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Behaviour's Archives

posted in 6 Apr, 2010 by Guest Writer, Dianne Sarasin from Bark Busters Ottawa  

Signs That an Animal Might Be Abused

Recognizing cruelty is simple, right? Not quite. Obvious behaviours such as aggression, timidity and fear don’t always tell the whole story. Animals may appear to be timid or frightened for many reasons other than abuse. It’s almost impossible to make conclusions based on a pet’s behaviour alone. The best way to tell whether an animal [...]

posted in 30 Mar, 2010 by Guest Writer, Dianne Sarasin from Bark Busters Ottawa  

Kong Toys aren’t just for playing!

Dinner from Chew toys, Not from Bowls
When you allow your puppy to wolf down dinner from a bowl, he will be at a loss for what to do for the rest of the day. In the wild, dogs spend a good 90 percent of their waking hours searching for something to eat, and so in [...]

posted in 23 Mar, 2010 by Guest Writer, Dianne Sarasin from Bark Busters Ottawa  

Communication and Pack Structure

Communication and pack structure problems manifest themselves in many ways.
Communication
What we humans interpret as behaviour problems in our dogs can accurately be defined as communication problems – humans to dog and vice versa.
Dogs communicate using hundreds of different signals they have inherited from their ancestors. We don’t speak their language, so problems arise.
Example: [...]

posted in 16 Mar, 2010 by Guest Writer, Dianne Sarasin from Bark Busters Ottawa  

The Black and White Dog and Green Scarf Syndrome

A trainer is interviewing a client who describes her dog as aggressive. It goes something like this:
“I don’t know,” the owner says, “he’s a really great dog, and he comes from a really good breeder. He’s absolutely fine when my husband walks in. He’s absolutely fine off leash at the park. He’s absolutely fine here [...]

posted in 2 Mar, 2010 by Guest Writer, Dianne Sarasin from Bark Busters Ottawa  

A Growling Dog Is Safer Than A Dog Who Does Not Growl

Growling is one of the most misunderstood expressions in canines. Growling or snarling is not evil and it doesn’t necessarily always mean a dog is unfriendly. It’s a warning. Often growling may occur when a dog is in pain, playing, frightened, annoyed, or if it’s telling you “what you’re doing is really freaking me out. [...]

posted in 23 Feb, 2010 by Guest Writer, Dianne Sarasin from Bark Busters Ottawa  

Can Dogs Tell if Their Human is Pregnant?

Dogs are connected to their people and their daily routines. They know when the people wake up, when and where they do certain chores, and whether it is a workday or the weekend. How? It’s quite simple: dogs are creatures of habit and they take into account the habits of those around them, too. Dogs [...]

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