Dominance in Canine Behavior: Reality or Myth?
By Don Hanson BFRAP CDBC ACCBC CPDT-KA It was in the September of 2002 that the first version of this article appeared in Paw Prints, the Green Acres Kennel Shop newsletter. I update the article on a regular basis because sadly there are still too many people promulgating the dominance myth. Unfortunately a popular reality TV show has captured people’s attention and is talking about dogs as pack animals and again perpetuating the idea of using “calm-assertive energy” (read: fear and intimidation) to resolve issues with problem dogs. Like most… Continued
Transparency in Training and Behavior
Those in the world of canine training and behavior know there is a wide gap between philosophy and methods employed by professionals, and even some rifts between professional organizations. It can be confusing for those of us in the field, and more so for pet owners who just want help. I have heard the founder of The Pet Professional Guild, Niki Tudge, speak passionately about the need for transparency as a consumer issue. Until I heard her say so I never thought of it that way. Now I am more… Continued
Marshmallow Tests for Dogs
A guide dog partner, Deni Elliott, devised a dog version of the marshmallow test for her guide dog. She administered it to her guide Alberta a few years ago. Alberta did well; she actually did many of the things that children who take the marshmallow test do — she looked away, she distracted herself. She didn’t use her toes as a piano or sing a song, but she did distract herself from temptation. In her case, temptation was a bowl full of dog cookies. We were delighted with her response,… Continued
Pet Professional Guild Announces New Look, Innovative Educational Events for 2017 and 2018
Conventional annual summit in Orlando, Florida will be supplemented with practical, multi-species behavior and training workshops in Kanab, Utah WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. – Jan. 9, 2017 – The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) has announced the dates and location of this year’s annual summit, as well as a smaller educational event next year to incorporate a number of hands-on, multi-species workshops with internationally acclaimed animal training and behavior experts. PPG’s third annual educational Force-Free Summit will take place at the Sheraton Lake Buena Vista hotel in Orlando, Florida from November 16-20,… Continued
Countering The Aversive
Some pet dog trainers that are either using aversive methods or some that call themselves “balanced”, and use a combination of both aversive approaches and food rewards, may carry the notion that positive reward based trainers are against them personally, or that are looking to have them stop training dogs. While I can only speak for myself, it is not personal at all. What it boils down to for me, and many others, is the potential fallouts of using shock or choke, and/or physically reprimanding a dog that has me and… Continued
It Was Coming Right At Me!
I am so interested in how dogs perceive things, and how they notice differences that we don’t, or that we take for granted. Those differences can matter to them a great deal. An example of that was the focus of my recent post, “Intruder in the Yard!,” about Zani’s response to a landscape timber in my yard that had rolled out of place. Clara, with her feral puppyhood, appears to discriminate between people to an extreme. She socializes with a few people besides me now, but each person has behaviors Clara is comfortable with, and everybody’s… Continued
#iSpeakDog Campaign to Bridge Communication Gap between People and Their Dogs
To help improve the relationship people have with their dogs, The Academy for Dog Trainers, the Humane Rescue Alliance, The Bark Magazine, and The Pet Professional Guild have teamed up to launch iSpeakDog, a global campaign and website designed to help people better understand dog body language and behavior. The iSpeakDog Campaign, which will launch as a week-long campaign March 27 – April 1, 2017 but is already posting on Facebook, comes at a time when canine behavior is being studied more than ever — revealing that people often misinterpret… Continued
Total Recall
I suspect most dog owners wish their dogs could be off leash and enjoy themselves without restriction, or at least be free of the leash in most situations. In that ideal world a dog could assuredly be called back on cue and no harm would occur if he occasionally strayed afar. My personal dog stewardship is limited to five Labradors. Three of them were very safe off leash, one was pretty reliable and the other was…a bit sketchy. To tell the truth his recall was not sketchy at all. It… Continued
Pet Professional Guild Lines Up Canine Behavior Specialists for Podcasts on Breed Specific Legislation
In light of ongoing events in Montreal, PPG podcasts will feature a host of dog training and behavior experts to explain why breed bans are ineffective in reducing frequency of dog bites Starting next month, Pet Professional Guild (PPG) is to host a number of canine behavior experts in a series of podcasts to discuss why Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) is ineffective and potentially misleading. The move is part of PPG’s ongoing mission to deliver quality, up-to-date education on dog bite safety and force-free training and pet care to both… Continued
Meet Your Cat Where He Is
By Beth Adelman, MS “The problem many people have with their pets is simply that it’s not the pet they want,” said the veterinary behaviorist at a lecture I was attending. And an explosion of insight went off in my head. Sometimes, accurately naming a problem really does help you understand it. What did she mean? Sometimes we want a lap cat, and end up with a cat who likes to be in the same room (or even on the same piece of furniture) but not touching us. Sometimes we… Continued
Experts United: Breed Specific Legislation Does Not Work
The following is an excerpt from PPG’s recently released Position Statement on Breed Specific Legislation. Countless animal welfare organizations and professional bodies worldwide have issued position statements that comprehensively refute the efficacy of BSL as a means of reducing dog bites and increasing public safety. Victoria Stilwell, president of the Victoria Stilwell Academy for Dog Training and Behavior, and CEO of Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Training “Without exception, I stand firmly against BSL. The research has shown time and time again that BSL does not reduce dog bites in the… Continued
Breed Specific Legislation: Guesswork Based on Appearance
The following is an excerpt from PPG’s recently released Position Statement on Breed Specific Legislation. BSL (also known as Breed Discriminatory Legislation) is a law or legal ordinance that restricts or prohibits the ownership of certain breeds (or types) of dogs. In places where BSL has been implemented it varies from a complete ban of certain types of dogs to regulations imposing restrictions on ownership and special requirements including, but not limited to, mandatory muzzling; leash laws; special ‘housing’ (for example, fully enclosed cages); chaining; minimal wall enclosure height; mandatory… Continued
Breed Specific Legislation: No Evidence that It Works
The following is an excerpt from PPG’s recently released Position Statement on Breed Specific Legislation. BSL can and does result in the destruction of dogs. Research, however, would suggest that there is no evidence to support claims that BSL makes communities safer for people or companion animals. Indeed, there is little, if any, evidence to support any claims that BSL has reduced the number of dog bites. Here are some examples: • Denver, Colorado enacted a breed-specific ban in 1989. Citizens of Denver continue to suffer a higher rate of… Continued
What’s Breed Got to Do with It?
The following is an excerpt from PPG’s recently released Position Statement on Breed Specific Legislation. The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) is becoming increasingly alarmed at the number of dogs being seized or banned in a variety of communities worldwide based purely on their breed or appearance, allegedly in the interest of public safety. At the same time, there is little, if any, assessment of an individual dog’s behavior or environment, their owners’ knowledge of canine behavior and training, and/or their suitability as a dog guardian. PPG holds that Breed Specific… Continued
New Study Aims to Understand Behavior of Lost/Missing Cats
Lost cats that are not found by their families are a major contributing factor to the feral cat, homeless cat, and shelter cat populations. This is evident when you realize that the national “Return to Owner” (RTO) rate for stray cats that end up in animal shelters is 2 percent. That’s only 2 percent! Through education and research, Missing Pet Partnership (MPP), a Seattle-based national nonprofit organization, is working to change those statistics. “The majority of indoor-only cats that escape outside don’t travel very far,” says Kat Albrecht, founder of… Continued
Are You Ready for Your New Puppy? For How Many Years?
Puppies are just too cute, it is almost beyond words! However these cute puppies grow up very quickly and become ‘real’ dogs. The puppy stage only lasts for a few months and the honeymoon phase is often over after a couple of weeks of sleepless nights and urine stains on the carpet. So make sure what you really want is a dog and not just the puppy. Pointing out the obvious, a puppy is a 12 to 15 year commitment and a lot of things can change during this time.… Continued
Report from the Pet Professional Guild 4-Day Pet Care Technician Certification Program Workshop
Professional Pet Care requires knowledge, skills, individual competency and a high level of responsibility. I recently had the pleasure of attending and presenting at a 4-day workshop designed to do just that. In this blog post, I am going to give you a brief overview of the topics covered and some of the assessment exercises required to qualify as a Certified Pet Care Technician. Don’t worry, I will also share more information about the workshop and all the fun and learning which took place, along with my personal ‘take-home’ points,… Continued
See the Dog in Front of You
Anyone who has had more than one dog in their life has probably fallen into the pitfall of living many years with their “perfect” dog and then suffering a devastating loss. When another dog eventually enters our life we compare, looking at the dog before us through misty eyes and seeing the dog we wish we still had. Sometimes this sets everyone up for frustration and disappointment. At other times the consequence of faulty vision is catastrophic. My first two Labradors were safe and reliable off leash. Samantha was a… Continued
The Challenges of Teenage Dogs
Dog owners are not always prepared for the challenges of a teen-aged dog: This can include their emotional response and sometimes over the top reaction to certain stimuli, ‘forgotten’ training, increased exercise requirements, need for more mental stimulation, ongoing socialization and training. Many new dog owners will do a puppy pre-school and if the class is well run this will set them up to successfully navigate the first few months; house train their puppies, teach them to sleep in their designated area, get the first steps in training right, socialize… Continued
No Trainer Is an Island
When I opened my new dog training and behavior consulting business four months ago, I reached out to local veterinarians, groomers and boarding facilities. I also took a little time to research other trainers in my area to see who was out there and what kind of services were being offered in our community. It came as no surprise to find some of the national punishment-based chains . The good news is that I also found a handful of force-free trainers who shared my training philosophy and whose websites promoted… Continued
Prettier by Another Name
How much does a dog’s breed matter, particularly when that dog is of mixed breed heritage? When people are seeking a pet dog, breed, or, more likely, what they think they know about various breeds, can heavily influence their choices. But in the end, knowing — or guessing at — the dog’s mix of breeds doesn’t tell you very much about an individual dog. A shelter in Costa Rica, as described in Bark magazine, took a creative approach to communicating this message. Working with marketing professionals, the shelter promoted each mixed-breed… Continued
The Benefits of Keeping Cats Indoors
By Paula Garber, MEd, CATEP, CFTBS Some cat owners believe it’s “natural” for their cat to be outdoors, or that their cat won’t be happy unless given the opportunity to roam. These days, most pet cats aren’t as suited to outdoor life as one might think. They are simply ill equipped to successfully navigate the risks and dangers in the modern outdoor world. Understanding the Outdoor Dangers Indoor cats are protected from many threats and potential dangers. Keep this list handy for the next time you’re tempted to let your… Continued
The Perfect Dog
I have the perfect dog. He doesn’t bark, “potty” in the house, chew on furniture, or do ANY undesirable dog behaviors. Perhaps you have one too; mine is called Fido, and he’s a big stuffed dog! Real dogs bark, dig in the yard, eliminate in the house, whine, chew on furniture and other delectable human artifacts. And they do this unless the dog-guardian knows how to prevent the behavior from occurring while showing the dog what behaviors they’d like him to do. Unfortunately for a lot of our dogs, their… Continued
Getting to Know You …
I’ve worked in the service dog field for a long time — as a trainer and as an educator, teaching future trainers. The burning question is and has always been: How do we choose appropriate dogs for training? This post is not going to discuss the merits and disadvantages of breeding for service dogs versus choosing shelter or other available dogs. Trainers have had varying degrees of success with both approaches. More to the point, all these trainers face the same question, whether evaluating a puppy or an adolescent or… Continued