Cherry Verite

14/10/2022

If your dog is energetic and over excited, scatter feed them. Use their meal if they have kibble and it will motivate them or some tiny bits of smelly food cut as small as possible then throw them all around your garden. It will use up their energy and make them unbelievably happy at the same time. Plus it will give you a little space too.

23/09/2022

Learn your dog’s silent language so you can understand what he is trying to communicate.

Be open to listening. Let go of human expectations.

Gently, without coercion, try to teach skills (not obedience training) to help your dog navigate the human world.

Try to remain flexible although some things might not make sense from the human perspective. Trust the dog's perspective is valid and very real to that individual dog.

You will make mistakes along the way, get frustrated, and lose your cool at times, but you will learn so much from your dog’s point of view and, in turn, learn about yourself as well.

13/09/2022

My baby always 🤍 Find this comic in our upcoming book coming out Oct 4! https://catanacomics.com/youarehome/

13/09/2022

THE CHOICE TO CHOOSE
WHY DOGS SHOULD BE ALLOWED CHOICE
Imagine that every little detail of your life is controlled - what and when you eat, where you sleep, when you’re allowed inside or outside, when you’re allowed to go out for a walk and if you’re allowed to stop and explore, who you’re allowed or forced to interact with, what activities (if any) you’re allowed to participate in, when you’re shown affection or receive attention, where you’re allowed to be touched etc., etc.…. This situation would create stress and anxiety, a feeling of helplessness, apathy, a lack of confidence and many other negative emotions. The same is true for dogs.
Dogs live in a world where just about everything is controlled by us. Allowing choice, no matter how simple that choice may be, provides many benefits. The context in which we allow choice is obviously relevant. Safety, boundaries, environmental factors, other people or animals always need to be taken into account.
Dogs that are allowed some control over their environment and how they respond to situations are more confident, more emotionally balanced, better able to cope with stressful situations, less anxious, less stressed and have fewer behaviour problems.
Allowing simple choices like which direction to take on a walk, which tree to wee on, how long to sniff that fascinating blade of grass or which toy to play with, which treat to choose, what game to play or allowing your dog to choose to interact or be touched by someone are all simple ways that we can provide choice for our dogs and help them to cope in a world that controls them.

13/09/2022

30/08/2022

17/08/2022

THE GIFT OF THE GROWL
Why growling should never be punished and also never be ignored
Not all growls are negative. Some growls are play growls, attention seeking growls, pleasure seeking growls or frustration growls. They may all sound a little different and may be unique to the particular dog. This post is not about different types of growls, but about warning or aggressive growls.
When a dog growls, maybe even at us, the natural human response is to feel offended and maybe even angry. Surely dogs need to learn not to growl, growling is bad, growling is unacceptable, growling is a problem and needs to be punished so a dog learns it’s wrong, disrespectful and not to do it again, right?
NO, this couldn’t be further from the truth! A dog that growls has just provided us with a very valuable communication signal. In their way, they have just communicated to us how they feel without resorting to a bite. Dogs use growling in an attempt to avoid having to resort to biting, not to initiate it. They could just as easily have not even bothered to growl and gone straight to a bite.
Growling is a dog's way of saying "please stop," "stay away from me," "go away," “I’m not comfortable with this and I’m feeling threatened”. A dog that growls is trying hard to communicate and punishment suppresses this ability to communicate. Punishment doesn’t change the level of the dog's discomfort; it creates more stress and the dog will feel more threatened.
Growling is not the problem. Growling is the result of and the symptom of a problem. A dog that bites without the warning of a growl is a far more serious problem than a dog that growls but doesn’t bite.
Look for any other early warning signals that may precede a growl. Recognize and take note of what makes your dog feel threatened and create distance between your dog and whatever is triggering them.
Be grateful for the gift of a growl - it provides us with an opportunity to address the cause & prevent the bite.

31/07/2022

REACTIVITY MISUNDERSTOOD
Reactive dogs are often misunderstood. A dog that is reacting to a situation is not trying to be difficult, they are having a difficult time coping with that particular situation and are trying their best to make the scary thing go away.
Reactivity is generally triggered by the emotion of fear. The fear of whatever is scaring them, a fear of a valuable possession being taken away or a fear of a strange person or animal coming into their territory. Anxiety, stress, over excitement, over stimulation, feeling overwhelmed, trigger stacking, or a dog that is tired, in pain or even has chronic itching will often feel irritable and may be reactive in certain situations. If their reactivity is successful in making the scary thing go away, it becomes a rewarding behaviour because it’s something that works for them and it makes them feel better.
It’s not easy to be the owner of a reactive dog. One of my dogs is reactive and I know first-hand how dogs like this can leave you feeling embarrassed, ashamed, angry or frustrated. Why do they have to be so difficult, why can’t they just behave normally? Everyone is looking at me, judging me, thinking that I’m a bad owner, have no training skills, can’t control my dog or have a vicious dog that shouldn’t be taken out in public.
As hard as it may be, we need to take the focus off how we as owners feel about their reactivity and focus on how our dogs are feeling and what is causing their reaction. Whatever it is, it’s not something our dogs can overcome on their own and we need to take steps to help them cope. Reactive dogs need compassion, understanding, management, force free, positive reinforcement interventions and decompression – (a return to a normal, more relaxed state after a period of intense stress, psychological pressure, or urgent activity). These techniques take time and patience but are so important in helping our dogs to feel safe and learn more acceptable ways of coping.
I have learnt through many mistakes, to recognise what triggers my reactive dog and take steps to either avoid those situations, provide enough distance, or provide her with an alternative choice where she feels safe and in control of her environment. There will always be unexpected triggers around the next corner that are not within our control, but doing all we can to manage these triggers has immeasurable benefits.

10/07/2022

Those who know me know I used to be an army dog trainer. I learned two things while I was in the army working with dogs, both are still a daily part of my life.

First: you always sort your dog out before you sort yourself out.

Are they thirsty or hungry? Do they need anything at this point? Every day without fail, I follow this rule that I learned so many years ago. Dogs can’t just fill up a water bowl, they can’t stop a griping hunger in their stomach on their own, but we can. So I choose to meet their needs before I work on my own, and I always will.

Second: you always move at the slowest man’s pace.

This lesson taught me everything about living with older, slower dogs. As dogs get older, they run less. Older dogs sniff more. They sniff everything. Senior dogs might be stiff and achy and need to cover less ground, but they cover that ground at a slower pace.

Please consider their needs and go at their pace.

It’s not fair to leave them behind or pull them along.

04/07/2022

Fit and healthy dogs don't just need lots of running, they also need to sniff, explore, work things out and solve challenges. Slowing them down will help them to slow down. 🐶🐶🐶

18/03/2022