Struggling To Find Affordable Support For Your Anxious Dog?
New LOWER prices and EXTRA 121 SESSIONS for our affordable behavioural support packages.
Hi Gang
Today, I’m writing to you from the depths of my blankets on the sofa. I’ve been having a few health issues lately, and today is not great, so I’m taking the day as a chance to rest.
Twyla is doing her best to be a good nurse, doing helpful things like bringing me her soft yellow ball, stealing my blanket, cuddling up with me, and generally being quite lovely. She has not left my side all day, bless her little heart.
Dogs have a highly developed sense of smell, much more so than ours, and they can detect chemical and hormonal changes in our bodies and observe our general mood and body language. So they know when we are feeling a bit under the weather. They often know before we do. Trained medical alert dogs can sniff out cancers, heart problems, low blood sugar diabetes, gout, seizures and more long before humans know we are poorly.
I have known cases where the dogparent’s health has been part of behaviour struggles. In one fascinating case, their dog (who had a lot of other stuff going on) didn’t know how to deal with the information he knew about his human leg. I believe he was trying to scare the health problem away from his human, as each time the human had a flare-up, the dog would aggress at him. Dogs can naturally indicate an issue in this way, and sometimes, it takes a lot of digging to uncover why a dog who loves his dogparent might also aggress at them for no apparent reason.
So it stands to reason that Twyla is doing her best Nurse Barksalot impression today. She loves her Mummy and is keeping me safe.
Do your dogs take care of you or behave differently when you are poorly?
New Year, New 121 Packages
We have all struggled with the economy over the past few years, and because of this, I have been attempting to find ways to make GOOD behavioural advice more affordable for dogparents.
We want you to have as much value as we can give, so we have made our 121 behavioural support packages even better.
PLUS:
The Fun Not Fear® Club is excellent value, and gives you access to me over the internet and to all our exclusive club posts and videos. You simply need to take a paid subscription to get involved. 121 clients all get free lifetime access. Gold members also get a FREE 121 Zoom call with me.
121 Packages
I have made loads of cutbacks and, therefore, have been able to pass those savings on. I created new packages for my 121 clients within a 20-mile radius of Exning, Newmarket, UK.
While basic puppy training remains the same as ever, I have managed to bring the cost of behavioural sessions down so that now ALL sessions cost the same as the basic sessions. If a behavioural consultation is required, that cost has also come down and will be added to the basic session packages.
PLEASE NOTE: I WORK IN-PERSON WITHIN A 20-MILE RADIUS OF EXNING, NEWMARKET, UK ONLY - all other clients are by Zoom.
This is fabulous news for those of you who require behavioural support for your dogs, as you will now be getting an extra session, and the overall cost is even lower than before! (I was already very low-priced as an accredited behaviourist, but I know how hard it is for EVERYONE at the moment, so I’m passing my savings from behind the scenes on to clients)
Don’t forget to book a FREE call if you would like to get some hints and tips and find out more about any of my services.
Scrumperdinger.com
Hello Fans, Twyla here.
Today I am doing the most important job of looking after my Mum.
I even left the postman alone this morning, which was a tough choice, as we don’t want his pesky sort getting into the house. But Mum needed me to make sure she stayed warm and snuggly on the sofa, especially as her blanket seemed to keep following me around, so I decided to risk it today and let him do his worst.
The coward ran away back up the path after dropping the mail anyway. He is learning that Scrumperdingers are not to be messed with, so he doesn’t want to take any chances near our door.
Mum keeps saying she will give him a bag of treats so he can pop one through the door for me, but she keeps forgetting. I think I would quite like him if he did that. Maybe then I wouldn’t need to bark at him. Mum had better get him the good stuff, though—none of that kibble nonsense.
Mum says I am the perfect dog for our little family, and I agree. I am a fantastic Scrumperdinger. However, not everyone knows how to pick the right floofer for their family, so here is a blog from my website, that I am very good at sorting out all by myself, with no help from Mum or my Peter (honest.)
The Complete Guide to Choosing a Dog: Lifestyle, Size, and Temperament Factors
Right, I better go and make sure Mum’s squished into a small enough space on the sofa - can’t have her getting cold now, can I?
Hugs ‘n’ Snugs,
Twyla xx
Spotted and sharing.
I was reminded today of a fantastic man, a scientist called Greg Berns, who, together with his rescue dog Callie and a team at Emory University, found a way to train animals to go into an MRI machine happily. He stressed that only force-free and reward-based methods would be used, and only animals that wanted to participate did so.
(I am usually VERY against testing anything on animals, but in this instance, the testing was non-invasive and is super important for proof of sentience (with the accompanying welfare considerations that being declared “sentient” brings), and the animals either enjoyed the experience or were not required to be involved in it and were free to refuse and walk away.)
He could then measure their brain activity and compare it to that of humans when they were shown certain triggers. This is vital work, in my opinion, as it proves animals to be the feeling, emotional beings that they are - they feel things just as humans do - and this should ALWAYS be on our minds when we decide how to treat them.
He documented their journey, and you can read his amazing book on it here. It's fascinating for anyone who wants to understand more deeply how similar we are to our dogs and, indeed, to other animals (including those on farms, etc.)
Petstack
She is an incredible woman to follow, and both her Substacks are well worth a subscription to. Check out this inspiring post:
My other posts - because I write about other stuff too!
I’m taking my own advice today and practising some self-care:
Handy links.
Well, that’s it from me this week.
Warm ‘n’ Fuzzies,
Freya xx
I’ve mentioned elsewhere, but my humane society Corso can smell crappy blood chemistry long before I can tell, and she lets me know the excrement is hitting the air moving device. If she starts talking and putting paws on, it’s really crummy and I’m about to be sick. I’m starting to think this is why she tries to keep the other dog away from me (she doesn’t always do that).
She also will NOT permit roughness with me (or my son when he lived at home). Can’t raise your voice to me and DEFINITELY can’t put hands on.
She’s learned to do the same thing when SHE needs to eat. She knows if she warns me, I will go to the kitchen. The signal for SHE is hungry is usually low talking and putting her head either on my shoulder or on top of mine🙄🙄🙄🙄 -this is gross because MASTIFF- or else it’s “YOU need to go eat, and while you’re there, feed the dogs”
I can’t even describe how slimy my skirts and pants always are. The only time she thought I was doing well was immediately post Thanksgiving. She even lays on the bath mat when I’m in the shower and puts her head around the curtain if I’m really on a bad run. This usually causes Loki the cat to do same, “what’s going on in here?” can all these voyeurs get the f out of my bathroom!