Apt Canine

27/06/2023

Some ideas to get you brainstorming ways you can meet the needs of your herding dog!

10/06/2023

Fact: most people wait to start training until they’re already having problems. Don’t let that be you! And don’t wait until your puppy is old enough for a puppy class. In fact, don’t even wait until after you bring your puppy home! Your puppy experience can and should be joyful, painless, and free of any butting-of-heads. Let me show you how!

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18/05/2023

I really don’t know how to TikTok— I had to talk so dang fast and still didn’t get to say everything I wanted to! Not a great platform for nuanced discussions, but at least in 3 minutes you can kind of start the conversation. I hope it’s at least interesting.

17/05/2023

A lot of viral videos display dogs showing body language like this. It’s important to raise awareness of how the dog is actually feeling about what’s going on…as well as how their unique L.E.G.S.®️ (of which we don’t talk enough about the Genetics piece of the recipe) can inform how they might perceive what’s going on and the ways in which they might eventually respond if their emotions continue to be ignored.

(In Delia’s case, this is her reaction when the robot vacuum first turns on, but she copes by staying close to me and chewing a cow hoof, which quickly lowers her anxiety level.)

01/05/2023

Of course, there are key differences between dogs and humans, and it’s important to acknowledge those. However, “How would I like it?” is indeed a scientific question to ask!

18/04/2023

Washington State Event planning| Floral Design |Sips & Stems Classes. Chandra Christenson owner of S

16/04/2023

Balancing all these things is HARD, but so is parenting, I’m told!

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05/04/2023

This! Dogs should get to experience satiation. They shouldn’t feel hungry all the time, or have to feel insecure about whether they have adequate access to resources.

29/03/2023

Resharing an old post.

You don't always have to train an alternative behaviour. Sometimes, you can just tell the dog, "No."

Woah, woah, WOAH! Hang on. Before I get angry comments, allow me to explain this. What time is it? It's nuance o'clock!

There's a really good reason why you hear trainers say not to just tell the dog "no." The reason is, we as humans have a real tendency to only speak up if we don't like something. (Raise your hand if you're more likely to leave a review when the experience was very bad, and not as likely if it was okay.) So a lot of dogs receive a constant stream of negative feedback ("No!" "Eh!" "Uh-uh!"). But when they do something we don't mind...silence. Add to that, the negative feedback is often very inconsistent. The dog jumps up and is absent-mindedly petted. A few minutes later, he does the same thing and is scolded. How frustrating!

So that's where this advice came from. Too many dogs aren't getting enough information from their humans, and are chronically frustrated and on-edge as a result. Not great.

But there are so many times when I don’t want to teach an incompatible behaviour. I don't care what the dog does, as long it's "not that."

For my way of thinking, training an incompatible behaviour is unnecessarily controlling if that behaviour is arbitrary, and I don't actually care. If I don't need the dog to sit, I just need her not to jump, then why would I modify her behaviour to get her to sit? Letting her choose something else instead is more of a compromise. She gets to decide what she does next, as long as it's not that one thing I just told her not to do.

So, this is what I recommend. When you have a puppy or a newly-homed adult dog, and it's pretty likely that a good percentage of their ideas are not going to be liked by you, I recommend putting them in what I've dubbed “the place of only good choices.” (A puppy pen, gated puppy-proof room, etc. Complete with things they can self-entertain with and not get into trouble.)

When you are able to give your full and undivided attention, you can give them a little bit of freedom and reinforce literally anything that you don't actively dislike. I mean it—go absolutely wild. Use Kathy Sdao's SMART x 50 (See, Mark, and Reward Training. You count out 50 treats and use all of them, marking and rewarding literally anything that isn't a bad choice.) You will also provide guidance for what's NOT acceptable for them to do, using an interrupter cue (doesn't need to be harsh or angry) to call them away if they're about to do something they shouldn't. If they don't listen, you can gently remove them (it's a good idea to leave a leash dragging for this purpose). Then, reinforce the next acceptable choice they make. Maybe give two treats this time to really make the contrast.

This is instructive. This is giving the dog TONS of information about acceptable and unacceptable behaviours. This is learning. This isn't JUST saying "no," But you're also not dictating what the alternative behaviour has to be. You're allowing them to make choices, while giving enough information to make appropriate choices.

Then, as they get older and are past that super exploratory toddler stage (or if it's an adult rescue dog, they've become more comfortable in your home), you can give them as much freedom as you want. Now, they have a frame of reference for what's fine for them to do. So if you tell them not to do something, it's more likely that the next choice they make will be one that you can reinforce.

This is how it works in practise: Delia does something I'm not a fan of. I say, “Delia?” in a particular tone. She looks at me. I give her the “mom glare” and shake my head. She makes a different choice. I reinforce that, and let her go about her business.

The reinforcement can vary depending on the situation. Most of the time, I just nod and smile at her, or verbally praise her. If she makes a SUPER awesome second choice, or if leaving behind the thing she was trying to do was extra challenging, I'll reward her with food or a toy.

So, there's my controversial take for your Monday morning. What say you?

28/03/2023

A lot of dogs who are labelled as “reactive” are actually doing exactly what we purposely bred them to do! They are simply responding to a sudden contrast in the environment. That means we need to help them identify which contrasts are in fact not actually something they need to be concerned about. In many cases, we also need to find ways lower their overall levels of stress, frustration, and anxiety, so that their brain is in a good place for learning to happen.

28/03/2023

For example, when my Delia gets frustrated, excited, over-stimulated—just generally a high arousal situation—she wants to bite something (she’s a herding dog selected for driving Welsh black cattle, so heavy emphasis on the bark and the bite.) I notice that she if the arousal is more playful/excited, she will run and grab one of her toys and ‘invite’ me to play. And when she’s irritated/frustrated/overwhelmed (for example with her housemate 14yo golden retriever, who is the goodest of boys but she doesn’t like the way he moves when entering a room) she will often find a chew and go to one of her ‘safe spaces’ to chew it, which allows her to calm herself down. I love that she makes these choices on her own, and I definitely reinforce that!! I provide the affordances to help her with this by making sure to have toys and chews available.

27/02/2023

This is great information for choosing a breeder. A lot of the blanket advice out there says that a good breeder should be a member of their breed club and have titles on their dogs, but that isn’t necessarily the case. Take the whole picture into account and get to know your breeder well. You should like your breeder as a person and align with their goals and values. This relationship should be able to extend for the life of your dog!

Prospective puppy buyers are always told to choose a “good” or “reputable” breeder. But what does this really mean? Today’s is breaking down what it means to be a “good” breeder and why it can be so hard to tell the difference between someone you can trust and someone whose priorities are off.

Things to keep in mind when evaluating a breeding program:

-Titles don’t tell the whole story! Just because a dog has earned a championship doesn’t automatically mean their temperament is stable.

-Look for a breeder who will be honest with you about their dogs’ good traits AND bad.

-Health testing, beyond an Embark test, is a must.

Your breeder should be a source of support and help as you navigate the process of raising your puppy, so it’s important to go with a breeder you can trust!

12/07/2022

Sounds like the perfect solution... kids itching to walk their new dog + over-stretched parents thrilled that their children are taking responsibility and lightening the workload! What's not to love?

Actually quite a LOT.

I can't tell you how many disappointed faces I see when I try to explain why a child walking a dog ALONE *might NOT be* the best idea for anyone!!?

And I get totally it.

If this is your first family dog, a quick spin around the block may look harmless enough - until you consider ALL of the things that can (and DO) go wrong.

Even (mentally and physically) FULLY-GROWN ADULTS get pulled down to the ground, or dragged over to squirrels, skateboards and the neighborhood cat. They accidentally drop leashes, or watch helplessly as their pup slips their collar. They struggle to control their dog around other dogs, or conversely, they panic or freeze when an off-leash dog comes sprinting full-speed towards them (friendly or not friendly.. who knows? They’ll likely find out when it’s too late!)

And this is ONLY a handful of the things that can happen to GROWN UPS… so for kids the stakes are simply exponentially higher.

As a trainer, I’m pretty calculated about where I go, and when I walk my dogs my radar is always activated. Even still, I’ve personally had to dash after my loose dog, I’ve been bitten by a dog who was attacking mine, I’ve seen a dog run over in a school parking lot, and watched a child be literally dragged for 50ft against her will!

So, I hope by sharing the potential risks with you, you can make informed choices about your family dog walking situation:

Here’s my hotlist of things to consider:

Size - of child and dog
Strength - of child and dog
Maturity - of child and dog
Training - of child and dog
Temperament - of child and dog

Then download, print and share our poster.
THESE are my questions to help families size up the COMBINATION of their dog and child to see whether WALKING ALONE together is a SMART call.

For more info for kids, dogs and making EVERYONE'S life SAFE and HAPPY - go to thefamilydog.com/families

11/07/2022

Ooh! Love this quote: “Expectations of Behaviour are necessary for good training. And good training is required for you to get to have expectations.” -Sarah Stremming

Sarah addresses the viral meme with the quote, “Holding dogs accountable is uncomfortable. But having dogs fail because you won’t teach, confront, or correct is unacceptable.”—Dave Kroyer. Can dogs be accountable for anything? What does that even mean? Why is it uncomfortable? Cog Dog Classr...

08/07/2022

Part 2: Okay, so your puppy is getting 18-20 hours of sleep a day. But she's still biting! Then what?

And I forgot to mention: teething is a thing too! Make sure to provide lots of appropriate chews. You can also make easy teething toys by soaking rolled washcloths in water and freezing them.

05/07/2022

Really important post!

RECOVERY FROM THE 4TH OF JULY

If your dog was scared of the fireworks activity over the last few day, the next few days are going to be his recovery period. Dogs don't have calendars, so your dog has no idea that the 4th of July is over and those scary bangs and pops are pretty much over. As far as he is concerned, going outside could still be a dangerous proposition.

Your dog is trigger stacked - he is on edge and any little thing could send him into a panic or result in a bite incident. For the next few days, help your dog recover and settle back into his normal self with calm and relaxing activities. Limit walks to quiet areas and just let him sniff. Give him lots of calming activities to do at home - sniffing, licking and chewing all have a calming effect on our dogs.

Check out my blog page for information on
Trigger Stacking
Food Enrichment Activities
Sniff Walks
and
4th of July - how you can start training now to get ready for next year.

https://www.crimsonhound.com/dog-training-blog/

Whether you have concerns about aggressive behavior, are struggling with puppy issues, need advice on how to help your fearful dog or just want to set your dog or puppy up for success, I am here to help. Contact me today at [email protected] or visit my website at http://www.crimsonhound.com.

01/07/2022

What to do with that baby shark?

(Yes, I left it on a cliff hanger. I’m sorry!)

30/06/2022

30/06/2022

The golden retriever one is too accurate. 🤣 Although let my old guy carry the leash in his mouth, and suddenly this meditative, calm look descends on his face. Eyes on the horizon, one foot in front of the other, nothing can break that focus…

jauncydev • Original Audio

30/06/2022

Herding dogs! I am a little bit biased, but this is my favourite group. And a lot of dog trainers feel the same way, because, well, to be honest...herding dogs make us look good! Their rapt attention, responsiveness, and intense drive to 'do stuff' in partnership with a human makes them a joy to train in many ways. It does NOT, however, make them "easy" dogs! Especially not for the average family lifestyle.

Herding dogs are one of the most fascinating chapters in the human-dog partnership saga. In order to manage our domesticated prey animals, we harnessed the instincts and appearance of the predator: the wolf helping us move the lamb. It started out with some primitive Asian and Spitz breeds who could chase and bark at the stock to move or hold them, without attacking them. As we continued selecting the best dogs for the job, we continued to refine, sharpen, modify, and mute parts of the natural predatory sequence (orient > eye-stalk > chase > grab-bite > kill-bite > dissect > consume.) It was a razor's edge that we were walking with these dogs. We wanted a heightened instinct for stalking and chasing movement, and sometimes we wanted an inhibited grab-bite. But we definitely didn't want these dogs to kill or eat our livestock! And it was absolutely critical that they have the ability, even when highly aroused, to attend to and respond to our cues. At the same time, we needed hardy, rugged dogs who were suited to the terrain we were working them in, and had the stamina to go all day, but also the off-switch to stop when we said "that'll do." (Note: because it's such a thin razor's-edge of selections, there were always—and still are—dogs who retained more of the predatory instinct than we wanted. So it's a mistake to assume that if you get a herding breed, your dog would never chase and kill livestock. Genetics are not predictive, but the majority of dogs will fall somewhere close to the intended selections, with standard deviation.)

As time went on, we continued to adapt and hone these dogs for different types of stock and different environments. In comparatively recent history, some of these dogs left their pastoral roots behind for a different type of work. Because they were so responsive to human direction, even in high-stakes environments, and because they had such a strong work-ethic and are highly-attuned to their environment, certain breeds and lines within breeds were adapted for military, police, and security purposes. These dogs underwent additional modification and selective pressures. For instance, more emphasis on the bite.

Because of all the variety within the herding group, it's really important to look into the history of your dog's breed (or predominant breed, in the case of a mixed-breed dog.) There are going to be key differences between the average Australian Shepherd and the average Belgian Malinois, for example. But beyond the breed, it is also helpful if you know the lines, especially when you're choosing a puppy. You could have four dogs that you would almost think were different breeds, but they're actually all Border Collies: it's just that one was bred for a cattle ranch, one for sheep trials, one for agility, and one for AKC conformation.

But despite all the variations, there will be some key similarities. At their core, herding dogs are bred to be sensitive to movement and any contrasts or changes in the environment. While depending on the intended job, we may have valued more or less independence and decision-making ability, herding dogs are on the whole bred to work in closer cooperation with humans than, for instance, a livestock guardian dog, which means they do tend to be quite handler-focused and "tuned-in" with their person.

They are regulators. They want law-and-order, they want all the boxes checked, they want the ducks in a row. If anything changes, they'll let you know about it. You might think it's insignificant that the neighbour parked on a different side of the street than she usually does, but your herding dog still thought you'd like to know.

A lot of people say herding dogs are bossy, but that's not entirely accurate. In truth, they are often relieved to take a back seat—but they're always standing ready to step in whenever they perceive that no one is competently driving the bus. They're not going to let this thing crash on their watch. As long as you're a competent driver and you honour them by providing clear and consistent information about the world, and involve them by giving them clearly-defined tasks and expectations, your herding dog is happy to let you keep the wheel. The ideal human for a herding dog has clearly outlined procedures, precedents, and parameters outlined. Write an employee handbook for your herding dog—a literal one, if that helps you. She'll be that employee that can quote it back to you and let you know if you didn't dot an 'i' or cross a 't.'

In short, your herding dog was designed to be your partner in everything, and she craves that. Type-A is written in her DNA, and she will struggle in a chaotic or disorderly environment. Having a herding dog often feels like having a gifted toddler: coming up with activities for her, driving her to her sports and classes, and helping her navigate her big feelings can be a huge time, money, and energy commitment. These dogs are not for everyone. But for some of us (perhaps ourselves herding dogs at heart), we can't possibly imagine a better adventure buddy, work partner, and friend than our herding dogs provide.

✨ Please show off your Herding Dogs in the comments!! Bonus points for shots of them in action.

Next up: Gun dogs! Keep an eye out.

***Note! The information in these graphics is an extremely brief overview, and the breeds listed are just examples. There are many other breeds which fall into this category. For a deeper dive, definitely research the specific history of the individual breed you are considering, or already have in your home! Also, please remember that genetics are not predictive. They just give us a good idea of what is more likely; an idea of what we shouldn't be surprised to see. Remember that the dog's Learning and Environment also have a role to play, and at the end of the day, each dog is their own unique Self.

Have a mixed breed dog and not sure whether it's a Herding Dog? Check out https://www.thedogkey.com/index.html, which can narrow down which group your dog is most likely to fall into.

Credit to Kim Brophey, who created the LEGS® model and the system of 10 genetic groups.

Resources:

THE DOG'S TRUTH - the ground-breaking new course that pulls back the curtain on "the truth that every dog lover on earth needs to know in order to do right by their own canine companions and those they work with professionally." (Every Apt Canine training/behaviour client gets FREE access!) Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUPZQqJxbDQ

Genomic Analyses Reveal the Influence of Geographic Origin, Migration, and Hybridization on Modern Dog Breed Development
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28445722/

29/06/2022

Got a better video of Delia’s awesome recall.

This is probably the last time I’ll arbitrarily use it to call her away from a toy like this. Part of keeping it reliable is not over-using it by testing it constantly!

27/06/2022

…I whisper to myself, as I watch Delia dance triumphant circles around me with a rotting fish in her mouth. 🥲

26/06/2022

Yes...reading Alexandra Horowitz's amazing book, Inside of a Dog right now. She talks about the "umwelt"—basically, the unique experience of the world that a particular organism has. How easy it is for us to imagine our dog's experience through our own human lens, but how this can lead us to unhelpful conclusions.

It's wonderful and important to try to understand our dog's experience of the world, and "how would I feel if...?" is not in itself an unscientific or unhelpful question. But in order to answer that question correctly, we first need to consider the ways that dogs and their perceptions are different than ours.

We need to use our empathy and our imagination, and not assume that another /person/ has the exact same perceptions and experiences as us, let alone another species!

Brené Brown

23/06/2022

Loved working with this crazy cute (and incredibly bright) scruffy little man today. Wilson. 😍

23/06/2022

Isn’t one night enough? Or even too much? I enjoy fireworks displays, but preventing the suffering of animals and veterans means more to me than a little pleasure does.