Norwegian Buhund

Breed Notes 4th October 2024 Margaret Deuchar

NORWEGIAN BUHUNDS

I am very pleased to say that this year the club is producing a calendar with photos that members sent into the forum, these were then voted on and the top photos will appear in the calendar. I appreciate that not everyone is on Facebook, so if you want a calendar, please contact Lillian Rumsey or myself.

I recently read an article about caging dogs, obviously not about Buhunds but I thought it was very interesting. The article focuses mostly on dogs as companions not working dogs. It says training issues can cause problems which often lead to the owners caging their dogs, to help manage the problems that occur. The study looked at how often dogs were caged and why and whether it causes a welfare issue. A 41-question survey was asked to 1,305 dog owners covering several countries. The questions covered caging history, duration, type of cage, outcome if it was used for training purposes and the welfare impact. The survey revealed that 25.4% of those that replied used cages for their dogs. Neutered female dogs were more likely to be caged than others. Most of the caged dogs were puppies aged 6 months or younger, caged for training purposes, those caged for behavioural purposes seemed to show more signs of distress. The findings showed that dogs were caged for a variety of reasons, but that with behavioural issues more needs to be done to educate trainers as levels of distress significantly increased, when cages were used for these issues and can cause aggression, although if cages are used appropriately there can be minimal welfare impact and it can be beneficial for the dog, if it is used for the dog’s safe space.

The practice of using cages/pens for training has a long and varied history, going back to the domestication of dogs thousands of years ago, then dogs were primarily used for hunting, guarding and herding where confinement was not part of their training. However, as dogs became more common as pets methods of training including confinement became more common as mentioned in the early 1920s.It also became part of managing the dog’s behaviour to make sure the dog stayed under control, in the military and police when they were not working. Later in the fifties cages were recommended to stop behaviours that could not be corrected by the trainer, the use of cages to help with house training became popular and did not seem to cause distress. More recently in North America and in Europe there has been a shift in dog training philosophy to a more humane approach, that emphasizes the wellbeing of the dog and how to use cages as part of modern training. The survey showed that the use of cages is very popular among dog owners, who have often used cages to solve problems they have with their pet, but the increased stress the dog can suffer in these circumstances, has shown in studies to cause the dog to exhibit higher levels of postural changes , such as circling compared with dogs who are allowed more freedom of movement, this has been backed up by science showing increased levels of Cortisol in these dogs . The findings raise concerns about the effectiveness and ethical implications of using cages as a behavioural management tool. Despite its widespread use, there is limited research and understanding of how caging influences dog behaviour in the long term and whether it effectively addresses underlying behavioural issues, and the dog’s coping mechanisms remains under -explored, and a strategy for solving behavioural problems is lacking. The object of the survey it to assess the efficacy of caging so that there can be an evidenced -based recommendations for the uses of cages.

I found the article very interesting; I have never used a cage for a behavioural problem, but certainly for puppies although a small pen rather than a cage, both at night and if out during the day. To me it means the puppy is safe and cannot do any damage, so you are both pleased to see each other in the morning or on returning home. We think of our homes as our safe places, and I think often dogs like a safe place. I have had car cages for years and Time loves his, it means he is going out and when we arrive, he can safely watch what is going on in between activities. When we had had Time, we still had Fizz till he passed during the pandemic, so at night or if we went out Fizz had the house and Time was shut in kitchen with his bed. When Fizz died, Time was allowed to have the whole house but still happily took himself to bed in the kitchen, and never came upstairs till I had Covid during the pandemic, I think really to find out where I was! Husband David has been in hospital for the last 8days and although at bedtime Time takes himself to bed in the kitchen, several mornings when I woke up, he has been beside my bed. Visiting time in hospital is from 2pm, and it only took Time only a couple of days to realise that after lunch I was going out, so he took himself to his bed in the kitchen and I shut him in as I have always done all his life, so he knows that I will be coming back, and he settles down to sleep, this is his safe place. None of us will look after our dogs in the same way, but personally I think if people want to use confinement there is certainly a place for it so long as it’s the dog’s safe place and not used for punishment. Of course, sadly we will all have heard of dogs spending most of their lives in cages which has no place in dog ownership. Not just cages, years ago at a dog training club I attended some one turned up with a fully grown GSD, who they had kept in the garage till she learned to behave! Amazingly she was very good natured.

Pastoral Day at Belfast Ch show held at the Elkon Exhibition Centre Lisburn was Sunday29th September, the Buhund judge was Thomas Hehir (Ireland) he found his BD & BOB in Sue Sercombe’s Ir Ch Trelowen Forest Gump (ai)(Gumpy) by Ir Ch/Ch Trelowen Conar Tun (Buddy) x Ir Ch/Ch Trelowen Dizzy Rascal. BB Kerry & Fritz Frost, Addreinne Frost-Treadwell and Caro Flanagan’s Ir Ch Frostisen You Win Again (Skye)by Int /Ir Ch Frabjas Your Obedient Servant Mr Burr at Frostisen (Imp US) x Ir Jr Ch Leggatts Gimmegimmegimme (Imp UK).

Back on the UK mainland Oakhampton & District Canine Society held their Premier Open Show on Saturday 28th at the Grange, in Oakhampton Devon. No Buhund classes so Mary and Coralie Dosson’s Leggatts Part Time Lover (Barnaby) was entered in AVNSC Pastoral ,where he was BP he then won the Pastoral Puppy Group both under Justine Waldron , the icing on the cake was then when under Stephen Goodwin he was Reserve BPIS ,winning treat money and a lovely photo on the Society’s FB page .Many congratulations .

Margaret Deuchar margaretdeuchar@gmail.com

Any views expressed in Margaret’s Breed Notes are hers and hers alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Norwegian Buhund Club of the UK