Relax Rover

Our dogs go collar-free unless we go somewhere mostly because I don’t want them to constantly have the noise of the tags in their ears. This is an even better reason.

When Larkin was about 14 weeks old we took him on his first trail walk. As he was sniffing and exploring on leash, I heard a voice behind me, Cute puppy! I t...urned around and saw a man smiling at us. Looking back at Larkin I felt a tinge of pride. Thank you! I said excitedly. Well, replied the man, now you just need to teach him how to heel. I’ve never forgotten this moment because it encompasses so much of our cultural dynamics with dogs. One, our expectations of dogs and their behavior are often unreasonable and unrealistic. Two, although seemingly a compliment, this man’s comment was both unsolicited and judgmental. As a new puppy guardian I felt immediately on guard, questioning whether there was something wrong with my puppy’s behavior, and therefore, something wrong with me. As a culture, we expect a lot from dogs and when their behavior deviates from these expectations we shame each other and ourselves. And because we live in a punishment culture, our solution to changing behavior of others is almost always reliant on coercion and compulsion. This is woven through the fabric of our institutions, communities, and families. When we choose to opt out of punishment and coercion, the shaming persists. Raise your hand if you’ve ever had a friend, a family member, or a complete stranger question you for using positive reinforcement with your dog. Raise your hand if you’ve ever heard someone ask why you’re using so many treats, or if you’ve ever heard who’s walking who?, or you’re going to spoil that dog, or your dog has you trained well. In fact, entire segments of the training world are built around the idea that understanding behavior and then addressing it without compulsion is permissive and weak. And it makes sense, this is what we know. Choosing to accept our dogs as individuals, meeting them where they are instead of where we expect them to be, and foregoing compulsion to shape their behavior is still a brave and radical choice in our culture. Let’s be kind to ourselves and each other, and let’s never doubt whether kindness and compassion are the right choices.

A German Shepherd? Is this some clever AI stunt that merges FB’s awareness of my specific canine bonds and Photoshop? Are there similar ads with different dog breeds? Cats? Potbelly pigs? Let me know if you got a pug or Maine Coon or bunny.

Choosing a dog walker.

San Francisco SAFETY ALERT Woman assaulted last night at Moscone Dog Park in the Marina. Please share so we can put this POS in jail.

Just say NO to citronella collars! Instead, find out why your dog is barking and help them in a kind, respectful way. Would pet owners embrace spray collars so ethusiastically if the packaging stated: Sprays insect repellent, alcohol and air conditioning coolant (and drug used in inhalant abuse) in your dog’s face to stop barking. Side effects may include skin and eye irritation. May cause dizziness and loss of concentration.... Natural just doesn’t sound so pleasant anymore.

Have you seen those videos where a person pets a small dog, the dog growls, the person laughs and does it again, the dog growls and bares its teeth, the person laughs and just keeps antagonizing the dog? And then so many of the comments say something like, Oh yeah! I’ve had Chihuahuas for years and they’re all like this!! Lol!! And if you point out how scared the dog is, people get pissed and say nasty things back to you. The truth is, the dog is terrified. It’s awful. And the dog could eventually bite because the person has not been listening to what the dog is saying with growls and lip curls. How else are they going to communicate? It’s never okay to treat a dog this way. Ever.

Moderator #memesaturday Help facilitate a harmonious relationship between your dog(s) and any children they may be in regular contact with, download the Do No H...arm Training Manual for guidance on safe child/dog interactions. Fetch it here: https://gumroad.com/l/trainingmanual

Among the most tragic pieces of advice still given out when people are looking for help with a fearful dog is not to comfort them. The reasoning being that it w...ill reinforce the fear. Though comforting a scared dog may not help them, especially one who has not yet learned who her friends are, or is too scared for it to help, the advice is terrible. Dogs can learn to be comforted. They can learn that their fear or distress can decrease or go away when comforted by a trusted person. What that comfort being delivered looks like can vary. It may be the delivery of treats, it may be soothing talk, it may be proximity and contact, it may be fun and distraction. Don’t assume a dog new to you is going to understand that your petting, or holding is an act of kindness, or that your intentions are good. Being comforted is a learned behavior. We need to assess each dog’s ability to find handling and contact soothing, before we do it. And when we have a dog who is soothed and comforted by our attention and handling, we should consider how we can use this in our training to build more tolerance and skills.

https://www.dog-ibox.com//stress-matters-impact-of-fear-an

Your dog owes you nothing. Not a thing. The decision for him to be in your life wasn’t his, it was yours. He doesn’t owe you anything. If you look at your dog ...as owing you something in return for your attention, food, medical care etc, then that’s the first problem we have to tackle before we can even begin true training together. Your dog doesn’t owe you obedience he doesn’t owe you respect he doesn’t owe you good behavior simply because he gets to share the same space and life with you. If you want that kind of relationship and behavior; that’s on you to create, not him. YOU owe your dog. You owe it to him to understand his history, his development and his ancestors. You owe it to him to learn about his needs, his characteristics and his individual personality. You owe it to him to become educated on how he communicates with you, his body language and train him in a way he understands and enjoys and doesn’t cut corners just because it’s easier on YOU. You owe it to him to protect him and keep him safe. You owe it to him to modify YOUR environment to help him be successful. Dogs are a privilege. WE created THEM. We’ve done them so many injustices and yet they still go to war with us, herd our livestock, protect us, find people for us, assist us devotedly, meet us at the door wagging their tails and comfort us when we are down. The tasks they do for us go above and beyond any other partnership between species imaginable, so you have to be willing to do your part too. Your dog owes you nothing. You owe your dog. Let’s get to work to make a great team.