly used. But, it goes without saying that convincing pet dog owners to accept an hour of vocalisation per day as normal, is unlikely!

One other point of interest is the high proportion of moderate movement activity, which Griss et al have identified in their study also . Again any comparison to pet dogs should factor in variables such as breed , location, age, health, but it's so starkly different to FRDD who are not only moving and exploring but are doing so with a high degree of agency. It's almost impossible for a pet dog to achieve in the average home.
It is clear that the FRDD time budgets are quite different to pet dogs and likely to remain so. Though by being guided by them, we might narrow the gaps between these groups while maintaining high levels of welfare.

One way to delve into this would be to create an activity budget for our own dogs or clients’ dogs, by using the pie chart example in the image. This can easily be done using Word or Excel. You would need data on all the categories beforehand, though if kept a simple exercise, it need not be extensively collected.

If anyone would like a document with more detailed information on time budgets and how to create a chart, please drop us a message with your email.

Boo Blackhurst, CDBC

References:

Griss et al 2021,If they could choose: How would dogs spend their days? Activity patterns in four populations of domestic dogs, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Volume 243

Banerjee & Bhadra, 2019 Time-activity budget of urban-adapted free-ranging dogs

Miller et al, 2020 Behavioral Diversity as a Potential Indicator of Positive Animal Welfare

Majumder et al, 2014, A dog’s day with humans – time activity
budget of free-ranging dogs in India. Current Science 106, 874–878

06/06/2024

If a fear reactive dog is in the height of a reaction your dog is beyond learning anything. They are in their flight, fright or fight state and correcting this does absolutely nothing to teach your dog how to not be reactive.

When a dog is reacting it means that the dog has lost control of logic and their brain is flooded with stress hormones. This makes reasoned thought or learning impossible.

Your dog cannot learn in a reactive state.

Counterconditioning and desensitisation, while keeping your dog under threshold is a proven, effective way to lessen reactivity.
The best thing to do if your dog goes over its threshold and reacts is to walk away in the opposite direction.....keep going until your dog stops and do a U turn to reengage at a better distance.

If you do not reengage your dog will begin to think their reaction worked (it created distance between themselves and the fearful stimuli)....and you can have a cyclical reaction.

Always work under your own dogs threshold .

Celebrate the wins and remind yourself this is a process.

05/06/2024

An IAABC Foundation Publication

04/06/2024

When people introduce a puppy to an existing cat, one of the common mistakes they make is to just let the pets get on with it, thinking it will work out okay. Research shows that it's much better for the guardian to lead the introduction, including keeping things slow, and using pet gates or other barriers to keep the puppy away from the cat. Read more on my blog: https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2023/05/you-can-set-your-puppy-up-to-be-friends.html

03/06/2024

People usually reach out for training services when they are feeling overwhelmed by their dog’s behavior. Because of this, it’s often easy for them to be convinced that they need to “take charge”, “be the pack leader” or “show them who’s boss”. And because they are desperate for change, they dutifully listen.

From that moment forward, that person enters into a power struggle with their dog. When every behavioral concern is approached with the framing of your dog trying to “run the house”, you center yourself above all of your dog’s needs - rather than considering where they are, whether their needs are being met or whether they (or you!) have actually been taught tangible skills for how to handle the situation they find themselves in. It is a single, one-way street of communication.

And unfortunately, this system of thinking has been normalized over the years.

But even still, this is NEVER the relationship I want with my dog.

We are partners. We work with each other, not against each other. We listen to each other’s needs - and each other’s concerns. And as a result, they have a healthy, secure attachment with me. I prioritize this two-way dialogue above ALL training concerns. And beyond that - it makes our training more effective, because it is centered on trust.

THIS is what should be normalized. Respecting your dog, giving them necessary accommodations - and COLLABORATING.

You don’t need to “be the alpha” and get into an unnecessary power struggle. You CAN work with your dog in a compassionate and kind way - one that respects who they are as an individual and recognizes that BOTH of you matter in this partnership. ❤️

02/06/2024

NEOTENY IN DOGS: FOREVER YOUNG, FOREVER AFFECTED

Neoteny, also known as juvenilisation ( retention of juvenile characteristics in adults) is a significant concept influencing every dog today. Neoteny essentially refers to the 'delaying of development' in an animal. Scientifically speaking , many species, including humans, have undergone neotenisation through evolutionary processes by selecting specific traits in both behaviour and physical characteristics. There is a distinction however, between Neoteny which is adaptive ( macro-evolutionised) and paedomorphism which is evolutionary (sometimes used interchangeably) In other words, Neoteny = retention of juvenile characters by adults and Paedomorphism = reproduction by a juvenile.

Neoteny is also well-documented in the domestication of dogs. For example; selecting for specific motor patterns of predatory sequences in herding breeds, or selecting of behaviour traits in livestock guardians. Over millennia, dogs have transitioned from being primarily working animals to modern pets kept mainly for companionship and breeding practices have adapted to meet the demand for increasingly cute-looking animals. More recently, we have seen breed standards changed significantly to favour neotenised physical traits.
Common neotenous physical traits in domesticated animals (such as dogs, pigs, ferrets, cats, and even foxes) include floppy ears, changes in the reproductive cycle, curly tails, piebald colouration, fewer or shortened vertebrae, large eyes, rounded foreheads, large ears, and shortened muzzles. Juvenile behaviours are also selected to facilitate domestication, as aggressiveness typically associated with adulthood is undesirable. Selecting for juvenile behavioural traits can in turn lead to neoteny in physical characteristics because reduced aggression negates the need for physical traits that support aggressive behaviour, such as a developed muzzle and larger size. Moreover, in dogs a prolonged and slower juvenile period allows for greater plasticity and higher trainability compared to wild relatives.
Breeds like the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Pekingese, Pug, and French Bulldog are said to be highly neotenised, though all dog breeds exhibit degrees of neoteny. This phenomenon is correlated with human preferences for ‘baby-face’ or infant like dogs, and feelings of affection toward animals with juvenile features. Perhaps this might be a feature of our own neoteny?

There continue to be implications of neoteny for modern dogs that warrant our consideration:

• Impact of Spaying and Neutering: Considering that dogs are already neotenised, how does spaying and neutering affect them? While further neoteny can’t occur because the animal can’t pass on genes through breeding, the removal of s*x hormones especially before their already neotenised s*xual maturity phase raises several questions, from impact on musculoskeletal development, forming of fears and even increased aggression.
• Animal Welfare: Neoteny’s impact on welfare is notable, especially in brachycephalic breeds like Pugs and French Bulldogs. But, there are also concern for breeds bred for ‘biddability,’ such as Labradors or Malinois, bred for intense work. Other examples are dogs bred for 'teddy bear' looks or extreme miniature dogs. Sports or other such activities in pet dogs can also be considered, as neotenised traits likely play a role in the animals' cooperation and enthusiasm. In all groups, both physical and emotional consequences are important to consider.
• Ecological Costs: The ecological costs of neoteny on animals are also significant. Consider pet dogs vs free ranging dogs. Pet dogs face unique challenges in their day to day lives, from navigating rapidly changing environments, adherence to arbitrary human laws, meeting members of their own species in an endless array of sizes , shapes, ages and s*xual characteristics, both on lead or off lead. Overall pet dogs seem to fare well despite these conditions and it would be fair to say that neoteny is likely to have played roles in interactions of conflict, predation as well as positive affiliation.
In the free ranging dog ecology, rapid urbanisation in some regions are decreasing their habitat and food availability. Many areas are now being subjected to vigorous spay and neutering programs in order to reduce numbers but there are reports that these programs are causing some animals to become aggressive and disrupting their social groups might have increased bites towards humans. This is problematic because in many of these countries, rabies has not been fully eradicated. Further selection pressures are coming from humans breeding pet dogs, which are also following a neotenised trend. Conflicts between pets and free ranging dogs are on the rise as a result and there is a growing bias toward selecting smaller and cuter looking dogs as pets.

In the age of information, social media has further popularised neoteny, as seen in the frequent appearances of such traits on our feeds creating a bias toward some characteristics. However, breeds less physically neotenised such as German Shepherds and Malinois are being used for high energy work, performing repetitive sequences, in contrast other breeds are dressed in clothing to make them look more endearing.

A recent article titled “Peter Pan Pups” published April 2024 (link in comments) highlighted data from 22 million dog insurance claims, revealing that many adult and senior dogs of certain breeds exhibit increased risk of injuries typically associated with juvenile behaviour (such as ingesting inedible objects and physical trauma)
The breeds identified in the article included:

• English Bull Terrier
• Bernese Mountain Dog
• American Bulldog
• Greyhound
• Belgian Malinois
• Airedale Terrier
• German Shepherd
• Weimaraner


The data ( Nationwide, USA) they suggest is that ‘juvenile’ behaviours are being retained on a large scale, indicating a potential cause and effect. More scrutiny into the data might reveal causal links, as neoteny itself is likely to not be the driving factor , perhaps early spaying and neutering could be looked into; or how breeding practice in the USA might influence data in the context of this. There could be several other reasons also.
Because Insurance companies often increase premiums due to rising claims and may decrease premiums for neutered animals, it seems controversial if there is a direct link to neutering and retained juvenile behaviours. It is interesting to note that the breeds listed as retaining juvenile traits are predominantly less physically neotenised than others.
We can consider the ongoing issues with neoteny as an intensification of selection pressures on not only domesticated dogs but on humans by proxy.
Although we have limited control over neoteny itself, understanding its impact and engaging in informed discussions might inspire a shift in overall perspective, leading to improved breeding and welfare outcomes.

Boo Blackhurst, CDBC

Resources:

H.B. Shaffer,Neoteny, Brenner's Encyclopedia of Genetics (Second Edition),Academic Press, 2013, Pages 26-27

B.T. Shea,Paedomorphosis, Brenner's Encyclopedia of Genetics (Second Edition), Academic Press, 2013, Pages 209-212

McGreevy PD, Wilson B, Starling MJ, Serpell JA (2018) Behavioural risks in male dogs with minimal lifetime exposure to gonadal hormones may complicate population-control benefits of des*xing.

Borgi M, Cirulli F. Pet Face: Mechanisms Underlying Human-Animal Relationships. Front Psychol. 2016 Mar 8;7:298.

Coppinger, R. & Glendinning, John & Torop, E. & Matthay, C. & Sutherland, Michael & Smith, Charles. (1987). Degree of Behavioral Neoteny Differentiates Canid Polymorphs. Ethology. 75. 89 - 108.

Koops, W.. (1996). Historical Developmental Psychology: The Sample Case of Paintings. International Journal of Behavioral Development - INT J BEHAV DEV. 19. 393-413.

01/06/2024

“Dogs are not their reactivity. Their response to environmental stimuli shouldn’t define them. Like all others, these dogs are multifaceted, sentient beings with preferences, desires, and rich internal and external lives. So, if you’re a dog guardian reading this, know that you have a good dog who needs some help. Your dog deserves that help, and so do you!”

(An excerpt from a recent guest post for Leash and Explore.)

31/05/2024

Surviving your dog's adolescence is something we don't often talk about in a way that brings the clarity and nuance the topic deserves. Scroll any dog-centric FB group from the basic to the geeky and find cries of help relating to reactive behaviors (I can't walk my dog, she goes crazy when she sees another dog!), seeming stubbornness (why won't my dog come inside from the yard?), and fear-driven concerns (my dog always did fine at the vet but this week he really freaked out). Dig deeper and you will see how often the age of the dog in question is somewhere between six months and three years, with the majority falling in that year to two year range. Our perfect puppies grow into teenage tyrants just as sure as anything, but what should we do? Will they grow out of everything? What if they don't? What should we dig in and work on, and what should we avoid while allowing the passage of time?

The exhausting answer is it depends. So know this:

Your dog will outgrow her impulsivity but not her learning history. In the case of overreactions, those will get smaller, but what your dog is learning when she has one will not go away without targeted work. When it comes to seeming defiance, that too is about learning history; the one that has been written up to this point. If your dog isn't listening when you thought you had taught her well I have bad news; you didn't teach her as well as you thought. That ugly rearing head of fear or anxiety? One question is important: can I avoid what scares my dog (at least at fear-provoking levels) during her adolescence (we are talking up to and sometimes past three years of age) or will she have to endure it? If you can avoid it that whole time, do. Expose at non-provoking levels if possible, but avoid that fear response like your life depends on it. If you can't? You need help, and this is when I rope in the veterinary team, their Rx pad is going to serve your dog in ways your training will not be able to.

Now is the time to be clever about your reinforcement, anticipatory in your management, and insisting in your requests. Make unwanted responses hard to access and desired responses fruitful. Protect them from themselves without hindering their experiences. They are learning how to be in the world, they are learning what they are capable of, and they are learning they might need backup at times--be sure that backup is you.

Oh, and one more thing: enjoy them. They will be grey-faced and slow moving in the blink of an eye, and you will yearn for their younger terrible selves. Trust me.

30/05/2024

" Its okay he's friendly!" Do you hear this often? You often hear it several seconds before their dog makes a beeline for your dog and bulldozers into them.

It is thanks to so called "friendly" dogs that my dog Mando is reactive in the first place. The very people that allow their dog to harass other dogs are the same ones judging people that have reactive dogs, despite the fact it is usually due to irresponsible dog owners like them that many dogs become reactive in the first place.

It is time to redefine the term "friendly dog."

1) A 'friendly dog' should understand and acknowledge the communication of other dogs including calming signals and distance increasing signals.

2) A 'friendly dog' should also be fluent in polite canine greeting behaviours, such as approaching slowly on a curve, rather than running directly towards other dogs.

3) 'A friendly dog' should have great engagement with their handler and have a reliable recall away from dogs and people.

4) A 'friendly dog' should be calm and respectful of other dog's space.

5) A 'friendly dog' should be happy to walk past other dog's without greeting them.

If your dog cannot do all of these 5 things then there is a simple fix; keep your dog on a lead. Rent freedom fields to give them off lead time and walk them on a long line to give them more space, but keep them under control in public spaces, parks and public pathways. That way all dogs can enjoy their walk without being harassed or traumatised. - Holly Leake 🐾

Please feel free to like and share the post, but please don't copy and paste the writing or/and screenshot or edit the graphic in any way. Thank you.

29/05/2024

Obedience skills are great! We love 'em. We teach 'em. BUT. We never let them take priority over social and emotional skills.

When your dog's a baby, let formal obedience training take the backseat. Instead, focus on making your puppy feel safe. Help him learn how to navigate the world around him with confidence. Support him so that he learns emotional resilience. Young puppies' brains are busy building a blueprint of how everything works... his first impressions will shape his behavior and personality for the rest of his life. This is the stuff you can't skip, and you don't get a do-over!! The social skills you're developing now are forming the bedrock upon which allll future skills will be built.

So, go ahead. Stop and smell the roses. Show your puppy how safe and loved he is. Rescue him when he gets in over his head. Reward him when he gets it right. Sprinkle in a little age-appropriate obedience sessions, if puppy is coping well.

Most of all, cherish your time with your new baby. Enjoy his silly puppy antics. Take in that sweet puppy breath. Formal obedience can wait 'til later, but puppies don't keep. 💜