It Was Coming Right At Me!
I am so interested in how dogs perceive things, and how they notice differences that we don’t, or that we take for granted. Those differences can matter to them a great deal. An example of that was the focus of my recent post, “Intruder in the Yard!,” about Zani’s response to a landscape timber in my yard that had rolled out of place. Clara, with her feral puppyhood, appears to discriminate between people to an extreme. She socializes with a few people besides me now, but each person has behaviors Clara is comfortable with, and everybody’s… Continued
#iSpeakDog Campaign to Bridge Communication Gap between People and Their Dogs
To help improve the relationship people have with their dogs, The Academy for Dog Trainers, the Humane Rescue Alliance, The Bark Magazine, and The Pet Professional Guild have teamed up to launch iSpeakDog, a global campaign and website designed to help people better understand dog body language and behavior. The iSpeakDog Campaign, which will launch as a week-long campaign March 27 – April 1, 2017 but is already posting on Facebook, comes at a time when canine behavior is being studied more than ever — revealing that people often misinterpret… Continued
“Good Sit!”
Here is a quiz. Let’s say someone says, “Sit,” to a dog, intending the word as a cue. What part of speech is the word, “Sit”? Then, what part of speech is the same word if we say, “Good sit!” afterwards? That was a trick. If we were talking to a human who speaks the same language we do, the first “Sit” could be an imperative or command verb. The second “Sit” would be a noun. But neither of those, while grammatically correct, applies to training a dog. Dogs are not humans. “Sit” is something… Continued
News Flash: Dogs Remember
Science has once again confirmed the obvious: Dogs can remember things. OK, maybe I am being a bit hard on the researchers. They were specifically interested in whether dogs have episodic memory. Well, they call it “episodic-like” memory, since some would argue that only humans can actually have episodic memory. I’ll leave that argument for another day. Episodic memory is remembering things that have happened to you or that you have observed directly — that is, remembering “episodes” from your own life. It differs from “semantic memory,” which is memory… Continued
Practice? Liszt or Chopsticks
Years ago in another life I was a music teacher. In addition to class music lessons for many years, I also taught the piano and the flute. What’s this got do do with dogs, you might ask. My pupils’ results showed I was quite a good music teacher. Being a piano teacher in the exam system was actually more about motivating my pupils to practice than anything else. I could have been a rubbish piano player myself and created great performers. I could on the other hand have been a concert pianist unable to teach… Continued
Total Recall
I suspect most dog owners wish their dogs could be off leash and enjoy themselves without restriction, or at least be free of the leash in most situations. In that ideal world a dog could assuredly be called back on cue and no harm would occur if he occasionally strayed afar. My personal dog stewardship is limited to five Labradors. Three of them were very safe off leash, one was pretty reliable and the other was…a bit sketchy. To tell the truth his recall was not sketchy at all. It… Continued
But Every Dog is Different!
But every dog is different! This is another common argument against trainers who train without force. It usually goes like this: But every dog is different! You can’t just use a cookie cutter! But every dog is different! Why limit yourself to only one method? But every dog is different! Some tools just don’t work with some dogs! The implication is clear: Trainers who use primarily positive reinforcement are slaves to one method, which we apply to all dogs. We deliberately limit ourselves, despite the wealth of methods available to us.… Continued
Setting Judgment Aside
Professional dog trainers and behavior consultants who use force-free methods are some of the most compassionate people I know. We couldn’t do this work if we didn’t care deeply and want the absolute best outcome in every situation. So it pains me to think about these same individuals judging their clients for the choices they make. When I decided to become a professional dog trainer, I didn’t realize that counseling people would be such a large part of my job. But I find myself doing it on a daily basis.… Continued
Sticks and Stones…
..may break my bones, but words will never harm me” This, or one of its variations, is a childhood phrase that most of us are familiar with. We know that physical violence hurts and, as is suggested by the rhyme, words cannot cause harm. Or can they? As a dog behaviour counsellor and trainer, there are several words which, when used in connection with dog training and behaviour, I think harm our relationship with and understanding of our dogs. Our world is filled with words – be it online, through… Continued
Pet Professional Guild Lines Up Canine Behavior Specialists for Podcasts on Breed Specific Legislation
In light of ongoing events in Montreal, PPG podcasts will feature a host of dog training and behavior experts to explain why breed bans are ineffective in reducing frequency of dog bites Starting next month, Pet Professional Guild (PPG) is to host a number of canine behavior experts in a series of podcasts to discuss why Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) is ineffective and potentially misleading. The move is part of PPG’s ongoing mission to deliver quality, up-to-date education on dog bite safety and force-free training and pet care to both… Continued
Laughter and Learning at the PPGBI Mini-Summit
The PPGBI Mini Educational Summit, which took place in early September at the Leeds Mercure Parkway hotel in Yorkshire, England, was a roaring success. Much fun was had on the first night as the attendees started to gather, register and receive some PPG Swag. Everyone then got to know each other over a welcome drink in the bar. This was followed by a weekend packed full of fun, educational learning and networking. PPG President, Niki Tudge, opened the Summit with a welcome address to the attendees and also presented several,… Continued
What Most People Don’t Know About Dogs
It’s easy to forget that most people don’t know things that we might consider obvious about dogs. A friend was recently chatting with an experienced service dog trainer. The trainer, who will remain anonymous to reduce the potential humiliation, commented that “dogs don’t generalize.” This trainer should know better. A week or so ago, I heard an interview with author Tom Wolfe on NPR. In the interview, Wolfe said that no evidence of anything resembling a language has ever been seen in a non-human, and that therefore only humans can… Continued
An Open Letter from the Pet Professional Guild Addressing Pet Behavior and Training Industry Responses to the Use of Remote Electric Shock Delivered to Dogs via the Garmin Delta Smart™ Dog Training System
PPG calls on pet industry professionals to take a stand on the use and application of shock in animal training, to work together to educate pet owners in humane, scientifically sound training methods, and to take shock off the table once and for all The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) is greatly saddened not only by the release of Garmin’s Delta Smart™ Dog Training System, a device that delivers remote corrections to dogs when connected to a smartphone, but also the response from some professional pet industry groups and associations relating… Continued
Experts United: Breed Specific Legislation Does Not Work
The following is an excerpt from PPG’s recently released Position Statement on Breed Specific Legislation. Countless animal welfare organizations and professional bodies worldwide have issued position statements that comprehensively refute the efficacy of BSL as a means of reducing dog bites and increasing public safety. Victoria Stilwell, president of the Victoria Stilwell Academy for Dog Training and Behavior, and CEO of Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Training “Without exception, I stand firmly against BSL. The research has shown time and time again that BSL does not reduce dog bites in the… Continued
What Canine Behavior Experts Say about Breed Specific Legislation
The following is an excerpt from PPG’s recently released Position Statement on Breed Specific Legislation. Countless animal welfare organizations and professional bodies worldwide have issued position statements that comprehensively refute the efficacy of BSL as a means of reducing dog bites and increasing public safety, a selection of whom are cited below. “Without exception, I stand firmly against BSL. The research has shown time and time again that BSL does not reduce dog bites in the areas where it is enacted, and has caused many innocent dogs to be taken… Continued
Just Say “Agh, Agh!”
By Brad Waggoner CPTD CTP-KPA In a group class the other day, I witnessed a couple constantly using the vaguely buzzer-like noise “Agh! Agh!” with their dog in a harsh tone of voice. What they were attempting to do was tell the dog that he was doing something wrong, though it was easy to see that the dog was having a hard time figuring out what was right. These folks have been through a couple of our classes in the past, and they understand that we use positive reinforcement to… Continued
Calling Dr. Google And Other Experts
I recently saw these words on a coffee mug: Please Do Not Confuse Your Google Search With My Medical Degree! And yes, these mugs can be customized for any profession, so I mused at how often I’ve been tempted to use those words when I hear the familiar “Well I looked on the internet about “dog behavior”, and this is what I found…” While we’re fortunate to have information at out fingertips, it just perplexes me that someone might blindly follow advice from a “Dr. Google” with questionable credentials, if any.… Continued
Dog Bites: Who Is Getting Bitten and Why?
The following is an excerpt from PPG’s recently released Position Statement on Breed Specific Legislation. Statistics show that the majority of dog bites occur in children or the elderly. The results of a study by Dixon, Mahabee-Gittens, Hart and Lindsell (2012) assessing dog bite prevention knowledge in children concluded: “Our results show a notable lack of awareness and knowledge regarding dog bite prevention among children, as nearly half of child participants failed a dog bite prevention knowledge test based on well-accepted dog bite prevention recommendations. Moreover, based on parent/guardian responses,… Continued
What Makes a ‘Good Dog’ and Do Current Dog Training Classes Teach these Skills?
I define a ‘good’ dog as a dog who is considered part of the family, can stay home alone if necessary but goes places if possible, lives in the house, goes on holidays, gets enough mental and physical stimulation, is ‘cool, calm and collected’ most of the time, takes changes like moving or an new addition to the family in his stride and most important spends his entire life with one owner. As most professionals in the pet industry I try to be an advocate for the dogs and puppies… Continued
Does Your Dog Think You’re Management Material?
When you hear the word management, I bet you aren’t thinking about your dog. But I and many of my training colleagues work hard every day to change that. Most people think of management as planning, organizing, leading and directing. Every one of these words describes the type of management you use with your dog as well. Management is a key component to dog training which is often overlooked. We are so focused on teaching our dogs specific behaviors like “sit,” “stay” or “come” that we forget about the environment… Continued
The Power of Project Trade
When I first learned of the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) I had just recently worked with a handsome little elderly dog named Pete and acquired my first shock collar. Rough handling turned Pete into a hand-biter; adding a shock collar made it much worse. Taking it off Pete probably saved his life and spared his owner the heartache of euthanizing her long time pet, as many around her had been advising. I was highly motivated to see shock collars taken off all dogs and wanted to persuade a local legislator to… Continued
Are You Really Performing Classical Counterconditioning?
What do the following training descriptions have in common? “My dog’s afraid of strangers. But when she stops barking and makes eye contact with me, I give her a treat.” “I hold her foot. Then I give her a treat after I clip each toenail, as long as she stays in place and doesn’t pull her foot away.” “When we have guests, I wait for him to show some calm behavior like stretching, breathing more deeply, or lying down. Then I give him a treat.” “We play LAT (Look At That).… Continued
Do Dogs Have a Right to Say NO?
Aren’t dogs supposed to do as they are told and follow so-called “commands?” They are just dogs after all. Interestingly enough, only about 20 years ago we took no for a no and children who approached dogs when they were sleeping or eating were in no uncertain terms reminded to ‘let sleeping dogs lie and leave the dog alone when he is eating’. We seemed to understand then that dogs were dogs and had a right to say no. These days it seems we all get really upset when the… Continued
That Tickles!
Many, many years ago I enrolled in what seemed like a fun weekend workshop with my dog. The ad read, “No limits to learning” or something similar, so of course, I jumped at the chance to attend with my dog. As we sat in the small room with other dog owners, you could feel the excitement build as the speaker grabbed his microphone to engage the crowd who, by the way, seemed very familiar with this particular speaker. Imagine my shock (the operative word here), when he started bashing positive… Continued