How to keep your dog on your property!

This question arises from some I’ve been asked recently - about electric fencing - not the sort round cattle fields, but the secret menace people embed in their gardens to give their dog electric shocks. 😱

For some reason people seem to think this is A-ok. And it’s not! An electric shock, however given, is a punishment. It breaks down the trust your dog and you should have in each other.

And it’s a lazy option.

Regular readers of Brilliant Family Dog will know my opinion on electric shocks! If you wouldn’t do it to a toddler, you shouldn’t do it to a dog.

Teaching by punishment is not teaching. It’s coercion.

And the daft thing is that it’s just as easy to teach your dog to stay on your property without doing this! 

My fencing is just over 3 feet high, with inviting fields beyond.

In one part of the garden there’s just a single wire 2 feet above the ground.

Because I teach matwork from the start, and use crates and playpens and baby gates for my puppies, they understand very early on what boundaries are.

They could easily hop over those fences. But they don’t. The fence is simply an indication that this side is ours and the other side is not.

Once we’ve established the principle of a boundary, they’ve got it! They don’t need to be continually told. And they definitely don’t need to be continually punished.

Invisible fence hazards

It seems to me that there is some very efficient marketing going on with these “invisible fences”. Naturally enough, only the ease - being able to dump your dog in the garden and never having to supervise her - is emphasised.

But there are also hazards with these “invisible” fences. And you should be aware of them!

Only an animal with a collar on will get the shock. So that means ANY dog, cat, coyote, deer, mountain lion, or anything else, can stroll onto your property. Your dog will be at their mercy.

There are documented reports of horrible results from this.

And as any animal can get onto your property, day or night, they could also defecate there, leaving a rich harvest of worms, flukes, tapeworms - all kinds of disease.

There’s also the chance of your dog developing coprophagia. 🤮 OOER! Even if you clear up immediately, the eggs are still there in your grass.

The worst thing about “invisible fences”

The worst thing - and this is something particularly apposite for the people who actually want to work with their dogs, rather than against them - is the fear effect of an electric shock.

If you were eating an ice cream and got a violent shock from it, how soon would you be happily enjoying another ice cream?

(I love Chinese food. And once after a meal I got horribly sick. Despite the fact that I am an intelligent human with strong reasoning powers, I was unable to eat another Chinese meal for a good couple of years! How would this type of aversive experience affect a dog, without our level of knowledge?)

If your dog sees a dog, horse, child, cat - and gets an electric shock at the same time - how is he going to feel about what he was looking at when it happened?

You’re in danger of creating a new fear, a new reactivity, that you will now have to manage and live with.

I understand there are some properties in the world where you are not allowed to build a fence.

This is incomprehensible to me! What about children playing in the garden?

All I can say is that I would never consider living on a property I couldn’t fence and make safe for my family and my animals.

But it only needs to be a low fence! A hint of a fence!

Want to learn how to teach matwork? You’ve got two options - there’s a book and audiobook called Calm Down! here or there’s our free Workshop on getting your Dog to LISTEN! here.

Is your dog attention-seeking?

I often hear it described as “attention-seeking” when a dog is . . . seeking attention!

She may be dropping toys in your lap all day long, she may be resisting sleep during the day, she may be chewing things up, barking . . . There are all manner of things she may do to get your attention.

But why do you think your dog needs to do anything to get your attention, never mind by doing destructive and annoying things?

It’s because it works!

Dogs do what works

And the worst things usually get the most attention. She’s learnt that.

Or perhaps I should say, you’ve taught her that. 😎

And this begs the question, “Why does your dog have to jump through hoops to connect with you?”

Not “attention-seeking” but “connection-seeking”

It would be better if we were to take a different view of this.

How about changing your perception from an “attention-seeking” dog to a “connection-seeking” dog?

🐾 You chose to have a dog.

🐾 You chose this dog.

🐾 Why does she have to try all these things to earn your affection?

Busybusybusy

We are all busy, all the time. We get swept along from one day to the next, and unless something breaks or stops working, we don’t pay it any heed.

It’s a sad state of affairs if this includes the people in your household!

And dogs are people too.

We have to make an effort to fit what is worthwhile into our day. Maybe just two minutes here, three minutes there. That may be enough to give your loyal companion the connection she craves.

Schedule some fun!

So how can you schedule some fun for your dog and you? [HINT: dogs love getting the chance to use their brains - how about some trick training?]

And to start making a better connection with your dog, watch our free Workshop on getting your dog to LISTEN!

Is your dog obedient? Or is he happy?

The old-fashioned emphasis on “obedience” has led a lot of people astray.  

It’s strange that this fixation on obedience was abandoned in schools a long time ago. The pupil’s wellbeing and engagement is rated much more highly.

Blind obedience is only expected in the armed forces, not in everyday life!

And yet people still have an expectation that their dog should instantly and without thought OBEY their every “command”.

It’s all the wrong way of looking at it.

 

Happiness leads to “obedience”

The long and the short of it is that if you take care of your dog’s physical and emotional wellbeing, you’ll automatically have an “obedient” dog.

Why?

Because dogs are easygoing creatures who, like us, value a warm bed, a full stomach, and a life free of conflict. And like us, we appreciate those that provide those things.  

So naturally, dogs are ready to comply with whatever works to provide these essentials and these comforts. 

We just need to tap into that mutual admiration, and you will have a confrontation-free environment, a compliant and happy dog, and a happy owner!

Read this article in Psychology Today for more on this.

“But my dog …..”

If your dog does not fit this happy model, I suggest there are things happening that are interfering.

It’s not that your dog is disobedient. It’s that something in your relationship is missing.

Do watch our free Workshop on getting your dog to LISTEN! There’s plenty of sound advice there, and a lesson which people find amazingly transformative. If you only learn one thing, let it be this game!

You *can* train your dog - with a bit of help!

I get a lot of mail. People have endless questions - and I’m happy to point them in the right direction. I take the time because it’s part of my mission of helping dogs.

But it’s sad when I get the third or fourth email from the same person. And they’re asking the same question as they did in their first missive!

I give them the same answers. Again.

Trouble is, their dog is now many months or even years older. Whatever their issue was is now entrenched, a habit.

If they’d only followed my suggestion the first time round, their issue would be long gone!

Why are they not helping their dog?

So I wonder .. why is this?

And the unfortunate conclusion is that they think that by asking me the question, they’ve solved the problem!

They don’t seem to realise that they actually have to DO something to put the advice into practice.

And before you throw up your hands and say, “How could anyone be so stupid?” just think of when we’ve asked someone’s advice .. did we always take it? Hmmm 🙄

Or did we perhaps think, “That’s too hard - I can’t do that!”

It could be for reasons of finance, commitment, time.

But here’s the thing: if you really wanted to fix your problem, you’d do what it takes to fix it!

And what it takes could be more than you’re currently able to manage on your own.

What it comes down to is lack of support.

You can fervently wish to change the thing that’s bothering you with your dog, but the advice given just seems too hard to do with the knowledge and experience you have right now.

That’s why you need to use someone else’s knowledge and experience!

We can’t know everything. We can’t be good at everything.

We need the humility to recognise when we’re beat, and that we need to ask for help.

I want help with my dog!

This is why students do so well in my programs. They recognise that they can’t do it alone, and they get that help.

The 1-1 coaching is available for as long as you like. You never get thrown out of the program - this is actually unusually generous. Many programs are for only a year, then you’re out. In mine - you just stick around and make friends!

My programs have continual input from me and my experienced trainer team. You never have to do this alone!

In From Growly Dog to Confident Dog, for instance, there are regular Coaching Calls with individual coaching.

Here’s what some of our Brilliant Family Dog students have to say:

“I am over the moon with the course and can see improvements every day. I am so happy I found this program. Thank you Beverley and Trainers.” DD

“Your communities are just fantastic! You have set the whole tone for support, friendly advice, constructive comments, a much appreciated touch of humour, encouragement, keeping up enthusiasm ... and more. It's a pleasure to be part of it, to dip in and out as life goes on and always to feel welcome.” JL

“I have started week two of the training with her and am already telling others how amazing the course is. If I'd only found Brilliant Family Dog before I got her!! I think your program is absolutely fabulous. Really enjoying the training.” LB

“Many thanks for being you! and for all you have taught me. My puppy is so different to all my expectations, because of you. Your training truly is brilliant!” CN

“I can’t start to explain how happy I am with the help and support I’ve had in the Brilliant Family Dog Academy, and its carefully-structured training.” SW

“Seems to me that you wear many different hats .... dog trainer, people trainer, educator, counsellor, support/outreach, author, etc - awesome!” LA

“Beverley, we will continue on our amazing journey, I am so pleased you are a part of it. Feel proud of what you do, it is invaluable and really does make this world a better place, especially for the canines who live alongside us.” SM

Want to get started with this guided learning?

Are dogs sentient beings?

Of course if you’re delving in www.brilliantfamilydog.com then you are fully on board with that idea!

Dogs think and feel. They feel pain, grief, affection. They feel fear, loss, joy and sadness.

We who live with the beasties know that.

But it’s horrifying to think of all those who either don’t know it, or simply deny it.

Here in the UK we can celebrate the efforts made to successfully get the new The Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022 passed. It is now law.

Animals’ feelings must be considered when legislation concerning their treatment or environment is made.

And here in the UK a new law emphasises this sentience by making it a crime carrying up to five years' jail for stealing an animal.

The recognition of animals as sentient beings has been enshrined in EU law for a long time. And there are similar assurances of animal sentience in the USA.

Will other countries follow suit?

 

Insects too

Meanwhile, for those of you interested in all this, here’s an article from the Washington Post, The Consciousness of Bees.

It’s a fascinating read, showing that bees too experience fear and hope. They can think in order to solve problems, and have extensive learning memories, even recognising human faces.

Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Meanwhile, to find more about building a life with your dog that embraces mutual learning and excludes fear - watch our free Workshop on getting your dog to LISTEN!

Do you “command” your dog, or do you “ask” him?

We’re all brung up proper - right?

And that means being polite! Asking nicely! Saying thank you!

And we have learnt down the years that that is the best way of getting people to do what we’d like.

“I wanna cup of tea!” or “Gimme a sandwich!” are less likely to get a result than “I’d love a cuppa - could you make me one, please?” and “How about a sandwich - could you do it?”

We know that! Of course we do!

What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander

So why is it that when we talk to our family and friends we speak one way, then for our friend the dog, we think we have to order them about?

Why go from polite requests to “commands”?

Sometimes I hear people proudly saying, “My dog knows the meaning of NO!”

And I can honestly say, “Mine don’t.”

Why? Because it’s a word I don’t use with them. And I didn’t use it with my children either.

What do I say instead?

“Is that a good idea?”

“Where should you be?”

“Where do toys/wellies/coats go?”

and when all else fails, “Who’d like a treat?” always gets a great response!

Far better to show them what you’d like, with good reasons for them to choose to comply, and go through your day without the tension that a “command” brings.

You see, it’s not just that we want the dog to sit, or whatever.

When you issue a command, it challenges the recipient of the order to comply.

It’s a conflict-driven word.

“You do what I say or else!”

And if they choose not to follow your instruction, what then? You’re in a battle!

It’s so much easier not to put yourself in that position of demanding blind obedience and then having to deal with resistance or dismissal.

Life is easier when you *ask* your friends and family to do things for you, and that includes your dog!