K9 Rules

13/06/2024

Please help with donations to a mass sterilisation in Moorreesburg!

10/06/2024

Trax, German Shorthair Pointer, starting again at 1 console but this time we Imprinting the Geometric Tortoise (first was a Kong toy).
Called Imprinting an odour.
For those that are not aware, Trax needs to find a specific endangered Geometric tortoise, so we teaching him how to find and indicate, once tortoise is found.

05/06/2024

Don’t Buy A Dog From Me
( What reputable breeders want you to know)

If you want to buy a dog and walk away, don’t buy one from me. If you want to pick a puppy because it came to you when you sat down or gave you a cute look, don’t buy one from me. If you don’t want to take my recommendations on what food to feed or what is best for the health and well being of the dog, after years of experience, don’t buy a dog from me.
If you just want a puppy NOW, because you need it for a Christmas gift or to be in Senior Pictures, don’t buy one from me. If you never plan to update me on how the dogs is doing or send a picture once in a while, don’t buy a dog from me.
If you want a dog to live in the backyard, run loose on a farm and never share time in the house with your family, definitely don’t buy a dog from me. If you want a lawn ornament, you can buy one made of cement or plaster, not much care needed.
However, if you want a puppy that has parents with health testing, that was socialized, loved and made a priority from the day it was born. A puppy who’s temperament and activity level has been carefully chosen to fit your lifestyle. A puppy selectively and purposefully bred to the standard set forth by our breed club, then maybe you do want to buy a dog from me.
If you want a breeder who loves each puppy/dog with all her heart, considers you part of the family and will laugh or cry with you at any time. Well then we might be a match.
Reputable breeders should never be lumped in with puppy mills, backyard breeders or those who broker dogs. A reputable breeder will be able to provide clearances, a five generation pedigree, an explanation as to why they bred the two dogs. While most of the time they will make little or no money. What money they might get is reinvested Into the dogs one way or another.
A reputable breeder knows their dogs, and can realistically tell you what to expect and when. They can guide you toward veterinarians, training facilities and products that will benefit your dog.
A reputable breeder will be your friend, a guiding hand and a strong shoulder.
So whatever choice you make, make it with the best interest of the dog in mind and if that’s not your plan….. then don’t buy a dog from me.

Author unknown but I'm sure LOTS of ethical/reputable/Preservation breeders feel the same❤️

04/06/2024

With the extremely cold weather in the Cape over the next few days we would like to put out a reminder to keep our furry friends in mind while we all try to keep as warm as possible ❄️🏔️🥶

Please bring your animal inside if you can 🙏🏻

Remember if you are cold then they are as well ❄️🥶🙏🏻

03/06/2024

Trax was so excited that I was teaching humans about dog body language🐾🐕😁

03/06/2024

Trax, German Shorthair Pointer, moving on to 4 consoles where he has to find the 1 with object in and indicate. Called Imprinting an odour.
For those that are not aware, Trax needs to find a specific endangered tortoise, so we teaching him how to find and indicate, once tortoise is found.

01/06/2024

Welcome Iga, Boston Terrier to Life Skills 1.🐶🐾

01/06/2024

Well done 🥳 to Millie, Dachshund and V, Boearboel for graduating 🎓 Life Skills 1.
See you all in Life Skills 2.

30/05/2024

Trax, German Shorthair Pointer, moving on to 3 consoles where he has to find the 1 with object in and indicate. Called Imprinting an odour.
For those that are not aware, Trax needs to find a specific endangered tortoise, so we teaching him how to find and indicate, once tortoise is found.

26/05/2024

Life Skills 1 puppies having fun with all the brain games.

23/05/2024

Did you know we provide Specialised Detection Training services. We train dogs for conservation, farming, explosives and other substances with precision and reliability. Our program ensures each dog is equipped with the skills needed for any scenario. Contact us today to elevate your dogs detection capabilities.

23/05/2024

Well done Bailey for graduating 🎓 Life Skills 1!

23/05/2024

BE A DOPAMINE DEALER NOT A CORTISOL CREATOR

Although there are other chemicals that have an effect on behaviour, the neurotransmitter dopamine and the hormone cortisol are important ones to understand.

Force free, positive reinforcement, reward-based methods result in a release of Dopamine which provides important motivation to seek out rewards, increases attention, memory and reinforces a behaviour. Behaviour is far more likely to be repeated when Dopamine is released.

Using punishment or aversive, old fashioned methods causes stress which increases the release of cortisol. Cortisol inhibits learning, affects memory, decreases motivation and can cause emotional, psychological and even physical damage.

Some ways to increase Dopamine levels and lower Cortisol levels –

Only using positive reinforcement, force free, reward-based techniques.

Slow, sniffing walks in a quiet area, interactive play, puzzle toys, lick mats, snuffle mats, foraging, providing mental stimulation activities, routine and predictability, enough rest and sleep and a balanced and nutritious diet.

Give your dog a “cortisol holiday”. Cortisol levels can take between two to six days to return to normal after stress.

This “holiday” could look like stopping walks for a week or changing the time of day you walk to a quieter time, covering or blocking access to a gate, fence or window, avoiding visitors or generally just taking a break from anything that may be causing stress.

23/05/2024

I find it hard to understand why some people still use and firmly believe in old fashioned punishment-based training methods when science clearly shows there is a better, kinder, humane, ethical and far more effective way.

The key principle of force free or positive reinforcement based methods is “first, do no harm”, not just physical harm, but emotional harm too.

Punishment amongst many other negatives, creates stress. Stress inhibits learning. A dog that is feeling stressed from being punished will struggle to learn.

Positive reinforcement methods release the hormone, Dopamine. This “feel-good” hormone drives the reward and pleasure-seeking system.

Dopamine also increases the brain’s ability to learn, improves memory function and motivates a dog to repeat a behaviour.

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviour states that punishment-based methods may cause several adverse effects, including “inhibition of learning, increased fear-related and aggressive behaviours, and injury to animals and people interacting with animals”.

One of my favourite quotes with regard to dog behaviour is by Dr Carolina Galvez Vidal - "Any idiot can suppress behaviour. It’s so easy: That’s why most humans on the planet think they are expert dog trainers. But to truly modify a behaviour without suppression…Ahh, that requires true talent, knowledge and skills".

We are all individuals and don’t all have “true talent” or “skills”, but the key word for me in this statement is “knowledge”.

Knowledge is not that hard to find these days. Be willing to put in the effort to find out how to build a trusting, secure and positive relationship with your dog, remembering to "first do no harm".

21/05/2024

Having a social is also a way of learning for the puppies.

21/05/2024

Well done Murdoch for graduating 🎓 Life Skills 1💐🐕🐶🌟

19/05/2024

Some great ideas for what to stuff in your dogs Kong toy.

https://www.kongcompany.com/cuisine/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1Pfl-wm6OqnK7pHlAmvKPbMoGNZdiXRZAqIOneGwjrFj4HpLHoFDsgI9M_aem_AYG0NAneLC_dvdYmS0ssAPu1g0o5uNgzgVMP7eIE_Qtv60rH7uFFvpwVwcyMK8QZ1Fn-KjEL2LaMg5f1gzC55FqQ

KONG has collected the best recipes for your dog from around the world in one, easy to navigate place. Engage and enrich with KONG Cuisine.

17/05/2024

You’re Not His Mom!

Few days ago I’ve been asked: “ Is grabbing a dog by the scruff is an acceptable option, since dog-moms do this to their puppies?”

As a holistic Do No Harm behavior consultant, and crossover trainer, I have personal experience as I was trying to justify this "Alpha-techniques" and instead proved my self wrong.

Picking up any dog, especially a larger dog, by the scruff of the neck can be harmful to both - handler and dog- and is not recommended by veterinarians or educated professional dog trainers.

New born pups are helpless, relying on their dam to meet all of their needs for their first few weeks of life. Very young pups are born with their eyes and ears closed, nerves not fully developed and can only move around by crawling.– which means that if a dam decides to migrate her litter to another room, she also has to handle moving the puppies!

1. While mother dogs may carry their young puppies by the scruff, this is possible because young puppies have an immature nervous system and a reflex that causes them to become limp when lifted by the scruff, making it easier for the mother to transport them safely (Coren, 2016; Brewster & Leon, 1980), also called stress-induced catalepsy (Amir et al., 1981), However, this reflex disappears as puppies mature, and their nervous system develops.

2.In adult dogs, the scruff is no longer an appropriate place to grab and lift them, as it can cause pain, discomfort, and even injury to the skin, neck, and spine (Coren, 2016). Moreover, during mating, male dogs may grab the female's scruff to maintain stability and position (Houpt, 2011).
This further highlights that grabbing an adult dog by the scruff can be perceived as a threatening, aggressive, or sexually inappropriate action, potentially damaging the human-dog relationship and causing behavioral issues.

3. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) states that "there is no evidence that aversive training methods are more effective than reward-based training methods" and that "aversive training methods can cause significant harm to both the human-animal bond and the physical and behavioral health of the animal" (AVSAB Position Statement on Punishment).

4.Additionally, a study published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior found that "dogs trained using aversive methods exhibited more stress-related behaviors and showed more avoidance of their owners than dogs trained using reward-based methods" (Deldalle & Gaunet, 2014).

5. Regarding the attachment relationship between a puppy and its mother, while secure attachment is crucial for a puppy's development (Ainsworth, 1969), it is not solely dependent on the mother carrying the puppy by the scruff. Instead, it is fostered through a combination of factors, including warmth, nourishment, and responsive caregiving (Topál et al., 1998).

To sum it up; picking up an adult dog by the scruff, especially a larger dog, is not safe or appropriate. It can cause physical harm, damage the human-dog relationship, and lead to behavioral issues. Positive reinforcement training is a more effective and humane approach to dog training. As a responsible dog owner, it is essential to handle adult dogs in a manner that is comfortable and non-threatening for them, fostering a strong and trusting relationship.

"Developing a good relationship with your dog is a two-way street. Stay positive. Do not correct—redirect. Punishment and old school dominance training methods produce anxiety in your dog and can cause aggression or make a troubling behavior even worse. Looking at the world from your dog’s point of view will help you understand and respond appropriately so you can both be happy." Linda Michaels MA 2022- p.144 )

Let me know if you have further question.

References:

Ainsworth, M. D. S. (1969). Object relations, dependency, and attachment: A theoretical review of the infant-mother relationship. Child Development, 40(4), 969-1025.

Brewster, A. L., & Leon, M. (1980). Facilitation of maternal transport by Norway rat pups. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 94(1), 80-88.

AVSAB Position Statement on Punishment.https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Dominance_Position_Statement_download-10-3-14.pdf

Coren, S. (2016). Do dogs have a "scruff reflex"? Psychology Today.

Hiura, L. C., Lazaro, V. A., & Ophir, A. G. (2023). Plasticity in parental behavior and vasopressin: responses to co-parenting, pup age, and an acute stressor are experience-dependent. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 17. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1172845

https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Dominance_Position_Statement_download-10-3-14.pdf
Deldalle, S., & Gaunet, F. (2014). Effects of 2 training methods on stress-related behaviors of the dog (Canis familiaris) and on the dog-owner relationship. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 9(2), 58-65.

Houpt, K. A. (2011). Domestic animal behavior for veterinarians and animal scientists. John Wiley & Sons.

Topál, J., Miklósi, Á., Csányi, V., & Dóka, A. (1998). Attachment behavior in dogs (Canis familiaris): A new application of Ainsworth's (1969) Strange Situation Test. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 112(3), 219-229.

The Do No Harm Dog Training and Behavior Handbook: Featuring the Hierarchy of Dog Needs- https://amzn.to/3y3Oeya

Image picturing person lifting a plush toy dog by the scruff and the text: “Scuffing a dog is inappropriate, and can damage the human dog relationship, as it may perceived as threatening, aggressive, or sexually inappropriate behavior.”

15/05/2024

Bruno, Border Collie, loved the agility/obstacle course.

15/05/2024

Bailey, American Bulldog, discovering brain games at age 3. No dog is too old to learn 🐶🥰🐕

15/05/2024

Trax, German Shorthair Pointer, moving on to 2 consoles where he has to find the 1 with object in and indicate.
For those that are not aware, Trax needs to find a specific endangered tortoise, so we teaching him how to find and indicate, once tortoise is found.

12/05/2024

Welcome Layla to Life Skills 2🐶

Working on "Stay" starting with shorter distances and progressing longer for success.

12/05/2024

First photo is Milie, Dachshund, giving her the confidence to approach calmer large breed puppies and freedom to remove herself.