SIMPLE PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS FOR ALL!

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1 NAC GRADUATE GROUP NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2009 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 Each quarter our team of experts will be bringing you the latest tips and advice features to help you learn about and gain more from your animals. If at any point you have any questions, simply get back to us and we will provide you with additional info. Please refer to the MEET THE TEAM pages for contact details. Inside this issue: Separation Anxiety and Your Horse What does it take to be a behaviourist? Spooky Horses, Nervous Dogs and Timid Cats Pushy Horses?? 5 SIMPLE PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS FOR ALL! A Foal s Diary - the next chapter! 6 Two is better than one 7 Dogs and dominance 7 Meet The Team 8

2 UNDERSTANDING ANIMALS Page 2 Separation Anxiety and Your Horse Dealing with the motivation rather than directly addressing the problem may take longer but it Separation anxiety can be the cause of much frustration to horse owners. Colette Checa helps shed some light. How often have you driven all the way to the yard, spent hours catching your horse and getting him ready for a lovely, relaxing ride only to get as far as the gate and he begins to nap, absolutely refusing to leave his buddy who is staying behind. Or worse still you can t even get him in from the field because he refuses to leave his field companion. And what about the competition horse that spends the whole time in the ring calling for his buddy instead of concentrating on the job in hand. So why do horses behave in this annoying way? Why is it then that some horses seem to cope well with being separated from the herd? A great deal depends on the kind of start the horse has had in life and whether the bulk of his life experiences up till now are positive or negative. horses have survived for millions of years by sticking together If the horse has started life in an appropriate way, surrounded by herd members and with his mum around for long enough to give him a really secure base from which to explore the world (2) then he will be a much more to his equine needs, then he will have expectations that the world is an interesting place, well worth exploring. In stark contrast the horse that was weaned so young and found himself in solitary confinement will already have far less confidence. If you add to those experiences harsh training methods and a lack of understanding of his horseness we are left with an animal that finds the world a very scary place indeed. As the name suggests, separation anxiety is fear based. If you have a horse that continually naps or refuses to leave the others, they are signs that horse needs to be reassured and given confidence. Punishment will do nothing more than confirm his original Jonathan Mitchell is the only way to achieve a solid, long lasting solution As we know, horses are herd animals and one of the functions of group living is enhanced protection from predators (1). A solitary horse is very easy prey for a predator so being on his own really can mean the difference between life and death. Although we may know perfectly well that there are no tigers at the yard or hiding behind the hedge out on a hack, the simple fact is horses have survived for millions of years by sticking together. It is such a successful tactic that it is as though the behaviour is hardwired into the horse s brain. So its not that he is deliberately being difficult, his fear of being on his own is not really under his conscious control. confident horse than the horse artificially weaned at six months and put into the solitary confinement of a stable. And if, when the horse starts learning about humans his experience is positive, with people that are sympathetic suspicion that the world is frightening and may also have unwanted side effects such as adding you to the list of things he fears (3). A true understanding of what motivates your horse allows you to help him.

3 Page 3 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 overcome those fears by building his confidence, step by step. Dealing with the motivation rather than directly addressing the problem may take longer but it is the only way to achieve a solid, long lasting solution. Colette Checa Caro, T. (2005) Antipredator Defenses in Birds and Mammals University of Chicago Press. London 2. Ainsworth, M. (1982) in Holmes, J. (2005) John Bowlby & Attachment Theory pp70. Routledge. London & New York 3. Sidman, M. (2001) revised ed. Coercion and its fallout. Authors cooperative inc. America Left: Harry B Wade Photography Right: Katherine Ewen What Does It Take To Be An Animal Behaviourist? In the last newsletter we introduced you to the Natural Animal Centre (NAC) and what we do. We now take a look at how our Behaviour Qualifications fit into the market place. There are currently no laws r e g u l a t i n g A n i m a l Behaviourists and anyone can use the title whether they have done a weekend course in animal behaviour or completed a PhD. While there are some moves towards changes in the law, it is unlikely to have an effect in the next few years. Ross and Heather Simpson started the Natural Animal Centre with the mission statement:...positively influencing the wellbeing of animals worldwide... They wanted to create a benchmark or standard in the market place that gave owners piece of mind about who was assisting them with their animal. They have achieved this with their courses: The Equine Behaviour Qualification The Canine Behaviour Qualification The Feline Behaviour Qualification Through teaching people the relevant areas of science, a course was created which means its graduates are scientifically accurate and c a n i m p l e m e n t t h i s knowledge practically. This means owners can be assured they are being given the most up to date information in a way that helps them with their animal. There is now a network of NAC graduates all sharing the NAC mission statement, who work with animal owners to resolve animal behaviour problems. So why are these courses so special? These courses are unique in the market place and over 9 modules teach graduates: Ethology: the study of an animal s behaviour in its natural environment. Learning Theory: the study of how an i n d i v i d u a l a c q u i r e s knowledge. Behavioural Physiology: the study of what happens inside the body and brain. Animal Welfare: the science of making assessments of an animal s wellbeing. Counselling Theory: information about how to interact with people (owners) to best help the animal. Once graduat ed o ur behaviourists work to our code of practice and our ethical guidelines (available m/code.php). The Code of Practice means we are all working to the same standard the benchmark in the market place. The ethical guidelines mean we are working with a base of compassion for animals; this includes things like not bringing an animal discomfort through the use of punishment. To find an animal behaviourist in your area go to the back of this newsletter or contact the Natural Animal Centre on

4 UNDERSTANDING ANIMALS Page 4 A DOMESTIC PUPPY, POSITIVELY LEARNING ABOUT HIS WORLD Spooky Horses, Nervous Dogs and Timid Cats Anyone that spends time around another animal soon realises that each individual has his or her own characteristics. Sometimes that might be something positive like a favourite food or toy. At the other extreme we have all met animals that react in what appears an exaggerated way to something we know is harmless. Why is this? Expert Katherine Ewen explains all. energy running or startling at something that is not a threat. So why do so many of our domestic pets become fearful of benign stimuli. An important part of any animal s survival is being able to recognise danger Horses sometimes spook at an irregular leaf, dogs bark at people with hats and cats urinate in the house when a piece of furniture is moved. A psychologist called Harry Harlow studied animals solving problems and found that they learned faster when they had solved something similar before. He c a l l e d t h i s p r e v i o u s experience learning to learn or a learning set. If he isn t successful he might try something else, otherwise known as a Lose-Shift strategy. So let s compare our wolf pup to a domestic dog. If our dog has a positive learning set that includes safety in his home environment, good associations with his owner, good associations about being stroked, laying down near the owner, the owner holding things (maybe toys or food), then being groomed is probably something he can enjoy. Compare this to a dog that left his mother suddenly and early, doesn t live with another dog, finds some things in the house scary, his owner often asks him to move if he s lying in the way. This dog s learning set has prepared him to be fearful when the owner approaches him with a brush and asks him to lie down. Our wolf puppy becomes more and more confident as he has more successes than failures. Left: Jonathan Mitchell Right: Harry B Wade Photography An important part of any animal s survival is being able to recognise danger and then react to it appropriately. This is particularly important if you are born a prey species like the horse, whose main method for avoiding being eaten is to detect a predator, then run. Horses, dogs and cats are all group living, relying on watching for cues in other members of the group as well as changes in their environment. At the same time none of these animals wants to waste A wolf puppy, for example, grows up within a pack he tries out lots of behaviours. Playing with other puppies, his mother, father, aunties and uncles teach him that if you bite too hard the game stops. He also learns there is a safe distance to wander from the den. Most importantly he learns that you can make mistakes and recover quickly. Our wolf puppy becomes more and more confident as he has more successes than failures. His positive learning set enables him to meet something he has never seen before and react in an appropriate way because he can compare it to something he has encountered before. He also develops a general strategy. If something works he will do it again, this is called a Win-Stay strategy. The NAC has a concept called the Well of Negativity and we can use this to describe what is happing when our pet becomes fearful. Think of each event in the animals life as a drop of water, it may be clear ( p o s i t i v e ) o r c l o u d y (negative)...

5 Page 5 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 Maybe our horse suddenly bucked out on a hack, she has never done it before and there seemed to be no warning. As is common practice she was separated from her mother before a year old, she has had several owners, stayed at even more yards, spends many hours isolated in a stable, has negative associations with her tack, is often ridden without another horse and is fearful of many things outside of the yard. The walker on the other side of the hedge was the last drop in the well that made it overflow. We now realise that the buck didn t come from nowhere. The good n e w s i s t h a t N A C behaviourists can show you how our horses, dogs and cats can be given a big positive surprise which enables them to change to a well of positivity, like our wolf pup. Sometimes our animals develop a fear of something specific. A fear is described a s a n a p p r e h e n s i o n associated with the presence or proximity of an object, individual or social situation. This can be anything from vehicles, a member of the same or another species, particular people (like men, or people wearing hats or beards). A fear can be a serious welfare concern for an animal that can t escape i.e. a house cat fearful of the dog, a dog fearful of one member of the family or a stabled horse fearful of the horse next door. A fear becomes a phobia once the reaction becomes conditioned (automatic) and does not cease with gradual exposure over time. Phobias can also become generalised, so what started as a fear of fireworks can include other noises as well. Once recognised and with careful avoidance of the triggers, Natural Animal Centre (NAC) behaviourists use techniques such as cognitive therapy and counter conditioning to help animals overcome these potentially debilitating conditions. Katerine Ewen Harlow, H. F. (1956). Learning set and error factor theory. In S. Koch, ed., Psychology: A study of a science, Vol. 2, pp New York: McGraw- Hill. 2. Watson, J.B.& Raynor, R. (1920). Conditioned emotional reactions. Journal of Experimental Pschychology,3, 1-14 Pushy Horses Pushy or bargy horses can be frustrating, even scary. Susan Gammage explains why they may not just be being bad mannered. We have all been in the situation where a horse gets too close, and even sometimes treads on your toes, or in the extreme knocks you over. So is this bad manners from a horse, or could there be another reason why a horse should act this way? First we would have to look at the context in which the behaviour is happening. Is there not enough room for the horse, so it has to step into your space to avoid something it does not like? If the horse scared is it a natural behaviour to try and get close to whoever is near to them? If we look at horses in the wild, if feeling threatened by a predator or a perceived predator in their environment the herd of horses will decrease the space between the individuals in the herd forming a much tighter group (1). So this bunching up is a natural behaviour, the result of a threat, or perceived threat. We also know that when we are scared of something our field of vision narrows to concentrate on the object that is causing us to be fearful. Plus horses are designed to be able to focus on things in the distance and to have less ability to focus on objects close up (2). If a horse needs to focus on an object it will turn its head and possibly its body (2). So we should therefore question why our horse feels the need to get too close to us or inadvertently bumps into us rather than assuming that they are just being a pushy horse. Susan Gammage Waring G.H Horse Behaviour second edition. Noyes Publications USA. pp McGreevy P Equine B e h a v i o u r A G u i d e f o r Veterinarians and Equine Scientists. Saunders. pp39 Harry B Wade Photography

6 UNDERSTANDING ANIMALS Page 6 Our domestic animals need this gradual time to learn about our potentially threatening domestic world. PG 6: esley Bristow PG 7: Susan Gammage Zach s Diary.. The Next Chapter Learning A behavioural expert breeding her own horse hey! Take a look at the next stage of Zach s Life - How our foals learn about our world. Katie B Wade continues her homebred colts diary. After Zach s birth, the herd happily settled in with this new addition, Annie a wonderful mother and the geldings brilliant peers. Using mum as the safety figure from which to explore his new world, we begun to witness a unique character emerge, watching Zach learn and adapt, developing new skills daily. Lots of research has gone in to studying the way our horses learn (a) how to behave as horses should and (b) how to adapt to the domestic world. Horses are great observational learners, learning without having to experience everything first hand themselves (1). The foal will learn how to behave like a horse from his or her first attachment figure, i.e. his mum. On many occasions we would witness Zach watching mum grazing, to then try and mimic the pose, nosing the grass with knees bent! This is just one example, Zach is processing such information all day both when asleep and awake. After developing a sense of safety, learning basic skills, Zach became inquisitive of the other herd members. Usually a foal would be practising these skills with other foals of the herd, but in this setting he had to adopt a bond with an older horse, a close friend of Annie s, our 8 year old Dartmoor pony Biccy. Biccy, was of great use for Zach s early development, giving him another figure to observe and learn from, returning to mum to check in with. Alo ngside o b serv at io n al learning, Zach displayed other forms of associative learning. Habituation is an extremely simple form of learning, where there is a decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated presentations (2). To put this in context, Zach encountered a novel sound nearby his paddock. This novel sound initially drew both his and his mothers attention, being slightly fearful as an instinctual reaction. However after some time, where the sound was constant but where there was no Do I eat this? Do groom this hard? Do I explore this? reinforcement of fear, the horses gradually learnt that this novel sound was not to be feared and continued their day-to-day activities. This diminished response is termed habituation. Our domestic animals need this gradual time to learn about our potentially threatening domestic world. Giving the horse the freedom and time to learn positively set s them up for life. Another form of associative learning involves trial-and-error learning or operant conditioning (3), of which we witnessed a lot through Zach s development. As a young foal Zach had lots of questions about his world; and so on. Although he had learnt a lot just observing mum and other herd members, he also le arnt dire ctly by the consequence of his actions. Zach would receive a positive reward, causing him to repeat the behaviour, or a negative consequence which would make him not repeat the behaviour. For example, eat piece of carrot from humans hand, pleasant reward, approach human for carrot next time. Or, really wedge my teeth on Biccy s withers, get told off, don t groom that hard again! We can continue all of these forms of learning throughout Zach s life, equipping him as best we can so that he can cope with what the domestic world brings. Taking things gradually, allowing observation of other horses, using positive reinforcement, all contribute to the development of a well balanced horse. Katie B Wade Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall 2. Carlson, N. (1998) Physiology of Behaviour: Sixth Edition, Allyn and Bacon, United States 3. Skinner, B.F. (1953). Science and Human Behavior. Macmillan, New York

7 Page 7 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 Two Is Better Than One Cat Companionship This article continues from where Sue Gammage left off in the last issue, Carolyn Lowing explores the cat world. It is only very recently, in the last twenty or so years that researchers around the world have recognised that while the cat, Felis catus can survive in the solitary state when food and other resources are limited, where these are plentiful social structures develop (1). One of the first studies demonstrating that cats had complex social relationships was made by Macdonald and Apps (1978) They observed a female cat joining her sister's nest, where there were already three kittens 18 days old. She lay down and gave birth to 5 kittens, with the first cat acting as midwife. After which the two females groomed and nursed all the kittens over the days that followed. Since then, Macdonald and team have noted communal breeding often (2). Dogs and Dominance Does dominance have any relevance to our pet dogs and how we treat and train them? Susan Gammage discusses. To answer this, we firstly have to look at the definitions of the word. So what do we mean when we talk about a dog that is trying to be dominant? Dominance: Control. Webster s Comprehensive Dictionary. Dominant: most important or influential. Do we think that they are trying to control us, take over? Where does the idea of a dominant dog come from? Early studies of wolf packs were used to formulate the idea that one individual could have total control over another animal, and this was needed to become leader of the pack. Adult females are the core of cat society (2). Social ties between mothers and kittens and between litter mates seem strong. The litter mates ties staying strong after they become juveniles. They postulate that "under... the basis for the evolution of coalitions between male litter mates and/or similar aged relatives [exists]" (p111) resulting in the potential for cat society to have a similar social structure to lions. Interactions between cats have been the subject of relatively few studies. Aggression seems to be surprisingly rare, even between males during the breeding season (3,6). Males waiting their turn to mate an oestrus female without any aggression have been observed (1,6). Courtship being described by Liberg et al (2000) "to be like a queue of equals". One male with a high conflict rate "involved in 38 out of 64 conflicts, observed " winning" all but two of them" and with Theses studies where conducted on groups of wolves that were not in their natural environment, but in captivity, and the animals were not of a normal social family group that would be found in the wild. These studies showed that certain animals would have control over certain resources, so a particular animal would get first access to food and not let other individual eat, but would be aggressive toward them. Using the studies to define how our pet dogs react toward us and other dogs may not be the best way. New research on feral dogs shows quite a different story. These dogs show very complex relationships towards each other, they learn about each individual within the group and that their relationships vary within different contexts. They learn outstanding rate of successful copulations "was observed to tolerate subordinate males mating females in his presence, and also to be replaced by other males during mounting attempts" (p138). Aggression is more likely to be shown towards unfamiliar cats that are not members of the colony (1). Some research has looked at affiliative behaviours such as rubbing and grooming. There seems to be good evidence that, apart from mothers grooming kittens, adult cats select close relatives and then cats with whom they are familiar for these social behaviours (4,5,1) So what does all this mean to pet owners? We now understand that cats are highly social animals that prefer to live in co-operative how to interact and react to each dog on an individual basis, and over different resources within their environment. So, no one dog will control access to food, water or shelter. But each dog will have different resources that are important to them, and this can also vary as to the physiological state of the individual dog, and to the dogs life history. Each dog will learn through social interaction with each other which resources are important or unimportant. A pregnant female may have a greater need for water than another dog, and the other dog will therefore let the pregnant female drink first. The survival of the next generation is of the utmost importance to all. groups where there are sufficient resources for survival. When considering owning a pet cat, adopting a female with one of her kittens from the local rescue centre would seem to be the ideal. When introducing another cat to your home, take time to familiarise them with the other's scent before introducing them. (Introducing new pets to your home will be featured in forthcoming editio ns o f Understanding Animals.) Carolyn Lowing Crowell-Davis SL, Curtis, TM, Knowles, RJ (2004) Social organisation in the cat: a modern understanding Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery 6: Macdonald, DW, Yamaguchi, N, Kerby, G (2000) Group-living in the domestic cat: its sociobiology and epidemiology In Ed. Turner, DC and Bateson, P The Domestic Cat: the biology of its behaviour 2nd Edition pp , CUP 3. Bradshaw, JWS (1992) The Behaviour of the Domestic Cat CABI 4. Bradshaw, JWS, Cameron-Beaumont, C (2000) The signalling repertoire of the domestic cat and its undomesticated relatives In Ed. Turner, DC and Bateson, P The Domestic Cat: the biology of its behaviour 2nd Edition pp 67-94, CUP 5. Curtis, TM, Knowles RJ, Crowell-Davis, SL (2003) Influence of familiarity and relatedness on proximity and allogrooming in domestic cats (Felis catus) American Journal of Veterinary Research 64: Liberg, O, Sandell, M, Pontier, D, Natoli, E (2000) Density, spatial organisation and reproductive tactics in the domestic cat and other felids In Ed. Turner, DC and Bateson, P The Domestic Cat: the biology of its behaviour 2nd Edition pp , CUP 7. Macdonald, DW and Apps, PJ (1978) The social behaviour of semi-dependent farm cats, Felis catus: a progress report. Carnivore Genetic News Letter 3: So how does this new research help us with our pet dogs? Maybe we can think less about having to have control over our dogs, but how can we teach them to cooperate with our requests? By using positive reinforcement training techniques, promoting fun, interesting and happy feelings in our dogs. Susan Gammage Kerhove van W. A Fresh Look at the Wolf- Pack Theory of Companion-Animal Dog Social Behavior, Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, Vol 7, Issue 4 October 2004, pp Bradshaw J. W. S., Blackwell E. J., Casey R. A. (2009) Dominance in domestic dogs useful construct of bad habit? Journal of Veterinary Behaviour 4, pp

8 DIRECTORY Page 8 Meet The Team If you have any questions, queries or just want a chat, we are all here to help. Katie is a fully qualified and experienced animal behaviourist, working alongside veterinary clinics, rescue centres, societies, breeders and owners to assist with various aspects of animal behaviour and training. With professional experience handling, training, breeding and rehabilitating the domestic pet, Katie went on to study a degree in Psychology and then on to specialise in Equine and Feline behaviour with The Natural Animal Centre. Katie B Wade Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and surrounding katie@animalminds.co.uk Colette is a qualified equine behaviourist (NAC EBQ) and has worked with horses for most of her life starting as a groom and instructor. She obtained her BHS Horsemasters at the age of 17, has a certificate in Advanced Horse Knowledge and owned and ran her own equestrian centre in Spain. Her desire to understand equines better and find real, holistic solutions to problems led her to the Natural Animal Centre where she finally found some of the answers she was looking for. In 2008 she started Equinissimo with the aim of helping others with scientific, compassionate and holistic solutions for equine behaviour problems. Colette Checa Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex / colettecheca@equinissimo.com Susan Gammage has qualified with the Natural Animal Centre in Equine, Canine and Feline behaviour. Susan has owned and worked with many different species of animals for over 25 years. Having researched many different ideas of resolving behaviour problems in pets, then found the Natural Animal Centre. Their science based teaching accompanied by practical solutions has proven to be the one that really worked, plus has a true ethical understanding of how to help animals with behavioural problems. Susan Gammage Kent and surrounding info@hdcbehaviour.co.ok

9 Page 9 DIRECTORY Meet The Team If you have any questions, queries or just want a chat, we are all here to help. Jo Foster and Jonathan Mitchell both work under the banner of Jo Foster Animal behaviourists, a Suffolk based animal behaviour referral service. Jo Foster is a graduate of the Natural Animal Centres Equine Behaviour Qualification (Stage 2) and the Canine Behaviour Qualification (Stage 1) and is currently continuing her studies looking at consciousness in horses. Jonathan currently works at the Natural Animal Centre ( and is a graduate of the Equine Behaviour Qualification (Stage 3) Canine Behaviour Qualification (Stage 2) and Feline Behaviour Qualification (Stage 1) He works alongside Jo as the Jo Foster Feline Behaviourist. Jo Foster and Jonathan Mitchell Suffolk and surrounding Jo@jofoster.net Lindsy Murray has worked with rescued horses for the past 25 years, she is co founder of The Graze Trust for Horses, the first Natural Animal Centre (NAC) approved yard in the UK, their ethos being `to provide permanency in a horses life and to implement the highest standards of welfare based on their behavioural needs`. Gifted through her family as a healer, she has worked in the UK for 20 years with animals, humans, but notably horses. She specialises in fear, anxiety and trauma, recognising that the `undercurrent` of so many problems; behavioural or physical lies in the animals state of mind and ability cope due to past/present circumstances. Lindsy Murray Cheshire and surrounding lindsy@lindsymurray.co.uk Katherine Ewen founded Horses Naturally in 2005 after graduating from the National Animal Centre with the Equine Behaviour Qualification Stage 3. It was during 12 year s experience as a veterinary nurse, seeing problems in handling various species, Katherine realised guidance for owners was needed to improve the physical and mental balance of their animals. Katherine also now has the Canine Behaviour Qualification Stage 1. Some of Katherine s time is spent as a Canine Hydrotherapist and many of the dogs that she swims benefit from behaviour consultations. Katherine A. Ewen Hertfordshire, Essex borders and surrounding areas horsesnaturally@btopenworld.com Top: David Mitchell

10 NAC GRADUATE GROUP NEWSLETTER If you would like to unsubscribe to this free quarterly newsletter from The NAC Graduates simply the sender with the word UNSUBSCRIBE LOOK OUT FOR OUR UK EVENTS If you have any questions, queries, comments or would just like some advice, simply contact a member of the team (pages 8-9) we are always happy to help. SIMPLY CONTACT A MEMBER OF THE TEAM TO FIND OUT WHATS ON IN YOUR AREA A range of exciting topics to look forward to! GET READY FOR SUMMER!! AND LOADS MORE! ZACH S DIARY CALM GAMES FOR COLTS!.S imple practical advice for all your behavioural needs (Credits - Harry B Wade photography)