Katherine Brown - Cat & Dog Behaviour Consultant

10/09/2024

Interestingly, you can apply this information to your cats as well, except with cats it's more likely to be the fur on the tail, at the base of the tail, or along the spine.

THE INVOLUNTARY MOHAWK

Technically called Piloerection – when the fur on a dog’s back area stands on end.

Piloerection in dogs is an involuntary response – not within conscious control. It’s usually linked to feeling a strong emotion and could be compared to a person getting goosebumps.

It’s far easier to see in short haired dogs than those with a longer coat.

A breed like the Rhodesian Ridgeback has a clear distinctive ridge of fur on their back. This is formed by a selected gene mutation which causes that particular fur to grow in the opposite direction from the rest. This ridge is standard for this breed and is not related to an emotional state.

Piloerection is commonly thought only to be seen in reactive or aggressive dogs, but that’s not always the case.

Dogs that are feeling aroused, excited, fearful, startled, stimulated, conflicted or insecure in some way, also exhibit this.

As with all behaviour, it’s important to look at the context, in conjunction with other body language, the environment and specific situation in order to establish the cause and decide on the best way to intervene if necessary.

Dr Karen London - an ethologist and highly qualified behaviourist, trained in observing animals and behaviour, has made some very interesting observations about different patterns of raised fur being linked to different emotional states.

In Dr London’s professional opinion -
A thin patch of fur all along the back to the base of the tail is associated with a high level of confidence. These dogs are more likely to be on the offensive and react more aggressively.

A thick patch across shoulders to around ¼ way down the back is associated with a low level of confidence and is seen in dogs that are more fearful.

A patch of fur raised at the shoulders and another patch at the base of the tail – the fur in between is not raised, is associated with dogs that are conflicted and unsure of how to react. These dogs may be unpredictable and more likely to be reactive.

Dr London states that there are many exceptions, but in general, this applies to the majority of dogs that she observes.

04/09/2024

How cute are Gracie and May in their raincoats 😍

They've moved from SA to the Isle of Man, and needed new clothes to suit the weather.

Emigrating is a huge adjustment for our beasties (and us!).
New house, new smells, new climate, new routines, new rules, new sounds, new people, new animals, new almost everything.

It's a lot for the brain/nervous system to process.

I am chuffed with how these two Lab ladies are adjusting, and learning new skills.
Ups and downs, with progress in the wanted direction.
It's what I expect and like to see, and it tells me that their family is supporting them and fulfilling their needs.
It's very awesome.

You can think of adjustment like a pendulum. The sudden change of moving home and country sets the pendulum swinging wildly.
With healthy adjustment, the pendulum slowly and steadily comes to rest.
Not complete rest because the mind, emotions, and behaviour are not still - there's always a little swing, and that's fine, expected, and desirable even. It means there's life.
With unhealthy adjustment, the pendulum keeps swinging.
Or it comes to some kind of rest but only because it's being held there by a slowly unraveling piece of string.

It's much easier, and more rewarding, to support a dog or cat through an adjustment period (to help them bring that pendulum to a gentle swing) than it is to address the potential behaviour problems that arise from struggling to adjust.

A big thank you to Gracie and May's family for permission to share their cuteness, the oxytocin hit is much appreciated 😉

03/09/2024

I've just finished lowering the entrance to Edy's litterbox.

She has back and hip pain, and her kidneys are failing.

I don't want her to have to resort to peeing next to the box because it is too difficult to step over the high entrance.

Lowering the entrance will protect her sore joints and make toileting that bit easier and more comfortable for her.

03/09/2024

Keep realistic expectations for both of you.
Keep working on self-regulation.

Picture this. Your dog is dysregulated and showing heightened emotional responses like barking continuously, snapping, pulling on leash when outdoors, constantly fidgety at home, jumping at people or any other behaviors.

To this, we respond by getting hyper ourselves. Loud reactions, high pitched voice, shouting or yelling, chasing after them. These are all signs of our dysregulation.

But if we meet dysregulation with dysregulation, how is one supposed to find space to emotionally regulate themselves?

This doesn't mean that we shouldn't be dysregulated or that it's wrong to be dysregulated. Sometimes these are the most normal reactions to a given situation.

What is unfortunate is that we don't extend this understanding to our dogs. They're in a situation that justifies their dysregulation. So why do we expect them to "behave" or not have such a reaction?

When our dogs do have these reactions, co-regulation maybe a better way to handle the situation. Not just for the dog but for you as well. Dysregulation met with dysregulation rarely helps in regulation of anyone involved.

But if we can find it in us to regulate ourselves and show up for our dogs and help them regulate too, these situations may become easier to handle. Which then leads to the next step - figuring out what is causing the dysregulation for our dogs and address that to help them.

I have to say this though. It's not always possible to be regulated in stressful situations. So be graceful and know that it's okay and completely normal to feel all those feelings. You can only help your dog if you can help yourself too. So while it's important to show up and co-regulate with your dog, it's also important to not expect 100% perfection from your end either!

Basically, I'm trying to say that extend empathy and support when you see dysregulation - for yourself and your dog. But let's not have an unfair expectation that emotional regulation is possible when there's no space or opportunity or support extended for an individual to feel regulated. And safe.

(Emotional regulation, dysregulation, co-regulation, dog parenting, dog parents, Gentle Parenting of Dogs)

03/09/2024

Hanger is a thing.

And it looks like it hit someone in my home hard last night.
My guess is St John, aka The Labrador, because I'm fairly certain she has that gene that makes Labs hungry all the time.

Cats are quite prone to hanger, although dogs and of course we, experience it too.
It's a horrible frustrating feeling, and may be accompanied by tummy discomfort as well.

Given more natural circumstances, cats would hunt about 10-15 times a day, and they'd be successful about half the time.
Hence cats need multiple small meals a day, and some don't cope well with long periods without a snack, which is when the hanger may start.

This is when we'll notice behaviours such as restlessness, knocking things over or opening cupboards, pawing or meowing at us, chasing or swatting at companion cats.
Or in St John's case, breaking and entering.
I especially like the little teeth marks.

I think I know how this happened.
I know the bag was intact at around 5am when I gave Edy a snack.
At the same time, I gave Ellen and St John a snack, as usual.
Except I shared what was left in Ellen's bowl between them rather than getting a scoop from the bag, which means they had less than usual.
The reason I suspect St John is her long and colourful history of expressing her food needs in all the ways, including sighing in my ear when I don't get out of bed.

🐈 I'm very aware that I have removed most of her choice over her diet and how she gets it. 🐈

Imagine not being able to choose how much you can eat. Or what you can eat. Or where. Or when, or how often.
Having those choices removed is emotionally difficult.
It is frustrating.
Each cat, or dog, will cope with this to a greater or lesser degree, and in different ways.

🐈 Ensuring our cats and dogs feel satisfied and emotionally safe about their food is extremely important for their quality of life and overall well-being, and for prevention of unwanted behaviours. 🐈

*Please note, I love comments, however I will not answer questions about what you should do for your cat and their eating routine in this thread. Giving that type of advice takes hours of gathering information: from your intake forms, from you during sessions, from watching videos you send, doing research on the behaviour or asking other professionals (such as your vet) for input. I can't, and ethically won't, do that in a comment section.

02/09/2024

I like this so much.
Management can be an exquisite tool.

02/09/2024

Once again, it's not dominance.

At this point in time, we don't entirely understand cats' social structure.

What we are pretty sure of is that they don't have a linear dominance hierarchy with an alpha cat.

They're exceedingly complex social beings, ranging from solitary to very friendly.
Sometimes all in the same cat 😉

30/08/2024

They haven't used this cardboard scratcher bed in months.

Apparently because I hadn't tried putting it at the right angle 😆

If your cat or dog is not using a bed you got for them, try putting it in a different spot and then wait and observe. I usually give them a couple of weeks in a different spot as timid beasties may take longer to try out new facilities 😉

30/08/2024

30/08/2024

I think I must've said "Cats are such fascinating animals!" in one excitable way or another every few minutes in session today 😆

🐈🤓

29/08/2024

I talk about "behaviour problems" because it's a commonly understood term.
But it's not very useful or accurate when we want to understand our beasties' behaviour.

As humans, we can have a tendency to label things, including behaviours in our canine companions. Behaviour tends to get put into the categories 'good' or 'bad' depending on whether it is a behaviour we like or one that is considered problematic for us.

The truth is that there is no such thing as good or bad behaviour. There is only behaviour.

So what is behaviour?

Think of the behaviours that we see in our dogs as being symptoms of their inner state. The behaviours we tend to perceive as good generally happen when the dog is happy and relaxed, contented with their situation and the world around them.

The 'bad' labelled behaviours are symptomatic of something that the dog is unhappy about or is struggling with.

It could be that something is scaring them or causing them distress.
Perhaps their needs are not being met adequately.

Maybe they are unwell or in pain (this should always be high on the list of considerations, especially if there is a sudden change in behaviour).

Stop thinking about good or bad and instead think about the 'why' of the behaviour - because when we can understand the root cause, we can begin to see what the dog needs so they no longer feel the need to carry out those behaviours.

28/08/2024

Is your dog into Namibian hardwood?

A client told me of their dog who takes pieces of Namibian hardwood from the pile to chew on, and it reminded me of my Tommy who used to do the same.
I'd bring a bag of hardwood home, and Tommy would be straight into it, finding a good stick to get stuck into.
In both cases, the dogs were not regular wood or stick chewers, but seemed to be attracted only to the Namibian hardwood used for fires and braais.
Which makes me wonder what it is about that wood that could be so enticing to dogs who aren't otherwise interested in wood/sticks.

Does your dog enjoy chewing sticks?
And of any kind of wood, or do they have a preference for certain types?

27/08/2024

Cats and dogs are crepuscular species.

They're most active at dusk and dawn.

(Hence that witching hour 😉)

Both species are highly adaptive though.
They'll adapt their sleep/wake cycle to that of their people or companion animals, or to take advantage of certain conditions, such as going out at midnight when there's no traffic, or playing at midday because that's when the lizards emerge.

When is your dog or cat most active?

26/08/2024

Behaviour = Communication.

There is a tendency to put behaviour into one of two categories: 'good' or 'bad', labels which move us away from the realisation that we need to understand the 'why' of the behaviour.

The truth is that there is no 'good' or 'bad' behaviour. It is all simply behaviour. It is something that tells us about how the dog feels in that moment.

The 'good' behaviours, the ones we like, generally mean that the dog is happy, relaxed, joyful, excited, and these are occurring in a context that we humans like.

The 'bad' behaviours will see the dog doing things we don't like, such as barking a lot, pulling on the lead, growling, etc. These we can find problematic, and we will often want those behaviours to stop.

The most important thing we can do is look at the situation and try to work out why the behaviour is happening. Is the dog barking and/or growling because something is making them uncomfortable in that situation? Are they pulling on the lead because they haven't really been fully shown how to walk on a loose lead? Are they trying to run away from something that has scared them?

When we can understand the why, we can begin to understand what our dogs need in that situation and, if the behaviour is one that we find difficult and shows that the dog is struggling in a situation, we can find kind and gentle ways to make it easier on both of us.

26/08/2024

It's international dog day today! Let's see your dogs!
Share below 😉

24/08/2024

If your dog/cat could redecorate their home environment, what do you think it would look like?

22/08/2024

Environmental changes can directly impact or facilitate behavioural changes.

Paraphrasing what a client recently said: You don't know how much something as simple as adding another water bowl will change their behaviour.

22/08/2024

An environment conducive to the needs of the individual cat or dog, and the expression of their natural behaviours, is an environment conducive to "good" behaviour.

21/08/2024

Talking about leash-walking with a client today, and I said that the most important thing when teaching it is connection.

When you concentrate on a connection with your dog, you can understand them better. You learn to read their signals and interpret them quicker and more accurately. This means that you can tell more easily how your dog feels in a situation and so can take action if needed, or be quietly with them while they observe or explore.

Much of my work is with the sensitive dogs, the ones who can struggle with social situations and find the world an alarming place. Finding that sense of connection with those dogs means being able to tell when they need space and time to help them feel safe and to get relief from the stress that can overwhelm them out in the world.

My own dog struggles with these things at times but, because of the connection we have built, he trusts us to keep him safe and get him out of any situations he is not able to cope with yet.

Even if your dog is not one of these sensitive souls, concentrating on establishing and building that connection will benefit your relationship in so many ways and, once you have found that connection with a dog, you will never want to live with them in any other way. 💛

21/08/2024

Dogs and cats did not evolve for the confinement, slippery tiles, weird noises, and stinky air fresheners of modern human life.

Many animals struggle to adapt, or develop maladaptive behaviours - ways of coping that are problematic to the animal or those around them.

Many "problem behaviours" are not wilful; they're attempts to handle a challenging environment.

21/08/2024

Let's talk about the environment a bit this week.

Specifically the behaviour environment.

Behaviour always occurs within an environment.

The environment always influences behaviour.

Everything about an environment, from the temperature, air pressure, sounds, smells, and the texture of surfaces, to the presence, proximity, and friendliness of other creatures has the potential to influence behaviour.

This means that if we can change the environment, then we can change behaviour.

Think for a moment about how the environment in which you find yourself influences your behaviour.

In which environments is your behaviour "good"?
In which environments does your behaviour deteriorate?

20/08/2024

I found this cat claw sheath.
It's quite large, so I'm assuming it belonged to St John.
If you have cats you'll often find these sheaths lying around, especially near their favourite scratching post.
It's one of the reasons they need a scratching post!
The claw sheath is the outermost layer of the claw, which is shed as it ages and becomes worn, revealing a fresh sharp claw beneath.
Scratching helps remove the sheath, which can become irritating if not shed.
You may also see cats biting their claws to remove a tricksy sheath.

20/08/2024

Finally! My shiny new privacy policies are all done and up on my site!
Because your privacy is important to me 😉

Link in comments.

Privacy Policies PAIA & POPIA Compliance View PAIA & POPIA Compliance Document here. Data Privacy View Data Privacy Policy Document here. Website Terms & Conditions of Use View Website Terms & Conditions of Use Document here

16/08/2024

What are you doing with your beastie bestie this weekend?

Have you planned a special outing for your dog or a special ining for your cat, or vice versa?

I'll be trying out a new brush to see who likes it, and I want to do some enrichment stuff, but I'm not sure what yet.
And there will definitely be games.

15/08/2024

Our dogs and cats teach us so much.

About themselves, about ourselves, and life, the universe, etc.

We could probably all write a book on what our animal friends and family have taught us.

What is one thing you've learned from your dog or cat?

One thing Boris taught me is that there's nothing wrong with lying down to get things done.
If your body isn't up to standing.
Sit.
Lie down.
It doesn't have to be hard.
Making things easier is okay.

Share what you've learned from your dog or cat below 😉

14/08/2024

You're an expert in your cat or dog.

I'm an expert in cats and dogs in general.

When we put that knowledge together, awesome stuff happens.

13/08/2024

There's a gardener outside sweeping and moving things around.

And these two are not in hiding.

They've spent most of their lives hiding from visitors, especially those associated with scary noises and activities like gardeners, plumbers, builders, or children.

My feral ladies are still making progress at 12 years old.

Is there something you wish your cat or dog was less fearful of?
Let me know below 😉