Barking Up the Wrong Tree

...if you'll kindly excuse the terrible pun.

This blog was written in two parts, so please excuse the disjointed writing style.  As more and more evidence mounts regarding the fallout of force-based training we absolutely must advocate for a kinder and more effective approach. 

March 2019 Addendum:

In order to utilize punishment-based training, the animal first has to make a mistake so that you can punish the unwanted behaviour (or worse - be set up to make the mistake just to be punished for the sake of learning).  This sets the animal (and their human) up for failure and ensures the animal continues practicing the unwanted behaviour unless it is sufficiently punished out of him.  This is reactive, unnecessarily harsh, and harms the human-animal bond and trust.  

To utilize rewards-based training you need to manage the environment to reduce the likelihood of the animal practicing the unwanted behaviour, then replace the undesirable behaviour with something you'd prefer and reward it like crazy so that it happens more often.  This is proactive, requires some creativity, is so much more fun for everyone, and improves the human-animal bond and trust.  

For a practical and common example: the dog barks at the front window when another dog passes by. In punishment-based training you wait for the dog to bark, then yell at him, smack him (or worse) so that he stops.  He stops for that hour or maybe for that day but then usually resumes, or at least continues the behaviour when you're not in the room.  

With rewards-based behaviour you might put up curtains or a frosting on the window to reduce the dog's ability to see passersby.  Then you might set up training sessions where he sees dogs go by and you make this a cue for something else, such as go lie down on your mat, then you reward the dog like crazy for laying down on his mat.  This may take dedication and practice, but with time and consistency your dog will be more likely to go lie down on his mat than bark at the front window because you have made one behaviour much more rewarding than another.  

Even Adults Will Work For Gold Stars!

Let's talk specifics for a moment.  Some proponents of the prong collar claim that it does not hurt the dog, it merely causes “discomfort” and/or distracts and redirects the dog.  Experts disagree, but let’s pretend this is true.  How well do you learn when you’re uncomfortable or anxious?  How well do you think you would learn if you were worried about an unpleasant correction?  

Now how well do you learn when you’re having fun, enjoying the process, experiencing success, and receiving rewards?   

I recently got a new activity tracker and immediately improved my running performance.  Did I get faster overnight?  No.  This fitness tracker provides a high rate of reinforcement with frequent alerts telling me when I’d reached certain distance or pace goals.  This encouraged me to speed up, keep going, and rewarded me for my efforts (yes, adults will work for gold stars!).  This is what happens for your pet when you use positive reinforcement training and provide frequent rewards.  You’re giving your pet a message when he is getting the behaviour correct, encouraging him to keep trying, and rewarding him for the desired performance.  This is what motivates all animals, including humans, and including your dog.  This is also a much more effective (and kind) way to build your bond and have a fun working relationship.  

Barking Up the Wrong Tree

originally published in March 2017

There is sentiment being expressed by some in the "balanced" trainer world (balanced is a term some trainers use to describe using both positive reinforcement and positive punishment in their practice) that we, the trainers, have failed dogs by being too politically correct.  Some say we're too afraid to recommend aversive tools such as prong collars and shock collars because they are taboo in the positive reinforcement training community.  Some claim that when a dog is totally out of control it is better for them to be trained using pain than not to be trained at all; better to hurt that dog in the name of training than to have him hurt a person or another dog; better to use pain to train than to have to euthanize that dog.

Firstly, we're focusing on the wrong thing.  Why does a person have an out-of-control dog in the first place?  Were they allowed to adopt a dog that in no way should have been adopted to them?  Did they purchase or adopt a dog whose needs were beyond their capabilities?  Does the dog just need some impulse control training, which can be done using positive reinforcement?  Can we manage the situation and environment while working on the behaviour?

Why do we keep trying to go backwards in the progress we've made away from harsh, unnecessary, and sometimes cruel means of changing behaviour in dogs?

I've seen some argue in favour of correction because dogs correct each other, and Mama dogs correct their puppies.  Guess what?  Dogs know we are not dogs, we're not fooling them or anyone else.  Not to mention the fact that dogs' reaction time and accuracy are far greater than ours.  Even if we could convince our dogs we were one of them, we could never match the speed and precision of their corrections.  Dogs learn when events are paired closely together in time.  A correction delivered late punishes the wrong behaviour, or worse, punishes randomly leaving the dog bewildered and feeling a complete loss of control.

Secondly, aggression begets aggression.  I'm so tired of hearing (or reading) people claim that force is the only way to control an aggressive or potentially dangerous dog.  Using painful methods to try to suppress behaviour is extremely dangerous in itself.  Either the dog becomes more aggressive as a means to defend itself against the threat, or the dog stops the outwardly aggressive behaviour and is a simmering pot of frustration just waiting to boil over.  Punishing the behaviour does not remove the underlying feelings, emotions, or motivations: The fear or frustration are still there, under the surface.  Punishing the outward behaviour only makes the dog more dangerous because now we cannot predict when he may finally snap.

Let's pretend the dog doesn't snap.  Is it fair for the dog to live with that kind of turmoil lurking just under the surface, harshly corrected with shock or prong whenever he tries to communicate how frustrated he is feeling?  Is that any quality of life for a dog?  Not only is he now more dangerous to his family and community, he lives a life of suffering, his ability to communicate completely cut off.

Instead of focusing on the end result and being reactive, we need to be proactive.  We need to focus on preventing these behaviours from developing in the first place, and shelters and rescues must make every effort to ensure an appropriate match is made at time of adoption.  And yes, we do need to teach the public that there is a better way, and that they can make a difference using positive reinforcement.  If a dog's behavioural problem is too complex for the owner to handle on their own, they need to seek expert advice from an evidence-based trainer, and we need to make sure they can get it.  In the mean time, we can help that owner use management to keep herself, her dogs, and others safe while she receives professional assistance in addressing the issues.

Instead of turning to antiquated, inhumane practices simply because a situation is not manageable in its current state, we can use our intellect and creativity to set the person and dog up for success.  We can and we must do better.  We are only failing dogs, and the people who love them, when we don't use the vast scientific resources and knowledge at our disposal to improve the quality of life and the relationships between people and their dogs.

If you are struggling with a reactivity or aggression in your dog, you may find one of these blog posts helpful:
Reactive Dog Myths: http://pawsitivepooch.blogspot.ca/2014/12/dispelling-reactive-dog-myths.html
Understanding Reactivity: http://pawsitivepooch.blogspot.ca/2015/09/understanding-dog-reactivity.html
Classical Conditioning: http://pawsitivepooch.blogspot.ca/2016/02/remember-pavlov.html
Finding a Trainer: http://pawsitivepooch.blogspot.ca/2016/04/finding-trainer.html

-Jillian Enright, CPDT-KA

About the Author:
Jillian is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed, and a Fear-Free Certified Professional.

Jillian has been studying psychology and behaviour since 2003 and has been a professional pet trainer since 2010.

For more information, please visit our website

We're on Facebook at Facebook.com/PawsPetMB

Psychology Today Article on the topic of prong, choke, and shock collars:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/animal-emotions/201904/should-dogs-be-shocked-choked-or-pronged

Why "No Dogs Were Harmed' is Not Good Enough

Why "No Dogs Were Harmed' is Not Good Enough

What happened on a movie set here in our own city is exactly what happens when the training industry remains unregulated and when people don't do their research before hiring trainers. Dogs are trained to deal with high-stress, scary situations every day. With the right dog, LOTS of time, and positive training methods, a dog could be trained to execute difficult tasks without fear. A trainer's first responsibility is to advocate for his dog.  When a dog is not ready it is the trainer's job to acknowledge this and better prepare his dog.  Pushing forward knowing the dog is not ready is not fair to the dog and in some scenarios it is downright inhumane.  Hiring a trainer should involve researching their credentials, their training methods, and ensuring they are qualified to do the job humanely and with the dog's well-being as the first priority. Man-handling and physically manipulating a dog takes zero skill.  To think this still happens regularly in this day in this day and age is so disheartening to those of us who work so hard to advocate for humane training methods. 

I usually avoid political posts in my business blog, so today I am stepping out of my comfort zone to speak up for our canine friends who cannot speak for themselves.  Since my Facebook post on Jan. 18th [edited excerpt above] I have seen people comparing what happened to Hercules on the set of "A Dog's Purpose" to forcing your dog to have a bath when they don't want to and I just cannot remain silent.  People have dismissed the video because it was edited.  I have thought very critically about this and watched the video more times than I wanted to.  If you watch the video from 10 seconds to 45 seconds, before the cut, you see a dog scrambling and desperately trying to flee.  The dog does not know he is on a movie set, he does not know that he is safe, he just knows that the person he trusts is forcing him into a situation of which he is clearly very afraid.  The dog likely experienced a great deal of terror and stress.  

No, I would NOT force my dog into a tub of calm bathwater against her will.  That is not even comparable to the turbulent waters in the video, but that is not acceptable either.  If my dog is afraid of something, I do not force her into it as this will only increase her fear and harm our bond and our trust.  If my dog is afraid of something, I use counter-conditioning and desensitization over a long period of time and only when she is comfortable do I move ahead.  For more on this process please visit https://www.animalhumanesociety.org/training/counter-conditioning-and-desensitization 

I must be clear that because one scene was done this way does not mean others were.  One bad clip does not mean the entire film was shot in a manner that was harmful to dogs.  I am not making any generalizations here and speaking only to the 35 seconds before the edit.  That said, the trainer's first responsibility was to his dog, and not to the director on set, and he should have stopped immediately as soon as he realized his dog was not ready for the scene.  I am disappointed that some are minimizing the dog's experience and that people are comparing this to a warm bath.  I am even more disheartened that people think it is completely acceptable to force their dog to do something of which they are afraid, just because it won't physically harm them.  Psychological pain is just as harmful, sometimes more so, and it won't do anything to further your relationship with your dogs, nor will it help build their confidence in you or in themselves.    

This is about much more than one scene in a movie, this is about peoples' responsibility to uphold the psychological well-being of their dogs.  Just because something doesn't physically harm them does not mean it is okay.  There is a better way.  Take a step back, evaluate how you can better prepare your dog for something they may have to endure (such as a bath), and give them what they need and deserve: your patience and compassion.  

-Jillian Enright, CPDT-KA

About the Author:
Jillian is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed, and a Fear-Free Certified Professional.

Jillian has been studying behaviour since 2003 and has been a professional pet trainer since 2010.

For more information please visit our website

We're on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PawsPetMB

#TrainYourDogMonth: Doggy Daycares

Doggy Daycares

Originally Posted January 18 / 2017

January is #TrainYourDogMonth

If your dog is bored at home during the day, has a lot of playful energy, and is very well-socialized, then a doggy daycare might be a good fit.  It’s important to choose the right daycare to ensure your dog has fun and is safe and I hope this blog post can help you do so.  

Although there are some awesome ones out there, some doggy daycares make dog trainers cringe with worry.  This is not a blog post against doggy daycares in general, but outlines a few things to look out for when deciding if this is the right fit for your dog, and what factors you may want to consider when making that decision.

Full disclosure: I own and operate Pawsitive Pet Care, which is a pet care service.  We offer dog walking services in which we walk dogs from their own homes.  We also offer single-dog and low-numbers doggy daycare, so we want to fully acknowledge both our personal and professional biases here.

1.  Staff-to-Dog-Ratio

In a controlled environment like a training class, the recommended staff-to-dog radio is 5:1 or less (Ryan, 2008).  In an uncontrolled situation like a daycare, the ratio should be even lower, yet it can be 10 dogs or even more per staff member, and the staff are sometimes inexperienced in reading dog body language (again, in some facilities, not all).  Not being adept at reading social signalling amongst dogs can lead to an increase in tension among the dogs, stress, and ultimately fights.  Not to mention if a fight does break out and you have one person per 10 dogs this is a danger to both the dogs and the staff member.

When looking for a good, reputable, safe daycare, choose one that has low numbers, a low dog-to-staff radio, and will allow you to observe their staff interacting with the dogs.

Which brings me to the next concern.

2.  Inexperienced Staff 

I certainly do not want to paint all daycares or their staff with the same brush.  Some daycares may have skilled, excellently trained staff who are amazing at reading dogs and interpreting their social cues.  This is why it is important to ask what type of training the staff receive and what type of experience they have in managing large groups of dogs.

A good, skilled daycare should have all of its staff trained in understanding dog body language.  There are many excellent webinars and courses available online and there is also a workshop held at our local Humane Society called “What Is My Dog Saying?”

This is not only important for preventing tension and fights, it is also important for gauging dogs’ enjoyment of the daycare setting.  By observing dog’s posture and communication we can monitor their stress levels and determine whether they are actually having fun or are terrified and overwhelmed, as many dogs can be in a large group.

3.  Giant Dogs with Teeny Dogs

Many large and giant breed dogs can live peacefully and safely with small and even toy dogs.  That said, it is one scenario to have dogs get along in the comfort of their own home, and a completely different story when in a high-energy situation such as playing with unfamiliar dogs of all shapes and sizes.  A very friendly giant dog can very easily hurt a small dog just by being playful.

A good daycare will have small and large breeds separated for their safety.

4.  Overstimulation!

An adult dog needs an average of 12-14 hours of sleep per day.  Let’s estimate they get about 8 hours overnight while we're sleeping.  Many dogs get another 4-6 hours during the day while their owners are at work.  If they’re at daycare all day in a high-energy, stimulating environment, they’re bound to get tired.  And just like people, tired dogs can get grouchy.  Dogs have their limits too and that tolerance level decreases with each hour of sleep missed.

A good daycare will enforce “quiet time”, will have a nap room, and will allow dogs to sleep or have time away from the group when they need it.  Back to reading dogs well, a good daycare will be able to observe dog behaviour and pick up on when a dog needs some space or alone time.

5.  Puppies

During puppy development puppies have a critical socialization period that is said to span from approximately 3 weeks of age until approximately 16 weeks of age, with some individual differences.  Puppies under 4 months of age should not attend daycare, not only due to this sensitive period, but also because of the number of dogs on site and the risk of illness for puppies who have not completed their vaccinations.

Experiences during the critical period can have a major influence on a puppy's future sociability, fearfulness, and overall behaviour.  If a puppy has a bad experience, such as being overwhelmed or crowded by a group of larger dogs, the puppy may become defensive.  With repeated experiences such as this, a puppy can easily grow up to become an adult dog who is fearful of other dogs - and defensive behaviour often looks like, or turns into, aggressive behaviour.

If you're looking for help socializing your puppy, consider a positive, specialized class.  Our local Humane Society offers a Puppy Socialization class.   If you just don't want to leave your puppy alone all day and want some help providing company and potty breaks, consider a pet sitter or puppy walker.

A good daycare will not allow puppies so young and will recommend a socialization class at a reputable and positive training facility, or perhaps they will invite clients to attend their own classes rather than the daycare, if they offer their own. 

6.  Disease Control 

In addition to potential socialization risks, young puppies are at greater risk for health repercussions as their immune systems are naïve.  Even fully vaccinated dogs and puppies can potentially get sick (not just at daycares, of course, this can happen at groomers, boarding kennels, dog parks, anywhere that larger numbers of dogs share a space).  

On that note, another concern with daycares and any other place where large numbers of dogs pass through and interact is the potential spread of communicable diseases.  For example, kennel cough (Bordetella) is highly contagious and can have serious impact on vulnerable dogs such as young puppies, senior dogs, and dogs with underlying health issues.  Even vaccinated dogs can still get bordetella.  For a healthy vaccinated dog it may just be like a "dog cold", presenting as a cough that passes after a week or so, but for some dogs it can pose a larger health risk.  

As much as daycares and other facilities may follow a rigorous cleaning protocol, if the dogs are interacting with each other, playing, wrestling, sharing water dishes or toys, etc., then it's nearly impossible to eliminate the risk.  Many daycares and boarding facilities don't even require the dogs who attend to have their bordetella vaccination.  

For dogs who are healthy, fully vaccinated, and get great enjoyment out of daycare, this may be a relatively minor concern.  For any others, this should be an important consideration when deciding whether or not to send one's dog to daycare.  Always ask prospective businesses about their sanitization protocols and their vaccination requirements.  

7.  DOGS ARE NOT PACK ANIMALS (No, really!) 

Dogs are highly social animals.  Dogs are not pack animals.  Wolves are pack animals.  Dogs are not wolves.  Dogs share almost all of their DNA with wolves, but behaviourally are very different, especially because dogs are domesticated and wolves are not.  There is a lot of scientific literature out there if you are interested in learning more, but it goes beyond the scope of this blog post.

Click here for an excellent, easy-to-read blog post on this topic.  

A good daycare will not incite pack theory as a marketing tool.  A good daycare will understand that not all dogs like other dogs and not all dogs are suited for a daycare setting.  A good daycare will let the owners know if their dog is not having fun and will recommend alternatives such as a dog walking service.

8.  Daycares are NOT for the Process of Socializing Dogs

Seriously.  Daycares are for allowing already well-socialized dogs to interact and play because they enjoy the experience.  If a dog has difficulty getting along with other dogs, is fearful or reactive, then daycare is not the place for them.  Being flooded by a group of dogs will only exacerbate the problem.

For good information on flooding, and why it is dangerous for fearful dogs, visit Debbie Jacob's website.

A good daycare will screen for sociability and the dog’s willingness and interest in playing with other dogs.  A good daycare will recommend a qualified, compassionate trainer to help you if your dog is struggling with fear and/or reactivity or other complex behavioural issues.

Phoenix is a social but shy girl who would be overwhelmed in a group environment.

In closing, I want to reiterate that not all daycares are the same and there are some that are run by very knowledgeable people who train their staff, have low ratios, and truly understand dog behaviour.  If you have a dog who is already well socialized and has a lot of playful energy, then I hope this helps you find the right daycare for your dog.  A good daycare will have a screening process and will allow you to come and observe how the staff and dogs interact.  A good daycare will have small numbers of dogs who look loose, relaxed, and happy.  For more on dog body language, consider a webinar or online course to help.  If you are local, check out: “What Is My Dog Saying?”


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Jillian Enright, CPDT-KA

About The Author

Jillian is a fear-free certified and CPDT-KA certified animal behaviour specialist and has been working in the animal care and behaviour field since 2009.  

Reference:

Ryan, Terry (2008) Coaching People to Train Their Dogs, second edition.

2018 Update

November 14 / 2018

I recently saw an article in the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) blog, called "Barks From The Guild" on the topic of daycares and wanted to share some great points from the perspective of a long-time doggy daycare operator.  Here is the link to the original article: https://barksfromtheguild.com/2018/11/09/when-day-care-is-bad-for-your-dog/?fbclid=IwAR3xYslw_nlmrR7r0NuR1cZsoIKotz2LpKMyfVbkys570UBeaehVYtnp74E written by Danette Johnston.

In her article, she outlines important ways to know if Doggy Daycare is not the right fit for your pooch.  Her main points or questions to ask yourself are as follows (Danette's words are in purple and she expands on each point in her original article):

• The physical space does not work for your dog
• Space is a huge factor for all dogs, even those who are well-socialized.  A dog who is a little shy will need to feel like she can get away when she wants or needs to.  This is especially true if there are too many dogs in one room or in one facility.  (Danette Johnston goes into more detail in her article).
• Your dog goes to day care too often
• Yes, even a social butterfly needs a day off! 
• Your day care dog is not getting socialized sufficiently and is missing out on other, very important stuff. 
• While daycare allows your dog an opportunity to play and exercise, it should not completely replace walks and training with her family.  Walks and training are important sources of both enrichment and bonding. 
• Your day care provider is not talking to you.
• It is very important that your daycare provider give you regular updates and that you are able to check in and get specific information on how your dog is doing there.  Your daycare provider should be honest with you if your dog is not enjoying her experience. 
• Your day care staff is not trained.
• More to my point made earlier - always ask the daycare owner what type of training the staff receive.  This should include training in pet first aid as well as canine body language. 

Danette Johnston owns Dog’s Day Out in Seattle, Washington and has been a licensed veterinary technician in the state of Washington and is a certified professional dog trainer (CPDT-KA).