Category: dog training

When your dog bounds towards you with his tail wagging furiously, you’d naturally assume he was pleased to see you. Look closer, however, and that tail might be trying to tell you something very different.

While all dog tails wag from side to side, it seems they do so with a certain left or right bias depending on the message your pet is trying to convey. According to scientists a wag with a bias to the right signifies happiness, and a wag more to the left, fear. Because dogs move around so much, this often goes unseen by humans. Fellow dogs, however, are fully tuned into the subtle signalling.

An Italian team showed 43 dogs videos of other dogs whose tail wagging was more pronounced either towards the left or the right. When dogs saw another dog wagging more towards the left, their heart rates picked up and they began to look anxious. Dogs shown wagging biased to the right stayed perfectly relaxed.

Study leader Dr Giorgio Vallortigara, of the University of Trento, said: “a dog looking at a dog wagging with a bias to the right side – and thus showing left-hemisphere activation as if it was experiencing some sort of positive/approach response – would also produce relaxed responses. In contrast, a dog looking at a dog wagging with a bias to the left – and thus showing right-hemisphere activation as if it was experiencing some sort of negative/withdrawal response – would also produce anxious and targeting responses as well as increased cardiac frequency. That is amazing, I think”.

Each dog in the study was shown videos of another dog wagging its tail. Some clips were shown as darkened silhouettes to obscure features besides tail wagging that might have had an influence, such as facial expression. – Daily Mail

The FCI Agility World Championships made history in 2013 when South Africa became the first country outside of Europe to host this prestigious event.

From 11 – 13 October 2013, the Agility World Championship was held at The Dome, Johannesburg, South Africa. Eight countries competed, these being USA, Czech Republic, Austria, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Norway, and of course South Africa. I managed to attend the Friday and Sunday events. The camaraderie was wonderful to see, even though the countries were very competitive and were obviously out to win. Here is a picture of the handlers walking the course.

Not only was it wonderful to see the handlers and dogs in action, but also to watch all the new handling techniques that the various teams used. The whole event was a lot of fun, with the spectators getting into the act as well. Here you can see a group of us enjoying ourselves. From left to right: Saretha, Caroline, Charles, Dorianne and myself. There was much dancing and singing throughout the event, in which the spectators were encouraged to participate.

Hinky Nicols won the title of World Champion 2013: Agility Individual (Small) with his Shetland Sheepdog, Pitch. What a personality he is, and what an incredible sense of humour Hinky has. He and Pitch made a formidable team. He made it look effortless, and both he and Pitch seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves during their time on the floor.

Hinky gave a series of workshops at Noelene Pretorius’ agility training school. I was able to attend a few of these sessions, and learnt a tremendous amount. Here is a picture of Hinky Nickols along with Noelene Pretorius,Yolan Friedman with Kera and myself with Panga. The Malinois are 9 months old here, and we are expecting great things from them. (Kera won Best Puppy on Show at the HBSDC championship show, and Panga has qualified Tracking Trials 1). Both puppies will start competing in agility next year.

A few shots of Panga in action:

Test 1: Look in the Mirror

Put a mirror on the floor and sit in front of it with our dog, a metre or so away. Now get someone to put a piece of card or a book between you and the mirror. On the far side of this new “barrier” put something your pet really wants – a toy or a treat. Your dog must not be able to see the treat directly, but he can see it reflected in the mirror. Will your dog see the treat in the mirror and work out where it is?

This is a really interesting test that will tell you a lot about your dog’s ability to perceive the world around him, and about his inquisitiveness and intelligence. (make sure that he can’t smell the treat, though). Many pets will seem to have no interest in the mirror at all. Some may recognize their favourite toy or treat, and may try to investigate it as though it was in the mirror, or behind it. Some pets will find the toy simply be exploring everywhere. But a few pets will make the mental connection of where the toy is, and go straight to it.

Test 2: how your dog talks to you

A friend takes your dog into a room, say your kitchen. The dog watches as your friend hides something your dog really wants – say a favourite ball – by putting it into a kitchen drawer and shutting it.

Now your friend goes out and you come in. You sit down on a chair; you don’t move; you don’t look at your dog. And you don’t look at the hiding place, since you don’t k now where it is! You’re very quiet and very still.

What will your dog do? Will he tell you where the ball is?

Some dogs will do exactly that. Your dog may yap or bark in frustration. He may come over to you and paw your leg to get attention. He may go to the drawer and paw or scrape it and bark or whine. The really switched-on dog will do all these things, barking for attention and running back and forth from you to the drawer until eventually you give in and get the hidden ball.

Here are a few tips to help avoid problems caused by the heat of summer:

1. As dogs can’t perspire (lose heat through their skin), they can soon become overheated in hot weather. A dog that is getting hot pants in order to cool itself. If you see excessive panting, drooling and restlessness, you need to take action. Heatstroke is a medical emergency and you should act quickly by bathing the dog in cool (but not ice cold) water and wrapping him in a damp towel. Take the dog to the vet as soon as possible as the body temperature needs to return to normal before permanent damage is done.
2. Never leave your dog unattended in the car on a warm day, even for a short period of time. Even if your car is parked in the shade, the dog is still at risk of overheating. The sun can move round and soon your shaded parking spot could be in the full glare of the sun. The car will soon become like an oven inside, to the detriment of your dogs’ health.
3. If you see a dog locked in a car on a hot day, make every effort to find the owner and/or get the dog out.
4. Make sure when you dog is outside on hot days that he has a plentiful supply of fresh water and a shaded area to lie in.
5. Dogs often moult in summer, so it is necessary to groom him regularly. Removing loose hair will help keep the dog feeling cool and comfortable, and stop the coat from tangling.
6. Take this grooming time to check for fleas, ticks and wounds. Grass seeds can work themselves through the coat and embed themselves in the skin. Take care to check that the dogs’ pads are not cracked.
7. If your dog is long-coated, consider giving him a summer haircut, but ensure that no skin is exposed and therefore at risk of sunburn.
8. If you live near the beach and allow your dog to swim and play in the sand, make sure that you rinse him off as soon as possible afterwards, as sand and salt water can be very irritating if left to dry on the coat. Don’t forget to take a bowl and plenty of drinking water when visiting the beach.
9. If your dog loves playing in water, be aware of how much time and energy he is spending in there. Although retrieving games can be fun, they can also be exhausting, especially for very young or older dogs who don’t always have thee sense to stop when they are tired.
10. Don’t let your dog swim in very cold water – generally what is too cold for humans iss too cold for dogs.
11. Be aware of tides and currents. Keep a close eye if your dog swims in open water to see that he doesn’t get tired and unable to climb up a steep or slippery bank to get out.
12. Dogs shouldn’t be allowed to drink from puddles or stagnant ponds. These may contain blue-green algae, which can be extremely dangerous.
13. Ensure that garages and shed doors are kept closed so that the dog can’t wander in there to escape from the heat. There are all too many cases of dogs eating weed killer of slug repellents. They could even just walk over a toxic area, and then later lick their paws and ingest the poison. If you suspect that this has happened, contact your vet immediately for advice on what to do.
14. Insect stings are more prevalent in summer, and usually occur on the paws, nose or mouth. Some animals have an allergic reaction to insect stings and the throat can swell and prevent breathing. Get your dog to the vet immediately if you think it has been stung in the face, especially near the mouth.
15. Bee stings are acid, to remove the sting and bathe the area in bicarbonate of soda.
16. Wasp stings are alkali, and the sting is not left in the skin. To soothe the area, bathe it in vinegar.
17. If your dog gets bitten by a snake, seek veterinary help urgently.
18. Grass seeds often get lodged in the dogs’ eyes or ears. So if your dog starts to shake his head, or if his ears start smelling, check them for seeds.
19. Ticks and fleas increase in the warmer months. Use a good tick and flea product to ensure that your dog doesn’t succumb to biliaria.
20. Don’t allow your dog to hang his head out of the window when travelling in the car. It is not uncommon for dirt to get swept into the dogs’ eye.
21. More people braai in spring and summer – make sure your dog does not get hold of any cooked bones that might be left over. This could result in an impaction or perforation of the intestine, which could require an operation.
22. Don’t exercise your dog in the middle of the day. Dogs will often accompany you on a walk, and run the risk of overexertion, sore pads from melted tar, or even heatstroke.
23. Change water regularly as it can evaporate or become dirty.
24. Wash food and water bowls regularly to avoid contamination by flies or other insects.

Hello: This is the Magic Wand Dog Training Center, we are unable to come to the phone but please press or enter the number for your request; we will return your call as soon as possible.

Press 01 to tell me your dog has been asked to leave the local obedience club because he won’t sit, wait, down or come when called (even when on lead) so you thought you would try agility.

Press 02 if your Labrador is morbidly obese and you thought you would try agility.

Press 03 if you want 30 minutes of advice and have no intention of paying for it.

Press 04 if you describe your dog as ‘a little bit naughty’ when what you really mean is that the b*st*rd bites … hard.

Press 05 if you want puppy training classes but your Boxer is already 12 months old.

Press 06 if you believe that just by turning up to one puppy training class and doing no work whatsoever at home, your puppy will grow up to be a well adjusted companion.

Press 07 if your nervous, aggressive GSD has bitten and hospitalized Aunt Maude, the vet and your child and you want me to re-home it.

Press 08 if you have three children under school age, an invalid parent living at your home, a partner who works away, are pregnant with twins and want your 8 month old Dalmatian that never gets a walk to stop chewing everything in sight.

Press 09 if you want to tell me my advice has not worked even though you have not tried it yet.

Press 10 if you want to be dog trainer and behaviourist because you like animals better than people.

Press 11 if you are 15 years old and want to do work experience with me but would faint if I asked you to pick up dog poop.

Press 12 if your dog is aggressive with other dogs but you want to join one of my groups because it will be nice for him to have some friends.

Press 13 if you cannot afford my private rates and want a discount because you only have one BMW.

Press 14 if you are cancelling your lesson that is due to start in 30 minutes and have no intention of paying the cancellation fee.

Press 15 if you do not believe in rewarding a dog and know that clicker training does not work because your friend Beryl said so.

Press 16 if you think your dog knows he has done wrong when you tell him off and that he obeys you because he respects you and acknowledges you are a superior being.

Press 17 if you want me to wave my magic wand over your contacts/weaves/start line waits in just one session and will then tell me it did not work when you go to a show just two days later with no training in the meantime.

Press 18 if you have eleven Jack Russell bitches in a small flat and you want me to teach them not to fight each other.

Press 19 if you already know everything about your breed because this is the fourth one you have had and I cannot tell you anything new.

Press 20 if you want me to pick up your dear departed dog’s ashes from the vets and keep them at my house because you are too upset to have them in your home (true!).

Press 21 if you could not use a Gentle Leader, indoor crate, or harness because they are cruel.

Press 22 if you will not put a muzzle on your deadly aggressive dog because you do not want people to think he is nasty.

Press 23 if you want to leave an increasingly angry message for the third time this week demanding an urgent call back and yet again forget to give your name or number.

Press 24 if, having ascertained I am out, you wish ask my engineer husband for behavioral advice about your pet.

Press 25 if you wish to fill up my answering machine tape with an incoherent rambling message.

Press 26 if want your intact male adolescent dog to spend its days lying patiently on your front step on your unfenced property because dogs shouldn’t want to run away, should they.

Press 27 if you want me to teach your untrained border collie to play with sheep because you think he will like it.

Press 28 if your dog thinks its name is “NO”.

Press 29 if it is before 8am or after 10pm and you want to ask how to stop your 13 week old puppy from biting your 5, 7 and 9 year old boys when they play fight with it.

Press 30 if you have taken trouble to socialize and train your pet and want to make an appointment to learn even more fun stuff. No need to hold, I’ll put you right through!

In a previous article, Rico, the Wildlife Sniffer Dog was introduced to the public. Rico is a Belgian Malinois and is trained to detect wildlife products, particularly rhino horn. His implementation at OR Tambo International airport has already proved worthwhile.

Recently three more dogs were imported to add to the team: 2 Malinois and one German Shepherd. I was fortunate to be afforded the opportunity to visit these dogs at the training facility in Kempton Park in December 2012. Pictured here are the female Malinois and the German Shepherd dog. They are shown with their handlers, and have settled into their new environment very well.

These dogs are also funded through The Hans Hoheisen Charitable Trust, managed by Nedbank Private Wealth, along with sponsorship from Bidvest. Like Rico, they will be deployed as part of a partnership between the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and Bidvest Magnum, which operates a dedicated cargo screening division that uses sniffer dogs to detect explosives in cargo. These dogs have been chosen for their high work ethic – they have both the physical and mental ability to work with intense focus and drive. In order to do their job, these dogs need to be supremely confident and sociable. This combined with their phenomenal sense of smell makes them ideal for this type of work.
Here the dogs with their handlers are have a discussion with Warwick Wragg of the ACTS K9 Unit and Yolan Friedman of the EWT.

This photo shows one of the new recruits, Heddi (Belgian Malinois female) getting put through a training exercise. Whilst the dog is out of sight, a small amount of shaved rhino horn is hidden underneath one of the tyres. Heddi has successfully identified its placement and is indicating by sitting next to the tyre containing the horn. Her handler, George, is about to reward her with her ball.

The 2012 Mondioring World Championships were held from the 3rd – 7th October in Grande Synthe, which is a suburb of Dunkirk in France. This sport requires a dog that is fast and agile, and is therefore ideal for Malinois. Having Malinois myself, the draw of attending this event was great, and earlier this year I made the commitment to travel to France to see it firsthand.

My friend Toni and I arrived in France on the 4th October and drove up to Grande Synthe in our hired car. (such fun driving on the “wrong” side of the road!) There are three levels in Mondioring – Categories 1, 2 and 3, with Category 3 being the highest level and therefore the World Championship class. Unfortunately we arrived too late to see the first two categories compete. The weather was not pleasant for anyone. There was a persistent rain and the cold seemed to seep into your bones. Every couple of hours it was necessary to sit in the car on in the (over)heated administration room in order to thaw out.

There were 16 dogs from 16 different countries competing for the Category 1 level. It was won by the Russian entrant – Miss Svetlana Vasilieva with her Dutch Shepherd dog Nestor v. Treekzicht. Coming second to her was Mr Kaspar Spuhler from Switzerland with his Malinois bitch Amy vom Lothar Sturn. This proves that anyone can compete in this sport, as Mr Spuhler is wheelchair bound.

The Category 2 level attracted 13 entrants from 13 different countries and was won by Mrs Claude Cazorla from France with her Malinois bitch Etna des Loups de Saint Benoit. Second was Mr Marcel Buhler from Switzerland with his Terveuren dog Xyro du Chateau Royal.

In a flyer written by the USA Mondioring group, they state “….in order to be happy and healthy, dogs (and people?) must have a job. While it is likely that most types of training have benefits and should be applauded, Moindioring is our training of choice. The rules specifically say that it is forbidden to hit or harm the dog in any manner. Mondioring makes use of everyday occurances and environmental stimulation to discipline and test the character of the dog/handler team. In addition, there is mental stimulation for the handler AND the dog because the exercise patterns and sequences are changed each training/trial. This is a superb foundation for home dwelling pets and service dogs, as well as and especially security, police and military dogs”.

The “chien en blanc” ran on the evening of the 4th October (Thursday) but we didn’t wait to see it, it being so cold and wet. We also needed to find our way back to the hotel. We got lost a lot, even though we had borrowed a friends’ TomTom. Whenever we could, we followed others to and from the venue, as we were fortunate to have several competitors and supporters staying at the same hotel as us.

Ring sport is very demanding of both dog and handler. It is comprised of three main sections – obedience, agility and manwork. There is no tracking element, but nose work is included. The emphasis is on the dog being really well socialised and self-controlled. The dogs were walked amongst the crowds and there was never so much as a snap or a growl. Spectators also brought their dogs and families along to watch, and were made welcome.

The “big guns” began at 7 a.m. on Friday, 5th October to compete for the title of Mondioring World Cup 2012. There were 41 entrants from 14 different countries in Category 3. Apart from one Beauceron all the dogs were Belgian Shepherds. And apart from three Terveuren, all the others were Malinois. Another interesting thing was the predominance of dogs, there being only six bitches participating at this level. I asked several people about this, and because ring sport is meant to be a test of the dogs’ temperament in order to breed better dogs, they have to be entire. Male dogs are therefore easier to train as they don’t come into season twice a year. There was a bitch in season in Category 1 and she had to wait until the completion of the show before competing. i.e. she should have been on the field on Wednesday, but had to stay on the grounds (in the pouring rain) with her dog and only went on to field on Sunday afternoon, after every other dog had finished competing.

All exercises are done with no lead or collar on. The agility is demanding, with a palisade of 2.3 metres, a long jump of 4 metres and a hurdle at 1.2 metres.

The obedience section includes heelwork, send away with recall (no wait), food refusal, out of sight down stay with distraction, distance control, retrieve and scent discrimination. In this particular championship, the distance control was performed underneath a model horse and cart. The handler was seated about 15 metres away and called out the positions to the dog.

Here a dog is looking for the scented article (called a “little wood”), which is hidden on the other side of the bridge on an island of sand in the middle of the water. There are also 3 decoy little woods. The handler is about 30 metres away and out of sight of the dog.

The manwork sections are really intense, with a no-bite recall, lots of guarding for long periods of time, often without the handler in sight. During these times the dog is not permitted to bite the assailant. Biting is only allowed if the object he is giving to guard is challenged, if instructed to do so by the handler, or if his handler or himself are attacked. There are two assailants, wearing full suits as the dog is allowed to bite anywhere. The bites are timed, as the dog has to bite within a minimum amount of time in order to gain points.

The protection section includes attack with stick, face attach with accessories (in this competition the dogs had plastic balls and empty 2litre milk containers thrown at them, and in other instance balloons attached to a stick, which popped loudly when the dog was hit with them), go flee attack (includes gun shots), stopped flee attack (no-bite recall), defence of handler, search and transport and guard an object (a woven basket in this show. The dogs “threat” in this case was a leaf blower, which most of the dogs disregarded, although some did back off when blown in the face with a blast of air).

The World Championship was won by M Thierry le Pellec of France with this Malinois dog Bep. Second was M Patric Corpataux of Switzerland with his Malinois dog Cox de l’Arcane des Loups, and third was M Stefano Cetto of Italy with his Malinois dog Capone.

It was a really wonderful experience, and I’m very glad I was able to attend. The camaraderie was tremendous, as most of these people have competed against each other before. It was also interesting in that every competitor I spoke to makes use of clicker training.

Part of my visit to France and the attendance at this event was to meet Mr Frans Jansen, who is the President of the FCI Utility Dogs Commission. On Sunday, Mr Jansen drove down to France from his home in Holland, and we met at the show. Needless to say, I questioned him endlessly about rules and training. What a pleasant man! We are hoping he and his wife (who is a Malinois expert) will visit us here in South Africa next year.