The Woof Pack

22/08/2024

Shall we debunk this one straight away? 👇

No dog needs a firm hand. ❌

Especially a dog that is already struggling to cope with their environment.

The misconception that aggressive dogs need aggressive trainers is the most dangerous parallel, suppressing behaviour creates a ticking time bomb. 💣 A dog unable to effectively communicate will eventually find another way that works, and you're probably not going to like the alternative that is successful.

Aggressive dogs need compassionate, ethical, humane trainers more than ever. 💕

Share this if you agree! 👌

21/08/2024

Introducing sweet girl Poppy to TWP! Another crazy Spaniel joining the crew 🤣🤣

21/08/2024

Us humans are a little obsessed with it, aren’t we.
It gives us some sense of security and control when our dog sits…
And don’t get me wrong, it can be a handy behaviour, but please don’t make it part of all the other behaviours you teach your dog (like a ‘wait’ and it’s not a wait until the dog sits as well).
You’ll thank me later 😉

19/08/2024

Echo what Rachel says.

Forced compliance is never a difference of an opinion.

It’s a choice.

Where Force starts, ethics ends.

These people are not my people 🙏💯🙌🏻

Sometimes it feels like only in this industry would people say that causing emotional harm and physical pain to another sentient being is just “a difference of opinion” and that we should find “unity” with harmful individuals. 😮‍💨

Learning new information and changing what we’ve been doing is uncomfortable. Coming to the realisation that things we’ve done in the past weren’t a good idea or weren’t ethical is uncomfortable.

So many of us as force-free/R+ professionals have been through that and actually go through that every couple of years as we learn better ways of doing things and may wish we hadn’t done some of the things we did in the past.

This is part of the process and part of being a professional in a field that should be constantly evolving to provide the best and most compassionate care for our vulnerable companion animals.

On top of this, force-free/R+ professionals have had to witness abuse and harm done to dogs as well as repair said harm, all while also having our work regularly disparaged by “professionals” causing harm (a number of whom participate in such “unity” public conversations) as well as “famous” R+ based professionals who are afraid of progress in our field.

Public, broadcasted “conversations” with harmful individuals who label themselves as “professionals” to find “unity” is not at all about “unity” or “building bridges”. Instead, it’s upholding the status quo, platforming harmful rhetoric, and normalising harmful actions.

We don’t have to call anyone out, but we also don’t have to platform people who are still committed to use harmful methods. We can improve the wellbeing of dogs and people by supporting and amplifying the people that are already making the change and fighting against punishment culture.

Many of us have also been helping people who want to live with their dogs more compassionately and doing so with no shame or judgement towards anything they have done in the past, because it’s absolutely doable to have strong ethics while being kind to people who want to learn.

Real behaviour change and moving towards ethical actions has to come with good faith efforts and a desire and willingness to learn and change.

ID: The text says “We don’t have to click and treat harm in our industry. Public and broadcasted ‘conversations’ with individuals causing harm platforms those individuals and normalises their harmful actions.”

19/08/2024

Reactivity 💥and fixation👀.
Often hand in hand.
While many may be familiar with the hard face, stiff body and possible closed mouth when fixating...there are plenty more signs your dog may be fixating.

Raised hackles/Piloerection.
This can cause a dog to "fluff" up or bristle their tail...it could be in just a few areas or the whole coat. This can certainly happen at many other times too and many of these are not connected to reactivity/fixation.
As with everything in reading your dog...context is everything.
As is the whole picture.

Another sign your dog may be fixating is the lengthening of the whole neck, straining forward while usually not moving the body any closer. Often this is paired with the chest puffing/sticking out and legs anchored well back.
The lengthening and stretching out can accompany a lower or higher neck/head position or just straight out in front.

Peeking is often displayed too.
This is a dogs head moving their head side to side without turning their head.
It can look like they have an invisible tree in front and need to peek around it to see the stimuli....but the body usually stays still.

These are only some of the signs of possible fixation.
There are many more and some dogs will certainly not display them all. Some breeds will never have their hackles raised due to their type of coat but may certainly have other signs.

Please respect that these graphics take time and effort to make. Everyone is free to share on social media🙂, however off social media use of these marked graphics is prohibited.
Unmarked graphics are available for $ 1.20 USD or $ 2 NZD each (approx), these are then able to be used off Facebook for client handouts, posters or for personal use.
Screen shots are a violation of the copyright.
Please visit ABC Dogs Patreon Shop for unmarked graphics. All graphics belong to ABC Dogs NZ and are under copyright.

19/08/2024

Amen to this 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

19/08/2024

On at 1pm today on the Jeremy Vine show for an animal phone in!

19/08/2024

XL Bullies are welcome at The Moochy Pooch! We have had a few people contact us to ask if XL Bullies are allowed at the field. We are pleased to say they are! There are a few extra rules to be followed but this will allow XL Bullies to run off lead and without a muzzle. If you would like to see the full list of rules from our insurance company, please contact us and we’ll be happy to send them over 💜🐾

19/08/2024

18/08/2024

In honour of Black Caviar and all broodmares

There’s no doubt Black Caviar was a special horse having won every one of her 25 races. She brought the racing community together and the crowds back to the racetrack when crowds were dwindling. She was a phenomenon.

But what was her life really like? Did she enjoy racing? Did she enjoy being a racehorse in the limelight? We’ll never know but we’re guessing she just wanted to be a horse.

Black Caviar was first raced as a 2yo. After she had won her last race, she wasn’t rewarded with a well-earned retirement - she had after all, won almost $8m. Instead, she was sent to the breeding barn, in lay man terms, to be forcibly made pregnant with some of the leading stallions of the world.

How this occurs is a story in itself. Mares are often restrained so that they cannot say no. If the mare was a human, it would be called r**e. In many cases, they’ll use a twitch to twist and apply pressure to the lip of a mare to immobilize her. Hobbles are attached to the hind legs of the mare to prevent her from kicking the stallion away. Her tail is forcefully pulled to the side to prevent her from interrupting the mating.

These breeding procedures will be happening again soon as the breeding season starts on September 1.

Mares are pregnant for 11 months. So, one month after giving birth often with their newborn foal standing next to her, she will be forcibly mated from again. And again, the following year and the year after that.

A foal born to a champion like Black Caviar, is a valuable commodity. Every detail is meticulously planned to ensure the best possible chance of producing that valuable commodity. It’s how studs make their money. The aim is to produce a foal every year to maximize their returns on investment. Unfortunately, for the mare this can have tragic consequences.

Every single year from her retirement and right up to her death, Black Caviar was made pregnant. She was killed after giving birth to her 9th foal.

We will never know the true circumstances but almost certainly she would be still alive today if she wasn’t treated like a breeding machine.

In an interview with trainer Peter Moody, he explained how Black Caviar was prone to poor blood flow in her hooves, which then right before giving birth for the last time resulted in laminitis, from which she was then euthanized. They knew Black Caviar was at risk, and still continued to make her pregnant.

With the Spring Carnival just around the corner, be a voice for Black Caviar and all the mares enslaved by this ruthless, cruel, and immoral industry.

Say no to animal cruelty, say no to horseracing, say Nup To The Cup.

RIP Black Caviar💔

17/08/2024

Visit to this handsome man this evening 🥰 been with his mummy over 19 years and only 21 years young. So so gentle for me, a very kind boy ❤️

17/08/2024

Watch, follow, and discover more trending content.

17/08/2024

❤️Last Week❤️

Watch, follow, and discover more trending content.

16/08/2024

PUPPIES!!!!!!!
PUPPY FUNDAMENTAILS! There are a still a couple of spaces for my next round of classes starting next week.

Drop an email to [email protected]

15/08/2024

Never a good start when the disclaimer says *upsetting scenes* 👀

15/08/2024

This ❤️❤️

.secret.dog.walker

14/08/2024

✨PUPPY PLANNING WORKSHOPS ✨

Are you getting a puppy? 🤩 Do you feel prepared? Do you feel confident in knowing how to settle a young puppy into your household? 🤔Have you got a plan B for toilet training or crate training when plan A fails? 😱

We are here to help set your puppy up for success from Day 1! 🥳

In our Puppy Planning Workshop we cover:
🐕 Best set up for your puppy - crates pens, sleeping areas and more
🐕 Toilet training + how to make sure your puppy toilers outside
🐕 Feeding regimes and how to use their food in training
🐕 Exercise - how much, where and safe ways to burn off puppy energy
🐕 Car travel and how to make sure you puppy is settled in the car
🐕 Tackling puppy mouthing
🐕 How to appropriately socialise your puppy
🐕 Early training - what to teach first
🐕 Choosing dog gear - lead, harbesses, collars and more!
🐕 Enrichment and easy way to keep your puppy mentally stimulated
🐕 How to raise a confident and optimistic dog
🐕 Introducing your puppy to other animals in the household 🐈🐇🐓
And much, much more!

⭐️ Puppy starter pack with every booking ⭐️

Refreshments provided ☕️🍰

14/08/2024

** 6 week Puppy Class - starting Thurs 12th Sept 7:30pm**

** Bookings being taken now - please email for more info 🙂**

[email protected]

13/08/2024

The Queens showing the new boy how it’s done 👍🏻 thank you Ruff Walking Pet Services for letting me borrow him 🥰 Welcome Hopper 🥰

11/08/2024

If a pup wants to sniff walk for longer than the 5 minutes per month of age then they can. We no longer need to restrict the length of the walk just not subject them to certain movements like stairs and chasing a ball. But gentle walking as long as they aren’t tired is perfect!

www.animallovepetfirstaid.co.uk
All courses taught by a vet ❤️

11/08/2024

Lovely couple of visits to the new dog field in Edge this weekend. Lovely quiet location and natural water supply 🥰🥰 worth a visit ❤️

https://www.edgedogfield.com/

09/08/2024

Afternoon all,

Can I please ask if you have had an invitation to join my Private Clients Group in the last 24 hours that you please delete it?

For some reason Facebook has decided to add multiple people who follow my public page to my private group. In the interests of client privacy this is just for ACTIVE walking clients. None of the people who have been added by Facebook are clients, but follow this page.

Please rest assured you supporting my page is still appreciated, but I must protect client privacy.

Thank you for your understanding

Helen x 🐶 x

08/08/2024

🥘 for 💭

No comments needed...

Picture credit: Marjolijn Brian

07/08/2024

The PACT family are lovely 🥰🙏

Dogx23 was attended by nearly 200 of the UK’s leading dog trainers. Whilst around 40% were PACT members, the remainder represented trainers from across the sector, including staff from the UKs leading charities, including Battersea, Guide Dogs, Woodgreen, Dogs Trust, RSPCA, Therapy Dogs Nationwide...

06/08/2024

Whenever I see someone struggling with their herding dog's behaviour, I see someone advising them, “Your dog needs a job.”

What does that mean? Yes, these dogs were bred for certain tasks, and giving them something to do is part of a good plan to help them.

However, this blanket statement is used regardless of what issue the dog is facing, and that’s a problem. Fear and aggression aren’t issues that arise from boredom. Implying to someone that "work" can fix all behavioural problems in a given breed is incorrect, potentially damaging and sometimes blaming and unhelpful.

Fear isn’t the result of not having work to do. Aggression’s motivation is to protect oneself, not to fulfill a need to work. We absolutely want to make sure that all dogs have enrichment and exercise needs met. But understanding the way that breed behaviours influence a dog’s fear or aggression, what the root of the issue is and how to address both a breed’s needs and how to handle a fearful or aggressive dog is very different and very important.

There are also no magical farms out there for dogs who are struggling to go to. I’m sure people mean well when they recommend that dogs need to find a farm to live on, but farmers don’t want these dogs.

You can read all about it in Urban Sheepdog, a guide to living with herding breeds in pet homes. Search Amazon today!

06/08/2024

Knowing which professional you need to contact to help you with your pet is vital. Use this handy infographic to decide whether you need a trainer or behaviourist. Keep In mind, some behaviour challenges may require both training and behaviour modification so often these go hand in hand. What's great is that when you choose a COAPE Certified Animal Behaviourist, you can be sure that they have the skills to help you with both training and behaviour. ​
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For a list of COAPE-endorsed trainers and behaviourists you can go to our website here: https://coape.org/find-a-behaviourist/