UK animal welfare, behaviour, training and veterinary organisations are warning of the possible dangers of using techniques for training dogs that can cause pain and fear, such as some of those seen used by Cesar Millan, who has announced a UK tour. The organisations have joined forces to voice their serious concerns about techniques which pose welfare problems for dogs and significant risk to owners who may copy them. These concerns are shared, and the statement supported, by similar organisations
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UK animal welfare, behaviour, training and veterinary organisations are warning of the possible dangers of using techniques for training dogs that can cause pain and fear, such as some of those seen used by Cesar Millan, who has announced a UK tour. The organisations have joined forces to voice their serious concerns about techniques which pose welfare problems for dogs and significant risk to owners who may copy them. These concerns are shared, and the statement supported, by similar organisations
Dominance in domestic dogs has been in the headlines lately. According to a new study by researchers at Bristol Vet School, establishing the position in the pack is not the main motivator for pet dogs. Training concepts that rely on dominance reduction are likely to be useless at best or at the extreme, downright dangerous. The end result is likely to be a fearful dog that does not feel able to express natural behaviours - a welfare issue in its
If you thought the Discovery Channel dog whisperer knew what he was talking about, you are in for a shock! Buying this book and reading it with an open mind might be the best thing you every did for your dog. Highly recommended. - In this ground-breaking and sometimes controversial book, Alexandra Semyonova explodes the 100 most common myths about dogs, their nature, their behaviour and how to treat them. She explains how the old, pseudo-scientific theory of dominance
PHILADELPHIA -- In a new, year-long University of Pennsylvania survey of dog owners who use confrontational or aversive methods to train aggressive pets, veterinary researchers have found that most of these animals will continue to be aggressive unless training techniques are modified. The study, published in the current issue of Applied Animal Behavior Science February 2009, Pages 47-54 also showed that using non-aversive or neutral training methods such as additional exercise or rewards elicited very few aggressive responses.February 17, 2009,
"You must be the alpha dog in your pack." "If you're not the alpha, your dog will try to take over that role." You've heard these phrases before. "Alpha" is commonly understood to mean the top dog; the head honcho; the big cheese. But where did the term come from, and is it still applicable today? David L. Mech has studied wolves for 50 years and is a seminal source of information on wolves and their behavior. He's written
It's that time of year again when we look forward to frosty nights and fantastic firework displays over the Guy Fawkes, Christmas and New Year period. But for some pet owners and their pets it is a time fraught with anxiety and fear. Some dogs are scared of noises. Whatever the reason for this, the fear is real and should be taken seriously. The dog may react in many different ways depending on the individual but one thing is
An article originally published in Veterinary Times in 2007 by Coape Diplomate Barry Eaton (Additional material supplied by Peter Neville DHc BSc (Hons)), used with permission). Dominance, meaning 'status', has been used for many years to tell dog owners they must assert authority over their domestic dog. If they didn't, the dog may try to raise its status within what it perceives to be its 'pack' i.e. the owner and family. The basis of this theory is that
Study shows cats can succumb to feline Alzheimer's disease The University of Edinburgh Ageing cats can develop a feline form of Alzheimer's disease, a new study reveals. Scientists at the Universities of Edinburgh, St Andrews, Bristol and California have identified a key protein which can build up in the nerve cells of a cat's brain and cause mental deterioration. In humans with Alzheimer's disease, this protein creates 'tangles' inside the nerve cells which inhibit messages being processed by the
From the San Francisco Chronicle The Anti-Cesar Millan Ian Dunbar's been succeeding for 25 years with lure-reward dog training; how come he's been usurped by the flashy, aggressive TV host? There is a quiet battle being fought in dog-training circles, and Dunbar, though he didn't pick the fight, represents one side. The mild, very mannered Dunbar is armed with degrees and scientific study: a veterinary degree and a Special Honors in physiology and biochemistry from the Royal Veterinary College
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