Dog Knowledge Archive

curated by @autisticplants

[dog-journey]

[alternate link]

Sarah Stremming

Have you ever embarked on a training program and wondered “is this working? How will I know if it will work?” Explore these questions with Sarah through a real life training project of hers. Hint: it’s not about the dog.

[dog-journey]

Yes, your dog needs off leash time. (Blog post)

Sarah Stremming, 2022-09-29

[dog-journey]

[alternate link]

Sarah Stremming (Host) + Ash Osborn (Guest)

Ash Osborn CPDT-KA, KPA-CTP is the owner-operator of Pawsitive Pups Academy in Omaha Nebraska. With a decade in the field and a lot of picky eaters-turned chow hounds under her belt, she was the ideal guest to talk about the practical ways to increase food interest in our dogs, and our client dogs.

[kangals]

no, double coats do not "keep dogs cool" in heat.

since it's now summer in the northern hemisphere and i am the owner of two dogs with long, thick double coats, i want to take a sec and address an extremely prevalent, often repeated phrase i see float around the internet (and IRL) in dog circles:

"double coats keep dogs warm in the winter and cool in the summer!"

the part about winter is true. the part about summer is not. this website does an excellent job discussing why this is the case and has plenty of sources cited. if you're interested in the topic, please give it a read. or, if you want the basic summary, here's mine:

Fact #1- a double coat is comprised of two layers - a topcoat, which is longer, sleeker "guard" hairs that act as a sort of shield against exposure to the elements. and an undercoat, which is shorter, softer, denser hairs that act as insulation. double coats are found on breeds of dogs such as collies, huskies, and labs. conversely a single coat, which lacks the thick undercoat layer, would be the type found on a dog like a pitbull or greyhound.

(this collie is shedding its undercoat - note the lighter, softer hair pulling away from the longer darker hair. source.)

Fact #2 - dogs are mammals which obey the laws of thermodynamics, meaning they are constantly producing body heat. a dog's average body temperature is normally right around100f (38c), and they are constantly radiating heat. this is important.

in the winter, a double coat works fabulously for keeping a dog warm: the topcoat repels moisture, while the undercoat traps body heat and holds it close to the skin. when the coat is very dense, wind can't penetrate, so the body heat doesn't get wicked away (this is important!). there's a reason why arctic animals like wolves and foxes and bison all have these kind of thick double coats - they work great at trapping body heat!

but then, the summer. part of the myth that is often cited is "the undercoat traps cool air and keeps the dog cooler." to which we have to ask - what cool air? if it's 90f outside and my dog' is radiating 100f heat,'s body temperature is 100f, there’s no cool air to be trapped. and even if there were, air trapped in the undercoat would be absorbing the body heat from the dog's skin and quickly turning into hot air, which then further heats the dog. this is basic heat exchange physics - hotter temps will transfer to cooler temps until the temps have equalized. the phrasing of "traps warmth in winter and traps cold in summer" sounds nice and neat, but it's ignoring the fact that your dog is constantly producing body heat. this theory works fine on non-living objects, like a thermos full of cold water. it does not work on an animal that is radiating 100f heat.

IF double coats truly kept dogs cooler in hot temperatures, then we would expect to see scientific studies backing this up, right? studies that show dogs with double coats have no problems keeping cool in hot weather? well, the studies we've done say the opposite. studies show that dogs with thick double coats are MORE likely to overheat than dogs with short single coats.

here's a list of sources saying exactly this, from the blog post i linked earlier:

"Contrary to cold environments, increased insulation of fur is not beneficial to maintaining heat balance in warm environments." - Seasonal Changes in Heat Balance of Dogs Acclimatized to Outdoor Climate, Yasuyuki Sugano

“Predisposing factors for heatstroke -thick haircoat" - Short technical Report on Thermoregulation in Dogs and the Pathophysiology of Hyperthermia, Jerilee A. Zezula, DVM

“Predisposing Factors for Heatstroke – thick haircoat" - Heatstroke – thermoregulation, pathophysiology and predisposing factors, Carey Hemmelgarn DVM ChristI Gannon DVM DacVecc

“Factors that inhibit heat dissipation: Thick, dense coat – increased insulating effect” - Hyperthermia and Heatstroke in the Canine, Lori E. Gordon, DVM

“Well-insulated breeds with thick fur and fat may struggle to maintain a normal body temperature,especially during hot summer days and in a warm ambient environment.“ - Hyperthermia during anaesthesia, Author : Clara Rigotti, Marieke De Vries 2010

“Well-insulated breeds, such as Chow Chows and St. Bernards, may struggle to maintain normal core body temperature, making them more prone to hyperthermia, especially in a warm, stressful environment” - Hypothermia in a chow chow under general anaesthetic, H.Jones, K.Robson ,2022

“Predisposing factors that decrease heat dissipation: Hair coat – Thicker coats decrease radiation and convection” - Heatstroke in small animal medicine: a clinical practice review, Scott I. Johnson, DVM, Maureen McMichael, DVM, DACVECC and George White, DVM

”a thick insulating pelage is a disadvantage in situations where energy supply is unlimited and expenditure is constrained by the capacity to dissipate body heat.This is because the pelage insulation becomes the primary constraint on heat loss. “ - Maximal heat dissipation capacity and hyperthermia risk: Neglected key factors in the ecology of endotherms, Journal of Animal Ecology  79(4):726-46 J. Speakman, E. Krol

ALL of these studies are saying the same thing - dogs with thick coats cannot dispel heat easily, and are at a higher risk for overheating and heat stroke.

so now here's tumblr's favorite part: nuance. does this mean that every dog with a double coat is completely intolerant of heat, and you should just shave them all bald instead?

no.

the double coat DOES offer some advantages in hot weather - primarily relating to the topcoat. it blocks UV radiation from reaching the dogs skin, and keeps the heat of the sun off of direct contact with the skin. this is extremely useful! my old dog was a greyhound, who had a short, black single coat. he was miserably intolerant of heat because even mild sunshine would rapidly heat his surface temperature - even petting him in the sun you could feel how hot he became. dogs can also get sunburn (and skin cancer). direct sunlight on skin is bad, and the topcoat is VERY useful for preventing this. shaving a dog is ridding them of this natural barrier.

however, the undercoat is almost entirely detrimental in hot weather. again: its entire purpose is trapping heat, and your dog is constantly radiating 100f heat.

look to nature - what happens when those arctic fluffy, thick-furred wolves and foxes and bison hit summer? they shed out almost their entire undercoat. they get downright nakey.

(ex: arctic foxes shed dramatically - all that white fluff is the winter coat. if it kept them cooler in the summer, they would have evolved to keep it. source.)

the ideal way for a double-coated dog to deal with heat is not to shave off the whole coat, but instead to groom and bathe and brush the absolute crap out of their coat, and remove as much undercoat as possible. when the undercoat is thinned, it becomes looser, and allows air to flow over the skin. that FLOWING air is the key to staying cool! when the air is able to CIRCULATE through the coat, it wicks away the dog's body heat - hot stagnant air is moved away, and is replaced by cooler flowing air. THAT is the action that keeps them cool - not “trapping cold air” (because trapped air will always absorb body heat). it’s got to MOVE. instead of acting like a snug winter sweater, the brushed-out double coat can now act like a loose, flowing shirt.

but! if that undercoat is not thoroughly and continuously groomed and bathed and brushed, and allowed to stay heavy and thick and block airflow, then you're right back to having a dog that's broiling itself with its own body heat.

(you gotta get that undercoat out if you want any chance of not overheating. source.)

so, in conclusion: double coats are great for keeping warm in cold weather. they are NOT great for keeping cool in warm weather, and in fact can be actively harmful UNLESS you take great care to groom thoroughly to remove undercoat and allow for airflow. IF that is done, then a double-coated dog should be either just as good as, or only slightly worse off, than a dog with less hair. however, the blanket statement of "double coats trap cool air and keep dogs cooler in summer" is factually untrue because the entire point is to NOT trap any air. in fact, the thing that keeps a double-coated dog the coolest is removing as much undercoat as possible.

again, i recommend reading this blog post for more in-depth discussion and more sources.

(if you do shave your double coated dog, the myth of "the fur will never grow back the same/be ruined forever" is untrue 99% of the time. dogs get shaved every day for medical procedures, it grows back fine unless there's a pre-existing medical condition. it can just take ages. for more info, i recommend reading the latter part of this post).

[dog-journey]

A Biosemiotic Perspective on Reward-Based Animal Training Techniques - Biosemiotics

In this paper, I examine the way humans interact with domestic companion animals, with a focus on ‘positive reward-based training’ methods,

Amelia Lewis (Author) (2021)

Abstract

In this paper, I examine the way humans interact with domestic companion animals, with a focus on 'positive reward-based training' methods, particularly for dogs. From a biosemiotic perspective, I discuss the role of animal training in today's society and examine what binary reward- based reinforcement schedules communicate, semiotically. I also examine the extent to which reward-based training methods promote better welfare, when compared to the more traditional methods which rely on aversive stimuli and punishment, if and when they are relied upon excessively. I conclude that when used as the primary means of communication, they have the potential to be detrimental to animal welfare, because the underlying social signal is control and resource dominance. As an alternative view to behaviourist-based learning theory and conditioning, I outline how enactivist theories of cognition support a semiotic approach to interspecific human-animal communication. I therefore propose a move toward a dynamic semiosis and mutual understanding based upon Peirce's phenomenology, resulting in a more balanced merging of Umwelten. The aim is to create rich and more complex semiospheres around humans and domestic animals, which allow for individual agency and autonomy.

Conclusion

Whilst undeniably, basic training using lures and rewards is necessary, the focus on 'positive reward-based' training paradigms when interacting with domestic animal species gives little, if any, room for more complex communication or signaling to take place. Moreover, they reduce individuals of other species to little more than automata, responding to binary inputs. In these circumstances, how can the animal's human companion, or the animals themselves, achieve a true bond and interspecific relationship? The most logically unsound argument commonly proposed to support these paradigms is that because physical force is not used, they are 'humane' and 'kinder'. However, the comparisons with coercive control and psychological manipulation are striking. A more innate, complex, and dynamic interspecific means of communication should not be supplanted by repetitive conditioning and 'commands', which are fast becoming a widespread misapplication of a genuine, but misunderstood and overutilized, biological principle. Nor is it possible to quantify and 'proscribe' communication, as though it were a simple recipe which can be reduced to pre-determined steps. Thus, positive reward- based training has a place as a technique in animal management, but it is not without risks, and it should be understood as what it is; manipulation and coercion (with threat of loss of resources or social interaction) focused on maintaining control. Substantive arguments that as a training technique, it is preferable to fear-based methods and physically aggressive practices, do not alter this statement. As a means of communication, it should not be relied upon as the primary modality, and consideration should be given to more appropriate interactions alongside methods such as 'clicker training', which should not be used without vocal or tactile communication and guidance from the trainer, as described by Fugazza and Miklósi (2015). Perhaps, in moving away from 'The Five Freedoms' model of animal welfare, toward a quality-of-life based assessment scale which emphasizes positive welfare rather than the absence of poor welfare (Mellor, 2016), we should begin to change our thinking about how we interact and communicate with domestic and captive animals. This may ultimately lead toward an acceptance that training is not the most enlightened way of communicating with other species, alongside an accompanying paradigm shift toward complex dynamic semiosis, mutual understanding, 'Total Umwelten', and ultimately, a more balanced semiosphere.

Glossary:

a bene placito: at will/at one's pleasure

Biosemiotics: a field of semiotics and biology that studies the prelinguistic meaning-making, biological interpretation processes, production of signs and codes and communication processes in the biological realm.

Cognition: mental processes that deal with knowledge.

Comparative Psychology: the study of the behavior and mental processes of non-human animals.

Constructivism: a learning theory based around the idea that learners are active participants in their learning journey; knowledge is constructed based on experiences. As events occur, each learner reflects on their experience and incorporates the new ideas with their prior knowledge. Learners develop schemas to organize acquired knowledge.

Enactivism: a position in cognitive science that argues that cognition arises through interaction between an acting organism and its environment.

Equitation: the art or practice of horse riding or horsemanship.

Phenomenology: the study of structures of consciousness as experienced from the first-person point of view.

Peirce’s “Firstness, Secondness, and Thirdness”: Three categories defined by Charles Sanders Peirce that are used to describe the mechanisms of signs. Click through for details.

Semiome: an organism's semiotic toolset- the means by which the organisms of a species may extract significantly meaningful content from their surroundings and engage in intra- or interspecific communicative behavior. Defines the scope of the organism's cognitive and communicative activity.

Semiotics: the study of signs. An interdisciplinary field that examines what signs are, how they form sign systems, and how individuals use them to communicate meaning.

Semiosis: any form of activity, conduct, or process that involves signs, including the production of meaning.

Semiosphere: a concept in cultural semiotics and biosemiotic theory, according to which—contrary to ideas of nature determining sense and experience—the phenomenal world is a creative and logical structure of processes of semiosis where signs operate together to produce sense and experience.

Umwelt: the specific way in which organisms of a particular species perceive and experience the world, shaped by the capabilities of their sensory organs and perceptual systems.

If you think I missed any significant jargon or concepts not defined within the article itself, please let me know and I'll add it to the glossary. :-)

[dog-journey]

[alternate link]

Sarah Stremming

It is common for fear, anxiety, and a general lack of confidence to be confused in both the professional and guardian space. Understanding the difference between these three, and therefore how to treat them, is vital to addressing these welfare-threatening mindsets our dogs experience.

[alternate link]

Sarah Stremming

Ask ten professionals what to do when your dog is afraid and you will undoubtedly get ten different answers. But the true answer is simple–not easy–and involves three steps we can all follow, every single time.

[creekfiend]

Children’s Social and Emotional Development Starts with Co-Regulation — The National Institute for Children’s Health Quality

In the first three years of life the brain goes through an incredible growth spurt, producing more than a million neural connections every s

some stuff about how nervous system development is socially based in human beings, specifically about early childhood development but relevant to people who are trying to develop stability or regulation skills later in life as well. not something you can do on your own! we need social support as human beings.

[dog-journey]

lyo_likes_to_talk on IG

1. I will always find it weird for an adult to think a child is being "manipulative" because a child quite literally doesn't have the brain development to understand what manipulation is or why they shouldn't be manipulative.

2. Yes, Disabled adults *can* be manipulative, as any adult can be. However, I think it's important to realize that Disabled people are somewhat set up to be strategic in order to get needs met. This can essentially train us to lean into manipulative behaviors. Direct and clear communication is often not only inconsistent, but we are also at high risk if it fails. This means that we can be placed in a similar state of vulnerability as children, where we simply have to be strategic to survive (or at least that is the instinct).

[dog-journey]

Marissa Martino (Host) + Kathy Sdao (Guest)

Marissa Martino of Paws & Reward Dog Training in Boulder, CO interviews Kathy Sdao of Bright Spot Dog Training in WA. In today's episode, they talk about a very important concept that can make an impact in these 3 areas:

Improving your dog's behavior

Improving your behavior when interacting with your dog

Enhancing your relationship with your canine companion

The concept is called Plenty in Life is Free which may seem contrary to the ever-popular dog training concept: Nothing in Life is Free.

[dog-journey]

Dog Health/Behavior Scales

[Last updated: 2026-06-07. Check original post for further updates.]

Body Condition Score (VCA) (WSAVA) (AAHA)

Faecal Score (Purina) (Royal Canin) (Waltham)

Periodontal Disease Stages (AVDC) (Greencross Vets)

Canine Acute Pain Scale (CSU)

Canine Fear and Anxiety Spectrum (FearFree)

Canine Gaits (spotsvet.com) (canine fitness and care center)

Short Form Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale (WSAVA)

Kendal Shepherd’s Ladder of Communication (PDSA)

Canine Cognitive Assessment Tools (Purina) (Purina) (Hills) (University of Sydney)

Quality of Life Score (Lap of Love) (Home with Dignity)

[dog-journey]

ASPCA PRO: The Five Domains Model for Animal Welfare (pdf available at link)

The Five Domains Model is a framework for assessing animal welfare by evaluating five domains: nutrition, environment, health, behavioral interactions and mental state. The evidence-based model helps to identify how these domains interact to affect an animal's welfare. This approach builds on other models, such as the Five Freedoms, by accounting for both negative and positive experiences and combining those measures into an overall assessment of how the animal feels about their life – their affective state – which can give us insight into their overall welfare.

The Five Domains model includes:

Nutrition: Providing proper food and water to support health.

Environment: Ensuring animals have a safe, clean, and enriching space.

Health: Addressing medical needs and promoting overall wellness.

Behavioral Interactions: Offering opportunities for positive social interactions and mental stimulation.

Mental State: Reducing stress and promoting emotional well-being.

ASPCA PRO: The Five Freedoms (pdf available at link)

[dog-journey]

[alternate link]

Sarah will be running four two-day workshops in four U.S. cities in June and July 2026. Info + tickets here.

Sarah Stremming

Throughout all the worked up material the mantra is repeated: calm down first, feel better second. But dogs don’t need to be calm all the time, and calmness is relative. So what does that actually mean, and how do we teach it?

[dog-journey]

[alternate link]

Sarah will be running four two-day workshops in four U.S. cities in June and July 2026. Info + tickets here.

Sarah Stremming

Mental or cognitive flexibility is a vital skill to navigate life and big feelings. But we deliberately breed dogs with inflexible minds and it is our job to teach them how to bend so they do not break. A little breakdown, and some practical skills, and you’ll be off to the races to help your dog and yourself be a little more flexible.

[dog-journey]

More videos available on youtube if you search "michele pouliot collar cues"

[dog-journey]

Lili Chin- The Play Way

In January 2020, I attended Dr. Amy Cook's PLAY WAY seminar at Pasadena Humane Society. The seminar was about "social play" as a tool for rehabilitating reactive/stressed/fearful dogs.

"Social Play" has been defined as something different from playing with toys (tug, fetch, etc.) It is literally "goofing around" with your dog in a way that they like, that makes them happy. Body language responsiveness, movement and timing is everything.

Not only did we get to see some inspiring and entertaining video footage of Amy Cook playing with her dogs, some attendees had also brought their own dogs to play with, while Amy offered coaching.

We saw the Play Way live!

It was an amazing and delightful experience and I couldn't wait to get home to play with my 15 year old Boogie (now passed on) who hadn't been interested in Tug or Fetch in over a year due to his vision loss. The Play Way class was like learning a new language, a new vocabulary to play with my dog.

This infographic cannot possibly do justice to all the material covered in the Play Way seminar, which also focused on play as "therapy". For now, I hope this is enough to pique everyone's interest in the subject and how to be mindful and respectful of our dog's body language and of our own body language in conversations with our dog.

Also read: Whole Dog Journal article on The Play Way

Image description and text under readmore.

Description begins.

[image: Five pairs of dogs showing playful behaviors. From left to right: A dog playbows to another, a dog hipbumps another, a dog chases another dog that is running away, a larger dog rolls on its back, playfully wiggling to a smaller dog, and lastly, two dogs play bitey face.]

The Play Way with Amy Cook PhD. playwaydogs.com

illustrated by Lili Chin doggiedrawings.net

Social Play is an excellent way for a dog to be in a happy state of mind and to be physically relaxed or loosened up. Playing also lets us know if a dog is truly relaxed or concerned about anything, so we can more effectively help them feel better.

Good play is an INVITATION. We invite our dog when they are looking at us, not when they are busy. We don't pressure them, as grabbiness, pushiness, and nagging are a turn-off. Pause and greet again before making a new suggestion. If your dog doesn't take up your suggestion but is still attentive, try something new.

FLIRT! Use SUSPENSE.

Not all play involves touching, but good play will have an element of suspense! Take pauses. Do not rush.

Yes: Start with slower, softer energy.

Yes: Give your dog plenty of room to move around freely.

Yes: Invite, wait, listen to your dog's response (body language)

Yes: Take "no" as an answer. PAUSE. Try something different.

No: Don't make your dog feel trapped or overwhelmed.

No: Don't make your dog wrong.

You want your dog to feel SAFE to open up and play with you.

IF you touch your dog, use the 3-SECOND RULE. Pull back after 3 seconds, staying engaged. Does your dog come back to you?

[Image sequence: Greet: A human claps their hands then says hi and reaches their palms out towards a small dog, which wags its tail. Friendly Pause: The human pauses, kneeling on the ground gently reaching out towards the dog, which stands still, confused. The human leans back, bringing their arms back in. The dog orients to them, thinking: “maybe”. Greet Again, New Invitation: The human turns away from the dog, folding down towards the ground and turning their face to look at the dog from over their shoulder. They say, hello! The dog approaches the human. Then, the human taps their fingers along the ground, and the dog playfully investigates, thinking “interesting”. Finally, the human leans back up, still kneeling, playfully wiggling their fingers in the air in front of them, and the dog happily play bows.]

With SOCIAL PLAY, the use of toys or food is not essential because you are not teaching your dog how to play. You are playing with your dog and learning what they like!

[Image: A vertical gradient scale goes from a reddish 8 at the top to a yellow 1 down at the bottom. A dash-line box encloses the numbers 5, 4, and 3, and the happy faces of a human and dog.]

Be in your dog's ENERGY RANGE!

What is your dog's energy level?

If your dog is overexcited (eg, 8) slow down to a 6-7.

If your dog is unsure or shy (eg, 2) try 1-3.

Play is a CONVERSATION. Here are some ideas to develop a "play vocabulary" with your dog:

YOU are the PREDATOR!

* Stay on the floor

[Image: Four vertically aligned orange squares showing play moves: 1. “Claw” Hands- Hands outstretched, fingers curled into “claws”. 2. Flat Hands- Hand outstretched, fingers pressed flat together, wrist bent back. 3. “Bitey” hands- A variation on “claw” hands where the fingers wriggle to “bite”. 4. “HAR” mouth- a human with their mouth open in a bitey-face gesture.]

[Image: A series of play interactions between a human and a dog. 1. The human play bows at the dog, kneeling with their arms splayed out onto the floor, saying “I’m gonna getcha!” 2. The human holds claw hands out towards the dog- Suspense! 3. The human gently pushes the dog back on the chest, saying “Silly puppy!” The dog pushes back towards the hand. 4. The human uses bitey hand to gently grab at the dog’s muzzle, and says “Bite you!” 5. The human uses a finger to poke the dog’s butt. 6. “Head butt!” The human gets on all fours and butts into the dog’s side with their head. 7. The human uses bitey hand to grab at the dog’s butt. “Bite your butt!”]

YOU are the PREY!

[Image: Four vertically aligned orange squares showing play moves: 1. Hiding face- A human hides their face behind their hands. 2. Pulling away- A human on all fours leans away from the action. 3. Piano hands- a human dances their fingers across the floor. 4. Rolling, flopping over- a human rolls onto their back, legs in the air and arms folded into their chest.]

[Image: A series of play interactions between a human and a dog. 1. A human crawls away from a dog on all fours, then peeks over their shoulder at the dog, asking “Gonna get me?”. Then, the dog jumps up onto the kneeling human. The human rolls onto their back and celebrates with the dog, “You got me!” 2. The human kneels, folded forward onto the floor doing piano hands. They say “Hello”. The dog approaches, and the human hides their face from the dog. Then, the dog fake bites the human’s cheek, tail wagging. 3. A dog watches curiously as a human shakes out a blanket. The human then hides under the blanket and the dog climbs up onto them, thinking “You silly! I get you!”]

How is your dog responding?

[Image: a human kneels on the floor and watches as the dog walks away from them. It thinks “need to look.”]

If your dog disconnects from you and looks towards something more interesting or concerning (that is not too close), let them process the other thing. Don't pressure them to come back to you.

When you let your dog look and dismiss the other thing on their own, the more of their attention that you really have when you get it!

NOPE. You are being WEIRD.

[Image: four examples of a dog showing stress. 1. Look Away: A dog turns and looks away. 2. Shake off- A dog shakes off like they’re wet. 3. Stress yawn- A dog yawns. 4. Busy Sniffing- a dog sniffs the ground.]

At first you may get a lot of "Not Now"s. If your dog shows confused signals or becomes busy doing other stuff, hold back. (Especially with the “shy" dogs) Your dog may not understand what you are doing.

When they approach you again, check your energy level, greet again, and try something different.

[Image: A human wiggles their fingers at a dog, which play bows with an open mouth and says “Bite you!”. Another drawing of the dog play bowing facing forwards and panting, tail wagging.]

When you do something that your dog likes, they will keep coming back to you. Their bodies are loose and curved. They may roll around, jump on you, or fake-bite you. They may even laugh!

Now that you know what your dog likes, you can do it over and over again!

Taught by Dr. Amy Cook playwaydogs.com

illustrated by Lili Chin doggiedrawings.net

Description ends.

[dog-journey]

Lili Chin- Topography and Function

Image descriptions and text under readmore.

Description begins.

[Image: A dog looks with concern towards a human who is crying out, “My dog is ___.”. A group of four humans face the crying human, asking: “Is my dog also ‘___’?” “Should you try ___?” “How are you defining ‘___’?” “How do you know?”]

TOPOGRAPHY + FUNCTION

A TOPOGRAPHICAL definition of behavior focuses on the physical characteristics that are observable and measurable. What does the behavior LOOK LIKE?

[Image: A white and orange dog leans its body weight forward, barking. Its ears are back, its hackles are raised, its muscles are tense, its tail is stiff, and it’s giving a hard stare.]

eg, "body language" or any movement with RATE, DURATION, and INTENSITY. Usually we think of behaviors as different when their topographies are different.

[Image: A dog jumps up towards a standing human vs. A dog sitting in front of a standing human.]

A FUNCTIONAL definition of behavior focuses on the consequences, or outcomes of the behavior. To identify the consequences, we observe and test.

FOR WHAT OUTCOME does the animal do this behavior?

[Image: A dog barks. Arrows point towards different outcomes. To get closer?- The dog play bows in front of another approaching dog and says “Hi!”. To get more distance?- The dog watches another dog retreat and thinks “Whew, good.” To get food?- A human feeds the dog a treat, and the dog thinks “Yes”. To get attention?- A human crouches down by the dog, shushing and petting it. ]

TOPOGRAPHICALLY DIFFERENT behaviors can have the SAME FUNCTION. Two behaviors may look different and be motivated by the same outcome. For example:

[Image: A hand approaches a dog that’s leaned forward, barking with stiff body language, yelling “Go away!” Then, the dog responds to the approaching hand by turning away and cowering, tail tucked, also saying “Go away!”]

TOPOGRAPHICALLY SIMILAR behaviors can have DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS depending on the context. Behaviors that look the same may not mean the same thing. eg, Fighting or Playing?

[Image: A dog leans forwards, yelling “Back off!!” Then, the dog playfully bounces with another dog, barking, “Come get me! LOL”]

We need TOPOGRAPHY and FUNCTION to understand behavior.

A TOPOGRAPHICAL interpretation of behavior is important for setting concrete goals and monitoring progress during training.

Understanding the FUNCTION of the behavior we want to change is important for designing effective and ethical programs to meet the learner’s needs.

[Image: The person and dog look towards the text which has reframed the first situation. My dog does [blank], which is the topography. To get or escape [blank], which is the function. Okay, let’s give my dog MORE WAYS to get that need met!]

Illustration by Lili Chin (2022)

Inspired by CAAWT Group Class & "The Blue Books: Goldiamond's and Thompson's Functional Analysis of Behavior"

Description ends.

[dog-journey]

[alternate link]

Sarah Stremming (Host) & Sarah Owings (Guest)

Talk all about what drains, and fills a dog’s emotional cup in this interview with Sarah Owings

Lili Chin- A Dog’s Emotional Cup

Text and image descriptions under readmore.

Description begins.

A Dog’s Emotional Cup

Every dog has a cup that needs to be filled- with social connection, security, access to reinforcers, and enrichment.

Some dogs seem to have a full cup most of the time, either because of a genetic pre-disposition, or because they have learned good ways to get a refill.

Most things that dogs do are completely normal-including the annoying stuff, like DIGGING up the garden, CHASING cats, or BARKING at the mailman. But all dogs show signs of stress when their cups get near empty.

[Image: A happy yellow dog with floppy ears sits in a white mug, paws propped on the rim.]

Signs your dog may be coping with an empty cup

hoarding resources, over-protective

over-reacting, or shutting down when exposed to new things

restlessness

slow to recover from exciting events

changes in appetite

escalating behaviors to get something or to get away from something

increased grumpiness, or flare-ups

intense social appeasement

What refills a dog’s cup:

[Image: A white dog with orange spots happily digs a hole in soil, sending flowers flying. There is an upright mug with a hearth on it.]

Doing Dog Things: SNIFFING, CHEWING, FORAGING, BARKING, DIGGING, PLAYING

Being included in the family (dogs/humans)

Freedom to move

Freedom to make choices

Ability to control outcomes and get reinforcers

Unconditional love and attention

Good health: nourishing food, no parasites, etc.

Having a safe, quiet place to rest

Predictable routines and interactions

Getting to do things a dog loves to do

What empties a dog’s cup:

[Image: An orange dog opens its mouth towards an upside down mug, from which a single drop gas spilled.]

Social isolation

Long periods of confinement with no enrichment

Poor nutrition, untreated illness, or pain

Denied access to reinforcers

Scary or unpredictable reactions from important humans

Over-stimulation (over-exercised) or not enough

Set up to fail, and then punished for it

No preparation for challenging situations

Unclear training: not knowing how to get reinforcement

No one responding when expressing a need

Too much "impulse control" (i.e. no sniffing, no eating, no exploring, no barking, no doing Dog Things) for too much of the day

Words by Sarah Owings, Art by Lili Chin, Inspired by THE EMOTIONAL CUP by Upbility

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