Hudson's Hounds

09/20/2024

I was reading a post today regarding learning a new language. As I'm reading it, I'm thinking about how I would apply this to working with a dog.

We already know the importance of autonomy, but do we really understand how allowing autonomy affects them?

Read this post (that I've copied and pasted) and pretend that you're reading it to your dog ;)

Does this change anything for you? Does it help you to understand a little more about how your dog learns and what he needs to be successful? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

"Hey everyone,
Ever wondered what sets successful language learners apart? It’s often their sense of autonomy.
When you take charge of your own learning journey, something magical happens. You get to set your own goals, find resources that resonate with you, and make plans that fit your unique style. It’s all about understanding how you learn best and creating an environment that sparks your curiosity and motivation.

When you’re in control, learning becomes a personalized adventure rather than a chore. You’re not just absorbing information; you’re actively engaging with it in a way that truly excites you.

So, what does this mean for you? Embrace your autonomy! Discover what makes learning enjoyable for you, tailor your approach, and watch your progress soar. Remember, the more you’re in charge of your journey, the more successful and fulfilled you’ll be.

Let’s share our experiences and tips on how we can all embrace our learning autonomy. What’s been working for you? What challenges have you faced? Let’s support each other in this exciting adventure.
Happy learning, everyone!"

08/18/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/WcYKpQ4J39vLZqYv/?mibextid=qi2Omg

This is a great documentary :)

06/22/2024

Few things are as misunderstood as the relationship between a dog and their human.

As I was taking the boys for a stroll today, I realize that Jackson is on a mission. A serious mission, to pull and drag Barret and I to every....single....scent. Now, I fully understand and respect Jackson's breed(s) and with that understanding and respect, patience, tolerance and compromise has to come with it. I don't have to like it but I do have to give it. (Read that sentence one more time and really think about it.)

I said out loud to him "Jackson, wow, what is with you today" and in mid sentence answered my own question - he's a hound dog and we haven't been to this park in several weeks. Geeeeez mom, chill.

I then started to think about how misunderstood our dogs are. How we as humans tend to put all the onus, all the blame, all the responsibility, on them. Rarely do we step back and think "wow, maybe my dog isn't listening to me because (insert a multitude of possibilities here)" but instead we say things like "my dog doesn't listen, my dog misbehaves, my dog won't do this or that or the other thing....."

What does "misbehave" even mean? He won't "do as he's told?" I'm also curious about what that means. How often do you "do as your told" and feel good about it. Why can't our dogs have some autonomy? Why can't they be offered a chance to make a choice of their own that doesn't involve us and our "needs" for this elusive perfect dog?

I'm not saying that our dogs don't need rules and boundaries, of course they do - they're animals living in our houses. However, when did all the responsibilities of the relationship and the requirement to "behave" get put solely on the animal who can't speak English? When exactly did we stop (or did we even start) taking some of the blame for our dog's behaviors?

We sure LOVE to take great pride in when they do what we want though, don't we. That sounds like a really one sided, complicated and strained relationship to me. A relationship that results in misunderstanding, frustration and sometimes in abuse. I love you when you do what I want, but I'm upset with you when you don't.

It's time to take a step back and reevaluate that relationship with our dogs. Our domesticated, sentient beings with fur who are just looking for a little guidance, patience and compromise. We are all they really have, after all.

05/26/2024

This is why I recommend that if you need to trade, trade for something (an object/toy) of equal value. When we use food, we risk creating a "behavior chain" like mentioned in this post.

My best recommendation on this topic: if your dog has something he shouldn't necessarily have but it's not dangerous, ignore it. Pretend that the thing he has is boring and don't give any kind of value to it. Now this part is most important; when he grabs something that does belongs to him (one of his toys) make it a big deal! Have a party with it! Make it so much fun that he'll be more likely to grab it again.

Dogs are smart. They are always watching and always learning, just like toddlers. We are always inadvertently teaching them things we don't necessarily want to teach them.

What kind of behaviors have you taught your dog that are valuable to him, by accident?

05/22/2024

Well written!

Amy Townsend of Mandala Dogs writes passionately about her inspiration for breeding modern pet dogs

05/17/2024

Chantale from Pathfinder Pet Care & Dog Ranch have great clients! I've really enjoyed working with Chantale and the community in the Richmond BC area the past several years.

Chantale and I will first join you on Skype for a 90min session, so that I can unravel the mysteries of your concerns and then make a plan. Once you've moved forward through some of those first steps, you can then meet with Chantale at her fabulous facility with some one on one assistance with the next steps!

Give us a shout if you're in the area and looking for help with you dog 🐾

05/15/2024

Good morning friends! Cat Harbord with ImPAWsible Possible and I have teamed up once again to create some fabulous options for our clients.

We are currently offering two of our courses for FREE but with ONLY 30 days access! In addition to this, we have a private Facebook group available to you and those who may want some extra help or even support while working through difficult behaviors with your dog.

If you are interested in joining our FB group please send me a message and I will send you the link :-) At that time, I'd love to hear from you about what kind of topics you'd like Cat and I to discuss! Our goal is to build a community where we can all help each other without judgment.

Now a word from my fabulous mentor, colleague and friend, Cat Harbord:

"Hello! I hope everyone's doing great! I have some Exciting news – Sheila Gunston and I have decided to offer two of our online systems thinking-based courses that we created last summer and fall for reactive dog training for free to fellow dog lovers (including dog pros, geeks, and dog owners) as our gift to the community.

Course 1: The Reactive Dog Crash Course - 60 minutes, 4 games, no fluff!

Course 2: Rover-Re-Imagined Reactive Dog Program - Over 12 hours, deep dive into reactivity and aggression (but honestly helpful for all behavior challenges).

Feel free to sign up with no strings attached using the links below for 30 days access!

You can also feel free to share these links with clients or fellow dog pros interested in a unique systems thinking approach to these common yet challenging behaviors. You can also invite them to our FB group for discussion and support 😀

Be sure to comment with any questions or feedback! We truly hope you enjoy the courses."

Join Canine Catalyst live via Zoom for Class 1 or catch the recording, watch recordings for Classes 2-4, and access resources for a year. Ideal for dog pros and participants outside of Calgary. Where dogs evolve their own behavior breakthroughs.

05/14/2024

Exciting news on this rainy and blustery Tuesday! I'm thrilled to formally introduce Canine Catalyst, where dogs evolve their own behaviours 🐾 This program kicks off with the first class on May 26th!

What is Canine Catalyst?

It's a program grounded in systems thinking, complexity, perceptual control theory, cybernetics and other geeky science (don't worry, the tools are simple!) empowering dogs to evolve their own behaviour.

This program takes an Emergent Curriculum or "dog-in-environment" approach, meaning it adjusts in real-time based on the unique needs, interests, decisions, and capabilities of your dog, rather than adhering to a predetermined plan or human agenda. This paradoxically leads to MORE EFFECTIVE OUTCOMES.

Who is Canine Catalyst for?

Any dog and owner seeking behaviour change and a deeper connection. If your dog or puppy ages 5 mos and up has big feelings (fear, anxiety, jealousy, excitement, frustration or perhaps "all of the above"), is distractable (attention span of a fruit fly), struggles in social situations, or if you find yourself in constant struggle with your dog then this program is for you! Dog trainers and pros are welcome!!!

Additional details:

The first program starts May 26. 8-hour program with classes lasting 2 hours each, combining indoor and outdoor sessions.

🐾 Class 1 - May 26@6pm: Canine Catalyst Introduction (for humans only) Lay the groundwork for understanding the Canine Catalyst approach and philosophy and get tools to start Catalyzing Change in every interaction.

🐾 Class 2 - June 20@7:30pm: Viewing Change Through Your Dog's Eyes: Learn to see and facilitate behaviour change from your dog's perspective.

🐾 Classes 3 & 4 - June 24 & 27@7:30pm: Catalyzing Change in the Real World Take the tools you've learned and apply them in real-world scenarios, building confidence and trust between you and your dog.

This program will benefit any dog and any dog owner (trainers and dog pros also welcome) wanting to explore new possibilities for change, learning, and growth.

In person investment $349+GST (Early Bird until May 15) | $599+ GST (Regular)

****Virtual options available $129 + GST (Early Bird until May 15) | $179 + GST (regular). Please contact me for details and virtual registration. Prices in CDN $***

Join me for a paradigm shifting journey with your dog.

04/04/2024

Explore the nuanced reality of reactivity with insights from a specialist in Calgary, Alberta. Get answers and support for your reactive dog.

04/04/2024

Unraveling Reactivity Living with a reactive dog can be like navigating a labyrinth, where every twist and turn presents a new challenge, testing your patience and resolve. The stress and strain it imposes on both you and your canine companion can sometimes feel overwhelming, threatening to erode th...

03/27/2024

Sometimes new owners tell me getting a puppy was supposed to be fun, but all I feel is stress. Here's what new owners need to remember.

02/27/2024

The power of video....

Since I moved Hudson's Hounds online a few years ago and decided to focus primarily on complex behaviors, I have been asking my clients to send me video. In fact, I used to ask for video even prior to this, since my presence during in person sessions often affected both my client and their dog's behaviors.

The best thing about video, is that WE (client and consultant) can watch it repeatedly, slow it down, speed it up, turn the volume off, etc etc. It really is an invaluable tool for working through difficult behaviors to ensure that we are seeing the whole picture.

Now, while this is great for my clients, I often forget about how important it can be for me too - for my boys in our home just day to day doing our thing.

When I engage with my boys, I often don't have my "behavior consultant geek" hat on. I have my "dog mom" hat on. I'm not watching for much these days now that Barret and Jackson have a much better relationship. I still watch for subtle signs and signals from Barret considering how sensitive he is, but I'm not breaking everything down the way I used to.

So today, I'm sitting on the couch eating some fruit, sharing pieces of apple with Barret (Jackson only likes his apple dehydrated because he's Jackson). You'll see Barret drop what was in his mouth then just sit there, essentially waiting for me to pick it up and give it to him again. You'll hear me laughing at him because I obviously thought it was cute and hilarious.

THEN....I reviewed the video and changed hats.

When Barret used to fight with Jackson, one of my strategies for working through it was to teach Barret to remove himself from potentially stressful situations. An example of this, was keeping him from greeting me at the front door first, or laying closest to whatever piece of furniture I was on. If he had access to me first, he would begin to guard me from our other dogs, specifically Jackson.

So while teaching him how to identify a potential situation and then remove himself from it, he was learning to adapt to his ever changing environment and also how to avoid conflict. Conflict is expensive. It's unnecessary until it's absolutely necessary.

Fast forward to today.....

Barret took a moment that could have been dripping in conflict and chose to avoid it. When that piece of apple fell from his mouth, he knew that it was possible Jackson would enter into his space. He chose to stay but also chose NOT to lower his head, growl and guard that piece of apple.

If I could do this over again I wouldn't have laughed at him for being "cute and hilarious" I would have told him what a smart boy he was, picked up the apple and lured him a little further from Jackson so that be could finish it without worrying about what Jackson might do - which would have only been Jackson taking it since it was on the floor.

The power of video.

I was reminded today that we can ALL become complacent, especially after things are going well... especially after they've been going well for a long time. Barret is a trooper and always makes peaceful choices these days, however, it's still MY job to keep him feeling safe enough to make those choices. That's the responsibility I signed up for as his guardian. His dog mom. His protector and treat deliverer 🐾🩵

So if you are a client of mine and I ask for video, this is why. It's also my job to help YOU see and understand the big picture. All of the hard work has to come from you, your dog's guardian and protector. All I can do is help you through the weeds of it all :)

Now go ahead and watch the video...it's ok if you see "cute and hilarious" too, because seriously, look at him ;) The freckles win every time.