Posters about stress

This poster, and many other amazing free information posters are available at Sophia Yin's website.

The following posters are available from the Vet Behaviour Team. 

November challenges

Now I know it's almost the end of November... so this is a little late! But I thought while I had a free minute in between the busyness of this time of the year, I'd let you know about two theme's for November that I think are excellent! 

No shock November

No shock November is an initiative set up by a New Zealand behavioral vet. It's something that I am very passionate about - getting rid of the use of adversive and dangerous tools that have very very little place in dog training, and absolutely no place in the training of domestic pets and sporting animals. 

There is research about the negative effect and potential risks of adversive tools such as shock collars (see here).  Personally, I never want to use adversive tools, as I feel that it does not build a positive relationship between a person and dog, and also I the use of harsh punishments potentially temporarily suppresses emotions that can explode out later as aggression. 

See more about this movement at the Facebook page here. 

No bowl November 

One easy way to increase the behavioral enrichment and lives of your dog is to use their dinner as behavioral enrichment tools and games. 

Check out this video showing the difference in using a slow feeder bowl with kibble: 

How about putting your dog's meals in a box? Here's the Hybrid Training furry members getting their Jimbo's veal bones out of boxes for dinner (they just have their oil and 4CYTE tablets in the bowls by the box): 

Here's some ideas:

• Scatter dry food through a snuffle mat
• Scatter dry food in a large grass area and allow the dogs to sniff and forage for their dinner
• Make food trails outside with their dinner
• Put their dinner in a box
• Put dinner into muffin tins, with tennis balls over the top 
• Put dinner into paper bags
• Put dinner into slow feeder bowl
• Feed the whole dinner out of a treat dispensing ball or toy
• Freeze a portion of daily meal allowance in Kongs, hooves, or other suitable toys or chews. 

Rehab pros * Jumping Gymnastics * Worked up!

I am so very excited to be hosting some amazing US professionals early next year at Hybrid Dog Training, in conjunction with Annie Thorne in Wellington.


Leslie Eide DVM CCRT is a veterinarian who specializes in sports medicine, and rehabilitation in her practice The Total Canine.  Leslie is not only very experienced in treating performance dogs, but is also an experienced agility competitor.  I was lucky enough to work with Leslie while in the US earlier this year on the hands-on portion of my fitness certification. She was also part of the team that diagnosed and treated a gorilla's leg injury earlier this year.



Sarah Stremming is a dog behaviouralist who is well known through her business, The Cognitive Canine.  Her blogs, and podcasts are well known in the dog training world and recently taught several well-received courses at the Fenzi Dog Training Academy.

Personally, Sarah's concepts and work have drastically altered not only how I train my dogs, but their home life also.

New Zealand is lucky enough to have these two amazing trainers traveling here in February / March next year.

Here's what's on offer for you! 

Worked Up!

This course is all about dog's that are over-stressed, over-aroused and over-adrenalized.... just plain over the top! This course aims to allow your performance dog be in a healthy state of arousal in the show situation. It allows you to learn strategies such as asking if your dog is ready to work, and how to respond if the dog is not. It will address common over arousal issues such as broken start lines, biting at the handler, lack of focus, barking, knocked jumps and more.  Taught by Sarah Stremming. 

Jumping Gymnastics

This course is co-taught by Sarah and Leslie.  Sarah covers the different types of learning and positive reinforcement for correct jumping efforts, with an emphasis on errorless learning procedures. Leslie covers the conditioning exercises that will assist on different phases of jumping. 

I think this course, in particular, would be of huge benefit not only to agility competitors but also club instructors. The content covered here would be great for updating class syllabus on how to teach jumping skills. Remember that you can apply to the NZ Dog Agility committee for an Instructor grant to help cover the cost of this course. 

Rehab pro's and sports medicine

This one-day seminar is designed to meet the needs of New Zealand rehabilitation professionals, to upskill them and offer insights to working in a sports medicine context. At the moment the day is likely to involve some hands-on assessment and development of treatment plans, and some lecture-style information, but there is room for flexibility to suit participants. This is limited to 20 spots. 

This will suit rehab professionals such as rehab vets, physio's, and hydrotherapists but may also be suitable in a auditing context for related professionals such as vet's and vet nurses with an interest in rehab and sports medicine. 

This will be taught by Leslie Eide.

Where, when and how? 

• Wellington: two day worked up seminar, organized by Annie Thorne (annie.thorne@gmail.com).  25th / 25th Feburary 2018. 
• Waikato (at Hybrid Training): 
• Rehab pro's & sports medicine. One day hands-on seminar for sports and rehabilitation professionals.  This seminar will have up to 20 spots, that are all working ($200NZD). To register your interest and book a spot please fill in this google form.  Thursday the 1st of March 2018. 
• Jumping Gymnastics. Two day hands-on seminar. This seminar will have 10 working spots ($400NZD), and 20 auditing spots ($150NZD) available. To register your interest and book a spot please fill in this google form.  Friday and Saturday the 2nd / 3rd of March 2018. 
• Worked Up! lecture. Half day seminar covering all the key concepts relating the the worked up program.  Limited spots available ($120NZD per participant). To register your interest and book a spot please fill in this google form.  Sunday the 4th March (AM) 2018.  

Please register your interest ASAP as there are limited spaces available, and I know from experience how amazing these two trainers are. 

Upcoming online fitness classes

Beginner fitness for performance dogs

Suitable for:

Handlers and dogs that have had no formal instruction in fitness before. Please note that this is intended for dogs whose growth plates have closed, with no preexisting health conditions, or lameness, that have a reasonable general level of fitness such as those dogs already participating in dog sports. For each exercise more advanced options can be given for any dogs who have already mastered that particular skill.

Equipment required:

One aerobic step, and two small stable platforms. These should be topped with a non-slip surface. These are available in a limited quantity to purchase from Hybrid Training for $65 (+ organising delivery).

Syllabus:

• Base positions
• Base changes of position:
• Base movements and skills
• Base stretches:
• Discussion about a balanced fitness program

Intermediate fitness for performance dogs

Suitable for:

Handlers and dogs that have had a small amount of instruction in fitness before. Please note that this is intended for dogs whose growth plates have closed, with no preexisting health conditions, or lameness, that have a good general level of fitness, such as those dogs already participating in dog sports, and regularly practising some fitness skills. For each exercise more advanced options can be given for any dogs who have already mastered that particular exercises.

Equipment required:

• One aerobic step, and two small stable platforms. These should be topped with a non-slip surface. These are available in a small quantity to purchase from Hybrid Training for $65 (+ organising delivery).
• Two inflatable pieces of equipment such as wobble cushions, or fitbones.
• Jump poles and cones / cans / plastic containers to make cavaletti

Syllabus:

• Check for form in basic skills: sit to stand, stand to down, bow, side stepping, reversing.
• Strength
• Balance
• Combination exercises
• Aerobic fitness discussion and demo
• Stretching
• Discussion about a balanced fitness program

Advanced fitness for performance dogs

Suitable for:

Handlers and dogs that have had a reasonable amount of instruction in fitness before, and are confident in the skills listed in the intermediate fitness syllabus. Please note that this is intended for dogs whose growth plates have closed, with no preexisting health conditions, or lameness, that have a very good general level of fitness.

Equipment required:

• One aerobic step, and two small stable platforms. These should be topped with a non-slip surface. These are available in a small quantity to purchase from Hybrid Training for $65 + organising delivery.
• Two inflatable pieces of equipment such as wobble cushions, or fitbones, that are the same size.
• Four foot pods.
• A peanut, or two peanuts for larger dogs, with a way to stabilise
• Eight cavaletti, or jump poles and cones / empty coke cans

Syllabus:

• Check for form in basic skills: sit to stand, stand to down, bow, side stepping, reversing.
• Strength
• Balance
• Aerobic fitness
• Cavaletti
• Discussion and task about creating combinations on different equipment set ups
• Discussion and demo about treadmill use
• Discussion about a balanced fitness program

Puppy foundation fitness fun

Suitable for:

Young dog’s 18 months or less whose growth plates have not closed. The program and general syllabus will be similar to the beginner fitness program, though with limitations appropriate for growing dogs.

Equipment required:

One aerobic step, and two small stable platforms. These should be topped with a non-slip surface. These are available in a small quantity to purchase from Hybrid Training for $65 + organising delivery.

Also a range of other materials to get puppy used to different textured surfaces.

Syllabus:

• Information and planning appropriate puppy training.
• Preparing puppy’s for advanced equipment: working on different surfaces.
• Things to avoid with young dogs.
• Nail and feet work
• Preparing for life as a performance dog: preparation for physio or similar treatment.  
• Base positions
• Base movements
• Base skills
• Base stretches

November 2017 - End of January 2018 These courses will be run via secret Facebook groups. All participants can post as many videos as they like, and ask as many questions as they like. Tasks and exercises will be posted through the three months, as a pace that suits participants (some exercises may need longer than others). Exercises will be posted as a video, with a written explanation on the post. $75NZD per dog

Email: hybriddogtraining@gmail.com for more information or to book a spot. 

Nails

So many of you that have been to a seminar with me, or attend lessons, know that I'm a little particular about dog's nails. Well actually more than a little particular.... I've had students arrive saying 'Pease dont look at his nails, I know they are too long!'

I believe that short nails are a simple and easy way to improve your dog's movement, and reduce the change of injury. Not only are long nails more easily caught and damaged, but longer nails mean that toes are easier to injure. Toe injuries can be very difficult to rehabilitate due to the difficulty in immobilising feet, and also the complex nature of the area with so many bones, tendons and joints. 

The other problem with long toe nails is that long nails push the foot into a different position, which impacts every joint above the foot. This means that every one of your dog's joint is bearing weight in a slightly different way to how it should. 

Here is some more information on Susan Garrett's blog: http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2013/08/cutting-your-dogs-nails-how-important-is-it-really/ 

I prefer to Dremel my dog's nails, and do this approximately once a week. My dogs do not walk on concrete, so do not wear their nails down at all naturally. Also Deo's tiny nails grow like weeds, and are very sharp! I only use the clippers if the nails are a little longer than normal, so I can reduce the time that it takes to dremel. 

Deo and Evo have been trained since tiny puppies in loving manicures. I started with them as puppies getting upside down cuddles on my knees, and spent lots of time handling feet and toes, including tapping toes with a metal teaspoon. So now they are a breeze to do. They literally fight to be first in the line for nail work. 

Chace however is a sensitive soul, and find's nail trimming very difficult. It's a constant work in progress. I've spent her entire life counterconditioning and desensitising her to this process, but she still dosent particularly like it. So I've just had my first session shaping her shortening her own nails on a DIY scratch board. You can see at the end of this video how much she likes this! Whilst I will still have to dremel her nails, hopefully with this I wont have do this quite as frequently. 

I also trim the fur between the dog's pads, as this helps reduce slipping, and also things getting stuck between their pads. Some people use clippers for this, but I just use little scissors. 

Another option to help make nail's a positive experience, is the use of a stickable licking device. This is particularly useful for dog's who find nails better while standing. Below is a photo of one that I made using a $2 shop suction hook and Kmart silicon pot holder, that I'm using to brush Chace.... something she hates almost as much as nails! 

Big events and the planning involved

So in New Zealand our national agility competition is coming up. For most competitors, this is a competition that is worked towards over the year, as well as highlight - both in terms of our competing, and socially.

So how are you planning your lead up to this event?  I posted earlier in the year about planning ahead.

Here's some things to consider:

• Goals

Have SMART goals for the event. As hard as it is to not just say 'I'd really love one ribbon' this is not realistic, as this is not specific to what you are able to control. It's related to the performance of others.  For example, I'm aiming to have two runs where Evo holds his start line in a sit, where I leave him, until I release him with 'Okay'. This is the main skill I have been working on with my baby dog over the last few months, as overarousal is a big factor for him in the ring. 

• Number of events

Not all dogs should be entered in every event. Chace is only entered in two runs over the weekend, and there is still a chance I may scratch her from these. Some dog's just aren't physically fit enough for the huge volume of runs. Some dog's will not deal well with the intense environment, or nerves of the handler, and some handlers will struggle to do justice while running multiple dogs. There is also always the chance that the weather and ground conditions are not ideal. Keep in mind it's just a competition. You are allowed to scratch your dog if it's the best thing for them. 

• Training and fitness work: tapering and peaking

For training to be effective, and to continue to challenge dog's training should put their body into a certain level of training stress. Without sufficient stress, the body will not have the physiological adaptions required to show improvement. In canine fitness training, this means continually changing and adding to their program. 

However, you dont want to be working on their full program leading right up to the big event. We want some reduction in activity, so they are not sore, tired, and are well rested. Research has shown that tapering activity in the few days up to the event is the most effective way to do this.   

"A well-designed taper can improve performance by about 3% over the year’s best performance. The taper should involve a progressive decrease in training volume of 70 to 90% and an increase or maintenance of training intensity over a seven- to 21-day period. The decreased training volume should be accomplished by decreasing distance or time per session. The number of training sessions per week should not be reduced by more than 20 to 50%. "

• Specialist's 

So I have to admit. I pre-booked in with my physio about three months out from the event, to ensure that my dogs would have the treatments they require. She is super busy, and amazing so I wanted to make sure I can get in to see her! I also want to ensure that my dogs are cleared to compete, with the intensity in training increasing leading up to the event. 

• Over the event

Look after your canine athlete's body! Pay attention to their fluid intake, and consider if they need a fuel boost over the day. Take the time to warm them up, and cool them down. Keep them warm in between events, and give them time to decompress at the end of the day - a bone to chew, frozen Kong, and a nice stroll where sniffing is encouraged! This isn't any normal from any other show, just sometimes harder to fit into a long event. 

Remember to take some time to enjoy you and your dog. Smile, give them a hug, and celebrate the success you are having. 

 

• Recovery

Have some physical and mental time off after planned in. You will both be tired! Physically it's a long event, and you and your canine athlete will be tired, and have small micro muscle tears that need time and energy to repair. I tend to take a few days off everything except for a few gentle short walks, and also a week or two off all agility training if possible. Enjoy this time, celebrate your success as a team. 

Remember to be grateful: of your dog, your team work, the ability to compete, and most of all the journey that you and your teammate have made. 

 - https://www.peakcentre.ca/general-endurance-sports/tapering-for-the-big-event/ 

 - https://keatsacademy.mykajabi.com/blog/after-the-peak 

 - https://www.freelapusa.com/tapering-for-speed-power-events-a-look-at-the-science/ 

Harnesses and why some are more appropriate for performance dogs than others

Dog's are quadruped, meaning that they use four limbs in locomotion. Because of this, their forelimbs are different in some ways from ours.

The bony structure of human and dog's forelimbs are similar. Both forelimbs are composed of phalanges, metacarpals, carpals, a radius, and ulna in the forearm, joining to the humerus at the elbow joint, and then the humerus joining in a ball and socket joint to the scapula (shoulder joint).  Now we have some differences. Because dog's bear 60% of their body weight on their front limbs, the bony structures (and associated musculature) are comparatively larger than a human, and similar in size to their rear limb. Human's shoulders are attached to their thorax (chest) by muscles around the scapula, and a small joint on the end of the clavicle (collar bone) that attaches to the sternum, and again more musculature. In contrast dog's have no clavicle, only the musculature around their scapula, to attach their forearm to their thorax. This gives dogs a greater range of motion, and movement required for fast and fluid running, however less structure in the shoulder meaning it can be easier to injure. 

Tendons, ligaments, and muscles are similar between humans and dogs, however, there are some orientation, size, and attachment point differences. 

This video (from the excellent book / DVD set 'Dogs in Motion') shows which muscles are being used, as the dog walks. In particular, note the muscles that are active when the dog extend their forearm forwards. 

So there are a lot of harnesses around, right? So which are more suitable for performance dogs? We are looking for harnesses that allow full range of motion, and don't cut across large muscle groups. 

So which of the ones below fit these specifications? 

Dr. Chris Zink notes that there are some muscles involved in shoulder extension, that are common sporting injuries. These are the supraspinatus, and biceps brachii. 

If we look at one popular style of harness, and where this cuts across muscle groups, we can see that it cuts across the biceps brachi, along with other large shoulder and chest muscles. 

This style of harness work's by restricting the dog's range of motion, therefore making it harder for the dog to pull forwards. Whilst this may make walking pulling dog's easier, it is also likely to affect not only range of motion, but possibly cause injury. 

Obviously, not all harnesses will fit all dog's perfectly, what you need to consider for your performance dog, is what is the best pieces of equipment to use with them, to meet your needs as well as minimise injury. Dog's can injure themselves on a flat collar and lead, or head halter, with incorrect fitting and use.

My top suggested harnesses are: 

• The Balance Harness (https://www.blue-9.com/products/100000000000061-balance-harness-over-head) 
• The Ruffwear harness (https://www.furtherfaster.co.nz/collections/ruffwear/products/front-range-2017) 
• The Perfect Fit harness (https://www.dog-games-shop.co.uk/perfect-fit-fleece-dog-harness.html) 
• The Hurtta Active harness (http://www.dogmechanics.co.nz/hurtta-active-harness.html) 

Some related reading:

• https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/16_7/features/the-no-pull-debate_20782-1.html 
• https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/20_4/features/Best-Dog-Harnesses-2017_21622-1.html

Looking ahead some more...

      Predicting the future is hard. Well, technically impossible. Previously in my life this fact would have really stressed me out, but as I've got 'more mature' (AKA old) I've become much better at going with the flow and letting things work out, however, the universe intends. I think intuition tells you what direction you and your life should move towards.

So the reason that I went with the name, and logo 'Hybrid training' was for a few reasons. Number one, the geeky biology reference. In my 'real job' I teach teenagers Science, with a specialty in Biology. My latest two dogs have geeky biology inspired names, and it's a trend I intend to continue with my future dogs. Deo is registered as  'Deoxyribonucleic acid', and Evo (or Evolution) is registered as 'Yahoo Survival of the Fittest'.  In biology, a hybrid is often the start point of a new species, when two closely related species cross breed and produce a hybrid.

In my mind agility training isn't just a stand-alone thing. You need other aspects in order to be successful. When I came up with the name I thought that this was going to be just adding the aspect of canine fitness training, but I'm rapidly realizing that there is so much more required than just these two aspects. Chace has taught me that emotional state, and stress, has a huge impact on performance and ability to learn. Linked in with this is the consistency of marking and rewarding behaviors, as well as life around enrichment and stress relief activities.

So where to next? 

It's literally my busiest year yet. I've been turning my hobby into a small business,  working at this on top of my regular full-time job. As a part of this, I've been doing lots of study, which I'm loving! Pretty soon I have my US trip, and after that I have lots of exciting seminars I'm attending in New Zealand. 

I have a few things in the pipeline for 2018.... and I can't wait!

Contrast

I just came back from a short stint in Bali for my brothers' wedding. It was very different to any other place that I have been before. Hot, humid, loud, vibrant, cheap! 

As I do on my holidays, I always keep an eye out for animals and take any opportunity to visit places with animals I haven't seen before. Unfortunately, I didn't have much time there (I was only there for a few days), and the monkey's any other animals I hadn't seen before were too far to travel too. 

What I did see was a few tied up cow's, cats and dogs, and some squirrels. Of these, the squirrels were the healthiest looking. 

The dogs and cats were mostly wandering. Some had collars, most didn't. All looked mangy - they all had dreadlocks or lots of patches of fur missing.  The one exception was a Husky being walked early one morning by an Australian who lived in Bali. 

Whilst the wandering dogs looked to be a reasonable weight, it was also apparent that many had mobility issues.  Many had obvious lameness, lots not so obvious lameness.  At the wedding, the dinner after was on the beach edge. Three stray dogs were curled up in balls in the sand on the beach, as a sleeping spot at the end of the night.  

For me, it showed the contrast in the care that our New Zealand dogs have. It is very usual to see a dog looking particularly mangy and uncared for, wandering, or obviously lame (and not being treated for this).  We don't have as many parasites and our climate isn't as favorable in relation to the manifestation of skin conditions.  

Looking ahead

Today in my Facebook memories one came up showing some of my early DIY fitness equipment work from two years ago. 

Yesterday I was lucky enough to present at the national APDTNZ conference. It was a real honor to be asked, and to be presenting with two very well known international trainers Nando Brown and Jo Rosie Haffenden of the School of Canine Science. 

While I present daily to my students at school, and have run quite a few workshops now, this was quite a different audience to what I'm used too! I was a little nervous, and as I tend to do, completely over prepared... I figure it's better to have too much to talk about than not enough! 

It was also a new type of audience for me. This is a group of pet dog trainers including obedience, vets, puppy preschool and daycare providers. Not the agility based audience that it more normal for me. 

My three guys were demo dogs in my first presentation, where I talked about reasons why people should be more aware of fitness, and how people could incorporate this into their daily lives with their dogs. Then my three demonstrated some fitness skills. All three dogs were amazing, but people seemed pretty impressed with wee Deo! 

I then worked with three pet dogs, where we did assessments of potential weak areas and structure and started training some base fitness skills. 

I got lots of questions and positive feedback after the presentation, so I've very happy that people gained some knowledge and are excited to learn more about canine fitness. 

In New Zealand we are in the somewhat unlucky position of being relatively small, and really far away from the US and Europe. This means that we are very limited in the availability of courses, and professionals. We have very few qualified animal physios, chiropractors, hydrotherapists, and rehabilitation experts. There are very few qualification available completely online, and it costs lots of money to get professionals to New Zealand to present, or help train. 

 So where to from here? I'm counting down the days till I travel back to the US to complete the hands-on section required for my CCFT and FitPaws master trainer qualifications. I'm sure after that I'll find something else to spend my time and money on.... just haven't quite decided what yet (though I do have a few ideas)!!

Balance

This year is my busiest yet. My full-time job is busy and intense. I'm taking on more and more of my 'second' job training people and their dogs, as well as working hard to complete online learning. I'm beyond excited about my upcoming US trip, but apprehensive about the work I have to do before this. 

My dog's lives are also busy, just like mine. They train and compete in agility, have a relatively busy fitness schedule, work with the kids at my school several times a week, and we try to squeeze in some down time and walks. 

I know when I'm tired and can re-arrange things to take a break, organise some stress relief (tonight it's pizza and Netflix), and generally have some down time. 

I'm fast realising that our dog's have the same needs, however, they are not able to tell us when they need a break. WE need to make sure our dogs take these breaks when they need them. 

I've been trying hard to actively work in more decompression type activities to my fur babies lives. These include enrichment puzzles with food and treats, decompression walks, some training or shaping of random things for fun (not serious agility work all the time), and like I talked about in the last blog post some time off agility training and competition. I'm also trying to be more considerate of my dog's mindset when training, and reading their behavior. Do they actually want to train? Are they getting stressed? Have they mentally tired? 

This is a snapshot of me and my dog's week from Saturday, until today, from my Instagram account. What does your snapshot look like? 

Interested in more on this topic? I recommend reading any of Sara Stremming's Cognitive Canine blogs, podcasts, or the Fenzi Behavioural Wellness course.