The K9 Coach

30/07/2022

Agency lies in the space between the stimulus and the response.

20/07/2022

Agency is crucial for building resilience.

Agency is an action that produces a particular effect. Having control over our environment, especially control over stress & aversive events, allows us to make choices that will result in a desirable outcome. This control is crucial to our ability to rebound from stress (Armat et al., 2006; Maier et al., 2016). Over time, these experiences build upon one another, which is how we - and our dogs - learn to be resilient.

To learn more about building mental resilience and what agency truly looks like, join us for a two-day seminar:

BEHAVIOR VETS TWO-DAY SEMINAR

Resilience in Dogs - What is it, why is it important, and how do we build it?

Saturday July 30 & Sunday July 31, 2022

9am to 5pm EST (USA and Canada)

Neuroscientist Dr. Kathy Murphy, Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. E'Lise Christensen, and Certified Dog Behavior Consultant Bobbie Bhambree will answer these questions over the course of a two-day seminar, providing you with evidence-based approaches to assessing and building a dog's ability to adapt, adjust, and recover. This will be an opportunity to look at an important topic in behavior under a multidisciplinary lens. Whether you are an animal trainer, veterinary professional, animal behaviorist or someone interested in dog sports, there will be something here for you.

This is an online event. This two-day seminar will be recorded for those who cannot join us for the live event.

CEUs

Registration:

Shelter/Rescue/Vet Student/Vet Tech Tickets - no expiration date - Streaming: $125

General Admission Tickets – after June 15, 2022 - Streaming: $195

To register and for more information:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/resilience-in-dogs-why-is-it-important-how-do-we-build-it-tickets-335843245187?fbclid=IwAR3

01/07/2022

When mistakes are made, many people shift from doing the right thing to covering their behinds and pointing fingers rather than accepting personal responsibility. As a result, they hide errors rather than fix them and allow minor problems to become big ones because they’re inadequately addressed.

The result is that learning is brought to a complete standstill, making it more than likely to repeat the same mistake. But it shouldn’t be that way. The time has come to view every mistake as an opportunity rather than a weakness. This change in outlook will stimulate personal growth, strengthen relationships, and enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

The truth is that there shouldn’t be shame in making a mistake. How will you learn? How will you grow if you are so afraid to try something new? Chances are it may not work out, but that’s life; there’s no disgrace in that; the disgrace should be in failing to admit, correct, and learn from it. According to Albert Einstein, a person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.

Credits: Frank Sonnenberg

Check out more here: https://lnkd.in/ewvwKhu

26/06/2022

Does your dog show fear by trying to blend into the background and look small and inoffensive or do they shout loudly to make the scary thing leave them alone?

Almost everyone who lives with a dog who shouts to make the scary thing leave will want to change this, not least because it makes life difficult for us.

What about the dog who just tries to avoid the scary thing? The one who shrinks away or hides? Quite often, these dogs are just labelled as shy or silly and because they don't make a scene and impact our own lives in the same way a shouty, reactive dog might, they don't always get the help they need.

It's often assumed that they'll just get over it if they get used to seeing those scary things, so walks carry on as normal. This is rarely the case though and these dogs can soon become shouty, reactive dogs which do impact our own lives.

These dogs can and should be helped just as much as the shouty, reactive dogs. The emotions underneath are just the same and far too often help is only sought when their fear begins to impact our lives.

All dogs should be helped to live fear free lives for their own sakes, not just ours.

16/06/2022

Imagine you’re really, really excited. Someone comes up to you and demands that you sit down. Maybe they even physically force you to do so. Are you calm now? Or are you just excited in a seated position, and maybe a bit annoyed or scared of the person who forced you to sit down?

What if you’re scared and having a panic attack and someone forces you to sit. Is your panic automatically over or are you just panicking while sitting? Is sitting down really a cure all?

It sounds ridiculous doesn’t it? So why do we do it so often to our dogs?

Remember, if your dog cannot behave the way you want them to behave, it’s because:

🔹 the behaviour we want is too difficult and we haven’t practiced enough (e.g. making your dog sit to enter a dog park)
🔹 the dog is upset, scared, worried or in distress
🔹 we are not setting our dog up for success

Remember, sitting just stops your dog from moving. It doesn’t change the underlying excitement, frustration, fear or other motivation causing the behaviour you don’t like.

And please, please don’t physically force dogs to sit. Not only is this putting an enormous amount of stress on their hips, but it’s putting stress on your relationship with them as well.

16/06/2022

15/06/2022

07/06/2022

"You can't reinforce fear. Cuddle your dog when he's afraid."

This is now common advice for owners who struggle with dogs who have phobias such as thunder or fireworks.

And it's GREAT. Please meet your dog's need for comfort and safety when they're panicking!

But where does this advice go when your dog has other big emotions?

When he is following you around the house as you get ready for work, knowing you're going to leave him alone, waiting for you to notice his distress and help him feel safe again?

When he is crying in his crate because he's being socially isolated and all his choices have been taken from him, and he doesn't yet feel safe or confident enough to be by himself?

When he's barking at that scary dog because his panic is so big, he just can't keep it inside anymore?

If your dog is distressed, go to him. You are not rewarding a behavior, you are meeting a need.

Your dog is not his behavior. He is a living, emotional being who needs you.

Listen to what he's saying and relish in the fact that he is choosing you to be his special Safe Person.