Schooling 4 Dogs

25/07/2024

Time for a new cover photo!

Please post in the comments your favourite photo of your dog(s).

Please remember that only landscape photos will be used. The winning cover photo will be picked by random number generator next week. 😁

24/07/2024

Rated one of the top 3 in Worthing too :)

Well done team

19/07/2024

16/07/2024

Rated as one of the top 3 trainers for another year in Brighton :)

10/07/2024

A new study supporting waiting a bit longer to spay.

🐕 A new study from the RVC has revealed that delaying spaying of bi***es until between seven and 18 months causes a 20 percent reduction in the risk of early-onset urinary incontinence, compared with early-age spaying between three and six months. The findings will help vets make evidence-based recommendations on the timing of spaying, whilst taking into account other spaying considerations.

➡️ https://rvc.uk.com/vetcompass-dog-spaying-urinary-incontinence

08/07/2024

15/06/2024

Albie is a gorgeous rescue dog who started showing signs of fear and reactivity as a result of a painful elbow.

Understandably, the emergence of defensive or reactive behaviour is a very common consequence of musculoskeletal pain in dogs. Albie’s dedicated and loving caregivers have worked diligently to reduce his fear, build his confidence and resilience and modify his behaviour. Their hard work is paying off and sweet Albie has come along in leaps and bounds! 😊

Review from Claire and Mirko Arendt (and Albie!):

“We are so grateful for her fabulous help. We really felt that she listened carefully to our concerns and worries and addressed them with practical ideas and solutions as well as writing up a very comprehensive report to help us both now and in the future. She was entirely non-judgemental and we really felt there were no stupid questions!

She was very patient in waiting to provide the follow-up session after Albie had to have an operation, and had to spend several months resting.

There are still things we need to watch for with Albie, and he can still be nervous and reactive at times, but thanks to Hannah we feel that we understand his needs better and can act accordingly to support him to build confidence.

I just wanted to send a massive thank you, as I genuinely feel that this service has been fantastic. Hannah is a real asset, and I would recommend her to anyone with a nervous dog.”

13/06/2024

Have you seen this dog named Misty which was reported stolen from an address in Hove?

Police are continuing to investigate the report from an address in Barnet Way, and believe the pet may still be in the Brighton and Hove area.

A 37-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of theft by finding and fraud by false representation, and the investigation continues.

Officers wish to trace the dog, and anyone with information is asked to report it to Sussex Police online, quoting serial 1076 of 24/04.

05/06/2024

"Classes were fun and informative.. we really enjoyed the course."

We love positive reinforcement as much as our puppies do! :)

Puppy School classes run regularly in Hove and Worthing. Check out our website for dates.

26/05/2024

It’s been a busy few weeks with lots of revising for my final exams, which I’m pleased and relieved to say I passed. So I will soon be a third year BSc Veterinary Physiotherapy Student, YAY!!

I’ve also been keeping busy with my regular clients for maintenance, whether that’s fine tuning working dogs, helping older animals remain comfortable and mobile or assessing animals with behaviour problems to rule out pain as a cause or escalator of those problems.

From September I will be looking for more canine and equine clients for my Uni portfolio and offering discount treatments in return.

Here is the lovely Amber relaxing after her treatment. Amber was cautious to start with, but now jumps onto her towel, relaxed and ready for a treatment 😊

20/05/2024

Myth-busting Monday: "If your dog is scared of men, (s)he must have had a bad experience with them in the past".

Understandably, it is often assumed that dogs showing fear of men (or any other specific fear, such as fear of children, women, people with beards/hats/brooms/walking sticks/prams/handbags etc.) must have had a negative experience with this type of person in the past.

Bad experience or a history of abuse is certainly a possibility for rescue dogs with an unknown past. Statistics do suggest the vast majority of animal abuse cases involve male rather than female humans and, for instance, the majority of dog-catchers and wardens across the globe are male. Conceivably, a fear of people with sticks or brooms could also suggest past history of beating for some dogs. However, in most cases it's actually more likely that the dog is generally anxious - and therefore more likely to be scared of larger, stronger humans - or had poor/incomplete socialisation during pupphyood.

Fear of men, especially unfamiliar men, is one of the most common fears displayed by dogs who are generally anxious or experienced poor socialisation. This means rescue dogs commonly display reactivity or avoidance behaviour towards male humans, even with no prior history of abuse. However male-specific fear is also seen in non-rescue dogs and, alongside fear of strangers, fear of men is one of the common reasons working dogs will fail their qualification tests. Increased incidences of fear towards men can be related to a complex combination of olfactory (scent), visual, behavioural and hormonal cues that dogs pick up on.

Fear of people carrying objects or with unusual features/silhouettes (such as beards, hats, reflective jackets, sunglasses etc.) can be a sign that the dog was not positively exposed to these things during the socialisation period. If a puppy grew up during summer months, for instance, they may not have experienced people in long coats, wearing hoods or holding umbrellas. Thus, experiencing these items for the first time in later life could evoke a dramatic fear response. This is why we include many of these items in our puppy classes in non-threatening ways to ensure puppies are exposed to a variety of different everyday objects and human features.

Furthermore, certain breeds of dogs are genetically predisposed to being more suspicious and fear can also be inherited from the parents. So even if your dog had fantastic socialisation and no prior bad experiences, they may still express fear towards certain people or objects. Fortunately, these fears can be worked on gradually and positively through behaviour modification, with the help of a behaviourist.

For further reading:
▪️ 'Influence of Male and Female Petters on Plasma Cortisol and Behaviour: Can Human Interaction Reduce the Stress of Dogs in a Public Animal Shelter?' - Hennessy et al.
▪️ 'Avoidance reactions of domestic dogs to unfamiliar male and female humans in a kennel setting' - Lore & Eisenberg
▪️'Gender Differences in Human–Animal Interactions: A Review.' - Herzog
▪️ 'Fearfulness and failure in training working dogs' - Gunrow

21/04/2024

17/04/2024

Available for advance booking now for secure dog walking and training. The fence is being completed and the last few details being finalised, ready to open at the end of the month.

More pictures are on the way! It's a 3 acre site, secured with 6 foot Tornado fencing and gates, and the bottom is secured with predator & rabbit mesh to prevent any escape artists.

Access from Bost Hill car park - open 7 days a week.

For easy booking and more information please visit
findondogfield.co.uk

03/04/2024

Please share the lovely Ester or drop me a message if you would like some information. I know this dog personally as one of my massage clients.

ESTER: FOR ADOPTION - ALREADY IN THE UK - 2 years - small/medium

Ester is an inquisitive dog. Corgi sized, she loves sniffy walks, belly rubs, tug games, treat puzzles and sun bathing in the garden. She is friendly with other dogs, mostly ignores cats (outside) and is interested to meet people but likes to give them a good sniff first. Ester can be nervous at times, she is good with women but sometimes more cautious of men (not all men as she loves her dog walker who is a man). She has not been tested with younger children, but is happy with older children if they are calm and give her space. Sometimes she barks when people enter the home but soon settles when she realises there are going to be treats. She is house trained and will ‘go’ on command. If left for a couple of hours, she will settle and sleep but is still working on other training like travelling in the car.
Ester is living in the UK but owing to stressful medical issues in her current home we need to find her a new home as she is becoming progressively more stressed and is on medication for anxiety.

Www.abldr.org.uk/dogs/ester/
Www.abldr.org.uk/app/adoption/

RBU by ABLDR. Currently in Romania. Homecheck required.
Relevant vaccines and blood tests given including brucellosis.

For more detailed information about Ester please contact Amanda.

Mobile: (after 5pm) 7899766665
Email: [email protected]

26/03/2024

On the warmer days of Spring these beauties have already been spotted sunbathing in Sussex - often at the edges of fields or paths. Usually dogs accidently disturb them and they bite out of fear. You may not see the snake and initially you/your dog may not realise they've been bitten. Once a bite is suspected, call your vet immediately for advice (they may send you to another vets if needed).

As soon as the weather starts to warm up, adders will emerge. 🐍

If your dog is bitten by an adder keep them as calm as possible, minimise movement and speak to your vet urgently for advice.

14/03/2024

Our training classes can literally have your dogs jumping through hoops!

Bodie demonstrates his week 6 trick taught using force-free reward based training

10/03/2024

Another great infographic. It just shows that all is not what it seems – tail wagging for instance, it seems like an obvious body language signal. If a dog’s tail is wagging the dog is happy, right? WRONG! All a wagging tail means is that the dog is emotionally aroused. It could be excitement, but it could be frustration or worse.

Dogs can exhibit a variety of subtle signs indicating fear and anxiety. While some signs like trembling, panting, and pacing are more obvious, here are some subtler signs to look out for:

Yawning: Dogs may yawn excessively when they're feeling anxious or stressed. This can be a way for them to try to calm themselves down.

Lip licking: Similar to yawning, lip licking can be a calming signal in dogs. If you notice your dog licking its lips frequently, especially in situations that may trigger anxiety, it could be a sign of stress.

Avoidance: Dogs may try to avoid certain situations or people when they're feeling anxious. They might move away, hide, or try to escape from the source of their discomfort.

Excessive shedding: Stress can cause dogs to shed more than usual. If you notice your dog shedding a lot more than usual, especially in response to specific triggers, it could be a sign of anxiety.

Panting without exertion: While panting is a normal behaviour for dogs, excessive panting without physical exertion could be a sign of stress or anxiety.

Freezing: Some dogs may freeze in place when they're feeling fearful or anxious. This can be a response to feeling overwhelmed or unsure about what to do in a particular situation.

Excessive grooming: Dogs may engage in excessive grooming behaviours, such as licking or chewing their paws, when they're feeling anxious. This can be a way for them to self-soothe, but it can also lead to skin irritation or other problems if it becomes compulsive.

Changes in appetite: Some dogs may experience changes in appetite when they're feeling anxious. They may eat less than usual or refuse food altogether.

Excessive drooling: While drooling is normal for some breeds, excessive drooling in situations that don't typically trigger it could be a sign of stress or anxiety.

It's important to pay attention to your dog's body language and behaviour to pick up on these subtle signs of fear and anxiety. If you notice any of these signs frequently or in response to specific triggers, it's a good idea to consult with a veterinarian or a professional dog trainer for guidance on how to help your dog manage their anxiety.

05/03/2024

Whatever the weather, we're here to help with your puppy training.

Here Frankie nails Loose Lead Walking thanks to her folks rewarding her efforts with a ton of praise and the odd treat 🙂

We offer 121 training sessions as well as our popular Puppy classes running indoors in Hove and Worthing. Check out the website for more details on how our accrediated trainers can help you and your pup have a great relationship.

12/02/2024

Article from the weekend about a seasonal surge in Alabama Rot cases. The cause of Alabama Rot is unknown and thankfully it's still fairly uncommon with clusters being reported rather than it being widespread but it's worth knowing what to look out for (as detailed at the end of the article) and washing paws after muddy walks. Thankfully we're heading into Spring so hopefully muddy walks will soon be behind us for a while.

Dog owners are being advised to wash mud off their pets' legs, tummies and paws as a precaution.

05/02/2024

**special offer**

Between 12th February and 21st April 2024 I am offering 50% off to 5 dogs and 5 horses for a full initial assessment and treatment.

Usual cost is £60 so grab a bargain for £30. Follow up treatments are £40 per session.

Must be happy to get vet consent and allow me to use your report for my university coursework.

[email protected]

05/02/2024

Myth-busting Monday: “Dogs descended from wolves”.

This is a misstatement. Dogs and wolves share a common ancestor, just like we share a common ancestor with chimps. That doesn’t mean we descended from modern day chimps, just like it doesn’t mean that dogs descended from modern day wolves. Clearly, we cannot use chimp behaviour as a means to understand human behaviour. So why would we use wolf behaviour as a means to study dog behaviour?

Wolves and domestic dogs do have very similar DNA, to the extent that they can breed and produce viable offspring. However, dogs can also breed with coyotes, jackals and dingos. That doesn’t mean that their behaviour is the same, nor does it mean that our canine companions are ‘tame wolves’.

Domestic dogs did not evolve because humans reared primitive wolf cubs and selected for tamer and tamer wolves, this is a romanticised idea. Dogs very likely domesticated themselves. Wolves as we know them did not exist yet by the time that early domestic dogs began to appear. Primitive dogs had already split from the primitive wolflike ancestor and dogs and wolves were emerging on different evolutionary paths. Primitive dogs became progressively more tame by associating more closely with human settlements, with the more bold and least aggressive dogs more able to gain access to human resources. The grey wolf we know today is just as modern as our domestic dogs, and they have both diverged from their common ancestor.

Modern wolves have become specialised cooperative predators and live very different lives to modern dogs, who evolved to become generalised scavengers and to display all the physiological features of domestication syndrome. There are huge differences between dogs and wolves beyond just genetics. Even wolf cubs that have been hand-reared by humans are dramatically different to domestic dogs of the same age. Wolves are much more adept at problem-solving than domestic dogs and tend to be persistent in their tasks, whereas dogs are more likely to give up and defer to humans for help. Even hand-reared wolves will not look at humans for help. Domestic dogs are also better at following human gestures and attention cues than hand-reared wolves. Wolves also have a much shorter critical period for socialisation than dogs do and are not capable of forming strong attachments with humans or other species such as cats, like dogs can. Even at a few weeks old, hand-reared and extensively-socialised wolf cubs will show aggression and fear to humans, unlike dog puppies with the same rearing environment. Furthermore, even hand-reared wolf cubs will not engage in eye contact with humans, something that domestic dogs offer naturally.

The study on captive wolves that provoked the ‘dominance myth’ and still haunts dog behaviour to this day was never designed to be a way of interpreting natural wolf behaviour, never mind domestic dog behaviour. The wolves studied were in a highly stressful captive environment with no freedom to disperse, causing huge social conflict. The behaviour observed in the study does not even replicate wild wolf behaviour, never mind that of our domestic dogs. David Mech, the scientist behind this study, has talked openly about how incorrectly his studies have been interpreted: https://youtu.be/tNtFgdwTsbU

More reading:
'Integrating social ecology in explanations of wolf–dog behavioral differences' – Marshall-Pescini et al
'A Simple Reason for a Big Difference: Wolves Do Not Look Back at Humans, but Dogs Do' – Mikloski et al
'Species-Specific Differences and Similarities in the Behavior of Hand-Raised Dog and Wolf Pups in Social Situations with Humans' – Gacsi et al.

27/06/2023

Over 30 dyrlæger opfordrer i et brev i det seneste nummer af dyrlægernes fagblad "Veterinary Record" til øget opmærksom på farerne ved rutinemæssig kastration/sterilisation af hunde. Indtil for få år siden vidste vi ikke at neutraliserede hunde har en øget risiko for at få kræft, gigt, korsbåndsskader, allergier, stofskiftesygdomme og mange andre alvorlige sygdomme. Hvis vi går længere tilbage troede mange endda at det kunne være en fordel at neutralisere hunde. Nu ved vi bedre.

20/06/2023

Struggling with your adolescent dog? Can’t get focus on walks? Do they struggle to relax in busy or new environments?

Our Level 2 classes in Worthing and Hove are what you need.

Kind and effective methods to build the relationship between you are your dog.

Get in touch for more information: [email protected]

www.schooling4dogs.com

14/06/2023

Mesh muzzles are HIGHLY inappropriate for use on walks in any weather. They are only designed to be used for very short durations (eg. 5 mins in a vet clinic) and, even in those circumstances, basket muzzles with pant room are significantly better.

Sadly, it's still a regular occurrence to see people walking dogs in mesh muzzles, even in this very hot weather. Without the ability to pant, a dog has no way of cooling down. Not only is this very dangerous in hot weather and/or while exercising, it's also acutely stressful for the dog.

Many people are of the thought that mesh muzzles are kinder or more comfortable for dogs than basket muzzles and this is absolutely not true, especially when used in situations in which a dog has an essential need to pant (in hot weather, when exercising, when under any form of stress, etc.).

If you need help training your dog to get used to wearing a basket muzzle, this is something we love to do, so please get in touch!

11/06/2023

A few places left on our next term of Worthing puppy class....

WORTHING - Saturday 24th June
HOVE - July

Get in touch for more details:
[email protected]

30/05/2023

This is Dave, or 'Brave Dave' as he is affectionately known. Dave is a shih tzu who was rescued from appalling conditions, living in a car with 30 other dogs! His lovely and dedicated humans have been working hard on his confidence through behaviour consultations and he is coming along in leaps and bounds. Despite being absolutely terrified at first, he is now learning to love and even seek out the company of new people and his confidence around other dogs is steadily improving too. Well done Brave Dave!

15/05/2023

As you may know our Facebook account was hacked and despite many attempts we have been unable to get it back.
Social media is a crucial way a small business connects with its customers so we have set up a new account and are asking as many of our customers and friends to follow us again.
At the same time we would love it if you would write a Google Review as this helps new customers find us.
As a thamk you we are putting together a mystery box of goodies for your pet.
Each social media action equals 1 entry so the more you do the more chance you have of winning!
A winner will be picked at random at the end of May, so get sharing!!

10/04/2023

Myth-busting Monday: "I've tried canine enrichment. My dog didn't like it."

Enrichment, by definition, is environmental modification that benefits the individual. That means, if it's actual enrichment, your dog likes it!

Enrichment is not a one-size-fits-all activity and really does need to be tailored towards the individual dog. It should ideally involve a highly-motivated behaviour (for that dog) and give enough reinforcement to not cause frustration. Sniffing, licking, chewing and eating are activities all healthy dogs love, but the other activities can be a bit more individual.

Try your dog out with lots of different enrichment types and see what (s)he likes best! Mix them up a bit but make sure your dog is always enjoying the activity and not getting frustrated, confused or losing interest. Always make it easy at first and increase the difficulty gradually over time.

Enrichment enhances your dog's life in a way that decreases stress and provides an outlet for natural behaviours.
It can be as simple as:
Stuffing a kong or providing raw bones or chews
Bringing home a novel item from work for your dog to investigate
Sprinkling your dog's food out over grass or shredded cardboard recycling
Walking somewhere completely new or letting your dog lead the walk at his/her own pace (within reason!)
Mimicking predatory hunts with tug games
Giving your dog a sandpit or beach trips for unlimited digging
Buying cheap stuffed toys for your dog to kill and dissect (under supervision)
Providing equipment, different surfaces or textures for your dog to explore, scramble over or forage through
Hiding items/people for your dog to search for
And soooo much more.

What's your dog's favourite enrichment activity?