Canine Counselling

01/05/2025

This is a great article for those considering buying a new dog as a companion for their existing dog.

TL;DR: you should get a second dog because YOU want a second dog.

My 7-year-old spaniel has *still* not forgiven me for bringing home a golden retriever puppy 5 months ago. 🤣 We love the both of them, but bringing the new puppy home was not welcomed by the resident spaniel. If he had a say, I think he would have vetoed the decision.

Malena De Martini (malenademartini.com) also has a great blog post addressing the question if getting a second dog will "fix" the existing dog's separation anxiety. Go check her out for further reading from the world expert on separation anxiety.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-26/does-your-dog-need-a-friend/100015754

We asked the experts for their advice on what to consider before getting your "lonely" dog a mate.

23/04/2025

As a behaviour professional that often deals with aggressive and dangerous dogs, understanding the severity of any dog bite is critical.

This updated graphic and the related "Putting Dog Bites Into Perspective" are fantastic resources for anyone wanting to understand dog bites in more detail.

If you have a dog that has bitten, it is important to understand not only the context and situation that led to the bite, but also the NATURE of the bite.

Have a read, and feel free to reach out if you need help or have any questions.

Have you heard of Dr. Dunbar's Bite Scale? Have you ever used it?

It's Dog Bite Prevention Week (April 13-19) and any time you're talking about a dog bite you need to start with an objective assessment of the severity and danger, because a "dog bite" can mean a lot of different things to different people, and it can be hard to separate the emotion and subjective experience from the facts of the matter.

Dr. Dunbar's Bite Scale has long been used to evaluate the severity of dog bites objectively by looking at measurable characteristics of the resulting wound. You can download our latest printer-friendly PDF version of The Bite Scale from Dunbar Academy: https://dunbar.info/bite-scale-dadd

This system ranks dog bites on a scale of 1-6, with Level 1 being a "bite" where the dog's teeth don't actually touch the victim's skin, and Level 6 being a bite, or series of bites, that leaves the victim dead.

The difference between rehabilitating a dog that has bitten at a Level 1 or 2, vs. a dog that has bitten at a Level 3 or above is enormous.

Often, dogs that bite at Level 1 or 2 can be rehabilitated quite quickly and safely, because the risk that they will cause a serious injury is so low, so classical conditioning and lure reward training can proceed unencumbered.

Check out the Biting section in the Top Dog Academy for all the tips, tricks, and training techniques you need to start rehabilitating your dog, if they bite at Level 1 or 2. Currently, you can enroll in the Top Dog Academy with a 1-Month Trial, so you can try it for free for a month: https://dunbar.info/apr2025TDA

On the other hand, if you have a dog that has bitten a person hard enough to puncture the skin (Level 3), or worse, you have an altogether different problem on your hands. There is a very real chance this dog will bite someone again, and when they do, there is a good chance they will break the skin again. Rehabilitation is much harder now because of the danger posed to everyone who comes into contact with the dog. The resources in the Top Dog Academy can still be incredibly valuable, but you really need help from a professional dog trainer who can work with you and your dog in person, to see the dog's behavior first hand and help you adopt a strict safety management program to ensure that no one else gets bitten, especially anyone who is unaware of the dog's history.

We suggest you start by looking for a certified dog trainer, either using the database search feature available on either the CCPDT's or IAABC's website. You can find links to both here: https://dunbar.info/dangerous_dogs

If you can't find a certified dog trainer, you may need to work with someone else, but you should review the content in the Top Dog Academy to get a feel for the sort of techniques that we recommend. You certainly don't want to work with any trainer who asks you to use aversive techniques as those will be counterproductive. They may mask the biting problem in certain situations but they will ultimately make the underlying cause of the problem worse, creating an even more dangerous situation!

But if your dog bites at Level 1 or 2, it's time to do something about it. This problem won't get better on it's own, it will take proactive classical conditioning and training. With the right methods, this training can be enjoyable, for you and your dog, and remarkably effective. You should see improvement in a single sessions, and over the course of a few days, the changes should be incredibly obvious. Stick with it and in a few weeks you can transform your dog and get back to enjoying life together, without the stress and worry that you and your dog have been living with.

Sign up today for a 1-month free trial of the Top Dog Academy: https://dunbar.info/apr2025TDA

20/04/2025

TL;DR: qualifications matter!

I would be extremely cautious about hiring a walker whose van promotes “walking, daycare, training, boarding…”.

As the old saying goes “Jack of all trades but master of none.” I’ve worked with a few dog walkers who know their limits and know when to seek behaviour advice from a training professional. But I also know others who gladly take any training case because they feel they can offer good advice merely from being around dogs all day.

Check qualifications of anyone giving you advice, especially advice you are paying for!

27/03/2025

Here's a great article on the myriad of benefits to letting your dog chew.

I always recommend that owners encourage their dogs to lick, chew, and sniff to "change mode" and help their dog calm down and de-stress.

This article is a great read with some interesting links for further reading if you have time.

Chewing enriches the physical, psychological and emotional health of dogs in many interconnected ways.

25/03/2025

This is so important!

When dealing with fear reactivity, one of the most important concepts I discuss is how you can’t reinforce fear.

Comfort your dog.
Help them deal with the situation better, with empathy and compassion, not anger and frustration.
Trust me, you can’t make it worse by giving treats to a fearful dog.

Feel free to reach out and have a chat if you want a different perspective on dealing with fear activity.

Let me say this louder for the people stuck in behavior advice from the 90's 📢

YOU CANNOT REINFORCE FEAR.

Fear isn’t a behavior—it’s an automatic, emotional response, like a fire alarm going off inside the brain.

Offering comfort and safety when a dog is afraid doesn’t ‘reward’ the alarm—it helps relieve the panic.

The outdated belief that reassurance strengthens fear is simply false.

It's not my opinion.

This is simply neurobiology.

Many individuals—particularly those who claim authority as dog trainers or professionals but lack formal education in animal behavior—often advise ignoring a dog’s fearful behavior.

This advice stems from outdated, dominance-based models.

These models incorrectly attribute fear-driven behaviors to a lack of leadership, control, or “alpha” status. Because they misunderstand fear responses as challenges to authority or as behaviors to be suppressed.

Sadly, they fail to recognize fear as an emotional state requiring support and co-regulation.

Instead, they focus on extinguishing behaviors.

When we offer comfort to a dog experiencing fear, it’s common to see the dog seeking even more reassurance.

To an uneducated eye, this may look like the behavior is worsening.

However, what’s actually happening is that the dog is beginning to trust the human as a source of safety and regulation.

This is a positive indicator of relationship-building and emotional resilience, laying the groundwork for longer-term behavioral stability.

🚨 PLEASE SHARE THIS to help others understand it's okay to comfort a scared dog!

And follow .plus.dogs for more truthful dog behavior advice

17/12/2024

Thinking about boarding your dog over the holidays?

Here are some great tips to consider...

Boarding facilities during peak periods can stressful environments for dogs and cats. Some may not be suited to it at all.

20/10/2024

I believe we have a DUTY to not only take of our dogs physically (provide adequate food, water, shelter, exercise, etc), but also mentally.

Have a read of this excellent article about 5 easy things we can do to improve our dogs' happiness.

TL;DR:
1) Let them sniff!
2) Give them agency
3) Recognise your dog as an individual
4) Respect their choice to opt out
5) Provide off-lead activities.

Enjoy!

Science from a four-paw perspective can help us reconsider our everyday interactions with dogs and influence positive changes so we can live well, together.