A Relationship Built on a Lifetime of Kindness, Mutual Trust, and Joy
When we bring a pet into our home, it marks a new beginning. It is an opportunity to create something beautiful – friendship with another sentient being. Friendship with another person often begins when we discover similar interests and values. We can share those interests because we easily communicate with one another. We speak the same language, but we also take ample time to listen and watch one another. Friends don’t always agree, but we have learned to communicate and compromise because we trust one another. We treat each other… Continued
Enrichment – Providing Pets with Activities to Improve Welfare
You know we don’t really think about our pets as being in captivity but if you think about it, they are. Animals that are held by humans and prevented from escaping are deemed to be captive. The term captive is usually applied to wild animals that are held in zoos and theme parks, but this can be a general term used for all types of animals confined whether it be in zoos, farming and agriculture or our pets. Think about this for a moment. Our pets are captive animals. What does that… Continued
When Not to Greet or Approach a Dog!
Just because some dogs look cute and cuddly does not mean we should treat them like teddy bears and greet them with hugs and cuddles. They are not toys! Dogs are living beings who have feelings just like we do. Some dogs have learned to tolerate hugs and teddy bear types of greetings, but they are NOT recommended as they can intimidate, scare and create anxiety. At best, this can leave a dog feeling unsafe and, at worst, can trigger a snap, growl or bite. Dogs have no other way… Continued
Homemade Dog Treat Recipe: Gandhi’s Globs
Gandhi’s globs were developed as a high value meal replacement for training reinforcements. Gandhi loves his food and feeding him these during many of his training session acts as a part meal replacement to help him to maintain his weight. Ingredients: 1 kg or 2lb chicken mince, cooked 60 gm or 2oz fresh parsley chopped finely or vitamised 500 gm or 1lb carrots minced or vitamised 200 gm or 7oz celery chopped finely or vitamised 200 gm or 7oz zucchini chopped finely or vitamised Can diced tomato including juice 2… Continued
What Do You Know About Canine Communication?
All behaviors that dogs exhibit are designed either to access pleasurable situations and desirable objects or to avoid and escape unpleasant situations and undesirable objects. (Note: this is based on what each individual dog considers to pleasant or unpleasant, not the human, and it is important to be aware that the canine and human opinions may differ in any given situation!) A dog’s communication systems are greatly ritualized, and have evolved specifically to avoid or cut off conflict. This has made dogs, as a species, very successful in terms of… Continued
I Pushed My Friend Off the Sofa! Whoops … (How to deal with undesirable guest/animal interactions)
I’m not proud of it, but recently I pushed a friend – who was staying at our house – off our sofa! Find out why below (as well as how to avoid doing it yourself) … This happened during the festive season, and if you are like us, you probably have lots of people coming to visit and/or stay at this time. So what do you do if these people (who might be strangers to your animals) come in and engage with your animals in ways you don’t like? Recently… Continued
Environmental Enrichment for Equines
If you share your life with cats, dogs, or even birds, then you have likely heard of the term ‘Environmental Enrichment’ (or Behavioral Enrichment in some circles). But did you know it can be used with equines, too? Fundamentals The fundamental strategy of enrichment for animals is to consider a species’ natural behaviors and the individual animal’s unique personality to devise ways to encourage and increase their expression. Horses, for example, are grazing animals that move long distances in small increments while foraging for the perfect grass; how can we… Continued
Building Trusting Relationships with Pets
The most important thing you can do for your pet is to build a trusting relationship. Like children, dogs need to build a secure attachment with their caregivers. There are several things you can do to establish a secure attachment, resulting in a trusting bond: Do’s Always anticipate and meet your pet’s needs. Is the water bowl empty? Is it cold outside and they need a sweater for warmth? Or is their favorite toy under the sofa and they need you to help to reach it? Spending time with… Continued
Top Tips to Help Your New Dog or Puppy Settle In
Bringing a new puppy or dog into your home can be one of the most wonderful times for you and your family. It can also sometimes feel pretty overwhelming! There’s so much to think about, isn’t there? We thought we’d help you out and provide some top tips on settling in that new furry member of the family, so your new dog days can be just like the fairytale books tell you! Get a routine Puppies and dogs thrive on a routine. It gives a new dog confidence to know… Continued
A Path to Your Pet’s Health – Book Review of The Forever Dog
Niki Tudge, PPG President, reviews The Forever Dog – Surprising New Science to Help Your Canine Companion Live Younger, Healthier, and Longer by Rodney Habib and Dr. Karen Shaw Becker. I consider Dr. Becker’s book “The Forever Dog” my go-to User’s Manual for optimizing my dog’s life and certainly as the framework to adding quality to her years. (Full disclosure – The Pet Professional Guild is included in this book as a Training and Behavior Resource). The common sense and practical approach offered to optimizing the quality and longevity of… Continued
The Physical Effects of Harmful Training Devices
By Niki Tudge and Susan Nilson* In addition to the potential psychological effects of using training devices that cause pain or evoke fear, there is also the issue of possible physical damage to consider. We present here a variety of perspectives offered by veterinarians, canine research scientists, a professional dog trainer, and an engineer: Thyroid Gland “The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ just in front of the larynx and trachea, and the mandibular salivary glands are found on the side of the face just below the ears. Thus, they… Continued
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