About this episode
On this episode, Zazie and Kristi reply wide-ranging questions on each canines and cats that have been despatched in by listeners.
We talked about:
- mind video games and the eye span in senior canines;
- strategies for brand spanking new issues to show canines; why canines bark at e.g. folks in hats or folks going by the home;
- cooperative look after kittens;
- creating a neighborhood useful resource record for anxious and fearful canines;
- enrichment and caring for fearful cats;
- one of the best tone of voice to make use of when chatting with your canine and whether or not canines can detect our ranges of stress;
- learn how to advocate to your canine;
- whether or not to show a chin relaxation to cats for cooperative care or to be wrapped in a towel for vet care;
- is watching TV good for pets;
- learn how to educate cats to cooperate with having their claws trimmed;
- and we shared some tips about desensitization and counterconditioning for anxious and fearful canines and cats.
This episode was recorded with a stay viewers. Thanks to everybody who submitted questions and who got here to the occasion!
Hyperlinks and assets
This web page accommodates affiliate hyperlinks which implies I could earn a fee on qualifying purchases without charge to you.
Bark! The Science of Serving to Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Canine by Zazie Todd is out now and obtainable from all good bookstores.
Kristi Benson’s programs on barking and on grooming
The Husbandry Mission from the Academy for Canine Trainers
Practice Your Canine Like a Professional by Jean Donaldson can be obtainable from all good bookstores.
BC SPCA desensitization and counterconditioning for cats. You’ll be able to discover the infographic on Bailey Eagan’s web site
Companion Animal Psychology weblog submit on desensitization and counterconditioning
This episode was recorded in early 2024. Very sadly, Zazie’s cat Harley, who’s talked about on this episode, handed in February of this yr. And extra fortunately, Zazie’s e book Bark! The Science of Serving to Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Canine, which can be talked about on this episode, is out now and getting rave critiques.
There is no books part on this episode as we targeted on the questions that have been submitted.
Highlights of the episode
Ok: We obtained lots of questions. So our first query is from Jaden who says, I play mind video games with my 13 yr outdated canine one to 2 instances a day. He’s enthusiastic and maintains his focus for about 5 to 10 minutes. Is that this okay or, or ought to I construct his consideration span? And I assumed once I learn this query first I used to be like, oh, I can not wait to listen to what Zazie says about consideration spans. And if there’s analysis on that with canines.
Z: And that is such an awesome query truly. And it makes me actually comfortable to consider a senior canine who’s having the chance to participate in mind video games day by day. Not simply as soon as, however possibly typically even twice a day. And I feel that is incredible. It is a great factor to be doing. There is not that a lot analysis particularly on this in senior canines, however there’s slightly bit and it tells us that senior canines profit from coaching. So mind video games and that type of factor appear to assist. And I feel a 5 to 10 minute consideration span is nice as a result of, you recognize, canines should not going to be paying consideration for hours. That appears like a extremely good size of time to be doing this for. And as long as your canine is engaged, I feel that is incredible.
And what the analysis on this appears to inform us is that doing mind video games for senior canines is sweet for them in a lot the identical manner that when folks do issues that preserve their mind lively as they’re getting older, it helps to maintain their mind wholesome. And it, it is a kind of issues that’s thought to assist with stopping dementia, for instance, in folks. There’s been some current research truly that present a number of modifiable issues you are able to do that forestall dementia in folks. And mind video games is one in every of them, or protecting your mind lively. And the little little bit of analysis we have now on canines does present that, that coaching for senior canines is basically good for them. So this can be a incredible factor to be doing. Carry on doing it. It is nice to your canine.
Ok: I cherished how the query form of was questioning, is 10 minutes of consideration span sufficient? And I am like, I do not even suppose I’ve 10 minutes.
Z: I feel that is actually good. And particularly as a result of this can be a senior canine that we’re speaking about, I feel that is, that is actually, actually good. Okay, so thanks for that query, Jaden. And I’ll transfer on to a different one. This one is from Henry. He says, I taught my Chihuahua Shisha to acknowledge her written title. It was straightforward for her to do. Is there one other factor that I can educate her? In August, she handed the AKC Canine Good Citizenship Check.
Ok: Proper. So I feel that is type of like a canine coach’s dream. You already know, as somebody who says, what else can I educate my canine? I imply, oh, the lights shining. So I put some thought into this and I assumed, so if there’s issues which might be going to be helpful for an grownup canine, particularly as they age, I feel husbandry coaching is unquestionably one thing that I’d put on the high of the record of simply one thing that canines need to go to the vet.
So educating them to be comfy on the vet, educating them to be comfy being restrained in the best way that canines are restrained and having varied husbandry form of, you recognize, veterinary issues completed to them. We will completely prepare our canines to be comfy with this. And the Academy for Canine Trainers the place we each graduated and I work has a set of free plans with directions which you could obtain. So that might positively be on the record of issues I’d counsel that anyone trains for one thing like a Chihuahua.
I feel it will be helpful if they are not already comfy, comfy being picked up. Simply considering forward about as they age there, there’s the chance that they are going to must be picked up. And so I’d say that that is one thing, and that that is one thing that is included within the husbandry plans, however simply, you recognize, for, for, for one thing additional to coach. Toothbrushing for positive. Should you’re not already brushing their tooth. Canines which might be that dimension have a dentist of their future type of factor. I feel that is goes type of with out saying so. And you may positively prepare your canine to be comfy and comfortable to have their tooth brushed. So I’d do this, um, once more, for little canines, one thing like going up a ramp, you recognize, like issues that, as they, as they age into adults that they could have to, for them to be comfy.
After which methods. I feel I simply love seeing people who find themselves having enjoyable with coaching do methods. And there is packages even which you could be a part of into. Trick Grasp is one that may be a trick meister that involves thoughts. It is a pet skilled guild program. And so all of it is vitally pressure free. There is no, um, you recognize, something worrisome in regards to the coaching that they are form of recommending. And you may undergo ranges and, and so they’re, they’re very very like form of, they are not tremendous cute methods. They’re, they’re methods that form of problem you as a coach. So I feel it is type of enjoyable. You are, you are, you are studying totally different cueing methods. Um, and you then’re getting little titles and it is all very enjoyable. Um, after which there are positively trick packages which might be completely. For the cool, cute methods.
And who would not need a canine who does tremendous cute, enjoyable stuff, you recognize, like get together methods? You already know, coaching is so enriching and so wonderful. So when the, when the output is a cute trick, I imply, everyone type of wins. However not all of these trick packages are purely optimistic reinforcement. So there’s one thing, you recognize, if you wish to take part, simply remember the fact that it’s possible you’ll be having to make selections about, you recognize, method selections. So these are those that got here as much as my head. Did you could have anything?
Z: I really like these selections. And they’d be my first selections as nicely, I feel, as a result of such helpful issues, for one factor, after which enjoyable and fascinating issues. And I suppose the methods might be prolonged to possibly like parkour. Should you like spending time exterior along with your canine, then you may educate them to get onto issues and to stroll alongside issues and so forth. And it’s the kind of methods, principally, nevertheless it’s known as parkour. And you may educate your canine to do various things, interacting with the surroundings exterior. And I feel that is fairly enjoyable as nicely.
Everybody who tries nostril work with their canine appears to actually get into it. In order that’s one other factor when you suppose you may be considering that. In the end that is one thing the place you may educate your canine to be like a sniffer canine, like an expert sniffer canine, and so they go looking out a scent. And newbie courses are straightforward and so they’re enjoyable. So when you just like the sound of that, that is one thing you can attempt. I feel it is best to go for the kind of class the place the canine is in cost as a substitute of you telling the canine the place to look. A few of, a number of the courses have the canine resolve the place to look and also you observe the canine. And I feel that is a extremely enjoyable factor to do as nicely. So, yeah, I am all the time a fan of nostril work. I feel canines actually take pleasure in that.
And one of many issues we are saying about enrichment for animals is that it is actually necessary to contain their most necessary sense. And for canines, that is the nostril. So nostril work is all the time a enjoyable factor from that viewpoint as nicely. Yeah, I feel, I feel there are such a lot of nice selections of issues that you are able to do.
Ok: So lots of these are type of like extras, however similar to, we’re, We’re. I feel we’re each assuming that the canine already has an awesome recall, can wait on the door and different form of security conduct. So when you. If that is not in your canine’s repertoire but, then positively I’d. I’d put a recall up most likely at, like, the highest of the security record and prepare it. However I feel that is one thing that’s lined in most canine courses. So most canines already type of have that in the event that they’re. In the event that they’re already canine good residents?
Z: Sure, I feel so.
Ok: Okay, so the following query. We’ve got two questions that form of work collectively. Henry additionally requested, why does my canine all the time bark at individuals who put on hats? After which Linda requested, why does my canine need to bark at anybody or any automobile that drives by the home? I stay on a cul de sac. This conduct started throughout and after Covid. Did not occur earlier than COVID and we didn’t have this barking downside for the primary 5 years earlier than COVID So how can we cease this?
Z: So I feel these are each nice questions, and so they’re truly quite common questions. Individuals are all the time asking me about barking. It is such a typical factor, and it is necessary to do not forget that barking is a pure conduct for canines. It is a regular factor for canines to do. And, for instance, it is one of many ways in which they alert different canines and us to issues going by. So lots of barking is simply watchdog barking. They are saying, oh, one thing’s taking place. However it could actually additionally typically be an indication that the canine is afraid of one thing. They may be barking as a result of they’ve seen one thing. They need to warn you to one thing that’s doubtlessly fearful, making them fearful. So. And typically they’re simply barking as a result of they have not seen one thing earlier than. So possibly they’re barking at folks with hats. Possibly going again in time, possibly this canine as a pet, did not see many individuals with hats in the course of the delicate interval for socialization.
That is one risk. I am not saying it’s to your canine, clearly, and this jogs my memory one thing I ought to have stated at the start, which is that we will not give particular steering on particular person canines. We’re speaking usually as a result of, in fact, we will not get a full historical past in your canine on this time span. So we’re solely speaking usually, and it isn’t particular steering. However for some canines, they are going to bark at folks with hats as a result of they weren’t socialized to folks with hats as puppies in the course of the delicate interval, from three till about 12 to 14 weeks, after we really need them to have optimistic experiences with as many various varieties of individuals, various things, totally different environments as attainable so that they develop as much as be pleasant, assured, grownup canines.
Now, that is not essentially the why on this case. It may all the time be, for instance, that somebody carrying a hat was as soon as disagreeable to your canine, whether or not deliberately or unintentionally, till your canine grew to become scared of individuals with hats. That is attainable, too. And as for barking at issues out of the window that they see going again, that is extremely widespread. It is simply. It’s a regular conduct for canines to do. And so due to that, the factor to recollect is that we will not anticipate canines to not bark. However what we will anticipate is for canines to not bark an excessive amount of. So we will prepare them to do their little bark at the start after which to cease. I do not know what you need to say about that, Kristi, as a result of I do know that you’ve lots of data about barking in your. You have written some fabulous weblog posts on this, too.
Ok: Yeah, I agree. I feel once I hear these two questions, and once more, not about any particular canine, and we’d encourage anybody who has questions like this about their canine to succeed in out to a canine coach, however somebody whose canine is barking at somebody with hats, I’d lean in direction of the chance that that canine is slightly bit freaked out by that image. That is only a bizarre image for that canine. It is like, okay, I like folks. I like folks. Whoa, what’s that? You already know, So I’d say that canine is extra possible on the type of the. Whoa, what’s that? That is upsetting me. Scale canines barking at stuff out the window. I’d lean extra in direction of that being, you recognize, much less more likely to be a canine who’s upset. It is extra possible that this watchdog barking that you simply have been speaking about is triggered.
So I’d say in case your canine is upset about one thing, what we need to do is make the canine not upset. And I feel you cowl this nicely in your e book and lots of your blogs. How can we assist canines who’re upset at one thing? We need to make them really feel higher about that factor, after which the barking goes away by itself. As a result of we do not need to be like, cease barking. We need to be like, you do not must be upset. This is not truly an upsetting factor. You suppose it is scary, however I’ll present you that it predicts good issues for you. So I’d are inclined to go for a way that helped the canine really feel comfy with no matter it’s that is triggering that barking.
And for canines who’re barking, are having watchdog barking triggered, which is form of like they are not scared, they are not comfortable. It is only a factor that canines do, like, type of like blinking. Um, then I’d say we have now type of lots of methods at our fingertips. Um, yay, we do not have a scared canine, you recognize, um, however I’d say you may put, you should buy on form of Amazon or different locations, you should buy a sticker that goes in your window that obscures the canine degree stuff and down so the sunshine nonetheless is available in, however you could have. The canine is seeing much less. And that makes an enormous distinction for lots of canines.
After which you can too prepare one other conduct so you may prepare your canine to return to you and get slightly deal with. In order that they bark a few instances after which they flip round and run as much as you and get a deal with. So you may prepare this different conduct in order that they form of see the factor that makes them bark is a cue to return to you and get a deal with or to do one thing else, run to their mat and get it, get, you recognize, one thing like that. And that entails some coaching.
After which there’s all the time destructive punishment. So timeout. So in case your canine is actually not upset and is simply doing this factor, you recognize that as a result of it is a part of their pure repertoire, you may say, okay, when you, when you get, you recognize, when you bark greater than two or three barks, we offer you a pair since you’re a canine and we’ll allow you to canine. Should you proceed to bark. And a few canines who watch canine bark, actually bark so much. We’re gonna, we’re gonna offer you a 30 second little timeout. And that works remarkably nicely as nicely. So we do have lots of instruments at our disposal to form of deal with this sort of barking.
Z: Yeah, I feel that is a extremely, actually good reply. And you recognize, with my very own canine, I made a decision I used to be going to let him bark on the television as a result of when he first got here to stay with us, he was silent for months. He by no means made any noises in any respect. So when he first began barking at issues, I used to be like, nicely, this can be a novelty. It is a actually good factor. It reveals he settled down and I let him. And after some time I am considering, okay, now that is an excessive amount of barking on the television.
However what’s actually fascinating about educating a canine to return to you for treats as a substitute is that they can even then begin you for treats when anything occurs and also you be taught what they’re classes of issues that they suppose deserve treats. And it isn’t simply essentially folks going by or issues on the television, like seeing different canines on the television. However I feel it is good to know that that’s an method that works actually, very well. So, yeah, it is a regular conduct. You do have to just accept some barking, however relying whether or not or not the canine is fearful, there’s heaps that you are able to do about it.
Ok: Yeah. And when you’re undecided in case your canine is fearful, then that I feel it is time to attain out to a coach. As a result of if a canine is fearful, that is affecting their wealth. For like a canine who’s watchdog barking for a minute, I am not anxious about their welfare. I am anxious in regards to the canine’s guardian’s welfare at that time. But when your canine is fearful, then that is actually one thing that we need to get on high of. We need to shield that canine after which we need to change that underlying emotional state if we will not shield the canine.
Z: Yeah, yeah.
Ok: Okay. So subsequent up, Melanie asks, as a foster mum or dad who takes care of 1 to 2 litters of kittens yearly, what are the important thing steps to creating cooperative care? For toothbrushing, what I’ve tried up to now has both not labored at finest or backfired. I am pretty good at coaching the cats to not meow for meals, to enter their carriers on command, to take a seat, to go to their stations, in addition to vacuum and doorbell desensitization. However toothbrushing has me stumped. I need to ship these kittens off to their finest lives attainable, and it will be nice in the event that they did not want preventable dentist dental surgical procedure 10 years down the highway.
Z: I feel that is such a beautiful query. And in addition I am so impressed on the kittens having been taught all this stuff already up to now. That is sensible. And this reveals that you simply’re additionally a extremely good coach. So the factor is, I feel toothbrushing is a kind of issues that’s tougher. There are issues the place the cat, or if we have been speaking about canines, the canine are usually a bit afraid, can usually be the issues the place the coaching is far more durable to do and it could actually very simply backfire when you go, particularly when you go too quick. And all of us have that tendency to go fairly quick.
And so one of many issues to do is to actually decelerate. And the opposite factor to do is to interrupt it aside into much more tiny, tiny bits. So that you do the coaching in several components. You clearly, you do not simply go as much as the cat and brush their tooth after which give them some treats as a result of that is going to freak the poor cat out. And that is clearly not what you have been doing both. However you may begin with exhibiting the toothbrush and giving the cat treats.
And if the cat has already obtained a destructive response to the toothbrush, possibly the toothbrush needs to be a great distance away from them and also you most likely simply need to construct as much as the cat licking pretty treats or very tasty hen flavored pet toothpaste off the toothbrush earlier than you do. Any try at truly making an attempt to brush their tooth, and even that’s most likely going to be good for the cat simply to get, you recognize, the toothpaste into their mouth is a begin, maybe, however the different points of doing that is that you’ve got to have the ability to maintain their head and open their mouth and that is one thing to coach fully individually and one thing that cats usually do not notably like.
However the added benefit of coaching that’s that it is also coaching them one thing that they should know to be pilled in the event that they ever have to have medicines in future. In order that’s actually useful and it’ll assist them with the vet their tooth once they truly occur to be on the vet as nicely. So even when you do not achieve all of this coaching, particularly since you most likely solely have the kittens for a brief time period, even little bits of coaching on this route are actually, actually going to assist them.
After which as for truly brushing their tooth, if you lastly get to that time, take it actually gradual, like simply put the toothbrush as much as their mouth after which, then give them tons of treats, that type of factor. Actually, actually gradual. So the primary factor is to take it extremely gradual so that you could inform that they are comfortable during it and so they’re desirous to take the treats and so they’re wanting excited to return and participate within the coaching. And the factor that I feel is so widespread a mistake is to go too quick after which as a substitute they turn out to be a bit afraid.
I do not know, you have most likely obtained some issues so as to add to as a result of I feel educating a canine to have their tooth brushed is similar to educating a cat to having their tooth brushed.
Ok: Yeah, I feel I used to be fascinated by the separation of restraint and, and the form of the implement. Um, and I feel that is, that is superior that, and so they do must be skilled individually after which introduced collectively.
However I’d additionally say, as a result of it sounds to me like Melanie is, is basically an superior Coach. Um, so I’d say if Melanie, if you’re not utilizing like, like an expert sort manufacturing coaching, that now may be a time if you would discover it actually helpful, you’d discover it much more environment friendly. So I’d say when you try the Academy’s Husbandry Mission, it is for canines, however you will get some studying. Or Jean Donaldson’s e book, Practice Your Canine Like a Professional, which matches over learn how to do manufacturing coaching. So it is, you are, you begin actually listening to what number of repetitions have I completed? Um, when can I push the following step? When, when can I notice that the following step is an excessive amount of? So then I make a center step.
So all this stuff, it is, it is, it looks like fairly a little bit of entrance loading studying that you will have to do. However ultimately you turn out to be this similar to a crackershot coach, proper? You may, you will be coaching rather more shortly than you have been earlier than. Should you have been simply, you recognize, form of free shaping with no actual plan or, you recognize, so I’d say simply based mostly on wanting what you already can prepare, when you’re not already coaching in a manufacturing model, this may be one thing the place you’ll be like, this actually makes an enormous distinction. So that might be my suggestion for that.
Z: Yeah, I feel that is a extremely good thought since you’re clearly already a superb coach. So this may be one solution to, to assist transfer by way of these points and get even higher at it. Yeah. Yeah. Nice. So we’ll transfer on to our subsequent query, which is because the proprietor or household of our beloved fearful and anxious canine who’s fearful of individuals, if one would create a neighborhood useful resource record for fearful canine households, what explicit pointers would you counsel particularly searching for veterinary and pet sitting suppliers with the information of fearful and anxious canines? And he or she says, she or he says, I’ve contacted animal shelter employees, licensed worry free skilled listing, licensed canine trainers and behaviorists, canine day care employees, chilly calling, vet hospitals, holistic vet companies, native canine coaching companies, and fellow canine house owners of fearful canines.
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