Savvy Canine & Equine Training

  • Home
  • Savvy Canine & Equine Training

Savvy Canine & Equine Training Professional and reward based dog & horse training in Burlington, MA Savvy Canine Owners Train Less
(5)

Can not say this enough
29/08/2024

Can not say this enough

FACING THE FEAR
There is a common disbelief that comforting a dog that is feeling scared, anxious or stressed will only reinforce, encourage the feeling and make it worse.

This belief is incorrect. Fear is an emotional response and one that a dog does not choose or decides to feel.

An emotion is an involuntary, uncontrolled response that cannot be reinforced.

Punishing fear-based behaviour is even worse than not providing comfort as it creates even more negative associations with whatever the “scary thing" is.

Behaviour and emotions are intrinsically linked in important ways, but they are still not the same thing and require different approaches when they become a problem.

Imagine an intruder broke into your home, tied you up and took off with your belongings. After being freed and getting help, a friend arrives to see how you are.

Your friend tells you that she can see that you’re really anxious and scared but she’s just going to completely ignore you, is not going to attempt to comfort you, sit with you or support you because by doing so she will make you even more afraid and upset. Does that reaction make any sense?

Why should it be any different for dogs that also experience a range of emotions? Why then is it still believed that we should ignore our dogs?

Probably because there is confusion and misunderstanding about the difference between an emotional response - which is an involuntary response and a learned response - which has varying degrees of conscious control.

If we acknowledge that providing comfort and support to a dog that is experiencing these emotions will not reinforce them, do we know if providing comfort will reduce these emotions?

Research on this subject is showing evidence that providing comfort and support in stressful situations decreases a dog’s heart rate, salivary cortisol levels, reduces stress responses and increases calm behaviour.

Ignoring a dog’s emotions because of misinformed advice in the belief that this will change the behaviour is more damaging than helpful.

We need to accept and acknowledge that our dogs are having an emotional response and not a behavioural problem.

We need to show compassion, understanding, be a secure base, a safe haven and provide the appropriate comfort when our dogs need it.

28/08/2024

Not every day is a good day, and that's okay. Train for those days too.

24/08/2024

Recall (having your dog come to you when called). Recall is one of those cues in training that depends heavily on your relationship together.
However there are other things we can inadvertently do which damage a good recall and we often don't even realise we do this.
One of the advantages of having an In Home trainer.......we see all those little things that make SUCH a big difference.

Calling your dog to you when you are about to do something unpleasant to them (or they view as could be a negative experience)....even for the best of intentions....can poison recalls.
Calling them to their dreaded bath.
You know they dislike having their nails cut, but they are called to you.....usually ignoring your calls and then finally skulking slowly forward... with their head down low.
Calling them to you when you have the ear drops in your hand.

They will start to make associations with recall and what you actually want them for.

The opposite (calling away from fun and positive experiences) is also true.
Constantly calling your dog away from fun and positive experiences is a recall destroyer.
One of the biggest destroyers of a recall is calling them to you and clipping their lead straight on and leaving the fun area.....have a play with them first, clip on the lead and continue to have fun for a few minutes. This is a little thing that turns that negative association into a really positive one..

So DON"T call them when they may view what you are wanting (or importantly needing to do)....go and get them.

If you need to groom, please take the time and look into cooperative care, it makes SUCH a difference.
Recently I worked with a Pitbull that was in a desperate situation with their claws.
No-one would do them, not their veterinary clinic, no groomer...no-one...even with a muzzle.

It took 2 half hour sessions with some very easy steps that the motivated guardians did a few times a day for a minute or two.......The result.
Claws done....with no muzzle......and NO stress.
A pleasant experience for everyone.

One of the other issues we picked up on was he was called to them for everything , including being called away from positive/fun experiences and for what he may view as negative.....and it certainly affected their recall too. The recall was about 30 %.

So if your recall is more miss than hit....look at when you actually call them too you and why.
If you change little habits you can make some very big differences.

#





















22/08/2024
There isn’t just one approach to teaching a behavior. However, at Savvy Canine & Equine Training i choose to us a method...
21/08/2024

There isn’t just one approach to teaching a behavior. However, at Savvy Canine & Equine Training i choose to us a method that makes it fun for the learners (human and dogs) so that they will want to work together.

Shaping, targeting, luring, mimicking, capturing, moulding and releasing pressure

Are you using enrichement toys? This is a must read
20/08/2024

Are you using enrichement toys? This is a must read

19/08/2024

They get what's important in life.

17/08/2024

So many of the things that people consider 'behaviour problems' in dogs are in fact perfectly normal and instinctive canine behaviours that stretch back over their evolution. The problem is that these behaviours can be inconvenient and potentially problematic in human homes.

Understanding dogs, where they came from and the traits that were vital to their survival in the past, lets us see that we need to provide ways for our dogs to carry out these behaviours. It is a vital part of ensuring their welfare and mentioned in the Five Freedoms - the freedom to express natural behaviour.

Of course we don't want them chewing the furniture, shredding the cushions, digging up the flowerbeds etc. The key is to find ways to let them carry out these behaviours that both they and we find appropriate and acceptable.

A child's sandpit filled with dirt or sand makes a great digging spot, and you can hide things in there for them to find. Alternatively, select a specific spot in the garden and direct the dog there if you find them digging elsewhere.

Make sure they have plenty of appropriate chewing material and redirect them to a chew if they start nibbling on the sofa or the chair leg.

Provide soft toys to be eviscerated to save the cushions. The great thing with soft toys is that you can restuff them and sew them up - often several times before they are beyond repair. Charity shops can also be good sources of budget friendly soft toys for this purpose (always making sure they are safe with no bits the dog may swallow).

Shredding dogs often also love cardboard. Use the household recycling to fill a cardboard box with things like egg boxes, other pieces of cardboard, packing paper and so on, anything that is dog safe. Scatter their food or some treats through the box contents and let them hunt the food out and then have a great time shredding the box and contents. Yes there is a little clearing up that needs to be done, but it saves the furniture or other items from destruction.

With a little imagination it's simple to come up with ways to fulfil these natural drives and your dog will definitely thank you for it. 🧡

I like how this trainer looks at recall. So often it is used to call dogs away from something. We use it as a fun way to...
16/08/2024

I like how this trainer looks at recall. So often it is used to call dogs away from something. We use it as a fun way to see how fast Reina can catch me and because she isn’t having to choose between me and something else she likes in the environment she recalls everytime. When I do have to use it (deer, squirrels, dogs) to call her away the behavior has been reinforced so much that it has becoming an auto response.

We often think of recall as a skill of away. We are calling the dog away from something, the street, another dog, wildlife. But that sets us up to have recall became adversarial. We are pitting the dog against their own desires and often time instincts. Instead we can greatly help our dogs recall in all sorts of situations by viewing recall as a game of Towards, not away.

When we position recall as a game of towards, we are using it as an opportunity for our dogs to seek out reinforcement. It’s their opportunity to come towards us, to join us. If we treat recall as a chance to ask a dog towards us, towards reinforcement, we can see recall as a different experience. It becomes a different game, a different option for our dogs entirely. We are not asking them to come away from a squirrel, we are asking them to join us in a game of chase. We are not asking them to come away from some one up ahead, we are asking them to come and get a delicious snack. We are not asking them to come away from all the smells on the opposite end of the field we are asking them to join us in exploring a new direction.

If you always treat recall as an invitation to play together you will see rather quickly how much more reliable it becomes.

15/08/2024

Tackling Reactivity Online Dog Training Course

Reina and I have been participating in Movement Puzzles  for a while and it has been so much fun playing, training, and ...
14/08/2024

Reina and I have been participating in Movement Puzzles for a while and it has been so much fun playing, training, and building her confidence. These are some of the great tips that apply to all training not just these games.

13/08/2024

With all the specialists in the dog training industry it is important to understand the differences.

12/08/2024
Good info
10/08/2024

Good info

🧠To understand your dog’s reactivity, you need to understand the basics of how your dog’s brain works.

A dog may not have the capability of processing higher complex emotions of what humans can, however, you can’t look at a dog and tell me they don’t feel. Of course, they do! Their feelings are just not as complex as humans, but interestingly enough they do process information from all parts of the body similar to our human brains.

So, the brain is made up of soft tissue and nerve cells, and is composed of the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brainstem. These 3 areas of the brain interprets information, controls all functions of the body, and responds accordingly. The brain does not only control physical responses, but chemical ones as well.

Now, let’s go to the autonomic nervous system. The Sympathetic nervous system originates in the spinal cord which is connected to the brainstem at the bottom of the dog’s brain. One of its main functions is to activate the physiological changes that occur during the flight or fight response. This means that the dog's neurotransmitters in the brain send chemical messages to parts of the body to release hormones, and other chemicals to prepare the dog's body for intense action when the dog is experiencing a stressful, or overwhelming event.

The body can fluctuate between flight and fight, and rest and digest. This is because the brain is constantly sending messages and signals from one part to another.

When the dog is feeling heightened emotions such as arousal, stress, happiness, excitement, fear, anxiety, or pain, the brain sends the body messages to react in the following ways:

1. Increased heart rate and respiration,
2. Dilation of eye pupil (to see with more clarity).
3. Inhibition of the lacrimal gland (responsible for tear production and salivation).
4. Dilated airways for increased oxygen,
5. Dilated blood vessels for blood to flow to the muscles.
6. Inhibition of stomach and upper intestinal action to the point where digestion slows or stops (The body can’t process food when in flight/ fight response, it needs to save its energy for survival).
7. The liver releases glucose,
8. The kidneys release adrenaline,
9. Relaxation of bladder.
10. Constriction of blood vessels in many parts of the body.
11. Auditory exclusion (loss of hearing).
12. Tunnel vision (loss of peripheral vision).
13. Shaking.

I want you to keep in mind that all animals (even us humans) are deeply wired to protect ourselves against a perceived threat and each individual has their own interpretations of what is scary and what is not.

For example; I am afraid of spiders and anything that may resemble a creepy crawly, where you may not be bothered at all by the sight of a spider. Fear begins in the brain, and then travels through the body adjusting along the way for the best defence, to run away, or defend oneself as quickly as possible. All these changes happen so fast that the individual wouldn’t even be aware of them or have a chance to really process what is happening.

The fear response starts in a region in the brain called the amygdala. The job of the amygdala is to detect the importance of the stimulus and how much effect it would have on the dog's well-being. This creates a cascade of events which involve the hypothalamic-pituitary and adrenal glands. This is the main driver of the endocrine stress response. The hypothalamus receives information and sends chemical signals to the pituitary gland which signals the adrenal glands to increase the production of cortisol aka “stress hormone”. This stress hormone helps to increase energy in order to deal with a stressful event.

The instant an event is happening it triggers the sympathetic nervous system which signals the adrenal glands to release adrenaline (aka epinephrine) which leaps into action and goes into the bloodstream to increase the blood flow throughout the body which causes quick responses.

The reaction depends on the threat level of the stimulus. The more threatening the stimulus the more intense the response is.
The sight, or sound of something the dog finds scary, intimidating, or threatening creates a stressful event and triggers neurotransmitters in the brain which transmits signals through the synapse from one neuron to another in a chain reaction which changes the way the dog responds to the trigger. These neurotransmitters release a chemical substance at the end of a nerve fibre and these chemicals travel throughout the body and react accordingly.

So now the brain is super alert, pupils dilate, breathing and heart rate accelerates, blood pressure increases, and glucose increases which seeps into the skeletal muscles to provide energy to move quickly.

The takeaway from this is that fear keeps us alive, and it is involuntary. Not one individual has conscious control over it. Even though it is unpleasant and interferes with our everyday lives and functioning, it should be respected not punished.

Maintaining a balance of chemicals in the body is crucial for emotional regulation and stable behaviour. A reactive dog is one who is struggling and may require assistance, possibly including medication alongside a behaviour modification program. This combination aims to establish positive associations and boost the dog's confidence. Veterinary behaviourists specialise in managing a dog's mental state in such cases.

References:

Riva J, Bondiolotti G, Micelazzi M, et al. Anxiety-related behavioural disorders and neurotransmitters in dogs. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2008;114,168–181.

Beerda B, Schilder M, van Hoof J, et al. Manifestations of chronic and acute stress in dogs. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 1997;52:307–319.

Berteselli GV, Servidaq F, DallAra P, et al. Evaluation of the immunological, stress and behavioural parameters in dogs (Canis familiaris) with anxiety-related disorders. In: Mills D et al., eds. Current Issues and Research in Veterinary Behavioral Medicine. West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press; 2005:18–22.

This is key factor that is often missing when people try to socialize their pups.
08/08/2024

This is key factor that is often missing when people try to socialize their pups.

Want to know a secret🤫
This isn't just for puppies either.✅
Puppies need careful and controlled exposure to EVERYTHING we encounter in our daily life.
I know it can be so tempting to reduce their world for fear of exposure to pathogens but I really do encourage everyone to get out there, but carefully.
There are lots of ways we can encourage safe and early socialisation and acclimation (another graphic in comments about this).
As tempting as it is to seclude and limit their life to just your house or yard, it can create some serious behavioural issues.
If you do have a new puppy, this graphic is a great way to help them make a positive association with the world and all it offers.
You can do this, but carefully 🙂

Please respect that these graphics take time and effort to make. Everyone is free to share on social media🙂, however off social media use of these marked graphics is prohibited.
Unmarked graphics are available for $ 1.20 USD or $ 2 NZD each (approx), these are then able to be used off Facebook for client handouts, posters or for personal use.
Screen shots are a violation of the copyright.
Please visit ABC Dogs Patreon Shop for unmarked graphics. All graphics belong to ABC Dogs NZ and are under copyright.
























Sometime you can do everything right and a dog will still struggle or do things we humans deem “bad” even though in the ...
06/08/2024

Sometime you can do everything right and a dog will still struggle or do things we humans deem “bad” even though in the dog world it is “normal”
(Ex: alert barking)

THE BLAME GAME
Is a dog’s “bad” behaviour a reflection of, or the fault of their guardian?

In some cases, yes – abuse, neglect, unmet needs etc., but this isn’t what this post is about.

This is about having a dog that behaves “badly” no matter how knowledgeable and experienced a dog guardian may be or no matter how much socialization or training that dog has had.

Some dogs are just different and more difficult than others and it’s not your fault.

Puppies are certainly not a blank slate. We cannot always mold a dog into what we want them to be. We can try our best to do everything right, but genetics, individuality, early life experiences, learning experiences, trauma - all play a role in how a dog behaves.

Behaviour is driven by emotion and emotions are not something that we have control over. Just like we cannot control how another person feels or reacts to something.

One of my dogs is difficult. She is highly sensitive, reactive, unsociable, introverted and suspicious of other people and other dogs.

I know first hand how it feels to be judged, blamed, feel embarrassed, isolated, frustrated, angry and resentful.

Surely it must be my fault – I must be doing something wrong, especially as a behaviour consultant, if I can’t even control the behaviour of my own dog? What will people think?

It took me a long time to accept her for who she is, to ignore the judgement, the blame and all the negative feelings that go with it.

It has taken a long time of consistent work, managing the environment, understanding and supporting her to see glimmers of positive change in her behaviour and accepting that she will never be perfect.

My own experiences with my “difficult” dog have gifted me empathy, understanding, compassion and relatability for those who have similar difficulties.

Our dog’s behaviour is not a reflection on us.

Keep working on what you can change and accept what you can’t.

Though this is geared to horses it applies to dogs too.
03/08/2024

Though this is geared to horses it applies to dogs too.

The top concern for most people switching to R+ is how to do so safely. This is super important for everyone. The horse and the human need to feel equally safe. In R- training often the human's safety is formed by making the horse feel unsafe, but we've found that when the horse feels unsafe, its actually less safe for everyone. Its more likely the horse will act out, become defensive, or hide their feelings until they react without warning. So it's vital when we train we do so with a focus on both partners feeling safe to express themselves and their feelings heard.

One huge benefit of R+ training is that we don't need to physically control our horse, we are training through their mind so THEY control their body, not us. So we can actually work over a physical barrier. We can train without even going in with the horse. Protected contact training is the top test of a great trainer. If your horse can learn and respond correctly to each cue without you even being in with them, you know your horse truly understands and wants to perform the behavior. This approach helps you both feel safe while learning and removes the need for any punishment.

Of course we are going to eventually want to be in with them at some point. Rather than making yourself feel safe by asding restraints or tools to control the horse, protect yourself with things that actually help - like helmets and protective vests.

In training we can do a lot to promote safety too, many of us want to jump right to teaching fun stuff like running around together, cute tricks like spanish walk or fetch. But then we have hyper horses who throw hooves around and bite random objects. Why? Because R+ is a Strong and powerful training method and if you only use it to teach things like this, that's all you'll get.

We need to always, even with the safest horse, teach safe behaviors first. Let them learn stimulus control with safe behaviors. Teach behaviors which give you space and help you both feel comfortable moving together. A safe default "standing facing forward" is always a good early behavior to test your other behaviors. If they aren't sure what to do lining up in a safe default is always a good option. Practice this often and reinforce it heavily. You get what you reinforce.

Train away behaviors with the target before you train towards behaviors (for most horses) so you can ask them to move different parts of them away from you. Use a long target to guide behaviors and help the horse see what you are asking them to do. Practice sending to targets away from the handler and going around and object and back. This helps build you and your horse's confidence in being apart from each other and having more comfortable personal space.

Train stimulus control on all your behaviors and save unsafe behaviors for when you know your horse can handle not doing the behavior without the cue ;)

It is not uncommon for my dog clients to not be aware of how their response or their behavior s contributing to the unde...
02/08/2024

It is not uncommon for my dog clients to not be aware of how their response or their behavior s contributing to the undesired behavior or response. Dog training isn’t just about the dog it is about the handler two. A relationship is a two street with both partners constantly communicating. I help owners to listen as well as help them to communicate clearly with their 4 legged friend.

02/08/2024

I NEED TO FEEL SAFE!

Like all living creatures, including us, dogs just want to feel safe – it’s a basic survival need.

When we think about feeling safe it’s natural to just think about not being harmed or being in danger, but it’s not just about physical safety - feeling emotionally or psychologically safe is just as important.

While physical safety may be obvious and simpler to address, emotional safety is far more complex and not always easy to recognise or identify.

The same applies to our dogs – they are sentient beings whose behaviour is triggered and driven by emotions.

So many behaviour problems that we see in dogs stem from the brain saying– “this is not safe!”

A dog that lunges and barks or behaves aggressively with another dog or person is probably doing so because they feel unsafe. They are trying to make the scary thing go away.

A dog that is guarding resources is doing so because they are afraid that the resource will be taken away – they don’t feel safe when another animal or person approaches that resource.

A dog that is reacting to fireworks or thunderstorms or other noises is doing so because they don’t feel safe. The same can be said for separation distress – the feelings of panic when left alone – “I am not safe!”.

Some dogs may never get over a specific fear, but doing all we can to help dogs feel safe in our world is one of the most important gifts we can give them.

Our first responsibility should not be about training, obedience or trying to change behaviour, but to focus first and foremost on building trust, self-confidence, resilience, creating a safe and secure base and being the person that our dogs can rely on and trust.

In the words of Dr. Gabor Maté - "Feeling safe is the treatment and creating safety is the work".

In my words (as it pertains to dogs) – It is our responsibility to put in the work to enable our dogs to feel safe and when they feel safe, this will be part of the treatment or the solution to the problem.

This applies to dog training too.
31/07/2024

This applies to dog training too.

Marketing is amazing. It can convince us of anything, especially if we really want to believe it.

Don’t want to hit or threaten your horse with a whip, call it a carrot stick and you’re simply “focusing your energy” with it. Add a “flag” or plastic bag to the end and you’re simply “encouraging” them or “getting their focus” or creating “connection” or “attunement” through creating calming signals (stress responses)!

Some like to think they “need a job”, because everyone loves to work for no pay, right?

Don’t want to think about the bit causing pain or that you are leveraging the threat of pain, call it a “happy bit”!

Don’t know how to train or understand equine behaviour and don’t want to learn or change, just “be the boss”.

People need to wake up and not let marketing fool you into using unpleasant pressure or forceful, fear or pain inducing tools.

The thing works, ie. changes the horses behaviour, because THEY found it unpleasant or scary. If it didn’t work, you wouldn’t need it.

When we know better, we do better.

** Click on the image for the full effect 😊

30/07/2024

WHAT THE F?

Recognising stress responses in dogs.

Fight or flight are well known reactions to fear or stress, but these other “F” words are also important to understand and be aware of as they may not always be so obvious.

Freeze, Fawn, Fidget or Fool around are also responses to stress or fear and are also commonly seen in people.

Some dogs may have a genetic predisposition to one type of response while some react based on previous experience - what has worked for them before or what hasn’t. Some dogs have different reactions depending on the specific context.

Recognising and taking note of situations or circumstances where these responses are seen is important in understanding how our dogs are feeling.

When we recognise a fear or a stress response, we are able to intervene and advocate for our dogs.

I am a dog trainer that also works with horses and donkeys.  These guys are near and dear to me as they have been my sup...
29/07/2024

I am a dog trainer that also works with horses and donkeys. These guys are near and dear to me as they have been my support system since I lost my horse. The owners are also amazing as they let me bring my client dogs to visit for socialization trips.

Their beautiful Rosie needs votes to get into the Save Your Ass calendar. The donation goes to a good cause. If you wish to support Rosie share a pic of your pup in the comments and I will donate a dollar for each pup pic shared.

You can go and vote here https://www.gogophotocontest.com/saveyourasslongearrescuephotocalendarcontest/entries/524536

27/07/2024

Dogs do what works for them. If you want behavior change, have the desired behavior work out better for them than the undesired behavior. In other words, reward what you like and redirect what you don't!

Need help with this? Reach out! We can help!

Address


Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Savvy Canine & Equine Training posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Savvy Canine & Equine Training:

Videos

Shortcuts

  • Address
  • Telephone
  • Alerts
  • Contact The Business
  • Videos
  • Claim ownership or report listing
  • Want your business to be the top-listed Pet Store/pet Service?

Share

Savvy Dog Owners Train Less And Play More

Savvy Canine & Equine Training of Lexington, Massachusetts is the leading choice for rewards-based dog training in today’s busy world. Using a professional model that trains your dog while you attend to your busy life, we are able to assist families with puppy training, coming when called, pulling on the leash, and other disruptive behaviors. With a balance of science-based training, interactive play, and homeopathic remedies, you and your dog are sure to enjoy your personalized coaching with lasting results. Why? Because savvy dog owners and their pets train less and play more. Are you ready to start playing?