#TongueOutTuesday

This is my English Bulldog friend "Willie" ... the perfect ambassador for #TongueOutTuesday  :)

Is It Wrong To Share Your Bed With Your Dog?

"Is it 'wrong' for my dog to sleep on the bed with me?" That's a question I get asked a lot.

It appears that people are increasingly sharing their bed with their dog, as documented by a recent study in the UK.

And my answer is always this: It's not a case of it being 'right' or 'wrong'... instead, it's about preference. If you enjoy having your dog on the bed with you... if it gives you comfort and doesn't interfere with you getting sufficient sleep... if there is no issue with resource guarding... then why not?

Of course that's assuming your dog doesn't have an incontinence issue, flea infestation, etc., and then it's just a matter of your dog not keeping you awake with snoring!


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Myth Busting - Don't Coddle Your Fearful Dog

There are a lot of stubborn myths that surround the world of dog training and behaviour, and, in particular, the "Don't Coddle Your Fearful Dog" is a common one.

The prevalence of this myth can probably be attributed to how many dog trainers (including one particular 'celebrity' dog trainer on television) aren't aware of it's myth status, and then, in turn, spread this misinformation to a greater audience.

A Couple Of Definitions:

If you're not familiar with the word "coddle" it's an abbreviation of the word "mollycoddle" which means to baby, favor, humor, etc.

The behavioural definition of "reinforcement" is to 'increase the likelihood' of a behaviour being repeated in the future. This myth is about the belief that coddling provides positive reinforcement of the dog's fear.

Basically, this "don't coddle" myth is based on a belief that ‘coddling’ a fearful dog reinforces the dog’s fearful state of mind which, in turn, further validates the dog's fear in a "Yes, you're right to be afraid." type of way.

Click here to read the rest of this article.

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