GM News - July 2021

Welcome to the Grooming edition - with bonus recipes for your dogs (chicken jerky, vegan biscuits) and information about a research study that you might like to participate in!

Wishing you and your pup cosy spots to curl up in,
Amanda, Rodna, David & Ruth
Gentle Modern School of Dog Training

Homemade Chicken Jerky

Ever wonder about the ingredients of commercial dog treats? You know exactly what your dog is getting when you DIY :-)
A simple recipe for chicken jerky can be found at the Proud Dog Mom Blog: slices of chicken breast dehydrated in the oven and lasting for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
Are you a vegan looking for a treat that you and your dogs can enjoy? Check out this oat/peanut butter/banana treat recipe

Bathing your Dog - Fun or Frenzy?

If you plan on using a pet hydrobath at a Vet, Petshop or Carwash, you'll want to find out if your dog is able to cope with such a setting. Visit before you schedule an actual bath and see how your dog copes with the noise, not only of the hydrobath equipment itself, but also the noises of the surroundings. The set-up can be quite confined - can your dog cope with being in such tight space? What are the arrangements for getting a dog in and out of the tub - can you and your dog feasibly manage this process?

What about bathing at home - do you want it to be done inside or outside? Outside bathing is not a good idea in Winter months. How will you transport warm water to an outdoor bathing set-up for all the phases; for the wetting, soaping and rinsing? Inside you might be able to use the kitchen sink, laundry tub, bath or shower cubicle (use a non-slip mat on the base) depending on the size of your dog. How will you safely get your dog in and out? To be effective you'll have to saturate the dog's coat - before and after soaping. For medium-large size dogs, pouring water on the dog from a jug probably won't get the job done so you'll need a hose. Hose attachments are readily available. You might like a dog-washing specific attachment. Check out the Aquapaw Bathing Tool available from a variety of local online pet suppliers. Do not pour water over your pets head (you can wipe carefully with a damp flannel). Most dogs will find it upsetting and water in the ears can lead to infections.
Make sure the experience is rewarding for your dog. Use a lick mat [see special offer below] attached to a spot where your dog can reach it or have a human helper to give food - one person can't give timely rewards and be wetting, soaping and rinsing.

Whatever the bath set-up:

Preparation is key to success
Only use products designed for dogs.
Deliver HIGH value rewards generously throughout the process. If your dog don't doesn't take food, the stress level is too high.
Remember to brush your dog before a bath - washing matted fur only makes the knots worse.

Photo by Anthony Duran, Unsplash

Make sure the human doing the bathing is calm and relaxed - stress is contagious.
Washing too often is bad for a dog's skin - wash as rarely you can.
If bathing when it's cold outside, take extra care to ensure your dog is dry before going outside

Our friends at LickiMat have a LickiMat® Splash™ product designed for use during bathing. Remember LickiMat have given us a 20% discount code for your use until the end of July. The code is GENTLEMODERNSCHOOL

Going slow - Puppies or Rescue Dogs

Your dog will need acclimatise to the bathing space before bathing takes place.
Let your pup explore your chosen bath space without water.
Then put a few centimetres of warm water in it and let your dog explore it under your supervision.
If your dog is comfortable:

You can gently pour warm water into the tub – letting the pup see the water pour (your dog is not standing in the tub but observing at a small distance), then
Pouring close to the dog (dog is now standing in the tub),
Then pouring gently onto the dog.

Make sure you go slowly with this process, rewarding the dog regularly and not proceeding to the next step until their body language gives you confidence that they are not just tolerating but actually enjoying the process.

Professional Groomers

If it is at all possible, I strongly recommend visiting the groomer as many times as you can before the first actual grooming appointment. In that way, s/he can become accustomed to the groomer, the surroundings, and the sights, sounds and smells at the Grooming Salon.
I also suggest you discuss the restraint techniques the groomer might routinely use in advance.
Can you be present during the first grooming session? This could give your pup reassurance and also give you a chance to observe and discuss grooming techniques with the groomer.

Your Dog's Preferences

Ask your Vet/Clinic and Groomer to record your animal's preferences. For example:

Loves dried liver as a reward
Treats have been brought in from home
Examine on ground not table
Likes to be wrapped in towel
Muzzle for nail trims

Dog being Groomed - Photo by Henar Langa, Unsplash

Want more info related to grooming?

We've barely scratched the surface of grooming (what about nail clipping, teeth cleaning, ear cleaning !!!) I have several resources that I recommend (text, video, online courses). Email me and I will send a list of resources to you.

Photo Henar Langa, Unsplash

Research Study

You may be interested to participate in a research study being conducted by Carmen Glanville, PhD Candidate, Animal Welfare Science Centre, Faculty of Veterinary & Agricultural Sciences.

This is a study looking at the drivers of dog welfare in the home. We are looking for approx. 60 people to have a home visit from us and use some exciting remote monitoring technology. During the home visit we will do a questionnaire with you and some assessments with your dog. Then we will provide you with a PetPace collar (like a fitbit for your dog) and an Actigraph monitor for you and one other adult in your household to measure the time you spend in close proximity to your dog. You will need to wear these for 4 weeks before we come to collect them from you.

This sort of study has never been done before, so you would be involved in a world first for dog science!

All participants who complete the 4 week study will also go into the draw to win 1 of 6 $250 visa gift cards: that's a 1 in 10 chance!

Get valuable insights into your dog's behaviour, health, and welfare.

For more information and to register your interest in being involved head to: https://melbourneuni.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dav7sIQB2iTv2US