Consultora em manejo, bem-estar e comportamento animal tá família multiespécie. Empatia e Zootecnia desde 2010.
Because when you have to go to the doctor, it usually means there is something wrong with you. And when you step foot there and see all the other sick people, it’s never a great feeling. You never know what news you will hear when you go there. So it’s understandable that pets don’t like going...
Dog Training Course In Spain Will Be Short, Free And Simple Keep up with the Latest News In English from around Spain
A study shows that there is a way to successfully transplant burrowing owls to new habitats when developers build over their homes.
In the spirit of October and all things spooky, I’m sending the concept of “heel” straight to hell.
Here’s why: It is a welfare issue.
Of the five freedoms of animal welfare most of us are aware of, it’s #4 that gets glossed over the most.
4️⃣ Freedom to Express Normal Behavior
Normal behavior for dogs looks like moving freely in nature. Sniffing. Investigating. Exploring.
The entire concept of dogs on a short leash walking right next to us looking straight ahead and not interacting with the environment is so, so wrong, and entirely a concept that WE have invented and normalized.
I am here to tell you that IT IS NOT NORMAL.
It is not only not normal—it is comprising our dogs’ welfare. Physically, mentally, and emotionally.
I am here to tell you that IT IS OK FOR YOUR DOG TO WALK OUT IN FRONT OF YOU.
Asking your dog to check in or to walk next to you briefly for safety reasons is one thing.
Ushering your dog around by the neck on a short, taut leash and expecting them to adapt and be “tired out” from that, is quite another.
I’ve seen maladaptive, frustrated behaviors present in dogs who have been yanked and pulled around time and time again. And after being introduced to a long-line and getting a taste of freedom TO BE A DOG—their entire world opens up and that frustration dissipates.
These ridiculous “obedience” ideas have permeated our culture so deeply that our expectations of both dogs and dog guardians are wildly unrealistic and psychologically damaging to all of us!
We forget about ethology and genetics.
Dogs are born with needs that we must meet.
The least we can do when we bring them into our human world is understand their origins and what they need to thrive.
ID: first slide: Letters over a photo of a skull and candles that say “To Hell With Heel”. Second slide: a video of a large brown dog walking on a long-line on the sidewalk.
Yes, you read that right. I give you permission to NOT walk your dog.
The obvious disclaimer here is that dogs need appropriate exercise and mental enrichment (the amount varies from dog to dog). We are strong advocates for meeting dogs’ needs (physically and mentally).
BUT. There is this idea in our culture of the walk as a “thing dog owners must do,” and sometimes it can cause more harm than good. A few examples:
- your dog is reactive, and walks are filled with explosive reactions and stress for everyone. Suggestions instead: do training exercises in the back yard, get outside your neighborhood to somewhere quiet for a “decompression walk” (and talk to a qualified behavior consultant)
- your dog is terrified of the outside, and shakes and trembles during the entire walk. Suggestion: keep outdoor potty breaks short, and play games indoors. You can try fetch, some wrestling/chase, or even “find it” games. (And talk to a qualified behavior consultant)
- your dog pulls like a freight train on walks and tries to chase every squirrel and leaf and you end every walk with a sore arm and lots of frustration. Suggestion: train your leash walking skills indoors, in your yard, or in another quiet space without distractions! Use a flirt pole, fetch, and other active games to burn off some energy. (And talk to a qualified trainer)
- you’re having a bad day and know that going for a walk is likely to upset you when your dog pulls, reacts, etc
- there are so many other reasons why a “walk” might not be the best option for you and your dog. If your dog is stressed during walks, or you feel emotionally exhausted after them- it’s probably time to reconsider whether a walk is your best option!
Saying no to walks (temporarily or long term) doesn’t make you a bad owner. It means you’re thinking carefully about how to meet your dog’s needs, and your own!
Remember, we still have to meet our dog’s needs for exercise and mental enrichment, and there are TONS of other ways to do that!
But a walk isn’t the only way to do this, and it’s ok to NOT walk your dog.
DNA from dog remains traces a relationship across time and space
You’re on a walk and you see a dog on a lead. Your dog is running free.
Q: What should you do next?
(Cue *who wants to be a millionaire* music).
Is it:
A: put your dog on a lead
B. Let your dog run over and say hello.
C: Shout “Don’t worry, he’s friendly.”
Or
D: What dog? You were playing candy crush.
The answer is…. A.
Did you get it right?
Many dog owners don’t. They don’t understand what a negatively life-altering situation a rogue dog can be for on-lead walkers.
Here’s why:
Dogs you don’t know could be on lead for 100s of reasons.
They could be blind.
They could be recovering from surgery.
They could be deaf.
They could be aggressive.
They might be scared of being approached by strangers.
They might be training.
They could be a service dog.
They may be a rescue.
They might be terrified of dogs they don’t know.
They could be elderly or physically vulnerable.
They might simply prefer to walk on lead.
In the end, it doesn’t matter why they are on a lead. It’s none of your business. But what is your business is CONSENT.
Leads are a little flag that say “don’t come close”.
When you see them, putting your dog on a lead is respectful. You show the other owner that you CARE about their choice and consent. It doesn’t matter if your dog has 100% perfect recall. You respect the other person and their dog enough to be courteous and kind to uphold everyone’s safety by making absolutely sure everyone is on a lead (no matter how much you trust your dog).
As a person who is often walking a dog on lead for all of many the reasons listed, I can’t tell you how my heart sings when I see someone extend this gesture to me and my pack.
Your dog has no right or business running up to ANYONE (dog or human) without clear PRIOR consent to do so.
You have a responsibility to ensure your dog is in control in a public place. Failing to recall is an offense. It counts as a dog out of control in a public place.
I made this cartoon in order to explain to some clients why it is important to try and keep their dog below threshold during behavioral therapy and training in a controlled environment (with very gradual exposure) that could potentially cause their dog to become emotionally distressed.
I just published a brand new article about the commonly used word 'threshold'. Read it here:
https://www.lotsdogs.com/behavior/threshold.html
Some quotes from my article:
“It is often claimed that dogs who are over threshold are not capable of learning. This is not accurate. In fact, research has shown that memories of events that triggered emotion, are actually stronger than memories of events that triggered little to no emotion. Emotional events actually ‘dig’ a deep and strong neurological pathway within the dog's brain, because the body considers them to be of high importance (for survival).”
Some forms of training involve the dog being over threshold and a dog who is over threshold can also be in a positive emotional state!
“If you want to change a dog's response within certain context in which it could become emotionally distressed, then you may need to set up an environment in which exposure to that context can be controlled in such a way that the dog remains below threshold and open for learning new, alternative responses/behavior while also building neutral or positive associations.”
More information: https://www.lotsdogs.com/behavior/threshold.html
© LotsDogs
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Better safe than sorry, especially when it involves dogs and children. I felt I had to draw my own dogs & children cartoon which includes some common subtle signs in the top section that can be related to stress and discomfort.
I see it as our job (as professionals) to keep educating and sharing information to improve the welfare dogs and humans.
Most incidents between dogs and children happen while adults are supervising, but just not noticing, understanding and taking appropriate action when dogs show those subtle signs of discomfort.
Many dogs can be unbelievably tolerant when it comes to interactions with humans, but always remember that ANY dog can respond with aggression.
Read more about aggression here: https://lotsdogs.com/behavior/aggression.html
Many times I see interactions where the dog is tolerating, not enjoying, the primate affection communication that we humans prefer (cuddling, hugging, holding). Sure there are exceptions. Always ask questions and try to dig deep into the individual backgrounds before you judge, but my advice will remain:
Better safe than sorry.
© LotsDogs
Copyright notice | Support my page and show some love❤️
Help me reach more people! Please share my content using the 'share' button (you can share in groups, on your business page, on your timeline, etc..all possible through the 'share' options). This is highly appreciated!🥰💞
Please do not download/save my content on your device and upload my work elsewhere. This diminishes my ability to reach people.📵 Many thanks for understanding.
Cuarenta años de recogida a domicilio de mascotas muertas en Madrid: un servicio municipal poco conocido que va más allá de cumplir con el trámite. Todos los días del año un camión isotérmico recorre gratis la ciudad acudiendo a avisos de retirada de animales
I don't know about you, but I don't like every person I meet and dogs don't like every dog they meet. Let's not set up dogs to fail by expecting more from them than we expect of ourselves. - Lori
Hello Sunday! Science Says:
In this new study, researchers fitted 27 dogs with GPS trackers and cameras and recorded several hundred trips over 3 years, more than 600 trials. In 170 of these trips, the dogs stopped before they turned back and ran for about 20 meters along a north-south axis. When the animals did this, they tended to get back to the owner via a more direct route than when they didn’t (when they were tracking). Whenever possible, a dog was taken to a part of a forest they had never been to, so that they couldn’t rely on familiar landmarks. It is possible that the dogs run along a north-south axis to figure out which way they are, implying that dogs can use the reference to the magnetic compass to figure out the most direct route home.
https://elifesciences.org/articles/55080
Quando bater a preguiça de escovar seu cachorro, lembre que você poderia ter um mastiff tibetano 😅🤣🤣
É comum ver condutores de cães (tutores e passeadores) mantendo um ritmo acelerado de caminhada durante quase todo o percurso e ignorando o tempo de faro para o cão. Sempre torço que toda aquela aceleração seja só naquele momento e que eles parem pra que o cão fareje ou separem passeios específicos no dia para que o cão tenha seu tempo. Gasto de energia também acontece com faro!
Lembre-se o passeio é do cão, não seu! Deixe seu celular guardado, seja paciente enquanto ele fareja e aproveite para entender melhor seu amigo de 4 patas!
Sabia que você pode levar seu pet pra o zoológico de Lisboa? Na verdade seu pet não entra pra ver os bichinhos, mas f**a num hotel equipado com área de banho e tosa, cuidados veterinários, e áreas de passeio interna e externa, que oferece inclusive creche pra deixar seu bichinho durante a visita.
Além de cães eles hospedam gatos, aves, roedores e répteis.
Uma ideia interessante de ser adotada ao redor do mundo!
Só procurar pet hotel zoológico de Lisboa.
Em dezembro de 2018, e .bea fizeram uma ação de educação sobre os 12 domínios do bem-estar animal. Foi uma adaptação livre dos protocolos da para os pets que vivem dentro de nossas casas. O feedback foi incrível e fico muito feliz de ver os certif**ados nas portas das geladeiras como um lembrete diário de como facilitar os recursos para os pets alcançarem seu bem-estar.
Frustração é um sentimento comum em nossas vidas e na de nosso cães. Situações de conflitos de interesses e sentimentos surgem todos os dias, e os comportamentos resposta a estas situações, dependem dos reforçadores que recebemos.
Se pra encontrar seus amigos você precisa tomar um metrô cheio (vai reclamar horrores), mas ao final chega em um lugar super bacana e tem boas experiências naquele encontro, a possibilidade de você tomar um metrô cheio pra um próximo encontro é grande. Vai surgir a raiva do desconforto? Óbvio, mas a sua motivação foram os bons momentos daquela reunião e certamente você vai vencer esse conflito, ou achar outra forma de não passar pelo desconforto para viver aqueles momentos novamente.
Se seu cão não atende ao chamado, não se frustre. Procure entender o que pode motiva-lo a ponto de abandonar o momento legal em que ele estava, pra ir até você.
O que seria capaz de fazê-lo entrar em conflito com seus próprios interesses e aceitar que a sua opção é melhor?
Não pense que ele não reconhece seus esforços, provavelmente você só aínda não entendeu quais as motivações dele para atender ou ignorar seus chamados. E talvez por isso, as experiências vividas nem sempre foram agradáveis.
Então deixe essa frustração pra lá, reveja esse passado de vocês dois, e pense em como oferecer experiências incríveis pra ele todas as vezes que atenda a um chamado seu.
E lembre-se sempre de reforçar todos os momentos em que ele atenda, nem que seja por uma fração de segundos. Ele precisa saber que agiu certo para repetir o comportamento.
Pense nos reforçadores como o caminho direto entre a motivação e o sucesso da ação.
Os reforçadores ou motivadores podem ser comida, carinho, brinquedo, atenção, ou até f**ar um pouco mais no parcão. Tem um mundo pra explorar.
Vir pra você tem que representar sempre alegria, resolução de conflitos, ausência de frustração e aceitação.
Dica: evite chamar seu cão se existe algo que compita muitíssimo com sua atenção. Se aproxime, espere o estímulo ser menor e chame o doguinho.
Ufa! Por enquanto é isso.
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