hundproblembeteenden

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When The Going Gets Tough…. Force-free management tools for when things get messy

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When The Going Gets Tough…. Force-free management tools for when things get messy

You are working with your reactive dog on making the world a less stressful place for them…

You are out and about socialising your puppy….

You are training with your adolescent dog, ironing out a couple of teenage tricky behaviours…

One moment the world is at peace, then suddenly something happens that sends your dog into melt down frenzy (out of fear, over-excitement, frustration…).

In this heightened emotional state most dogs struggle to respond to a cue, and management is key.

The following force-free management tools will help you to swiftly, and positively, get out of a potentially messy situation.

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Why Dogs Bark & What You Can Do About It

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Why Dogs Bark & What You Can Do About It

First things first, dogs bark! It’s a dog, it’s what they do. You wouldn’t ask a lion to stop roaring.

However, the fact that dogs live in our homes makes this often an issue for us humans. And of course we often expect our furry friend to behave perfectly, in all sorts of ‘human’ situations.

This article is about understanding why your dog barks and how to deal with it, including teaching alternative behaviours, providing outlets so they don’t need to bark in the first place as well as preempting, managing and, let’s say, tone it down a notch, or two.

Before I delve into the different types of barking and how to deal with these, here are some things to consider that can impact on most barking behaviours:

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CHOICE MATTERS TO YOUR DOG!

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CHOICE MATTERS TO YOUR DOG!

Let’s face it, our dogs have very little choice and control over their day to day existence. They have no say over when they want to eat (or how much!!) or how much time to spend in the park. Whether they actually want that stranger to pat them on the head (while they can’t get away ‘cause there’s that thing called a lead that renders them stationary) or if this really is the ideal time to go to bed.

So whereas there are some things that we of course do no need to decide and manage on their behalf, in order to ensure they stay safe and healthy, providing choice for your dog wherever possible will make a huge difference to their overall wellbeing and will certainly improve the relationship you have with your furry friend.

Choice as well as being able to predict what happens next, whether that is via a routine or offering choice, make dogs feel safe. And feeling safe means less stress and more contentment; resulting in a confident, healthy and happy dog. What’s not to love?

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The accidental therapy dog

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The accidental therapy dog

It’s fair to say that Wolfgang has never been quite so keen on kids. Totally at ease with any children passing or being close by and ignoring her but not so happy with kids approaching and trying to interact. And considering she still looks like the cutest puppy most kids want to cuddle her and pick her up…..not knowing that deep inside this little Jack Russell Terrier mix’s soul, there is a big wild wolf!!

Coming from a home with a toddler who, as I could tell when we picked her up, was quite full on with her as a very young puppy (AKA chasing after her, throwing toys at her, etc) to not being exposed enough to children when young. it can be difficult to get hold of kids when you or your friends don’t have any at hand for socialisation purposes, just sayin’….

In addition, her rather sparkly personality to choose ‘fight’ over ‘flight’ when given the opportunity (the ‘fight’ being a surprisingly loud and rolling bark, for such a little furry person, combined with a moving toward rather than retreating) never quite helped the overall situation.

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Communication is the key to success

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If you want your dog to learn and understand your language, then it’s only fair you can talk ‘dog’. Communication should always go two ways and understanding what your dog is telling you will result in a strong, trusting bond, which should be the basis of any training.

To talk ‘dog’ you have to look at your friend’s entire body (eyes, ears, mouth, tail, body stance, etc) as well as listen to the sounds he or she makes. Context and looking at the bigger picture is equally as important; for example a dog who yawns in the morning when he wakes up is tired, whereas a dog who yawns when a dog runs up to her in the park, is worried and potentially stressed.

Some subtle signs of communication to look out for when your dog feels stressed: eye blinking, lip/ nose licking, yawning, averting face/ gaze, lowered or tucked tail, frozen body posture, tightly closed mouth and much more.

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Wolfgang's Way in the Telegraph

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The wonderful Lauren Libbert has written a feature for the Telegraph about how her Cockapoo Freddy has been coping with life under lockdown. Slowly morphing from a chilled and fun loving dog to an often irritated, growly, then suddenly over the top active furry noodle, she’s asked for advice on what the reasons behind his behaviour may be as well as how to help him, and other dogs, through these challenging times.

And I was of course so very excited to be have been able to contribute.

Saturday Telegraph 16/05/2020

Saturday Telegraph 16/05/2020

Telegraph online 15/05/2020

Telegraph online 15/05/2020