OpClicker Modern Dog Training

12/07/2023

📸 Look at this post on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/v/p2BsVfyhhgvxmqbS/?mibextid=7eNqk6

07/28/2023

THE GIFT OF THE GROWL
Dogs don’t bite if a growl will suffice

Not all growling is a sign that a dog’s unhappy. Some growls may be part of a particular play style, seeking attention, from frustration or other reasons.

They may all sound a little different and may be unique to that particular dog.

This post is not about different types of growls, but about reactive, aggressive or early warning growls.

When a dog growls, especially when it’s directed at us, our natural human response is to feel offended and maybe even angry.

Surely dogs need to learn not to growl, growling is bad, it’s not acceptable, a problem that needs to be stopped or punished so a dog learns that it’s wrong, disrespectful and unacceptable, right?

This couldn’t be further from the truth! A dog that growls has just provided us with very valuable information. In their way, they have just told us how they feel without resorting to a bite.

Dogs use growling in an attempt to avoid having to resort to biting, not to initiate it. They could just as easily not have even bothered to growl and gone straight to a bite.

A dog that growls is trying to communicate how they feel. Ignoring or punishing it only suppresses this communication. Punishment increases the level of a dog's discomfort and creates more stress.

A dog that bites without the warning of a growl is a far more serious problem than a dog that growls but doesn’t bite.

Look for any other early warning signals that may precede a growl. Learn to recognise body language. Take note of what makes your dog feel uncomfortable and create distance or give them space.

Be grateful for the gift of a growl – the growl is an early warning signal that we need to respect, understand & acknowledge.

10/12/2022

"They tell you not to cry.
They tell you he's just a dog, not a human.
They tell you it will pass.
They tell you that animals do not know that they must die.
They tell you that the important thing is not to make them suffer.
They tell you that you can get another one.
They tell you it will happen.
They tell you there are more unbearable pains.
But they don't know how many times you've looked your dog in the eye.
They don't know how many times it was you and your dog that looked in the dark.
They don't know how many times your dog was the only one by your side.
They don't know that the only one who hasn't judged you is your dog.
They don't know how scared you were the night his moans woke you up.
They don't know how many times your dog has slept next to you.
They don't know how much you've changed since the dog became a part of your life.
They don't know how many times you hugged him when he was sick.
They don't know how many times you pretended not to see when his hair was getting whiter and whiter.
They don't know how many times you've talked to your dog, the only one who really listens to you.
They don't know how good you were to your dog.
Little do they know that only your dog knew you were in pain.
They don't know what it's like to see your old dog trying to come over and say hello.
They don't know that when things go wrong, the only one who isn't gone is your dog.
They don't know that your dog trusts you, every moment of his life, even at the last moment.
They don't know how much your dog loved you and how little he needed to be happy, because you were enough for him.
They don't know that crying for a dog is one of the noblest, most meaningful, truest and purest things you can do.
They don't know about the last time you rocked him hard ... being careful not to hurt him.
They don't know what you felt when you caressed his face in the last moments of his life"
From dad ❤️😥

10/05/2022

09/14/2022

[1/6] Meet Kay, a graduate of The Seeing Eye — and (more recently) college as well! Over the next week, you’ll get to know Kay and her Seeing Eye dog, Zenith, and hear about how they navigated life in college together.

“I have albinism, and I’m legally blind. My vision changes a lot with the lighting — if it’s bright outside, I can’t see anything. I also have a hard time at night with street lights drowning out everything else. That’s why I have a Seeing Eye dog. Zenith is my first dog. I got him right after I graduated from high school, and he’s just been the best. He made college so much fun and safer, and he loved every second of it. Now we’re starting our new post-grad adventure in Washington, DC, and he seems to be really excited about that — as am I!

“The #1 reason I got a Seeing Eye dog was to be safe. That’s the most important thing. During college, I had a couple of traffic checks. That’s when a car almost hits you, and the dog pulls you away so you don’t get hit. Also, there were pedestrian walkways at my school, but sometimes there would be trucks making deliveries on the walkways — not where you would expect a truck to be. With Zenith, it was great getting to class on time and safely, not bumping into every obstacle, being able to move around confidently and walk quickly.

“When I first went to The Seeing Eye, I wasn’t expecting it to be so emotional, but it totally was…and I was definitely a little scared, because I knew how big a change it was going to be. I remember thinking, wow, my whole life is about to change forever. And it did. My life will never be the same.”

*In tomorrow’s post, you’ll learn more about the role Zenith played in Kay’s college social life. Stay tuned!*

📸 Photo Description: Kay is jumping in the air joyfully, wearing her black graduation gown and sunglasses. Zenith, her golden retriever Seeing Eye dog, is standing beside her in harness and looking up at her. Photo by Zachary Gutherman

08/27/2022

11/14/2021

Great Post!

Common advice which is given when working with dogs who are reactive to people or dogs is to "make them" or "get them" to sit and then give them a treat. The combination of pressure from the handler, old school obedience (obsession with the sit) and some prayer of positively reinforcing the sit behaviour is at play here.

1. Making/getting the dog to sit. We are asking the dog to do a behaviour which doesn't match why the dog is lunging/barking. If they are lunging abd barking, the dog wants to, needs to be able to move in that moment, either to move away from or towards the subject of reactivity. Sitting is the last thing the dog wants to do, asking/making/getting them to sit potentially puts them in a state of conflict between sitting and addressing the subject of reactivity.

2. Old school obedience. We have been taught that a sitting dog is somehow a good dog and the only dog deserving of a food treat. Test this. Watch people with little knowledge of dogs interact with them. See how many ask the dog to sit and repeat the cue/command if the dog doesn't. This is a cultural relic which needs to change. Dogs don't need to sit for very much and other behaviours serve ours and the dogs' purposes better.

3. Somehow we are using positive reinforcement by giving the dog a treat after the sit. We are most likely not. The dog doesn't want to sit, they want to not be near the subject. We aren't doing much worthwhile if they do sit other than making them do a behaviour which doesn't fulfil their needs. Please stop it.

The last thing these dogs want to do is remain sitting. Allowing them to move away is a more humane option.

(There is a lot to deal with when working with dogs showing these behaviours, these are a few considerations)

Posts like these often get angry or annoyed responses. Please try to understand the points being put forward if this evokes that reaction.

11/14/2021

Great article!