Limitations

Well, it has certainly been a tough week. On Tuesday I took the dogs to hydrotherapy and to cut a long story short Cody, Ditto and Dobby sustained chlorine poisoning. For a moment it seemed touch and go, my world collapsed around me. After many different treatments and a night on a drip they made a break through, and are now back home (Ditto back to causing havoc, Cody still not quite himself). We really were so lucky!

Prior to the incident, I had been working on Ditto's habitual learning. Habitual learning aims to create a working state of mind in a dog/puppy that can focus in any environment and situation. The dog/puppy should offer the same intensity to cued behaviours as they would in their most comfortable environment. Our agility dogs are asked to give us 100% of their attention, focus and drive whilst competing at shows and at training. These environments are hugely arousing! By acustomising puppies to different environments and asking them to 'work' (or play as they see it)  can only aid them for their future agility career.

So I have found myself squatting down on the floor, tasty treats in one hand, clicker in the other, in many strange locations: high street, pet shop, pub, road side, fields, car show room ect ect. The results are amazing. I just love this super puppy!

I have often wondered how/why people say ' I cant wait till my pup is 12 months so we can start agility training'. Both Ditto and myself are having so much fun pushing the boundaries of puppy training into new areas for both of us. Dog training really is about pushing the limitations conventional dog training has set. 

A big thank you must go to all who have supported us over the last few days. The good wishes and thoughts have meant a lot :)

“Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless.” Jamie Paolinetti

Melvin

Little Melvin, my foster pup, has gone to his new home. He is now called Merlin and is very spoilt and loved. I look forward to seeing him in puppy classes. I looked after him yesterday for his new owners ... he is a very special puppy! 

His wound is almost completely healed, he is such a happy boy :) 

Anna and I have now taken on another foster dog each ... I will blog about them soon. There are so many dogs out there needing help in some way; from fundraising to volunteer dog walking. Its just interesting  to see who is willing to do it!

My own dogs are great :) looking forward to the show season with little Code :D 

x

natural? science? opinion?

Dependant on who you are, dog training and ownership is either general knowledge, gut instinct and natural or a science. To me it is both; having a sound understanding of the science behind dog ethology, ecology and learning is vital but is nothing without a natural understanding, empathy and experience. And vice verca, a competent history in canine handling means little without the science.

Where possible, I try to keep an open mind into views surrounding canine welfare and training but when facts from leading veterinarians, trainers and behaviourists support my own understanding of dogs, this can prove difficult.

Choke chains to me should play no part in our modern day relationship with dogs for many reasons:

1. they have been directly linked to the following medical conditions: injured ocular blood vessels, Tracheal and oesopageal damage, severely sprained necks, cases of fainting, Trabsient foreleg paralysis, Laryngeal nerve paralysis, Hind leg ataxia
2. It is often argued that if used correctly they cause no harm. This is because the dogs fears the noise the collar makes. Should we not avoid any punitive training?
3. The use of them often cause behavioural problems (next blog)

Choke chains (I include half checks in this title) can be disguised in many different ways to look more subtle, but effectively do the same job (slip leads, made of tuggy material, pretty colours etc).

Owners often say they use them as they are 'easy', 'work' or 'stops the dog getting out'. To me, after seeing the facts and figures surrounding this apparatus i would ethically never be able to use one. On top of this, as a trainer, i would be gutted to know i needed a punitive piece of apparatus to train my dog to complete a behaviour.

However this is my opinion, it does not mean it is right or wrong. How we take peoples opinion is up to us. Some take it to heart and get defensive. Some listen, way up the surrounding thoughts and act in accordance. 

“An open mind leaves a chance for someone to drop a worthwhile thought in it”

Foster Puppies and Many Tears

Last weekend end,  and after a 6 hour journey to Wales, I arrived at Many Tears Rescue to lend a hand. Wow, what a fantastic, dedicated, caring and inspirations team! Saturday morning and Nat gave me a tour of the kennels. It was heart-breaking to see so many beautiful yet un-wanted dogs but at the same time reassuring to know there are centres like Many tears around to help. It was both an eye opener and a privilege to have spent time at Many Tears.

Nat apparently knew  I wouldn't come home with the same number of dogs I arrived with ... and she was correct! Meet Melvin, Moomin and Meerkat; the puppies Anna and I are now foster parents to.

They are 10 week old working lab cross collies. But mentally and physically resemble the traits of a 6/7 week old pup! They are really starting to come out of them selves and starting to form real characters (noisy ones)! Both Anna and I hope that the time we put into these puppies will benefit both the puppies and their future owners in the future. 

'For every disciplined effort there is a multiple reward' - Jim Rohn

Dog Day 1

There have been so many doggy activities going on in the past week that I will have to report on them over several blogs.

Saturday Morning, and running on 'D-Force Time', dedicated owners turned up to hear me present 'so, you think your pack leader?' a talk aimed at challenging old fashioned dominance and pack theories. The audience contained an array of owners from trainers and behaviourists to first time owners and vet nurses.

It can be a very difficult challenge to enter things with an open mind, but no one seemed to have a negative 'I don't need to learn' attitude. And I believe everyone left questioning what they may have previously believed.

At the end of the session, I asked for a group conclusion (see below):

1.) Dogs are not wolves
2.) Dogs do not form packs.
3.) Dogs are a mirror of our training, not a pre-programmed 'must rule the world' machine
4.) Dogs know we are not dogs and therefore it would be impossible for them to want to 'dominate' us and see us HUMANS as part of their pack.
5.) The evolution from wolf to dog was complex but quick and done with little help from humans (except a bit of garbage).
6.) Positive methods work. Dominance based training methods are cruel to the point of ridiculous.
7.) Pack rules are silly ... if you want your dog on the sofa, he won't think he is god!

Lets take one example of a  pack rule to get you all thinking ... A dog that pulls on leash is dominant as he thinks he is leading the pack hunt.

1.) so your dog is dominant whilst he pulls on his way to the park, and suddenly decides he doesn't want to be when he stops pulling on the way home?
2.) Your dog really thinks your going on a hunt?
3.) This is a serious problem that must be sorted. A choke chain will be a great method to show your dogs who's boss?
4.) A halti will PREVENT the problem?
5.) Your dog really wants to go out and hunt even though their is easily accessible food at home for minimal effort?
6.) Your dog sees you as another dog who is to be 'led'?

Got you thinking? Take a look at Dominance: Fact or Fiction by Barry Eaton and make your own mind up (and make your dog 100 times happier)!!

"We don’t have to be Alpha, dominant or pack leader, and neither does our dog. All we need to be is an owner responsible for guiding our dog, shaping and influencing its behaviour through correct socialisation and training so they can live in harmony with us." - Barry Eaton

Cody as a very cute puppy!



                   

Consistency

Consistency 

I have just been having a clean out at home and came across a card I was given years ago whilst sitting exams. The front of the card read ‘We can do anything we want to if we stick to it long enough – Helen Keller’  As with most things in life, this got me thinking dog!

There tends to be two types of attitude when people train dogs:

1.     * I will stick to this technique/method/exercise/system, perseverance will pay off

2.    *  This technique/method/exercise/system isn’t working, I’ll try another.

Something I remember Dave Munnings making very clear during my first lesson with Cody is ‘consistency is the most important ingredient for successful dog training’. It was a wake up call. I had always told my clients to be 100% consistent, but had I ever sat back and analysed my own consistency.  

The behavior of a human being is diverse, complex and confusing for another human to read. Imagine how hard it is for a dog to try and figure. Now imagine being a dog who is just getting to grips with what you may mean/want  …. Then, everything changes again!

Last weekends recall workshop was a great fun and all owners were amazed at how much there dog had improved in a two hour session. At the end of the session I asked the owners to set four aims in which they wish to complete within a month. Every owner mentioned consistency – BRILLIANT!

A little twist on Langman’s Shaskespear quotes - Some are born consistent, some achieve consistency and some have consistency thrust upon them!

Brilliant D-Force Members

Well tonight, I couldn't be more grateful for having some fantastic club members. Two members are organising a club trip to Crufts including minibus, tickets etc! 

Hopefully lots of club members will take them up in this great offer for a fun, doggy filled day.

So a big thank you to Emma and Alison :)   (below are Emma and Alison's dogs)

At home, we've been answering the door all night too Ditto fans after her guest appearance on Location, Location, Location tonight :P