the pawsitive canine

02/17/2024

Who’s looking for a new (and only) friend?? Curly’s owner went to Ireland and left him behind. He is currently in a kennel situation and not doing well there. He is in need of a foster or an adopter.

Curly is an adoptable Dog - Border Collie Mix searching for a forever family near Canton, MA. Use Petfinder to find adoptable pets in your area.

12/03/2023

Fear isn’t “trained”

Why punishment “works” Thanks https://www.facebook.com/rplusdogsbehaviour/

04/30/2023

Help us reach our goal of $5,000 for our May Calendar Raffle. We're only half way there. Please share with everyone you know. Kitten season is around the corner, and one mom & litter (with no health issues) costs approximately $1,000 for food, supplies, vaccines and spay/neuter.. Last year we helped more than a dozen litters as well as individual kittens. Some did have urgent health issues, which of course increased our medical expenses tremendously. neponsethumane.org/may-2023-daily-raffle-drawing/
And don't forget, whenever we receive your calendar raffle purchase, you are eligible to win from then on! You can win multiple times. Even if you win, your name is re-entered for the chance to keep on winning! neponsethumane.org/may-2023-daily-raffle-drawing/

04/22/2023

One of the things to do when training a new puppy or a new dog is to attach the leash to the harness/collar while they’re in the house or an enclosed yard and let them drag it around. Don’t let them chew it, let them drag it. Why? Because if you’re ever on a walk and accidentally drop the leash, being “chased” by it will send them into a full on run. Dropped leashes result in MANY missing dogs.

03/16/2023

Looking for the perfect harness?

The best no-pull dog harness teaches your pup better leash manners when you combine it with positive reinforcement training.

11/20/2022

Winter is a tough time for our feline friends. Please help us by donating inexpensive cans of wet and bags of dry food, such as Purina and Friskies. You can also order food directly from Amazon using our Amazon Charity wish list, tinyurl.com/NVHSAmazon, or donate at one of our collection sites below by December 15th. We have six drop off locations:
All Season Tree Service, 73 Kinsley Street, Stoughton, MA
Solara Salon & Day Spa, 320 West Center St., West Bridgewater, MA
7 Hampden Drive, Norwood, MA
150 Roosevelt Ave., Norwood, MA
69 Pinetree Road, Stoughton, MA
2340 Central Street, Stoughton

Thank you!

06/11/2022

05/01/2022

Most dogs don’t like to be pet on their head by strangers. Instead, if you want to say hello and you’ve asked their guardian, say hello verbally and allow the dog to choose if they want to be pet. If they come closer for a sniff, leave your hand at your side. Allow them to sniff and initiate a pet, then pet their side behind their shoulders and stop. If they want more, they’ll let you know. Consent is important for dogs, too.

01/22/2022

Growling IS acceptable behaviour.

Not only is it acceptable, but it’s a behaviour we can be thankful for and appreciate our dogs for.

A growl is a way for our dogs to tell us that they aren’t comfortable with something. It’s a way for them, as non-verbal animals, to communicate with us in hopes we will listen and help them by giving them space, moving away, or removing something in the environment that is worrying them. Sometimes it may also be a sign of pain or discomfort and we can help them by getting them veterinary care.

A growl is a form of communication that doesn’t do harm or damage. It’s a vocalisation, at the end of the day. And if we listen to their growls, they don’t have to escalate to a snap or a bite.

But if we don’t listen to their growls, they may learn that in the future, growls don’t work and the only way to have people listen when they are uncomfortable, is to bite. When people talk about dogs who “bite out of nowhere”, sometimes it’s the result of a growl having been punished or ignored so much that the dog’s only option left is to snap or bite.

That’s definitely something we want to avoid.

Every dog is also capable of growling, and a dog that may currently growl more than another isn’t a “worse” dog or a more “misbehaving” dog.

If we change our perspective of a growl and see it for what it is, just a form of communication from our dogs to let us know they are uncomfortable, then we will no longer see it as something unacceptable or something to be punished away or corrected.

Instead, we can have compassion for our dogs when they are growling and the discomfort they are in, listen to them, and appreciate the fact that they are trying their best to let us know how they feel. From there, we can help them with their worries and discomfort, and help them feel safe, so they no longer feel the need to growl in certain situations.

ID: A brindle and white dog growling on a blurred green, grassy background. There are 3 lines near the dog’s face to indicate noise. On the left is a translucent text box and the text says “Growling is acceptable behaviour”. The word “is” is underlined.