Since my background is in teaching  (humans), I have been trained to recognize signs of child abuse. As a dog trainer, I also have developed a radar for detecting signs of animal abuse.  Phil’s lecture educated me on the link between animal cruelty and other forms of abuse, and what to do about it.

Most of the time, animal abuse will precede human abuse. If there is an animal being abused in the home, the chances are much higher for human violence.  More than 80 % of family members being treated for child abuse also had abused animals. In two-thirds of these cases, an abusive parent had killed or injured a pet. In one-third of the cases, a child victim continued the cycle of violence by abusing a pet.

Is there a link between childhood adversity, bullying and animal cruelty? According to the Link Newsletter, “children who were threatened, pushed, shoved, slapped, or hit, or who were made to do chores that were too difficult or dangerous, were more likely to develop bullying behaviors. Hearing swearing or hurtful things, or having an adult in the home sent to prison, or being touched or fondled in a sexual way were significant indicators of animal cruelty. The cumulative burden of childhood adversities had strong effects on the increased likelihood of bullying behaviors but not on cruelty to animals.”  Vaughn, M.G., Fu, Q., Beaver, K.M., DeLisi, M., Perron, B.E., & Howard, M.O. (2011). Effects of childhood adversity on bullying and cruelty to animals in the United States:

Lack of empathy seems to be the red flag. Children who have grown up in homes where animals are abused are at a greater risk of becoming violent against people. Animal abuse is an anti social, aggressive behaviour. Children who witness it can grow up lacking empathy.

Shelters everyone are all too familiar with dogs rescued from abusive homes. If there are children in these homes, what can we do? Is there a way to share information and help prevent the abuse from spreading to family members?Get tips on identifying and reporting animal cruelty and neglect.

“One of the most dangerous things that can happen to a child is to kill or torture an animal and get away with it.” -Anthropologist Margaret Mead

It’s just dawned on me….
My  dog sleeps about 20 hours a  day.
He  has his food prepared for him. He can eat whenever he wants.
His meals are provided at no cost to him.
He visits the Dr. once a year for his checkup, and again during the year if any medical needs arise.
For this he pays nothing and nothing is required of him.
He lives in a nice neighborhood in a house that is much larger than he needs and he is not required to do any upkeep..
If he makes a mess, someone else cleans it up.
He has his choice of luxurious places to sleep.
He receives these accommodations absolutely free.
He is living like a King, and has absolutely no expenses whatsoever..
All of his costs are picked up by others who go out and earn a living every day.
I was just thinking about all this, and suddenly it hit me like a brick  ……..

OMG! I think my dog is a member of Parliament!

Joan Hollywood

He will be in Ottawa September 28th – 30th to talk about Science Based Dog Training with Feeling. This is the seminar André and I attended last May in Toronto. We thoroughly enjoyed it and made many changes to our puppy curriculum because of that seminar.

Dr. Dunbar will be in Toronto September 20th – 23rd. This seminar is about Sex & Aggression. André and I will be there!

There have been countless studies that have shown that money can be a de-motivator, but it is seldom a good motivator. The paycheck might be what gets you to show up for work, but it is not what will make you excel. What will have you striving for excellence is interesting work, challenging work, meaningful work. You might excel because you are recognized and appreciated and because you have a sense of accomplishment.

How can we apply this to dog training? Dogs need a paycheck too! They want to know WHAT you want them to do and WHY they should do it.  When your dog is learning something new, he must understand what is being asked of him and why he is doing it.  The Paycheck, for a dog,  is a primary reinforcer. This means that patting him on the head and saying “Good Dog!” is NOT ENOUGH. Primary reinforcers used in training are usually high value treats. Just like money can be a de-motivator, the wrong reinforcer can also send your dog looking elsewhere for fulfillment. Kibble is NOT GOOD ENOUGH.  Your dog loves you, but you might as well come to terms now that he is still a selfish creature. Most of the time he is thinking WIFM (What’s in it For ME?).

You know that you will be paid for your work. Your boss does not have to dangle the paycheck in front of your nose to get you to do your job. Same goes when you are training your dog! You are not dangling the treat in front of the dog to “make him” do what you have asked. You are rewarding your dog with the paycheck and not leading your dog with it.

Help your dog excel by making the training fun, rewarding, challenging (but not discouraging). If you have a scent hound, put that nose to work! Hide-and-seek games are made for these dogs! If you have a herding dog, put those instincts to work! Does your dog like to jump? Use those talents!

Not only does your dog need a paycheck, but he also needs satisfying, motivating work.

The Ottawa Canine School offers Fun Friday Playdates regularly (and even more frequently during the Winter months). This Friday December 16th the Ottawa Canine School is hosting a small dog playdate, for dogs 25 lbs or less. And don’t worry, we do not Weigh In the dogs at the door and turn away those that had a few too many biscuits during this festive season. Puppies are welcome, as long as they are currently 25lbs or less and have had the required vaccines.

Have a pooch that would love a playdate but is not considered a small dog?  No worries!  We also have playdates for dogs of all sizes. Check the website, under Fun Fridays, for the schedule.

What can you expect at a doggy playdate? Well, first of all, to have a lot of fun! You can also expect to meet some new people, meet some new dogs, and see what your pooch thinks of the tunnel.

Drop in any time between 6:30 and 8pm. Most people arrive around 6:30pm though many do drop in later. There are gates set up at the entrance,which allows you to come in without being greeted by all the other dogs in the room! This also prevents your dog from being overwhelmed by a furry greeting committee. There is a trainer there at all times to supervize the dogs.

While the dogs have fun running around or exploring some agility equipment, humans are also encouraged to socialize, have some refreshments, and watch the dogs enjoy themselves. We have a great coffee/tea machine, a fridge stocked with water and other cold drinks (no beer, sorry) and some treats. This is all included in the $10.

This indoor playdate is for socialized, friendly dogs. If your dog has a bite history, this is NOT the place for him! If you are not sure how your dog will handle the playdate, you can give it a try, but be prepared to leave. If your dog is not socialized and finds being in a room full of dogs stressful, we will ask you to take your pooch home. We want the dogs to have fun! 

This Friday we will have a special DOOR PRIZE – a lovely stuffed Doggy Stocking! $40 value. It has a Kong Toy, water/food bowl, bones, ar’ful good treats, and other great goodies!

If you have any questions about the Ottawa Canine School’s doggy playdates, please call (613) 296-3643 or email ottawak9school@yahoo.ca

Saturday October 29th, the Ottawa Canine School hosted a Scary Saturday photo shoot with Brittany Veinot, the PhoDOGrapher (see more www.phodographer.ca).

Since I’m not into dressing up my dogs for Hallowe’en, I went for a simple photo shoot. It’s stressful enough for Hemingway the Great Dane to be photographed, thank you very much. Everest, as Brittany pointed out, could get photographed all day, every day. Hemi, however… well, not so much. We were able to get him in the doors, greet a few dogs, and focus for a wee moment.

These pics are just a preview. I still have to choose my background, and Brittany promises she can photoshop the Hemi Goober off my pant leg (in the 1st picture). I like the dogs in the 2nd picture, but my leaning over them just looks… awkward.

André Hurtubise, Dr. Ian Dunbar & Chantal Mills

André and I recently attended a three day seminar all about puppies, given by Dr. Ian Dunbar.. What an experience! Dr. Dunbar is a veterinarian, animal behaviourist and dog trainer. He is also a really funny, interesting and fascinating man who has a lot of great information to share.

André and I learned a lot during this conference and have already started making changes in our Puppy Kindergarten curriculum. The biggest change is that we will be offering a Puppy I class, for dogs 15 weeks old and under, and a Puppy II class, for dogs that are between 15 and 20 weeks old.

Our puppy classes will still be ongoing, which means that you can start any time. There is currently a Tuesday evening class, a Saturday morning class and a Sunday afternoon class. Those will all be Puppy II classes. We will be adding a Puppy I class Mondays and possibly Saturday afternoons. Keep your eye on the website, as changes will be coming soon!

According to a study by Patronek et al,  the main factor is “not participating in dog obedience classes after acquisition”.  That makes a lot of sense to me, but I’m a dog trainer! Of course I believe in training! There must be other factors, since I know many adopted dogs that have obviously had training.

The study indicates that relinquishment is caused by a combination of factors, predominantly behavioral and physical. (Kidd, Kidd, & George, 1992; Miller, Staats, Partlo, & Rada, 1996;Patronek, Glickman, Beck, McCabe, & Ecker, 1996a, 1996b; Salman et al.,1998). Dogs that require a lot of care, and dogs that do not get enough veterinary care are at risk. I have heard many chilling stories of sick dogs being abandoned. The story that now comes to mind is one of an owner who was at the end of his rope with a very sick dog. He opened his front door to let the dog out, closed it, and never looked back. The dog was later found, near death. The dog’s owner could not be found, and in the end, this dog was adopted and now leads a happy, healthy life thanks not only to loving owners, but frequent trips to the vet and proper care.

Other factors linked to owners surrendering their dogs are:

• owning a sexually intact dog
• inappropriate care expectations
• dogs having daily or weekly inappropriate elimination

Relinquishment is not associated with the degree of planning done prior to getting the dog.  Whether you have done hours of research or decide to get a dog on a whim, your dog is not at greater or lesser risk of being “returned”.

Basic training is important, good veterinary care is crucial and appropriate expectations are key.  Taking your dog to a Basic Obedience class (at the Ottawa Canine School!) can make your life with your dog much more pleasant.

I learned recently at a conference that most dogs are relinquished when they are between 6 and 10 months old.  I know this is a challenging time as a pet owner as I hear my clients tell me all about it. I also know that patience and training pay off, and that if you can make it through the “doggy teenage months’, then you are going to reap the rewards

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