Puppies in Balance - Cape Town

31/07/2024

A big congratulations to our graduate for today! Well done! 🎓🦮🩵

27/07/2024

We had a huge batch of graduates this morning! 🎓Well done everyone! 🎓Hope to see you in Puppy 2! 🐾🐕‍🦺🦮

27/07/2024

Awesome puppy classes this morning! (Yes, we got in before the rain 😅)

23/07/2024

Puppy 1 🩵🐾🐶

23/07/2024

Congrats Juniper, you did it! 🎓🩵🐾

20/07/2024

Congrats to all our puppy graduates! You guys have worked hard and done so well! 🎓🩵🐾👍 🩷

20/07/2024

Such lovely focus from this group this morning! Well done guys! 🐾🐶🩵

16/07/2024

🐾 ❤️

14/07/2024

09/07/2024

Some of the awesome pups in tonight’s class 🐶🐾🩵

09/07/2024

Congratulations Luna! 🎓See you in Puppy 2!🩷🐾

06/07/2024

It was perfect weather for puppy classes. This lot had so much fun in the tunnel! 🩵🐶🐾

06/07/2024

Congrats Benny! You did it! 🎓🐶🐾🩵 ❤️

04/07/2024

04/07/2024

ANTHROPOMORPHISM

THE GOOD / THE BAD AND WHERE TO DRAW THE LINE

This hard to pronounce and complicated sounding word – (anth-ro-po-morph-ism), means assigning human qualities, characteristics, emotions, feelings or motivations to our dogs (a non-human entity).

Advancements in canine neuroscience have revealed remarkable similarities between human and canine brain function, particularly in areas related to emotional processing.
This has given us far more understanding of canine cognition and emotion.

Although this is a great thing, it’s so important not to take anthropomorphism too far by assuming that our dogs experience emotions in exactly the same way that we do.

Dogs experience a similar range of emotions that would be seen in a 2 to 2 ½ year old child but are currently not thought to feel more complex emotions like guilt, shame, remorse, spite, pride or contempt.

Here is a link to a graphic that shows where a dog’s emotions are thought to stop in relation to the age of a child - bit.ly/canineemotions

Here are some examples of taking anthropomorphism too far:

“My dog knows exactly what he’s done – look how guilty he looks! No, your dog is reacting to your body language, tone of voice or remembers your previous reaction – this is fear, he is trying to appease you, calm you down, diffuse the situation.

“My dog chewed the couch just to get back at me for not taking him for a walk “ - No, your dog was probably bored, frustrated, lonely, had separation distress and was looking for a way to self-sooth or entertain himself.

“My dog pees inside just to spite me” – No, there could be a host of reasons, but spite is not one of them.

“My dog is just so stubborn” – No, find what is motivating, rewarding for your dog, are there too many distractions?

“Look at how proud my dog looks for winning the competition, graduating from a class, after being groomed etc” - No, your dog is reacting to your emotional state.

Instead of assuming that your dog is feeling “adult human emotions”, learn about body language and notice the context of the behaviour. This will provide a far more accurate idea of how dogs are really feeling.

Anthropomorphism is an essential tool in recognising a dog’s emotional state and allows us to have compassion, empathy, understanding and connection, but taking it too far is detrimental and undermines relationship.

29/06/2024

These are just some of the awesome pups in our puppy class! It was a lovely busy morning! Love you guys! 🐾🐶🩵 🦮 ❤️

29/06/2024

Puppy 2 doggies making such good progress! 🧡🦮

29/06/2024

❤️

29/06/2024

These are our fabulous graduates for today! Well done everyone everyone! 🎓🐾🦮🩵

28/06/2024

Do you want to help your new pup become the BEST DOG EVER?! Proper training is the way:
🐾It builds confidence.
🐾Builds comfortable socialising with other people and dogs.
🐾Helps to cope in new environments.
View our competitive pricing on our website or WhatsApp on 083 448 2522 to get more information.

22/06/2024

Congrats little Ronan! Watch out Puppy 2, here we come! 🩵🎓🐾😁

20/06/2024

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.

18/06/2024

Puppy 1 @ 🩵 🐾 🐶

16/06/2024

Congratulations Seattle! Well done! 🎓🩵🐾

14/06/2024

🐾Although dogs descend from a common ancestor with wolves, they have undergone millennia of domestication and genetic engineering, resulting in distinct differences from their wild counterparts. Despite this misconceptions about canine behaviour persist, perpetuating unrealistic expectations and outdated training methods.

Such myths revolve around the idea of dogs as inherently naughty, stubborn, and trying to be the leader of the pack, requiring punishment for correction [1]. The original study of wolves and behaviour was conducted in 1947 by Rudolph Schenkel, who claimed that wolves hold a social position, the pack is controlled by a dominant male and female; and wolves fought within each other to establish top rank. This was disproved by Dr. Mech in 2000 [2].

The world evolves constantly yet the human race is still stuck on this notion. Qualified dog trainers and behaviourists are not trying to convince you that the world is flat, we are simply trying to improve your relationship with your dog without the use of outdated training mythology.

In reality; natural wolf groups function as family units, with parents as caregivers. Communication within the wolf group relies heavily on subtle cues, such as body language and facial expressions, rather than overt displays of aggression and dominance.

Despite scientific advancements debunking the alpha dog theory, some trainers continue to perpetuate these myths, advocating for dominance-based techniques. However, the lack of regulation in the industry allows such outdated practices to persist.

Understanding dogs requires acknowledging their individuality and respecting their preferences. Effective training involves environmental management, systematic desensitisation, and counter-conditioning, with the use of positive reinforcement; which helps dogs understand desired behaviours without resorting to punitive measures [3]. Embracing modern, evidence-based methods can build healthier, more respectful relationships with our canine companions.

Television also plays a significant role.

TV networks air shows for ratings, promoting trainers whose methods align with the dominance theory. Unfortunately, these methods often rely on coercion and correction, leading dogs to comply out of fear, NOT out of genuine willingness and understanding.

Dominance, often mistaken for a personality trait, is instead a survival response rooted in anxiety and fear. Moreover, punishing a dog for undesirable behaviour doesn't effectively communicate what you want them to do instead. Behaviours stem from emotions, and punishment fails to address these emotional struggles.

Supporting your dog through their emotional struggles can effectively improve their behaviour over time[ 4]. It’s understandable that people use inappropriate methods and techniques as they are desperate and don’t know how else to manage the problems they are facing with their dog.

Today, qualified professionals understand that the relationship between dogs and humans isn't about asserting social rank. Instead, it's about creating an environment where the dog feels safe and supported. This involves managing their surroundings to prevent situations where they might struggle or fail, and consistently rewarding behaviours we want to encourage.

[1] 2008, Position Statement on the Use of Dominance Theory in Behavior Modification of Animals, AVSAB, https://avsab.org/.../Dominance_Position_Statement...

[2]Mech, L. David. 1999. Alpha status, dominance, and division of labor in wolf packs. Canadian Journal of Zoology 77:1196-1203.
Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Home Page. http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/2000/alstat/alstat.htm
(Version 16MAY2000).

[3] Herron M, Shofer S, Reisner I, 2009, Survey of the use and outcome of confrontational and non-confrontational training methods in client-owned dogs showing undesired behaviors, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Volume 117, Issues 1–2, Pages 47-54

[4] Herron M, Shofer F, Reisner I, 2009, Survey of the use and outcome of confrontational and non-confrontational training methods in client-owned dogs showing undesired behaviors, Applied Animal Behavior Science, Volume 117, Issue-12, https://www.sciencedirect.com/.../pii/S0168159108003717...