Fido Coach

17/04/2022

This is a good illustration of puppy socialization needs, shared from Good as Gold Training, but I would also add that all of the listed exposure and experience needs to feel *safe* for the puppy. If s/he is nervous, tentative, or fearful the fear should be handled by backing off a little and reintroducing very slowly and with lots of praise, food and patience. Sometimes, for the sake of "socialization", owners push their puppies too far and too fast, and it can backfire. Good socialization requires that we "read" our puppies and help them feel safe as they navigate the sounds, textures, people and animals in their new world.

05/03/2022

This infographic always makes me smile as it’s so very accurate!

25/02/2022

When we attached tiny, backpack-like tracking devices to five Australian magpies, we didn't expect to discover an entirely new social behaviour rarely seen in birds, writes Dominique Potvin.

19/11/2021

DOGS AND TV
Why are some dogs fascinated and some show no interest?
Studies have shown that dogs can perceive images and sounds coming from a TV. Dogs also have the ability to visually identify images of other dogs amongst pictures of people and other animals as well as sounds that they’re familiar with like barking, whining, squeaky toys or certain cue words coming from a TV.
But, just because they can, doesn’t mean that they do! Some dogs are not in the least bit interested while some appear fascinated by what they are seeing and hearing. The individual personality of the dog and breed specific traits seem to be the deciding factor. Breeds that are more attuned to movement may show more interest in TV, while breeds driven by scent may not be interested at all.
Even though dogs are able to recognise screen images, they see images differently than we do. Dogs have dichromatic vision which enables them to only perceive colours on the yellow and blue spectrum. To dogs, every colour appears yellow, blue, brown or grey. Despite their different colour perception, they register moving images far quicker than we do. Modern, high-definition TV sets have a higher number of frames per second than older TV’s and are more likely to capture their attention.
Using the science of dog vision, a dedicated TV channel was developed especially for dogs. It features a higher number of frames per second and has colours set to accommodate the yellow / blue visual spectrum. The channel is aimed at providing entertainment for dogs when they’re left alone.
Out of curiosity, I gave this channel a trial run and my Schnauzers were not in the least bit interested even when I excitedly pointed to the dog chasing balls and splashing through water on the screen. My pointing only caused them to check if there was a bug on the screen that they could catch or if there were any food crumbs around the set and after a quick sniff, they all went back to snoozing, very confused as to what I was making such a fuss about! They are definitely a scent driven breed. That said, I have also seen dogs that are fascinated and even very vocal about what they see on the screen. As with most dog behaviour, it all depends on the individual dog.

17/11/2021

31/10/2021

Thanks to Mighty Dog Graphics for this poster.

26/10/2021

Just five minutes...

What if petting your dog with purpose provided priceless info that could save his life? Dr. Julie Buzby, DVM, teaches 10 touches that show you how.

23/10/2021

Remember this over Halloween, not a new post but a very important one - words and advice by the wonderful Jill Brietner of Dog Decoder

19/10/2021

Graphic by Vet Behavior Team.

If your dog shows any of these signs of hyperarousal it would benefit both you and your dog to get help from a positive reward trainer. Hyperarousal is not the same as a hyperactive dog. Learning the distinction is important if you want to offer your dog, relief.

02/10/2021

If you love four-legged best friend at home, do him and yourself a favor and watch this video.

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 ...

02/10/2021

Can a highly stressful environment during pregnancy affect how puppies turn out? Imagine this: A young dog goes stray and lives on urban streets for two months, in almost constant fear.