Alcance Boxers

27/12/2024

If you plan on gathering with friends and/or family this holiday season, there are a number of things you can do to keep your dog (and your visitors) safe.

Remember, there is nothing "wrong" with your dog if you need to manage amid all the chaos; that is 100% normal.

Check out this week's blog post for more info on how you can implement each of these strategies: https://rescuedbytraining.com/2022/11/14/holiday-gathering-tips

27/12/2024

For everyone that has welcomed a new family member or are helping out your local rescue at this time of year.....
Too much too soon WILL cause issues.
It is a really common occurrence with newly adopted dogs.
Congratulations on your new dog.
I know you want to take them to the beach, the pet store and your café....however can I ask for a few minutes so I can explain just what your dog has gone through.....and why you need to take the next few weeks SLOW.
Your new dog has had it's whole world turned upside down.
They don't know you.
They don't know if they can trust you.
They don't know if they are with you for an hour or forever.
They may have been in various scary places.
Other houses, rescues, the pound and likely ALL of these in the past few days or weeks.
Your dog has stress hormones surging through their brain, they are STRESSED....they need to decompress, they need STABILITY in their environment and from you.
They need time with you and their new environment.
They need to know that the tree outside may rustle against the house and that's OK.
They need to know that those normal creaky noises in your house are OK and that at 3.45 the neighbours bang their door shut.
They need to know when it rains that tapping sound is OK.
They need to know that when the door opens they won't be moved somewhere else again.
They need to trust that YOU are safe even when you have had a bad day, you will still give them food and that they can close their eyes around you.
You know what your good intentions are with your new dog, your dog however has NO idea what is happening.....only that everything has changed and it is scary.
They do NOT need other new environments yet. Take it SLOW.
Dogs that have just been adopted need TIME. There is no need to rush out the next day and take them to all the places you want to go with them.....They need the opposite.
Let them decompress, let them inspect a new area of your house or yard every day or two. Walk them up and down outside your house for a few days (and only there), let them sniff, and sniff some more. Let them p*e freely.....it may be boring for you, but not for your dog. They need to know what is happening around them and they learn that through their nose, eyes and ears.
They NEED this.
They need to learn to TRUST you.
The long walks can wait, the café will still be there in a few weeks and you can visit the pet shop alone until they are ready.
Your bond together is the MOST important thing to concentrate on right now.
You will never regret taking it slow and it can save your dog and yourself from making the very same mistakes that can lead to people rehoming in the first place.
All the very best with your new dog.

27/12/2024

24/12/2024

Crowds, children, loud music, new environments, other dogs, etc. are all potentially part of a holiday gathering with family and friends. This can understandably be overwhelming and stressful for many dogs.

It’s absolutely ok for your dog to not be present at these holiday gatherings, whether that means to leave your dog at home (if they don’t have separation related issues) while you attend the gathering, or provide your dog with a safe room they can get a little peace and quiet in.

If you were considering taking your dog to a gathering with friends and family and you’re not sure if your dog would be comfortable there, consider calling the host to find out the number of people who will be there, whether there are any other dogs there, as well as anything else you think your dog might be overwhelmed by, so that you can have a plan!

If the gathering is at yours, consider having a space for your dog, like a comfy room, where guests know that your dog is not to be disturbed when they are in there and your dog can choose to have a rest in there with their bed(s) and toys, etc.

And if you have guests who are really keen on interacting with your dog when your dog isn’t feeling so keen on that, you could consider asking them to help with filling up a snuffle mat or snuffle toy to give to your dog!

It does not make our dogs less like family to not be present at holiday gatherings with family and friends and your dog who finds these gatherings overwhelming will certainly not feel like they’re “missing out”.

It just means our dogs get to enjoy their holiday season in the way they’d prefer to!

ID: The text says “Your dog does not have to be present at holiday gatherings if it’s overwhelming and stressful for them.”. Above this is a drawing of a dog sleeping while wearing reindeer ears.

24/12/2024

24/12/2024

A Kids’ Comprehensive Guide to Speaking Dog!

A fun, Interactive, educational resource to help the whole family understand canine communication
A fun, interactive, educational resource to help the whole family understand canine communication. Keep future generations safe by learning to “speak dog!” The perfect tool for parents, educators, dog trainers and behavior specialists to use in support of family pet dog training. Available in PDF and ePub versions
** Features the renowned Be a Tree® international dog bite safety program
** Real-life situations explained with photos and fun cartoons
** Complete toolbox to help children stay safe around just about any dog
** Written and contributed to by qualified canine training and behavior specialists

Also available in bulk at wholesale pricing as a tool for your training clients

https://dognosticseducation.com/courses/a-kids-comprehensive-guide-to-speaking-dog/

24/12/2024

Ever notice your dog yawning and wondered why? 🐶💭

Dogs yawn for lots of reasons — yes, it might be because they are tired, but it can also mean they’re doing it because…

⏺️ Stress Yawn - I am uncomfortable

⏺️ Displacement behaviour - “I don’t know what to do right now because I’m uncomfortable so I will do this instead”

⏺️ Appeasement behavior - Things dogs do to say to other dogs and people that they are NOT a threat

⏺️ Excitement - I am about to get a tasty treat and I am excited!

It is important to look at the WHOLE situation and picture when we are analyzing our dog’s body language! We never want to make assumptions! 👀

Remember, when in doubt that your dog may be feeling uncomfortable…. SPACE IT OUT! 🛸

18/12/2024

Pay attention.

18/12/2024

Humans deserve yummy food too

18/12/2024

THIS.

A study of 43,000 dogs in the US has found that almost all pet dogs have at least one serious behaviour issue.

The most common issues are separation anxiety as well as aggression, fear and house soiling.

Just 0.88 per cent of all dogs were considered to have no behaviour issues.

18/12/2024

18/12/2024

On National Dog Bite Prevention Week let's work together to help our community prevent dog bites. The IAABC offers free resources like our Dog Park Safety posters in multiple languages. These tips are applicable not just for dog parks but in many situations to help us better interact appropriately with dogs, how to respect their space, and how understand how they communicate with us through body language. Visit our site to download and print or share these posters by Doggie Drawings by Lili Chin
https://m.iaabc.org/resources/dog-posters/

18/12/2024

Well of course they can.

Dogs can recognize their owners based on pre-recorded sp*ech, a new study from Eötvös Loránd University finds (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000334722400318X)
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfAIadTv8ss
Details: https://biologia.elte.hu/en/content/dogs-can-recognize-familiar-speakers.t.44257

18/12/2024

I'm looking forward to training Sky and Arche on our new soundboard...

I bet 10 will get you 20 that Sky's first combo will be Why Mum?

And Arche's first will be Want Sky

A study published in Scientific Reports found that dogs trained to use soundboards formed intentional two-word combinations, indicating purposeful communication. Common combinations included "outside" with "potty" and "food" with "water." Researchers say that button presses were not random or merely imitative, and next they will study whether dogs can use soundboards to express ideas about the past or future. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-79517-6