Jackie Pritchard Dog Training

10/29/2025

Supervising children around dogs is so important. And when a dog says “no thank you”, a child should be taught to respect that. So many dog bites happen because the dog’s choice was ignored thus they had to escalate to using their teeth inorder to be heard.

PSA: If you are supervising children and dogs together, the first sign that a dog would like space is typically just the dog moving away, and we need to start teaching kids to respect that.

I was at a kid's soccer game recently, and someone brought their very cute toy poodle to the game. The poodle seemed happy to be there, enjoying getting to say hi to most people and loving being with her owner. At one point someone approached with their toddler and began chatting with the owner. The parent told the child to "be gentle" with the dog, and the toddler was doing her best, being as gentle as a toddler can be, but the poodle, after the initial hello, started to walk away and go behind her owner's legs in polite avoidance.

As the two adults spoke with each other, the poodle continued to circle the owner's legs (wrapping them up in the process!) while the toddler followed, hands outstretched.

Once the poodle hit the end of their leash and went between the owner's legs the parent looked down and moved the toddler away from the other dog. Nothing happened, other than the little dog not seeming too happy, but something certainly could have happened, and both parties in that equation walked away learning something that we'd probably prefer they hadn't.

The toddler learned that pursuing a dog as it moved away was an appropriate choice. And the poodle learned that little humans don't take hints and may need to be told "no" more firmly next time (which sometimes mean teeth start getting involved!)

I understand that interactions like these happen all the time and nothing bad happens, but I often think about how many dog bites to kids could be prevented if we did pay more attention to situations like these, and encouraged our kids to let dogs move away and not follow when interacting.

10/29/2025

10/28/2025

SECONDS COUNT
This post is not advocating that dogs meet every other dog, but rather about how to go about it in a safer way, if and when it does happen.

The 3 second rule for dogs meeting each other is used as a guideline to help foster positive introductions, prevent either dog from feeling overwhelmed or trapped and prevent any potential reactivity and stress.

A short 3 second introduction is enough time to provide important information to both dogs.

Enough time and information for dogs to decide – “are you a threat?”, “do I like you?”, “do I want to learn more about you?”, “do I really dislike you?”, “do I want you to go away?” etc. Both dogs may not feel the same way – one may not be happy to engage while the other may want to.

All interactions should ideally happen like this, not just initially. Just like us, dogs can have off days – things like pain, trigger stacking, lack of sleep or a host of other reasons can influence a dog’s emotional state and whether a dog wants to interact or not.

There are countless times I have witnessed meetings or introductions between dogs that have gone on just a few seconds too long and have not ended well.

This can have long lasting effects on future behaviour when meeting other dogs.

Understanding body language is critically important. If we are going to share our lives with another species, protect them, advocate for them and help them feel safe, then we need to understand and respect their language.

The examples in this post of red and green flags are just a few general ones to look out for – there are many more and these will differ depending on the individual dog, context and circumstances.

Here are some resources that provide more detailed information about body language –

The Veterinary Behaviour Centre
https://bit.ly/4hwC8k1

On Talking Terms With Dogs - Calming Signals, 2nd Edition by Turid Rugaas
https://bit.ly/4oftWqW

Make sure those first 3 seconds count – they can make all the difference.

10/24/2025

With Halloween coming up and Christmas right around the corner, it’s a good time to remind people that Scared Dogs Aren’t Funny.

Social media posts, usually videos, of clearly scared dogs and people laughing at them make me sad. Dogs startling at lawn inflatables. Dogs backing away from people in costumes. Dogs barking at toys or decorations that move or make sounds. Dogs barking at or giving Santa the side eye.

And people laughing at them or worse, pulling on the leash to force the dog to have an interaction with the scary thing. People trying to get the dog to sit next to the scary thing and then getting frustrated when the dog won’t sit.

Let’s reduce dog bites this holiday season by being thoughtful and understanding of our dog’s fears and what they’re communicating.

Read more here: https://rescuedbytraining.com/2025/10/20/archives-scared-dogs-not-funny/

10/23/2025

I always teach my clients to listen to the whispers. Dogs speak, it’s our job to learn how to listen.

Children represent a massive proportion of reported dog bite cases.

These pictures, selected from a massive library of similar stock photos of children with dogs, show some of the reasons for this.

Humans like physical contact. We're generally huggers, particularly with a gorgeous animal like a dog - that soft coat and gorgeous faces just look perfect for a hug, especially to a child.

Dogs are definitely not like us in this way. True, there are some dogs who may enjoy cuddling up with their people, and even like or don't mind hugs. One of my dogs is very much in favour of physical contact. Importantly, however, it is only with the people he chooses. The ones he knows and trusts.

Kids often cannot read canine body language. The signs are here in the photographs used of a tense and unhappy dog, but the children in these pictures can't see and interpret them.

It's up to us as adults, whether parents, dog caregivers, or both, to make sure that we are educated on canine body language and can see the signs of stress.

That we make sure to advocate for the dogs so that they are not put in this position.

To make sure that the children around us are educated and taught about the likes and dislikes of dogs.

To stop putting children and dogs into potentially dangerous situations for the cute photo or video (the videos of babies propped up against dogs make most behaviour professionals shudder because that is so not fair on either species!)

Let's be fair to both dogs and children and use education and understanding to keep children and dogs happy and safe together.

10/23/2025

Many people are surprised to learn that dogs rarely show pain in the way humans do. When we’re in pain, we often rest, complain, or seek help because we understand that help is possible. Animals don’t. They have no concept of treatment, pain relief, or medical care. So instead of showing vulnerability, they do what evolution has taught them: they cope, hide it, or change their behaviour to get through it.

Showing weakness can make an animal a target. Predators and competitors notice when another animal is limping, moving slowly, or acting “off.” To stay safe, most species have evolved to mask discomfort as long as they can. Because dogs don’t understand that pain can be treated, they adjust their behaviour instead of seeking help.

They:

Move differently or avoid certain positions.
Growl, snap, or shy away from touch.
Refuse stairs or jump less often.
Become irritable, restless, or withdrawn.
Lick, chew, or fixate on one area of their body.

These changes are often subtle at first, which is why owners sometimes assume their dog is “being difficult,” “stubborn,” or “suddenly reactive,” when in fact the dog is simply coping with discomfort the only way it knows how.

Pain changes behaviour and many people may respond with punishment or increased pressure, which only adds fear and tension to the mix. Recognising pain isn’t always easy, but it’s one of the most important parts of behavioural work. Many “behavioural” issues improve dramatically once pain is identified and managed.

Watch for changes in posture, movement, or mood even small ones.
Record patterns of behaviour (time of day, activity, weather, etc.).
Seek a veterinary check if your dog’s behaviour changes unexpectedly.
Avoid confrontation or punishment. A dog in pain needs compassion, not correction.

Animals don’t mask pain because they’re stoic or dramatic; they do it because they don’t know there’s another option. They can’t connect “I hurt” with “someone can help me.” So they cope, compensate, or protect themselves the only way evolution taught them to.

10/23/2025

This is why understanding body language and canine communication is so important.

It's valuable.
Whatever your dog has, at that very moment, is significant to them.

The growling, air snaps and further escalations are easy to spot.
That's when many people see this as an issue.
However, it starts way before then for many dogs and I appreciate this is difficult to see in their own dog as it can be subtle.

A slowed movement, a pause, a stiffening around an object or food item can be the very beginning.

Some people view their dogs possession issues as funny, quirky and will encourage it.
Others that have lived (or are now) living with a serious resource guarder know that's just how it started for them and they wish they had recognised it sooner.
It's not funny for them or their dog.

It may look like a game they enjoy.
They run away with a toy, a shoe, socks, a pair of un**es (for all those non Kiwis out there, that's underwear).
We just don't see how this fun little game could be the start of a much more serious behavioural issue.

To be fair, there are some dogs out there that do like the "grab and go" game and have no possession issues. They do it as a way to illicit a response from us and it is fun for them. They know we are about to respond playfully to that by chasing or starting a game of tug with that item.

For others, we need to be cautious.
Is there an "Elvis" happening (a slight lift on one side of the mouth)?
A tiny lift at the front of the mouth?
Has the mouth clamped and ears flattened?
Do they take the item to an area you cannot reach easily?

If we catch those smaller signs, we can prevent those much bigger reactions.

10/23/2025

Some dogs are comfortable with getting dressed up- others aren't. Always listen to what your dog is telling you.

10/22/2025

It's coming up to that time of year again! Keep your loved ones safe.