KARL Ranch

03/12/2024

At the vet with Lenny today to see if he's a candidate for prosthetic. After his bff Edgar passed he is dying to play with another pup but his 1 back leg isn't as young as his brain still is. So we'll hopefully fit him with prosthetic so he can keep running! He had best time visiting everyone who obviously was at the vets just to see him. No other reason anyone would be there am I right? Lauren Tonge

04/25/2023

06/23/2022

So true. People don't understand that I don't spend alot of time "training" my dogs for "on cue" behaviors just for fun. I spend more time letting them be dogs and teach cues more as needed as opposed for "tricks" some dogs love learning tricks like my Byron and we work on that but I respect dogs and especially THEIR brains and what they are looking for to make them happy as opposed to making them to conform to people's expectations. That focus on bond and trust has created my dogs to have the best recall and no leash aggression or pulling etc. They're more interested in where mom is and what she's doing than external influences. Except Ziza she's just always more interested in fun. Probably because when you spend first part of your life just trying to survive you enjoy life as much as you can when the good life comes along. Lol.

The pressure on dog professionals to have ‘perfect’ dogs is often huge. People in the wider community may automatically think ‘well they work with dogs so their dogs should behave.’

https://www.canineprinciples.com/blog/social-pressures-canine-professionals

05/25/2022

EMERGENCY POINT! You & your dogs are out doing fun things this summer - here's an acupoint just in case...revives respiration & consciousness, helps with trauma/shock & heatstroke, + calms the spirit. Go have fun & keep this point in mind.

07/21/2021

🛇 Use your Manners! 🛇
The Sniff test - Stop doing that!
The sniff test - a badly engrained habit that society has been taught, without a clear understanding of what they're actually doing.

🚩When you reach out towards a dog, you are using body pressure AT them, giving them no time to assess whether you are safe & whether they require further investigation to pick up your information. You are forcing an interaction of a relationship that hasn't had time to develop. To some dogs, this is quite rude & the reason a lot of dogs snap at or bite people. This can cause alot of behavioral issues because of layered stress due to forced interactions.

🚩If they are on lead, they have no where to go if they are sensitive to spacial pressure, so can end up shutting down, shying away or snapping at your hand so you back off. This is an example of how a dog is now using pressure to turn off pressure & make you back off so they aren't so stressed.

🚩People think by offering your hand it can give the dog time to sniff to know you're friendly... they can sniff without being forced to sniff your hand.Their noses are far more superior than ours & they don't need close contact forced upon them to smell you.

🚩Some dogs might not want to know you. You have no relationship with them and that's perfectly fine. They aren't your dog so you don't need to touch them or steal pats for your own satisfaction.

🤔 If you are meeting a dog, what should you do?
⚠Ask the owner if you can interact with their dog. Not all people want strangers touching their dogs. Especially strangers who you are unlikely to see again.
⚠Stand up straight & relaxed, with your hands at your side.
⚠Ignore the dog & talk to the owner.
⚠Don't stare at the dog & don't try to force an interaction by going in for a pat. If the dog wants to know you, it will come up to you & sniff around. Usually they will move away & then come back for a second sniffathon. Some dogs will bunt your hands & wag their tails, which are good signs that you're likely an accepted new friend. Give them a few slow pats down their back (NOT THEIR HEAD) & then stop. Is the dog happy? Has it accepted your interaction? This will determine whether you can give it more pats.

🐶This is a more stress free option for dogs & a reason why in consultations we can develop a good level of trust, especially with fearful dogs & aggressive dogs, without a bunch of negative side effects from forced interactions.