Town & Country Pet Sitting Services is a local, boutique style pet care business. We are loving, reliable and experienced. We love what we do for a living!
Dogs all over England are smiling today. As of Feb 1st 2024 remote electric (shock) collars will be banned in England. Thank you to everyone who campaigned for 10 years to get this done! The dogs thank you!
https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media-centre/2023/april/cruel-electric-shock-collars-banned-in-england/
Yesterday I saw a video from a well-known trainer on social media that discussed how there is no such thing as “too much exercise” for dogs. This discussion was accompanied by b roll of dogs fetching balls in a variety of places.
I don’t usually get involved in trainer arguments but I need to say something about this.
There ABSOLUTELY is such a thing as too much high-arousal exercise. And you probably don’t want to find out for yourself what happens next.
Activities that tend to *physically* wear dogs out the fastest are also the ones that create the highest excitement levels. Fetching balls. Playing frisbee. Racing around at the dog park. Chasing water from the garden hose. Running next to a bike.
All of these are physical exercise, but they also create intense arousal states. And if you put your dog into high-arousal states repeatedly you better know how to train around this, too.
I have a lot of students who fell into this trap. They got a high-energy dog (a GSD, a herding breed mix of some sort, a retriever etc.).
They figured out that the fastest way to make the dog physically really tired (the tongue-hanging-to-the-floor-kind-of-tired) was by playing chuck-it for half an hour. Or by taking the dog to the dog park every day for a wild romp.
The dog started to crave these arousal states (as programmed in their DNA).
But at the same time, no impulse control training happened. So now we have a dog who knows the fun of adrenaline and who seeks it, without having been taught to listen and regulate when in a state of high excitement.
This dog will start to show other problems. They might get frustrated to the point of redirecting when they cannot access fun immediately. They might be vocalizing or unable to settle and then I get messages that say “My dog just cannot be normal in public”.
If your dog gets to enjoy a high-arousal activity every time they leave the house, they will start to expect (and eventually demand) a high-arousal activity every time.
And this is not fun.
Your dog needs a balance of high-arousal and low-arousal activities. Furthermore, the more high-arousal activities your dog has, the more you have to balance these with impulse control training. It’s not fair to make our dogs crazy without teaching them the skills to un-crazy ;)
“Exercise” can have four quadrants:
- Low-arousal, not physically demanding (sniff walks)
- Low-arousal, physically demanding (hiking)
- High-arousal, not physically demanding (excited waiting while another dog works)
- High-arousal, physically demanding (fetching)
Make sure you are aware which type of exercise you are providing for your dog, and try to reach a balance that works for your dog.
If you are unhappy with your dog’s arousal level or impulse control in daily life, look at whether this is amplified by the type of exercise you are providing.
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?
Do you use an underground electric shock fence to contain your dog? Are you considering having one installed? I hope reading this will change your mind.
We let dogs sniff. I think of it as a dog-led walk.
There is nothing which impresses me less than seeing a dog walking to heel. I honestly couldn't care a jot. Loose lead walking, exploring where and when appropriate, not only coping, but enjoying the environment are much more important for your dog's life. And no, this doesn't mean it's a free for all.
I have a current client who was in the army. I asked him if he liked doing drill. Guess what the answer was. Our dogs are not in the military. Marching round a hall or any other space being instructed to "heel", "about turn", "halt" while on a short lead deserves to be condemned to history. It's not enjoyable for your dog nor is it teaching much in the way of life skills.
Let's teach our dogs to be relaxed and confident and social in the world. It's not the 1950s any more.
Peace out.
I see this is intended as a little joke, but I would add that just because a kitty rubs up against you does not mean they want to be petted. In their feline mind they may have a completely different agenda. I’ve learned to accept cats on their terms, not mine.
No touchy!😾😻
‼️ Why are you paying someone to hurt your dog?
‼️ Why are you watching someone on TV hurting dogs?
‼️ Why do you like and comment on a social media account that hurts dogs?
Hurting? Oh.. sorry.
I mean ‘correcting’ dogs. How silly of me.
I’m seeing an increase in dog trainers locally, on social media AND on TV (don’t let a cravat and a jolly Yorkshire Accent fool you) that use
pain and discomfort in the form of leash ‘corrections’ to stop certain behaviour like barking and lunging at other dogs, pulling on lead or jumping up.
I’m talking specifically about lead/leash ‘corrections’ here..
A leash correction is when a handler pulls sharp on a dogs neck with a flat collar or a slip lead (or another aversive like a check chain or prong collar) then releases it immediately to stop or interrupt an unwanted behaviour.
Leash jerks
Leash ‘pops’
‘Just a quick ‘pop’ on the lead...
Whatever you want to call it.
It’s a YANK.. on an animals neck. 🤯
👉 It’s used to startle.
👉 To cause discomfort.
👉 To HURT.
Have you ever had whiplash? If you have, think back to that instant it happened.
I have never suffered whiplash.. however I can imagine what it’s like as I have two fused discs in my neck that have caused me a lot of pain and discomfort over the years.
The mere thought of a sharp, sudden force administered to my neck literally sends shivers down my spine.
Even if I didn’t have my neck issue, would the above stop me in my tracks.
HELL YES!
The thing is... leash ‘corrections’ work.
If someone suddenly administers a short sharp force to your neck... its going to startle you. 👀
You might feel dizzy.
Confused.
It’s going to hurt. 😔
Sure, you’re going to stop what you were previously doing a second ago!
Then it happens again, and again.
And your instinct tells you that if it keeps happening you’re going to be really injured... if not already.
So you comply. You go into survival mode.
👉 You walk ‘nicely’
👉 You pretend that other dog doesn’t exist.
👉 You exhibit behaviour that appeases.
👉 You keep your head low.
👉 You don’t want to put a foot wrong.
You may look ‘Calm’
‘Fixed’
In reality inside you feel horrendous. 😨
Confused. Betrayed. Anxious it’s going to happen again.
On edge.
That dog you are now forced to walk by... STILL scares you. Even more so now.
But you have to comply.
Because you need to look FIXED and CALM to avoid the pain.. 😣
Just because we’ve always put a collar on our dogs neck does NOT mean their necks are somehow different or like super reinforced steel.
Necks are sensitive.
Necks should be looked after.
Not caused trauma, damage and pain by unethical practices by SOME dog trainers who CHOOSE punishment and LACK the skills needed to change your dogs behaviour long term in a positive & kind way.
✅ Behaviour can be changed effectively without the use of this barbaric method.
... don’t pay someone to hurt your dog.
🌟Pic of one of my client’s dog🌟
We are helping her feel better about ‘scary’ strangers who she was barking at.
There is one at that moment walking past on the other side of the road.
✅ She is enjoying her training. We don’t need to use punishment to change her behaviour.
✅ Notice the harness and lead. Relaxed.
✅ Nothing is tugging at her neck.
Please....educate yourselves on what is ethical.
And what isn’t.
What it’s like traveling with my wife, Teresa.
Pet cats prefer food from a bowl rather than a food puzzle toy, study finds.
This has got to be understood and not the old dominance idea. I have had to explain this so many times, I become discouraged.
Your dog is NOT trying to dominate you. Dogs do whatever works to get what they want. Management and cooperation will get you both what you want.
This is an X-ray of a dog’s bent front leg. See that tiny white spec? That’s a microchip! It has migrated down the leg....far from where it was inserted, between the dog’s shoulders. This is actually quite common.....
When lost pets are scanned, the entire body SHOULD be scanned to catch any that have migrated. But, as an owner, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AT THEIR YEARLY VET EXAM, to ask for a quick scan to make sure that: (1) the chip is still working, (2) the location of the chip is good, and (3) that the chip info is correct.
Remember microchips save lives and reunite families with their pet.... just have it checked regularly!
We recommend that you avoid dog on leash greetings. If an unexpected encounter occurs, use these tips to keep the meeting brief and safe.
5 ways to use food-stuffed toys to make your dog's meals last longer, relieve boredom, keep him busy, and provide challenge and enrichment.
Follow us for more spicy Cat memes!!!! ( YOu know you want to)
A Dog is a Dog is a Dog is a Dog
**
Anthropomorphism pops up in dog training circles. It is defined as 'the attribution of human characteristics or behaviours to a god, animal, or object'
It basically means we tend to attribute human characteristics to dogs.
The main one that is used to demonstrate this is the 'guilty look'. Dogs do not feel guilt so saying they look guilty is a prime example of anthropomorphism.
However, I think it runs much deeper than this
***
How many people hear the phrase 'I use the prong collar because he needs to learn that pulling is wrong' or 'I correct her because she needs to learn that what she is doing is wrong'.
What is wrong?
Does a dog have a concept of right or wrong?
No they don't
These are human constructs.
This is anthropomorphism.
Dogs are fairly simple. They do more of what is rewarding and less of what is aversive.
(For example, if you touch a hot stove, you learn that doing so is aversive...but is it wrong to touch the hot stove?)
Dogs do not learn right or wrong. They have no concept of morality. They do not have higher reasoning. They simple learn that situations are either rewarding or aversive.
If a dog pulls on the lead and you have a prong collar on, they learn pulling is aversive. Eventually, they learn dogs they see on walks are aversive, cars are aversive.....going out the front door is aversive. They don't learn pulling is wrong. The dog is just trying to walk at their natural pace and trying to get to exciting things in the environment. Is that wrong?
As force free trainers, and because dogs do more of what is rewarded, we focus more on rewarding positions, rewarding giving in to lead pressure, rewarding slow walking. Dogs understand things that are rewarding. Dogs understand the acquisition of food. They understand doing behaviours which are profitable.
What about another phrase we hear?
**
“You have to punish aggression, the police don’t let you stab people on a Saturday night, you get put in prison'
I've stopped watching aversive trainers on Facebook. I cannot stand watching the severe abuse that happens in them, knowing what happens months down the line when the cameras aren't on.
I am sick of seeing aggression and reactivity being portrayed as willful disobedience and being subsequently punished as such.
Dogs are not capable of being willfully disobedient. That means they have to know what you want and choose not to do it deliberately for the sole reason it is what you want.
Dogs do not care what you want.
They care about what they want.
In situations where they are showing aggression, they usually (but not always) want the scary thing to go away and are acting in the only way they know how to make it do so.
To me this is the most dangerous anthropomorphism of all. Using punishment to suppress behaviours shown in severely anxious states because it benefits the humans.
Until one day the dog tips over threshold and, having learnt their threat displays are punished, goes straight for the bite.
Either the trigger or your leg. Whichever is closer.
Dogs should be treated as dogs. Aggression is detrimental usually so why do they feel, in their inner canine cost/benefit calculators, that it is necessary? That needs exploring.
Not just taking the batteries out of the smoke alarm because it is more convenient for the owners.
**
'Using treats is bribery'
Is it? Can a dog understand the deep moral and manipulative tactics needed to partake in bribery? Or have they learnt that it is only profitable because they will only get the reward if it is in your hand.
Have you taught the splinter skills needed to ensure your dog performs behaviours without needing to see the treat.
Somebody asked at a dog show recently why Lyra was so calm and well behaved. Simple, because it is profitable for Lyra to be so. I pay her, in food, for performing behaviours I like....such as lying calmly by me while I have a conversation. This isn't her extorting me. This is reinforcement of behaviour.
Obviously I am not shovelling food into her mouth every three seconds but I pay her for behaviours I want to see more of and so I see more of those behaviours.
That is science...not extortion.
Lyra is not capable of master manipulation of humans
She is a dog, and if I treat her as anything other than a dog I do her a massive disservice.
Lyra is beautiful, she is clever, she is sweet and loving. Same as my Edward. I love them dearly. I call them my babies ❤
I also respect them for the excellent, fun, unique species they are.
A dog is a dog is a dog.
It is important we treat them as such
We know better, so we do better.
(This can be a polarizing topic and we welcome kind debate on this page. Name calling, derogatory, and sarcastic statements will be deleted.)
Siamese and similar breeds are temperature-sensitive albinos — they change colors according to different temperatures. Here's more about how it works.
Rachel Maddow reports on a new program at Miami International Airport that uses dogs trained to sniff out Covid infection as a preliminary check of airport staff arriving to work.
Whole Dog Journal‘s mission is to provide dog guardians with in-depth information on dog food, training, behavior, health, and more.
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Town & Country Pet Sitting Services posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Want your business to be the top-listed Pet Store/pet Service?
