Limitless Pawsibilities

12/05/2024

16/12/2023

One of the ways to assess the welfare of dogs trained using different types of training methods is to look at cognitive bias, or whether the dog is optimistic or pessimistic. This study by Casey et al 2021 finds "We demonstrated that dogs appear to show a more pessimistic cognitive bias where trainers report using two or more aversive training methods, and this has important implications for the kind of advice given to dog owners by veterinary surgeons, breeders, behaviourists or trainers, particularly for new owners or those acquiring a puppy." This is just one of many studies that shows it's important to stick to reward-based dog training methods.
Read the full paper here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-97743-0

13/11/2023

When we seek help for our dog's behaviour we tend to focus on stopping something unwanted.

Our aim is to make that behaviour go away.

But there's much more to it than that.

Dogs act how they do based on their feelings and their motivations.

They can’t tell us what either of those things are unless we know their language.

Unless we identify what they need.

Then work out another way to meet that need for them.

Ethically, we can't dive in to make the dog stop doing something.

We must start by watching and listening.

Learning from the dog.

Asking the following questions.

26/08/2023

Happy National Dog Day!

21/07/2023

HOW TO GAUGE OVERHEATING IN YOUR DOG
Beautiful summer days make us want to take our dogs with us on fun outdoor activities. But be aware of the risks, for dogs can over heat quickly and that can be a life or death situation. Summer heat and heat exhaustion in dogs - use the tongue as your gauge… (photos included to help you).
🐾 Tongue inside mouth when open, not protruding past the lower teeth - your dog is good to go.
🐾 Tongue just past the front teeth when panting is still in the safe zone, but watch them carefully.
🌞 Tongue hanging out fully past the lower teeth where it can droop a bit, but the sides of the tongue are still flat - your dog is hot, and this is the optimum time to consider stopping and cooling down.
🔥 Tongue fully hanging out, tip is flared, and the sides are curling up (the tip can look like a scoop). STOP! Your dog is close to overheating and it is time to cool down. Any further and you put your dog in jeopardy.
Do NOT give your dog ice to cool them down. Wet their paws, belly, and head (including ears) where capillaries are closer to the surface. If close to or overheating, the whole body needs cooling immediately. Drinking water should be slow to avoid regurgitation. Once the panting has slowed, they can drink just fine.

10/04/2023

Have a wonderful and Happy Easter. 🐰🐣✝️

Easter is on Sunday! As families prepare to celebrate, we want to remind pet owners to keep their pets away from these common Easter pet toxins! Contact a pet poison hotline, your family veterinarian, or your local animal emergency hospital if your pet gets into any of these Easter pet toxins!
Learn more: https://aercmn.com/common-easter-pet-dangers

25/03/2023

A little late.... Happy National Puppy Day!

Look at my moves! I got da best wigglebutt!

20/02/2023

When socializing and training a new puppy, ensure that ALL experiences are positive ones! Keep your puppy safe! Build trust. These are the foundations of your relationship, and your relationship is the key to successful training and a loyal companion.

23/01/2023

Well said! Trauma can have life lasting affects. Our dogs are trusting us to take care of them and keep them safe. Let’s make sure that happens for our dogs. They deserve our best, so let’s give that to them.

02/01/2023

Remember this. Why puppies should not have complete freedom. Why supervision is active, not passive. And why “I never taught them that” is real!

Sometimes we accidentally teach dogs or cats to do things we don’t want.

01/01/2023

Well, it's been a year, to say the least.
So much has happened, and not happened, and I sit here watching the snow fall outside my window and I can't help but feel blessed. I almost lost two of my dogs this year, but I didn't. They are still here, thankfully. Senior dogs, are the best, despite the fear you can go through facing their mortality. Every day is a gift. Each morning when I lift Doc down from the bed, I give him a kiss and feel so lucky that he is still in my life. Each time Echo barks her now whisper bark because she no longer has a voice, I smile. She is alive and happy. So, as my husband and I ring in the new year with our five dogs, I can't help but feel fortunate. Count your blessings. Appreciate the little things in life. Time is precious.
Happy New Year everyone!

01/01/2023

I can't imagine life without a dog in it! And it all started with a Sheltie named Dusty.

30/12/2022

Online courses where you can train in the comfort of your own home at your pace are available. Do what it takes to make that adorable new puppy or dog a permanent family member. A dog is for life!
https://www.limitlesspawsibilities.com/private-training/online-courses.html

18/12/2022

Heads up dog lovers! A dog-friendly warning regarding the Xmas treats many stores are now starting to stock for dogs for the holidays.

Many of these so-called treats end up with the dog "enjoying" some time in a veterinary surgery over Christmas.

The chews are made from cattle or horse hides and their journey starts with the hides being soaked in a toxic sodium sulfide to remove the hair and fat. More chemicals are used in order to split the hide into layers which is then washed with hydrogen peroxide to give the white "pure" look and remove the rancid smell. You may know hydrogen peroxide is commonly used to make dogs vomit up poisons but it can cause lasting damage to intestines.

Now come the pretty festive colors and the glue to form cute shapes. On testing, these chews have shown traces of arsenic, mercury, chromium, and formaldehyde! Yeesh - you would never knowingly feed these toxins to yourself or your dogs, right?

If that wasn't bad enough, these "treats" regularly cause intestinal blockages, poisoning from chemical residue and choking. The chews are slippery when wet and are near impossible to get hold of to save a choking dog.

Leave them in the shop where they belong or if some well-meaning person buys them for your dog store them safely away from your dog and then dispatch in the garbage bin!

24/08/2022

Too funny…

Introverted dogs have a hilarious meetup at a dog park and introverted humans relate. CNN's Jeanne Moos reports.

13/08/2022

Dogs can become reactive for many different reasons. As dog owners, we must pay attention and see the subtle signs that our dogs give us to let us know they are uncomfortable. Often times these subtle signs are missed. The dog then feels the need to act more - feeling they have to now deal with it because the person on the other end of the leash is not. Keep your dog safe, and know what that means.

25/07/2022

It’s hot outside… the truth about ice and our pets.

You might have read some conflicting things about giving your pets iced treats in the heat - that it's a great way to cool down, that it's not as good as other ways, or even that it's a dangerous thing to do. So, we thought we'd have a quick look at the facts.

Firstly - giving your pet ice cubes is not going to kill them. Unless you start force-feeding them, or your pet decides to inhale them instead of swallowing, then the risks from feeding your pets ice-cold treats are very low.

It is true that ice will probably not cool your pet down very much. However, the same is true for humans, and no one is suggesting that we shouldn't enjoy an iced beverage in this weather! Iced drinks are pleasurable for both pets and humans in the heat, and can help pets to feel happier in the heat. It may also increase their fluid intake, which can help them to stay hydrated.

There's a theory circulating on social media that ice triggers a reaction from the hypothalamus that can cause pets to become even hotter, but thankfully this is not true. Your pet's body is smarter than that - it gets information about how hot it is from all over the body, not just in one spot. It's true that the hypothalamus has a role in controlling body temperature, and it is located not far from the roof of your pet's mouth. However, you can rest assured that it's not going to be fooled by an ice cube or some iced water nearby.

Sadly, there probably have been cases where pets have died after eating iced treats. However, it's very unlikely that it was the ice that caused their death. Heat stroke is a real, serious condition that can be quickly fatal, even if pets are offered cool water or ice to drink.

Signs of heat stroke include:
🛑Rapid breathing or panting
🛑Lethargy, weakness and confusion
🛑Excessive drooling
🛑Bright red gums and tongue
🛑Vomiting and/or diarrhoea

If you think your pet may be suffering from heat stroke, then it's important to get them to a vet as quickly as you can. Do offer them a drink of water, and dampen their paws, legs, and belly if you can, but don't delay seeking medical help by spending too long trying to cool them yourself. Proper heat stroke needs intensive medical treatment to give pets a chance to survive, and sadly this is not something that you can do at home.

21/07/2022

It seems harmless enough to have your child take a quick walk around the block with an itching-to-get-outside dog until you stop and consider the potential for what can go wrong. Use this handy infographic to gauge whether or not your child is ready to go solo and walk the family dog!

21/07/2022

Hesitant to crate train? You never know what might happen. Overnight veterinary care, car accidents, moving, natural disasters - all reasons to crate train your dog. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

We encourage crate training for many reasons! This is something to think about!

21/07/2022

There is just something about old dogs that is so endearing! Take care of your old pups. They need you now more than ever!

Dear Bark: My 12-year-old Bulgarian Shepherd, Gus, has never been very interested in play. Gus has been very restless, fussing for attention throughout the day. His behavior is making it hard for me to work. How do I get my quirky boy to play with me and work off some of this energy?

17/07/2022

Keep your pet safe and happy this summer.