Soul2Soul Dog

19/12/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1EcuuxZGQH/?mibextid=wwXIfr

08/12/2024

For years, I had ethologist, Kim Brophey's book, Meet Your Dog, at the top of my recommended reading list for clients and class participants. Finally, 2 years ago, I was blessed to complete Kim's L.E.G.S. Family Dog Mediator course and it confirmed for me, so many things I was observing and believed were missing in the field of dog training. This beautifully produced video featuring Kim and her L.E.G.S. explanation of these amazing animals that share our lives, is now being offered for free. Whether you consider yourself simply a loving dog caregiver, a canine professional, you work in rescue, the veterinary community, or the grooming industry, this video is full of such valuable information. Do yourself a HUGE favour...watch and treasure it! ❤🐾

FULL PRO COURSE!https://kimbropheylegscourses.thinkific.com/courses/legs-applied-ethology-family-dog-mediation-professional-courseYOUR DOG is not broken, and...

07/12/2024

My regular dog walking client loves making doggy snow angels 🥰🐶❄️😇🪽

29/11/2024

I am thrilled that Dr. Patricia McConnell has included my new book, Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog, on her list of the best books to give to animal lovers this holiday season. She has some other great books on the list too, so you should definitely check it out. Because Meta doesn't let Canadians post links to news sites, you'll have to go via my blog to find it--go to https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/p/home.html and scroll down to recent media mentions, and you'll see top books to give animal lovers. That will take you to the radio interview with Dr. McConnell.

28/11/2024

27/11/2024

DM me if you would like a flirt pole or snuffle mat 🥰🐾🎁

24/11/2024

The problem with gatekeeping breeds

Anyone who has spent more than a minute online in dog world will have seen the rhetoric of how it takes someone very special to own a power breed such as a Belgian Malinois or a Cane Corso or an APBT or the like. Social media platforms are filled with posts either showing these breeds doing incredible things, or posts about how you should never get a breed like this unless you are going to work them and unless you are able to fulfil their needs. These posts are spot on and I couldn’t agree more. But they are creating a problem.

Everyone thinks they are special.

It’s a bitter pill to swallow.

As humans we have an ego and our ego often leads us to believe we are more capable than we are. The problem with gatekeeping breeds is that it makes them more desirable. People want to say ‘yes I can handle my Belgian Malinois because I am special’. We desperately need approval and admiration from others, especially in a world that is chronically online.

We saw it happen real time with the XL Bully. People saw this incredibly powerful breed and said ‘I’m special enough to handle one of them’ and then promptly bred them in the hundreds of thousands leading to many ill equipped homes owning a dog they absolutely could not handle.

The truth is, that to own a truly intense, working bred dog, you actually need to have an incredibly small life. You need your entire being to be obsessive about training, handling and working with the dog. It’s a full time career in itself to truly meet the needs of these dogs. You need to be absolutely addicted to it. That level of obsession however isn’t ‘cool’ or ‘sexy’. It doesn’t make for great online content either. That level of obsession however is what makes the dog easy to live with.

Even as I’m writing this, I know someone out there will read it and go ‘yes I can do that’. If you’re that person, please really look inward and be truly honest with yourself. Confront your ego.

I work at a rescue centre and years ago all we had was bull breeds, terriers and lurchers. Now all we have is fad colour Frenchies, Cane Corsos, Shepherds and Malinois/Dutch Shepherds. It speaks volumes.

I don’t know what the solution is. The more we say ‘not everyone can handle this breed!’ The more that is perceived as a challenge to the ego, and the more the ego grabs at a chance to prove itself.

We are heading down a very dark road of breed bans and dog legislation and those of us in the industry can see the patterns unfolding. We don’t know how to stop it, or even if stopping it is the right answer.

The issue is that our human egos and our desperation to be seen as ‘worthy’ is ruining our dogs and creating real danger for the general public.

Look inward. Really question why you want a certain breed. Take pause from the online rhetoric on both sides. Choose a dog that you and those around you need, not just one that you want.

- Kahla

📸 Alison Bowkett

21/11/2024

16/11/2024

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