Brambell’s Five Freedoms

I am reading a trade journal where I am learning about Brambell’s Five Freedoms, which was a program that originated in Great Britain to ascertain the welfare of livestock raised in factory farms. Later on, the British government established the Farm Animal Welfare Council in efforts to define the “freedoms”.

The freedoms addressed are:

• Freedom from hunger and thirst
• Discomfort
• Pain
• Injury and Disease
• Freedom to express Normal (for the breed) behaviors
• Freedom from fear and distress

Wow! Imagine if we would actually treat all animals based on this model! For one, I would be without a job - but come to think of it, it would be worth it if animals all around lived better lives free of distress and trauma.

Just the other night we had a tremendous rainstorm. This time I could hear the thunder “just outside my window” with thunderclaps accompanying the torrential rains we were experiencing.

Suddenly we lost power! Boom both dogs nestled close to me. I was not expecting to loose power so I had not previously secured a flashlight. Now totally in the dark without knowing how long it would take for the power to come back (my home literally does not function without electricity- no lights, internet, cooking or water). I pictured the lives of so many dogs that are left day after day with nothing to do - just sitting or laying idle, just waiting for something to happen. And just like me, not knowing how long I would have to wait with nothing to do and no creature comforts. My heart sank.
So this is what they probably go through?

This brings me for the enormous need for mentally and physically stimulating our dogs ON A DAILY BASIS people!

The idea connects nicely with reference to Brambell’s model of the Five Freedoms…“ability to perform natural behaviors”. Of course, many times our dogs natural behaviors are a reason for our concern and our disapproval. However, this should not mean that our dogs should live without having these basic needs met.

Of course, I have also heard of clients of mine that ensure that their pup (s) get ample mental and physical stimulation and it appears that at times, the scale tips way over the other end… client’s whose dogs run 5 miles daily! Dogs who are involved- just like many young kids these days, in a slew of activities, classes or doggy daycare with little time for downtime and rest.

So how is one to know what our dog’s particular needs are? These needs will vary depending on the age of the dog, the size, breed, living situation, weather and the like. I think that we first need to acknowledge that dogs are individuals and as such their needs are also individuals. But there are a few rules of thumb that anyone can follow to ensure their dog is living an enriched life as a result of having its needs met. Here are some of my observations and rules of thumb.

Every day my dogs get at least one mental outlet and a physical outlet in the am as well as in the pm. This might vary depending on the season and the weather but for the most part, I try to capitalize and take care of their needs when the temperature is just right for them. In essence, dogs are mostly active in the early hrs. and also as the sun begins to set- they are crepuscular creatures. So that is Tip #1.

The rest of the day, my dogs are free to snooze wherever they choose to do so. Their locations vary throughout the day, but I can see a pattern of likes and dislikes in both of them.

There is something soothing for me when I see my dogs happily napping while I am frantically getting ready for my next training or working at home. It makes me feel that I am doing something good for them - such as finding a balance between keeping them engaged with ample time to just relax and refresh.

Tip #2: I rotate the activities depending on my own schedule and the intensity of them. For example: We play Frisbee twice a week- at the very most three times a week. Not daily and not for long. Frisbee is a very intense activity and requires that I am watchful to avoid too much exertion (remember the dogs that run 5 miles?) Or injury.

Other days, Deuce and I go sheepherding and Rio gets an off-leash romp. We also take trips to Santa Fe for on-leash walks and lots of smells and new places to visit. Including department stores (a big hit for my dogs) and coffee shops. Surprisingly so both dogs come home exhausted after the leash walks. Visiting different places and having new experiences are the perfect “break” from strenuous activity and a great dose of mental stimulation.

What I have found is that because I take care of my dogs needs I seldom experience any behavioral problem with them. Truly. It is not so much because I am a trainer and trainer’s dogs are perfect and… blah, blah, blah, that my dogs are so “problem-free” it is in fact because their dog needs are met daily, so they do not need to invent new doggie-games of the “unacceptable kind” to fill endless hrs. of boredom, solitude or having too much pent-up physical energy.

Blame it On Computer Work

I am sitting at my desk doing the usual computer related work. Deuce is taking a snooze in his crate and Rio is behind me chewing away on a leather glove that she found. She had, in fact, carried the glove around and played with it by tossing it up in the air for a few days.

As she is busy chewing behind me, I didn’t think much of her chewing and dissecting the glove since she has never consumed anything she dissects. As a matter of fact, she destroys her toys on a regular basis leaving the “insides” of the toy - such as the squeaky behind for someone else to pick up.

Lately I spotted one of her stuffed toys completely turn inside out. Some dogs, I tell you, know how to keep themselves busy!

I give her a couple of glances and return back to my work. After a few minutes I get up only to see just a small piece of glove on the carpet. Oh no… she actually ate the whole freakin' glove! It is around 5:30 pm and I am wondering if this requires a vet visit or… she appears fine. Full belly and ready for the evening “activities”. I am pretty upset at myself. I can’t believe my dog ate a whole leather glove.

I am beating myself up about how I should have known better, thinking about the long talks I have with clients about the importance of management and bla, bla, bla.

I go back to observing Rio. She seems perfectly “normal”… after all don’t they occasionally chew on rawhides?

Finally I decide not to make two big mistakes in a row. I call the emergency clinic, you know that emergencies like these always happens when your dog’s “regular” vet is closed…The ER receptionist tells me to bring her in just in case. I know about obstructions in dog’s stomach - a real medical emergency. I spent three hrs. at the clinic. They induce vomiting on Rio (sorry Rio, I should have known better) and she vomits almost the entire glove.

Final instructions are to keep an eye on her (and her poop) to make sure that she is able to pass whatever might still be in there. Tomorrow will be a week after the glove-eating incident and Rio appears to be fine! Oh, dogs and their chewing habits…

Oh, dogs and their well-intentioned yet (sometimes) spacey parents.

Dogs on Bed

I am getting ready to go to a training and I go into my bedroom and there he is, Deuce comfortably laying on our bed… ah, I say the life of dogs…

He looks so comfortable and I am happy to seeing him so content perhaps even feeling “safe”.

I hear much about if dogs should be on their owner’s bed and if they should sleep with them. Here are some things to consider:
1. Dog snores
2. Dog take too much of the bed (a deal killer for me)
3. Dog guards the bed, say the dog growls, sneers etc. when the real owner of the bed tries to approach the bed or is on the bed. Another deal breaker and one that must be worked on as it will not improve on its own.

In our household, we have it dialed in. No dogs sleep with us during the night, but they do have privileges of resting on every piece of furniture they might fit in and find comfortable. I decided that we need to face the fact that we share our lives and our home with dogs. Dogs are not human (or like some humans) who are obsessed with tidiness.

Part of my MO consists of relaxing a little since I realize that seeing my dogs lying comfortably on our bed is heart-warming - especially when I have to go to work and it is cold outside and I much rather watch some day TV or lay on my warm bed and…

I was sayin’: I wash the comforter cover often – just like the sheets, and I have protective covers for the sofas in the LR- problem solved! I can have a nice clean house and dogs that enjoy the human comforts.

Dogs are social creatures so sleeping with the rest of the group is really what they want. Never mind that Deuce gravitates between comfy (dog) bed in our room and his crate close by in my office.

Speaking of dog beds…. last night I went to bed early to read. Rioja followed me into the room and to my surprise went directly to the larger of the two dog beds (my mistake - wrong size on one of them!).

As I was wrapping up my evening routine, Rio “asked for permission” to jump on our bed. Permission granted.

She was now lying on our bed when Deuce came into the room to settle for the night. He marched to the larger dog bed and lay there oh so comfortably. Rio jumped off the people’s bed and went towards Deuce. She just stood there expecting (I guess) Deuce to get out of the ½ doughnut shaped bed with Deuce not even giving her a second look.

I am sitting on my bed amused, waiting to see what’s next.

Rioja climbed inside the bed and laid there with Deuce…

Deuce has his eyes closed- almost asleep. Clearly Rio did not find sharing the bed to her liking. I guess we both crave lots of space when sleeping.

Sorry Rio, you can’t have it both ways… you snooze you lose, no pun intended. I then invited her on my bed again knowing where she would spend the rest of the night once John came to bed: on the smallest dog bed. She came over and found her perfect place. I dosed off with Rio and Deuce both lying happily on some bed.