Canine Services
Kathleen Fisher
My Services
I use a holistic and gentle approach to behaviour modification, applying only reward based techniques to gain maximum focus and response for lasting behaviour changes
No problem is too big or too bizarre!
It is my view that a full and accurate assessment of behaviour can only be accomplished while the dog is observed within it's own environment.
Duration can vary depending on each individual case, however please allow between 1-2 hours.
During the consultation, the owner will be encouraged to learn the skills needed to enable him/her to have the confidence to manage their dog and it's behaviours long term.
There is no magical "cure"!
Behaviour changes can take time with progress seemingly slow, however it is important to remember that any progress, no matter how slow, is still progress.
After the initial consultation, you will be given a comprehensive behaviour support programme, which has been written to fit yours and your individual dog's requirements. As no two dogs are the same, the same applies to any behaviour management. All dogs and their families are treated as individuals.
Home consultations offered for owners and their dogs
Areas of behaviour covered (although not limited to)
Aggression (s)
Phobias
Separation Anxiety
Nervousness
Issues surrounding feeding (i.e. faddy eaters, possessive feeders etc)
Puppy advice also given, to include:
Excessive Chewing
Toilet Training
Recall
Feeding
Leaving puppy for periods of time
Please note: as a professional behaviourist I would always recommend that owners seek the advice of their vet on individual dietary requirements and or behaviour of the dog prior to contacting me for further advice.
To discuss your dog with me and to book a consultation, please contact me:
Kathleen Fisher (AMCBC)
Tel: 01502 589178/07706653037
Email: katfisher@manx.net
Certificate in Canine Psychology and Behaviour Modification
Certificate in Anatomy and Physiology of Companion Pets
9 years experience of working on a one to one basis with owners and their dogs
Pack Management
Explaining a little about “Pack Management” and how much of a role it plays in a dog’s daily life.
We humans, without guidance or leadership from parents, teachers or friends, fare very poorly. We have no sense of direction, which can at times, leave us feeling extremely vulnerable; this vulnerability can in turn cause us to exhibit displaced behaviours such as fear and aggression.
Our canine friends are in no way different. A canine can only function fully when it is in a pack unit. This may consist of, humans, other dogs/pets or both.
Because humans cannot communicate with dogs on the same complex level as one dog would to another, often mixed messages and signals will be transmitted, this can leave both parties confused.
On the one hand, we will display leadership qualities, fully confident and able, whereas on the other hand we will display behaviours associated with vulnerability and weakness. Such behaviour is usually shown by the weaker members of a pack, i.e. the subordinate members and those which are old, frail or the very young, guaranteed to bring out the “protector” in your dog. This behaviour is not always welcome by human members of the pack, as the protection and guarding dog will often become clingy, demanding, agitated and often aggressive (especially if the owner is approached by strangers) making life very difficult.
Pack management, is a programme designed to ease your dog into his or her new lower ranking position in the pack and to establish yourself (including all other human pack members) into the role as pack managers(s). There is no great mystery to the programme, which is simply studying your dog’s behaviours including body language, very closely and in turn changing your own behaviours in the home so that dog and human can live alongside one another more harmoniously and with less confusion, which will avoid any inappropriate or unwanted behaviours.
Establishing pack management in the home.
Understand your pack
It is important to fully understand your dog and how pack structure works.
Applying boundaries
Boundaries come in forms such as body language and physical boundaries such as doorways etc. All of these can be used as means of establishing pack management within the home.
Folding arms sitting tall, turning away and avoiding eye contact (especially when your dog jumps up) will all indicate a “no go zone” and your dog will understand this is a boundary without the need to use “management tools” such as are commonly used by many trainers and behaviourists.
(The term management tools relate to objects used in behaviour management or training, see the following: Leashes/leads, collars, to include choke and half choke chains, whistles, noise aversion tools to include: stones in tub/bottle, disks).
Closing doors when leaving the room, not allowing invasion in the bedroom (especially the bed) are other ways of creating boundaries. This applies to any dog which shows agitation, or aggression, at being in this situation and does not apply as a general rule, some owners gain much comfort at having their pets in the bedroom and should not be made to feel guilt or inadequacy in doing so.
Food is a powerful resource for dogs, and as such can often be used as a behaviour management tool by both owner and dog. Picky eaters or dogs who refuse to eat, can become a source of great concern to any owner, who will often try coaxing the dog to eat or continue to try all manner of different foods to tempt the dog. This behaviour which the owner begins to display has in effect been shaped by the dog which gives the desired result. The owner begins to act as a subordinate by offering food and attention which allows the dog to slip into the role as pack manager.
- Offer the first meal of the day- however make the meal small, to encourage your dog to eat all of it at once.
- If your dog walks away, remove any uneaten food and place up on a worktop.
- When you arrive home at lunch time, offer the food again, and repeat as earlier.
- Apply the same routine for the evening meal.
- Ignoring your dog whenever you leave and return to the room will promote a sense of calm and normality which will help to lessen any anxieties which your dog may show whenever it is left alone.
When you come in contact with your dog, whether you have been gone for a few minutes or a few hours, it is important that the atmosphere remains as calm and as “boring” as possible. Whereas in the past you may have been enthusiastically greeted by your dog, you will now simply walk in and ignore any attempts he tries to make to engage with you. (Remember to “ignore” not “punish”) Be prepared as he may try every trick in the book in order to gain your attention! It is vital that you remain consistent in ignoring your dog. Please note this exercise also applies to anyone who visits your home, such as workmen or relatives.
It is difficult to say just how long to ignore your dog, however I would say use your own judgement (typically a dog will begin to calm down within 10-15 minutes) after which time; you can begin to engage with him once again.
Remember not to go overboard with any high pitched tones and excited movements. Just a simple stroke or pat and a verbal rein forcer such as “good boy” etc … is sufficient for your dog to feel happy and accepted.
When it comes time to leave your dog again, remember the golden rule! Do not engage with him prior to leaving him alone, as this will exacerbate any anxieties. Simply return your dog to his allocated room and leave, without eye, physical or verbal contact!
Try to remember to use appropriate voice tones
The tone of voice you use is more important than what you are actually saying your dog will have no concept of human vocal language; however he will learn to react to voice tones, especially if the tone is reinforced with something positive.
- Whenever you are trying to promote a sense of calm, use a neutral, low and soft tone.
- For recall, it is perfectly acceptable to use a high pitched excited tone.
- If you are making a direct command, for instance, if your dog is jumping at the window ledge, then a deeper and gruffer "ahh ahh!!" will suffice.
Engage in controlled and positive interaction with your dog.
Remember to leave a time in the day where you really get to engage with your dog this is a special time for you both, it is a time when pack bonds are strengthened, it will also give you a chance to fully observe your dogs unique body language! I never tire of watching the many ways in which dogs are able to communicate effectively with each other and with us humans.
This time can include, games, petting, grooming etc, the choice is yours.
Teaching Recall
“I feel that the best place to teach recall to any dog is within the safe familiarity of its own home. Not all dogs are suited to obedience schools and in fact many can quickly become highly anxious at being in an alien environment among people and other dogs with which it is not familiar. In my experience, this is not a good foundation on which to begin gaining maximum focus and response.”Gaining focus by understanding “Canine Drives”
“What motivates a dog?” Dogs are all bred for different requirements, some, such as retrievers, Labradors, are bred to work very closely with their owner or keeper, in this instance a dogs’ pack drive is nurtured, whilst others are bred to hunt, such as beagles, fox hounds, greyhounds, Jack Russell, in this instance, the dogs’ prey drive is nurtured.
Owners can find their own dogs drive by observing its behaviour whilst out walking or in the garden. Using toys and food to see which of these gains more focus from the dog.
If your dog shows enthusiasm and excitement at the sight of moving objects, such as a running cat, another dog running, people jogging, even the movement of a cars wheels, then it may be displaying “prey drive”. Often these dogs are not very responsive to owner’s voice tones and instead choose to run off into the distance in pursuit of excitement!
This drive can be nurtured and used to the owner’s advantage. For instance gaining the dog focus by using an equally exciting object such as a ball or toy, at the same time nurturing “pack drive” by teaching the dog that reward in the chase can only continue if the ball is returned to the owner. (Positive reinforcement)
If your dog shows enthusiasm and excitement at the sound of its owner’s voice and shows little or no interest in moving object which is not in its immediate vicinity, then it may be displaying “Pack Drive”. This drive is nurtured and used by trainers especially those who may be training dogs as companion dogs for the hard of hearing or those who have impaired sight. Owners can also nurture and reinforce this drive by offering food as an incentive for the dog to remain close by.
“Please remember, that the above information is a guide only. Canine Drives and behaviours can vary from dog to dog therefore it is important that each dog is assessed individually.”
Once an owner has established which drive their dog appears to display, then recall can be put into practice.
Using food as an incentive to gain focus and response.
I advise that a good food source would be cheese. The reward which your dog receives should be as exciting if not more exciting than anything else within its immediate vicinity. The reward or rein forcer, should always be backed up, using a secondary rein forcer, in this case, lots of verbal and physical praise. Remembering to keep the element of surprise and excitement at all times! Keep voice tones light and body language welcoming (.I. crouching down arms open in an inviting manner).
I recommend that it would benefitial walk the dog on an extending lead. This will ensure that everyone concerned gains confidence and trust. A nervous owner will ensure a nervous pet.
Whilst you are walking your dog, periodically throughout the walk, stop and call him/her to you. Use light recall tones and use inviting body language. Make sure he/she can see that you are offering an exciting treat, As soon as he/she is by you, the reward should be applied immediately. Remember, you are expecting your excited dog to stop having fun to come back to you, so make it worth his/her while!
Repeat this roughly every 20-30 paces for the duration of the walk. Remember to always reward your dog for returning to you. If he/she fails to respond immediately, do not shout or become agitated, simply take a few moments and try again. He/She will not be “ignoring” you out of spite (as is thought by many owners who believe that punishment is the answer for this type of behaviour) it may be that simply he/she has not understood clearly what action is required.
Do not feel pressured into walking your dog off lead until you feel confident in doing so. Use your own judgement as to when you feel ready. When the time comes to let him/her off, ask for some back up from friends or family if this makes the process easier and puts your mind at ease.
Use the same principal when teaching your dog to walk by your side, although this time using a shorter lead as opposed to the extending lead.
Maintain focus at all times and reward your dog for sticking close by you, using food as the incentive to do so.
*Always reward positive behaviour and at all times ignore negative behaviour*NEVER PUNISH YOUR DOG!
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