Viewing: Trainer Reflection - View all posts

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT-FLE

Actually, I kissed many wolves throughout my career and yes, I did like it. The question is why? Why do we seek inter-species interactions and displays of affection? Some people risk their lives to touch an animal, while others purposefully buy illegal exotic animals off the black market only to realise how dangerous those animals are. Today, I’ll share my views, knowledge, and experiences with you to try answer the question. 

Big Bad Wolf 
Growing up in Goose Bay, Labrador, my childhood was undoubtedly atypical; however, I know the stories most kids were told led them to believe wolves were bad. Three Little Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood, Mr. Wolf and the Three Bear, Clever Polly and the Stupid Wolf, and Little Wolf's Book of Badness, to name a few, all tell us how wolves can’t help themselves express undesirable behaviours (read eat, kill, injure, etc.). Thank goodness, our childhood stories couldn’t be further from the truth. Wolves can, and do, control their impulses. 

In our disconnected urbanised life, we have come to cherish the stories of our youth. As such, the yearning to reconnect with nature is what motivates most people to seek inter-species connections. To satisfy their desires for social contact, proximity, monotony relief, non-judgmental encounters, or unconditional love, people go to great lengths. Some people even die in the process of fulfilling their needs. 

Desire Motivates
The desire to interact is motivated by an intrinsic curiosity we share with all living creatures. The connection itself is reinforcing because it satisfies our need for closeness. When we associate with others, neurobiological processes are triggered. Mirror neurons instil empathy, which in turn, deepens the attachment through increased mirror neuron activity. When you touch a dog, a dolphin, a wolf, a whale, a cat, or whatever animal you happen to come by, your brain is firing like mad. 

Your fight or flight defense system is also on high alert and releases epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) hormones. The joy of the interaction also contributes to the hormonal cocktail by releasing serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin. In essence, your body experiences your emotions, and your emotions experience your body. One could say you become addicted to relationships, so to speak. 

My Experience
Another reason we love to interact with animals is the environment. Like animals, we both enjoy open spaces, fresh air, clean water, cool breezes, and wholesome foods. So, when we happen to cross paths with animals, we rejoice and often turn to our inner child for guidance. The young human ambassador in us takes center stage and starts an inter-species dialog. In the exchange, we share our secret message: I love you. 

Of all the exchanges I’ve had with animals; of all the kisses I’ve given or received; each encounter shares the same components: trust and empathy. We believe, in that very short moment, we are connected to a power bigger than ourselves. In some cases, size is an actual component of the inter-species meeting, but what I’m referring to here is the figurative bigger power. 

A shared moment with my fellow wolf is one of unity. For a brief second in life, I become one with an animal that trusts me so unconditionally, it’s ready to break the intra-species bond and create an inter-species relationship. At that very instant, I feel accepted for who I am. The infinitely small fraction of time creates a lifelong, unforgettable, experience based solely on trust and empathy. 

Personal Boundaries
When I interacted with my first exotic wild animal, a goose, I was probably four years old. Geese were everywhere, so it wasn’t hard to find and interact with them. If anything, geese would seek out people first. It was a strange encounter, but a memorable one. I also remember when, a few years later, I picked up a garter snake and played with it. All was wonderful, till I showed the snake to my grand-mother. She screamed; the snake disappeared. 

I’ve always had a high attraction to animals and vice versa, but, I’ve never forced animals into interactions they didn’t desire. I approach all animals (yes that includes dogs and other domestic animals) with baby steps. On the final approach, I let the animal make the decisive move. They choose to interact, or not. I’m simply a passive observer. 

Human-Animal Bond
To answer the question, we seek inter-species interactions and displays of affection because they make us feel good. Heck, an entire industry saw the light of day because humans desire connectedness and unity in a disconnected and divided world. If we didn’t love animals so much, we wouldn’t have zoological institutions or marine mammal parks.

Before I end, I’d like to add I’m not here to pick a battle with you on the pros and cons of captive animals. I’m simply here to share with you reasons why the human-animal bond is so powerful. Please keep that in mind when you comment or send nasty e-mails. On the other hand, if you had an experience with an animal that changed your life, please share it with us in the comments. As you know, we conduct animal-assisted therapy and would love to hear your human-animal encounter story.

Cheers.
G.

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT-FLE

Morphological characteristic is a newly debated topic to which I’d like to shed some light. Recently, or should I say finally, the city of Montreal established what the morphological characteristics are for pitbull-type dogs. The topic is once again a compilation of nonsense criteria, and I’d like to discuss the reasons why. 

Dog Physical Characteristics 
Here is a list of the morphological characteristics of pitbull-type dogs in Montreal. I know it’s a little long and confusing, but this is what mayor Denis Coderre’s team came up with five months AFTER the by-law was passed. You’ll find my explanation or clarification, in red, next to the criterion. Professionally speaking, the following twenty points seem improvised and are highly discussable.

1. Muscular, short-haired, powerful and athletic-looking dog. The dog has a square shape when viewed laterally. By definition, this characteristic includes ALL dogs from the molosser group, and could possibly include deep-chested Labradors, Boxers, Doberman Pinchers, etc. 
2. The male weighs 12 to 35 kg (27-77lbs) and is 36 to 53 cm (14”-21”) high at the withers. The female weighs 10 to 30 (22-66lbs) kg and is 30 to 50 cm (12”-20”) high at the withers. The height to weight ratio is usually proportional. Weight as a breed characteristic can open the door to malnutrition and subsequently abuse. 
3. Its coat is close-hair, short and smooth. It’s unclear if only single coats are allowed. The criterion doesn’t say if dogs are considered pitbull-type animals if they have double, 2-5 secondary hair, coats. 
4. Its head is wedge-shaped when viewed laterally or above, but round when viewed from the front. This is confusing. Most dogs have a wedge-shaped head when seen from the side. As for a round-shaped head when seen from the front only a few breeds like Bulldogs (English and French), Pugs, Dogue de Bordeaux, and possibly Boston Terriers come to mind. 
5. The head is about 2/3 the width of the shoulders and 25% wider at the cheeks than at the base of the skull. I wonder if the measurements are actually calculated or guesstimated. 
6. The distance from the back of the skull to the eyes is equivalent to the distance from the eyes to the tip of the muzzle. Again, this is so general that most dog breeds conform to the criterion. 
7. Well-defined stop. No mention of the stop’s angle is discussed or proposed: 45o, 60o, or 90o are all well defined.
8. The muzzle is straight and square. A bit better, but still too general to decide the faith of dogs. 
9. The lips are tight and dental occlusion is normal. I’m uncertain how this condition can be considered since it’s impossible to prove if the dental occlusion is a biological breed characteristic or genetic fault.
10. The eyes are small and triangular when viewed laterally. They are round or slightly elliptical when viewed from the front. I’m trying not to let my opinion interfere, but common, this describes pretty much the entire canid genus.
11. The ears are high set and small. Again, this criterion is too general to decide the faith of a dog. I mean, official CKC and AKC breeds banned by the city of Montreal have very specific ears and ear placement shapes and sizes. So why not be a little more clear?!
12. The neck is muscular. All canids have a muscular neck. FYI: the neck is the second most powerful muscle after the jaw. 
13. The shoulders are a little wider than the rib cage at the eighth rib level. This is getting a little ridiculous. So many dogs fall into this category. If you cross a Bulldog with Labrador this characteristic is highly likely to occur. 
14. The elbows are not prominent and the front legs are parallel. Obviously, it's a dog. But, on a positive note, thank God most pitbull-type dogs out there have misaligned legs which disqualify them as pitbull-type.
15. The front legs are heavy and solid-looking. Hun?! My mother use to say When you don't know what to say, say nothing.
16. The front is massive, with a comparatively delicate back. This describes most dog breeds, maybe except sight-hounds. The problem with this criterion is that if you mix any breed with a massive front you'll get this definition, without having any terrier in the mix. Mix a Bulldog with a Dalmatian and you'll get a pitbull-type dog according to Denis Coderre and Anie Samson.
17. The back slopes slightly from the withers to the rump. Which would mean their back legs are shorter than the front. doesn't this contradict points 16, 18, and 19?!
18. The hips are broad for firmly attached muscles and the hind legs are muscular. I can't take these descriptions, they're so misleading and confusing. Obviously, muscles are firmly attached to broad hips, it's a dog people. 
19. The hocks are low and the hind legs appear slim under the knees. In other words, the back area is a great big muscle, firmly attached (as we just learned) to short, thin legs. I'm starting to wonder how this dog can actually stand. 
20. The tail is of medium length, becoming slimmer from the base to the tip, and generally kept down. Pardon my expression, but WTF?! Sorry, I just lost it for a second. This is a definition for Every. Single. Dog. Tail. 

Do you see a problem with Montreal’s pitbull-type dog criteria? If not, let me point it out. The problem is the following; there’s no indication as to which criteria and how many of them turn dogs from non-pitbull to pitbull-type dogs. The above document only states, and I quote "several of the morphological traits listed". When the life or death of an animal depends on objective observations as means of classification, one would expect to have measurable data and a set number of characteristics. A dog's body could be measured and compared to a template, so why not create one?! For example, if a dog conforms to a minimum of 17/20 characteristics, which were measured and determined as a positive match to the predetermined standard, then, and only then, would you have a pitbull-type dog.

Morphology Isn't Guess Work 
Pick a breed, any breed, and read through the CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) or the AKC's (American Kennel Club) list of morphological criteria. You’ll find that what makes a Staffordshire Bull Terrier different from a Bull Terrier isn’t just the word Staffordshire. The AKC and CKC have very specific standards, plus subjects from a breed need to have a pedigree in order to be called a Staffordshire Bull Terrier or Bull Terrier. There’s simply no guesswork in determining a purebred dog. 

I think the city of Montreal, and other BSL cities, need to clarify this question. People need to know how many of the criteria qualifies their dog as pitbull-type and to which extent. If a 90o stop is required, does a +/- 5o rule apply? If a dog has twenty of the above-mentioned criteria but has a misaligned dental occlusion, is the dog immediately disqualified? Does a dog need to have all twenty criteria to be considered pitbull-type? 

Morphology Shishmology 
I want to end with the notion that dogs aren’t machines. They come in many, many, different shapes, sizes, and colours, and to qualify them based on nonsense criteria is simply irresponsible and unprofessional. Dog caregivers need a better-defined morphological chart. Furthermore, elected city officials need to step up and take their biased and idiotic approach to dangerous dog management and try to make something professional and coherent out of it. Till then, I know who I’m going to vote for, do you?

Cheers.
G.

References
- PIT BULL-TYPE DOGS: MORPHOLOGICAL TRAITS. (2017). Retrieved from http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/animaux/assets/doc/identification_pitbull_EN.pdf March 8th, 2017

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT-FLE

Much time has passed since our last entry, and I think it’s fair I give you an update. Last summer, during the dangerous dog crisis, I graduated from Concordia University’s Family Education program. Following graduation, I returned to school. Regardless of the summer madness, we’ve been very active in the dog community. Here’s a summary of what happened and what’s to come. 

Summer 2016 
We walked, protested, and worked with a great group of people to try and change the new (I really want to say stupid, but I’ll remain professional) by-law. We took time out of our busy schedules to communicate and explain to politicians what this by-law proposal really meant. We are confident the November 2017 election will bring on a change of power and leave room for a grounded, educated, and politically savvy party. 

In August, the Dogue Shop hosted the Do As I Do workshop with Claudia Fugazza, the woman behind the social learning revolution. It was an honour to meet, talk and hang around Montreal for a week with her. The entire experience was remarkable and filled my brain, our brains, with new projects. 

Fall 2016 
As mentioned above, I got my letter of graduation and my acceptance letter into the psychology department one day apart, so back on Concordia University’s benches, I go. For the next couple of years, I’ll be studying to become a cognitive-neuroscientist. The focus of my studies will be on merging two topics: attachment and social-cognitive learning in Canidae. 

Fall yielded a wonderful brew within the Animal Behaviour Apprenticeship level two (ABA-2). That being said, it’s with a sad heart I made the decision to no longer offer the ABA during the summer. We are working on different programs and it was very difficult to schedule all the upcoming events. No worries, we still offer fall and spring sessions, but for those who like to plan, you’ll want to check for dates as spring 2017 is full and the fall session only has two spots left. 

Dogue Shop training centre hosted the November Networking Wine & Cheese and we were happy to talk with Guillaume Lavoie from Projet Montréal. He stayed extra-long to discuss future plans for the dog by-law. What an educated and articulate gentleman. It was an honour and we all felt heard. 

Winter 2017 
After a challenging 2016, we look to the future with new amazing workshops and learning opportunities. Dog research is a highly productive field, and we try to stay scientifically current; therefore, I have put together a series of workshops on dog social learning: attachment theory, imitation, and cognitive stimulation. On January 26th, we hosted the attachment workshop with great success. 

The Dogue Shop team is expanding its human team. Ann-Marie Bourassa and Amélie Martel have graciously accepted my offer to join the ranks of trainer and behaviour consultants. Follow the link to read their respective bios (still under construction). In a nutshell, Ann-Marie is my new assistant in charge of group classes and other office duties. Amélie will present a series of French workshops on topics such as possession aggression and common behaviour problems. To learn more about our events, click on the Dogue’s Event page. 

Spring 2017
On the Dogue Shop website, you’ll find a new page titled Dogue’s Staff. If you hover over the tab, you’ll see the three active members, but you’ll also see a list of graduate students. The idea behind the page is for clients or professional to use the page in order to find a service or resource. The page is under construction at the moment and looks a bit strange. Please come back soon to visit. 

As you can see we’ve been pretty busy. I hope this little update can make-up for the lack of educational material I haven’t posted. I wish you tender days filled with dog joy. Ohh, and enjoy the Super Bowl.

Cheers 
G.

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT-FLE

Here’s an interesting question no one thought of asking; who killed Mme. Vadnais? The first answer which comes to mind is the dog did. What if the system is responsible and Montreal doesn’t want to take responsibility for Mme. Vadnais’ death? Let’s explore that system together for a moment. 

Dog Bites & Deaths 
Cities create by-laws to protect people; therefore, when a dog bites a person or another dog, a few things can happen. Here are a few examples of a dog-dog or dog-human bite situation.

1. The victim doesn’t go to the hospital/veterinarian and doesn’t report the event to the police. Consequence: Nothing. People move on.
2. The victim goes to the hospital/veterinarian and doesn’t report the event to the police or hospital/veterinarian. Consequence: Dog owner goes free.
3. The victim doesn’t go to the hospital/veterinarian but reports the event to the police. Consequence: the police and/or canine patrol investigate, dog could die.
4. The victim goes to the hospital/veterinarian and does report the event to the police or hospital/veterinarian. Consequence: police and/or canine patrol investigate, dog normally dies. 

When police investigate they assess and identify the dog. If the dog is deemed dangerous police can shoot to kill the canine, take the animal into custody, call the canine patrol, or leave the dog in his family. Once police are called, a mandatory ten-day quarantine is established. The following by-laws are from Mme. Vadnais’ borough of Pointe-aux-Trembles (sorry, it’s in French). 
 
En Français - Règlement en Vigeur à Pointe-aux-Trembles 

SECTION III COMPORTEMENT À L’ÉGARD D’UN ANIMAL 

10. Tout chien doit être conduit au moyen d’une laisse d’une longueur maximale de 1,85 mètre. 
Le premier alinéa ne s’applique pas lorsque le chien : 

• 2° est gardé sur le terrain où est située l’unité d’occupation du gardien au moyen d’un dispositif de contention l’empêchant de sortir lorsque le terrain n’est pas clôturé; 
• 3° se trouve sur le terrain où est située l’unité d’occupation du gardien, lequel est clôturé de manière à le contenir à l’intérieur des limites de celui-ci; 

18. Le gardien d’un chien qui a mordu un autre animal ou une personne, doit museler l’animal en tout temps ou pour une période déterminée par l’autorité compétente lorsqu’il se trouve à l’extérieur de l’unité d’occupation. 

By the look of things, the fence that separated the two homes had to be known as problematic. Someone, somewhere, must have complained. I mean dogs and fences don’t become problematic overnight. My experience tells me if the city of Montreal had applied the current by-laws Mme. Vadnais would be alive today. 

Dog History 
When a dog bite is reported, police, veterinarians, canine patrol, thus the city, create a file. From there on, the dog has a known bite history. The dog that killed Mme. Vadnais had a known bite history. Heck, I can name a few dogs right now without having to think about that have a known bite history.

The victim’s family is grieving a tragic event, and they are angry. I totally understand their plea, but the dog is not the one responsible for this crime. I’m weighing my words because I really want to write murder. The owner of the dog has a criminal record (not that it's important), his dog had a bite history (this IS important), and the city knew about it, yet humans cried wolf and blamed the dog. I’m flabbergasted!!! It’s a DOG people, just another canine from the genus Canidae. 

Barking Up the Wrong Tree 
How can a dog be blamed for a person’s death while his human walks free? How can Denis Coderre, Montreal mayor, head of the bureaucratic process, and the victim’s family not press charges against the human behind the dog? Why doesn’t the Vadnais family sue the city of Montreal? After all, a dog is a DOG, and Montreal is in charge of our safety against dangerous dogs. 

Let me tell you who killed Mme. Vadnais, the city of Montreal did. Through inefficient, or should I say nonexistent, application of the current by-laws, a lady lost her life. Denis Coderre knows this, yet refuses to take responsibility for the tragic death. Banning a specific breed is not going to solve the problem. It certainly won’t bring Mme. Vadnais back. BSL isn’t going to make people accountable for their dogs, it won’t address the current off-leash dog problem, and it absolutely won’t prevent another tragedy.
 
Better Safe than Sorry 
I understand you might hate dogs or a specific kind of dog, but the only way to prevent a human death is through accountability and education. Unfortunately, Denis Coderre has no leadership or long-term vision for both solutions. Montreal’s mayor has lost all credibility. To blame a dog for a human death is just ludicrous. If my car rolled out of the driveway and killed your son, whose fault would it be? My car? No. I would be responsible. 

It doesn’t matter which breed of dog killed Christiane Vadnais. What matters is that Denis Coderre and his administration took three (3) years to address a problem, and now they are addressing the situation out of anger and media-made fear-mongering. If M. Coderre had taken his responsibility seriously and addressed the off-leash dog problem in 2013-2014 by simply enforcing current by-laws, Mme. Vadnais would undoubtedly be alive today. 

I rest my case. 

References 
Hugo Duchaine and Frédérique Giguère. (2016) Le chien avait déjà attaqué deux fois. Retrieved from http://www.journaldemontreal.com/2016/06/10/le-chien-avait-deja-attaque-deux-fois September 2016.

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT-FLE

Dear M. Trudeau, 

I know you’re a busy man, so I’ll make my plight short, at least I'll try.  

As a Quebec citizen, you must be aware of Montreal mayor Denis Coderre’s decision to unilaterally ban a certain breed of dog. Please don’t stop reading because I mentioned dogs, I’m not a freak. Actually, I’ve been an animal behaviour consultant, wolf trainer, Concordia University Family Educator undergraduate, Concordia University psychology student, founder and operator of the Dogue Shop animal behaviour school, CEGEP animal behaviour and training teacher, and high school animal-assisted therapy in three EMSB establishments for nearly 30 years.

M. Trudeau, might I call you Justin? It’s easier for my learning disability. You see, I learned I had a learning disability at Dowson College when I was 22. Why is this important and relevant to Denis Coderre’s plan to kill all dogs with square heads? My short answer is the following. I stayed in school and achieved all that I have because of my dogs. We had Great Danes and my love for them has taken me way beyond what I thought I could accomplish in life, and that, Justin, is specifically why I teach animal-assisted therapy to at-risk teens and teach animal behaviour in general. 

My animal-assisted therapy program is run in collaboration with an awesome team of, you guessed it, human volunteers and their Pitbulls. There, I said it. I said the “P” word, but please let me explain. The pitbull is not a recognized breed, even Coderre acknowledged that here at 18 seconds. Staffordshires belong to a class of dogs called molossers. Molosser means big head, square body, and rose ears (or variants). This group of dogs is agile, multifunctional, athletic, motivated, and smart. They have been around for over a century because of those human-made characteristics. If anything, those are the reasons we love them so darn much.

I'm airing on the long side of things, dagnabit, but don’t worry, I’m getting to the point. Remember, I have a learning disability and I’m writing this without help. 

Denis Coderre wants to pass a by-law that makes no sense whatsoever, plus he doesn’t want to listen to the committee he put in place to study the problem. As a matter of fact, he doesn’t want to listen to experts, the SPCA, lawyers, dog trainers, vets, and the general population who keeps demanding owner responsibility and mandatory owner education.

I don’t want to get into finances, so let me just say BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) is very expensive and it doesn’t reduce dog bites or deaths. Heck, the Canadian dog death average hasn’t dropped since Ontario banned Pitbulls in 2005. Canada still counts 2-3 dog-related deaths per year in our country. FYI, those statistics are found on your government website. 

Justin, I’m personally asking you for a giant favour. Could you talk to M. Coderre before September 26th and explain to him that: 

1. Banning specific breeds will NOT reduce dog bites or deaths. 
2. Banning Pitbulls will not make them go away (ask Ontario).
3. Molossers are not one breed and are not more aggressive. 
4. Dogs cannot be muzzled 24/7 (by-law 55) till December 2016. 
5. Pitbulls don't have a bigger bite pressure.
6. The website dogsbite .org is a biased organization with no valid or verifiable sources or references. In short, it lies about everything.
7. Montreal needs to take ownership of Mme. Vadnais' death because the city already knew the dog who killed her was problematic*.
8. There are no educational programs discussed in the by-law.
9. Hundreds, not to say thousands, of dogs, will die, and families will be devastated.

I could go on, but I said I would keep it short. 

As mentioned above, I teach and conduct animal-assisted therapy with at-risk teens. How could I conduct my sessions with muzzled dogs? Change breeds you say? I can’t imagine our teens working with Poodles and Chihuahuas. Teens connect with Pitbulls because they remind them of themselves. Staffies (as we affectionately call them) are stereotyped and it’s that very specific association that allows us to enter and teach adolescent kids life can be different. Teens learn they can do whatever they set their minds to BECAUSE dogs can do it. And by it, I mean good things, obviously.

Justin, this by-law proposal is the least thought-out project I’ve ever read; it’s not even coherent. Denis Coderre needs to be stopped so we can create by-laws that would reduce bites (ask Calgary) and educate people. Heck, Montreal could make money from such programs. I know, it sounds awesome, right? Unfortunately, M. Coderre won’t listen. He even said, “I’ll answer all the dog people’s questions with the same answer” at last week’s council.

So, Justin, it's come down to this. One person (me) asking another person (you) to place a hold on a by-law. M. Coderre needs to hear from a higher power that his by-law is not the solution. At least not the one he proposes. I know my quest is not a matter of national security or about military paychecks (you met one of my students last Saturday at the Longue-Pointe army base; he volunteers with his Pitbull Reggie in my animal-assisted therapy program).

I just put that last bit of information there because the world is a small place, and what affects one affects others. Many people find themselves in my position; their dogs are family or work partners. As you know Justin, dogs play an important role in our lives, and as my friend would say Haste makes waste! I risk losing part of my income with this by-law, and, like many others, I risk losing my partner in the process. Therefore, I’m asking you, dear Justin, to at least call the man and talk some sense into him. 

Till then, many thousand thanks in advance. 

Cheers.


References:
My list is long, way too long to post here, so I'll send them to you should you need information when you talk with M. Coderre. My e-mail is info@dogueshop.com 

* Many other dogs are known to be problematic by the city's canine patrol officers, but M. Coderre still doesn’t do anything about those cases. Might he be waiting for another death to ban those breeds? I don't know! I have learned one thing from all this though, when push comes to shove, Denis Coderre is the real bully!

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT-FLE

The 2016 summer has been, without a doubt, the busiest anti-BSL season on record. I’m not an activist by any means, but when absurdity manifests itself, one reciprocates. Montreal mayor Denis Coderre absolutely wants to pass a law that, we all know, will be financially impossible to enforce, will not reduce dog bites or deaths, and will continue to make Montreal the laughing stock of Canada. 

Montreal 2016: Year of the Bully 
M. Denis Coderre, I think your administration needs to stop consulting the media as your primary source of information to pass legislation. We are in 2016; we have the resources to make strategically sound and financially viable choices. Education and criminal responsibility, M. Coderre, are the only strategies that will actively reduce dog bites and deaths. To deny these choices is to deny democracy and logic. 

I look at this desperate BSL move as a re-election strategy that will undoubtedly backfire. You see, M. Coderre, no one likes a bully. In case you forgot what bully stands for, when one person tries to forcefully impose his or her beliefs onto another person, we call them bullies. From my point of view, you are a bully trying to eradicate media-made bullies, but, M. Coderre, top dogs never last for long. 

Montreal Division 
I have been living in Montreal for a few decades and am saddened by what Montreal looks like. Mayor Coderre has turned Montreal into a joke. There are no parking spaces, and when you can find one, the cost is incredibly expensive. Furthermore, there’s so much construction on the island; no one wants to come and spend their money. Businesses are closing and moving away, streets and parks are falling apart, cyclists get hurt and killed, traffic is a nightmare, heck, if I didn’t have a business on the island, I wouldn’t come to Montreal either. 

Starting September, mayor Coderre will give people yet another reason to avoid Montreal. This fall, you will no longer be able to visit Montreal with your dog that is 1. An American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, or Staffordshire bull terrier, 2. A mix with one of those breeds, or 3. A dog which presents many morphological characteristics from groups 1 or 2.” Whatever that means.

Take a Stand 
I urge every person who owns a dog with a big head, quasi floppy ears, a large chest, and a big rectangular muzzle (I’m assuming these are the characteristics politicians are referring to because we still don’t know what they are) to take this by-law very seriously. You might think My dog’s not a pit bull, I don’t have to worry about this. You are wrong. You should worry, and worry big time because if your dog fits one of the three previous profiles it can be taken away and euthanized. 

I urge everybody to call your municipal and provincial politicians and make your voice be heard. If you don’t, we ALL risk losing our furry friends. We can provide lists of names and e-mails if needed. There is power in numbers; hopefully, you can remember that principle and act now. I don’t want to write about BSL and Staffordshires in the near future, so please voice your opinion. Till the end of September comes, I can only hope we have a positive impact and continue to educate people.

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT/FLE
 

In light of yesterday’s city council in Montreal on Pitbulls and other dangerous dogs (pitbull-type) hearing, I’d like to take a minute and point out the many Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) advocates that using the term pitbull-type dog is as specific as saying tree-like plant. There's no way we can describe type because taxonomy doesn't refer to this word as a descriptive element; furthermore, the mayor didn't answer any of the questions, thus, the population still doesn't know how law enforcement groups will classify our dogs. This is a very important topic that should concern all dog owners.
  
Canine Taxonomy 
Taxonomy is the system by which we classify living and non-living things. Taxonomic terms are very clear and are presented as follows: Domain, Kingdom, Phylum (Subphylum), (Superclass) Class (Subclass), Order, Family, Species (Subspecies).

The canine taxonomy is documented in the image to the left. The current dog taxonomy was changed in 2005 from Linnaeus’ Canis Familiaris to Canis Lupus Familiaris by the Smithsonian Institution; however, not every scientist agreed. 
  
Linnaeus taxonomy places the dog as a subspecies of the wolf: Animal, Chordata, Mammalia, Carnivora, Canidae, Canis, Canis Lupus, Canis Lupus Familiaris. Scientists are currently debating reclassifying the dog to its former description Canis familiaris because on the inside dogs are similar to wolves, but on the outside, not as much.  

For the time being, domestic dogs are already classified as subspecies of the grey wolf; consequently, dog breeds have to be sub-subspecies. Scientifically speaking though, pitbull-type dogs can't be considered any different than say, your cocker spaniel. 
  
Mastiffs Leadeth 
Jean-Pierre Mégnin classified dogs according to scull types; however, when scientists use DNA tests to classify dogs, the results don't take Mégnin’s sub-groups into consideration. 

For those inquiring minds who want to know. Mégnin's four classification categories are Lupoides (spitz), Braccoides (scenthounds), Graioides (sighthounds), and Molossoides (true mastiffs). Although rarely used today, people still refer to these groups to describe dogs. According to Mégnin's definition, the only true mastiffs are the English Mastiff, Dogue de Bordeaux, Neapolitan Mastiff, Bullmastiff, and Boxer. Other breeds are considered molossers. 

Wikipedia's definition for molosser reads as follows Molosser is a category of solidly built, large dog breeds that all descend from the same common ancestor. The name derives from Molossia, an area of ancient Epirus, where the large shepherd dog was known as a Molossus. As you can see, the definition of molosser doesn't offer a clear-cut description. Not all is black or white; dogs come in every shade of grey. I believe our approach to dangerous dog management shouldn't be black or white. But, that's another topic for another day. 
  
Definition Importance 
A clear definition is important because when it comes to breed-specific legislation, the breed can make or break your human-dog family. If pitbull-type referrers to molossers, then any big dog could be poorly labelled as dangerous and fall under local BSL. The term molosser, as does the pitbull-type term, needs to be described further. If, on the other hand, laws clearly identify targeted breeds, no one needs to worry, confusion and ambiguity won't cause any problems. A dog, is a dog, is a dog. I disagree with BSL, but let's at least make it clear.
  
Science has concluded bred specific laws are inefficient and costly. Education should set forth laws that will encourage responsible ownership, make deviant owners accountable, and overall reduce bites and deaths. If you don't think BSLs can fail, read this article written by Patrick Cain in February 2016.

My objective today was to get pro and anti BSL believers to reflect on how, when and why we should let the government interfere in our life companion choices. Management strategies like BSL don’t keep populations safe, they're inefficient, ineffective, and costly. So, where do we go from here? Where and how do we educate people? 
  
References 
- Federation Cynologique International. Breed-specific education. http://www.fci.be/en/Nomenclature/Education.aspx Retrieved on 06-20-2016 
- Hancock, D. (2001).The Mastiffs: The Big Game Hunters: Their History, Development and Future. Publisher: Charwynne Dog Features. 
- Royal Canin. (2001). The Royal Canin Dog Encyclopedia.

Video References
If you think only pitbull-type dogs kill, you're wrong. Watch, read and share these articles and videos because BSLs create a false sense of security. ALL dogs bite.

Teckel (Dachshund)
http://articles.latimes.com/2002/dec/17/nation/na-maul17 
www.thefreelibrary.com/DACHSHUNDS+KILL+MONTH-OLD+TOT+IN+JEALOUS+RAGE.-a061124133 

Pomeranian:  
http://amarillo.com/stories/100900/usn_pet.shtml#.V2lCtxkXbqB 

Lab x golden mix  
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/dog-killed-2-month-old-baby-ripped-child-legs-father-slept-room-police-article-1.1065711 

Jack Russell (Terriers)
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/359723/Family-distraught-as-dog-kills-baby-with-single-bite
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3132523/Three-week-old-baby-died-bitten-terrier-dog-Sunderland.html

German Shepherd
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/i-just-started-running-for-my-life-calgary-police-dog-attacks-boy-1.2842696

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT/FLE

I normally don't write two articles in the same week, but this week is special. I decided to disregard my own rule and write a second piece. What follows is a huge summary of my very elaborate research file.

Seems people need to see graphs and data in order to believe what a columnist writes; therefore, I decided to give you an eye full and present some very interesting science behind the dog bite statistics the media and pro-kill people try to push down our throats.

I’m telling you, this information doesn’t come from a dog bite website, nor does it come from newspaper columnists quoting or referring to other columnists as data. I won’t do that because we ALL know the media only writes about what sells papers. 
  
Research 
Contrary to popular belief there’s quite a significant amount of research done on dog behaviour. I’ve mentioned a few in the past, but today I decided to go full out and waste half a day taking screenshots for you to look at. I might sound irritated, but don't get me wrong, I love going through papers; I'm just annoyed I have to knock some common sense into senseless people. What is obvious to the vast majority of us seems invisible to a few others.

I’m only providing you with this information so we, as a society, can make the right choices for the rest of us. So, before you write me hate mail or post foul language in the comment section, please know I’m a safety advocate. Anyone who actually knows me can attest to that, so keep in mind I’m not advocating pro-pitbull propaganda, I’m simply concerned with overall safety for both dogs and humans.

What the Research Says 
I first met Dr. James Serpell in a conference at Guelph University in 1999 (might be 2000). He had newly designed the C-BARQ, a dog evaluation test made specifically for his clients.

A colleague and I saw the usefulness of this document and asked if we could use it. He was kind and gracious enough to say yes. Seventeen years later he has the largest database known on dog behavioural characteristics grouped into thirteen categories. 
  
M. Serpell’s career revolves around understanding dog behaviour and scientifically prove, or disprove if certain breeds are more likely to bite than others, and if so, why. In his conclusion, most bites are occasioned by dogs less than twenty pounds. I'm repeating myself here, I know, but it seems necessary to do so over, and over, and over again. 

Scientist Duffy et al (2008) concluded their paper on dog bites with The substantial within-breed variation…suggests that it is inappropriate to make predictions about a given dog’s propensity for aggressive behavior based solely on its breed. 
  
Last year the American Veterinary Medical Association concluded Breed is a poor sole predictor of dog bites. Controlled studies reveal no increased risk for the group blamed most often for dog bites, ‘pit bull-type’ dogs. Even the Quebec Veterinary Order recommends dangerous dog laws instead of breed-specific regulations. 

Media Perception 
If I told you the sky is pink and showed you proof it is, you would have to believe me. But, we all know the sky isn’t pink. Well, I can tell you this picture wasn’t photoshopped because I took it. A friend of mine took a similar picture in a different part of Montreal. We are now two people with proof the sky is pink. 
  
Now imagine what would happen if our pictures went viral and reporters or columnists wrote about it? What would happen if all reporters referred to the same two pictures and kept telling you the sky is pink… I’ll tell you what would happen; the entire world would believe the sky is indeed pink. Now here’s what you don’t know. The sky was indeed pink on that day, but it only occurs when the conditions are favourable for pink skies to manifest themselves. Does it mean the sky is pink ALL the time? Of course not!
  
This is what's occurring with media. Columnists only report one side of the story and then quote or refer to each other as proof their claims are indeed real. I’m not here to tell you Staffordshire and Bull Terriers don’t bite. I’m here to tell you the sky isn’t pink; I’m here to tell you ALL dogs bite and to ban one breed is equivalent to saying the sky is always pink because I saw it once. We should all advocate dangerous dog laws and education because that is what will ultimately save lives.

On a last note, the following table was taken from the AVMA paper and clearly shows the breed responsible for serious dog bites in 2015 was the German Shepherd and dogs under 20 lbs. Get it...?!

References
- American Veterinary Medical Association (2015). The Role of Breed in Dog Bite Risk and Prevention. 

- Maksymowicz, K., Janeczek, A., Szotek, S., Qukomski, R. and Dawidowicz, J. (2015). Dog bites in humans in a large urban agglomeration in the southwest of Poland, an analysis of forensic medical records. Journal of Veterinary Behavior.

- Serpell, J.A. and Duffy, D.L. (2014). Dog Breeds and Their Behavior. A. Horowitz (ed.), Domestic Dog Cognition and Behavior, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-53994-7_2,

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT/FLE

There’s never a dull moment at the Dogue Shop and this week is certainly no exception. Monday I was on Breakfast Television to talk about dog safety. After the show, it dawned on me people simply don’t know what a dog is. It shouldn’t come as a surprise since science has only recently started to answer the question. People fear dogs, but is a systematic ban of Terriers going to fix the problem? The only true answer to this question is no! 
 
Dog 101 
The dog is an opportunistic predator who has shared our homes for many centuries. It’s our companion, alarm system, work partner, soldier, police officer, security guard, service provider, and yes, a weapon, yet most people don't know what dogs can or cannot do. The reason people fear dogs is because they don't understand the animal behind the word.
  
The dog (Canis familiaris) has 42 teeth in his mouth and an average of 500 pounds per square inch of pressure in his jaw. The American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and Bull Terrier are no exception. Compared to wolves at 1500 pounds per square inch, it’s actually not that much. Terriers don’t have more bite force nor do they have magical jaws that lock. 
  
All dogs come equipped with a propensity to bite, and when the stars align, they do so equally. Some will say Staffies never let go when they latch on but did you ever consider that the people who are trying to remove the dog are actually making the problem worse. Screaming and hitting a dog will just make it madder. If you don’t believe me just Google Schutzhund training video or click on this link. The dog in this video is a Belgium Malinois. 
  
Dogs are pretty amazing animals in general, but terriers can work in extreme conditions, pull 1000X their own body weight, jump over fences, leap into the air like planes, and pull down objects in motion, this group of dogs is the epitome of working breeds. But guess what, they didn’t become this way on their own. Lest not forget, humans made dogs. 
  
Future Dog 
I see more designer dogs and Huskies in my practice than any other breed put together, Staffies included. Designer dogs account for more problems and bites than you are led to believe. But, I’m not here to talk statistics; I’m here to tell you ALL dogs bite. The three most dangerous cases I’ve seen in the office involved a Jack Russel, a Colley, and a Bulldog. All three humans required facial reconstruction. 

Our safety and the future of dogs don’t reside in lawful bans. Our safety will come from education and legal responsibility. If you think you’ll be safe when Staffies are all gone, you are seriously delusional. I invite you to play the Pit Game and identify which dog is the actual breed you wish to see annihilated. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, ALL DOGS BITE and all dog breeds kill. 
  
Gun Ban 
For all those pro-kill pitbull people, I invite you to read the following reference list and open your eyes to reality as it presents itself. All dogs bite and kill, yes ALL DOGS. Need I say it a fourth time for you to understand, the problem mainly resides in the fact that a large percentage of the population has no working knowledge of dog behaviour.

The problem is equivalent to giving loaded guns to people, asking them to play with it and shoot in front of themselves every now and then. Some people will take a weapon handling class before they start randomly shooting at people because they don’t want to kill anybody, while others will just go by luck.

Canadian politicians were smart enough to require weapon handling classes in order to possess a gun. The same should be asked of dog owners. All dog owners should be required to take a dog handling class. 
  
Many Prayers 
I know this article comes at a bad time, so I wish to offer my sincerest condolences to the families and friends who lost a loved one in the mass shooting of Orlando late Sunday night. My heart feels for you and hopes you find solace in this very painful situation. 

Maybe the time has come for United States politicians to consider gun control, just like we are faced with dog control. These are certain situations we need to reflect on...
  
References
Labradors 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ihXq_WwiWM 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Gse2J5bqWw 
http://patch.com/new-jersey/belleville/nutley-dog-attack-lab-mix-bites-boy-6-police-say 
http://www.inquisitr.com/2642813/florida-dog-bite-law-unconstitutional-padi-the-labrador-wont-be-killed-for-biting-a-childs-ear-during-attack/ 
http://www.wptv.com/news/region-c-palm-beach-county/lake-worth/5-year-old-bitten-by-labrador-recovering-says-her-pit-bull-saved-her-from-being-seriously-injured 
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2003849/Boy-3-left-horrific-facial-injuries-Labrador-savages-Poole-Harbour.html 
  
Golden Retriever 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CydSqoOFiQ 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y9W-X1s8rQ 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eaUdbLZNLY 
  
Designer Breeds 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1rwCymZhiI 
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/richmond-dog-attack-yogi-sentencing-1.3389365 
  
German Sheppard 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DTmtzUh6IQ 
  
French Bulldog 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_efQp2YqSUk 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PerOmnky0kA 
  
Husky 
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3406620/Siberian-husky-attacks-schoolgirl-leading-horrific-injuries-face.html 
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/perth-toddler-mauled-by-pet-siberian-husky-in-westminster-20151224-glukul.html 
http://wspa.com/2015/08/02/child-attacked-by-dog-in-henderson-county/ 
http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2016-02-05/peterborough-mother-given-suspended-sentence-after-husky-attacks-young-girl/ 
http://www.newsherald.com/article/20160524/NEWS/160529542 
http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/justice-et-affaires-criminelles/201006/08/01-4287783-bebe-tue-par-un-chien-la-mere-accusee-dhomicide-involontaire.php 
http://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2010/06/07/un-bebe-tue-par-un-chien 
http://ici.radio-canada.ca/regions/alberta/2012/02/16/004-husky-bebe-airdie.shtml 
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2529831/Family-war-girl-three-left-needing-EIGHTY-stitches-husky-attack-grandmothers-house-owner-refuses-down.html 
  
Dog Breeds and Their Behavior, Chapter · January 2014, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-53994-7_2 
  
Human directed aggression in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris): Occurrence in different contexts and risk factors. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 152 (2014) 52– 63 
  
Andrew U. Luescher, DVM, PhD, Ilana R. Reisner, DVM, PhD. Canine aggression toward Familiar people: A new look at an old problem. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, Vol. 38, Issue 5. Sep 1, 2008 

If we want to make things happen, we have to stand up and make our voice be hear. I’m officially standing up, but I’ll need your voice to be heard. I want to present to you, pet owners, trainers, consultants, vets, vet techs, politicians, pet store owners, and every single person who works with animals a dangerous dog project proposal. 
  
Dangerous Dogs 
I often hear people say that dogs aren’t the problem, humans are. I disagree because some dogs are dangerous, just like some people are dangerous. Some canines are born with bad genetics and display behavioural problems such as extreme fear or aggression. These dogs should systematically be removed from the breeding pool, and yes some dogs should be euthanized. 
  
Did I shock you? If I did, here’s why. As a professional, I know exactly how much time and money people have to invest into training their dogs in order to make them socially acceptable. By acceptable I mean capable of walking on the sidewalk without reacting to people or dogs. I’m not talking about a dog who can accept affection or can do dog-dog interactions; I mean simply walk past a person or canine without reacting. 
  
Project Proposal I 
Education is the best medicine. When people are educated they tend to make better choices because they know they could be held accountable for their actions. So, here’s what I propose. If you have ideas, add them in the comment section.  

1. All dog owners will need to take a basic training course in order to acquire their red city tag. City tags are already mandatory. 

• Yellow and green city tags are obtained on a voluntary basis
• Yellow and green tags provide benefits to pet owners

• Each breed is different and requires specific skills
• Dog behaviour research changes rapidly so too does dog training

3. People will be held criminally accountable for their dogs’ actions. 

• Enforce leash laws with stiffer fines
• Dogs without tags will be immediately seized 
• Mandatory jail time for convicted criminals

4. A dangerous dog law will be equitable for all dog owners. 

• A bite is a bite
• No discrimination
• Mandatory education

Project Proposal II 
The project proposal is simple and effective; all the city mayor or provincial government needs to do is make education mandatory. The infrastructure is already in place and wouldn’t cost the city a dime. Furthermore, this project proposal would create jobs and save lives. 
  
Mandatory classes would be paid by the dog owner. People would acquire their red tag in designated training centres (who by the way already sell city tags). Yellow and green tags could be acquired in the same establishment. Yellow and green tags would also be financially covered by the owner. Again the city doesn’t need to invest in infrastructure because we already offer the service. All the city needs to do is make education mandatory. 
  
The law seriously needs a facelift. People should be made accountable for their dogs’ actions. I see too many off leash dogs out of control and/or aggressive. Furthermore, old school trainers use force and punishment which increases dog aggression; new laws would insure they too are held accountable for their actions towards clients. 
  
Consideration 
People talk a lot about physical damage from small vs. large dog breeds, yet no one takes into consideration psychological trauma. The largest percentage of the population victim of dog bites is children under 9 years old. Children can be traumatized by their grand-mother’s Lhasa Apso, so too can an adults experience panic attacks from a Golden Retriever attack. 
  
If you have read my blog in the past, you know I stand for education and equitability. We need to make changes and we have the resources and research to make the best choices possible for all parties involved. Dogs are dogs and yes some dogs kill, but with education and new laws we can prevent accidents from happening in the first place. 
  
I’m going to ask you to share this article. Share it till it reaches municipal and provincial governments. Heck, if we can reach the federal government and make this a nationwide project, go! We can save many, many lives with education, so let our voices be heard and scream the word EDUCATION with me. 
  
Cheers.

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT

This piece is a direct answer to Joseph Facal's article L'Érotisme du Pitbull which appeared in the Journal de Montréal, May 26, 2016.

De Quelle est la motivation profonde de quelqu’un qui se procure un pitbull? J’imagine que les motivations varient selon les individus, mais j’aimerais quand même qu’on m’aide à comprendre. Dear M. Facal, I’ll try to keep my answers simple so you can follow along. 

Est-ce parce que cette race est particulièrement gentille et affectueuse? Euh, non. Euh yes! First, pitbulls are not recognised breeds within the Canadian Kennel Club and the American Kennel Club. The term pitbull is actually a job description termed by people (yes, bad people) who bread various terriers, bulldogs, and god knows what, to fight. What you call pitbulls are actually  specific breeds referred to as Staffordshires and Bull Terriers (all sizes). All three breeds were created to be the perfect working dog. Designed to be versatile, highly intelligent, extremely motivated, and easy to take care for, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Terrier, and Bull Terriers are part of the, you guessed it, the Terrier group. 

Est-ce parce que cette race est particulièrement intelligente? Euh, non. Euh, yes! Your answer proves to us your knowledge of canids is equivalent to a six year old kid (since you insult people, I thought I’d give you a taste of your own medicine). Terriers are one of the most intelligent breeds out there. Anybody who has ever owned a dog knows that. Heck, why do you think the military trained them? Because they’re dumb? Euh, no! 

Est-ce parce que cette race est particulièrement facile d’entretien et adaptée à la vie urbaine? Euh, non. Euh, yes! These breeds don’t shed, don’t eat much, hate winter, are active but also love to stay inside when it’s wet, cold, damp, or too hot. Staffies (Staffordshires, in case you couldn’t make the connection) are easily trained, don’t bark much, are the perfect apartment pets, are excellent service dogs, and enjoy an active social life. 

Je repose donc la question: pourquoi choisir cette race parmi les 350 disponibles? To be fair, over 800 dog breeds exist around the world, but since this is clearly not your field of expertise, I’ll let this one go by. Simple math should tell you, M. Facal, that if more and more people chose Staffordshires as their family pet, out of all those breeds in the world, it must be because they’re exceptional animals. In my practice, I get more Sheppard crosses and dogs less than 20 lbs who bite than Staffies and other molossoids (I don’t expect you to understand this term, so you might want to Google it) put together. Again, since this isn’t your field of expertise, I’ll let this one slip by too. 

Danger! 
Je ne me suis jamais interdit de dire du bien de la concurrence. Dans La Presse des 20 et 23 mai, la journaliste Marie-Claude Malboeuf livre les résultats de sa longue enquête sur les pitbulls dans la région de Montréal. You know, as an ex-politician, just how well one can manipulate information to make it seem as something else. Mme. Malboeuf didn’t look at all the information, just the one she needed to write her very bias piece. 

Leur nombre est en hausse fulgurante. I just told you why, they are awesome animals. 

Toutes sortes de chiens attaquent, mais les attaques par des pitbulls sont beaucoup plus nombreuses et beaucoup plus dévastatrices. They might cause more damage than a small dog, but size for size, no. If you did your homework and looked at longitudinal studies done by Dr. James Serpell, (yes, M. Serpell is a real doctor, and guess what, he writes about topics within his field of expertise) you would see how inaccurate your statement is. 

Le chirurgien plasticien Nicolas Hamelin dit: «On pourrait bien débattre sur les pourcentages, mais l’écart est si grand entre les pitbulls et les autres chiens qu’on ne peut fermer les yeux sur ces statistiques». Uh, as a journalist you should know that sources would be nice to mention at this point because you have lost all credibility on the subject matter, but that’s your choice. Yes bigger dogs cause more damage, I agree, but it’s not specific to one breed. I can send you the content of my hard drive so you can read research papers on the topic, but just Google Dr. James Serpell and you should get an eye full since he has devoted his entire career to breed specific behaviours. 

La réalité est probablement pire que les chiffres, car plusieurs propriétaires paient les victimes d’attaques pour qu’elles ne portent pas plainte. So too do other dog breed owners. That was just a sand in your eyes statement unsubstantiated and unsupported. How would you know people are paying off to cover their dog’s aggressive behaviour if they haven’t reported it? Again, sources….. 

Toutes les armes à feu font des dommages, mais certaines sont plus meurtrières que d’autres. On connaît d’avance la cassette du lobby des pitbulls: c’est le maître qui est le problème, pas le chien. You really do NOT know what we are about, do you?! We are all about responsible ownership, not breed bashing, but since people like you keep writing trash statements, we don’t have a choice but to keep telling you, over and over again, it’s not breed specific. 

Oui et non. 

Oui, parce qu’il semble que les nouveaux propriétaires de pitbulls sont surtout des jeunes hommes qui n’ont rien à foutre des cours de dressage et de la réglementation sur les licences et le port des laisses. Where did you get THAT information, the Allo Police? Seriously, I want to finish this rebuttal because I feel I’m getting dumber by the minute. Almost everybody I know owns or has owned a Staffy. Every single one of them are families, people above 30, are women who just love to cuddle with an awesome pet, or animal-assisted therapy practitioners. Yes, some twits do get dogs for the wrong reasons, but I don’t see you offering any solutions. Oh yah, I remember, because this isn’t your field or line of work. 

Non, car c’est indiscutablement un chien plus «compliqué» que les autres. OMG, you couldn’t be further from the truth. Staffies are the simplest breed I can think of. What I find complicated are people who write about things they know nothing of. This makes me think, I should write my next article on ineffective politicians who just write stuff because they like the sound of their own thoughts. 

Toutes les armes à feu font des dommages, mais certaines sont plus meurtrières que d’autres. So, if I follow your logic, people go out of their way to buy a breed they know could inflict more damage while understanding a small calibre dog could do the job. Did I get that right? 

Toutes exigent cependant un permis valide et des cours de maniement. Certaines sont carrément interdites. Well, here’s a solution (too bad I thought of it before you). Educate people. Education is the way to control dog bites, attacks, and deaths. Notice I wrote dogs and not pitbulls because ALL dogs bite. I have proposed many ideas to make that happen, but people with a tribune like yours prefer to vomit words onto paper because it sells newspapers, which in turn, pays for your salary. I, on the other hand, have nothing to gain from writing this rebuttal other than peace of mind, and possibly a chance to educate someone. 

Rien de tout cela dans le domaine canin, avec des conséquences chiffrées et irréfutables qui donnent froid dans le dos. Why not write about the lack of education and possible solutions; after all, if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem, but that we already knew. 

Je reviens donc à ma question: pourquoi diable se procurer CETTE race parmi toutes celles qui existent? Because THAT breed is awesome. 

Virilité? 
Il y a des crétins partout, mais le chroniqueur Yves Boisvert avançait l’hypothèse qu’ils sont probablement surreprésentés chez les propriétaires de pitbulls. This is getting slightly boring and repetitive. 

Intéressons-nous un instant à cette frange idiote, sans doute majoritairement composée de jeunes à la testostérone vigoureuse. You really like to insult people don’t you? If anything, your article makes you sound like a bully. You’re what I call a penbull, a person who forces inaccurate statements in order to scare people. 

Se pourrait-il qu’ils éprouvent une sorte de plaisir viril à se promener avec un chien qui installe la peur dans les yeux de ceux qui l’aperçoivent? Seems you’re doing the same thing with this piece of trash writing, but what can we expect from a columnist at the Journal de Montréal other than trash. 

Se pourrait-il que ce soit un peu l’équivalent de se pavaner avec un Colt 45, chromé argent, dans leur ceinture de pantalon? Maybe this is a projection on your part. Maybe your deep inner desire is to be a bad boy, only you’re too afraid of guns or dogs, so you carry around a pen and write vial sentences. On that note, I grew up in the army and my father made sure we knew how guns worked. My father educated us in order to prevent accidents from happening, and guess what, although we had guns in our house, I never had the desire to kill anybody. Knowledge empowers people to do the right thing. Ignorance fuels fear.  

Se pourrait-il que ce soient des jeunes dont les études ou les carrières ne gonflent guère leur estime d’eux-mêmes? Maybe you could propose a solution and become a role model to these teens. I created a program to help the kids you criticise. I go to their school once a week for ten weeks. During this program, the at risk teens work with my students and learn to train dogs. Now, you might want to hold on to something before you continue reading, all the dogs in the program are Staffies rescued from the SPCA. Yes, the dogs you were ranting about help at risk teens learn to communicate, develop their self-esteem, increase their confidence, and learn to exchange with other adults. Overall, these teens love the program. Again, what do you do? 

Je demande ça, comme ça... 

Comme on ne peut légiférer contre la bêtise humaine, on devrait viser l’arme: l’Ontario a interdit cette race sur tout son territoire, tout simplement. Faisons pareil. Only to find dog bites have increased. Ontario is currently studying the abolishment of BSL for a better, more equitable, dangerous dog act. You forgot to mention that fact probably because it didn’t make your argument seem plausible. Journalism, after all, isn’t about reporting facts from both sides without being biased, right? 

D’ici là, je continuerai à habiter Laval. Allons, Monsieur le Maire Demers, un geste courageux? The only courageous decision the mayor Demers could take, in my opinion, is to kick you out of town.

The study of dog behaviour and training is evolving at the speed of light. Learning theories are presently studied, and with a new understanding of our canine companion comes a new training approach. In a few years from now, I believe we won’t use many treats to train dogs. 
  
Behaviourism 
At the moment most dog trainers use behaviourism as the corner stone of their training approach. Classical and operant conditioning have been well documented and used for decades. We use these two principals of learning to modify animal behaviour, but what if other models of learning could benefit dogs. I’m talking about an outside the box approach. 
  
New fields are currently studied in order to determine if dogs, and other animals, can learn within these new models. The following theories are not only being studied, they are now used to train animals, more specifically the dog. I’m talking about social cognitive and mimetic learning theories. Attachment theory is also studied and research papers seem to confirm this model applies to canines, and possibly equids too. 
  
Practical Application in Dog Training 
The practical approach is jaw dropping. We can now train complex tasks with a simple mimetic approach. Dogs look at us and learn. You’ll tell me you knew that, and I’ll say you’re right, but to which extent this was possible was unknown till now. Same thing goes for social cognitive theory. Ten years ago, no research papers could be found on the topic of dog cognition, yet I managed to incorporate this theory with amazing success. 
  
The impact of these new learning theories on dog training is twofold. One, we work with a reduced amount of treats. Two, training sessions are greatly reduced in time and frequency. Consequently, clients and dogs experience an improved human-animal bond. In other words, we can address the attachment between human and dog and modify it from an insecure to a secure connexion. 
  
Endless Possibilities 
Think about it for a moment. Fearful and anxious dogs that don’t eat during training sessions would now be able to learn. Tool and treat management would be so much easier for clients. No clickers to carry around. No more struggles to create behaviour modification protocols that work in any given situation at any given time. No more frustration from clients. And best of all, no more ambiguous training tools made to punish and torture dogs. 
  
At the Dogue Shop not only do we teach these learning theories, we use them to train our animals, from rats to horses. Dogs are amazing animals and we have denied their full potential for way too long. The time has come to give dogs the place they truly deserve. Dogs are our buddies and our co-workers, so why not treat them as such. 
  
Albert Einstein said “The dog is very smart. He feels sorry for me because I receive so much mail; that’s why he tries to bite the mailman.” Dogs are amazing partners who make sure we remain true to ourselves. I, for one, am truly grateful for their gift. 

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT

The variety of people who read this blog is astonishing. Some followers are dog trainers, behaviour consultants, groomers, dog walkers, doggy daycare workers, rescues, veterinarians, veterinary assistants, and pet owners. With this knowledge, you can see how difficult it is to write articles which are relevant to everybody. Instead of writing about another taboo topic, I decided to share my thoughts about the job. 
  
Dog Trainer Definition 
My job covers various areas of expertise such as consulting clients, teaching animal behaviour, training domestic and exotic animals, and networking. If I could describe my job in one word, it would be educator. The fields of practice mentioned have one theme in common, education. I educate pet owners on how to train their animals, I teach students about behaviour and training, I teach animals to execute certain behaviours, and talk about the animal profession in the media. 
  
Training animals is certainly exciting, but it’s not all fun and games. We are faced with communication barriers, frustration from clients, aggression or fear from animals, lots of human emotions, and euthanasia. Sometimes we act as trainers, coaches, and consultants, and at other times we become counsellors or confidants to our clients. One thing’s for sure; we need to be flexible and resourceful. 
  
Dog Trainer, It’s Just a Job 
I don’t like telling people what I do for a living because it makes me feel uncomfortable. First, I dislike being the centre of attention during parties; secondly, I hate working during a non-animal related event. Don’t get me wrong, I’m passionate about the work I do, but it’s still just a job. 
  
When people realise what I do for a living, it quickly turns into a consultation. People will talk to me not because I’m a cultivated or funny; but because they have a dog that… I’ll let you fill in the blank. When these situations arise, I find myself in a precarious situation because I don’t want to work, yet I don’t want to be antisocial either. 
  
I try to make this funny and tell people (in my best radio/message recording voice) I’m sorry, but I’m not in right now, please leave me a message at the sound of the beep, and I’ll contact you as soon as possible, thank you. I beep and laugh. I’m sure all service market professionals experience the free service situation. 
  
Google Dislike 
I love people, but just like anyone else, I want to enjoy myself and have fun. As I said, I’m passionate about animals, behaviour, and training, but there’s a place and time for everything. If I’m in a networking event, am with students or other animal professionals, then yes, hit me up for a conversation and ask me your questions. If not, you’ll be faced with tongue flick, turn eye, turn head, curve, and walk away. 
  
The worst of these situations is when people Google my name during an event and see I work with wolves. At this point, the proverbial shit hits the fan. Everybody wants to meet the wolves because it’s a dream they have. I understand the curiosity and the enthusiasm of possibly scratching something off your bucket list, but life doesn’t work that way. 
  
Service vs. Product Industry 
Keep in mind the service industry is a kind of invisible product. Even though our services might seem abstract, we do supply people with knowledge, and the exchange of information for money is the source of our income. In other words, I use my education to gain money, and although in Quebec it seems earning a living is frowned upon, I don’t feel guilty in providing top quality services. Other professionals shouldn’t either. 
  
Should you Google my name in a non-animal related event and approach me to talk about your dog, please take note, I might decline your request. However, I’ll be happy to talk about art, culture, spirituality, or cooking.

When compared to other species, C. familiaris (dog) research is still in its infancy; therefore, it shouldn’t come as a surprise a behaviour we once thought held a certain meaning has now changed. Research serves to clarify our understanding of the world, so let’s discuss the significance of those changes. 
  
Dog Play Bow 
One example quickly comes to mind when we talk about dog research, the play bow. The idea behind play bow has always been thought to mean one dog invites another dog to play by tilting his head and dropping the front part of his body down. My entire life has been focused around this significance, even if I always doubted its meaning. 
  
In their research, Byosiere, Espinosa, and Smuts (2015) describe Mark Bekoff’s (1995) hypothesis Canines use play bows to reinforce ongoing social play and to clarify the bower’s intentions so as to maintain a playful atmosphere. The following hypotheses are drawn from Byosiere, Espinosa, and Smuts paper (2015). In italic, you’ll find my laymen description of the behaviour. This is strictly to provide you with a better understanding. 
  

- Hypothesis 1: play bows often functioned to stimulate play after a pause. 

After this pause everything I’m going to do is just for fun. 
  

- Hypothesis 2: play bows function to clarify easily misinterpretable behaviours. 

I’m going to allow you to attack me. 
  

- Hypothesis 3: play bows might function to better position the bower to escape from the play partner. 

I’m going to run away after you pretend attack me, so chase me. 
  

- Hypothesis 4: play bows in general may help partners to synchronize behaviours. 

I’m going to do this behaviour after I bow, you should do the same as me so we can play fair. 
  

- Hypothesis 5: play bows would almost always be limited to times when the bower and partner were within one another’s visual field. 

Look at me, I’m gonna get you, or are you gonna get me. 
  
In summary, research shows that bowers normally exhibit this behaviour to demonstrate they will be the victim. In other words, a dog who positions himself in play bow is trying to convey cooperation through victimisation. I’ll end this paragraph with an interesting side note on play from Byosiere, et al. (2015) Of the 1656 behaviours recorded for both the bower and the partner before and after the bow, only 99 (5.97%) were [play] bites. 
  
Professional Adaptation 
The play bow is one example amongst many researched behaviours to change in significance. New papers are published on a regular basis which means trainers and behaviour consultants need to continue their education if they want to stay up to date on behaviour problems, learning theories, training techniques, and behaviour modification protocols. 
  
Professionals who don’t comply with new animal wellness, cognition, and emotional demands will be considered dangerous, and, hopefully by then, will be prosecuted. Sorry, I was daydreaming for a second, but I do believe one day our profession will be recognised and regulated. Till then, we need to continue our education, remain professional, and strive to implement scientific discoveries into our training protocols. 
  
Expectations 
One thing is clear, dog behaviour, more specifically our understanding of it, will undoubtedly change within the next decade. From these changes, we can expect an increased division between old school and science based trainers. 
  
I know my view and approach of dog behaviour and training keeps changing. This phenomenon occurs because I download and read upwards of twenty research papers each week.

When I was a kid, we did things differently. As a young teenager and emerging professional, my view drastically changed once again, and as I get closer to the halfway mark of my life, my views have changed yet again. The last ten years have radically modified my approach. 
  
I don’t think I’ll stop evolving, especially with a slogan like Doing It Differently, Doing It Dogue Style! But most of all, I hope we’ll be doing it together. 
  
Cheers! 
  
References 
Bekoff, M. (1995). Play signals as punctuation: the structure of social play in canids. Behaviour, 132, 5–6. Retrieved from http://cogprints.org/158/1/199709003.html
  
Byosiere, S.E., Espinosa, J., & Smuts, B. (2015). Investigating the function of play bows in adult pet dogs (Canis lupus familiaris). Behavioural Processes, 125, 106–113. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2016.02.007

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT

In the light of recent events regarding a dog named Simon and a pig, I would like to address beliefs. You might wonder why I wish to chat about convictions when I could discuss aggression, trainer qualifications, ethics, or even training. I feel a sense of urgency amongst professionals, faced with a punishment-type persona, to talk about ways we can educate trainers and clients. 
  
Beliefs 
A belief is something we hold true to ourselves without proof. The dictionary defines belief as confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof. The problem is that some people don’t or won’t seek proof and, to that fact, there’s nothing you can do about it. 
  
Beliefs can be held onto because the concept of changing one’s mind about an idea, a principal, or thought creates discomfort, insecurity, or fear; therefore, letting go of the belief, even for just a moment, produces emotional distress to that person. In other words, we cannot change someone’s belief if they, themselves, don’t realize the belief they hold is questionable. 

Educational Foundation 
People who believe punishing dogs is acceptable are not bad people, most of them are responsible dog owners and seek help when things go wrong. And yes, some people believe in punishment just as they believe the sky is blue. The sad news is, you cannot change a person’s belief system if they fundamentally believe their ideas to be true and genuine. 
  
We are taught from day one that punishment is the way of life If you don’t eat your broccoli you can’t watch your favourite movie or You didn’t take out the trash so go to your room without diner! and this goes on for the rest of your life. Work isn’t any better. When have you received a Great work, happy to have you in our team! or Awesome job on that account! or even What awesome problem-solving skills you demonstrated! That’s what I thought. 
  
Our entire social fabric is based on punishment, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that people love and adore trainers who use punishment, even when science demonstrates better results with reinforcement. I'll say it again, people fundamentally believe punishment is the right thing to do.
  
What Now 
We can strive to educate trainers and the general public; however, social media is not the place to set the stage. People need to see us in action. People need to experience the process and emotionally connect. Without the sensory experience, people won’t change their beliefs. 
  
We can be proactive about change and demonstrate how dogs learn. As the old saying goes Be the change you want to see. Professionals, yes you, go to your local parks and work with your dogs. Be active in your own field, demonstrate what it is you do best and clients will come to ask what you’re doing, but more specifically, how you’re doing it. You can train next to punishment-based trainers to demonstrate, without attacking, how fun, pleasurable and interactive training can be. 
  
Be The Change 
I have an idea, let’s regroup and create a flash mob training event. If every positive or force-free trainer in North America were to coordinate a global training event on a specific day and time, we could, we would make a difference, and we would do so without hitting, kicking or pinning our dogs to the ground. 
  
Trainers and pet owners would be more open to change their beliefs if such a global experience were created. I’m ending this post with a challenge. I challenge every positive, force-free, and clicker trainer to put your money where your mouth is and partake in a global event during which we will simultaneously train our dogs to perform a given behaviour. Who’s with me?

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT

It's snowy and rainy today. The overcast weather is predicted for the entire day, ugh! This is the type of day I dread the most because I feel grumpy, tired, and unproductive. I look at my dogs and like to imagine they too feel the same way. They sleep curled into a ball, and I, on the couch, wish I could do the same.

I don't know about you, but sometimes I just want to stop and discover new worlds. Living your passion is like living in the same clothes year round, but at some point in time you just want to wear a dress. What does this have to do with dog training or dog behaviour? Everything! 
 
Passionate Dog Job 
Our moods influence training and our ability to judge efficiently. When the weather, family, friends, or our health affects our person, we have to acknowledge these changes and work with them. As mentioned before, it's overcast, rainy, grey, and somewhat depressing. If I tried to train my dogs, I would be setting us up to fail. When dogs feel dreary, it's best to leave them be.  

If clients are scheduled for the day and I feel like I'm feeling at this very moment, I have two options: reschedule or proceed with caution. The former is self explanatory, the latter not so much. Let me explain. When I see clients on days like today, I know I won't be at my best, then again, the client won't notice and we'll still reach our session's objectives. However, with time my professionalism might suffer, and without notice I might start to work at a diminished level of competency and productivity.   

Dreary Dog Trap 
The dreary dog trap is the phenomenon by which professionals inadvertently and subconsciously accept mediocre performances from themselves. Clients then train their dogs and obtain, well, mediocre results. Catching one's self working at an impoverished level of satisfaction isn't easy. What are some ways to counter the dreary dog trap? Here are a few pointers. 

- Reschedule you session if you feel physically sick, are emotional, suffer from brain fog or confusion, are stressed, or simply are not at you best. 

- Film your sessions or client sessions (do get their permission first). 

- Thirty minutes before a session, do a few yoga or other physical exercises to stimulate your vitality and mental awareness. 

- Have a fellow professional watch your session and give constructive feedback.
 
- Summarise your session carefully writing down weather conditions, room conditions, your state of being and other influential factors.  

Doggone Good  
All of the above should be practiced at variable times throughout the year because these methods will further develop your professional skills. I film myself regularly and can honestly say I am not productive on rainy or snowy days. If I can, I will reschedule the session and curl up next to my dogs on the couch.

I want to start off by wishing you a happy new year. May you cross off something on your bucket list and may it include your pet. In this first article of 2016, and I want to discuss professional aspirations, or should I say how to sort through the unlimited possibilities of choosing an animal career.

The Beginning 
I went through what I'm about to discuss with you, so don't worry, I know how you feel. You might feel confused and insecure about your new career choice. This is normal. I've been teaching for many years, and I can tell you students still come to me with the same questions I once had. They seek guidance, therefore, the problem of direction hasn't changed much since I began as a professional. Beginners normally feel lost and frustrated. No worries, I'm here to guide you. 

You recently discovered you could make a living as a groomer, trainer, behaviour consultant, walker, sitter, rescue, and have realised there's much to do in the animal world. Your head spins and you don't know in which direction to go. You register for classes, read books, attend conferences, and watch countless videos on YouTube. But, in the end you still struggle to find your true calling. 

The Middle 
I want to share with you how I found my path. First, I have to say there's an easy way and a hard way. I unfortunately started with the complicated, costly, and very long way and let me tell you, it's not the way you want to go. 

The following is an easy approach to figuring out who you are and where you want to go. The results won't be instantaneous, but I assure you the process is a tried and tested approach that works. Here's what you'll need: paper, pen, an electronic device that allows you to go online, Google, and trusted family or friends. 

1. Make a list of everything that you want/wish to do in the animal world. You'll need to keep this record somewhere because we'll get back to it later. 

2. Google all the possibilities and write their definition. 

3. Write a one sentence definition of what you have learned from your mother. Even if you've had it rough, you still have learned something positive. 

4. Write a one sentence definition of what you have learned from your father. Even if you've had it rough, you still have learned something positive. 

5. Write one word which summarizes your mother's sentence. 

6. Write one word which summarizes your father's sentence. 

The following are examples of what steps three to six might look like. Yours will be different and that's normal. Take your time and feel it through. Don't over think the process. Spontaneity should guide you. You know that soft little voice in your head, the one that comes from your true self, the voice which guides you, that's the one you want to listen to. 

From my mother I've learned to make anything out of everything, thoughts included. 
One word: CREATIVITY 

From my father I've learned to stop talking and listen to mother nature's voice. 
One word: COMMUNICATION 

8. Add your own personal sentence and word.

I've learned animals tell us what's wrong with ourselves.
In one word: EDUCATE

9. Put all three words together and your path will become visible. 

10. Now, cross out what DOESN'T resonate with your words, or what you don't want to do. This is the most important step as you'll need to make choices that will define your future. 

11. Sit with family and/or friends and go through the remaining possibilities on your list. 

Read the definition and discuss with family members or friends what you would do if you had an unlimited budget. The people around you will help you keep it real, which is essential for the final step. This is your emotional self telling your cognitive self what you want to do, or aspire to achieve. 

12. Devote your time to the choices you've made. I seriously recommend you write a mission statement for yourself, it will guide you throughout the process. 

The End 
I had a long list on my paper, and I was going nowhere fast. Actually, the first decade of my career is a compilation of irrelevant experiences and exhaustion. I'm fortunate to have a friend tell me Just stop doing what you don't like anymore! Sounded simple, it wasn't. I eventually did start to stop. No more regional director for dog associations, no more rescue work, no more writing, and no more training obedience. Once I stopped doing things, I felt so much better. 

You might, as I did, love certain things on the list but you can't do it all. You have to make choices. I decided more competent people were able to run professional organisations or animal rescues. I would do my part to help them, but it had to be in line with my mission statement. If I couldn't find an educational component, I didn't interfere. When you decide what you don't want to do, you'll move forward much faster.

Remember, sometimes walking the wrong path is the right path.

Cheers.

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT

I'm taking opportunity of the Pitbull Awareness Month's last week to address the public, dog professionals, but more specifically politicians and legislators. I'm going to use the term pitbull in this article only because people have convinced themselves there's such a breed. Should you feel the need to revisit what is, or should I say isn't, a pitbull, you can click here and here.

False Sense of Safety
I want to address the fact that out of the thousands of dog bites each year in Canada, only a small percentage of them make the news, and out of the hundreds of headlines only a handful of breeds, other than pitbull, are actually mentioned in the report.

This breed bias has brainwashed a population into believing only one breed of dog is dangerous. Has it not yet come to your attentions that there's something wrong with that belief? Don't you find it strange that law makers blame only one breed of dog as responsible for all dog bites? In all honesty, do you really feel safer because one breed of dog has been labelled for extermination? 

In a world without pitbulls, will news reporters still cover dog bites? Surely there's nothing wrong with a Labrador, Border Collie, or Jack Russel bite. What about doodle and those mug crosses, that can only be categorised as funny or cute, right? There's nothing to say about a 20lbs or less dog bite because there's no damage, no blood, no drama.

That being sarcastically said, I do see a problem. A two year old child doesn't need to experience a pitbull bite to fear dogs for the rest of his or her life; the family Shit Tzu can do the job just fine. There's no breed specific legislation in the human psyche. Fear is fear and to undermine a human's emotions based on size or breed of dog is simply heartless, ignorant, and apathetic.  

Fear or Be Feared
I contacted our borough last year to ask how many people actually complained about pitbulls bites towards people or other animals in order to give a municipality enough data to create such a law. Do you want to know the answer? Three! Three people presented themselves at a municipal hearing and complained about pitbulls. Of these three people, none had actually been bitten by a dog, let alone dogs. Legislation is about responding to people's fear. You would think legislators consulted with canine professionals before they passed laws; nothing could be further from the truth.
 

Professional Request
I'm calling out all levels of government to please consult dog professionals before you decide to pass a law under the false pretence that it will keep people safe. BSL[1] does not reduce the number of dog bites, education does. Instead of implementing changes that will destroy human and animal lives, why not make education mandatory.

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT

This week I want to explain, or should I say clarify, what is a pit bull. As mentioned last week in Pitbull: A Job Title, the now infamous dog breed is poorly misunderstood, and the media's fear-mongering tactics keep adding to the confusion. People have become witch hunters wanting to behead a dog breed without actually knowing or understanding it.

Identification
First and foremost, Pitbulls are not a CKC or AKC recognized breed. In reality, pitbull is a job description. Pitbulls are crosses between bulldogs and terriers. These mixed breeds were originally bred to fight in pits against bulls, bears, or other dogs. So why pitbull? In essence, a pit is an in-ground boxing rink and bull refers to either the source of the breed (bulldog) or job description (bullfighting). No one is exactly sure which came first.

What we do know, and people tend to forget, is that the ancestor of these mutts belongs to the Terrier group, and if you ask me, the wonderful thing about crossing terriers and bulldogs is the end result. When bread together, the outcome is a highly multi-functional all-terrain dog. Terriers have an endless supply of energy, motivation, are extremely intelligent and athletic. That being said, the only recognized breeds are the American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier, and Staffordshire Bull Terrier.  

MVP - Most Valuable Player
If I were to pick an analogy to describe Staffordshires and Bull terriers, I would compare them to football players. NFL athletes are muscular, flexible, agile, highly motivated, extremely smart, good problem solvers, play with full-body contact, sprint, and are loyal to their team. It's not surprising to see the same characteristics in Staffies and Bullies.  

Pitbulls, if you still want to call them by their job title, are fully functional MVPs - Most Valuable Pooch. Staffordshires always wait for group decisions and directions, so too, do football players. When the quarterback tells his wide receiver to catch the next pass, his teammate runs and jumps without regard to his own safety. If the coach asks for a Dallas or Zone Blitz defence, players huddle up and charge with full-body contact; Staffies and Bullies do the exact same. 

Football players and Staffordshire breeds are one and the same; they play, adapt, respond, and problem-solve while interacting, moving, running, or jumping. Both human and dog players make decisions within a fraction of a second only to ask questions once the play is over. Injury is never on their minds as they catapult themselves into the air. No other breed in history has more airtime than the Staffordshire and Bull Terrier.

The characteristic I love most about Staffies and NFL players is their ability to move their bodies in ways that seem to defy gravity all the while catching a ball. Seriously, there's no other dog breed capable of such sportsmanship. To see an American Staffordshire Terrier leap a few meters in the air to catch a swinging tire is by no means short of a miracle. However, like other terriers, Staffordshires and Bull Terriers tend to dislike other dogs and are often highly prey-driven. There's nothing wrong with high prey drive if you know how to contain and direct it. I often say, if Jack Russells were thirty pounds bigger, they would be the BSL* target breed, not Staffies. 

Irresponsible Media
I think people have come to fear pit bulls not because they cause more bites than other breeds, but rather because they're fearless and highly motivated. Media propaganda contributes to mass fear by writing headlines like a vicious pit bull attack; conversely, reporters omit such words when a Golden Retriever is involved in a bite case. When other breeds bite, headlines often read dog bite or my favourite dog incident. One doesn't need to consult infinite amounts of data to see the media is biased towards Staffordshire and American Staffordshire terriers.

Maybe one day journalists will educate themselves and stop propagating breedism. Till then, I can only do what I do best, educate. A pit bull is not a recognized breed, it's a dog people originally created to fight. I'm totally against this practice, thus, when people cram breeds that directly or indirectly look like Staffordshire or American Staffordshire Terriers together, I cringe and bite my inner lip. Staffies are athletes, not murderers. Yes, they can be turned into killers, but so too can Greyhounds, Great Danes, Border Collies, Australian Cattle Dogs, Labrador Retrievers, Yorkshires, and Chihuahuas.

Reporters Report
The time has come for journalists to get educated, so I'm directly calling out to the media to do their homework, contact professionals, and report events without discrimination. When you report bite cases, use the same language. I'd love to see a headline with Golden Retriever viciously attacks neighbour's daughter. Obviously, I'm being sarcastic; I really don't want to read that headline. What I mean by my ludicrous statement is reporters report news equally or don't report it at all.
 
References:
- AKC Terrier Group. Retrieved from http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/groups/terrier/ 10-2015
- CKC Terrier Group. Retrieved from http://www.ckc.ca/en/Choosing-a-Dog/Choosing-a-Breed/Terriers 10-2015
- Cleveland Brown Football Jump. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfDS5C-jQ5A 10-2015
 
* Breed Specific Legislation

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT

I share many thought-provoking ideas and concepts with you, yet sometimes I ask myself if the message is really making headway in terms of understanding dogs, training, and behaviour. This week, I want to address social media and feedback. Do we actively listen to one another, or do we passively acknowledge information? Does social media serve as a giant emitting system with no one on the receiving end?

Social Media or Cultural Medium
I've noticed on our social media platforms that when we post funny videos or cartoons, we get an enormous amount of feedback. Yet, when we post serious questions or discuss the lack of regulation and recognition of dog training and behaviour consulting professions, there's a serious lack of acknowledgement. This leads me to believe social media is really a cultural medium in which nothing is taken seriously unless it's dramatic and violent.

I sometimes wonder if discussing dog training on social media platforms is really constructive. Social media might be an awesome podium to emit information, yet, only a small percentage actively receive or respond. I also question the seriousness of professionals who are highly inflexible when it comes to new concepts and theories. I was part of many dog training and behaviour groups that disrespect one another with a passion. I left those groups because of the cultural and ideological bashing.

Social Feedback
I don't know about other writers, but I know I need feedback. Positive or constructive feedback allows us to grow as individuals but also as professionals. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a journalist; however, dogs and other animals need a voice, many voices, to be heard. I want to be the animal's voice and spread the news about new dog training ideas, methodologies, principles, practices, management, and behaviour modification, but to be a voice requires a listener.

Are you listening?

I need to hear from you, in private if necessary, and read your comments, likes or dislikes. It doesn't mean I'll stop talking about taboo topics, but it does mean I'll listen and hear what you have to say. Social media is all about liking what one says, it's about sharing ideas, it's about commenting so we can hear your voice. Social media isn't about cultural bashing, virtual bullying, or breedism propaganda.

I'm going to continue to write articles or voice my concerns about the lack of recognition in a potentially very dangerous profession. However, I need you to tell me why. Why do you want or don't want from your profession and/or professional?

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT

Professional recognition is one of my life goals. I believe Dog training and behaviour consultation are at a turning point in history. Too many improvised professionals or outdated practitioners are inadvertently causing harm to animals and people. Consequently, we must pull together and make a stand. Bellow, you'll find information by which we can unite and create a new reality for domestic and exotic animal professionals.  
 
Dog Training Description
Although the Canadian government mentions a high school diploma is normally required to exercise the dog training profession, the  National Occupational Classification doesn't stipulate why it's required. This is where dog training and behaviour consulting fall into the unregulated cracks. High schools and other post-secondary institutions don't offer such programs. You'll find on the Canadian government website, under the NOC, the following description: 
 
6 Sales and service occupations

• Major Group 65 Service representatives and other customer and personal services occupations
  • 656 Other occupations in personal service
    • 6563 Pet groomers and animal care workers

Unit Group
Animal care workers feed, handle, train and groom animals and assist veterinarians, animal health technologists and technicians and animal breeders. Pet groomers clip coats, bathe and otherwise groom pets. Workers in this group are employed by animal hospitals and clinics, animal shelters, breeding and boarding kennels, zoos, laboratories, retail pet shops, dog training schools, pet grooming establishments, or maybe self-employed.
 
Example Titles
Animal care worker (except farm)
Dog groomer
Dog trainer
Kennel attendant
Laboratory animal attendant
Pet groomer
Pound attendant
Veterinary attendant
Zoo attendant
 
Main Duties
Workers in this group perform some or all of the following duties:

• Prepare food and feed animals, fish or birds at scheduled intervals
• Clean and disinfect cages, pens and surrounding areas
• Shampoo, clip and groom animals
• Assist veterinarians and animal health technologists and technicians to inoculate and treat animals
• Assist animal breeders to handle and nurture animals
• Assist scientists and researchers in conducting laboratory tests with animals
• Monitor and document animal behaviour
• Train dogs to obey commands and perform specific duties in response to signals.

Employment Requirements
Completion of secondary school is usually required. Depending on the type of work performed, training courses in animal handling, grooming or dog training are usually required. Animal health or veterinary assistant college courses may be required for animal care workers.
 
High Schools
Dog training is clumped in with the following groups: 6561 Image, social and other personal consultants: colour consultant, fashion, etiquette consultant, fashion and wardrobe consultant, image consultant, make-up consultant, public speaking consultant, wardrobe consultant, wedding consultant, weight loss consultant, 6562 Estheticians, electrologists and related occupations: beauty treatment operator, cosmetician, electrologist, electrolysis technician, esthetician, hair replacement technician, manicurist, pedicurist, scalp treatment specialist, tattoo artist, and 6564 Other personal service occupations: astrologer, chat line agent, dating service consultant, fortune teller, psychic consultant, psychic reader.

While groups 6561 and 6562 require high school diplomas and college degrees, group 6564 requires no educational background. Our trade isn't taken seriously because of the lack of educational standards. I would like to change this reality because our clients have animals that can and do cause harm. Let's face it, our profession is a dangerous one. As such, I believe it's our responsibility to make sure the general public remains safe from potentially dangerous interventions.
 
Dog Trainer and Behaviour Consultant Future 
I have a dream. I wish trainers and behaviour consultants would come together to design a certification program. School boards could implement the program and call it a professional high school diploma in dog training and behaviour consultation. From there, professionals could pursue their Red Seal Endorsement which would ensure a national standard for our professions.

I certainly hope I'll see our respective fields become standardized. I'm still young and have great aspirations we'll change the future. We simply need to come together, sit, and design a workable field of study. What do you say? If you're from another country, what are your government, if any, standards when it comes to dog training or behaviour consultation? Leave a comment or link below.

References
- Government of Canada. National Occupational Classification 2011. Retrieved from http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC/English/NOC/2011/QuickSearch.aspx?val65=* 09-2015
- Red Seal Program. Retrieved from http://www.red-seal.ca/c.4nt.2nt@-eng.jsp?cid=22 09-2015

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT

Over the last twelve years, I've been fortunate enough to have spent time in both zoological and non-zoological training environments, and let me tell you, there's a big difference when it comes to training. This week, I want to talk about those differences in order to stop trainers from feeling guilty about dog training. I know I'm going to make enemies again, but I have to talk about force-free training, AKA positive reinforcement only trainers. 

Training Differences
The positive reinforcement only and Force Free movements have a negative impact on dog training and public education, here's why. Both training approaches are defined as withholding any type of aversive in a training session in order to avoid pain or stress. Pain inflicting tools, words, or physical actions are forbidden. Although I don't use any aversive tools, sometimes I have to say no to dogs, use a no reward marker, or physically restrain an animal because it's too strong. Consequently, we can't compare exotic animal training with dog training because the environment is not the same.

Environmental Differences
Force Free and positive reinforcement only groups say If we can train lions with a purely positive approach, then we must train dogs with the same techniques. This sounds awesome, but there are two important issues with this approach, and the issues are HUGE ones. First, lions (or any other exotic animal) live in captivity; dogs don't. This means exotic animal trainers can control 100% of the lion's environment, 100% for the time; consequently, lion trainers can avoid any negative stimulus and punishment. Second, the positive only approach perpetuates misinformation about science-based learning theories and training methodologies.

Positive reinforcement only is not applicable in the real world where predictability and aversive outcomes are statistical probabilities. During a training session, we teach our clients to set the dog up for success, but the fact of the matter is, we cannot guarantee 100% reliability of behaviour because the environment is not under 100% control. In other words, because I can't control the environment and all living beings within it, my client will undoubtedly fail a significant percentage of the time and use a punisher or no reward marker. The important thing to remember is punishment and no reward markers aren't synonymous with abuse, violence, or aggression. Clients and trainers should not feel guilty if words such as no, stop, or heyhey are used in training.

Training Impact
When I teach a dog check-in in order to decrease the trash eating behaviour, I might say stop to the dog before he picks up another piece of trash. I then reward the dog for having stopped. I might do this because I know the last time the dog ate trash it resulted in 3000$+ operation. Clients don't know about learning theories, differential reinforcement of incompatible behaviours, or stimulus control. People want their dogs to behave, quickly, and somewhat effortlessly.

Yes, I could reward big time for looking at humans and not eating trash. Here's the problem, what if the dog is a stressed-out Beagle who loves trash more than he loves our food supply? What if the Labrador is on the higher end of the anxiety spectrum and eats trash to release his anxiety? What if the trash-eating Great Dane can pull his human to the ground because he's 175lbs?

When the environment isn't under control, punishment from the owner, trainer, or environment itself, becomes a statistical probability. Lest we forget, punishment or reinforcement is from the animal's perspective, not ours. Thus, when I (read we) need to hold a dog-reactive Great Dane down with a body and head harness, is this a punishment? From the dog's perspective, it may or may not be. Is it abuse? No. Is it force? Yes. Is it forceful? No. We aren't using body power to pull him down, we are keeping him from rearing up, running away, and dragging us along. Physical interventions are needed in order to reinforce look at human for info, or simply to ask the dog to sit.

Zoological Reality
Captive animals don't experience the endless variety of unpredictable stimuli our dogs are subjected to. It's easy to control 100% of my lion's behaviour, especially during training; in contrast, I can't predict what the environment will throw at me, or my client, one minute from the next. The probability of using an aversive or punisher during a dog training session, in the real world, isn't impossible, it's probable.

Science has taught us how learning theories and behaviour modification protocols work. Why someone would deny one aspect of science in favour of another, when living conditions are diametrically opposed, baffles me. Zoological institutions don't experience real-world effects, thus, to compare one to the other is as relevant as comparing the moon to an egg. I work in both fields and although I use the same theories and protocols, I can assure you, I don't train the same way. Thresholds are easy to manage in zoological settings; in the real world, thresholds vary from one second to the next. Dogs aren't wolves, and wolves aren't dogs. 

One last word. There's no reason to feel guilty if you need to use a punisher or no reward marker, it's part of life. That being said, make sure you immediately reward the cessation of the undesirable behaviour. This is often the key concept people forget. When you reward an animal for having stopped the undesirable behaviour, you are in fact communicating that the desirable behaviour is to do nothing. As Rush said in their song Freewill If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice. 

By Gaby Dufrense-Cyr

Lately, I've noticed an increase on social media of anthropomorphic observations of animal behaviour, in other words, people see other people in animals. A dog wants to save a fish's life by tossing water on it, a rhino saves a zebra from a certain mud death, or a rescued dog and her pups cry to her saviour. It might seem altruistic, but more often than not, it isn't.

Anthropomorphism
I don't know if it's because people have come to realize that if they post a random picture titled dog saves fish or rhino rescues zebra on social media they get millions of likes and shares, or it's because people fundamentally believe animal emotions are just like humans. Either way, the act of attributing human emotions or cognition onto something, living or not, is called anthropomorphism. The origin of the word is Greek ánthrōpos (ἄνθρωπος) lit. "human" and morphē (μορφή) "form".

The downside to anthropomorphism, in the name of science, directly affects our view of animals, and to some extent, anthropomorphism interferes with our common sense, reasoning, and critical thinking. Extreme anthropomorphism also opens the door to anthropocentrism: the assessment of reality through an exclusively human perspective.
 

I believe we'll see an increase in these types of observations because of magazines or journals that write articles with catchy titles like Dogs as Smart as 2-year-old Kids or Scans Reveal Striking Similarity Between Human and Canine. There's nothing wrong with catchy titles; however, some people take this at face value and this is where anthropomorphism begins. It's important to remember, animals do have emotions, but we're not one and the same. 

Dogs have different drives, motivations and emotions, and to think otherwise opens the door to disguised forms of abuse. Let me explain. The other day I saw a Pomeranian in a jacket during a heatwave, the reason: My dog is part of the family and since I dress my kids, so too does my dog get to wear nifty apparel. No need to tell you this dog was overheated and uncomfortable. The same applies to dogs in strollers. Dogs need to walk and run. Movement is an integral part of wellness. In my opinion, if you prevent a dog from walking or running it's a form of abuse.

Propaganda
Social media is very good at perpetuating misinformation about animal behaviour. Some people share pictures of animals with false descriptions just to increase their popularity. More likes and shares mean you're an important person, right?! This comes with a cost. Misinterpreting an animal's behaviour could put a person in direct danger. Pictures and videos impart a false sense of security as some humans might think the animal they are about to interact with can do no harm.

I often find myself in the middle of social battles to correct interpretations in order to educate people and prevent dangerous situations. I tell people dogs cannot cry and the rescue should seek veterinary care for this animal, dogs cache their food as opposed to try and save fish, or that the article from which the rhino picture was taken states the animal actually disembodied the baby zebra.

Objective Observations
Objective observation means looking and interpret behaviour based on the animal's physical, physiological, and psychological needs. A human subjective perspective blinds our view of authentic animal behaviour. Consequently, safety and medical conditions might be overlooked as with the crying dog video. A distorted view of behaviour could also endanger people or animals.

Maybe the day will come when we look back on our animal behaviour interpretations and laugh at our wrongdoings. Till then, I'll keep posting objective explanations of animal behaviour even if people are offended, angry, disappointed, disbelieved, or confused. My interventions are meant to educate not humiliate. In return, if you find an objective description of animal behaviour and wish to share it with me, I'll be happy to post it on social media.

References
- Live Science. http://www.livescience.com (for article titles)
- Miriam-Webster. http://www.merriam-webster.com (for definitions)
- NPR. http://www.npr.org (for article titles)
- Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (for definitions)

By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT

In the wake of Cecil the lion, we come to realize he's an ambassador for all living animals. Lions, elephants, rhinoceroses, tigers, cats, and dogs are killed each minute of every day, year-round. What we make of Cecil's death defines us as individuals and as a species.

A tragic event has occurred in which we must rally together in order to educate a percentage of the population that believes poaching, or killing animals for sport, is an accepted thing, a good thing, a necessary thing. Walter Palmer is one of these people, but he's not the only one. I believe education is the best outcome for these nonsense killers.

An Eye For An Eye
Social media has gone mad with rage and wants to see M. Palmer die either physically or financially. That being said, many people depend on M. Palmer's practice to feed their families. As with any tragedy, many people are affected by the loss. Consequently, an eye for an eye is not the best outcome for animals or people. I propose Walter Palmer go to trial and serve his sentence in an animal rehabilitation or sanctuary. What better way to educate killers than to expose them to the day-to-day suffering of those animals whom they have forever changed because of poaching.

No one can be insensitive to the torments of an orphaned animal. No one can whiteness the last moments of a dying animal without being affected. If M. Palmer is exposed to the daily carnage that is poaching, then maybe he'll understand the absurdity of his actions and become a voice, the voice, for animal welfare.

Let's rise to the occasion and turn Cecil the lion's death into a positive experience. We all have voices, thus, we can be heard. Let's roar loudly to those who kill animals for no reason. Speak high and loud to tell Walter Palmer's friends we won't stand for poaching. Voice to your government representatives that killing is not a viable ecological and economical management strategy. Animals are our future, for each species contributes to mother nature's balance. It's our responsibility to ensure animals of all species live free, long and healthy lives.

Responsible Captivity
We, as animal lovers, are fascinated by behaviour. We love to see animals live within their territories and behave as they should. We also believe habitat loss and poaching are abstract concepts because they don't affect us. They're not and they do. In North America, mostly the United States, wolves have been eradicated, and without a natural predator, hoofed animals are destroying the landscape, which in turn, promotes erosion. If you want to see what wolves do to ecosystems, watch this short four-minute video. I promise, your mind will be blown away.

What can we do within our urbanized cities to prevent the extermination of elephants, lions, bears, wolves, tigers, cheetahs, crocodiles, and so forth? You can address the taboo topic within your families and communities, real or virtual. You can visit zoological establishments which can and do work very hard at conservation by breeding and ensuring genetic diversity. Africa's last North white rhinoceros is under heavy guard around the clock. On the other hand, the Western black rhinoceros was not so lucky and is now officially extinct. If we had captured these rhinoceros and placed them in captivity, we would have had a chance to save them.

I understand if you're against animals kept in zoological institutions or private reserves, I am too, but truth is, animals are safer within our artificial walls than in their natural habitat. The white lion is another example. You cannot and will not see white lions walk or hunt in Timbavati, their homeland, because they were exterminated. A few select establishments in North America have white lions in captivity in order to help reproduce and enhance genetic diversity. Fortunately, a small group of people is determined to reintroduce the white lion to Timbavati, or at least save it from extinction.

I urge you to talk to your children, visit Africa, support zoological establishments which try their best to breed and reintroduce animals within protected territories and reserves. Give to animal foundations, volunteer your vacation time, or better yet, host a special animal ambassador event for your friends and family to learn about poaching by-products like ivory, supplements, clothing made of fur, artifacts made of horns, the list is long.

Future Endeavours
We're at crossroads between captive animal management and habitat destruction. Poaching is directly linked to greed and consumerism. Children need to learn to value, interact, enjoy, touch, feel, or even see animals in their natural settings. Most urban dwellers have never seen or touched a cow. We need to change that. We need to make people care. For, without lions, tigers, cheetahs, leopards, cougars, or wolves, hoofed animals will conquer the landscape and our rivers will die.

I'd love to see animals live a free life as they did when I was a child, but till we can educate people and stop the massacre, this reality is no longer a viable option. The death of Cecil the lion is sad; however, good must come of it. I believe it's our responsibility to voice their plight and make changes. Walter Palmer doesn't deserve to die, he deserves to be face-to-face with the living victims of his actions.