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HEIRARCHY OF A DOG'S NEEDS

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  THE HEIRARCHY OF CANINE NEEDS   The Hierarchy of Dog Needs® is an adaptation of Maslow’s Hierarchy of (human) Needs™ . We must first meet our dogs’ biological needs, emotional needs and social needs. Once we feel assured that these foundational needs have been met, we can easily and painlessly work with our dogs to change unwanted behaviours and teach them to live harmoniously with their human pack. We start at the bottom of the pyramid and work our way up.  The idea is that we make sure all of the lower level needs are met before we can address and work on the higher levels. BIOLOGICAL NEEDS A dog’s biological needs are the most basic things it needs in life to thrive and maintain good health.   This includes proper nutrition and water and a place to sleep that is warm and comfortable.    Dogs need a life free from pain and fear, this includes gentle grooming, adequate exercise and health care.    It also includes a training programme that is based on rewarding the dog for
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⭐DOGGIE STAR CHART ⭐

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  ⭐ Help Your Dog to Build Confidence with a  Doggie Star Chart ⭐ Some dogs are very reactive, which means that they frequently show barking, growling and lunging behaviours. This is often due to a lack of confidence.  Dogs are just like humans and can suffer from low self-esteem.  A dog who lacks confidence is filled with anxieties and this can lead to aggressive behaviours or be displayed as them. Luckily there is a lot we can do to help improve a dog’s confidence which in turn helps them to become more relaxed and less reactive. Dogs love to solve little puzzles, and I teach them to play “Find It” .  I make puzzles with any junk such as toilet rolls or cardboard boxes.  The idea is to hide a couple of tiny treats inside then ask your dog to “Find it!” Your dog will smell the treat and then has to work out what to do to get the treat out!  A great tip is to use a very smelly treat, something that your dog really loves so he will be very motivated to try to get it out. Every
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WHY DOGS CHEW

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    The Importance of Chewing  Chewing is a natural instinct for all dogs, whether it’s the wolf outside or the dog in your living room. An instinct to chew is often higher in puppies than adult dogs. Whatever the age of your dog chewing is a natural behaviour that should be appropriately channelled rather than punished or discouraged. If your dog treats his chews like a highly prized object, its important to know that if you try to take if off him, you are very likely to get a growl or snarl. As humans we get very upset when dogs growl, but this is a really important element of canine communication - A growl is a clear warning and dogs that growl are far less likely to bite as long as you heed the growl and back off. I always explain to Owners that a chew or toy is the equivalent to a dog of me giving you a diamond ring - If I snatch it back, what are you going to do? You are going to object... loudly! By giving your dog a chew or toy and allowing him to take off to a quiet plac
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The Importance of a Dog Walk

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  The first thing a Behaviourist might ask is about the amount of exercise  your dog gets. What is the importance of walking?   Dogs have a primal need to walk. In the wild, packs of dogs get up in the morning and walk to find food.  Walking fulfils a migration instinct for a dog. Daily walks not only provide structure to your dog's life, but also challenges him physically and mentally.  As a dog walks, he is gathering information about how the territory has changed since the last time he was on that same route.  Sniffing and marking is part of this routine for many dogs, and meets his primal instincts. It allows a dog to  BE  a dog. By sniffing the urine and faeces that other dogs have left behind, your dog gains all sorts of information about the dogs who have travelled this route. This includes the sex, health and age.  Leaving a scent behind is your dog's equivalent of a check in on Facebook! Lack of exercise can cause a build up of physical and mental energy in dogs wh
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COOL, CALM COOKIE PUPPY?

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  DOES YOUR DOG NEVER CALM DOWN  OR SWITCH  OFF? Is your dog always highly charged? Does he or she react to many things by barking, pulling on lead, lunging, growling?  Does he constantly follow you around, unable to settle on his own?  Dogs show aggression  and suspicion  when they are anxious or afraid.  Being in a state of permanent anxiety is not good for your dog's health.  He will be filled with adrenalin  and cortisol and many dogs in this state are unable to switch off and calm themselves down.  Training and socialisation from puppy hood helps most dogs get used to the world that they live in.   Unfortunately, many lockdown puppies and rescue dogs have missed out on this vital stage of development, and many owners are faced with an adolescent or adult dog that barks, snaps, growls and lunges.   Often these dogs are worse when on a lead because they feel restricted. Dogs who are always on edge, can't relax and respond with fear and suspicion  are termed "R eactive&q
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