Big Dog Small Dog: Make Your Dog Happier By Being Understood

By Selina McIntyre

Make your dog happier by being understood

Learning how to communicate with your dog will lead you and your canine companion to a lifetime of happiness.

Dog behaviour expert Selina McIntyre uses a natural and direct method, helping humans understand how dogs deal with things like fear, change and anxiety. Big Dog Small Dog is packed with practical advice and natural ways to understand your dog's world: what they really want from their daily walk, what they think about children, and the truth about dog parks ...

Owning a dog is a huge responsibility and the more we prepare for such a major life decision, the more we empower ourselves. With the right signals, you'll soon be able to understand and speak your dog's language, helping you cement the foundations of a lasting and positive relationship.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia
• Release date: Jun 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781775491927

Selina McIntyre

Selina McIntyre runs a dog behavioural consultancy called Dogs Best Friend, in Waikato, New Zealand. Her study of animal behaviour began as a teenager, working with lion cubs at a wildlife park. She has a Bachelor of Applied Animal Technology, and strives to bring long-term happiness to every dog she encounters. She lives with her family, her two border terriers, Trev and Lily, and a mostly tolerant black and white moggy, Isobelle.

Book preview

Dedication

For my family, whether you walk on two legs or four.

And for the dogs — my teachers.

Epigraph

Sitting back in the evening, stargazing,

and stroking your dog, is an infallible remedy.

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Contents

Dedication

Epigraph

Introduction

1My story

2The puppy makes the dog

Choosing a puppy

Your pup’s personality

How to socialise your pup

Puppy classes

3Dogs are body language masters

Lessons in training

‘Sit’

‘Come’ — the recall

‘Stay’

Calm time

Some general training tips

Licking

‘Leave’

Daily enrichment for mental stimulation

4The outside world

Dogs and cats

‘Watch’

Fixation

Pent-up energy

The walk

Walking on the lead

Fear of strangers

5Leadership, status and rank

Leadership

Status displays start early

Rank signals

Bossy behaviour

Dogs jumping up on people

6The challenge of consistency

Consistency within the family

Commands

The way a command is given

Chewing and other destructive behaviour

Stress in dogs

Tail chasing

Food stealing

Dogs scavenging when left alone

7Fear and anxiety

Mouthing and nipping

Barking

‘Quiet’

Safety of children around dogs

Signs of fear in a dog

Signs of overt aggression in a dog

Reducing noise aversion

Desensitisation

Separation anxiety

8Multi-dog households

Hierarchy

Toilet training

Dogs hiding

Dogs running out the gate

Young dogs with older dogs

The benefits of having two dogs

Territorial aggression

Dogs chasing bikes

Dogs on leads

9Sure, we’ve got a working dog, but we have a large property

Choosing the right breed

Different lines of the breed

Dog-to-dog aggression

Preventing and responding to aggression

Training your dog to deal with aggression

The importance of play

The dog park

Dog sports

10Our kids have all flown the nest, our dog is our baby

Empty nesters

Protectiveness in the car

The crate

Aggression towards strangers

Growling

11Small dogs and big dogs

What the small dog is allowed to do but his big brother is not

Small dogs and big dogs are not always friends . . .

Puppy farms

Inter-dog aggression between dogs in the same household

Dog-training collars

Easing anxiety

12Best laid plans . . .

Desexing/neutering

Predatory aggression

Keeping your dog fit

Fear impact periods

13The effects of change on dogs

Rushing at visitors

Barking at the television

‘Mat’

Changes that can affect your dog

Change can result in dogs being left with rescue organisations

14If we can do this, we can do a baby, right?

Mouthing and tugging at the lead

Crate training

Chasing shadows

Bringing a little human into your pack

How your dog might react to a new baby

Make your baby positive to your dog

‘Shoo’ or ‘Go away’

If your dog growls or snaps at your baby

Poor-quality diet

Resource guarding

‘Drop’

15I’m not as fit as I once was but I thought I’d manage

Older people and dogs

Dog breeds for older people

16Old dog, new tricks

Working with senior dogs

Bibliography

Endnote

Copyright

Introduction

Dogs have been domesticated for at least 10,000 years, maybe more, so it is little wonder we are fascinated by how dogs communicate, how we can communicate with them and how we can speak their language. More than that, I believe that learning to communicate with your dog is vital for a balanced and harmonious existence between the two of you.

Owning a dog is a huge responsibility and the more we prepare for such a major life decision (as with all major life decisions), the more we empower ourselves to help our dogs — knowledge is power, after all. So, with a bit of helpful knowledge, I hope to take you on a journey towards long-term happiness and contentment for your canine companion. Who knows, your family might calm down a bit too as the stress of your mate barking or chewing up the carpet when you leave them at home does not help maintain family harmony! With this book you can make your dog happier by being understood.

I’ll start with my story, to let you in on how I came to understanding the canine vernacular. Then we’ll look at not only understanding your dog, from them being a rambunctious pup through to their more sedate senior years, but also making them happy in the process — which includes both their mental and physical wellbeing.

Within these pages, I’ll share the knowledge I’ve learned throughout my life with animals, my studies in both preliminary zoology as well as applied animal technology, my volunteering with the SPCA, Blind Low Vision NZ Guide Dogs and various animal shelters, and through my career as a dog behavioural consultant. I’ve been working with animals for my whole life and I started my consultancy business when I was in the second year of my degree in Applied Animal Technology. Since then, I’ve worked with hundreds of dogs and their owners.

‘What’s a dog behavioural consultant?’ I hear you ask. We’re people who help dogs in a very holistic way. We look at the environment, the people and other animals that dogs are interacting with, as well as any particular circumstances they are facing within their home. By doing this, we are able to get to the root cause of any issues they might be experiencing.

We also work like teachers, mentors and support people for our clients while they’re working to modify their dogs’ behaviour. By getting to know the whole pack — human and dog — we’re able to provide support when things get rough and cheer you on when things are going well.

I’ve included a number of case studies here, which will give you some idea about how I work and help you to understand the process dog owners and I go through together.

When I work with a client, I usually have three consultations with them. During the first one, I come in with fresh eyes and observe them with their dogs. I do this in their home and in any other environments where they feel they need my help. This gives me a good chance to get to the root of the issues they’re facing. From this visit, I’ll make notes and come up with a personalised behaviour modification plan for them.

On the second visit, I look to address the issues the client is having. I’ll run through the plan with them, show them whatever commands they need to know and go through any other training exercises that I believe will be helpful.

The third visit is really a follow-up appointment, during which we can assess the progress being made, suggest any possible changes to the plan and look to the future.

My focus, first and foremost with this book, is for you to cement the foundations of a positive relationship with your dog. Because of this, my approach throughout is that animals should volunteer to respect and trust you.

Having children, I completely understand that life is sometimes a juggling act. I have the challenge of juggling family life and work commitments, and all the while I’m wanting to do the best for our dogs as well.

Funnily enough, I realise neither you nor your dog are robots, so you cannot be push-button trained. Neither are either of you perfect — all of us have failings and good and bad days, but being open to learning about the whats and whys of a situation will enable us to move forward.

Often, a lack of understanding as a result of inadequate non-verbal communication between dog and owner can lead to undesirable behaviour. Most of these behaviours that are labelled as behavioural issues are ones that are regular and normal behaviours in a dog pack.

For example, holes are dug to store surplus food and an indent in the land can provide a snug sleeping spot. Digging is also enjoyable and is known to relieve stress (as does chewing). Chasing small animals is both stimulating and can provide a meal.

What we need to do when we see these behaviours is think about things from our dog’s perspective. It’s rare for behavioural issues to have a single cause, so it’s important to consider a whole lot of possible elements that might be affecting your dog. Once we’re able to do this, we’re well on the way to being able to speak dog.

My approach is natural and direct, based on canine behavioural communication. I work with communication tools that your dog already knows and understands. I do not advocate the use of choker chains, shock, vibration or any form of spray collar. I do not condone the use of alpha rolling methods and I do not feel there is any need to use physical manipulation in my behavioural modification and training.

I look to read a dog and their guardian/owner through their body language and combine this with an understanding of how this relates to the dog’s innate behaviour. A large part of what I do is around encouraging you to look at your situation with a fresh set of eyes and teaching you the language of your dog.

Through the pages of this book, I will look at the most common behavioural concepts and issues I encounter in my work. While the first chapter deals largely with puppies, the ideas in the book apply to all dogs. Even though you might have an older dog, their life will have been shaped by their earliest experiences in puppyhood, so this is an important time for you to understand. I will also walk you through case studies related to these and provide you with strategies to tackle the associated problems.

My goal is to help both you and your dog. With this, if you learn the right signals, you’ll soon be able to understand and speak your dog’s language, which will make both of you much happier.

CHAPTER 1

My story

Wherever you go, go with all your heart.

— Confucius

Funnily enough, it wasn’t working with dogs that set me on my career path. Instead, it was my early encounters with big cats that got me hooked on working with animals.

When I was 12, I wrote a rather detailed and very impassioned letter to the owners of Paradise Valley Springs Wildlife Park near where I lived in Rotorua. Then I waited for a response for what seemed like an eternity but was probably a couple of months in reality. When that response came it was in the form of a ridiculously excited phone call — from my end. They’d read my letter and they were phoning to offer me a job. I couldn’t believe it!

That summer, I started work as a lion cub attendant at the park. It was a job I would retain — eventually graduating to being a tour guide — until I was 19. Paradise became my second home, and I could usually be found there after school, on weekends and during school holidays.

Looking back, working as a lion cub attendant and tour guide don’t seem like ordinary jobs for your average teenager, so that letter must have been damn good! Mind you, a friend once said to me, ‘You’ve always known your own mind.’ I would have to agree. Even back then, at the age of 12, I knew I wanted to work with animals.

Paradise Valley is essentially made up of two parts: the New Zealand wildlife section and the African lion pride. Why African lions? The original lions, Sheba and Leo, were bought from an Australian circus from which they were being retired, back in the 1970s. They formed the foundation of the Paradise pride. Many lion cubs have been produced since then and all of the park’s current pride have been born there.

While it might seem strange now that a 12-year-old girl was working with lions, my first job was taking tickets for the park and I gradually worked my way up to spending time with the cubs as an attendant. From when I first started working at the park, there was never any doubt in my mind that I was dealing with an untamed (if not wild) and undomesticated, incredibly powerful species.

When I worked at the park, the cubs were not hand raised. They were kept separate from the pride but were taken back to their mothers late each afternoon in a trailer we dubbed the ‘Cub mobile’. They weren’t introduced to the pride full time until they were six months old.

My role as lion cub attendant involved ensuring the cubs’ health and safety, feeding them, educating the visiting public about lions, handling the cubs around the public, and cleaning up at the other end. Fun fact: lion cub poo is about the size of a large dog’s and as their diet is 100 per cent meat, their poos are really rather pungent.

Sometimes, I would handfeed the cubs meat. Although it was slimy, especially because it had a calcium supplement on it, this was a wonderful experience for me. I soon learned that, even at a very young age, lions are extremely noisy chewers.

The bonds I developed with the seven different lion cubs I handled were just amazing. There was my first cub Ryo, then Samson, Toby, the double trouble of Max and Millie, and Zak and Zalika who were Ryo’s cubs!

I spent many hours alone with cubs, but I was never lonely.

The lion cubs were a delight to just curl up with and pat relaxingly while they slept. Lion hair is soft but coarse and not at all like the hair of a domestic cat. The cubs also spent a great deal of time grooming me. It was a bit like when a cat licks you but a bit harsher as lions have sandpaper-like tongues.

I became extremely close with one cub, Toby, before he was moved to Orana Park in Christchurch for breeding purposes. Toby became my best friend at the park. When interacting with him, I loved that very first instant the most. It made me happy when I saw that spark in Toby’s eye, the look of recognition, and then him coming up to give me a good rub. There’s nothing quite like the good uuumph of the familial rub of a lion’s body — often head on head — against yours. This happened so many times in our months together, but I did appreciate how special it was.

He would follow me around the lions’ pen even when, all around, the rest of his pride was embroiled in the excitement of feeding time. He was the only lion cub I continued to have playtime with after the age of six months. I would play with him while the pride’s enclosure was shut to them for cleaning up until he was 11 months old and weighed more than 20 kilograms.

There is a change in the cubs as they mature around that 10-month mark. They lose any cuteness and gain a raw, deeply primitive and powerful beauty. These young lions begin to look out at the world differently.

There were ways to engage with a rapidly growing lion cub that made things easier for me. I kept my long hair tied back and out of reach of paws (and claws). When I was cleaning up after a lion with a ‘poopascoop’ I never bent down to ground level as the lions would automatically go into hunt mode, stalking me then, wham, knocking me clear over.

I soon learned it paid to always keep my eye on a young lion. As Toby got older, I watched out for my kneecaps as he seemed to have an attraction to them, perhaps because they appeared to be exactly the same size as his open mouth!

Toby could be quite the tough guy when he wanted to be, but his dad, Jake, and the lionesses would put him in his place. Toby was good mates with his big sister, Ryo, who was two when he left for Christchurch. Toby would stalk Ryo from across the paddock while she faced the other way. Before you knew it, they’d be tumbling around on the ground. Having someone stalk her was quite the role reversal for Ryo, who loved to stalk her pride mates (and sometimes other creatures that visited the area).

If I wasn’t working with the lions, I loved to walk up into the cool bush surrounding the Himalayan thar (mountain goats). I used these moments to get to know these shy, stunning creatures. I named the teenage male Bailey, the wee female Sahar, and the two adults were just called plain old Mumma and Daddy. Since having children myself, I much prefer my husband to still use my name, instead of just being ‘Mum’, thank you very much. If I knew then what I know now, I probably would have given them both names!

As well as the animals, working at the park taught me a lot about working with people. Even when I was walking around the park on my lunch break, as soon as a visitor saw that I worked at the park, I would be inundated with questions about the animals. I definitely got used to chatting to people and my husband reckons it’s why I can talk to anyone now!

I do think all those social interactions when I was young still help me now when it comes to building rapport and relationships with the dog owners I encounter. I’m able to chat casually while still getting to the bottom of the problems they are having with their dog’s behaviour.

While I was working at the park, I got into the habit of writing about my work in my journal. These were some of my earliest behavioural observations about animals. As well as these behavioural observations and notes about what happened during my workdays, I also wrote individual profiles on each of the Paradise Valley lions.

Saturday, 14 November 1998

Scarlet

A small, reasonably dark lioness born in 1994. She has dark eyebrows. She is inquisitive but only to a point. She has always been less daring but will put up a fight when it is necessary. Scarlet often gets frightened at feeding time when large heavy chunks of meat are thrown over the fence. She waits till they hit the ground and then she attempts to retrieve them if others have not got to it first. Scarlet is currently sixth in the hierarchy (with a pride of seven).

Here is one of the entries I made about the Paradise Pride:

12.33 pm, Saturday, 16 October 1999

Wind has got up slightly. All except Jenny are in the far-left corner of the enclosure.

Under the bridge (on Paradise Valley Road) there is a sheep from the neighbouring farm. Ryo is sitting down watching it by the fence and Honey is pacing back and