Can our dogs smile? If so, why do they smile? We have all seen an endearing look on our dogs – a relaxed face, soft eyes and a big cheesy grin.  That’s a smile isn’t it? But is it? Do our dogs actually smile like we do?
 
Most canine professionals don’t consider a canine smile to be a true smile in the same way as humans smile.  We often interpret a wide-mouth that is panting, a relaxed tongue hanging out and a submissive grin as a smile.  However, some people, especially children, can view an aggressive teeth display as a smile too.  That’s a bit worrying isn’t it?  It is vitally important to teach our kids to read our dogs’ body language to prevent our dogs doing something they can’t take back.  The good news is that most canine smiles are from a happy dog, but it is so important to learn what expressions are from a happy dog and those that aren’t.
 
Experts suggest that dogs are genius at reading human body language.  They have learnt as they evolved, how to make humans happy.  Humans will smile back at their dog, talk cute talk and provide things for their dog that they like, treats, affection and cosy time with them.  These rewards ensure that our dogs keep offering their smiles.  A dog may be triggered to smile at us when we smile at them.  They like our happy reactions and will learn to trigger our happy emotions.  There is a phenomenon called emotional contagion.  We have all experienced this.  Someone smiles at us, we smile back at them before we even have time to think about it.  This causes oxytocin (the cuddle hormone) to be released.  This happens whether it is a human smiling or our dogs.  Smiling feels good.  Every dog is a unique individual and will behave differently to others.  What may cause one dog to smile may not cause another.  We must remember they are all different and learn to appreciate their own characteristics and personalities.
 
A dog’s smile may be part of their genetics, a behaviour that comes from neoteny.  Neoteny is a process that causes an animal to retain certain characteristics from puppyhood into their adult life.  Such behaviours include jumping up to greet humans, wagging their tail, face licking and smiling.
 
Humans smile at each other to show they are friendly. Do dogs smile at each other to express friendliness?  Domesticated dogs do smile at each other, but they also use their whole body to indicate their friendliness. 

• A high and waggy tail. A well-known sign that your dog is happy, but a wagging tail doesn't always mean they are happy. Sometimes it can be a warning signal to stay away.
  
• Floppy ears. Our dog's ears are relaxed, not tense or flattened against their head. Pricked upright ears are a sign of alertness.
  
• Relaxed body. Your dog's body posture is relaxed and not tense or stiff. Loose shoulders, soft eyes without a fixed gaze, and wiggliness’ are all clues that your dog’s feeling happy.
  
• Playful. A happy dog is more likely to want to play and leap around. Bowing is a good sign they are feeling playful.
  
• Leaning. Relaxed dogs will often seek our attention. Leaning on you is a good sign they want your affection.

So our dogs do smile, but not the way we do.  Their smiles are influenced by our own body language.  We need to learn canine body language and allow them to have freedom to express their feelings.
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• a wide-mouth that is panting, a relaxed tongue hanging out and a submissive grin can be a smile but not always
  
• children should be supervised when around dogs
  
• if a dog bares their teeth, this usually a sign to go away
  
• smiling is a normal canine behaviour but will not be shown by every dog
  
• look for floppy ears, relaxed bodies and playful behaviour to indicate your dog is happy, not just a smile

#smiles #learntotalkdog #awareness

“I’ll be back in a bit, I’m taking the dog for a walk…”
 
We frequently hear this said in households up and down the country.  We see people walk their dog around the neighbourhood, on lead as part of their daily routine.  Sometimes it is a leisurely walk, which both dog and human enjoy.  Often it is a quick burst of energy before being popped back into the home and the human leave.  So how much does your dog enjoy this?

​At some point we need to consider what our dog actually enjoys.  Our spaniels love to run and be off lead, walking them round the block on the pavement just wouldn’t cut it.  For our elderly dog, this would be a perfect opportunity to sniff and interact with the world. 
 
Our dogs will try to communicate to us what they like.  There may be reluctance to go down a certain path – after all the scary dog lives at No.92. Our dog may have some arthritis making going far painful.  They may prefer to go a different way because the scent is stronger in the other direction. We need to give our dogs the opportunity to choose when we can.  This helps them feel more confident and every choice inspires exploration and curiosity. 
 
Next time you take a walk, focus on being WITH your dog.  It is not about getting from A to B or just following the path.  Think about what your walks feel like to your dog – STEP into their PAWS for a moment.  It is not important how far you walk but an opportunity to explore the world and use some of their innate skills.  Give them chance to sniff, dig, hunt, walk slowly, and walk fast.  The point is – do it WITH them, not for them.  Doing dog-like activities WITH them is fun and I can tell you from watching dogs for hours and hours, this stuff tires them out just as much as a 5km walk with your leading the way.
 
Remember to take time to stop and sit too.  Yep that’s right I said sit on a walk.  This is good for you, you get to observe the world passing by but so does your dog.  You can learn a lot about stuff by just sitting and being still.
 
Dogs like variety too, just like us.  So don’t always walk them in the same place, in the same direction.  Mix it up a little.  This keeps it fresh and fun.  Sometimes, take their ball, but not always.  No-one wants a ball bound dog.  And let’s face it pizza every day wouldn’t taste the same as having it as a special treat.  Let them have time off their lead (if you have trained a reliable recall).  Let them say hello to other dogs if you have introduced all politely and everyone is happy. 
 
What is it that makes your dog light up?  These are called Glimmers – they make your dog’s eyes sparkle.  Do some of that.  Get to know what your dog likes and prefers to do with their time away from home.  If you are wanting to get to your exercise goal for the day – you really don’t have to take your dog unless they like that too.  And I have never met a dog yet who has to do their 10,000 steps or 50 press-ups.  

​It is important for their well-being.
It is important for yours too.
I promise you it will feel so much better than just walking the dog.

Does your dog like a quiet life? Do they become overwhelmed by social activities? Do they need time to recuperate and relax after seeing other dogs?  Do they prefer you to touch them on their terms?  Yes, they may be considered to be introverted personality.  They may be hypersensitive to their environment and need their guardian to be sensitive to their needs when introducing new and novel situations.
 
Or is your dog the opposite? Does your dog like a busy life?  Will your dog entertain themselves if you do not give them your full attention?   Do they thrive on meeting new canine friends and going to new places?  Would you describe them as bouncy, gregarious and generally a bit over-excited?   Your dog may be considered to be an extrovert.  They will need plenty of interaction from you – food, toys, games, affection are key to keeping your dog happy and constructive.

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Dogs are a highly sociable species and usually like hanging out with other dogs.
 
Our dogs are all unique individuals, just like us.  While some may look like each other, they are all completely different when it comes to personality and how they behave.  Each dog has their own mental, emotional, physical and spiritual needs.
  This may be affected by their breed, age, character and personality.  It is therefore important that we consider this when we are introducing dogs to one another.  We must create positive associations between our dog and another to prevent a traumatic, single event learning from occurring.
 
Introductions can be planned or unplanned.  The ones that we can plan are much easier to manage.  We can think about introducing our dogs to each other using scent. We can take a blanket that our dog has lain on to the other dog before the introduction and do vice versa for the other dog.  This allows each dog to learn information about each other before they meet.
 
This is only possible if we know there is going to be an imminent meeting e.g. a new puppy or rescue dog coming to meet an existing household dog, a friend planning to visit our home and bring their dog, wanting to go to visit family and they have dogs.  Scent can be a fantastic way of introducing dogs.  You can even pop an article in a plastic bag and send it to your family/friend in preparation for a meeting if they live further away.
 
But what about meetings that can’t be planned for?  Meeting stranger dogs in the park?  How do we help our dogs with these situations? Well, we teach them to have polite introductions that’s how.  
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​Always use ‘Polite Greeting Protocol’ to introduce new playmates to your dog. Ideally, your dog should wear a harness and a long line during initial play sessions. Neck biting, holding, body slamming, high arousal levels, pinning, head over neck and shoulders, t-shaping, growling with bared teeth, barking in faces is NOT allowed during greetings. 
 
Polite Greeting Protocol

Warm Up Exercise
When the other dog is not present practice walking your dog at your heel. When your dog is paying you attention reward them with food or a toy for staying beside you. 

Parallel Walk Together 
When your dog is focused on you and relaxed have your play partner and their dog walk parallel to you. Ensure the distance is sufficient that your dog is not paying attention to the other dog. 

Reward Calm
Reward your dog for staying by your side and being calm 

Decrease The Distance 
If your dog maintains a level of calm, gradually decrease the distance between you and your play partner by a couple of feet. If your dog does not remain calm, then work at the present distance until your dog is once calm and focused on you

Repeat Distance Reduction
Continue to decrease the distance between the two dogs by a couple of feet every couple of yards that you walk. Reward good behaviour as you go. 

Greeting 
Once the dogs are close enough to each other that they can almost touch, stop and cue your dog to “say hi”. Have your play partner do the same thing with their dog. Allow your dogs to sniff each other for 2-seconds and then call them away. 

Keep On The Move
Once the dogs have introduced themselves, cue both dogs to their ‘heel’ positions and continue the walk with both dogs walking side by side. If you are confident that both dogs are happy around each other, you may let them off the lead.

Practice Makes Perfect
Practice this with a few suitable playmates in different locations to teach your dog how to greet dogs nicely. Build a Canine Address Book – a list of dogs that your dog likes to meet. Remember dogs do not have to like every dog they meet. You don’t like everyone you meet. Naturally, your dog is the same. When we are armed with the knowledge of who our dog likes, we are setting them up to have pleasant encounters when you are out and about.
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One final word, please respectful of other dog guardians and their dogs. If your dog is off the lead and you see another dog on a lead – clip your dog on their lead until you pass each other. There may be a good reason why the other dog is on their lead. They may be reactive to dogs, having had a previous difficult encounter; they may not be very well. They may have just come to live with a new guardian and are fearful of a new environment. They may be old and not happy to play anymore because bumps and scrapes hurt.  There are hundreds of different reasons. The fact is you do not know. It is polite to follow the rule, pop your dog on their lead until dogs know each other. It is just good manners. We all need those.
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​I offer individually tailored 1-2-1 Canine Coaching Sessions which will help you develop your dog’s social etiquette.
Each session is 1-2 hours long and includes a follow-up email report and telephone support.
Sessions start at £45, packages are available for multiple sessions.

Due to their domestication, our dogs have a reduced number of choices compared to their wild counterparts.  We, therefore, have to make sensible choices on their behalf. Canine Wellness is the act of practicing healthy choices on behalf of our dogs so they are physically and mentally healthier.  They thrive in our modern-day world, not just survive it.  Wellness is a balance of physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being.  It is not about the absence of disease and infirmity. Every dog is an individual and their needs are unique.  We can help our dogs create resilient body functions by considering the following:

1. Keep Them Safe – feeling safe is important to our dogs.  It is a No 1. Need.  When they feel unsafe, their bodies produce adrenaline and cortisol which activates their flight or fight body functions.  Long-term exposure to this biochemical cocktail can cause damage to their health.  We need to support our dogs to understand new and novel encounters so they choose an ‘orientating’ response, not a stress response. When we make this choice for them we increase their wellness, health and energy levels.

2. Reduce Stress In Their Life – our modern-day world is busy, noisy and full of stressful events.  Our dogs do not always understand this world.  We can help them by being mindful that they do not perceive the way we do.  Reduce their stress levels by providing mental enrichment activities, removing them from stressful situations and promoting calm emotions.  Stress causes the body to become inflamed and this depletes energy. When we make appropriate choices to reduce stress we are protecting their nervous system from distress.  

​3. Choose Suitable Environments – our dogs benefit from being out in nature, so do we! When we choose peaceful environments for our dogs we enrich their life with scent and opportunities to be a dog.  Being in nature is a wonderful healing experience. When we provide suitable environments for our dogs we help restore life energy.  Exposure to our modern-day world can be overwhelming for our dogs and cause anxiety, arousal and sensory overload. Our dogs are individuals and some will fare better than others in such environments.  We can slowly expose them to environmental stressors, gradually desensitising them so they can cope.  We can help them at home too.  Provide a safe den environment for them.  A place that is just theirs.  If they are in their place, they have chosen to take some time out., respect their decision and keep your distance.

4. Ensure Enough Sleep & Exercise – our dogs need a surprising amount of sleep to be healthy.  We have all had that experience of being grumpy because we are tired.  Our dogs are the same.  It is vitally important that we provide opportunities for rest.  Rest helps the body return to homeostasis after stressful experiences. Our dogs’ bodies carry out essential repair and maintenance during sleep. Our dogs also need to exercise to maintain a healthy muscular-skeletal system. Creating exercise opportunities is also about giving our dogs a sense of freedom.  So whenever possible let them decide where they would like to go.  We reduce tension and frustration in our dogs when we allow them to choose sometimes too. When we do we help raise their energy levels and spiritual health. 

5. Provide a Good Quality, Well-Balanced Diet – just as we need to eat healthy food so do our dogs. Diet forms a significant part of health.  We are what we eat!  Food fuels our dog’s body and provides nutrients for repair and rebuilding of the cellular structure.  All food and drink support or harms our dog’s immune system by increasing or decreasing inflammation.  Modern processed food is often low in nutrition and energy. Research your food choices to ensure that all their nutritional needs are met.  Water is important for supporting our dogs’ health and wellness.  Provide opportunities for your dog to express free will by allowing them to decide what to eat and drink regularly. 

6. Encourage Positive Social Interactions – dogs are social animals and enjoy the company of others.  Sometimes this is not the case and our dog may dislike another dog, this is their choice.  We can respect their choices and not force social interaction.  We can respect the space of other dogs too, if they are on a lead we can ensure that our dog does not intrude in their space.  We can create our dog a canine address book of friends they enjoy being with.  Our dogs need to feel safe so we need to choose suitable playmates and introduce friends slowly.  When we do this we help our dogs learn what to expect and their social boundaries.  

7. Provide Positive Learning Experiences – not all dogs are socially adept due to genetics, poor socialisation or bad learning experiences and this can cause problems in their behaviour.  They may have experienced trauma and have learned that certain ‘triggers’ cause them distress.  The brain remembers these events and mediates when they are encountered again to keep us safe.  Research shows us that our dogs learn more easily when training is free from pain, discomfort and distress.  We must always teach our dogs using positive experiences that increase the likelihood of desired behaviour occurring again.  

​8. Look Out for Disease & Treat Appropriately – our dogs are incredibly stoic and will often hide feelings of pain and discomfort.  We can learn to recognise signs and symptoms that may require vet treatment.  Pain can cause our dogs to become aggressive or withdraw from social interaction with us.  We must be observant of how they move, their moods, their coat condition and carry out regular husbandry so we can be vigilant in changes to ears, teeth etc.  If you suspect there is a problem, contact your vet for advice and gain treatment promptly.

9. Provide Opportunities to Relax – our dogs need periods of relaxation.  Too much exposure to stress can impinge emotional, physical and spiritual well-being.  It is a valuable life skill for our dogs to be able to calm themselves.  When relaxation occurs the parasympathetic nervous system is activated and this counters the effects of stress in the body. Relaxation needs to be part of every dog’s daily routine. Complementary therapies and breathing techniques can help balance our dogs’ energy and reduce stress.  Animal Reiki, Crystal Healing, Zoopharmacognosy, Bach Flower Remedies, T-Touch, Galen, Myofascial Massage, Bowen and Acupuncture are among some of the therapies that may benefit your dog.  These are provided by practitioners or vets and we can learn some techniques to incorporate into our dogs’ wellness regime.  

10. Look After Yourself – it is imperative that we take time to look after ourselves as well as out dogs.  Our emotions have a significant impact on our dogs’ emotions.  Dogs have this wonderful ability to alleviate  our worries.  It is important to recognise that our thoughts become our biochemistry.  Taking time to exercise, meditate, be mindful, and follow a wellness protocol ourselves means we are best able to look after our dogs.  

​When we take time to show up for our dogs we create wonderful cooperative relationships with them.  Our dogs learn they can trust us to make the right decisions on their behalf.  

​I offer individually tailored 1-2-1 Canine Coaching Sessions which may be helpful.
Each session is 1-2 hours long and includes a follow-up email report and telephone support.
Sessions start at £45, packages are available for multiple sessions.

Have you ever woken up feeling like you're a failure?  There you start something but don't get it finished?  Do you feel that your lack of discipline stops you helping your dog?

​There are times when we set ourselves a training goal and then struggle to do the work to make it to the finish line.  What is it that can help us turn a desire to do something into a habit that causes behavioural change?  This is the role of self-discipline.  Self-discipline is defined as the ability to self-control and push yourself to work hard and not require someone else to tell you what to do.

What does that mean?  It means we can consistently control our feelings and emotions to allow us to be able to control our actions.  When we are self-disciplined, we become successful and motivated.  We activate our willpower and can control our impulses.  This allows us to remain focused on our goals.

There are many benefits to be self-disciplined:

• Decreases Anxiety
• Increases Achievement of Long-Term Goals
• Increases Feelings of Happiness
• Increases Resilience
• Increases Ability to Resist Temptation

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When we take time to practice self-discipline we are investing in ourselves and our dogs. We are working towards a better way of living. The way that we deserve all deserve. There is a difference between thinking about being self-disciplined and doing it. And that is it requires working at. Here are some simple steps to get you started:
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1. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, GO – there are times when we don’t feel motivated. Mel Robbins describes in her book, The 5 Second Rule – feeling depressed and not wanting to get out of bed. She developed this technique to force herself out of bed. This method makes you countdown and then just do it. This can be the difference between being unmotivated to forcing yourself to just do it. Trust me this works! The more you practice this, the easier it becomes. Truly! We begin to shift our negative thoughts and create a self-discipline.

2. Write Your Goals Down & Put Them Where You Can See Them – writing our goals down, makes them real. When we put our goals where we can see them, we create a visual picture for our minds to regularly read. Our words will inspire us towards our goals. Our goal becomes an affirmation as we read our words. Create reminders on your phone. Write notes in your diary or the kitchen planner. Your words should be positive and encouraging.   Write down quotes from your favourite motivational speaker. Whether your goal is to walk 100 yards without your dog pulling you over or becoming the next Crufts Champion, writing your goals down will help you focus your energy on achieving them.

3. Write Down Why You Started – keeping your goal in sight is helpful but equally is reminding yourself why you started. This is important. As we grow we often forget where we started from. Reminding ourselves, especially when we run into difficulties, keeps us focused on the reason we are putting the effort in. We can use affirmations to keep us focused. 

4. Visualize the Goal – practice seeing yourself succeeding. What does it look like? How does it feel? What is the detail?  The more we can create a clear picture in our minds, the more we can train our brains to focus on achieving our goals.

5. Set Achievable Goals – set small goals, it can be tempting to set our goal too high, especially at the beginning when motivation is high. Setting yourself small measurable goals allows you to achieve them and build your confidence. Be patient and grow your success. Don’t get frustrated. Trust in your progress. Achievement of smaller goals will keep you motivated and this will make your bigger goal achievable too.

6. Prioritize & Plan Progress – simply decide what has to be done and create a plan for doing it. As you complete a task, tick it off your list. You will be less likely to put things off if you keep a track of your progress.

7. Get Support – there will be times when you feel unmotivated to achieve your goal. If you know what your weaknesses are you can enlist the support of friends/family or a coach to keep you motivated and focused on your end goal. These people can also hold you accountable, become your cheerleaders and give you that extra push when things get tough 
 
When we commit to training our dogs we are investing in our relationship with them. It requires self-discipline from us to make their lives happier. We can always find something to improve and with time, effort, and a consistent approach we can achieve anything we set our minds on.
​

I offer individually tailored 1-2-1 Canine Coaching Sessions.
Each session is 1-2 hours long and includes a follow-up email report and telephone support.
​Sessions start at £45, packages are available for multiple sessions.

Adders are the only poisonous snake in the UK.  They are approximately 65cm long and have a distinctive zig-zag pattern down their bodies and a V shape on their heads.  They are a protected species.  They are found on heathland, or the edge of woodland and are often bathing in sunshine.  Adders can swim and may be found on river banks, in rivers or ponds.  Adders can be found in gardens, although this is uncommon.  Statistics show that bites seldom happen in gardens.
 
Adders hibernate between October and March, although as the climate warms there have been reports on activity throughout the year.  Adders will always try to move away from you and your dog if they can.  They will bite if they feel threatened.  The adder bite is poisonous to humans and our dogs.  Bites tend to occur in April – July and usually in the afternoons when adders are more active. Whilst bites do happen they are rare.  Most people visiting the countryside never see an adder as they are secretive creatures who avoid us when possible.  Dogs tend to get bitten on front legs or muzzles.  Young dogs are more likely to get bitten. Perhaps as a result of trying to play with an adder.
 
It can be distressing for our dog to get bitten by an adder and they need immediate veterinary attention.  With prompt treatment it is rarely fatal.  Smaller dogs are more at risk than larger dogs due to toxicity.
 ​

Prevention is always a better strategy.  Not all UK snakes are poisonous but it is better to avoid all. 
Be vigilant. Watch where you and your dog are stepping. Try to stay on paths.
There are often signposts indicating that an area is a designated reptile area.

We humans like our dogs to do the things we ask them to do. We used to call this communication, a command. That always seemed too harsh, and army-like. Now we call them cues.
 
A cue is a piece of information that causes behavioural change due to the detection of a reward and is part of a habit-forming chain. See my previous article for information about how habits have formed The Importance of Measuring Progress.   

​We like to think that our dogs understand what we are saying to them.  The truth is they don’t, not unless we teach them what a word means.  If you want to know what verbal communication means to your dog without teaching them its associated behaviour try this exercise.
 

​Find someone to work with

1. Tell them you are going to ask them to do something and it is very important that they do it
2. Tell them you might get angry or frustrated if they don’t do it
3. Now say ‘ Purple’ to them
4. They will most likely look confused
5. Now say ‘Why aren’t you doing what I asked you?’ and say ‘Purple’ to them again
6. They will look more confused and most likely start to smile or say to you that they don’t understand

 
This is confusion is what our words mean to our dogs.  We chat all the time to them, thinking they clearly understand.  They don’t understand our words, so perhaps we should stop talking ‘Purple’ to them.  

​Our dogs understand our tone – a higher pitch is inviting, a lower pitch communicates to leave or stay away.  Why do our dogs understand this? It is because this is the communication that they use with each other.  Our dogs interpret our words by trying to relate them to what they already know. Want to try this out? Stand away from your dog and say ‘Pup, Pup’ in a high-pitched voice and watch your dog run towards you.  They are responding to the tone in our voice.  Now say ‘Pup, Pup’ in a low and gruff voice.  They will look at you with hesitation, trying to work out what you want but keeping their distance.
 
So how do we teach our dogs to understand us? We can use visual or verbal cues.  Our dogs seem to understand more than our words so what have they learned about us and how?

Our dogs react to more than our verbal cues, they are genius at reading our body language. They watch how we move, what we point at, the speed of our movements, the facial expressions that we make.  Through careful observations, they have learned to interpret this.  A hand that picks up a lead means we are going for a walk.  A turn towards that cupboard might mean it is food time.  They can even read chains of events.  Think about your morning routine and what predicts you leaving the house.  These are visual cues.  The signals that our dogs look for to predict events.  Often we won’t even know that our dogs are reading us.  Sometimes they will read our body language incorrectly, after all, unless we teach them what our gestures mean they are guessing.  We can incorporate hand signals into our dog training.  It is to our advantage to teach them these before we teach them words.  Research studies highlight that dogs learn visual cues more quickly than verbal communications.

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If visual cues work so well why do we teach verbal ones?  Humans express themselves with words.  This is how we communicate with each other.  Children learn words by associating a word with an object.  A young adult human understands approximately 60,000 words. Our vocabulary continues to develop as we get older.  As we are exposed to the new subject matter and new technology we learn new words.  A year ago no one used the word coronavirus now it is an everyday word with an attributed meaning.  Have you ever thought about how many words your dog understands and how they have learned these?  Dogs also learn through association.  Dogs learn to interpret our body language and our tone.  Research has shown that dogs are better able to learn when both the left and right side of their brain is activated.  The left side of the brain is involved in understanding words and the right-hand side translates tone.  It is worth bearing this in mind when we are teaching our dogs a new word.  When words are linked to a pleasurable reward-based activity such as food, playing, or affection and a tone that they like they learn faster.  When we do this we increase the relationship bonds between us and enhance communication.
 
We can build our canine vocabulary by:
 

• Behaviour First – teach your dog the behaviour first using a training method e.g. using food to obtain a body position, then marking the behaviour e.g. clicker or ‘yes’, and then rewarding the behaviour with a treat

 

• Add the Word – next we add the cue.  When our dog competently offers the behaviour we will introduce the word before the lure.  This communicates to the dog that the word means the same thing as the lure

 

• Build-in Thinking Time – we next start teaching our dog.  We say the word, create a thinking space, and then use the lure.  This way our dog learns to think about what a word means.

 

• Reinforce Like It's a Party  – as our dog begins to learn the word, we may see them offer the behaviour before the lure is used.  When this happens celebrate with lots of rewards.  Our dog is beginning to understand the meaning of our word.  They are just learning so don’t rush to this stage.  They will get it right sometimes but not all.

 

• Fade the Lure - we begin to remove the need to have food in our hands by phasing out the lure.  Practice 3-5 behaviours using the lure and then use an empty hand. Then commence a training regime using less and less luring.  Randomly very when you use a lure.  Gradually our dog will begin to complete the behaviour from our word and hand gesture.  We can further fade out our hand gestures making them smaller and smaller until we have our dog completely on verbal cue.

​Our dogs also respond to environmental cues – these are cues that do not come from us.  For example, the doorbell rings and your dog goes to the door to see who is there. Or there is sunlight coming through a window so lie down on the floor here.  Pop your dog into the car and drive to a certain place every day and they soon learn that a smell, a rumble in the road and, the swing of the vehicle means they are nearly at their walk.  Using environmental cues can be useful as it takes out the need to always instruct our dogs what to do.  We can teach them that a pavement edge means they should sit and wait patiently or seeing their food bowl means they should wait quietly.  There are a variety of different ways that environmental cues are useful.

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​Dogs are clever and are capable of learning a great deal of information from us.  We owe it to them to try to understand how they learn.  When we are clear with our communication and teach them in a way they can understand a beautiful harmonious relationship occurs.

​If you need help understanding how to teach your dog please give me a call.
I offer individually tailored 1-2-1 Canine Coaching Sessions which may also be helpful.
Each session is 1-2 hours long and includes a follow-up email report and telephone support. Sessions start at £45, packages are available for multiple sessions.

​We often don’t notice that our environment is constantly changing.  We don’t see our progress as we learn new things.  As we gradually evolve into new habits, routines, and behaviours we don’t acknowledge they have happened. We simply accept the latest status quo.  Often we don’t even realise a new habit has developed.

• Cue – the brain receives information that causes it to produce a behaviour. When the brain obtains the cue it predicts that a reward is coming. Our dogs will analyse their internal and external environment for signs of reward location. This step is about detecting a reward.

• Craving – this is the driving force behind a behaviour; the motivation for a habit. When there is no motivating factor for a behaviour none will occur. Every motivation is associated with a desire to alter our dog’s internal state. We teach our dog to carry out a behaviour by pairing it with a reason to do so – e.g. a dog sits because they know they will get stroked when they do.   Being stroked releases a chemical called oxytocin into the dog’s system and this reduces stress and makes the dog feel relaxed. The dog likes feeling like this so they sit so that we stroke them. Each dog is an individual, so they are motivated by different things. Some will be motivated by food, others by toys and opportunities to play. Some will be motivated by affection or praise. It can be a great deal of fun finding out what makes your dog motivated.   This step is about wanting a reward.

• Response - this is the part of the process that causes thoughts or actions to form, producing the habit. A habit will form if there is sufficient motivation to cause it. When our dogs encounter some form of difficulty in obtaining a reward then habits will be blocked from forming. This step is about getting the reward.

 

• Reward – this is the end goal of all behaviour. It must satisfy the desire of our dogs and provide a benefit that makes it worth carrying out the behaviour. When our dogs receive a reward we make it more likely that a behaviour will happen the next time the cue is experienced. Our dogs are pleasure seekers so their brains are constantly looking for opportunities for reward.

 
So now we know how a habit is acquired, we can begin to measure our training progress using objectives.  Setting measurable goals allows us to track our training progress.  It allows us to see whether we need to raise or lower our training criteria, making it harder or easier for our dogs to complete it and form habits. By setting goals we can work out what we want to accomplish and what limitations we may encounter.
 
We can identify how many times we need to repeat a training activity to consider it successful and when we can move on to teaching something else. It helps us set realistic goals. There is no point trying to swim the Channel if you haven’t learned to swim yet. When we set ourselves goals that can be measured we recognise whether our investment of time and effort is worth the outcome. It helps us commit to the purpose of training. Finally, we can acknowledge the length of time it will take to complete an activity. We can remember to set measurable goals by using the acronym:
 
·        Specific (simple, sensible, significant)
·        Measurable (meaningful, motivating)
·        Achievable (agreed, attainable)
·        Relevant (reasonable, realistic and resourced, results-based)
·        Time-bound (time-based, time-limited, time/cost limited, timely, time-sensitive)
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​We create habits by training. We are training our dog’s brains to create habits.   Every behaviour is focused on the desire to obtain a reward.  When we measure our training progress we can identify what is blocking habits being formed.

​If you need help setting training objectives please give me a call.
I offer individually tailored 1-2-1 Canine Coaching Sessions which may also be helpful.
Each session is 1-2 hours long and includes a follow-up email report and telephone support. Sessions start at £45, packages are available for multiple sessions.

Complementary Therapies are a useful addition to medical treatment from your vet.  Their usage has grown in the general population in the last 40 years and they are now used widely for both humans and animals. There are many therapies available that are beneficial to dogs.  Here are the most popular:

This therapy works by introducing a substance that is similar to the symptoms being experienced by the animal – therefore treating ‘like with like’. A homeopathic practitioner makes pills, creams, or ointments that have a substance that is highly diluted and shaken at high speed. Each animal is treated as an individual and looked at holistically (mental, emotional, and physical). These preparations are available to buy from health shops in low dosages but for higher potency, a homeopath must prescribe them. It is noteworthy that some of the substances used within homeopathy and toxic in high doses and therefore a qualified practitioner should be sought. ​

This therapy is a gentle and respectful method of training dogs and comprises: bodywork called T-Touch, groundwork exercises, T-Touch equipment, and Intention. T- Touch uses circular movements from the practitioner’s fingers and hands applied over the dog’s body. Linda Tellington-Jones the founder of the system states the purpose of T-Touch is to “stimulate the function and vitality of the cells in an animal’s body and to activate unused neural pathways to the brain.” It is possible to learn the movements from an instructor and there are a number of introductory courses run across the UK. There is some evidence-based research to support that T-Touch does have a relaxing effect on the parasympathetic nervous system and brain wave patterns.
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This is an energy-based therapy and works by the practitioner being able to channel universal energy (Chi/Qi) to promote an emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual balance. The practitioner can lay hands on the recipient or send it via distance. When treating a dog it is usually done without hands-on practice even if the dog and guardian are in the same location as the practitioner.