The Positives and Negatives of Crate Training

The use of a crate to train your dog is now a very popular choice, and is used as a management tool to enable your dog to learn about the environment. This minimizes mistakes and sets the dog up for success.

If introduced properly the dog should:

• be happy and relaxed while in there
• feel it is a safe place to go.

Used in the correct way a crate is a temporary measure and can aid with:

• house training
• stopping the dog getting into mischief
• getting the dog used to isolation
• keeping them from getting over aroused with other pets
• stopping them developing bad habits

While there are many advantages of using a crate there are some disadvantages. Far too many dogs spend long periods of time in the crate without enough exercise or mental stimulation in between these periods, the crate then becomes a prison.

The crate should never be used as a way of punishing the dog, it will only create anxiety in the dog and cause further behavioural problems.

What type of crate should I use?

There are several types of crate available such as fabric, these can be useful as they are mobile and can be used for dogs that are nervous in the car, they can block out the view and help some dogs with travel sickness.

Metal crates are most popular and come in a variety of sizes. They are much more durable and easy to clean.

The crate should be large enough for a dog to be able to stand comfortably and turn around. It should allow for a bed and water bowl inside. This may mean people who own large breed dogs may need to replace the size of the crate as the dog grows.

Introducing the crate

Placement of the crate is important, unless you are working on some behavioural issue it should never be placed in an area where it is busy but preferably somewhere more quiet where the dog can rest. 

Let the dog/puppy investigate the crate and praise any time the dog goes near the crate.

Leaving the door open throw food inside the crate and once going in reliably you can then add a cue such as ‘bed’ or any word you like followed by the food, if repeated enough the dog should go in on request.

Make all pleasant things happen in the crate by feeding meals in there and giving interactive toys such as the Kong range.

Only when the dog is going in and out by itself and settling down should you start to close the door, initially for a few minutes and gradually building up periods of time.

It can be useful to part cover the crate with a blanket this blocks out noise and can also make the dog feel safe.

If finances permit it can be useful to have two crates one in an area of low traffic this can help getting the dog used to isolation and prevent separation related issues in the future. The other crate can be put in the living room or another busy area. This way the dog gets used to seeing that in an evening, family members and other dogs settle down and there is little interaction, it can help with the dog settling and not pestering for attention.

When your puppy is in the crate it is best not to interact with it or this could start the cycle of pestering and being disruptive while in the crate.

As puppy gets older how you let him/her out of the crate can create bad habits so ensure that puppy is calm before letting out and eventually you can teach a ‘sit’ and ‘wait’ on request, this can then transfer to waiting at the door or the gate if going for a walk.

Can a dog spend too much time in a crate?

The short answer is ‘yes’ the crate is merely a tool to aid house training. Dogs must be given the opportunity to urinate and defecate at regular intervals and in between these times, it must be given the opportunity to explore the environment. Yes it will pick up things it shouldn’t do from time to time and it is our job to redirect them to something more appropriate.

Our dogs must be given appropriate exercise to meet it’s developmental needs. This can vary from breed to breed. In general unless there is a medical problem advised by your vet, periods no longer than three or four hours should be spent in the crate at any one time.

Dogs that spend too much time in a crate are not living their best life, they lack exercise and human interaction. This can have disastrous effects on the dog and can contribute to behavioural problems in the future such as frustration, anxiousness, depression and aggression.

Looking at it from our perspective, you wouldn’t want to spend all your time in one room. So it is very important that our pets get the opportunity to eat and drink, toilet, exercise, socialise and play in a varied environment. 

Pregnancy - Getting your cats used to the arrival of a baby

 

Living with cats when pregnant – How to reduce their stress and keep yourself safe.

So I and my partner are expecting a baby January 2022. We live with two cats who are brother and sister, Edwina and Albert. We’ve had to make a couple of changes in the house to ensure a safe pregnancy but also not upset the cats either. This is a little guide to how we’ve coped and adapted so far.

 

There are some health concerns with cats, pregnancy and young children. One being toxoplasmosis which is a parasite found in cat faeces. During pregnancy we would advise avoiding the cleaning of litter trays if possible, or wearing gloves whilst doing so. Wear gloves whilst gardening and making sure to follow good hygiene when handling and preparing food. Cats obviously walk everywhere, so make sure all kitchen worktops are cleaned before use. Making sure to wash hands after handling and petting cats. We are also making sure to keep up-to-date with worming treatment, particularly treatment for roundworm which can cause problems for young children.

 

Cats can get quite stressed with changes to the house so to help combat this we’ve install Feliway and Pet Remedy plug-in diffusers around the house. These work by releasing pheromones and calming natural herbs to help the cats feel relaxed and familiar with the environment despite the changes.

 

One of the big changes has been the decorating of the nursery. That has included strange smells of paint, a new carpet being fitted and new furniture being introduced. It is important for safety and peace of mind that the baby’s room is kept as a no-go area for cats, especially when they are small.  Though we advise against cats going into the nursery we do advise that any new items are introduced to them gradually, so they can become accustomed to all the paraphernalia which accompanies a new baby.  Rubbing a soft cloth around your cats’ cheeks and face will help to pick up some of their natural pheromones, and rubbing this cloth on the new items will help them become more accepted.

As it is a two cat household we’ve also needed to consider how the changes might affect their relationship. Cats do prefer to live individually rather than in groups, although they may well tolerate other cats well. Any stress might end up being a final straw for some cats which then might result in tension, fighting and undesirable toileting habits outside of the litter box. As a rule of thumb it is recommended that every household has one litter box per cat, plus a spare. Our cats do prefer to toilet outside but we do have a backup litter box in a secluded area just in case of a toilet emergency. Just like us, cats would prefer to go to the toilet in peace. So litter boxes should be placed in quiet areas, away from busy household walkways. Cats don’t like the possibility of being ambushed either when toileting, so make sure they can still see the goings on of the room from the opening of the litter box. Cat’s cat be quite particular about litter trays and the substrate used so for more information visit: https://www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/home-and-environment/toileting.

 

My partner and I have made a conscious effort that the cats still get the same amount of attention even though our lives are changing. Cats can get equally upset about owners routines changing, especially if they like to spend a lot of time with their owners. When the baby is born we will also have to make an effort to keep up the attention and affection the cats get. We will continue with the plug-in diffusers until the baby is around a year old, maybe longer as things will be constantly changing within the household. Pet Remedy also supply wipes that I have used on new furniture entering the house. Cats have pretty sensitive noses and can be upset by new smells. A good indication of this is if your cat might urinate on new or electrical household items. This makes the item smell like themselves, which is comforting, although it might not be the same for us! We’ve been quite lucky and so far the cats have taken quite well to the new additions in the house. Particularly the pregnancy pillows which have been claimed as a cat bed.

 

Once the baby is born we will make sure both cats have areas to escape to if they want some peace and quiet. Food bowls, water and litter trays need to be accessible at all times. Cats quite like places high up or even low areas under beds. The main thing for them is to feel safe and that they can’t been seen or easily snuck up on. Thinking about how you can create these hiding places throughout the house is paramount for a happy cat. Using cardboard boxes or suitcases to create cat dens is easily done. Edwina likes high up areas such as on top of wardrobes of kitchen cabinets. We often put beds up there to add to her comfort. Whereas Albert prefers spaces under beds to hide so we have donated him a suitcase to sleep on under the bed.

 

There is also plenty of useful information on the international cat care website surrounding cats and babies if you follow this link: https://icatcare.org/advice/cats-and-babies/

What to Look For in a Dog Trainer or Behaviour Advisor

What to Look For in a Dog Trainer or Behaviour Advisor

Hello I’m Hilary, a registered Veterinary nurse. I am a member of the Centre of Applied Pet Ethology (COAPE) and have been helping clients with their dog’s behaviour and training since 2001. I used to compete in obedience with my own dogs and did lots of fun training exercises. I am writing a series of blogs which I hope you all find helpful.

At present the dog training and behaviour industry is sadly unregulated and so anyone can set themselves up in business even if they have little training experience with dogs. This can potentially lead  to poor practice and standards of welfare for the dog.

We have all seen people in the past talking about dominance and submission and even but many are now realising there is a better way to train dogs. 

There are so many people offering their services in the dog training and behaviour sector it is mind boggling, so how do we choose?

• The first thing I advise is to find a class and ask if you can sit in on a lesson and watch how the trainer interacts with the dogs and their owners. You wouldn’t send a child to a school without first checking it out. If you are refused then look elsewhere.  
• Classes should be kept small with no more than six to eight dogs. That way you and your dog get individual attention from the trainer and you can discuss anything that concerns you.
• Classes should not last much longer than 30 minutes for young dogs under 6 months and no more than one hour for dogs over a year of age.
• Good classes are often tailored to the age of the dog such as puppy, junior/intermediate and adult.
• A good trainer will cater for the dogs needs and recognise that some dogs are unable to cope in a class situation. They could provide an area where the dogs can just relax and observe without participation until they feel more comfortable to join in. Other trainers may have the space and are able to provide individual areas for each dog. This is so your dog has their own personal space and feel more relaxed. Some dogs may need one to one training especially if they are fearful or reactive around other dogs and people.

Classes run by forward thinking trainers are structured, use reward based, force free training methods and are run by people who have invested time and money in keeping up to date with modern science based techniques. They are able to identify stress in dogs and will look for solutions to problems realising all dogs are not the same and like people, learn differently.

Classes like this are very relaxed and clients are able to sit in a chair and the dogs are allowed to use a mat or a bed in between teachings, the atmosphere is often one of calm.

Professional organisations such as:

• Association of Pet Dog Trainers
• Association of Pet Behaviour Councillors
• COAPE Association of Applied Pet Behaviourist and Trainers
• The Animal Behaviour and Training Council and Dogs Trust

are all good places to look when looking for a trainer or behaviourist as they are required to adhere to a strict code of conduct ensuring that no punitive methods or equipment is used when training dogs.

What to avoid:

• Classes where there are a mixture of dogs of various ages
• Those classes where you can attend on a roll on/roll off basis
• Classes where there are lots of dogs and lots of disruption.
• Those based on an outdated dominance theory, crossing lines and punishment and often use choke chains.
• Anything that makes you feel uncomfortable

Some dogs are unable to learn in this type of environment and this is often when people say ‘’they have gone to training school but the dog is no better’’or the dog has become aggressive. Due to these out dated methods, dog behaviour can be made worse. Every dog can be worked with as long as you are willing to put in the time and effort.

If any of you have a topic you would like discussing please let me know, via Facebook or contacting the practice directly on 01924 566766

Next time: The use of indoor crates.

Punishment vs Reward in Dog Training

Punishment vs Reward in Dog Training

In order to build a strong relationship with our dogs they must trust us. Some dog trainers use methods that appear to dispute this and train through fear and punishment. This weakens the relationship between owner and the dog and makes us appear unpredictable to the dog.

Physically man handling your dog, such as forcing it to the ground is sometimes called an Alpha roll. Muzzle grabbing, Alpha rolls and the twisting of body parts are all based on outdated theories of dominance and pack leadership.

Modern science has now proved that studies done on wolves many years ago were inaccurate. These wolves were captive and forced to live in groups which were made up through human selection and not natural selection. This created conflict and appears to be where the dominance theory originates.

Dogs do not strive to dominate their human carers. When a dog is displaying behaviours that are perfectly natural for the dog, such as growling or lip curling, we might find those behaviours offensive but this usually means there is some form of conflict going on.

People who train using fear and punishment cause anxiety in the dog which suppresses the dog’s behaviour. For example yanking a dog with a choke chain, the dog may stop pulling in the presence of the punisher because of fear. However the dog may carry on pulling when being walked on the lead by someone other than the punisher.

Punishment can make some dogs resort to using aggressive behaviours through fear, whilst other dogs can get depressed and some will shut down completely which is very sad.

The other thing to remember is that you can do a lot of damage to a dog by yanking a collar on the neck area. As well as containing the cervical spine there are also important arteries and veins as well as the trachea (windpipe) which can be traumatised. I also wouldn’t advise forcing a dog into a ‘sit or down’ position as this could cause pain as some dogs may have undiagnosed hip or spinal problems.

Reward based training not only creates trust but gets quicker results and is more enjoyable for both owner and dog.

Most modern dog trainers have a ‘hands off ‘approach and get the dog to work through motivating the dog. This could be through toys or food depending on what the dog enjoys, the dog also has to use the brain by working out what it is we are trying to teach them.

So if we were teaching a ‘sit’ one of the ways would be to use the lure /reward method. By holding a treat just above the dog’s nose and when the head goes up the dog automatically goes into a ‘sit’ position. The dog is then rewarded and once doing this reliably you can then add the cue like saying sit. When the behaviour is reliable you can then look at rewarding just the quickest or best ‘sits’ until eventually your dog gets used to sitting without needing food every single time.

I know that I want my dogs to work for me because they enjoy it and not because they are fearful of me. One last word if someone tells you to do something to your dog that you feel is not right then do not do it. - Hilary Hardcastle Registered Veterinary Nurse DipCABT

 Next Time...

What to look for in a good dog trainer

Meet the surgeons (but mainly their pets)

As well as Fiona and Chris we also have two assistant veterinary surgeons at Wakefield Westgate, Arleta and Justyna. 

Teofil

Arleta joined the team in 2016. She particularly enjoys surgery and is looking forward to starting a certificate in emergency and critical care. Arleta qualified in Poland back in 2009 and worked at a mixed animal practice. In 2014 she fancied a big change, took a leap and moved to England. Here she worked in a few small animal vets, including the PDSA, before she decided to settle with us. 

Teofil enjoying the shade

She has one nine year old cat called Teofil, who lives back in Poland with her parents where he has a lovely big garden and his human slaves (Her mum and dad). Teofil came into Arleta’s life when she was informed by a woman there was a kitten roaming the streets. Arleta went to look and she found him hiding in a bush. He had no obvious owners and was not micro chipped so Arleta took him on as her own. He is a very well behaved cat for the most part. He waits to be invited to sit with you patiently and will not take food from anybodies hand, he will only eat it once it has been placed on the floor. Teofil also knows which part of the pillow is for him and which part he should save for Arleta's head.

Bartek the goat

Growing up Arleta’s family always had animals including dogs, chickens, ducks, rabbits, pigs and goats so she was always very interested in becoming a vet. Her main responsibility growing up was looking after the goats. She had a favourite goat called Bartek who was very well trained and answered when she called him. 

Baby Benia

Justyna joined Wakefield Westgate Vets4Pets earlier on in 2018. She qualified in 2014 and completed an internship in Poland at a busy small animal practice. She moved to the UK with her husband after they both decided they wanted a change and to further their careers. 

Justyna has one cat, Benia who currently lives with Justyna’s parents. Benia was brought into her first practice when she was a very tiny kitten. She required bottle feeding and Justyna offered to take her home for the weekend whilst the practice was closed. The rest is history and she was adopted by Justyna! 

Benia is always watching

Benia loves playing fetch with crumpled up bits of paper. In the morning she brings Justyna and her partner balls of paper in bed to wake them up. They throw them across the room and she brings them straight back to them.

Benia comfy in a pot

She likes hiding in places she shouldn’t like open refrigerator doors, cooking pans and the neighbours apartments if they leave their doors open long enough!

Benia also likes to investigate everything brought into the house including handbags and the food shopping. She has a love of plastic carrier bags, which she likes to hide inside of and jump out on unsuspecting passers-by.

Justyna always had a high sensitivity to animals and enjoyed looking after her pets growing up so as she got older, becoming a vet seemed like a natural decision. 

Wakefield Westgate are starting a blog

As a team we’ve decided to start writing our own blog. This will give us the opportunity to share the goings on inside our vet practice. We’ll let you know of any interesting patient cases, let you meet the team and see our own pets. We will also aim to give out plenty of helpful pet advice and share links to valuable websites.

 Chris and Fiona

To begin with we thought it might be nice to know a little about the practice. So, if you didn’t already know, we are located inside the Pets at Home store on Westgate Retail Park in Wakefield. We are also affiliated with Castleford Vets4Pets with our Joint Venture Partners being Fiona and Chris Coutts. Fiona is based here at Wakefield and Chris is mainly based at Castleford. Fiona took over the practice and started working here in 2013. They are both full time veterinary surgeons.

Together they have a twelve year old cat called Warrick. Fiona took him on when he was brought to her place of work by a lady who had found him under her car. He had fractured both his top and lower jaw and had severely damaged his eye. It was suspected that he had probably been hit by a car. They fixed his lower jaw by putting a wire in to secure it back together. The top jaw looked like it would heal well on its own and he required his eye removing as it was too damaged to repair. He was only around four months old and had no microchip or collar, so Fiona took him on. She called him Warrick after her favourite character in CSI Las Vegas.

Warrick has caused them a fair amount of stress with his various ailments and illnesses including but not limited to:

Warrick and his favourite dinosaur toy

• His jaw fractures and eye removal (enucleation)
• Vomiting and stomach endoscopy which resulted in a special sensitive food.
• Swollen legs (from sitting on the hot radiators too long) 
• Dental work with teeth extractions. These were because he had developed Feline Oral Resorptive Lesions (FORLs) so he was then put on dental dry biscuits.
• Due to the dental biscuits he put on a fair amount of weight when he got to middle age. He also took a liking to eating things he wasn't supposed to like a TV antenna, ribbons, plastic bags, wallpaper, the actual wall and lilies (these are usually toxic, though thankfully these type weren't)
• Cystitis and a blocked bladder due to urinary crystals. This required him to be anaesthetised to pass a catheter through his urethra to flush away the crystals.
• A luxating patella, which is the knee cap sliding abnormally over the knee joint. This required surgery to fix as it's quite painful. 
• More vomiting with a suspected foreign body. He had surgery and more endoscopy to investigate and they found small legions in his stomach. With medication this has since settled down.
• Now whenever he gets a little stressed his cystitis flares up again. This was recently triggered by next doors building work going on. 

Obviously Fiona and Chris are very glad after this list that they have Warrick insured and that they have such a friendly team to help out when he is sick!

As we go a long, we'll aim to introduce all our staff here at Wakefield Westgate Vets4Pets and try and give you a little insight about what goes on inside a vets practice. If you want any information about the illnesses and conditions mentioned above, give us a call on 01924 566766.