Tag: New Owners

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How I Deal With Frustration When I Don’t See Results?

I often get asked what do I do if I don’t see results in a training session with my dog. Everyone does it very differently, so please do not take this as the ONLY way. It’s been a way that I’ve used to raise all my dogs. There’s no formula, it’s just a set of principles that I live by.

PERSPECTIVE MATTERS

How and what you define as training matters. I don’t “train” my dogs. I RAISE them. It’s two very different perspectives because when we think about training, there are goals, learning take aways, a curriculum, objectives a format etc.

RAISING a dog is about teaching the dog to experience and do life with us. In this perspective, even a walk in the park with a reactive dog is training. It’s a lifestyle. A way of being. It’s like a artist taking in an apprentice and mentoring and coaching that apprentice by showing him/her the ropes. It’s takes a longer term view and it focuses a lot more on the behaviour rather than obedience. It’s an old school but instinctual way of living with a dog.

Raising a dog, however, is harder because it requires owners to always be present physically, psychologically and emotionally. It means owners have to always be ready to either reward their dogs because their dogs offered a behaviour that they want to reinforce or to give out an appropriate consequence for behaviours that they want to diminish. There’s no TURN OFF time as long as we are living with our dogs.

When I get a puppy, I immediately think about what I want the puppy to be able to do with me. What activities do I want to take my dog on? How much of my life do I expect my dog to share with me? All these has an impact on how much “training” is required and that forms the development plan for the dog from puppy to the day it takes its last breath.

This process is what I call the EXPERIENCE. Yes, like an employee experience. How do you communicate your company’s vision, mission, culture and values to a new employee?

I usually start with short walking drills. I use it to communicate a culture that I wish to set for my dog. It’s like an orientation programme for a new employee of a company. It’s an induction into the way of life, the way I communicate, my values, my vision and mission. It’s highly intentional. It starts out with an end in mind and each session is about creating a successful experience, meaning that the dog learns to trust my decision making all the time, every time.

From my perspective, anything and everything is training. I’m constantly mentoring and coaching my dog. I’m constantly evaluating our growth and making adjustments to facilitate learning and development not just for my dog but for myself as a handler.

DO MORE FUN THINGS TOGETHER AND LESS HOMEWORK

Nobody enjoys homework every day. I’m sure you’ve heard of the famous saying “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Similarly, no dog enjoys heeling every day for like the entire park. If I am teaching a dog to heel at a new environment, I usually don’t walk the entire park with it trying to teach it to heel. I just choose a spot and walk up and down with the dog at one area. The moment the dog heels well for 3 to 4 steps if it’s my first time there, I’d stop the exercise and reward the dog by giving it a release command to communicate, it’s now time to go do dog stuff. I don’t continue with the exercises after this either. Instead, I take the dog AROUND the park and we enjoy the sights, sounds and smells together. Why? Because I am still training the dog.

REMEMBER THE SABBATH

Everyone needs rest. Hey, even God needed a rest. The Bible says He created the world and He rested on day 7! So if a supernatural being needed a day off, I reckon, we need more!

I don’t just give the dog a rest day. I have several sabbaths. After each intentional session with me, if it’s a young dog, I’ll put it back in its crate or pen or space and allow the dog to rest and finally sleep for at least 2 to 3 hours. I want the dog to process all the information that we experienced together earlier.

I don’t have a designated day off. It depends on my work schedule. Similarly, dogs who live with me do not know when their day off will be but they do get one. On their off day, I don’t do any formal training. By that, I mean teaching the dog to “heel” or teaching the dog to “leave it” etc. So there’s no formal session. On a dog’s off day, I either let it laze at home, if it’s a lazy dog or I take it out to do something it likes! For example, my dog Lady-Mae either likes to snooze at home or she enjoys a romp in the off the beaten tracks of Singapore!

ENJOY THE PROCESS OR THE JOURNEY

Too many dog owners focus too much on the Obedience commands. I didn’t even teach Lady-Mae the obedience commands until she was 14months old. When I adopted her at 3.5 months old, I took the first year to introduce her to how life would be like with me. We went to all the places that I would want her to go with me.

Frankly, Lady-Mae was an Obedience School drop out. She only mastered basic obedience at 20months and at 2.5 years, she mastered the advance obedience commands reliably. Even though she didn’t know the commands, she was however a balanced dog by the time she turned 12months.

Knowing what you want from your dog will help keep you focused on your journey. It will stop you from following what is trendy. I take the perspective of raising a dog because I think about my dog’s development not just in the early days but I look at it from a life long journey.

Lady-Mae may be 8 but she’s still learning. As a senior dog, we need to start looking into her mobility. How do we help her continue to be mobile, agile so that she can continue to live out her best life. If you have just gotten a puppy, your current focus will take on a very different trajectory from mine.

HAVE AN HONEST CONVERSATION WITH YOUR TRAINER

The last thing to do is to have an honest conversation with your trainer. Don’t keep the frustration to yourself. Rant and learn to trust your trainer with your failures. This is the best way to grow and learn. I didn’t become a good dog handler in 1 or 2 years. It took me 15 years to encounter a full cycle of raising a dog from puppy to the day it passed on. During this time, I had people who were dog breeders, trainers, handlers and my vet coaching me actively. Your dog trainer became a trainer because he/she wanted to help people. If your dog trainer says I’m here to train dogs, then he/she isn’t a good trainer because in reality, YOU are the trainer of your dog. Your dog trainer trains YOU. When you are able to say I cannot do something, your trainer will have clarity about what you can do because there’s a gazillion ways to train a dog. Your dog trainer is trying to find a style that’s unique to you and your dog.

I hope you will find these five pointers helpful and I hope it’ll give you something for you to consider and try out. If you have a topic that you wish to have addressed, either leave me a comment or send me a DM on instagram @theroyaltail and if it’s something I have experience with, I’d be happy to share with you my perspective.

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Tips when you’re considering getting a second dog

Disclaimer: I am not a professional. This article is written based on personal experience and what I wish I knew before getting a second dog.

Let’s break this down for you, there are essentially four parts – Living with two dogs: the advantages, What to think about before getting another dog, Introducing the dogs, What does the dog owner need to do.

Are you spending your life with a dog and are you about to get a second one? It’s the best decision ever, both for you and for both dogs. Of course, adding a new pet into the family can be easier said than done, but you just need to find a way for the two dogs to live in the same house together. Here are our tips!

Living with two dogs – the advantages

Why is two better than one? Having another dog will bring an extra dimension to your life – first of all, two dogs keep each other company when you’re out, they can play and do activities that we humans are not able to appreciate and they can communicate objectively in their own language.

But for us, too, it means getting twice as much affection and making a lot of laughter.

Left: Bella (9 month old) , Right: Snowy (25 month old)
What to think about before getting another dog

At first, a new arrival might cause a bit of trouble with the dog you already have, so it’s really important to take a few things into account:

1) GENDER

Let’s assume that you’re having a opposite gender dog to the one you already have; that way, you will have to prevent certain issues. Make sure you spay them, otherwise you’re not going to end up with two litters of puppies every year. Two females generally get along well, but watch out for short tempers when they’re on heat.

2) AGE

Don’t bring a puppy into a home with an older dog as the pup will be bursting with energy, wanting to play just when the older dog wants to rest and be left alone. Instead, it’s the best to adopt a puppy if you have an adult dog (or another puppy of the same age) to avoid them competing over toys.

Tug-o-war

3) BREED

Some breeds are more territorial and possessive, while others are more ready to accept control or instruction and tend not to create conflict. The first sort would find it very difficult to share their rooms, toys and owners with another dog, and would really not welcome the arrival of a second dog. Its better to get a new set of things for your new pet.

Introducing the dogs

Before bringing the new dog home, it’s always a good idea to let them meet in a “neutral” place that neither of them knows, such as a park. This is going to give the two pets some time to get to know each other to peacefully play. When going home, the first dog won’t feel threatened or lose its place. The human has to make sure the new arrival doesn’t upset our first pet.

What does the dog owner need to do

Make sure to keep paying the same attention to your first pet as before, so that it doesn’t feel suspicious; if the two dogs fight, don’t pay more attention to the little one just because it’s more vulnerable, or yell at the older one, or they feel like they’re losing their place as the pack leader.

Another tip is to pay attention to the small everyday things that are really important to Rover.


For example, when you get home from work, greet the older dog first; or if you get out of the car, let the older dog first. At feeding time, keep the bowls separate but serve them at the same time, otherwise there’s bound to be trouble!

Milk time !
Bella bite broken every toys.
Bella’s paw on Snowy’s face

It really doesn’t take much to get two dogs to live happily in the same house.

What strategies did you use? Let us know in the comment below or dm us on our Instagram @snowyxbella , or what are the topics you would like us to share! 🙂

Example – Dog-friendly (cafes, restaurants, hotels, daycare, services, fun places) , Organised for a doggie pawty, Training, Dog parks, Life (tips – photos, recipes – how to dehyrate treats), Shop pet suppliers (accessories, shops on stores/online/instagrams), etc…

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Finding the “best” cat litter

Many parents would ask which cat litter is the best. It is hard to tell which is the best as each and every household is different and everyone also views things differently. Cats themselves as well have different personalities while each cat parent looks for different features.

Cat litter is something that runs out fast in our household. With 8, many people would think we spend most of our money on food, however, I think we have spent more money on cat litter in fact! With many brands out there that offers almost similar features, which is the best brand to go for? Living with 8 furballs, we often question ourselves which is the best brand. We have tried almost every kind of litter, ranging from pine wood, soya/tofu litter, paper, sand/clay, cane and to the recent snow peas. After trying so many, we honestly have not found the best brand, but rather the kind that works for us. Here’s what we have tried so far and what we think about them! 🙂

When we first got Ninja, we were not prepared as we had zero experience with cats. Ninja our first rescue joined our family with an injured paw from her stray days. We did not think of keeping her as we were inexperienced, we only wanted to help heal her. However with the injury she had, Ninja needed to be confined indoors and I guess her injury was a blessing in disguise to her and our family!

Cat’s Best Original Litter

With no experience, we decided to go to PLC to get food, bowls and cat litter. We were introduced to Cat’s Best Original Litter (100% made from renewable plant fiber). Having only 1 cat at that point in time, this litter worked the best. The odour control was good and clumps well, covering the two most important thing many owners look out for. However this litter was not the most value for money option and had a musky smell after a few days. We continued to use this litter even when Minnie and her kittens joined our family. However, we realised that the litter consumption was not worth the money spent and with more litter boxes around, it started to affect the smell of the house and rooms.

Kit Cat Soya Clump Litter

Being more experienced with cats and knowing more of other products, we decided to change to Kit Cat Soya Clump Litter. By far this brand and range has been used the longest, even till today we are still using it! Kit Cat soya litter has great clumping properties and is flushable! In terms of odour control, it really depends on which scent you choose.

We started off with Green Tea, the odour control was good, however we realised that despite adding fresh litter, there would an ammonia smell coming from the litter even though we clean the litter boxes thoroughly. We have also tried scents such as Original, Charcoal, Lavender, ,Confetti and Baby Powder. Amongst all, we like the Baby Powder scent best! It really musks the odour and does not change the smell of the room which we have encountered from other scents.

Kit Cat Classic Clumps Litter

Other than Soya Clumps from Kit Cat, we also tried the Classic Clumps series to compare as we were still on the hunt for something that was value for money. Though it is value for money, the amount of dust was significant more than Soya Clumps and the scooping of litter was not as easy as it often sticks to the bottom of the litter box, increasing the work needed for cleaning.

In between using Kit Cat Soya Clumps, we had to source for yet another kind of litter as one of our cats, Snowy, developed an allergy, not sure if it was from food or litter, she had pus on her nail beds and soya litters were not helping her recovery. That was when we had to turn to paper litter till she recovered. Paper litter did not really work for us as its clumping properties as well as odour control were not as good as compared to soya. The only benefit that helped us was that the litter was flushable and does not stick to Snowy’s paws. However this could be different from brand to brand as we only tried 1 brand.

Soya litter being one of our top choices, we explored different brands as well. We tried brands such as Aastas Cat, Nurture Pro and even Jolly Cat crushed tofu litter.

Aatas Cat Cat Litter

Here’s what we like and not like about these brands. For Aatas Cat there is minimal tracking, clumps well, flushable but the odour control needs to be better. This could be due to the scent that we tried as we have not explored the other scents. We also encountered the problem of the litter having an ammonia smell once the litter is not “fresh” anymore after less than a week so we did not further explore the other scents.

Nurture Pro Cat Litter

Nurture Pro (Corn)/ – it also had minimal tracking, clumps well, flushable and odour control was slightly better as compared to Aatas Cat Peppermint scent. We did not explore other scents as we also faced the same issue on the ammonia scent, however it was not as strong as compared to other litters that we had the same issue with.

Jolly Cat Crushed Tofu Litter

Jolly Cat Crushed Tofu Litter (Lavender) – This is by far one of the best litter in terms of odour control as well as usage rate. We can definitely see that clumps are stronger and smaller, resulting in lesser litter used per cat. However, one major downside of this litter is the amount of tracking. As this litter is much more finer as compared to other litters, tracking is high. Despite having a covered litter box and a trapping matt, the mess is still there. However, I have seen others that use Toyogo boxes instead to counter this problem! So for those who have space, can explore this brand with Toyogo boxes or any litter box that is fully covered and tall.

World’s Best Cat Litter

We also got a chance to try World’s Best Cat Litter as it was a gift from a giveaway. This litter has good odour control but tracking was high for our cats. Our cats do flick their litter a lot, so for litter boxes that did not have covers, the mess was bad. Though this litter clumps fast, we felt that the clumps do not hold well, if it is not cleared quick enough, the clumps break apart, resulting in parts of clumps at various places in the litter box if another cat were to use one after another.

Unicharm Deo-Toilet

Unicharm Deo-Toilet – This is rather more of the whole system rather than just the litter itself. A little background about this toilet system, Unicharm Deo-Toilet consists of the litter as well as a pee pad. A unique feature about their litter is that it does not absorb your cat’s pee but rather lets it flow down to be absorbed by the pee pad.

Unicharm uses a unique pee pad that is thicker than ordinary pee pads which allows you to use one pee pad for a few days. What we like about this system is that the odour control is good, value for money as litter disposal is low and is easy to clean – Pee is absorbed by the pee pad and picking out cat poop is easy as the pallet size of the litter is relatively bigger as compared to other litters. There is minimal noise as well when cats use the litter box. We have changed our litter box in the master bedroom to this system, and i must say, we have more undisrupted sleep from the sound of cats using the litter box. However, we felt that households that have 1 or maximum 2 cats would see the benefits as well as cost saving of this system.

Cat’s Best Comfort Litter

Some of you may have seen our review on Cat’s Best Comfort Range. When we first tried this, we felt that it was very different from what we normally use cause first off, this range is not a clumping range. More suited for families that only have 1 cat cause for us, we really need to use clumping litter as our cats share litter boxes. This litter has great odour control, gentle on paws, but there is a significant amount of tracking. This litter would be more suited for those who have kittens or cats that are new to using cat litters due to its non-clumping features. When we first got Leo, we weren’t sure if he knew how to use a litter box so this litter came in handy before transiting him to the normal litter we use for the rest.

Kit Cat Snow Peas

One of the latest cat litters, Kit Cat Snow Peas, is our favourite cat litter! It has good odour control, clumps fast and well resulting in smaller clumps, minimal dust and definitely value for money. With smaller clumps, the amount of litter used is lesser. We could see the difference when using snow peas as compared to soya litter, litter consumption was lesser, one bag of snow peas could last longer than one bag of soya litter. However, as this litter is relatively light, tracking is visible but can be reduced with covered litter boxes and a litter trapping matt.

Eco Cane Cat Litter

Thanks to The Woof Agency and Pawjourr, we got to try out Eco Cane Cat Litter! We would be doing a more detailed review on our Instagram soon! This litter is definitely value for money when compared to its price per day. We have used this litter for about 5 days now, it has good odour control as well as clumping. However, as this litter is quite fine and small, tracking is high and gets stuck between our cats’ paws.

Being spoilt with many brands and choices, it is definitely hard to just stick with one brand of litter. We would always want to try and explore more options whenever possible. I guess it all comes down to what features we humans want and which litter can suite our cats best 🙂

We are currently using Kit Cat Baby Powder Soya Clumps as well as Kit Cat Snow Peas (almost every scent cause we are still exploring which is our favourite scent!) What are you using? 🙂 Let us know if the comments and why you think it is the best for your kitties 🙂

So… That’s about it! Hope we did not bore you hehe! Hope every owner can find your “best” litter.

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My dog was poisoned

Introduction

Oreo is a two-year-old adopted Japanese Spitz- Alaskan Malamute mix. When we adopted him in 2018, he had severe anxiety and he was not comfortable with people at all. He cried every second he was home and it took a lot of training (both home and professional) to improve his behavior.

Towards his family members, Oreo is a sweet and gentle fellow and is honestly one of the most obedient dogs I’ve seen or had. Today, he no longer barks at strangers but he isn’t outwardly friendly to them-so you can imagine a trip to the emergency vet was a nightmare for him (and maybe the nurses too!)

August 5, 2020

The day started out typical with Oreo and our Shih Tzu named Yani doing their normal routine of playing, sleeping, and fighting each other. At around 6:00pm, my mom reminded us that a flea collar needed to be put on the dogs (we use a collar because my Shih Tzu couldn’t take oral medications due to kidney issues). My sister obliged and put their brand new collar on. We didn’t think much of it because we’ve been using the same brand for almost 2 years now. The dogs didn’t seem to mind either, there was absolutely no change in their behavior.

At 8:30pm my sister went to bed with the dogs (yes, it’s early I know) and at 10:00pm she woke up to Oreo pacing. She thought Oreo was just restless so she went downstairs to get herself a glass of water. When she returned, she realized that there was white foam and blood on the bedsheet. Oreo was now vomiting but still strong and playful, even then we knew something was wrong and we prepared to take him to the emergency vet.

We saw a part of his flea collar chewed off (1/4 an inch-very tiny) and suspected that it might have been poisonous.

Since it was lockdown in Metro Manila, all the usual vets that we go to for emergencies were closed. We spent 18 minutes calling and finding a vet that would take him in after office hours. We finally found one and due to the road blockage, it took over 30 minutes to get there. The wait was excruciating, Oreo started changing within 48 minutes. He wouldn’t drink water, he was drooling excessively and he was panting.

Vet’s Office

You can see the wet part of the stairs, that was Oreo excessively drooling outside the vet’s office

It took two nurses to carry him out. The vet confirmed our suspicions that it was probably the flea collar and asked us to remove it from our other dog immediately.

Unfortunately for Oreo, an x-ray confirmed that the collar was no longer in his stomach and induced vomiting would no longer help. He needed to be warded for at least 3 days because with poisoning things can take a turn for the worse quickly as they start to digest the poison.

Oreo during his first night

Oreo’s treatment consisted of charcoal pills, an IV drip, and extra oxygen. His first night, he was extremely weak and unhappy. This vet was a whole new place for him and his usual humans were not around.

The next morning we got a message from his vet that Oreo refused to eat anything they gave him. My sister and her partner prepared Oreo’s favorite meals and visited him. The only place Oreo was comfortable and familiar with was the car. For the next days, it would be routine for my sister to visit Oreo and for the nurses to carry Oreo to the car with an IV to be fed.

Oreo in the car with his IV

By the third day, you could see a big improvement in Oreo. He was no longer drooling, he was stronger and he even seemed to be smiling again. There were still a few problems, the first one was that his kidney levels were not completely back to normal and the second was that for 3 days Oreo did not want to pass stool in the vet’s office.

Oreo still eating in the car but much happier

The vet decided that the next day (4th day) if he was still in stable condition, he could continue medicines for his kidney at home in the hopes that he would be in a more comfortable area where he can pass stool. Passing stool was important because Oreo needed to excrete the collar so it would stop releasing poison in his body.

The vet warned that taking him home would mean constant monitoring and any sign of drooling, pale gums, or seizures in the next 3 days would warrant an emergency trip back to the vet.

Bringing him home

Discharged from the vet

Oreo was discharged on August 8, 2pm. The next few days were filled with sleepless nights because we were continuously monitoring Oreo. Finally, on August 11 the vet was officially happy to declare that Oreo survived the poisoning and is out of the critical zone.

Learnings

  1. Always have a list of emergency vets. We wasted precious time just figuring out where to take Oreo. It’s important to update this list especially during COVID where establishments change their hours.
  2. Socialise your dog. It’s important for them to be very comfortable in a vet’s office. We realized after that Oreo never had a pleasant visit to the vet. We tried to avoid vet visits previously due to his anxiety but when he really needed to go, he was uncomfortable, to say the least.
  3. Never use Bayopet flea collar. It’s insane how only 1/4 inch of the collar could poison a 20kg dog. I shudder to think about what would’ve happened if it was my Shih Tzu that ate the collar.

Today

Today, Oreo is back to normal. He’s happy and playful but his poisoning was a traumatic experience for everyone. We can’t believe he was poisoned by a flea collar – an item that has been deemed safe for dogs to use.

At some point, Oreo still needs to do a blood test to check if his kidney function is back to normal. At the end of the day, we’re just proud and happy to have our pup back home and healthy!

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Community Stories

Pawrenting + Parenting

I became a mom in July 2017. A mom to a 4-month-old Maltipoo and I named him Chandler Paddington.

Since then, I considered (and spoiled) him as my own son, as crazy as that may sound.


(Check Chandler’s Instagram here to see how he’s living the best life)

Needless to say, I felt anxious as to how he would take it when he finds out there’s going to be another baby in my life.

DURING PREGNANCY

Chandler became more clingy than usual so I suspected he knew something was different.

As my due date drew nearer, I made sure I gave him the love and care he deserves and expects from me while we prepare for the biggest change in our lives yet.

INTRODUCING CHANDLER TO THE BABY

I didn’t introduce the two of them right away. I had to set the stage up for Chandler and eased into it.

So here’s what I did:

I got Chandler a new toy and had the baby’s smell on it. This way, he could start familiarizing himself with him.

I left Chandler at Doggie Retreat school and had the baby come home first. By doing this, Chandler won’t feel like the baby is a guest who is just coming over.

We brought Chandler home and acted normal. By the time he got home, the baby was already settled.

I gave him the toy with the baby’s smell on it. He then started sniffing and familiarizing himself.

Though we acted normal, he was immediately distracted so he left the toy after a few minutes. He knew something was different so he rushed to the room where the baby is.

Chandler generally took it well. Much better than I expected, to be honest. It was a successful introduction, but there was still the challenge of them living together.

MANAGING BARKS AND CRIES

Babies inevitably cry. And when they do, they tend to be extremely loud. This is in addition to Chandler’s barks. He does get excited when he hears the front door, when there’s a sudden noise somewhere, and when he gets excited.

I’m so relieved that our baby can sleep through Chandler’s barks! He does get startled sometimes, but he falls back to sleep.

Chandler, too, could sleep through at first but he developed a habit after a while. He howls!

We actually don’t know if he’s annoyed or he’s talking back to him, but either way, we find it so funny!

PAWRENTING-PARENTING LIFE BALANCE

Now, the big question is, how am I able to handle having a clingy dog who thinks he’s still a baby and taking care of my baby?

1. Make sure no one is neglected.

While my rule of thumb is the baby comes first, I would make it to a point that Chandler is still attended to. For example, when the baby cries because he’s hungry and at the same time Chandler needs to be fed too, I ask my husband to help me attend to one. If I feed the baby, he will feed Chandler and vice versa.

It could get tricky since Chandler is more attached to me so he would instinctively come to me. When that happens, I would just give Chandler a reassuring pat while I can’t give him my full attention yet.

2. Nothing is compromised

At this stage, I still can’t attend to both at the same time. I generally attend to one at a time. When I’m doing so, I make sure I give my 100% then just attend to the other after. When this is impossible, I ask help from my husband to attend to one first.

3. Always make up for lost time.

Because I choose to give my undivided attention when I’m attending to one, I make sure I make up for it. If I have to shower Chandler and the baby is with my husband, I would go to him right after I shower Chandler and reassure him I’m around.

It’s the same with Chandler. Once I’m done feeding the baby, I would give Chandler a treat and play with him after.

There’s only so much I can do to balance my time and attention. To be honest, there is still a tinge of guilt when I have to say “later, okay?” to Chandler or when my baby has to wait a little longer while I wash my hands after I play with Chandler and before I attend to him. This is why an extra pair of hands is always appreciated.

4. Make Chandler feel as if nothing has changed.

Because Chandler knows he’s always been my baby, I do my best to reassure him he’s not getting less love just because most of my attention is with the baby right now. It could be challenging at times, but so far he’s been fairly understanding. He just needs the same cuddles and of course giving him treats always cheers him up.

My pawrenting + parenting journey has just begun and I’m learning as I go along. Things will be different as the two of them grow, but I am looking forward to seeing them grow up together and be the best of friends.

Do you have any other tips on how to handle pawrenting + parenting? Leave them in the comments section below. I would love to hear them!

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Choosing the Right Toys for Your Dog

Toys are essential items for all dogs, regardless of age and breeds. All dogs love to play to a certain extent. Playing and chewing are natural canine behaviours.

There are so many dog toys options in the market now, so choosing toys for your dog can be overwhelming, especially for new owners. Then there’s the other end of the spectrum where overzealous dog owners end up buying every single toy in sight cos they are cute, without considering the form or functions of these toys. Some owners may end up with a giant pile of toys gathering dust because the toys they chose do not interest their dogs or there are simply too many.

So how do you choose toys that your dog will actually like?

A dog’s toy preference depends on their personal style of playing and chewing. Instead of buying just any toy in the store, try to be more purposeful in selecting and trying out a few different types of toys.

Here are the common types of dog toys in the market, and these are also the ones that I personally allow Duoji to play with at home.

Balls

A quintessential dog toy, balls are classic examples that we see everywhere, in movies, books, etc. There’s a reason why they are so popular and evergreen.

They are great for playing fetch, rolling around and getting your pup to chase it, or even as a chew toy depending on the material used. Generally, the more durable ones like rubber balls last longer and are safer for them. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend those foam ones or even tennis balls, as it’s easy for your dog to chew off bits of it and ingest them.

When choosing a ball for your dog, try to pick one that is large enough for them to carry without accidentally swallowing it, but small enough to comfortably hold in the mouth.

This is a good size for Duoji but the foam material didn’t last long.
This plastic ball isn’t that great for playing but it makes a funny sound when it’s rolling.

Chew toys

Can they be called dogs if they don’t enjoy chewing? Chew toys are another classic and must-have toys for all furkids. Feeding into their natural instinct to chew, such toys can help to ease boredom, reduce dental plaque, and are great especially when your pup is teething.

They come in many different shapes and sizes, and materials. Depending on whether your dog is a strong chewer, you might need to select chews toys with different hardness levels. Try around a few types and if you observe your dog making a dent in the toy or even chewing off a chunk easily, then that’s probably not hard enough for your power chewer.

  • Kong Dental Squeezz
For a longer chew time or to engage/distract them, choose this type with grooves to stuff treats in.
I love this one from Kong, Not only is it durable and gives a good chew, it’s great for a game of fetch. Due to its odd shape, the toy bounces in different directions each time when it hits the floor, which gives an added level of excitement during play time.
You can squeeze doggy toothpaste into this one for extra teeth cleaning while your pup is chewing. It’s a bit messy to clean up though.

The first-ever chew toy I got for Duoji was a mini Nylabone. As a first time owner, I just grabbed the most readily available ones and Nylabone can be found easily at all PLC outlets. However, I kept finding little bits of the toy around the house. Eventually, I tossed it out. Subsequently, I read up a little bit more about Nylabone and found that there were quite a bit of negative reviews on it, from the pieces of plastic breaking off and being ingested by dogs, to causing tooth fractures, etc.

To be fair, regardless of brands and materials, the real danger of any chew toy lies in the potential damage to your dog’s teeth or digestive system so the best way is to monitor closely. If the toy becomes too battered or you keep finding bits of it, chances are your furkid needs a tougher chew toy.

Duoji’s first Nylabone chew toy.

Stuffed toys

Stuffed toys are great as a snuggle buddy and can serve as a chew toy for the more gentle chewers. They usually contain squeakers and some kind of stuffing, so for power chewers, it’s best to supervise them during play just in case they rip it apart and ingest the stuffing.

These toys tend to be cheaper but don’t last very long. They also tend to get dirty more easily and would require more frequent washing and disinfecting, as compared to toys made from other materials like rubber etc, which can be wiped easily.

I personally avoid those that are furry, cos the fibres might be ripped off by your dog while chewing and ingested, or cause a mess around the house.

Just a fraction of Duoji’s stuffed toy collection. There’s a random knotted towel in there which is great for chewing as well.
I love this one from Daiso! It’s ultra durable and the material (a bit net-like) is easy to clean. Washes and dries quickly too. I have a spare one in storage just in case this one is gone.
This is what I meant by furry toys. The fibres may dislodge easily, plus the fur gets all clumpy and yucky when wet with your dog’s saliva. Not recommended.

Tug toys

Most dogs love a good game of tug-of-war. It’s fun and an excellent way to tire your pup out. There are many types of tug toys in the market – choose one that is comfortable for you to hold in your hand and pull on, as well as easy for your dog to bite and pull on.

In addition, they should be durable enough to withstand your dog’s pulling. Be sure to replace worn-out tug toys so they do not break in the middle of a game.

Be mindful not to tug too hard when playing. If your dog wouldn’t release the toy, just let it go and try again. I’ve heard stories of dogs getting their teeth pulled out during games.

Rope toys are a popular choice when it comes to tug games but personally, I don’t recommend as they tend to fray very easily. The fibres, when detached and ingested, can cause a serious obstruction in your dog’s digestive tract. There are many online literatures citing the dangers of rope toys. Do read up and make an informed decision.

The above-mentioned Daiso stuffed toy. Notice the frayed rope portion? I removed it subsequently.

Interactive Toys

Apart from a good physical workout, dogs need ample mental stimulation as well. Learning tricks/obedience training, and having a good walk and sniff session outdoors are great ways to achieve this. Why not up the ante with interactive toys?

Common ones include food-dispensing toys and puzzles and come in many variations. These can be on the pricey end of things but in general, you don’t as many of these in your collection. Personally, I source for mine via Taobao or Ezbuy, which is much cheaper than local stores.

Will work for food.

Nose-work toys

To a dog, their sense of smell is everything. It’s what they rely on to explore their surroundings, suss out food, recognise people and peers, identify danger, etc. Hence, it’s always a good idea to incorporate toys that can help to train them to use their noses more.

Snuffle mats are a good choice because of their huge variety and ‘pattern’. Some designs can even be folded and kept in a compact bag for easy storage. They can also be easily DIY-ed if you’re the crafty sort. All you gotta do is to hide some treats in the numerous folds or layers and watch your dog go on a hunt to uncover all the treats. Alternatively, burrow toys are a good choice as well!

Lazy girl taking a short cut by lifting up the mat and scattering the treats all over.

Bonus: Larger than life toys

Well, this is entirely optional but a ‘cute-to-have’ addition in your collection. Duoji absolutely loves stuffed toys that are way larger than her. She’ll drag them all over the house, lie on them, attack and ‘fight’ with them, etc. Maybe it’s like having a sibling…

I hope this list serves as a quick guide to choosing the appropriate toys for your dog. For dog toys, variety is better than quantity, or else you’ll soon end up with clutter. After all, they can only play with that many toys in a single session and who’s gonna clean up the mess? =P

Quick tip: Try rotating the toys by switching out a couple of them with something else, then re-introducing them again after a while. Your dog will probably think they are brand new and you save money and avoid building up a pile of unused toys.

Until our next post!
@duojipoodle

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Community Stories

Adopting Can Be Hard – Why It’s Still Worth It

Hi! I’m Jamie, and this is my puppy, Mako. He’s a cutie Singapore Special and I adopted him from Purely Adoptions when he was 3 months old. Adopting him has been the best decision of my life.

boop! henlo!

But I won’t lie, the process of adopting a dog can be hard.

However, in this post, I hope to shed some light on parts of the adoption process, my experience, explain why the adoption procedure can be so tedious, and WHY it is necessary, but most importantly – WHY it is STILL WORTH IT. This is why we adopt and don’t shop.

It takes too long!

Yes, adoption can take a long time. Many of my friends have stated that when they tried to adopt, the AWGs (Animal Welfare Groups) took forever to get back to them. Yes, the responses can be slow sometimes but do consider all the other work that the AWGs are often really busy with. Many AWGs have endless to-do lists, such as taking in abandoned dogs, dogs put up for rehoming, urgent medical treatment for shelter dogs, rescuing stray dogs, trapping and neutering stray dogs to control the population, etc. etc. Many rescuers take in entire litters of puppies at a time. These puppies often have many health issues and the care required to keep the puppies alive is basically an around-the-clock commitment, and not all the puppies make it. Imagine the heartbreak of losing your dog. Now multiply that by the number of rescued puppies that don’t survive, and then by the number of litters rescuers take in. It’s a huge toll and so I hope you understand when AWGs take more time than pet shops to respond. They just have so much to do!

Moreover, keep in mind how hard 2020 has been for AWGs that can no longer hold adoption drives, fundraising events, or have volunteers over during the Circuit Breaker to help with shelter care. As much as we want to adopt WFH companions as soon as possible, do consider that there is a lot going on behind the scenes.

But they do get back to you eventually! One key thing you must have when you want to adopt is persistence. Don’t stop at enquiring at one AWG, enquire at others too. You will get a response if you keep trying.

When I started my search for my forever furkid, I began with the first AWG I knew of SPCA. However, SPCA has limited dogs available for adoption. I couldn’t find one that really spoke to me and applications were not even open because of high demand during Circuit Breaker!

So I kept digging. I only knew of a couple AWGS at that time, like SPCA and Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD). Perhaps you’re the same. But in reality, there are many, many, many AWGs out there with dogs that need a home! Here is a list of all the AWGs I looked at when looking for my furever furkid:

  1. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA)
  2. Action for Singapore Dogs (ASD)
  3. Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD)
  4. Mercylight Animal Sanctuary
  5. F7 Home Kennel
  6. Oasis Second Chance Animal Shelter (OSCAS)
  7. Voices for Animals (VFA)
  8. Animal Lovers League (ALL)
  9. Causes For Animals
  10. Forget Me Not Dog Shelter
  11. Exclusively Mongrels (EM)
  12. Purely Adoptions (not last because of importance, last because this is where I found my furbabe! There are also several more I have not mentioned here!)
dav

Yes, it can take a long time. But consider this: what is a few months delay when you are potentially adopting a companion who will be by your side for 10-15 years?

Why is the process so tough?

Even as determined as I was to adopt, I still found the research process was long and tedious. I messaged many shelters via their social media and received no replies for some. And even when I got through, there were just so many dogs that needed a home! How to choose? Eventually, I started submitting applications to a few AWGs, shortlisting a few dogs from each shelter that I seemed to like, hoping to meet them. (I applied for like, 8 dogs each from ASD and Mercylight!)

Here comes the discouraging part.

One shelter rejected me because all the dogs I was interested in were either already adopted, on homestay, or they did not want to let me adopt because they were skittish and I am a first-time dog owner. I couldn’t even meet the dog! I was really discouraged. But all I could do was keep trying.

Why continue? Well, just look at that long list of AWGs above! There are so many places you can try applying to. I think some people are not aware that there are so many AWGs in Singapore helping to rehome dogs, and don’t look for dogs there, especially for the smaller AWGs. If one rejects you, just try again! Some people are discouraged because of the HDB restrictions on many dogs up for adoption, and thus choose to buy HDB approved breeds instead. However, keep trying! There are many HDB-approved size Singapore Specials waiting for a home! Voices For Animals is an AWG that rehomes a lot of smaller sized dogs!

But why are AWGs so strict?

At the heart of it all, the AWGs primary concern is the welfare of the dogs. Think of it this way, it’s basically as important as adopting a child, but this child will depend on you all their life, and they have no voice to speak out if they are in a less than the optimal home environment. The AWGs just want to make sure the dogs go to a suitable home. The last thing anyone wants is for a family to abandon or return a dog they adopted because they realise they weren’t ready or suited for the dog. This is HIGHLY traumatic for the abandoned/returned dog and makes it even harder for them to be adopted in the future. That’s why they ask so many questions, so thoroughly check your home, and so carefully evaluate whether you are suitable. They have the dog’s welfare at heart.

But I don’t get to pick my dream dog…

We all love the smiley golden retrievers and adorable butt-shaking corgis. But at the end of the day, all dog owners know that they don’t love their dog for their breed, they love their dog for their dog’s pupsonality and the personal connection they feel with their dog. This is possible too, and with adoption, you really get the chance to find the right companion for you.

With adoption, the rehomers want their dogs to go to good homes, so they will help you find a dog that is a good match for you. Confession: Mako was not my first choice dog. There was a 1.5-year-old SS from another shelter I REALLY wanted to adopt, but he was massive, 30kg, and the shelter decided they did not think he was suitable for my first-timer family and I had to give up. However, the happy ending is that I feel like it was fate because I cannot imagine my life without my Mako now.

A shelter dog can be your dream dog too. Just give them that chance to connect with you.

Look how adorable he is with this toy I gave him on his first night home

Some people think that adopting a dog from a shelter means that you don’t know whether they are sick or have behavioural issues. THIS IS A BIG MISCONCEPTION. In fact, AWGs are likely to fully disclose if a dog has any issues and REALLY check that you are okay with these before letting you adopt. They have no vested interest in forcing you to adopt a dog you will have to give up later. They want the furkid to find their forever home too. When I wanted to adopt Mako, his rehomer at Purely Adoptions warned me extensively about the downsides of puppy raising, like the biting and the destruction, and the issues with skittish puppies. Only when I was fully agreeable and fully aware of what I was getting myself into, did she proceed to discuss with me viewing of puppies. I am so grateful she gave me that chance. Mako was a skittish, timid puppy who has blossomed into a loving, manja boy who loves cuddles and his humans, and all his doggy friends!

Why, how, can such a process still be worth it?

In my opinion? Yes. Here’s my take:

  1. The dog chooses you. Unlike buying a puppy, where you sometimes don’t get to interact with the puppy much before taking it home, you do know the dog’s personality, quirks, and potential issues before you have to decide whether to bring it into your family. And when a dog has chosen you and imprinted on you, the bond you feel is unspeakable.
  2. You save lives. This is the most important point. All the work, at the end of the day, is worth it because you are SAVING LIVES. A dog that struggles to find its next meal on the streets, that lives in fear of unfriendly humans and urban traffic, has the chance to live in the comfort of a home, loved and well-fed, knowing they will be taken care of for as long as they shall live. When you adopt, you free up space for another dog to take its place in the shelter. At minimum, you save two lives by adopting.
  3. You are very thoroughly supported through the adoption process, before, during, even after the papers are signed. That is in my experience, though I’ve heard similar from other adopters. Before the adoption, I could ask as many questions as I wanted. I felt bad but the fosterer and my contact point at Purely Adoptions were so kind and always ready to help me. During the trial homestay, they checked in to see how my family was doing, and check on how Mako was handling the transition. Even now, months after the adoption, whenever I have issues with Mako, such as fear, aggression, diarrhoea, I can always go to them to ask for help and advice (let me know in the comments if I should do an article on my experience with adopting a fearful puppy!). They are able to connect me to good sources of help. I got to meet Mako’s rescuer, who is also his pawma’s stray feeder, and she connected me to DawkStar, the most incredible doggy daycare that took Mako in for a week to teach him how to walk on leash despite his leash fear+aggression and socialise him. If the trial period for you does not work out, there is no judgement. The AWGs will help you find a dog suitable for your family. So the dog you adopt in the end, there is a higher chance that they are suited for you, compared to the odds when picking up a puppy you don’t know at all (unsuitable families for puppies, not unsuitable puppies, are often the cause of puppy abandonment later)
  4. Yes, your dog will love you so much. You are your dog’s entire world. Mako runs to greet me at the door whenever I return from work, demands to play with me, excitedly comes to me when I call him and wants to cuddle whenever I am around. Some say he is lucky to have me adopt him, but I think it goes the other way. Through the whole adoption process, I am lucky to have him. Thank you, Purely Adoptions, for bringing him into my life, which has forever been changed for the better.

mako hopes you have a wonderful day!

So this is a bit of a long read, but I do hope it sheds some light on the adoption process, for those interested to adopt a dog. If you want a puppy, yes there are puppies out there that need a home. However, take your time to find the right one for you. It is worth it. You may spend a few months in the process of adopting, but a dog is for life. What are a few months, when the result is a wonderful companion that will be with you for the next 10-15 years?

If you are interested to hear my experience adopting Mako and how my journey has been as a first-time owner, adopting a Singapore Special puppy, let me know in the comments below so I can write about it!

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Community Stories

From Ireland to Singapore: Meet Bailey

How I came about:

My big sister had been asking for a dog since furever , but mama was never convinced enough to get one for her, as she doubted if my big sister truly understood the amount of responsibilities and commitment of having one.

It was on the 31st May 2019, when papa and mama spotted a post listed by a pet store featuring the LAST goldendoodle from Ireland available for deposit. It was the innocent, puppy eyes and wavy fluffy golden fur that caught their eyes.

It was on the next morning, where my mama suddenly asked:

“So how? Did you ask about the puppy?”

At that point in time, papa and mama had agreed that my big sister was old enough to care for a dog, and it was probably time to let big sister learn to be more responsible.

My big sister had researched A TON and watched vlogs and tips on Youtube about goldendoodles, until she was finally convinced that they were well-prepared and it was all going to be okay when they finally receive me. It was all so surreal, the fact that she was finally going to become a dog owner!

And that was how my journey with my hooman slaves started!

About me:

The pet store had told my hoomans that I would be estimated 14kg because I am a F2 goldendoodle, and I would definitely be smaller than a goldie. They also said I was hypoallergenic and would not drool.

Currently, I weigh 30kg, and am bigger than many other goldies! I drool like crazy and I shed like it’s snowing at home everyday. Until today, my hoomans look back and think: how on earth did an estimated 14kg dog grow up to 30kg? It is more than double the estimated weight!

The first time meeting my hoomans:

Me in big sister’s arms.

When I first arrived in Singapore, I was already big enough for my hooman to cradle in her arms. my hoomans were shocked at how big I grew within the span of a few months!

When I was roaming freely in the pet store together with my other siblings, my hoomans could tell that my siblings and I have very different fur textures varying from straight to wavy even though we were all siblings.

I was reserved when I first met my hoomans, I crawled under a table, away from the rest and did not interact much. They guessed I was probably having a jet-lag.

My first night home:

This was me when i first got home, sleeping soundly.

During my first night home, my hoomans fed me apples and they realised that I love apples! My papa had to sleep on the couch beside my crate that night because I had separation anxiety, and would whine everytime my hoomans were not within my sight. Even though my hoomans thought that I was so attention seeking , they could not help thinking how cute it was for me to whine for them to stay with me.

I vividly remember, during the first few nights, my hoomans had to wake up to clean my poo as I would start whining loudly whenever I soiled myself. My papa even had to wash my bed (which was full of shit) at 3am.

It was only after a month or so, that I developed a condition called: Giardia. Giardia is a microscopic parasite that causes the diarrheal illness known as Giardiasis. I had non-stop diarrhea for days, and my hoomans brought me to the vet.

The vet accessed me, and asked my hoomans where they got me from. When they said I was from a pet farm in ireland, the vet concluded that I had probably picked up the parasite from the breeder, since it’s a farm. The vet then said that Giardia can be passed from dogs to humans, so my hoomans had to wash their hands everytime they clean after me and whenever I lick them. The vet also told my hoomans that I will definitely be above 14kg by looking at the size of my paws.

I was also diagnosed with kennel cough and had various hot spots on my belly area. Let’s be honest: being a first time pet owner, this was probably the worst nightmare. This was not the type of experience someone would want as a first time dog owner, seeing your dog become sick only a month after bringing it home, having multiple diarrhea episodes every few hours and having to stay up all night to clean.

My hoomans stocked up on pee pads. However, I was not pee pad trained yet so I did not know how to pee or poo on the pee pads. Papa got me some diapers but it was a diaper buying gone-wrong experience since he got a size too small and it could not ‘hold’ the poop because of the design of the diaper, which had a hole at the tail, which allowed my poo to come out. My hoomans had to staple the diaper hole, which unfortunately did not work.

With all these happening at once, my hoomans suddenly felt that despite all the research they have done and tips they were given, everything was so hectic and a huge mess even though it had been a month or so since they got me.

It felt like they were not capable of raising a dog at all.

To make matters worse, my papa had to go for an overseas business trip and it was just me, my mama and my 2 sisters at home when I had Giardia, kennel cough and hot spots all at once. There was no doubt my mama was going crazy cleaning my shit day and night, with my sisters having to go to school during the day. My hoomans were at a loss and really were at the brink of giving me to someone who would be able to look after me better.

Thank god, they held on, and here I am today!

My hoomans do look back and think about what a journey I went through. Yes, I had a rough start, having to go through all these ordeals. But my hoomans are certainly glad it is over now, and that I am now growing healthily and well.

Nevertheless, my hoomans love me very much, and there is absolutely no doubt that I am actually one of the biggest blessings that happened to them. Even though my mama never liked dogs, I am now her favourite as she baby-talks to me and is pretty much obsessed with me. Big sister also kept her promise to look after me and care for me.

Even though I am big in size, I am actually a gentle giant at heart.

Bailey wearing a tank top

Throughout this whole journey, my hoomans had learnt that it is important to have more patience with our fur friends and it does take time for our little fur friends to settle down. Looking back, my hoomans do regret one thing: not carrying me when I was smaller and alot lighter. Given my current weight, only papa can carry me.

It is indeed part and parcel of the process to go through rough patches throughout the puppy stages. To all new dog owners out there experiencing a similar experience: It will all be over soon! Fighting!

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Community Stories

Feline Urinary Tract Infection

Personal experience

I am a worrier. So when my furbaby falls sick, I will feel as if I am ill too. I believe pet owners are generally very sensitive when your furbaby is acting out of the ordinary, or feeling unwell.

As for Simba, his first sign was peeing on the couch.
Simba is 100% litter trained, and when he does things like peeing outside of his litter box, it’s usually his way of telling me that he is not feeling well, and that I better do something about it.

Subsequently, I noticed that Simba started going to the litter box very frequently – like almost once every 10 minutes, and each time he only pees a very small amount. What was more worrying was, Simba’s urine appears orange / red, which looked like there was blood in his pee. I collected the sample of his urine and immediately took him to the vet. His urine test showed that he has a urinary tract infection.

This was the urine test results. Let me share a little on what the vet explained to me.

The first red flag is the colour of his urine – which is red. This is abnormal as the normally the colour should be either yellow or orange. Red means there is blood present.

Secondly, the PRO level (which is the amount of protein present in his urine) is 3+, max being 4. By right, there actually shouldn’t be any protein in cat’s urine, so this is not a good sign either.

Thirdly, the BLD level (which is the amount of blood detected) is 4+, which is the max it can go. So since the colour if the urine is already RED, naturally the amount of blood present would be quite high.

Last red flag would the amount of LUKOCYTES, which is the amount of white blood cell present. When there is an infection going on, there is going to be white blood cells present to try to fight off the infection. So 3 out of 4 is again a very high indicator.
Well, the good news is that his pH level is still fairly normal. I think if it goes up to 7 or 8 (more alkaline) then it would be a cause of concern as well.

Simba’s course of treatment would be anti-inflammatory and antibiotics injections + some oral medication. He took about 5 days to fully recover after treatment, and I will be bringing him to a review visit to the vet in two weeks to make sure that everything is back to normal.

In terms of medical bills, it cost about $250 in total, including consultation, injection and oral medication. This is the price range for Mount Pleasant vet.

So, all that being said, let’s look deeper into some facts about Feline UTI

Who are more at risk?

Feline UTI are generally more common in a multi-cat household, and it affects older cats more than kittens, and more in females than males.

The reason it affects females more is due to the anatomy of their urinary tract. Male cats have narrower urethra than female cats. When UTI occurs, the bacteria can cause a change in your cat’s urine pH, which will then lead to the formation of crystals in their urine. If those crystals become lodged in the narrow urethra of a male cat, it can cause a urinary blockage, which can result in serious consequences.

Signs and symptoms

So what are the things we need to look out for?

  • Visiting the litter box very frequently (i.e. more than usual)
  • Prolonged squatting in litter box
  • Inability to urinate or only passing a small amount of urine
  • Blood in the urine
  • Attempting to urinate in other parts of the house
  • Drinking more water than usual
  • Not eating as much as usual

The signs are usually quite clear and easy to identify, Simba checked quite a few of the boxes above.

What to do if you suspect your furbaby has Feline UTI?

If you notice any of the symptoms above, call your vet to book an appointment as soon as possible. In the meantime, try to collect a urine sample at home in a sterile container and bring it to the vet with you. It would be advised for the urine sample to be collected within 2 hours of the vet visit.

If the problem remains untreated, it can lead to serious problems such as kidney failure and/or bladder rupture. So it shouldn’t be ignored!!

What now?

Simba is fully recovered, and back to his normal routine (no more peeing on the bed or couch yay!)

Hope this article give you a better idea of what feline UTI is, and what are the things you should be looking out for if you suspect your furbaby may be unwell :/

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Community Stories

Why do we use e-collar on Porkchop

In our previous article, we mentioned about the arduous journey that we took to tackle Porkchop’s excessive barking. We tried various methods and finally settled on using e-collars. With all the commotion going around about e-collar bans, we thought that this would be a good time to share our reasons on why we continued using the e-collar and our experience using it as part of the training. (we said part because you will know when you read more below)

Just to be very clear, the e-collar that we used was the mini Educator and this article will be referencing this tool only. You can check out the link here for product specifics. We do not support any other brands as we do not have any experience using them. We also don’t want to provide a blanket statement that all e-collars are harmful. From our experience the mini Educator works for us.

It is not painful.

The mini Educator does not electrocute your dog like a criminal. It delivers a tapping sensation similar to vibration but more intense. More intense like how? Well the best way to gauge this was to try it for yourself.

When we first got introduced to it we had a face to face meet up with our trainer who let us try on the collar first hand and we did not feel any pain. It was uncomfortable yes, but not painful. It did not cause our skin to itch or make us jump. The key thing here that our trainer did was to help us understand the tool, what it is, how it works before you get into it. He educated us to make sure that we understood this is a tool to help us say no to Porkchop in an annoying way and that the e-collar brand that we were getting was equally important. Don’t go around buying cheap $10 ones because that would be a whole different story.

The critical point here is to manage the intensity. With the mini Educator, we are able to control a huge range of intensities. However, we are taught to manage the levels according to Porkchop’s state of excitement and reaction. The idea here is not to make him jump or squeal. Just a slight irritation for him is enough to get him to understand or remind him.

It is consistent.

When we read up more on dog training and got ourselves educated, we realized that one key thing to success was consistency. We had to make sure that our actions and our training were always the same so that Porkchop got it. After understanding how the Educator works, we used the Educator to help us to achieve this.

One of the main difference we found when we were trying leash correction vs mini Educator was that the leash correction was highly dependent on us executing it correctly without going over the line and hurting Porkchop, but yet managing to provide the correction effect that we wanted him to have. That brought out a lot of trial and error on our part because we didn’t know what level of leash correction he needed in which situations which meant that our efforts were very inconsistent. The leash techniques varied from person to person which also added to the inconsistency.

With the Educator, it was really clear for him and us. If we needed to correct the behaviour, we tapped and it was the same consistent stimulation throughout. If the situation was more distracting or he did not respond, we tapped at a higher intensity. It allowed us to change and adapt to situations easily, providing a consistent way to say no.

It allows us to capture timings accurately.

Like any form of dog training, the important part of correction is to catch the behavior at that instant and correct it. For us, it was difficult to capture the barking behaviour at home because we were not always beside him or near enough to correct. By the time we went over to correct, the timing was gone and he was unable to comprehend the reason for the correction. What we needed was a tool that could help us to capture that moment quickly. When he barks, we tap straightaway and he stops because he knows he is not allowed to bark. With this consistency and accuracy, he is now less sensitive to strangers outside the door and does not bark at them much anymore.

It works for us.

From our previous article, we mentioned about excessive and attention barking which was one of the key issues we had when we first got Porkchop. Honestly as first time pawrents we started off with zero knowledge of how to train him and we thought that reward based training would suffice, since he did follow and managed to learn sit and stay at home through this training method. Well, it works. To some extent.

It became a different story when we brought him out to dog parks or walks. He didn’t have any food drive and was not responding even when we brought his favourite treat to get him to listen. He did not come when we called him and just ran off because other dogs were more interesting than us. Besides the excessive barking which made the whole family wakes up at 4am in the morning, he also had really bad leash pulling issues. It always felt like he was walking us whenever we brought him out on walks because he was just so excited and stimulated by the surroundings and wanted to rush off everywhere.

We needed an effective way to say no.

After we got the Educator, we used it as a tool to tell him no. When he pulled us on walks, we tapped to say “hey, that’s not right” and he came back immediately. We then added this training with reward based training. When he obeyed and came back, we praised him, gave him our pat of love and rewarded him with a treat.

See what we did here? We did not just tell him no. We also rewarded him to tell him yes. This was what we meant by part of the training – we did not discount reward based training and only stuck with the Educator. What we learnt was to use a hybrid of training methods so that Porkchop knows very clearly what’s yes and what’s no. It works for us. It is a case of negative reinforcement used in conjunction with positive reinforcement. These two methods work brilliantly hand in hand for us.

Our stance.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CE5OgvOpMKJ/

Having a dog is like having a child. You care for them, you train them, you love them and you want to keep them safe. There are many ways to do this and it’s up to the parents to make decisions based on what works for their child. You can’t tell every child that you will buy them an iPad if they do well in exams every year. It might work for some children but it might not work for others. (Some might even just be happy with a lollipop)

In all honesty, we did face backlash from our family when we first started using the Educator. Everyone felt it was inhumane, thought that it sent shocks into Porkchop’s body, he looked pitiful etc etc. However, we then educated (no pun intended) our family by letting them try the Educator on themselves and also taught them how to use it when we were not at home with Porkchop. The result was that it corrected his behavior really well and our family was impressed by how well behaved he became. Porkchop’s grandparents even started to advocate the Educator and shared with close friends his success story.

For us, we understand that every dog is different and we feel that as an owner, it is your responsibility to train your dog and make sure they are obedient. What we need is not a ban but a close look at the products in the market on a case by case basis to understand what works and what doesn’t. Next, set up an education system for owners to learn how they can use the tools correctly and accurately. If we can have lamaze class for first time parents, shouldn’t we have some form of education workshop for pawrents as well?

In short, don’t blame the tools. The pawrents who are using it should be responsible and educated to use them correctly so that they don’t anyhow.

Resources

If you would like to read up more on the mini Educator and training, check out the links below:

Ecollar demo on humans: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CB4ARLVBL4f/?igshid=1qeurohoqd2ek

Operant conditioning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUA5kCZe8nY

You can also check out Porkchop’s e-collar journey on his Instagram highlights for ‘Pork 2.0’.