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Making You & Your Dog Happier

Games ‘not’ to play with your dog

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Any play can turn into a problem if you don’t think through the rules and regular routine of the game beforehand. It’s a good idea to think about what the game is actually ‘for’! 

Let’s think of a basic ‘fetch’ game. Simply tossing a ball over and over until your dog falls down, exhausted, might sound like the best idea for a quiet life but can create a serious obsession for your dog. It can also create injury issues as the dog repeatedly lands on the same joints over and over in a frenzied attempt to catch. As we know, nothing is good when it’s excessively repetitive. This can be particularly problematic with some working breeds such as Border Collies, who then constantly obsess about the game and cannot break off from it.

Now let’s look at chasing your dog. I have heard several owners say they love running after their pooch while it gambols about the lawn. This might be hilarious as a mock ‘I am gonna getcha!’ game but it actually teaches the dog to run away from you. This has to be the very last thing you want your dog to learn. It is even worse when the dog also has a toy and learns to ‘keep away’. Before too long you have taught your dog never to return to you and also, that they can hold onto things without giving them back.

How about play fighting, where you encourage your dog to mouth on your hands or clothes. Even if they are gentle, you are teaching your dog that mouthing people is a great game. You might be fine with it, but it may not be the same for anyone else, especially anyone frail or small. It’s not a thing to boast about, ‘He doesn’t hurt me!’. You have taught a dog to play with people using their grabbing and mouthing behaviours, which could be easily misinterpreted as biting. Easily done and forever a problem, so the quick answer is, don’t teach it. Using their mouth on people is a habit we do not want any dog to learn.

This doesn’t mean you can’t play with your dog – far from it! Reverse the above. Ask your dog to bring things back to you, little and often. Vary the game by hiding things for them to fetch rather than asking them to run back and forth. If they need that much running exercise, teach them a send away.

Instead of chasing your dog, invite them to chase you! Easy!

And finally, play with a toy rather than your body. There are millions of dog toys out there, and you only really need to pick one. It’s not hard, and it’s a lot of fun. Enjoy!

Do lockdown changes mean our dogs can play?

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Pawprint puppy class with Karen Wild

I am asked this nearly every day at the moment. Everything is still changing day by day, so I am not going to give you the exact details of what is ‘allowed’ as I write this column, because it will be out of date probably even by tomorrow! We do know that touch can transfer infection and the advice currently is to always wash your hands before and after touching your pets. I am not sure if you are doing this, but that’s sensible hygiene in any case, so we all should.

Moreso right now, we are all wondering if our dogs are allowed to meet other dogs, and how will it affect them if they can’t? The quick answer is, 2 metres apart is 2 metres apart, but don’t be upset because this means your dog can’t mix.

The idea of social distancing has become more normalised, and I am glad it has. Whether or not we follow it (and we definitely should!) is something that many dogs have already been doing for years. Dogs aren’t all the big, huggy and over the top creatures we may think. It’s probable that your dog likes you and wants to do this for you, but often, they won’t share that same affection with everyone. 

I have to explain over and over to clients that many, many dogs do not automatically love everyone. They don’t want to meet every person and every dog on their walks or in their home. They are allowed to have those misgivings. It’s normal.

You may have the dog that does love everyone, but in return, does that mean that your dog is entitled to leap all over every person and dog they encounter? No, it doesn’t. It often causes fear, anxiety and lots of fights too.

My goal here is for you to recognise that for a lot of dogs, social distancing and lockdown have been a good thing. They don’t want to meet and greet. They perhaps want to look from a distance, or only play with people and other dogs that they actually know well. They don’t necessarily need to be life and soul of the party, and most dogs I work with are very happy to stay at least 2 metres away (and probably more). In short, they are allowed to have preferences. It is us that can overwhelm and upset them (or other dogs, or other people) by allowing and encouraging them to get far too close.

Next time you are on your walk, don’t be sorry that your dog can’t go right up to other dogs. A lot of themD probably prefer it.

What’s new pussycat? What your cat wants you to know.

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We’ve all had time to reconsider our daily lives and routines, our safety and all the other things we probably took for granted, until quite recently. Now we have settled into the new situation, it has changed yet again. Some of us are getting stressed and anxious again since our lives have become unpredictable, over and over.

What does this have to do with cats?

Cats, as do all animals, like to know what is safe, where their next meal is coming from (sometimes twenty times a day), who they can trust and who to stay away from. They want to know where it’s warm and cosy and where they won’t feel like something is going to be risky.

Sounds familiar?

Your cat is probably far better than you at observing all of the routine changes, no matter how minute they are. Cats are very good at this, highly sensitive to it in fact. It isn’t a surprise, since they can be so skittish one moment and completely unbothered, the next. If you’ve ever owned a cat that is hugely confident with absolutely everything and everyone, that is a rarity. Most cats take offence rapidly and won’t hold back from scratching, even if you are trying to pet them for a moment longer than the 1.25 seconds they decided was going to be acceptable.

My point is that your cat wants you to understand that for them, changes can be stressful too. They don’t make a big fuss about things, because that’s not a good survival tactic, but they will show you in plenty of more subtle ways that they aren’t happy. Keeping away from certain people, leaving the room when things happen, grooming themselves frantically, even sleeping ‘propped up’ rather than splayed out. Things can change from moment to moment, so that cat that displayed his fluffy belly to you in the sunshine will suddenly grab your arm and scrabble his back feet in. Us humans have to learn our lessons, don’t we?

Cats can be demonstrative and cuddly sometimes, but not all cats are. Forcing them is not a good idea, since you can be really hurt. Cats do not live under the ‘dominance’ myth, any more than dogs do, and to anyone suggesting this – stop it, it’s harmful and untrue. So, what’s new with your cat? Well, nothing really, but your thoughts about cats could reflect what we know now. Cats are sensitive and intelligent, care about territory and resources and will battle for these. It’s a safety game. Just as our lives are currently.

Lockdown pets and the new normal

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What’s happening for our pets during lockdown? How are they coping?

In my book ‘Being a Dog’, I tried to help us all learn how the world appears from the dog’s point of view. It was the same in my book ‘Purrfect Guide to thinking like a Cat’, but of course, for our cat friends instead. Why is it important to get inside their thought processes?

Try saying ‘It’s just a dog’ to anyone who has one in their home these days? Not everyone is lucky enough to own a pet, but dog or cat, they are one of the family. As we know, families are very different in the way that they do things day to day. This means that our pets learn all of our little ways, without even trying hard.

What happens then, when there is a lockdown and things seem to be turned on their heads for most of us? Is it silly to think that the pets might care too?

Of course, they aren’t reading the news or looking at the government statistics, depressing though they are. However, we are affected by all these things. Staying at home, feeling worried, missing our normal routines and being put under huge pressure too. It’s all incredibly different, so it would be naive to imagine that our dogs and cats haven’t noticed.

Does it matter? Well, possibly not. Dogs and cats are hugely adaptable. They cope with all kinds of comings and goings in human life, so why not this? I do think that now we have mostly been forced to slow down our pace, they probably quite like the continuity. Those that are left alone most of the day are probably loving having us around. 

If you are feeling bored, imagine what your dog goes through for the hours and hours you’re at work? 

If you are feeling a bit ‘hemmed in’, perhaps your cat could be considered a little more? Let them have their own space. They need it.

Of course, it isn’t all rainbows. It might be that you are experiencing more problems with your pet because you aren’t leaving them alone as much, especially if you’re seeking extra cuddles or the kids are letting off steam. The good news is that there is still help available if you need it, so feel free to contact me or any properly qualified (ABTC-registered, Clinical Animal Behaviourist) colleagues. We are still running online puppy classes, and they are still filled with well-behaved dogs and puppies wanting to learn. It isn’t a poorer or lesser method, no matter what you hear. Our online class clients are doing exceptionally well, and I think they deserve congratulations because their ‘lockdown pups’ are going to cope with all the changes that will come with our future new normal.

PUPPY CLASSES ONLINE

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We are running all classes, one to one and behaviour consultations online! Sessions are all held with Karen Wild, CCAB, Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist and Animal Behaviour and Training Council registered Animal Training Instructor.

We can take puppies from all over the UK so don’t hesitate to get in touch and give your lockdown puppy the best chance at quality puppy training!

Karen has over 20 years experience and is able to help you through the early weeks and months of puppy training and puppy behaviour.

Contact us here: [email protected] or use our contact form

Don’t delay! Class space is limited and we are taking bookings now.