Between a new job and a baby on the way, I haven't been too good at keeping up with this. I'll try to do better.
I got in a discussion this weekend about "energy," as heard on one of my least favorite trainer's tv shows. I hold the strong opinion of if you can't explain something so it is understood by your grandparent or a child, you don't truly understand it yourself. So, in a word, like so many other things, said tv "trainer" doesn't know what he's talking about.
What's actually happening is all about body language. Dogs communicate predominately through body language: stance, ears, tail, lips, mouth, etc. Likewise, they pick up on our body language. Although dogs have to learn a lot about how to communicate, there are some things that cross species.
When two people meet, it is polite to face the person, make eye contact, extend a hand to shake, or hug if the person is very familiar to you. Dogs see most of these things as a threat, intimidating, or just plain rude. When dogs approach each other, they approach at an angle, they avoid direct eye contact for any length of time, they stand side by side, head to tail until they are comfortable with each other. I am only using social meetings here where the outcome is both parties are at ease with each other.
This relates to "energy" in that the aforementioned tv "trainer"walks up to the dog directly, stares at him, hovers over him, and basically does everything he can as a person to intimidate the dogs. When I had the store and in my classes, when I approach a dog for the first time, I turn sideways to them, I squat down to make myself as non-threatening as possible, I don't make direct eye contact, I wait for the dog to approach me. On numerous occasions people have commented that their dog hardly ever approaches strangers or doesn't like strangers and how surprised they are the dog was choosing to interact with me. (This, of course is all after I have asked the owner if I can pet their dog.)
So there it is in a nutshell: "energy" = body language. The thing to keep in mind after all this is if you approach a dog in an intimidating manner, the dog is much more likely to either go the other way or, if he feels he can't get away (is on a leach, in a yard, etc.) the dog is more likely to retaliate, even to the point of biting.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Sunday, July 8, 2012
About the new blog
I just wanted to write a quick word about the blog and it's name, for clarification.
Blogger.com was nice enough to allow me to move everything from the business site to a new site, now that the business is closed. There are still a few things relevant to the business, but I'll probably take those down eventually.
As for the name, there was a mosaic uncovered in 1824, in what has become known as "The House of the Tragic Poet"... or at the entrance. It was some of the earliest evidence, when it was uncovered, how early dogs were used for specific functions other than hunting. The mosaic is of a growling, chained dog with the words "Cave Canem" under it. The house where it was uncovered dates back to the 2nd Century BC. After the discovery, several similar mosaics were uncovered.
Blogger.com was nice enough to allow me to move everything from the business site to a new site, now that the business is closed. There are still a few things relevant to the business, but I'll probably take those down eventually.
As for the name, there was a mosaic uncovered in 1824, in what has become known as "The House of the Tragic Poet"... or at the entrance. It was some of the earliest evidence, when it was uncovered, how early dogs were used for specific functions other than hunting. The mosaic is of a growling, chained dog with the words "Cave Canem" under it. The house where it was uncovered dates back to the 2nd Century BC. After the discovery, several similar mosaics were uncovered.
Reading List
I didn't come to training with a mind set and looked for evidence to back up that position. when I started out, I believed in the alpha hierarchy and punishment, etc. But I read everything I could get my hands on and kept up with the current research. I think that's the difference between me and trainers I don't care for. Here is a list of books well worth reading for the most current research and understanding. I've put and asterisk (*) next to what I call the short list. These are the books I would recommend starting with if your time or funds are short.
These are books for just understanding learning and behavior:
These four are on every trainer-that-is-worth-their-salt's bookshelf:
*Coercion and its Fallout by Murray Sidman
*The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson
The Domestic Dog by James Serpell
Dogs: A Startling New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior, and Evolution by Raymond Coppinger and Lorna Coppinger
These are REALLY good, but not as widely known:
Learning and Behavior by Paul Chance
Canine Behavior: A Guide for Veterinarians by Bonnie Beaver
Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior can Make You a Better Friend to Your Dog by John Bradshaw
Actual training books:
These two, again, are on every good trainer's bookshelf:
*Don't Shoot the Dog: The New Art of Teaching and Training by Karen Pryor
Getting Started: Clicker Training for Dogs by Karen Pryor
Not as well known, but I found them very helpful:
The Thinking Dog: Crossover to Clicker Training by Gail Tamases Fisher
Family Friendly Dog Training: A Six Week Program for You and Your Dog by Patricia McConnell and Aimee M. Moore
Puppy Training by Patricia McConnell and Brenda Skidmore
For specific behavior problems and understanding dog communication, I highly recommend:
The Language of Dogs by Sarah Kalnaj (DVD)
For the Love of a Dog by Patricia McConnell
The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnell
(Patricia McConnell also has a number of reasonably price booklet that deal with separation anxiety, multidog households, and a number of other problem behaviors.)
Jean Donaldson has a great video (I think 6 parts) on Youtube about dog body language - Dog Body Language by Jean Donaldson (Part 1) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VmWizZueFQ
These are books for just understanding learning and behavior:
These four are on every trainer-that-is-worth-their-salt's bookshelf:
*Coercion and its Fallout by Murray Sidman
*The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson
The Domestic Dog by James Serpell
Dogs: A Startling New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior, and Evolution by Raymond Coppinger and Lorna Coppinger
These are REALLY good, but not as widely known:
Learning and Behavior by Paul Chance
Canine Behavior: A Guide for Veterinarians by Bonnie Beaver
Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior can Make You a Better Friend to Your Dog by John Bradshaw
Actual training books:
These two, again, are on every good trainer's bookshelf:
*Don't Shoot the Dog: The New Art of Teaching and Training by Karen Pryor
Getting Started: Clicker Training for Dogs by Karen Pryor
Not as well known, but I found them very helpful:
The Thinking Dog: Crossover to Clicker Training by Gail Tamases Fisher
Family Friendly Dog Training: A Six Week Program for You and Your Dog by Patricia McConnell and Aimee M. Moore
Puppy Training by Patricia McConnell and Brenda Skidmore
For specific behavior problems and understanding dog communication, I highly recommend:
The Language of Dogs by Sarah Kalnaj (DVD)
For the Love of a Dog by Patricia McConnell
The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnell
(Patricia McConnell also has a number of reasonably price booklet that deal with separation anxiety, multidog households, and a number of other problem behaviors.)
Jean Donaldson has a great video (I think 6 parts) on Youtube about dog body language - Dog Body Language by Jean Donaldson (Part 1) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VmWizZueFQ
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Dominance... again
I get so tired of seeing the same tripe spewed by people from a totally outdated understanding of interactions between dogs and people. Let me put it this way:
First, if dogs were "dominate," as it has come to be defined, when they were first being domesticated, the dominate dog would most likely have been killed or driven off. Second, dogs in the wild are scavengers. They do not form packs but only form "temporary alliances" usually lasting only a few days at most. Third, if dogs are descended from wolves and retain wolf like traits (which would get way to scientific and be way too long to discuss here), wolves' packs are formed by a mating pair and their offspring. Once the offspring reach sexual maturity, they leave to form their own packs. There is no struggle for a place in the hierarchy or for dominance. It just doesn't happen.
Even the popularized "Alpha Roll" is totally misunderstood. Dogs and wolves simply don't do it. What is being seen is one dog voluntarily rolling over to another one. This is a way of saying "I'm totally at ease with you" or "We're just playing and I'm no real threat" among other things. But the dog rolling over volunteers the behavior.
Dominance, as science has defined it, is not a personality trait, but an aspect of a relationship. What that means is a dog is not dominant until another dog submits in a specific situation. For example, my two dogs, Puck and Duncan, come upon a tennis ball. Duncan is crazy about tennis balls and wants this one a lot. To avoid conflict or because he just doesn't care, Puck will submit to Duncan, in this case making Duncan the dominant one. Later, they come upon a mole. Puck is a terrier and loves to dig for them if they get in our yard. In this instance, Duncan will defer to Puck making Puck the dominant one.
If it matters to you, remember that you control the door, you control the food and water. Thus you are the dominate one. However, if you see your life with your dog as going to be a constant struggle for dominance, why even have a dog?
First, if dogs were "dominate," as it has come to be defined, when they were first being domesticated, the dominate dog would most likely have been killed or driven off. Second, dogs in the wild are scavengers. They do not form packs but only form "temporary alliances" usually lasting only a few days at most. Third, if dogs are descended from wolves and retain wolf like traits (which would get way to scientific and be way too long to discuss here), wolves' packs are formed by a mating pair and their offspring. Once the offspring reach sexual maturity, they leave to form their own packs. There is no struggle for a place in the hierarchy or for dominance. It just doesn't happen.
Even the popularized "Alpha Roll" is totally misunderstood. Dogs and wolves simply don't do it. What is being seen is one dog voluntarily rolling over to another one. This is a way of saying "I'm totally at ease with you" or "We're just playing and I'm no real threat" among other things. But the dog rolling over volunteers the behavior.
Dominance, as science has defined it, is not a personality trait, but an aspect of a relationship. What that means is a dog is not dominant until another dog submits in a specific situation. For example, my two dogs, Puck and Duncan, come upon a tennis ball. Duncan is crazy about tennis balls and wants this one a lot. To avoid conflict or because he just doesn't care, Puck will submit to Duncan, in this case making Duncan the dominant one. Later, they come upon a mole. Puck is a terrier and loves to dig for them if they get in our yard. In this instance, Duncan will defer to Puck making Puck the dominant one.
If it matters to you, remember that you control the door, you control the food and water. Thus you are the dominate one. However, if you see your life with your dog as going to be a constant struggle for dominance, why even have a dog?
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