Not watership down!
September 6, 2011
It is sadly that time of year when the rabbits have Mixie again! I luckily saw Betty “playing” with a mixie rabbit in the garden this week, lucky because I was able to let her know that I didn’t like her doing that! I would have liked to have put the poor creature out of its misery, but sadly I cannot find that ability in me.
There was no way I want Betty to learn how to kill any creature, she won’t know the difference between a healthy and an unhealthy one. Plus once she learns to enjoy the kill her recall for me would be come unreliable and I would be concerned that she could end up chasing a rabbit across a road! by seeing the bigger picture I can avoid creating problems later on.
By viewing all dog behaviour through a magnifying glass many of the dog behaviours I am asked to help with never have the chance to develop!
Butter wouldn't melt!
Hitching a ride!
August 30, 2011
Hitching a ride!
The Poodles are called Rumpus and Merlot and they really know how to travel in style! Both Standard Poodles belong to Corinne and Michael, the ones doing the work up the front are called Hugo and Jason 
This may be an unusual sight but not around Great Canfield as Corinne and family regularly drive out from local Ashfields Carriage and Polo Club. I cannot claim any credit for the brilliant dog training, Merlot and Rumpus are all the work of Corinne, who runs a business looking after animals while people are away, what a great advert for her!
What else can we blame Disney for?
August 8, 2011
Wouldn’t it be great if our dogs could talk english, be the sort of characters that appear in the Disney films? I know these stories influenced me as a child! I also remember the day I became disillusioned by my dog when I was about 20, it was a horrible shock to realise my dear little dog had not only killed but eaten one of my cats new-born kittens! That doesn’t happen in Disney films nor in the romantic world I had created for my pets. The experience did not stop me from idealizing my dogs completely, but now I have a more realistic view, shaped by even more life
Tallulah (Shar pei)
experience of reality.
The problem is not the Disney films, it is when we forget to remember that our dogs are real life animals.
When we leave the dog to decide, yes they do that in Disney movies, and guess what, the dog makes the best decision ever! What happens in real life if we leave it to the dog to decide:
- where and when we walk?
- when we feed?
- when we stroke?
- where they sleep?
we make the dog leader! And what do we get when the dog is in charge?
I await your answers on that:)?
The reality is though that most dogs do not want to be leader, they may want to be a Prefect, even head girl or boy but few are born to be headmaster/mistress and they really do not want that job! which is why dogs that are given too many choices are not happy!
Disney dogs are happy, at least they are by the end of the film, and live happy ever after too!
In real life we must be clear and make the important decisions for our dogs, to ensure our dogs live happy ever after lives!
Barking in the garden and jobs for dogs!
July 7, 2011
Freddie
My sister Lesley has this little dog Freddie, he is a Jack Russell cross Border Terrier, he is five this year. Being my sister Lesley has had to train her dog, strangely she didn’t learn through osmosis, she did need lessons ! Freddie is a good little dog, with an excellent nature! However recently he had started to drive Lesley up the wall with barking in the garden! I went over to have a look, at five years old and having had a good amount of training it seemed to me that Freddie was now at a bit of a loose end! Not sure what to do with himself, even a trained dog needs direction and some constructive work to do, just as we do!
I left Lesley with the instruction to get Freddie working again, even a down stay is a job! Here is what she told me a few days later, I asked her to write it down for you.
“I took my dog Freddie to the vets yesterday. Now Freddie – a Jack Russell is not a lot of trouble and when we go to the vets he sits on my knee or wags his tail at others or makes friends with whoever is sitting next to us. After seeing the vet we came out of the consultation room only to take a step back as this huge German shepherd started barking and would like to have got to us – I wasn’t sure the woman could hold him. So instead of sitting down to wait for Freddie’s tablets we stood by the reception desk and I made Freddie lay down. He moved a couple of times but I just reminded him and he lay quietly – I didn’t want to aggravate that huge dog and have him coming at us.
It was at this point that I realised I don’t always give Freddie a job as Avril would say – because he isn’t any trouble for most of the time but I now realised that it’s important to reinforce the behaviour I want all the time – it’s good for Fred and it’s good for me. As a Child Behaviour Coach I am so good with my boundaries with children but that had slipped with Fred. Now I’m on the case!”
Lesley also told me that she is making a point of using a sit or down and stay when getting Freddie in and out of the car, what jobs do you give your dog?
Freddie
News and rosettes!
June 21, 2011
Lucky wearing the rosette he won at class!
Two classes came to the end of sessions last week, to celebrate the improvements by dogs and handlers we had a fun test of all the exercises! Nicola sent me a photo of Lucky proudly wearing his rosette, he was amazing in his stay exercises! I am pleased to say that everyone went home with a rosette and I only judged the stays so no favouritism on my part
What is your dog thinking? Ever wondered why your dog does that? So much of your success with your dogs is about understanding the dogs mind, so often we interpret their behaviour in a human way and respond in that way, no wonder the dogs become confused and naughty. By learning to interpret dog behaviour in a dog like way, the dog/human bond becomes stronger and living harmoniously with your dog becomes easier. If you would like to learn more I have a theory course (without dogs) this coming Saturday, for those that want some answers, held at Barbary Cottage! Saturday 25th June
Avril on Radio
You can hear me on BBC Radio Essex with Steve Scruton next Friday 24th June, or on the iplayer for the 7 days following! (2pm-4pm)
After my blog about Tracey’s Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen! and the seed problem it was great to hear from a client from a while back Sue Marshal and her GBGV’s, many thanks Sue for the photo’s! What are their names Sue?
Another Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen!
Sue Marshal's GBGV's in the snow!
Seedy time of year!
June 16, 2011
With all the dry weather it feels like wild seed-time has come round faster than ever! Tracey and her dogs reminded me this week, as her 2 Grand Griffon Basset Vendeen, and yes this breed looks just like the one in the photo! Mungo and Milly have the type of coat that acts as a magnet to grass and other wild seeds, one quick shake of those long ears can rapidly catapult a seed deep into the ear canal! Resulting in a trip to the vet and anesthetic to remove the offending seed! So far Tracey has had 4 trips to the Vet in 4 weeks, a very expensive time of year! All this despite avoiding any off lead walks and avoiding as much long grass as possible. I think some dogs just have ears that act as funnels for seeds!
As a result Tracey has found a way of fending off some seeds with some stylish head wear!
-
- Yes this is a Grand Griffon Basset Vendeen
Do keep an eye on your pets and seeds a few tips are:
- a quick brush following a walk to remove seeds before they find their way in deeper
- if your breed needs clipping keep them very short this time of year
- if your pet seems off colour or doesn’t seem keen on you touching his ear get them checked at the Vet, the ear canal is very deep and the lower part is not visible with the naked eye.
- Seeds and thorns can work their way in between toes, causing sores or worse, so keep feet groomed and clipped.
Photo’s of class and recall training!
May 9, 2011
4 of the Thursday evening class in sync!
The Thursday evening class are starting to work as a team! We don’t have any displays planned either! Working in sync at class in this way puts a lot of pressure on the handlers and the dogs, we work the dogs close together to teach them to concentrate on their owner. All of the handlers were surprised by how well they did!
I have some really excellent photo’s of the recall training session last month, but sadly for some reason I have struggled to get them on the blog, today for some reason I have managed to upload some of them! If Phil, Gina, Kirsty, Graham, Gill or Sally would like me to email them their photo’s contact me please? Meanwhile here are some of them:
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Buffy produces again!
May 5, 2011
Many of you will remember the sad news of my dear friend Annie losing her puppy last year, well Annie’s Border Collie Buffy (sister of my Pie) has produced a second long-awaited litter and has again presented Annie with one girl in the litter ! It saves Annie having to make a decision! I don’t think Annie has named her yet, but you can spot her as the puppy furthest left in the basket photo, with the half white face!
I think there are one or two boy puppies left for sale if you should know of a good home?
So Annie what is her name? Would you like some suggestions?
Puppy news!
March 28, 2011
Betty dancing!
Thursday morning course of classes came to a fun end with a competition over a baby agility course! I spent most of the morning giggling as I watched my clients become competitive, obviously in the nicest possible way, but it did lead to some funny moments! We had a spare pair of hands for the older group for some action shots!
Harley and Rosie in the baby class are very much in love, sadly poor Lexie just got to look on as they didn’t seem to notice she was there! Harley played so gently with his little girlfriend!
I hope you appreciate Betty’s new trick, she dances round the kitchen now at feed time, sometimes it looks just like dancing, sometimes waving, on occasions she stays in a sit and waves her paws! I am hoping to get a command for all of those in timeJ it all started as a high five!
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Marion and Sid
Georgie and Lara
Naomi and Nelly
Phil and Scruffs
Naomi and Nelly
