Dogs, Dogs, Dogs! We Love Them!
So, how do we help dogs navigate our human world? When I go to see a client, I begin each session speaking about what it was like for me going to the zoo as a child. The lion, the gorilla, all the inhabitants lived in cages. As a result, they often displayed abnormal repetitive behaviors known as zoochosis, a form of psychosis that develops in animals held captive in zoos. These behaviors included pacing, bar biting, excessive licking just to name a few. I then move the conversation onto the happy fact that… Continued
What You Need to Know About Puppy Socialization
Socialization is a hot topic, but what does it mean exactly? Is it about your pet being able to play and being social? Well kinda, but not just that. Dogs and cats have a critical socialization period; in puppies this is a period of 3-12 weeks of age, and in kittens their key socialization period is up to 7 weeks of age. During these periods our pets are most receptive to new experiences, and the things they are exposed to -or not- can have far reaching consequences. That’s not to… Continued
Winter Weather Tips for Pets
Like people, some pets love the winter snow and cold, and others hate it. Our dog Dulice was not deterred by the snow but found a terrier’s dream as it allowed winter burrowing. My current dog Muppy, a rescue from Mississippi, hated her first seven winters in Maine. However, Muppy enjoys a good roll in the snow today as long as the temperature doesn’t drop below 30 F. Our cat Boomer enjoys outdoor journeys on a harness and leash and lying in the summer sun, but when it comes to… Continued
Teaching a Fearful Dog Trust and Skills – In That Order
Teaching is a proactive process, rather than a reactive one. The goal is to prevent unwanted behaviors, rather than wait for them to occur and then try to remedy the situation. Helping Maizey When a client asked for help with Maizey, a dog with several fear triggers, I resolved to begin with a proactive plan. Maizey had a history of fear of strangers, fear of trucks, fear of other dogs and excessive arousal upon seeing squirrels. Her behavior responses included barking and lunging which made it stressful for her family… Continued
When Services Refuse Access to Assistance Dog Teams
Pet Professional Guild Member Let Down by Services That Promise Otherwise Uber is a taxi service which is accessible through an app. Within the app you can book your driver and also let them know if you have an assistance dog. The idea is to help people to easily access the most local driver and have reassurance that they can go to their destination, with their assistance dogs, in peace. However, some Uber drivers over the last five years have been refusing access to Ruby Welsford and Millie Gee (and… Continued
Are You a Cat Person or a Dog Person?
How many times have we seen this question posted or have we been asked it ourselves? Becoming a Dog Family In my own family my husband developed cat allergies as an adult. He once stopped to see what had been thrown out of the car in front of him on his way home on a cold dark night. It was a kitten. We named him Buddy and he was the sweetest little guy – followed us around purring, so happy to have been found! Dave’s eyes… Continued
Tips for Parents and Dog Guardians to Help Keep Kids Safe
The 3 Most Important Things to Teach Your Kids Dogs Don’t Like Hugs and Kisses – Teach your kids not to hug or kiss a dog on the face. Hugging the family dog or face-to-face contact are common causes of facial bites. Instead, teach kids to scratch the dog on the chest or the side of the neck. Be a Tree If a Strange Dog Approaches – Teach kids to stand still, like a tree. Trees are boring and the dog will eventually go away. This works for strange dogs… Continued
How Many Dogs Should I Adopt at the Same Time?
Adopting a dog is so exciting, not just for us but for the dog as well. I don’t think there is much that can match the feeling of giving a previously unwanted dog a new beginning. Of course, you do have the option to adopt more than one dog; here are a couple of things to keep in mind. Adopting One Dog…At a Time Adopting two or more puppies together is not advisable. Similar to purchasing siblings from the same bred litter, two puppies are double the costs, cleaning up,… Continued
The Station Cue: Its Many Uses for Equids and How to Train It
Have you thought about teaching your equid to station? Here’s what stationing is and a few reasons why it’s a great thing to train! What is Stationing? Stationing is where you teach your horse, pony, donkey or mule to stay in a specific place. It can be teaching them to stay at a tie up point, teaching them to “park” when you drop the lead rope or teaching them to stand on a mat without walking off. All it means is that they understand, when you give the cue, that… Continued
Cat Introductions – One Step at a Time
Since starting my cat behavior consulting business in 2019, the issue that I have been most often contacted about is that of cat introductions. While there are some cats that will roll out the welcome mat almost immediately for a newcomer, most need a more structured approach. 1. SAFE ROOM The first introduction step is to start your new cat in a safe room. This room should have all the major resources that a cat needs: feeding station, litter box, scratching post, bedding, and toys. One benefit of a safe… Continued
A New Puppy Affects the Existing Dog(s) in Your Household – Here’s What You Need to Know
In this blog post, we are going to look at how getting a new puppy may affect the existing pets in your home. The safest and most responsible option would be to speak to a qualified trainer or behavior consultant to assist you with a management plan as well as an introduction between the new puppy and the resident dog. Very often, our nervousness gets the better of us and the situation. Our dogs pick up on our anxiety and an introduction might not go as smoothly as it can.… Continued
Trigger Stacking in Pets Explained
The holidays, a busy time of year, are quickly approaching! This time of year can be stressful for everyone, including our pets. Your home may undergo many changes, including decorating and adding a tree that may be so tempting for cats to climb or dogs to chew on! Not only that, but we’ll also have a lot of visitors and people coming and going, which can all contribute to trigger stacking, but what exactly is trigger stacking? When a series of minor incidents pile up to the point where your… Continued
Let’s Talk About Our Dogs’ Feelings
Anthropomorphism, a word that I can’t even pronounce!! The New Oxford American Dictionary helps us out here: An-thro-po-mor-phism – the attribution of human characteristics or behavior to a god, animal or object. A Shift in Perspective You may have noticed recently that there has been a lot more talk about the welfare and “the feelings” of our dogs. (Thank goodness!) Years ago, I volunteered at a shelter for a period of three years. I admit that I would sit in my car after leaving on those Fridays and cry! … Continued
Why Does My Pet Do That?
Have you ever asked yourself, “Why does my pet do that?” The reasons why pets do what they do and behave the way they do will always have a function, whether we understand it or not! Reasons, Emotions and Needs Behind Pets’ Behaviors Behavior is a complex subject, and when we examine our pet’s behavior, there are many factors to consider, such as: Physical health – pain, disease, hormones, age, and general health Genetic – species, breed, breeding lines, hereditary Temperament – personality, breed type History – socialization, early… Continued
Pets & Us – Seeing the Positive in Challenging Situations
This is a very personal article for me. I sat in the garden the other day watching Shadow (one of our family dogs, not specifically my own and his identity protected for the purposes of this article) and thought, “What we are doing here?” and, “What I am thinking because of this situation may help others in an unfortunate and similar position.” Bounce forwards a week or so and I thought, “Hey, you have this article!” I want to say at the very outset that this is meant so much… Continued
Fire Safety for Pets
We have all heard news stories about tragic home fires where the pets did not survive. Sadly, incidents where the pet woke the family, and everyone was spared are the exception. A fire is scary for everyone involved but listed below are several facts that are especially important for those of us with pets. Approximately 80% of all fires occur in a private home; therefore, if your pet encounters a fire, they are most likely to do so in your home. We often leave pets alone in our homes,… Continued
Before You Get a New Puppy
Are you planning on acquiring a new puppy? It’s a good thing you are reading this! We will guide you through essential information you need to make an informed decision. Whether you are a new dog owner or an experienced dog guardian, getting a new puppy is very exciting. It also comes with many responsibilities, such as research on: The breed that would best suit your household Finding an ethical breeder OR Choosing the right puppy from a rescue A qualified professional’s school to enroll your puppy for early socialization… Continued
Ask a Trainer: How Can I Help My Reactive Rescue Dog?
Q: Our rescue dog is so reactive when he sees other dogs, whether through the window or on walks. It is making it difficult to walk him. I don’t know what to do to help him. – Kate A: Hi Kate, great question! This situation is going to take practice and consistency, but you can definitely make it much better. Start with figuring out what his favorite food is, for example, peanut butter or cream cheese. Have those things handy on a LickiMat® (frozen) or on a long handled spoon… Continued
Dog Parks, a Closer Look!
Everyone seems to get excited at the prospect of a new dog park arriving nearby. I get it! Our mind’s eye pictures the many dogs running, chasing and having a great time! We catch ourselves with a gleeful smile at the happiness this visit will bring for our own four-legged loved one. Dog Park Perceptions vs. Reality The first dog park was opened in 1979 in Berkeley California. Since then they have continued to pop up across the country with a call from dog lovers that these locations… Continued
Do You Love Someone Who is Afraid of Dogs?
Most of us know a child who is afraid of dogs. My own daughter, at the age of 4, became so afraid of dogs that she refused to go on playdates or family outings because she was afraid that she might see a dog. The fear of dogs, aka cynophobia, affects millions of people, many of them children. When it is not addressed, it can significantly impact the child’s social and emotional health. The fear of heights or spiders does not impact kids the same way. It is possible to… Continued
Before You Adopt Your Rescue Dog
We will be digging into information current and/or future dog guardians should consider before they adopt a (another) dog. Let’s Explore the Subject of How to Choose a Dog You can use the following as a guide: Visit often. Keep in mind, that the shelter environment is generally more stressful than the average home. Dogs who exhibit overarousal in the rescue environment might be calmer in a home environment. Visit the dog often and ask the shelter staff to take the dog to a play garden or a… Continued
Practical Training Tips for Pet People
At Pets and Their People, we’re on a mission to provide resources and practical tips to pet people…with a dose of encouragement and humor! So, if your cat is counter surfing or your dog’s digging up the garden, we’re here for you! Take a deep breath and enjoy diving into these helpful tips from our expert contributors: Is Your Cat Counter Surfing? The PPG Cat Committee Has an Answer! If the cat is getting on the counter to access a window, cover the window with a temporary blind or… Continued
Ways Assistance Animals Help
Assistance Animals are so much more than well- behaved and well-trained pets. They work in a vital, supportive role to their guardians. What Do Assistance Animals Do? Assistance animals help to keep their handlers safe in many scenarios. For example, they can medically alert to low blood sugar, migraines, or an epileptic fit before they manifest, or detect their guardians’ changing blood levels or breathing. They can also help as psychiatric service dogs. They may aid their guardian with PTSD through flashbacks and panic attacks, or help to ground a… Continued
Slithery Snakes and Other Scary Things!
It’s that time of year when we see many snakes and lizards warming themselves along our running pathways. Having lived in Florida for over 15 years, I know these are a common but not always welcome sight. As a certified dog trainer and behavior consultant, snake avoidance was built into my puppy-raising plan when Doogie came into our home as an 8-week-old rascal. We lived on 24 acres with water frontage, so it was essential to ensure Doogie had the skills and knowledge to avoid a critter safely should she… Continued
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