Time to Paws Behaviour Consulting

04/11/2024

⭐🎉Time to Paws Behaviour Consulting is going to be offering a new service shortly!!

💥Dog sitting for dogs that don't like people or other dogs 👀.

I am fully aware of the amount of people with dogs that cannot go into normal boarding facilities because of their behaviour and the need to have these dogs stay in their own environment.

The market is saturated with dog sitting services currently, but, I am offering something a little better.

As a highly qualified behaviour and body language consultant I'm well aware of what it takes to be around and look after these dogs. I have lived with a resource guarding serious biter as well as worked with a lot of dogs with behaviour that can be concerning if not dangerous. I have years of experience with understanding these dogs and match that with qualifications, I know there is a need for someone like myself to sit with them while their guardians need to stay away from home over night or for short periods.

Initially only offering overnights to weekends or short periods, if you are in that situation, have been turned away by mainstream boarding, or had incidents with ordinary pet sitters, give me a call and we can have a discuss about what your needs for your companion are.

28/10/2024

This is a force-free page. I do not use force, fear, punishment or intimidation when working with animals.
FF professionals, please copy and post.

02/09/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/SJ8Vq8MvTwYrCP5k/

DON’T TOUCH MY STUFF!
Resource guarding – also called possessive aggression

We all guard our resources, it’s a natural reaction to a threat of something we value being taken away.

It’s essential for survival and dogs or other animals would not survive in the wild if they didn’t guard their resources.

We also don’t get to decide what’s valuable and what’s not – different things have different value to different dogs and at different times.

Food is usually the most common, but toys, furniture, different items, places, or even a certain person are all things that may be seen as a valuable resource.

A dog turning their head away, freezing, a hard stare, whale eye, moving away, growling or snapping may quickly escalate into a serious bite in an attempt to protect that valuable possession.

Punishing or forcing a dog to give something up is probably one of the worst things to do.

Resource guarding is rooted in the emotion of fear – the fear of that resource being taken away.

Punishment and force further increase that fear, which only increases and reinforces the need to protect that resource.

When a dog is guarding food or an object, we can change the negative emotion of that fear into a positive one by swopping or trading something that has a similar or higher value than what the dog has.

This is one of the most effective ways to address resource guarding of objects as it works at the root cause of the behaviour by changing the emotional response.

A dog resource guarding a person is more complicated to address. A full history of the individual dog, family dynamics, attachment styles, situation and environment all have to be assessed before planning and working on a solution.

Resource guarding can usually be prevented, managed and addressed and by starting early, understanding why dogs feel the need to resort to this behaviour and doing what we can to prevent it from happening in the first place.

30/08/2024

Does your dog eat mud? Interesting read below 👇

Is your dog munching on dirt and leaving you puzzled? This strange habit can actually indicate various health or behavioral issues. Read our in-depth blog to uncover why dogs eat dirt and what you can do about it.

23/08/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/VBEkAdHxtjtgpDgR/

What is puppy socialisation?

It is a stage of development in your puppy. It starts at 4 weeks and ends around 16 weeks. However actual socialisation should continue well after 16 weeks as your puppy will go through other development stages having different experiences.

The first thing to consider is your puppy will go through their first fear stage 7/9 weeks old. It's important not to overwhelm them. It's also important if they're struggling to be left alone not to leave them.

During the socialisation stage of development, it's not about socialisation in the context that we understand it. It's about exposure to the world. It's so important that the exposure the puppy gets is positive emotional experiences. So a nervous or sensitive puppy needs less. They can see the world but they don't need to interact with everything in it. They need exposure that they as an individual can cope with. Doing more will not turn them into a confident social butterfly it will probably make them more fearful, even reactive.

It's needs to be a slow steady pressure free pace. Slow down your walks, stop and give them time to take in the environment, there's new sounds, sights and smells. This can be a sensory overload for some. Let them sit and watch, take your time so they can take it all in and then process it.

We used to call it a critical stage of development but it's now a sensitive, because it's flexible. Your puppy is sensitive to experiences so make sure they are positive.

If your puppy is scared support them and help them. This won't reinforce or reward negative behaviours that are driven out of fear, apprehension or caution, it will cause them to relax and feel safe and then those behaviours will stop.
Yes the puppy will become a little dependent on your support but once they feel safe you can teach independence and reward brave choices. Feeling safe will activate exploratory control processes in the brain and your puppy will choose to explore and approach. This is much more powerful than being lured to something they're scared of. Luring with treats to scary things causes pressure and conflict which are negative emotional and stressful states. Timing is key and reinforcement should happen in safe places for it to be emotionally reinforcing.

Forget behaviour and think emotions and experiences at this time.

Work at the puppy's pace, don't rush 🐾❤️

Jane Ardern BSc Hons
Kennel Club Accredited Instructor in Working Gundogs Kennel Club Dog Trainer of the Year
Gundog Club Accredited Instructor and Assessor
Author of Mission Control How to Train the High Drive Dog