Hosts Nancy and Sydney discuss the importance – and joy – of fostering a homeless dog. Nancy discusses reasons to consider fostering a dog and recommends building a rapport with the animal shelter to convey preferences and requirements. Nancy also answers all of Sydney’s questions about what to expect when fostering a dog in our latest episode.
Written by Hannah Burke Garbett, ACDBC
Planning a road trip with your best friend? A little training goes a long way to make sure you and your dog have a safe and fun vacation!
The safest place for your pooch to ride in the car is in a crate or secured with a seatbelt harness. Take some time to acclimate your dog to your confinement set-up with short daily trips prior to your travel date.
An accidental loose dog is a scary and potentially life-threatening situation. Teach your dog a reliable recall and don’t forget to practice in new places (use a long leash for safety) to help your dog generalize the cue before your trip.
Prevent door dashing by teaching your dog to sit still for leashing/harnessing and remain quietly in the car until released, even with the door open.
Make rest-stop potty breaks a breeze by training your dog to relieve themselves on cue. You can start working on this skill at home but make sure to do a few trial runs in new places before you go.
Busy streets and new places mean keeping your dog close by. You can help prepare your dog by practicing leash skills like walking by your side, changing speed and direction with you, and waiting patiently at crosswalks.
Plan on taking your dog to a cafe or other dog-friendly destination? Teach your pup to settle at your feet before you go. Make sure to practice with other dogs and humans walking by.
For assistance teaching your dog any of the listed skills, contact your local Fear Free certified trainer.
On a brand new season of Dog-Harmony’s Pupcasts and just in time for the holidays, hosts Nancy Bown, CPDT-KA, and Sydney Bassett of Mills Photo Design provide tips and tricks to prepare your pup for the best photographs.
Written by Debbie Revell, RN, Dip CABT, CDBC, ACCBD
Dog training has seen an increasing number of pet dogs with problem behaviors due to harsh training methods, especially electronic stimulation devices such as shock collars or e-collars. Unfortunately, well-intentioned dog owners looking for a quick fix are hiring trainers who use shock collars or are buying shock collars and attempting to train dogs themselves.
Countless pieces of evidence indicate that rather than speeding up the learning process, electronic stimulation devices slow it down, place great stress on the animal, can result in both short-term and long-term psychological damage, and lead to fearful, anxious, and/or aggressive behavior. Some dogs also are physically injured due to abuse of, misuse of, or malfunction of the equipment.
Humane training methods not only solve the problems at hand but also are less likely to cause more problems down the road. Skillful training builds calm and cooperative behaviors in dogs through the structured use of reward-based training.
It is the position of Dog-Harmony training that the use of electronic stimulation collars on pets is not necessary for effective behavior modification or training and is damaging to the animal.
Electronic stimulation devices include products often referred to as e-collars, training collars, e-touch, stimulation, tingle, TENS unit collars, remote trainers, or e-prods. They have been banned in Scotland, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Slovenia, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland, the province of Quebec in Canada, and the states of New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, and South Australia in Australia.
In the United States, major names and organizations, such as the Humane Society of the United States and the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB), have also made position statements against shock collars.
Renowned Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Karen Overall states that shock collars “violate the principles of three of five freedoms that define adequate welfare for animals: freedom from pain, injury, and disease, freedom to express normal behavior, and freedom from fear and distress.”
Dr. Overall is referring to Roger Brambell’s Five Freedoms which have been a standard for assessing animal welfare since 1965.
“The least humane and most controversial use of the shock collar is as a training device. The trainer can administer a shock to a dog at a distance through a remote control. There is a greater chance for abuse (delivery of shocks as punishment) or misuse (poor timing of shocks). Your dog also may associate the painful shock with people or other experiences, leading to fearful or aggressive behavior.”
“Punishment (e.g., choke chains, pinch collars, and electronic collars) should not be used as a first-line or early-use treatment for behavior problems. This is due to the potential adverse effects which include, but are not limited to: inhibition of learning, increased fear-related and aggressive behaviors, and injury to animals and people interacting with animals.”
Dr. Ian Dunbar, veterinarian, animal behaviorist, dog trainer, and founder of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) sums it up perfectly,
“To use shock as an effective dog training method, you will need a thorough understanding of canine behavior, a thorough understanding of learning theory, and impeccable timing. And if you have all these things, you don’t need a shock collar.“
Let’s ensure a better-informed pet owner who seeks out humane alternatives to pet dog training.
Written by Hannah Burke Garbett, ACDBC
Your dog’s least favorite grooming chore doesn’t have to mean stress and conflict. Learn how to keep your dog’s nails nice and short – the fear-free way!
For front paws, you can ditch the clippers and teach your dog to file their own nails by scratching on a scratchboard. Scratch boards have a hard surface covered with a coarse texture that acts like a nail file. They are easy to make using sandpaper or can be purchased from sellers like ScratchPad on Etsy. Teaching your dog to scratch is a lot like teaching your dog to “shake.”
If you prefer to use nail clippers or a Dremel nail grinder instead of a scratchboard, follow these tips for low-stress nail trimming:
Make sure your dog is secure and comfortable on a non-slip surface if standing for their trim or has a comfy bed if lying down for their paw-dicure.
Start by just touching your dog’s paws, then immediately giving them their favorite treat. Gradually work up to touching each paw pad and eventually each nail. Slowly add the clippers back into the picture, simply touching them to each nail at first. Make sure your dog is happy and relaxed at each step before moving on.
Sometimes a tasty distraction can make all the difference, especially for young puppies. My favorite go-to is a bit of natural peanut butter on
a Lickimat (a food-grade rubber mat designed to hold spreadable treats for dogs).
For dogs that exhibit fearful or aggressive behavior, contact a Fear Free certified professional to help you develop a training plan. A directory of Fear Free certified veterinarians and trainers can be found at www.fearfreepets.com.