FREEDOM FROM FEAR AND DISTRESS: PAIRING AND CO-HOUSING FOR CANINES Humane Society of the United States Annual Conference 2017
Agenda ANDREW MATHIAS, CBCC-KA Multnomah County Animal Services CANINE CARE SPECIALIST Hawaiian Humane Society ENRICHMENT COORDINATOR
Agenda MARISSA MARTINO, CTC, CPDT-KA BEHAVIOR MANAGER TRAINING & BEHAVIOR COORDINATOR DIRECTOR OF TRAINING & BEHAVIOR OWNER & OPERATOR
Agenda AGENDA Importance of this skill Body Language Understanding health play Process of introducing dogs Necessary Skills Question & Answer
Agenda SURVEY Who is our audience? Level of comfort introducing dogs: scale of 1-5 (1 = most comfortable / 5 = not comfortable) Inquiries: If you perform dog tests currently: What do you do well? What are you struggling with?
AgendaIMPORTANCE OF THIS SKILL Evaluating dogs Co-housing dogs / Animal care efficiency Supporting behavior modification dogs Playgroups and socialization Adoption meets / Educate adopters Stress Alleviation
BELLA S EXPERIENCE Receiving Adoptions
BODY LANGUAGE Learning to Read Our Canine Companions
FLUIDITY
THE CONTENT DOG Ears Held down Loose against head Eyes Soft eyes, squinting mildly Averting direct eye contact Mouth Open and panting Closed but relaxed Body Relaxed and soft, not stiff Receptive to attention Weight back (play bow) Tail Neutral position (not straight up, not tucked) Wagging side to side leisurely
THE ALERT DOG Ears Perked forward or erect Eyes Direct eye contact Hard stare Mouth Lips drawn forward Tightly closed May whine or bark Body Weight forward Hackles raised Tail Held high May wag rapidly
THE FEARFUL DOG Ears Sideways Flattened against head Head May turn away Eyes Open wide (may see whites) Dilated pupils Mouth Closed Rapid panting Displacement behaviors Body Weight will be back May roll over on back Hiding May retreat Tail Held low or between legs (may be wagging)
STRESS BEHAVIORS Taking treats hard Shaking Panting Sweaty Paws Pacing Whining / Vocalizations Stress lines in face Excessive Shedding Dandruff on coat Whale eye
DISPLACEMENT BEHAVIORS Lip Licking Sniffing Scratching Shake Offs Yawning Sneezing Stretching
DISPLACEMENT BEHAVIORS Sitting or laying down Standing silently, gazing off Drinking Urination/defecation Grooming/scratching
APPEASEMENT BEHAVIORS Looking away, slow movements Avoiding eye contact Lying on back to expose belly Paw Raises Lip Retraction (submissive grin) Fearful urination Licking of person / dog s face
CORRECTIONS Freeze Head Whipping Muzzle Punch Aggressive Displays: Lip lift Growl Snarl Bark Lunge Snap Mouth Bite
CORRECTIONS - A
COMMON DOG/DOG SOCIAL GESTURES Green Yellow Red Back Roll Displacement Behaviors Freezing Blinking Pawing at other dog - attention seeking Guarding Champing Freezing Mounting / wrapping Appeasement Gestures Piloerection / Hackles Hind legs Looking away Tense / still body Escalated corrections Mounting - during play Staring Muzzle punch Muzzle nudge Corrections T-stance Paw lift during greeting Guarding / body blocking Standing over dog Side turn / c-curve Popping off handler / arousal Body slam / shoulder bump
DOMINANCE THEORY Rooted in faulty science Labels dogs instead of describes what the dog s behavior looks like We don't actually know if the dog is dominant Rather the arrangement seems more dependant upon the relationship and is subject to change Handout
BODY LANGUAGE - M
LET S PLAY! And Have Some Fun!
PLAY POSTURES Loose Body Postures Play Bows Appeasement Gestures Exaggerated Movements Role Reversals & Reciprocity Frequent Breaks Change in Activities Jaw wrestling - Open-mouth play biting Tug of toys Chasing
POLITE DOG-DOG BEHAVIORS Approach other dogs in arcing pattern Move slowly Avoid eye contact Play solicitation - play bow
PLAY SOLICITATION - A
GRUMPY GROWLERS Why Dogs Argue & Fight
WHY DOGS FIGHT Fighting is a natural behavior What are the causes Miscommunication Lack of communication Lack of socialization Learned behavior/response Lack of resources (competition) High value resources Breed Play Differences Wrong Match Trigger Stacking
TRIGGER STACKING Trigger 4 Dog responds from this place Trigger 3 Trigger 2 Trigger 2 Trigger 1 Trigger 1 Dog responds from this place
DOG / DOG AGGRESSION & REACTIVITY All the Different Types
DIFFERENT TYPES OF BEHAVIOR o Abnormal Behavior o Barrier Frustration / Leash Reactivity o Predatory Behavior o Controlling Behavior o Proximity Sensitivity o Arousal o Fear o Play Skill Deficit o Resource Guarding o Dog Selective
DIFFERENT TYPES OF BEHAVIOR
DOG MEETS Let s Make New Friends!
ON LEASH DOG MEETS - M
MEET USING BARRIERS- M
MEET USING STUFFED DOG - M
PARALLEL WALKS - A
IMPORTANT SKILLS FOR STAFF & VOLUNTEERS Set them up for Success!
NECESSARY SKILLS 1. Choosing Dogs & Environment Carefully 2. Communication between Handlers / Patrons 3. Mental Preparedness 4. Holding the Leash 5. Training the Eye & Narration 6. Troubleshooting 7. Arguments & Safety Equipment 8. Recording Information
NECESSARY SKILLS #1 CHOOSING DOGS & ENVIRONMENT CAREFULLY What is your desired outcome Ideally all dogs have been spayed or neutered When possible select by gender Select similar play styles Select similar age Select similar weight Calm environment Fenced yard Low stimulation / traffic Possible visual barriers Large indoor room Helper dog emotional health
NECESSARY SKILLS #2 COMMUNICATION BETWEEN HANDLERS & PATRONS Subjective vs. Objective Glossary of behavior terms Rate current communication Communication between patron and staff member for dog visits Common language amongst staff: o Tester Dog / Helper Dog o Meet? Allow dogs to get close to one another o Break Happy talk and move your dog away from the other dog o Drop? Count off 123 and then drop leashes o Discontinue No more dog meet
NECESSARY SKILLS #3 MENTAL PREPAREDNESS Labels / internal perspectives Check your own internal stress and body language before and during the meet Notice your breathing Notice tension in your body Take a break Avoid interacting with the dogs during the dog meet Ask staff for help / switch handlers
NECESSARY SKILLS #4 HOLDING THE LEASH Hold with 2 hands Avoid wrapping around hands Braced / agile body Loose leash Get ready to move your body! Listen to dog through the leash Leashes should be at least 6 feet Dropping / dragging leashes Practice, practice, practice!
LOOSE LEASH & MOVEMENT - M
NECESSARY SKILLS #5 TRAINING THE EYE & NARRATION Where do you naturally look? Narration using objective language Creating analogies for better understanding patrons volunteers other staff members Ethogram W.O.A.A.
ETHOGRAM
W.O.A.A. Watch State Observations Make Assessment Act accordingly
NECESSARY SKILLS #6 TROUBLESHOOTING Identify pain points, areas of concern - ask staff for their input Set Guidelines: Let the dogs meet again if an argument occurs Growling/Tense/T-Stance/Corrective Snap Yes Snaps/Bites immediately - No Survey staff
NECESSARY SKILLS #7 ARGUMENTS & SAFETY EQUIPMENT 99% of dogs fighting are stopped either before you intervene or with these steps Get out of way/kennel Make noise: voice or air horn Citronella near the dogs Use a hose Call for help Identify roles for staff during fight crowd control break up fight (target aggressor dog, remove non-participants) alert additional help if necessary Identify process for after fight incident report, behavior review, medical, enter notes, etc.
OTHER TOOLS Bite Stick Knocking Off Balance Blankets Catch Pole Baffle (pig) Board Chemical restraint
NECESSARY SKILLS #8 RECORDING INFORMATION Note taking criteria Behavior matrix Tell a story Initial Approach Interaction Recovery Video
WHAT COULD WE HAVE DONE BETTER? - M/A
CURRICULUM OBJECTIVES TO THINK ABOUT Only focus on one objective at a time Role play without dogs for muscle memory Ask staff questions Start off with easy meets and then move to harder meets Competitions - make it fun! Multi media experience - images, videos and hands on
THANK YOU! ANDREW MATHIAS, CBCC-KA MARISSA MARTINO, CTC, CPDT-KA Contact Info: pawsandreward@gmail.com