Kennel supervisor - Rachael Bartle
Rachael joined the kennels at Felledge Animal Centre in Durham as a kennel supervisor just one month after its doors opened in June 2010.
Having previously worked as a veterinary nurse, and with an Advanced Diploma in Companion Animal Behaviour and Training, Rachael is a perfect addition to Felledge’s new kennels.
And, with space for 42 dogs at the centre there’s plenty to keep Rachael occupied. But she was still able to spare us a few minutes to tell us why she loves working for the RSPCA.
My favourite part of the job is the dog training. Getting a dog in that’s got some problems, and helping that dog to get a home, when they might not have done before.
What problems do you see in the dogs?
All our dogs come from situations where they have been neglected or badly treated, so some of the dogs we see have not been properly socialised and are nervous with people or other dogs. This can sometimes result in dogs not wanting to interact with people or being fearful, or being unfriendly with other dogs.
How do you help nervous dogs?
We usually start with just a couple of people working with them, so that their training is consistent and they get used to those people. We also do simple things like putting a bag of treats on the door. Every time somebody walks past they give the dog a treat so that the dog learns to associate people with good things.
And how do you teach dogs to be friendly to other dogs?
Dealing with unfriendliness to other dogs is a much bigger task and can take a long time to deal with.
How we deal with the problem depends on the dog and the nature of the problem. Some dogs will be fine walking next to another dog but if they come up too close they might snap. Other dogs will react if they see a dog coming from a distance.
Whichever approach we take we always use positive reinforcement clicker training to desensitise and counter condition their reaction to other dogs. Eventually when the dog sees another dog it will turn and get a treat rather than barking. The key is the dog has to be comfortable at every step.
It sounds really simple, but how long can the retraining take?
It does take a long time and a lot of patience. How long does depend on the dog, how old it is and how long it’s been reacting in this way. If the dog has been under socialised for a long time then the behaviour is more ingrained.
Do you have any pets of your own?
I’ve got Flicker, a springer cross collie who is just perfect. I’ve also got a Jack Russell who’s a bit naughty called Eddie. She’d been passed around three times by the time she was ten months. She’s a challenge but she’s definitely better that she was.
And I’ve just adopted a puppy that I fostered from Felledge who is a Staffy cross Jack Russell, she’s called Ripley. She was one of a litter of eight that came in starved, they were tiny little things. She’s grown into the nicest little dog.
Understanding dog's needs
Dogs are very popular pet animals; and have complex health and welfare needs. Understanding a dog's behaviour is a key part of establishing a good relationship. Learn more about the needs of dogs.
