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Dog Owner or Dog Guardian - which one are you?

People who have dogs are commonly referred to as owners, masters or pack leaders, which gives people the impression that dogs are property or followers, who should do what we say when we say it without needing to put in the effort to teach them.

So, instead of being a dog owner, why not be a dog guardian? Vow to love, protect and educate your dog! As a dog guardian, it is up to you to make sure that your dog is well educated, feels protected and cared for.

Why is a scientific approach to dog training important?

Fish: we’ve underestimated them!

Christmas – trees twinkling with shiny objects, crinkly paper concealing goodies wrapped up underneath, mulled wine and mince pies… No, it’s not an M&S ad – it’s your home!

We’ve all seen big cats on the TV hunting large prey, feasting on it, and then going for a day or so without food. But the domestic cat that we all know and love is not programmed to hunt and eat in this way. Our cats are domesticated versions of the smaller African Wildcat (Felis silvestris libyca), and so hunt in a different way from their large cousins.  Rather than one big meal, our cats naturally want to hunt and eat many small meals throughout the day and night.

The problem is that our cats get a bowl of easy food plonked down once or twice a day. This can result in a couple of potential problems for indoor cats. Either the cat chomps down the food then spends the rest of the day frustrated because it cannot do anything functional to get more, or if left with lots of food, it eats throughout the day and gets fat.

As caring cat owners, what can we do to provide a bit of mental stimulation for our cats, and prevent them from growing a gut? Well, I’ve got two ideas for you (there are lots more). One’s cheap, effective, but needs a little more work from you, the other is pricier, but allows you to spread out your cat’s daily food allowance easily and effectively.

Practically every guide you’ll pick up about the German Shepherd Dog brushes over the fact that it is a shepherding breed and suggests that the ‘instinct’ to work a 12 hour day with a 1000 sheep is somehow consigned to history. WRONG. The GSD is a sheep tending dog. The ‘instincts’ to work with sheep are alive and well and being put into practice every day in many parts of the world. 

Why is it that nobody thinks to train their cat?

Members of the APBC have provided information and resources to concerned pet behaviour counsellors in Italy following the broadcast of The Dog Whisperer featuring Cesar Millan on Italian TV.