WHY DO DOGS END UP IN "RESCUE"? Rescue and rehoming has always been a topic close to my heart. I have owned and trained many "rescue" dogs, but a more accurate description perhaps would be "rehomed" dogs. And yes, I've also had to rehome a dog on a couple of occasions, so I've seen it from both sides. Some years ago I ran dog training classes at kennels that belonged to friends of mine. At the time these kennels were also the base for a well known national rescue organisation, so I've seen many dogs come and go, and seen the problems that they arrived with. Firstly I'd like to get away from the word "rescue". Many prospective owners feel that dogs have been rescued in the true sense of the word. Mostly they have not. That's why I prefer to call these dogs "rehomed" dogs. "Rescue" is a very emotive word, and although there are dogs that have been rescued from various unfortunate circumstances, most are given up for rehoming by their previous owners because they are problematic. Whilst acknowledging that there are many genuine reasons for rehoming a dog, in my experience the great majority are given up simply because their original owners did not have the time or energy to give the regular input that all puppies need. In my puppy classes I see many behaviours that can develop into full blown problems if puppies are not taught how to behave in a human environment. Over the past 30 years or so, I thought I was beginning to see attitudes towards training change for the better -until recently. Just as I thought things were improving for the better, we get stuff like "Pack Leadership" forced into our living rooms via TV on an almost daily basis. Current TV programmes which tell us that "pack leadership" is the answer, have set dog training back about 20 years and more. All too often a dog or a puppy is taken on and then left to develop without any form of guidance. If it "doesn't work properly" it can either be euthanized or sent to the local rehoming centre. It's always the dog's fault. Harsh words, I know, but I've seen it all. Some 20 years or so ago I wrote about dogs being a disposable commodity -with rescue centres being a "two edged sword". Dogs were -and still are- adopted from the large national rescue organisations at one end, whilst waiting lists to give up dogs accumulated at the other end. Nothing has changed since then. Dogs are often acquired on a whim and prospective new owners often aren't in full possession of the facts about how dogs behave. Of course, we all have to learn. Taking on a dog is an onerous responsibility. And happily some owners take their responsibilities seriously and take the time and trouble to seek out puppy training classes that don't encourage "puppy free-for-alls" and give guidance about positive training. But what is the answer? Well, breeders have a part to play too. Here's where it begins. With some puppies fetching extortionate prices -up to £1,000 for some breeds and unbelievably the new fashion of designer crossbreeds fetching similar prices, are people going to stop breeding puppies simply for money? No, they are not! And whilst ever there are people prepared to spend such large sums of money, indiscriminate breeding will continue. But how does this affect "rescue"? Well, it means that people buy 'with their eyes' when it comes to choosing a puppy. For many, the important features of a puppy or a dog is the way it looks. Is the dog large or small? Is it an appealing colour? Is the dog 'cute' or 'noble' or whatever feature appeals to the prospective new owners. Rarely are puppies chosen for the way they are likely to behave when adult. And this can differ even with litter siblings. I recently met one rescue dog -a large black animal, resembling a mixture of Labrador, Hound and Rhodesian Ridgeback! He had been in rescue kennels for several months because most people don't choose black dogs. But the family who finally chose this dog for his quiet and calm ways are more than happy. He is a wonderful companion, truly laid-back and easily trainable. And yet he was overlooked because most people didn't like his appearance. To sum up, I believe, if people placed less value on the novelty aspect, the dog's appearance, size or colour, and chose a dog or puppy for his sociability and ease of training, there would be fewer dogs reaching rescue centres by the time they are a year old. Shyness, anxiety and fear are all features that can be inherited and it makes socialisation and familiarisation very difficult indeed. An owner can only work with the material he or she has. Should "novelty" come before character and temperament? Realistically, even the cutest puppies are often unruly little hooligans by the time they are four or five months old! I can vouch for this as my Parson Russell Terrier is now two years old and has probably been the most demanding hyperactive puppy I've ever owned! It's been a long two years! Her breeder tells me that she is very much like her father thus her behaviour is inherited which has made training, shall we say "challenging". But her breeder is honest and I knew what I was taking on. I also gave a home to my Border Terrier, Rooney when he was around 16 weeks, and he had already had three or four other homes. Yes, and he was a challenge too! I know nothing of his breeding, but shudder to think what would have happened if he or my Parson had been homed as a pet, say with children. So whilst I acknowledge that there are many genuine reasons for dogs being sent to rescue centres, many are simply a result of lack of input, inherited tendencies that make training and socialisation difficult, but most of all a complete lack of understanding. Debbie Gillard www.positivedogs.co.uk Training With Understanding Footnote: I will be having another Parson Russell Terrier puppy some time in December/January. Clearly I am a glutton for punishment! Debbie has her own website, which you can visit at www.positivedogs.co.uk which may be a helpful resource.
ANY QUESTIONS?
|
If there are any questions you wish to put to Debbie about your BT (or any other breed) and his or her behavioural issues please email us at dogtraining@borderterrierwelfare.org.uk.
Debbie's reply will be posted on this page ASAP.
If you wish to contact her on a private basis, you can email her at Debbie@positivedogs.co.uk. Please leave your name, address and number. No responsibility will be accepted for your dog's behaviour that may result from actions taken on the basis of any reply given to your questions. If you have any concerns about your dog's behaviour you should consult a professional, who will examine your dog and hopefully provide you with a solution to your problem. There is only so much Debbie is able to say without having seen your dog or witnessed and assessed his/her behaviour. |
|
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (All Questions & Answers from January 2010 and earlier can be found on Debbie's Old Qs & As) |
So, Loki is barking in the garden? Forgive this little aside, but I've had people who have asked why their dog doesn't bark, usually owners of Labs, Retrievers, and various other breeds. They state that although they don't want their dogs to bark their heads off, they feel it would be rather nice if once in a while their dogs gave a little 'woof' to let them know someone was there...oddly enough I've never encountered this problem with terrier owners! 'Nuf said! Terriers bark. But let's not get into all the in's and out's about exactly why they bark, let's just accept the fact that they are erm, 'talkative'. It would be difficult to forbid barking altogether as it's a dog thing, a completely normal behaviour. However there are ways and means of keeping annoying (to us) behaviour to a minimum. Rather than look around for various ways of using punishment after the event 'a typical human approach' an alternative approach would be, to use my most favourite dog training term, 'management'. Management techniques come in a variety of guises. 'Management' can be used to contain all sorts of annoying doggy habits from housetraining glitches, to demolition of the entire living room. The thing that screams out to me in your letter is that Loki has the opportunity to be out in the garden barking at night for long periods of time. So, why exactly is he out in the garden? A dog left to its own devices will behave in an entirely doggy manner. It would be difficult for any trainer to train a dog to stay out in the garden with instructions forbidding certain behaviours whilst he's out there. So here's my twopennorth for what it's worth. Don't allow a dog (any dog!) out in the garden unsupervised. If you can't see your dog he's out of control. Punishment is futile. Your dog barks, he gets punished. Punishment then has to be stepped up, just as you are considering now, with the use of an electric collar, because the dog just gets used to the punishment or indulges in the unwanted behaviour when you aren't around. Due to politeness, I am unable to describe what I should like to do to the person who invented the electric collar! Under no circumstances could I consider giving any of my pets an electric shock simply because they don't understand my values. Let's not politely call it an e-collar, but simply say what it is, an electric shock device. Sure, you can allow your dog into your garden but go with him. Stay with him. Distract him with a game with toys, and some positive training with food rewards. Use food rewards as lures, a first resort not as a last resort, as described in your recall techniques. Food can be phased out as a dog learns, but not used as bribery as a last resort. (I can explain more about this if you wish to email me privately) These techniques provide much more of a successful distraction than the promise of an 'instant fix' from the dreaded 'rattle can'. (More on this subject if required!). However, you will need to stick to these rules. Loki should not be in the garden without your constant supervision. It's hardly fair to give him the run of the garden and then blame him for behaving like a dog - and a terrier to boot, if you'll pardon the pun! If he goes into the garden, so do you. When you go back in the house, so does Loki. I have three terriers, not sure why, and I have to curtail barking and keep it to a minimum. My Border Terrier is now seven years old and has long since given up the idea of barking. I kept it to a minimum and now he's much calmer because of that. My two-year-old Parson Russell is very vocal, but will hush after a few barks. Indoors I use a clicker to 'mark' the silent bits in between barks, and toss the treat away from me so that she is rewarded for the 'no-bark' pauses in between barks, if you see what I mean. The click promises her reward, but she has to sniff around to find it. I usually use this technique if someone comes to the door, and it helps that she is behind a safety gate so that she cannot get to the door where the visitor is. I also teach a very reliable 'down', also using the clicker, so that she defaults to 'down'. Mostly, dogs don't 'down' and bark. Mostly, that is, not always, but it does help. So, I've used, distraction in a more positive way, and more importantly in a way that actually works. Reward based training works more reliably and faster than any punishment or correction based techniques. My youngest terrier, also a Parson Russell is a typical 'gobby' teen. At nine months she feels the need to express an opinion for the slightest reason, so lots of work to do here. And it has to be understood that all this stuff takes time, repetition and patience. I only have a small garden but if any of the dogs are in the garden and bark at anything, they are called in immediately with the aid of my 'rattle can' which contains doggy goodies. They come running to that sound without hesitation, skid to a halt at my feet and 'sit'. My 'rattle can' is then opened and rewards issued. Thus, after just one or two barks, the oldest Parson remembers to rush in and 'Sit'. The point is, they have been allowed to bark once or twice and then stop. Incidentally, my Border is often not included in the communal barking, but still comes to 'Sit' for his reward, after years of constant conditioning! What happens is that I'm still reinforcing him for not barking, not giving up because he's 'trained'; a fatal mistake! A common question at this point is: 'But aren't you rewarding the dogs for barking, if they bark and then rush in for their reward? No I'm not. Consider the timing. At the time the reward is issued, they are quiet, and they are also sitting. It's up to the owner/trainer to then keep them occupied for longer and longer periods so that they don't rush back into the garden and bark again. Try shutting the door. Most owners feel that having a large garden is wonderful for a dog. Take my word for it, dogs don't swan around the garden soaking up the atmosphere and feeling grateful for the freedom. They usually end up in a small corner where you can't see them, eating plants, pulling faces at next door's cat, or working on a hole under the fence that you've not noticed until you realise that suddenly everything's gone quiet. In the evenings I believe that dogs should be trained to settle down quietly and not be free to roam all parts of the house and garden. The notes for 'Settle Down Time' are, I think, in another part of this website. Establishing good habits, controlling the dog's environment (shutting doors, supervision, etc) and rewarding acceptable behaviour is all part of a "management' system which can be maintained with all breeds, puppies and adults alike. Debbie G Training With Understanding Hi Andy I do apologise but I did laugh at your description of your new Border Puppy. So he’s quite normal then? Seriously, all the traits that you describe are perfectly normal terrier puppy behaviours, very typical also of many other breeds in that age group. All puppies inherit characteristics and personalities from their forbears and even within each litter each puppy personality is different. In puppy classes I see quiet, calm Borders, mixed breeds, Labradors, etc. etc. and I also see the boisterous versions! So, some are rather more difficult to train than others. Unfortunately, it’s never possible to stop an annoying habit immediately; you just have to work on it until it fades as the puppy matures. Grabbing trousers and other parts of clothing and human anatomy is huge fun for a puppy. Owners mostly inadvertently encourage this 'play' by pulling away from the puppy and telling them off. I’ve seen countless numbers of owners give a stern 'No' whilst pointing a finger at an unruly puppy. Contrary to popular belief, the puppy does in fact 'listen'; the problem is, he doesn’t 'understand'. What the puppy probably sees is a 'play invitation' and goes back for more possibly with a large grin on his face. Owners of course, get frustrated and often claim that the puppy does all this stuff to deliberately annoy them. Of course, I do sympathise. Every puppy I’ve ever met, including my own, all appear to think that they’re going to pull the wool over my eyes; get one over on me, if you see what I mean. When bringing up a puppy it’s important to have some management (my favourite word again!) rules in place. Actual physical control is so much easier if your puppy wears a 'house line' when at home. A house line is simply a lightweight lead attached to the collar that the puppy trails around with him, giving the owner instant control as and when needed. Obviously house lines should only be used with the puppy under constant supervision. The use of a house line avoids having to 'manhandle' the puppy, which can be construed as 'play' in the puppy’s eyes. A crate is also an essential piece of equipment for 'containment' when a puppy cannot be supervised. Puppies need a huge amount of supervision, and it’s not always possible given our day to day lives. Naturally, puppies should be introduced to crates carefully to build up a happy association. So, what to do when your puppy grabs you and growls? Firstly, make sure that you don’t play with the puppy in a way that makes him excited and growly in the first place. Your puppy will then not see you as a plaything! Play can include toys, but never hands or any playfighting between humans and dogs. 'Kongs' are excellent toys for chewing on, especially if you fill them with a few small treats. However, toys need to be rotated or they become boring, so don’t surround your puppy with toys, try to make them more interesting by putting some away and changing them around from time to time. It’s OK to play tug games with tug ropes for example, but finish the game before your puppy gets too growly. He could then be crated with a Kong chew, but it does take a little imagination and thought to keep a puppy occupied in a positive way. Obviously, you can’t avoid unwanted behaviour all the time; it’s bound to happen. However, it’s difficult to write down a precise list of rules, as puppies respond in different ways. 'Time out' is effective in some cases, that is, where the puppy is promptly removed, placed in a crate for a few seconds, then released to 'try again'. It’s important to remember that the crate isn’t a 'punishment block' but simply a calming enclosure. It’s also important not to put a puppy in a crate and keep him there, unless of course you need to for some other reason. Time out means that you should keep letting your puppy out after a few minutes of calmness, but as I said, use your imagination. Regarding socialisation, I suggest that most interactions with other dogs are most carefully controlled. In my puppy classes, off lead interaction is brief and contained, though I do allow pups off lead, then on, then off, and so-on. Puppy classes should never involve boisterous unruly play as this nearly always leads to unruly boisterous older dogs! In my neck of the woods, many new puppy owners just let their dogs off lead on the beach and in the local parks as soon as they’ve completed their vaccinations in the belief that they will simply socialise with any other available dogs. This is extremely annoying for those other owners who are struggling to maintain control of their own dogs! And of course, not all other dogs are sociable creatures. So, it depends in what context you would be meeting other dogs, but for safety and security on lead is best initially. By all means introduce your dog to other cats, safely on a lead of course. Distract him at the same time, for example, teach him to sit in the presence of a cat – something that you will have to work on time and time again. A puppy should be exposed to all manner of domestic and farm animals if possible, and all the time being conditioned to sit, or 'down' for rewards, in the presence of other animals. This also applies to traffic, children and any other part of his environment that 'moves'. Always use a lead, and remember that if a puppy gets used to one household cat, there is still a good chance that he will chase other household cats, so keep on the ball. Good luck with your new puppy, and updates would be more than welcome! Debbie G Training With Understanding
I have just read your interesting pages and want to ask you about my BT. Loki (rhymes with jokey. FYI Loki is the Norse God of Mischief. How apt!)
Anyway. Loki is now 14 months old, castrated. I have never had a terrier or any small dog before, but have had dogs for 35 years, 5 Dobermans amongst them, and 3 rescues. So I have had some experience of dogs with problems. The reason we went for a BT, apart from their obvious good looks, was that my 7 yo Doberman bitch Juno likes to play, not especially gently, and BTs seem to be renowned for being resilient. Anyway, the pairing is great. They love to play together. They normally only get one walk a day, of around an hour or hour and a half, but at home of course he has Juno and the dog next door but one, who comes for 'playdates' when Juno gets fed up with him. I work from home so don't leave them for any length of time. He is healthy, very sociable and his recall is good, although he can hang back at the end of a walk until he sees a biscuit in my hand!
Our problem is barking in the garden. It is securely fenced but with wire so he can see through; long, about 200 feet, so I can't get to him too quickly. Especially at night he will bark for long bursts, which is annoying for everyone, not the least us. I am pretty sure that there are foxes next door, with a den near by. In addition, there is a dog close by who comes out and barks pretty well every night, and Loki, not unnaturally, replies! So I don't blame him and he has cause to bark. That said, it has to stop. Or the frequency and severity of it at any rate. Having done a bit of research, I tried the distraction technique, with stones in a can, which worked for 2 days. Then I got a citronella collar, after a week he worked out that he could empty it quite quickly by continual barking until it was empty. Clever. I am now stuck!
I am reluctant to resort to an e-collar and I know from your replies that you consider them inhumane.
Your advice would be really good!!
Many thanks
Antonia Barlow
I really enjoyed reading your posts on here and was hoping you could help me with a couple more questions. We have a nine week old Border Terrier pup, our first of this breed, he seems a little more mouthy than our previous dogs (collie & mixed breed) and loves to grab trouser legs and growl, mainly during his hyper episodes during the day. Also like all pups he wants to chew everything he sees but doesn't always bother listening when we tell him no and try to distract him with other toys. I'm sure he'll calm down as he grows but do you have any tips specific to teaching & disciplining this breed?
My second question is socialization. He'll be completing his vaccinations towards the end of his 10th and so we'd like to get him to meet other animals as soon as possible. Should this happen in the home initially? Should he always be on a leash when meeting new dogs? Most importantly our neighbours have a cat that's always out. Can he be introduced to her to prevent him chasing her down the line or does this only work with a family cat?
Thanks for posting such a good resource,
Kind regards,
Andy.