CABTSG Study Day

It's going to be a great day...

The Pride of the Wolfhounds...

I had a consultation with this amazing group of dogs yesterday.

It was a wonderful experience to be in the presence of a group of dogs that have learned to co-exist so peacefully within the confines of a normal family home. 

We witnessed such beautiful, eloquent, subtle dialogue going on between this truly gentle giants; all designed to resolve any proximity issues and keep the peace.  Like some kind of canine pride of lions.

In this picture I was handing out food to get a better idea of the social dynamics of the group and was blown away by how, well, polite these dogs were!

The reason for the consult was to resolve a developing issue between an adolescent male and an older male in his prime, and yes, the adolescent stood out like the proverbial sore thumb with his insecure and slightly clumsy communications amongst this stable, peaceful pack.  With some careful supervision and management during the next few months, he will be fine and should come out of the adolescence tunnel a really balanced individual.

I see so many dogs kept apart in kennels or separated in their homes, and then I see a group of dogs like this, so well balanced and calm, that I wonder, on a general level, just how much of this is nurture and how much nature, i.e. how much of this is just breed type / natural adjustment within the group, and how much is careful management. 

I was looking for signs of tension or stress in the relationships between the dogs but there honestly wasn't any, even when I got the food out! The adolescent male became a bit  anxious and there was a light grumble but the elder male simply calmly lumbered away again as if he was happy to defer to keep the peace.  We witnessed this kind of negotiation over and over again in different situations and it was nothing short of an honour to witness.

I've said it before and I'll keep on saying it; the human race could learn a lot from the way animals like these Wolfhounds live in harmony.

Evening Sun...

And here is Bellini enjoying his evening walk...

Enjoying the Sun

At last a warm day...

Parade of Mutants

Pedigree Dogs Exposed - The Blog: A parade of mutants

Just seen this... follows on pretty well from my earlier blog I think.

Someone comments about 'the uneducated' talking about the breed. Well I AM educated, having dealt with the rescue and welfare of this breed for over five years now, and this breed is in a mess. If the enthusiasts, owners, breeders and judges can't control what people are doing with these dogs, then perhaps Jemima is right and the breed should be banned, for the sake of the poor dogs.

Heartbreakingly Sad

Crufts 2011: the best – and still the worst – of the dog world – Telegraph Blogs

I completely agree with this.

The judging of the classes I witnessed confirms that judges are still rewarding the owners and breeders of exaggerated, unfit dogs.

So if you were wondering just how the winning Neapolitan Mastiff got its 1st place when there were other fitter less extreme dogs being shown, join the club; you're not alone...

Oh...

The Mastiff class at Crufts...

Here He Is!

I was working with this lovely lad today.  Not much wrong with him, just a bit of over-exuberance when he sees another dog!  Such a lovely treat for me to work with another giant breed...

The Ultimate Sacrifice...

Sky News: Tributes To Brit Soldier Shot In Afghanistan

Not that any lost soldier in war is any more or less deserving of tribute than another, I hope this four-legged one is remembered and honoured.

RIP, Theo.

Is Your Dog Really Hyperactive?

Hyperactivity in Dogs | Clinician's Brief

Or does it simply need...

A good walk?
More of your attention?
Better quality or less quantity of food?

All of the above?

I can honestly say in all the years I've been working with dogs that there have only been a few that needed veterinary help for hyperactivity, the massive majority of them have only needed some basic environmental adjustments like those above.

Food for thought next time you think 'hyperactive' when you are a dog that can't settle, can't concentrate, doesn't respond to training etc.

A familiar place for us...

Poor foster dog Belly...

Yet another trip to the vet, this time for skin scrapes and swabs to try and get to the bottom of his recurring pyoderma.

There was no question about this; I requested a sedative for him to ease the trauma of the process and will always do so when I feel its in everyone's best interests, but especially that of the behavioural health of the dog.

Thanks to this combined with the opportunity to sit on the floor with him for 20 mins to help him relax, meant that the vet was able to do his work without hassle or risk of being bitten, and Belly doesn't retain any negative memories of being forcibly handled or having something painful done to him.

As I write, Belly is lying peacefully on the kitchen floor back in familiar surroundings and when he wakes up, will probably have no firm recollection of anything that has happened to him in the last few hours.

My thanks go, as always, to a veterinary clinic that understands the importance of behavioural health, and works with me to ensure that the dogs in my care get the necessary arrangements.

Future Walk Club Venue

Knole Park, Kent: Walk of the week - Telegraph

We would love to run a Walk Club here, possibly on a Thursday lunchtime. It's such an interesting and beautiful place.

We are also planning a course of evening Walk Clubs in West Malling in the summer on Wednesday evenings.

To register your interest in either of the above please email Dogpsyche UK.

Afternoon Walkies

Some Very Important Lessons

Rise in Dog Bites Has Experts Concerned

I'm hoping to get to read this research but there are some massively important lessons here.

For me the core problem is NOT the behaviour of the dog but that of  person being bitten.

Dogs do not WANT to bite.  More often than not they are forced to because they have been left with no choice.

Time and time again I hear parents say that their dog is fine with kids and is HAPPY to have the children lie all over them.

I don't hesitate to make the gravity of the danger in this misconception very clear...

As I type this I'm sitting in a little English country pub watching a little female Staffie show HUGE signs of stress at some children running around and just well, being kids; screaming, jumping, running about.

Thankfully the owners seem to be aware of this and are protecting their dog by allowing her to escape under the table, but how many owners are this considerate in their own home? With their own dog? Their own kids?

It's almost as if people are ashamed to admit their dog isn't the perfect family pet. They would rather risk a bite incident than protect their dog.

There is a rightful need to protect the child from being bitten, but I say the need to protect the dog is equally as important if we want to reduce bite incidents...

Walkies in the Sun!

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Where'd that squirrel go?

Sticky getting a crick in his neck... After a consult where he has worked hard, I allow him to play hard as a reward. If I thought he had a cat in hell's chance of catching one, I would be interrupting this squirrel-watching!

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Ruffles

Went to see lovely Ruffles today. She's developed a bit of a ball obsession but within an hour or so of impulse control exercises, her owner was able to hold the ball without getting it snatched out of her fingers! Lots of work to do but Ruffles has a very dedicated owner; they'll do well.

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Belly...

Out for an evening stroll...

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Sassy

This beauty is Sassy. She is a 7yr rescue with a deep insecurity around certain dogs. The only dogs that she can relax around are dogs that are COMPLETELY confident and passively dominant around her. If they respond in any way to her anxious stare, even with eye contact, she responds with a typical loud and animated display to keep them away.

She has been making great progress with calm, confident dogs like my Teacher Dog, Bailey, and absolutely adores my other one, Sticky, simply because they are confident and self-assured enough to completely ignore her anxious watchfulness and go about their business, using displacement to diffuse her tension and relax her. They know not to make any sudden moves, not to make prolonged eye contact. Because Sassy gets no reinforcement of any kind, she can find a neutral companionship where neither says a word, and from there we can help her to trust our handling and guidance i.e."its ok Sassy, stick with me, stay calm and nothing bad will happen".

This is impossible to achieve without the right Teacher Dogs, and we have some awesome Teacher Dogs.

I'll keep you updated on Sassy as her rehabilitation progresses.

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Life with a Molosser...

Just a little taste of what life with a Molosser is like; desperately trying to watch the tv or do some work with this delightful racket going on beside you...

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