Qualified Companion Animal Behaviorist (DipCABT) C.C.A.B
When we punish dogs for growling, we aren't helping them feel better about whatever it is that is threatening them. Instead, we are teaching to stop letting us know when they feel unsafe.
The result? A dog who stops giving us warning signs and "bites out of the blue."
And, that's how we create dangerous dogs.
BEHAVIOUR REDEFINED
Behaviour is neither good or bad, behaviour is communication and an expression of emotion.
When we think of bad behaviour, our natural human response is to fix it, stop it from happening or suppress it as quickly as we can, so it doesn’t happen again, especially when it comes to dogs.
When we redefine behaviour and look at it as a form of communication, as an emotional response or expression, it helps to change the way we think about and react to it.
Think about a child that is acting out at school. Maybe throwing tantrums, bullying other children, cheating, fighting or displaying some other type of “bad” behaviour.
A teacher or parent wouldn’t just label that child as “bad” or just a child that is badly behaved. The reason for the behaviour would be looked into so it could be understood and addressed.
Bad behaviour is very often a cry for help that should never be ignored.
If we do this for children, why do we not do it for dogs?
Dogs are also sentient beings with a range of feelings and emotions and their behaviour is a form of communication.
“Bad” behaviour can provide us with important information as to what we need to address.
Looking at “bad behaviour” from a different perspective, helps us to acknowledge that a dog is struggling and provides an opportunity to investigate and address the root of the behaviour.
Using punishment as a method to change behavior has been widely debated in dog training and behavior.
Punishment is avoided by educated professionals in all fields because of its limitations and negative effects.
Here are fasons, grounded in scientific research, why it is NOT advisable to use punishment to change behavior:
1️⃣ Negative Emotional Effects
Punishment can lead to negative emotions such as fear, anxiety, and resentment towards a guardian. These emotions can damage the relationship between the punisher and the individual being punished, leading to a lack of trust and open communication (Skinner, 1953).
2️⃣ Does Not Teach Behaviors
Punishment often fails to teach or reinforce the desired behavior. While it might stop the unwanted behavior temporarily, it does not provide a model for positive behavior nor does it teach the individual what they should do instead (Kazdin, 1987).
3️⃣ May Increase Aggression
Research has shown that the use of physical punishment can increase aggression in children (and dogs). Studies suggest that children who are physically punished are more likely to exhibit aggressive behaviors towards others because they learn to use aggression as a means to solve conflicts (Gershoff, 2002).
4️⃣ Increased Abusive Outcomes
You may have been told that corrections are not abusive, but d punishment is being used with a vulnerable being. Distinguishing between "acceptable" punishment and abuse can be highly subjective and lead to harmful outcomes for the individual being punished (Straus, 2000).
5️⃣ Psychological Damage and Reduced Self-Esteem
Punishment, particularly when harsh and frequent, can lead to psychological damage, including increased anxiety, depression, and a lack of confidence. The more punishment used on a dog, the more likely they are to experience pessimistic outlooks (Casey et al., 2021)
Regardless of what you have heard positive reinforcement CAN and IS used to change behavior - and it is the safest, kindest approach.
When working with a qualified educated professional like myself, I'm going to teach you how to avoid punishment - not how to do it "the right way" - because I know there is no right way.
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😡😡
And THIS is how you mess up a once fantastic brand which results in 1000s of force-free, ethical pet professionals withdrawing their support for your products...how very nauseating and disappointing!
Calling all and force-free, ethical professionals to voice your disappointment and withdraw your support for the LickiMat brand. Please go to their insta post and comment or share this post to voice your feelings.
Edit - they can fix this by ending this partnership asap, apologizing for promoting an aversive dog training culture and by entering into partnerships with proven force-free, ethical professionals in different countries. This is how they will win me back.
LickiMat
Ollie has gone from not trusting his mom and never playing, to following mom around like a shadow and even playing with his sister❤️ this gorgeous boy is deaf and has an unknown passed. We are working on creating a bond with his guardians 🐕
PESKY PULLERS
Why dogs pull on leash
This is a really common problem and one that often causes us huge frustration.
It can make walks really unpleasant or we may even stop all together because our dogs pull so much.
Understanding why dogs pull is important. They don’t pull because they are trying to be the Alpha, be the top dog, trying to dominate us or take over the world.
Getting out for a walk is a really exciting, stimulating time for our dogs, especially if they’ve been cooped up in the same place for hours or days at a time without anything to do.
Pulling is normal, natural behaviour. Having to walk slowly, calmly, stuck to our side when the only thing our dogs can think about is pulling forward and exploring the environment requires a huge amount of impulse control that may be just too much for many dogs to master.
Yanking the leash, using choke collars, prong collars, slip leads or similar types of tools in an attempt to control this natural impulse is not the answer.
They may provide us with a feeling of being in control but leave our dogs feeling even more frustrated or they pull even harder in an attempt to make us move forward.
Do we really need to have our dogs walk calmly stuck to our side? Is this being fair to them?
Learning and practicing loose lead walking, using a long line when it’s safe to do so, taking your dog for a decompression walk where they can choose which direction to go and when to stop and sniff, booking a sniff spot or a walking area, driving to a safe, open area where they can explore, rewarding them for checking in with you are all ways to meet their natural needs and might even result in a dog that stops pulling.
CHOOSING A DOG BECAUSE OF THE WAY THEY LOOK
We wouldn’t choose a partner or make a commitment to sharing our lives with someone based purely on the way they look.
We would hopefully first get to know them, their personality and who they really are before making that sort of commitment.
Yet people continue to choose dogs just because they may have pretty eyes, are really cute or just really like the look of them without any understanding or desire to learn about what that particular breed was selectively bred to do and what behaviour they might expect.
The way a dog behaves is not always specific to the breed. Dogs are individuals, with their own unique personality and their behaviour is shaped not only by genetics but by their specific life and learning experiences and environment, but problems can happen when the traits of that breed and their specific needs are not taken into account.
Some breeds may just not be compatible with a particular family’s needs, lifestyle or expectations.
Is it fair for us to suppress, try to train out or even punish breed specific tendencies when we keep a dog in a captive environment that is not suitable for them.
Research the breed and learn all you can about their potential traits before making a choice.
Understand the breed and make sure that you are able to provide appropriate outlets for those needs.
Hartbeespoort
0216
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Ollie has gone from not trusting his mom and never playing, to following mom around like a shadow and even playing with his sister❤️ this gorgeous boy is deaf and has an unknown passed. We are working on creating a bond with his guardians 🐕
