K9 Communications - doggyminds

15/08/2024

14/08/2024

💪⚡This is a piece of information that will keep you from banging your head against a wall over and over again and this knowledge can really help ALL dogs.
Reactive dogs.✅
Anxious dogs✅
Over excited dogs✅
I know the terminology used by some in the industry is complicated (esp if you are just beginning to help your dog through this difficult time) and this page will always try to break down often difficult/complex issues so they can be more easily understood.
Understanding this concept will change how you work with your reactive dog.

Many clients attempt desensitisation work or begin counter conditioning when their dog is already over their threshold and the trigger is way too close.
We cannot dictate where to start this work....your dogs body language will let you know.
If your dog needs 20 metres from another dog to be at a 2 - 3 great !
If they need 50 metres from a trigger to be at a low level, then insisting on a closer interaction will not help them, they decide what is too close to a trigger, not us.

Distraction is NOT a long term solution for reactivity.....it sometimes has its place, but hiding and distraction are very temporary "solutions”.
If you have a reactive dog, there is hope, you can do this!

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14/08/2024

🤯 4 BEHAVIORS THAT OFTEN = ANXIETY
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Several behaviors can be anxiety in disguise but are commonly mistaken for something else and therefore they are not resolved properly because they aren't treated as anxiety.
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1️⃣ SLEEP
Many dogs will have poor sleep habits such as not taking adequate naps during the day and/or not sleeping well at night, possibly waking really easily or easily waking when sleeping during the nighttime.

This can be an indication of anxiety. Dogs typically sleep anywhere from 16-20 hours per day in a 24 hour period - yes, that's a lot! Puppies and older dogs sleep more than adult middle-aged dogs. But even then, dogs should get tons of good sleep that isn't interrupted during the day and at night.

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2️⃣ EATING HABITS
Many dogs will be labeled as a “picky eater”or is difficult to get to eat regardless of what you are feeding. In times of higher stress they will likely refuse any treats or food offered, even directly from your hand.

A dog with poor eating habits is often due to anxiety. It can be due to a medical cause too, so always rule out medical reasons for being a picky eater if this applies to your dog.

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3️⃣ HYPER-ACTIVITY/INABILITY TO RELAX
Many dogs will be unable to relax easily regardless of how much exercise they have had. This often looks like dogs that are bouncy, full of endless energy & often unable to lie down & chill without being totally exhausted.

This can go hand-in-hand with the Energy category, this can also look like a dog that jumps in your face constantly, cannot relax at home without being crated or so exhausted they don't have a choice. This isn't normal and could be due to anxiety.

I should make note that I've seen dog owners unintentionally create this dog as well because they don't give them adequate nap times and the dog is constantly being stimulated because the owner thinks that's what the dog needs. Either way, it's not normal.

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4️⃣ ENERGY
Many dogs will appear to have endless energy regardless of what you do to try to lessen it. This can fall into the sleep category as these dogs have a hard time being able to relax without help.

While there are breeds that we know need a lot more stimulation physically and mentally than others, all breeds should be able to relax if they have received that proper stimulation - especially mental stimulation. If your dog cannot relax without long periods of exercise and/or really intense exercise, this isn't normal and could be due to anxiety.
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⚠️ It should be noted . . . It is critical to get a professional in your corner to help with any behaviors that you need help with. Anxiety can present in so many ways you really need a pro to help evaluate, confirm & treat, usually more than one will be needed, including a Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist.

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Stacy Greer, CPDT-KA

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COPYRIGHT NOTICE

© 2024 Stacy Greer

All rights reserved. Feel free to share via the “Share” link to the original post. Downloading for redistribution online or in print form is strictly prohibited.

22/07/2024

🥺 ANXIETY IN DOGS: A hugely misunderstood disorder.
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🔗 Links in this infographic:
🔹 https://t.ly/SepAnxFAQs
🔹 https://t.ly/propersocialization

🔗 Link to download this image as a PDF download.
🔹 https://t.ly/whydogshaveanxietyPDF

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Stacy Greer, CPDT-KA

🐕🐩🐕‍🦺🦮

COPYRIGHT NOTICE
© 2024 Stacy Greer

All rights reserved. Feel free to share via the “Share” link to the original post. Downloading for redistribution online or in print form is strictly prohibited.

22/07/2024

LETTING GO OF THE LABEL
People love to label things - from containers to personality types, physical or mental differences and everything in between.

Why do we like labels so much? Labels are comforting, they help us to feel more secure.

Labels allow us to close that particular “box”, because it now has a label and we no longer have to think about it or be concerned about it.

It’s been judged, identified, labelled and we can now move on, confident in the belief that there’s nothing more to be done.

We may also be very good at labelling dogs. My dog is stubborn, aggressive, lazy, shy, timid, greedy, jealous, untrainable…. It’s comforting for us to assign a label because it takes the pressure off trying to find out why they behave that way because we might believe that it’s just the way they are.

If we remove the label and take note of the behaviour in context and the circumstances or environment it’s happening in, we may realise that our dogs need our help to cope, not our labels.

Look into what can be done to improve or change that behaviour if it's something you’d like to change.

Sometimes a label does fits, it’s just the way it is and we need to accept that, but sometimes labels hide the need to look beneath the surface and discover what the real cause of that behaviour is.

10/07/2024

sorry folks no pictures today camera is wet

25/06/2024

Sorry No pictures today of play school doggies

22/06/2024