Refined Canines Halifax

01/30/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1DTp92UEop/

WAG and ROVER are not reliable sources for pet care.

Hire a PROFESSIONAL. They are easy to find. You can ask a groomer for reliable sources, a veterinarian, a trainer, a whole host of folks. Don't trust a stranger? Then WHY TF are you 'hiring' one of these di*********es?

Your neighbor's best friend's 16 year old relative doesn't have the handling acumen, risk mitigation experience or facilities to manage animals safely.

Having care in your home by someone who is not completely vetted BY YOU, THE HOMEOWNER, is foolishness.

Due diligence is a thing. If you wouldn't send your kid to a "Learing Center" why are you not working to put these sham 'businesses' OUT OF BUSINESS?

This is sad on so many levels. I'm not entirely blaming the victims, but I absolutely will blame a mechanism that continues to reinforce this bu****it by allowing them to continue to exist at all.

Do better.

Research your caregiver. Ask to see their bonafides. Dues paying "memberships" to organizations don't mean squat. Many times, if the caregiver doesn't have insurance that covers their business model, they can still sign an agreement that they will be responsible for the welfare of your animals in the ex*****on of their care.

If they won't sign it, find someone who will.

These 'gig' jobbers skate out of being liable under the guise of "we were told the caregiver had insurance" when they never check. They don't care. Their only goal is to accept your payment.

Professionals have standards. Find one whose standards coincide with your standards of care. They are out there.

Link to the whole thing in the comments, natch.

10/11/2024

09/10/2024

A few pics from this summer

04/30/2024

Album cover

12/29/2023

Love working with puppy development!

Is socialisation what you think it is?

I nipped into my local pet shop today to stock up on some treats for my clients. As I entered I saw a beautiful Kelpie puppy who must have been around 15 weeks old.

The first thing I noticed was what a stunning puppy she was (can’t help myself, it’s the ears!). Then I noticed how ‘wired’ she was.

Her owner was paying at the till and pup was struggling at the very opposite end of the leash, desperately trying to get at the world around her. Neither of them had any clue of what the other was doing.

I instantly knew my proximity to this puppy was not going to set either her or her owner up for success, so I swiped a few feet to the right.

As soon as my movement captured this puppy’s eye, she turned in fast beaming excitement and launched her full body weight at me. Her poor mum being yanked to the side as she struggled to carry her shopping and manage a very over excited young puppy.

I gave them even more room.

To some that may seem strange. Surely it’s important for that puppy to meet as many people as possible during that all important socialisation period?

Well no, it’s not. The quality of what she’s learning from an individual experience is.

If I hadn’t moved and puppy had gained access to me (no matter how nice and friendly I am) I would have made that lovely lady’s job so much more difficult.

Arguably more difficult in that moment but absolutely more difficult longer term.

What would pup have learned? That other people are way more interesting than mum? That I can throw my weight around and it gets me closer to the lady who smells like sausages? And that the pet shop is “THE BEST PARTY EVERR!”?.

If she were to continue being put in situations where it’s too much for her and she’s always trying to get at what she wants and being forcibly stopped by a leash there’s also a chance she might learn leashes and harnesses are yucky because “they stop me getting to the things I want”. That constant frustration in these early experiences could bring with it a whole host of other issues down the line.

Is all socialisation good socialisation?

I really dislike the label “socialisation”. It feeds into this myth that, in those all important first weeks, a pup must go everywhere, see everything and meet every dog, no matter who our puppy is as an individual.

We could talk about how impactful genetics/ early experiences of Mum and Pup are here and yes they are incredibly important to consider as part of the ‘whole dog’ picture. But ultimately socialisation comes down to what that individual baby dog in front of you needs to learn how to navigate the world

There is no one size fits all. It should look slightly different for every puppy.

I see countless puppies happy to be calmly cradled while their owners shop in that pet store. I see other older puppies calmly exploring on a leash in that store. That’s what they need.
But what they need during their critical socialisation period is very different to what the pup I saw today needs. And that might be different again to what your puppy needs. Quality of learning for that individual pup over quantity of experiences wins every time.

Yes pups need to learn to navigate the world and be exposed to crazy things this modern world might expose them to. But if they can’t calmly explore or watch the world around them, or they have no clue you exist in a particular environment then it’s good to reassess early on how you’re doing things.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by knowing what to do to help your pup learn to navigate the world don’t wait to reach out for help from a good, skilled & knowledgeable trainer that has your dog’s welfare at heart. Those first weeks count for a lot 🐾

11/01/2023

08/13/2023

The hard thing with posting about e collars is the negativity. The haters. The naysayers. The force free community. The people who don't understand how we train or why we do what we do. And the first thing I have to say about that is

I get it.

There are a s**t ton of trainers who use e collars who are absolute garbage trash. They don't know what they're doing. They strictly use the tool as punishment to suppress the dog. They are unfair. They lack timing. They lack consistency and they don't use any motivation. They use the tool simply to harbour control over dogs. To make them stop barking. To make them stop moving. To stop them. To make them not do.

We are educated and experienced in the tool. We have attended various workshops, seminars and courses on proper e collar use- we have learned from various people and adapt our methods to fit each dog and handler team we meet.
We use it fairly. We teach the dog everything we want them to know without the tool first. We teach the dog what the pressure means and how to be empowered to turn it off. We use the lowest perceptible levels that will motivate the dog. We reward the dogs heavily- and as a result they are enthusiastic and happy when they feel the stim - not shut down.

We don't train every single dog on e collar- but the ones we do have amazing results. Dogs and their owners are able to live happier and more fulfilling lives together. They get to go on more adventures safely and trust each other more.

There is no "fry to comply" here and the trainers who joke about or preach that should be avoided at all costs.

So to everyone who hates e collar trainers- I truly get it. I'm with you. I hate most of them too.

06/08/2023

https://www.facebook.com/295798660775823/posts/1926856331003373/?sfnsn=mo&mibextid=6aamW6

In recent times, there's been a increase in appreciation of ethological studies on free living dogs (FLD). One insight that is gaining rapid acceptance is "choice". We see discourse on how our companion dogs can benefit from choice and agency.

However, another insight that is overlooked is “overadrenalisation”. It evokes a lot of emotions. There are deep rooted *beliefs* that dogs or certain breeds need to engage in a lot of frenzied movement.

One of the most visually evident differences between FLDs and companion dogs is the “frenzy”. Companion dogs are frequently seen in over-adrenaline states, being further adrenalized by their activities and interactions. They may stop moving for a bit due to extreme physical exhaustion, but their frenzied behaviour is back soon. This is a major impediment to emotional regulation, which in turn makes it harder for dogs to deal with fear, improve communication, problem solve, form secure attachments and build confidence.

FLDs on the other hand are often calm, emotionally regulated and rarely engaged in frenzied activities. When they do run and play, it's in short bursts, not lasting more than a few minutes and followed by “de-adrenalising” activities like chewing, sniffing, napping etc… Juveniles may get carried away, but adults step in and disengage quickly. Studies show that their activity budget is dominated by sleep. If not asleep, they spend a large part of their time sniffing or watching the world go by. Physical movement is limited. "Nap, observe, move sparingly and limit mindless frenzy to a few moments of vulnerability” is a common animal kingdom mantra, at least for megafauna.

But people often believe that our companion dogs are exceptions to this. We’ll discuss where these beliefs come from in more posts this month. Stay tuned.

NOTE : If this line of reasoning is triggering you, we’re sorry. It's an all too familiar feeling since all of us at BHARCS held such beliefs once. More on that too, soon!

If you feel like you are ready to learn from FLDs (streeties), sign up for Canine Essential 101

https://courses.bharcs.com/