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Understanding Dog Reactivity

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 16:56:53 GMT

If your dog barks, lunges, growls, or becomes overwhelmed around other dogs, people, or situations, you're not alone. Reactivity is one of the most common challenges dog owners face, and understanding why it happens is the first step towards helping your dog feel calmer and more confident.

What Is Dog Reactivity?

Reactive behaviour can present in many different ways. Some dogs bark and lunge at other dogs, while others may vocalise, pull on the lead, or become highly aroused in certain situations. Reactivity is often rooted in an emotional response, such as fear, frustration, stress, or feeling trapped.

The important thing to remember is that reactive behaviour is communication. Your dog is telling you that they are struggling to cope with something in their environment.

Learning to Spot the Early Warning Signs

Many dogs show subtle signs of discomfort long before they bark or lunge. Recognising these early signals can help you intervene before your dog reaches their emotional threshold. According to Lisa Sinnott, signs of discomfort may include:

Eyes

Dilated pupils
Showing the whites of the eyes ("whale eye")

Ears

Ears pinned back

Face

Tension around the forehead
Tightness around the mouth

Body

Freezing
Hiding behind their owner
Raised hackles (fur standing on end)

Tail

High, fast tail wagging
Tail tucked underneath the body

By learning to recognise these signs, you can create distance from a trigger and help your dog feel safer before they feel the need to react.

Why Do Dogs Become Reactive?

One of the most damaging myths in the dog world is that reactive dogs are always the result of poor ownership. In reality, there are many factors that can contribute to reactive behaviour. These include:

Genetics
Temperament
Negative experiences
Insufficient or poor-quality socialisation
Stressful life events

Every dog is an individual, and their experiences shape how they respond to the world around them.

The Role of Stress

Stress plays a major role in reactive behaviour. Dogs can experience stress from many sources, including:

Pain or discomfort
Scary experiences
Stressful travel
Encounters with other dogs
Constant pressure to control impulses

When stressful experiences occur repeatedly without enough time to recover, a dog's "stress bucket" can overflow. At this point, even relatively minor triggers can result in reactive behaviour.

This is why recovery time, enrichment, and positive experiences are so important.

Change the Environment, Change the Outcome

When dogs are highly stressed, learning becomes more difficult. Busy environments filled with dogs, noise, and activity can quickly overwhelm a reactive dog, making it harder for them to focus on training or make good choices. Decompression is very important - for some dogs they need this prior to any behaviour modification plan.

Instead, consider:

Walking in quieter locations
Choosing less busy times of day
Allowing your dog opportunities to sniff and explore

Reducing pressure on both you and your dog can significantly improve your training progress and overall relationship.

Understanding Lead Reactivity

Lead reactivity is a common issue that can look like:

Barking
Lunging
Pulling
Standing on hind legs
Vocalising when seeing another dog or trigger

The key question is: Is the dog scared or frustrated?

Some dogs feel trapped because they cannot move away from a perceived threat, particularly if the lead is held tightly or kept very short. Others become frustrated because they want to approach something but are physically prevented from doing so.

Understanding the underlying emotion helps determine the most appropriate training approach.

Don't Ignore the Smaller Signals

Dogs often communicate their discomfort in subtle ways before escalating to barking or lunging. One example is sniffing the ground as a displacement behaviour. This is a way for a dog to diffuse tension and redirect attention away from a stressful situation.

When owners learn to recognise these quieter signals, they can better support their dogs and prevent situations from escalating.

Final Thoughts

Living with a reactive dog can be challenging, but it is important to remember that reactivity is not a character flaw. It is a sign that your dog is struggling with something in their environment and needs support, understanding, and appropriate training.

By learning to recognise early warning signs, managing stress, choosing suitable environments, and understanding the emotions driving your dog's behaviour, you can help your dog feel safer and more confident in the world around them.

Patience, empathy, and consistency go a long way—and every small success is worth celebrating.

Helping your older dog if you are getting a puppy

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 15:03:42 GMT

Initia l meetings are like first impressions.= they count. Make sure the interaction is away from the house and in a neutral space. When they initially see each other have a treat ready to give but allow them to just watch each other too. Having toys on the floor (if your older dog does not guard can help take the social pressure off. Walking parallel with each other with both dogs on lead can help reduce frustration. If they engage in play, it should be mirrored and matched - always avoid any teeth on body parts.

Coming home

Dogs shouldn't be right next to each other on the way home. Just like we like personal space on a tube dogs's want this too! Here are some ideas that I got from Canine Arthritis Management for older dogs:

If there is a back seat cover for mud an anti not slippy cover is important.
Bolsters and cushions can help prevent moving around
Harnesses to keep still when you go around any roundabouts can help too.
Ramps and steps to get out of the car to prevent lots of pressure on joints ie caravan steps can help too

At home

Having a safe space for your older dog that your puppy cannot access is key. Feeding times can be over exciting. Just like, us all, older dogs need some tlc. Here are some home adaptations that can help:

• Raised food and water bowls so they don’t have to crick their neck or put lots of weight on their front paws.

• Rugs to help prevent any slipping

• Make the safe space truly safe by introducing it in advance

• A memory foam orthopaedic bed can help

• Feeding them separately so your puppy doesn’t eat your older dog’s food

Body language

Puppy’s have razor sharp teeth and explore the world with their mouth. This isn’t good news for our super seniors! Any teeth around ears body or tails will be very painful and should not be encouraged. An older dog may tolerate it and not necessarily growl but you should step in. Puppies also will often want what the other dog has – toys and chews – so again teaching a puppy a reliable drop cue is key.

Sleep

An older dog may be disturbed by a younger puppy so should not be placed in a crate or bed with a puppy. Also they should have an area that only they can access. Also remember than an older dog can physically be less mobile so it can hurt them if they have to move consistently. Good sleep is so important and if they don’t get it, they could be more grumpy and less tolerant.

Remember than an older dog may have compromised sight and hearing too.

I hope these tips help your older dog adapt. Remember management is key. For puppy training guidance please check out my Puppy Training site St Paws Puppy School.

Guarding and Possessiveness

Mon, 18 May 2026 15:06:39 GMT

Often people describe resource guarding and possessiveness over items when a dog has snapped or bitten.

We protect out home, car and we are likely to get aggy if someone tries to eat our pudding! Dogs can protect items too - these can include people, items, spaces and food.

There are often ALOT of body language signs that a dog will show to indicate that they are felling worried before any snap or bites can occur.. if we know what to look for. Knowing what to look for can help us take steps to help our dogs feel safer and less worried. Here are a few:

Stiffening
Lip licking (does not just happen with food)
Placing a paw on the item and moving their body (could just be there leg) ready to move
Hard stare
Showing the whites of their eyes (whale eye/half moon)
Leaning over the item with their body
Staring as people move (watching)

Just a reminder that it's not simply the shouts we need to look for - the snapping and the growling. Look at the whole picture.

A growl is a warning sign and should never be punished - it is like taking the batteries out of a smoke alarm - it's a dogs way of saying enough.

Food and how it can be poisoned

Thu, 14 May 2026 14:16:53 GMT

When we live with an anxious dog, it is natural to want to reassure them.

One of the first things many owners try is offering treats from their hand in the hope it will help the dog feel safer and more comfortable around them. While the intention is kind, it is important to think about the situation from the dog’s perspective.

Your dog may absolutely want the food — after all, treats are tasty. But at the same time, they may still feel uncertain about you, your movements, or your hand reaching towards them. This can create an internal conflict. The dog wants the treat, yet feels worried about the situation surrounding it. In some cases, this can actually “poison the hand” — meaning the very thing you want your dog to associate positively becomes linked with feelings of discomfort or pressure.

A far better approach is to focus on giving your dog choice and control.

For anxious dogs, predictability matters enormously. When a dog can predict what is happening around them, they often feel safer. Unpredictability, on the other hand, can fuel fear and uncertainty.

A useful analogy for this is imagining someone arriving at your house covered in post-it notes, each with different words written on them. Your brain would need time to process what you were seeing, read the notes, and understand the situation. It would likely feel mentally overwhelming at first.

This is very similar to how anxious dogs experience our movements and behaviour. Something as simple as standing up, walking across the room, leaning over, or reaching out can suddenly change the picture for them. What felt calm and predictable moments earlier may now feel uncertain.

Owners are often surprised that when they move from sitting quietly to standing up, the dog suddenly increases distance again. This does not mean progress has been lost. The change in body posture alone may simply feel more intimidating or unpredictable to the dog.

It is also important to understand that helping an anxious dog is not about creating a “treat hierarchy” where increasingly valuable food is used to push the dog closer and closer. Fear is an emotion, and emotions cannot simply be reinforced in the way people sometimes worry about. Comforting your dog when they are worried does not “reward” the fear. If your dog seeks reassurance, supporting them can help them feel safer.

At the same time, attention and interaction should happen during calm moments too — not only when the dog is anxious. Over time, this helps the dog learn that your presence is safe, predictable, and pressure-free.

There are also a few important behavioural terms worth understanding:

Desensitisation
This means gradually becoming less sensitive to something over time. For example, a dog who is worried about people standing up may slowly become more comfortable with the movement when exposed to it at a level they can cope with.

Counter Conditioning
This involves changing the dog’s emotional response to something. If every time a person enters the room good things happen — such as food appearing at a comfortable distance — the dog may begin to anticipate that person positively rather than fearfully.

However, emotional safety always comes first. If a dog does not feel safe, even the best treats in the world may not matter.

Imagine someone placing your hand into a bowl full of spiders while simultaneously offering you chocolate. You may still eat the chocolate, but you would almost certainly still feel anxious and overwhelmed. The presence of the chocolate would not remove the fear.

Dogs can experience situations in much the same way. They may take the food while still feeling worried underneath.

It is also important to remember that every dog’s threshold is different. One dog may feel uncomfortable with direct eye contact, while another may worry about certain gestures, people standing, or sudden movement. Learning to recognise and respect these thresholds is key to helping anxious dogs feel secure.

Ultimately, building trust with an anxious dog is rarely about persuading them with food alone. It is about creating an environment where they feel safe, listened to, and in control of their choices. When we slow down, reduce pressure, and allow dogs to approach us in their own time, genuine confidence and trust can begin to grow.

Why Muzzle Training is a Kind Thing To Do

Thu, 07 May 2026 14:30:36 GMT

There can be many great reasons to muzzle train every dog , just in case they ever needed it. These include:

��Accidents and emergencies – if a dog is in pain they can be unpredictable sore and aggressive in an attempt to protect themselves. Placing a muzzle on them without any training before hand can stress them out even more and could mean treatment is delayed. This can happen with ANY dog even if they have never shown aggressive behaviour before.

��Summer – As you may have seen in the news, very sadly a dog attended a tulip festival and after eating some passed away. More people will be having picnics due to the lovely weather and we don’t want a stressful and expensive vet trip if your dog eats something.

��A change in behaviour – a muzzle keeps your dog, people and other dogs safe.

��Travel – Many ferries and countries have rules that dog’s must wear muzzles.

There is also a good website here , that takes you through steps.

I am going to host a muzzle training workshop - you can find out more here.

Adapted from the Muzzle Up Movement.

Living with a reactive dog: how to look after yourself

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:42:26 GMT

Having a dog who shows reactive behaviour can leave you feeling tired, on edge and emotionally exhausting experience at times. It is really important to look after yourself. I hope these ideas help you.

Writing

In his book Hardwiring Happiness, Rick Hanson explains that our brains are like Teflon for positive experiences (they slide away) and Velcro for negative ones (they stick). This means we can become hyper-aware of triggers and miss the small “glimmers” of progress.

Try writing down three good things that happened with your dog each day—this could be a check-in when a trigger is present, sniffing the ground instead of reacting, or following a cue. After a walk, jot down a couple of sentences about how it went. Over time, this gives you something to look back on and helps you notice signs of progress.

Getting the basics right

Without sounding like your mum, the basics really do matter. Getting enough sleep, eating well, and moving your body regularly can make a big difference. Exercise releases endorphins and can help balance out the tougher moments.

Massage and physical tension

If you can afford it—or have a kind partner—massage can really help. Many people hold tension in their shoulders during walks, especially when anticipating a reaction. Releasing that physical tension can make you feel calmer overall.

Seek support

Talking to a trusted friend about what you’re going through can help you offload some of the emotional weight. Laughter can help too—whether that’s watching a comedy show, going to one, or getting lost in a good book. Sometimes it’s helpful to step into someone else’s world for a while.

I hope these ideas help—you’re not alone in this.

Dogs who are nervous of sounds

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 14:59:32 GMT

Helping dogs who are nervous of sounds

It can be really tricky and feel hard when your dog is feeling nervous of sounds that you do not have control over. They may freeze, startle, growl, try to flee, shake, drool or more. Here are some considerations if your dog is nervous of sounds. As well as the noise, there is the physical vibration too.

Undiagnosed pain

It is thought that when a dog here’s a sound they startle, and then tense up. This tension can exacerbate underlying soreness and pain. Even if your dog is running around and enjoying life most of the time, it does not mean they are not sore. We can have a bad experience (sore leg) and positive experience (eating cake) at the same time. Lincoln University have a video that you can take of your dog moving (and then slow it down) so you can look at how they are moving, Canine Arthritis Management also have advice.

If your dog has floppy ears they can sometimes be more susceptible to ear infections. Again, if their ears are in pain, then they can be more jumpy to sounds as it physically hurts them.

Helping to build confidence

If pain or physical challenges have been ruled out (because you would not want to start on desensitisation before then), then building confidence may include a desensitisation and counter conditioning programme.

This could include introducing sounds in a safe space such as home, at a very low level. That is not to do with the original sound. This could be brown paper that rustles or plastic bottles. Then when ready they interact with the items and when they do interact and it makes a noise from their own movement, they get treats (not having treats inside the items). Then change the noise so that then they gradually get louder from a distance so there is a level of unpredictability so that resilience is built. In response to the sound the dog gets a treat.

Rewarding your dog when they look at you in response to a sound is really important too.

Avoidance where possible

Avoiding very intense sounds while you are working on the above is really important to avoid regressions and things intensifying (though can be difficult). Driving to locations can sometimes work if you know a certain area has more intense sounds. Veterinary Behaviourists often have good advice on this.

Fight behaviours

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 16:38:45 GMT

Have you ever wondered that even if scared why a dog will run towards something? If a dog is barking and lunging at something that they are scared of then surely they would avoid it... right? This isn't always the case!

The fight response in a dog can be very strong and if the flight response (running away), has not worked in the past/is not possible because the dog is on lead then they will use this technique in an attempt to repel another dog. If a dog learns that barking and lunging, in the past gets something to move away then they are likely to repeat it.. as doing so makes them feel safe. Feeling safe is very rewarding so they will use this behaviour.. it works!

The amygdala is a part of the brain that is often called the fear centre of the brain and is apart of alot of emotional expression. Through identifying triggers and working at them within your dogs threshold and changing the association with them, emotions can change. By changing emotions, motivations change (i.e fear can result in behaviours such as lunging in an attempt to say leave me alone.

I've attached some body language guidance above..

Emotions and the vet clinic

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 09:34:17 GMT

Why Emotional Wellbeing Matters at the Vet

When it comes to veterinary care, the focus is often on physical health—but a pet’s emotional experiences important If stress and fear are overlooked, it can shape how an animal feels about vet visits in the future.

Negative experiences may lead to increased anxiety, defensive behaviour, or even the need for sedation during routine examinations.

By considering how our pets feel, we can help create calmer, safer, and more positive veterinary visits. Chat to your vets about how they can support your dog.

Supporting Your Dog During Vet Visits

In the Consultation Room

Small changes in how we approach and handle dogs can make a big difference:

Avoid leaning over your dog—this can feel intimidating
Approach from the side rather than head-on
Lean slightly away instead of into their space
Avoid putting your hand out directly toward them
Where possible, allow examinations to happen on the floor
Watch for early stress signals (lip licking, yawning, panting, ear changes)
Respond early to prevent escalation of behaviour
Avoid prolonged direct eye contact
Move slowly and predictably—quick or erratic movements can feel threatening
Consider waiting in the car until your appointment time
Where appropriate, ask about being seen outside or in quieter areas
Prioritise procedures so your pet can take breaks or return another day if needed

Low-stress handling and cooperative care techniques can make a huge difference in helping dogs feel more in control and less fearful.

Creating a Calm Veterinary Environment

The clinic itself plays a big role in your pet’s experience:

Keep noise levels low (soft voices, quieter phones, reduced door slamming)
Use soft lighting where possible
Provide non-slip surfaces on floors, tables, and scales
Use fresh bedding or towels to avoid lingering stress-related scents
Offer comfortable resting areas like beds or blankets
Position scales away from busy or visually stimulating areas
Minimise exposure to other animals, especially for anxious dogs
Provide enrichment like lick mats or puzzle feeders during consultations

Helpful Products and Tools

Simple additions can help reduce stress:

Neutral-smelling cleaning products (strong scents can be overwhelming)
Licki mats or food-based distractions (if appropriate)
Toys such as Kongs to provide comfort and focus

Making the Waiting Area Less Stressful

Waiting rooms can be one of the most challenging parts of a vet visit:

Use calming pheromone sprays on blankets (applied in advance)
Provide physical barriers between pets
Offer quieter, separate spaces where possible
Reduce close encounters with unfamiliar dogs

Why It Matters

By recognising and responding to your dog’s emotional needs, you’re not just making vet visits easier—you’re protecting their long-term wellbeing.

References

Casey, R & Kry K. Animal Welfare 16, 375-383 (2007) The effect of hiding enrichment on stress levels and behaviour of domestic cats (Felis sylvestris catus) in a shelter setting and the implications for adoption potential p. 380

Ellis and Sparkes (2017) “ISFM Guide to Feline Stress and Health”, International Cat Care

Mills and Westgarth (2017) “Dog Bites: A multidisciplinary perspective” 5m Publishing

Riemer et al.,(2021)Animal Welfare.A Review on Mitigating Fear and Aggression in Dogs and Cats in a Veterinary Setting

Shreve, K. & Udell, M. Stress, security, and scent: The influence of chemical signals on the social lives of domestic cats and implications for applied settings, Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 187, 69–76 (2017). Pp. 69

Further information /websites

Sophia Yin Cattle Dog Publishing and You Tube Channel

Grisha Stewart – Behaviour Adjustment Training

Michael Shinshako – Aggressive Dog

The Muzzle Up Project

Cooperative Veterinary Care by Teaching Animals Facebook Group

Dog play what's ok?

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 16:10:34 GMT

Dog play what’s okay?

You may have heard that you can be over zealous and you should leave dogs to work it out themselves but this is poor advice. Sometimes play can turn into something else so it’s important to be mindful of play signals. When a dog goes rushing over to another head on it can feel threatening – even if the intention is play. It can be hard to assess intention as the dog is likely to be moving very fast.

Here are some red flags in play

Tense postures

Head turned away

One dog doing all the chasing, sparing

Bites on the tail and ears

Mouth clamped shut

Low tail

Head over the dogs back

Here are some green flags during play/ interactions

Mirroring each others body language

Pausing when the other dog pauses

Soft wiggly body language

Soft eyes

Mouth open

If you would like support please reach out and remember there are podcasts on dog topics too.

Reference : Whitehead, Sarah, (2018), He’s Only Playing

Children and Dogs

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 17:16:50 GMT

I know of many family members who have small children and dog and they live in harmony.

However, all dogs have the potential to show reactivity/aggression. Even if a dog is tolerating an experience (not snapping/biting) it does not mean that they are enjoying it.

Take the picture above: The dogs face are right near the childs. The fluff on their face is likely to make it difficult to read any tension in the face, and you can't see the whites of the dog on the left eyes. Both dogs mouths are shut which can be a sign they don't feel safe. Personal space is important for dogs. Just as we don't want to be squished in a tube carriage they don't want to experience space invaders! Dogs are tolerant but just like us stress can build up. Pain, loud noise, experiences that have happened one too many times can all build up and result in reactive or aggressive displays.

Here are some top tips:

Ask your child to redirect their love and enthusiasm onto a toy dog
Encourage them to show love to their dog by filling up their water bowl instead
Invest in baby gates so your dog can be in a separate room when you can not actively supervise them
Don't allow a child to climb on a dog

Watch out for body language

Can you see

relaxed wiggly body language?
Is the mouth open and relaxed?
Is the dog actively looking for attention?

These are all good signs.

If the dog is

Moving away
Barking
Growling

They are all ways of saying they would like some space. It's imperative we respect this.

If your child is having friends over it's important that they know the rules and boundaries for interacting with your dog too.

Adapted from How to have kids and dogs without loosing your mind, Colleen Pellar.

If you'd like to book a talk for your child's school - reach out.

Mounting and humping behaviour

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 12:25:25 GMT

Some dogs do it for hormonal reasons others due to behavioural. Reasons behind humping can include hormones, anxiety, tension attention seeking, frustration, eliciting play or displacement behaviour when stressed. Filling out the diary can help pinpoint more triggers and look at what is happening.

Tips for your dog

If your dog mounts when people arrive I would set him up for success before they arrive by giving him something to do such as a kong in the garden or bedroom.

Body language

Frustration can induce humping and it can look like – barking, dilated pupils, panting, raised fur, jumping and humping.

Arousal

Where possible, reducing frustration and arousal levels can help and writing down a list of triggers that increase any barking or mounting behaviours – sometimes dogs bark then mount. If you imagine frustration and arousal as an emotional state that fills a sink and when there is too much of it overflows – the overflow can represent displacement activities such as jumping and humping and barking.

This can be a great guide when thinking about behaviour and what precedes it.

A – Antecedent (what was happening and where were you?)

B – Behaviour (what could you see)

C – Consequence (is this externally or internally reinforcing? – Is your dog getting attention and / or relief from doing this behaviour?

In terms of triggers that preceding barking, these include:

-The doorbell ringing

- Watching things outside like cats window film (some still lets the light in -(https://www.purlfrost.com/window-film/ - temporary and can be taken off) or even grease proof paper to try it can help so he's not sitting and watching things outside and getting more heightened.

- Getting people to text you rather than ringing the bell

- ⁠Leave your pup in another room with a kong when a visitor arrives to feel calmer.

When he is around something distracting outside (such as bikes) rather than asking him for a sit, I would recommend getting his nose down and working to reduce arousal as sniffing activates the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and relaxation). Sitting can increase frustration when he wants to explore.

People say neutering will always cure it but this is not true. There can be different motivations and emotions behind the behaviour.

Children and dogs - harmony at home

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 12:19:25 GMT

Children and Dogs: A Guide to Safe and Happy Relationships

Having a dog in your family is exciting and fun, but it’s important to teach children how to interact safely and kindly with their furry friend. Puppies and young dogs are still learning, and we need to help them grow into happy, well-behaved companions.

Language you can use

Explain to your children that their dog is very young and is still learning and we need to help them. You could call the dog their baby sister/brother. Explain that a dog cannot speak to us and tell us if they’re upset but we can look at their bodies to see if they are worried. We can be ‘doggie detectives’ and look for signs that our dog is worried.

In the same way as we would not like someone running up to us and snatching our favourite chocolate off us, we should not disturb our dog when they are eating their food or enjoying a tasty chew.

Also, if we are in bed, nice and snug and cosy and warm and dreaming, we would be very upset if someone came to us and took the covers off us and started shouting or making lots of noise. We should think about how our dog feels and instead use our indoor voices when our dog is sleeping and relaxing.

A Chart

Have a chart on the wall that provides boundaries and reasons why they should behave in a certain way around their dog.

Why?

Puppies have a lot of energy and that energy can sometimes come out in nipping behaviour .
Dogs have sharp teeth and they can cut a child’s thin skin.

A Safe Space

Having a safe space a puppy can retreat to and relax is important. They should be allowed to go here and have a Do Not Disturb sign on the door so everyone knows that this should be a place their dog goes to relax and be calm.

Specific Training

No jumping up training can be helpful in avoiding jumping up behaviours.

Why do dogs jump up?

Lots of dogs jump up at people as it’s exciting for them to do so. Often it is inadvertently reinforced as we give eye contact, verbal reinforcement, or physical reinforcement .

It’s not ideal to push a dog off as this can be reinforcing for them; when you see dogs during playtime they spar with each other and push each other up and down—it can be a game. This is a similar concept to us pushing them off.

What to do?

Instead of: pushing off, speaking, giving eye contact
Try: Crossing your arms and looking away. If you need to remove him, do so without eye contact or telling him off .

Management

Management is imperative when we are training a new behaviour. It’s important our dogs aren’t allowed to practice something over and over again as this makes the new trained behaviour harder to integrate.

You could try:

Popping a toy in a box outside your front door and throwing it as you enter so Dice searches for that rather than jumping up.
Throwing down treats as you enter and when Dice’s nose is on the floor, pair it with a cue word such as “find it” to get his nose on the floor.

Things to be mindful of: The Extinction Burst

This is when a dog will try and repeat the original behaviour (in your case jumping up) over and over again at an intensity that is quite high. This is because this is something they have been used to doing and are still clinging to it even while they are learning new rules. But persevere! He will learn with consistency. I’m here to support you if you have any questions.

Reinforcement (How Many Treats and How Often)

If you’re concerned about weight gain you can use your dog’s kibble as training, but bear in mind in very exciting situations it may not be high enough in value.

Be a Tree / Be a Statue

Teach your children to cross their arms – their branches – or stay still like a statue .

Temperament

A dog’s temperament can be affected by early life experiences and genes. This is a different concept to training—you cannot train temperament.

All dogs will have different temperaments and they can depend on different factors including:

The mother and father (dam and sire’s) temperament
If the mother was stressed during pregnancy
Early life experiences (or lack of experiences) from a young age

Just because a dog is a certain breed it does not mean that all dogs of that breed will have the same temperament.

Quick Tips

Utilise the lead so your dog cannot practice the behaviour of jumping up.
Reward them for not jumping.
Ask your children to ask them for a sit instead.

Hugging

Children can show their dog they love them in lots of different ways such as:

Playing with them
Taking them for a walk
Filling up their water bowls
Reading a story to them on the sofa
Being kind and considerate and not shouting or pulling their tail or fur

Hugging can feel very stressful to a dog. During dog fights, dogs place their necks on each other so in theory this can feel similar to them when we hug them. When we hug a dog tightly it can feel trapped and may bite. For some dogs, they will tolerate gentle hugging, but it will depend on their previous experiences of it.

Games to Avoid

Rough and tumble games can hype dogs up and result in nippy behaviour. They should be avoided.

Toys to Invest In

Long dangly toys and flirt poles can be great toys that you can redirect nipping behaviour onto. Also, because they are dangly it makes it less likely that a dog will accidentally nip a child’s finger during play.

Meeting Other People’s Dogs

As well as asking for consent from the owner, it is important to ask for consent from the dog.

Here is Percy. Children can do this by patting their legs and seeing if Percy approaches them. If Percy wants to come and say hello, they can do 3 gentle strokes on Percy’s shoulder (not leaning over him – that can be scary) and then take their hand away.

If Percy stays, he may want more petting.
If he totters off, that’s a sign he’s had enough. Children can then wave bye-bye to Percy and wish him a good day.

Rest and Relaxation

Dogs need to sleep and relax for their wellbeing. Sleep helps a dog to de-stress and learn new memories. Having a space to get away from it all (even for a dog who adores playing) is important.

Sometimes a dog can get overtired (like children!) and this can result in hyper behaviour .

Using the ABC Technique

Use this technique to determine when a dog may behave in a certain way:

A – Antecedents: Where is the dog? What is happening? Who else is there?
B – Behaviour: What behaviour can you actually see? What does it look like? What is the dog physically doing?
C – Consequence: Does the dog get eye contact and physical touch or are they spoken to after this behaviour happens?

Once you recognise the A, you can spot triggers that the behaviour is about to happen and you can help to change the environment/train the dog to do something else—or a mix of the two.

Having Friends Around

If your dog has an injury it is important that everybody is aware of this, including visitors. Having baby gates can be a great way of managing your dog and getting them away from situations that are too much.

Explaining the be a tree / be a statue rule is a good idea too.

I offer free talks in schools.

Pica and dogs - eating non- food items

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:47:26 GMT

Understanding Pica in Dogs: Why They Eat Non-Food Items

Pica is a condition where dogs ingest non-food items such as rocks, fabric, dirt, or household objects. While it might seem harmless, it can indicate underlying health or behavioural issues that need attention.

This guide explains what Pica is, potential causes, and steps you can take to help your dog.

What is Pica?

Pica occurs when a dog eats items that are not part of their normal diet. Common examples include:

Rocks and stones
Dirt and soil
Fabric or clothing
Household items

Potential Causes of Pica

Pica can result from multiple factors, including:

Pain, such as hip dysplasia or gastrointestinal discomfort
Boredom
Anxiety or stress
Nutritional deficiencies or an imbalanced diet
Psychological factors
Pancreatic enzyme deficiency
Attention-seeking behavior
Exploratory behavior, which may increase with age
Premature maternal separation
Compulsive disorders

Pain

Dogs often hide signs of pain, which can trigger Pica. Possible indicators include:

Lameness or changes in gait
Difficulty jumping or avoiding certain movements

Recommendations:

Record short videos of your dog walking or running to detect subtle issues.
Gentle “freework” exercises can reveal areas your dog avoids putting weight on.
Adjust the home environment to prevent aggravating potential pain while consulting a veterinarian.

Pica may also occur as a response to gastrointestinal discomfort.

Boredom

Dogs require mental stimulation to prevent the development of unwanted behaviors.

Suggestions for mental engagement:

Avoid small chews that could break into pieces if the dog picks up stones
Scentwork games—hide treats around the house or garden
Use durable bones, such as ostrich bones, that do not splinter
Fill large Kongs with frozen food for prolonged engagement
Serve wet food on a licky mat and dry food in a puzzle feeder

Anxiety, Stress, and Psychological Factors

Stress can contribute to Pica. Common triggers include:

Loud noises
Separation anxiety
Tension with other dogs

Pain can increase irritability and overall stress levels. Identifying and managing triggers can reduce anxiety-related Pica.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Nutritional deficiencies or imbalanced diets can cause dogs to eat non-food items.

Coprophagia (consuming feces) may indicate a deficiency.
A veterinarian can recommend blood or stool tests to identify dietary gaps.

Feeding guidelines:

Follow the manufacturer’s recommended feeding amounts
Use a scale for consistency with dry food
Choose high-quality foods with:
High meat and vegetable content
No artificial colorings or preservatives such as BHA/BHT
Avoid vague ingredients such as “animal by-products” or “derivatives”

Pancreatic Enzyme Deficiency

Symptoms may include:

Soft or bulky stools
Increased appetite with weight loss
Vomiting
Greasy coat around the tail

Diagnosis requires blood and stool tests.

Attention-Seeking Behavior

Some dogs may perform Pica to obtain a reaction from their owners. Using a camera can help determine whether the behavior occurs when unsupervised.

Exploratory or Habitual Behavior

Dogs explore their environment with their mouths. If they do not have appropriate items to chew, lick, or shred, they may turn to household objects.

Early Life Factors

Premature maternal separation or stress during the mother’s pregnancy may predispose dogs to higher anxiety.
Compulsive behaviors such as excessive licking, pacing, circling, or shadow chasing can be associated with Pica.

Training and Management

While determining the underlying cause, Pica may be managed through:

Training: Teach commands like leave it and drop it
Environmental management: Remove tempting items from access
Muzzle training: Use if necessary for safety

References

Karen Overall, Clinical Behavioural Medicine for Small Animals (1997)
Landsberg et al., Handbook of Behaviour Problems (2003)
BSAVA Canine and Feline Behavioural Problems and the Blackwell 5-Minute Behavioural Consult
Mills, J. Pain and Problem Behaviour in Cats and Dogs, MDPI, 2020 Link

Sound Sensitivities in Dogs

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 18:23:23 GMT

Sound sensitivities can be distressing for us to watch.

What could this look like

A dog may react to sounds and freeze or try and run. They man scan the environment even if there is no sound in a hyper vigilant way. You may see body language signs such as:

• Raised hackles

• Tail tucked under their body

• Showing the whites of their eyes

• Refusing to move

• Not eating

Why may a dog be more sensitive to sounds?

Dogs can start to generalise sounds that they hear inside as well as outside.

Often dogs who are sound sensitive are experiencing musculoskeletal pain as they hear the sound – they get startled – they tense up – this can exacerbate underlying pain. (Lopes Fagundes Ana Luisa , Hewison Lynn , McPeake Kevin J. , Zulch Helen , Mills Daniel Simon , Noise Sensitivities in Dogs: An Exploration of Signs in Dogs with and without Musculoskeletal Pain Using Qualitative Content Analysis, Frontiers in Veterinary Science, Volume 5 - 2018)

Pain

Body language that can suggest pain of pain can include pacing, head bobbing, crabbing movement (where legs can move to one side) bunny hopping (when both legs move together). -Denenberg, Sagi, Small Animal Veterinary Psychiatry, : CABI Publishing .

Taking a video and slowing it down to show your vet can be helpful.

If possible you could hire a fenced in field for off lead exercise if you are nervous your dog will run off. A long lead will allow them to sniff and have some freedom without the risk of them running away.

What you can do at home if your dog is nervous of sounds

The below is management advice in terms of fireworks.

Set up a den for your dog in the area in your home that has the smallest window (quite often the bathroom)

White noise may drown out some of the noise.

Have enrichment toys such as stuffed kongs with or puzzle feeders or a big tasty meaty chew to help take their mind off the fireworks.

Shut the blinds and curtains.

Make sure there are lots of blankets for them to burrow in and under – some dogs will like these in a crate.

Dangers outside and in the garden

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:10:33 GMT

Many trees can be dangerous if a dog eats them which many dogs can do.

If you are in a new area, moving home or your dog is staying with a friend. Here are a list of trees to be concerned about.. the issues may occur with leaves seeds and wood.

Yew

Heart problems and breathing

Sycamore

Heart damage and damaged muscles can lead to kidney failure

Laburnum

Vomiting seizures and neurological signs

Cherry Laurel

Breathing and collapse

Oak

Irritate gut and damage kidneys

Elder

Vomiting - death in large quantities

Horse chestnut

Lethargy and diarrhoea

Azalea and Rhododendron

Cause irregular heartbeats – vomiting and diarrhoea

A muzzle can protect a dog if they tend to scavenge. I am a Muzzle Up Movement ambassador and you can get money off here.

If you are having trouble with your dogs guarding and picking things up on walks, reach out.

Reference : Tree safety: oaks, sycamores and more pose threats to our pets – what to watch out for. Nicole Olewinski , Pet and Vet Magazine. Issue 7: August 2025

Managing multi dog homes

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 13:35:55 GMT

Sometimes management at home can be tricky if you have more than one dog, with this in mind I wanted to break down some options for you.

Over stimulation

Watch out for arousal spikes – this could be at meal times or going out, or being towel dried. Preparing dinner if your dogs have kibble, in small boxes can help reduce this over stimulation.

Sometimes a dog will bark and it can set the other dog off. Making a list of when your dog barks (i.e when post comes through the door), can be helpful so you can put management tips into place. For example, in some cases a postbox outside the door can work well.

Narrow spaces can be a place where issues occur.

Active training

Teaching a dog their name and a release cue which means you go out of the door now, can help rushing out of the door.

Resources at home

Having multiple separate resources (including water bowls) is key to reduce competition.

Thinking about your dogs ages and temperament

If you have a dog who is adolescent this can be a time they push boundaries and remember that even if a dog wants to play, an older dog may not want to. An older dog can be sore, less tolerant and experience sight and hearing changes.

If you are experiencing challenges, reach out and see how I can support you.

Reference: Roz Pooley, APBC Webinar, Management in Multi Dog Households

Stress and your dog’s brain

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 16:15:40 GMT

It is thought that in chronic stress that the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory – the hippocampus – has shrunk.

Neurons get smaller (Stockmeier and colleagues, 2004 as cited in Pittenger et al., 2008). If you are completing a behavioural modification plan with your pet you may feel frustrated if they are not learning new behaviours as quickly as possible – but this can be common. This is why it can be helpful to write a diary entry after a walk or have a traffic light system in your phone calendar about how things are going. Our brains can often cling to the negative (it’s helpful from an evolutionary perspective!)

Memory can be affected by high levels of glucocorticoids (Bodnoff et al., 1995 as cited in Pittenger at al., 2008). They are released by the adrenal glands – these are glands that sit above the kidney and release hormones such as cortisol, and they increase alertness – leading to fight or flight.

Reference

Bodnoff S, Humphreys A, Lehman J, Diamond D, Rose G, Meaney M(1995). Enduring effects of chronic corticosterone treatment on spatial learning, synaptic plasticity and hippocampal neuropathol-ogy in young and mid-aged rats. J Neurosci 15:61–69.

Pittenger C, Duman RS. Stress, depression, and neuroplasticity: a convergence of mechanisms. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2008 Jan;33(1):88-109.

Stockmeier CA, Mahajan GJ, Konick LC, Overholser JC, Jurjus GJ, Meltzer HY et al (2004). Cellular changes in the postmortem hippocampus in major depression. Biol Psych 56: 640–650.

Meeting dogs

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 16:15:41 GMT

Introducing dogs to one another

This is something that quite often can go wrong, despite our best intentions. Whenever you are meeting a new dog, it is imperative to do this in a neutral territory – not in your dog’s home or garden, where they are likely to bark, or feel protective over their resources. In the same way you would not go up to a stranger and hug them we need to remember that different dogs have different social skills. Allow them to see each other from a safe comfortable distance on lead to begin with (not a narrow path).

Remember that a dog’s body language is different to ours and they communicate with each other via this. We do not want to lead them to each other head on – this can overwhelm and worry them. Also think about the dog’s age (puppy or senior – very likely to have different play styles – and remember puppy teeth – even in play can hurt ears A LOT!), temperament and style. Also can they easily be read or is it harder for dogs to read them (for example do they have a flat face and no tail? It can be harder to read these dogs).

Location

As mentioned, no narrow spaces, and behind a barrier can be really sensible to start off with.

Body language

Make sure they are sniffing and reward them when they look at the dog – give them a treat. If they are lunging, barking or freezing then gather some distance to help them regulate.

Lead

Keep the lead loose as possible and if both dogs want to say hello – do it with a curved approach. Tension down the lead can cause frustration.

Next steps

Walking along side each other on the lead can be a good way to reduce frustration and still manage the interaction. Reward for calm behaviour and always look at their body language and gather distance.

If you would like any support remember there are webinars available.

What should you look for in a good muzzle

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 10:38:57 GMT

Not all muzzles are made the same. Fabric one’s can inhibit panting, and can easily be torn on branches and some hold a dog’s mouth shut – uncomfortable and mean they cannot pant.

Think about if the muzzle you choose means your dog can still:

· Sniff

· Pant

· Drink

· See easily

· Are comfortable

· Give protection for bites

· Are suitable for dogs who scavenge (there are often guards)

Also measure it so you know it will fit them easily.

Why introduce a muzzle

While a muzzle won’t alter a dog’s emotional response towards something it is scared of, it can help keep everyone safe and prevent bites. Muzzles can also be used if a dog scavenges. It is also helpful for vet visits.. train it before you need it.

How to introduce a muzzle

This is a great guide to introducing muzzles.

If you'd like more tailored support please reach out.

Adapted from Muzzle Up Movement support guide.

Body language red flags

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 11:12:51 GMT

Are you feeling confused about when your dog may react?

On a reactive journey, when you are meeting other dogs , sometimes it can be unclear when to prompt your dog to move on because you think they are going to move in to the red zone. Obviously, you don’t want a dog to rehearse behaviours as practice makes perfect.An intense reaction can feel overwhelming and stressful, therefore gathering space is really important. A dog goes into the red zone this can overwhelm them and stress them. Here are some signs that indicate you should move on.

• Stiffness and standing still

• Showing the whites of their eyes (half moon, or whale eye)

• Turning the head away

• Growling and wrinkling in the mouth area

• Mouth clamping shut when a dog see’s a trigger

• More weight on the front of paws

• Fur on the back raising

• Tail wagging (high and fast)

Environment

Walking in locations with lots of exit points is really key as narrow spaces or lack of chances to move away can make you and your dog feel trapped.

Having kongs and lick mat's in the car to distract your dog when they leave rather than barking out of the window at triggers can help.

Reference: Stewart, Grisha Behaviour Adjustment Training 2.0, Dog Wise Publishing.

It’s put your dog on a lead day today

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 17:27:50 GMT

Here are some reasons why a dog may be on the lead:

· It’s recall may be poor.

· The dog may be recovering from an operation.

· The dog may have had a bad experience with another dog.

· It may be a rescued dog and not habituated to dogs from a young age.

If a dog (or person!) is recovering from an operation the last thing they will want is another dog bounding over to them. It does not matter if this intention is good, it is how that animal perceives the experience. Dog play can be intense and involve sparring and jumping up and even if a dog is enjoying it (a dog can still be in pain and jump up), you’ll be making it hard for the caregiver who is trying to keep their dog’s activity low impact.

If a dog has had a bad experience with another dog, they can start generalising fearful experiences. It does not matter if the bad experience wasn’t with your dog. A dog can be hypervigilant and use repel behaviour such as barking and lunging as it gets that dog to move away. They are then likely to repeat this behaviour as it makes them feel safer – which is very reinforcing. Having a dog constantly running over can make the poor dog feel trapped (because physically it is), and makes them likely to use this behaviour. This can make it hard for the caregiver – having a dog that is barking and lunging on the other end of the lead. So pop your dog on the lead if you see another dog.

If you yourself have a dog who shows reactivity the following phrases can sometimes help:

Saying my dog is sick

Saying my dog is contagious!

My dog is scared.

Quite often when you say my dog will tell yours off, people brush it aside and say that their dog needs a good telling off. Obviously, this is counter intuitive to what you’re wanting to teach!

If you're dog runs towards other dogs and you can't recall them or your dog is lunging and barking on the other end of the lead, reach out to see how I can help.

Why is Vet Referral So Important?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Thu, 29 May 2025 11:44:00 GMT

Why do I work on vet referral?

This is an important aspect of any behavioural consultation but you may be wondering why that is. Pain and problem behaviour can often be linked. A pet like us, can be more grumpy and less tolerant when they are in pain. Here is a breakdown of why behaviourists work on vet referral.

· It allows me to understand what procedures your pet has had, any current or previous illnesses. This is important as it can help shape my behavioural plan for your pet. If your pet has arthritis I won’t be suggesting lots of sits in my plan – as this can be painful for them. I would hate to offer advice that could exacerbate a hidden problem and cause pain to your pet,

· It opens up communication with your vet in case their input is needed at any stage and if any further investigations may need to take place

· It allows a vet to let me know that the pet is physically fit and can go ahead with the consultation.

· I can create a behavioural timeline to see if any behaviours were concurrent with the onset of the behavioural challenge.

· Discomfort and pain can exacerbate a behavioural problem even if the trigger is really obvious.

· Even if a pet is running around it doesn’t mean that they aren’t in pain. Just like us, a dog can have a negative and positive experience at the same time (we may have cake but still have a sore shoulder).

· Here is a paper on pain and problem behaviour that you may find helpful.

Photo by Teef and Tails

Why should we be concerned about our pets nervous system?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 14:53:17 GMT

What is a nervous system?

It’s responsible for receiving and processing information inside and outside the body.

A dogs ability to cope and current nervous system status can depend on a variety of factors such as prior learning experience, genetics, overall resilience and current or undiagnosed pain.

A dog may show reactive behaviours towards another dog that look like barking and lunging.

The red zone

A dog may be going into the red zone when they show signs such as hackles raised, freezing, stopping and not taking treats. You may also hear a growl.

Are we making a ‘rod for our own backs’ if we don’t punish this behaviour?

I hear this one quite a lot. While I understand that we need to feel in control and that behaviour must be responded to, shouting or other methods can make the behaviour worse. It does not tell the dog what to do instead. Also, it doesn’t get to the root cause of the behaviour – and look at the environment the dog is in and what is causing this behaviour to start, so it will pop up elsewhere or in a different way. I always think of the nail pot that girls in school used to buy to put their nails in to prevent them from biting them.. it made them taste horrible with the idea this would prevent them from biting their nails. Fine in theory, some may argue, but if they are biting nails because of anxiety reasons that anxiety isn’t going to magically disappear and a new behaviour could take it’s place.

What does the green zone look like?

This can look like behaviours such as sniffing, engaging with the environment, relaxed tails and ears, loose body posture and mouth open.

How can we ensure needs are met – what are a dog’s needs to begin with?

Our pet dogs are often so very lucky. They have food, shelter a comfy bed and walks. When thinking about a dogs needs, thinking about ethology can be helpful. If we think of street dogs, they spend a large portion of their day asleep. The recommended sleeping amount is 16 hours plus for dogs but there are many things that may interfere with sleep – the postman, the cleaner or gardener arriving, knocks at the door, cats and wildlife outside tempting them, people walking past the house. Over tiredness can affect dogs behaviour detrimentally. Just like people dogs need opportunities to switch off. Just like us, if we are constantly on the phone, IPAD, or screen until late in the night we can become wired and find it harder to relax and sleep. Similarly, if dogs are not given an opportunity to rest and sleep, this can affect their behaviour.

Diet, before making any diet changes this is the vets realm. It’s important to discuss any nutrient needs. Take a look at your dog’s current diet – remember that Kettle Chips and Wotsits are both crisps but their ingredients vary massively. The same can go with food. Animal derivatives and by - products are not pure meat and veg.

Chewing is relaxing and satisfying. Having ample chews to enjoy that are rotated is important for a dogs mental health.

Sniffing – the chance to amble and sniff is so important. High octane activities such as repetitive ball throwing can be bad on joints and lead to a wired dog, which has surges of adrenalin.

There are more blogs and info here.

How to cope if your dog is barking and lunging at other dogs

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 09:46:32 GMT

Being on the other end of the leash when a dog is barking and lunging can be painful stressful and upsetting.

People may be reactive themselves and tell you to get your dog under control, or huff and puff at you and your dog.

While we can’t control the actions of other people, we can control what we do.

It may be that you are unsure how to react if this happens and what to do. I’ll talk through the steps and options below.

What to do if your dog is barking and lunging on the other end of the lead

You will be much more in control if you have the right walking equipment, so invest in a well fitting harness that your dog cannot back out of – a 3 point harness can be good for this. It also means that pressure is not being applied to your dog’s sensitive neck area. Be sure that the lead you have is right for your dog’s weight and there is no fraying. Lead sleeves that say training in progress can reduce unwanted dogs coming over.

It is easier said than done but remember to breathe!

Using graduated prompts such as coughing and shuffling your feet can encourage a dog to move on if they are freezing and going over threshold.

Have licki mats or kongs ready in the car so that your dog can focus on them rather than barking out of the window.

Essential body language signs

A dog may show a variety of signs before they bark.

Body language signs can include:

· Lip licking

· Hackles raised (look for fur on the feet for fluffier dogs)

· Tension and freezing

· Paw up

· Whale eye – showing the whites of their eyes

· A dog can also use displacement activities such as sniffing the ground (in a way saying I’m no threat)

Thinking about locations that you walk

Really consider how you can avoid narrow spaces and locations as this can make a dog feel trapped. In areas you walk, think about the different exit points there are.

What to do if an off lead dog is approaching yours

Attempt to do a U-Turn out of the situation.

Saying that your dog is sick or poorly can get people to act more quickly.

Throwing down a toy to distract the other dog may help.

Here are some books that I like regarding reactivity

BAT 2.0 by Grisha Stewart

Doggie Language by Lili Chin

Here is some equipment and accompanying websites on introducing a muzzle. A muzzle helps keep everyone safe and can help you relax more on walks.

One link is an affiliate link meaning if you click through and buy I will be paid a small commission. This doesn’t affect the price you pay.

Muzzle Up Movement Muzzles.

Here is an excellent site to introduce muzzles.

If you enjoyed this post and found it helpful you may like to read this blog too.

If you had a difficult Christmas

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 15:12:02 GMT

Christmas can be a difficult time for many reasons: lack of routine, new visitors coming into the home, lack of sleep, more noise.

If you had a difficult Christmas with your dog

Dogs can be affected by these changes and quite often stress/trigger stacking can occur. This is when little stressors stack up and lead a dog to react in a way that they may not normally do, hadn’t the other stressors occurred. This behaviour could look like barking, growling or snapping.

Here are 4 things to remember about stress in dogs

Others can’t decide what is stressful for a dog

Stress is subjective, what another person thinks a dog ‘shouldn’t find’ stressful isn’t fair or just. This is the same as something stressful happening to us and someone telling us to just get over it! A dogs temperament can affect how things land on them, so for one dog, a busy place such as a garden centre where Father Christmas is can be really scary, while for another it’s perfectly fine.

Decompression is key

It is fine to have a day off from walks if your dog has found them particularly stressful. Walks can be unpredictable – lots of people and encounters with dogs. Scentwork in the garden and the home stimulates sniffing which can be relaxing for so mant dogs. Be mindful that for some dogs who are brachycephalic, sniffing can be harder to do, so tailor this activity to their needs.

A growl is a warning sign

A growl can be a dogs way of communicating that they want space or are feeling uncomfortable. It is a body language sign that is helpful – otherwise the next step could be a snap or bite.

Body language signs can sometimes be missed by people

A dog can show signs that they are uncomfortable by yawning, licking their lip, raised hackles and moving their head away. Respecting these signs can mean a dog learns that they work and are more likely to use them next time.

Christmas can be hard. Make sure you are looking after yourself too.. you can’t pour from an empty cup.

If you’d like to find out about how I can support you, please reach out to book a call hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk

Steps you can take to help someone who has a dog shows reactive behaviour

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:09:05 GMT

Many people have dogs because they enjoy the social side of having a dog.. chatting to people in the park and watching their dogs bound around and play with each other.

However, for many people I work with this isn’t their reality. Their dog may have had a bad experience with a dog and is now scared, or they could be recovering from an operation, for example. This can make walks – especially in narrow locations very difficult. If you, your self have had a dog who shows signs of reactivity then you’ll appreciate how hard it is and you may be doing the below already.. but if not please read on.

· If you see a dog who is reactive walking down the street (perhaps they have a jacket that is yellow), or perhaps their handler just looks uneasy.. then walk across the road.. this will give a dog some breathing space.

· Feed your dog to distract them rather than letting them get fixated on the other dog.

· Change direction or if you can, wait behind a parked car so that the dogs do not notice each other.

The above steps can really help a dog and their handler. Walking a reactive dog can feel stressful and anxiety inducing and people’s behaviour can really help the dog and the person.

Considerations when hiring professional to work with your dog

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Sat, 02 Nov 2024 15:57:04 GMT

Considerations when hiring professional to work with your dog

I was recently invited on the BBC Breakfast sofa with Nina and Roger to talk about my thoughts on dog walking legislation. At the moment, just like the training and behaviour industry there is ZERO legislation which means anyone can set up a dog walking business and walk as many dogs as they like. A few years in to my pet care business I saw someone walking numerous dogs at one time.. even thirty at one point. It is irresponsible and compromises dog and human welfare. There are lots of wonderful dog walkers out there. If you’re thinking of working with one here are some considerations.

Here are some questions to ask (I’ve divided them into different sections)

Physical Health of your dog

· Do they have a first aid qualification and do they carry a first aid kit on board (as well as their staff)

· What is there procedure if the weather is too hot or cold.. do they offer pop in visits so your dog can still go to the bathroom

· Do they carry water and bowls? You may prefer your dog to have their own.

Insurance and liability

· The dog walker will need specific business insurance for the car if they are carrying your dog

· Public liability insurance

· Is the car suitable for the dogs to travel in? I.e is there a crate or are they all loose? They need to be secured (remember the belt needs to be on the harness not collar incase they break swiftly or there could be a neck injury

Things for you to provide to your dogs dog walker/ to ask

· Ensure that all walking equipment is free from frays and damage

· Vet details and emergency contact details and insurance

· Emergency contact in the event you were not available

· Permission form to walk your dog off the lead

· Asking the procedure if something untoward occurred (a dog got sick for example).

· Covers for your key and where the keys are stored. I heard someone once putting the address on the key! Not ideal if the key gets lost.

· DBS check – they are coming into your home so this is important.

· What is the procedure for cleaning my dog (dogs like fox poo rolling and you don’t want that all over your sofa.

· Ask if you can do a trial walk with them – see their set up and how they handle your dog.

The Mental health of your dog

· Let the walker know if your dog has any injuries /any places they don’t like to be touched… paws can be sensitive so desensitising them to this (after any pain is ruled out is needed.

· Ask directly how many dogs will be walked at once. Too many dogs can not be handled easily. Also Where will the dogs be walked? Is it away from busy roads?

Remember that lots of dog walkers may walk in the same area and this is where issues can occur and big groups of pack walks can be harder to control if one dog feels uncomfortable and scared.

· Avoid anyone that says they use gentle corrections or is the pack leader.. this could lead to mental and physical health dangers.

Disaster planning – it’s best to be prepared!

· Who does visits/walks if the walker was sick/ on holiday.

This is important as if you’re at work for long periods of the day then this could mean your dog would be alone

· How will the dogs be introduced to the pack?

Quite often, issues can occur on a short lead and in a narrow space (the first time the dogs meet should be somewhere neutral not in the back of the car.

· What do you do if my dog is doing something wrong

This is such an important question to ask. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of debate in the dog care and training world and some people use methods such as shouting and hitting or tapping on the nose. This can lead to behavioural problems.

· Get references and look at Facebook and google reviews.

Things to consider

Does your dog want to go in the car?

If not this is for a reason.. it may be that they’re scared or in pain. There can be lots of reasons and considering this is really important.

It’s important to work with someone you trust, if there are any red flags then walk away. A good dog care professional will ask you lots of questions too… you’ll never know what someone is doing with your dog as you’re not there so trust is paramount.

My dog is doing a runner when I take out their equipment.. why?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 14:22:52 GMT

My dog is doing a runner when I get their walking equipment out – why?

It can be confusing when a dog runs off when you take out their walking equipment! Here are some considerations..

Harnesses

Sometimes for some dogs, a harness that goes over their head (and ears – which can be a bit painful if they have big pointy ears), can be a trigger and involve a dog running to hide. Thinking about the shape of the harness in relation to your dogs body (do they have a deep rib cage) and weight (is it too clunky or nice and lightweight) and if it can easily be escaped from is really important.

Sometimes the clip of the harness or collar or lead can be aversive to some dogs – it can startle them (it’s close to their ears). Dogs have very sensitive hearing and dogs with floppy ears can be more prone to ear infections, so that is a consideration. You wouldn’t start desensitisation to noise until pain was under control.

Some dogs again, don't like the sensation of something around their neck and can run when you bring out the collar and lead.

Possible pain

Dogs can be masters at hiding pain. They will still often hop skip and jump, they can enjoy going on walks but still be in pain. As it’s pain awareness month this month, think about taking a video of your dog and slowing it down so you can spot anything that seems unusual and speak to your vet.

Gait challenges may be indicated by:

· Back legs turned out when sitting.

· Stopping on walks (this could be due to pain/ an aversion to a location where something scary has happened and when a dog goes into freeze mode - not stubbornness!)

· Bunny hopping

· Lameness

· A reluctance to sit

Equally, if your dog is avoiding the towel and being rubbed down, again lifting their paws and legs may be due to underlying pain, as there weight is being shifted and they are potentially over compensating on one limb.

Changing the association

Some dogs have not been introduced to the collar and harness in small steps and find the experience a bit overwhelming.

Outside

On the way to a walk are there/have there been builders or something that could potentially have scared your dog?

Tips if your dog is a bit too over – enthusiastic on walks

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 16:01:49 GMT

Of course you love seeing your dog’s tongue lolling out happily and enthusiastically on a walk and take great joy in seeing them whizzing around and having fun. However, sometimes a dog’s enthusiasm levels sky rocket and if they can’t slow down they can sometimes knock into you or other passers by just by running towards you, or jumping up. This can lead to pain and injuries – something that we all want to avoid.

Why think about this, is there anything I can do?

There are several reasons a dog may be showing ‘wired’ or ‘hyped’ up behaviour on a walk. Here are some considerations

1.Exercise needs. Are they getting adequate exercise for their needs? Some dogs will need more exercise than others. Has anything changed at all? For example, have they been in a crate for a long period due to an injury and now being reintroduced to walks? If so, they may have a lot of pent up energy.

2.Are they practicing this behaviour with others? Are they in an environment where they are running around consistently all day? For some dogs when they have this level of activity on a regular basis this spills over to behaviour on a walk.

3. Is the walking environment enriching enough? Do they have enticing things to smell and can they potter around or is it an area that is full of other dogs where they just run around constantly? If a dog is running around consistently this can make it harder for them to listen as they’re over stimulated. If you imagine a sink (to borrow an analogy from the wonderful Sarah Heath), and that sink is being filled with water, and the water represents over stimulation which can include barking at the doorbell, running constantly on walks, repetitive ball chucking can all result in sensory overload. Imagine a child going to one birthday party where there is a bouncy castle then on to another where there’s another bouncy castle and sweets.

How to spot signs that your dogs sink is filling up

Body language signs of an overstimulated dog can include dilated pupils, hackles raised, lip licking, poor impulse control, barking, panting. Spotting these signs can help you take steps to lowering your dogs arousal levels back to baseline.

Think A, B, C. Think antecedent, behaviour, consequence – what environment does the behaviour happen in, who/what is around, what behaviour can you actually see (try to avoid labels like stubborn as they don’t actually tell you much about the behaviour that’s being displayed, is there any noise, is the environment very fast paced?

What you can try

Free work is a low impact activity that all animals can try. As well as being an activity that can be calming,it can help you spot areas that your dog may avoid (it could be painful underfoot, or it may remind them of an area that something scary happened).

Using an activity budget – looking at the amount of exercise, sleep and enrichment can help you spot any areas that may be missing/need tweaking.

Would you like support?

Questions are what I work on in my Polite Pup Club membership. Every 2 weeks I answer questions about different topics.

There are resources on recall, polite walking and loads more.

We have videos and you can meet other members too.

If you’d like to find out more check out the Polite Pup Club .

Some tips on lead techniques

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 13:50:59 GMT

A long lead can give a dog more freedom of movement on walks in open fields and allow them to move away from a trigger and sniff and explore.

Sniffing can be a relaxing activity. Some dogs feel very frustrated on a lead and will react because of tension.

Here are some tips on holding the lead

It can be a hazard to drop a lead. Place the lead over your wrist and inbetween your thumb and forefinger. This will help to keep your wrist safe.

Hold the lead with both hands so you can guide the dog or pull them away if you need to. Perhaps the trigger has surprised you or come too close.

What lead to choose

Ensure you have a lead that does not chafe on your hands.

Ones that do not get all wet and soggy and therefore could slip out of your hand.

Have a lead that is suitable for your dogs weight and therefore does not risk breaking.

Equipment to avoid in reactivity cases and why

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 13:03:23 GMT

Here is information about the types of equipment that should be avoided in the case of reactive behaviour or lead pulling and why. It can be confusing when there are lots of options on the market, or if people have recommended certain types. If you have a dog who is lunging and barking on the lead you may feel at a loss of what to do. In this blog I will provide information about certain types of equipment that can exacerbate problems or create new ones.

Slip leads

People can recommend that you yank on the lead when a dog is barking and lunging at another dog. It is the idea that you add pain to prevent them from exhibiting the behaviour. This creates tension around the neck and a choking sensation as it is like a noose.

The problem with adding pain is it is likely to make a stressed dog even more stressed. Tension around the neck will be caused therefore adding to the tension.

Prong collars

These devices have blunt metal prongs on them again they cause pain around the neck area if a dog pulls or barks. They can injure eyes when going on and cause inflammation on neck muscles.

Choke chains

Again they create a choking sensation around the neck if the dog pulls.

Some people recommend this equipment and when you have a dog who is pulling, lunging and barking on the lead you may feel at a real loss at what to do, as it is upsetting and stressful. The problem is, is this equipment can cause new challenges that weren’t already there (if say for example a dog starts to associate pain around the neck with a person that they see when originally they were just concerned around people). Added stress for a dog who is already at capacity can lead them to over react to stimuli that they wouldn’t do normally. The devices may suppress the behaviour in some dogs but suppressing it can lead to it coming out in other ways. For some dogs they even get used to the sensation.

Why do smaller dogs have a reputation for being reactive?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 12:53:28 GMT

Smaller dogs are often described as having ‘little man syndrome’. If they snap or growl some people will often state that they are ‘sassy’ and laugh it off. I have some adorable smaller dogs that have attended puppy class and the first time I met them my instant desire was to pick them up and cuddle them. However, they don’t know me and I know it’s not sensible so I resist the desire to do so!

Quite often because of their miniature appearance smaller dogs have to put up with strangers picking them up, grabbing them or stroking them without permission. This is not ideal for a number of reasons – a dog may be scared of people, they may be in pain, and having a stranger pick you up is very different to someone you know lifting you in their arms. Without a strong reinforcement history of good experiences with that person (such as treats, praise, or touch that is enjoyable), it is not surprising why many dogs do not enjoy it. If attempts at space are routinely ignored, such as moving away looking away, showing the whites of the eyes or other body language on the ladder of communication it is likely that a dog will resort to higher levels of behaviour such as growling, snapping or even biting.

It’s important that smaller dogs are able to assess and make a choice in regards to interacting with people in the park. There are things that can be done to build confidence around people but picking up a dog and stroking it when they’re scared will not magically cure them of their fear – it is likely to reinforce it.

What can be done to build confidence instead?

· Remembering that dogs have an incredible sense of smell is important and that sniffing is information gathering – it does not mean they instantly want to be petted. Allow a dog to sniff and explore and retreat if they want to.

· See if the dog wants to interact by allowing a person to pat their knees to see if the dog wants to come over.

· Use consent petting with new people so that the dog is not feeling overwhelmed and can move away if they want to. With consent petting you stroke a dog for three strokes then take the hand away to see if they want the interaction to continue – if they don’t then you stop the stroking. It’s important that the dog is not on a short lead and can easily move away.

· Watch out for body language signs that they are feeling uncomfortable and assess it.

If you'd like to find out how I can help you, you can book a consultation.

Enrichment and walking ideas

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 15:42:15 GMT

Enrichment should always be enriching - not frustrating

There are things that you can do in terms of walks to make them a less overwhelming experience and so that your dog is not rehearsing the behaviour. Practice makes perfect afterall. Sniffing and play are relaxing activities for dogs so going somewhere that is quieter and full of enriching smells can help a dog to decompress.

These ideas will not be possible for everyone due to circumstances including financial but here are some considerations:

· You could hire a fenced in field.

· Invest in a jacket /lead sleeve such as this to reduce unwanted interactions.

· Go to places that are quieter and not full of lots of dogs.

Here are some more enrichment ideas that can increase positive moments for your dog. You know what your dog likes best so pick and choose and try things and adapt them if needed.

Identifying fear in dogs

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 14:55:55 GMT

Having a dog has lots of benefits including reducing blood pressure (Allen et al,. 2002) and fewer minor illnesses (Serpell, 1991).

However, having a dog who is reactive can cause emotions such as stress and anxiety on walks (Hart et al., 2023). People’s off lead dogs running up to their own can be a big cause of stress and overwhelm, especially when people shout “it’s okay he’s friendly” or “it’s fine he needs a good telling off!”. There is often a big misunderstanding that dogs need to be socialised and placed around lots of dogs in an attempt to get over their fear, but actually this can flood a dog with cortisol and stress.

It’s an important first step to be able to recognise stress in dogs/ or a desire not to play with other dogs. Here is a traffic light system. As with all body language, context is key so it is important to look at all body language as it does not happen in isolation (a dog can yawn because they are excited and anticipating a walk for example). Pain can cause dogs to be less tolerant and more grumpy and dogs can be very good at masking pain (they will still jump for their ball) in the same way as we may go dancing because it is fun, if we have a sore knee.

Here are some main signs that can be stress related:

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Motivation a nd emotion

It is important that the motivation and emotion behind a behaviour is recognised. Sometimes this can be a mixture of different emotions (some dogs may feel conflicted and want to interact but don’t have the social skills and then issues are caused with other dogs using behaviours to tell them to go away.

Emotion: Fear

Motivation: To get a trigger such as a dog to move away (to repel them)

Barking, lunging growling, tail tucked under - Some body language examples (this can be different for different dogs)

Emotion: Frustration

To decrease distance and get access

Barking and lunging - Some body language examples (this can be different for different dogs)

Tools and guides

Body language awareness

Ladder of communication by Kendal Shepherd.

Dog Decoder App by Jill Breitner.

Dog body language book by Lili Chin.

Recording videos

Videos of your dog on walks (with something that is not hand held – your hands will be occupied! - such as Go Pro) can be a great way of spotting body language signs.

Trigger stacking diary

You can download this diary to track behaviours on walks.

If you are concerned about your dogs behaviour then the most sensible thing to do to keep your dog and other dogs safe is is muzzle training. There is a free guide to this here.

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Reactivity - the basics

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 10:26:09 GMT

Managing reactivity

What can be done?

Follow our management advice on having a reactive dog. While this is not a cure it is some advice to help you and your dog in the meantime and prevent behaviours from being exacerbated and practiced.

If your dog has been showing reactivity for some time and you are finding things stressful you’re in the right place.

It can seem overwhelming. Remember that your dog is an individual and what will work for one dog may not work for another.

Here are 3 rules regarding reactive displays and how to approach them.

Rule 1: The right gear

Equipment such as martingale collars and prong collars can cause pain and discomfort and add to the stress a dog is already experiencing. Ensure that equipment you use is not frayed or damaged in anyway and that your dog cannot get out of their collar or harness.

Rule 2: Notice

Noticing body language signs that your dog is stressed is imperative. Being able to spot lower level signs of concern such as lip licking, yawning and shaking off can all be good ways to spot when your dog is not comfortable with an interaction. Responding to these signs of stress so they don’t exacerbate will mean you’ll be helping your dog. Dogs communicate all the time, we just need to know how to listen.

Rule 3: Management

Not placing your dog into situations that are too overwhelming is key. A dog can feel trapped in narrow spaces and if they are around lots of dogs in the park there calm state may actually be a freeze response. Recognising triggers, locations and situations (such as a dog coming round the corner) is all helpful as it means you can reduce their stress when possible. Life happens so we won’t always be able to deal with them but recognising certain situations that stress mean we ca. be equipped next time to avoid it if we can, work on it, or decompress the stress after it has occurred.

My dog is barking alot. Why are they barking so much?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 16:34:46 GMT

Barking is a form of communication. A dog may bark because they have large ears and are sensitive to sounds. They may bark because it has been positively reinforced. Ie: A dog barks and then gets attention for it. It may be an anxiety response. It may mean back off. Stopping barking depends on a dogs reasons for barking in the first place.

Why flooding is not safe and effective when working with a dog who is reactive

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 14:33:31 GMT

Flooding

Have you ever been really scared of something? Even the thought of it makes you shudder? Maybe it’s a spider. Can you imagine being exposed to a spider by someone forcing your hand into a box full of spiders and restraining you, not letting you move away from it? How do you think you would react? Would you shout or scream? Or maybe freeze in fear? Do you think it would help you get over your fear or do you think it would petrify you and exacerbate your fear?

Some so called behaviourists – sadly it’s an unregulated profession – advocate for this method claiming it cures a dog of their fear.

If a dog is already uncomfortable in a situation (such as a busy park) they will be faster to react if something happens (such as a dog getting in their face) and may move higher up the ladder of communication (straight to growling). This is compared to being able to stop and use more polite cut off signals such as looking away or looking at you if they are in an emotional state that is not high alert. Being able to have the chance to learn new coping behaviours that are incompatible with lunging barking growling (things that we do not want them to do), need to be learnt and practiced – otherwise they will continue behaviour that they already know works.

This stress can get dumped in the body and the dog may react to something in a more extreme way hadn’t it been forced into an interaction. Shut down is real and can look like calm behaviour leading you to think a dog is fixed or cured. They don’t respond and avoid eye contact. Shut down can be compared to learned helplessness. This is when an animal learns that their behaviour does not have an outcome on their experience and their emotional state is fear and they freeze.

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Breed spotlight: The Shetland SheepDog

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 15:55:05 GMT

Spotlight on the Shetland Sheepdog

This breed is thought to have originated in the 19 ^th Century from the Shetland Isles, off the North Coast of Scotland. Their original purpose was thought to be a farm dog and sheep herder. Their coat is dense – ideal for the stormy weather they would have experienced.

Grooming

Prospective caregivers need to be aware of the grooming that is involved when sharing their life with a sheltie. They have a double coat – a soft, thick undercoat which keeps them cooler in summer and warm in the winter. Their top coat has long water repellent hairs lying over the undercoat.

Daily grooming is required. Brushing is needed behind the ears which has soft fur. This is also needed around their arm pits and inside the thighs. Getting them used to grooming from a young age is imperative. They moult once or twice a year.

Grooming tools

A bristle brush can help keep a coat shiny and get rid of dirt.

A de-matting rack can help prevent fur matting.

A rubber brush removes dead hair and creates a massaging effect.

Planning on welcoming a dog home but not sure which breed?

If you would like guidance on different breeds of dog and their foibles and characteristics why not join the P olite Pup Club?

Fireworks

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 14:34:09 GMT

The period of fireworks can be distressing for pets, causing stress and overwhelming feelings. Here are some management tips to help, although they are not a cure, they can prevent the exacerbation of behaviour.

Home Preparation:

Ensure your dog's safety by using baby gates or keeping doors closed to prevent them from escaping.
If expecting trick-or-treaters, use a long lead for your dog or keep the door shut to avoid frustration or feeling trapped.
Check your garden's fence panels for damage, especially after a storm, to prevent your dog from getting out.
Equip your dog with a collar displaying your name and contact number. Ensure chip details are up-to-date.

Bonfire Nights:

Dogs may not be suitable companions for events like bonfire nights due to potential hazards.
If going out, consider hiring a pet sitter for your dog's safety.

Day/Near the Event:

Take your dog for a walk earlier in the day to minimise exposure to spooky sights and sounds.
Recognise that each dog has a unique temperament; what one can handle, another may not.
For very anxious dogs, consult your vet
Create hiding spots behind the sofa, under blankets, or in a crate (without closing it) for a sense of security.
Introduce music early to muffle sounds, as sudden music can become a predictive cue.

Please note that studies suggest a link between pain and sound sensitivity, so ruling this out with your vet is important. If your pet exhibits intense fear, seeks further guidance from your vet if they are highly sound-sensitive.

Which Dog Would Get On Well With A Cat?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 15:24:25 GMT

I had a really interesting conversation with a lady who has a cat. She adores her cat and is thinking about getting a dog.

This isn’t a simple black and white question and we uncovered different considerations, some of which I’ll discuss for you here.

Choosing a breed to keep a cat content is not just about the breed but also can be a dogs temperament, age, a cats feelings, a cats experience and home interior.

My first consideration would always be what the cat does when they see a dog. Are they petrified? If so this isn’t conducive for living with a dog. Cats can experience stress related behaviours which can include urine infections. They can spray urine or midden (poo in places) as they are scared.

A greyhound has an inherent desire to chase therefore they wouldn’t be suited to living with cat.

Does your cat have places to relax and eat and not have their litter tray ambushed? Do you have a space for this?

Can they go somewhere high and can they climb or do they have health issues? Can they go outside? An indoor cat may find a dog coming into their home very stressful.

Asking if the puppy/dog has been used to living with cats (and enjoys it!) and therefore habituated to them is important.

The lady I spoke to is going to see her cats reaction to another dog in her garden. The dog will be on the lead and the cat can go inside at any time. It can perch on the table and she will monitor her reaction before making any decisions.

What Dog Breed Is Right For Us?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 15:18:58 GMT

This will depend a lot on your circumstances and the time you have, as you'll know that will be the case for any breed of dog. You want to get things right.

PUPPY OR OLDER DOG: WHAT TO THINK ABOUT WHEN THINKING OF WELCOMING A NEW DOG HOME

Would a puppy or older dog be better suited to your family and what you can offer. This is a question that I think I should answer fairly for the considerations for each. Now, I need to be careful as a dog is not a robot and has emotions, feelings and temperament. Behaviour can change/develop based on experience, health and genetics but there are certainly factors with this in minds, that we can explore.

My pre – puppy and dog support service provides a service which involves asking questions to the breeder and rescue centre about different behaviours. You can learn more about different breeds over on the Polite Pup Club and how you can channel behaviours.

Puppies are special and many people make lots of plans to socialise them and habituate them to different elements they will experience. As they are so young they believe they have a window to socialise them so they are not reactive to things later on in life. This is true, however puppies are not blank slates and their genetics and early experiences can have an effect on their behaviour.

A puppy can:

· Nip because they are excited and teething. This can be very painful.

· Go to the bathroom inside because they have a small bladder. They will need to be toilet trained.

· Cry at night as they have been separated from their litter mates and mother.

· Pull on the lead, pick items up and not come back when called.

· Grab and pull on clothes.

An older dog will often be toilet trained, have had obedience training and any challenges around dogs or nerves around noises or certain circumstances will have been identified.

It is hard to say whether a dog or puppy is right for you and your family as it all comes down to what your circumstances are and the individual dog. I would say to always consider what you want and what you don’t and make a plan for things that may arise in the future such as welcoming a baby home. For example you may want to train your dog to only come on the sofa when invited as you may be feeding your baby there.

My goal is to ensure I can help you make you aware of all the things to consider when welcoming a dog home. I can help you prevent or solve problems by passing on what I have learnt at university and with working with dogs so you and your dog have a happy life and relationship together. To view my services and how I can help you, check them out here.

What Different Breeds Of Dogs Are There And What Are Their Traits?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 15:07:37 GMT

Different breeds: different needs

Some of the breeds of dogs we have, have very different characteristics that they did hundreds of years ago. For example, pugs look very different compared to the way some of them look today. Sadly, they have been bred for extreme features that have caused all sorts of health challenges such as brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome. Some find it very difficult to breathe and need operations on their stenotic nares (narrow nostrils). Artificial selection based on looks alone can have an effect on behaviour and health.

There are different breeds of dogs that have been placed into different groups. Some of them have similar characteristics and behaviours. They are:

Hounds – Sight hounds hunt by sight and are capable of great speed! Recall is a big consideration here. Scent hounds hunt with their nose and track scent – a garden that is enclosed is imperative.

Hounds include the Saluki, Beagle, Afgan, Whippet and Daschund.

Gundogs

Gundogs have been bred to assist with hunting. They tend to use their sense of smell to locate game. They often freeze and lift their paw when they see game. They have floppy ears as hearing is not their prominent skill.

Gundogs include the Golden Retriever, Hungarian Vizsla's and the Welsh Springer.

Utility

The breeds have been designed without a specific task in mind. This includes the Dalmatian (which was a carriage dog – they run beside a carriage), Japanese Spitz and Keeshond.

Working

These are dogs who have a particular task. They include the Bermese mountain dog – these dogs rescued people in avalanches.

Pastoral

A pastoral dog such as the Shetland sheepdog or collie was used for herding sheep. Pet dogs should be kept away from sheep as a farmer can legally shoot a dog that is worrying their sheep.

Terriers – They have been trained to hunt things such as rats, and enjoy digging. They can be very active dogs. Terriers include the Cairn, Bedlington and Parson.

There are also dogs that have been bred together such as the cockapoo – a cocker spaniel and poodle. You will want to think about the different breed traits that can occur when these dogs are mixed together. The Polite Pup Club gives guidance on different breeds and easy games to channel their breed specific traits.

We Are Thinking Of Getting A Dog... What Should I Consider?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 15:03:26 GMT

Choosing a dog to join your family

If you’re thinking of welcoming a dog home you’ll be really mindful of the one you choose to join your family. You want to do the best thing for the dog. There are a lot of different elements when thinking about welcoming a dog: allergies any family members may have, grooming costs, health challenges, breed specific traits, energy levels the size of your home and access to the outside are all important elements. Thinking all of this through will help you make the right decision for your family, and for the dog too. Sometimes dogs who come into homes aren’t the right fit for the family – it’s not that they are bad dogs.

THE BENEFITS OF WELCOMING A DOG HOME

A dog can provide companionship, a sense of responsibility and mental health benefits. However it is a huge commitment and there are elements such as behavioural traits and life stages such as teething, lack of sleep that are important too.

THE BREEDER/RESCUE CENTRE : QUESTIONS TO ASK

Choosing a reputable breeder and rescue centre is really important. The right one will be asking you lots of questions such as how long the dog will be left, if you have a fenced in garden, if you have other pets, your current family as well as any disabilities, make you aware of the responsibilities of a puppy, the budget such as vets, trainers, grooming, feeding, insurance, flea and worm treatment and the activities you plan to do with your puppy. Also the effects that hormones can have on behaviour.

Some of the questions you should ask are below (some may not be known by a rescue centre)

Health

Current vaccination status

Health challenges of the mother

If the mother had caesarean section

If they have been screened for breed specific challenges

Rearing

Has the puppy been raised in a home environment? This means they will have experienced hoovers, tv and different noises,

Has the puppy experienced handling from different people.

Have they been in the car.

What about if things don’t work out?

While it’s not nice to think about, if the circumstances changed would the breeder/rescue centre take the dog back?

WHAT SHOULD I THINK ABOUT WHEN CHOOSING A PUPPY?

Look at their interactions are they shy and fearful? Are they bouncing around and full of intense energy? Think about how both of these aspects will fit into your life and if you can devote the time and energy to training and provide a right home for them. While a dog can be trained temperament is something that is inherent. If you welcome home an older dog you avoid the nipping and toilet training stage. Though there may be other elements you need to work on such as recall.

St Paws Training Academy can help you find the right family member for you. If you want to speak to Lisa, please reach out.

Positive Training and the Tools from Nava + Me’s Founder

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 14:59:59 GMT

In July 2020, Nava entered my life, bringing with her an abundance of joy, love, and a crash course in dog ownership. I had grown up around dogs and so made the foolish assumption that training on my own would be a walk in the park (pun intended). Turns out that less walk in the park, more trying to teach things to a small child that can’t talk and only listens if there aren’t squirrels, footballs and/or friendly humans around.

At the beginning of our journey, it was pretty clear I was going to need a plan ,because Nava was a gem in my eyes, even the best dogs need guidance as well as a specific and consistent path to towards good behviour. In the early days, and regrettably I would add, I took the traditional raised voice, pointing fingers, and a lack of structure approach. Needless to say Nava continued to chase squirrels, run on to football pitches and stop right in front of people out on their morning run.

The internet is generally not your friend when it comes to training plans for dogs.

I’m sure plenty of people Google how to raise a child, but the reality is you take advice from friends, family and find what works for your little furry one. My shining light on this journey, was the discovery of a dog trainer advocating for positive reinforcement as a means for training, exactly as you see with Lisa. The energy in their video, the mutual respect between human and dog and the results it provided was exactly what I’d been looking for. I thought, let’s give this a shot.

Positive training became our mantra, high and low value treats, rewarding the wanted good behaviour and redirecting away from unwanted behaviour. Over the subsequent weeks Nava's behavior transformed and at the same time we became more bonded than ever. The only challenge I was having was dog products fitting the needs of our method.

Enter Nava + Me. I’ve done a separate post about the history of the business, but a little here for the story. The challenge with positive reinforcement, is you need a few more tools than a lead and a voice. As a designer in a previous life, I went to task creating those tools that would allow the wider market a far more effective route to positively train their dog (and look stylish in the meantime I might add). The more I learnt about the method, the more I wanted it to be the way that every owner trains their dog, what’s not to love, an enriched life for the dog and a simpler life for the owner (*spoiler alert* this is Nava + Me’s mission statement).

So far I’ve created three products, they focus on making life better in the home, out the home and at the pub/[enter inside venue of your choosing]. It was about creating tools that played a key role in training, but only ever in a positive way. The goal was clear—to provide owners and their dogs the means to focus on the joys of the moment, not the negatives.

Over the years we have done our fair share of testing products and trying to find the ones that tick the boxes we needed. There are so many products on the market so when we were researching and trialling them we came to conclusions for the key elements that should be included and avoided.

I thought I’d share a little bit about what to look for and what to avoid when trying to find a treat/walking bag, an enrichment toy and a travel mat.

When selecting a dog treat bag, it's essential to prioritise functionality and convenience. Avoid designs that are overly complex or too difficult to access quickly, as a user-friendly treat bag will enhance the training experience for both you and your dog. Multiple compartments can be beneficial for carrying different types of treats, high and low value, or even personal items like keys or a phone. Choose a bag made from durable and easy-to-clean materials, ensuring it can withstand the rigors of daily use. A waterproof bag will always be a winner in our eyes, even though you think you won’t need it to be, it’s a life saver. The Walking + Treat bag that we came up with has exactly these points. Easy access, dual treat pouch, large compartments and made from waterproof, durable materials.

When it comes to dog enrichment toys, look for options that stimulate your dog's brain. It’s so important to move away from the generic stuffed toys that promote dogs to completely destroy in a matter of minutes. Look for toys that can be filled with treats or kibble, encouraging your dog to problem-solve and stay engaged. It’s beneficial to both you and your dog if the toy can either be an independent play time or a joint game, which can strengthen the bond between you and your dog. If you find yourself reaching for the same squeaky stuffed toy, have a look at our Squares + Crosses enrichment toy, a toy designed specifically for brain stimulation.

For a trav el dog bed, prioritize portability and comfort. Opt for a bed that is lightweight, easily foldable, and compact when packed. Look for materials that are both durable and easy to clean, as travel often involves different environments. Ensure the bed provides adequate support for your dog's joints and has a cosy or warm feeling to it especially for those who have short haired dogs. A travel dog bed that strikes a balance between comfort, convenience, and durability will make trips more enjoyable for both you and your canine companion. If you’re after something that ticks all these boxes, check out the Travel + Settle mat.

At Nava + Me we aren’t just another company creating dog accessories; we are a designer's reflection of the transformative power of positive training. I aim to embody as a designer the incredible journey Nava and I embarked on, from novice dog owner to passionate advocate for a method that I trule hope you’ll adopt too.

Nava + Me is a small female owner business founded by Andraea Posnett in Hackney, East London. Their products are meticulously designed and created to enrich the life of your dogs while simplifying yours. You can find their enrichment toy, settle/travel mat, and dual treat dog pouch here.

My dog loves other dogs.. a bit too much! How should I handle this?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 11:36:22 GMT

It can be frustrating when your dog is unable to focus on you and is constantly scanning for other dogs. It can be socially embarrassing when they don’t come back when you call them. Obviously, it is not ideal when your dog goes racing up to a dog who is on the lead. They could be recovering from an operation, poorly, or really scared of other dogs.

Situations could include:

Your dog constantly scanning for other dogs

They may be so overstimulated and be looking for other dogs on a walk and not able to do anything else. Changing the environment if you can is important here, if there are lots of other dogs around it will be very hard for them (if not impossible especially if dogs are running up to them), to learn alternative behaviours. You’re also both likely to feel frustrated, which isn’t a place where they can learn easily.

Your dog not being able to listen to you on walks

Think about where this behaviour could be reinforced. Speak to your dog walker to see if your dog is constantly playing with other dogs on walks. If they are then they may think that this is what walks are for. Going to a place that is quieter where your dog can focus and there are not oodles of other dogs is sensible so they have the chance to practice alternative behaviours. Otherwise if they are switched on all the time (a bit akin to us being glued to our phone, and social media notifications always popping up and not being able to read a book or relax in the moment), they can’t practice behaviours such as sniffing and exploring.

Pulling you towards other dogs

This can be painful for you and your dog. Investing in a well-fitting harness (there is extensive info on this in our polite pup club) is imperative so damage isn’t created on their sensitive neck area and their breathing isn’t restricted. A long lead that means your dog can explore and search and still have exercise is a great tool too. You do not want one that knots easily, gets wet and soggy or burns your hand.

What else can you do?

In addition to the suggestions above, you can invest in a toy that your dog loves and engage them on walks for at least 2 minutes.

If you are in Hertfordshire or Bedfordshire you can book some one to one training with me if you’d like extra help or join my polite pup club.

You will want to read this if you are struggling to get your dog out of water

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 11:04:07 GMT

Water is very appealing for dogs and can be oodles of fun! It's tricky when we need to get home for that meeting though!

Obviously, anyone who is walking your dog needs to be mindful of water based risks such as blue -green algae – keep your dogs away from water that has this as it can be life threatening.

Here is a guide to water, recall and your dog.

Start by training your dog to respond to a whistle.

To do this you blow the whistle for 3-5 pips and then immediately feed your dog their dinner. Do this inside every day for a few weeks. Then test it out: when your dog is in another room blow your whistle and see if your dog comes to you. If so you have built an association with the whistle.. inside anyway! This needs to be proofed outside too.

Firstly, as with all training, don’t rush into the deep end! Start with shallow water. Recall your dog with your recall word that you have already established. If you haven’t done this, stop reading and download the guide here . Run a few yards away and call your dog (movement can make it fun for them and encourage them that it is fun being around you).

When your dog comes out of the water give them a big reward – liver paste or warm chicken are often very popular! Utilising a biothane long lead can be helpful too as it doesn’t get all wet and soggy. However you don’t want to use this with deep water as it could get tangled.

Start with super short recalls (i.e when they’re not shoulder deep in water).

Mistakes to avoid

· Don’t use a long lead in deep water (it could get caught)

· Don’t have a buckle collar as this could get caught too

· Don’t go home straight after recalling your dog from the water (this can result in the end of the fun)

· Don’t blow your whistle unless you have built up a solid association with it

· Don’t keep blowing it if your dog is not responding – remember the whistle results in a good outcome – food!

Adapted from Total Recall by Pippa Mattison

Why fear and compliance is not the same as training dogs

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 14:00:06 GMT

I sometimes hear people say that dogs are being stubborn, dominant and trying to get one over on us.

When dogs are puppies we may tolerate their behaviour and state that they’re just a puppy and still have time to learn. However when a dog hits about 5 months old our tolerance towards their behaviour is often shorter. The selective deafness, jumping up, chewing items, not coming back when called is sometimes deemed as refusal to listen. The adolescent period, is sadly, the time when most dogs get relinquished to a shelter as people cannot cope with their behaviour any more. People may tell you you need to give them a firm hand and show them who’s boss. This is wrong.

During the adolescent period there are massive brain changes. This makes everything so much more exciting than ever before. Dogs at this age really lack impulse control. They are not trying to punish you, and their behaviour is not pre-meditated. This time, although hard, needs to be a time of understanding. Helping dogs by going to a calmer environment and setting them up to succeed doesn’t mean we are ‘making a rod for our own back’ or ‘being soft’. It shows that we understand dogs and their behaviour and want to help them and keep them safe. Punishing them by tapping them on the nose can lead to aggressive behaviour. Time out’s can build frustration. We also cannot communicate to them why we are doing this, so a hand punishing them can be intimidating and scary and lead them to fear hands. This can damage the relationship and sever bonds.

Connection not correction is so vital at this stage. Compliance through fear can lead to dogs who are more unpredictable as they shut down. Allowing a dog to rehearse a behaviour during adolescence may result in an engrained behaviour.

What to do when you're struggling

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 10:51:53 GMT

You may feel like you’re the only person having challenges with your dogs and your alone but that won’t be the case!

Add sleepless nights with a new puppy, cleaning up their accidents, being their comforter and chew toy can be overwhelming. Adding this to the extra strains in our own lives can lead to stress and burnout.

Having a puppy is hard work. Really hard. It’s not your fault that you feel stressed with it. Lots of people may give advice, and although it’s well meaning may be irritating.

So what can you do? Try this guidance below..

1. Start by not comparing your puppyhood experience with others.

Puppies have different temperaments, two puppies from the same litter can have different personalities. While it can be easy to think that every person on Instagram has everything together you need to remember that it’s just a snippet and highlight of their lives, that they want to share.

2. Accept that you cannot be everything.

Remember you cannot pour from an empty cup and you’re doing the best you can. Perfection isn’t helpful. You only need to train or manage the behaviours that are going to benefit your puppy the most.

3. Remember that expectations vs reality are different

It’s easy to think that a new puppy will involve trips to the café where they settle calmly in your arms and sleep through the night wrapped up in their blanket. This is often not the case. Puppies can be bundles of energy and explore the world with their mouths. Understanding information about your puppy’s breed and their traits, their early life experience, that they will be teething will help you reset your expectations. It’s life affirming when you understand why your puppy is behaving in a certain way. They have been taken from their mother and siblings and are in a new place, they are at a baby’s stage.

4. What can you do make things better for you?

Have you considered easing the burden by asking for some help from a pet sitter who can come in and help you for a few hours when you have to work or have other commitments? That hour can really help!

5. Get moving

Doing exercise whether that be walking to the café to meet a friend, a run, swim or session on the peloton will help release stress and release endorphins which will make you feel better.

6. Switch off advice

When you are feeling overwhelmed reading advice about what you can or should try can be irritating – hit the snooze for 30 days button. Don’t visit the Facebook groups. It may seem odd that I am suggesting that as I give advice but sometimes it can really help! Getting information from all angles can leave you feeling confused and worried whether you’re doing the right thing. Read a funny book instead or watch some comedy!

7. Support

This is a huge one. Having a support network where you can just offload can make you feel ten times better. Do you have friends with puppies that you can talk to? Is there a meet up group you can join? Or can you meet people at a puppy class? Do you have a partner or family member you can ask for help. Having a network can really help you feel better and remind you that you’re not alone.

8. Check your diet and daily activity budget

Are you making time for yourself - I know this can be hard with a new puppy but can you carve out some time? Are you drinking eating and getting out in nature enough? Staring at the four walls can make you feel worse.

The most important thing to remember is you’re not alone and lots of people will be having the same experiences as you. It’s not what you’ve done it’s how you’ve moved forward.

Over excitement on walks

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 13:24:02 GMT

Your dog’s arousal level may be just too high to be able to focus on training. Here are some things to consider.

Have they had a walk today yet? They may have had a lot of pent up energy and are releasing it on their first walk of the day.

Think about the stress in daily life and try and minimise these. Integrate chews that they can enjoy, sleep time, changes to noises that they experience such as alarms going off or noisy doorbells.

If you are working on disengagement away from something then move further away from it. Don’t completely remove the trigger because that could reinforce barking behaviour from your dog but make sure they are further away.

If you are using treats on walks and your dog is seeking them out, then think about using some that are less exciting as they may be too enticing for your dog.

How to hold a long lead

A long lead can be a great tool to prevent frustration on walks and allow more freedom of movement. Loop the lead into sections and let it out as needed. Keep it over your wrist and inbetween your thumb and forefinger -this will keep your hand safe if they see something very enticing such as a squirrel!

Rewarding them for being in your magic circle

Reward your dog for being beside you and in the area that you are walking in so they are being reinforced for staying closer to you.

Top myths about using positive reinforcement as a technique in dog training

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 12:44:02 GMT

While there are many myths about using positive reinforcement in dog training, here are some common ones, that you are likely to come across.

I will bust some myths below!

Myth 1: Food is used as a bribe to get the dog to do what you want.

Truth: Food is an important tool when it comes to training many dogs, as it is highly valued by them. However the reward of food is given after a dog has offered a behaviour that you like. It is not dangled in front of the dogs face while they are asked for a behaviour. A treat pouch can be utilised to keep the treats in. Like learning anything new the dog needs to be set up for success (not learning in too difficult environments to begin with and building up to those), and rewarded for small behaviours that add up to the final desired behaviour. This is a concept called shaping. For example, for a dog you are teaching to move into a down you’d reward them for small movements that they’d make towards a down, otherwise it is likely that they’ll get frustrated.

Some people argue that a dog will gain weight if food is used too much but you can always use your dog’s daily allowance of food. Treats do not have to be huge and cut up into very small pieces.

I’ve heard it all, that a dog should want to please us. I think this is very unrealistic as everyone does something because there is a consequence involved. People would not go to work if they were not paid. While of course, there are some dogs that have some traits that are more inherent and easier to train a dog won’t do something just to please us. Certainly, they do please us, that’s why we adore them, but it is unrealistic to think that they will only do things for no reinforcement. Sometimes, if you completely stop using food in training then behaviours can become extinct.

Myth 2: There are no boundaries involved

Truth: There have to be boundaries to keep dogs safe. A lead, for example, in the case of polite walking does this. If you are training a dog not to pull, and it’s from a lack of training issue, then rewarding a dog when they are walking politely will reinforce polite walking (positive reinforcement training), and stopping to prevent the dog from pulling while they are on the lead prevents them from moving forward while they pull (negative punishment). Positive reinforcement means adding something to make the behaviour more likely and negative punishment means withholding rewards (i.e stopping so they do not gain access towards what they are pulling).

There are likely to be times you will need to pull a dog’s lead to get them out of a situation for safety: maybe they have pulled towards the road. However there is a difference between pulling them away and yanking on their collar in an attempt to punish them for their behaviour. Equipment such as harnesses which have a front and back clip can be good safety tools. When training something new, the environment is key, just like a young child who won’t be able to do their Maths homework while eating jelly and ice cream on a bouncy castle, a dog won’t be able to learn recall straight away if there first lesson is around copious amounts of other dogs, smells and people.

Myth 3: People who use this form of training have little control over their dogs.

Truth : Studies have suggested that positive reinforcement training and negative punishment are more effective than aversive techniques (Ziv et al., 2017). Dogs who experience aversive training (hitting, shouting, aversive tools such as prong collars) have been shown, under some studies, to be more aggressive and unpredictable. Aversive techniques are not welfare based training techniques.

Dog training can be based on connection and not correction. Rewarding them for polite behaviour that you’d like to see more of and actively noticing the good things that they are doing can reap rewards. By responding to your dogs and noting their triggers and hot spots (where the behaviour occurs) you can effectively respond to them to set them up for success and change environment if needed. You can work at building self control in these areas that they are distracted in. If it is a behavioural concern i.e if a dog is scared of other dog then I argue that people who use a flooding technique where a dog is surrounded by other dogs in an attempt to get them over their fear, are the one’s that are not in control. The dog may bark and lunge and get the other dog to move away, or even snap or bite. Trigger or stress stacking is when behaviours that are scary, painful and stressful add up and a dog reacts in a way that they may not do normally, had those other stressors not occurred in quick succession.

Myth 4 : Positive reinforcement does not work on certain dogs.

Truth: It’s used with animals who live in zoo’s and assistance dog charities. It certainly does work. However, there is a caveat there is sometimes a misunderstanding about how positive reinforcement works and how it is supposed to be used. You can sometimes reward at the wrong time and therefore teach the wrong thing. If a treat is given after a person speaks or while a dog eats a treat then the link between the word and the prediction of the treat is low. Whereas if the word is given first and the treat follows a link can be made between the word and the reinforcement. This is particularly important when training a recall word.

Myth 5: It only involves food.

Fact: There are many things a dog finds reinforcing and they can be ranked in order of preference to dogs. They can include toys, treats, favourite things to have, favourite places to be. By ranking them, the high value rewards can be used for more difficult tasks. Imagine your primary motivator was money because you were going to use that money to go on holiday with your partner after a stressful year. You also like cookies but they are lower down the rank of favourite things. You work really hard on a project at work and expect a bonus but instead you get some cookies, your less likely to work as hard the next time! The same things can happen with dogs. If you are giving them a piece of kibble, something that they have every day for coming away from 7 dogs they love to play with then this may not be as rewarding for them. It can also feel like a downgrade if on previous occasions they’ve received something high value such as a great play session or a treat they find very tasty.

Do you want to learn more about training? Or is there anything in here you find surprising? Come and join me over on Facebook.

References

Ziv et al., (2017), 'The effects of using aversive training methods in dogs—A review', Journal of Veterinary Behavior

Volume 19, Pages 50-60

Why should we be talking about and concerned about the way dog's are treated?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 15:38:18 GMT

We are a nation of animal lovers, we spend thousands on our pets and their needs but why do certain behaviours still remain that are not concurrent with showing love to a dog?

Why is it still legal to hit a dog in the name of ‘training’ it?

Why is okay to place a dog in their crate if they misbehave or to stop them from toileting in a certain place? This sounds a lot like locking a child in a room if they don’t behave in a way we like. If a dog is toileting in a place we don’t want to it’s up to us to train them to do so in the correct place (providing they are toileting purely because of a training challenge?

Why is it okay to use social media to put dogs in uncomfortable situations where they are snapping and growling or worried because people find it amusing and ‘sassy’ and it gets lots of ‘likes?’
Why is it okay to pin a dog down to get them to 'submit' and why is it okay to put them in a situation that they are scared of so they lunge growl and react or just shut down their emotions?

How come it is ok to breed dogs to have certain characteristics that compromise their health and welfare because we find it aesthetically pleasing? Or shockingly, so they don’t need extra walking to fit in with our lifestyle?

Why is it OK to use tools on dogs that we would not dream of using on ourselves because they’d cause pain, in the name of ‘training’ which is really not training as it is just suppressing a behaviour (not training an alternative).

Why is it recommended to allow puppies to cry out at night and become distressed when they are in a new place and away from all their litter mates?

Why is it okay to dress up dog’s in itchy costumes that inhibit the chance to express their body language (and therefore put them at risk as there feelings may be misinterpreted by other dogs/ people) because we find it fun?

Here are just a handful of questions I have that illustrate the issues that dogs face today. Many of these things are rarely spoken about and people may disregard the issues saying there are bigger concerns to worry about. Certainly, dogs face abuse, starvation cruelty and neglect on a intense scale but I argue that dogs perceived to be in loving homes have some elements of the above too.

The way children learn to treat dogs is an issue for wider society too. If a child learns that dog’s are playthings that are just there to enhance our lives only, with disregard to what the dog wants and needs, it perpetuates the ideas that all living creatures are solely for human use. This is dangerous. It can make a child think that they can treat the dog in anyway they like. This can lead to

The idea that a forceful hand needs to be used with dogs is thrown around and accepted by many. Some trainers do not have the conversation with the dog’s carer about what methods will be used (some of which can be fear, intimidation and pain). Trainers that use positive reinforcement (adding something to make the behaviour more likely) is sometimes labelled by critics as ‘purely positive’ and not realistic. It makes some people think that these trainers are ‘snowflakes’. However, no one can ever be purely positive – training does not work like this, if someone labels themselves purely positive it is likely that they mean they just do not use punishment (hitting, shouting, adding something such as a choke collar). Inevitably they will withhold rewards from the dog. There is a good guide to methods below.

Just because someone has a big following on social media does not mean that their advice is sound and reliable (I’m sure you can think of a few people on twitter!)

Poor dog training, behaviour and handling and care is a mental health issue for dogs. Anyone that is interacting with a dog whether that be a dog walker, day care operator, trainer or behaviourist should be aware of the dangers of using certain methods – for the dog’s mental and physical health, as well as humans mental and physical health. Studies have shown that dog’s that are treated with harsh methods can become more unpredictable and aggressive.

I appreciate that some people do not know how to use certain methods, but I feel that some just do not want to change. Having an open mind about different methods is key – as the science moves on, so can we. Just like with experience in the past, we can learn, educate ourselves and do better. We do the best with what we have at the time but that does not give us an excuse to stay in the past because we are scared of being wrong. Dogs deserve better. They give us so much love.

What does it tell children when forceful techniques are used? That if someone or an animal is doing something that we don't like that we should hit them to get them to stop. This perpetuates the idea that it is okay to use abuse on others to get what they want, or even that it is okay to receive this abuse.

Dogs with poor mental health can be stressed and stress leads to compromised welfare and potentially bites. Placing a dog in a situation that it is uncomfortable with when there are other stressors in their life, which me may not even be aware of – pain for example – can lead them to display stress which could include snapping or biting. In turn this is an obvious mental health issue for people, as a dog bite has ramifications such as the dog being euthanised, and a fear of dogs for the person as well as physical and mental scars.

I highly recommend reading this paper which outlines the effects of training methods on dogs.

Why not join my newsletter or join me on Facebook.

Management in a Multi-Dog Household

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 18:14:38 GMT

Aggression between dogs can occur for a variety of reasons.

A common reason can be undiagnosed pain so it is always important to rule out any overt medical conditions with the vet. You can read about pain and problem behaviour here. Pain can exacerbate stress and discomfort and can lead to aggressive displays. It’s sensible to allow a dog to meet each other when there is a physical barrier between them so you can see their body language reactions and the barrier maintains safety. Aggression is often motivated by fear. It is not a desire to dominate and be the ruler/top dog.

Trigger stacking

This is when stress builds up over time. A dog’s reaction to a trigger/stressor can all depend on the age, health and experience of that dog. When a dog is not able to have time to decompress and relax then this can result in them reacting in a way that they may not normally (ie move to a snap/bite). Stressful experiences to a dog may not be noticed by humans but they may include a painful trip to the groomers, then a trip to the vet then an unknown visitor, then building works in the home.

Being able to recognise situations that are a trigger (i.e sharing a sofa) is imperative so we can use management.

Feeding

Feed your dogs separately as often issues can happen around the food bowl. Food is a source of survival for dogs so growling when other dogs approach their bowl is common. Pick up the bowl when both dogs have moved away from it

Going outside and narrow spaces

Doors can be narrow and dogs can have issues with each other in this area as they feel constricted and trapped. Therefore, teaching a wait and letting each dog go out of the door separately is sensible.

Playing

Sometimes dog play can get out of hand and lead to issues if dogs go over threshold therefore rambunctious over stimulating play should be avoided. Sniffing activities can be a good way of lowering excitement. Sprinkle some treats into tiny pieces and let the dog seek them out with their nose.

Toys and beds

Multiple toys is important to ensure that all dogs have adequate resources. The same thing goes for beds.

Baby gates

These can be a helpful tool to separate dogs, especially during feeding times.

Hot spots

If cuddles on the sofa with you and both dogs results in aggressive displays then making a note of these is imperative so you can use management to avoid them.

Become fluent in canine body language

This ladder of aggression is not necessarily linear and some dogs can skip steps in the ladder if they are stressed or previous attempts to gain space have been egnored.

Listening to the whispers (the green levels) before they turn into shouts is really important.

Chronic stress can result in elevated cortisol. Cortisol can affect learning that happens in a part of the brain called the hippocampus. Stress can also cause atrophy (shrinking) of the hippocampus, and enables fear conditioning to occur in the amygdala (Overall, 2013).

If you would like further advice about working with me please reach out.

References

Overall, K 2013, Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats, Elsevier, Saint Louis. Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central. [11 July 2023].New Paragraph

Thinking about saying goodbye to your pet before you pass away and planning for their care

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 11:16:42 GMT

Your dog is so important to you and you love them dearly.

Trigger warning: this blog contains details about death.

The NHS 75th anniversary got me thinking about my Granny and how the NHS cared for her in the last stages of her life. She had a beautiful puppy when she was younger called (Bobby) above and while her health meant it wasn't suitable to have a dog herself in terms of giving them the exercise they needed she loved spending time with my Cousin's dog.

Death is something that affects us all. It is, understandably something that many people don’t like to think about or prepare for, because it can be upsetting thinking about our own or a loved one’s mortality. Despite this, it is important to prepare and think ahead and plan for this, as it can save a lot of stress for you and your loved ones later on.

If you had sadly passed away yesterday, what would be happening to your pet?

Would they have someone to care for them? Such as a friend or family member? Have you spoken to somebody about this? Would the new home be suitable for them, e.g. can they be away from other animals if needed? The Dog's Trust offer a care plan.

Here are a list of considerations:

Are their vet details, medication and any illnesses noted down?

Is their food noted down and any prescription diets?

Has a note about when their last flea and worming treatment and vaccinations been written?

What about their behaviour? Do they come back when they’re called? Are they scared of certain experiences/dogs/people? You know them the best but other people may not know these things.

Do you have their pet insurance details noted in case they’re ever needed? Has any money been put aside for their care?

These are important questions as inevitably, we never know when this can happen to us.

Is their pet carrier in a visible place?

What about the details of the company for their microchip? Your dog's new address details will need to be updated.

Where does the your dog go when you go on holiday? What are your dog walker's details?

Are they allergic to any particular food/treats?

Do they know your pet has a bed that they like in a particular spot, their favourite toys, the walking spots that bring great joy to them?

Does anyone know that your dog had an operation on their ear a few months ago and therefore is sensitive about this area being touched?

What’s your pet’s routine? Preparing for this not only helps the person caring for them, but for your dog's wellbeing too. They will already have lost you and to have a routine that is also disturbed can be stressful.

You can help prevent:

• Your family feeling stressed
• Your pet being put in a situation that is stressful and them reacting.
• Your pet being placed in danger of their own life if they don’t come back when called.
• Your pet not having the care that it is used to.

Things to prepare include providing a close/trusted/loved person with a document detailing all of this information and also bank details if you have a particular trust fund for your pet’s care.

There are 6 parts to a pet carer's end of life plan:

1. Legal – who has the right for caring for your dog, cat or pet? Are you going through a divorce at all? This is an important consideration. Read more here , the Blue Cross have created a ‘pet – nup’.
2. Care planning – How do you want your pet to be cared for? What about their own death? Would you like them to be buried or cremated for example?
3. Household equipment – Where is all their food, grooming products, toys, beds etc?
4. Information- vet details, dog walker, insurance etc
5. Bank accounts – funding for your pet care.

There may be other options too. It’s worth contacting a professional to draw up a comprehensive after life plan. For example, there are specific companies such as Before I Go Solutions.

It’s not nice thinking about the end of your life, but it’s a great gift to give to your pet so you can continue to care for them.

If you are affected by anything I have written you may find these sources helpful:

The Ralph Site (this is if you have lost a pet however).

Marie Curie

What are the important health and behavioural considerations of neutering?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 08:38:52 GMT

If you have a male dog you may wonder whether you should get them neutered or not. Friends, family, even people in the park may give unsolicited advice and it can be hard to know what to do that is best for your dog. You may have heard it stops humping or mounting, improves recall or predisposes pets to obesity. It’s a big decision and obviously irreversible and like any operation there are risks. Here are some considerations.

What does neutering involve?

This involves the removal of reproductive organs (testicles) and results in sterilisation. This means a dog will no longer be able to impregnate a female dog resulting in pregnancy and puppies (which sometimes are unwanted). Neutering may also be referred to as castration.

What about neutering from a health perspective?

For some dogs it is not advisable to neuter too early because it can affect growth of their joints, which could potentially lead to joint disorders.

Neutered dogs have reported to be at risk of osteosarcoma than non neutered dogs (Cooley, 2012). Osteosarcoma is a bone tumour (Ru, 1998).

Neutering can be associated with a lower risk of testicular cancer (Roor Kustritz, 2012).

If a dog reproduces they could be at risk of an infection called Brucella Canis (Boeri, 2008). Some dogs with this disease can have eye or bone infections.

What about neutering from a behavioural perspective?

A dog can hump or show poor recall, or aggression for a variety of reasons. Not simply because of testosterone. Without understanding the motivation for the behaviour and the emotion that is behind it, we risk attempting to cure something with the wrong methods. A dog can mount/hump because they are over-excited or over stimulated – it’s not always just a sexual reason.

Equally, a dog can show aggression for different reasons such as pain (Mills, 2020), fear or anxiety, a lack of adequate number of resources such as beds and food, or using positive punishment based training methods (adding something undesirable) such as hitting or shouting (Roll and Unshelm 1997). Aggression is not always due to increased testosterone.

There is some literature that suggests that neutering can contribute to Canine Cognitive Dysfunction - this shares symptoms with Alzeheimer's Disease such as anxiety, wandering and disrupted sleep patterns. (Urfer, 2019).

What is chemical castration?

This is not an operation but is a temporary castration choice – it is reversible. It involves a vet injecting an implant under the skin which realises hormones. There are health and behavioural considerations for this too and is not necessarily right for every dog.

If you want to find out more about neutering I offer calls, please contact us t o book a conversation with Lisa.

References

Boeri, E., Escobar, G. I., Ayala, S. M., Sosa-Estani, S., & Lucero, N. E. (2008). Brucelosis canina en perros de la ciudad de Buenos Aires [Canine brucellosis in dogs in the city of Buenos Aires]. Medicina, 68(4), 291–297.

Cooley DM, Beranek BC, Schlittler DL, Glickman NW,Glickman LT, Waters DJ. Endogenous gonadal hormone exposure and bone sarcoma risk. Cancer Epidemiology,Biomarkers, and Prevention 2002;11:1434–40.

Mills, D.S.; Demontigny-Bédard, I.; Gruen, M.; Klinck, M.P.; McPeake, K.J.; Barcelos, A.M.; Hewison, L.; Van Haevermaet, H.; Denenberg, S.; Hauser, H.; et al. Pain and Problem Behavior in Cats and Dogs. Animals 2020, 10, 318. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10020318

Roll, A., Unshelm, J., 1997. Aggressive conflicts amongst dogs and factors affecting them. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 52, 229-242.

Root Kustritz M. Effects of surgical sterilization on canine and feline health and on society. Reprod Domest Anim. 2012;47:214–22.

Ru G, Terracini B, Glickman LT. Host related risk factors for canine osteosarcoma. Veterinary Journal, 1998;156(1):31–9.

Urfer, S. R. & Kaeberlein, M. (2019) Desexing Dogs: A Review of the Current Literature. Animals (Basel). 9 (12).

Games to play with your dog when it's too hot for walks

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 10:45:28 GMT

A weather warning has been issued for parts of the UK. You may be worried about how your pets will cope in their fur coats, and that is understandable.

What can the heat do to my pet?

Pets can suffer from burnt paw pads, heat stroke and often in the case with brachycephalic pets – heat stroke.

Here are some brain games and ideas that you can play or use with your pet to keep them occupied when it’s too hot for a walk.

Chew toys

Difficulty level : Easy!

Chew toys bearing in mind that they are the right size for your dog can help boost their wellbeing. Dogs love to chew and it can be a great stress busting activity and relieve frustration. Having a box of chew toys that you rotate regularly will help keep your dog occupied and interested in them. Chews have the added benefit of keeping teeth clean in some cases too!

Dog not interested in chews?

Why not pop some liver paste on them to entice them.

Safety first

Chew toys may splinter or break so it’s important that they are checked on a regular basis.

Tricks

Difficulty level :Medium

Touch targeting can be fun for your dog and also a great training tool for recall.

Here’s how you do it

1. Start in a non-distracting environment such as the kitchen

2. Show your dog the palm of your hand as soon as they touch it with their nose

say yes, put that hand away and give them a treat with your other hand

3. Bring your hand back out and present it to them

4. Repeat steps 1 to 2 a few times and when you reliably think your dog will touch your

hand then say the word “touch” and bring out your hand, when they do touch it say “yes” and give them a treat.

What do I need?

• Some treats

Challenges to jump over

If your dog isn’t touching your hand, try putting your hand behind you and presenting it to them again.

Don’t stare at your dog as this may make them nervous.
Try presenting two fingers for them to touch instead rather than just a palm.

Things to remember:

If your dog is getting frustrated then try breaking down the steps.

A cardboard box

This can be great fun for your pets . You can hide treats in it under the flaps and their toys too.

The easiest way to make a destroy box is having brown paper available and scrunched up. Have treats to hand and place them inside the box so they can sniff them out. Hide the treats under each layer so your dog can search for them. Place toys in a plastic zippable bag filled with treats and leave them in there so they smell enticing then hide them in the box under the paper so they can search for them.

Difficulty level: easy!

Safety first

Ensure any Sellotape or staples have been removed. Make sure your pet can’t get stuck under the box especially if they are little!

References:

No Walks, No Worries. Sian Ryan and Helen Zulch.

Grooming : your questions answered

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 12:09:47 GMT

We caught up with Lu Wardle from Lu's grooms to answer your grooming questions

-How often should I get my dog groomed?

Complicated answer, depends on your dog and their breed. A simplified answer, if you have any flavour of doodle you should expect to be having them groomed every 6-9 weeks depending on how thick and or curly their fur is. If you have a double coated dog like labs or goldens a few times a year would be a minimum, when they have a big shed and are dropping fur like crazy or have those funny fuzzy trousers they should definitely be groomed as we can do a deshed on them which will get the worst of their loose fur out, it's also good for their skin to be washed at least every few months especially if they suffer with dry skin. However, it is personal preference, if your dog is always shedding a lot then regular grooming can really help reduce that or if you don't like when they start to smell of 'dog' you can put them on a regular schedule, unless they are being bathed more than once a week then there's no such thing as too often.

For working line spaniels and similar I suggest when they start to get what I call 'Grinch feet' the extra fluffy toes is normally a good indicator for it being time for a tidy up of their feathers and feet, it also tends to stop the horrible knots that can form behind those big gorgeous ears.

How soon should I get my puppy groomed?

As soon as they are fully jabbed, most groomer s will offer something typically referred to as a 'puppy groom/intro'. This will be a wash, dry and introduction to things like the noise of the clippers and holding still around scissors, most places often offer additional things like ear cleans and nail trims.

Even for your lower maintenance breeds you should still get them in for a few puppy intros as it sets them up for success with being comfortable and confident with being groomed throughout their life.

For your higher maintenance dogs like your doodles or anything being done to breed standard the sooner you get them in the better as they will typically being seeing your groomer at least every other month for the rest of their lives, if we can build a great relationship then it makes their grooming experience so much better.

What can I be doing at home to help?

Brushing! For all doodle owners you should have at least a slicker brush and a comb, your slicker brush is gentler. It won't pull on any little snags and is great for use all over the body which should be done at least a few times a week, once you've brushed all over with the slicker then go over with the comb, as the slicker doesn't pull so hard it means with knots sometimes it will skim straight over the top of them. If you want any recommendations on brushes just ask your groomer, they will be able to give you the best advice as they work with your dog's fur and can tailor it to their needs. If you have questions on brushing technique, again you can always ask your groomer, we want your dog looking and feeling their best so we are happy to help.

Touch them, everywhere. Hold their feet, poke between their toes, touch their nails, look in their ears and lift their tails. Your groomer and your vet will love you for this, it's also good for in the future being able to check them over like in the summer for grass seeds between their toes.

Desensitise them, have them in the room with you while you dry your hair so it's not so shocking for them when we dry them, get them used to water too, even just a rinse off of their feet after walks will show them that water isn't scary, if they roll in something foul smelling remember to make it as calm and comfortable of an experience as possible, warm water, cooler than you would shower in as they can't sweat they can overheat in too hot a temperature. often a good way at home is if you have a few inches of water in the sink or bath already, if you're using a shower head it's probably best when they're young to fill up a jug and use that instead as the high water pressure can be overwhelming.

If their nails grow really quickly you can also ask your groomer to show you how to trim their nails if they are getting long in between grooms.

What does a 'puppy intro' involve?

All groomers are different but what my puppy intros involve is a wash, dry, introduction to the clippers, introduction to scissors so if they have a fringe I will often trim that back a bit and a nail trim. With the intro to the clippers this is where I'll turn them on with no blade so they hear the noise and touch their body with them so they feel the vibrations. So much of a puppy intro will be entirely new experiences for them, my puppy intros quite often take just as long as a full groom because we stop for cuddles and encouragement and each new aspect is slowly introduced to them. Your groomer will probably suggest a few of these before a full groom and I typically say the first few should be no longer than 6 weeks apart but ideally 4 weeks as they can forget the routine so you have to introduce them to grooming all over again.

If you have any other questions feel free to reach out to Lu's Grooms on 07530179373

What's the issue with slip leads?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Tue, 16 May 2023 13:08:26 GMT

Slip leads are leads that tighten around a dog’s neck if they pull. They are the shape of a noose. Here is a photo of one.

How do they work?

As mentioned, they place pressure around a dog’s neck If they pull.

Some dogs get used to the pain on their neck and simply carry on pulling. For some dogs, the pressure on their neck can cause pain. This is a challenge:

1. Because it’s painful and people don’t want to put their dog in pain.

2. Because potentially the dog can link the pain on their neck with the sight of something, such as a dog or another person. This can cause a new problem such as being fearful of something they are likely to come across everyday.

3. If your dog is nervous of something and pulling away from it/or towards it (which can happen), then again the pressure around their neck will cause tension and a choking sensation. Tension can cause stress stacking, and choking can too - it would be a horrible sensation.

What are the alternatives?

Deciphering why your dog is pulling on the lead in the first place is important. It could be a lack of training issue, they may be scared, or they may be trying to move away from a trigger.

Rewarding them for walking politely and reinforcing what you'd like is important.

Stopping when your dog is pulling so they learn that they don't get where they want to go faster.

A harness in some instances can prevent pulling. However watch out for harnesses that chafe under the neck.

Ensure the harness and collar fits correctly so your dog does not pull out.

It can be stressful, dangerous and upsetting when a dog pulls on the lead. Reach out and book a call to find out how I can support you if you want to find an alternative.

Enrichment

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 10:15:32 GMT

Whether you're a seasoned dog owner or you've only just picked up your puppy, learning about enrichment could be the best thing you do.

In this blog post I will break down the different types of enrichment, why they are important and some activities to try at home yourself! I've been utilising enrichment since our Cocker Spaniel Marty first came home. My love of enrichment has grown and my knowledge on the benefits of it have also flourished. As a spaniel owner with a chronic illness I often get asked how I cope with the crazy energy that this breed commonly has, my answer is always the same....ENRICHMENT.

What Is Enrichment?

Put simply enrichment is anything that engages your dog. The human equivalent may be reading a book or gardening as an example. Similar to human hobbies, enrichment for dogs comes in many shapes and sizes. Whilst most people believe enrichment is purely interactive toys filled with high calorie treats, that statement could not be further from the truth.

I like to break enrichment down into 5 categories -

*Visual/Hearing

*Taste

*Touch

*Smell

*Brain

Benefits

Using those categories you can implement regular and varied enrichment that provides many benefits to your dog. Below I have listed my top 5 that I have noticed since including enrichment in our daily lives -

* Reduces stress

*Provides a distraction from disruptive ways

*Support crate training

*Tires out your dog and promotes calmness

*Provides mental and physical stimulation

Let's get to the practical!

When you are first starting out with enrichment it's important to try out a range of activities, this means you can truly find what your dog loves. For example, our spaniel loves scent work, so I incorporate this in to a lot of activities. Below are some suggestions that you can try which cover the 5 senses we spoke about earlier!

Visual/Hearing -

Dog Tv - On YouTube search Dog Tv and pop it on for your dog to watch. Perfect if you need some time to work and don't have lots of time to interact.

Watching the outside world - Have you ever noticed your dog trying to look out of the window? Maybe climbing on the sofa or trying to tiptoe to reach to view out? Try giving them a space where they can easily see out. Maybe bird feeders to encourage wildlife (At a height to ensure you aren't putting them at risk).

Radio - If there are loud noises outside and your dog is being reactive. Try blocking some of it out with the radio. Classical music has been proven to calm our canine friends down.

A 2002 study conducted by animal behaviourist Dr. Deborah Wells confirmed the relaxing effect on dogs of classical music. In this study, the dogs spent more time resting and being quiet, and less time standing when exposed to classical music compared to heavy metal music, pop music, or conversation.

Taste

This is probably the most common type of enrichment that people know about. Think KONG®, West Paw®, SodaPup® etc.

Use a Stuffable toy and pop your dogs daily food allowance in it. For an extra challenge you can freeze it. For extra interest pop a tasty topper on it! Think dog treats, dog safe peanut butter, dog safe baby food etc.

We stock a range of toys on our website and often suggest recipes on our social media channels!

Touch

This one can often be confused with Taste, but there is one main difference. Touch is all about the sensation. Some of my favourite activities are:

Lick Mats - These textured mats or bowls are perfect for feeding your dogs meal or as a treat.

Varied Eating Station - Where does your dog have their dinner? Always on the same hard flooring in the kitchen? Why not mix it up and feed them outside on the grass?

Walking - Varying your dogs walks can provide huge benefits. How many different terrains can you think of? Beach, Fields, Pavement etc.

Scent

"A dog's sense of smell is estimated to be 10,000 to 100,000 times better than that of a human."

Scent is the most powerful sense for our canine friends. Therefore it has a big impact on the enrichment in our dogs lives. Some activities to try are:

Sniffari walks - allow your dog to sniff and explore their surroundings whilst on a walk. Let them lead the walk.

Chief post checker - an easy activity is to allow your pup to sniff any parcels or letters that you receive.

Snuffle Mats - These are a great tool that you can hide treats in and allow your dog to sniff them out.

Natures snuffle Mat - Scatter some treats outside in grass and get your dog to search for them.

Brain

This category is covered with a lot of the above activities, however there is something to be said for training and bond building activities. Some suggestions may be teaching your dog a new trick, or using the time it takes for the kettle to boil to practice a dance routine with your dog. Another example is puzzle toys, be sure to cycle your toys so that your dog doesn't get too used to one activity.

Summary

So there you have it! the above activities are just the start. There so many different types of enrichment that can help you and your dog lead a happier more fulfilled life. You can find out more on our website and social media channels below!

@pawsinearnest
www.pawsinearnest.co.uk
Melissa Smith

Reactivity and Aggression

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 14:10:44 GMT

What is reactivity/aggression?

Aggression is a response that any dog is capable of. Aggressive behaviour exists to have some effect on what a dog is experiencing in a given moment. If an aggressive /reactive display results in the trigger (which could be a dog, person), to move away and retreat and that is what the dog is looking for/needs then they are likely to repeat this behaviour as it works. If you feel scared, it feels very reinforcing to feel safe and if aggression helps you feel safe you’re likely to opt for that behaviour. Think about what the functional reinforcer is for your dog’s behaviour i.e what do they get for behaving in this way and what are they trying to achieve? Have you ever said “leave me alone” and your partner stopped what they were doing? Then this behaviour worked. Our dogs can’t speak to us but as Sarah Heath says, we can learn to listen with our eyes.

Sometimes aggression and reactivity can occur because of pain or fear of pain (anticipating pain) so it's always important to go to the vet to rule out anything overtly medical.

What signs can I look for that suggest my dog is uncomfortable.

Please note that some dogs may skip some of these steps if they are particularly scared or if previous body language signs have been egnored or punished.

Signs of discomfort can include lip licking, yawning, moving away.

More higher level signs can include laying down with their leg up (I know this one can be surprising!), tucking their tail under their body, showing the white’s of their eyes.

Then finally a dog can start to growl, snap or bite.

Looking out for, making a note of when they occur and respecting the signs of discomfort is an amazing way to advocate for your dog and take steps to help them feel safer.

What areas can I avoid if my dog reacts?

Avoid very narrow spaces and alley ways because if you have a dog coming towards you it is very hard to move away from them. A dog can feel threatened and trapped because they are likely to be on a lead (a physical barrier) and they cannot move away from a dog coming near them. Sometimes a dog can engage in redirected aggression and react towards something that is closer to him than the intended target - this can sometimes result in bites on the leg. If a dog’s choice to move away is prevented then this is when aggressive behaviour can occur. Look at if the reactivity occurs on lead or not.

A note on tail wagging

A wagging tail doesn’t always mean a happy dog. It depends on the intensity of the wag and the position of the wag too. A wag that is fast and high, often in combination with hard stares or raised hackles (fur on the back of the body that is raised) can be a sign a dog is feeling uncomfortable.

Mounting/humping behaviour

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 12:20:43 GMT

The low down on mounting behaviour

Humping/mounting behaviour can be painful especially if the dog has long nails. I've known a few humpers in my time! It can be more severe on people with thinner skin such as the elderly or children. Depending on the size and height of the dog, it can be dangerous for pregnant women especially. In this blog we will talk about what it is and what it can look like.

What is it?

This is when a dog places their front two legs around another animal, person or object. They then stand on their back legs.

What can cause it?

A dog can do it when they are playing with each other, during mating, if they are over excited or are trying to gain attention.

It is NOT a way of a dog exerting their dominance.

A dog may feel stressed or anxious.

Female dogs can also engage in this behaviour. It is not just intact male dogs (dog’s who have not been castrated). All dogs, those who have been neutered and those that haven’t can mount.

How can you prevent it?

Try and minimise the interactions with people/other dogs that result in this behaviour being practiced.

Sometimes pushing a dog down, giving them eye contact and speaking to them can result in them repeating the behaviour as they are getting attention for it, therefore minimising the chance to practice it is important. If the triggers cannot be removed then redirecting your dog or training them to do something else is sensible so they are not practicing it.

Look at what is happening in the environment when it occurs. Take a look at this 3 step guide

What happened before (who, what, where)
What did the behaviour look like and was it towards another dog/human/something else
What was the outcome? Who responded and how did they respond?

Medical diagnosis

If a dog is mounting for a reason that involves sexual reasons they may have hurt themselves/caused irritation so a vet trip is needed.

Factors that may contribute to it

If the reason a dog is mounting because they are intact then castration may help (however if it has been learnt, if they are stressed or anxious this won’t help . If a dog has practiced this behaviour for a pro-longed period it can take longer to extinguish/ completely stop.

There are lots of considerations to take into account when neutering including the emotional status of your dog, their age and effects on neutering on their growth. Chemical castration is an option for some dogs.

If you’d like to find out more about anything we discussed in the blog, you can book a cal l (40 minutes is £45).

References

Horwitz, DF (ed.) 2018, Blackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion : Canine and Feline Behavior, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, Somerset. Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central. [13 April 2023].

Does a wagging tail always mean a happy dog?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 16:25:03 GMT

It can be easy to assume that a wagging tail means a happy dog but just like times you have smiled to diffuse tension and not smiled through happiness, tails can tell us a tale! A wagging tail does not mean a dog is always happy. There are some considerations that I will run through now:

The purpose of a tail

A tail and it’s movement can be important in social interactions – with other dogs and with us mere mortals too!

The intensity of the wag

A wagging tail can occur in a number of emotional states including happiness, anxiety, confidence, and aggressiveness (Serpell, 1995).

High tail wags that move very fast as if it was a ticking clock that had stopped can be a sign of a dog who is reactive or confident in a situation.

If a tail is tucked underneath a dog’s body this can be a sign that they are feeling insecure. In the same way that we may fold our arms if we feel insecure about a situation.

If a tail is moving round and round like a windmill then this is a sign a dog is very happy. You may see this when a dog is let off the lead!

On lead interactions

Some dogs can feel threatened on the lead as they are trapped. They cannot move away so observing their body language is important. Especially if this is down a narrow space where they have no where to go!

Breed considerations

Some dogs cannot ‘wag’ their tail very easily. A pug or French bull dog have very short and curly tails and therefore cannot wag their tail in the same way as say a Hungarian Vizsla can.

Right or left wags

A study by Wei and colleagues found that dogs wagged their tails more to the right when they were around a familiar person. Dogs who were around an unfamiliar person wagged more to the left.

Stress thresholds

A dog can show different thresholds depending on the environment they are in and the triggers around them. This traffic light system provides a good indicator of green, yellow and red signs that a dog may feel stressed and overwhelmed.

Stress stacking

Just like us, if a stressful amount of experiences happen in quick succession these experiences can add up. Stress gets dumped in the body and can take it’s toll. A dog may react in a way that it would not normally if those things had not have happened previously. Decompression is key so lots of sniffing activities and not overloading the stress bucket so it overflows is imperative.

References

Ren, W., Wei, P., Yu, S., & Zhang, Y. Q. (2022). Left-right asymmetry and attractor-like dynamics of dog's tail wagging during dog-human interactions. iScience, 25(8), 104747. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2022.104747

Serpell, J. ed., 2017. The domestic dog. Cambridge University Press.

How to have more harmony if there are two dogs at home

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 15:07:33 GMT

If you are thinking of welcoming another dog home you are likely to feel excited. You may feel some trepidation too though and feel worried if they will get on. Puppies can be boisterous and full of energy so it’s important to consider their play styles.

If you are thinking of welcoming another dog home you are likely to feel excited. You may feel some trepidation too though and feel worried if they will get on. Puppies can be boisterous and full of energy so it’s important to consider their play styles.

Before the new dog arrives

Having baby gates and sturdy pens are important so your current dog can have some alone time. Introducing these way in advance of your puppy’s arrival is a sensible idea, otherwise they may feel worries by this enclosed area. You can make the place a fun and great place to be by feeding your dog in that area and providing them with kong’s and chews to enjoy.

What to consider with your current dog

If your dog has arthritis, or is blind a new arrival may be intense. They will need to be managed.

Understandably, it is important to consider whether welcoming a new puppy home is right for them and in the best interest.

If it is right for your dog then having a bell on your new dog’s collar can alert your blind dog that they are there.

What training to do

Teaching your puppy to settle is important. Having a comfy bed where they can relax and do nothing is key. Having a tasty chew to enjoy will give them something to do.

Reward them for calm behaviour around your dog and for eye contact on you.

Not allowing your dog to say hello to absolutely every dog they meet is sensible so they don’t get used to this. It is fine to say “no” as it’s often in our pets best interests.

Reward your dog for calm behaviour around your other dog.

What to not to do

We don’t want any scuffles.

Play can sometimes become too intense and we want to make sure that all dogs are having a good time!

Body language

Play should be balanced and each dog should be mirroring each other’s body language and taking it in turns to play with each other. One dog should not be consistently running after the other as that can be intimidating.

Can some dogs be a little too friendly?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 17:19:24 GMT

You’re in the park and your dog is playing with other dogs.

Despite them having good fun in and ample time to run around and let off some steam they are too excited and can't listen to you. You call their recall word but it is as if they have headphones in! To use an analogy with children, it is as if jelly, ice cream and bouncy calls have been introduced and all the books in the library may aswell be invisible. Your dog doesn’t seem to know when to stop.

What are potential issues with this?

Well, if you need to get home for a walk call this can make the end of a walk frustrating and stressful.

Some dogs learn to dodge your hand when it goes near their collar or harness, which makes for an infuriating experience.

You may start feeling reluctant to let your dog off lead in the first place as you feel worried that they won’t come back.. this has knock on effects on their wellbeing (the chance to let off steam and sniff is hindered). You don’t get to see their ears billowing in the wind. You may not enjoy the walk. They might start pulling on the lead and cause pain to your neck.

They may start running over to dogs who are on the lead. A dog on the lead may be recovering from an operation, a guide dog, a hearing dog, not socialised, have poor recall or scared of other dogs. It can be really scary for a dog who is on the lead to have a big bouncy introduction (whether it be with good intent or not. Your dog could be at a risk of getting bitten and it’s not fair on the dog who is really scared and trying to get your dog to move away either.

What can you do to prevent this?

From a puppy there is a huge emphasis on socialisation, however the meaning of this word, in my opinion, has become misconstrued. Socialisation means being able to be around other dogs without interacting with every single one. Just like a child in a classroom wouldn’t interact with every child during learning. Free for all’s and uninterrupted dog play can result in a dog that wants to say hello to every single dog they meet. Or if they have a bad experience potentially wanting to avoid them.

· Reward your dog for ignoring other dogs. Give them a treat for eye contact on you.

· Don’t allow them to say hello to every single dog – walk on so they learn how to listen even if they’re excited.

· Practice your recall word around other dogs. Make sure the recall is generalised to other dogs.

· Remember it’s harder coming away from 6 dogs compared to 1, so start small.

· Reward your dog for good behaviour that you’d love to see more of (ie not pulling towards other dogs.

· Reward your dog for checking in with you – when they do this their reward can be going to play with other dogs.

Want access to a mini course on dog play?

What should dog trainers be asking about your nervous dog?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 10:08:29 GMT

Have you ever gone somewhere and felt a bit anxious? Did the host do anything to help alleviate your fears and worries?

If not we can speak to our friend, or maybe have a drink or take a deep breathe. Our dogs can't do this unless these options are available and taught to them.

For an anxious dog, anxiety can manifest in different ways. Stress stacking, or trigger stacking can result in a dog feeling more scared in different situations if the experiences build up and occur in quick succession. Anxious experiences can involve:

· Loud noises

· Being touched in a place that is painful

· Being touched in a place that is not used to being handled

· Travelling on a train/crate

· New places and smells

· Invasion of personal space – this can include being patted on the head

· Feeling trapped on a lead as they cannot move away

· Painful equipment that chafes or causes pain or pinching

· Being told off

Just like us, a dog can’t retain or even learn new information or alternative behaviour if they are stressed, scared or anxious. Stress can cause atrophy (shrinking) of the hippocampus which is responsible for retaining information.

Here are some things a dog trainer may suggest to help reduce your dogs anxiety so they can learn new behaviours:

Engage in a lot of self soothing behaviours such as sniffing to help reduce stress and promote calm behaviours.

Purchase a jacket or lead that says “ space needed” this can help reduce the amount of unwanted dog interactions that they experience.

Ask you beforehand, if there are any areas of tension that could be exacerbated by training, such as sore paws, heads, leg injuries. Then the trainer will adapt the training plan in light of this. The dog’s welfare should be of paramount importance and be apart of the training plan.

An area that is not too busy and intense would be more of a suitable place for a training session too.

You should always feel that you can speak up and advocate for your dog. You know them best. It is not a sensible working relationship to be with a coach that you feel is belittling you, egnoring your concerns or knows best – trainers are not, (or at least shouldn’t be) archetypes of Judge Judy! You know your dog best.

Chain or prong based collars can cause tension in the neck and thus stress. These should be avoided.

Helpful training training for an anxious dog can include:

Chin rests for being able to examine them for co-operative care behaviours such as nail trims or ear checks.

A reliable recall to get them back away from situations that may scare them.

Loose lead walking training so that a dog can stay close to you if something they perceive as scary is coming up such as a pram, or someone with a walking stick. This will help you navigate them out of the way.

Here are just some of the things a trainer should be asking you about your dog.

Reasons not to use positive reinforcement in dog training

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 10:34:33 GMT

Bribery and more

· Your dog can have a lot of treats and obviously there is an obesity crisis happening for people and animals at the moment. Obesity is a new welfare concern listed by vets. One way around this is to treat your dog with food from their daily allowance such as their kibble.

· If you use a clicker or marker word during training and click/use your marker at the wrong moment you can mark the wrong thing. For example if you ask your dog to leave an item and then they do, and you give them a treat then click while they are eating the treat they may associate the click with eating rather than leaving. Therefore guidance on timing is really important.

· For dogs who have not learned impulse control they can jump up in anticipation of the treats. You can adjust your hand position to overcome this if you’re training loose lead walking. Rather than rewarding out of your hand when your dog walks politely you can put the treat on the floor. That way they are not jumping up in anticipation of the treat.

· If used incorrectly you can bribe your pet. If you show your pet the treat and lure them then this can be a form of bribery. You can fade out the lure however if it is needed in early stages. However if you reward them after they’ve done the behaviour (place treats in a bag so they can't see them) then this is reinforcement: they are getting paid after completing the task.

· If you treat the dog every single time then it can become very predictable and thus boring. It’s better to move on to a variable reward schedule – not giving a treat everytime – when you can.

· You need to generalise the pet to different areas for it to work. It is harder to come away from 6 dogs than two. That’s why shaping (rewarding for small approximations) is important.

Positive reinforcement works, is kind and safer than alternatives. It's been used with zoo animals successfully but above are some things to watch out for and consider. I'm studying animal behaviour at university and have been informed about all of the different training methods. I use positive reinforcement alot in my training.

Here are definitions of the different forms of training.

Positive reinforcement – adding something to make a behaviour more likely such as food.

Positive punishment – adding something to make a behaviour less likely such as yanking on the lead or a loud noise.

Negative reinforcement – taking something away that is unpleasant when a dog adheres. Such as a choke chain loosening when a dog walks without pulling.

Negative punishment – no longer giving treats or stopping attention.

For something to be rewarding – it has to be thought of as rewarding by the individual. If a dog is given food but they find play more rewarding they may egnore food, therefore higher value food may be needed/ or a toy that they love. Similarly for something to be punishing it needs to be thought as punishing by the individual. You may have to escalate punishment which is a huge welfare concern as you could really hurt an animal using it and lead to physical and emotional damage.

How can I stop my dog jumping up and grabbing our clothes and food?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 14:15:50 GMT

Jumping up and grabbing clothes can be a common behaviour in dogs but it doesn’t mean it is easy to live with!

If a dog jumps up and counter surfs and grabs food this can be hugely rewarding and they are likely to repeat this behaviour again. Grapes, chocolate and hot cross buns are very toxic to a dog – if they eat these items then they will need to head to the vets to have an injection for them to throw up. Obviously, if you’re not there you can’t manage a dogs behaviour or tell them to leave items so not leaving these items out in the same way you wouldn’t leave out scissors for children is imperative.

How to dogs learn

Dogs learn through association. They don't do things to please us or to upset us or because they want to do it for us.

If a person is gambling and using a slot machine and they get rewarded with money they are likely to repeat this behaviour even if it does not result in a pay out every time. In a similar way if a dog learns that jumping up results in attention (which may be the motivator for the behaviour) they will repeat it. We can inadvertently reinforce a behaviour by speaking, giving eye contact and touching. If a dog jumps up at the counter and gets chicken then this is a jackpot reward for them! They will definitely repeat it.

What to train

In combination with training, management is really important here.

If a dog has the chance to repeat a behaviour it’s likely to build a habit. Habits can be hard to change (as we all know!) so using management such as baby gates and setting them up for success is a great idea.

Teaching them a behaviour that is incompatible with the behaviour such as going to their bed or having all four paws on the floor is a good idea.

Being proactive and setting them up for success before they offer the behaviour is a really sensible idea. Having chews and kongs ready will help set you both up for success.

You may need to break down each training skill into smaller steps (shaping), so they can reach the goals.

If you’d like to discuss more why not book in a 20 minute consultation with me.

How to keep your dog and other dogs safe - listen with your eyes

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 17:24:29 GMT

Spotting signs that your dog is stressed and worried

If you can spot signs that your dog (or other dogs) are worried you can take steps to help them before an incident occurs/ before they feel very stressed. A lot of behaviours such as growling etc can be used in play so context is key.

What to look for in your dog

This illustration by Stephanie Hedges gives a very good overview of signs to look for. Just because a dog is not shouting leave me along through their body language it does not mean they are comfortable. Dogs can show appeasement signs too so it’s helpful to look for these before they turn into the signs on the right. The incredible vet behaviourist Sarah Heath talks about the tree analogy where animals will move branches if one doesn’t work. The photo is from a cat conference but it is the same concept.

Lower level signs can include

· Lip licking

· Yawning

· Moving away

Then there are movement such as

· Lying down leg up

· Turning their head away

Then higher level signs such as

· Snapping

· Growling

· Biting

While you may think a dog needs to be told off for their ‘misbehaviour’ this is likely to make it worse. They may shut down and if this behaviour has been punished they may move straight to the bite next time. There is nothing more rewarding than feeling safe so if a dog learns growling works they are likely to repeat this behaviour. Working with a qualified behaviourist and using stress reduction, management, counter conditioning and desensitisation is important.

What to look for in other dogs

Again, looking for the signs above is important. Also the owner’s body language may indicate that their dog behaves in a certain way.

What about breeds?

Some breeds cannot show body language as easily for example French bulldog’s cannot tuck their tail underneath their body and there are already frowns in their forehead, so you can pay attention to their fur, sometimes if it's sticking up this is a sign they are worried.

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What dog toys should I invest in and not bother with?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 15:03:08 GMT

What will your dog like playing with?

There are an overwhelming amount of toys on the market. It can be hard to know which one to purchase and what not to bother spending your hard earned cash on! Thinking about what your dog is bred to do is a good start when looking for toys.

Enrichment and puzzle feeders

Kong wobblers can be a great toys: they are mentally stimulating and fun for a dog. They also help them with problem solving activities! You fill them with kibble and your dog knocks the food out. You can purchase small and large ones depending on the size of your dog.

Nina Ottoson also has some great toys that you can easily clean and keep your dog occupied with. It can help slow down their feeding too.

Pens and crates

A crate (if introduced carefully) is a great tool. It helps prepare your dog for potential trips to the vet and can be a safe space that they can go to rest and not be disturbed and bothered. Sleep is imperative for dogs to ensure that they rest well, form new memories and avoid stress.

Dog doesn’t like the crate?

A pen can be a tool for your dog to relax in and play or enjoy a kong.

Outdoor toys

Like soggy leads – soggy toys can also be annoying and whiffy! Chuck it balls are waterproof and also have holes inside which means your dog may still be able to breath if they chocked on a ball. Obviously getting the right size for your dog is imperative. Also bright orange balls are less likely to get loss than green ones among the hedges.

Ball launcher and balls

Excess ball throwing can be painful on a dogs joints and neck.

Dog training toys

Flirt poles can be a really fun toy for a dog. It can help engage them and teach the that the magic is around you so they don’t shoot off into the distance.

Tug-e-nuff toys are also very durable and entice your dog to play. If you sign up to our newsletter there are discounts on these toys.

Why do dog's lick?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 14:02:26 GMT

Dog's can lick for many different reasons

Why do dogs do it?

A dog will lick in different circumstances. They can be nervous, licking some food from their mouth too. Licking can be for various reasons.

Allergies

Pain would and any irritation and allergies would need to be ruled out by a vet and or vet/specialist. This can result in a dog licking a certain area.

Medical reasons

Sometimes licking surfaces can be an indicator of pain such as:

· Dental pain

· Gastrointestinal discomfort

· Canine cognitive dysfunction

Stereotypies/behaviour

This is a behaviour that is repetitive in performance (Garner, 2006). They can be rooted in medical reasons, a predisposition to the breed, learnt or promoted by the environment.

Compulsive behaviours can be descrbed as exaggereated and repetitive. (Mills, BSVA Manual). They can be the result of stress in a barren environment and frustration related behaviours such as not being able to do something they wish to do.

Acral licking is a behaviour in dogs that is a repetitive behaviour. It involves lesions on the dog skin that have arisen from sustained licking.

It is important not to punish a dog for this behaviour as it may increase the behaviour.

Enrichment

If you notice triggers that result in your dog scratching then you could give them something to do before they do it such as a food puzzle or kong wobbler.

The environment at home

Some dogs may learn to lick areas where crumbs have been dropped. They may repeatedly go back to these places to look for food! What gets repeated may get rewarded!

Maternal behaviour

Mother dogs (dam’s) will lick their puppies and provide other nursing behaviour. (Lezama-García et al., 2019).

As an emotional response

A study by Albuquerque and colleagues (2018) suggests that dogs lick faces that have negative expressions more than ones that have positive ones. Studies sugget that dogs can recognise human faces compared to blank ones.

Soothing

A licky mat (a square that has ridges and you pop food on) will allow a dog to engage in licking behaviour.

Training

You can train your dog to ‘give kisses’ you’d start by saying something such as ‘kisses’ just before they approach you and then give them a treat when they do lick you!

You can also train them to do something that it is incompatible with the behaviour of licking such as resting their head on their paws but this will need to be done in combination with other treatment. It would not be fair, wise or safe to just train a dog not to do it when they are still feel the emotions/ feel the itch. That does not get to the root of their problem.

With other dogs

Some dogs will lick another dogs face as it smells interesting from a walk.

Body language

A dog can lick their lip very swiftly if they are nervous. It is a quick response. Some dogs will do this if they are unsure about a situation and it may be be done in combination with moving away and yawning.

Family Paws Parent Education described the term ‘kiss to dismiss’ this is when a dog is feeling anxious in a situation and uses licking to diffuse the situation. In this video you can see the dog is feeling tense (it’s mouth is shut, it’s avoid intense eye contact – dogs stare at each other when they want to fight, and it has some tension in it’s forehead).

References

Albuquerque, Natalia et al. “Mouth-Licking by Dogs as a Response to Emotional Stimuli.” Behavioural processes 146 (2018): 42–45

Karina Lezama-García, Chiara Mariti, Daniel Mota-Rojas, Julio Martínez-Burnes, Hugo Barrios García & Angelo Gazzano (2019) Maternal behaviour in domestic dogs, International Journal of Veterinary Science and Medicine, 7:1, 20-30

Gaunet, F., 2010. How do guide dogs and pet dogs (Canis familiaris) ask their owners for their toy and for playing? Anim. Cognit. 13, 311–323. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/ s10071-009-0279-z.

Miklósi, A., Polgárdi, R., Topál, J. et al. Intentional behaviour in dog-human communication: an experimental analysis of “showing” behaviour in the dog. Anim Cogn 3, 159–166 (2000).

Tynes, Valarie V. "Help! my dog licks everything: although many owners think it is simply annoying, excessive licking can harm a dog or be a sign of medical problems. learn to identify the causes of repetitive licking in dogs and how to treat it, so you are ready the next time owners bring up the issue." Veterinary Medicine, vol. 103, no. 4, Apr. 2008, pp. 198,

How to train your dog to come back when you call them

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 17:15:27 GMT

Please come back! Have you ever stood exasperated, leash in hand, while you see your dogs little white backside running off into the distance? It can be upsetting and stressful and downright dangerous when your dog doesn’t come back when you call them. Here are some tips – only use if they are right for your dog .

Why do dogs run off?

A dog can run off because a recall word hasn’t been established with something rewarding.

They can find other things in the environment more exciting.

We may have overused the recall word without reinforcing it enough.

What to do

Establish as solid recall word with your dog. Calling “Darcie, Darcie” isn’t enough. Think of the amount of times you say your dogs name a day, make sure you create a recall word that has been associated with coming to you. This could be “come” or “here” then pair this word with a tasty treat. Then throw a treat out and then say your recall word and see if your dog comes back. Keep repeating this. Then practice in different environments too (using a lead for safety).

Top tips

Reward your dog for just coming to you (even when you don’t ask them).

Use high value rewards. What does your dog love? Play or treats?

Incorporate games into your training.

What to avoid

Don’t tell your dog off for wandering off and coming back to you. They will be completely confused as to why you’re telling them off.

Remember that chasing something such as a squirrel is very enticing and rewarding to a dog - it can become a habit and is self reinforcing.

Proofing

Proofing is in the pudding! It’s important to proof recall in different environments and use equipment to keep your dog safe while you are practicing such as a long lead.

Books I recommend

There is a great book by Pippa Mattison called Total Recall.

If you would like support in training your dog to come back when you call them and enjoy stress free walks why not join one of my classes or reach out for one to one support.

Walking politely on the lead so your dog is not hurting themselves or you

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 16:24:53 GMT

Pulling on the lead can be a painful, obnoxious and irritating behaviour. You can be concerned that your dog will hurt themselves and you.

Why do dogs pull?

A lot of dogs pull because there is a lot of stimulation in the environment. A dog has to learn to egnore things that are happening around them, walk to our (slow pace) and listen to all the sounds.

What to do

If a dog does pull ensure that you are not inadvertently reinforcing this behaviour by trotting along behind them. Simply stop (like a tree) and wait until the lead is slack before walking again, they will eventually learn that pulling does not mean they get to where they want to go faster. Bless their little cottons – they love the park!

Reward them when they are not pulling by carrying on walking.

Give them a treat when they are walking politely. Reward the good things!

What to avoid

Don’t reward your dog immediately for coming back to you when they pull they may learn that pulling and coming back to you means getting a treat.

Using really short leads – this can stop a dog from sniffing – a fundamental part of a walk and important for a dogs wellbeing.

Make sure you’re not rewarding your dog for jumping up. Just mind that hand position.

Keep going – reward yourself after you’ve done training. I'm serious - it can help motivate you and build a habit.

Proofing

Proofing is the pudding! It’s important to proof lead walking to different environments. In the garden and then out and about in the park.

If you would like support in training your dog with loose lead walking why not join one of my classes or reach out for one to one support.

What is clicker training and how can it help train my dog?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 15:40:42 GMT

Clicker training is thought to have 3 main purposes. It can be used pinpoint a moment a dog does something that you like.

It can act as a bridge between a dog offering a behaviour and you rewarding them. It can also become a conditioned reinforcer (because it has been paired with food so many times).

What is a clicker?

A clicker is small device that emits a click noise when you press down on it.

How does clicker training work in dog training?

First of all you need to create a positive association with the noise and the clicker. At the moment it is simply a noise that is not associated with anything. Use the clicker and then immediately give your dog a treat. Repeat this step many times. Then when you’re training something such as eye contact skills you can click when your dog gives you eye contact and then deliver a tasty treat.

If your dog is off lead and checks in with you can click and reward them (if they want the reward).

Why should I use clicker training with my dog?

It’s fun, reliable and a great way to bond with your dog. It can provide great results in training.

Shaping is important too – it is rewarding your dog for small approximations until they reach the whole behaviour.

What are some considerations if I’m planning to clicker train my dog?

Some dogs (and pets) are sound sensitive, even if they are not they have incredible hearing so the clicker for some can startle them. Muffling the noise under a jumper is a sensible idea.

Make sure you don’t click for the wrong thing and deliver the treat. I.e if they eat something off the floor do not click and give them a reward as they may think that this is something that is rewarded.

Any breed of dog can be trained with positive reinforcement and with a clicker.

What are the benefits of using a marker word instead?

A marker word such as “yes” or “good” can be used the same way as a clicker is. When your dog does something you like you can use the marker word and then deliver the treat.

If you forget your clicker it doesn’t matter (unless your poorly and have lost your voice!)

Some people find holding a clicker and delivering treats a holding a lead all a bit too fiddly and prefer using a marker word instead.

Look at this brilliant video of chickens being clicker trained!

What equipment do I need and what should I avoid in dog training? Why is it important?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 14:40:55 GMT

If you head to Pets at home there is an overwhelming amount of equipment available.

Some equipment can be dangerous and be emotionally and/or physically detrimental for your puppy or dog. So you can make an informed decision about what equipment to purchase and what not to bother with it’s important to define the types of training methods that are available. Here at St Paws, I use positive reinforcement and negative punishment. They are successful, have been used with animals in zoo’s, are kind and if you get the timing wrong it doesn’t lead to disastrous effects. There are many people who use different methods and people in the park may suggest different ideas but read on to be in the know. This is an excellent paper that shows studies into this (so you know it’s not just me sitting here with a box of crayon’s writing up my own theories). Tip of the hat to Russell Brand for the crayon comment.

Here are the four forms of operant conditioning. Operant conditioning relates to how a pet learns.

Positive reinforcement – this means adding something to make a behaviour more likely such as food or toys.

Negative punishment – this means taking away /withholding something such as access to something such as a treat.

Positive punishment – this means adding something to make a behaviour less likely such as telling a dog off or making a loud noise.

Negative reinforcement – this means taking some pain away when a pet complies. They are not learning anything here however, they are only stopping because it is painful. An example is with a chain collar pressure is exerted when a pet pulls and therefore the pain stops if they stop pulling.

Positive punishment and negative reinforcement can be painful and scary. It can also make a pet more stressed and unpredictable. Some pets get used to the pain, or the motivation is higher than the pain. This means the punishment will need to be exacerbated to a higher level – this is obviously a massive welfare concern.

For ease I’ve divided up the equipment into type and If applicable added what type of reinforcer/punisher it relates to.

Puppy toilet training

Toilet training spray to clear up accidents that is pet friendly is important.

Puppy pads can increase the likelihood of a pet going to the bathroom indoors.

Dog walking equipment

Slip leads

These cause pressure on a dogs neck and can exert a painful sensation. This is a form of negative reinforcement.

Flexi leads

I’m not a fan of these leads as the device can get stuck resulting in the lead being lengthened. A dog could run into the road and get caught under a car. Moreover, they can cause tension and pain as when a dog runs it can jolt forwards and backwards- my mentor explained this to me.

Biothane leads

A long lead can be an excellent tool for safety when practicing recall.

Chain collars

These can cause pain and tension around a dog’s neck. Hardly ideal for a dog who is already stressed or in pain. Potentially a dog can associate the pain with something they see such as another dog

Harnesses

Harnesses are good but it depends on the type. Some harnesses will be painful when going over a dogs ears (especially if their ears are pointy). The perfect fit harness is my choice. When choosing a harness think about where the clip for the lead is located – when you pull it see if it places pressure on your dog’s neck.

Training

Treats

Positive reinforcement. Great for rewarding your dog for behaviour you’d love to see more of. These can vary in terms of your dog's preference and the quality can too so check those ingredients. Remember animal derivatives can be beaks and feathers.

Stop it spray/Pet Corrector

This is a form of positive punishment. The danger is the dog will not be bothered by it or will be scared of it and start generalising the noise to similar sounds.

Enrichment

A kong wobbler

This can be great fun and a mentally stimulating game for your dog to bust some energy.

What things should I be asking a dog breeder?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 11:26:08 GMT

Things to ask the breeder

Anyone can call themselves a dog breeder. It's important to ask questions before welcoming a puppy home. Look at the RSPCA puppy contract for more information.

Things to ask about the dog's mother (the dam)

What worming products and flea products have been used?

Fleas can be transferred to other animals and humans too. ( [1] ). Fleas can cause a dog to get tapeworm or anaemia. A puppy should have treatment aged 6 weeks.Other pets in the home should have treatment so they are covered.

What is their temperament and where has she been kept during pregnancy?

Stress can be passed on through the womb. Studies have shown the pregnant rats experiencing stress can result in having babies that are less resilient to stress too.

Considerations about the puppy

Have the parents been screened for hip dysplasia?

Some breeds suffer from hip dysplasia especially the Rottweiler, Labrador and golden retriever.

How old is the puppy?

They shouldn't be taken too early – 8 weeks is the normal time.

What about the dogs parents health

Have either parent had any surgery to correct any features?

It may be that the puppy will also and need vet treatment.

What socialisation and habituation experiences has the puppy had?

What experiences has the puppy had with people, sounds, noises, surfaces, handling and other dogs?

It is thought that the critical socialisation period for puppies is between 3-12 weeks [2] , therefore there are many things we can do to help prevent fear and aggression in our puppies, as early life experiences can shape behaviour [3] [4] .

They should also be habituated to being handled with focus being placed on their paws, tail, ears and face to help prepare them for handling by vets, groomers and others in their life. Early handling can help a puppy cope with stress. [5] .

A puppy should have as many positive experiences as possible with different sights, sounds, people and surfaces. Socialising means socialising them to things that they will have interactions with such as other animals, people and children. Habituation relates to a puppy getting used to things in the environment so they hear, see them but they do not evoke a response (such as the sound of a car)1 .

If you're thinking about welcoming a dog home and you're not sure where to start I can help support you every step of the way. Book a 20 minute complementary call.

References

[1] Germinal J. Cant{\'o} and Roberto I. Guerrero and Andrea Margarita Olvera-Ram'irez and F. Milian and Juan Mosqueda and Gabriela Aguilar-Tipacam Prevalence of Fleas and Gastrointestinal Parasites in Free-Roaming Cats in Central Mexico}, journal={PLoS ONE},{2013}, (8}.

[2] 1&2. Stolzlechner, L.; Bonorand, A.; Riemer, S. 2022. Optimising Puppy Socialisation–Short- and Long-Term Effects of a Training Programme during the Early Socialisation Period. Animals 2022, 12, 3067.

[3] 1&2. Stolzlechner, L.; Bonorand, A.; Riemer, S. 2022. Optimising Puppy Socialisation–Short- and Long-Term Effects of a Training Programme during the Early Socialisation Period. Animals 2022, 12, 3067.

[4] Dietz, L., Arnold, A. K., Goerlich-Jansson, V. C., and Vinke, C. M. 2018. The importance of early life experiences for the development of behavioural disorders in domestic dogs. Behaviour 155, 2-3, 83-114

[5] 4. Hedges, Stephanie, 2014. Practical canine behaviour: for veterinary nurses and technicians. ‎ CABI Publishing.

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My dog doesn’t want to walk – what’s up?

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 15:28:07 GMT

Reasons why a dog may not want to walk

There can be a number of reasons a dog does not want to walk. They may be in pain, they may be nervous of the wind, not enjoy the sensation of the rain, scared of noises, or surfaces beneath their paws may be uncomfortable, or they may associate a certain spot with a bad memory. Our dogs have incredible hearing and amazing sense of smell so they notice many things we don't. Some dogs will move to the freeze response if they feel overwhelmed by what is happening in the environment. If the freeze position is ignored, punished or is not having the intended effect then they can move to the fight response in an attempt to gain space.

Freeze behaviours can look like a dog refusing to move, egnoring treats whereas fight can look like barking, stiffening up, growling and snapping.

A vet check to rule out overt pain is the first step.

What can I do to help them?

If I was to pull your arm you would probably resist and pull back. The same behaviour can occur with dogs. We should avoid pulling them because it doesn’t teach them what to do instead. Furthermore, if their lead is attached to their collar or a harness that does not fit them well then we can cause pain around their neck and chest. You can use ‘mime pulling’ or ‘lead stroking’ instead. This is something I learnt on a course with Grisha Stewart and it is a way of sending vibrations down the lead which encourages a dog to come to you and away from a situation. To do it you keep the lead one length and run it through your hands. Look at the video here.

You can also make a note of when your dog does it and where so you can spot any patterns. Use Susan Friedman’s ABC approach when looking at behaviour. What is the Antecedent (where, any noises etc), what behaviour can you actually see (egnore terms like stubborn etc), what does the behaviour look like, C – what is the consequence of the behaviour? You can then work on what is worrying them. It’s important to try and look at things from our dogs perspective and even if we don’t feel something is scary – they may perceive it to be. We do not want to supress or punish behavioural responses as they can be redirected elsewhere or inadvertently replaced by a more severe behavioural expression. For example if we pull a yank a dog or tell them off when they bark at another dog we may stop the outward behavioural expression but the underlying emotion is still there. This emotion is likely to come out more severely if they have been punished for a bark. They may snap instead next time.

What body language signs can I look for in my dog?

Avoidant or inhibitory behaviour – what does this look like?

This can include:

· Moving away

· Hiding behind you

· Sniffing the ground

· Licking (this can often be misinterpreted as giving kisses)

· Yawning

· Scratching

· Shaking off (as if they were wet

· Laying down with their leg up

· Turning their head away

· Panting

· Tucking the tail under their body

If this behaviour has been ignored and punished previously then the dog is likely to move to more intense behaviours (growl, snap, bite) in an attempt to gain space.

References

Jon Bowen, Sarah Heath, Chapter 11 - Canine aggression problems,Editor(s): Jon Bowen, Sarah Heath,Behaviour Problems in Small Animals,W.B. Saunders,2005,Pages 117-140,

Important information about keeping your dog happy with a crate

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 11:52:27 GMT

Crates and your dog

Crate training

Why crate train?

If your dog ever has an operation some experiences in a crate or smaller area is a proactive prevention strategy to help support them getting used to a smaller area. It can also be helpful for car travel.

Considerations

The size of the crate is important – as a dog gets bigger so should the crate! Investing in a large crate is sensible so you don’t need to upgrade each time. A dog should comfortably be able to stretch, move around and stand up in it.

A crate that can be easily cleaned is important incase your dog is ever unwell in it.

A comfortable bed and blanket that is cosy and warm will make it a nice sleeping area.

Habituating a dog to a crate

Building up positive associations with the crate is important – you don’t simply want to shut the door on your dog while they are inside it – this is likely to freak them out and build up positive associations with the crate. Allow them to have a tasty chew, some treats in there with the door open. You can gradually start to shut the door of the crate for a few seconds and build it up that way.

Blogs that say to leave a distressed dog crying in the crate otherwise you will be ‘pandering’ or ‘rewarding’ them for barking are outdated and wrong. A crate should be a relaxing place and it can take time to get them habituated to it. A dog can build up really negative emotional associations with the crate if they are left to cry inside it and you may never be able to use one.

Water bowls

A dog needs a water bowl in their crate. Imagine waking up in the middle of the night and feeling thirsty and not being able to grab some water – not a pleasant experience!

Weighted water bowls mean that a dog will not knock it around all over the place or dip any long floppy ears in to it. A water bowl that attaches to the crate is another good idea.

Think about the reason for using a crate

Are you using a crate because other people are or you think it's the thing to do? You don't have to use one.The crate should never be used as a place to prevent a dog from going to the bathroom or to stop a dog from chewing. The motivation and physical need to go to the bathroom and to chew will still be there. Ensuring your dog has lots of chews available and utilising a pen in the case of some young puppies is a better idea. Getting up with a dog in the middle of the night to let them empty their bladder will be needed, especially puppies they can't physically hold it for too long.. this is uncomfortable and could affect them medically too. If you've ever been in a traffic jam and you needed to go to the loo you'll know how they feel!

It should not be used as a time out or punishment area – that avoids the purpose of a relaxing place.

Safety

A dogs collar should always be removed before going in a crate incase it ever got attached to the crate - this could result in asphyxiation.

Want to find out more?

If you want to find out more about crate training, you may be interested in joining our academy. It’s £20 per month and can be cancelled at any time. Email hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk to join.

Keeping pets warm and safe this winter

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 15:07:57 GMT

Indoors and outdoors

During the winter months it can get very chilly. Here are some considerations to keep your pet warmer, safer and toasty this winter.

Walks

Purchasing a jacket for your dog will help keep them warmer, especially the breeds with thin fur such as the Hungarian Vizsla. Not all dogs will like jackets, so it’s important to introduce them slowly. To do this show them the jacket and give them a tasty treat – repeat this step many times. Then gradually get closer with the jacket and give them a tasty treat. Touch them with the jacket then give a treat – repeat. Gradually build up to putting it on them. Some dogs may be nervous of the sound of the zip so again pairing this sound with a treat is important. Be mindful of catching fur in the zip as this can be painful.

Getting in and out of the car can be tricky when it’s wet. A dog can slip and injure themselves so a ramp is a very sensible idea.

Wipe their paws

There is a lot of grit and salt on the roads and pavements at the moment so be sure to wipe your dogs paws down. Teaching them paw – front and back is good for this.

If your dog has arthritis then utilising mud mats is a sensible idea.

You can teach them to walk in a shallow warm water so they can get the grit off their paws.

At home

Keep the anti freeze out of sight and reach – it is toxic for pets.

At night

Make them a hot water bottle and pop it in the bed under the blanket.

You can also purchase microwavable items to keep your dogs warm.

Popping their bed by the fire or radiator will be favoured by them!

Move their bed and crate away from any drafty areas.

Pop loads of blankets on their bed so that they can make a den for themselves.

A cat house can be popular with cats if they still want to go outside. Ensure the water doesn’t freeze that is outside for them.

Important first aid advice that every dog owner should read

hello@stpawstrainingacademy.co.uk (Lisa Sinnott) — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 13:13:36 GMT

Dogs are family members

The objectives of first aid are:

To preserve life.
To promote recovery.
To alleviate pain and suffering.
To prevent a situation from getting worse.

What should be in your first aid kit?

A muzzle – a dog should ideally be habituated to one from a young age.

Bandages – an assortment.

Scissors

Plastic bags

Gloves

Antiseptic cream

Foil blanket

Syringe

Adhesive tape

KY Jelly

Thermometer

Your dogs vital signs

Body temperature

Hyperthermia relates to a raised temperature.

This can look like

Panting
Increase in drinking behaviour
Higher pulse rate
Laying flat out

Hypothermia relates to a low body temperature.

This can look like:

Shivering
Cold paws
Curling up
Lethargy (looking tired)

Pulse

The pulse is imperative as it can give guidance on how the heart is working.

The heart pumps blood through the vessels.

Where will I find my dogs pulse?

You can locate your dogs pulse around their leg. It is on their back leg, above the knee and around the middle of the dogs thigh.

How to take your dogs pulse

Have your timer ready on your phone or your watch.

Know what your dog’s resting rate is. It is normally between 70 – 160 beats per minute.

Use your two fingers to measure it.

Respiration rate

It is usually between 10 – 30 per minute.

Again, it should not be measured after exercise if you’re measuring the normal rate.

Consider your dogs breathing too. Is it shallow or irregular? These are important points to advise the vet on.

What toys should I use with my dog?

Ensure balls have an air hole incase your dog ever got them stuck in their mouth and airway.

Vets

As always, it’s imperative to get your dogs to the vet as quickly as possible. Call them for advice and let them know you're on your way so they can prepare.

24 Hour vets in St Albans include the Village Vet, Smallford: 01727 852667