Friday, 22 February 2013

Dominance and Punishment - A statement from the Head of Training & Behaviour, Dogs Trust.

The world of Dog training and behaviour is being continuously researched and we now know more than ever about the workings of our Dogs mind. There are many theories and techniques out there and at the centre of much controversy and debate is “Dominance Theory”. Below is a statement from Dogs Trusts head of training and Behaviour, Lynn Barber which outlines the flaws with this theory, why it doesn’t work and most importantly what does!

Dominance and Punishment
Statement by Lyn Barber
Head of Training and Behaviour, Dogs Trust

We have rehomed over 3,000 dogs here from our Dublin centre and work closely with Bristol University in the UK to remain at the forefront of current training and behaviour modification methods.

I know that dominance based training has been well regarded for many years but at Dogs Trust we believe that this is not the best approach for building a lasting relationship with your dog or achieving successful behaviour modification.

Dogs Trust believes that Dominance Theory plays no part in our current understanding of ethology.

For many decades trainers and behaviourists decided that, because dogs descended from wolves, we should observe wolves and treat our pet dogs accordingly. There were many flaws to this idea and current scientific thinking has led us away from this belief and is encouraging us to treat dogs as dogs (not wolves in doggy clothing!).

The original Dominance Theorists spent a great deal of time observing wolf packs. Unfortunately they were observing wolves that lived in captivity and were therefore in error in defining wolf ethology.

Wolves kept in captivity are severely restricted as far as resources are concerned – limited territory and areas to roam, restricted diet which is only available to them on set days of the week, no choice as to group size or members and being forced to live in very close proximity.  With little choice in their lifestyle there would have been many conflicts witnessed within the group – an observation that led these theorists to believe that aggression was connected to dominance.

In actual fact if you look up the definition of dominance it reads ‘to have a commanding influence over’. Think back to when you were at school. You and your friends were in the maths classroom waiting for Mr Smith, the teacher, to arrive, with lots of chatting and tomfoolery. Mr Smith enters the classroom and begins shouting and threatening in order to get everyone to sit still, listen and begin the lesson (i.e. he has an aggressive attitude). The same scenario occurs in the English classroom. When Miss Walker, the teacher, walks in she simply stands at the front of the class. Very quickly the pupils begin to notice her and settle at their desks to commence the lesson. Which teacher is truly’ dominant’?
  
We have long understood that aggression and dominance are not in direct correlation. Indeed if we were to look at ‘free-living’ wolf groups we see that the alphas are more often mediators within the group but have the most important job of keeping the group safe from other animals and to ensure that the next generation is fit and healthy to continue the genetic lines.

Where our pet dogs are concerned the Dominance Theorists will have us believe that every incident of aggression is down to the dog being dominant. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The biggest reason for aggression from a dog is because he is frightened for his own safety.

Take the dog that is lying on the sofa and growls at his owner when they enter the room. He is not being dominant and laying claim to the comfy sofa but rather he is worried what you are going to do to him to get him off he sofa. This can be a result of past experience, confusion about the owners attitude or even worried because he is sometimes allowed on the sofa and sometimes not – but he has no way of predicting which it will be on this particular occasion.

Within Dogs Trust we are most concerned with building good relationships between dogs and owners and to help these dogs in our care to trust people again.
The dominance theorists have come up with many imaginative ways of making our pet dog realize that he is the lowest of the low within the family pack and that the humans are pack leaders. Unfortunately they all consist of negative punishment (and occasionally positive punishment).

The behavioural experts have long understood that excessive and non-contingent punishment leads to Conditioned Suppression, Learned helplessness and, potentially, Tonic Immobility (any of which cause serious welfare concerns for the dog).
Imagine that I have come to visit you and brought the most decadent chocolate cake you can imagine. I ask that we keep the cake for afternoon coffee but, because you love chocolate cake, you can’t resist and sneak a small piece when I’m not looking. That’s got to annoy me a bit so I decide I’ll have to be pro-active to salvage the rest of the cake.

I stand next to the cake with a rolled up newspaper and hit you smartly over the head whenever you come near the cake. I am punishing you (hitting you) for trying to steal some cake but, more importantly, the fact that I am standing there with the newspaper is a threat of punishment that you recognize.

While the threat of punishment is present you will not steal any cake (I have Conditioned you to Suppress the behaviour of stealing cake) but I have done nothing to address your motivation to steal the cake (you love cake!!!). However, if I am called away, the threat of me hitting you with the paper disappears – be honest now, what would you do? Leave the cake? Take a small piece of cake? Or…Take a huge piece of cake (because you can)?

Most individuals would now steal a huge piece of cake, if not the whole cake. This is called Spontaneous Recovery – when the threat of punishment is removed the behaviour comes back bigger, better, badder than before.

If I was to carry on with the threat of punishment but now I hit you for stepping towards the cake, or looking at the cake – just because you might steal a piece. Then the punishment becomes non-contingent to the dog (it becomes unpredictable) and we then get Learned Helplessness. Now all novel, interesting, exploratory behaviours will cease. “I won’t do it because I might get punished”! This, too, is subject to Spontaneous Recovery.

If I get carried away even further with the punishment (or threat of punishment) then there is a danger of me causing Tonic Immobility whereby even voluntary movement ceases. You can appreciate the huge welfare issues now.

We should not be dealing with problem behaviours using any kind of punishment as these will be prone to Spontaneous Recovery or seriously affects the dog’s welfare.

If I were to address your motivation to eat chocolate cake by giving you a bar of chocolate to eat in the meantime, then I will succeed in preserving the cake for the afternoon. This would be the approach of a ‘reward based, positive trainer’. It will lead to success without compromising your welfare.

 I have just become the proud owner of two working collie pups. As I write this they are 10 weeks old – always up to mischief! ‘Right Little Charlie’ and Foxy Scrumpet’ – yes, really, that’s what they’re called – Charlie and Foxy for short.

This has given me pause (paws?) for thought – I will be bringing them up concentrating on true natural behaviours of the domestic dog and not under the strict rules of a ‘dominance’ regime. How much difference will this make to their next 15 or so years?
                    
Scenario 1: The pups must see me as ‘pack leader’

How do the Dominance Theorists tell you to achieve this?
Basically you have to control every aspect of the dog’s life – eat before the dog, go through the door before the dog, don’t allow the dog on the furniture, move the dog rather than step over him, don’t give attention when he wants it, and probably another dozen or so ‘control’ aspects.
Although the rolled up newspaper is not employed here all of these ‘don’ts’ are implemented using negative punishment.
The result…
Learned Helplessness, a dog that has little or no confidence and a very poor relationship with the owner.

Scenario 2: The pups develop a secure, trusting attachment to me.

How am I going to achieve this?
Allow them to make choices where the important Maintenance behaviours are concerned (these are eating, drinking, urinating, defaecating and sleeping) which has been proved to help reduce or limit stress levels, give in when they ‘attention-seek’ (when my pups ask to go outside to toilet then I’d be foolish to ignore them!), greet them when I return home (helping to build a strong, appropriate attachment).
At the same time I will implement a socialization and habituation program (to combat Cognitive Dissonance) as well as positive reinforcement training.
The result…
Two little pups who will grow up to be confident dogs who can think for themselves and who trust (and like) me! And be allowed to be dogs!

You should be able to appreciate the difference in lifestyle and welfare that these little guys will have in each of these cases. If you imagine that, when you were a child, your parents kept saying “you can’t do this, you can’t do that, why bother even trying”. As an adult you are less likely to try things out, you will have no confidence in your ability and will probably have a fairly miserable life.
If, on the other hand, you had parents that supported you – “well done! You tried really hard, I’m proud of you” then you will grow up to be an adult who confidently will try. I know I’m making the right choice for these little guys.

For further reading on Dominance and its implications, please visit the following site.



Friday, 15 February 2013

Preparing families interested in adopting one of the recently rescued Shih-tzu’s

Several welfare organisations were involved in the rescue of these animals, the majority of which were in varying states of neglect and requiring urgent medical attention.
The majority of these dogs are very sought after breed types including Shih-tzus, Maltese and Cavaliers. It is understood that many were used for breeding purposes.

Thanks to the efforts of those involved with this rescue operation, these incredible dogs are now receiving their first steps in veterinary and behavioural rehabilitation. Beautiful and adoring as each dog is, they all require individual behavioural assessments in order to get a clearer insight into their personal quirks, charms and needs before being considered for adoption. Regardless of breed, background or experiences, every dog is it's own individual and each will require it's own unique family to aid in their rehabilitation.

Many of these small, lap dog breeds have a fantastic aptitude for family life, happy go lucky and full of the joys of the world. Eager to please and the perfect companion for you and your family. However, breed type alone is not enough to determine how well a dog will or won't cope with what life throws at them. Each dog is as unique and as individual as our finger prints. 

Many of these rescued dogs have only ever known one or two people and have seen very little, if any, of the real world. The behavioural implications for dogs who have been raised in these conditions are vast and will require no less than 110% dedication, empathy and an absolute understanding that rehoming one of these special little guys is not simply a case of training.

Because so many of these dogs have missed out on the crucial learning stages of life, they may never fully rehabilitate and any potential adopter must be aware of this. Adopting any dog is a life long commitment and every avenue and implication of adopting a dog is to be fully explored and carefully thought out so that you, the adopter, can be prepared for facing every challenge that lies ahead. 

As mentioned, there are many behavioral implications which can not be "trained out of" a dog whose cognition has developed in such an environment.
Some of these dogs will forever be overtly fearful of new situations, people, sounds, environments. Consider your home. Do you have frequent visitors? Is it a busy household with lots going on, comings and goings etc?
Toilet training may be extremely challenging, often dogs from these situations will never learn to toilet outside.
Handling & Grooming: These dogs all have coats that require regular maintenance. Dogs who have developed in a "hands free" environment with little human interaction will feel extremely anxious about being petted, touched or groomed. Some of these dogs may never enjoy being handled and will always prefer a "hands off" approach. Do you want a dog you can pick up, cuddle and pet?
Anxiety and depression are as real an issue in dogs as they are in people. A dog who is extremely fearful may react in one of many ways. One being to act "shut down", overtly fearful or worried and the other is to behave reactively by escalating their warnings about their anxieties to a growl or a bite. On adoption, it is imperative that the advice given is adhered to so to prevent your dog feeling the need to escalate any warnings about how they're feeling and so you, the adopter knows how to effectively manage such a situation and aid in reducing your dogs stress levels.

With all that has been lacking in the lives of the dogs who have come from these conditions, they do excel in one area. They have all lived with other dogs and behave far more naturally in the presence of another dog than than they do in that of a human. In order to give these incredible beings the best start at a new life, each dog has to be rehomed with another dog, pending a meet with your existing dog.

Beautiful, sweet and heartbreaking as they are, think with your head and not your heart before considering adopting a dog. If you can devote yourself to the rehabilitation of one of these very special dogs and are fully prepared to take on the life long and life changing challenge of adopting a special dog then we will support you every step of the way. As with all our dogs, we will provide you with a tailor made behaviour plan, pre-adoption talk and post adoption support for the life of the dog to ensure you and your new family member are together forever. Given the opportunity, your little dog will blossom into the most incredible soul you will ever know. If you're willing for the challenges ahead, you'll know love like no other and truly have adopted a friend for life.
  

Monday, 11 February 2013

Make your dogs dinner special this Valentine's Day with 'Catherine's Cakes' special!


Love is in the air at Dogs Trust and you can see our resident love struck lovers Bessie and Rosco will be seen snuggling up together this Valentnes day.

Love is in the air!
 Our Dogs give us so much love, unconditionally and not just one day a year but 365 days a year. They don't need a special day to tell us how much they love us, they tell us every day with a simple wag of their tail. This Valentines day, why not show your dog how much you love them by taking them to their favourite walkies spot, playing their favourite game or by treating them to that very special something.

Dogs Trust Training and Behaviour Advisor Catherine has been back in the kitchen, whipping up some tasty, healthy treats for our doggies and all in keeping with the Valentine's theme. Delicious and nutritious, these fancy pooch canapes look incredible too! Time to get cooking for Fido with Catherines Cakes Valentines special.

NOTE: All these recipies are doggy friendly but they are rather rich. Adjust all quantities of ingredients depending on how many dogs you're feeding and PLEASE remember, these are to be served as very small tasters NOT as a big meal! We don't want too much rich food in our dogs tummies. You can substitute a lot of the ingredients for other bits and bobs you might have in your kitchen already, or even leftovers but please check that all the foods you use are non toxic to dogs!
Try one of the recipes below and facebook us your pictures of the final product. Happy cooking!

Starters:

Nutty Love heart Canapes:
(with real heart)

Dogs just love their offal and heart meat contains twice as much Collagen and Elastin than regular meat. Great for keeping your dog supple!
Can't buy heart? Use liver instead.

Ingredients:

Eggs
Pinch of your dogs normal kibble
Slithers of Heart meat
Peanut Butter (small quntities please)
Grated carrot to garnish

- Make an omelette in a small frying pan and leave to cool.
- When cool, slide your omelette onto a chopping board and use a small circular cutter to press out circles from the omelette. This will be your canapes base.
- Bash up your dogs kibble and mix through into some peanut butter. Make a stiff paste with it (more kibble than peanut butter) and spoon this mixture onto your canapes base.
- Chop your meat up into small slithers and fry. Leave this cool and then place on top of your kibble butter.
- Garnish with Grated carrot and serve for stupidly love struck, happy pooches!


Main:

Steak Tartar with seasonal salad and kibble croquettes:

Ingredients: 

Small slither of Steak
Your dogs normal kibble
Grated carrot
Grated apple
Egg
Left over boiled potatoes (or plain rice)
Parsley chopped for garnish
Honey and or olive oil

-Soak your dogs Kibble with water to form a dry, stiff paste. Add half a beaten egg and a little bit of rice or mashed/grated potato. Roll into a ball shape, flatten out into a cake shape and pop into the fridge to set.
- Cut very thin slithers of steak, no need to cook! Dogs love raw steak! (if you don't have any steak kicking about, you can use any meat your dog loves, even tinned fish).
- Grate carrot and apple for your salad and set in the centre of your plate.
- Place your croquette on top of the salad followed by your steak slithers.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and a thin drizzle of honey and olive oil


Dessert:

Strawberry and Chocolate Meringue nests.

NOTE: the chocolate used in this recipe is Dog Friendly Chocolate purchased from the pet shop (made from carob extract). Human chocolate can be fatal to dogs. Please do not use human chocolate. If you can't get hold of any dog chocolate, a very thin drizzle of honey will do!

Ingredients:

Plain, unsalted mini rice cakes (can't find mini rice cakes, buy the standard size and cut into smaller circles)
Cream cheese
Doggy Chocolate
Strawberries
Blueberries

- The mini rice cakes make the base for our valentines canapes.
- Use approx 2 teaspoons of cream cheese to top your rice cake bases, shape the cream cheese to look like a meringue nest.
- Finely slice some strawberries and blueberries and rest in the centre of your faux meringue canapes.
- Melt some doggy chocolate in a bowl, careful now, it can be hot!
- Using a small spoon, drizzle elegant, thin whisps of the doggy chocolate over you meringue nests and leave to set.
Serve lovingly but sparingly and go easy on the cream cheese!

Happy Valentine's Day Doggies! xxx