DOG DAY AFTERNOON

This is an extract from PSYCHOLOGY TODAY It was written by Stanley Coren PhD. called The human-animal bond. What causes conflict between dogs living in the same home? Published on April 22, 2014 by Stanley Coren, Ph.D., F.R.S.C. in Canine Corner My home typically contains two or more dogs, and research has shown that having more than one dog is typical for nearly one third of dog owning households in North America. In a multiple dog home probably one of the most disturbing situations is when there are aggressive incidents between the dogs. These are not only disturbing for the peace and happiness of the humans living there, but it can also be quite dangerous for the dogs and for the people who try to intervene and break up the fight. A scientific report published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association* looked at this issue, specifically assessing the characteristics of the dogs involved and what can be done to help eliminate the problem of fighting a...

According to the Kennel Club’s guidance, which is on their ‘Responsibility and Care leaflet.  “No matter how well trained or under control a dog might be, it should never be walked off lead in environmentally unsuitable areas or those that do not permit dogs to be off lead” .  Lets face it, there are people out there that do not like to interact with dogs. I know, weird, but listen. Many people have had frightening encounters with dogs just walking down the street. There are many other reasons why we dog owners should be a bit more appreciative of how other people think. People with mobility limitations, senior citizens, parents with children, people with assistance dogs, other dog owners who’s dogs are maybe reactive or sick, maybe in rehabilitation after surgery. I have a black Lab called Ben who last week just went through some major surgery to remove a Lipoma. Quite a large fatty lump about the size of a grapefruit hanging under his belly. But he is now just...

When you hear behaviourists talk about hierarchy they tend to talk about wolf packs and alpha leaders. What does all that mean though and why do you need to know about it when interacting with your four legged friend. All you want to do is take him for a walk and play fetch. You want to be able to call him and he comes running happily to your side. And when he does something wrong you only have to say “No that’s enough”. So do I need to know anything about hierarchy for that? Well actually yes you do. Let me explain. Now to begin with i’m not going to tell you that your dog is a wolf, because it’s not. Nor is it a small person in a furry coat. But recent research suggests that your dog is a sub species of the grey wolf and the its name was changed in 1993 from Canis Lupis, to Canis Familiaris to reflect that it is a sub species of the grey wolf. Offcourse man has changed the appearance of this sub species over many decades to the many varieties of shapes and sizes of the dog w...

When Wally Conron created the Labradoodle he opened up a can of worms. He is reported now as saying he made a mistake. What followed was an explosion of ‘designer’ dogs. From Cockapoo (cross between a Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle), a Puggle (a Beagle and a Pug), a Shih Poo ( a Shih tzu and a Poodle) a Goli ( a Golden Retriever and a Collie), and a Jackaroo (a Jack Russell and a Poodle). There are countless more I am sure and no doubt more to follow. But it started me thinking. I rescued a Northern Inuit from Dogs Trust a few years a go. The behaviourist there told me that was her breed description, albeit Northern Inuits are not a recognised breed by the Kennel Club in the UK yet. But it got me thinking, is Northern Inuit the right name for her or should she be called something else in line with the variations above. Northern Inuits were originally cross bred between German Shepherds and Huskies, or German Shepherds and Alaskan Malamutes. the idea was that the breeder wanted something t...

We look at celebrities in the media and we think “What Diva’s”. Spoilt rotten. But I bet they didnt start out like that when they were kids. As children they most likely were quite normal. Going to school, playing out in the yard, nice manners, ‘normal’. But they get a bit of fame and before you know it they become demanding, self centred, obnoxious and down right rude. Over the decades I think we have done the exact same thing to dogs. They have become pampered, demanding and yes down right rude in their behaviour. Some to the extreme extent where they bite. But how has this come about? If you ask a lot of owners of dogs today they will tell you their dog understands what they are saying to them. We treat them as our best friends, and sometimes take it personally when they ignore us or quite literally “bite the hands that feeds them”. Most people now live in nice warm houses with central heating. Furniture is less expensive than what it was several decades ago. In the past homes were ...

MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU. The following extract has been taken from The Dog Business Academy web site. I received this information in an email to me. I think it is of interest to everyone involved in some way with dogs and so I am sharing it with you. In Scotland we have slightly different laws including dog Control Notices. But if you are visiting England, as a lot of us do as we travel to various meetings and events with our dogs, then this will apply to you.  The UK government has announced plans for tougher dog laws after recent high profile dog attacks. These laws will affect you whether you own a dog, working with dogs or have dogs in your care.  It will certainly guide your focus for dog training, either your own or others. Ministers are looking to extend the scope of the law to enable a prosecution to be brought against anyone whose dog injures someone or acts aggressively in a private place, as well as a public place.  Such as...

By Jasper Copping For owners of unruly dogs, a short yank on their lead and a stern telling-off can sometimes seem the only way of keeping their wayward pets in line. But a new study claims that such methods of making sure your dog behaves can cause the animal mental trauma and have an impact on its welfare. It found that pets who are trained using such, “aversive” techniques were 15 times more likely to exhibit symptoms of stress than those trained using more “positive” techniques, such as the use of treats for rewards and softer voices. Dogs taught using the latter methods were also found to display greater contentment and enjoy a better relationship with their owners. The research serves as a repudiation of the authoritative style – still used to train many British dogs – popularised in the 1970s by Barbara Woodhouse and now advocated by many modern trainers, such as Cesar Millan, a prominent international expert known as the Dog Whisperer. However, the study has ...