TheraPet

01/04/2024

Everyone who is thinking of getting dogs should read this because you need to understand this reality:

***I am a 21st century dog.***
-I'm a Malinois.
Overskilled among dogs, I excel in all disciplines and I'm always ready to work: I NEED to work.
But nowadays I get asked to chill on the couch all day everyday.

-I am an Akita Inu.
My ancestors were selected for fighting bears.
Today I get asked to be tolerant and I get scolded for my reactivity when another approaches me.

-I am a Beagle.
When I chase my prey, I raise my voice so the hunters could follow.
Today they put an electric collar on me to shut up, and you make me come back to you - no running - with a snap of your fingers.

-I am a Yorkshire Terrier.
I was a terrifying rat hunter in English mines.
Today they think I can't use my legs and they always hold me in their arms.

-I'm a Labrador Retriever.
My vision of happiness is a dive into a pond to bring back the duck he shot to my master.
Today you forget I'm a walking, running, swimming dog; as a result I'm fat, made to stay indoors, and to babysit.

-I am a Jack Russell.
I can take on a fox, a mean badger, and a rat bigger than me in his den.
Today I get scolded for my character and high energy, and forced to turn into a quiet living room dog.

-I am a Siberian Husky.
Experienced the great, wide open spaces of Northern Europe, where I could drag sleds for long distances at impressive speeds.
Today I only have the walls of the house or small garden as a horizon, and the holes I dig in the ground just to release energy and frustration, trying to stay sane.

-I am a border collie
I was made to work hours a day in partnershipwith my master, and I am an unmistakable artist of working with the herd.
Today they are mad at me because, for lack of sheep, I try to check bikes, cars, children in the house and everything in motion.

I am ...
I am a 21st century dog.
I'm pretty, I'm alert, I'm obedient, I stay in a bag...but I'm also an individual who, from centuries of training, needs to express my instincts, and I am *not* suited for the sedentary life you'd want me to lead.
Spending eight hours a day alone in the house or in the garden - with no work and no one to play or run with, seeing you for a short time in the evening when you get home, and only getting a small toilet walk will make me deeply unhappy.
I'll express it by barking all day, turning your yard into a minefield, doing my needs indoors, being unmanageable the rare times I'll find myself outside, and sometimes spending my days sunk, sad, lonely, and depressed, on my pillow.
You may think that I should be happy to be able to enjoy all this comfort while you go to work, but actually I’ll be exhausted and frustrated, because this is absolutely NOT what I'm meant to do, or what I need to be doing.
If you love me, if you've always dreamed of me, if my beautiful blue eyes or my athletic look make you want me, but you can't give me a real dog's life, a life that's really worth living according to my breed, and if you can't offer me the job that my genes are asking, DO NOT buy or adopt me!
If you like the way I look but aren't willing to accept my temperament, gifts, and traits derived from long genetic selection, and you think you can change them with only your good will, then DO NOT BUY OR ADOPT ME.
I’m a dog from the 21st century, yes, but deep inside me, the one who fought, the one who hunted, the one who pulled sleds, the one who guided and protected a herd still lives within.
So think **very** carefully before you choose your dog. And think about getting two, rather than one, so I won't be so very lonely waiting for you all day. Eight or ten hours is just a workday to you, but it's an eternity for me to be alone.
Source :David Attenborough Fans

06/02/2024

The idea that dogs operate in a constant state of dominance is one of the biggest myths in the world of canine behaviour. ​

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Myth: Dogs are continuously trying to assert dominance over their owners.​

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Fact: Dogs don't operate on a dominance hierarchy like wolves. Their behaviour is influenced by a variety of factors, including environment, training, and individual temperament.​

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Dogs are social animals, and their interactions are more about seeking companionship and cooperation than establishing dominance.​

A dog's behaviour is often a reflection of their bond with you. Positive reinforcement and building trust are key to a healthy relationship.​

Undesirable behaviours (that are often seen as dominant behaviours) often result from fear, anxiety, a lack of clear communication or a deeper emotional need. Addressing these root causes is crucial for effective behaviour modification.​

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Focus on the ‘emotions first’ methods to encourage behavioural and emotional wellbeing in your companions and foster a deeper understanding of their needs, embracing positive, science-based methods for a happier and healthier relationship! ​

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To learn more about the science involved in dog behaviour, consider doing our Diploma in Dog Behaviour. Or if you're already an animal professional, consider our MHERA Practitioners course. Email us at [email protected] for more information!

14/08/2023

WHY I DON'T CONTROL, WALK OR TRAIN DOGS WITH COLLARS OF ANY KIND AROUND THEIR NECKS AND HEADS

You don't need to agree or disagree with this post, and neither do you need to defend your use of these tools.

What happens to our dogs when we use collars, slip leads, chock collars, prong collars, half chokes, halti or martingale collars on our dogs during a walk when they pull and lunge...?

Impacts:
Lymph ducts and nodes damage
Muscle strain, pain and injuries
Arteries and veins impacts
Higher blood pressure
Spinal cord damage
Nerve damage
Disk damage
Thyroid damage
Larynx damage
Oesophagus damage
Collapsed trachea
Increased reactivity due to negative associations
Pessimistic dogs
Pain
Increased adrenalin and cortisol levels
Break down in the trust relationship with your dog

Try and use a harness - a y-front harness if possible. Stay away from puppy and dog training schools that ask you to bring your dog with any neck device or collar for training. They either don't have the skill and knowledge to train your dog or they are looking for quick fixes 😉

If your dog is lunging and pulling on a walk, please contact a qualified FF pet professional, on www.coape.org or www.capbt.org, who will assess the reasons for your dog's behaviour and work with you to improve this by using a harness. Sometimes your dog's reactivity has nothing to do with a harness or a tool but as a result of an emotional response to a stimulus or it is just a lack of skilled training to walk loose lead.

If your dog is an expert at loose lead walking while on a collar, or can walk without a lead and never be triggered but remains calm and neutral in the face of any stimulus, then this post does not apply to you. This post is about using neck devices to control, discipline, 'tame', train or "dominate' reactive dogs and those that lunge or pull during a walk.

If you defend any part of this post and claim that some of these tools are relevant and important for training some dogs or they are required for human convenience, then you are a balanced trainer. So own it!

Final note - don't be a YANKER. Use a harness 😉








EDIT:

Re head harnesses and gentle leaders - I do not think that they are FORCE-FREE as it hurts and causes discomfort to the sensitive nose and throat of the dog:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/664027960470508/permalink/2088628818010408/?mibextid=Nif5oz
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=327426022767848&id=102240818619704&mibextid=Nif5oz

Please see many studies sent by Marianna Huttonvh speaking to the emotional and physical consequences of aversive training methods:
https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2017/04/new-literature-review-recommends-reward.html?m=1
https://thesciencedog.com/2014/02/05/the-consequences-of-consequences/
https://thesciencedog.com/2022/03/14/the-eeyore-effect/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7743949/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1558787817300357

http://www.dogpsychologistoncall.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Choke-collars-study.pdf

https://www.vetplano.com/how-choke-collars-can-do-some-real-damage-to-your-canine-friend/

https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/The-Dangers-of-Training-Collars.pdf

https://www.ahna.net/site/blog-asheville-vet/2020/03/30/alternatives-choke-chains-prong-collars-and-other-aversive-methods

https://www.dogtrainingnation.com/tag/dog-choke-collar-injuries/

📸Bestpawsdogtraining

28/01/2023

18/01/2023

Knowing which professional you need to contact to help you with your pet is vital. Use this handy infographic to decide whether you need a trainer or behaviourist. ​

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For a list of COAPE-endorsed trainers and behaviourists you can go to our website here: https://coape.org/find-a-behaviourist/

14/01/2023

Cytopoint for dogs is the new wonder drug for allergies. But is it really safe? Here's a vet's explanation of why you shouldn't give Cytopoint to your dog ...

21/08/2022

Never believe that animals suffer less than humans. Pain is the same for them that it is for us. Even worse, because they cannot help themselves.

Louis J. Camuti

13/06/2022

WHAT DOES “NO!’ REALLY MEAN?
Picture this – a mom walks past her son’s room and sees that he’s drawing all over the walls with his crayons. “No! No! No! “, she screams at him. He immediately stops, looking confused and scared. Satisfied that her son has stopped this behaviour, she continues with what she was doing. A while later she walks past his room again. He is now drawing all over the furniture. Mom is now furious and just doesn’t understand why he didn’t listen. He didn’t “listen”, because he wasn’t given an alternative, acceptable behaviour. Maybe if he had been given lots of big pieces of paper or cardboard to draw on, this wouldn’t have happened and he would have understood what was acceptable and what wasn’t.
A similar comparison can be made to how we use this word with our dogs. Show dogs an alternative behaviour rather than just saying “No!”. This enables them to understand what behaviour is acceptable, helps to alleviate any potential fear, stress or confusion and sets them up for success.

13/06/2022