Dog behaviour

We seem be be living in an, increasingly, stressful world. We worry about what people are saying on Facebook, Twitter or any other social media outlet. We worry about what people think about us in any circumstances throughout the day.

When considering dog owners, I see more and more people out with their dogs showing quite marked levels of stress and worry. Of course, this state has a direct impact on the’re dogs and their quality of life.

Dog owners are worried that a dog barks too much, is too boisterous, tugs on the lead, etc. The net result is that an outing with the dog is another source of stress to these owners. Dogs are kept away from people and other dogs. Owners keep dogs on lead and, continually rebuke them for the smallest misdemeanor in their eyes.

I think there is a need to help owners relax. They need to be able to enjoy going out with their dogs and allow their dogs to be dogs.

I am developing a course with my wife (First in The Q) aimed at helping people live happily with their dogs. It would be of interest to see what people think. Click on the image below to vote in my poll. Do you think a course would help?

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Once again, I find myself having to talk about owners not doing the best thing for the dogs in their charge.

A couple approached the group of dogs I was with, socializing with Ziggy (my pooch).  The approaching dog was a Setter on a 9 foot, or so, lead.  The owner was, continually, yanking hard on the lead and admonishing her dog.  She was, clearly, irritated by her dog. The crime this dog was guilty of? Well, it, simply, just wanted to meet the other dogs and people. It wasn’t pulling, uncontrollably, it was just a little excited.

I, politely, encouraged the owner to allow her dog to interact with the group. She did, to a point but, still kept yanking on the poor dog’s lead.  As it happens, I was advising a lady on using a suitable training lead to prevent her dogs pulling on the lead.  The new arrival, sort of listened but, it was clear that she wasn’t open to any advise. Her poor dog was getting the brunt of her irritation.

She had had this dog from a pup and it was now 2 years old.  So, the behaviour demonstrated by the owner had been going on for some time.  She said that she regularly took the dog to a trainer. Yet, two years in and her dog couldn’t walk on the lead without pulling.  Perhaps, time for a new trainer?

Unfortunately, any words from me were falling on closed ears here.

When we take on a dog, it is our responsibility to train them in the behaviours we desire. Walking without pulling on the lead is one of them. Skills such as these are not difficult to train, however, it requires effort from the owner.  Sometimes, these skills may take a little longer teach with certain dogs.  It serves no purpose, whatsoever, if the owner becomes angry with the dog – something, this, particular, owner clearly was.

Allowing a dog to continue with a behaviour for long periods will make it harder, but not impossible, to sort out at a later stage.  Clearly, if something you are doing isn’t working, STOP doing it and try something different. Showing anger and aggression to your dog is NEVER a good idea.  So, again, owners have to take responsibility and find, appropriate, ways to help the dogs in their charge.

‘I don’t understand. My dog is really friendly. Why did that dog try to attack my dog?’  I’m sure, we have all heard similar comments from dog owners. I met a chap with his lively Labrador yesterday.  He used similar phrases to describe an interaction with another owner.  But first, picture a common situation.

His  was a lively dog, friendly, enthusiastic and just wanted to play with every dog she sees. Yes, I know, these dogs are seen everywhere, running free and having a great time. So far, so good.

Today, this lively girl rushed up to Ziggy (my dog) and bounced around her, excitedly, getting ‘in her face.’ Both dogs were off lead. I monitored Ziggy’s response; in this case, she was fairly relaxed so, no action was required from the humans.

This, happy picture wasn’t the case a few days ago when the lively lab rushed up to a dog on the lead with a female owner, with her male partner nearby. This time, the dog on the lead reacted aggressively and lunged towards the lab. The owners, equally, reacted with some aggression, shouting and demanding that the lab should be put on the lead.

The lab owner, was incensed. After all, it was the other dog that was aggressive – NOT his, ‘friendly’ pup. Who’s right and who’s wrong? What should have happened?

The first issue is the dog on the lead. The approaching owner has no idea why the dog is on the lead. It might be fearful, aggressive or, perhaps, is recovering from injury. Whatever, the reason it is important to understand that a dog, on a lead, can react differently to one of the lead. If they cannot escape (flee) a situation that bothers them, the next strategy is, often to show aggression (fight or flight).

The owner with the approaching, of lead, dog, needs to think about the picture in front of him. It is not, acceptable, to adopt the approach that your dog, because it is friendly and just wants to make friends and play, will be well received by the dog on the lead. It may go against the grain, but if you can’t control you’re excitable dog, you must put it on the lead. This will prevent any unfortunate incidents as described above.

Not, only will you be keeping you’re dog out of trouble and away from the risk of injury, you will be helping the other dog and, helping it by not forcing it into a behavioural response that is undesirable.

The message to take away is that you must assume responsibility for the behaviour of you’re dog and, ensure you keep it from bothering other dog walkers and, to keep it away from, potential problems.

There are thousands of, unfortunate, dogs that need re-homing throughout the U.K.  Many organisations put up dogs for rescue; many are destined to remain in rescue centres for long periods of time.

This is a question that troubles me. I wonder, WHY is this the case?  Rescue dogs are of particular interest to me.  I believe, they are often misunderstood, often resulting in difficulty in finding these dogs new homes. People are, simple, put of.

Visit any number of dog re-homing sites and you will see comments such as ‘not good with cats’ or ‘doesn’t get along with other dogs’ or ‘ must be only animal in home.’  Now, of course, there might be situations where this type of comment is true.  However, many times the opposite is the case.

I have, personally, re-homed ‘difficult’ dogs that were at ‘the last chance saloon.’ Often these dogs had, apparently, serious issues. However, with care, understanding and advice – these ‘difficult dogs’ lived long and happy lives and, overcame most of their issues.

Working with these ‘difficult dogs’ is what prompted me to train as a canine behaviourist. I had always thought I knew a lot about dogs. Well, I was wrong. Through properly studying canine behaviour I came to realize that my lack of knowledge had made it harder than is should have been to help some of the dogs in my charge.

Dogs that find themselves needing new homes, usually through no fault of their own, can’t speak up for themselves and let us ‘humans’ know what troubles them.  It is, therefore, incumbent on us to try to understand each and every rescued dog that needs our help.

I would urge, those, kind people, who wish to help a dog, NOT to be put of by descriptions on websites. Visit these dogs, take advice and ask questions. If you can, ask the advice of a canine behaviourist who, may be able to help you and your, potential, new canine addition to your family. Remember, introducing a new dog to your home needs careful thought and, needs to be done in the right way. It can be a challenge, but, believe me, it is one worth your time.

I was chatting to a lady today who was out with her young pup – around 6 months old.  She had been trying to train her dog and to do the right things at home. However, it was proving difficult. Her situation is one that is all too common.

Whilst, she was trying to do the right things; train her dog to sit, walk on the lead, not beg for food, etc, her partner wasn’t.

I see this quite frequently. A dog is brought ito the home. One person is very committed to the dog but, the partner isn’t interested. As far as they are concerned the dog is the responsibility of the other person, its’ their dog. This means they do not involve themselves in the development or the care of the dog. In fact, they ignore everything that the, responsible, partner is trying to achieve with the new dog.

For example – one person makes the dog lie down when the humans are eating, the other allows the dog to beg and rewards it for doing so.  One person stops the dog from jumping up, the other encourages it and rewards it by interacting with it.  I think you get the picture.

This situation is grossly unfair on the dog. It has no consistency, therefore it will become confused. Dogs’ need structure. Without this, they will not develop reliable behaviour and will struggle in the home and away from it.

The message here is do not bring a dog into your home unless, it is a decision agreed by all, the adults, that live there. It has to be a group thing – EVERYONE takes responsibility for the new dog – they ALL do the SAME things. If this is not going to be possible – do not get a dog.

Over the past week or so, I have met a number of  owners of ‘reactive dogs.’  Two different examples follow.

The first person had 2 dogs, one of which was a nervy, mildy reactive terrier.  He’d been attacked a couple of times and now snapped at other dogs.  Therefore, the owner tried to keep him away from other dogs. A responsible approach.

After chatting with me for a period, she understood more about how to help her ageing little fella.  I saw her a few days later and she had followed my advice – the difference in her pup was marked. He had made significant progress, in a very short time, and was much more relaxed around other dogs.  He still had his moments but, they were definitely improving.

The second individual, I encountered today.  She approached the water with a number of other dogs, all on the lead. Ziggy was splashing around with me in the water.  This owner, let one of her dogs off and kept one on the lead, adopting a very defensive attitude to Ziggy who was showing passing interest but, wasn’t getting near her dog. She explained that her dog had been attacked a couple of times and was now very aggressive to dogs it didn’t know. Therefore, she kept it on the lead. This lady was not open to any advice – her dog would get over it in time (highly likely, it wouldn’t without help).

Heres’ the thing, dogs, often, struggle to ‘get over things’ without our help. In these cases, simply keeping them on an extendable lead is NOT helping.  Seeking some professional advice and working with your dog is the way to go.

For example, my dog, Ziggy, has been attacked and injured twice.  She has not been kept away from other dogs but, has, instead, continued to be socialised, at the same time, keeping her away from potential problems.  Takes a little thought and effort but, it is worthwhile.  Not doing so, fails to address the needs of a dog.

Parliament has just debated whether or not Staffordshire Bull Terriers should be placed on the dangerous dogs register (16/07/2018) . Fortunately, sense won the day and, the petition was rejected. In my opinion, rightly so.

This debate was forced by a petition from The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).  They argued that the breeding of such dogs, encouraged their abuse. Therefore, banning them would sort this out.

Of course, this ignored the thousands of responsible owners of ‘the nanny dog.’ Anyone with a hint of common sense would understand that the problem is the owners who treat these dogs as trophies and status symbols. There are very few ‘bad’ dogs, there are many thousands of ‘bad’ owners.

ANY dog can become dangerous in the wrong hands. Is PETA going to insist that all breeds with potential, in their eyes, to exhibit uncontrolled and dangerous aggresion should be banned?  So, no more German Sheppards, Rottweilers and Dobermans.  All of which are beautiful breeds that need competent owners and, all of which are powerful and capable of harm. In the hands of competent owners, all of these breeds make great family pets.

It is, rarely if ever, the dogs fault for being encouraged to demonstrate aggressive and dangerous behaviour.  Organisations such as PETA should think, carefully, before seeking to impose draconian measures on responsible dog owners.

Finally, back to the Staffie.  This, lovely breed, is known as the ‘nanny dog’ for good reason.  They make great family pets and are, usually, great with children.  The, occasional horror story, involving this breed can, more often than not, be traced back to what a human has done to generate an extreme behavioural response from the dog.

Staffies are very gregarious, sociable and lively.  They are, however a powerful breed and, their temperament is such that they do not back down – if another dog gets in their face, they will fight. This can be said of most dogs – some react more quickly and decisely than others. It is up to responsible owners to do the right thing and keep their dogs away from potentially inflammable situations.

I am staggered by the number of dog owners I see that think it is acceptable to hit their dogs. (I will not be using any pictures in this post — they will be too upsetting for most caring dog owners).

I would recommend ‘How dogs learn (Burch MR et al, 1999)” as a good starting point for those interested in doing the best for their dogs.

Modern canine behaviourists and trainers adopt positive procedures to train dogs. The other end of the spectrum is the trainer who thinks ‘breaking a dog’ through physical punishment is the best way.

Frankly, I would hope that we have progressed over the past 50 years and, now take the view that physical punishment is purely just cruelty. Most of the incidents of this type of abuse are perpetrated by owners that are angry and, simply, lose it when their dogs does not do what they want. Often, they physically assault there dogs, simply because they can.

Two recent examples I have witnessed whilst out with my rescued deerhound:

a) A woman had two, lively (as is the norm for the breed), springer spaniels. In the space of a couple of minutes, this woman, clearly in a temper tantrum, struck one of the dogs, repeatedly with a leash, whilst shouting at it. Ridiculous and downright cruel.

b) A man, with two dogs behind a low garden wall — a boxer and a staffordshire bull terrier, struck both his dogs with a strap as I approached. From what I could see, their crime was to have just shown a little interest in my approaching dog. The dogs stayed behind the wall as I passed. A glance over my shoulder saw the man again strike the dogs with the strap. Why? I have no idea.

Physical punishment such as the above is simply cruel and ineffective — the dog learns nothing from such abuse, just fear of the owner.

Burch M R et al (1999) describes, in behavioural terms, punishers taking a number of forms:

1. Time out
   Withdrawal of attention / time out (separated, for instance: in another room or kept on the lead in a park away from the play of other dogs.
2. Response cost
   Removal of toys / removal of play time
3. Verbal reprimand
   Aahh!! / NO!! / Stop that!!, etc
4. Physical punisher
   Leash correction (jerk on the leash) — considered by many to be reasonable / hit / shove with foot to stop a behaviour / knee in the chest (stop jumping) / pinch collar / shock collar, etc
5. Natural punisher
   Bitten by another animal whilst sticking head down a whole, for instance

The issue of physical punishment is, for me, clear. Sometimes the gentle jerking on a leash might be required — but that is it. Any more than that is abuse. ALL of the other examples described in 4 above, are examples of abuse. NONE of them should EVER be considered.

A dog that is cruelly treated, for whatever reason the human (wrongly) thinks it is an appropriate response, will only learn to be fearful or aggressive, or both.

I strongly recommend that, if you really are a dog lover, you do some reading. “How dogs learn” is a reasonable starting point.

A positively well trained dog is a happy dog!

Reference
Burch, M.R. & Bailey, J.S., 1999, How dogs learn, Howell Book House.

So, we have a bit of a heat wave in the UK. Unfortunately, there are, as usual, many dog owners that do not understand that extreme heat and dogs don’t mix well.
I was at the beautiful North Norfolk Holkham beach at the weekend. The weather was forecast to be fine and hot. So a trip to the sea was in order with Ziggy. A trip not to be taken lightly.

Here’s the thing — dog’s have fur coats. They wear them all the time. They can’t strip down in the heat. They struggle to regulate their temperatures. Therefore, it is up to us to help them.

So, back to Ziggy. We got to the beach early, around 10am — an early start for us humans but very important for Ziggy. We went to the beach and had a couple of hours fun in the water. By midday it was very hot. Time to get back to the air-conditioning of the car, more food and water for us all. Then back home. Yes — a fairly short trip but a very enjoyable one.

What was everyone else doing? Well, clearly, after having a nice lie in and a leisurely trip to the beach, the great unwashed were turning up now the temperature was really getting hot. There were tiny children, countless dogs all swarming to the now boiling beach. The small children were already crabby. It seems that many dog owners are not listening or, are not prepared to adjust how they do things when they have a dog or, a child for that matter.

Dogs can suffer with heatstroke, a potentially fatal condition. Something that is entirely preventable. Some of the signs:

• Heavy panting or rapid breathing
• Lethargy, drowsy or uncoordinated
• Excessive drooling
• Glazed eyes
• Weakness or seizures
• Vomiting
• Bloody diarrhoea
• Seizures or collapse

How to avoid it:

Never leave the pet in a parked car, even for a few minutes, and break the window if you see an animal trapped in a vehicle who is clearly in trouble (you might be in a little bother with the law but, you may save the dog’s life) .

Walk your dog before the sun comes up in the morning or after sunset and, if they are outside in the day make sure they have access to complete shade and plenty of water.

Avoid long car journeys.

Stay off hot pavements. As well as burning your dog’s paws, heat rising off concrete and asphalt can overheat smaller breeds.

Limit the walks. Too much physical exertion in hot weather can cause heatstroke.

Make sure your dog has plenty of drinking water to stop them becoming dehydrated and ensure they are drinking it.

Gently hose or sponge them down with cool water to lower their body temperature.

Consider using a rectal thermometer to take your dog’s temperature

If your dog is showing signs of heatstroke, do the following:

The RSPCA say for the best chance of survival, dogs suffering from heatstroke urgently need to have their body temperature lowered gradually.

• Move him/her to a shaded/cool area.
• Immediately douse the dog with cool (not cold) water, to avoid shock. If possible, you can also use wet towels or place him/her in the breeze of a fan.
• Allow the dog to drink small amounts of cool water.
• Continue to douse the dog with cool water until his/her breathing starts to settle but never so much that he/she begins to shiver.

Once the dog is cool, take him/her to the nearest vet as a matter of urgency.

Failure to act promptly could result in the dog’s death.

Final thought — prevention is better than cure. Think about your dog before venturing out on hot days.

I make no apologies for posting this again.  Only yesterday, I saw 3 large dogs in the back of an enclosed truck – the sliding windows a few inches open.  It was extremely hot, however, the dogs owners – a few yards away, were queuing for coffee, while the’re dogs were, clearly, overheating.

THINK ABOUT YOUR DOGS!

Time – 11.30 – Temp – 30C.  This is NOT the time to take dogs out.  I have seen multiple idiots today with their dogs – walking them in extreme temperature on hot pavements, in the blazing sunshine. NO! NO! NO!

I make no apologies for posting this article again.  What is it that idiot dog owners do not understand – heat can KILL a dog.  In temperatures like we are experiencing at the moment – take your dog out early or a lot later in the evening – when it is COOLER.  Better still. get of your butts and take you dog to the nearest river, stream or sea and get them in the water to cool down.

C’mon people, THINK!

I came across a chap with his terrier type dog this morning whilst out with Ziggy. He proceeded to behave, somewhat, oddly with his dog.
As we approached, he turned away from us, shortened the dogs’ lead and made him sit, all the while blocking the dogs’ line of site to us. During our approach he was also constantly feeding his dog treats.

As we reached him, he continued to try to get between his dog and us. Of course, I asked him what he was doing. ‘Stopping my dog looking at your dog’ came the reply. Strange indeed.

He explained that his dog could be a little unpredictable. I asked him to relax and allow his dog to relax a little also – as the dog sat, calmly, I offered him and my dog a treat – duly taken by both dogs.

I have seen this type of behaviour replicated a number of times now. In my opinion, this is a disturbing trend in how to deal with ‘reactive’ dogs.  In fact, it is counter-productive.  Instead of dealing with a behavioural issue, owners are encouraged to take this, rather drastic, avoidance action.  This doesn’t serve the dog well – in fact, this may prevent him from getting over his behaviour issue.

What should be happen is that the dog with reactive issues should be exposed to dogs in a controlled manner – at distance and then ever closer as the dog begins to calm when in proximity of other dogs – desensitisation.

There are always exceptions to the rule. Some dogs are extremely reactive and it can prove very difficult to help them modify their behaviour.  These dogs need to be dealt with very carefully by experienced handlers.

However, the majority of dogs, can be helped with careful desensitisation to the issue that challenges them.  Simply, stopping the dog from experiencing other dogs or situations naturally is a flawed approach.

So, think carefully before adopting the ’out of sight, out of mind’ approach too readily.

I met a couple with a very excited dog today.  It reminded me of my time in the Royal Navy.

Way back in 1982, after 9 years, I found myself drafted to my first ship.  This was, of course, en route to the Falklands Islands and a conflict going on in those chilly waters..

I had been used to the RN focus on exercises and drills.  Stay with me, I get back to the dog a little later.

During the 7000 mile passage to the war zone, we were exercised and drilled relentlessly. Action stations, crash landing, man overboard, fires, casualties, the list goes on.  At the time, it seemed a pain in the neck. However, there was a serious point to all of this,  By the time, there was any real incident, the exercises had made the ships’ company’s responses automatic, second nature. It could be the difference between life and death.

So, you may be wondering, what does this have to do with the owners and their excitable dog? Well, quite a lot, actually.

The owners of this dog, had done some training but, now didn’t bother that much. This is the point, right there. Unlike, the Royal Navy, this couple did not understand the importance of repetition.  Dogs will not retain their training if it is not reinforced by repetition throughout the dogs’ life. This is fundamental to the approach adopted by the Royal Navy. It is no good just doing some training, maybe repeated a couple of time. It has to be practiced to make it stick.

Dogs are no different.  If you want a dog to change its’ behaviour and to respond appropriately in any situation you must practice. There is no BIG RED BUTTON that does the job.  It is through the owners effort, commitment and persistence that a dog learns what is required of it and, how to live with another, very strange species, US.

In April 2018 the Times newspaper reported there were 130,000 dogs in UK rescue centres. a staggering number of animal, I think most sane people would agree.
Perhaps it is time that the rescue centres revised their re-homing policies. I’ve visited some of the bigger charities websites such as the RSPCA and the Dogs Trust – both advise that there is no lower age limit for children.  However, I meet quite a few prospective re-homers that have been advised by these organisations that they do not allow dogs to go to homes with children below a certain age (this varies).

A recent example, that came to my attention, was a friend of mine with a daughter aged around 2 ½ years. He is very experienced with dogs and clearly knows what he is doing.  Nevertheless, he was turned away from quite a few centres because of his daughters’ age.

I understand the reservations displayed by rescue centres. They re-home and something happens – they find themselves with negative publicity and, possibly, in court. No good for anyone.

There are many ‘behaviourists’ dotted around the UK.  Rescue centres should, maybe, call upon them to carefully assess dogs for their suitability for re-homing with young children.  This should be supported by a program aimed at helping the re-homing family to understand their dog and to do the right things to integrate it into their family home.

I know this is quite simplistic.  However, we need to try to find reasons to re-home these unfortunate dogs rather, than find reasons not to.

In every vet surgery, pet shop or any store selling pet supplies you will see them.  Hanging in their rows and plastic cases, promising the owner the perfect answer for walking their dogs.

Why, with these leads, you need never fear your dog running off again and, they get to have a good walk on their extending lead.  Fantastic right?

Well…No.

These types of leads are aimed at those owners that are not prepared to put the time in to train their dog properly.

Using these leads prevents a dog from experiencing a free run and a walk, free from the umbilical cord tethering them to their owner. Dogs needs to be able to explore their surrounding, be it woodland, the beach or any other area that allows them to be a dog or, indeed, to socialise properly with their own kind.

Many owners point out to me that their dogs enjoy their walk on these leads and get plenty of socialisation at the same time.  This is delusional.  The ONLY reason these leads are used are for the convenience of the owner, NOT the well-being of the dog.

These types of lead never control the dog, they just can’t run off.  They, in my opinion, represent a danger to other animal and humans; they wrap round arms and legs and cause injuries.

It is the responsibility of owners to make sure their dogs are properly trained in lead walking and recall.

So, please, stop making excuses – if you are unable or unprepared to do what is right for your dog, think carefully whether the dog is getting the quality of life it deserves.

Consider this. You have a young child, maybe 4 or 5 years old. You have a big, open garden that you like to let you’re child play in. He, however, is adventurous so, he likes to go further afield. To stop him straying you decide that you can use technology to help. You fit him with a little collar which, if he strays too far, gives him an electric shock to stop him. Great idea, right? Not cruel at all. By now, you are probably screaming at the screen, asking how could I suggest such a barbaric thing!

Of course, you are right — it is cruel and barbaric. So why then does Michael Gove (the environment minister) think it OK to inflict such cruelty on dogs and cats?

Mind you, Mr Gove has been given the enlightened support of backbenchers such as John Hayes; not to mention luminaries such as Stephen Redgrave (a skilled rower of boats but, probably not an expert in animal behaviour and welfare) — Mr Redgrave uses shock collars on his dog and he points out that they, are clearly, not cruel at all — he has come to this view based on what, exactly?

Animal charities such as the Blue Cross and the RSPCA are, clearly,upset by this decision. The Blue Cross considers that the selling of shock collars, for any purpose, would legitimise their use. However, why should Mr Gove take any notice of these professionals when he can rely on backbenchers and supporters like Mr Redgrave? Perhaps supporters of these cruel devices would like to wear them for a period and experience their effects?

These types of devices fall into the same category as choke and pronged collars. They are the crutches for people who are not prepared to make the effort to ensure they train the’re animals properly and kindly. A lazy and cruel way to control our animals.

Mr Gove needs to understand these simple facts and reconsider his stance. A shocking state of affairs.

Cats hate dogs and dogs hate cats — right? Well, this is not always the case. These, traditional mortal enemies, can actually get along pretty well.

I am often asked about bringing a dog into a home with an existing cat or vice versa. This is a source of concern for many people who would like to have cats and dogs living together.

Recently, I met a family who had two young, fairly large, lively dogs. They lived on a farm with some kittens who were semi-feral and had been expected to live in the barn while earning their keep as ratters.

In this case, the kittens had other ideas, it was far nicer indoors than in the barn. They were now, regularly making themselves at home in the house. One of the dogs showed zero interest in the kittens, the other was unsure of how to react and had chased them a couple times.

The family asked for my help with the situation.

The key to success is to gradually introduce the new pets. Clearly, common sense dictates that the pets should be kept separate whilst not under supervision, certainly while they are getting used to each other.

Your existing pet will already have areas in the house that it considers to be of high value. Suddenly allowing a new addition access to these areas is a recipe for problems. It is important to understand that introducing a new pet, in this case a number of kittens, into a household is a significant change to the social structure in the eyes of your dog.

The dogs were allowed to be in proximity of the cats in a controlled manner. This allowed them to become more relaxed and accepting of the new housemates. This type of thing should be done carefully, under the guidance of a trained behaviourist.

So, don’t be put off from introducing different species to each other, just make sure you do it with professional guidance.

Image credit: kitty.green66 — Flicker

So, you have a dog with problems. Who do you call? Certainly not ghostbusters!

During my work over the past few years, I have met quite a few dog owners with worrying tales to tell of their experiences with dog trainers and behaviourists.

Some of the advice they are given is staggeringly bad, from keeping dogs indoors for weeks at a time or physically punishing them in one way or another or, just being told that they, the ‘professionals’ cannot help their dog.

One, unfortunate, soul has had the experience of three ‘professional’ behaviourists:

One visited and sat in a room, apart from the dog, and gave her opinions to the owner at the cost of over £100, without, ever, evaluating the dog.

Another told the owner to keep her dog ‘quiet’ for a year!

The other took one look, from a car, and told the owner to return the dog to the rescue centre.

Frankly, all of these examples are staggering.

It is not surprising, that with the shoddy advice, that the poor dog has not been helped over the past three years. The poor owner has struggled over this time and continues to do so.

Unfortunately, there are many courses out there all purporting to give people the skills required to be a behaviourist or trainer. Many of these courses are of very low quality. The problem is then made worse by the number of ‘professional bodies’ that impart the veneer of professionalism to people with limited knowledge and skills, making them an extremely poor choice to help dogs and their owners.

Research is vitally important when choosing someone to help you with your dog. Ask your vet for recommendations and then research these people to find out their level of training and experience. Don’t be wowed with fancy certificates and membership of impressive-sounding professional bodies. People who have studied a few courses at level three — providing basic training — are unlikely to possess the depth of knowledge required to deal with the complex behavioural issues that dogs may present.

Any behaviourist worth their salt will refer you to your vet, initially — the vet should be aware of the behaviourist and be prepared to refer you to them. All behaviourists should take a full history of your pet and discuss with you how to progress. They should also be prepared to visit for followup and to observe the dog in the situations were behavioural issues present.

Ultimately, be very careful who you engage to help you with your dog.

There’s nothing quite like seeing your pooch enjoying himself. Swimming, running, chasing things, jumping; the sheer joy they show when allowed to have fun is fantastic to behold.

Footballers are regularly sidelined through injuries to their cruciate ligaments. One of the hazards of playing football, certainly in the rarified professional level.

It comes as no surprise then that dogs, who have cruciate ligaments in their knees, can suffer similar injuries. Some breeds appear more susceptible than others to this type of injury. Larger breeds such as St Bernard, Newfoundland through to Labradors, Rottweilers commonly suffer with cruciate damage. Of course, many other breeds do too.

Exercise is a factor but other considerations are excessive weight, older dogs ligaments can degenerate and weaken, arthritis and other abnormalities.

It is not unusual for a dog to tear a cruciate when simply walking, as happened to one of my dogs a few years ago. A common cause in active dogs is chasing a frisbee. The act of jumping, often twisting in the air, and landing puts excessive strain on the dog’s knees, often resulting in cruciate damage. This happened to my current dog, Ziggy.

A damaged cruciate ligament is an extremely painful condition for your dog. Occasionally, there may be some improvement over time with conservative treatment which consists of restricting your dogs’s activity. Usually, however, the only real course of action is surgery. This is expensive, ranging from £800 to £3000 and above.

Ziggy recovering from cruciate repair surgery

I, of course, am not suggesting you don’t allow your dog to exercise fully and to have fun. I do, however, suggest that you consider what type of dog you have and what is the appropriate level and types of exercise for them. Certainly, manage their weight and be aware of the factors that might predispose your dog to this very painful, debilitating and expensive injury.

I for one, will not be playing any frisbee with Ziggy again. No matter how much she enjoys it. It’s back to chasing balls and plenty of swimming.

So, you have got a couple of lovely dogs who get on really well together. You’ve got plenty of room so why not get another dog? It seems a great idea. Off you go to the local rescue centre and find the perfect addition to your little band of fur balls. You go through the checks including introducing your pups to the new one at the centre. Everything goes fine, the perfect match!

For the first few days, everything seems OK, the new dog seems to be fitting in well. Then, for no apparent reason, things start to go wrong. The new dog has started to become aggressive with one of the others but, not the other one. He is baring his teeth and looks like he wants to fight with the other dog. You are struggling to understand this. The rescue centre said there where no behavioural problems with the new dog. In fact, they said she got on well with other dogs and was a bit of a cutie.

This is not an uncommon problem. So, what is going on? The first thing to understand is this is nothing to do with lack of socialisation. This is more likely to do status. Dogs are similar to wolves when in groups — there is a strict hierarchy and deference shown to pack members. The new dog may be challenging the status of the other dog it is showing aggression to. Interdog aggression (as demonstrated here) is not common in households with more than one dog. In these situations is is more likely to occur between dogs of the same sex. Often seen in females, but it can happen with males (particularly un-castrated ones).

This is a difficult and dangerous problem. If, for instance, the dog that is the object of the aggression is totally submissive it is entirely possible that the aggressor will move in to kill the other dog. This may sound over dramatic but this can be the case. This is a problem that needs dealing with quickly.

Observing the behaviour of the dogs will help you to understand what is going on. You will see that the aggressor challenges the targeted dog. these challenges may be active such as those over food, toys or seeking attention from the owners — if the challenged dog backs down, the situation usually resolves. Passive aggression involves posturing and staring, for instance. If the other dog does not back down, aggression ensues. Other behaviours may include pushing the targeted dog out the way when going through doors, claiming the other dogs sleeping area and taking the other dogs food, for instance. You get the picture.

In fact, conflict and aggression can result in any context involving deference and hierarchy. Interdog aggression usually becomes apparent when a dog reaches maturity (18 to 24 months old) therefore, it is not uncommon for someone to have two dogs living happily together and then, when one of them reaches maturity, all hell breaks loose.

What to do? First things first. If the dog is female, get it neutered — this will reduce hormonal fluctuations that can be contributing to the problem. If the problem dog is male, get it castrated. A castrated male tends to be calmer and less reactive.

It would be wrong of me to go into too much detail on how to deal with this problem from a behavioural perspective. This will need you to seek help from a ‘qualified’ canine behaviourist. The aim in this situation is to establish a pack order — to do this your behaviourist will consider quite a few factors.

The bottom line is that the aggressor or the targeted dog, depending on the circumstances will need to be reinforced as the, if you like, senior dog in the pack. This means, for instance, it gets fed first, it gets played with first, it get preferential treatment for most things. This will establish it as the top dog, the other dog/s will learn to accept this. It sounds very straightforward. It is, only if the right protocols are put into place and ALL the humans in the household adhere to them.

So, don’t despair, this is not an insurmountable problem. It does, however, require professional help. If you have this problem — don’t give up and good luck.

When your dog is in a group of other dogs it is important that you are aware of body language and group dynamics. Things can change quickly.

Here is an example to illustrate my point. While out with Ziggy a couple of days ago, enjoying the river and having fun playing with a young, very good natured Rottweiler bitch, other dogs began to arrive on the scene.

From just two dogs playing, it quickly became five or six. All these dogs were getting along pretty well — playing nicely. The young Rottie was getting on well with the growing gang. Then, another dog joined the fun. This was a young, fairly small, Poodle X. This dog was intact (not castrated) — an important point.

The group dynamic changed quickly. The usual pleasantries seemed to be observed — sniffing of rear ends, etc. The new arrival appeared to be a little pushy and in the face of the other dogs. This wasn’t that obvious to the untrained eye — but, it was there.

The happy Rottie suddenly turned on the smaller male dog, giving chase and snapping at it’s back. It didn’t bite the other dog but, may have done. Of course the owner of the smaller dog was screaming as the Rottie was got under control. The Rottie quickly calmed down. The other dog was removed by the angry owner — offended by the Rottie ‘attacking’ her dog.

So, what caused the fun session to turn sour so quickly?

The ‘guilty’ party here was the Poodle X. He was trying to exert his dominance over the other dogs — not unusual behaviour for an intact male. This, often, does not always lead to problems. However, in this case, the larger Rottie was not impressed and was certainly not going to defer to the Poodle X — net result is that the Rottie turned on the offending dog and asserted her authority. A natural canine response. This does not mean that the Rottie is an aggressive or ‘bad’ dog — she is, simply, responding to the Poodle’s challenge.

Could this outcome have been foreseen and avoided. The simple answer is yes.

By observing the dogs/s it is possible to spot the warning signs. In this case, some of the dogs, including the Rottie, were visibly displaying that they were uncomfortable with the attentions of the Poodle.

Two things should have been done here: firstly the Poodle’s owner should have moved their dog on or put it on the lead. The Rottie’s owner should have done similar or, at least, put her dog on the lead. I know — this doesn’t seem fair. However, it is better to take your dog out of a situation that may result in it having to respond as the Rottie did. Dogs, if exposed to this sort of situation a few times, can develop a standard response — in this case, showing aggression to other dogs.

I would also recommend, on the advice from your vet, castrating male dogs — this can help prevent these types of problems.

The take home message here, is to keep an eye on your dog and, on the other dogs it may be interacting with. The old adage ‘prevention is better than the cure’ holds true here.

It is quite common to see dogs out with their owners with bright jackets on warning their dog is nervous.

Here’s the thing. No matter how cute you think the dog is and, how much you want to say hello and stroke the dog. STOP. LISTEN to the owner and abide by their wishes. They know their dog — you do not.

These dogs need understanding and our help. Often these dogs will be undergoing a period of behaviour therapy designed to help them with any issues they may have. It is not uncommon for dogs such as these to react badly to approaches from strangers. This is not their fault — it is the fault of the stranger who insists on invading the dog’s space.

The net result can often be the dog snapping, biting or showing other forms of aggression. Do not be fooled by the dog that lies down or even sniffs you with no apparent reaction. This can, simply, be a prelude to the dog reacting in the only way it can — biting or snapping.

Of course, when a dog reacts badly to a stranger, the person often then responds with demands to discipline the dog or keep it away from them. Never mind the fact that they ignored the request of the owner or, indeed, the warning of a high vis jacket declaring this might be a dog with issues.

Dogs, generally, react to many situations, particularly one that they perceive as threatening in one of two ways. They either take flight if they can or, they attack if they can’t escape. This is why a dog on a lead often reacts badly.

These dogs are perceiving a threat that doesn’t exist and are then forced to react, inappropriately to it. While these dogs can be helped, it takes time. To help an owner with such a dog. Stop, listen and do as they ask you. For instance, don’t look directly at the dog, don’t approach it, rather walk calmly and quickly by. Doing these types of thing might deny you the chance of stroking the dog. It can, however, be a significant step to helping the dog overcome it’s fears.

So, resist the temptation to approach a strange dog and take the time to listen to an owner. In this way you can help a troubled dog.

Unfortunately, I still hear far too many stories of dogs being procured by owners using inappropriate sources. These may be back street traders, puppy farms, unlicensed breeders and, indeed pet shops.

It may seem a good idea to buy a puppy from the sources mentioned above. Let me be clear — IT IS NOT. I whole heartedly agree with Catherine Douglas, Lecturer in Animal Science, Newcastle University who published a piece in The Conversation on September 2017 — https://uk.news.yahoo.com/puppy-farmed-dogs-show-worse-150555847.html

The fact that there are many thousands of dogs languishing in the highly stressful environment of rescue centres throughout the UK is a national disgrace.

Why risk spending cash on an unfortunate dog who has been bred, indiscriminately, for the sole reason of making money for the people concerned. To reiterate Catherine, these dogs will most likely be unhealthy (often living for short times), unvaccinated and poorly socialised and developed behaviourally.

Clearly, true animal lovers will take time and research the best dog for them and the best place to source them from.

I would suggest that you should think about rescuing a dog, one that really needs your help and resist the temptation to fixate on a breed. Do not listen to the rubbish talked by people who are ignorant about dogs. A rescue dog can prove less trouble that that cuddly puppy you have you eye on. Yes, they may have some issues that may be a little challenging but, of course, you can get help from a professional if needed.

Resist the temptation to make an expensive mistake that may be emotionally damaging for you family, particularly if your ‘new’ pup is in ill health or has issues that force you to give him up. I know it sounds alarmist but, it is an unfortunate fact that this is often the result off getting a dog the ‘cash and carry’ way.

You will be surprised by the dogs that are sitting, waiting to be rescued by you. So, go on, take a look.

Here’s the thing. There are no quick solutions for adapting behaviour or training our dogs. It’s not like Dr Who — you know, press the red button and the Daleks are exterminated. No — helping your dog takes TIME. If you accept this simple fact, things will be clearer.

I see many people when I am out and about that fail to recognise the importance of time, consistency and repetition when trying to help their dogs.

Some common examples:

My dog won’t come back so I never let him of the lead

My dog doesn’t like other dogs so I keep him away from them

My dog is frightened of people and other dogs so I always keep him on the lead and away from the things that frighten him.

If we look at the examples one by one, we find:

The dog that never comes back has run off a couple of times and the owner has spent an hour looking for him. Therefore, he can’t be trained in recall or trusted to be of the lead.

The dog that doesn’t like other dogs has not been socialised properly and keeping him away will only make matters worth.

The dog that is frightened is so ‘protected’ by the owner that his fear is compounded by every experience where his owners pushes other dogs or people away by their actions. Again, this is a recipe to strongly reinforce the dog’s fearful behaviour.

Nearly all of the people I meet while out with my dog that recount variations of the examples above have been to trainers and behaviourists. Unfortunately, some are given bad advice but, I am sure, others give good advice backed up with a plan of action to be followed to help the dog.

REMEMBER — the importance of taking time and resisting the urge to rush or miss out steps is critical for success.

Many people have a reasonable idea on the things they need to do, having taken advice. However, at the first sign of difficulty such as the dog disappearing into the woods, they give up and take the easy route. Keeping the dog on the lead makes THEIR life a lot easier — right? That might be the case, but for your dog it is, simply, failing them and denying them a full and rich life of exercise and socialisation that they deserve.

So, if you have taken the time to seek out professional help because you want the best for you and your dog, follow the advice you have been given. Take the time to do it properly and consistently. Do not be tempted to cut corners or, to give up because it’s difficult for you. You owe it to your dog to work at it and do it right.