I recommend everyone with a dog should teach their dog silly dog tricks. I don’t think they are silly at all. There are so many reasons to teach tricks.

1. Your dog doesn't know the difference between a trick and any other training task. To your dog, “sit” and “stay” are no more important than “shake hands”. So teaching tricks gives your dog more practice in how to learn. It makes teaching the important tasks easier due to this history.

2. If it makes learning easier for the dog, it also makes the trainer a better teacher simply by providing more practice in training the dog. Hopefully practice improves technique and creates more efficient results.

3. The really neat thing is that when people train tricks they are usually happier and less stressed than when they are teaching the important tasks. Think, “stay” on your bed while we are eating and stop jumping on us. How frustrating can that be? Or to stop pulling on lead? Compare this to "roll over" or "speak". When the teacher thinks it’s fun, it’s more fun for the dog. A relaxed, calm teacher who is smiling and patient is so much nicer to learn from than the frustrated, “you have to learn it now because it is very important” instructor.

4. Time spent training tricks is invaluable time to create a connection between human and dog. If this time is positive and rewarding for both participants, this is an investment in a positive relationship. The same is true of time spent frustrated or resorting to punishing techniques. This depletes the relationship bank balance.

5. Training tricks stimulates the dog’s mind and is one way to provide stimulation. It’s part of providing an enriching environment for the dog and reducing problem behaviours that result from boredom. Dogs who are satiated don’t have such a pressing need to amuse themselves.

6. Dogs who can’t exercise due to illness, poor exercise tolerance or anxiety benefit greatly from the time spent teaching tricks. It fills a void and can be a way of providing carefully monitored and safe exercise.

7. I've saved my favourite for last. Teaching tricks using positive reinforcement can open up a wonderful world of communication between the guardian and the dog. Communication the dog is empowered to initiate.

I emphasize the way training takes place because using techniques involving aversive stimulation, which are unpleasant things, results in avoidance or escape. They seldom lead to increased motivation to interact. Dogs will usually only do the minimum required to escape punishment or avoid pressure. In contrast, dogs taught with positive reinforcement of desired behaviours tend to continue to offer behaviours with increased vigour compared to just offering enough to remove pressure and bring back the status quo.

Communication is a two-way street. It requires interaction between both parties. That’s why a dog who has learnt to interact with fun methods and then chooses to interact spontaneously is well on the way to communicating.

Zuri has shown me how teaching simple tricks can morph into a language where she conveys her wants or needs at a particular time.

“Get yah collar” Trick:

I’ve taught Zuri to find and retrieve her collar for me when I say, “Find collar.” I hide it in various places and ask her to find it and bring it to me. This became very handy. I could ask her to, “Find collar” before we went for walks or went outside. Then a very poignant moment occurred.

I was sitting at the computer working away. Zuri came and sat behind me. Every now and again she would give a soft whine. 

“Yeh, hang on. We can go out soon.”

An hour later she was still patiently waiting. Then I heard the sound of something dropping behind me. I turned. Zuri had gone searching, found her collar and dropped it behind my chair. Wow. When one way of asking to go go outside didn't work, she problem solved and predicted the outcome of finding and bringing me the collar: I would put it on and take her outside. That’s exactly what I did immediately! I wanted to reinforce her ingenuity.

It doesn’t stop there. Zuri now uses the collar to let me know when she wants to go out the front at various times of the day. When she wakes up, she goes to get her collar wherever it is and brings it to me so I can let her out the front to sun bake. It doesn't matter where I am either. I can still be in bed or in the kitchen. Most recently she was waiting outside the bathroom. The collar can be lying around in full view but she only brings it to me when she wants to go out the front. Pretty neat communication huh? 

Watch Zuri bringing me her collar to communicate that she wants to go outside (for email subscribers).

“Trade an empty for a full one” trick:

I feed Zuri her usual meals by stuffing Kongs. I’ve taught her the trick of bringing me the empty Kong and I will trade it for a full one. Did I mention that tricks can be useful and save leg work and searching for toys too? I usually give Zuri four Kongs. Have you ever wondered what your dog would do if presented with an all-you-can-eat buffet? What if I had a never ending supply of trade Kongs? Would she just keep bringing the empty one back for the full one - until she exploded? The trade trick became a means of communicating how hungry she was. The number of times she brought the Kong back for more was between two and six. It varied depending on the day. When she has had enough, she doesn't bring me the empty Kong. I was particularly impressed with the time she only wanted three Kongs, since I originally suspected I may have conditioned her to expect four simply because of routine. I was particularly relieved that she only wanted seven on one occasion.

So this is why I feel tricks play an important role, not only in enriching the dog's life, but also enriching the relationship between dog and guardian. 

Have you been surprised at how a trick spontaneously turned into a way for your dog to let you know his/her needs?

Zoe came to stay. On her first day here, she was very excited and then rather unsettled. She sniffed every corner of the yard. Then every corner of the house. Then she went back and sniffed it all again. When I left her outside, she stood at the door, mournfully looking in and whining every now and then. Zoe is used to being outside at home, and she’s stayed here before and made no protests when left outside for short periods. Normally I would simply let her in on her first day, but I needed to know she would be alright outside because the next day I was going out and that’s where she would be.

I didn’t want her to fret for too long, so I brought her in and she soon settled on the kitchen floor as I pottered around. “Oh, how sweet”, I thought, “She wants my company.”

I noticed that she would intermittently look towards the kitchen bench. All I could see of interest was her harness and lead. My brain ticked over. I wonder what she’d do if I picked up the harness and moved it? I know she gets very excited when her harness and lead are presented – so much that she has difficulty thinking of anything else and this makes training difficult. I was pre-empting some training to help her level of arousal decrease when the harness and lead was presented. So I picked it up and moved it to a chair in the dining room. Zoe got up and did her bum wiggle of delight and followed me, watching as I hung the harness over the corner of the chair. Not her usual exuberant jumping but definitely interested.

I went back to the kitchen. Zoe settled down quickly near the chair.

Mmmmm. Is she going to stay there? Isn’t it my wonderful, witty company she desires? 

It must be my company. She’s only a couple of metres away and can hear me clunking around. But, maybe I’ll just do another little experiment and move the harness and lead again. Just to another chair….and see what she does.

Zoe got up, did the happy butt wiggle and then settled down next to the new harness parking spot by another chair. Then sprawled and had a snooze.

Today Zuri and I lost a little buddy. Archie, the irrepressible little staffy and constant companion of our friends, Petra and Leon, left this world. Zuri and Archie weren't best friends at first. However, once Zuri began to understand the staffy exuberance and Archie toned down his bumper car style of play, they became very comfortable with each other. Zuri used to run away at his barking and give him a wide berth, hesitating to get in the car if he called "shot gun". The photo below of them side by side after a bush-walk sums up how they came to a mutual understanding and space was no longer an issue. Zuri knew Archie by name. Two days ago, Zuri was dozing on the bed. I asked her, "Do you want to go and see Archie?" 

Her head popped up immediately.

"Well, go get your collar then." 

She jumped off the bed, found the her collar and brought it to me. Ready to go see her buddy. We are so glad we did. Little did we know it would be the last time we would see him. He was extremely ill, but managed a few wags of his tail as we walked over. That was all he could muster.

I'm not quite sure what to do with myself. After all, he's just a dog. He's not even my dog. Yet it feels like I've lost a friend. Zuri has definitely lost a friend. When Petra and I caught up, well, it was actually four of us that would catch up. I loved it when he came running to greet my car. I loved it when we went on a short holiday and he came to wake me up and then stayed by the side of my bed for some smooching. I loved it when Zuri and him played.

I hope my friends are OK. There's nothing I can say to make it better. Thank goodness he left lots of wonderful staffy memories. He will never really die. He will stay alive with warmest memories tucked lovingly away in their hearts.

It may seem terribly irreverent, but I can't help but smile,if a little reluctantly, when I think of the one individual who may not be totally devastated by Archie's passing. Pippa the cat! I hope Archie forgives me for finding this sadly amusing.

Oh, you do know that he wasn't just a dog, don't you? It seems fitting to share "Just a Dog", in memory of the wonderful Mr Archibald.

We will miss you Archie. We already do.

From time to time people tell me “Lighten up, it’s just a dog”, or “That’s a lot of money for just a dog.”  They don’t understand the distance travelled, time spent or costs involved for “Just a dog.” Some of my proudest moments have come about with “Just a dog.” Many hours have passed with my only company “Just a dog”, and not once have I felt slighted. Some of my saddest moments brought about by “Just a dog.” In those days of darkness, the gentle touch of “Just a dog” provided comfort and purpose to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it’s “Just a dog”, you will probably understand phrases like “just a friend”, “just a sunrise”, or “just a promise”. “Just a dog” brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust and pure unbridled joy. “Just a dog” brings out the compassion and patience that makes me a better person. Because of “Just a dog” I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future.

For me and folks like me, it’s not “Just a dog”. It’s an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past and the pure joy of the moment. “Just a dog” brings out what’s good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday people can understand it’s not “Just a dog”. It’s the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being “just a man or woman”.

So the next time you hear the phrase “just a dog”, smile; because they “Just don’t understand.”

-Author unknown-

I really appreciate my dog. Her funny wee behaviours have challenged my preconceived ideas of how a dog might see the world. I wanted to share my ponderings on what often happens on our walks together.

We go for walks in our neighbourhood and I often take her lead off in the quiet areas. Being the dog trainer I am, it has become natural for me to combine teaching with just about anything we do together. Walks are no exception. I have a treat pouch pretty much growing out of my hip. Which is not such a bad thing because many times I never use it. That fact alone has meant it hasn’t become the motivator for getting behaviour. Just because I’m wearing a treat pouch doesn’t mean what we are doing is any more special or urgent than when I am not wearing one. It’s not even a guarantee of treats. It means I don’t have a dog who goes nuts every time they see the treat pouch going on. Zuri doesn’t go into “train me” mode at the sight of a treat pouch. It’s a neat thing.

So, our walks are usually meandering investigations of the streets, parks and beaches of our local area with little requests of certain behaviours thrown in from me. One of my favourites is the “wait” at every roadside curb. It started with planned training and has now progressed to a point where I don’t ask her to “wait”, she does it automatically without clicker or food reinforcement. The continuing walk has become the reinforcement. Here’s how we started.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4qgQabhYKs

I let her know it’s time to cross by saying “OK”. I like to fool around and mix it up a bit by waiting different lengths of time before saying “OK”. I say random words like “red”, “blue”, or numbers just so she doesn’t cross at the first word I say or at the sound of my voice. I sometimes stop and say “OK”, I sometimes keep walking and say it. Sometimes I face her, sometimes my back is to her. It keeps me thinking creatively and it teaches her a really, really solid “wait” no matter what until she hears that one word.

Then something unusual began happening on our walks. She would wait at the roadside while I crossed but when I said “OK”, she wouldn’t cross. She just stood there looking at me. It even happened when I called her into a park. She loves zoomies in the park. What on earth was going on? I tried to prompt her, made it look really exciting. Nothing.

Now this is where perception – that is, how we view our dog’s behaviour – can have a huge impact on our behaviour and our relationship with our dog.

I don’t know what’s going on in Zuri’s head. I can only see her behaviour and make assumptions on what may or may not be going on inside. There are many ways I could view this behaviour of not coming across the road when I say “OK”. Here’s a few (you could probably come up with others);

*    She’s being wilfully disobedient. She knows what I want and is deliberately disobeying me. If I believe this, what do you think my subsequent behaviour will be? I would probably give her a few more chances to come, then go back and put her lead on and force her to come across the road.

*    She’s asserting her dominance and testing me to see if she can rank higher. Well, she’s not going to get away with that! If I thought that, I’d probably force her to do what I asked.

*    She doesn’t want to go to the park. She wants to walk somewhere different today. I guess I can choose whether what she wants trumps what I want and behave accordingly.

*    She’s being cheeky. She is getting a bit a giggle out of seeing how long she can just stare at me before I come back. I guess I could chuckle along with her or get a bit annoyed.

What I think is going on in her head really could be what is going on in my head, not necessarily what is going on in hers. It can change the way I feel about her, whether I feel closer to her or annoyed. It’s actually not very helpful to try and get too far into a dog’s thoughts.

This behaviour made me curious. What would she do if I walked back over to her and walked in a different direction. So I did it. She trotted happily along when I started moving in the direction she had previously looked a few times. I tried crossing the road again to the park and she wouldn't come. When I returned to her, she was happy to continue along the footpath.

Most times, she comes. Sometimes she doesn't. When I go back to her she is happy to go another way. Could it be that dogs have likes and dislikes? Could they have preferences on different days as to whether they’d like a zoomie in the park or a sniff of the side-walk? Could all the training she has been given have opened up a way to have a dialogue with me that I might understand, so that she can convey these preferences at certain times? (Yes, it sounds like I'm getting into her head, but stick with me here).

Interestingly, she is off lead, so if she wanted to go a different way, she could just….well….go. She doesn't have a history of punishment for running off, so there’s nothing to be scared of if she just blew me off and walked where ever she wanted. The worst that would happen is that I’d follow and put the lead on – well, I guess technically that is punishing! She looks at me, waits for me and then follows when I step off in a certain direction. Now you can have a bit of insight into my head, because I feel she is communicating with me. I think she is letting me know what is reinforcing for her on particular walks.

The other interesting thing is that if I don’t back down, she will come where I have indicated without any force required.

Here’s what one of our recent walks looked like.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK2cKI3zVyc

What I do know is that I appreciate this behaviour very much. I appreciate that she doesn’t run away without me if she doesn’t want to follow. I appreciate that she will seem to put in her veto of the direction I am travelling, yet still acquiese to my desire in the end if I persist. I only need to persist gently. I don’t have to drag her or get angry. She simply responds to my voice. I appreciate that this behaviour reminds me that we’re on this walk mainly for her, not just for me to drag her around where ever I want.

Back to perception. I feel closer to her, I appreciate her and I even feel that she likes my company because of the way I perceive this behaviour as communication rather than disobedience. I enjoy trying to figure out what she is attempting to convey. If I felt she was being stubborn or status seeking, I wouldn’t have such feelings. I might even feel annoyed and a sense of disliking her on these occasions. I may feel the need to compete with her for leadership rather than the sense of being a partnership.

It may seem like I’m contradicting myself by saying don’t try and get into a dog’s head and then I seem to get into my own dog’s head by talking about her preferences on walks. If it causes no harm and has the potential to enhance the human-dog bond, I’m not as pendantic as those instances where the dog may suffer as a result. If the dog suffers, the relationship usually suffers.

I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s walk. I wonder where Zuri would like us to go.

Dogs possess a wide range of subtle communication signals.  Humans are very verbal, whilst dogs rely more on body language.  Herein lies the problem.  Most dog body language is not intuitive to humans.  It has to be learnt.  Much of what dogs are saying is commonly misinterpreted by humans.  This can lead to problems.  

For instance, a wagging tail does not always mean “I’m happy”.  Many an incredulous person has exclaimed, “But he was wagging his tail”, after being bitten.

Rolling over to expose the belly doesn’t always mean “rub my belly”.  It can be a sign of uncertainty and appeasement by a dog.  It is important to be aware of the context surrounding any dog communication. It is also important to look at the whole dog, not just one body part. 

Many of the subtle signals a dog gives are a plea for more space or an escape from a situation.  If these subtle signs are ignored, especially if escape is limited, the dog has to ramp up the communication to make it more obvious.

To humans, a growl, snap or bite comes out of nowhere.  After learning and observing dog body language, the precursor signals now become like a flashing neon sign, alerting of the dog’s distress. By heeding these silent indications, the need for the dog to escalate the form of communication can easily be prevented.

In future articles, I’ll explain the different ways dogs quietly tell us they are under stress and why it's so important to learn the wonderful language of dogs.

Have you ever wondered what home training looks like?  I mean, in the real world, with real people and real dogs with everyday annoying problems? Not highly edited and contrived versions?

The stuff that sells dog training on TV is amazing for entertainment value. The cases usually look severe and are talked up to a point that a resolution seems impossible. Yet, in a few minutes, miracles occur. I’m not big on miracles in dog training. Especially not when the motive is for entertainment value. Definitely not when the dog suffers physical or psychological harm in order to suppress the behaviour whilst making a trainer look like Jesus. I’m not a fan of instant behaviour change that could have been modified using less harmful (but less flashy and TV worthy) methods. Behaviour that is suppressed whilst the consultant is present but returns or worsens later because the methods are too dangerous or distressing for guardians to continue on their own are not helpful.

A lot of problems that everyday people have with their everyday dogs may not involve drastic, dangerous behaviour. However, the impact of these problems on daily life are not trivial. Problems can involve some very annoying things, like barking. This is a behaviour which doesn’t physically injure anyone, yet it can be an exasperating and persistent frustration driving a wedge between a guardian and their relationship with their dog, not to mention friends and neighbours. Dogs get relinquished or euthanized for excessive barking. It’s a tiresome habit that can make enjoyable events, like having visitors, extremely stressful. It’s often a practice that a guardian can be at a loss to remedy by themselves but for which a Google search provides all the answers; yet none seem to work when put into practice.

Did I say I don’t believe in miracles in dog training? I don’t believe that a behaviour that has been strongly practised for months or years is suddenly “cured” in one 30 minute TV episode. Or one YouTube video – yet I personally do enjoy contributing to YouTube. I do, however, believe that amazing transformations can occur at breakneck speed.  You just need to know what you are doing. Nothing beats throwing out the one-size-fits-all recipe book on changing behaviour (especially the TV and internet recipes books) and utilizing individual assessment of the subject and the environment where the problem occurs. Trust me on this. I also think the changes made using humane techniques that honour the dog as a sentient being and a member of the family are amazing and can also be entertaining. I retain a sense of wonder when a dog responds to something very subtle I have done with my body language, my timing, or my consistency. How awesome to achieve success without the need to manhandle a dog into position or continually correct verbally or physically. I love the part of my job that is hands-off the dog. Hands-off except for the belly rubs and scratches, to those dogs who enjoy it of course.

Here’s an example of what faster-than-a-speeding-bullet training can look like. It’s done in real time with very little editing. This example is specific to Humphrey and is not a “how-to” example to cure barking for all dogs. It’s a “how it was done specifically for Humphrey” example. First, Humprey’s behaviour was assessed by asking lots of questions about the problem and getting as much history as possible. Then the behaviour was observed, including a functional analysis or test of the behaviour. The purpose of this test was to confirm what the behaviour looked like, what triggered it and what might help resolve it. The plan is then demonstrated to the guardian to continue. This is really important. It has to be reproducible by the guardian, not just the consultant, since it’s the guardian who will be continuing the training.  If followed, this plan will work to decrease and ideally stop this behaviour. At this stage, after only one session of teaching, Humprey’s barking isn’t “fixed”. However, he has shown he has the potential to learn very quickly if taught consistently and is prevented from practising the behaviour in between training session.

OK, so maybe not a blockbuster movie full of suspense and drama but I’m sure in Humphrey’s world it has made an impact.

Email subscribers can click here to see the video example. 

Buffy, the maltese x shih tzu had come to stay for some board’n’train time. Buffy is cute as a button, affectionate, fun, playful and a quick learner. Zuri, my Rhodesian Ridgeback, and Buffy are truly the odd couple. They get on well and play beautifully. 

Yet on day one of Buffy’s stay, I was about ready to tear my hair out in frustration. What was Buffy doing that was driving me nuts?

Barking.

Shrill, incessant barking at every noise she heard inside and out. Barking when someone walked down the street. Barking when someone came to the door. Barking when they walked in the door. Barking when a visitor moved. Barking at the dog behind the fence. Barking at something hanging on the line. Barking at stuff I couldn’t see or hear. I swear even Zuri had no idea what Buffy was barking at some of the time.

By the end of the day I had a headache and was screaming silently in my head, “Shut the @#*%  up!”

What a terrible dog trainer.

Or maybe not.  Maybe just human. We all have good days and bad days. So do dogs. I took a headache pill, shut the front door, gave Buffy a treat dispensing toy and played with her to help her acclimatize to her new surroundings. I got through the day and decided to make a plan to help Buffy reduce her barking when I was refreshed and headache-free the next morning. 

Admittedly, Buffy has a history of barking and practice does make perfect – especially with dog behaviour.  Even so, Buffy was barking more than normal. I put this down to being in a new environment and missing her mum to whom she is very attached. She was more sensitive to noises, movement and new objects than usual. Understanding this made coping with it that first day a little more bearable. Just a little.

A combination of devising a plan to teach Buffy an alternative to barking, providing stimulation with treat dispensing toys, other toys, play time and a little time to get used to a new environment quickly decreased the frequency and intensity of barking immensely.

I didn’t intend to give a tutorial on how to stop dogs barking. I wanted to impress that it’s O.K. to get annoyed with your dog. Our dogs are not perfect. They're dogs. We are not perfect. We're human. When annoyance strikes, take a step back, count to ten, breathe deeply or do whatever you need to avoid taking the annoyance out on your dog. Do whatever humanely helps reduce the annoyance (or impact of the annoyance) at the time and revisit the dilemma when you can think clearly. Then problem solving can begin and it can be fun, rather than frustrating.

The day after my melt down; here’s a video account of what Buffy and I (with a little help from Zuri) achieved.
(Email subscribers click here for video link)

In previous blogs I’ve talked about designer dog names and marketing, given examples of how branding increased demand for unwanted dogs and described where dogs come from. In this final blog I discuss my view of mass producing and marketing dogs for profit.

Call it like it is.

Ever wondered why commercial puppy breeding businesses have attracted the name puppy farms, mills and factories? That's how they are run: mass produced with efficiency.  

Efficiency means achieving maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort or expense.

• Efficient use of space (smallest, easily maintained spaces for maximum production),
• Efficient use of staff (least number and wages for maximum output e.g 5 full time staff, 5 casual staff for 1500 puppies a year, 300 breeding bitches and 50 breeding dogs),
• Mass quantities produced,
• Fast and high turnover.

A large range of product choice (different types of dog) is also desirable. It is no coincidence that the majority of "designer dogs" are mixes of the smaller breeds. They take up less room. They remain cuter for longer. Cute sells. They have an increased shelf-life as puppies than the larger breeds and will be saleable on display in the pet shop for longer.

Businesses need to make a profit and keep expenses down. The following practices are often not adopted as they do not reduce costs:

• Vet checks, medical care and genetic checks of parents.
• Resting a bitch and not breeding her each time she is in season.
• Keeping puppies for 8 - 10 weeks to avoid problems later in life in preference to moving them on at 4 - 6 weeks.
• Socializing, training and housing puppies in a home environment.
• Housing adult breeding parents in a home environment.

Efficient does not mean ethical.

Many puppy farms are registered and provide the minimum legal requirements. These minimum requirements may not meet the dogs' health, social and psychological needs. Many puppy farms advertise their produce as being "ethically bred". What they mean by this is rarely explained and how they actually breed is far from ethical.

The factory/mill/farm is a primary producer and seldom sells direct to the consumer as this is not cost effective. The other pressing reason is that if the consumer saw how the puppies were produced, they wouldn't be so keen to buy. 

The product is contracted out or sold in bulk to a secondary producer. 

Are yah hearing me?

The dog has become a mass produced commodity at the expense of the dog and the consumer.

Not convinced there's money in mass producing dogs?

The prices of dogs from a large Australian on-line store which only advertises Designer Dogs is from $1295.00 to $1895.00.  Using the average price of $1595.00 and 1500 puppies per year (figures supplied by puppy farm supplier), the on-line store would turn over almost $2.5 million. That’s just selling the produce from one puppy farm. It's a small business (defined by the small number of employees) with a good turnover.

How is the consumer exploited?

A beagle cross can be adopted from a refuge for an adoption fee. This is set to cover the cost of vet care, desexing, housing and feeding until a home is found.  This doesn't really cover costs and the refuge relies further on donations, fund raising, volunteers and government grants.

Change the name to "Beagalier" and you can ask an extra $1000 or more (on-line retail price $1495). Shipping is usually extra. You have just marketed a cross breed for a pedigree price! Actually, that's even more than many pedigrees.

A labrador cross isn't as fetching as the sound of a "Cavador" (Labrador crossed with a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel).  Would one be willing to pay an estimated retail price of $1895 for a labrador cross? 

In conclusion.

With so many existing dogs (both cross breeds and pedigree) waiting for forever homes, and so many others euthanized, this is my opinion;

I find it amoral to mass produce dogs, develop catchy "designer" names in order to increase consumer demand and price and then transport them nationwide for sale.

I used amoral instead of immoral deliberately.

Amoral definition:

"Lacking a moral sense; unconcerned with the rightness or wrongness of something."

I'll reiterate here that abiding by minimum requirements to keep an animal alive and breeding is not the same as providing an environment that causes no harm. Nor does it necessarily provide an environment where a dog can flourish. The law should not be confused with ethics.

I hope this blog series has educated and raised concern about where our puppies come from and the ethical issues that surround their production and sale. I encourage you to look a little deeper and do your own research when the time comes to select a new furry, family member. The action of every individual has the power to influence the conditions in which dogs are bred. Consumer demand drives the wheels of supply. If consumers demand humane practices or walk away, puppy suppliers will need to comply to keep in business.

Video on how Designer Dogs are farmed ABC 7.30 Report on Designer Dogs (Youtube)

Transcript and original video (on right) of the ABC 7.30 Report on Designer Dogs

Where puppies come from - Animals Australia

RSPCA on puppy farms

The maker of the Labradoodle regrets his creation

The links I provide contain valuable information but do not imply that I agree with all content in its entirety.

Part One of this blog series looked at the clever marketing strategy behind naming dogs. Part Two gave two powerful examples of how marketing increased demand for dogs. In Part Three I discuss where dogs come from and why it matters. You may be unpleasantly surprised.

The low down on dog breeders.

1. Registered breeders who care about their dogs concentrate and specialize in one, two or maybe three breeds. They often show their dogs or have a keen interest in performance breeds (agility, obedience, herding, hunting, tracking, guide dogs, assistance dogs, search and rescue etc). It's often a passionate hobby verging on a lifestyle.

2. Backyard breeder is a term used for breeders who are not registered with a club or council. Backyard breeder litters are often the result of accidental breeding of intact family pets. They may also be planned for various reasons, such as to let the children see the miracle of birth before spaying or for profit. 

3. Puppy farms, factories or mills is a term used for commercial breeders who breed dogs in large numbers, usually numerous breeds and often designer breeds. They are often registered breeders with the council. They may, however, be "underground", unregistered breeders which mean their location and name is not easily traced. Sadly, it can literally be underground. They do not usually sell direct to the public but employ contractors to sell the puppies. The contractors used include pet shops, on-line pet sales and individuals. It will seldom be divulged where the puppies come from. Puppies are often described as being from "local breeders" but no contact details are ever provided. The puppies may be represented as being bred in a home environment but there will always be a reason you cannot view the parents or see where they came from e.g. the parent animals are with the in-laws who couldn't cope with the litter, or they're selling the puppy for a friend who had an emergency, or who lives in the country, or who doesn't have a computer to respond to emails.

One example of how puppies are sourced for resale is below. A simple advert on-line.

So, why does it matter where dogs come from?

A quick word on ethics.

Paul and Elder define ethics as "a set of concepts and principles that guide us in determining what behaviour helps or harms sentient creatures".

Breeders may follow the minimum requirements of the law governing provision of food, shelter and exercise. The minimum requirements are exactly that - the bare minimum to keep a dog alive and breeding. This is where ethics differs from legal requirements. Ethics includes a moral obligation to provide the best possible environment and care for a sentient being.

Ethical breeders plan litters and are more interested in their dogs' health, function, structure and temperament than money. They study lineage, know the breed strengths and challenges intimately and get vet checks of parents for genetic disorders.  They won’t breed a dog who may pass on genetic health conditions to offspring. They don't over breed a bitch or breed her too young. The parent animals are living with them in a home environment. They keep puppies for at least 8 weeks to avoid health and behavioural problems later in life. They attend to all vet care. They sell the puppies themselves.

Great breeders bring up the puppies in their home, socialize and train them before you buy. They will be proud to have you see the parents and breeding environment, since they have invested a lot of effort and love in the breeding process.

Exceptional breeders ask YOU lots of questions before allowing you to take one of their precious cargo home. They are eager to keep in touch and enjoy updates. They may offer contracts, often with a clause that they will take back their puppies rather than have them resold or given up. At the expense of losing a "sale", they may suggest that their particular breed is not the best match for the lifestyle you have described.

Knowing where dogs come from means you can make a difference.

An understanding of where a puppy originates and the choice not to purchase that puppy may help prevent parent dogs from being used as breeding machines. Buying a cute puppy to save it from the pet shop cage or nasty, flea-ridden backyard may save that individual puppy. It doesn’t save future puppies from the same conditions. It doesn’t save the parent from subsequent breeding cycles in those conditions. It actually condemns a bitch to more breeding to meet the demand.

Knowledge of ethical breeding procedures also protects the consumer from buying a puppy with future health or behavioural problems that result from poor breeding and selling practices. A bit of research will also be some defence against being misled by false breed claims e.g. hypoallergenic.

Another way to help reduce unethical breeding practices is to consider adoption from a rescue or refuge.  If this is not an option, do some homework and ask lots of questions of the breeder or contractor. If there is transparency and honesty, you will find it easy to obtain answers. If getting questions answered is like pulling teeth, consider it a red flag.

In the fourth and final blog in this series I discuss how big the business of designer dogs has become and why it concerns me with such passion.

Some useful links for those looking for a dog or puppy:

RSPCA Smart Puppy and Dog Buyer's Guide On-line

Smart Puppy Buyer's Guide PDF

Infographic on how to thoughtfully choose a dog

RSPCA Policy on Pet Shops

Dogs’ Refuge Home

Staffy and Bully Breed Rescue (Facebook)

NB The links I provide contain valuable information but do not imply that I agree with the content in its entirety.

In Part One of this series I talked about "designer dogs" and the reason for giving them fancy names. Now I'll give two powerful examples of how changing a name increased consumer demand dramatically.

Not convinced there's power in a name?

Example One

Wally Conron, puppy-breeding manager of the Royal Guide Dog Association of Australia in the 1980's, describes why he renamed his poodle x labrador puppies. No one was interested in them until: 

"By eight weeks of age, the puppies still hadn't found homes. Frustrated and annoyed with the response to the trio of cross-breeds I had carefully reared, I decided to stop mentioning the word cross-breed and introduced the term labradoodle instead to describe my new allergy-free guide-dog pups.

It worked – during the weeks that followed, our switchboard was inundated with calls from other guide-dog centres, vision-impaired people and people allergic to dog hair who wanted to know more about this “wonder dog”. My three pups may have been mongrels at heart – but the furore did not abate." (1)

You brand your product. It sells.

Wally Conron also mentioned his concerns after coining the name "Labradoodle":

"I quickly realised that I’d opened a Pandora’s box when our next litter of ten labradoodles produced only three allergy-free pups. 

I began to worry, too, about backyard breeders producing supposedly "allergy-free" dogs for profit. Already, one man claimed to be the first to breed a poodle- Rottweiler cross! 

Nothing, however, could stop the mania that followed. New breeds began to flood the market: groodles, spoodles, caboodles and snoodles. Were breeders bothering to check their sires and bitches for heredity faults, or were they simply caught up in delivering to hungry customers the next status symbol? We’ll never know for sure.

Today I am internationally credited as the first person to breed the labradoodle, but I wonder, in my retirement, whether we bred a designer dog – or a disaster!"  (1)

Example Two

One rescue centre's adoption campaign used the very principle that a name sells to increase adoptions of abandoned dogs. They gave designer names to the dogs. No two names were the same, each dog was a unique “design” just waiting for a forever home. They had a subsequent increase in adoptions.  It was a win-win-win situation for all involved;

1. the adoption centre saved a dog, received income and more space to save more dogs,
2. the dog got a new forever home, and
3. the adopter got a new family member at a reasonable price.

Now that’s where I applaud clever marketing.

In Part Three of this designer dog series I'll talk about where our dogs actually come from. It may shock you.

Hear Wally Conron interviewed here.

See Wally Conron interviewed on the Project (from 19.00 - 22.35) - I had to post the whole video.

(1) Read Wally Conron's labradoodle story here.

NB The links I provide contain valuable information but do not imply that I agree with all content in its entirety.

The purpose of this blog series is to raise awareness of where our puppies may be coming from and the ethical issues that surround their production and sale. I hope it encourages you to look a little deeper and do your own research when the time comes to select a new furry, family member.

Part One looks at the insidious reason behind the oodles of new dog names (pun intended).

Dogs are big business.

Look at the list below of some purported breeds provided by a single puppy supplier. I use “purported” because the designer names used are not actually recognized breeds.

Beagalier  (Beagle cross Cavalier)
Cavocker (Cavalier cross Cocker Spaniel)
Cavador  (Cavalier cross Labrador)
Cavoodle  (Cavalier cross Poodle)
Groodle  (Golden Retriever cross Poodle)
Jug  (Pug cross Jack Russell)
Maltalier  (Maltese cross Cavalier)
Maltese Shih Tzu  (No designer name was given for this cross. What? Malty Shit not suitable?)
Mini Groodle  (Golden Retriever cross Miniature Poodle)
Moodle  (Maltese cross Poodle)
Pugalier  (Pug cross Cavalier)
Puggle  (Pug cross Beagle)
Schnoodle  (Schnauzer cross Poodle)
Spoodle  (Cocker cross Poodle)

So what's my point?

The list above is what has become known as "designer dogs".  It's a relatively new term coined in the late 20th century. These are actually cross breeds with a fancy, schmancy made-up name. There’s nothing wrong with cross breeds. Cross breeds abso-jolly-lutely rock! Pedigree dogs originally come from cross breeding. There’s nothing wrong with “designer dogs” per se. I even think fancy, schmancy names are quite humorous. What’s wrong is the impression the “designer dog” label gives implying that one may be getting a specially designed and recognized breed and the calculated reason behind doing this. 

“So, what’s the reason?” I hear you ask.

A consumer is charged a lot more for the privilege of purchase simply due to the Ritzy name.

Even pedigree dogs have become targets for "designer" names. Have you heard of "Teacup" dogs and puppies? It's another very clever designer label used to describe a smaller than usual dog from a miniature breed e.g. chihuahua, pomeranian. Cute sells. Nothing much cuter than a palm-sized puppy with an appealing name who stays puppy-sized forever. Be warned: small in size does not mean small in maintenance. These little fellows can be high maintenance. Read more about "Teacup" chihuahuas from a breeder.   Here's more advice from a trainer on choosing a breeder if the "Teacup" marketing has been successful!

Some buyers believe the designer name means it's an actual pedigree breed. It's kind of like designer clothes; say, Dolce and Gabbanna versus Target. Which would you expect to pay more for? Now what if you buy a Bali rip off with the Dolce and Gabbanna tag?  Not the real thing, but hey, no one can tell. It's all in the name.  Designer dogs are like the Bali rip off - except the price hasn't been dropped! It's been increased. Not a pedigree breed but the name implies some sort of special breed worth more than a cross breed.

That analogy in NO WAY implies that pedigree dogs are inherently better or should be valued any more than cross breeds. There's no dog snobbery involved. This is about what we are doing to dogs, including the manner in which we are breeding and selling them. After all, how many of us have wondered why on earth label clothes are so expensive when you can't even tell the difference with the copied version? They often come from the same sweat shops as the budget brands. Unfortunately, the sweat shop analogy can also be used to describe the process used to produce many "designer dogs". The designer label analogy is given to show the power of branding and labelling over how one perceives value and therefore what one might be prepared to pay for something.

This is what businesses do.  They market commodities.  They use branding as a tool to do this.  Dogs have become a commodity.

In the next blog, I’ll give two powerful examples of how consumers were not remotely interested in cross-breed dogs - until those same dogs were given designer names.

NB  The links I provide contain valuable information but do not imply that I agree with any content in its entirety.

Zuri is a cautious dog. She is curious about new things but hesitant in her approach to investigate. Ready to flee at the slightest hint of danger. Loud noises startle her.

Today I was prepared to protect Zuri from the noise and chaos when the tree loppers came with trucks, electric saws, grinders and mulching machines.  Part of me wanted to instigate a behaviour change plan to help her overcome her fear. The other part of me decided that I don't have to be planning alternative behaviours and graded task approaches to scary stimulus all the time. I can take a chill pill and just protect Zuri, put her in a quiet, safe room and manage the situation.

Dogs are the best teachers.

What started off as management actually became a process of changing behaviour, guided totally by Zuri's responses.  I closed the windows, shut all the doors and left Zuri in her safe place under the desk. I went outside to the mayhem of saws and rumbling mulchers. I peeked inside after a few minutes and Zuri was standing at the front door. Huh? Are you interested in what's going on, Zuri?

I opened the front door a little, so it still offered a buffer of safety but also enough so that she could come out if she wanted. She poked her head out and then walked out. She stayed close to me, watching intently. I had no treats. The door remained opened and was her escape route should she decide she'd been outside long enough. Having the choice to stay or go is very important for fearful dogs.

She stayed. The noise was quite incredible and when a tree fell, the ground actually shook. Zuri took it well. Then, after only a few minutes, she surprised me by moving away from me and settling on her favourite outside chair to continue to observe proceedings. Then she settled further by resting her head on the arm of the chair. When the noise increased and machines moved closer, she got off the chair and came back to me. I simply leant my arm on her back to give for moral/social support. The front door was still open, she could have run inside, but the social contact seemed to be what she needed in that instant. Then she returned to her bed.

When the noise stopped for intermission, Zuri went and investigated the site of the lopping. She sniffed the tree trunks, walked amongst the workmen who were raking, sniffed their rakes and let them pat her as they passed. This was sensational. Zuri was performing her own behavioural change programme, choosing when to approach (decrease distance) at her own pace. I was most impressed that although she had an escape route (the open door), she never used it. I didn't need to reassure her with treats, my proximity was enough and she chose when she needed to be closer to me and when she could explore further away.

My heart leapt when she started rolling in the grass, right next to the mulching truck, amidst the raking workers. This is the epitome of a relaxed and content Zuri.

Sometimes, doing "nothing" is one of the best ways to help a dog overcome fear. By nothing, I actually mean letting the dog guide the process. I actually did a lot of deliberate and strategic things:

* I made her feel safe and did not compel her to face her fear in any way.
* Yet I listened when she felt brave enough to come out and opened the door.
* I didn't cajole her out or coax her out with treats, I let her make the choice herself.
* I still provided safety by leaving the door halfway open/closed as a buffer to the noise and as an escape from the noise if required.
* I stayed still and consistent, let her do all the moving - she knew where I was all the time, could return to me or go inside at any time.
* I didn't ask her to do anything.
* I Let her take her time. She had all the time in the world to watch, listen and gather information from whatever vantage point she felt comfortable.
* I've provided her with a history of alternate behaviours to fall back and a history of removing her or helping her cope with stressful situations in the past.

Sometimes, seemingly doing "nothing" is doing a whole lot of something!

Watch the outcome in the video below. Email subscribers can see the video here.

Dogs are often labelled “dominant” or “submissive”. An internet search will reveal an extensive list of tell-tale signs to alert you that your dog is dominant. This will be followed by another huge list of remedies to assert you as the dominant leader. The methods described are usually adversarial in nature. They seldom recommend fostering a relationship built on understanding another species and what actually motivates their behaviour.

This “them and us” mentality is detrimental and it’s usually the dog who suffers more as a result. Just ask Zuri. Before I researched the notion of dominance in more depth, I carried out a simple test which was recommended to determine if Zuri was dominant. It was also the way to eliminate dominance in my dog if she proved to be so inclined.

Before I go any further, don’t try this at home folks! It may create a dog who is scared of you and apprehensive of your approach. The powerful methods I subsequently applied, based on behavioural science, enabled me to teach Zuri to enjoy this type of handling. It reversed the damage done and has nothing to do with dominance.

I was to wrap both my hands firmly around Zuri’s muzzle, essentially keeping her mouth closed and controlling movement of her head. If she struggled to remove my hands from her muzzle, she was dominant. The degree of dominance she possessed would directly correlate with the amount she struggled to get free and the length of time she tried. To assert my dominance over her, I was to maintain this firm hold no matter what, until she no longer struggled to escape.

I cringe as I write this. Zuri passed this “dominance” test and would probably rank Alpha bitch to the nth degree. She tried to break free immediately, shook her head, tried to toss my hands off, pawed at my hands, started to vocalize and was about to roll her body on the ground to seek release. To describe it subjectively, she appeared to be panicking and it was not enjoyable to witness.

My dog was scared.

I was touching Zuri in a restrictive way she had never been touched before. She was desperately trying to escape – she was not exhibiting dominance. I released my hands very quickly and she ran away. She was wary of my hands moving towards her muzzle now. I felt sick to my stomach.

This is an example of how insidious the “dominance” label can be. My gentle dog would be labelled dominant on the basis of this test. The way to fix her dominance would actually create more fear and essentially undermine a relationship based on trust.

I now set to work fixing the fear resulting from this one event. I used a totally different approach and got Zuri to enjoy her muzzle being touched. Now I can wrap my hands around her nose, making it a game. I’ve taught her to let me hold her muzzle for longer and longer. She no longer flinches or avoids my hands coming towards her nose. You can watch the video footage below or use this link if you are an email subscriber:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIEB1LqwjiE

There is no need to be continually vying for supremacy over your dog. For a start, the notion of dominance commonly used in dog training is not based on the definition used by scientists when discussing animal relationships. Thus, the description of dominance used is essentially flawed. It’s not actually describing what it says it is describing. Have you ever watched the movie “The Princess Bride”?  This classic quote from the Spanish swordsman, Inigo Montoya, applies perfectly to the commonly used term "dominant” dog;

“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means!”

I couldn’t agree more, Inigo.

Interested in learning more about dominance and dogs? Here’s some reliable links. 

http://www.ava.com.au/public/about-pets/polite-pets-month/resources/debunking-dominance-dogs

http://kb.rspca.org.au/What-is-the-RSPCAs-view-on-dominance-dog-training_475.html

http://drsophiayin.com/philosophy/dominance?/dominance.php

http://avsabonline.org/uploads/position_statements/dominance_statement.pdf

http://www.associationofanimalbehaviorprofessionals.com/whats_wrong_with_dominance.html

http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/new_study_finds_popular_alpha_dog_training_techniques_can_cause_more_harm_t

My heart hurts. I just read the advice given to the guardian of an 8 week old puppy in order to stop the puppy biting them.  It goes a lot like this, {with what I thought in italic brackets}:

If your puppy snaps after being tapped on the nose or told off another way;

1.  grab the puppy firmly by the throat {I'm over the advice already}
2.  roll the puppy onto his/her back back and hold down
3.  don't choke be firm {restrain without strangling or causing death - glad this was clarified}
4.  growl "NO!" and keep holding down {puppy is now noting, "when I am 40kg, you're gunna remember this day and regret it"}
5.  do this until the pup urinates - a submissive sign {this brings a tear to my eye, I can't be sarcastic, it's just too darn sad}

You must do this before they become strong enough to break your hold or you will never be the alpha dog/bitch in your household. {Or join the wrestling club and perfect your holds}

There is so much detrimental and dangerous information in this well meaning advice from a veteran of the dog world. The person giving the advice loves and cares about dogs. It's given with the best of intentions. However, simply loving dogs and having good intentions does not replace research and keeping up-to-date with the most recent discoveries about dog behaviour. As the saying goes, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." Anecdotal advice about something "working with my dog" or even "working with all 20 dogs I've had" does not make it gospel.  Certainly doesn't make it scientific. Definitely doesn't qualify it as being ethical.

For a start, if your puppy bites after being tapped on the nose, STOP TAPPING YOUR PUPPY ON THE NOSE.  It's called provocation.  What has just happened is, a small amplitude punishment has been given for some misdemeanour.  This tap is simply annoying to the puppy and redirects the puppy to the source of annoyance - your hands. It causes the bigger problem behaviour of biting in response to the tap. So now, the amplitude of the punishment needs to be increased to get an effect and stop the biting. A vicious and dangerous cycle is developing. One of the side effects of punishment is that it can easily and almost seamlessly morph into abuse. As the advisor points out, don't try this on a big dog - you simply won't have the physical strength and may risk severe injury to you or the dog.

If the puppy can't get away, urination in appeasement and out of downright fear may occur. Ever heard the term, "you scared the piss out of me"? It comes from what actually happens in real life when one is faced with a fearful situation: If someone points a gun at you, for example, it's not uncommon to urinate as a reaction to the fear. This is essentially caused by an overloaded nervous system. Your body goes into fight or flight mode, and it needs to prepare so many different things at once that it can't handle them all, and the area of your brain that controls urination essentially fails.

This happens in scared dogs as well. It's involuntary, not deliberate. It's a melt down. It's often described as an appeasement signal, meaning the dog is anxious or feeling threatened and urinates as a signal to say "please don't hurt me." This urination generally occurs in dogs who are shy or timid; the opposite of what many would label dominant.

My advice when seeking training advice; if you have even one second of cringing, wondering if something is the right thing to do, or might be over the top or harmful, if your gut says "I don't like this" - follow your gut. 

Oh, and don't put your puppy in a full nelson for biting. Fullstop.

Zuri and I have moved house.  Our new home is very similar to our old home but there are a few differences. We now have a dog door which gives easy access to a paved, covered patio area. I was way more excited about this than Zuri. What this meant to me was that Zuri could have access to a safe, fenced outdoor area whenever she wanted. I could put a pet loo in the area and she would no longer be so dependent on me letting her out to toilet. It wouldn't be so imperative to arrange someone to come and give her a toilet stop if I was not going to be home for an extended period. I could now sleep through night time pit stops, no longer rudely woken by that mind-probing stare pleading for outside access. Protected from the elements, she could toilet whenever her little heart (or bladder or bowel) desired. Especially important given that she has a princess complex about going out in the rain or getting her paws wet. Yes, this was truly an exciting functional addition.

So I set about teaching Zuri to use the Pet Loo. For those uninitiated to this fine invention, let me describe. It is a dog toilet comprising of a plastic base, corrugated and sloping to enable drainage to a removable reservoir. Artificial grass with holes to allow drainage overlays the base. This is great for toilet training dogs in apartments or in pens. Dogs develop substrate preferences when being toilet trained, so the artificial grass enables a smooth transition to real grass when outside. As a puppy, Zuri was brought up in an apartment and the Pet Loo was a practical and effective means of toilet training. Especially in comparison to running down stairs or waiting for the lift in order to access grass on the ground floor. It was effective then, but I wondered if she would remember how to use it since she hadn't seen it for about three years.

I brought out the clicker and commenced her refresher course. What ensued what quite amusing. She knew I wanted her to interact with the Pet Loo, so she walked onto it and looked at me. No click. So she sat. No click. So she did a circle on it. No click. She backed up to it and put her back feet on it. No click. I needed to help her. Putting toileting on cue is a great idea. I have put each of the functions on cue, with "busy" being the signal to have a wee. I tried it. "Go busy". She looked at me and I swear I heard, "Say what? You want me to wee on this? How about I drop on it, or do another circle?" No click. I repeated, "Busy". So she finally relented and got "busy", was duly clicked and her behaviour reinforced with BBQ chicken. That's all it took. Refresher course done and dusted. Dogs do remember things. I anticipated that going "number two" would be harder to revise since it's not as frequent, but I had a cunning plan for that refresher course as well. As it turned out, my cunning plan was never required.

Now for the hitch, We had been in the house for about two months and she had not used the dog door. In order to use the Pet Loo, she still needed me to open the whole damn door! That kinda defeats the purpose of having a dog door, Zuri.

Task two was to teach her how to use the dog door. To say she was lack lustre was an understatement. She was reluctant to the point of avoiding the door altogether. We had a problem that was not going to go away by itself. She could not be lured or coaxed past the threshold. When I did manage to get her through with praise and the promise of sausage, her avoidance behaviours were noticeably stronger the next time. This is where I had to decide what to do next. I could understand her reluctance. She is a big dog and it's a small door. It's not the ideal size for her. She has to curve her back and crouch to prevent scraping her spine on the top of the door. The floor inside is slippery, without traction to make her feel safer as she moves through. She doesn't like being confined or new things touching her. One experience with a dog door in the past may have been traumatic enough, even painful, to have had a lasting negative association with anything similar in the future. My dilemma was, considering all these reasons, do I persist and devise a plan to overcome her fear or soldier on as we have been doing already?

I chose to persist. My rationale was to give her the independence and choice to move in and out of the house when she wanted. Also the freedom to relieve herself when needed. This would also make my life a little easier, not having to worry about organizing dog visits for her toileting well-being. Part of her well-being is also helping her overcome fear. It is a sad thing to have a dog who is scared of a part of the house. My desire for her was for her to feel safe in her own home. The video below shows the process. It was a most enjoyable experience for both of us.

For email subscribers, here is the link to the Dog Door of Doom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R_k4_UHDeA

A milestone commonly celebrated is when a child announces they have gone to the toilet all by themselves for the very first time. You may even be requested to visit the site of this auspicious occasion which marks the inauguration of toileting autonomy.  Please forgive my indulgence, but on the second day of doggy door training, I came home to find a doggy doo taking pride of place on the Pet Loo. I was overcome with pride. Zuri had overcome her fear whilst I was gone to negotiate the dog door alone and had used the designated area for its designated purpose. Two birds with one stone. I was positively glowing as Zuri then came out through the dog door to greet me for the first time. Most importantly, I was overjoyed at fear banished and confidence restored.

Moving house.  It's not on my top 10 list of things I enjoy doing.  It actually doesn't make the top 20 either.  It's a part of life, however, so I best deal with it and make it as painless as possible.  That includes considering Zuri.

Zuri is a creature of habit.  She enjoys the comfort of familiar surroundings and familiar people.  If I move one of her beds a metre away, she will notice immediately.  If I change the position of a potplant, it is the first place she investigates when she is outside.  She is very aware of changes in  her environment and her behaviour can change in response to any alterations. This is true of all dogs.  Environmental changes have an effect on all behaviour. It's the individual dog and circumstances that create the varying nuances of altered behaviour.  Zuri's behaviour did change, despite all my care.  Which makes me wonder how much more intense her little idiosyncrasies may have been if I hadn't taken care to consider her well-being before, during and after the move.

BEFORE THE MOVE

I prepared Zuri for the move.  We visited the new home a few times before the big day. She got to investigate the house and surrounds without pressure. I tried to keep our daily routine as close to usual as possible - even whilst packing and dealing with the added tasks involved in moving.  We went for walks, we spent time training, I utilized treat dispensers more often to take up the slack of less one-on-one time with me.  Unfortunately she became very sick the week before the move.  This made it slightly harder to keep things routine.  She even went off her food.

DURING THE MOVE

During the move I made the decision to keep her with me.  Sometimes I recommend leaving a dog with friends or even a kennel for the day or few days so they don't get lost in the craziness that can be involved in moving house.  This works well for dogs who have no issues with separation or who are used to the friend or kennel they are in.  For Zuri, staying with me and following me around was the better option.  Especially since she wasn't feeling well.  She didn't get in the way and felt more secure being my shadow and watching as her world was transported from one site to another.

AFTER THE MOVE

The first pieces of furniture that I arranged in our new home were her dog beds.  This was part of my strategy to make her feel as comfortable as soon as possible.  I observed where she seemed to gravitate and tried to place her beds in those places.  If she chose the place, I was hoping that's where she felt most content. In this strange new world she now had a haven of familiarity that she could retreat to.  Her food and water were the next in place and she was shown where these were.  I took her on toilet breaks and showed her where to go - reinforcing her excitedly for going in this new area.  This was complicated by her sickness. She went from diarrhoea to constipation within a few days. I was aware that this change in bowel movements could be a health issue, a reaction to medication or a stress response. Many dogs that are toilet trained in the old home may urinate and/or defecate inside the new place.  This can be a combination of not knowing where to go in unfamiliar surroundings, the stress of the move and being a new environment.

Zuri took about three weeks to settle.  She moved from bed to bed. She didn't sleep well and woke up during the night to move more frequently than usual.  Being sick didn't help as she needed more toilet stops during the night as well.  Maybe this was stress related as well? She woke and barked at unfamiliar noises.  She generally barked more than usual as people or dogs passed.  Her behaviour changed from wanting to go out the back door to sitting at the front door and wanting to go out.  Who can blame her?  I put a bed out the front which caught the morning sun.  In our old place, the back door was the gateway to morning sun!

Some other behaviour changes in dogs that can coincide with moving are pacing, hiding, licking themselves excessively, digging or digging more and chewing or chewing things not usually on the chew list.  They may appear disobedient, not performing tasks they normally have no problem with.  Knowing that a dog may be responding to the move and new environment is the first step in assisting a return to normal.

MORE CONSIDERATIONS

The foot traffic of dogs and people is quite a bit greater and closer than that passing our old home.  The increased frequency and proximity is a challenge for Zuri.  So, to help her, my plan was to devise some training sessions helping her get used to this and no longer feel the need to bark.  At the very least, not to bark as frequently or with such intensity.  We've just started and it's working nicely.  I plan sessions and also capture her desired behaviour spontaneously whenever we're sitting out the front together watching the world go by.  To this end, I have a little container of treats permanently by my chair, so I have the best chance of reinforcing her for just watching and not barking as people pass.

I'm also teaching her to go to the toilet (poop) in certain places.  We don't have our own yard. If I miss "poo patrol" one day, I don't want to inconvenience the neighbours.  At least it will be outside my door :-)

We have a little chihuahua (Minnie) as a neighbour.  She is scared of big dogs.  I would be too if I was that tiny. Zuri is scared of new dogs.  I'm working on these guys getting on.  So far we are having success.   Minnie no longer barks and retreats incessantly and Zuri no longer stops and stares.  Minnie comes out and snuffles around and Zuri raises her head briefly from her bed, then resumes her relaxed position.  They are able to be closer and closer.  Being a dog trainer, I'm going to push the boundaries and see if they can become playmates.  I wouldn't necessarily go as far as recommending this to my clients, but I'm dedicated and have the time and patience to go as slowly as both dogs need to get acquainted.  I've also seen Minnie play.  Zuri plays well with much smaller dogs.  She also respects very subtle dog body language of other dogs, so I don't fear she will be too rough. If they overcome their fear of each other but choose not to become interactive friends, I'll accept their wishes. I'm secretly hoping they will become best buddies. It will be a great alternative for fun and stimulation for Zuri, while I sit out the front watching them play when I'm too weary for a walk. Plus the joy of watching two dogs play well together is hard to beat.

Zuri and I went to our usual beach.  It was deserted except for one other person reading a book with his dog lying by his side. His very large, St Bernard looking dog.  His very large dog who came running over as soon as he saw Zuri in the water. To my delight, Zuri bounded out of the water and greeted the newcomer with a play bow.  My heart leapt with joyful anticipation.  Why?  Because Zuri is not a very brave girl.  In fact, she's quite fearful of new things and that includes new dogs on the block.  Especially new, huge in stature dogs.  This was an incredible milestone as she rarely greeted newcomers with such relaxed abandon and an immediate offer to play.

My delight was short-lived.  The new kid on the block stiffened, raised his tail and growled.  Zuri's response was immediate.  The play bow and bouncy body language was replaced with a lowered head, stiffened body and tucked tail.  She froze.  He froze.  I froze.

The sorts of things that raced through my mind at break neck speed all involved "what do I do if these guys attack each other?"  I tried evasive action and called Zuri's name.  She didn't glance in my direction.  I could understand why.  She was frozen on the spot and looking at me might put her in a vulnerable position.  He was staring at her and she was averting her gaze, looking ahead, one lip raised.  They were half a metre apart. I was standing behind her, a metre away.  If she looked at me, or moved towards me, she would have to turn into the other dog's space or away from him.  Either way, her back would eventually be turned to him.  That's not a very safe place to be.

The guy on the beach kept reading his book.

I made an executive decision despite not knowing this dog's history and reaction to strangers, especially when aroused.  I needed to help Zuri out of the situation using my body positioning.  So I moved sideways and closer to her.  When the other dog looked at me because I had moved, she found her opportunity to break out of the "freeze" and run behind me.  Mr Humongous turned his gaze from me back to her as she stood behind my legs.  He now squared up to face us both, still stiff and still growling. Oh great - now I've become a living shield!  Back to the question, "what do I do if these guys attack each other?"  I kept facing forward and spoke gently to Zuri, "It's alright".  I don't think she believed me. Mr Massive wasn't staring at me, he was staring at Zuri, so I felt some comfort that he probably wouldn't be a threat to me.....it was Zuri he was interested in.  This fact, however, was little comfort to Zuri.

Mr bookworm kept reading his book. 

I wish I'd had the presence of mind to yell out, "Can you call your dog, please?"  Instead, I didn't take my eyes off Mr Muscles....I needed to be ready for any event.  For some reason, I didn't want to raise my voice to yell.  Just a feeling.  And, to be honest, I was frickin' scared.

Literature lover finally looked up from his book and called his dog a few times.  The dog responded, way too slowly for my beating heart, and with a few intense looks back in our direction. I felt Zuri's sigh of relief and the tension drained from my body when I realized the episode, which had only lasted seconds, was over.

Or was it?

We were at the start of the dog beach with only one direction to go - right past Cujo and Reading Man. (By the way, the dog wasn't a "Cujo" BUT for a split second the fear he engendered, warranted or not, felt as intense as if he had been).  I looked at Zuri to guage how much the incident had affected her.  She was shaken.  Her body was no longer relaxed.  She was sniffing the ground more than usual.  You get to know your dog's subtle signals.  Should I abort the beach walk? Or soldier on?

I decided to seek assistance.  If I asked for help and made the situation safe, we could make it past.  So I called out, "Hey, could you hold your dog while we walk past?"

Book Man looked up and replied, "He won't bite."

Now, the conversation I wanted to have was, "I'm sure he won't, but I'm a little shaken and my dog is scared.  She's even scared when dogs look in her general direction and I've done a lot of work to get her confidence back.  One bad incident can set us back for months.  So if you just held him for our peace of mind, just until we get past, that would really help us."  But, instead I chose the abbreviated version, "Could you hold him, just until we walk past?"

There was no answer, the man paused, then deliberately looked away from me and went back to reading.

You gotta be kidding me?  I stood for minute looking in his direction, blinking like a deer caught in headlights.

Next decision.  Abort or forge onwards?  Maybe it was indignant pride, but I chose to make the widest arc possible and traverse it as quickly as I could - my body between the Colossus and Zuri, guiding her not to look at him.  We had come for a walk, we were going to have our walk.  Cujo's eyes were firmly fixed on Zuri the whole time.  I know because mine were firmly fixed on him the whole time.  He broke his down-stay next to his guardian and started towards Zuri again.  His guardian yelled at him a couple of times to "get back here." Which, to the mammoth's credit, he did, never taking his eyes of Zuri.  My dog trainer's heart sank a little, though.  If he'd just held the collar, he wouldn't have had to yell at his dog.  It was a predictable event.

We made it past.  Both a little shaken.  I was sad for Zuri.  It will take her a while to get back to greeting any new dog without fear again.  It reinforced to me a valuable personal lesson and gave me some insight into how others might be feeling when I approach. Zuri is a big dog.  I've had an incident where Zuri went to play with a little white fluffy dog.  Zuri's best friend is a little white fluffy and they play well together. However, this little white fluffy was not privy to this information and squealed in terror as Zuri bounded up.  It would have been scary for her owners as well.  I didn't ever want that to happen again.

I have often noticed that when she is off lead on the beach and people are approaching, they may show subtle signs of discomfort.  It could be a child reaching for a parent's hand as they see her, or a person slowing down and starting to make an arc around us, or someone with a small dog putting him/her on lead as we approach.  That's all I need to see.  They don't need to have a conversation with me and tell me that they feel a little uncomfortable or scared at the sight of my big dog off lead.  Sometimes I don't even wait for signals, I just put Zuri back on lead.  Even on lead I'll often anticipate and make an arc or engage Zuri in some distraction games. This is my wordless way of saying, "I respect you and I'll do what I can to help you feel at ease.  See, I have my dog's attention.  I understand you don't know my dog from a bar of soap."

Being on the other end of that fear has cemented this for me.

Change is a part of life, just like choice is a part of life. There are those times when a serious choice might need to be made about whether to change a dog's behaviour.  A dog's behaviour may become incompatible with one's lifestyle or is becoming a welfare problem for the dog or others.  There are various ways to approach this.

* Managing the behaviour - Preventing the dog from being put in a position where the behaviour occurs.  Preventing a behaviour through managing the environment can be very practical.  It can often be less time consuming than modifying behaviour, though still requires planning and diligence. An example is a dog who jumps on visitors being prevented from practising this behaviour by:
a) putting the dog behind a barrier when visitors arrive e.g. a temporary child gate, or
b) placing the dog in another room or outside when visitors come, or
c) tethering the dog inside or keeping the dog on a lead with visitors.

* Ignoring the behaviour -  This can be effective if the behaviour isn't a huge problem or a safety issue.  It does not work effectively with well learned and practised behaviours, those that are self-reinforcing (think barking or toileting) or behaviours associated with fear or anxiety.  Using the same example as above, it would mean letting the dog jump up on visitors, hoping that in the end your dog may eventually "grow out" of the behaviour. If your dog is being reinforced in some way by jumping up on visitors (eye contact, verbal or physical contact), you could be waiting forever!  I prefer not to use this method in isolation.  Giving an alternative behaviour as well as removing reinforcement for the problem behaviour is generally more efficient and less frustrating for both the dog and guardian.

* Changing the Behaviour -  This can be done a number of ways. A very effective method is to provide an alternative behaviour for the dog to do instead of the problem behaviour.  Ensure the problem behaviour no longer receives reinforcement whilst at the same time making sure the replacement behaviour really pays off big time.  For the jumping example, teaching your dog to;
* sit when greeting, or
* keep all four feet on the floor, or
* go to their bed
when visitors arrive works a treat.

The example below shows Zuri in the process of being taught not to jump when greeting visitors.

If you'd like to read more on changing behaviour, Karen Pryor's book, "Don't Shoot the Dog" has a chapter outlining eight methods of getting rid of a behaviour, not limiting examples to dogs.  If you have a messy flat-mate, a spouse who always comes home grumpy or noisy kids driving you crazy in the car, you may find it quite enlightening.

Which method is best for which situation?  Each situation and problem will vary, since each dog and each family varies greatly.  Each choice will be based on a multitude of individual factors. One choice I personally find a no-brainer is the avoidance of punishment as a way of changing behaviour.  Why?  It seldom works. If it does appear to work, it is actually masking its real achievement: suppressing behaviour NOT changing it.  The underlying motivation behind the behaviour is seldom addressed with punishment.  Further, the side effects of punishment are numerous and unpleasant for the subject (that is its modus operandi). When there are effective alternatives, choosing punishment is also unethical.

The decision to modify a behaviour will depend on;

* how important changing behaviour is to the individual and circumstances, 
* whether management and prevention is a feasible option, 
* whether there is a commitment to training through to its fruition and maintenance, and
* whether the subject with the problem behaviour is a realistic candidate for change.  

This is where a professional consultant can help with guidance on what is feasible and what may be in the too-hard-basket.  Some things will require more effort and time than a guardian can commit.  Some things may be unsafe. Some behaviours will have such a strong history or genetic component making them resistant to behaviour change.

Below is a video example of how Dancer's prey drive and aggressive behaviour was modified using a procedure known as differential reinforcement of an incompatible behaviour.  That simply means, Dancer was trained to do a replacement behaviour that she couldn't perform at the same time as the undesired behaviour.  This also demonstrates the decision making process involved in choosing how to deal with an undesired behaviour.  The first 30 seconds shows the "before" and "after" footage.  The rest of the video details the procedure step-by-step.  Remember, this is a plan devised specifically for this individual.  It is NOT a "how to" video.

The behaviour could have easily been prevented by keeping Dancer inside.  Being out of earshot and sight of the stimulus that caused the reaction would have prevented the behaviour.  

The decision to proceed with a behaviour change plan was made because:

* the guardian had a strong desire to keep her dog with her when she worked out,
* the guardian had a commitment to diligently work on re-training and enjoyed training,
* Dancer already possessed a well trained behaviour that could be used as the replacement behaviour - this would make training quicker,
* Dancer had a solid history of training using positive reinforcement,
* Dancer was a quick and eager learner, and 
* she was extremely food motivated - which all worked in her favour to over-ride her desire to attack the rope.

I think a most satisfactory choice was made for this particular situation :-)

In response to a rather odd behaviour exhibited in front of me by a dog, I've often been heard to say, "There's always a reason."  When a dog fails to respond to a request that they would normally perform immediately, you'll hear me say it again.  If a dog does something and the guardian exclaims, "He's NEVER done that before", can you guess what I'm thinking?

Dogs are sentient beings.  They feel.  They have emotions.  If you live with one, you are nodding your head in agreement as you read this.  You may have even sighed one day and said, "Fido's having a bad day."  I think dogs do have good days and bad days.  Days where they feel more active and respond quickly and days where they seem sluggish, or unwell, or simply can't be bothered!

Sometimes I think I know the reason behind a behaviour.  I stress the word 'think' because I can't get into a dog's head to know what is turning those cogs.  I can guess.  However, no matter how much I would love too, I will never really know without a level of uncertainty. 

Here's an example Zuri taught me.  She showed reluctance to go out the back door for the final toilet stop before bed time.  No amount of begging, luring with tasty treats or making the outside look so exciting she'd have to join me was working.  It wasn't raining, it wasn't cold and I knew, oh yes I knew she needed to go because it had been hours since the last pit stop and this was our ritual. I was getting frustrated and on the verge of labelling Miss Zuri a stubborn wee mule!

That was until I heard the tinkle of a cat bell behind me and Zuri's arch nemesis, Bede, the fearless ambusher of Rhodesian Ridgebacks, sprang from his hiding place behind the fence.Obviously tired of preparing to pounce on Zuri as she came through the door, he could wait no longer.  She knew all along that Bede was there.  Sorry Zuri.

There's always a reason.

See if you can spot some of the reasons in this short video I compiled in an attempt to show some examples of why dogs may be doing the things they do.

I am blessed enough to live near the beach and I have a dog, Zuri, who loves walking and splashing in the water.  We visit frequently and over the hot holiday period, the dog beach has been frequented by a lot more dogs than usual.  A lot of dogs who may not be regular beach goers.

Why do I make such a presumptuous statement?  Zuri and I kicked back and watched the world go by and here's what we observed.

A little corgi type dog accompanied his guardians on the shoreline.  He didn't make any overtures towards entering the ocean, so one guy picked him up and waded into the water with him.  When the corgi was held close to his body, there seemed to be no problem.  However, as the corgi was lowered to the water he started to wriggle and struggle.  Once in the water, his little legs were paddling furiously.  As soon as the guardian released his grip, the little guy turned straight around and headed for shore as fast as he could go, only to be scooped up at the other end and dutifully handed back to the first guardian.  The procedure was repeated with great care and, I can only presume, the kindest of intents.  After quite a few trials of this, the little corgi began to try and avoid the guy waiting at the shoreline.  Finally, when the drop and swim procedure seemed to be over, he trotted away from his guardians and chose to sit far away from the shore line.

A large mastiff type dog was further up, knee knee in water.  His female guardian was in front pulling on his lead towards the deeper water.  His male guardian stood behind, pushing the dog forward from his rump.  The dog stood firm!  I asked if they were on Facebook, hoping to direct them to my Dog Charming Page for information.  I desperately wanted to help.  They looked at me like I was some crazy, friendless person.  Of course they said no.

I think you get the picture.  This was happening to countless dogs on the beach. Maybe this was their first time at the beach.  Maybe they just didn't like going into the water.  So many guardians seemed intent on convincing their dog that this was the thing to do - by pretty much forcing them into the water and hoping their dog started having fun.

For me, as a behaviour consultant, it was like watching someone carrying a terrified child into the water and then dropping them in the deep end, hoping they'll get over their fear and learn to love it.

Hence my dilemma.  I really wanted to say something.  To help.  But I didn't know what to do.  Unsolicited advice from a know-it-all stranger about your dog (or child) is seldom received well.  So I did what I believe is a powerful form of communication.  Benjamin Franklin said, "Well done is better than well said."  I put my money where my mouth was and took Zuri to the water's edge.

Now Zuri loves wading, but swimming, not so much.  She used to swim, but recently prefers to wade.  I'd like her to swim, but I'd rather convince her that it's fun than force her.  Ultimately, if she chooses not to swim, I'm fine with that.  I had some treats and reinforced her for going deeper and deeper. I played with her and made a game of running in and out of the water.  She went deeper but didn't swim.  We were BOTH having fun.

Walking up the beach on our way home we came across a family;  Mum, Dad and the three kids.  Oh, and the new adoptee, the dog.  She was enjoying interacting with the family and it was obvious they loved her dearly, but as soon as someone grabbed her to take her deeper, she struggled to escape and swam back to shore.  Then she avoided anyone who seemed to be reaching for her collar to pull her deeper into the water.

I waded in and chatted.  The dog came up to me and I casually scratched her butt - which sent her into raptures.  I moved away and she followed me to get that butt scratch.  I moved to deeper water and she swam out to me - to redeem the glory of that butt rub!  Who knew that's all it would take?  The response from the guardians was "Wow, how did you do that?" Awesome, now I can help because I've been asked. The butt scratch technique worked for them too.  So did playing with her and praising her enthusiastically. Brilliant. If only Zuri was this easy.

My dilemma had been solved.  Benjamin was right, well done truly is better than well said.