Freedom from discomfort - one of the five freedoms of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 UK
​
Under the Animal Welfare Act all Animals have the rights to:
Freedom from hunger, thirst or malnutrition
Freedom from discomfort
To be able to exhibit normal behaviours
Freedom from fear and distress
To be protected from pain, suffering, disease and illnesses.

As it is such a big topic I'll explore each freedom within each blog.

The Five Freedoms first came to circulation in the 1990's due to John Webster which was simply an extension of the original Brambell Committee report which focused on the space of farm animals. (1) (2)

When the Five Freedoms were originally applied to all animals in captivity or domestic settings and not just livestock. It was felt that the freedoms were clear and not open to interpretation. That people would read them and not mistake what they meant. They did not account for human error or interpretation.

For example if you Google right now, freedom from discomfort. You will see that it is focused on shelter and that the animal must have suitable shelter. They did not consider the nuance of these freedoms.

So some people may read this freedom and say "OK, they aren't in the rain, they are sheltered from the sun and they have a blanket in winter." The literal bare minimum, because the law is written so poorly.

For myself and colleagues freedom from discomfort is so much more than shelter! It is freedom from hunger pangs, freedom from distress caused by human emotion, freedom from aversives, freedom from negative situations, freedom from ever being put in a situation which would cause emotional discomfort.

Of course as the author and I agree, we cannot wrap animals in bubble wrap and prevent them from ever experiencing any of the above freedoms. But what we can do is absolutely strive to never let an animal feel distressed or compromised and if they do ever feel distress such as bumping into a door frame for example, we can be there to reassure them, check them over, take them to the vets if needed, we can prevent a negative experience from environmental learning from becoming a trauma. (3)

Science explored this further by longing at the states known as "affect and affective states" - affect applies to internal emotions and physiology of how the animal feels as well as sensory and environmental factors that can negatively affect how an animal feels. (4)

We as humans also need to understand that genetically animals are programmed to feel particular emotions and physiological changes that could be negative for their ultimate survival. With this we run the risk of entirely removing the biology of the animal at their core and leave them in a vulnerable state. Where survival skills only would not be used but also not passed on to offspring. (5)

So to quickly break this down, something we express in holistic behaviour is helicopter parenting, where we understand fundamentally a dog may have negative experiences such as bumping into a door frame. However, how we support the dog, comfort them and enable their confidence makes all the difference of a learning skill to a trauma.

So preventing traumas, being a helicopter parent and supporting the dog by rewarding them as often as possible supports us in meeting the freedom of "expression of normal behaviours." (6)

It is really important to understand whenever exploring law, which I do a lot as many of you will know. It is so open to interpret or misinterpretation. Some people may see the five freedoms and think "Well I shall take this literally and provide the bare minimum." Others like myself take this much more seriously and are happy with the identity of a helicopter parent to our animals and supporting them holistically in their health, wellness and survival.

We also have to consider the layout of the home, are there any drafts which could negatively affect our dog and wake them? Is it too hot for them? Do we need to consider a raised bed for air circulation and their joints? Do we need an orthopedic bed? Are there any external or internal sounds which could negatively affect them? Do they feel safe enough to sleep and enter deep sleep? Are they housed appropriately such as any animals that frighten them?

There are so many things to consider as to how we affect our dogs. If we affect our dogs negatively this can develop into physical symptoms. We know this from studies and research of negative behaviour changes and guardians taking or not taking their dog to the vets for a wellness exam. If you refer back to my blog on "The importance of vet checks." https://www.facebook.com/100057373879884/posts/676485464273910/?sfnsn=mo
So once again, when we bring a dog into our lives we research how to keep our dog well, for example yearly vaccinations or titre testing, keeping them safe and under control in public, keeping an eye out for local diseases, looking for ways to enrich them and meet their needs, ensuring they have the opportunity to be a dog, changes in behaviour which could be an indicator of unwellness and looking at supporting them so that they do not live in a negative affective state.

Because as dog guardians this is what we want, happy, healthy dogs who we can confidently say have had a really good life and we absolutely strived to do the best for them, everyday.

Next in the series I'll be discussing the next freedom: to be able to exhibit normal behaviours.

References
Webster J. Animal Welfare: Limping Towards Eden. Wiley-Blackwell; Chichester, UK: 2005
Brambell Committee . Report of the Technical Committee to Enquire into the Welfare of Livestock Kept under Intensive Conditions. Her Majesty’s Stationery Office; London, UK: 1965. Command Paper 2836
Mellor, D. (2016) ‘Updating animal welfare thinking: Moving beyond the “five freedoms” towards “A life worth living”’, Animals, 6(3), p. 21. doi:10.3390/ani6030021
Fraser D. Understanding Animal Welfare: The Science in Its Cultural Context. Wiley-Blackwell; Oxford, UK: 2008
Mellor D.J. Enhancing animal welfare by creating opportunities for ‘positive affective engagement’ N. Z. Vet. J. 2015;63:3–8. doi: 10.1080/00480169.2014.926799
Anonymous. Farm Animal Welfare in Great Britain: Past, Present and Future. Farm Animal Welfare Council; London, UK: 2009. pp. 243–254

The five freedoms and trolls

So in light of a particular person doing a world tour, Zak George has been very loud, passionate and trying to engage internationally with colleagues to shut this person down, because they are doing detrimental harm to dogs.

Before being banned from a particular social media platform this person had 2 million followers. Lots of people asked me how? How does someone who publicly hurts dogs with barbaric methods in the name of training get such a big following.

I felt my answer was here: I commented on Zaks post to support him and shared that I had also emailed the RSPCA. Someone decided they weren't done with Zak, Roman's Holistic Dog Training and others so they came for me.

I had replied in one comment that anyone who has or work with dogs should always do research for their welfare. This was their response in the screenshot image.

It dawned on me that actually many people do not know about the five freedoms under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 of UK law.

I didn't bother responding to this person as with trolls you just don't win. But it got me thinking. Nobody can have a dog as part of their family, without doing research for their welfare.

I mean it all comes down to the "I don't talk about religion or politics" but proceeds to moan about the cost of a beer. Same thing, right?

If you rescue or buy a puppy, you do research of their breed. If you have them vaccinated you do research as to what the vet is giving them. If you see your dog or puppy is unwell you research their symptoms.

If your puppy or dog is giving a behaviour you don't like you research the behaviour and ways to work with the behaviour or research to find a professional to help.

I'll stop with the examples as you get the idea. So in order to care for a dog in the UK and be on the right side of the law, not only do you have to research welfare, you also have to know UK laws regarding dogs and other animal family members. Including the five freedoms.
If we take any one of the five freedoms away, we will be doing detrimental harm.

Under the Animal Welfare Act all Animals have the rights to:
Freedom from hunger, thirst or malnutrition
Freedom from discomfort
To be able to exhibit normal behaviours
Freedom from fear and distress
To be protected from pain, suffering, disease and illnesses.

As it is such a big topic I'll explore each freedom within each blog. Beginning with freedom from hunger, thirst and malnutrition.
Dogs need nutrients and the compounds that come from nutrients in both foods and water for their development and maintenance of their physiology.

Running jokes across social media are that "millennials" are obsessed with treating their dogs as "fur babies' ' and that by being obsessed with their nutritional intake we could effectively be harming them. One article the other week by the' Telegraph' headlined its article with,"stop feeding your dogs homemade diets, charity warns". (Linked under References).

Reading this article was a waste of time with a misleading headline, it was a clear case of an article space need's filling. What can it be filled with?

With research there are lots of conflicting statistics from blogs and websites written by non researchers that all claim different percentages of diets fed to dogs. All you have to do is pop over to Google to see this for yourself.

There's lots of inflammatory headlines that one type of food is bad for a dog and harmful and again absolutely none of them agree or come from science based research.

Looking at the dog holistically, every single dog is an individual with dietary needs and food preferences, just like humans and there is scientific research to back this up as well as testing foods and changes in dog's based upon different diets.

We also know that diet affects behaviour and this is something that many dog owners (guardians) are becoming acutely aware of but it is still not general knowledge.

All over social media, no matter which one you will quickly find, enrichment aesthetic accounts with dog food, people posting all of their dogs meals, people arguing about food for dogs and quality.

This is all irrelevant for this blog; we are simply looking at how diet affects behaviour and not at brands or types of food.

"A dog's behaviour is not only controlled by the environment, but also by genetic, cognitive and physiological factors. Miklosi. A, (2014). Physiological factors in turn can be affected by nutrition. Bosch. G, et al, (2007).

The brain is full of an amazing communication system and within this communication are neurotransmitters and hormones and both of these components can be affected by the nutrition that a dog receives and when the brain is affected negatively or positively we can see these effects manifest through behaviour.

In looking at the dogs welfare this is why it is so important to ensure that our individual dog is receiving the best possible nutrition that they can receive.

The gut microbiome is the most important area of looking at the dogs diet as this area is needed to remain as undisrupted as possible, a healthy guy microbiome means that the brain communication system should be working well.

When the gut microbiome is affected, the healthy balance is disrupted and many changes can occur such as inflammation, infections and the production of serotonin 90% of which takes place in the small intestine can be affected. Tizard. I. R, et al (2018).

When serotonin is affected, cortisol can rise and the brain can become affected and stop or hinder normal communication and functioning. (Refer back to my brain blog last week). As well as infections and inflammation affecting the dog negatively just as it does in humans. When we have an infection or inflammation we may not be ourselves and our behaviour is altered and sadly this is the same for our dogs.

A study with shelter dogs of the same breed was conducted in Italy alongside a veterinarian behaviourist and a dog handler, 18 dogs were classified as aggressive and 11 fearful and 13 dogs exhibiting normal behaviours and fed them all the same food. They then did a second study and worked with three shelters with different breeds and different food. The results showed that there were marked differences in the gut biome of the dog's with no reported behavioural issues and the dog's reported to have aggressive or fearful traits. Mondo, E. et al. (2020).

So considering the dog holistically, if we were to work with a cross section of professionals, vets, nutritionists and behaviourists we can then look at the whole dog and have a fecal exam to ensure that the dogs gut is healthy and if it isn't, then work with a nutritionist to get the right balance for the gut biome and work in tandem with a behaviourist to help to change the emotions driving the behaviours.

So basically dogs rely on food and the nutrients from food to contribute to healthy internal health, development of neurotransmitters and hormones. When these nutrients are lacking, out of balance or too high in particular chemicals such as tryptophan or tyrosine.

This can upset the hormonal balance, tryptophan which regulates the serotonin levels, when out of balance can result in aggression, self mutilation behaviours and resistance to stress.

An upset to catecholamines which are neurotransmitters such as adrenaline and dopamine can alter behaviour and healthy brain development as well as contribute to stress resistance.

Polyunsaturated fats, omega 3's, n-3 and n-6 fatty acids when imbalanced can also contribute to changes of the serotonin and dopamine development within the dog's brain.
Dog behaviour is signalled from chemical messages, within hormones and neurotransmitters. When changes occur with the hormones and neurotransmitters this can cause behaviour to change in a positive or negative way.

Scientists unfortunately studied senior beagles to understand the influence of food on behaviour and a reduction of the symptoms of dementia in humans. To understand if food played a role in cognitive decline being delayed by using food enriched with antioxidants and mitochondrial cofactors decreased the rate of cognitive decline in senior beagle dogs under laboratory conditions and improved age-related behavioural changes in older dogs held in home situations. (7)

It's unknown if dog food regulators have explored the amount of tryptophan requirements within dog food and whether the requirement is sufficient for dog behaviour, as researchers have found a diet high in tryptophan was found to decrease aggression and stress in trials. ( It is also known that a deficit in tryptophan and tyrosine can negatively alter the health of dogs too.

Diets found to be low in PUFA not only contributed to a decline in health over all, but also negatively impacted cognition and behaviour. Stress was also seen to increase and resistance to stress was not as present as it had been with diets higher in PUFA. Dopamine and serotonin are also affected by a lack of PUFA which control the regulation of emotions, impulse control, cognitive function and neurological functioning.

Due to the changes in neurological functioning changes in cognition and behaviour can be seen due to the levels of these chemicals within the food.

So when considering behaviour and changes in behaviour or a prevalence of a breed trait behaviour we have to consider the diet and what is occurring physiologically inside the dog's body to their body and also to their brain and brain development especially in puppies and young dogs. "When considering dog behaviour we really should be considering what is in the dog's stomach." (9)

Hunger can also play a role in affecting behaviour and when food isn't readily or regularly available this can negatively impact dog behaviour especially if food is so scarce that they are experiencing a deficit in nutrients and are malnourished. (10)

Carbohydrate intake also plays a role in communication from the small intestine, the receptors when digesting good and high quality carbohydrates send signals of satiety to the brain before the gastric area is emptied. This slows the digestion process and the process of glucose being absorbed too readily which means better maintenance of insulin levels and glucose levels and poor carbohydrates particularly prevalent in dry extruded foods can cause negative impacts within the stomach and alter behaviour. Different breeds and larger sized dog's may respond differently in terms of satiety and nutrient absorption. (11)

So diet plays a huge role in the contribution of unwanted behaviours such as barking, which is why behaviourists may refer you to not only an integrative vet but also a canine nutritionist to ensure that your dog is receiving the correct diet and nutrients for optimal health, brain development and regulation.

In conclusion we cannot live with or work with a dog or any animal without researching their welfare needs. Even in the most basic sense! Part 2 next "The Five Freedoms and freedom from discomfort."

References
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/.../stop-feeding-dog.../
Miklosi, A. (2014). Dog Behaviour, Evolution, and Cognition. Oxford University Press. Pp. 16
Bosch, G., Beerda, B., Hendriks, W.H., van der Poel, A.F.B., Verstegen, M.W.A. (2007). Impact of nutrition on canine behaviour: current status and possible mechanisms. Nutrition Research Reviews, vol. 20, pp.180-194.
Harju, C. (2016) Epsilon Archive for Student Projects, Welcome to Epsilon Archive for Student Projects - Epsilon Archive for Student Projects. Available at: https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/ (Accessed: January 23, 2023).
Tizard IR, Jones SW. The microbiota regulates immunity and immunologic diseases in dogs and cats. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. (2018) 48:307–22. doi: 10.1016/j.cvsm.2017.10.008
Mondo, E. et al. (2020) Gut microbiome structure and adrenocortical activity in dogs with aggressive and phobic behavioral disorders, Heliyon. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6994854/ (Accessed: January 24, 2023).
Philip Roudebush, Steven C Zicker, Carl W Cotman, Norton W Milgram, Bruce A Muggenburg, Elizabeth Head. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 227 (5), 722-728, 2005
Bagshaw, CS, Ralston, SL & Fisher, H (1994) Behavioural and physiological effect of orally administered tryptophan on horses subjected to acute isolation stress. Appl Anim Behav Sci 40, 1–12. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 40 (1), 1-12, 1994
Mugford, RA (1987) The influence of nutrition on canine behaviour. J Small Anim Pract 28, 1046–1055. Journal of Small Animal Practice 28 (11), 1046-1055, 1987.
De Leeuw, JA, Zonderland, JJ, Altena, H, Spoolder, HAM, Jongbloed, AW & Verstegen, MWA (2005) Effects of levels and sources of dietary fermentable non-starch polysaccharides on blood glucose stability and behaviour of group-housed pregnant gilts. Appl Anim Behav Sci 94, 15–29. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 94 (1-2), 15-29, 2005.
Bourreau, J, Hernot, D, Bailhache, E, Weber, M, Ferchaud, V, Biourge, V, Martin, L, Dumon, H & Nguyen, P (2004) Gastric emptying rate is inversely related to body weight in dog breeds of different sizes. J Nutr 134, S2039–S2041. The Journal of nutrition 134 (, 2039S-2041S, 2004.

Muzzles and BSL
​
In light of yesterday's announcement, understandably people are scared, frustrated and unsure of what to do. Whilst I cannot say what the Government will do I can help you now with muzzle training and for all breeds!

Using collaborative care and games to make it a fun experience for dogs, so that they consent, have agency and are not afraid nor uncomfortable in the muzzle.

Using the muzzle in games and in the home on a regular basis when it isn't used a lot is a great way of building and maintaining a positive relationship with the muzzle as many dogs can find the muzzle uncomfortable or a predictor for a stressful situation.
Desensitisation to muzzle training can take quite a bit of time and it can be a good idea to begin muzzle training using a cup with treats in, first placed on cue than a muzzle itself, just to help your dog get used to the idea of something being around their muzzle and pairing this with a good experience.

I have made a series on muzzle training which you can access here for free. I began the process with a tupperware tub as I didn't have a cup big enough
https://youtu.be/Ho8WcCmBJsc
And we also play Muzzle games to build excitement for the muzzle so they are never uncomfortable with the muzzle. https://youtu.be/Mfp7CYcpTvI
The Muzzle Shop here in the UK makes fantastic well fitting muzzles and ships internationally. They have step by step fitting guides and are also available to help via message or email for further support for fitting https://www.themuzzleshop.com/ but do ship internationally.
As well as the Muzzle Movement also here in the UK makes fantastic well fitting muzzles and ships internationally. They have step by step fitting guides and are also available to help via message or email for further support for fitting. https://www.themuzzlemovement.com/
If you are fearful of people commenting because your dog is wearing a muzzle, you shouldn't be as dogs wear a muzzle for lots of reasons and not just BSL laws. This can be due to preventing the risk of consuming potentially dangerous or toxic items on the floor or to prevent poop eating from the same or other species. They maybe wearing a muzzle as a preventative if the guardian is worried that their dog could potentially bite another dog or a person, they can be used for the vets and in times of unwellness and they can also be used at the groomers.
You can also get vests for your dogs or lead slips that ask for space or state your dog is in training which can quickly change the conversation. If you would like anything from https://www.yellowdoguk.co.uk/ you are also welcome to use my discount code as a sponsor MIYAGI20 at the checkout for 20% off!

Please remember that you will be supported and welcomed by many, many professionals in the industry and we have already stated this but we will state it again, all breeds of dogs are welcome and will be included!!

Barking!

Lots of guardians are annoyed by their dogs' vocalisations. What we have to understand is that for a dog, this is their communication just like our vocal sounds of speaking.

Barking can occur due to genetics (the breed(s) of your dog), fear, anxiety and trauma-related events as well as noise sensitivities.

The fear of being alone when left alone can cause barking vocalisations, for most puppies their first experience of being alone is when they have come to their new guardians and are no longer with their mother and siblings and this can be really scary to not only be away from the only home you have known and your family but in a new environment with a new family!

Barking is fun! Barking is a form of communication and self expression! Many breeds are predisposed to barking and it proves useful in many human and dog working relationships such as search dogs, police dogs and hunting dogs.

Barking is a fantastic way to communicate a need, perhaps there is something that the guardian has missed or hasn't acknowledged, puppies love to explore using their vocals and as soon as there is a response which delivers a positive outcome the puppy quickly learns that this is positive reinforcement. This is also true for older dog's as they learn to find their bark, if this elicits a response from a human which is positive, this will show them that this is a way of communication. Much like when babies cry for the attention of a parent to meet their need. (1)

Barking to go to the toilet is one example: as many humans don't reside near the door which gives access to the toilet, however barking brings the guardian to the door and hey presto the door is opened and the need to eliminate is met.

Barking also serves as a function when someone comes to the door, barking through the window to make others aware of their presence and barking when directly saying "hey, I need something such as food."

Barking also helps when puppies are scared and is a first defence mechanism to make people and others back away. As soon as they learn that this works they will continue to repeat the behaviour when frightened or nervous.

Barking is also contributed to by diet, which is rarely considered. You are what you eat. So basically dogs rely on food and the nutrients from food to contribute to healthy internal health, development of neurotransmitters and hormones. When these nutrients are lacking, out of balance or too high in particular chemicals such as tryptophan or tyrosine.

This can upset the hormonal balance, tryptophan which regulates the serotonin levels, when out of balance can result in aggression, self mutilation behaviours and resistance to stress.

An upset to catecholamines which are neurotransmitters such as adrenaline and dopamine can alter behaviour and healthy brain development as well as contribute to stress resistance.

Polyunsaturated fats, omega 3's, n-3 andn-6 fatty acids when imbalanced can also contribute to changes of the serotonin and dopamine development within the dog's brain.

Dog behaviour is signalled from chemical messages, within hormones and neurotransmitters. When changes occur with the hormones and neurotransmitters this can cause behaviour to change in a positive or negative way.

Scientists unfortunately studied senior beagles to understand the influence of food on behaviour and a reduction of the symptoms of dementia in humans. To understand if food played a role in cognitive decline being delayed by using food enriched with antioxidants and mitochondrial cofactors decreased the rate of cognitive decline in senior beagle dogs under laboratory conditions and improved age-related behavioural changes in older dogs held in home situations. (2)

It's unknown if dog food regulators have explored the amount of tryptophan requirements within dog food and whether the requirement is sufficient for dog behaviour, as researchers have found a diet high in tryptophan was found to decrease aggression and stress in trials. (3) It is also known that a deficit in tryptophan and tyrosine can negatively alter the health of dogs too.

Diets found to be low in PUFA not only contributed to a decline in health over all, but also negatively impacted cognition and behaviour. Stress was also seen to increase and resistance to stress was not as present as it had been with diets higher in PUFA. Dopamine and serotonin are also affected by a lack of PUFA which control the regulation of emotions, impulse control, cognitive function and neurological functioning.

Due to the changes in neurological functioning changes in cognition and behaviour can be seen due to the levels of these chemicals within the food.

So when considering behaviour and changes in behaviour or a prevalence of a breed trait behaviour we have to consider the diet and what is occurring physiologically inside the dog's body to their body and also to their brain and brain development especially in puppies and young dogs. "When considering dog behaviour we really should be considering what is in the dog's stomach." (4)

Hunger can also play a role in affecting behaviour and when food isn't readily or regularly available this can negatively impact dog behaviour especially if food is so scarce that they are experiencing a deficit in nutrients and are malnourished. (5)

Carbohydrate intake also plays a role in communication from the small intestine, the receptors when digesting good and high quality carbohydrates send signals of satiety to the brain before the gastric area is emptied. This slows the digestion process and the process of glucose being absorbed too readily which means better maintenance of insulin levels and glucose levels and poor carbohydrates particularly prevalent in dry extruded foods can cause negative impacts within the stomach and alter behaviour. Different breeds and larger sized dog's may respond differently in terms of satiety and nutrient absorption. (6)

So diet plays a huge role in the contribution of unwanted behaviours such as barking, which is why behaviourists may refer you to not only an integrative vet but also a canine nutritionist to ensure that your dog is receiving the correct diet and nutrients for optimal health, brain development and regulation.

So here we have lots of examples of the need to bark as a communication which is vital to ensure that their needs are met, whether this be barking from arousal, alert barking, as an energetic expression or a communication for a specific need.
Working with the barking is the best way to help the barking and addressing the function of the behaviour, such as barking due to anxiety or barking for engagement from yourself or members of the family or barking due to noise sensitivities. It is always detrimental to understand and learn the why of the behaviour in order to work with the behaviour in a positive way.

If you recall the use of journals in a previous blog, journals can be a great way to document your progress with barking when it isn't just a communication in the moment, such as barking at the TV or through the window. Here's a link to the blog on journals. The journal sheets are free to download and print. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=710183720904084&id=100057373879884&sfnsn=scwspmo
Noting if there was a significant event such as a car door slamming, dogs in the neighbourhood barking, being alone or barking for connection seeking and the need for engagement. Documenting the pitch of the bark and how long it lasted for can also be really helpful, especially if you need to consult a veterinarian, homoeopath or behaviourist for this.

When you are home you can work with the barking by utilising a white noise machine, this helps to drown out noises from the environment, especially within the neighbourhood. You can also soothe your puppy or dog and reassure them, many guardians worry about soothing their puppies during times of fear, but fear is an emotion and cannot be reinforced. The same way that we appreciate being soothed and comforted during times of fear, our puppies also do and this can help to build confidence.

If they are barking for connection seeking (barking to engage with you) this can be a great opportunity to listen and play with them and build on the connection that they have asked for, this doesn't mean the barking is being reinforced, instead we call this redirecting the behaviour, where we channel the behaviour to a different behaviour and this also enhances our bond when we listen to them and actively connect with them.

They may also bark when someone knocks on the door, when visitors are in the home, thanking them and then rewarding them can also help to maintain a short alert bark that someone is at the door can prevent prolonged barking. When visitors are in the home, setting your puppy up within their Doggy Enrichment Land with enrichment can help to remove the fear of the presence of visitors and reassure your puppy that you can prevent visitors from coming into their space, if your puppy or dog would like to meet the visitors, once they have settled with some enrichment allowing them to meet visitors during calm behaviours can prevent arousal and becoming too familiar and excited when meeting visitors.

Remember barking is a behaviour that stems from a need or a function for the puppy or dog and we always need to understand the why of the behaviour to work with the behaviour holistically.

Barking as an energy release of energetic compression, coming back to the beginning, barking is fun and also releases tension. Tension isn't always bad or negative, sometimes it is simply a build up of arousal and excitement which is eustress and not distress. It isn't uncommon to go to the beach or a field and observe a dog bouncing around, zooming and barking as if to tell everyone in the area how happy and excited they are.

We need to understand this isn't misbehaviour or bad behaviour, this is simply self expression and a release of emotions.

We also need to be mindful that both puppies and dogs are a separate species from ourselves and because humans have decided that puppies and dogs must behave in a particular way to conform to human ideologies that puppies and dogs must behave like humans.

But therapists encourage us to shout and scream to release tension and to lower blood pressure and avoid hypertension because we have been conditioned by society. It isn't OK to shout or scream when feeling stressed or excited but puppies and dogs do not have to adhere to these rules as they aren't human and this is a human ideology.

Of course barking can be problematic if you have neighbours but ensuring you keep barking to the hours of your local council laws can be a big help and allowing your puppy or dog to bark and thanking them for alerting you to something can keep barking to a minimum within the home and when you go for a walk praising them for releasing their energetic compression can help them form the association of where they can bark freely.

You can also play this game to redirect from barking: the "find it game", so when your dog begins barking, throw a treat for them to chase and when they get to the treat click to reinforce. Then as they turn back and look at you, throw another treat and click and so on, this is to help change the brain's thinking about the barking when it hasn't been cued or conditioned for the scenario of the barking.

References

Lord K, Feinstein M, Coppinger R. 2009. Barking and mobbing. Behav Process. 81:358–368. https://acrobat.adobe.com/.../urn:aaid:sc:EU:5ed9db11...
Philip Roudebush, Steven C Zicker, Carl W Cotman, Norton W Milgram, Bruce A Muggenburg, Elizabeth Head. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 227 (5), 722-728, 2005
Bagshaw, CS, Ralston, SL & Fisher, H (1994) Behavioural and physiological effect of orally administered tryptophan on horses subjected to acute isolation stress. Appl Anim Behav Sci 40, 1–12. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 40 (1), 1-12, 1994
Mugford, RA (1987) The influence of nutrition on canine behaviour. J Small Anim Pract 28, 1046–1055. Journal of Small Animal Practice 28 (11), 1046-1055, 1987.
De Leeuw, JA, Zonderland, JJ, Altena, H, Spoolder, HAM, Jongbloed, AW & Verstegen, MWA (2005) Effects of levels and sources of dietary fermentable non-starch polysaccharides on blood glucose stability and behaviour of group-housed pregnant gilts. Appl Anim Behav Sci 94, 15–29. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 94 (1-2), 15-29, 2005.
Bourreau, J, Hernot, D, Bailhache, E, Weber, M, Ferchaud, V, Biourge, V, Martin, L, Dumon, H & Nguyen, P (2004) Gastric emptying rate is inversely related to body weight in dog breeds of different sizes. J Nutr 134, S2039–S2041. The Journal of nutrition 134 (, 2039S-2041S, 2004.

Image description:
A comic strip with 6 windows on a grey background.
The title reads Barking & vocalisations
The subtitle reads Written & illustrated By Tasha Attwood - miyagis dog training & behaviourist services
brought to you by #cookiepushersunited
The first window has a white text box with black text saying: A brief guide to helping your dog
In a speech graphic: Awoooooo- - -
A speech graphic off screen reads: Oh no, what's going on? What now?!?- A grey white Wolfdog is stood in front of a window howling.
The top centre window reads: Now Is the time for… an holistic training plan! With a pink background and orange speech graphic filling the window.
The final window on the top row has a red splat with the text Vital in black. An image of a journal, keys, a Kong toy and a braided dog treat.
A green speech graphic to the bottom left of the window reads: Vet check for any changes or new behaviours. Check with a Canine nutritionist so diet can be eliminated
A white speech graphic to the right reads: Keep a journal! Document the good & bad. Document what works and what doesn't, Keep notes of any changes In behaviour and pitch of the barks as well as duration.
The left bottom window is a green background with a Wolfdog behind an X pen as a Doggy Enrichment Land with a purple teddy in his mouth. There is a brown speaker on the wall above.
To the top of the window on the left a green speech graphic box reads: Try and observe if there are any sound sensitivities for example a change outdoors such as bird scarers.
To the bottom of the window on the left a blue and yellow speech graphic reads: White noise machines are great for drowning out outdoor noises or noisy neighbours as well as TV or the radio.
A yellow speech graphic to the right middle of the window reads: Consider an enrichment plan and routine. This can also help to identify the type and need of the bark.
The middle bottom window is a blue background with a white grey Wolfdog sat in front of a brown wooden chair. To the left of the window is a Wheelchair user in a black hoody with pink text on the back. A green and pink speech graphic to the bottom of the window reads:
Consider how you react to the barking, do you react in a negative way or do you try to work with the barking?
A pink speech graphic box to the top of the window reads: Try to consider the need of the barking and the function of the barking.
A white box with the text Some time later… sits in between the middle and final right box on the bottom row.
The final window is half grey with a grey Wolfdog on a pink bed curled up under the window with the sun beaming inside. A white thought graphic is above the Wolfdog and reads: I’m so much more relaxed and able to enter into deep sleep since having a routine and playing games with my guardian.
A pale yellow box at the bottom of the window reads:
It takes time, dedication and repetition, you need to go at The Dogs pace and keep them under threshold, but with a clear plan, you can do it!
There is a treat jar to the right of the window on a pink background: A white and blue bordered speech graphic reads: Treat bombs are a great way to quickly engage with your dog and open a communication conversation.

Separation anxiety

Did you know separation anxiety is a welfare issue for your dog? In this blog we are going to explore separation anxiety, what it is and what it is not and how to support dogs with separation anxiety. (1)

Separation anxiety is misunderstood and can be seen as the dog trying to punish or spite the humans, which absolutely is not the case. Many guardians express their opinions of their dog's behaviour of trying to protest the crate or express their anger at the guardians going out without them or toileting to punish the guardian, to teach them a lesson.

It is human however to try and humanise a situation to understand the situation, we all do it, when attempting to understand a situation we try to rationalise it and whilst humans are along the right lines of humanising their dog, the above are negative connotations being attached to the dog and not a human recognition of the emotions that the dog may in fact be feeling in regards to being left alone.

We have to understand that the first time a puppy leaves their mother and siblings, this is traumatic and this is most likely the puppies first traumatic experience. In which it is up to the new guardian to heal this trauma.

When we adopt a dog from a rescue or rehome a dog, the dog has not only experienced loss, in losing their biological family but also in losing however many new families they have been rehomed with, meaning that the dog has had to attempt to form attachments time after time to be traumatised by the loss of the attachment and the security of their emotions in that attachment.

Dogs are complex beings and are just as complex as we are.

50- 56% of dog's are found to struggle with some form of separation related behaviour and are diagnosed within their lifetime. That is a whopping 70 million estimated number of dog's across the US and Europe. (2)

During video analysis it has been found that dog's with separation anxiety remained in a stationary position and wouldn't interact with their food or toy's in anticipation of waiting for the guardian, but dogs without separation anxiety spent the majority of their time alone in passive rest. (3)

Supporting a dog with separation anxiety can come in many forms and lots of professionals will have different opinions on how to address this.

My opinion is that every dog is an individual and the same protocols may not work for every dog, with all dog's being individual. Not only are all dog's individual but there could be other factors such as diet, trauma, environment, crated vs not crated, current routine etc.

This means that each and every dog needs an individualised care plan to be supported in their recovery from separation anxiety and the emotion of the anxiety being acknowledged and addressed as well as any other anxiety related concerns such as noise phobias.

Within the study I referred to above in relation to dog's behaviour in absence of their guardians, the study also found that lip licking (which is a stress signal) was more prevalent in crated dog's than the dog's who were not crated. (4)
So if crates add to the stress that a dog is already going through due to their separation anxiety what can we do to keep them safe in the absence of a guardians supervision but also ensure that their anxiety is not being further added to?
​
Linda Michaels MA addresses this in her book: The Do No Harm Dog Training and Behaviour Handbook and is available from Amazon https://amzn.to/3PhC74z.
Within the Do No Harm Dog Training and Behaviour Handbook you will find Doggy Enrichment Lands pg. 262-270 and information for separation anxiety, sleep and settling!

Doggy Enrichment Lands are a safe space, which are also secure, so no open windows, or risk of chewing electricals or coming to any harm within the space. This safe space will have their bed, perhaps a toileting area if you know your dog struggles to hold their toileting needs in your absence and lots of enrichment and toys that are safe for them to be left with.

White noise machines are beneficial in helping to drown out all outside noises to help dog's to settle. Our white noise machine came with variations such as brown, blue, and pink noise to change the wavelength as well as nature sounds.

The Dog TV app also has pre programmed shows for dog's with separation anxiety which has soothing music and images for your dog to enjoy.

Remember for individualised and tailored support for your individual dog, it is really important to have a formal assessment and diagnosis of separation anxiety and a protocol and plan tailored for yourself as the guardian and your dog within an in depth behaviour assessment.

But please remember your dog is not trying to punish you in any way, they are however emotionally having a hard time.

References

Siracusa, C.; Provoost, L.; Reisner, I.R. Dog- and owner-related risk factors for consideration of euthanasia or rehoming before a referral behavioral consultation and for euthanizing or rehoming the dog after the consultation. J. Vet. Behav. Clin. Appl. Res. 2017, 22, 46–56 https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/4/482#B7-animals-12-00482
Bradshaw, J.W.S.; McPherson, J.A.; Casey, R.A.; Larter, I.S. Aetiology of separation-related behaviour in domestic dogs. Vet. Rec. 2002, 151, 43–46
Scaglia E, Cannas S, Minero M, Frank D, Bassi A, Palestrini C. Video analysis of adult dogs when left home alone. J Vet Behav. (2013) 8:412–7. doi: 10.1016/j.jveb.2013.04.065 https://www.frontiersin.org/.../10.3389/fvets.2021.775092...
Palestrini C, Minero M, Cannas S, Rossi E, Frank D. Video analysis of dogs with separation-related behaviours. Appl Anim Behav Sci. (2010) 124:61–7. doi: 10.1016/j.applanim.2010.01.014
Image description: peach background with Wolfdog puppy held in arms at the centre image. The centre title reads, Separation anxiety can look like in green and black block text. With arrows pointing off to different points on the chart which reads:
Chewing on a blue background
Loss of appetite on a yellow background
Crying, barking, vocalising on a pink background
Drooling on a yellow background
Pacing on a blue background
Unable to settle on a yellow background
Shaking, fearful body language on a yellow background
Attempting to stop you from leaving on a pink background.

When the general public consider assistance dogs in the UK specifically, most people immediately ask if one of my assistance dogs are from an organisation such as Guide Dogs.

There is still a lack of understanding of owner trained assistance dogs and how people can get an assistance dog in the UK.

People are naturally curious and I personally don't take offence to this. I'm happy to answer the general public's questions when they ask.

They ask how they are trained, how long it takes, what kind of things the dogs assist with, how this is trained, the age of the dog's and of course compliment them.

I personally don't mind answering questions because only through education can we educate the general public of what owner trained assistance dogs are. Many of the people who we encounter, even if they aren't in their place of employment most likely are within a place of employment and this place of employment could be a public setting.

When we give them information they will pass on this information to their colleagues and managers, this is only going to make our lives easier and combat access issues.

During the summer it can be hard to take an assistance dog out because of the heat and absolutely not with a vest which could trap heat, so more teams tend to experience access problems due to the general public not knowing assistance dog's don't require a vest or any identification by law.

Assistance dogs are still assistance dogs on their days off, just as we remain professionals or whatever job title we have, when we have a day off.
Assistance dogs work tirelessly to support their handlers and are just as valid on their days off or if they are unable or not required to do public access.
Here are two brief videos to demonstrate how Koda supports me and I her.
https://youtu.be/PP8s_5DED-U?si=4qdunHUVswsMeIjU
https://youtu.be/4QRcCrcZRGQ?si=-HEnj7KXxav2GnX9
If you would like to learn more about assistance, service dogs or even therapy animals check out Pets and their people for up to date blogs and information!
Image description: A pink background with black paws. A torn piece of paper with flag bunting along the top in black text reads: "An assistance dog is still an assistance dog when off duty. Assistance dog's work really hard, ranging from aiding with household tasks, dressing, medical appointments, shopping, day trips, medical alerts, retrieving items and so much more... Just like a human they too deserve time to rest and just be a dog, just like we work. You don't suddenly stop being a professional at the end of the day or on a day off, the same applies to assistance dog's. Assistance dog's deserve unwavering respect for what they do!"
- Tasha
muttsnmischief.com
There is a photo collage to the left of:
A Wolfdog lying on her side with a summer assistance dog vest in pink and yellow on a pink settle mat.
Two photos underneath this with the first photo of the Wolfdog asleep on the sofa and the second photo with the Wolfdog emptying the washing machine.
The next row of photos show the Wolfdog sat next to a black Spaniel, the Wolfdog and black Spaniel on a path, the Wolfdog and black Spaniel sat on either side of the handler.
The next row of photos show the Wolfdog taking laundry from a pink laundry basket, the Wolfdog walking next to a Wheelchair handler in the dark from behind, a group of people with the wheelchair handler and the Wolfdog, the wheelchair handler with one Wolfdog on either side, wearing assistance vests on a path facing the camera, the wheelchair handler and Wolfdog on a wooden path facing the camera.