Focusing on Dog Training, Animal Behavior, Pet Ownership, and Pet Industry Issues
...it is about sharing their dog with people who will benefit from their presence. For those people, therapy work is their calling. While not every dog is made for this kind of work, there are certain characteristics that set some dogs apart.
Read MoreThe temperature is rising and with it the opportunities for our pets to join us for some summertime fun. Below are 5 ways to ensure that your dog has a blast with you this summer!
Read More...before the denial sets in and you say to yourself that this does not apply to you because your dog "would never bite", or you think "only certain breeds bite",...
Read MoreWhen we label something, we close a door of understanding. We are telling the animal that we don't care what their reason is for their behavior. We stop listening. We give ourselves a false sense of explanation when really we have no understanding of why.
Read More"I can see the worry lines as they try to align my explanation with their expectation. And for some... POP! I may have even shattered some lofty dream. How can dog training have so little to do with dogs? It seems crazy to think someone called a dog trainer, could not actually be training dogs. "
Read Moreshared from original post at http://www.kihakushibas.com/blog/2014/4/30/going-to-bat-for-shiba-inus
RECENTLY UPDATED - See update at the bottom.
Originally published in the National Shiba Club of America "Shiba E-News Magazine: December 2013"
"Shiba Inus as a breed, sometimes get the unfortunate reputation of having aggression issues. This reputation seems to be the case especially regarding aggression around other dogs. However, dog to dog aggression is something that can plague any dog, regardless of breed. It is my observation, that Shiba Inus do not have a genetic predisposition towards aggression but instead, grow up to have poor reactions around other dogs due to problems with upbringing, improper socialization and inappropriate training.
The vast majority of aggressive dogs are actually exhibiting fear based aggression. This aggression is generally referred to as “reactivity.” The reactive dog, when in the presence of something it feels is threatening, will choose to use its fight instinct rather than flight instinct. The dog chooses to growl, lunge, or to bite the threat rather than running away. It is important to note that most dogs find fighting to be dangerous and therefore are not choosing it because they want to, but rather because they feel trapped, helpless and threatened.
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