Monday 28 April 2014

Being breedist . . .

Excellent news!

http://www.gloucestercitizen.co.uk/Staffordshire-Bull-Terrier-defies-fighting-dog/story-21017689-detail/story.html#ixzz301JpJ0Lb

Confession of a dog trainer


Saturday 26 April 2014

Book Review: Treating Separation Anxiety in Dogs by Malena DeMartini-Price

Wow, what a read! Malena describes her work with separation anxiety clients as an emotional rollercoaster, and this book certainly reflects that beautifully whilst also giving the reader the confidence and motivation to get out there and help clients*. The book opens with an foreword by Sandi Thompson, author of the hugely honest and moving article - Living with dogs that suffer from severe separation anxiety. The first section covers diagnosis and the importance of assessing the behaviours and motivation to establish whether it is isolation distress, boredom/attention or mild/moderate/severe separation anxiety. Malena discusses getting owner buy-in by setting realistic expectations and timescales, how to assess the dog's behaviour (illustrated by videos in the appendix - see the heartbreaking Weston on YouTube) and introduces the 5 main components of the treatment program:
  • Medication/supplements
  • Management
  • Technology
  • Toys/games
  • Behaviour modification.
The outward symptoms stop when the internal suffering ends, never the other way around.

Malena goes on to describe each of these components in more detail, with pages dedicated to one of my favourite tools; baby gates! For me, environmental management is key and fundamental to the success of any behaviour/training plan and I certainly picked up some new tips about how to successfully introduce a barrier such as a baby gate from this book. Attention is also paid to the importance of the dog not being left for longer than it can cope with at any stage, and how to help your client create a support network of dog sitters so that they can go about 'normal life' whilst they are undertaking the behaviour modification plan.

The only thing you can say is that getting to a better place won't happen unless the work is undertaken.

The treatment protocol section gives five phases to work through with your clients, with each phase covering the baby steps and gradual process required to make progress. Each phase has key achievements to aim for and there is an emphasis on journal keeping, monitoring progress and adjusting the plan to fit the reaction of the dog to ensure that he/she is able to cope before moving on. A revelation for me was the use of scent games and 'find it' in phase 2 as a way of building up the confidence of the dog and his/her ability to focus on a task when the owner is out of sight, albeit briefly. "Find it" is something I routinely teach to foster independence and confidence in my client's dogs, along with using their nose and giving owners options for games to play that aren't over-arousing. However, it hadn't really occurred to me that it is also a useful tool to directly treat hyper-attachment or separation anxiety and this is certainly something that I will with clients use in future. Malena also emphasizes the importance of dogs being taught to settle when the chew/food toy has 'run out' and this is also something that I want to develop with my own clients, particularly when crate training puppies.

Your success, both with the dog and the bottom line of your business, depends on your wise selection of clients.

Case study: Pumpkin
As a behaviourist that has taken on several separation cases in the past, I felt that I had some of the component parts in my toolbox to help my clients through a separation anxiety behaviour modification program. However, this book has made me realise that there is a lot more that I could be doing for my clients to make the process simpler to understand and implement. The way that the protocols are designed and the phased approach to the modification plan is brilliantly put together and break the required training down into manageable steps to work through at a pace that suits the client. Whilst separation anxiety is notoriously difficult to work through, this book empowers professionals to take on these cases and provide the support network that clients need to succeed and make progress with their dog's anxiety issues*. Malena summarises it perfectly with her final thoughts "I urge you to begin taking on these cases. Desperate owners and dogs need you - and helping them is more rewarding than you can imagine". So to all the UK behaviourists out there, get yourself a copy of this book so that we can all work together to create more success stories like the lovely Pumpkin.

Available from Positive Animal Solutions priced £13.50 (free P&P)

*Polite note: professionals should not practice outside their area of expertise and should refer cases on to a colleague or member of a reputable organisation if they are not sufficiently experienced or require further advice.

Friday 25 April 2014

Book review: Coming soon

Hot off the press: "Treating Separation Anxiety in Dogs" by Malena DeMartini-Price

Look what just arrived in the post! A big thanks to http://www.positiveanimalsolutions.com/ for dispatching it so quickly. I'm hoping to read it tonight so watch this space for my review.....


Sweet dog trick

Running bang trick by a very sweet little dog. I'm thinking this could help me do the housework. If I keep asking Jack to do a running bang, it'll eventually sweep the floors! :)

http://dachshundfanclub.com/running-bang/

Book Review: The Art of Introducing Dogs by Louise Ginman

Well it turns out being immobile has some perks, one of which being that I can finally start making a dent in the huge reading pile that has been taking over every side table in the house over the past 6 months. I thought I'd share my thoughts with all of you and first on the list is "The Art of Introducing Dogs: A guide for conducting dog-to-dog introductions" by Louise Ginman which was recommended on Patricia McConnell's recent blog.

I'm really impressed as it's a well written and easy read with some great illustrations to accompany the introduction protocols. Louise highlights the importance of considering personality, play styles, breed, sex age etc. when looking for a new addition to the household and the overriding theme of the book is to preempt and prevent any issues occurring in the first place, something that I really respect and try to put across to my clients with everyday training. The book is split into 3 chapters, with the first covering the assessment and personality traits of the existing dog and potential new addition. Socialisation, play styles, bite inhibition and resource guarding are used as measures to assess the potential for issues to arise and how these can be prevented. Particular attention is paid to developing canine communication skills or employing the services of a behaviourist to help. "During introductions it is vital that you or an experienced trainer can correctly read what the dogs are saying, as failure to do so could quickly lead to a fight or escalation in tension".

Chapter 2 goes through the different methods of introducing two new dogs, what to watch for and how to react. There are some smart suggestions to reduce potential tension and the emphasis on short, positive interactions (or proximity) should help to counteract the unfortunately widespread  'let them off lead and see what happens' mentality when it comes to introducing dogs. I particularly love the suggestions of using scent to do the work for you, with both dogs being allowed to bimble around in the same area one at a time. Parallel walking is another great suggestion which I have had great success with when introducing short term boarders to my collie Jack."If things are a little tense, end on a positive note (remember - know when to quit) and try again tomorrow."

The final section of the book highlights the importance of enrichment, home alone schedules and keeping up the momentum of the initial introductions to ensure that things don't slip and the dogs continue to settle. Keeping stress levels low is the key to success and Louise also addresses the difficult issue of knowing when to abandon the introduction and consider rehoming. The summary messages that the reader is left with are extremely thought provoking and depict the reality of the work required to successfully introduce a new dog to the family. The appendix also contains numerous step by step training protocols to guide owners through introductions which I'm sure would prove extremely useful. "Slow and steady wins the race"

I would certainly recommend this to clients and it's a useful book to have on the shelf and lend out/refer to. Most of the information and techniques are things that I already recommend to my clients but this is set out as a step by step processes and the importance of management is highlighted time and time again which is excellent. I think this book serves as a great tool for anyone looking to get a new dog or even having dogs come to stay for short periods. So all in all, a very well spent £8.50 and I would recommend you get yourself a copy!

Thursday 24 April 2014

Bedtime logistics

A fairly normal occurrence in the Light household. As long as we know we're being outsmarted by the dog it's ok .... right....?! :)

Testing, testing!


This is my first post on my blog which is (spoiler alert!) likely to be quite dull for the next few weeks as I'm stuck at home recovering from a rather painful operation. I've got no dog clients or training classes for a whole month and I'm beginning to wonder how I'm going to cope without my daily dose of doggy! Jack will obviously keep me topped up but I'm a self-confessed dog-spotting geek that notices every pooch within a mile radius and can't help but comment on their behaviour/tail/ears/coat/gait/lead/collar/harness..... Luckily I have the internet to entertain me and I'll be commenting on and sharing it with you so stay tuned for cool training videos, cute photos, useful behaviour tips and my observations of the magical world of dogs.
Until next time . . . .
Nat x