The Mutty Professor blog
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The important role of management in dog behaviour: When and why it matters
What is management in dog behaviour? ‘Management’ refers to preventing a dog from rehearsing problem behaviours by making it difficult or impossible for them to occur. This is often achieved by adjusting the environment or human behaviour. Examples of management include: Management alone does not teach a dog a new behaviour, but it can be…
Why I don’t encourage anxious or fearful dogs with treats, toys, or praise
Why I don’t use encouragement with fearful dogs When a dog or puppy is scared, I do not actively encourage them forward, whether that’s with food, praise, toys, or movement. Doing so can actually increase anxiety by creating motivational conflict. The dog is torn between wanting to avoid the scary thing and wanting the treat…
How to successfully visit another dog’s home with your dog
Dogs don’t naturally invite other dogs into their homes. We humans facilitate these visits, often without considering how unnatural the situation may feel for our pets. Imagine if someone burst into your home uninvited, rummaging through your cupboards and jumping into your bed—even if it were your best friend, you’d likely feel uncomfortable! Why do…
🐿️ Identifying and Managing Predatory Behaviour In Dogs 🦌
Here's a video of me managing my three dogs after recalling them off three running deer! I put Mohawk on lead, because he gets VERY excited by deer scent, and he is very good at tracking scent at speed! I didn't want him to rehearse this, even if I could recall him off it each…
How to handle mouthing and biting behaviour in puppies and dogs
Why do puppies bite? Puppies can bite for several reasons: During play, puppies can learn bite inhibition, which is the recognition of how hard they can bite before causing pain. If they frequently play with other dogs, the dog's fur and slightly thicker skin (in some instances) may mean that they may find it more…
The crate debate: To crate or not to crate your dog
Why I am against crating I am personally very much against crates, with the exception of if a dog has an injury or needs to be prepared for travelling somewhere. Think about it—how absurd is it that it’s considered normal to confine an animal to such a small cage for prolonged periods, with this space…
Does your dog eat poo?
Why might dogs eat poo? There are a few reasons: Diet and coprophagia In my experience, the vast majority of coprophagia cases are resolved through a change in diet alone. The recent example that prompted me to write about it was a puppy class graduate who told me that their puppy stopped eating dog poo…
Fussy eaters and grazers
This article was featured on allaboutdogfood.co.uk, the UK’s top canine nutrition site. It was reviewed and endorsed by the website’s creator, David Jackson, who stated: “It’s a great article and raises some interesting issues that I don’t think many have considered before.” Fussy eaters This post applies to dogs and cats, so read on if…
What should you look for in a pet care service?
Here at Mutty Professor, we are passionate about providing top-notch pet care and enjoy working alongside others who share our dedication. Anyone can set up as a dog walker, and I (Roz) did over seven years ago with no qualifications and very basic experience. I made quite a few mistakes along the way. Thankfully, nothing…
Does your dog really want a tummy rub?
Recognising body language Our puppy class attendees are asked to give five body language observations as part of their homework, and every month we get numerous owners saying ‘lies/rolls over for a tummy rub’. The common misconception that dogs rolling over want a tummy rub is sadly a contributing factor to dog bites, as unaware…
Teaching people how to behave around your dog
Pre-empting encounters It goes without saying, we can’t expect to go around giving everyone we meet instructions. The more you do it, the more likely you’ll meet someone who will object to being told what to do. However, don’t wait for something you don’t want to happen and try to repair the situation. Work to…
Roz’s equipment recommendations
The H harness Not just any ol’ harness, but a nice H design (look down to your dog’s back and you should see an H shape). Otherwise known as a Y harness (look at your dog head-on and the harness should be shaped like a Y on the front). This harness design suits most dogs,…
