Often when people ask about 'why we use food' the responses are 'reward your dog', 'pay them for their work' and so on, which is essentially true but its actually a lot more scientific than 'just giving food'. Most of the time people dont really want the 'nitty gritty' but I like to understand the 'why' of things so I thought that I would go into a (little) more depth about the role of food in training, specifically when used in 'operant conditioning' (think training specific behaviours, [...]
' Dominant, aggressive, stubborn, friendly.....' these are just some of the common labels I hear on a regular basis, not only from pet parents but also by people in industry.... so why dont I like them.....Firstly, labels don’t tell us anything about the particular behaviours involved, are vague and ambiguous. Secondly, labels are subjective, they mean different things to different people Thirdly, labels can have a negative effect on both the dog and people including legal [...]
Sniffing...its what dogs do/ Not only is it great fun and a wonderful enrichment item to add to your dogs life, sniffing stuff is essential for the well being. This version is really easy to make and machine washable - click on the button below for your easy to follow instructions
Firstly, if you have welcomed a 'Rescue' Congratulations and thank you for giving your new family member a second (or third or fourth..) chance at a forever home. Adopting a rescue can be a wonderful rewarding experience and this is a huge commitment that often comes with limited (if any) history about your new companion, but for some reason, and through no fault of their own, they ended up in a shelter, rescue or pound (or gumtree) and found their way to you. Helping your new companion settle [...]
This is such an exciting time and critical time in your new pups life. Getting things right from the start will help you develop your dog into a wonderful companion and help to reduce or avoid many of the common problems people encounter. Puppy development is pretty fast (compared to us humans) and many of the things they learn during early puppyhood will impact and influence their development into adulthood. To enable your puppy to be the best dog he or she can be there are some [...]
So you're getting a puppy. This is a very exciting time and seriously, who doesn't love a puppy...they just make you feel good!. There's a lot of things to consider before your new pup arrives and the choice shouldn't be made on cuteness alone...lets face it, there really arent any 'ugly' puppies so do take some time to think about your particular situation. Do take time to discover what type of dog is best matched to you and some things to consider are; who will the puppy live [...]
ENRICHMENT- WHAT IS IT? To enrich is to improve, for our dogs this means that we are seeking to enhance their lives by improving their physical and psychological well-being. WHY Enrichment allows dogs the ability to express normal behaviors through physical exercise, manipulative activities, and cognitive challenges thereby decreasing stress which in return makes for a happier dog. Often the things our dogs do naturally are the same things that are considered to be problems by owners[...]
Old age...it (hopefully) happens for most of us including our beloved furkids. You may start to notice the little things, like they dont run as fast as the used to, they are a bit slower getting up or down, arthritis may be showing its ugly head, lumps and bumps appear, signs of hearing loss, spending more time sleeping and so on. This is actually a really wonderful time knowing that you have been able to share your dog's life from the heady juvenile times of doing things they shouldnt, [...]
