Keep Calm Dog Mediation, Education and Advocacy

20/01/2024

Given how many of the canine professionals I have come in contact with directly or indirectly are autistic/neurodivergent I knew it was just a matter of time before the industry started applying this language and the lens behind it to our canine clients and companions. Earlier today I spotted a link to the article that is being shared in my training communities and thought I'd share my thoughts since I am now more familiar with the topic of neurodivergence than the context of dog behaviour:

The author of the linked blog lost me at "but why would you?" — they seem firmly rooted in the idea that psychiatric knowledge of neurodivergence is superior to firsthand knowledge produced and curated by the community of neurodivergent people. To us, labels like "autistic", "adhd'er", "pda'er" are not pathologizing — they acknowledge the fundamental lack of equity due to the fact that the majority of working/educational/entertainment environments are set up in a way that excludes us or expects us to operate in a way that takes a toll on our mental and physical health. This is totally applicable to dogs. Dogs that are a neurominority in terms of their sensory setup are expected to tolerate noise, unfamiliar smells, dog clothing including items made for the guardian's convenience, food textures etc the way the majority of dogs do. Dogs that are a neurominority in a sense that they don't read most of other dogs' signals well and are not comfortable with interacting with other dogs are put through endless "socialization" interventions or are forced to be "social" by being put in a doggy daycare or taken on "pack walks". The fundamental idea behind the theory of neurodivergence is that the person's problem is not in their setup — it's in the mismatch between the setup and the environment. This is totally applicable to the ways dogs struggle with certain aspects of their environment. I can't see why looking at their differences through the lens of accommodations would not be beneficial or humane.

The author of this essay proudly fits into several categories of the "psychiatrists tell you if they like your vibes or not" book, the DSM 5.

14/09/2023

25/03/2023

Priorities!

08/02/2023

The same thing that makes dogs live longer makes their lives more fulfilling and meaningful

I usually refrain from commenting on topical matters, especially when it comes to the recent one one on the oldest living dog. Most articles don’t capture the depth and nuance of these dogs’ lives. And more often than not, the story gets reduced to what the dog ate, making it seem like diet is t...

08/02/2023

“Truth does not change, only our awareness of it” - Malcolm X

We live in a system that is far from perfect, but every day is another opportunity to work toward a more equitable future. In order to make progress, we must understand why this system exists the way it does, and educate ourselves about the past events that brought us here. That often means taking an uncomfortable look at our own history.

Dogs have been used globally, by colonizing forces, for intimidation and violence, and the United States is no exception (1). The very hard truth of our past is that dogs were utilized as racial weapons in this country. The relationship Black Americans have had with dogs, historically, looked very different from the relationship that White Americans had with dogs.

Dogs were implemented as a tool to maintain the institution of slavery. From slave ships to plantations, dogs were used to intimidate and were bred/trained to track and attack runaway slaves. The abuse did not end with abolition. If we look forward in time, dogs were still being used to intimidate protestors during the Civil Rights demonstrations (2). This practice is evidenced to still be in use today (3).

When dogs as pets became more ubiquitous, poorer and marginalized communities had to overcome significant barriers to keep dogs as companions. Dog licensing laws made pet ownership more inaccessible for lower income communities and were designed in a way to restrict ownership to wealthier groups (4).

Quite simply, achieving the companion relationship we enjoy with dogs has been a longer and harder road for the Black community than it has for many others. By acknowledging this, we gain insight into the importance of proactively uplifting one another and making equal opportunities for everyone.

1. Cepeda Gallo, P., Taylor, C. (2021) Building Abolition. Carceral Canines:Racial terror and animal abuse from slave hounds to police dogs. Routledge.
2.https://www.themarshallproject.org/2021/06/23/a-dog-can-be-trained-to-be-anti-black
3. United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division (2015) Investigation of the
Ferguson Police Department. 31.https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/opa/pressreleases/attachments/2015/03/04/ferguson_police_department_report.pdf
4. https://k9turbotraining.com/systemic-racism-in-the-dog-community/

01/12/2022

If your dog likes fetch, it's safer not to use equipment like ball throwers and Nerf guns, throw the ball by hand and put a time limit on ball chasing

As a canine massage therapist I am forever talking to my clients about ball launchers and the effects they have on our dogs….so nice to see an article in the national paper….the more publicity the better…hopefully more people will make a more informed choice 🤞🤞

22/10/2022

Now this is huge!

The social worker supports both staff and pet owners, whether that's in difficult conversations or having a counselling session after losing a furry friend.

16/09/2022