Engage the disengage!

Harnessing the power of choice.

My appreciation for the courses on offer from Canine Principles is well known, and links to the courses I have completed can be found on the 'Courses Completed' page of this blog. The lovely folks at CP have launched a new different style of course for them, that comes in the shape of a 30 day program of video lessons and tasks to think about and complete. The course can be found at Inspiring Resilience In Fearful & Reactive Dogs - 30 Day Program

Just Be

Look at just about any dog-related site and you will see lists of ‘rules’. The rules on what you should be training your dog to do, how much time you should spend training, how you should train (there is one rule I state for how to train, and that’s to make sure you have a good supply of treats on hand – positive reinforcement all the way!). Finn, my dog is a herding breed - a Border Collie. He's a livewire, and can be challenging to be around sometimes as he gets wired very easily. There are certain situations that he finds incredibly exciting, and just cannot contain himself. I am forever being told that he needs training to be 'better behaved' in these situations. They are ones that don't occur often, (not often enough to become not exciting, which is the problem) and so we have a policy of simply managing these situations. We don't get into the situation, and so the problem doesn't arise. Why waste time and possibly frustrate us both to get him to 'behave' in a situation we don't actually need to be in? This is wandering from the point a little, but is also relevant to the thinking I have been doing of late.

Yes, it's an end of year post - no points for originality!

There's been a meme going around online along the lines of 'Describe your 2019 in 5 words' or something close to that. For the year here, it would have to be something like incredible highs and lowest lows.

To sniff, or not to sniff? It's not really a question!

Quality or quantity in canine exercise?

It is something heard often, especially among people with some of the higher energy breeds: ‘We walk for hours and miles, but the dog never gets tired!’ Home from a several mile hike, the humans in the household are about ready for a drink and possibly a nap, but their canine companion is still doing the wall of death around the living room or contemplating eating the dining table. In desperation, the family up the miles and hours of walking but the problem never seems to get any better. In fact, their livewire pooch is even more full of beans than ever! The issue spirals onwards, turning into a vicious cycle.

Confidence: an essential life characteristic

An article inspired by planning out and background reading for starting writing the follow up to 'Fight or Fright?'

What is the most important thing that a dog can be taught?

There are so many articles around telling us the cues or commands (on the maybe less enlightened sites) that every dog MUST know. I did it myself, on my last entry stressing the importance of installing a strong recall in every dog from a very early age. There are a number of cues that, for the sake of safety, responsibility and common sense, every dog should know and respond to well. This important thing is not a cue, a command, a request, or any kind of definitive action that either you or your dog will perform.

A good heel always impresses, however!

The most important thing you can instil in any dog that you bring in to your family is confidence.

Recall: Right from the start!

Welcoming a new puppy into the home is an exciting time. Bringing your cute new furry family member home is a wonderful feeling, watching them explore their new surrounding and all of the toys, beds and other treats you have likely prepared for them. It marks the beginning of a time of responsibility as well, however. You have brought a new little life into your world, and you are now responsible for them. High on the list of things to get right is teaching them the things they need to know properly.

"In space no one can hear you scream."

Behaviours, like sound waves, do not occur in a vacuum.

There are a number of opinions that I see frequently being expressed on various sites that tie in to the above. There is a particular saying about opinions and the fact that everyone has them which I always try to remember when reading opinions that I do not agree with. There are a couple that are frequently seen when it comes to the subject of canine behaviour.