Mini-Pack Stop!

Ok you lot, stop and wait, it's "treat time....scooby snack anyone?"......my hands are so cold it takes a while to get the treats out.....Alfie bored of waiting tries to help himself as Lucy tucks into hers so elegantly (not!) - Alfie get your nose out of the bag and sit nicely like Tia! Jack doesn't do sit...so small he stands still instead! They know the rule all to well - nothing in life is free, so they hold the sit or "Jack Stand" until they receive their reward! Alfie clearly has a very short "setter" memory!!! Peter has already taken his out of camera shot to munch alone!

A Mini-Pack Walk

4 of my 13 dogs, with their friend Tia, walking the beach with me. This is what a "mini-pack" of dogs on the move looks like! Spot little Jack in there!!

Walking in an Easter Winterland!!

Happy Easter all.....says Pack spokesdog Peter and guest "Tia"...she just loves my "bad boy"!!!

Easter Sunday starts with snow! Not the weather for a “sausage hunt” so this has been postponed till tomorrow - hopefully!!

Walks on the beach with snow instead, as you can see Peter and Tia loved it anyway, and in case your wondering I have a tennis ball in my hand and they’re staring at me awaiting a throw! Funny thing is Peter goes for the ball and Tia goes after Peter, literally pulling at him to play with her!

All of the “ratpack” are now snoozing in front of the fire, reckon it’s more like Christmas than Spring Easter!

Monty was out trying to track seals again today with Max out tracking sea birds, no sign of either they’re staying out of the snow, sorry dogs! So these two large black dogs are not so much “beach combers” as “beach chasers“! One thing that is confusing Monty, is the strange looking objects in the sea riding the waves, he really doesn’t know what to make of this vision…mind you nor do I …I mean people going surfing in wet suits in the snow….there’s just no accounting for humans hey dogs?!!

The snow always makes the Jack Russells look dirty white! Mind you they are now as they’ve been on the country walk today, and let’s just say there’s a heap of horse muck waiting to be spread on the fields…Terrier heaven! Had to put them in the sea to wash them off….they didn’t much appreciate this consequence!

Hope to share pictures of pack searching for sausages tomorrow!

Bark only once....or twice....then stop!

Lets talk "Doglish".... bit long but well worth the read!!!

So true that we don’t always want to hear barking, such a racket, and certainly our neighbours may not! Like many owners I fell into the trap of telling my dogs, “quiet” …only not so politely and angrily! This never worked, so I would just get more frustrated and the barking would go on..and on …and on - recognise this anyone?!

Our energy is how they read us. If we start shouting, get angry or wave are arms around a dog will not follow our lead, they do not follow instability and weakness which is how they see us if we act like this. So the barking will escalate, we are seen to be joining in as an equal - barking is self-rewarding giving the dog an adrenalin surge, so not what we want and the barking continues, often even louder. They too will know if we're worrying about the neighbours - so clear away such thoughts, to stop barking we must focus only on being calm, assertive! Always follow through, think stop - mean stop!

The way I address continuous barking is to tell them to stop in a way they understand! I get my dog’s attention by interrupting them (no voice from me) - I will add something they don’t like to surprise my dogs, e.g. use a water pistol (never direct at eyes) or rattle a tin can with coins in it, this momentarily stops the barking display, then I can distract them to put an end to it. Timing is crucial, the “surprise” element must be added when they are barking, the distraction when focused on you. Interupt barking, reward quiet, calm response. You can also choose sound, ensuring the assertive sound is one like “pshhht” or “aargh” - not talking (which regardless of what we say can be interpreted as affection thereby reinforcing the barking behaviour!)

Remember it’s up to you to decide if you want your dog to guard bark, teach them and always be in control of how they guard, why/when/where it starts and stops, be consistent else you’ll have an insecure barker/uncertain response.

I want my dogs to bark to signal alert. Having carried out the routine hundreds of times, now I can go over to where they are, check out the situation, calm and assertive I add commands, telling them “Thank you” and to “leave”. If I do need to interrupt them I do this with the (now famous in "doglish") “psssht” sound instead of a tool such as the tin can. Thanking them works as when we say this we usually mean it, so our energy is calm and grateful yet we’re assertive with our decision to leave it to me as the pack leader.

If one dog is still carrying on I will mimic a true dog pack leader and claim the window, I get in front of the window, lean forward, point at them and silently I keep moving in front of them to block them until they give me submissive respectful body language. In the wild, a dominant dog does not use aggression to get his way, so neither should we.

Ignoring a “rant” bark from a dog can be another way to stop the behaviour, as Pack Leader if you pay no attention the performance will stop, you may need ear-plugs and good claming techniques for yourself!

It’s true then if you let a dog wind you up with the bark, this reinforces their response, so “carry on barking” is all you‘ll hear! So I “bite my tongue”…..”keep my cool” and “carry on pack leading”!!!

More ideas soon….for now it’s back to our new pack game - hiding from the snow for the us!!!

Barking....What's it all about?

Dogs don't understand English, even if we think they do!! They make connections between our words and their responses - if learnt via association, e.g. through repetition and reinforcement like reward treats, it may seem like they understand English - they don't!

They use “Doglsih” - this is how they vocally communicate with us, there are different types of bark, here are just some I come across ….daily! To signal alert/alarm, fear, interest (flirt with me being one I hear much at the moment), attention “me me me syndrome”, dominance aggression, excitement, insecurity and my favourite the “howl” which in my pack this means "We're still communicating with you our Pack Leader, even though you’ve gone out we beleive you can hear us"!! Truly amazing experience when you see our tiniest Chihuahua and Gt Dane howling together!

Let’s take an example from my pack- there’s 6 Terriers sitting on the window sill, checking out "their territory" - they don’t know or care that it's us who pay the mortgage etc! An unsuspecting owner with dog passes by., now that’s a sure way to go straight to “barking hell”! This is understandable to them as the unsuspecting dog can’t see them, their body language signals are of no use so vocal it is - which roughly translates to “get off my patch“!

Thing is us humans can be really tricky for a dog to keep up with, to them we are always changing our minds, wanting them to bark to alert us to strangers approaching and yet to shut-up when we know what is going on and don’t want to hear the racket! Dogs cannot tell the difference between friend and foe, anyone or dog just passing by or visiting the home can be seen as either. Much will depend on how we have allowed or taught the dog to behave, aim not to “human confuse dog” by expecting different responses to, how the dog sees it, same situations!.

I’ve heard owners express how their dog would stop a burglar by jumping and licking them! This translates to a dog who is encouraged (not necessarily deliberately) to get excited with visitors and would naturally transfer this to a foe! The other extreme being the dog who cannot be with welcome visitors for our fear of an aggressive response. Both are examples of dogs who have made their own decisions on how to greet humans! Both types are in need of a Pack Leader to show them how to meet friendly visitors calmly and respectfully, with all paws on the floor!

Remember - our dogs are trying to tell us something…check it out, especially if it's whining - until you’re sure you know why don’t insist they stop (if you’re uncertain ask a professional or vet).

Tia settles into pack life!

A week with Tia and all is well in the pack! She has moved on from being “Princess Whirlwind” to “Rag doll”, she’s all hair and paws, lightweight, and leaps onto my knee splaying all 4 legs out, reminds me of rag dolls I had as a child!

There’s been some flirting by my boys, a quick reminder - a nudge or “pssht” from me, blocking their behaviour and they leave her alone. Oh the power of being Pack Leader and having my dogs follow me happily, makes for a very peaceful balanced life! Tension and dominance together is the recipe for a fight over a bitch in season, so I go after the strongest one if they get excited over Tia, this prevents the ripple effect and balance restored! Her “BF” (best friend/boyfriend) is still Peter, and she went to the beach with him and had an off-lead run about, having checked there were no other dogs around, for once not because of Peter’s reactions but to make sure she was safe from other males!

She’s picked a heck of a week to visit - storms, sand storms, snow, hail, gale winds…I’m worn out of trying to walk that beach! No sign of spring again then, the dogs may love their fur coats all year round, but I’m fed up with wearing my winter coat! Hope things improve soon, really want to move into the season that is “trainers or bear feet” (remember how my dogs see my footwear as an indication of to walk or not to walk) as opposed to “wellies or slippers” !!!!!

Talking previously of dog’s using signals to communicate, in their species they use body language as well as vocal to communicate …in “Doglish”! Bit tricky to read what Tia is saying as there’s so much hair… if her hair ever stood up on end I couldn't tell - one big fur ball! She has a lovely, openly friendly nature though so there’s not any problem for me to read - one of those “happy-go-lucky” dogs - wish that would ripple through the pack!!!

Today is the smallest Jack Russell, Sadie’s birthday - she’s 3 so sausage birthday tea later!!

No school tomorrow as Easter Holidays!!! Check us out on blog tomorrow for the annual Dog Easter Sausage Hunt….!!

Rain stopped play and Tia's back!

No school today for Peter - rain storm over here on the coast and so training out in the middle of a field is a no! All out for quick runs on the beach - wow that was windy and huge waves but my dogs don’t care about the rain - they’re not “fair weather” walkers! However, a walk is one thing, but if you ask Max he’ll tell you that Dobeys don’t go outside into the garden in the rain!
The Setters were lucky, as Tia needed to come over and stay (now definitely in season), so they went to the Heath anyway! Tia duly collected, I was here at home ready to lead the pack in greeting Tia. Once the Setters had joined the others in the garden, I had Max and Eddie (the head couple) inside and went to retrieve Tia, waiting very patiently in the car!

The most important rule here was Cesar’s “No touch No talk No eye contact” with any of the dogs, gradually introducing the more senior pack dogs, then the calmer ones. I had to correct with that now famous “psssht” sound, come to think of it I corrected Simon for talking to the dogs that way to….and it worked!! Dog psychology works on humans …..human psychology does not work on dogs and can be dangerous - separate post on this next week!

Amazing how they simply accepted her this time without any fussing, she’s clearly an honouree pack member. Very welcome too if you ask my boys…who thought she smelt lovely and I had to interrupt their social advances a few times!! Pack now reunited and settled, Tia had a nap. So very different from last time on the first day, no separation anxiety, just relaxed and very happy that it’s Sunday - so roast dinner next good timing again Tia!

Thank you then Tia - lovely to have you stay in such a calm way! Looks like I’ll be doing a fair bit of correcting my boys, even though they are all neutered! In dog packs only the alpha couple mate, so I can’t be my old lazy self and allow any actual pairing up else it will inflate their status. Especially Peter who is only just beginning to accept that I’m “alpha” and he’s not! He accepts that Max is higher ranked than him but me that’s been a long hard road! As Peter is also her favourite, as well as an experienced dog at mating (Snoopy’s dad) this could cause trouble for me as his leader …can‘t have Peter thinking he‘s top dog and out-ranks me…again!!!

Simon looking worried....when she breeds with Bruffy (Chris's gorgeous boy), might fancy a pup now that I've seen a calmer Tia! He's only really got to worry if I start thinking of names...Betty, Becky, Libby....!!!

"Packleading" goes American!

We’ve been doing a lot of talking to folks in America - on-line as I found a Cesar "Fan site" and joined! This is a large group of people, mainly in the States as far as I can tell (those of you may remember I don’t do Geography!) who follow Cesar’s way. This is no ordinary fan club, they use Cesar’s philosophy, his method of Pack Leading to have balanced dogs, then share their experience. The tips and insight into dog rehabilitation that I am getting is truly excellent, and I’m able to offer my experience gained with my pack members too. So this is a great way to learn how to be pack leader, as close as I can get to asking Cesar himself! Mind you I really do think he should come over to the UK and help us follow his lead, his way is the only way I’ve found that has a positive impact on my pack!

One of the great, new to me, philosophies I have got from this "Cesar group", is NILIF - nothing in life is free! This works really well alongside Cesar’s way. When we apply this to the dogs it means that to get affection, this involves lateral thinking to define what a dog perceives as affection - walks, food, even talking to him, and albeit negative shouting at a dog can be seen as joining in! Tip - if they’re barking - don’t shout - don’t join in! So to get anything from me as their leader they have to earn it, do something for me and they will receive affection, this can be as simple as a sit, but they are doing something for me ….so nothing in their life is free, and they are becoming less dominant and more like followers!

Will share some more of these great tips from States side soon! I’ll keep chatting (yippee) and you keep reading! Way to go American pack - We’ll all become “awesome” pack leaders!

Also, coming soon - if you can’t shout at them what can you do to stop barking?

Peter's School Days....he's back!

Returning this Sunday, after a week off, he struts in and turns his attention to me, obeying commands….is this the same dog his classmates wonder! “Oh yes it is“, as Tia comes over to see him, recognising him as her “best friend” when she stayed with us, only to be greeted in his anti-social way…growls and snarls! However, this didn’t last long, once I said “hi” to Tia and petted her, he was back to being friendly and “checking her out”!! So he did remember who she was after all, just didn’t recognise her at first seeing her at the training field rather than on home turf!

The class went well, really well! Peter did his heel work and was as good as it gets for a Terrier (close to perfect responses to my commands)! He walked past his classmates without an aggressive tantrum and even did a “down stay”…only a few minutes but he did it! He’s mastered the “recall” and adds on a “finish” - the bit where the dog comes to you, sits then goes around to the heal position and sits again! That’s my boy! We managed to get a bit closer to his classmate on the socialisation exercise, inch by inch we moved closer when he didn’t react aggressively. May take his muzzle with him next week so he can safely experience being around the other dogs.

We did some more agility with him, he really loves this sport and focuses on me and my commands, I even got my left and right turns correct so he jumped over following the route I had in mind…as opposed to his own choice of where to go! We didn’t do it off lead today, not sure I can trust him to not chase after the others working on their obedience on the field! His weaves were just great, especially as we haven’t done this since the first time, he remembered how to weave in and out of the poles. What a bright boy he really is, as I forgot that he was a beginner, and that I was using the “in and out” commands to teach weave, I reverted to “weave weave weave” and he just knew what to do!

So seems that he takes to agility, he has to constantly move forward, changing pace and turning, so this challenges his mental ability as well. Will we go onto agility next then, the early class? Will think it over and discuss it with teacher! I hope so as he clearly enjoys it, reckon may need some more work on that recall, with distractions, first.

Peter’s been doing a lot of homework, massive improvement noticeable this week, very proud of him. By the way Peter, how about doing some of that lovely heelwork on your daily excisions to the beach?!

Alfie at rest.....

So this week we've been watching Crufts, mind you Eddie finds it a little boring, I mean it's not the Dog Whisperer! Last night was the turn of the working dogs, I watched the English Setters, while glancing at my Alfie.....oh well never mind Crufts is not our thing anyway! Alfie, is from working stock, so much smaller in height than the show bred Setters, and a darn site scuffier!, Which would make you think he'd be better at working....see the pheasant and then "set" meaning stand still and look towards the bird's location, to show human where the bird is....not our Alfie - he just chases them all over the place with no idea what to do, he's never caught up with one yet, he's got close and just carries on running round them!

Anyway, a Setter didn't win the group, so other than a chihuahua who got through on Thursday, it'll be up to the Gt Danes, Dobeys (tonight) and Terriers (Sunday) to represent our pack!!!

Our Dogs and Other Animals....

Today Eddie’s excitement level peaked…..watching us through the sunroom window as we moved in the new chickens!! Much “yearking (mix of yelps and barks) by the Russells as am guessing they thought “mmmn supper“!

No afraid not, no “terrierising” the new hens (dogs and other animals kept well separated)! We have added to our family with 7 hens, all rescued from death row, at one year old, they have had no experience of life except as battery hens. I can assure you that is no life, as caged birds they are kept in about 1sq ft (max) never allowed to roam, they have few feathers and appear very thin and tatty. Thanks to a wonderful organisation who rescue these hens on the day they are due to be slaughtered, anyone can adopt them as pets, to live out there life happily experiencing space, fresh air and grass!! Hopefully they’ll lay some eggs too, then the dogs will get the benefit of daily eggs with their feed - better than nothing hey ~Eddie?! Our chicken “Henny“, will meet them in a week or so, when they’re a bit stronger and more confident. The phrase “pecking order” is used to describe many animal hierarchy systems including dogs, but it refers to chickens and we don’t want Henny acting “the boss” to them too early! Else they’ll get too frightened, they need to recover themselves as chickens first!

My thanks go out to both Jamie Oliver (the chef), Liz Jones (column in Mail on Sunday) for bringing to my attention the plight of over 2 million hens kept in battery cages, out of sight and thereby out of mind! To find out how you can help save battery hens, visit http://www.bhwt.org.uk/ They make lovely pets, and there are other ways you can help to through donations or sponsoring. More importantly support free range chickens, lets help put a stop to these cruel batteries and factory farming of chickens, you can help now by making adjustments to your shopping- look out for - “free range” and remember other products like mayonnaise, cakes etc that use eggs, if you like “hidden eggs” - look for products labelled with free range.

Unexpected arrivals, as yet the Terriers know nothing about, are 7 baby rabbits. Yep, did say 7!! Thing is we were about to neuter the male, born last year, but he shouldn’t have been old enough to “mate” his fellows yet….Oh Yes He Was! So he did….breed like rabbits! So all 3 females gave birth this week and babies galore! I have the young male in question in a cage away from the ladies now! Hope we can move the youngsters on at 6 weeks, else “rabbit village” will become “rabbit town”…or “City”!!!

Plenty for the dogs to watch out of the window now then….Don’t call it a picture window for nothing!!!!

Peter's School Days

Back to winter here on the East Coast, and I’ve got an “end of season” cold! So day off school for Peter last Sunday, never a day off training though we were out putting him through his paces on the beach!
Some good news….
Today we bumped into a fellow dog walker who owns one of Peter’s many nemesis. Previously we’ve tried to have a conversation while Peter is throwing his aggressive tantrum, I’ve told him about Peter’s problems so he has empathy for us, his dog Lucky is a very calm and submissive older lady! He was walking towards us, he put Lucky on her lead, we were walking towards him, no option to avoid as no space in the lane.

So I checked Peter into the heal position, told him to leave and passed by…no display - no dominant posturing…no aggression…I got Peter to sit, rewarded him and had a chat with the owner….a real conversation! OK so we are Brits...it was about the weather ...but as there was a sandstorm brewing up on the beach where we were headed that's acceptable hey?! He did comment on how improved Peter's behaviour was. Peter sat still, avoided looking at Lucky and then I said “lets go” and off we went. Truly amazing so proud of my boy!

I really felt like his pack leader, for the first time! The other dogs have accepted my leadership but Peter is a stubborn, social climber (a dog who climbs up through the pack ranks to be ready to challenge for leadership),very reluctant to hand over his perceived high rank to me! When I began the walk I kept telling myself that I am the leader, I “own” this walk, I am the “pack protector“, this together with being calm yet assertive, a loose lead and a few commands - everything came together at the crucial time and it all worked! What a confidence boost for me and so now I do know that he can do it…..so lets do it every time hey Peter?!!

We will be back at school Sunday, wonder how Peter will react seeing Tia…if he’ll make the connection between Tia - his best mate at home and Tia - Chris’s dog at the training field………?

Power Of The Pack!

If any of you watch “The Dog Whisperer” on TV, you’ll know that Cesar’s pack of dogs help un-balanced dogs with rehabilitation. Dogs have amazing powers of observation (far better than us humans), so dogs who need rehab watch and communicate with the stable dogs, thereby learning how to be balanced, calm and submissive in dog/human company.

I’ve seen this work when I have got one of my calm dogs to help Peter on his walks, the calm dog does not react to other dogs, completely ignores (avoids eye contact ) and gives off calm, submissive energy which positively impacts Peter’s energy. Put simply he copies the calm behaviour and “bingo” - we pass by without an aggressive display!

What I hadn’t realised until we had “Princess Whirlwind“…Tia, to stay was how calm and relaxed they are generally around the house. Even when they’re alerting me to passers by etc, once I “Thank them” and tell them to “Leave” it to me, its back to resting for them, their mission complete! Tia picked up on this energy, the second day of her stay, she had it copied and down to a fine art, this is how she fitted in so well. The bonus for owner Chris is that apparently she has taken this new calmer energy home with her, Chris commenting on how laid back she now is ….so looks like we’re the opposite to “boot camp” ….we’re “calm canine camp”….your dog stays and leaves de-stressed and more balanced, bit like health farm then?!!

The “power of the pack” is truly awesome, I guess I have seen it before, my pack have always house-trained the young ones for me, I haven’t had to do this in years! The only downside is that they too can observe and copy bad behaviours ….ooops …hey Jack Russells?! I’ve mentioned before that they also copy humans, Alfie will give me a smile, lifting both sides of his mouth mimicking a human smile as it gets results, a treat, walk…hug! They read all our body language, specifically our eyes, to suss out our feelings or what we‘re about to do next!

So remember…your dog is watching you….all the time!!