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Published quarterly and managed by Susan Nilson, "BARKS from the Guild" presents a collection of valuable business and technical articles as well as reviews and news stories pertinent to our industry. BARKS is the official publication of the Pet Professional Guild and is distributed free to all members.
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Issue No. 12 / May 2015
from the GuildBARKS
A Force-Free Publication from the Pet Professional Guild: By the Members for the Members
CONSULTINGCounterconditioning :Does It Work?
AVIANTransformationvia Enrichment
CANINEManaging Blindand Deaf Dogs
FELINEThe Essence ofInteractive PlayTRAININGThe Magic ofMilo the PigBEHAVIORAggression or Play?TRENDSThe Prison Dog Program
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www.petprofessionalguild.com
The Face of Fear: The Face of Fear: Nature vs. Nurture Nature vs. Nurture
BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
BARKS has taken on something of an international flavor thismonth with contributions from all over the world, including
Australia, Japan, Singapore, USA, Canada, England, Scotland andSpain. This is especially fitting, given that PPG has just announcedthe launch of chapters in both Australia and the British Isles, andexpects to expand to more countries in the very near future.Don’t miss the President’s Message or extended News section forall the details on this, as well as an update on the rollout of thePPG accreditation program for pet professionals, and a specialfeaturette on some of the incredible presenters who are liningup to wow us at the Force-Free Summit in November.
Our Cover Story this month focuses on fearful dogs, an all-too-common phenomenon regularly encountered by trainersand behavior consultants. We investigate the factors that com-bine to make dogs that way and what we, as professionals, can doto help both dog and owner navigate the daily challenges a littlemore easily.
Our Training section once again features Milo the pig, and of-fers some fascinating insight into recall, leash, heel and trick train-ing. We also examine the benefits of using games in behaviormodification programs and highlight some of the differences be-tween aggression and play in canine behavior and body language,both of which are often misinterpreted by dog owners.
In the course of our daily work, many of us will have comeinto contact with visually- and/or hearing-impaired dogs and weexplore both a little further in this issue, specifically with a viewto enhancing the life experiences of such dogs, as well as how todeal with potential behavior problems. It is especially importantthat we do not automatically assume a problem is a consequenceof the dog’s audio or visual impairment.
The topic of banning shock devices in dog training has beenvery much up for discussion in the Scottish parliament in the UKin recent months, and one of our UK-based members revealswhat she personally is doing to contribute to the debate and toencourage it to proceed in the right direction.
The pioneering British Columbia canine prison program isback in this issue with an update on progress so far, and we alsoexamine the issue of elderly owners being able to keep theirpets if and when they move into care homes, and what can bedone to ensure this is done safely and successfully on all sides.
Our Feline section this month focuses on the importance ofplay to ensure that our cats have a sufficient outlet for theirpredatory instincts and do not end up becoming “too domesti-cated.” Elsewhere, in our Avian section, we offer some compellingand invaluable insights into the importance of enrichment forbirds in captivity.
On the subject of behavior modification, we have an intrigu-ing article explaining exactly why counterconditioning “does notwork,” and delve into the importance of listening to our clientsto find out what they really want before jumping in with our “ex-pert” opinion.
Once again, thank you to all the contributors who makeBARKS possible. If you have an opinion or experience you wouldlike to share in BARKS, please do let us know.
Susan Nilson
From the Editor
Published by the Pet Professional Guild9122 Kenton Road, Wesley Chapel, FL 33545
Tel: 41 Dog-Train (413-648-7246) PetProfessionalGuild.com
petprofessionalguild.com/BARKSfromtheGuildfacebook.com/BARKSfromtheGuild
Editor-in-ChiefSusan Nilson
Contributing EditorsJan Casey, Patience Fisher, Elizabeth Traxler
Images © Can Stock Photo: canstockphoto.com
(unless otherwise credited; uncredited images belong to PPG)
The Guild Steering CommitteeFiona De Rosa, Diane Garrod, Debra Millikan, Susan Nilson,
Anne Springer, Angelica Steinker, Niki Tudge, Catherine Zehner
BARKS from the GuildPublished bi-monthly, BARKS from the Guild presents a
collection of valuable business and technical articles as well as reviews and news stories pertinent to our industry. BARKS is
the official publication of the Pet Professional Guild.
SubmissionsBARKS encourages the submission of original written materials. Please contact the Editor-in-Chief for contributor guidelines
prior to sending manuscripts or see: PetProfessionalGuild.com/ForcefreeindustrypublicationPlease submit all contributions via our submission form at:
PetProfessionalGuild.com/BFTGcontent
Membership ManagerRebekah King
Letters to the EditorTo comment on an author’s work, or to let us know what topics you would liketo see more of, contact the Editor-in-Chief via email putting BARKS in the subject line of your email. BARKS reserves the right to edit for length,
grammar and clarity.
AdvertisingPlease contact Niki Tudge at [email protected] to obtain a
copy of rates, ad specifications, format requirements and deadlines. Advertising information is also available at:
PetProfessionalGuild.com/AdvertisinginBARKSPPG does not endorse or guarantee any products, services or vendors
mentioned in BARKS, nor can it be responsible for problems with vendors ortheir products and services. PPG reserves the right to reject, at its discretion,
any advertising.
The Pet Professional Guild is a membership business league representingpet industry professionals who are committed to force-free training and
pet care philosophies, practices and methods. Pet Professional Guild members understand force-free to mean:
No Shock, No Pain, No Choke, No Prong, No Fear, No Physical Force, NoPhysical Molding and No Compulsion-Based Methods.
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5 MESSAGE FROMTHE PRESIDENTNiki Tudge’s bi-monthly update on current and upcoming projects
7 NEWS, EDUCATION & EVENTSAccreditation, Force-Free Summit, international chapters and more
18 NAVIGATING THE STORMMary Jean Alsina outlines what can be done to help fearful dogsfind life less challenging
24 THE PORCINE PHENOMENONLara Joseph shares her experiences of training Milo the pig
27 LESS IS MORE
Colleen Pelar investigates the issues of escape and avoidance in the child-dog relationship
28 LEARNING FOR REAL LIFEDiane Garrod explores the use of problem-solving games in behavior modification
30 PLAY VS. AGGRESSION
Maureen Tay outlines the difference between what is aggressive behavior and what is not
32 EMPOWERMENT FOR A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFEMiki Saito provides an insight into how to enrich the lives of visually-impaired and blind dogs
35 IT’SALL IN THE MANAGEMENT
Morag Heirs covers the topic of mouthing, grabbing and bite inhibition in hearing-impaired and deaf dogs
38 #BANTHESHOCKClaire Staines hopes Scotland will soon ban the use of e-collars and explains how she is contributing to the debate
40 A LIFEWITHOUT PETSFiona De Rosa and Fiona Warton outline the possibilities for allowing care home residents to keep their pets
43 ENDLESS POSSIBILITIESGail Radtke reports on developments in a pioneering K9 program at a British Columbia women’s correction center
46 A METAMORPHOSIS THROUGH PLAYInteractive play provides mental and physical stimulation so catsdo not become “too domesticated,” says Jane Ehrlich
47 FELINE BEHAVIOR UNMASKED
Jane Ehrlich responds to commonly asked questions about cats 48 STIMULATION FOR PSITTACINES
Amy Martin explores the key to transforming a parrot’s life in captivity via enrichment
51 STANDING UP FOR CHANGE
Louise Stapleton-Frappell interviews Niki Tudge, PPG’s founder and president
56 WHY COUNTERCONDITIONING “DOESN’TWORK”When counterconditioning is ineffective in behavior modification,the trainer is almost always the cause, says Angelica Steinker
58 A TALE OFTWO EXPERIENCESListening carefully to find out what clients really want is essentialto a successful consultant-client relationship, says John Visconti
60 MEMBER PROFILE: PRACTICING COMPASSION
Featuring Daniel Antolec of Happy Buddha Dog Training and PPG advocacy chair
62 BOOK REVIEW: FACT OR FICTIONGail Radtke reviews Beware the Straw Man: The Science Dog Explores Dog Training Fact & Fiction by Linda P. Case
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F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T
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one who appearson the show sowe can all learnfrom a cross-sec-tion of methodsused by the manyexperts outthere. We willalso host a dis-cussion aboutone of our recentBARKS articleswith the author so we can delve deeper and make sure we getall the great takeaways.
You may have already seen our press release last monthabout our new partnership with renowned dog trainer, VictoriaStilwell (see also page 9). This collaboration is a really good fit forPPG; having the endorsement of one so highly-respected in ourindustry is invaluable as we work together to further promoteforce-free positive dog training methods. We are keen to ensurethat the partnership yields great success on both sides as wemove forward together to educate and engage our respectiveaudiences.
Also last month, we released some exciting news about ourfirst international chapter when members of Delta ProfessionalDog Trainers Association (DPDTA) in Australia voted over-whelmingly to become PPG Australia. We are now working dili-gently with the local leadership team to support them torebrand and fully transition (see also page 7).
In its previous format, DPDTA was an Australian body offorce-free trainers, all of whom have studied with the Delta Soci-ety Australia Ltd and achieved a Certificate IV in behavioral train-ing or companion animal services, a nationally-recognizedqualification throughout Australia. Delta members are passionatebelievers in and practitioners of the use of scientifically proven,force-free, humane training methods for all animals, making thema perfect fit for PPG.
It has always been one of our top priorities to support pro-fessional international members and this marks the start of ourinternational transition and presence. We are currently in discus-sions to bring about four other international chapters so we canbetter serve our markets worldwide.
Next up is the PPG accreditation program. As many of you al-ready know, this project has been in the works for a while now.
Dear Fellow Force-Free Advocates,
First of all, welcome to BARKS May 2015. I hope you enjoy read-ing the incredible array of articles in this issue and don’t forgetto let us have your feedback.
As always, there is plenty going on at PPG. We are delightedto announce that we will roll out our first-ever pet services in-dustry survey next month. The goal of the survey is to provideyou, PPG members, with a snapshot of our industry, including up-to-date trends and benchmarks. We will offer the survey resultsat no extra cost to our members so we can keep you well-in-formed and help you operate your business at the highest levels.I believe you will find it very interesting and helpful. The surveywill be distributed by email and take around 30 minutes to com-plete. We are counting on your feedback as the subsequent re-port we will be able to put together will be well worth theinvestment of your time.
Next up, PPG World Service Radio Show is back and is evenbigger and better. I have persuaded Louise Stapleton-Frappell toco-host the show with me. Louise is a proud "Mum" to Jambo,the Staffy bull terrier trick dog. Jambo is the first Staffordshirebull terrier to achieve the title of Trick Dog Champion with DoMore with Your Dog. Louise already blogs for PPG and is a regu-lar contributor to BARKS. Together we are hoping we can createa fun, educational and informative show that is member-focused.So please do join us, bring your questions, expertise and a boat-load of humor. You can learn more about our show schedule, fea-tured guests and how you can join in by visiting PPG Radio.
Each month the show will feature an interview with a specialguest. We will also be asking similar training questions to every-
Spreading the Net
PPG WorldService RadioShow is back
on the airwaves
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Niki Tudge announces the inaugural PPG pet services survey, the launch of the PPG World
Service Radio Show and the much-anticipated professional accreditation program, as
PPG casts its reach further and further across the globe
The PPAB Credential
6 BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T
Niki Tudge is the founder of the PPG, www.petprofessional-guild.com, The DogSmith, www.dogsmith.com, a national dogtraining and pet-care license, and DogNostics Career Col-lege, www.dognosticselearning.com. Her professional creden-
tials include: CPDT-KA,NADOI – Certified, AABP-Professional Dog Trainer,AABP- Professional Dog Be-havior Consultant, DiplomaAnimal Behavior Technology,and Diploma Canine Behav-ior Science & Technology. She has business degreesfrom Oxford University (UK)and has published many arti-cles on dog training and be-havior. Her pet dog trainingbusinesses have been fea-tured in many publications,including the New York Times.
ReferencesPPG Radio: www.petprofessionalguild.com/PPG-BroadcastGuiding Principles: www.credentialingboard.com/Guiding-Principles
In fact, I was joined by Deb Millikan and Carole Husein to discussthe size of this project in early 2013 and we have been workingdiligently on it ever since. Now, two years later, we have a prod-uct we can be extremely proud of.
To ensure this credential is legally defensible and has integrity,we have formed a subdivision of PPG, known as the Pet Profes-sional Accreditation Board (PPAB), to manage and oversee theprogram. Accreditation will be available to both members andnon-members but, regardless, everyone who applies for or holdsthe credential will be held accountable to the same Guiding Prin-ciples (see box, left).
The accreditation program has been launched specifically tofill the void in the currently unregulated industry of animal train-ing and behavior. As we all know, at present, any individual whoso chooses can promote him- or herself as a dog trainer or ani-mal behavior consultant, regardless of academic credentials, skillsand knowledge. Thus, in order to address the need for consumerprotection and animal welfare, the PPAB is offering a professionalaccreditation program specifically designed to ensure trans-parency and accountability amongst pet professionals. We arevery proud of it and look forward to distributing our very firstaccreditations.
You can read much more about the PPAB and the accredita-tion program on pages 12-13, and be sure to check out the Newssection on pages 7-9 for more details on everything else cur-rently going on at PPG.
President - Pet Professional Guild
The PPAB Pledges We pledge to use our knowledge and skills for the benefitof pets and their owners.s We pledge to practice our profession conscientiously withdignity and in keeping with these principles. s We pledge to accept, as a lifelong obligation, the continualimprovement of professional knowledge and competence.s We pledge to commit to the highest professional and ethi-cal standards in any business practices and in the approach topet training and pet care.s We pledge to always treat customers with respect, kind-ness and caring.s We pledge to work openly and honestly with clients whoshare these values in their relationships with their pet andwho: enjoy working, playing and spending time with their pets;integrate their pets into their family and are willing to teachthem how to live in a human society; recognize and under-stand the value, effectiveness and power of force-free trainingmethods; are dedicated to optimizing the physical, social andmental well-being of their pets.
PPAB Professional Ethicss We always hold the pet’s welfare as our top priority. Thepets are the vulnerable component in the consultation processas they cannot offer informed consent.s The professional’s role is one that is beneficial to the petand never to his or her detriment. Always seek to do no harm.s We do not condone or endorse any treatment by a pet’sowner that is physically or mentally cruel. We will opt out of aconsulting agreement rather than attempt to manage an un-ethical course of action.s We only consult with clients who offer cases that we havethe professional competence to deal with.s We only use procedures, protocols and training tools thatare empirically based and have a proven track record.s We always consider communications with our clients privi-leged. We will only break that confidentiality if a pet is beingabused and the client cannot be dissuaded from using theircurrent approach. We always act according to local and statelaws in terms of reporting animal cruelty.s We recognize that the pet’s owner is responsible for theirpet and the owner has the right to make decisions about theprofessional treatment of their pet.s We ensure all communications are professional and basedon fact. s When discussing industry practices, trends or issues, wewill limit discussion to practices and consequences rather thanthe individuals using them thereby ensuring informed, profes-sional and civil exchanges that enrich members and the indus-try of force-free pet professionals.s We apply the following ethical principles to each situationwe encounter: respect for the freedom and dignity of others;do no harm; do good; act fairly; be faithful to promises made.Pet Professional Accreditation Board is a DBA of The Pet Professional
Guild, a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade organization
Niki Tudge
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Update from PPG Australia
PPG has announced the establishmentof its first overseas chapter in Aus-
tralia where, on April 4, 2015, membersof the Delta Professional Dog TrainersAssociation (DPDTA) voted overwhelm-ingly to become PPG Australia and oper-
ate under a licensing agreement with the US-based PPG.“Our members are passionate believers in and practitioners
of the use of scientifically proven, force-free, humane trainingmethods for all animals,” said DPDTA president, Stephanie Mc-Coll. “We are very excited to join the PPG family and to help ex-pand it with the addition of many excellent Australian trainerswho share the same guiding principles. To be able to tap into thevast reservoir of knowledge PPG holds is an invaluable opportu-nity for us and we have no doubt that, over time, our memberswill make their own unique contributions to that reservoir.”
- Petra Edwards Cert IV (Training & Assessment)
CAP 2 TAGTeach (Primary Certification)
The PPG World Service Radio Show is officially on air. Thebroadcast will initially take place once a month with a
goal to increase the frequency as the audience builds.PPG World Service is the official international e-
radio web-casting arm of PPG. Its mission is to pro-mote global news and views on force-free pet care,and to serve as an advocacy forum for force-freedog training and pet care issues.
The program hosts are PPG president, NikiTudge, and PPG member, Louise Stapleton-Frappell,well-known in the industry for her role as guardian ofJambo, the Staffy Trick Dog Champion, and Tessa theGerman shepherd.
“Together, we are hoping to create a fun, educational and in-
formative show that is member-focused,” said the pair, while en-couraging everyone to join them with their questions, expert-
ise and a “whole load of humor.”The first show has already aired and an exciting line-up
of guests is waiting in the wings. Many of our veryown BARKS contributors will be taking to the air-waves to discuss one of their recent articles, so besure to tune in to support them and weigh in with
your opinions.You can find an updated program schedule at
www.petprofessionalguild.com/Show-Schedule and, if youare interested in being featured on the show, thenplease contact the hosts (contact details can be
found in the same link).
PPG World Service Hits the Airwaves
Nicole Wilde Seminar
Back in February, a group of enthusiastic dog trainers,guardians and veterinary nurses attended a seminar con-
ducted by Nicole Wilde in Brisbane. Not to be deterred by thehorrendous cyclonic weather, we took in all Wilde had to say onhelping fearful dogs, separation anxiety and dog-dog play.
Wilde’s unique background in working with wolves providedvaluable insights into dog behavior and force-free training, espe-cially in the rehabilitation of fearful and anxious dogs. While eachof us no doubt took away different key ideas and skills, one ofthe recurring themes throughout the two days was the impor-tance of training, and mutual trust and respect between dog andguardian; the better you know how to train, the less you need touse force. The importance of carefully structured training plans,the rehabilitation of fears and anxieties through small and strate-gic successive approximations, and the significant role of manage-ment in training and behavior modification were also heavilyreinforced.
Furthermore, the intricate dynamics of dog-dog play werebroken down in slow motion video, with potentially dangerousscenarios like redirected activity, ganging up, limited mobility orbullying/ targeting highlighted, as well as the difficulties associatedwith dog parks and their lack of educated use.
A big thank you to Urban Dog Training for hosting the semi-nars, and an even bigger thank you to Nicole Wilde for being soincredibly generous with her time.
Applied Behavior Analysis is as Easy as ABC
Earlier this year Katrina Gregory (Dr. Kat) presented a semi-nar on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in Brisbane. Admit-
tedly, the topic can at times be rather dry and I have heard anumber of people criticize their overly clinical and non-personal-ized experiences in ABA with both animals and people. Thesepeople obviously have not seen Dr. Kat present, however.
Throughout the day, Dr. Kat generously shared her experi-ences in utilizing ABA as a tool when working with a number ofdifferent species over the course of her very extensive career.She was frank and honest, discussing not only her successes butalso her challenges. After introducing the audience to the con-cept of ABA, she then involved everyone in problem solvingsome of the current behavior challenges she was working with.The audience, hailing from a number of different organizationsand experience levels, relished in this exercise. Suggestions fromantecedent arrangement to teaching alternate behavior, to bettercontrolling or changing the available reinforcers for the behaviorswere all offered as suggestions.
Audience members were also offered an opportunity toproblem solve some of their own behavior challenges. Theseranged from attention seeking barking to hand-shy horses. Like
gleeful rainbow lorikeets, everyone had something to offer andleft with some new strategies to try out when they got home.
The feedback from the presentation was very positive withmany participants quickly achieving some great results. We thankDr. Kat for sharing her journey with us and have all gained somuch out of this seminar, not to mention how much the animalswe all work with and love will benefit.
- Justin Palazzo-OrrTraining Services Manager, Paws & Relax
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As chairperson ofPPG’s newly-
formed Cat Division, Iwant to ensure that the‘Pet’ in the PPG nameeffectively representscats as well as dogs.They are, after all, thenumber one ‘domestic’pet in the US. Accordingto the AVMA (2011-12),there are 86.4 millioncats, compared to 78.2million dogs; more households own dogs, but more householdshave two or more cats within the home.
We are as ‘force-free’ in our dealings with and training of catsas are our canine counterparts. It might be reasonably arguedwho exactly is being trained, the cat or the owner. To that end, Iwould like us—a group of committed volunteers heading the CatDivision who represent the cat professionals in PPG—to estab-lish and advocate that standard to individuals and organizationsassociated with the group.
Another goal I want to establish: a comprehensive groundingfor all PET members in dog-cat relationships, via a series of webi-nars and lectures covering subjects ranging from introductions of
new dogs or cats to resident pets, to similarities and differencesbetween the two species, to problems of aggression and fear thatoften arise in households where both species are part of thefamily dynamic.
In addition, we need to increase PPG membership of cat pro-fessionals. There are other feline-specific organizations, such asAAFP and International CatCare, and the cat divisions of otherbehavior organizations; however, only PPG establishes a force-free purpose. Offering that foundation through lectures both dig-ital and personal will promote this goal, as well as the basics ofthe feline mentality that pet professionals, particularly feline, re-quire.
To this end, I would like to build a stronger participation(partnership?) in future PPG conferences, with lectures on catbehavior, cat-dog relationships and problems that can arise fromthem. This would be of great use, not only to the feline special-ist, but to the dog professional who is likely to encounter suchissues in consults. The popularity of such an event could lead to aPPG feline conference in the future and help achieve an in-creased number of cat professionals for our membership.
This can only happen with a strong group of dedicated volun-teers for our Cat Division who can work together in teams andgenerate ideas to expand our structure.
- Jane Ehrlich ACBCFeline Behavior Consultant
PPG Launches Cat Division
Advocacy Committee Update
The PPG Advocacy Committee is pleased to welcome MaryJean Alsina of The Canine Cure LLC (New Jersey, USA) and
Jamie Schwoerer of Kodiaks Canine Connection (Wisconsin,USA) as its newest members.
“We continue collecting scientific studies on subjects relevantto our primary goal of reducing or eliminating the use of shockdevices in dog training. There is a lot of information to gatherand sort through, and the additional committee members will behelpful,” said advocacy chair, Dan Antolec.
See www.petprofessionalguild.com/Advocacy for more details.
Become A State/Country Greeter
PPG has initiated a state and country greeter program. Newmembers can click on the relevant region to find out who is
their state or country greeter. Greeters will make themselvesavailable by email or telephone to answer any questions theymay have.
There are still slots to be filled so, if you are already a mem-ber and would like to participate, sign up here: www.petprofessionalguild.com/New-Member-Greeters.
In Memoriam
PPG is saddened to announce the passing of member PaulaLancaster of Highland, Indiana. Ms. Lancaster’s passion was
working with and saving rescue dogs.“Sitting here with a seven-year-old rescue dog from a very
difficult background, I am thinking of Paula Lancaster,” wrote PPGmember, Leslie Clifton. “If she were here she would be ecstaticto know that this dog has finally landed in the home he deserves.And that is how I came to know Paula, discussing various dogs inour care, on Facebook. Paula was selflessly dedicated to makingthe world a better place for animals. She had a huge heart. Therewas always room to care for one more needy animal. Her kind-ness extended to her human friends, always there with an en-couraging word.”
Ms. Lancaster’s obituary can be found at www.obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Paula-Lancaster&lc=1587&pid=174382275&mid=6360147.
Jane Ehrlich,chairperson ofPPG’s new CatDivision
PPAB on FacebookFollowing the launch of the Pet Professional Accreditation Board(PPAB), a Facebook page has been set up for applicants and inter-ested parties and to promote further education about force-freetraining. Join the conversation at: www.facebook.com/pages/Pet-Professional-Accreditation-Board/1582417875309254. For moreinformation about PPAB, see pages 12-13.
In the final week of April, PPG established its second overseaschapter, PPG British Isles (PPGBI). Steering Committee mem-
bers include PPG president, Niki Tudge, and PPG members ClaireStaines, Louise Stapleton-Frappell,Stephanie Presdee, Denise O'Mooreand Carole Husein. Tudge, Staines andPresdee also sit on PPGBI’s EthicsCommittee. More international chap-ters are in the works as PPG contin-ues to expand its reach.
PPG Launches British Isles Chapter
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WorkshopsPet Care Certification Program with Rebekah King,Melody McMichael, Angelica Steinker and Niki Tudge:
Three-Day Workshop to Help You Professionalize Your Pet Care Business (Tampa, FL)
Friday, June 5, 2015 - 9:30 a.m. (EDT) - Sunday, June 7, 2015 - 6 p.m. (EDT)
A Weekend Of Canine Fun - Up Your Training Game!A Two-Day Dog Training Workshop with Niki Tudge
and Angelica Steinker (Tampa, FL)Saturday, July 11, 2015 - 8:30 a.m. (EDT) -
Sunday, July 12, 2015 - 5:30 p.m. (EDT)Learn How to Train 16 Obedience Cues
Level - IntermediateA Five-Day Dog Training Workshop with
Angelica Steinker and Niki Tudge (Tampa, FL)Saturday, July 11, 2015 - 8 a.m. (EDT) -
Wednesday, July 15, 2015 - 6 p.m. (EDT)A Weekend Of Canine Fun - Up Your Training Game!A Two-Day Dog Training Workshop with Niki Tudge
and Angelica Steinker (Tampa, FL)Saturday, August 22, 2015 - 8:30 a.m. (EDT) -
Sunday, August 23, 2015 - 5:30 p.m. (EDT)Learn How to Train 16 Obedience Cues
Level - IntermediateA Five-Day Dog Training Workshop with
Angelica Steinker and Niki Tudge (Tampa, FL)Monday, September 21, 2015 - 8 a.m. (EDT) -
Friday, September 25, 2015 - 6 p.m. (EDT)A Weekend Of Canine Fun - Up Your Training Game!A Two-Day Dog Training Workshop with Niki Tudge
and Angelica Steinker (Tampa, FL)Saturday, October 17, 2015 - 8:30 a.m. (EDT) Sunday, October 18, 2015 - 5:30 p.m. (EDT)
Live WebinarsHands On Business Coaching - Business Bites. OutThink, Out Smart, Out Grow Your Competition
with Niki TudgeMonday, May 11, 2015 - 5 p.m. (EDT) -
Monday, August 17, 2015 - 6 p.m. (EDT)Learn How to Train a Missing Animal Response (MAR) Dog with Kat Albrecht
Monday, May 18, 2015 - 8 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. (CDT)Learn About The Genetics of Canine Aggression
with Dr. Jessica HekmanWednesday, May 20, 2015 - 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. (CDT)
Learn How to Play SprinklesTM and the Benefits ItBrings to Our Canine Partners with Sally Hopkins
Saturday, June 6, 2015 - 12 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. (EDT)Learn How To Safely Structure and Teach Reactive
Dog Classes with Tristan FlynnWednesday, June 17, 2015 - 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. (EDT)Want to Be a Better Public Speaker?
Learn How To Develop Effective Public Speaking Skillswith Niki Tudge
Wednesday, June 24, 2015 - 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. (EDT)Can Dogs Discriminate Emotional Expressions of
Human Faces with Dr. Corsin MüllerTuesday, June 30, 2015 - 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. (EDT)
Are Cats Really the Independent Animals We BelieveThey Are? New Research Suggests Not
with Dr. Isabella MerolaSunday, July 12, 2015 - 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. (EDT)
Learn How To Effectively Manage Groups of Dogs in anOff-Leash Environment with Kathy Sdao
Wednesday, August 12, 2015 - 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. (EDT)
Details of all upcoming webinars can be found at:www.petprofessionalguild.com/GuildScheduledEvents
A recording is made available within 48 hours of all PPG webinarsDetails of all upcoming workshops can be found at:
www.petprofessionalguild.com/Workshops.
Upcoming PPG Events
Stilwell Joins PPG Special Council
PPG has partnered with renowned dog trainer and televisionpersonality, Victoria Stilwell, to sit on its Special Council as
part of ongoing efforts to promote humane, force-free trainingmethods for all pets in a currently unregulated industry.
PPG’s Special Council comprises an elite group of leading ex-perts who not only endorse and support PPG and its GuidingPrinciples, but also have a vast range of experience and knowl-edge to contribute in the ongoing education and engagement offorce-free pet care and training methods industry-wide. PPG’sGuiding Principles define force-free training to mean that noshock, pain, choke, prong, fear, physical force, physical molding orcompulsion-based methods are ever employed in the training ofor caring for a pet. Not only are forceful and aversive methodscompletely outdated, scientifically unsound and, ultimately, inef-fectual, they are also, in fact, counter-productive in terms of pro-
viding any kind of lasting solution to any animal behavior problem.“This collaboration with Victoria Stilwell is an excellent fit for
PPG,” said Niki Tudge, PPG’s founder and president. “Having theendorsement of someone so highly respected in our industry isof monumental importance for PPG as we go from strength tostrength in our mission to promote force-free training across theboard. I am certain that this partnership will yield great successfor both parties as we move forward together to educate andengage our respective audiences.”
“I am honored to join PPG’s Special Council and fully sup-port its mission to educate pet professionals and pet ownersabout the value and effectiveness of science-based, force-freetraining methods,” added Stilwell.
Full details of the Special Council can be found at www.petprofessionalguild.com/TheGuildSpecialCouncil.
10 BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
E V E N T S
Tucked away on 23 acres is the DogSmith Canine EventCenter, the perfect backdrop for the Helping Dogs
Thrive: Tellington TTouch® & Other Life-Enhancing Tech-niques workshop, which was designed to teach trainersand pet parents how to get in touch with their caninecompanions and help them overcome life’s obstacles.Tellington TTouch® should be calm, slow and gentle withcomplete focus on the animal. Being so close to the Floridawilderness and wildlife provided that peaceful environmen-tal connection I needed to work with my dog and theother attendees.
I first learned about Tellington TTouch® from my men-tor and PPG founding member, Leah Roberts. Several yearsago when I was new to training, she told me she had seenit in action and knew how much it could help animalsunder the jurisdiction of capable and qualified hands. At thetime, I was really excited about it, so cracked open the firstpage of the book she lent me but then forgot all about it asmy time and schedule were quickly eaten up by groupclasses, private lessons and the incessant notification of myGoogle Calendar.
When I saw Lori Stevens would be teaching this partic-ular workshop, I once again remembered that lonely booksitting on my shelf and immediately signed up. In prepara-tion, I read every book on the subject and watched everyvideo I could find. I have a reactive 14-year-old girl athome, Kenzie, who has made leaps and bounds the pastyear, and I wanted Tellington TTouch® to help her continueher journey into the world without fear and anxiety. I eventried working with her before the workshop and, much tomy surprise, I could see her opening up to me, offering memore of her body to touch, even areas she usually hatedbeing touched. I surely had to be doing something right.
While I might have been doing many things correctly, Iquickly learned on the first day of the seminar that I wasmissing one very important component: I was not “con-nected” to Kenzie. My brain was still thinking about what Iwas going to do next, what I was going to eat for dinner orthe tasks I needed to complete before going to bed. Therewas too much noise going on inside my head and I was for-getting to just be there with my dog, for my dog. Therewere things she was trying to tell me, like where shewanted to be touched, what techniques she liked best or
A Gentle Reminder to Listen Lina McGroarty reports on her experience at PPG’s recent
workshop on Tellington TTouch® and Other
Life-Enhancing Techniqueshow she found itmore comforting tolook into my eyesand snuggle into mylap when I touchedthe places she wasa little uncertainabout. My dogwas trying totalk to me andI was thinkingabout my din-ner. I felt awfulwhen I real-ized howmuch I wasmissing.
Aside fromthat connec-tion, the semi-nar taught meseveral usefulTTouch tech-niques, how todo basic bodywraps and howto walk in bal-ance with mydog. What Ilearned most ofall though is thatsometimes I fallinto the terriblehabit of forget-ting to listen tomy animals. As atrainer, I spend so muchtime listening to the dogsI work with on a dailybasis because, moreoften than not, theirguardians are misinter-preting their behavior.
Lori Stevens (left) demonstrates the differencebetween one or two points of contact for a dogwhen being walked (two gives dogs more information and allows them to interpret ourmovements better) - with Christopher McGroarty
Stevens puts a head wrap (to bring awareness toareas around the face and head that normallymight be tense) on a model dog
Jeanine Brawnwith Oz
Lina McGroartywith Demi
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E V E N T S
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Lina McGroarty CPDT-KA is a certified Fun Scent Gamesinstructor and official mentor trainer for CATCH CanineTrainers Academy. She owns and operates DOG WILLINGPositive Training Solutions – The DogSmith of Northeast Or-lando, www.dogsmith.com/north-east-orlando, with her hus-band.
However, I was overlooking some of the messages my owndogs were trying to communicate to me.
Stevens told us a story about a training session whereher dog was practicing targeting her feet on a stool. Atfirst, she could not figure out why the dog was having somuch trouble, especially when the exercise should havebeen a breeze for her. So she leaned down and put herhand on the stool. It was hot! Much too hot for the dog’spaws. All the stress signals she had witnessed were her dogtrying to tell her the stool was too hot.
Relationship building and communication were com-mon themes in all the exercises we did at the seminar.Even when we practiced the Half Wrap on our dogs, thewrap communicated awareness to the body and nervoussystem through gentle, non-invasive pressure. Again, whenwe were learning how to do Noah’s March, a TTouchBodywork Technique, on each other, I felt a calm sort of
communication as my back was touched. Same again whenwe learned how to walk in balance with our dogs usingtwo points of contact and breathing: subtle body move-ments and breathing helped the dogs become more con-scious of our expectations.
Stevens is a phenomenal presenter with an easy-going,considerate approach to teaching. On the second day, shereminded us to go slowly and at our dog’s pace. She said,“These dogs didn’t sign up for the workshop. You did!” Butmy dogs, cats and I are glad I did and would like to thankher for such an enlightening and valuable workshop. n
(Above) Fun in the Sun workshop attendees (backrow, left to right): Colleen O’Neill, Mollie Cutler, Lorraine Clark, Carol Brown; (front row, leftto right): Andrew Kay, Melissa Jensen, JR Robaina,Debi Armstrong and Angelica Steinker with Power
As part of its ongoing workshop program fordog owners, pet enthusiasts, individuals ex-
ploring the pet industry and those already in it,PPG ran a five-day level one event at its Floridaheadquarters in February to teach participantsprofessional dog training skills while their petdogs also learned some new skills and tricks.
The workshop involved both classroom in-struction and hands-on training, and attendeesalso had the opportunity to try out dock diving,agility and lure coursing. As is standard in PPG’straining programs, the event was packed full ofgames and fun exercises for both participantsand their dogs with a good time had by all. n
Force-Free Training and Fun in the Sun
Mollie Cutler with Bell
Colleen O’Neillwith Angel
Debi Armstrongwith Grace
BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
A C C R E D I T A T I O N
It’s finally here! The much anticipated Pet Professional Accredi-tation Board (PPAB), operated by the Pet Professional Guild, ispoised for rollout. The pilot program has already been launched,with the full accreditation program following hot on its heels.
To address the need for consumer protection, animal welfareand a high level of skill proficiency, the PPAB is offering a profes-sional accreditation program that ensures transparency and ac-countability among pet trainers and behavior consultants. Theprogram’s goal is to provide a meaningful credential that sup-ports pets and their owners and guarantees an unprecedentedhigh level of competency for force-free pet professionals. To thatend, applicants will be rigorously tested, both on paper and inpractice, for their skills and knowledge in the fields of learningtheory; biology and anatomy; ethology, body language and obser-vational skills; canine health, development and life stages; businessand consulting skills and best practices and, finally, scientific andpractical method.
Given that there is, to date, no government oversight in thefields of pet training and behavior, any individual who so choosescan promote him- or herself as a dog trainer or animal behaviorconsultant, regardless of academic credentials, skills and knowl-edge. As such, anyone is free to open and conduct business,which runs the risk of leaving pet owners unaware of the differ-ences between “balanced” training, positive reinforcement train-ing, and dog training and behavioral counseling in general.
The PPAB program is independent of any industry school,trade school, college or credentialing body. Applicants who passthe accreditation requirements earn specific titles which may be
used aftertheirnames.
Appli-cants donot haveto be ac-tive PPGmembersto applyand be-come ac-creditedthroughPPAB, butmustmeet and
maintain the eligibilitycriteria.
All accreditationholders must earn con-tinuing education unitsto maintain the titlesearned. They must alsoadhere to PPAB's Guid-ing Principles, a col-lection ofprofessional ethicsand non-negotiablebusiness practices andoperational practices.
The VisionPPAB envisions a worldwhere people and petscan live together to theirmutual benefit and wherepets can live and function free from physical and mental pain,stress and fear as valued family members.
The MissionPPAB’s mission is to help make every pet a valued member of hisor her family and improve the relationship and the quality of lifepeople share with their pets by:s Providing the greatest value and highest quality, state-of-
the-art, force-free, scientifically based pet training and pet carefor each client.sAlways demonstrating integrity, compassion and an uncom-
promising commitment to excellence in the care and support ofclients and their pets.sAs professionals, continually expanding our knowledge and
improving our skills to serve our clients as a valuable resource,providing the most innovative pet training and pet care possible.s Committing to not using shock, choke or prong collars,
fear, physical force, or physical molding or any compulsion-basedmethods of pet care or dog training.
EligibilityPPAB has strict eligibility requirements. As stated above, all appli-cants must agree to the PPAB Guiding Principles and operatingpolicies. A violation in this code of ethics will result in an imme-diate removal of any accreditation credentials.
Announcing the launch of the Pet Professional Guild AccreditationBoard, advocating for skill competency, consumer transparency and
professional accountability for pet industry service providers
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Two years in the making, the Pet Professional Accreditation Board program is finally
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All accreditation holders will have apersonalized PPAB membership card
Pet Professional Accreditation Board
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ReferencesPet Professional Accreditation Board: www.credentialingboard.comPPG Force-Free Summit: www.petprofessionalguild.com/Force-Free-SummitPPAB Guiding Principles: www.credentialingboard.com/Guiding-PrinciplesCase Studies: www.credentialingboard.com/Case-StudyCoaching Skills/ Videos: www.credentialingboard.com/Coaching-Skill-VideosTraining Skills/ Videos: www.credentialingboard.com/Training-Skill-Videos
STOP PRESS!The PPAB program has several components BUT we havemade it really easy in that applicants can test for ALL AREASof the program at PPG’s Force-Free Summit in Tampa, Florida
on November 11-13, 2015. Register today!www.petprofessionalguild.com/Force-Free-Summit
BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
Scientifically Sound, Skilled TrainersConsumer Protection Animal WelfareFilling the Void in an Unregulated IndustryHigh Level of CompetencyRigorous TestingIndependent CredentialingTransparency Accountability©
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Eligibility Requirements: s Applicants must be over the age of 21.s All applicants must be able to demonstrate 300 hours ex-
perience of group training classes and/or 150 hours of privatetraining consultations to be eligible to apply for the accredita-tion. One training hour unit is defined as 1 x 60 minutes of pri-vate training or 1 x 60 minutes of one group class. s Applicants must have completed 30 continuing education
credit hours (CEU) at professional seminars, workshops and/orwebinars during the previous three years or less. s Applicants can be either full-time or part-time profession-
als; eligibility is determined by the number of hours of experience.s Applicants must provide proof of business insurance
(North America, Australia and any other countries that provideprofessional insurance).s Applicants must have a professional and up-to-date web-
site or a professional Facebook business page reflecting theircomplete business details, address, contact information, trainingphilosophy and services offered. The website must include infor-mation that is required to ensure consumer transparency.s Applicants must provide two written references from fel-
low professionals confirming their date of entry into the industryand confirming their logged hours of training. s Renewal eligibility occurs every 24 months. Applicants
must provide proof of 20 CEUs and a $45 renewal fee. s A government issued photo ID for the proctored exami-
nation.
The Accreditation ProcessFor Professional Canine Trainers (Accredited) (PCT-A) and Pro-fessional Canine Behavior Consultants (Accredited) (PCBC-A):Accreditation Gatekeeper One - Check You Are Eligibles Determine if you meet the eligibility criteria.s Prepare your eligibility documents -
Your professional hourly log.Your continued education units track record.Your professional references x 2.Your professional insurance document (North America,
Australia and any other countries that provide professional insur-ance).Accreditation Gatekeeper Two - Your Application Fees Apply for accreditation and pay your non-refundable ap-
plication fee. s Receive your application confirmation email from PPAB
with your document submission form and link.s Complete your document submission form and attach all
the necessary documents. s Submit your eligibility documents.
Successful completion of Gatekeeper Two means you, the appli-cant, have met the required criteria and have been given thegreen light to proceed to Gatekeeper Three.Accreditation Gatekeeper Three (A) - Online Tests Pay your accreditation fee.s Receive your confirmation email that the accreditation fee
has been received.s Schedule your online proctored exam. s Take you proctored exam.s Receive your exam results.Upon successful completion of the proctored exam the appli-
cant will be eligible to move on to Gatekeeper Three (B). Examscan be retaken after three months and for an additional $65.Accreditation Gatekeeper Three (B) - Exam VideosThe applicant will now be required to submit via email the videolinks as follows:s Ten x one- to three-minute videos showing the applicant
training the documented skills as specified in the Training Skills/Videos document. s One x 10-minute video showing the applicant teaching a
student (or students), as specified in the Coaching Skills/ Videosdocument.Accreditation Gatekeeper Four - Requirements for Professional Canine Behavior Consultants (Accredited)Upon successful completion of Accreditation Gatekeeper Three (B),the applicant will be asked to provide four case studies as speci-fied in Case Studies. These will be submitted as per the templatedocument, Case Study, to be provided by PPAB. n
BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
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Keynote Speaker: Dr. Karen Overall MA VMD PhD DACVB CAAB
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The Pet Professional Force-Free Summit
Dr. Karen Overall is a Diplomate of the American College ofVeterinary Behaviorists (DACVB) and is certified by the An-
imal Behavior Society as an applied animal behaviorist (CAAB).She has served on the faculties of both the veterinary and med-ical schools at the University of Pennsylvania where she hastaught undergraduates, graduate students and professional stu-dents, and previously ran the Behavior Clinic at Penn Vet for overa dozen years. She is also a renowned and respected author, pre-senter and educator.
Dr. Overall lectures at veterinary schools worldwide and isan adjunct associate professor at the University of Missouri, Col-lege of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences.
Dr. Overall’s research focuses on neurobehavioral genetics ofdogs, the development of normal and abnormal behaviors, andhow we assess behavior, especially as concerns working dogs. Shewill cover the following topics in her four-hour presentation atthe PPG Summit:
- The dog brain in evolution and daily life.- The neurobiology of reactivity and stress.- Assessing behavior - what does testing tell us?- No fear - redefining humane behavioral care.
Join us for PPG’s inaugural, educational convention in Tampa, Florida!
The Force-Free Summit: Reaching for a Higher Standard
November 11 - 13, 2015- Special Hotel Rates
- Special Meal and Pricing Packages- Outstanding Presenter Line-Up
- Interactive and Fun FormatRegister TODAY!
S U M M I T
BARKS from the Guild/May 2015 15
Chirag Patel Guest Speakers Include:
Chirag Patel has a BSc (Hons) in veterinary sciences from theRoyal Veterinary College in London, UK as well as a post
graduate certificate at the University of Lincoln, UK in clinical an-imal behavior under veterinary behaviorists, Professor DanielMills and Helen Zulch.
Patel consults with pet owners, organizations such as GuideDogs for the Blind UK and Kong as well as consulting with zoos.He also gives seminars internationally, writes for popular dog
magazines and blogs, workspart time as an assistanthead of canine training andbehaviour at Dogs Trust,and is a scientific advisorfor the British and Irish As-sociation of Zoos andAquariums Training Group.
He will present a work-shop and LAB session ontwo days at the PPG Sum-mit, focusing on shaping theperfect patient by empow-ering canine learners.
Dr. Soraya Juarbe-DiazDr. Juarbe-Diaz has the longest established behavior referral
practice in the state of Florida. Known as Dr. JD, she re-ceived a BS in biology in 1983 and her DVM degree in 1987, bothfrom Cornell University. She was in mixed practice for about 11⁄2years and in small animal practice for 51⁄2 before returning to heralma mater for specialty training in veterinary behavior medicine.
Dr. JD will present on two topics at the PPG Summit:- Would my client's dog benefit from medication? How to
identify dogs who needpsychopharmacologic inter-vention; normal vs. abnor-mal behaviors and how totell them apart.
- You're not a doctorbut can you play one onTV? Psychopharmacologywithout breaking the law;the basics and beyond, andhow to work with a veteri-narian so your student canget the best treatment pos-sible.
Dr. Michelle DudaDr. Michelle Duda PhD, BCBA-D is a senior level board certifiedbehavior analyst (BCBA-D). Dr. Duda’s professional roles includescientist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill andthe founder and president of the coaching and research firm, Im-plementation Scientists, LLC.
Dr. Duda has over 15 years experience investigating and con-ducting practical applications of best practices associated withbehavioral interventions to improve outcomes for consumers.
She has served as a con-sultant, researcher, trainer,professor and is a pub-lished author specializing ineducation, early interven-tion, applied behavioranalysis, autism and mentalhealth/substance abuse.
Her session at the PPGSummit will focus on howto implement best prac-tices for coaching to effi-ciently and effectivelyachieve results.
Ken McCortKen McCort owns and operates Four Paws training center in
Doylestown, Ohio. He is a certified evaluator and evaluator-instructor with the Pet Partner program and has taught animalbehavior at the University of Akron (Ohio), Columbus State Uni-versity, the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine,the Midwest Veterinary Conference, the Society of Anthrozoolo-gists, the International Association of Animal Behavior Consult-ants, the Association of Professional Dog Trainers and many
other animal relatedgroups.
He will be at the PPGSummit on all three daysand will present on fourtopics, including:
- Breed specific behav-ior.
- Management andtraining when dealing withundesirable behavior.
- Learning to think.- Adapting to new envi-
ronments.
These are just a few of the many highly-qualified and experienced presenters who will be speaking at the PPGSummit. See www.petprofessionalguild.com/Force-Free-Summit for more information on all the presenters, the
venue, accommodation and meal options, the program, pricing and packages, sponsors and vendors AND MUCH MORE...
BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
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CEUs: CCPDT 21/IAABC 36
www.petprofessionalguild.com/event-1866707
More information and online registration: www.petprofessionalguild.com/event-1868493
Intermediate Level Dog Training Workshop with Niki Tudgeand Angelica Steinker
Fun in the Sun - Up Your Training Gamewith Niki Tudgeand Angelica Steinker
A Five-Day Workshop in Tampa, FloridaSaturday, July 11, 2015 - 8 a.m. (EDT) - Wednesday, July 15, 2015 - 6 p.m. (EDT)
Learn how to train 16 obedience skills and all the trimmings!This workshop includes five days of hands on learning, fun and
practical applications for you and your dog. Attendees will learnthe skills of a professional dog trainer while their pet dogs alsolearn some new skills and tricks. Participants will enjoy eighthours a day of classroom instruction combined with hands-ontraining. The program is suitable for both beginner and interme-diate dog trainers.
Key Topics Covered:- Learning and Behavior- Functionally Analyzing Behavior- Operant Conditioning- Respondent Conditioning- Canine Health and Handling- Reinforcement Types and Schedules
- Using Antecedent and Postcedent Training Protocols- Using Play to Motivate and Reinforce Behaviors- Developing Training Strategies - Behavior Chains
Key Practical Skills Covered:- Shaping, Luring, Targeting and Capturing- Differential Reinforcement and its Role in Resolving ProblemBehaviors- 16 Pet Dog Obedience Skills- Practical Application of Reinforcement Strategies- A Fun Afternoon Dock Diving, Lure Coursing and Agility Training- Problem Solving for Difficult Situations
CEUs: CCPDT 16/IAABC 16/KPA 16/PPG 16
Enjoy two action-packed days of creative fun activities whileyou craft your trade and become a more well-rounded dog
trainer. Under the expert guidance of Niki Tudge and Angelica
Steinker, attendees will learn the skills of a professional whiletheir pet dogs also learn some new skills and tricks. Eight hoursinstruction each day will be split between classroom lectures andtraining fun. The program is suitable for beginner and intermedi-ate dog trainers.
Key Topics Covered:- What is Learning and Behavior and What is it Not!- The Skinny on Operant Conditioning- The Use of Differential Reinforcement to Solve Training Prob-lems- Key Operant Conditioning Protocols, Shaping, Capturing,
Targeting and Luring- Reinforcement Types and Schedules- Using Play to Motivate and Reinforce Behaviors
Key Practical Skills Covered:- Shaping, Luring, Targeting and Capturing- Eight Pet Dog Obedience Skills
More information and onlineregistration:
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A Two-Day Workshop in Tampa, Florida Saturday, July 11, 2015 - 8:30 a.m. (EDT) - Sunday, July 12, 2015 - 5:30 p.m. (EDT)
Working and Auditor Spots Available
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E D U C A T I O N
CEUs: CCPDT 14.5 Trainers, BehaviorConsultants/IAABC 29
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If you are a pet care provider, aspiring pet professional, dog be-havior consultant, dog trainer, rescue professional, fosterer or atrainee in any of these disciplines, then this program will give youall the skills you need to safely practice in the pet industry. It hasbeen designed to cover everything you will need to become acertified pet care technician (CPCT) and more.
Each day participants will enjoy eight hours of classroom andLAB tuition and hands-on training with a selection of presenterscovering a wide array of topics, including: s How Pets Learn - includes a detailed overview of operantand respondent conditioning with hands-on examples and videoanalysiss Canine Behavior and Social Communication - learning thelanguage of dogs and understanding the canine social behaviorand communication systems; learning about affiliate and agonisticcommunication and passive and active appeasement behaviors;understanding dog bite inhibition and bite thresholdss Canine and Feline Anatomy and Physiology - a study of dogand cat anatomy and important compo-nents of their physiologys Canine and Feline Health and Han-dling - includes common canine and feline healthissues, vaccination protocols and importantdaily and emergency handling skillss Pet First Aid and Emergency Protocols - avery detailed module that covers in depththe many potential emergency situations youmay, through first aid, need to manage priorto a pet in your care being attended to by aveterinarian
More information and online registration: www.petprofessionalguild.com/event-1824616
s Pet Care Tools, Equipment, Toys and Supplies - learning howto identify appropriate equipment and use it safely, as well asmore practical applications, e.g. desensitization protocolss Bonus Module: Bump Start Your Business – this module cov-ers the key and critical skills required for growth with anoverview of how to create a simple but effective marketing plan
Certification ProtocolWorking registrants will have the option to take a certificationtest online after the event to achieve the CPCT designation.
Auditors will be required to complete the test and submitvideos to show competency in mechanical skills across severaldisciplines.
Pet Care Certification ProgramA Three-Day Workshop in Tampa, Florida
Friday, October 9, 2015 - 9:30 a.m. (EDT) - Sunday, October 11, 2015 - 6 p.m. (EDT) Working and Auditor Spots Available
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Topics may include training,ethology, learning theory, behavior specifics... or
anything else you can thinkof. We’ll even do some practice runs with you tohelp you along (if you
need them!)
HOST A WEBINAR FOR PPG!
We invite our members to get involvedand contribute their unique skills to our
webinar program! If you would like to host a webinar for your fellow companion
animal trainers and behavior professionals, submit your ideas to: www.PetProfessionalGuild.com/PresentaPPGmemberWebinar.
DOG & BABY SUPPORT HOTLINE1-877-247-3407
18 BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
C O V E R S T O R Y
Fearful behavior in dogs is now known to have a genetic component meaning that,
regardless of early learning and environmental influences, some dogs will still find daily life
to be challenging and threatening. Mary Jean Alsina outlines what can be done to help
these dogs – and their owners - in terms of behavior modification
“I'm not afraid of storms, for I'm learning how to sail my ship.” - Louisa May Alcott
Many dogs who come into this world quickly learn thatthere are many storms of which to be afraid. Thesestorms come in many guises: other dogs, bearded men,
men in general, vacuum cleaners, leaves rustling, visits to the vetand a whole myriad of other spooky things. Fearful dogs see theworld around them as a very unsafe environment in which tolive, relax and enjoy the lives they so deserve. They do not knowhow to steer the ship and so they need our guidance.
As owners, trainers, behavior consultants andveterinarians, we can all do our part in helpingsuch dogs see the light at the end of thetunnel. For some, the tunnel may beshort, while for others it can be along, arduous journey to come out onthe other side. However long the jour-ney though, it is in our best interestto make sure that dogs exhibitingfearful behavior are never placed in aposition where they constantly haveto come face-to-face with theobject(s) of their fears. In addition, weneed to show them on a daily basis that, fromnow on, their fears will take on an entirely dif-ferent meaning.
Many times, dogs are observed with theirowners and it is quite clear to the trained eyethat the dog is experiencing fear whilethe owner is, justifiably, oblivious. Somany owners that I encounter in mytraining sessions are not even surewhat signs to look for, unless the dog isopenly running away from what is scar-ing them. Yet the tell-tale signs of fearare always present when a dog is feelingfear and is over threshold. Body lan-guage signals can include a loweredbody, tail down or tucked, ears back, lipflicking, freezing, dilated pupils, panting,pacing, avoiding eye contact, commis-sures pulled back and yawning amongothers. Dogs experiencing fear mayalso not accept food or toys and will
Navigating the Storm
seem completely disinterested in anything around them. They arein survival mode and will do whatever or go wherever they needto achieve safety.
Nature vs. NurtureAt one time, it was believed that genetics did not play a hand indetermining whether a dog would exhibit fearful characteristics.Now, however, it is well-known that genetics, along with environ-mental influences, play a large part in a dog's personality and fear-ful tendencies. Research shows that a pup with even one parentwith a predilection for fearful behavior will be the recipient of
fearful genes, even if the other parent is shown to be a stableand “normal” dog. As shown in Neilson’s study (n.d.), fear-ful pups born to fearful mothers then fostered by sta-ble mothers showed no growth towards a morestable personality. This, unfortunately, contributes to
the continuation of fearful behavior. Backyard breeders and puppy mills are cer-tainly not concerned with breedingdogs with desirable personalities, so,unfortunately, fear genes are beingcarried on from generation to gen-eration.
The study states: “In the 1970sMurphree and colleagues didstudies on the fearful behavior ofpointer dogs. A group of pointerdogs was obtained then thedogs segregated according totheir behavior: nervous or un-stable dogs vs. normal or sta-ble dogs. Nervous were bred
to nervous and normalwere bred to normal. Withina few generations the nerv-ous dogs showed less ex-ploratory behavior in newenvironments, were morelikely to freeze at a loud
noise, and less likely to greet people. Physio-logical differences between the groups of dogs(heart-rate and neurochemistry) were docu-mented. Cross-fostering “nervous” pups onto“normal” bitches had no effect of behavior. Allbitches and pups were raised and handled in a
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similar fashion, minimizing the environmental influences. Attemptsto modify the nervous pup behavior with both training and drugtherapy met with limited improvement.” (Neilson, n.d.)
For example, take a pup who is born to parents with unstablepersonalities. Nature has taken over before nurture has even hada chance. Does this pup stand a chance at being “normal”? Withan abundance of proper socialization, positive reinforcement,force-free training, desensitization and counterconditioning plus asavvy owner, the pup should beable to make strides in theright direction. In many cases,there will be fearful behaviorsthat show up, not necessarily inthe beginning, but after matu-rity. This is when many ownersfind themselves saying, “I don'tknow where this came from.He was so well-behaved.” Suchthings as lack of proper social-ization, a traumatic incidentduring a fear imprint period,removal from the mother tooearly and/or heavy-handedaversive training can all in-crease the chances of a dogdeveloping fearful behaviors ashe transitions from puppyhoodinto adulthood.
“My Dog Is Aggressive!”Trainers hear this phrase more than most and the truth of thematter is that the dog is most likely scared to death. “Aggres-sion” in fear cases is simply the tactic the dog uses to cope andfeel safe. Dogs learn quite quickly that by growling, snapping, bit-ing and lunging, they can keep the scary thing at a distance andwill do so to the death in some cases. Each time the dog keepsthe scary person/dog/item away by aggressing, he has learned, yetagain, that this is the path to safety and will continue the behav-ior. Not only will the behavior continue, but it will, in many cases,worsen over time. At this point, many owners start implementingsevere corrections and may yell at their “out-of control” and“bad” dog for misbehaving, not understanding that the dog iscrippled with fear and needs help, not discipline.
Dogs are similar to children in many ways, but discipline andcorrections are certainly not appropriate. While children canlearn from corrections, a positive route usually garners moresuccess. A parent or teacher can explain to a child why the disci-pline is necessary or warranted. Dogs, on the other hand, do notunderstand this and can become more fearful and aggressivewith corrections and yelling. Dogs need advocacy, distance, safetyand good old-fashioned desensitization and counterconditioning.
The Path to SuccessHow then do trainers best communicate to owners how to dealwith their fearful friends? There is an infinite amount of misinfor-mation in cyberspace, books and on television so the first thing
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to suggest is that clients do not read information from non-cred-ible sources. Many people will have themselves diagnosed with adisease before even meeting with a doctor because of endlesssearches they have conducted on the internet. Owners shouldbe made aware of this when it comes to their dogs becausemany “quick” techniques to fix fear in dogs will do further dam-age, thus making the behavior even more difficult and time-con-suming to improve. There is no quick fix to fear. Let's face it, it
can be a slow-moving, though, ulti-mately rewarding process. I tell allmy clients who have fearful dogsthat they must celebrate babysteps of improvement.
The most crucial thing thatowners of fearful dogs need tounderstand is to move at the paceof the dog, which means beingschooled in the body language offear. In this world of instant gratifi-cation, people find it very chal-lenging to take their time andhave to wait for results but thereis no shortcut to freedom whenworking with fear. Many trainerswill use “quick fixes” and wind upwith a dog that looks as if he hasgiven up and ceased exhibitingfear, but in reality the dog has sim-
ply engaged learned helplessness. The fear has not dissipated byany means. This occurs many times with a technique called flood-ing. Flooding is, in simple terms, forcing the dog to face his fearhead on and hoping he “gets over it.” Some dogs will habituateto certain sounds, for example, but in many cases expecting adog to habituate can have the opposite result and what occurs issensitization, a worsening of the fear.
Many dogs I meet in my training path spend the day lyingaround the house focusing on their anxiety and timidly waitingfor the next monster to jump out of the closet. My first sugges-tion is to get these dogs' minds active as mental stimulation iscritical. All dogs need to get their brains working and this is espe-cially the case when dealing with fear. To start with, these dogsoften so desperately need FUN in their lives. Every fearful dog Icome in contact with learns a game as soon as possible, even if itis a simple hand targeting game in which he learns that a behav-ior he feels comfortable performing will produce a wonderfulconsequence. I also suggest dogs are fed from work-to-eat toysto keep their minds stimulated for longer periods of timethroughout the day. In addition, a high-quality dog food should beused, as lower grade foods may not contribute as well to thegood health and well-being of a dog.
In addition, there are many calming aids that can be very ben-eficial to dogs with minor to moderate fears. Various combina-tions of them may sometimes be all a dog needs to improvetheir quality of life. Some of these include the Thundershirt, PetComfort Zone (DAP), Zylkene, B Complex, the Through ADog's Ear calming music CD and Chill Pill, among many others.
Both genetics andenvironment havean influence on adog’s propensity to be fearful
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Owners, of course, should always discuss use of these with theirveterinarian first. For some dogs, though, aids such as these willnot be sufficient. Some of them suffer from such severe fear thatliving on a day-to-day basis is an absolute challenge and theyneed more help than a simple holistic spray or music can provide.
Owners with dogs who exhibit fear of this intensity may findit helpful to work with their vet or a veterinary behaviorist tofind the right match of prescription drug such as a selective sero-tonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) to help their dogs function at alevel where they feel more comfortable and safe. A person whois suffering from anxiety will, in many cases, not improve withdrugs alone. The combination of both drugs and therapy is themost advantageous route to improvement. The same is true fordogs. Even if taking an anti-anxiety medication, fearful dogs willbenefit far more if their owner combines the pharmaceutical as-sistance with a behavioral modification plan conducted by atrained, knowledgeable, force-free professional.
When working with a dog who is fearful, it is extremely im-portant that the owner (and trainer) be an advocate for the dog.These dogs are so often ridiculed, ignored and not taken seri-ously when fearful behaviors are exhibited, as can be seen in thecountless videos circulating the internet. Fear is not somethingto be joked about as we certainly would not laugh at our chil-
BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
Auditory information reaches the brain via relay nuclei lo-cated in the brain stem and thalamus. Such information fol-
lows two primary pathways: a slow circuit visiting corticaldestinations before projecting into the amygdala, and a fast cir-cuit directly terminating in the lateral amygdala. Slow and fastcircuits are both engaged during fear conditioning, and each cir-cuit is capable of establishing conditioned fear independently ofthe other. In the fast circuit, auditory projections from the thal-amus (medial geniculate body) are received by the lateral nu-cleus of the amygdala and relayed to the central nucleus andother amygdaloidal areas, chiefly the basal and accessory basalnuclei... It is within this general network that the auditory CS isassociatively linked with the fear-eliciting US.
Outputs from the central amygdala are subsequentlyprocessed by other limbic and cortical regulatory circuits. Effer-ent projections from the central nucleus terminate in the hypo-thalamus, producing a variety of discrete emotional andphysiological expressions of fear. The specific manifestation offear exhibited by an animals depends on the location of thearousal. Amygdala projections reaching the central periaqueduc-tal grey matter produce freezing, outputs to the lateral hypo-thalamus increase blood pressure, and connections formedwith the paraventricular hypothalamus stimulate the release ofstress hormones.
In addition to direct thalamic input, the amygdala also re-ceives regulatory inputs from limbic and cortical portions ofthe brain, especially the hippocampus. This additional informa-tion converges on the amygdala to produce rich emotional va-riety, meaning, and subtlety. The combination fo these variousneural influences on the amygdala modulates and refines thedog’s ultimate emotional response to stimulation. The organiza-
tion of emotional expressiveness and its adaptation depends onthe harmonious interplay and the efficient regulatory function-ing of these various neural networks. Innate or acquired dys-functions occurring in any one of these interdependentpathways results in emotional and behavioral disorder.
Unlike conditioned stimuli that acquire their fearful proper-ties by being associated with other startling or traumaticevents, fears of loud noises are biologically prepared... Stimulithat evoke fearful reaction without conditioning appear to uti-lize hardwired neural pathways that are responsive only to a nar-row range of stimulation and variability...
Because fearful responses to loud acoustic stimulation areunlearned and unresponsive to habituation, they would inher-ently resist behavioral training efforts...
Three significant aspects of fear conditioning and extinctionhave important implications for the treatment of behavior prob-lems involving fear:
1) Once fear is learned, it is probably permanent.2) Although extinction and counterconditioning efforts may
ameliorate aversive affects and reduce fearful responding, suchtraining efforts are subject to reversal and the reinstatement ofunwanted behavior.
3) Since the extinction of fear is subject to recovery, behav-ioral training should include efforts to enhance voluntary im-pulse control over fear-related behavior.
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Source: Lindsay, S. R. (2000) Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training
Volume One: Adaptation and Learning Iowa State Press/© John Wiley & Sons
Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.
The Neurobiology of Fear
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A pup with even one parent with
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dren when they are frightened. Parents would most definitelystand up for their children, protect them, comfort them andfind ways to help them feel safer. This is key when dealingwith fearful dogs. They must feel safe at all times. Fear is anemotion and not a behavior, thus cannot be rewarded. This isjust the same as comforting a child who is afraid of thunder-storms is not rewarding the fear. When, and only when, thedog feels safe is when progress will begin.
Getting the Ship to SailDedicated owners desire nothing more than for their pre-cious friends to feel safe and live a happy, well-adjusted life.The first step is getting an experienced force-free trainerwith whom to work. Desensitization and countercondition-ing, via Pavlov, is the most effective way in working to changea dog's emotional response. Desensitization involves expos-ing the dog to what frightens him but at a level that does notevoke a fearful response. If the dog is afraid of men, the dogshould be kept at a distance from men where no fearful re-sponse is exhibited. Begin at this distance and, when the dogsees a man, the party begins. Praise and the most amazingfood such as cut up pieces of chicken, hot dogs, freeze-driedtripe, mini ground beef balls etc. should be given. The foodshould flow until the man is out of sight. We want the dog toclearly see that when a man appears the food flows, thepraise is lavished and there is nothing else the dog wouldwant than for this very moment to happen again. This shouldhappen every single time a man comes into the picture asconsistency can surely make or break progress.
If the dog sees a man during the training period and doesnot associate him with the party or the man is too close, thiscan set back progress. It is critical for the dog to see thateach and every man at a comfortable distance means life getsbetter. We want the dog thinking, “Every time I see one ofthose creatures, my life suddenly becomes amazing. I need tostart seeing more of them, please!” thus changing the emo-tional response to men. This takes time, of course, and every dogwill respond on a different timeline. When the dog sees a manand looks to you with happy, bright eyes, a tail wag, and an expec-tant look (conditioned emotional response or CER), the work isbeing accomplished and distance can now be decreased slightly.
At this point, any time the dog ex-hibits a fearful behavior,
take a step back, in-crease distance
andmovemoreslowly be-causepushing adog overthreshold
(feeling fear) will set back progress. The dog should look excitedand happy and not just accepting or tolerating the man beingclose. This is a critical aspect of this work because, if the dog isnot in a positive emotional state, it means he is being put some-what over threshold which will undo work that has been com-pleted previously.
After the dog is feeling more at ease at the sight of whatused to frighten him and is looking to you expectantly for thefood, it is time to start implementing operant conditioning. In thebeginning, it is crucial to show the dog that whatever scares himimmediately powers on the chicken vending machine. After thatis ingrained and he starts to anticipate the food when he seesthe said scary person, adding in a cued behavior is the next logi-cal step. Some cues to use would be a “look at me” or “let's go.”The sight of another dog now means the dog performs the cueand then earns the chicken, thus the transition from classical tooperant conditioning.
If the dog is fearful of the food blender, for example, desensi-tization and counterconditioning will also be utilized. Dependingon the level of fear, the blender should appear without beingpowered on. At this point, the appearance of the blender (at a
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Fear is an emotion and not a behavior so cannot be rewarded. Fearful dogs must be made to feel
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Dogs are well-known for their wide range of body language and facial expression,which may be subtle, covert, overt or any combination thereof. Fear may manifest
itself in many different ways, some of which are detailed in the above graphic
C O V E R S T O R Y
distance which the dog feels safe) predicts amazing yummy treatsand praise. The blender goes away and the yummy treats disap-pear. When you get to the point where, whenever the blendermakes an appearance the dog's eyes brighten and he perhapsgives a little wag of the tail (+CER), it is time to move to thenext step, which could possibly be turning on the blender to thelowest speed with the dog in another room. Every dog is differ-ent and there is certainly no ‘one size fits all.’ It is very importantto remember the order of events: this must be scary thing first(conditioned stimulus), immediately followed by food (uncondi-tioned stimulus). Due to the law of temporal contiguity, if thetime elapsed between the conditioned and unconditioned stimu-lus is too great, then learning cannot occur.
Helping Louie Find His SailsI received a call from a desperate woman saying her dog was bit-ing family members, attacking the vacuum cleaner, was leash reac-tive and extremely anxious. Louie, an 8 pound mixed breed, was3 years old and absolutely terrified when he was rescued from ahoarder's house in Louisiana. His hair was matted, he smelledhorrible, had many missing teeth and had lived this way for thefirst three years of his life. He had learned through experiencethat biting was the best tactic to help him feel safe and secure.Settling into his home took a bit of time, as expected, and ownerKim felt it would be beneficial to get some professional help toguide and assist him over the hurdles he faced each day in deal-ing with his fears. He had bitten the two school-aged childrenwhen they had attempted to pick him up or move him, whichconcerned Kim greatly and was the last straw for her to pick upthe phone to get help.
When I first met Louie, I slowly entered the house and im-mediately gave him some yummy treats, while making no eyecontact and positioning my bodysideways. Within a matter of min-utes, Louie was on my lap coveringmy face in slobbery kisses. I couldsense that this boy was full of lovebut desperately needed to beshown how to trust and to suc-cessfully navigate his way throughlife without being frightened. I wasdetermined to help this little lovenugget. I was thrilled that he re-laxed so quickly with me as thatshowed me we could begin ourjourney together where I wouldteach him his world was a safeplace to live.
We spent the first couple ofsessions working on various obe-dience behaviors, such as hand tar-geting and a “go to your bed” cue.Louie was a very smart cookie, ex-tremely food motivated and notonly learned these behaviorsquickly but also had a grand old
22 BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
time doing it, which of course is one of the goals in my force-freetraining. He picked up the obedience cues at lightning speed andhad fun performing them. We also did some body handling be-cause Louie also struggled at the vet and, most times, had to bemuzzled. He responded beautifully, although for the handlingwork I had to take my time with certain reaches as he was quiteuncomfortable being touched and handled in certain ways or po-sitions. At the next session we took our work outside to focuson his leash reactivity with other dogs and people. We, of course,kept our distance so Louie could easily stay under threshold andwe could accomplish what we set out to do, which was to seeLouie exhibit a +CER to the approaching person or dog. Manydogs take a while before showing the signs of being delighted atthe sight of another dog or person, but not Louie. By the end ofthis session, we had not only decreased the distance dramatically,but Louie was also looking right at me for his chicken when adog or person approached and was auto sitting as well.
The next session centered on the children picking up Louieand, also, his fear of the vacuum. We had to first desensitize Louieto the children's approach and reach before any picking up couldoccur. I broke down the body language signs for the children sothey would know what to look for if they hurried through thetraining. I told them Louie would communicate to them withouttalking if he was comfortable or not with what they were doingand to invariably listen to what he told them with his body. I hadthem, one at a time, approach slowly, then immediately treat. Werepeated this quite a few times and then began to add in a slowreach towards Louie's body. Louie responded well and did notgrowl, which is what he would previously do when the childrenbegan to reach to pick him up. By the end of the session, theywere able to approach, reach and lightly put their hands on hisbody while Louie relaxed calmly on the couch. I advised them to
gradually advance because pushingLouie too far too fast would un-questionably send him over thresh-old and set back our work.
The vacuum work went won-derfully as well and I was shockedat how well Louie responded tothe desensitization and counter-conditioning. He was fine when thevacuum was quiet but, when it be-came “alive,” he would start to at-tack. I first moved the unpluggedvacuum slowly onto a small area ofthe rug, then immediately gave hima treat. After repeating this for awhile with no reaction from him, Iturned the vacuum on but did notmove it because I wanted to en-sure he would not react to thesound alone. Sound and movementtogether would follow. I did notwant to increase sound, movementand distance all at once becausethat would have been entirely too
Louie’s fear initially manifested itself through a variety of aggressivebehaviors when he was rescued from a hoarding situation
Mary Jean Alsina CPDT-KA MA owns and operatesThe Canine Cure, LLC,www.dogtraining-newjersey.com, in North-ern New Jersey. She has amaster’s +30 in educationand is a certified pet dogtrainer. She studied at TheAcademy for Dog Trainersand is a regular dog train-ing columnist for Exam-iner.com. She is also amember of Doggone Safeand is a certified CGCevaluator for the AKC.
DOG BITES STEV E BROOKSWIT
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A hybrid Dog Training/Cookbook for foodies & dog lovers!
Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, SteveBrooksK9U.comAvailable at
Teach K9 behavior with Steve’s Positive Training Tactics!
Use food correctly to train with dog bites (the good kind!)
Modify favorite human meals to safely share with your pup!
DOG BITES STEV E BROOKSDOG BITES STEV E BROOKS
Issue No. 11 / March 2015
from the GuildBARKS
A Force-Free Publication from the Pet Professional Guild: By the Members for the Members
CANINEHarness or Flat Collar?
TRAININGTargeting andStationing
BEHAVIORPreventionvs. Cure
FELINEFrom Outdoorsto IndoorsRESCUECollaboratingwith SheltersMUSINGSA Canine’s Sense of ConsciousnessSALESThe EmotionalConnection
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Cats in Conflict: The Myriad Complexities of Feline Aggression
much for him – or any dog - tohandle when doing work like this.Once Louie was faring well withthe sound alone, I turned thevacuum on, moved it an inch orso and delivered the treats. Hestayed on the couch in a relaxeddown so I realized he was enjoyingthe vacuum predicting his treats. Bythe end of the session, I was ableto vacuum the whole carpet whilehe lay peacefully on the couch.
Louie is still in training and hisowner, Kim, has informed me thathe is doing much better withguests, with his petsitters, and nolonger requires a muzzle at the vet.He is improving steadily each dayand is slowly learning how to sailin this world for which, sadly, he wasnot given sails.
“I can't control the wind but I canadjust the sail.” ― Ricky Skaggs
As owners and trainers, we long forour fearful dogs to be able to find theirway in this world that they perceive to be so scary and threaten-ing. It takes time, perseverance, support, knowledge and provid-ing them with the tools they need to navigate through daily life.The most beautiful sight to witness is when a frightened dogshows us that, even in a small way, what once used to terrify himnow just does not seem to be quite so bad. Now that is a goodday. n
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Owners and trainers can give fearful dogs
the tools they need tohelp them navigate
through daily life
References Neilson, J. (n.d.). Nature vs. Nurture. Retrieved March 17, 2015from www.ncfbc.com/Education/pdfs/Nature%20versus%20Nurture.pdf
We are always on the lookout for interesting features,member profiles, case studies and training tips to featurein BARKS and our PPG Blog. If you’d like to join thegrowing band of member contributors, please do
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The Porcine Phenomenon
As we all know, ani-mals are fascinating,especially when it
comes to their ability tolearn and their individuality.I am attracted to intelligentanimals who learn quicklyand are able to changetheir behavior to get a newoutcome, for example, thepig, the vulture, the parrotand the octopus.
I train many animalsand am often asked to trainpigs. The rate at which ayoung, healthy pig who livesin an enriched environmentcan learn often stuns peo-ple, including the profes-sional trainer. This rate oflearning coupled with hisability to manipulate his en-vironment is also whatcontributes to problem behaviors in a bored pig. It can be verydifficult for intelligent animals to live in captivity and in closequarters with humans and an environment providing mental andphysical stimulation is necessary to make it easier. This is knownas an enriched environment (see also pp. 48-50). I have workedwith several different shelter animals who have lived unenrichedlives and, in my experience, pigs seem to rebound quicker fromthis than other species.
Milo is a Juliana pig. I have been training him since he wasabout 2 months old. He is now 8 months old and fascinates meon a daily basis. Because I have been training him from such ayoung age, he is used to learning and having his behaviors shaped.He has a solid recall. I can wait for him to be distracted beforecuing him to come and he will turn and run to me as quickly ashis little hooves can take him (see video of Milo demonstrating hisrecall skills).
Pigs can be trained to carry out many behaviors that aid intheir routine care. They are always food motivated, which is a bighelp. I have trained them to allow their temperatures to be taken(see Pigs at Work, BARKS from the Guild, January 2015, pp. 21-22).I have also trained them to put their heads into buckets to ac-cept anesthesia (some of my clients have a veterinarian anes-thetize their pig before trimming the hooves). Many other
husbandry behaviorscan be taught, makingthe pig’s life morestress-free.
Pigs can be trainedalmost any trick onecan teach a dog. Pigscan easily outrun a dogso speed is not a fac-tor. One limitation tokeep in mind though isthe difference in theirphysiology; a pig’s bodyis not a flexible as adog’s.
I am constantlylooking for more tricksto teach to pigs be-cause they learn themso quickly. We havetrained Milo in manyagility behaviors. At theage of 5 months he at-
tended his first teaching presentation with an audience of 200people. Soon he will be helping me give a demonstration in frontof a crowd of 3,000 people.
With a crowd this large, many behaviors will need to betrained. I know, however, from past experience with him that Ican wait until about a week before the event to begin traininghim to walk through the crowd off-leash, give me a reliable recall,show several behaviors he knows and train a few he does not.
Pigs are excellent candidates to train tricks. They learnquickly and will easily repeat behaviors that result in desired con-sequences. I have observed that pigs tend to be very visual, so re-spond better to hand signals than to verbal cues. Training themusing hand signals allows me to increase the complexity in theirtraining, thereby providing them with more mental stimulation.
In this video you can see a few different behaviors. Milo has al-ready been trained to do some of these behaviors. A few arenew to him. I alternate cuing for the trained and new behaviors. Ireinforce him each time he does the behavior I want becausesome are new and also because I was videoing this sequence. Thebucket has a strong history of positive reinforcement. Because ofthis, he often returns to it. You will see that I quickly decide toask him to come to me on cue before he has the opportunity toreturn to his bucket. His carpet square also has a strong history
Lara Joseph shares her experiences and challenges with training Milo the pig, who can
perform tricks, regularly attends presentations with her in front of large audiences and
is currently learning to walk on a leash
24 BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
T R A I N I N G
Pigs are intelligentanimals who learnnew things veryquickly
BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
T R A I N I N G
25
of reinforcement. After coming to me on cue, you will see himquickly look at the carpet square when I ask him to return tothe bucket but he goes to the bucket as cued. Good boy, Milo!
Milo has little experience walking on the leash and two of thetimes, in his recent past, he has had unforeseen, negative experi-ences when doing so. I have recently begun leash training againbecause we will be going out more now that winter has come toan end. Milo walks well with me without a leash but in order tosafely walk in crowded places I need him to walk on the leash.
This video shows my second leash training session with himsince his negative experiences. You will see me conditioning Miloto accept the leash. I am delivering high rates of reinforcementbecause I am counterconditioning his emotional response to theleash, which has been inadvertently conditioned to elicit a nega-tive emotional response. You will see I am delivering the rein-forcer and then holding it back near my body. As trainingcontinues, you will see me fading out this behavior. You will alsosee me adding tension to the leash and reinforcing Milo for notpulling away from the tension (pigs tend to not like restriction,confinement or being picked up).
Milo has a strong history of being reinforced for walking rightbehind me when he is off-leash. With the last leash training ses-sion I conditioned him to walk next to me on a leash instead ofbehind me. I modified this behavior by placing a target stick infront of him and using the word “good” as a conditioned rein-forcer (also called a bridge or marker) when his body positionwas in a heeling position. In this video, you will see me begin tofade out the target stick.
I really enjoy training pigs because of their wit and their ea-gerness to learn. I also feel a responsibility to present a delicatebalance to audiences. While I want to impress them with the in-
Through force-free training,Milo and his handler have a relationship based on mutual trust
telligence of pigs, I need them to be aware that these behaviorswere taught by an experienced trainer. I always make sure theyknow about a pig’s need for an enriched environment and properhandling.
Pigs are prey animals; prey animals have an unconditionedflight behavior when startled. This is often misinterpreted and in-appropriately explained using anthropomorphic reasoning. Pigsare often labeled neurotic or phobic. Neither is appropriate.They just need to be handled calmly and consistently and madeto feel safe.
In this video, you will see me training Milo to remain still (notback up or look back) while I am taking off the leash. With moretraining sessions I will no longer keep my hand up in the air. Re-member, Milo has had two very negative experiences with beingon a leash. In one a dog chased him and in the other a truckcame at us in way that felt threatening to him.
The trusting relationship I have built with Milo is the ultimateaffirmation of force-free training. Experiencing this kind of con-nection with an animal is what makes pets such a treasured partof a family. Force-free training is what enables this connection.
I end this article with one final video of how Milo normallywalks with me. I trained him to focus primarily on me. I did thisfor his safety. Pigs are an unusual pet. People want to touch, pet,hold and interact with Milo when they see him. Since he, like allpigs, is a prey animal, these encounters can quickly become un-pleasant to him. He may even resort to aggression to escape theencounter. I make sure to share these concerns with the public,
Milo learns towalk on a leash
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T R A I N I N G
Lara Joseph is the owner of The Animal Behavior CenterLLC, www.theanimalbehaviorcenter.com, in Ohio. She is alsothe Director of Avian Training for a wildlife rehabilitationcenter where she focuses on removing stress from animalenvironments. Lara is a professional member of The AnimalBehavior Management Alliance and The International Associa-tion of Avian Trainers and Educators.
ReferencesJoseph, L. (2015, January). Pigs at Work. BARKS from the Guild,pp. 21-22. Retrieved March 16, 2015 from www.issuu.com/petprofessionalguild/docs/bftg_jan_2015flattened_opt_opt/21?e=4452575/11077973Video Milo Recalling: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dweJZi0OZ7w&feature=youtu.beVideo Milo Training Session: www.youtube.com/watch?v=42s60kj35mc&feature=youtu.beVideo Milo Leash Training: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gpr_nn-ZBQ&feature=youtu.beVideo Milo Heel Training: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cILeDx9fqM&feature=youtu.beVideo Milo End of Leash Training: www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnkMG5WhlJM&feature=youtu.beVideo Milo Goes for a Walk: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUkLu0EdiwM&feature=youtu.be
who are oftenso awe-struckby Milo’s well-trained behav-iors that theydo not thinkabout hisneeds. In addi-tion to ensur-ing thatoutings are areinforcing ex-perience forMilo, this edu-cates peopleabout pigs. Myhope is thatthis will makeit more likelythey will seekadvice shouldthey ever de-cide to have apig as a pet. n
Milo turns left on thebucket in response to averbal and visual cue
The educational moment at a meeting I attended recently fo-cused on what Dr. Ivan Misner calls continuous partial at-
tention, or, more simply, lack of focus. What Misner wasdescribing is, sadly, becoming a fairly typical situation for manypeople, even, occasionally, myself. If we are not careful, we canend up being constantly bombarded by emails, Facebook posts,messages and pokes, tweets, LinkedIn messages, pictures on In-stagram and all of the other social media that we participate in.When we receive and respond to one of the above interrup-tions while working on something else, we need to changegears mentally and, inevitably, our productivity will suffer. That iswhy I often close all my window browsers when I am trying to
get something done.Even more impor-
tant than losing focuswhile we are workingat the computer is al-lowing ourselves to beinterrupted by any ofthe above while we areconversing with some-one. Think about howour companions feelwhen we allow that tohappen. Now beforeyou tell me you only dothis in an emergency,count all of the “emer-
gencies” going on around you the next time you are in a publicsetting or at a meeting. Either everyone in the world is in aconstant state of crisis, or there are a whole lot of non-emer-gencies redirecting our attention.
It is sad, but I see this happening all the time. It happens atmeetings, social networking events, when friends are convers-ing, and yes, even in the checkout line at the grocery store or inthe teller line at the bank. The cell phone gets priority over theperson we are talking to. But should not the live human beingyou are talking to take precedence over that Facebook poke orthat tweet from Taylor Swift? There is a time and place foreverything but if you are communicating with a real, live personperhaps that is a time to ignore your cell phone. If you lack thewillpower, just turn it off.
So how does all this apply to dog training? One of thebiggest complaints I hear from students is, “My dog gets dis-tracted and he won’t focus on me.” But who is the one gettingdistracted when you are in the middle of a training session andyour phone pings and you pick it up to read that tweet? Yougetting distracted by your phone is just as detrimental to yourtraining routine as Sparky getting distracted by a stray smell ora ladybug crawling across the floor in the room where you aretraining. If you want focus from your dog when training, makesure that you reciprocate. Put the cell phone away.
- Don Hanson ACCBC BFRAP CDBC CPDT-KAGreen Acres Kennel Shop
www.greenacreskennel.com
Training Tips by PPG MembersContinuous Partial Attention
Putting the phone awayensures trainers are fully
focused on their dogs during training
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Less Is More
Many people divide dog behavior into two categories: ag-gressive and non-aggressive. That is logical enough, butthere are plenty of non-aggressive behaviors that indi-
cate a dog could still do with some help. If we remain unaware ofthis and do not try to modify the relevant behavior, we run therisk that a dog could hit his limit and show aggression “withoutwarning.”
For parents, unless their dog is displaying aggressive behavior,they rarely worry about the interactions between their childrenand the family dog. This is unfortunate because there is a wholecategory of non-aggressive behavior that falls clearly in the redzone of “enough already.”
Parents often see a parade when the family dog walksthrough the room followed by the child. If the dog is following ahappy child, then, yes, we have got a parade. But since many dogsdo not like to be followed, it is less likely to be a parade if thedog is cast in the role of drum major. When a dog is walkingaway and a child is following, it is quite likely the dog is trying topolitely say, “I would like a little alone time”.
The challenge here is that parents typically look to seewhether the child is being kind. A child pursuing a dog fromroom to room is rarely trying to be unkind. Instead the childwants to interact with the dog. The pursuit is an attempt to befriendly and playful.
Is Avoidance Okay?Sometimes we expect dogs to be perpetual playmates, ready forfun whenever the child chooses. That view does not take thedog’s feelings into account, however. Even the friendliest familydogs will have times that they want to play and times that theydo not, just like the rest of us. That is okay, but is not something
most people think of unless their dog is older or has physical is-sues.
Here is an example: turning away is subtle avoidance; walkingaway is still more significant. Teaching your clients to recognizeescape and avoidance, even when they are subtle, helps them toknow when to intervene in child-dog interactions. When a dog ismoving away from a child, it is a great time to distract the childwith another activity while the dog takes a little break.
With children and dogs, it is better to have lots of short, funinteractions than ones that go on too long. Always leave themwanting more. n
Certain non-aggressive behaviors are often overlooked, yet can be a precursor to outright
aggression if a dog is pushed to the point of no return. Colleen Pelar investigates the
issues of escape and avoidance in the child-dog relationship
Colleen Pelar CDBC CPDT-KA is the author of Living withKids and Dogs … Without Losing Your Mind and a licensed Family Paws Parent Education, www.familypaws.com, presenter.
This dog is showingavoidance behaviortowards the pursuant child
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Learning for Real Life
Intelligence games and problem-solving activities can be usedto great effect in many a behavior modification program.Given that we already use games as part of environmental en-
richment, why not also use them in the same way that we usetoys in the behavior modification process?
In this article we will explore the 10 ways that physical-typepurchased intelligence games (such as those created by Nina Ot-toson), homemade games andproblem solving activities can beused to make a dog use hisbrain. This will tire him mentallyas he has to think as opposed tojust forage. Thinking is, ofcourse, both mentally tiring andsatisfying.
1) Human Reactive Dogs As a part of a step-by-step pro-gram in redirecting how a dogapproaches a human, games canbe used to make a human lessworrisome. Distance and dura-tion are key with incremental in-creases and decreases beingmade, first with the trainer, thenwith family members, thenstrangers.
A foraging game or intelli-gence game is set up between aperson and the dog. The dog ison a leash at first and has beenpre-acclimated to games. Thedog approaches the game andinteracts with it while the human is present at a predetermineddistance. In essence the dog is approaching the human withoutreacting and is being rewarded throughout the game. Once thepuzzle is solved, the dog is called away (which practices the skillof recall) and whatever occurred is recorded on video and in alog book.
2) Fence Chasers or Serial Outdoor BarkersProviding an environmental enrichment course makes an out-door area take on new meaning and keep a dog’s mind busy.
To start, reduce yard access to the fence with xpens or an"inner yard" of xpens where the dog goes first. Expansion of thearea is what you are working toward.
Set up includes identifying what the dog loves - in the case ofone dog, rocks were of higher value than food for example. Find-
ing what a dog loves is key. Is it foods, toys, tennis balls or some-thing else entirely?
Hide whatever the dog values highly under cups throughoutthe enrichment area. Release the dog to find it and then use it todesensitize and countercondition to mock distractions, as well asreal life distractions. These distractions could be a person walk-ing by, a fake dog set up across street, a dog and person walking
by, the mail truck etc. Add intelligence games, bowl
exercises and expand enrich-ment as the yard slowly ex-pands. Changing the habit of thedog in yard is the goal. What doyou want the dog to do instead?This could be teaching onlyalert barking, a quiet look andno interest in fence chasing be-cause there are other, more at-tractive things to do instead.
3) Dog Stressed in ClassTake out a game and allow thedog to work on it behind a bar-rier or in the classroom. Thiscan turn a stressful situationinto something to look forwardto.
4) Reactive Dog/ConfidentTransformation ClassesDogs working on puzzles arenot focused on other dogs orpeople in the room. They begin
to realize they can be in the presence of other dogs safely, aswell as people. And it is a great interactive tool for the other endof the leash.
5) Resource GuardersProviding multiple games as feeding receptacles can take thefocus away from a "bowl guarder". Teaching a dog "off" by using aforaging toy makes new habits for location guarders. In this way,off becomes fun.
6) Separation AnxietyIt can be very helpful to set up an indoor "find it" course andbuild it up slowly and incrementally. Leaving means that the goodthings flow and soon the dog will be happy to see you go. Thekey here is to "know your dog". What does he LOVE (appetitive
Diane Garrod explores 10 ways to use problem-solving games in a variety of behavior
modification contexts
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motivators, which are more than food)? It also changes the habitof grabbing the keys and heading out the door, expecting the dogto subsist with nothing to work his mind (like closing you in aroom with no books, TV, computer etc.). Variety is the key here.In the beginning, durations should be very short, gradually work-ing up to longer times away.
7) Confidence BuildingStarting with the easiest of easy puzzles or homemade games,like a muffin tin filled with balls and food under the balls or abraid filled with treats, a dog's confidence can improve enor-mously. For fearful dogs that is key to thriving, not just surviving.Some dogs are not able to do puzzles at first or even manageforaging games. So breaking down the games into very tiny piecesto accomplish successfully builds the dog's confidence incremen-tally to try ever harder problem solving.
8) Show DogsGames are a great relaxer and focuser pre-show and post-showde-stressor. If a dog is worried about the other dogs or thecrowd or noises, games can really help redirect focus onto othervisuals.
9) Point-to-Point Training for Fearful DogsSet up a pre-desensitized mat that means relax and a game ortwo to look forward to (you have to pre-set this up), and thenwalk slowly to the point and incrementally increase the distancebetween the mat and toy and point A, the doorway. This workswith dogs who are stressed with real life, neighborhood soundsand so on. Each point is measured out and the dog now has apurpose other than fearing the environment or reacting to it.
10) Teaching a Dog How to Play Many dogs do not know how to play or have been discouragedfrom playing in the past. As a result, the dog may have become
Diane Garrod BSc is a certified Tellington Touch Practi-tioner (CA1), ATA Certified Treibball Instructor and holdscertificates in Theriogenology, Science in Writing and AnimalBehavior. She is the owner of the Canine TransformationsLearning Center, www.caninetlc.com.
afraid to play and so this takes the edge off. A regular, severalminute-long playtime with a start and end cuecan make playtime something to look for-ward to no matter where the dog is inthat learning curve. At first the dogmight not play at all. But, with time andvariety, toy play becomes somethingto look forward to and enjoy. It is agreat laboratory for real life learning.
For problem solving I like relation-ship building exercises, such as cupgames, putting a reward on a strip ofcloth and covering it with a non-moveable cover (the dog must pullout reward by studying and discover-ing the reward is on the cloth); colorrecognition; size recognition and more. All helpbuild relationships that have eroded and can beused to great effect in a progressive behavior modi-fication process. n
References Arrowsmith, C. (2011). Brain Games for Dogs. Ontario, Canada:Firefly BooksBirmelin, I. (2007). How Dogs Think. New York, NY: MetrobooksNina Ottoson: www.nina-ottosson.com
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Play vs. Aggression
As a trainer, theissue of aggressionis raised a lot. In-
deed, it is the most com-monly reported behaviorissue by dog owners(Overall, 2013). Oneowner who contacted merecently had adopted anew dog and called me tosay that the new dog andthe resident dog werenow growling at eachother and going aftereach other's legs andnecks. But without beingthere to see the actualsituation, it is obviouslyimpossible to tell if thesedogs are just playing or ifthere is some intra-dogaggression going on, nomatter how panicked the client sounds on the telephone.
It can be difficult for clients to know the difference. Dogsoften display their teeth in play, for example, but this does notnecessarily indicate an aggressive intent. Facial expression andbody language must also be taken into context and this is wherewe can help educate our clients so they have a better idea ofwhat to look for. Soft lips and facial muscles with teeth showingare completely different to furrowed brows, pinned-back earsand stiff, pulled-back lips, for example. What follows is a list ofsome of the common issues found in canine play and aggressionto help clients better understand their dogs’ behavior and themotivations for it.
Normal Dog PlaySometimes what an owner describes as dog-dog aggression isnormal dog play. The way dogs play can seem scary to some, in-cluding the growling, the roughhousing and the mouthing. Theway some dogs love jumping on each other may look worse thanit actually is. These owners are rightly concerned about theirdog’s behavior and his interactions with other dogs and it isnever a bad thing to be curious, especially if they are unsureabout a behavior. However, just like any good trait, if clients getoverly worried about something that does not require additionalattention, it can unconsciously grow into another issue. This is
where educating clientson canine facial expres-sion and body languagecomes in so they have abetter idea of what tolook for and how toread their dog(s).
Playground BullySome dogs have neverlearned the manners ofpolite dog play, which islargely caused by a lackof socialization whenthey were puppies andinsufficient exposure toother dogs to learnabout appropriate bodylanguage. As such, theymay be unaware as tohow their behavior af-fects others. Jean Don-
aldson calls these dogs “Tarzans.” The most common sign of aplayground bully is that the dog simply does not read the cut-offsignals from his playmates. For example, another dog in the dogpark is demonstrating all kinds of body language that says, “Okay,we’re done now, no more play from you, time for you to backoff,” but the “bully” does not understand or take the hint. Thereare some dogs who can handle themselves in these situations.They let the “rude” dog know with some controlled flair andwithout going overboard that play time is over and they have hadenough. Other dogs though may become fearful and perhapseven aggressive. The “bully” dog may be impolite and lack impulsecontrol but is not what we would call truly dog-aggressive.
Fear AggressionThis can also be caused by a lack of socialization, a past traumaticexperience, genetics and, most commonly, association (i.e. theowner accidentally caused it without realizing). Fearful dogs avoidpeople or things that frighten them. They may seem depressed ordisinterested at times but may resort to lunging or barking if theperceived threat persists so they can make what they are afraidof go away.
Many owners believe that, in order for their dogs to be men-tally healthy, they must go to the dog park and have social inter-actions with other dogs but this is not always the case. A dog
Dog owners often get confused between when a dog is behaving aggressively and when
dogs are simply playing. Maureen Tay explores the issue and gives pointers
on how to tell the difference
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may be afraid of other dogs for several reasons.For example, some puppies were not exposedto other puppies during their socialization win-dow so never fully learned how to read bodylanguage and play cues. Hence, they may growinto adult dogs who are low on confidence andafraid of other dogs and people. Imagine if youlived at home with your brothers and sistersand never saw other children until you were 16years old. When you finally left the house to goto school, you would probably be pretty uncom-fortable around teenagers your own age. It isthe same for dogs, with some adapting betterthan others for a variety of reasons.
Some dogs may have had a traumatizing ex-perience (or experiences) from their interac-tions with other dogs, which can later manifestitself through a fear of some or all dogs. When Isee young puppies at the dog park beingknocked down, run over and played with inap-propriately (roughly) for their age, it worries me. What may seemfunny or cute to the owners, who believe they are doing theright thing by “socializing” their puppy with other dogs, may besetting that puppy up for fear aggression around other dogs laterin life. It is not appropriate to socialize a young puppy at the dogpark where you cannot control the play interaction with otherdogs. If you have a puppy, find a puppy class that focuses on lotsof supervised off-leash play with other, age-appropriate puppies. Ihave had clients call me because their dog was brutally attackedby another dog and now the dog is afraid of all other dogs. Fearhas a tendency to generalize, so take precautions adequately.
Frustration (Leash Reactivity aka Leash Aggression)This is one of the most common issues and is often mislabeledas aggression. Frustration can stem from many sources, e.g. inap-propriate handling of leash greetings with other dogs, leavingdogs behind windows or gates, being punished (including usingaversive methods like choke chains, prong and shock collars) andrestraining the dog because the owner just does not want thedog to go wherever he wanted to go.
Many behaviors, such as barking and lunging (owners cannotpossibly miss these) can be signs of excitement and/or frustra-tion but have no relation to aggressive behavior. This is what wecall reactivity, which is caused by pent-up frustration. If a humanbeing is frustrated in some way, he needs an outlet to vent. Hemay scream at the top of his voice. He may pull his hair as hardas he can. He may do just about anything and a dog's way ofshowing frustration is exactly the same. He may lunge, pull onthe leash, jump against the door, be very vocal – or a combina-tion.
Dog-Dog Aggression (with Intent to Harm)Some dogs seem to find fighting with other dogs incredibly re-warding. Other dogs, because of bad breeding, incorrect handlingand abuse, may actually kill another dog. This type of dog-dog ag-gression is quite rare compared to the dog-dog aggression I see
Maureen Tay is the chief trainer at KasPup UniFURsity,www.kaspupunifursity.com. She is also a licensed Family PawsParent Education educator, a certified canine first responderand an accredited dog trainer recognized by The Panel forAccreditation of Dog Trainers in Singapore. She is currentlystudying to be a service dog trainer at the International Col-lege of Canine Studies.
as a behavior consultant, which is usually fear-based. Also, some-times a dog just does not like or get along with another, particu-lar dog, causing tension between them that can lead toaggression between specific dogs.
Territorial AggressionThis issue stems from multiple causes, including fear aggression,barrier frustration and plain old reinforcement (e.g. a dog barksat another dog or person walking past his yard, they keep walk-ing regardless and eventually disappear. In the dog’s eyes thebarking eliminated the threat and obviously worked.) Some ofthe most common sights and sounds you will see from a dogwith territorial aggression is lunging at the gate, barking at thetop of his lungs and chasing after the perpetrator. "I see you, youcan't escape. I am going to bark until you go away," thinks thedog. And it works.
If you have a dog with fear issues, he may bark continuouslyuntil the "invader" goes away. He has learned that barking makesthe danger disappear. He most likely feels good about it – not tomention relieved, a powerful reinforcer - and will most certainlyrepeat the behavior. He may look fierce and feisty but it doesnot mean that he is aggressive. n
ReferencesDonaldson, J. (2004). Fight! A Practical Guide to the Treatment ofDog-Dog Aggression. Dogwise EbooksOverall, K. (2013). Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine forDogs and Cats. St. Louis, MO: Mosby, p. 88
Dog owners oftenhave difficultydistinguishing between play and aggression
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Empowerment for a Better Quality of Life
When lookingafter a blinddog, it is vital
to know his abilities aswell as his challenges sowe do not limit his worldany more than necessary.Blind dogs still need to ex-plore and achieve thingson their own. All we haveto do is set up their envi-ronment differently andapproach training in a newway to ensure their safety.We need to consider thepotential frustration, con-fusion and fear caused bythe loss of vision. With thisin mind we need to helpthese dogs use their senseof smell, hearing and touchto shape new ways ofachieving goals and inter-acting with the world. We can increase what a blind dog cancomfortably do by creating a good environment for the dog, onethat enables him to safely use his other senses and abilities to getdesired outcomes without fear or pressure.
A Safe Environment If a dog is in the process of going blind or has just lost his eye-sight, first and foremost give him sufficient time to adapt to hisnew condition. Likewise, if he was recently adopted, moved to anew place, or put in an unfamiliar situation, give him time tostudy that situation. Do not rush him. Focus instead on ensuringhis safety and helping him to feel safe. Let him decide when he isready to learn new things.
Creating an aid station will help the blind dog adapt to hisloss of sight. This is an area which has all of the dog’s essentials: awater bowl, a crate and an absorbent pad. These items must al-ways be arranged in exactly the same way. For more details onhow to implement the aid station strategy, see Blind Dog Training.Other basic safety strategies include installing baby gates at thetop and bottom of each stairway and covering the corners andlegs of furniture with cushioning material such as a yoga mat. Thishelps the dog move around the house safely. Once he learnswhere everything is, a blind dog will retain that information andcreate a map in his head of the house layout and the location offurniture.
Miki Saito outlines the many things we can do to help enrich the lives of
visually-impaired and blind dogs
Teach Tricks The ability to see pro-vides us with an imme-diate understanding ofthe safety of various sit-uations and helps us toavoid and escape danger.Loss of vision can makea dog anxious and puther on maximum alertand may make her extrasensitive to sounds andtouch.
We can teach a blinddog not to fear soundor being touched byhaving those stimuli pre-dict good events. Theemotion a stimulus elic-its is known as a condi-tioned emotionalresponse (CER). If a dogis experiencing a nega-
tive emotional response to a stimulus, systematic desensitizationand counterconditioning are commonly used to change it to apositive emotional response. Counterconditioning is only effec-tive if the dog feels safe while still detecting the stimulus.
In The Many Faces of Behavior Myopia: Recognizing the SubtleSigns (BARKS from the Guild, October 2014, pp. 14-19), Andersonand Steinker refer to this emotional state as the zone ofsafety/joy. Keeping a blind dog in this zone is challenging becauseshe detects the stimulus and situation differently than dogs withnormal vision. This makes it difficult to adjust the level of stimu-lus appropriately. I find that teaching a trick using shaping keepsthe dog in the safe zone as she learns to associate sound andtouch with positive outcomes.
I teach two major categories of tricks. The first category sim-ply reinforces the dog for voluntarily making a sound or touchingsomething. The second category of tricks uses a sound or touchas a prompt or cue. If a blind dog has already overreacted to thestimulus or is very fearful before starting training, I start byteaching a trick in the first category. If she is not afraid, I can usea trick from the second category. Typically this will be teachinghand targeting, snapping the fingers as a cue. If you are interestedin these tricks and the way to teach them, visit my YouTube chan-nel.
The purpose of teaching tricks is not only to change the CERof the stimulus. Through these training sessions and nose games,
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a blind dog will also realize that her other senses enable her toachieve a desired outcome. These tricks will enable her to de-velop her abilities, and (re)build self-confidence. Tactile cues willenable us to communicate with her even if she loses her sense ofhearing later on. Keep in mind that the purpose of training ablind dog is to enrich her life, not to make her behave the sameway a sighted dog would.
Use Sound GuidanceI use some sounds and words as guidance for my blind dog inorder to let her know where she should go or what is going tohappen to her, and help her move or do things with ease. For de-tails about how to teach and use sound guidance, see the videoSound Signals for Helping Blind Dog and Blind Dog Training handouts.
Also, consider the risk of any new tool and consider whetherit is necessary. Many people think that using scents, a pet foun-tain, a special harness/vest and headgear are helpful to blind dogs.It is commonly recommended that their owners put some scent,like vanilla flavoring or aroma oils, on furniture or other impor-tant places in the house but this often just makes things morechallenging. Smells can become attached to our fingers, hands,clothes and the dog’s body. They can also diffuse and pool in cor-ners of the room. Since we cannot accurately keep the smell only
where we want it, this strategy can confuse the dog. People as-sume that dogs use their sense of smell first if they lose theireyesight but in my experience they first rely on their memory.When a blind dog navigates his house, he uses a map in his head.
Pet fountains are often perceived as a way for a blind dog tofind his water bowl. They are not necessary. A blind dog can findhis water bowl without using his sense of hearing. Blind dogs de-velop a very accurate memory after losing their eyesight. Theycan memorize house layouts and the location of furniture andplaces that are important to them. They can find their waterbowl if we just put it in the same place every time and make sureit is easily and safely accessible.
As mentioned above, special harnesses, vests and headgearare available for blind dogs. Although there can be some advan-tages, such as the headgear cushioning them if they bump intosomething, there are also disadvantages. A blind dog uses hismuzzle and face to feel his way around. He uses his muzzle orface to measure the height difference between the floor and thesteps, as well as to determine the shape of objects. My blind dogNono finds the entrance of her crate by using her muzzle. Youcan see how she does this in this video.
Harnesses can cause problems for the blind dog as well. If ablind dog becomes dependent on the harness, he may become
Teaching tricksto a blind dog
can help herstay in hersafe zone
When assessing behavior problems in
blind dogs, consultantsshould not assume
blindness is the reasonfor the problem
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Miki Saito CPDT-KA is a dog training and behavior consult-ant at Mark and Reward dog training and education,www.MarkandReward.com, in Yokohama, Japan. She is consid-ered an expert in training blind and visually-impaired dogs.Her dog Nono is the first and only blind dog who has passedthe D.I.N.G.O. Master Handler test. She shares ideas forhelping and training blind dogs on her website Blind DogTraining, www.BlindDogTraining.com, and her YouTube chan-nel, www.youtube.com/tdfn.
ReferencesAnderson, E. & Steinker, A. (2014, October). The Many Faces ofBehavior Myopia: Recognizing the Subtle Signs. BARKS from theGuild, pp. 14-19: www.issuu.com/petprofessionalguild/docs/barks_october_2014_pet_professional/15?e=4452575/9892405Friedman, S. (2013, February). Parrot Hero. PsittaScene, pp. 12-15:www.behaviorworks.org/files/articles/WPT%20Interview%20-%20Parrot%20Hero.pdfSaito, M. (2012, September). Implementing an Aid Station for aBlind Dog. Message posted to www.blinddogtraining.com/aid-station-for-a-blind-dogResources for Blind Dog Training (handouts): www.blinddogtraining.com/resourceMiki Saito on YouTube: www.youtube.com/tdfnVideo Sound Signals for Helping a Blind Dog: www.youtu.be/1g2XzZVer8oVideo The Muzzle Is One of Important Tools that Blind Dog CanSubstitute for the Eye: www.youtu.be/XU2kgQrskcA
Cushioning can be added tosharp corners in the hometo ensure a blind dog does
not hurt herself if shebumps into them
confused when not wearing it. Another issue is the hoop at thetop of these harnesses, which might get caught on something,such as a tree branch or a piece of furniture. The harness itselfcould be grabbed by another dog or broken. Harnesses are notthe same as a cane for blind people. Blind people can choosewhether or not to use a cane. They can let go of it anytime. Blinddogs obviously cannot remove the harness. Although such gearmight be helpful for some dogs in certain situations, the disad-vantages must be considered and the equipment must be usedcarefully.
Observe ABCs of a Problem Behavior When assessing behavior problems in blind dogs, do not assumethat the problem is due to blindness. The first two steps in re-solving the issue will be the same as for any dog with a problembehavior. That is, have a veterinarian examine the dog to deter-mine if there are clinical or nutritional reasons for the behavior. Ifthere are not, then a functional assessment needs to be done,part of which includes defining the problem behavior, determin-ing the stimulus cueing it and the consequences maintaining it.
This is often referred to as ABC, for antecedent, behavior andconsequence. If the behavior happens repeatedly, it is becausethe animal gets some desired outcome. He may derive pleasureor comfort from the behavior or he might avoid or escape astimulus he finds aversive, such as a situation or event that makeshim uncomfortable. Determining the antecedent stimulus of aproblem behavior and the consequences maintaining it enable usto design a behavior modification program. This program may in-volve training the dog to do an alternative behavior. It may alsoinvolve changing the environment to either prevent the undesir-able behavior or to make it easier to perform the alternative (ac-ceptable) behavior.
Blind dogs have great abilities and are perfectly able to thrive.They are quite capable of many things and enjoy training and liv-ing their lives fully. We can help them by skillfully applying theknowledge of behavior science and positive reinforcement. AsDr. Susan Friedman says in Parrot Hero (PsittaScene, February2013, 25, pp. 12-15), "An empowered animal, with a lifestyle ofpositive experiences, has a better quality of life." n
When you are deal-ing with a deafpuppy or an ado-
lescent deaf dog in a rescueenvironment, mouthing andnipping is often high on thelist of problem behaviors. Dodeaf dogs and puppiesmouth, nip or grab morethan hearing dogs? The hon-est answer here is that wejust do not know. Anecdo-tally, based on the requestsfor help we see on forumsand websites, mouthing, nip-ping and/or grabbing doesnot seem to be more of aproblem for deaf dogs than itis with any other dog orpuppy. What is certainly more common is that new ownersworry about how they will handle mouthing with a deaf puppy.
Our handling may be more ‘hands-on’ with a deaf dog, makingit extremely important that the deaf dog is not touch sensitiveor reacting badly when touched. We have covered teaching asimple tap for attention, and a Gotcha! collar or harness grabpreviously (see Gadgets and Gizmos, BARKS from the Guild, Octo-ber 2014, pp. 30-32). Getting lots of practice with these exercisescan definitely reduce reactive nipping and mouthing.
Here in the UK, we are seeing increasing numbers of deafStaffordshire bull terriers, American bull dogs and Jack Russellterriers in rescue both as pups and as adolescents. It can cer-tainly feel more challenging to deal with these dogs when theyare deaf and mouthing hard, but we often see mouthing prob-lems in these breeds even when they can hear us. A combinationof frustration, kennel stress and a lack of effective communica-tion strategies seems particularly likely to lead to forcefulmouthing.
Anecdotally, my training colleague, Clare Ross, and I find thatdogs who are both deaf and partially sighted/blind do seem tomouth and grab more frequently, and with less care. We use arange of long-handled tug toys when working with these dogs.
Does the deafness interfere with learning to mouth gently?Some people have suggested that because the deaf puppy cannothear his siblings squeal in pain when he bites too hard that thehe will struggle to learn bite inhibition. While this may be true, alot of the early learning actually occurs when the pup is sucklingfor milk. If the puppy is too forceful with those needle sharp
It’s All in the Management
BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
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In the fifth article of the series on deaf dogs, Morag Heirs covers the topic of mouthing,
grabbing and bite inhibition in our hearing-impaired canine companions
teeth then mom will simplymove away. Later on whenthe puppy is playing with hisbrothers and sisters, it is notjust the squeals of pain thattell him his bites were toohard – it is also the fact thathis siblings get up and leave.
In our puppy classes, wefind that relatively few of thepups reduce their play bitingin response to a humansquealing in pain. Perhaps thesounds are less importantthan we previously thought.The communication that thepuppy might miss out onthough is the low grumblingor growling an older dog
might use to indicate displeasure. If the puppy is attached to theolder dog’s ear, leg or tail, then the puppy may still feel the vibra-tion and be able to learn what it means.
How can we best deal with mouthing and nipping in deafdogs? Just as with any puppy, the constant refrain is going to bemanagement, management, management. Particularly for new orless experienced owners, the idea of management might need
35
Long-handled tug toys canbe used for forcefulmouthing in deaf dogs
It is possible deafdogs may find itharder to learn bite inhibition
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some explanation and demonstration. We use our first week ofpuppy class to really emphasize this point. After some excitingbut managed play sessions and a brief clicker introduction, we getall the pups to settle on a blanket and provide tasty chews. Wethen chat to the owners about the common puppy issues.
Management Reminders• Identify key problem times of the day (early morning,
children coming home, evening zoomie time etc.)• Prompt owners to create good management plans (re-
stricting access to tempting slippers/feet, providing suitable alter-natives)
• Help owners learn how to identify the warning signs ofover-excited play or the jumping that often pre-empts mouthing,and make sure everyone has a consistent response
• If the owners are really struggling, have them keep adiary of incidents for one or two days so you can review thiswith them
Occasionally, it might be more than regular puppy mouthing.It can be really helpful to visit the client at home or have themsend you some video footage if they or you are at all concerned.
InterruptersSometimes our management is not perfect and we find ourselvesin a position where we can already see the teeth closing in. Orperhaps the deaf dog grabs a sleeve and is hanging on. Just aswith our hearing dogs, we can often interrupt the unwanted be-havior to ask for something more desirable.
If the deaf dog has a reliable sit signal (and you have a freehand) go ahead and ask for the sit. Do make sure you have a planfor what to do next, e.g. offer an alternative tug, encourage thedog towards a food toy or ask for a calm settle. If we have not
planned ahead, then the dog will likely sit and then reattach tous.
If the deaf dog has a solid and positive association with beinggently tapped as an attention request, you can use this. This canbe particularly helpful if the dog is mouthing or grabbing at a visi-tor. You can tap the dog on his side to ask him to reorient toyou, reward, AND then make sure you have a plan of what to donext.
If you have already taught the dog to recognize the feeling ofa treat thrown to gently touch his shoulder (so dog then looksdown for the food), you can also use this as a way to interruptthe grabbing or mouthing. While being aware of potential re-source guarding issues, this can work well as a way to interruptoverly enthusiastic mouthing in dog to dog play.
Finally, with some deaf dogs, interrupting the excitedmouthing very early on with a simple tap followed by a food re-ward, and then using gentle restraining pressure can be an effec-tive way to help the dog relax and settle. As always, this is not atechnique to use with a touch-sensitive dog, and be cautious intrying it out. We are in no way pinning the dog or forcibly re-straining him.
Teaching Gentle Mouth SkillsAny of the standard protocols for teaching gentle mouthing andawareness of teeth generally work just as well with deaf dogs.For example, helping owners play tug games with their dogs, butstopping the game if the teeth make contact with human skin(reducing tolerance levels as pup gets older); and the exercisewhere a handful of kibble is held in a closed fist and each piece isreleased as the dog licks or nuzzles rather than bites or chews atthe hand.
Rough playing or roughhousing with a dog can be rather a
As with any dog, a soft mouth isimportant in adeaf dog
A reliable sit signal isuseful for interrupting
unwanted mouthing
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controversial area and often, as trainers, we might advise regularpet owners to avoid this kind of interaction to prevent futureproblems. When working with sports or competition dogs, thiskind of physical play may be more appropriate or desirable. Muchas with a hearing dog, the key is to have very clear start and stopsignals. With one deaf collie, I used a “crocodile mouth snapping”sort of sign (made with both hands simultaneously) to indicate
the start of arough game.Since I nevertaught this signto anyone elseand we put alot of self-con-trol in place, itallowed us toplay a favoritegame but verysafely. n
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Morag Heirs PhD MSc MA(SocSci)(Hons) PGCAP Humanand Canine Remedial Massage Therapist, is a Companion Ani-mal Behavior Counselor who runs Well Connected Canine,www.wellconnectedcanine.co.uk, in York, UK. She workswith deaf and blind dogs professionally, provides training andsupport for the Deaf Dog Network and is the behavioristfor Sheffield Animal Centre (RSPCA) and York & DistrictRSPCA branches in the UK.
Eaton, B. (2005) Hear Hear. Reedprint: One of the best avail-able books on living with and training a deaf dog.Heirs, M. (n.d.). Basic Sign Language. Association of Pet BehaviorCounsellors (APBC): www.apbc.org.uk/system/files/private/advice_sheet_5_-_teaching_basic_sign_language.pdfHeirs, M. (2014, October). Gadgets and Gizmos. BARKS fromthe Guild, pp. 30-32: www.issuu.com/petprofessionalguild/docs/barks_october_2014_pet_professional/31?e=4452575/9892405ALSpro Online Sign Language Dictionary, www.aslpro.com/cgi-bin/aslpro/aslpro.cgi, is the author’s favorite online sign lan-guage dictionary and is good for getting ideas for signs andseeing the visual of how to move your hands. Blind Dog Information, www.blinddog.infoBlind Dog Rescue UK, www.facebook.com/pages/Blind-Dog-Rescue-UK/161489160581309Deaf Dog Education Action Fund (DDEAF), www.deafdogs.org,is very accessible and sells bandanas to alert people to a dog’sdeafness.Deaf Dog Network, www.deafdognetwork.org.uk, and DeafDog Network on Facebook, www.facebook.com/groups/thedeafdognetwork, both include a collection of videos ofteaching signs.Living with a Blind Dog is a simple summary of living with a blinddog. Retrieved March 21, 2015 from www.dummies.com/how-to/content/living-with-a-blind-dog.html
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BARKS from the Guild is a 60+ page trade publication available to Pet Professional Guild members, supporters and
the general public online. Widely read by industry professionals and pet owners alike, BARKS covers a vast
range of topics encompassing animal behavior, pet care, train-ing, education, industry trends, business and much more.
References
Clear start and stop signalsare invaluable when
working with deaf dogs
#bantheshock
In 2010, the Welsh assembly in theUK banned the use of e-collars indog training, imposing a penalty fine
of up to $30,000 or up to six monthsimprisonment for anyone caught break-ing the new law. Ever since then, I havelived in hope that my beautiful country,Scotland, would follow in Wales’s footsteps.
In January this year, the Scottish gov-ernment , led by Member of the Scot-tish Parliament (MSP) for the ScottishNational Party, Christine Grahame, metto discuss this issue. Grahame invitedrepresentatives from animal protectioncharity, OneKind, along with the KennelClub (UK), the Scottish Kennel Club,the Scottish Society for the Preventionof Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), the RoyalSociety for the Prevention of Cruelty toAnimals (RSPCA), Dogs Trust, GuideDogs for the Blind and animal charity,Blue Cross UK. Dogs Trust also tookalong e-collars for the MSPs to try outif they were sufficiently brave.
A decision like this does not happenovernight and the subject of banning e-collars has, in fact, beenon the table since 2007. Back then, the Scottish government saidit wanted to gather more information on the issue before pro-gressing. So here we are giving the government everything wecan on the subject, ranging from independent reports by the De-partment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) toonline petitions, and everything in between.
As PPG members, we obviously need no convincing whatso-ever that e-collars are both damaging and completely unneces-sary. However, when dealing with politicians we need to providethe correct information. We are, after all, dealing with a cultureof quick fixes that likes to stick with whatever method providesa quick result (arguable though that may in itself be).
For me, using an e-collar is somewhat like using a credit cardto pay off an existing one. It may temporarily remove the wolvesfrom the door but the damage to your credit rating is perma-nent. Not only that, you are only delaying a small problem to facea much bigger one - although the collar is decidedly more painful
Claire Staines hopes Scotland will ban the use of e-collars sooner rather than later, and
explains what she is doing personally to encourage progress in the right direction
38 BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
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of course.The DEFRA report Studies to assess
the effect of pet training aids, specificallyremote static pulse systems, on the welfareof domestic dogs indicates that all sortsof issues arise in the use of e-collars,from variances in the manufacturers’manuals on how to actually use themto behavior issues seen in many dogs asa result, including severe anxiety or ag-gression. “Even with best practice as ad-vocated by collar manufacturers andtrainers there were differences in thebehaviour of dogs that are consistentwith more negative emotional states(including anxiety and aversion) insome dogs trained with e-collars,” thereport states.
Interestingly, yet not surprisingly, thereport also covers the subject of live-stock chasing, which is one of the biggestreasons used to “justify” the e-collar.
It found that there were “no statis-tical significant nor clinically relevantdifferences in the efficacy of an e-collar
training protocol combined with rewards and a reward basedprogramme that does not use an e-collar for the management ofdogs presented with comparable levels of livestock chasing, whichis one of the most commonly advocated justifications for the ne-cessity of e-collar training.”
Now that MSPs have all this information to hand, I am hopingthat, when they reconvene to make the final decision, commonsense will prevail and that an informed, educated decision will tri-umph over any counter arguments.
On a personal level, I have, sadly, witnessed a huge increase inthe numbers of dogs wearing e-collars for issues such as chewing,door rushing, dog-dog aggression and, even more worryingly, re-call. I have also experienced a vast increase in reactivity issues incases where the owners have first tried shock collars for moreminor behavior issues.
This is where I came up with the idea for my mission to #ban-theshock. It started because I wanted to express my opinion onthe issue and invite other professionals to follow suit. To this end I
“...it is the position of the PPG that the use of electrical stimulation, or ‘shock’ or ‘e-collars,’ to train and/or modify the behavior of pet animals is not necessary for effective behavior modification or training and damaging to the animal. Forthe purposes of this statement, electrical stimulation devices include products often referred to as: e-collars, training
collars, e-touch, stimulation, tingle, TENS unit collar, remote trainers.” - PPG Position Statement on the Use of Shock in Animal Training
YOU control your dog’s development...choose wisely
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created a short video highlighting what I consider to be keypoints. I could not have imagined the response that followed. Thevideo has currently been viewed more than 47,000 times on myFacebook page and 210 times on my YouTube channel. I receivedsupport from trainers and owners from as far away as Australia.The shares and retweets locally in Scotland were wonderful andTwitter was awash with #bantheshock. After that, PPG memberDenise O’Moore, who is also a graphic designer, created animage for #bantheshock (see previous page), which added evenmore fuel to the campaign and was picked up by people all overthe world. I do believe it is one of the most shared images onwell-known dog trainer Victoria Stilwell’s Facebook page.
What next? There is only so much I can do alone. Of course,I will continue to educate within my circle on how to train one’sdog using humane and force-free methods. I will also continue toinform people about the effects of aversive methods and showthem directly how to make positive reinforcement work forthem and their dogs. I hope dog owners experiencing behaviorissues will watch the video and think twice about what lengthsthey will go to to rectify these issues, and instead seek out a pro-fessional who uses positive reinforcement training methods. If itstops even one person pressing that button to deliver an electricshock to their dog then I would be happy. And I would be ec-static if the Scottish government banned e-collars. Not onlywould that publicly verify that there is indeed an issue, the restof the UK would be inclined to follow suit and then, hopefully,the remaining European countries which have not alreadybanned such devices. In addition to Wales, e-collars are currently
Claire Staines is a dog trainer and behavior consultantbased in Scotland, UK. She owns and operates her own dogwalking business, Lothlorien Dog Services, www.lothlorien-dogservices.co.uk, and is an accredited Space Dogs trainer,www.spacedogs.org.uk.
banned in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Slovenia, Denmark, Fin-land, Sweden and Norway.
The rest, I am afraid, is in the hands of the Scottish politi-cians. I hope they decide to make Scotland a forward-thinkingand innovative country when it comes to the training and treat-ment of our beloved dogs. We are, quite rightly, not allowed touse punitive methods on children in Scotland and our laws viewviolent treatment towards human beings very seriously. It makescomplete sense that all family members, including dogs, are af-forded the same basic right to learn and to live freely from thethreat of physical or emotional abuse. n
References DEFRA (2010). Studies to assess the effect of pet training aids,specifically remote static pulse systems, on the welfare of domesticdogs. Retrieved March 16, 2015 from DEFRA: www.randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Module=More&Location=None&ProjectID=17568PPG’s Position Statement on the Use of Shock In Animal Training:www.petprofessionalguild.com/shockcollars. Video #bantheshock: www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRZPH3_ZwNo
Redstone Media Group, in partnership with thePet Professional Guild (PPG) is delighted to announce that all PPG members are now
eligible for 50% OFF ($12 for six issues) a one-year subscription to Animal Wellnessor Equine Wellnessmagazines.
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For people who are serious about their dogs!
A Life without Pets
As the aging population of the west-ern world increases, more peopleare finding themselves moving from
their own homes and into aged care ac-commodations. This can mean that com-panion animals get left behind, with thenew living arrangements unable to accom-modate pets. At this time of life, it can beespecially distressing for older people toleave not only their community and socialnetworks, but their companion animalstoo. It is undoubtedly a less than ideal sce-nario, given that research shows compan-ion animals can significantly enhance thephysical and mental well-being of olderpeople (Australian Companion Animal Coun-cil, 2009).
With the aging population, and the rec-ognized health benefits of pets, thereneeds to be a more thorough explorationof these issues from both a human and an-imal perspective so the health, welfare andsafety of both are considered.
To better appreciate these issues, wehave developed a Checklist for Aged Care Providers: Residents Living-in with Their Pets to guide the planning, design and management ofcompanion animals in aged care accommodation. This checklist isprimarily for aged care providers, but can be used by architects,planners, designers and developers.
The ChecklistThe Checklist for Aged Care Providers: Residents Living-In with theirPets identifies key issues that an aged care provider would needto consider including:
• Pet policy• Pet application and pet agreement forms• Health checks and behavioral assessments • Environmental and design considerations• Preventative health care• Ongoing management• Support pet servicesThe checklist is a guide only and aged care providers and
other users would need to tailor both policy and practice totheir specific environment.
Pet Policy What is the pet policy (i.e. dogs and cats) in the aged carefacility?
“It was found that many of the re-tirement communities accepting petswere overly focused on size andbreed restrictions to determine per-missibility, despite the fact that littledogs can often be very energetic andnoisy compared to some larger dogs,”said Dr. Gaille Perry, Delta (cited inWood, 2009).
Following is an example of theHalcyon Retirement Community PetPolicy, Australia (Wood, 2009):
• Pets to be considered on acase-by-case basis
• A behavioral assessment ofdogs to be undertaken by a qualifiedbehavioral trainer
• Pets to be fully vaccinated• Dogs to be de-sexed• Dogs to be registered
Pet Application and Pet Agree-ment Forms It is good practice to develop a pet
application form and a pet agreement form. A pet application form could include the following:• Name, age, type and description of pet• Vaccination information, council registration certificate,
de-sexing certificate and microchip certificate • Dog training certificatesA pet agreement form could outline the role and responsibil-
ities of the pet guardian (the resident). The Australian Compan-ion Animal Council (ACAC) developed a pet application and petkeeping agreement form for rental accommodation, which couldbe tailored for an aged care facility.
Health Checks and Behavioral AssessmentsPets should undertake a full health check by a vet prior tobeing accepted.
Aged care providers may also like to develop a patient recordor health card to detail any illness or ongoing issues that will re-quire treatment or maintenance.
Undertake a behavioral assessment of all dogs prior tobeing accepted.
A behavioral assessment should be undertaken by an appro-priately qualified dog behavioral trainer.
This is an example of a behavioral assessment. The behavioral
Fiona De Rosa and Fiona Warton outline their proposed checklist to ensure care home
residents are able to keep their pets, and provide them with a good quality of life
40 BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
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assessment should include temperament and social skills of thedog, including:
• Risk of injury to other animals and people• Mental health of the animal• Suitability of animal to specific environment (including
public/private spaces)• Behavior on lead• Reactivity to noises, other animals, familiar and unfamil-
iar people
Environmental and Design ConsiderationsConsider the pet’s indoor and outdoor environments including:Environmental
• Suitability of pet size and type to the specific environ-ment
• The existing space the pet uses and how this may varyfrom an aged care facility. Is it similar or different? How is it dif-ferent? How will this impact on the pet's transition to the newenvironment?
• Type, amount and quality of indoor/outdoor space forpet
• Availability of on and off-leash areas for dogsDesign
• Private room layout to consider:o Climbing opportunities, scratching poles and horizontal
scratching surfaces, higher/vertical spaces for resting areas andwarm areas for cats
o Adequate space for bedding and crateso Dog/cat door to secure outdoor spaceo Will you need to retrofit the private rooms to accom-
modate the pet’s needs? In the long-term, you may need to con-sider purpose built accommodation based on needs of residentand pet
• Access to safe and secure outdoor areas. Areas to haveshade, shelter, access to water, and have no toxic or irritatingplants in or near the area
• Consider secure off-leash areas for dogs and theirguardians
Preventative Health CareDevelop minimum preventative health standards for all pets.
The standards must include:Dogs
• Dogs must be vaccinated against parvovirus, distemper,hepatitis, parainfluenza and bordetella, including annual boosters
• Intestinal worming every three month(due to zoonoticpotential)
• Appropriate nutrition for life stage• Heartworm preventative recommended• Annual veterinary checks to check/review preventative
healthcare plan, dental care and general physical healthCats
• FIV testing for all cats to make sure they are negative,and history to make sure they are not likely to be a chronic car-rier of respiratory disease
• Cats must be vaccinated against feline infectious enteri-
tis (panleukopenia), feline calicivirus and feline viral rhinotra-cheitis, including annual boosters
• Intestinal worming every three month (due to zoonoticpotential)
• Appropriate nutrition for life stage• Annual veterinary checks to check/review preventative
healthcare plan, dental care and general physical health.
All Animals• Monthly flea control would need to be given to all ani-
mals to avoid the risk of an environmental flea issue developingwith multiple animals living in the same environment.
It is recommended that, where possible, animals be on acombination or all-in-one monthly product for fleas, intestinalworms and heartworm. This type of product will increase com-pliance and simplify administration by giving all animals their doseat the beginning of each month.
Prepare a Plan for Contagious DiseasesIt is necessary to have a plan for contagious diseases in place ifone of the animals picks up a contagious disease, e.g. ringworm,canine cough or cat flu. This is unlikely but a plan of action shouldbe in place just in case.
Consider whether the facility has the ability to isolate the an-imal until treatment is complete to limit any chance of spreadingto other pets (or people if disease is zoonotic e.g. ringworm).
Ongoing ManagementThere are also some questions to consider in the day-to-daymanagement of live-in pets (applies to cats and dogs).Responsibility
• Who is responsible for the day-to-day management ofthe pet?
• Whomanages the petwhen theguardian is sickor unable tocare for the ani-mal?
• Whatarrangementsare in place ifthe residentdies?
• Who isresponsible forthe daily exer-cise, feeding,medication, gen-eral care andgrooming of thepet?
• Who isresponsible forthe waste Ph
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Elderly people mayfind themselves havingto give up their petswhen they move intoa care facility
Fiona De Rosa BTP (Hons) M Env St DipCBST is an urbanplanner and dog behavioral trainer. She is the owner and princi-pal of Balancing Act (Pet Friendly Planning), www.balancingactadelaide.com.au, a consultancy specializing in the in-tegration of companion animals in urban environments. In 2014,she won the Planning Institute of Australia (SA) Award for Ex-cellence for Cutting Edge Research and Teaching for her work inthe planning and design of off-leash areas, in particular dog parks.Dr. Fiona Warton BVSc (Hons) MANZCVS (Veterinary Be-havior) CMAVA holds a bachelor of veterinary science and amasters of veterinary behavioral medicine. In 2011, she attendedthe National American Veterinary Conference completing thebehavioral medicine workshop with Karen Overall and KerstiSeksel as mentors. The following year, she gained membership,by examination, to the Australian and New Zealand College ofVeterinary Scientists in Veterinary Behavior. She currently worksin general veterinary practice and carries out behavior consulta-tions for companion animals.
ReferencesAustralian Companion Animal Council. (2009). The Power ofPets: The Benefits of Companion Animal Ownership. RetrievedMarch 15, 2015 from www.acac.org.au/pdf/PowerOfPets_2009_19.pdfAustralian Companion Animal Council. (n.d.). Pet ApplicationForm and Pet Keeping Agreement Form. Retrieved January 2, 2015from www.acac.org.au/pdf/Pet_Application_and_Agreement_Forms.pdfWood, L. (Ed.). (2009). Living Well Together: How Companion Ani-mals Can Strengthen Social Fabric. Petcare Information & Advi-sory Service and the Centre for the Built Environment andHealth, the University of Western Australia
Disclaimer: The advice provided in the checklist is of a preliminary na-ture and for information purposes only. A person should undertake in-dependent enquiries and seek independent advice, on this subjectmatter.
42 BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
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management (i.e. cleaning up of indoor and outdoor spaces)?
Day-to-Day Supervision• Who will monitor the pet’s stress levels (e.g. initial tran-
sition to a new environment and long-term management)?• Who is responsible for cleaning of pet bedding and pet
areas?• How will you manage feeding, overfeeding, inappropriate
food for dogs or cats?
Behavior Issues• How will behavior issues for dogs and cats (e.g. exces-
sive barking, jumping up, inappropriate elimination) be managed?• What is acceptable behavior for a dog or cat in this
type of facility?
Support Services It is recommended that aged care facilities develop a relationshipwith a local vet clinic that could care for the pets, and to ensurethe preventative health care is kept up-to-date.
Consider other support services including:• Dog behavioral trainer for behavior issues and/or vet-
erinarian with behavior qualifications• Grooming, bathing and nail clippingThe authors strongly recommend that aged care providers
use dog trainers and support pet services that implement posi-tive reinforcement, force-free training and pet care methods andpractices. n
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Conversations turn into ideas and ideas turn into possibili-ties. During a meeting with Ann Barley, assistant deputywarden of programs at Alouette Correctional Centre for
Women (ACCW) in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, to discussour current K9 programming at the center, Barley told me shewanted to devise a meaningful program for the maximum secu-rity area that involved dogs. Due to the strict supervision envi-ronment of maximum security, programming options can belimited and, because of this, dogs had not previously been per-mitted in the area. That, however, is exactly where the possibili-ties began.
I thought of a friend of mine who wanted to volunteer withme at ACCW and asked her if she would be interested in bring-ing in her service dog, Gilmore, for an informal visit. This way, thewomen offenders could interact and spend time with Gilmore inthe areas where dogs would not usually have access.
Gilmore is a two-year-old Labrador who was trained by theLions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides as an autism servicedog. He lives with Nicola Mitchell and her family in Maple Ridge.He was also the first dog we brought into the maximum securityarea at ACCW and Mitchell shared her story of what an incredi-ble difference he has made in the life of her son, Caleb, who hasAutism Spectrum Disorder. The Lions Foundation of Canada's
mission is to assistCanadians who have amental, developmentalor physical disability byproviding them withdog guides at no cost.As part of the LionsFoundation, Autism As-sistance Dog Guidesspecifically helps chil-dren aged three to 18years old who are diag-nosed with autismspectrum disorder, aswell as their families.An autism assistancedog guide providessafety, companionshipand unconditional love.He is also a source ofcalm and relief for chil-dren in high anxietysituations, helping to
Endless Possibilities
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In our October 2014 issue, Gail Radtke gave a compelling account of how her rescue dog,
Lanie, inspired her to become involved in developing a K9 program at a women’s
correctional center. Here, she reviews progress made and details her plans for expansion
reduce the stress levels commonly experienced in public places.From our very first visit at the centre with Gilmore and
Mitchell, I knew we were onto something very special. Westarted by bringing Gilmore into the area where the offendersare housed. This is known as a living unit and typically houses 40offenders. The living units are secure areas with private roomswhere the offenders sleep, with a common, open area for social-izing. From the moment we walked in, it felt like the energy inthe area changed. Many of the women stopped what they weredoing and headed straight over to meet Gilmore. They were ableto touch and pet the dog, ask questions about him and interactwith him the entire time we were there. Mitchell told themabout how he had come into her family and where he had comefrom. Many of the women spoke of their own dogs and how theymissed them, and said how wonderful it was to be able to spendtime with Gilmore. As a former correctional officer of 18 years, Icould see the pure joy this dog brought to these women wholive in an environment that can be challenging at the very least. Istarted to formulate an idea and to wonder exactly how I couldconvince everyone else.
At the time, I was already part of the St. John AmbulanceTherapy Dog Program in Maple Ridge as a certified therapy doghandler with my dog, Lanie, (see The Miracle Mutt, BARKS fromthe Guild, October 2014, pp. 36-39). This is a Canada-wide pro-
43
Nicola Mitchell andautism service dog,Gilmore, were the firstdog-handler pair tovisit the prison’s maximum security area
Gail Radtkewith her St. JohnAmbulancetherapy dog and co-pilot for the canineprison program, Tawny
BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
gram that involves certified handlers and dogs volunteering theirtime to visit hospitals and senior care homes in their area. TheSt. John Ambulance (SJA) program requires dogs to undergo abehavioral assessment test which mimics the real life situationsthey may encounter while out in the field. I proposed to Barleythat we approach SJA about their therapy dog program and see ifthey would be prepared to come into ACCW as part of a visita-tion program in the maximum security area. She was immediatelyenthusiastic and took it to her management team for approval,which we duly received. Barbara Renkers, unit facilitator for theMission/Abbotsford BC Division of SJA, and I then met to discussthe program. She also loved the idea and took it forward toprovincial coordinator, Leigh Ciurka. Consequently we obtainedapproval from both ACCW and SJA. All we now needed to dowas to persuade some handler teams to come into the prison.
Renkers and I set up an information session for SJA handlersto learn about the pilot project and to find out if anyone was in-terested in volunteering. The response was overwhelming andpeople were immediately positive in their support of the pro-gram. Several handlers committed to the program straight awayand so we began our visits.
Our first visit was with Bonnie Lavallee and Charlie, a four-year-old border collie/chow (best guess) rescue dog who is anactive volunteer with SJA and, according to Lavallee, her co-pilotin life. Lavallee was not at all nervous going into the prison butdid say she was curious. As soon as she walked through the doorto the living unit area and saw the smiles on the offenders’ faceswhen they saw Charlie, she felt the positive energy. She was anatural, engaging with the offenders and talking the entire timeshe was there, telling everyone about Charlie and the St. JohnTherapy Dog program. The offenders sat in a circle around Char-lie and took turns holding, petting and touching him. We hadbrought some dog treats with us and they were thrilled to beable to give these to Charlie. I could see the joy on the women’s
faces when they werewith him and even sawtears in the eyes of oneoffender, who said shemissed her own dog somuch. I could see howmeaningful it was forthe women to havephysical contact withCharlie and they haveasked to bring in abrush on one of our vis-its so they can taketurns grooming him.
In addition toGilmore and Charlie, Itake my own dog,mixed-breed Lanie, andalso took my four-year-old red heeler Aus-tralian cattle dog, Tawny,before she passed away
recently.Lanie is a St.John Ambu-lance therapydog who isalready in theprison pro-gram and par-ticipates inthe obedi-ence classesat ACCW, aswas Tawny.More re-cently, VickiSmith and herblackLabrador,Skeena, havejoined theprogram withmore dogs and handlers set to come on board in the near fu-ture.
This past February we added another program when I pre-sented a Family Paws Parent Education workshop to a group offemale offenders in the maximum security area. The workshopwas well-received by the women, who started to talk about theirown children and dogs at home. More workshops are scheduledfor the upcoming months. It has been an incredible experienceto be able to offer these educational workshops to women whomay not get the opportunity when they are released back intothe community.
Aside from this, ACCW already offers doggy daycare formembers of the correctional staff. This had not been a formallystructured pro-gram but it didallow the of-fenders to havedaily interac-tions with thedogs. Some ofthe offendersin the K9 day-care programhad previousexperience ofhandling dogsand even someminor workexperiencewith them.What they allhad in commonwas the desireto spend timewith the dogs.
T R E N D S
44
Vicki Smith and herdog, Skeena, have
recently joined thepioneering prison
program
Bonnie Lavalleeand Charlie werean instant hit withthe offenders inthe prison’s maximum security area
The author’s dog, Lanie, is also a St.John Ambulance therapy dog and instrumental in the development of the prison program
BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
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Each offender would be assigned a dog to care for during the dayand that would include walks, feeding and companionship.
The K9 program at ACCW was in its infancy when I wroteabout it last October. Since then we have expanded training op-portunities for the handlers via our volunteer training team. Thestaff at ACCW bring in their dogs to use in class and, with theirassistance, we instruct in canine handling skills, the basics of ca-nine behavioral learning theory and have recently completed aneight-week basic obedience class.
It has been priceless to be able to offer empowerment andsupport to the women offenders through dog training. Now thatI have seen first-hand how having dogs in the maximum securityvisitation program creates such a positive experience for the of-fenders, and how the K9 handler group benefits from the sharingof education and skills, I am driven even more to ensure the K9programming at ACCW continues to grow. n
ReferencesCooke, B.J & Farrington, D.P. (2015). The Effects of Dog-Training Programs: Experiences of Incarcerated Females.Women & Criminal Justice. doi: 10.1080/08974454.2014.909763: www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08974454.2014.909763?journalCode=wwcj20#abstract?af=RKoda, N. et al. (2015). Effects of a Dog-assisted Program in aJapanese Prison. Asian Criminology. doi: 10.1007/s11417-015-9204-3: www.link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11417-015-9204-3Radtke, G. (2014, October). The Miracle Mutt. BARKS from theGuild, pp. 36-39:www.issuu.com/petprofessionalguild/docs/barks_october_2014_pet_professional/37?e=4452575/9892405Alouette Correctional Centre for Women Introduction Video:www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sjrrr8BB-0AAutism Assistance Dog Guides: www.dogguides.com/autism.htmlFamily Paws Parent Education: www.familypaws.comLions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides: www.dogguides.com/index.htmlSt. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program: www.sja.ca/English/Community-Services/Pages/Therapy%20Dog%20Services/About-The-Therapy-Dog-Program.aspx
Gail Radtke CPDT is a retired correctional supervisor andformer instructor of the Justice Institute of British Columbia,Canada. Gail has combined her passion for dogs and teachingand is a Family Paws Parent Education presenter and has re-cently completed her DipCBST. She is the owner and opera-tor of Cedar Valley K9, www.cedarvalleyk9.ca, in Mission,British Columbia.
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A Metamorphosis through Play
stinct, with its focus, stealth, run and attack is not only sharpenedbut increased as the boredom that can come from being too do-mesticated in the home often enervates. Boredom saps the catas much as the human. There is nothing better for vanquishing it,besides a good dose of love, than making the cat move and dash,preferably with his owner. Play is also a bonding thing. Throughplay owners learn to appreciate the graceful, powerful, beautifulanimal the cat is while the cat looks forward to the owner beingthere as a provider of wonderful excitement and fun.
Many owners have seen their shy, under-confident cats be-come friendly, assured furry beings in a household which is nowless threatening. A cat must get used to a whole battery of newsmells, spaces and people when she comes to a new environ-ment. Playing when she is comfortable enough to emerge fromunder the bed can work wonders when it comes to getting usedto her new life. Additionally, it benefits the resident cats whoselives she has intruded on. Increasing exercise (separately, thengradually, together) for everyone can help improve the situation.
Any dissent between members of the multi-cat householdcan also be considerably eased by the introduction of severaldaily 20-minute (or more, depending on the cat) play sessions.With individual cats, play helps them gain confidence in their newterritories and families, both human and feline, as well as re-chan-neling fear, frustration and anger into a more constructive energyoutlet. When cats can play closer and eventually together theyoften learn better levels of tolerance and may even gain friendship.
Play is a huge stress reliever and wrecker of various kinds ofaggression, from redirected to territorial to inter-male and oth-ers. Many behavioral issues can be calmed by introducing interac-tive play. The camaraderie creates a happier outcome as theanxiety and aggression are properly and healthily re-channeled.
Many a cat, having gone through some ordeal—gaining a newhome, losing an owner or best cat-friend or showing commonsymptoms of depression (decreased eating or grooming, hiding,increased sleeping, vocalizing)—has been able to adapt and eventhrive through structured and plentiful activity. I have observedcats who are clearly mourning for a beloved fur-friend adjust
far more rapidly to a life without him because she has been dis-tracted through action. Those endorphins whizzing around (no, itis not scientific) mean she is feeling good. I have seen so manycats’ personalities turn around because of introduced exerciseand pure play.
A play session before bedtime can help the cat sleep furtherinto the night, and can help keep owners’ ankles from being at-tacked due to frustration at not being able to—you guessed it—play, hunt and catch. I am willing to bet the quality of sleep ishealthier, as well.
Exercise also helps cats who previously had access to the
F E L I N E
Interactive play provides both mental and physical stimulation for cats who may be in
danger of becoming just a little too “domesticated.” Jane Ehrlich explains
In the beginning, I underestimated play. Interactive play. A lot ofbehaviorists did. As an owner I knew it provided exercise (forme especially - my cat would watch while I chased, you know
the drill). As my time and experience as a behaviorist continued, Ilearned of the many benefits that play offers for a cat’s health,not only physically but mentally and emotionally as well. Playmakes SO much difference to a cat’s complete well-being. Play isfun exercise. Play is therapy.
We know that real play—not tossing the same ol’ toy untilthe cat just looks at it one day and lies down, but real interactiveaction—improves muscle tone. It is hugely rewarding to seeshoulder, back and leg muscles become defined in an out-of-con-dition cat who now has an exercise regime. It is wonderfully re-warding to see an arthritic cat begin to move more gracefully,more fully, with moderated play.
It is far healthier, to my mind, for an overweight cat to exer-cise more and eat less than to rely solely on feline “diet” foods. Ihave also seen scrawny cats metamorphose to a more healthybody because of increased leaping, chasing, dashing and pouncing.
Action motivates the couch-potato feline. Whether by illness,age or temperament, some cats do not appreciate moving. Per-haps they got out of the habit or perhaps no one ever playedwith them. If they could get their owners to forever peel kibblefor them from a silver platter while they imprint their bodyshape on velvet cushion, many cats would. However, the righttoys and healthy helpings of patience and encouragement arousemy 14 year old from her cheerful lethargy. Her feline instinctsblossom and her ‘inner hunter’ emerges.
Our indoor cats are used to their meas-ured, timed plates of food. Having them
hunt for the odd treats and use puz-zle-balls so they have to roll, paw
and chase after their food reapsrewards in so many ways.
That mental stimula-tion, the hunting in-
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Play is ideal forboredom-sappingin today’s heavilydomesticated indoor cats
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outdoors but now need to adapt to an indoor life. While differ-ent countries continue to stoke the controversy over which op-tion means a healthier life, the fact is more people are keepingtheir cats inside. To give them the best quality of that life possibleit is crucial not only to provide the territory, the ‘cat TV,’ theposts and the potted grass, but interactive play—lots of it—aswell, to ensure those instincts are able to emerge and thrive.
In my part of the world, coyotes, irrigation pipes and sizzlingtemperatures take their toll on the outdoor cat. When advisingclients to help their cats adapt to an indoor environment, thatkind of exercise (interactive play) is at top of the list. The resultsspeak for themselves: they adapt—and adapt well.
Play is fun. Even if you were out of the habit before pets cameinto your life, remember what it did for you when you wereyounger. You are getting the same mental and physical stimulationthat your cat is, together. You are running around more. You arelearning this toy works and that one does not, by trial and error.You are thoroughly enjoying yourself and your happier, healthieranimal. What gym could do that? It is a win-win all round. n
BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
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Jane Ehrlich is a professionally trained Feline Behaviorist with over 27 years experience. She spent 18years volunteering with the RSPCA in both clinical and be-havior work and has her own consulting business CattitudeFeline Behavior, www.cattitudebehavior.com, in Phoenix, Arizona, although her clients are located worldwide.
evision. That is too much. But play until Sean is weary. He will letyou know when he has had enough.
Q: I have a cat who has been moving his bowel a few inchesaway from the litter box. The difficulty is that I do not knowwho is doing it, as the stool is normal and I have three cats.
A: If the feces are within a foot of the box, for example, thinkabout any changes you might have made to the litterbox cleaningregime. Have you started using a strongly-scented detergent? Areyou trying a new litter the cat hates? Litter should be unscented,soft and clumping.
Are you scooping thoroughly every day? Have you bought anew litterbox, one that differs from his usual kind (covered in-stead of open, for example)? Have you changed the location ofthe box? Cats hate change and this new place may be one he dis-likes. If the cat uses other boxes in the home (there should be atleast one box per cat, with perhaps another one thrown in), ishe/she leaving stool bits outside those?
In the meantime, solve the mystery by putting shaved non-toxic crayon—not red, obviously— into the cats’ food. Use onecolor per cat and see who the unhappy sweetheart is whenhe/she excretes it. Once identified, I would still take him or herto the vet, to make sure that there is nothing medically wrong. Iwould also watch the cats, if I were you—a little observationwould be useful. Get to know your cat's elimination: the texture,color, shape, smell, amount of her stool. Any deviation more thana day (which is often dietary) might mean something to tell thevet about. It is better to overreact than miss something. n
Q: When I walk by the bed or sofa or through a door ouryoung cat Sean darts out and pounces, grabbing my legs.Sometimes he even bites. I am getting nervous! All the restof the time he is loving. What is this all about?
A: He is probably bored out of his fuzzy little mind. There aremany different kinds of aggression and this is play-aggression.When he is feeling restless he tries to get some fun by pouncingon unsuspecting ankles: that's 'prey' to you and me... and Sean.Stalk, leap, grab... it is all hunting, which is a normal need. There-fore, you need to provide that stimulation. I would strongly rec-ommend at least three or four play sessions a day, especially firstthing in the morning, after work, and especially before bed. Seanwill tell you when he is ready.
Good toys to substitute for your ankles include interactivepole-toys like Da Bird (a long black pole with a long black stringand a bunch of feathers at the end that you can swoop in the airor on ground so has good movement) and the Cat Dancer (acoil of piano wire with small cardboard sticks at each end, oneend of which you bounce around. The movement is unpre-dictable and cats love it. It can be bird prey, ground prey; you caneven toss it). Also good are Neko Flies with the Cat-i-Pede at-tachment. This has rubber-bandy legs that make it drag and movelike a real bug. If pet stores do not have them, eBay or Amazonwill. These types of games will also teach Sean to play not withfingers and toes but with distance toys. You can also toss crinkle-balls or those tiny mice (with real fur, alas, but it IS what cats respond to).
All said, wear the little fur-child out. I do not hold with theirpanting, especially heavily, in spite of what you might hear on tel-
Feline Behavior UnmaskedJane Ehrlich responds to commonly asked questions about feline
behavior problems and feline behavior in general© Can Stock Photo/BENGUHAN
Interactive play givescats an outlet for theirnatural instincts
Stimulation For Psittacines
Physical and mental stimulation isvital to every species on theplanet. Squid, poison dart frogs,
pigs, rats, cats, tortoises, spiders, jaguars,sheep, dogs, ferrets, parrots, you name it,they all need daily stimulation. Enrich-ment is a fundamental component of re-sponsible, preventative companionparrot care. But how can we ensure theparrots we care for are getting enough?
Vital For Well-BeingStudies have shown that when animalsare provided with a stimulating environ-ment, they are less stressed, live longerand are better able to develop problem-solving skills, not to mention that un-healthy behaviors are more likely to beprevented. In the zoo community, thiskind of stimulation is referred to as en-richment. Admittedly, that word isthrown around rather loosely in the petcommunity these days, but most peopledo have at least a limited understanding of the purpose of en-richment and how to appropriately apply it to an individual ani-mal. Importantly though, many people do not recognize the needfor species-specific enrichment.
What Is Enrichment?Over the years, enrichment has evolved from merely providinganimals with basic husbandry needs to simulating an individualspecies’ natural habitat to encourage choices and elicit naturalbehaviors.
Enrichment is the act or process of increasing intellectual or spiritual resources
Fast Facts:• Behavioral and environmental enrichment are essentialcomponents of life in captivity, whether animals live in a zoo,shelter, laboratory, sanctuary or a home.• Enrichment is now considered one of the primarymeans for addressing concerns about an animal’s physical andpsychological welfare.• Enrichment is as integral to an animal’s well-being ascomprehensive veterinary care and nutrition.
The International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators(IAATE) defines enrichment as “the provision of interactive op-
In the first of a four-part feature, Amy Martin explores the key to transforming a parrot’s life
in captivity through various forms of enrichment
portunities that enhance the lives of an-imals”. They further explain that “the ac-tivity levels of birds in the wild suggestthat, under human care, they can benefitfrom mental and physical stimulation.”
Why Companion ParrotsNeed Enrichment Imagine yourself sitting on a woodenchair in a room that is no more than 6feet by 6 feet. There are no windows.You cannot leave and no one ever visitsyou. You have no radio, television, phoneor internet. Someone offers you thesame food in the same bowl everymorning and evening. Your physical exer-cise consist only of shifting your weightin the chair. What do you think wouldeventually happen to your mind andbody after a day, a week, a month and,eventually, a year? What about a life-time? This kind of mental and physicalstagnation is incredibly harmful to all
living creatures. This scenario is all too common for parrots in homes and
shelters all over the world. The good news is it can be preventedand we can be the ones to do so.
Providing Enrichment for Parrots Is Crucial to Their Well-BeingDo not let those flirtatious faces and colorful feathers fool you.Parrots are not domesticated animals. Cats, dogs and horses havebeen selectively bred for qualities that enable them to live moreharmoniously among humans. Parrots are exotic, and by defini-tion are not a species indigenous to the U.S.
Companion parrots have the same instinctual needs as theirwild counterparts. A parrot may live in a cage at home with hisowner but his mind and body are just as wild as the green-winged macaw who is flying free in the tropical rainforests ofCentral and South America.
Parrots bred in captivity have the same instinctive physical and behavioral needs of parrots living in the wild
Putting Together the Parrot Puzzle PiecesIf we want to create a healthy, species-specific environment for acaptive parrot, we have to ask two very important questions: • What are the natural behaviors of this parrot species
48 BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
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Zazous with FlatStanley: Enrichmentwill enhance a companion parrot’slife in many ways
BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
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in the wild? • What are the actions that occupy this parrot species’24-hour cycle?
Answers: flying, grooming, sleeping, and finding food, saferoosting spots, new territory, mates and nest sites. Wild parrotsspend over 50 percent of their daily activity foraging and feeding.
Now think about what your companion parrot is doing dur-ing his 24-hour cycle, and what he would be doing in the wild ifhe had a choice. If it is drastically different, a change is needed.
Foraging is one of the most severely constrained behaviors of captive parrots
What Captivity Takes AwayWhen parrots live in captivity, the daily challenges and choicesthey would have in the wild no longer exist. Food is brought tothem. They always have a stationary perch to rest on. They don’tneed to search for a mate or nesting site. There are no predatorsto evade. All this may sound great to us, but behavioral andhealth problems can result. By making life easier for companionparrots, we have inadvertently taken away their choices and re-moved opportunities for them to fulfill their instinctual desires.We have created an environment that is not conducive for theiroverall health and well-being. This can cause them to suffer fromcaptivity-related stress and other maladaptive behaviors.
Captive parrots need the opportunity to behave as they would in the wild
Enrichment as PreventionAvian veterinarians, parrot rescue and rehabilitation centers andindividual parrot owners are acutely aware that behavioral ab-normalities are common in captive parrots. Self-destructive andmaladaptive behaviors such as such as excessive screaming,feather destruction, self-mutilation, phobic reactions, stereotypicbehaviors, depression and aggression are all too common. Fortu-nately, enrichment studies have proven that these can be reduced
significantly or prevented altogether with the use of species-ap-propriate enrichment.
How Enrichment Helps:• Promotes naturalistic behaviors that stimulate a parrot’smind and increases physical activity, resulting in a reduction inoverall stress.• A reduction in stress promotes overall increased healthby increasing the parrot’s perception of control over her envi-ronment.• Enhances the environment and stimulates the parrot toinvestigate and interact more with her surroundings.• Enables a parrot to occupy his time in captivity mostconstructively.
Enrichment promotes naturalistic behaviors that stimulate the mindand increase physical activity. Enrichment reduces stress and thereforepromotes overall health by increasing an animal’s perception of control
over his/her environment
The Goal of Providing Enrichment for Parrots in Captivity is to:• Increase the range of natural behaviors.• Reduce abnormal behaviors. • Increase positive ways to utilize their environment.• Increase the ability to cope with stresses and challengesin a healthier way.
The goals of enrichment are to offer a sense of control by al-lowing animals to make choices and to stimulate species-appro-priate behaviors.
Enrichment is generally grouped into the following five cate-gories. These are not mutually exclusive or listed in any order.Safety is always priority.
Cognitive/OccupationalExercise for the mind and body by offering psychological devicesand/or voluntary behavioral training. The goal is to encourage
Studies haveshown one in 10captive parrotspecies developpsychogenicfeather pluckingbehavior
Chopin, the Moluccan cockatoo,is challenged mentally and
physically to utilize his species’natural foraging and problem
solving skills to retrieve a high-value nut from a puzzle feeder
50 BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
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ReferencesThe International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators:www.iaate.org.
Amy Martin owns and operates Conscious Companion®,www.consciouscompanion.com/my-background.html and is amember of the advisory team for Family Paws Parent Educa-tion, www.familypaws.com. She also serves on the board ofdirectors of the Cape Fear Parrot Sanctuary, www.capefearparrotsanctuary.org.
This article has only skimmed the surface of parrot enrichment, so besure to stay tuned for the next article in this four-part series in the
next issue of BARKS.
exercise and provide the parrot withchallenges and control over the environ-ment.
DietaryPresenting varied and novel foods and/orchanging the method of food delivery. Itis used to elicit feeding, foraging behav-iors, problem-solving strategies and tofacilitate behavioral conditioning.
PhysicalHabitat: this involves altering the size andcomplexity of the animal’s enclosureand/or adding accessories such as sub-strate, temporary objects, permanentstructures, alternate perching sites,climbing or swinging opportunities andobjects that can be manipulated with thebeak or feet.
SensoryStimuli that address all five senses (audi-tory, visual, olfactory, tactile and taste);designed to elicit a species-specific response.
SocialDirect or indirect contact: Providing direct contact could be withpeople, parrots of different species, conspecifics, other animals orobjects like mirrors. Indirect contact is provided through visual,olfactory and auditory stimulation.
Enrichment is often considered to be simply offering toys and funfoods, but it is far more than that
Enrichment in ActionFor over a decade, I served as an enrichment coordinator forvarious sections at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, Louisiana.In the Children’s Zoo and Education Department I had the dailychallenge of enriching multiple species of parrots, many of whomwere once pets but had been donated to the zoo because of un-desirable behavior issues.
To ensure the parrots’ safety, comfort and focus during edu-cational programming, I utilized all five types of enrichment multi-ple times a day for each bird. I made changes to structures intheir enclosures, presented novel objects for them to investigate,changed how I presented food to them, used force-free trainingand much more. Depending on the species, I encouraged them tobehave in specific ways that would be natural to them in thewild. Offering a variety of options, allowing them to make choicesand have control over their environment greatly reduced theirboredom, frustration and aggression.
Bored parrots are easily frustrated. Frustration can lead to destructionof their environment, aggression towards other parrots and even
harming themselves.
Offering recycled items helped Sarge, a 50+ year old blue and gold macaw, to occupy his time constructively and engage in natural behaviors: various
enrichment prevented boredom, depression, frustration and feather plucking
Graphic by Amy Martin
Enrichment Is Worth Your Time and EffortCreating and providing species-specific enrichment for each par-rot required research, planning, cooperation and creativity. I didthis every day for nearly a dozen parrots, morning, noon andevening all while supervising and mentoring volunteers and in-terns and educating the public.
I share my story with you because many parrot guardians donot believe that enrichment is something they have the time for.Here is the truth: You do have time; you just have to find it. In-vesting your time and effort into learning about your companionparrot’s unique and individual needs will change his life in waysyou would never have thought possible. It will help your parrotto enjoy a healthy, harmonious life in captivity. You have thepower to prevent health and behavioral issues while helping himthrive. n
BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
I N T E R V I E W
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Standing Up for ChangeLouise Stapleton-Frappell speaks to Niki Tudge, PPG’s founder and president, to discover
her motivation for setting up the organization, as well as her hopes and plans for its future,
and for the pet training industry as a whole
Niki Tudge has been in-volved with pets since2000 when she started
an agility club in Hawaii. Priorto that, she traveled the worldas an international hotelier.Tudge is now based just outsideTampa, Florida, where she hasestablished PPG’s corporate of-fice along with DogSmith, herdog training and pet care com-pany and DogNostics, her ca-reer college for pet industryprofessionals.
Q: These are exciting times for PPG and its members. InNovember, the first ever Force-Free Educational Sum-mit for Pet Professionals is being hosted by PPG inTampa, Florida. Tell us more.
A: We have over 30 fantastic presenters. Everyone from Dr.Karen Overall to Michelle Duda, Emily Larlham, Ken McCort,Lara Joseph, Jacqueline Munera, Nancy Tucker, Debra Millikan,Diane Garrod, Laurie Schlossnagle, Linda Michaels, MaureenBackman, Lisa and Brad Waggoner, Pat Miller, Pamela Johnson,Theresa McKeon, Chirag Patel… the list goes on and on. The Summit will last three days and there will be five rooms
available at any given time. We have planned the schedule so thatif anyone wants to see, say Larlham, Johnson and Patel, theyshould be able to fit them all into their schedule as some ses-sions will be repeated on different days. We are also workingwith a company to be able to live stream it, which will be reallynice for people who cannot attend. It is our goal in 2016 to actually do both a North American
Summit and a European Summit. I am hoping we can secure ourspeakers for next year, do the event in North America and thenmove everyone over to Europe for the same thing.
Q: Tell us a little bit about the Pet Professional Accredi-tation Board.
A: When PPG first started, our goal was to start a community forforce-free pet professionals. There were different levels of mem-bership. Provisional meant that you were still learning or atschool. Associate meant that you worked for someone else and afull member meant that you had your own business.
As of the end of April, werolled out an independentlyproctored accreditation pro-gram (see also pages 12-13).It is a force-free accredita-tion that is legally defensible.We hope to do this as partof our advocacy movementto bring about some type ofoversight into our industry.Those wishing to gain the ac-creditation as canine trainerswill need to submit videos,
and there will also be an online test of knowledge and compe-tence. There are strict eligibility criteria. For those wishing togain accreditation as canine behavior consultants, it is all of thatplus the submission of four case studies. We have actually formed a separate company to implement
the program to make sure that it is independent of PPG. To apply,however, you must also abide by PPG’s Guiding Principles. It isopen to people who are not PPG members which makes the en-tire process more legally defensible. About two years of hardwork have gone into the program. People will be able to take thetest and record the videos at the PPG Summit in November aswell.
Q: Is the program aimed at people who are already cer-tified trainers?
A: It is aimed at anyone who meets the eligibility criteria, whichinclude age, number of years in the business etc., but applicantsdo not have to have a particular certification already. It is espe-cially exciting because it tests competency, mechanical skills andknowledge and also holds applicants accountable. I think it is thefirst accreditation to officially state that holders must performwithin the parameters of the established guiding principles.
Q: You are talking about something that, in effect, couldchange the face of certification.
A: Yes, and that was our goal. We wanted something that was notattached or affiliated with any other educational provider or or-ganization, that was very independent, that was psychometricallysound and that would test what we believe are the knowledgeand competencies any good professional canine trainer or behav-ior consultant should have.
Niki Tudge started PPG infrustration at the lack of regulation and accountabilityin the fields of pet behavior and training
Q: Is this going to be available to people everywhere?
A: It is, it is open to people all over the world. It is also ex-tremely affordable.
Q: Why did you establish The Pet Professional Guild?
A: Primarily it came from feeling a great deal of frustration withthe shape our industry is in, the level of professionalism and thefact that it is unregulated. I think when you are dealing with livingcreatures there has to be some sort of oversight. It should notjust be a situation where anyone can open up their store andstart taking dollars. I think the final straw was when I walked intoa big box pet store and watched their onsite “trainer” showing aclient how to hang a dog in the air because the dog was reactingtowards other dogs. I walked out there and then, leaving myshopping cart full of products. I had seen the training manuals forthis particular organization and knew they were supposed to bepositive but, on returning and speaking to the assistant manager,he seemed to think that it was acceptable. The following day Iphoned their corporate office but nobody was interested in talk-ing to me.In addition, I was not happy with the organizations I was a
member of and did not feel I was getting much out of them. I didnot agree with a lot of their training methods so, in December2012, I put together a simple website with manual applicationforms. I spoke to our manager, Rebekah King, and said, “Let’s seewhat happens.” As it happened, we were inundated with applica-tions. It showed us there really were a lot of people who wantedto be part of an organization that represented who they wereand what they stood for. We are available for anyone to join us,anyone who philosophically aligns themselves with our guidingprinciples. Even if someone does not have the tools or theknowledge, they can join us as a provisional member and imme-diately get access to our educational resources and the mentor-ship we offer via access to other professionalsOur first three years have been so successful we have just es-
tablished PPG Australia, which will be operated by a local steer-
ing committee. We will also roll out other local chapters in theUS, UK and elsewhere soon. After three years, we really under-stand what our members’ needs and wants are, so thought it im-portant to have area chapters where people can access all theinformation in their own language and use their own experts.
Q: What is the primary goal of PPG?
A: To align and represent pet industry professionals who arecommitted to results-based, scientifically sound, force-free train-ing and pet care.
Q: Can you explain exactly what you mean by “force-free”?
A: There are some negative connotations to “force-free” andthere are people who do not like the term because there aresome trainers who are not, according to our definition, force-free. Force-free to us at PPG means that no shock, no pain, nochoke, no fear, no physical force, no physical molding, no compul-sion based methods are employed to train or care for a pet.
Q: Due to the popularity of certain television programs,a lot of people think that they need to be the “alpha”leader. They are told to prod, poke, choke and roll theirdogs onto their backs in order to control them and keepthem in their place at the bottom of the pack. Can youexplain why they should not be doing any of this?
A: I urge everyone to read the Position Statement of The Ameri-can Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB): The Use ofDominance Theory In Behavior Modification Of Animals. Dominancetheory is a completely outdated philosophy and the AVSABstatement explains exactly why this is. So-called alpha dogs do not roll other members of their fam-
ily group. This is a very aggressive display that could easily trau-matize a dog, especially a puppy. It is not a good form ofcommunication. There is a school of thought in the scientific
community that this incorrect belief alone isresponsible for so many preventable cases ofaggression and dog bites. It is outdated andwas based on completely inaccurate science.The scientist who brought out the first stud-ies, Dr. David Mech, has since refuted it andsaid that it was based on bad data. We shouldnot be treating our dogs in this way. We donot need to be “alpha”. Our dogs rely on usfor their safety, their well-being, and all theirresources. They look to us to be their protec-tor. That is the sort of relationship we shouldhave with them. All this nonsense about dogsgoing through doors first, it is absolutelyridiculous. I have never seen a dog open up hisown can of food, write a check or drive a car… As force-free trainers we cringe whenever
we hear, “the dog is dominant, he’s jumping on
Tudge (left) works withEmily and WilliamConde of The DogSmithof Orlando and dogsGizmo (left) and Bailey.Dogs are not trying totake over the world, inspite of what trainersusing outdated methodswould have their clientsbelieve, says Tudge
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Tudge takes Gizmoand Bailey throughsome moves. Force-free trainers cringewhen they hearsomeone label adog “dominant,”she says
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my lap etc.” No, the dog is exhibiting behaviors that have workedin the past, that he has gained some type of reinforcement for.The first thing some clients say is, “My dog sleeps on the bed, I’msure you’re not going to like that.” Yet my dogs both sleep on thebed. If it became an issue in terms of resource guarding I wouldmanage it and stop it. Letting dogs run through the door first –why not? They want to get outside. As long as they are not en-dangering anybody or damaging anything… It is nice to have a“sit and wait” cue as well but dogs do what works for them. Thatdoes not mean they are out to take over the world. We are notgoing to see one in the Oval Office at the White House mandat-ing policies. This is just not how it works. The Pet Professional Guild also has a Position Statement On
Reality Dog Training. We respectfully submit that showcasingtraining methods that use force, fear or pain is morally and ethi-cally wrong as well as damaging to the animal, damaging to thehuman-animal bond, and potentially creates hazards for the pet-owning public. We should not be showcasing anything that cre-ates significant danger for animals or people, yet that is exactlywhat these methods do. The fact that they have on the screen,“Do not try this at home” tells you all you need to know. Of course good pet dog training should be tried and prac-
tised at home. If it is done properly, you get the same resultswith a happier dog and a better relationship. Scientific, reward-based methods work, they are effective and are a lot of fun foreverybody, which is just the way it should be. These are our petdogs, they are part of our family. What on earth are we thinkingwith all this out-dated training?
Q: PPG has a campaign underway urging people not touse shock collars. What would you say to those who havebeen advised to use one?
A: In my opinion, they are inhumane tools. They are not effectivetraining tools. A training tool is a device that is used to obtain abehavior, to reinforce a behavior and to generalize and proof itso that, once an animal is trained, the tool is no longer required. First of all, shock collars work through the application of pos-
itive punishment and negative reinforcement. An animal exhibits a
behavior to avoid being shocked. We should not want our ani-mals to learn in a fear-based environment. We want them tolearn because it is motivating and fun to learn. Secondly, with adog who has been “trained” under the conditions of shock, whendo you actually take the collar off? When the collar is off the be-havior is no longer reliable, so it is not, in fact, a training tool, it isjust a crutch. The American Veterinary Society of Behaviorists and The
American College of Veterinary Behaviorists both state that, ifsomebody recommends the use of a choke, prong or shock col-lar, look elsewhere. These are not the types of people you wantto select as a dog trainer. Tools such as these are very punitive.You do not get good results. Not only are they not reliable, theydo irrevocable damage to the relationship between an ownerand their dog. Some animals become ticking time-bombs. Thepunishment that is applied during the training process can begeneralized to you as the punisher, to the environment and thesetting where the behavior is being learned, which makes allthose things potentially very dangerous. People should only lookfor dog trainers who use science-based methods as anythingthey do or ask an owner to do is going to enhance the relation-ship with his/her dog and not damage him in any way.
Q: A lot of pet owners do not like the idea of using foodto train their dogs. What would you say to them to helpchange their minds?
A: PPG has a fantastic hand-out called The Proper Use of Food inDog Training. I do not know where this idea comes from. Dogs areintelligent creatures. They are not little people in fur suits. Theydo what is fun and rewarding. We know that all dogs like food.They have to like food to survive, so why not motivate themusing something they really want and enjoy doing? For me, it isthe same as you might enjoy your job but you would not want togo to work if your boss did not pay you. We ask our dogs to learn what I sometimes think must seem
ridiculous behaviors in their eyes: sit, stay, spin, jump, down…Why on earth would a dog want to exhibit those behaviors? Ifwe want to motivate our dogs to learn and make sure that weboth enjoy what is going on, then we have to use something thatis both motivational and a reinforcement. For some dogs it doesnot even have to be food. High-drive herding dogs like bordercollies might love tennis balls and frisbees but, for most dogs,food is going to be what will do it. I think sometimes positive reinforcement trainers get a bad
rap because they do not adequately explain the use of food. Ifmore owners understood that they will not have to walk aroundwith a pocket full of smelly hotdogs for the rest of the dog’s lifebecause, as part of the proofing, we gradually phase out the foodreinforcement and transfer it on to secondary reinforcers suchas petting, a tennis ball or a walk, then I think they might bettergrasp what it is all about. I sometimes go to dog events and watch people walking
around with their dogs and every two seconds they are shovingfood in the dog’s face. You talk to the owner and the dog wastrained years ago and the dog still will not work without food. I
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think we need to explain that when we train dogs we have tomotivate and reward them because what is rewarded is re-peated. We want dogs to be happy and we want to have a greatrelationship with them but we also want to use food appropriately. Food is a training tool and once we convince people to give it
a go, they realize, particularly with lure and reward training, thatthe food lure quickly becomes the hand signal and then becomesthe reinforcement. They then get over that initial feeling of notwanting to use food. The aforementioned handout answers sev-eral key questions, for example: “Why should I use food in train-ing my dogs? Surely if I ask my dog to do something then heshould just do it?” Well no, dogs were not born with a manualthat says, “When your human says ‘jump,’ ask, ‘how high?’” That isnot the way dogs work. The handout also answers questions like, “Why does my dog
only listen when I have a piece of hotdog in my hand?”, “How doI make sure that I’m not bribing my dog?” and “If I train a lot willmy dog get fat?” That is always a good question. No, he will notget fat as you will make sure that, collectively with his treats andfood, you only give him the required calories.
Q: What about the owners who have a large breed ofdog, perhaps a pit bull, a Rottweiler or a German shep-herd. Do they need to train them in a different way?
A: Absolutely not. There are rules of engagement with learningtheory, with science and with how we train our dogs and theyapply whether it is a Chihuahua or a great Dane. We recently dida five-day dog training workshop at PPG’s headquarters and wehad 10 pound dogs in the class and we had 170 pound dogs inthe class. Every owner was using the same principles of acquiringbehaviors, reinforcing behaviors, putting them under stimuluscontrol and then starting to proof them and generalize them. Yes,the actual mechanics are going to be different but the principlesremain the same. There really is no excuse why a little Chihuahua
cannot walk nicely ona leash and why agreat Dane cannothave good manners. Ifyou have a skilfultrainer the size orbreed of the dog re-ally makes no differ-ence. When we con-
duct training work-shops, there isnothing nicer thanseeing people whocome in with pitbulls, great Danes,mastiffs and Dober-mans and you justthink, what great am-bassadors for thebreed. They are get-
ting it right. They have dogs who are solid, well-socialized arounddogs and people, have had excellent training and are just allround wonderful dogs. I believe that if you own a pit bull or anytype of dog that could potentially fall under Breed Specific Legis-lation (BSL), then you have an obligation to be an ambassador forthat breed so that more of these ridiculous laws are not passed.
Q: Does PPG have a stance on BSL?
A: We do not. I have been asked several times about this but wedo not feel that it falls within our purview of dog training and petcare. Personally, however, I think it is ridiculous. There does notseem to be any correlation between the breeds and recordeddog bites. It is one of those laws that has been abused by a lot ofauthorities and local communities. To be honest with you, I find itvery hard to answer this question as I get perplexed at how thelaws have even gotten passed. If you look at the dog bite statis-tics, most of the dogs that fall under BSL are not even listed.When there is a fatal attack it is all over the news but there arenot actually all that many of them, while there are many otherreported dog bites. As it says in the AVSAB Position Statement on Breed Specific
Legislation, any dog can bite, regardless of size or sex. Obviouslythe genes will dictate certain behaviors but I remember Ian Dun-bar saying years ago that once that dog is a puppy and out of thewomb, the genes are pretty much done. What takes over then ishow the animal is raised; the responsibility of the breeder; theway he is socialized; the way he is trained and taught bite inhibi-tion; the way he becomes habituated to everything in his life.That is the role of the breeder and the dog owner, not the re-sponsibility of the gene pool. Several places have dropped BSL asthey have realized it has done little in terms of statistics. But youstill hear these awful stories of people losing their family pets. We are putting the emphasis on too few breeds and not ad-
dressing the problem at large, which is educating pet owners touse the right training methods and to go through the right train-ing and socialization. That is what is going to make dogs safer.
Q: I agree. I have to have a Dangerous Dog Handler’s li-cense in order to keep Jambo, my Staffordshire bull ter-rier, who also happens to be a trick dog championtrained with positive reinforcement. In Spain where Ilive, the authorities have introduced legislation locallythat any dog over 44 pounds has to be muzzled and on aleash when in public, so it is not just breed discrimina-tion but size discrimination as well. The people makingthe laws seem to know very little about dogs and training.
A: In the AVSAB’s Position Statement it says: “Responsible dogownership and public education must be a primary focus of anydog bite prevention policy,” not Breed Specific Legislation. I thinklarge dogs get a bad rap. How many small dogs do we see withbehavior problems whose owners do not feel they have any re-sponsibility to resolve them because if they bite it will not killanyone? The motivation and behavior is exactly the samewhether it is a 10 pound Chihuahua or a 70 pound Rottweiler.
Although the author’s dog, Jambo, is a trick dog champion, he needs to wear a muzzle in
public because of his breed. But Breed Specific Legislation misses the point, says Tudge
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Louise Stapleton-Frappell is a CTDI (through Do MoreWith Your Dog) and holds Force-free Instructor certificationfrom In The Doghouse DTC (Nando Brown). She is also cur-rently doing the Clicker Trainer Super Trainer Course withKay Laurence. Her blog, Jambo - The Story So Far, can be foundat www.louisestapletonfrappell.wordpress.com/2014 /01/16/jambo-the-story-so-far/ and her champion trick dog, Jambothe Staffordshire bull terrier, has his very own page on Face-book, www.facebook .com/StaffyChampion?fref=ts.
ReferencesAmerican Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior Position Statement on Breed Specific Legislation: www.avsabonline.org/uploads/position_statements/Breed-Specific_Legislation-download-_8-18-14.pdfThe American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior The Useof Dominance Theory in Behavior Modification Of Animals: www.avsabonline.org/uploads/position_statements/dominance_statement.pdfContact PPG: www.petprofessionalguild.com/contactPPGPPG: www.petprofessionalguild.comPPG on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetProfessionalGuildPPG’s Guiding Principles: www.petprofessionalguild.com/PPGs-Guiding-PrinciplesPPG Handout The Proper Use of Food in Dog Training: www.petprofessionalguild.com/Resources/Documents/The-Proper-Use-of-Food-In-Dog-Training.pdfPPG Members’ Directory: www.petprofessionalguild.com/PetGuildMembersPPG Pet Owner Membership: www.petprofessionalguild.com/page-1861891PPG Pet Owner Membership Form: www.petprofessionalguild.com/PetOwnerGuildMembershipformPPG Position Statement on Reality Dog Training: www.petprofessionalguild.com/Realitydogtrainingpositionstatement
Q: Can you tell me about some of the resources avail-able to pet dog owners through PPG and what are theadvantages of becoming a member?
A: We do have a form where pet owners can apply for member-ship. This entitles members to certain discounts from pet indus-try vendors and, even for non-members, there are lots ofeducational articles on our website about the use of shock, dom-inance theory, puppy socialization, a puppy nipping guide and ahandout on the proper use of food in training. You can also access Ian Dunbar’s two free books: Before You
Get Your Puppy and After You Get Your Puppy. We have article linksthat include pet training videos. We have links to Emily Larlham’swebsite with all her great training videos. There are lots of othereducational videos that we have collected over the months.There is also a really nice page on “What is my dog saying?”which is an excellent collection of video PowerPoints put to-gether by Carol Byrnes. I personally think that anyone who has adog should be watching these. When we have professionals coming to our headquarters to
conduct training workshops, one of the first things I say in myopening presentation is that, if you are working with dogs, youhave a fundamental obligation to understand canine communica-tion and social behavior. If you have not done at least three-fourhours studying on this topic, then you should not be takingmoney from people. I feel so strongly about that because, as pro-fessionals, that is one of the key skills and areas of knowledge wehave to have. There is so much access now to good quality edu-cation at reasonable prices that there is no reason why profes-sionals should not have had access to that. Also on our website we have a lot of information about dog
bite safety. This is done through Doggone Safe, a company thatoffers a licensed presenter program for PPG members. Joan Orr,co-founder and president of Doggone Safe, also sits on PPG’sSpecial Council. The presenter program focuses purely on pre-venting dog bites to children. Under Orr’s program, presenterscan go into classrooms with these incredible tools to show chil-dren how to behave around dogs who may be unsafe, as well asteach them how to really understand canine communication. Theprogram is available in several languages and in several countries. Other than that, we have a really useful pet first-aid program.
Anyone else out there who is philosophically aligned with us,who wants access to great vendor programmes and also wantsto be part of our movement, then go ahead and join. You also geta copy of BARKS from the Guild magazine, which is published bi-monthly online, and gain access to discounted webinars. Alto-gether it is a really nice program.
Q: What would your advice be to someone who is look-ing for help training their dog?
A: On our website under Directory anyone can search usingtheir zip code. It will bring up people in their area and also bycountry, so that is one resource. There are a couple of othergreat organizations I would also endorse, such as anyone whohas come out of Jean Donaldson’s Academy or The Karen Pryor
Academy. They have their own directories too. If someone islooking for a trainer who operates by PPG’s guiding principles,they can always contact us via our website or Facebook and wewill help them locate a pet professional in their area.
Q: How would a pet owner go about joining and is it veryexpensive?
A: No, it is completely free for pet owners. Pet owners can sim-ply go to the pet owners tab on our website, go down to thebottom where it says Pet Owner Membership, and join there.
Q: What about someone who has a pet other than a dog,can they still become a member?
A: We also have cat behavior professionals, horse trainers, birdbehavior experts, veterinarians and veterinary technicians whoare all members so yes, anyone who is interested can become amember. We basically encourage anyone who is interested inbeing aligned with us and helping us to move forwards to join. n
Why Counterconditioning “Doesn’t Work”
Acommon criticism of countercon-ditioning is that it does not work.While there can be many reasons
why a behavior modification protocolbased on counterconditioning fails, it is, infact, almost always user error. Here arefour common reasons that cause coun-terconditioning to fail:
Lack of a Global Safe ZoneCounterconditioning is only successfulwhen the dog who is supposed to becounterconditioned feels safe. There aretwo basic ways to know a dog feels safe:
1. The dog is playful2. The dog is relaxedIt is impossible to feel safe and be
afraid. It is impossible to feel safe and notbe relaxed. Playful dogs display happybody language while engaging in an activ-ity intended to entertain themselves orthemselves and other animals or people. A playful dog is notfrantic.
When working with a dog, create an ethogram of the individ-ual dog. This means knowing exactly how this specific dog usesher body language to signal mild, moderate and severe stress aswell as how she uses her body to signal mild, moderate andstrong signals that indicate relaxation or play. The ethogram canthen be used to analyze her body language at any given moment.Consider the following when creating the ethogram:
• Top line: relaxed dogs’ top lines are usually lowered;stressed dogs often raise their top lines. You should establish abaseline for a typical top line for the individual dog. When it islower than the baseline, then the dog is relaxed; if it is higher itmay be a sign of trouble. Play would be the obvious exception asa raised top line is often part of play.
• Raised whisker beds: tiny signals such as this can be asign of stress. Again, this may accompany play, which is why un-derstanding the context is so important.
• Head turning and tongue flicking: these are commonsigns of stress for most dogs.
• Excessive sniffing: again, we are looking for what devi-ates from normal baseline sniffing; dogs who are dog reactiveoften sniff intensely, and this is usually a signal that they are notfeeling safe.
Once the dog’s personal ethogram is clearly established, youcan use it to evaluate how the dog feels about any given situa-tion. For counterconditioning, the first thing that must be
C O N S U L T I N G
When counterconditioning is ineffective in a behavior modification program, a lack of
competence on the part of the trainer is almost always the cause, says Angelica Steinker
looked at is whether or not this dogfeels safe in her home and other envi-ronments that are part of her normalroutine. I refer to familiar areas wherethe dog feels fundamentally safe as herglobal safe zone. If a dog does not evenfeel safe in her own home, countercon-ditioning in other locations will likelyfail.
To establish a global safe zone, thetrainer and owner work together toremove all stressors from the dog’s life.If conflict exists between the dog andher housemate, then the dogs are sepa-rated. If the dog is showing stress onwalks, then the walks are temporarilymodified or stopped. All adjustmentsare made to enable the dog to feel safein her home and all routine environ-ments.
Lack of a Situational Safe ZoneI refer to novel areas where the dog feels safe as a situationalsafe zone. A dog may have an ideal global safe zone but findsgoing to a large, busy outdoor mall stressful. He exhibits signs ofstress that are specific to this situation. Any attempt to counter-condition in this situation will likely fail.
Both the global and the situational safe zones must be in ef-fect for counterconditioning to be successful. Its goal is to elicit apositive conditioned emotional response of relaxation and/orplay where, previously, there was a negative emotional response.If the dog’s baseline emotional state is fearful when you beginyour attempt to countercondition, you will be pairing this unde-sired emotion with the very stimulus you are attempting tocountercondition. This is why counterconditioning fails when adog is feeling unsafe. We also need to look at consistency. Con-sider, for example, counterconditioning a dog who has some milddog reactivity. If he is mostly feeling safe, but is subjected to spo-radic rough and stressful visits from the neighbor’s dog, the en-tire counterconditioning plan is undermined.
The Force is Not with YouThe third reason counterconditioning can fail is simple: lack ofpower in the reinforcer. If the food or toys you are using tocountercondition are not sufficiently reinforcing, they will not bepowerful enough to help condition that new, happy emotionalstate. Likewise, if the goal is relaxation but the massage that thetrainer or owner is giving the dog is not truly relaxing for that
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dog, then the plan will fail. Find what works the best for each in-dividual dog and watch your counterconditioning efforts suc-ceed.
Play for Maximum FunFourth, you cannot start a counterconditioning program untilyou have completed your play and fun assessment. That meansfinding out which games really make this dog happy. Does he pre-fer fetch, tug or chase? These games must be part of the counter-conditioning process. The length of time spent playing must farexceed the time spent exposed to the stimulus. You toggle backand forth between exposure and play, ensuring that although thedog perceives the stimulus, he is not feeling any stress. If he looksat the stimulus, the play must continue for a longer period oftime than he spent looking at it. This creates a happy and playfulattitude in the dog.
It is all in the details when it comes to counterconditioningsuccessfully. Get safety and maintain it. Get relaxation and main-tain it. Find the reinforcers and games that boost the fun factorto high. And create the ultimate incompatible emotional state:happiness. n
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C O N S U L T I N G
Angelica Steinker owns and operates Courteous Canine, Inc. DogSmith of Tampa, www.courteouscanine.com/Florida, a full service pet service business and dog schoolspecializing in aggression and dog sports. She is the national di-rector of training for DogSmith Services, www.dogsmith.com,and co-founder of DogNostics Career College, www.dognosticselearning.com.
Cognizant behavior consulting (CBC) is an approach that provides be-havior consultants and their clients with guidelines that create bound-aries and establish ethics. CBC deals directly with the emotionalcomponents of behavior consulting. It focuses on the needs of both theclient and the dog in order to improve their emotional states. This column will present a different component of CBC in each issue.
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The Pet Professional Guild has announced its first ever convention, to be held in
Tampa, Florida on:Wednesday, November 11 - Friday, November 13, 2015.
More details at www.petprofessionalguild.com/Force-Free-Summit
THE FORCE-FREE SUMMIT: REACHING FOR A HIGHER
STANDARD
SAVE THE DATE!
Finding out whatgames a dog enjoys is
an integral part of anycounterconditioning
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Join our growing network of professionals dedicated todog bite prevention and victim support.
FREE 1-year membership for PPG members!
For his 50th birthday, my brother-in-law Terry decided totreat himself to a new guitar. Now, this was not going to bejust any guitar, as this was not just any birthday. He always
dreamt of owning a Gibson 335 (not an inexpensive guitar) anddecided the 335 would commemorate this special occasion.Being somewhat inexperienced in the art of purchasing guitars,he called on an individual with several years of practice doing so,me, to assist him.
I suggested he contact a former bandmate of mine, Irv, whomanages a music store on Long Island, New York.
A few days later, unable to contain his excitement, Terry wentto the store without making contact with Irv, who happened tobe off that evening. An hour later, Terry left the store with a sun-burst, limited edition, Gibson 335. All’s well that ends well then?Not exactly.
The guitar had a small scratch on it, which Terry pointed outto the salesperson. In spite of his reluctance to purchase the gui-tar, the salesperson pressured him into doing so. Once home,every time Terry looked at the guitar, all he saw was that scratch.He felt a strong sense of buyer’s remorse which often occurswhen the buyer feels as if he/she has been overly influenced bythe seller.
Fast forward to the next day. I called the store and spoke toIrv who suggested Terry contact him and come back to the storewith the guitar. Later that day, after meeting with Irv, a very happyTerry left the store along with the guitar of his dreams – thesame Gibson 335 with the scratch in it - same price, same guitar,same scratch.
How did this happen? Following are Irv’s brilliant wordsabout his vision of the sales process and his role in it: “Thirtyyears ago, after being paranoid about becoming a salesperson andhow I would be perceived, I promised to take care of my cus-tomers the way I always wished I was. If you truly look out foryour customers, listen to them and get them what they need,they will not only keep coming back but you'll feel good aboutwho you are and what you do. It's all about reputation. Anyway, Iwas glad I could help.”
Henry Ford famously noted, “If I hadasked my customers what they wanted,
they would have said a faster horse.”Sometimes, customers simply
need the salesperson tohelp them identify whatthey are looking to pur-chase. This is what Irv
did with Terry. He took thetime to find out not onlywhat guitar Terry wanted
but why he wanted it. He took the time to show Terry other gui-tars. He pointed out the upsides and downsides of each. And inthe end, by simply providing Terry with information and a senseof partnership, Irv helped him to come to his own decision. Byarming Terry with positive reasons for his purchase, Irv providedsomething called choice-supportive bias, which is a buyer’s incli-nation to retroactively assign positive qualities to a purchase onehas made. Instead of leaving the store with buyer’s remorse andfeelings of regret, Irv helped Terry identify all the reasons whythis was the guitar of his dreams. The same guitar that causedmuch angst only 24 hours early, was now a source of joy.
What does this mean for you? You can apply the same princi-ples that were foundational for the above transaction when in-teracting with your prospective customers.
HelpSelling isn’t something you do TO someone. Selling is helping. Youwill never need to sell anything if you focus on helping. If yourgoal is to help, sales will follow with ease. Irv did a great job ofhelping Terry to embrace the fact that the limited edition 335with the small scratch was the guitar that truly matched his de-sires.
Ask QuestionsWhen speaking with potential clients, always remember that
A Tale of Two Experiences Listening carefully to find out what clients really want is essential to a successful
consultant-client relationship, says John Visconti
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John D. Visconti CPDT-KA is the owner of Fetch More Dollars, www.fetchmoredollars.com, sales consulting for dogtrainers, Dog Trainer ConneXion, www.dogtrainerconnexion.com, business management software and Rising Star Dog Training, www.risingstardogtraining.com. He has recentlypublished his first book: Fetch More Dollars for Your Dog Training Business, a coaching guide to force free selling.
what you say isnever as importantas what you ask. Toomany trainers jumpright into a sales“pitch,” rather thansimply ask theprospective clientquestions that willhelp them (and thedog owner) to trulyunderstand whatthe client is lookingto purchase. Notice,in Irv’s commentabove, he said helistens. My bet isthat a lot of that lis-tening happens afterhe asks questions.
Focus on BenefitsWhen you help theprospect to identifytheir true goals by asking questions, you can point out the bene-fits your services will provide in order to help them meet thosegoals. Benefits motivate buyers. Without benefits, you are leftwith a fairly uninspiring list of features of your services which,while important, are often not enough to inspire a positive pur-chase decision.
Training “sit” (a feature) as a differential reinforcement of an
incompatible behavior (DRI) for a dog that jumps on guests isnot what your prospect is looking to purchase. More often thannot, your prospective client is looking to purchase the elimina-tion of the embarrassment caused by a dog who jumps onguests. Help your potential clients identify the foundational rea-sons they are looking to hire a trainer – do not assume theyknow them. It was not until Irv helped him identify his personaldesires that Terry was thrilled with his purchase.
Build Choice-Supportive BiasHave you ever had someone cancel a first session and notreschedule? It could be due to buyer’s remorse. Helping some-one come to a decision for their reasons, not yours, will signifi-cantly improve your sales stick rate and will also make thetraining process more enjoyable for you and the client. Just asTerry saw Irv as an ally who had his best interests at heart, youtoo can partner during the critical first discussion with yourclient and set the tone for the training sessions that will follow.
Treat Yourself WellAs so astutely noted by Irv, when you help others, you will alsofeel good about yourself and what you do. Sounds like a win-winto me. n
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As a salesperson, what you say isnever as important as what you ask;
most of all, listen to the response
Daniel Antolec has recently taken on the role of chairmanof the newly-formed PPG Advocacy Committee, in addi-tion to his regular day job as an animal behavior consult-
ant and trainer at Happy Buddha Dog Training.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your own pets:
A: My wife and I live with two Labradors, three sheep and anAmerican Paint horse. They all have sweet personalities and getalong great together. Buddha and Gandhi are registered Pet Part-ners therapy dogs. Bluebell, Shirley and Pearl kindly donate theirfleece to my wife's small business, Wyld & Wooly. Fancy the horsemostly grazes all day, though we ride together a few days eachweek.
Q: Why did you become a dog trainer or pet careprovider?
A: After my police career I began working in a dog day care, justfor the fun of it. I was fascinated with canine communication andbegan studying behavior. Having had dogs for 35 years I had sometraining experience, but the more I learned, the more I wantedto train other people's dogs.
My motivation is to help others avoid all the mistakes I madewith my first puppy and to enjoy the greatest relationship possi-ble with their pets.
Q: Are you a crossover trainer or have you always been aforce-free trainer?
A: With my first puppy I used methods of the day, includingyelling, scruff shakes, rolling and pinning and so on. It never feltright and those methods did not work very well. I saw that I wasdamaging my relationship with the dog I loved, so I stopped.
When we adopted Buddha we enrolled in our first force-freetraining class and I saw how easily we achieved our goals. Be-sides, it was great fun for dogs and people alike.
When I became a professional dog trainer I was determinedto only use force-free methods. I meet many dog owners whowere just as confused as I was 35 years ago, so I am helping themavoid all the angst. The results are wonderful.
Q: What drives you to be a force-free professional andwhy is it important to you?
A: Honestly, I cannot comprehend why human beings feel justi-fied in inflicting fear and pain on another species in order tocompel them to behave in ways that we prefer. It strikes me as
In the ongoing series of PPG member profiles, this month BARKSfeatures Daniel Antolec of Happy Buddha Dog Training and PPG Advocacy Chair
unethical and the height of arrogance to think we have the rightto abuse animals. I reject that concept.
My personal goal in life is to become a better human being.Animals help people by teaching us how to live in the moment,become aware, and by giving us daily opportunities to practicecompassion. These are my core values and being a force-freetrainer is one way that I strive to live life in a good way.
Q: How has the PPG helped you to become a morecomplete trainer?
A: I love that PPG is restricted to force-free professionals andthe wonderful support it provides through webinars on a widevariety of topics. PPG is helping me develop my training, behav-ioral and business skills.
Q: What do you consider to be your area of expertise?
A: I focus on in-home pet dog training and behavior modification.
Q: Who has most influenced your career and how?
A: Heidi Walters was the professional dog trainer who helped us
Practicing Compassion
60 BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
P R O F I L E
Daniel Antolecwith Buddha on
receipt of his Canine Good
Citizen certificate
BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
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with Buddha and she is the role model I look up to in a directway. Of course, there is an endless list of dog professionalswhom I have met, or whose educational materials I have studied:Patricia McConnell, Ian Dunbar, Nicole Wilde, Sophia Yin, JeanDonaldson, Pat Miller, Terry Ryan... The list keeps growing!
Q: What are some of your favorite positive reinforce-ment techniques for most commonly encounteredclient-dog problems?
A: There are many tools in my toolbox but I most often approacha challenge by doing less.
I see most dog owners trying to "control" the dog. I give thedog more freedom to choose his behavior. It is the dog's job tosolve problems, learn and develop self-control. It is my job to setthe dog up for success and provide the appropriate responses tobehavior choices. Then I add a verbal and hand cue for the dog toassociate his behavior with, and for the dog owners to use forcommunication.
Owners are often amazed to see how their dogs engage inproblem-solving and figure out through trial-and-error whatworks and what does not. By this process, owners see a partnerin their dog, rather than an adversary they must grapple with ona daily basis. Training develops a common language and commongoals. It is a win-win scenario.
Q: What reward do you get out of a day's training?
A: I am most rewarded when I see a happy owner and a happydog.
Instead of seeing their dog as having "problems" and feelingfrustrated, by the time our session ends the owner sees accom-plishment, progress and is hopeful. Their dog has also just en-joyed an hour interacting with the owner so there is animprovement in behavior and relationship. That bodes well forthe longevity of the dog.
Q: What is your favorite part of your job?
A:Getting to know nice people and making new doggie friends. Ifeel strongly attached to each dog I work with.
Q: What is the funniest or craziest situation you havebeen in with a pet and their owner?
A: What I find most amusing is a situation that repeats itself fre-quently, such as in my final session with a puppy recently. The lastthing I taught him was to back-up on cue.
I started with a few trials by stepping into the pup's space,watching the puppy hop backward a step and plop down into asit, and then I used a marker and reinforced the behavior. As Iwas explaining the process to the owners, I used the verbal cue"back up" a couple of times.
At that point I explained that their puppy would probably re-quire many repetitions before he started responding to thewords "back up" and continued speaking. The puppy was very at-tentive and parsed out the verbal cue from the rest of my words.
Happy Buddha Dog Training is located in Brooklyn, Wisconsinwww.happybuddhadogtraining.com
It was as if he heard me say, "Blah, blah, blah, BACK UP, blah, blah,blah."
The little guy popped up from a sitting position, hoppedstraight back and sat down in the blink of an eye. From that pointon he responded reliably to every cue. The owners and I burstout laughing. This has happened to me more times than I can re-call.
Q: What awards and/or competition placements haveyou and your dog(s) achieved using force-free methods?
A: I do not compete, though I have enjoyed taking rally and agilityclasses with my dogs. Buddha has his Canine Good Citizen cer-tificate, and both Buddha and Gandhi are therapy dogs, so that isa wonderful way to serve others.
The highest achievement of using force-free methods is thatwe have happy, healthy, well-mannered dogs. I hope to help oth-ers achieve the same, if they wish.
Q: What advice would you give to a new trainer startingout?
A: If you can find a professional trainer to apprentice with, or areputable educational course, go for it. However, you can edu-cate yourself as I did. I undertook a serious study of canine bodylanguage, learning theory, associative and operant conditioningand so on. Then I began teaching other people's dogs. By thetime I applied with CCPDT for examination I had about 500hours of experience with over 200 dogs and aced the CPDT-KAtest.
You can be a self-taught trainer and then validate yourselfthrough a certification process. Buy books and DVDs abouttraining and behavior, attend seminars and webinars and join pro-fessional organizations. Never think that you have completedyour education or you will stagnate. Follow your passion and youwill succeed.n
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If you would like to reach your target audience then BARKSfrom the Guild is the perfectvehicle to achieve that goal.
Fact or Fiction
whole section. Beware the Straw
Man has the all-around ability to sat-isfy the academicwho likes to have re-search cited afterevery paper, the dogtrainer who wants tofact find on trendsfeatured in blogs andsocial media posts,and companion dogguardians who wantto learn more abouttheir dog(s) and thepeople who studythem.
Specifically fordog owners, Caseleaves a “take away”at the end of eachessay summarizing the information included in the piece, minusthe scientific language that may not be relevant for everyone. Ifound that to be an incredibly useful addition.
In Beware the Straw Man, Case has devised a book that bothpet professionals and pet guardians can read and benefit from. Itis full of valuable information and I would highly recommend itfor new dog guardians, as well as dog trainers and those whostudy the science of canine behavior. n
In Beware the Straw Man: The Science Dog Explores Dog Training Fact & Fiction, Linda P.Case zones in on a number of popular beliefs about dogs and systematically debates the
truth (or lack thereof) behind each one. Reviewed by Gail Radtke
BARKS from the Guild/May 2015
B O O K R E V I E W
Linda P. Case has brought us a nice-size read in her latestbook, Beware the Straw Man: The Science Dog Explores DogTraining Fact & Fiction. The work contains 32 essays on differ-
ent topics that each identify a common belief about dogs. The au-thor then reviews the scientific evidence for and against thatparticular perception.
Case is a qualified canine nutritionist, dog trainer and sciencewriter, holding a bachelor’s in animal science and a master’s in ca-nine/feline nutrition. She is also author of numerous articles andhas written six other books. Her blog The Science Dog is full ofuseful information and is current and active.
The contents of Beware the Straw Man are what I find mostinteresting. The format allowed me to read the topics that inter-ested me the most first and then go back and forth between theremaining topics as I pleased. Each topic is a story in itself andsome are as short as nine pages, but don’t be fooled by thelength of the essay. Each one is an intriguing and informative readwith references of study listed at the end. Case is a writer whoimplements research thoroughly to back up her point of view.
I also enjoyed the fact that I was able to review certain topicsthat I often see in dog publications and social media posts whichare regularly debated, e.g. Chapter Six Thyroid on Trial. The waythe book is formatted, I am able to first read Case’s deliberationsand then be further guided by the listed references for follow-up.Case also includes her personal opinions on various topicsthroughout with her Up on My Soapbox inserts. These allow us tosee exactly what she thinks about each topic and what she feelsthe research lacks or supports.
In terms of structure, the book is broken down into fourparts with the essays based on the individual themes. For exam-ple, Part 1, Science, includes essays on scientific methods and howcanine behavior studies are carried out by researchers. Othersections are Behavior, Training and Dogs & Their People and it iseasy for readers to flit back and forth between them. Given thatthe book is broken down into sections in this way, I can pick itup and read something new each time and, if my day is busy, I canstill find a few minutes to read one of the essays without feelinglike I missed something because I did not have time to read the
References The Science Dog: www.thesciencedog.wordpress.com
Beware the Straw Man: The Science Dog Explores Dog Training Fact & Fiction
Linda P. Case (2014) 189 pagesAutumn Gold Publishing ISBN – 978-1495389771
62
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