GM News - June 2024

Welcome to Winter :-)
Stay Active (indoors if outside is too grim) and Stay Cosy!

Amanda, David, & Ruth
Gentle Modern School of Dog Training
GM-News, Edition 60

Top Winter Tips

Catching the breeze is great in summer but bad in Winter - is your dog's bed in the path of a draft?
Dry skin is common in cold weather. Limit baths; they can strip natural oils from the skin and coat and increase the likelihood of dry, flaky skin. Check out omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, antioxidant supplements, and moisturising shampoos.
Stay on top of grooming - a close shave due to matts in the coat is not ideal in Winter! (Check out Jackie Aarons' Winter Coat Care: Grooming Tips )
Rats seek shelter in cold months - Avoid using rat poison as your dog or other animals, such as meat-eating birds, can be killed by secondary poisoning. (It is also an inhumane way to kill any animal.)
Is a jacket necessary for your dog? Check with your Vet or breeder - it's generally not necessary for normal activities for most dogs.
Beware of overheating and also burns from making contact with heaters.
Frosty temperatures, wind chill, cold sea or river water: severe cold can be dangerous. Dr. Debra M. Eldredge, DVM, recommends "warming a dog slowly. Bring your dog into a warm room and wrap him in a warm towel. Dry him off carefully. Do not do a lot of rubbing."

Tips for the Dog Walker!

Invest in gumboots
Carry towels in the car
Purchase a cheap plastic poncho to store in the car/your dog-walking-bag so you won't be caught out in sudden rain
Take extra care - surfaces can be slippery

Top Training Tip - When your dog doesn't respond to your instruction

We're often surprised and disappointed when our dog doesn't respond immediately to instructions like "sit" or "stay." Sometimes, a dog doesn't really understand the instruction or doesn't understand it in a different context (in the kitchen rather than the backyard, with your partner rather than you, etc.). Sharon Carroll explores a range of other potential reasons in 'Why is my dog not responding to my cue?'

> The dog perceives a more 'valuable' alternative
> Lack of adequate motivation
> Physical discomfort (present or anticipated)
> Mental/Emotional discomfort (present or anticipated)
> Arousal in excess of optimal [too hyped up!]
> Fatigue (physical/mental)
> Behaviour is too "high effort" for that individual at the time

Excerpt
"Next time you are working with your dog, and they don't respond rapidly and accurately to your first cue, first consider if they really do understand your cue in that context, then before "insisting" on the behavior, check that your dog really is just "blowing you off" (i.e. they are enjoying the behavior they are already performing and hence don't want to perform the cued behavior at that time).
If the behavior they are performing in preference to performing the cued behavior does not appear to be inherently enjoyable / rewarding, then try to accurately identify the specific reason your dog is struggling to respond to your cue, and make a plan to resolve the underlying cause rather than "insisting" on the cued behavior at that time."

Before training, make sure your dog is keen for food, use high value rewards and let your dog run off some energy before asking them for too much.

Canine Body Language -Confessions of a Reformed Gusher

Before I knew not to, I often expressed my love for dogs by rushing in towards them. I was a space invader.

Now I stand back, and it probably looks like I'm ignoring your dog, but I'm giving your dog space to choose to engage with me and giving myself time to read what your dog is telling me through their body language. I'm letting communication happen (or not) instead of forcing it.
Kathy Callahan has a great analogy in How to Win the Body-Language Game
"Have you ever played the game charades? When you’re trying to get better at body language, I think it’s helpful to use that game’s mindset as you train. The skills it takes to win at charades are 100% relevant to the skills it takes to build solid two-way communication with your dog."
Check out the article and see if it resonates with you :-)

Amanda, Reformed Gusher

Your Reward for Reading to the End

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