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The All Dogs Blog

When good dogs bite

4/12/2018

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It's a lot more common than you might think. Dogs that bite are reported every day: to dog trainers, in hopes of some kind of solution or guarantee that this terror will never happen again; to city authorities by owners of dogs or humans at the receiving end of a dog bite event; and to loved ones, when an owner has to explain why their dog is no longer a part of the family. 

Dog bite events can be as heartbreaking as they are concerning. These wonderful companions of ours are known for their friendliness, their loyalty, their love, and their tremendous abilities, both cognitive and physical. The reality is that, in addition to all of these traits, dogs are also capable of causing tremendous harm, both to other animals, and to the humans they co-exist with. They can be territorial, reactive, and possess a formidable set of teeth and jaws. They are also designed, at the genetic level, to have a "bite-or-flight" response to extremely unpleasant stimuli - even when the nature or cause of that stimuli is not readily apparent, or comprehensible, to us. 

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If we are going to live with these animals, it is important that we have a fundamental understanding of how they operate. For dogs, biting is a form of communication. It says any one or a number of; "I am not comfortable with this. This has gone too far.  I do not accept these conditions. Give me space." 

As dogs are incapable of understanding, on a cognitive level, that biting a human or another animal is unacceptable. What's more, punishing a dog for biting with aggression or threatening behaviors increase the likelihood of the dog biting again. This cannot be overstated. And the reaction can be unpredictable, meaning that the dog may bite a known or unknown entity at an entirely unpredictable time.  

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Only when we truly accept that biting is a natural function of the simple virtue of being a dog can we start to understand how to reduce a dog's propensity to bite. This requires a kind of humility on our parts. Seeing and respecting our dogs for what they are ultimately capable of does not come easily or naturally to us. We want to anticipate only the best, when this attitude is often not realistic when faced with the fundamental capabilities of a dog. Instead, let us prepare the tools and skills we need to condition and recondition our dogs to accept that which causes them distress.


What's more, let us do this work alongside our dogs in a preventative sense whenever we can, as a part of the contract of care we entered into the day we adopted our dogs. This contract is lifelong. Our dogs know it, and they honor it. Can we? 

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    Camille Salter is the founder of All Dogs Pet Services and a certified, knowledge-assessed dog trainer (CPDT-KA)

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I cannot say enough good things about Camille and her team. A few months ago, I had to temporarily close my own dog walking business due to an unexpected and debilitating health issue. Camille's team not only stepped in to cover a significant number of "my" dogs, they did an exceptional job. This would not have been possible without Camille's management capabilities and her walkers' skill level. I don't know if there is another company that could have done this. Camille and team, thank you for taking such good care of "my" dogs, "your" dogs, and giving me the time to heal. If you are looking for a walker, there is no company I could more highly recommend than All Dogs Toronto." - Kate Fink

We have been sending our Goldendoodle to All Dogs for over a year, ever since Zoki was a young puppy. While we are at work we know that Zoki is in a safe and supportive environment where she has learned to interact well with other dogs. Ben and Camille have made it possible for us to continue to have active, professional lives, and a young dog. Since Zoki is so at home there, it has been easy to leave her for a week when we have both had to be out of town. We highly recommend their thoughtful and well-informed care. - -- Christina Kramer and Richard Franz


I cannot say enough positive things about Camille Salter, the owner of All Dogs. From the moment my rescue dog and I met Camille, I knew she would work wonders. Her demeanor, grace and confidence made my dog fall in love her instantly. She is so incredibly knowledgeable that I try to soak up as much information as I can from her.


I highly highly recommend Camille Salter and All Dogs. Whether you are looking for a professional trainer or walking, she will provide you with all of the tools needed to ensure your dog is set up for success.

Camille is truly a pillar in the community of canine training within Toronto.

Thank you Camille!! - Tessa Vaskas


Camille and All Dogs have been amazing for our Basset Hound, Columbo. We have been using the service for the last six months. Columbo started with puppy training with All Dogs and he has learned all the commands. Training has been reinforced during Columbo's puppy visits which has helped greatly during his growth and development. Camille and her team are on-time, attentive, supportive, great with our Columbo and our house. We appreciate everything that she has done and recommend her to anyone. " Andrea Suhay


"Camille is amazing. Really understands each dog’s unique personality and applies individual techniques based on it. I use their daycare, boarding, training, walking... my dog always comes back better behaved & full of love and Camille is so insightful that I learn about my dog, too! My dog adores her. Super trustworthy and effective." Kathryn Kearns


"I highly recommend Camille and All Dogs Pet Services. I recently used All Dogs Pet Services to walk my dog for two weeks while I was out of town. Camille was able to accommodate walking my dog on short notice. Camille is very pleasant and cheerful to deal with and from the first meet and greet Camille had with myself and my dog Charlie I felt confident that Charlie would be safe and in good hands. I will definitely call Camille again and recommend her to all my dog owner friends." - Richard Fernandez



Overall, Camille definitely made being away from my babies a far less nerve-wracking experience! I trust her and would hire her again in an instant." - Amanda Factor


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"—Camille looked after our diabetic Cat and did a fantastic job. He was going into remission right when we had a 1-week vacation scheduled. Camille was more than up to the task. She had to measure his blood daily and give him the corresponding amount of insulin. It was very reassuring knowing we had a real professional looking after our critter. She did a great job of looking after our apartment also and we didnt even know that was something she would do. Couldn't possibly give a stronger recommendation for this company." - Holt Mansfield

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