BARKS from the Guild November 2020

BARKS from the Guild Issue 45 / November 2020

BARKSfromtheGuild.com

TRAINING Safety in Learning CANINE Managing Aggressive Behavior INTERVIEW Overcoming Fear of Vet Visits

© Can Stock Photo / ejuanjo39

CANINE The Dog Who Changed Everything AVIAN Foster Care Programs FELINE Nighttime Wakefulness EQUINE Mixed Messages

Shelter Dog Playgroups s How and why they are beneficial for the dogs s How to set them up safely and successfully s Introductions and body language

f r o m t h e e d i t o r

BARKS from the Guild Published by the Pet Professional Guild 9122 Kenton Road, Wesley Chapel, Florida 33545, USA Tel: +1-844-462-6473 Pet Professional Guild BARKS from the Guild BARKS on Facebook Editor-in-Chief Susan Nilson Images © Can Stock Photo (unless otherwise credited; uncredited images belong to Pet Professional Guild) Pet Professional Guild Steering Committee Daniel Antolec, Kelly Fahey, Paula Garber, Don Hanson, Kelly Lee, Judy Luther, Debra Millikan, Susan Nilson, Mary Richards, Louise StapletonFrappell, Niki Tudge BARKS from the Guild Published 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.

Submissions BARKS encourages the submission of original written materials. Please see Submission Policy Procedures for detailed guidelines prior to sending manuscripts. Please submit all contributions to the Editor.

Letters to the Editor To comment on an author’s work, or to let PPG know what topics you would like to see more of, contact the Editor via email putting BARKS in the subject line of your email. BARKS reserves the right to edit for length, grammar and clarity.

Subscriptions and Distribution BARKS is a digital publication available to all subscribers free of charge.

Print-on-demand copies are available to subscribers by special order.

Subscribers can access all current and back issues, PDF downloads and the option to order print-on-demand copies in the Members’ Area.

Subscribe here.

Please contact PPG membership manager Rebekah King for all subscription and distribution-related inquiries.

Advertising Please contact Kelly Fahey to obtain a copy of rates, ad specifications, format requirements and deadlines. These are also available here.

Pet Professional Guild does not endorse or guarantee any products, services or vendors mentioned in BARKS, nor can it be responsible for problems with vendors or their products and services. Pet Professional Guild reserves the right to reject, at its discretion, any advertising.

To be in any way affiliated with the Pet Professional Guild, all members must adhere to a strict code of conduct. Pet Professional Guild members understand force-free to mean that no pain, force or fear and no shock, choke or prong are ever employed to train or care for a pet. © All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the Pet Professional Guild, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, please email the Editor.

t’s hard to believe this is already the last issue of BARKS this year. And what a strange year it’s been! Normally at this time we’d have a full re­ port from PPG’s annual summit, complete with quotes from all our fa­ vorite speakers, a wrap­up of the keynote address, and a huge photo gallery summing up all the fun, networking and learning that took place at the event. Sadly, this was not to be this year as external events took over and the world changed indefinitely.

Let’s try to look on the bright(er) side, however. Instead, coming up in the middle of this month, is our very own Geek Week, a five­day virtual extravaganza featuring over 85 key figures from the world of animal be­ havior, training and research and over 130 educational presentation ses­ sions. The event, being co­hosted with our friends at PPG Australia, PPG British Isles, The Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia, The Association of INTODogs, Canine Arthritis Management, and The United Kingdom Col­ lege of Scent Detection, will run for 24 hours on November 11­15, so folks across all time zones can tune in. For the hours where you do actually need to sleep, the sessions will all be recorded and made available for a whole year to make sure you don’t miss out. There’s also the daily compe­ titions, fun sessions, sponsor spotlights, virtual exhibitor booths, virtual SWAG Bags and more, so if you haven’t already, head over to Geek­ Week.Rocks and check it out. It’s still not too late to sign up!

Even though we’re not reporting on a summit this time, we still have a ton of great content in this issue. For starters, the cover feature is a must read for anyone working in a shelter environment, or indeed any other setting where dogs are grouped together for play sessions. In it, K. Holden Svirsky of the PPG Shelter and Rescue Division breaks down the most recent resource released by the Pet Rescue Resource, the Dog Play­ groups Project, and the range of resources available – completely free of charge, incidentally – is truly impressive. It includes multiple videos of body language to help assess a dog’s emotional state and comfort level, details on what to consider when selecting dogs and how to best match them, how to set up the environment and staff, how to safely introduce dogs to each other – including barrier frustrated dogs, consent testing, and, of course, how to do it all force­free. And that’s just the tip of the ice­ berg. I urge you to dive in and check it out, then share it far and wide with anyone and everyone associated with dog sheltering and rescue.

Moving on, we have plenty more on canine training and behavior in this issue, including the trainer’s responsibility to help dogs feel safe dur­ ing training sessions thereby ensuring optimal learning, the importance of clear messaging when house training a puppy, the need to teach the ‘drop it’ cue, tips for managing a fearful or reactive dog, and the very special tale of Hero, the Rottweiler who was rescued after he lost his guardian and went on to have an inspirational new life as a much loved therapy and prison program dog.

I’m also especially pleased to include another installment in our occa­ sional interview series with canine behavior researchers. This time round, we talk to Adelaide, Australia­based researcher Petra Edwards about her recent studies to investigate dogs’ experiences at the vet, with the goal of finding ways to reduce levels of fear and distress.

For the cat people, we examine new research that reveals how cats react to negative human emotional states. Our PPG Feline Committee also has some great advice for cat guardians whose furry charges keep them awake at night. And, for the equestrians, we continue our examina­ tion of “dominance” and why we may be giving our horses mixed mes­ sages in the way we communicate with them. Lastly, I’m delighted to resurrect our avian section, with a fascinating review of companion bird foster programs and the impact they can have, both in the world of res­ cue and in keeping birds in homes.

We round it all out with some sound business advice on how to per­ suade clients to try out virtual training, an intriguing feature on the need for emotional resilience during these trying times – both in animals and in humans, a poignant advocacy article on the effects of mistreatment on a dog’s behavior, and our regular member profile section.

Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to get your free lifetime digital sub­ scription to BARKS today! If you are already a member, current and back issues are all available in your members’ area.

I

n Susan Nilso

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

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contents 6

N EWS Geek Week competition winners, Geek Week in a nutshell, PPG response to Petco’s removal of shock collars from stores, UK Dog Behaviour and Training Charter, Facebook Live sessions, Project Trade, webinars, podcasts, and more

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P LAYGROUPS

FOR

S HELTER D OGS

K. Holden Svirsky breaks down the latest Pet Rescue Resource toolkit, Dog Playgroups, explains why playgroups are beneficial to resident shelter dogs, and outlines best practices on how to set them up to ensure the maximum benefits for the dogs

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T HE N EED

FOR

S AFETY

IN

L EARNING

Suzanne Clothier discusses Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and the importance for those working with animals to honor their need to feel safe

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P UPPY H OUSE T RAINING 101

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Sally Bradbury discusses house training a puppy, highlighting the need for clear and consistent messaging

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T EACHING “L EAVE I T ” Anna Bradley explains why teaching puppies the “Leave/ Drop” cue early on is essential

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19

T HE D OG W HO C HANGED E VERYTHING Heddie Leger relates the tale of Hero, the rescued Rottweiler who led an inspirational new life as a much loved therapy dog and prison program dog

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MANAGEMENT

OF

AN AGGRESSIVE, FEARFUL,

OR

REACTIVE DOG

Don Hanson provides advice for guardians who are struggling with their dog’s aggressive behavior

32

O VERCOMING F EAR

OF

V ET V ISITS

Susan Nilson and Angelica Steinker speak to Petra Edwards about her recent studies investigating dogs’ experiences at the veterinary clinic to find out how any fear and distress experienced could potentially be reduced

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26

29

32

40

44

O NCE M ORE , W ITH F EELING Andrea Carne discusses new research that reveals how cats react to negative human emotional states

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Q UICK C AT B EHAVIOR T IP : N IGHTTIME WAKEFULNESS The PPG Feline Committee addresses the common issue of cats who keep their guardians awake at night

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C OMPANION B IRD F OSTER P ROGRAMS – A R EVIEW Sheila Blanchette explores the world of foster care for companion birds and the different programs currently available, making recommendations for how adoption and retention rates can be improved

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D OMINANCE : T HE H ORSE ’ S P ERSPECTIVE Dorothy Heffernan explains why humans may inadvertently give their horses mixed messages, and why dominant behavior in the world of the horse is simply a way to gain access to resources as needed

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U NDERSTANDING E MOTIONAL R ESILIENCE Kathie Gregory outlines the importance of emotional resilience in both humans and animals, and why it is so essential to the ability to cope with everyday stressors

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E MOTIONAL S CARS

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Beth Napolitano explores the effects of mistreatment on a dog’s behavior as well as the possible signs of abuse

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A SK

THE

E XPERTS : V IRTUAL T RAINING

Veronica Boutelle of PPG corporate partner dogbiz presents her strategies for encouraging hesitant clients to give online training a try

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P ROFILE : T HE D OG

IN

F RONT

OF

Y OU

Featuring Lynn Webb of The Proficient Pup Dog Training and Massage in Escondido, California

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BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

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n e w s Geek Week: Everything You Need to Know

PPG Announces Geek Week Competition Winners

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he countdown is on and it’s not too late to grab your ticket to Geek Week! If you haven’t already, check out the full schedule and the amazing Virtual Platform where the event is being hosted. You can also read the session descriptions in full and find out more about your pre­ senters.

Geek Week in a Nutshell •

134 Sessions delivered by 85 presenters ­ education at less than $1.55 per hour.

• 5 day event ­ 24 hours a day to suit all time zones.

• Live Q&A sessions.

• Daily competitions, fun sessions and sponsor spotlights, virtual exhibitor booths, virtual swag bags, prizes, networking, geek apparel and more...

• Access to session recordings for 12 months.

• Registration: Member* $220 / Public $440.

• Geek Week apparel is available in the PPG Store.

• CEUs: PPAB 36, PPGA 24, INTODogs 30, KPA 36,CCPDT 30, IAABC 36. *Members of APDT Australia, Canine Arthritis Management, INTODogs, PPG Australia, PPG British Isles and PPG – discount codes are available on your respective websites.

Geek Week Gear

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PG has announced the first winners in a series of Geek Week ticket competitions.

Competition #1 – Share the Geekiness Congratulations to Marta Young (INTODogs) and CHAAMP Malamutes (PPG) for winning a free ticket to Geek Week!

Competition #2 ­ Writers' Competition: Animals Can Be Geeks Too!

Check out the PPG Store for your Geek Week apparel, including (left to right) the Unisex Heavy Blend™ Crewneck Sweatshirt, the Unisex Heavy Cotton T­shirt, the Women's Long Sleeve Performance V­neck T­shirt, and the Women's Polo Shirt.

Still want to find out more about Geek Week? Listen to Niki Tudge and Denise O'Moore, chair of INTO Dogs, discuss the event in this BARKS Podcast.

Louise Ginman, president of The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) Australia, one of the co‐hosting organizations for Geek Week, was also a guest in this BARKS podcast, where she talked about her Geek Week pre‐ sentations, ‘Navigating Cancer from a Pet Parent’s Perspective’ and ‘Home Alone Program for Puppies and Dogs of All Ages.’

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BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

Congratulations to Devene Godau (PPG), Sonya Bevan (PPG Australia), and Kitty Lee (APDT Australia) for their winning entries to our writers’ competition. They have each won a free ticket to Geek Week. Congratu­ lations too to Gloria Schmidt (PPG) who was the very close runner­up and who has won a 50% discounted ticket to Geek Week.

You can read the winning and runner­up entries in the writers’ competi­ tion on the BARKS Blog: A Creative Solution for the Dog Who Barks at Other Dogs by Kitty Lee Getting Willow: How the Loss of One Dog Taught Me How to Grieve and Love Again by Sonya Bevan Good Kharma: Lessons from a Retired Greyhound by Devene Godau The Fearful Rescue Dog Who Changed My Life by Gloria Schmidt

n e w s PPG Responds to Petco's Removal of Electric Shock Collars from Its Stores Nationwide

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PG and The Shock­Free Coalition are greatly encouraged by Petco’s announcement on October 6, 2020 that it will no longer sell electric shock collars “operated by a person with a remote in hand.”PPG has al­ ways believed unequivocally that the pet­owning general public needs – and deserves – to have access to better educational tools so they can, 1) make the right decisions regarding their pets’ training, care and welfare, and 2) ensure they live in safe, nurturing and stable environments, free from fear and pain.

Scientific Data Increasingly, peer reviewed, scientific studies are showing that, whether discussing dogs, humans, dolphins or elephants, shock as a form of training to teach or correct a behavior is ineffective at best and physi­ cally and psychologically damaging at worst (Schilder & van der Borg, 2004; Schalke, Stichnoth, Ott, & Jones­Baade, 2007; Polsky, 2000; Cooper, Cracknell, Hardiman, Wright & Mills, 2014).

Overall (2013) states that shock collars, aka e­collars, “violate the principles of three of five freedoms that define adequate welfare for an­ imals: Freedom from pain, injury, and disease, freedom to express nor­ mal behavior and freedom from fear and distress.”

The current scientific data, in addition to the moral and ethical con­ cerns about mental and physical damage to animals subjected to meth­ ods using force, fear and/or pain, have moved a number of representing professional organizations* to advocate for the use of humane training techniques founded on evidence­based learning theories and avoid training methods or devices which employ coercion and force. PPG is delighted that Petco has now joined their ranks.

Effects of Electric Shock

Supporters are encouraged to sign the Shock­Free Pledge, much in the same way as Petco has invited supporters to sign its #StoptheShock petition.

Consumer Transparency One of PPG’s key goals is to shape the pet industry to ensure that dog trainers, behavior consultants and professional pet care providers, 1) pursue an ethical responsibility to do no harm to the animals in their care, and 2) present their qualifications and experience truthfully with full transparency and disclosure – including the training tools and meth­ ods they use.

PPG recognizes that industry changes will happen in stages and, just like the progressive behavior change programs we create for the ani­ mals in our care, gradual changes must be reinforced. By encouraging “anyone using or looking for shock collars to consider training with treats instead of electricity and partnership instead of pain,” Petco has made an important first step towards improving the lives of pets every­ where, as well as educating dog owners about alternative, kinder train­ ing methods and tools. We look forward to seeing electric fence systems, which work in exactly the same way as shock collars, i.e. by causing fear and pain, follow suit. *Including, but not limited to, the American Animal Hospital Association, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, the British Veterinary As‐ sociation, the New Zealand Veterinary Association, the European Society of Veterinary Clinical Ethology and Pet Dog Trainers of Europe.

Read the complete statement on the Shock‐Free Coalition website

The use and application of electric shock provides no effective strategy for an animal to learn a new or alternative behavior. Some common problems resulting from the use of electronic stimulation devices in­ clude, but are not limited to: s s s s s s s

Infliction of Stress and Pain Generalization Escalation Global Suppression or “Shut­Down” Fear, Anxiety and Aggression Redirected Aggression Unintended Consequences

Shock­Free Coalition In September 2017, the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) rolled out its Shock­Free Coalition, the key purpose of which is to build a strong and broad movement committed to eliminating electric shock devices from the worldwide supply and demand chain. This would be achieved by: 1.

Engaging and educating pet owners and shelter/rescue workers to help them make informed decisions about the management, care and training of the pets in their charge.

2.

Building a worldwide coalition that provides pet owners access to competent, professional pet industry service providers.

3.

Creating widespread pet industry transparency and compliance regarding how professionals implement their services and communicate their philosophy to pet owners.

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

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Free movement and COMFORTABLE support behind the armpits, and a SECURE fit at the shoulders

n e w s PPG Names August Project Trade Ambassador

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ongratulations to Lee Desmarais of Zippity Do Dog Training and Be­ havior Modification LLC in Massachusetts, USA for trading four shock collars, one choke collar, and three prong collars and who has been named Project Trade Ambassador for August 2020.

Congratulations too to Alexandra Tytheridge­Allan of Girl Friday ACK LLC in Massachusetts, USA for trading one shock collar and one choke collar, and Daniel Antolec of Happy Buddha Dog Training in Wisconsin, USA for trading one shock collar.

Lee Desmarais traded four shock collars, one choke collar, and three prong collars, earning her the title of Project Trade Ambassador ­ August 2020

Find out more about how Project Trade can help your business in Helping Dogs, Helping Families, BARKS from the Guild, March 2017, pp.20‐25.

Project Trade is an international opt‐in advocacy program for PPG members that promotes the use of force‐free training equipment by asking pet guardians to trade choke, prong and shock collars (and any other aversive devices). Join today!

Alexandra Tytheridge­Allan traded one shock collar and one choke collar (left), and Daniel Antolec traded one shock collar (right) under the Project Trade program in August

- Listen on the Anchor Platform

B

ARKS Podcasts are now available on the Anchor platform from where you can select your preferred app to listen any time or download. Make sure you follow BARKS Podcasts on whichever app you choose so you can stay updated with new releases. In the most recent podcasts, join PPG president Niki Tudge as she chats to: October 3, 2020: Louise Ginman, president of The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) Australia, one of the co­hosting organizations for Geek Week, discussing Louise’s Geek Week presentations: My Dog Has Cancer: Navigating Cancer from a Pet Parent’s Perspective; and Home Alone Program for Puppies and Dogs of All Ages.

October 2, 2020: Debra Millikan of PPG Australia discussing the Pet Pro­ fessional Accreditation Board and the Pet Dog Ambassador program.

September 9, 2020: Veronica Sanchez of Cooperative Paws Service Dog Education discussing the service dog industry, public access dogs, and the concept of at­home service dogs, as well as her new program, Mo­ bility Task Training How­To’s.

September 4, 2020: Laurie C. Williams of Pup ‘N Iron Canine Fitness and Learning Center discussing diversity and inclusivity in dog training.

August 26, 2020: Judy Luther, PPG Canine Committee chair, exploring the great programs her committee is working on, such as Project Trade, standard training procedures for boundary training, and more.

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

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n e w s PPG Invites Members to Join Facebook Live Sessions

UK Dog Behaviour and Training Charter Adds New Signatory

W

T

ould you like to join PPG President Niki Tudge and other PPG members to discuss important educational topics on Facebook?

Just fill out this short form to get it scheduled and share your knowledge and experience.

Check PPG Members' Facebook group for further details and to join live sessions.

he UK Dog Behaviour and Train­ ing Charter, of which PPG is one of seven founding organizations, has announced that the Kennel Club Ac­ credited Instructors (KCAI) Scheme will be joining the Charter Group and becoming a signatory to the Charter.

The Charter is building a strong con­ sensus around the ethical treatment of dogs, professional conduct, and accountability. Just six months in and real change is already happening and the potential for the future is phe­ nomenal. Learn more about PPG’s involvement in the Charter.

SPECIAL NOTICE: PPG is still offering a range of services to support members and their businesses during the current pandemic.

These include free member webinars, Facebook Live sessions offering business and marketing advice in the PPG members’ Facebook group, virtual PPG Social events, and more. Check listings in the PPG Members' Facebook group for event dates and times. See also Business Contingency Planning section in the Members’ Area of the PPG website.

Earn Your CEUs via PPG’s Webinars, Workshops and Educational Summits!

Residential Workshops (Tampa, Florida) Reactive to Relaxed: Next Steps in Control Unleashed with Leslie McDevitt (see also ad on p.63) Saturday, February 13, 2021 ­ Sunday, February 14, 2021

Webinars Revisiting Respondent Techniques ­ Change the Behavior by Changing the Emotions ­ Presented by Alexandra Santos Tuesday, November 3, 2020 ­ 1 p.m. (EST)

Your PORTL to Shaping with Mary Hunter (see also ad on p.60) Saturday, March 20, 2021 ­ Sunday, March 21, 2021

Understanding Aggression in Dogs ­ Presented by Sezan Ozgunay Thursday, December 10, 2020 ­ 6 p.m. (EST)

Interactive Play Skills Instructor Course with Craig Ogilvie Saturday, October 9, 2021 ­ Sunday, October 10, 2021

Treatment Options for Dogs Showing Aggression Due to the Emotion of Fear and/or Frustration ­ Presented by Kris Glover Thursday, December 17, 2020 ­ 6 p.m. (EST)

Advanced Agility Workshop with Marita Davies Saturday, October 16, 2021 ­ Sunday, October 17, 2021

Educational Summits

Canine Scent Instructor Program with Dr. Robert Hewings Saturday, November 6, 2021 ­ Wednesday, November 10, 2021

PPG Geek Week 2020 (Virtual) (see also ads on p.2 and p.64) Wednesday, November 11 ­ Sunday, November 15, 2020 PPG Summit 2021 (Phoenix, Arizona) Friday, September 17 ­ Tuesday, September 21, 2021 For a full, up‐to‐date list of webinar listings, see: petprofessionalguild.com/Webinars

Canine Scent Advanced Handling Program with Dr. Robert Hewings Wednesday, November 17, 2021 ­ Sunday, November 21, 2021 Learn How to Train Dogs to Detect Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Nightmares with Dr. Robert Hewings Wednesday, November 24, 2020 ­ Thursday, November 25, 2020

PPG Webinars On Demand Listen any time!: petprofessionalguild.com/Recorded­Webinars

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BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

For a full, up‐to‐date list of all upcoming summits and workshops, see: petprofessionalguild.com/Educational‐Summits

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c o v e r

Playgroups for Shelter Dogs K. Holden Svirsky introduces and breaks down the latest resource from the Pet Rescue Resource, Dog Playgroups, and explains why playgroups are beneficial to resident shelter dogs, as well as outlining best practices on how to set them up to ensure the maximum benefits for the dogs and safety for all parties involved © Can Stock Photo / raywoo

The Pet Rescue Resource Dog Playgroups toolkit highlights the importance of each dog’s comfort level and play style and also includes a range of video content to help shelter staff and volunteers better understand and decode canine body language

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ecently, great strides have been made in bringing force­free train­ ing to the world of sheltering and rescue. And in 2017, PPG estab­ lished the Shelter and Rescue Division, of which I am a proud working member. In May 2019, we released the results of a survey we conducted amongst members who were/are affiliated with the shelter and rescue community and one of the most prominent suggestions we received was the significant need for standardized, easy­to­use and ac­ cessible protocols.

High Stakes The stakes are high in shelter/rescue work. Without a home or familiar guardian to advocate for them, these are vulnerable populations of ani­ mals, some traumatized, and often with attendant and challenging be­ havior issues. Many of these animals are given a limited amount of time to become “adoptable.”

Last year, the Shelter and Rescue Division created The Pet Rescue Resource, a force­free behavior resource for shelters and rescues. This accessible and free site provides a detailed level of information and sup­ port. So, if a foster family is struggling with a jumpy/mouthy dog, they can be pointed to behavior modification instructions and video. In­ 12

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

cluded in the Help for Jumpy/Mouthy Foster Dogs resource are short ar­ ticles, step­by­step training plans, easy­to­use and printable checklists, and short video clips.

The Pet Rescue Resource adheres to PPG’s mission of providing the greatest value and highest quality, state­of­the­art, force­free, science­ based training and care for companion animals, specifically “to educate and engage industry professionals on the efficacy of positive reinforce­ ment based training and behavior modification programs.” (Pet Profes­ sional Guild, 2019). As such, the Shelter and Rescue Division strongly disagrees with the frequently heard defense that aversive measures are necessary to avoid euthanasia.

This “aversives or death” argument is particularly prevalent when discussing dog behavior in shelter dog playgroups, and we are aware of the existence of at least one program wherein the proactive use of aver­ sives is considered necessary to prevent conflict behaviors in play­ groups. However, we do not believe aversive training methods are necessary to save lives. This is exactly why we developed The Pet Res­ cue Resource, a toolbox of best practices in behavior modification and management for the most common behavior problems seen in compan­ ion animals who are in shelters or foster homes.

c o v e r Limited Resources According to our 2019 survey, enrichment programs in shelters were those most often rated as satisfactory. It is excellent news that enrich­ ment is already being implemented and prioritized in shelters and res­ cues. For this reason, we have not focused our work where there is less need. Instead, the most dissatisfaction from survey respondents pointed to the difficulty of providing successful behavior modification and dog playgroups, and so this is what we prioritized. “In addition to support with behavior modification, shelters are interested in different dog play­ group models than what’s currently available,” confirmed Dr. Kelly Lee, PPG Shelter and Rescue Division chair. As a result, this year, we added the Dog Playgroups resource to The Pet Rescue Resource. (For a com‐ plete program overview, see also Playgroups: The Protocol at a Glance.)

Having worked and volunteered at many different shelter and res­ cue organizations across the United States, the authors and creators of The Pet Rescue Resource understand that shelters and rescue groups often have very limited resources. As trainers, we might consider that behavior modification and dog playgroups require a number of staff members with certification(s) in the field. Yet our survey shows that shelters are also unsatisfied with the number of staff and volunteers certified in behavior modification and training. It takes a great deal of time and effort to train staff, volunteers and foster families. And not all shelters can afford to hire certified behavior professionals.

Allocation of limited resources is a primary conundrum of shelters and rescues. While an existing playgroup protocol advertises an ability to run groups with few staff or volunteers, it also relies on aversive measures to manage dog interactions. Another existing protocol does not rely on aversives, but recommends both a high ratio of handler to dog and a significant amount of handler expertise (formal training in an­ imal behavior). Either option may appear daunting, complicated, expen­ sive and/or risky.

Faced with these two options (use of aversives or the need for a great number of highly trained behavior staff), plenty of shelters give up on playgroups altogether. And with this conservation of resources, many dogs may suffer in isolation: “In assessing the psychosocial well­being of dogs, social isolation may be as harmful or more harmful than spatial restriction.” (Hetts et al., 1992).

While it seems to be readily accepted that play is “good” for dogs, many shelters give up on attempting to hold playgroups because “it’s too risky” or they simply don’t feel they have the time or staff required.

It’s our opinion that you can actually save time and resources by run­ ning playgroups, and can do so even if you don’t have the resources to hire specialized staff.

Key Resources s s s s s s s s s s s s

Barrier Frustration Introduction Dog-Dog Introductions Dog Playgroups Medical and Behavioral Considerations Muzzle Training Playgroup Gear Checklist Playgroup Glossary Playgroups: The Protocol at a Glance Resources Index Selecting Dogs Why Playgroups?

Help for Jumpy/Mouthy Foster Dogs

they can bring their dog to the dog park and what kind of play, if any, they can expect to see. While highly trained and specialized behavior staff may be able to set up ideal dog­dog introductions, shelters may not have many staff members with this skill set. Nor are adopters always equipped with the knowledge or skill to carefully introduce dogs in an ideal setting. Some slow, careful dog introduction methods can take hours, at a minimum. Time is not on the side of shelter/rescue dogs or their caregivers.

The Dog Playgroups resource is comprehensive, explaining not just the “why,” but “how” playgroups can be so beneficial to facility­housed dogs. And we have used these protocols ourselves, running playgroups as part of the day­to­day routine care of dogs. During playgroups, multi­ ple kennels can be cleaned and multiple dogs can be exercised at the same time, which can be a crucial time and resource saver for under­ funded organizations.

The Pet Rescue Resource takes into account the importance of each dog’s comfort level and play style. We decode dog body language with embedded videos, and include a glossary for the terms used and avoid jargon whenever possible. A master’s degree is not required to under­ stand the product or protocol. Playgroups should be friendly and acces­ sible for all.

The Pet Rescue Resource is also transparent and upfront about the use of aversives: “Aversives should only be used when necessary to break up a fight already in progress. Aversives are not used to teach so­ cial skills or improve play. Instead, we show you how to manage or inter­ vene in play using methods that do not cause fear or pain.” (Pet Rescue Resource, 2020).

Social Opportunities In light of this year’s unprecedented coronavirus pandemic and the so­ cial isolation of people, we’ve noticed an uptick in interest in companion animals’ social opportunities. Suddenly, people who may not have previ­ ously even considered it have developed empathy for dogs housed in isolation. Any shelter or rescue staff member or volunteer has sadly borne witness to behavioral decline in singly­housed dogs if they’ve worked in the field long enough. It can be a helpless feeling.

With The Pet Rescue Resource, staff and volunteers can get to work right away. It is a simple, organized and totally free­to­use resource and website that’s easy to interact with and includes graphics and videos that make the written plans come to life. Playgroups can feel over­ whelming, but The Pet Rescue Resource breaks everything down into manageable pieces. It is designed for implementation by handlers with or without behavior modification experience, and with the greatest pos­ sible efficiency to minimize additional work for busy staff and volunteers in under­resourced organizations.

Facilitating playgroups that look similar to a visit to the average dog park is important for a number of reasons. Adopters want to know if

Site Walk­Through Let’s now take a detailed walk­through of the resource. First, Why Play­ groups? Many people realize that playgroups are a great outlet for shel­ ter dogs but sometimes it feels difficult to justify running them for various reasons. Materials in this section are provided to help serve as the starting point for discussions with all stakeholders.

Running regular playgroups provides many benefits for dogs and people:

The stakes are high in shelter/rescue work.

Without a home or familiar guardian to advocate for them, these are vulnerable populations of animals, some traumatized, and often with attendant and challenging behavior issues. Many of these animals are given a limited amount of time to become “adoptable.”

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

13

c o v e r Do more with limited staff. Reduce the number of staff re­ quired per outing and increase the number of dogs who can be out at one time. Reduce time spent on managing or modi­ fying behavior problems stemming from insufficient enrich­ ment, exercise, and access to other dogs.

• Get to know your dogs better. Playgroups give valuable infor­ mation about adoptable dogs, like how they might fare at a dog park or how safe they are if they do get into a scuffle.

• Decrease length of stay and returns. Playgroups can help shel­ ter dogs get adopted more quickly and help adoptions “stick.”

• Improve your shelter’s public image. People love to see dogs happy and playing.

• Advertising your playgroup program. This can improve public perception of your shelter or rescue and the quality of life you provide for the dogs in your care and attract volunteer and donor interest in your programs.

The Dog Playgroups resource also acknowledges the possible risks of holding playgroups. These may include an increased risk of injuries to dogs, injuries to staff and volunteers, negative outcomes for some dogs as a result of playgroup incidents, associated upset and conflict amongst volunteers and staff, and disease spread.

Importantly, we thoroughly explain step­by­step protocols for reducing conflict and/or breaking up fights in order to minimize the risk of injuries.

We also point out the risks inherent in forgoing playgroups. These include unknowingly adopting dogs to the general public who are unsafe with other dogs, behavioral decline (including escalating barrier frustration) as­ sociated with lack of access to other dogs and the freedom to express nor­ mal social behavior, behavioral and physical decline associated with “kennel stress” and insufficient physical exercise and mental stimulation.

Any shelter or rescue staff member or volunteer has sadly borne witness to behavioral decline in singly-housed dogs if they’ve worked in the field long enough.

Ready­To­Go Toolkit The Dog Playgroups resource gives you the tools you need to hit the ground running with easy­to­read summaries of exactly what is needed to get started in the Resources Index. If you have an enclosed space, two or more dogs and two to three staff or volunteers, you can run play­ groups! A video on the website gives a virtual tour of a number of play­ group spaces, and then a checklist that enables different shelters to choose options based on what they have easily available to them.

Key components include: ● A well­designed enclosed play space. ● Playgroup gear and safety equipment. ● Staffing for playgroups. ● Protocols and policies encompassing all aspects of running playgroups.

When setting up the play space, we encourage shelters and rescues to consider size, substrates, pathways to areas, access to gear and water, gate types and play equipment for your playgroups. Some groups will already have many of these needs on hand. Other items will need funding or a donor base to acquire them, depending on priority.

Size of Space One source suggests a minimum of 50­100 square feet per dog (Bennett & Briggs, 2008). There are pros and cons to both large and small spaces.

© Pet Rescue Resource

•

14

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

c o v e r

© Can Stock Photo / daliborsosna

The Pet Rescue Resource’s Dog Playgroups toolkit includes detailed protocols for safely introducing dogs to ensure maximum benefit for all parties

Very large play spaces can make it difficult to reach dogs quickly should a fight occur, or if a dog needs to be interrupted during a tense ex­ change. A larger space might require more staffing in order to reach any part of the play yard quickly in the event of a fight. Conversely, very small spaces make it difficult for dogs to move away from each other to diffuse potential conflict. If you only have access to a small enclosure, consider using it for pairs of dogs if they are large, and three or more dogs if they are small.

Substrate/Ground Covering Know the pros and cons of the ground covering in your play area. For ex­ ample, pea gravel can be difficult for staff to move quickly on, especially when it is wet. Concrete or linoleum for indoor spaces (yes you can run playgroups indoors!) can cause injuries due to dogs slipping. Yoga mats can be used to break up slippery surfaces indoors. Cement can get hot and friction can cause paw pad irritation. The best option is a natural grassy or earth playground.

Staffing the Playgroups Playgroups generally require two to three people at minimum for 20 to 60 minutes depending on the number of dogs who will be interacting together, their energy level, and how well­known the dogs’ play styles are. More handlers may be needed to spread out over a larger play space, to be able to reach dogs within a few seconds. A handler’s ability to move quickly over a large area on different surfaces should also be considered. Playgroups can be staffed by shelter or rescue staff, or by volunteers. We have provided a “good, better, best” categorization for number of handlers to help you decide which option is best for you, based on your shelter’s resources, priorities, and comfort with risk: ● Good: two handlers. ● Better: three handlers. ● Best: three handlers plus one additional handler per unknown dog.

We recommend that a handler should never be left alone in a yard in case of a fight or other emergency.

Staff Roles Access to a Fight Kit A fight kit should be easily accessible from any part of the play space.

Consider both size of space and ground cover type when deciding where to place fight kits, and how many to have available. If the play space is very large, consider placing multiple fight kits in the space.

Details about setting up a play space and how to prepare for the possibility of a fight are all provided as part of the Playgroup Gear Checklist. One of the site authors, Dr. Maria Karunungan said the follow­ ing regarding the flexibility and range of the protocols based on the level of risk acceptable to that particular shelter: “We decided to make the site like choose­your­own­adventure because it opens up the possi­ bilities to a wider variety of shelters and rescues and allows those peo­ ple to describe what level of comfort they’re at. Are they okay with a couple scraps? Do they never want to see any aggressive behavior? This allows them to make informed decisions.” Indeed, there is a wide range of what’s “good, better and best” plus two fight protocols provided.

There is room for veterinary staff to make medically­informed recom­ mendations.

Roles for personnel are as follows: Lead, Assistant(s), and Runner(s).

Some responsibilities may be shared or may overlap. The Lead is the pri­ mary decision­maker. Good communication and a clear plan should be in place so that all personnel know what they are doing.

The Lead selects which dogs are to be included in the playgroup

Even professionals cannot typically eyeball whether aggressive behavior seen when dogs meet through a fence or when on leashes is “true” aggression or simply frustration. They look the same. Unfortunately, this results in many dogs being labeled “dog aggressive” and missing out on playgroups at a shelter, or being adopted to “only dog” homes where they live lives entirely away from members of their own species, or even euthanasia.

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

15

c o v e r It’s hard to underestimate the potential for lives saved by knowing how to introduce barrierfrustrated dogs. Again, these are dogs who love to play and are often completely misunderstood.

In isolation, they decline rapidly and more severe behavior problems may develop. Over and over these dogs watch other dogs walk by their kennels and continue to experience frustration, day in and day out, with no relief.

© Can Stock Photo / lightpoet

Barrier frustration is common in shelters where dogs have limited access to other dogs, however, barrier­frustrated dogs often play well with other dogs off­leash

based on dog profiles and previous playgroup history. To help with this, the Dog Playgroups resource provides easy, printable forms for play­ group matchmaking (see Selecting Dogs and ‘Making Playgroup Matches’ on p. 14) as well as videos on the various options for dog in­ troductions (see Dog‐Dog Introductions).

A shelter’s veterinary staff should set specific guidelines for dogs who have had surgery recently, are unvaccinated, contagious, wounded, or have other conditions that might make play painful or problematic (skin conditions, arthritis, orthopedic injuries, heartworm, etc.).

The size of dogs should also be considered. Dogs should be roughly size­matched. A helpful rule of thumb is that no dog in a playgroup should be more than twice the weight of any other dog in that group.

Behavior History The Lead should also review behavior history from previous guardians, reporting parties who found a stray dog, and shelter staff. Examples of behavior history that should exclude a dog from playgroups include: ● Killing another dog of similar size. ● Seriously injuring another dog (e.g. multiple deep punctures or lacerations requiring sutures). However, if such dogs love playing with other dogs and your shelter places them, have them play with a well­fitted and preconditioned muzzle. ● A pattern of fighting with other dogs as the only type of interaction when given dog access. ● Predatory body language or behavior directed at other dogs (stalking that is not in play).

The resource includes a video example of stalking behavior (see Medical and Behavioral Considerations). If staff is unsure whether stalk­ ing behavior is playful, muzzle train the dog to allow further investiga­ tion (see Muzzle Training).

Sometimes a dog has a behavior history that could cause some shel­ ters or rescues to be reluctant to include that dog in playgroups. These behaviors are not always evidence that a dog cannot play well with other dogs off­leash, so for example, the following behavior history should not exclude dogs from playgroups: ● Barrier frustration (barking/lunging/growling on leash or from behind a fence or kennel door). ● Non­injurious scuffles with other dogs. ● Minor injuries to other dogs not requiring medical

16

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

intervention (shallow scratches or punctures that don’t require shaving, suturing and/or antibiotics).

Other behaviors might warrant discussion and/or additional precau­ tions, such as excluding the dog from playgroups or requiring (precondi­ tioned) muzzles if such dogs love playing with other dogs, including: ● “Latch ons” (dogs who hold on for an extended period when they bite). ● Killing or seriously injuring a much smaller dog. ● Fear and avoidance of other dogs. ● History of biting handlers who attempt to intervene in play.

The playgroup Lead will assign tasks to Assistants and Runners like watching a particular dog closely, minding leashes that are dragging, bringing a new dog in, etc. They will direct assistants’ and runners’ re­ sponses to tension between dogs, injuries or fights and keep dogs away from the entrance to prevent dogs from clustering around a new arrival.

The Lead will monitor new dogs added to the playgroup, narrate body language and model interventions. Finally, the Lead will record data and share with the organization’s relevant staff.

Barrier Frustration Barrier frustration is a double­edged sword that is also a common phe­ nomenon. While many dogs can be safely introduced through a fence and assessed this way to see if they are interested in play, for a great many other dogs a through­the­fence introduction can result in a false positive for aggression. We define barrier frustration as barking, lung­ ing, growling and/or snarling due to the frustration of being on a leash or behind a barrier like a gate, fence or window. The barrier prevents the dog from accessing other dogs for normal social rituals, resulting in emotions of frustration that wouldn’t be present if the barrier were not present. Barrier­frustrated dogs often play well with other dogs off­ leash. This behavior occurs frequently in many shelters where dogs have limited physical access to other dogs.

Even professionals cannot typically eyeball whether aggressive be­ havior seen when dogs meet through a fence or when on leashes is “true” aggression or simply frustration. They look the same. Unfortu­ nately, this results in many dogs being labeled “dog aggressive” and missing out on playgroups at a shelter, or being adopted to “only dog” homes where they live lives entirely away from members of their own species, or even euthanasia. We find this particularly heartbreaking be­ cause the barrier­frustrated dog wants and needs play even more than those who do not exhibit frustration.

The Dog Playgroups resource provides a video of two dogs exhibit­ ing aggressive behavior toward each other when introduced through a kennel door. These same two dogs are then introduced free of barriers and are seen engaging in normal, bouncy play (see first video in Barrier Frustration Introduction ‐ timestamp 0:43). The Barrier Frustration Intro­ duction section also provides three separate step­by­step protocols with videos for introducing dogs who are suspected to be frustrated by barri­ ers, and none of them take the many hours that a full desensitization to proximity would take.

It’s hard to underestimate the potential for lives saved by knowing

c o v e r how to introduce barrier­frustrated dogs. Again, these are dogs who love to play and are often completely misunderstood. In isolation, they decline rapidly and more severe behavior problems may develop. Over and over these dogs watch other dogs walk by their kennels and con­ tinue to experience frustration, day in and day out, with no relief. States Dr. Lee: “A lot of dogs aren’t going to get to play if they are only allowed to meet other dogs through a fence.” It’s important to also note that many dogs are getting through­a­fence introductions constantly, any time another dog walks by. In a lot of busy shelters, this can occur at least once per day, every single day. There is a clear need for more op­ tions and the Dog Playgroups resource details each of them.

Conclusion Playgroups can be truly lifesaving. And they do not require the proactive use of aversives. While our Dog Playgroups resource was created to be nonprescriptive and open to even the most risk­averse of personnel, it feels necessary to remind readers that major injuries requiring shaving, suturing and antibiotics, as well as fatalities, are exceedingly rare. In a previous article, The Impact of Social Isolation (see BARKS from the Guild, January 2020, pp. 34‐35), I cited a German study of dogs housed in groups. In this study, 91% of the social confrontations between dogs housed together were settled by the use of canine behavioral rituals, (Mertens & Unshelm, 1996). That’s 91% of interactions that were com­ pletely unmanaged and uninterrupted by people. While more study is certainly needed on the effectiveness of interventions and which are truly “best,” we can guess that the use of nonaversive protocols may help bring the number of injurious fights from around 9% to even lower.

We are looking forward to seeing the benefits shelters and rescues reap from the Dog Playgroups protocol, even if they take just a small piece from it, such as learning how to better introduce two dogs, run­ ning playgroups even once a month or for marketing videos, or helping a particular dog who is struggling the most and, thus, creating more op­ portunities for all the dogs in that shelter’s care.

On a personal note, I know the days I ran playgroups were the best days at the shelter: quieter overall, happier dogs and importantly, hap­

pier people. I relished coming together with volunteers and kennel at­ tendants, as well as our marketing staff, who would video the dogs.

Those same dogs would often go to their forever home the same day their happy play and goofball antics were posted online. And who does­ n’t want to bring home the Life of the Party?! n See The Pet Rescue Resource for more information about and full access to the free protocols now available for animal shelters and rescue organizations.

References Bennett, R., & Briggs, S. (2008). Off-leash Dog Play: A Complete Guide to Safety and Fun. Woodbridge, VA: Dream Dog Productions Grigg, E.K., Nibblett, B.M., Robinson, J.Q., & Smits, J.E. (2017). Evaluating pair versus solitary housing in kenneled domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) using behavior and hair cortisol: a pilot study. Veterinary Record Open Hetts, S., Clark, J.D., Calpin, J.P., Arnold, C.E., & Mateo, J.M. (1992).

Influence on housing conditions on beagle behavior. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 34 137-155 Mertens, P.A., & Unshelm, J. (1996). Effects of Group and Individual Housing on the Behavior of Kennelled Dogs in Animal Shelters.

Anthrozoös 9:1 40-51 Pet Professional Guild. (2019). Important Pet Professional Guild Communication – Change of Venue for Summit 2020 Svirsky, K.H. (2020). The Impact of Social Isolation. BARKS from the Guild (40) 34-35 K. Holden Svirsky CTC began her training and rescue work at the San Francisco SPCA in 2012 and is a 2014 recipient of the Academy for Dog Trainers shelter and rescue scholarship. She was a trainer and behavior specialist at Tony LaRussa's Animal Rescue Foundation, winning a local magazine's Best Dog Training awards in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 and currently consults privately on fear and aggression cases as well as teaching classes for the award-winning Bravo!Pup. She also sits on PPG's Shelter and Rescue Division.

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training

The Need for Safety in Learning Suzanne Clothier discusses Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and the importance for those working with animals to honor their need to feel safe, thus ensuring they retain the ability to think and learn

A

few years ago, in mid­February, I made a trip that brought into vivid focus the wisdom of Abraham Maslow’s philosophy. Maslow was a prominent psychologist in the 1940s and considered the fa­ ther of humanistic psychology. I feel his work has great value for trainers of today once they are ready to move past behaviorism. The framework of Maslow’s humanistic philosophy aligns well with my Relationship Centered Training™ (RCT).

Like many of his colleagues, Maslow was in search of a model that might explain motivation, why an organism would devote energy and resources to specific behavior(s). He proposed a Hierarchy of Needs whereby the most basic need(s) must be met before the animal had the resources or even interest for meeting higher level needs. His philoso­ phy is actually more nuanced and complicated than that brief summa­ tion, but for this article, let’s keep it simple.

In his book Motivation and Personality (1954, 1970), Maslow differ­ entiates between need­gratification and need­frustration; both have consequences observable in behavior. This approach has proven im­ mensely helpful to me in moving past pure behaviorism and into a more nuanced understanding of intrinsic and individual motivations. Those fa­ miliar with my Relationship Centered Training approach will not be sur­ prised, as I am deeply interested in what I call the Ethology of the Individual™. To my way of thinking, applying training theories and tech­ niques without an understanding of the individual is not only less than effective but disrespectful as well.

Here are Maslow’s (1970) own words: “When we talk about the needs of human beings, we talk about the essence of their lives. How could I have thought that this essence could be put to the test in some animal laboratory or some test tube situation? Obviously, it needs a life situation of the total human being in his social environment.”

Indeed, seeing our animals within the full context of their lives is im­ portant, and guides us to asking the interesting questions that lead to interesting answers.

The Hierarchy of Needs At the very bottom of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs are the basic needs that, when met, allow us to maintain homeostasis and to sustain life.

This level is often referred to rather sloppily as “food, water and shel­ ter,” though it is far more nuanced than that. Most of us would not work with an animal who was freezing or overheated, in pain, lame, hungry, starved, thirsty, or uncomfortable in any way. We work to provide fulfill­ ment of these basic needs so that our animals are comfortable and

...if we violate our animals’ need for safety, we automatically infringe upon their ability to learn, to think, and to perform. Feeling unsafe is often at the root of failure of our animals to perform or respond as we think they should.

© Can Stock Photo / Virgonira

If an animal is trying to communicate that he feels unsafe, then some other solution should be found rather than adding pressure through the use of food

healthy. (I do realize that people violate that generalization all the time, sometimes deliberately by withholding food or water in the name of “training” or using techniques or equipment designed to be painful, or working animals who are lame or in pain.)

Assuming we’ve met the basic needs, the next level in the Hierarchy of Needs is safety – physical safety, psychological/emotional safety, and social safety. And here is where even the most well­intentioned among us can fail the animals we are trying to help if we do not recognize if or when they do not feel safe. When we do not meet the animal’s need for safety, we undermine our relationship with him, as well as any attempts to train, educate or ask for performance.

Environmental Influences It is worth noting that in environments where basic needs cannot easily be met, it is easier to capture feral animals. An animal who is starving or dying of thirst or needs shelter will move into potentially unsafe situa­ tions in order to satisfy the basic need(s). By contrast, in a resource rich environment, if the animal has ready access to food, shelter and water, he may consistently avoid any situations that make him feel unsafe,

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

19

training

© Can Stock Photo / raywoo

The need to feel safe is often uppermost in an animal’s mind, not a human’s needs or expectations

such as a bowl of food placed in a humane trap.

Likewise, we can artificially elevate a resource to such intensity that an animal may be willing to move past their need of safety. This is a fre­ quent occurrence with intensely food motivated dogs who can be lured into situations they would not enter voluntarily in the absence of food.

Whenever we are intensifying the lure or depriving the animal of fulfill­

ment of basic needs, we need to rethink our strategies in the light of the need for safety rather than our goals as trainers. As soon as someone recommends, “Get higher value treats!” I am instantly on alert for why that is necessary. If the animal is telling us they feel unsafe, then some other solution must be found, not adding pressure through the use of food.

Maslow speaks of safety hunger when referring to a frustrated safety­need. I do not know what he might think of our insistence on pushing dogs past their feelings of safety, sure that we are being posi­ tive because food is involved, firmly believing that heavy doses of chicken or cheese will turn the tide. To ignore the power of safety hunger is unfair at best; we’d do well to put ourselves into unsafe situa­ tions and pay close attention to how we are affected.

Maslow (1970) rightly points out: “Apprehensiveness, fear, dread and anxiety, tension, nervousness, and jitteriness are all consequences of safety­need frustration. The same type of clinical observation clearly shows corresponding effects of safety­need gratification (for which as usual we lack adequate vocabulary), e.g., lack of anxiety, lack of nerv­ ousness, relaxedness, confidence in the future, assurance, security, etc.

Whatever words we use, there is a character difference between the man who feels safe and the one who lives his life out as if he were a spy in enemy territory.”

Three Hours, Two Ladies, a Great Dane and a LOT of Snow A snowy February day several years ago reminded me for the millionth time that feeling safe is important. It was supposed to be a pleasant three­hour drive to the airport, with two pleasant ladies and a charming Great Dane for company. My driver was a professional driver (literally), and she drove with evident skill and care. Food, water, shelter — all

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training were in place. My belly was full; my bladder empty. I had a hot coffee in my hands. I was warm and comfortable, with my basic needs fully met.

But… I wasn’t feeling safe.

All the good things in place didn’t matter much, other than not adding to my stress. Could the drive have been worse? Sure. I could have had on summer clothing in an unheated vehicle, been with strangers or people I did not like or who scared me. The Dane might have been trying to bite me the whole trip. I might have been thirsty and hungry with a migraine and a full bladder. Or all of the above. The point is that I was warm, comfortable, and with nice folks and a cool dog.

But the icy roads were not under anyone’s control, however nice or skillful they might be. At all times, I could feel the undercurrent of anxi­ ety (what if we slide off the road?) or actual fear (what if that oncoming car that is sliding sideways crashes into us?). At times, it was difficult to pay close attention to the conversation, which often lapsed into shared worry and silence when we hit particularly bad stretches. We were all immensely relieved to arrive in one piece at our destination. Almost magically, as soon as we were safe, our ability to think, breathe, con­ verse and interact normally returned to 100%, though we were all deeply fatigued. Not feeling safe was pervasive, and affected every­ thing, with lingering effects even after the unsafe situation was re­ solved. This is the reality of stress for us and for our animals.

Honoring the Need to Feel Safe I have been teaching some aspects of Maslow’s work in my seminars for decades, reminding handlers that if we violate our animals’ need for safety, we automatically infringe upon their ability to learn, to think, and to perform. Feeling unsafe is often at the root of failure of our animals to perform or respond as we think they should. Uppermost in their minds are not our expectations or needs, but that safety hunger, the need to feel safe.

When we push dogs into feeling unsafe – something we can do as easily with treats and praise as with any “correction” – we push them out of balance, out of what I call the Think and Learn Zone. Possibly worse, we push them into a place where they learn that we cannot al­ ways be trusted to know when they do not feel safe. In my experience, the lack of safety is one reason why counterconditioning (CC) and de­ sensitization (DS) often fail. When CC or DS are applied as recipes with­ out the understanding of need­gratification and need­hunger, when used with an animal who does not feel safe, we will miss what the dog in front of us is telling us and not much will change.

Honoring the animal’s need for safety is an important aspect of Re­ lationship Centered Training™ and all humane training practices. I hope that you’ll consider it as important to the psychological health and well­ being of each animal in your hands. n

An animal who is starving or dying of thirst or needs shelter will move into potentially unsafe situations in order to satisfy the basic need(s).

By contrast, in a resource rich environment, if the animal has ready access to food, shelter and water, he may consistently avoid any situations that make him feel unsafe, such as a bowl of food placed in a humane trap.

Reference Maslow, A. H. (1970) Motivation and Personality. New York, NY: Harper Row Suzanne Clothier has been working with animals professionally since 1977. Currently based in St. Johnsville, New York, she is well respected internationally for her holistic Relationship Centered Training™ approach to dogs and the people that love them. Her background includes training, instruction, behavior modification, kennel management, temperament assessment, physical assessment and conditioning, early puppy development, class curriculum development, obedience, agility, Search and Rescue, conformation, breeding and more. Since 1991, she has taught workshops and seminars on a broad range of topics throughout the United States and internationally for a wide variety of groups from training clubs to international conferences in 11 countries. An award-winning author of multiple books and DVDs, her book, Bones Would Rain from the Sky: Deepening Our Relationships With Dogs (2002) has received widespread praise from every corner of the dog world, including twice being included in the Wall Street Journal's list of Top 5 Dog Books. She has served on the American Humane Association’s Task Force for Humane Training, the AKC Agility Advisory board, and is currently a consultant for Frankie & Andy’s Place, a senior dog sanctuary in Georgia. She has also developed multiple assessment tools CARAT™, RAT™ (Relationship Assessment Tool), as well as puppy and adult dog tests. These tools have been used by guide and service dog organizations, therapy dog groups, AAIA organizations, shelters and rescue groups, and trainers. In her work as a consultant to guide dog schools, her Enriched Puppy Protocol™ served as the structure for the updating of their puppy raising programs. Since 2007, more than 10,000 puppies have been raised in programs built around The Enriched Puppy Protocol™. Meanwhile, with fellow trainer Cindy Knowlton, she developed CCC: Connection, Cooperation & Control™, a puzzle-based program that builds joyful relationships between handlers and dogs.

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training

Puppy House Training 101 Sally Bradbury discusses house training a puppy, highlighting the importance of clear and consistent messaging to set up pups for optimal success

H

ouse training is all about creating good habits. Young pups have very small bladders and very little bladder control, so they need to be in the right place when nature calls. To house train success­ fully in as short a time as possible you must take your puppy outside as follows: • When he wakes.

• After eating.

• After taking a drink.

• Before, during and after a period of activity.

• When you arrive home.

• Before you go out.

• Before bedtime.

• During breaks in TV shows.

• And every 20 to 30 minutes in between unless he is asleep.

During periods of activity, change that to every 10 to 20 minutes.

house, it is because you haven’t house trained him yet and didn’t take him outside when he needed to go. When this happens, take a rolled up newspaper and hit yourself over the head while repeating the words, “I forgot to watch my puppy. I forgot to watch my puppy.” Just kidding! But if your puppy laughs at you when you do this – praise him.

Avoiding Errors

Common mistakes made during house training include: • Using newspaper or puppy training pads. While these may aid the clearing up process, it can be very confusing for the pup who is taught or permitted to eliminate in the house to make the transition to going outside. This will often result in a pup that, when playing in the yard, will simply hold on until he is back in­ doors because that’s where the bathroom is.

• Leaving the door open. This does nothing to teach the pup to eliminate outside only.

• Reprimands for eliminating in Learning the house risk the result of a dog Once you’re outside, stay there with your pup. Don’t nag or who believes you disapprove of distract him. Just mooch about and he what he did, not **where ** he did will do the same. Eventually he’ll it, and are damaging to your relationship eliminate. Quiet praise is sufficient. with your pup.

Once pup has • Giving treats for eliminating in the eliminated you garden. Again, the dog is being re­ can either stay warded for what he did, not where he out and play or did it. While this is not going to be as big a go back in­ problem as any kind of reprimand, a smart doors. If dog may learn to do lots of little pees and you stay never fully empty his bladder. outside for The insecure dog, mean­ a game, while, may urinate indoors then he will often to appease you if you get need to go again be­ © Can Stock Photo / WitthayaP cross about something else, fore you go back inside, because he knows this is so stop the game Creating good habits and sticking to them is essential in the successful house training of a puppy something he gets rewarded and this includes taking him outside when he has just woken up and stay out for a for. Note: Using both repri‐ while longer to give mands and rewards is very confusing for your pup. him the chance to go again.

• Expecting your pup to tell you when he needs to go out. Once a If puppy doesn't eliminate outside when you’ve been there for a pup understands that outside is where the bathroom is, he may few minutes, take him back in and sit him on your lap or tuck him under start to let you know he needs to go out. However, if you are not your arm (small breeds only) as you go about your chores, then try there to ask or you fail to notice him asking, then the house again in five minutes. It’s imperative that you do this, especially if you training will break down. It is far better to have a dog go outside have started off with newspaper or puppy pads on the floor, because to the bathroom on your schedule once he is house trained. the puppy may prefer to urinate indoors and could simply be waiting to • Giving your pup an ensuite in his crate (if you use one). Do not be taken back in. encourage your pup to eliminate in his crate by putting in puppy Give the puppy zero opportunity to go wrong. If he eliminates in the pads. If you have to leave puppy for a while and he is likely to need to go to the bathroom, then, in my opinion, it’s best to Give the puppy zero opportunity to go wrong. If have the crate inside a larger pen or blocked­off area and leave he eliminates in the house, it is because you the crate door open, so he can get away from his bed to elimi­ nate. haven’t house trained him yet and didn’t take General Note: Areas indoors where pup has had an accident are best him outside when he needed to go. cleaned with a dilute solution of biological washing powder. Avoid using

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BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

training disinfectant as this contains ammonia (also contained in urine) and can encourage pup to urinate there again due to the smell.

No puppy is going to be reliably house trained under about 7­8 months old, in my experience. That doesn't mean you have to have acci­ dents in the house. Rather that the pup is in training and, if there are ac­ cidents, it is human error.

Overnight Young pups will need to go to the bathroom once or twice in the night for anything from a few days to a few weeks when in training.

If your pup is sleeping in a crate in the bedroom with you, he will wake up and most likely will let you know he needs the bathroom. Get up as quickly as you can, carry him outside to eliminate and take him straight back to bed again. A few nights of this and it will start taking you longer to find your slippers because of sleep deprivation! Conse­ quently, pup is learning to hold on for longer and will soon be sleeping all night. If you choose to leave puppy in the kitchen or utility room to sleep, then do not shut him in a crate. Simply clean up in the morning without comment.

’

Mixed Messages In case you have clients who wonder why punishment does not work for house training, here are the reasons.

Let’s take a typical morning in the life of an 8­week­old pup:

What we think we are teaching the puppy is that it is good to urinate in the yard and wrong to urinate in the house. What the pup is actually learning, however, is that sometimes it is rewarding to urinate when his guardian is present and sometimes it is dangerous. And that it is always safe to urinate when the guardian is not present and that, so far, the safest place is under the dining room table.

Note: Never deny your dog water in the mistaken belief that this will aid house training. It won't. It will make the urine stronger. It may also impact on your dog's health, i.e. cause kidney problems or urinary tract infections if the dog drinks greedily and excessively when water is avail‐ able, knowing it will be taken away. Dogs must have clean, fresh water available all of the time. n Sally Bradbury has worked with dogs all her adult life, from RSPCA kennel maid in her teens to founding and running her own very successful dog training business for 20 years. She was also a founding member of the APDT (United Kingdom). Her passion is helping and supporting new puppy guardians raise their puppies to avoid the many pitfalls that result in so many youngsters being handed into rescues in their first year. She is now retired and living in Wales and has recently published the children’s book, Jack and Billy: Puppy Tales, featuring two puppies who experience vastly different journeys in their new homes.

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

23

training

Teaching “Leave It” Anna Bradley explains the importance of teaching puppies the “Leave/Drop” cue and why it is an essential skill to train early on ment risks becoming the tactic of choice, e.g. puppy grabs the TV remote and is chastised either verbally or, in some cases, physically. Now, with repeated presentations of punishment, the puppy learns that a better option may be to actually avoid the situation altogether. Who wouldn’t?

As a result, the puppy may start to run away or hide as the guardian pursues him and, perhaps, forcibly extracts the item. This is scary and threatening and, be­ fore long, (after exhibiting numerous appeasement sig­ nals), the puppy may begin to growl in an attempt to remove the threat, i.e. the guardian. When this doesn’t work, he may escalate to biting. Cue a visit to my practice.

Even tugging an item away from a puppy’s mouth, pinching his lips, or Sticks and Stones shouting © Can Stock Photo / Miraswonderland Dogs, like children, use their “leave it” in mouths to explore. Anyone who Making the concept of dropping objects fun and positive right from a confronta­ the start goes a long way to preventing issues with resource guarding has had a puppy knows that tional man­ everything goes in there…and ner may be hopefully comes out again. Lots of puppy and young dog behavior is enough to make him anxious about relinquishment. As a result, the orally explorative. We’ve all seen our puppies with stones, soil, sticks, whole concept of dropping things can become negative and “bad.” leaves, animal parts, items of clothing, household items – you name it.

Puppies like to learn about texture and form, what’s edible and Making It Fun what’s not. But not everyone makes enough effort to teach their pup What we can do instead is make the concept of dropping things fun and how rewarding and fantastic it is to leave these objects. Instead, punish­ positive right from the start. We also need to accept the reality that puppies will be eating and exploring things orally. So, from a week or so in, I recommend teaching a good “leave/drop” cue. I like to do this by teaching a “back away” from a fistful of food. Here’s an example: • Have the puppy face you and place a low value treat or kibble in a closed fist.

Want to Share your Knowledge • Let the puppy move towards your hand but say nothing. Let and Expertise? him sniff, lick and paw at your hand. Just wait, things might take a little while.

Topics may include a particular aspect of training, • As soon as the puppy settles and stops nudging, licking, pawing ethology, learning theory, behavior specifics... etc. and backs away even for a second, immediately open your anything at all your fellow pet professionals hand, praise, and let him eat the treat. would find educational.

• Repeat the above until he doesn’t move towards your hand at all and just backs away.

• Add in a cue. Say, “leave,” or “drop,” in a happy voice. Remem­ ber, we want the word to have a happy association. Immedi­ ately present your hand as before. As long as the puppy is still backing away, open your hand, praise, and let him eat the treat.

If he paws, sniffs, nudges etc., calmly take your hand away, wait a moment, then try again.

We’ll even do some practice runs with you to help you Once you’ve established the leave/drop cue, you can start working along (if you need them!) with it more in a practical sense. I’ll normally start by saying the cue as SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL TO: I’m holding food in my open palm. I’ll progressively raise the value of the food from kibble, to a favorite treat, to something really high value, petprofessionalguild.com/Host-A-Webinar like chicken. Finally, I’ll work on using the cue with the food on the floor

I

ssues surrounding the relinquish­ ment of objects is a frequent grievance in my behavior prac­ tice. It is this, plus my battles with my own young Labrador picking up everything at the moment, that has prompted me to write this piece.

So many times I hear that Fido, who commonly is under a year old, perhaps even only a few months of age, has started growling when his owner comes near and won’t willingly let go of whatever he has in his mouth. This becomes the primary reason for a guardian’s visit to my practice and it saddens me, be­ cause it simply needn’t be that way.

HOST A WEBINAR FOR PPG!

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BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

training Even tugging an item away from a puppy’s mouth, pinching his lips, or shouting “leave it” in a confrontational manner may be enough to make him anxious about relinquishment. As a result, the whole concept of dropping things can become negative and “bad.” and practice with it right in front of the puppy, with the puppy walking right past, and then with the food bowl. When I’m working with the puppy with food on the floor, I’ll always make sure I’m in an open space with no other pets or distractions around.

Generalization Once we’ve established that leave/drop is a great thing to do, we’ve next got to think about what we need to do with all those objects the puppy might be reluctant to let go of. Firstly, we can look at environ­ mental control and try not to leave stuff lying around that might be tempting, as it just perpetuates the reward cycle.

Meanwhile, every single time you’re out and about, in the yard, out walking etc., and you see your puppy about to grab something, you need to act quickly. Don’t wait until he’s had the item in his mouth for a while. Vigilance is key. Immediately say “leave/drop” and when he does so, toss a tasty treat (something of really high value) forwards and make a big fuss of him. Our goal is to make the relinquishment of the item much more fun than grabbing it. Consistency is essential no matter what the puppy is looking to grab hold of.

In the home, start by building in your ‘leave’ cue on a sliding scale with objects of value, from low to high. You might begin with objects the pup rarely touches or goes near, or perhaps larger objects, and then

progressively work up the scale to items that are frequently picked up or those which retain owner scent. Each time the puppy leaves the item, add in a high value treat and lots or praise –but progress through the rankings slowly.

Interim Learning Period It happens to everyone! You’ve missed the boat and the puppy picks something up and you need to retrieve it. What do you do? The item might be harmful to him or valuable to you. In the interim period while the pup is still learning, try offering a good swap. You’re not bribing here but substituting a higher value option for another item. Make sure you keep something the puppy views as super tasty or highly rewarding on hand and easily accessible – a favorite treat or toy for instance. As soon as you see the puppy with the item you don’t want him to have, calmly go up to him or call him to you and offer the swap. Don’t chase him, shout at him, or attempt to corner him. If you have issues with him run­ ning off, you may wish to use a light houseline that you can stand on while offering the swap.

It is important to spend time teaching young dogs that object relin­ quishment is highly rewarding and great fun. In my opinion, it should be built into general skill training rather something that is haphazardly or partially addressed. Taught correctly and positively, all dogs should be­ come “leave happy!” n Anna Francesca Bradley MSc BSc (Hons) is a United Kingdomebased provisional clinical, certified IAABC animal behavior consultant and ABTC accredited behavior consultant. She owns Perfect Pawz! Training and Behavior Practice in Hexham, Northumberland, where the aim is always to create and restore happy relationships between dog and owner in a relaxed way, using methods based on sound scientific principles, which are both force-free and fun.

canine

The Dog Who Changed Everything Heddie Leger relates the tale of Hero, the Rottweiler who lost his guardian, and who was rescued and went on to have an inspirational new life as a much loved therapy dog and prison program dog

© Heddie Leger

Rottweiler Hero was an at­risk puppy at birth and the veterinarian did not expect him to survive

© Heddie Leger

Author Heddie Leger and her therapy dog, Hero, began the first reading programs with the Mid­Continent Public Library and the Kansas City Public Library systems

“Scary times, and yet I keep trying to find the peace that is everywhere; if I can calm my mind and simply be. The net of kindness and love has been torn, and yet, still enough strands remain to carry us on.” (S. Clothier, personal communication, 2020).

I

open this article with these thoughts so aptly shared by a wonderful soul friend and trainer, Suzanne Clothier. These words graciously summarize a vast ocean of emotions we across the globe currently are experiencing. We will carry on because we must.

This could also be the life mantra of a very special canine that I had the good fortune to cross paths with on my life journey as an animal lover, rehabilitator, rescuer and trainer. When we work in the field of an­ imal sheltering and training we come across many dogs, all special in their own unique way. However, every once in a blue moon someone comes along who you recognize as your soul dog. The dog that changes everything about your life and how you live.

Soul Dog Enter Hero! It will be a challenge to encapsulate Hero in a few short

Enter Hero. This big, burly dog certainly got the attention and respect of the offenders we worked with. The bonus of this was that I also received their respect, because who would mess with a little lady who could skillfully manage a 100+ pound Rottweiler?

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BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

paragraphs, but space and time dictate these parameters.

Hero was an at­risk puppy at birth. The veterinarian did not expect him to survive, yet somehow he did. He loved to sit by his first guardian’s side 24 hours a day. They were totally bonded, but, sadly, one day the dreaded cancer took her from him and he was left homeless. At the shelter, he sat in a kennel waiting for someone to love him, but 100­ pound Rottweilers often have difficulty finding new homes. I decided to bring him home for an overnight to give him a break from the kennel.

He laid down in the middle of the living room and claimed our home and hearts as his own. He never left either of them.

With a heart as big as Texas, soulful eyes, kindness, wisdom, calm­ ness and a friendly spirit, Hero walked among people as if he knew and understood each one of them. He would adapt his behavior to each per­ son or dog he met, making friends across the world.

We can train the skills for dogs to become therapy and/or service dogs, but it is very important to look at the individual to see what it is they want to do and/or were born to do. It was very clear Hero wanted to be a therapy dog, so that is exactly what we did…..together. He be­ came officially registered and served his entire life, including the day he passed. He LOVED his job.

Hero gained love, admiration and respect everywhere he went. He brought a healing touch to hospice patients as well as many people who had mental or behavioral challenges. He was so admired for his work

canine that Purina officials dubbed him Pet Partner of the year and honored him with a coveted personal brick at the Fountain of Friends at their St. Louis headquarters in Missouri. But that is not all.

Therapy dog Hero: While we can train the skills for dogs to become therapy and/or service dogs, it is also essential to look at the individual to see what it is they want to do and/or have a propensity for

Prison Dog Program I had read about prison dog programs and had been intrigued. One day, the director of the Missouri Corrections Department sent out a notice announcing that they were looking for dog trainers to help develop a training program. I went to the meeting. The room was full of trainers from across the state. I knew in my heart of hearts this was my calling, but time would tell.

The meeting turned in to two meetings. Only a handful of people showed up for the second meeting as it focused more on the nitty gritty, so to speak. At the third meeting, only two people showed up – me and one other lady. It was daunting, but I felt driven to help in this area of service to the community.

My first assignment was in a residential treatment facility that actu­ ally looked like a hospital. I found out that a high percentage of resi­ dents were dealing either with some form of mental illness or with drug addiction and were in this particular facility for rehabilitation.

Enter Hero. This big, burly dog certainly got the attention and re­ spect of the offenders we worked with. The bonus of this was that I also received their respect, because who would mess with a little lady who could skillfully manage a 100+ pound Rottweiler?

Our classes took place anywhere we could squeeze out some space.

While these facilities are sometimes lacking in the finer amenities, we managed to make it work. Sometimes we even taught in housing units when there was no place else to go.

Zero Tolerance Requirements to be part of the program were and still are very strin­ gent. There is zero tolerance for any behavior that is not kind or respect­ ful. Raised voices, as well as any form of physical or verbal abuse are not accepted. Only force­free training methods are taught and permitted.

The project started initially with two facilities and, in several short years, grew to 20 facilities.

Anyone selected to work with the dogs must be infraction free for one year. It is a great incentive for good behavior, so fits very well in the category of rehabilitation. Those interviewed and selected must go through a conflict management, decision making, team player, and train the trainer program before being allowed to handle a dog from the shel­ ter. The dogs are carefully selected to give as many at­risk dogs as possi­ ble the chance to get the socialization and training needed to help them become highly adoptable.

At first, the state director mandated that no pit bull or pit bull­type dogs would be allowed. Enter Hero once again. Hero to the rescue! We set up a staff training program using Hero as the demo dog so he could show wardens and staff that dogs such as Rottweilers can also be well­ mannered. They learned that it is the deed, not the breed, that really matters. The first pit bulls were then permitted to join the program, under strict guidance. Now, across the state you can see a good percent­ age of the dogs in training are pit bull or pit bull crosses. And, on the Missouri Department of Corrections website, you can see all the newsletter updates, the training protocols developed (some may vary), and details about the successful adoptions of thousands of shelter dogs through the Puppies for Parole program.

Community As the program developed, participants who reached their release dates often went into the field of animal care. Some worked for major box stores, local grooming shops, or shelters, and some even started their own businesses serving the community. We also developed advanced training for dogs that showed a propensity towards a working career.

© Heddie Leger

The program trained the very first courthouse dog that helped children of abuse testify in court.

In addition to the dog training, the program is also intended to be a way for offenders to rehabilitate, give back, and learn how to reinte­ grate into the community. Skills that many had never developed, includ­ ing reading and writing, form a strong core basis. We have heard it said many times from trainers in the program that, “If I knew then, what I know now, I would not be here.” Many participants learned how to read and gained a GED as another positive result of the training program, as they wanted to be able to read the manuals.

One often overlooked side effect regarding people who are incarcer­ ated is the undeniable fact that many have family, children and support systems outside the walls of the prison.

The ripple effect of these broken lives often compounds over gener­ ations. When I realized this, I found it imperative to address this issue. I spoke with social workers that worked with the offenders and we came up with a novel idea to create a program for children of incarcerated parents. The program allowed for stronger bonds and learning experi­ ences for those in the prisoner’s support system. The hope was to break the cycle.

We created hands­on activities and exercises for the children of of­ fenders that could be implemented in real life. One such activity was de­ signed to develop leadership and teamwork skills.

This particular activity included one dog, four children, and one adult supervisor. Children were first required to attend a pet safety and bite prevention class.

Helping Children For these classes, Hero would wear a harness with six leashes attached.

Each child, as well as the supervisor, held a leash. Children learned how to lead, give directions, follow directions, manage their behavior and re­ actions, and make good choices by being the decision maker for the team.

The leader would call the cue word for the action desired such as ‘sit,’ ‘down,’ ‘left turn,’ ‘right turn,’ etc. As the dog performed the de­ BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

27

canine sired cue, each child had to do the same thing. So, if the dog sat, each child had to sit, lay down, etc. Each child had the opportunity to lead and follow by being part of the team.

This turned into the social workers’ favorite activity since they saw so many beneficial results. The children were asked for their feedback and 100% reported that it helped them learn how to work together, lis­ ten, wait their turn, follow directions and a host of other beneficial so­ cial skills. Not only that, offenders reported it strengthened and, in some cases, rehabilitated the family structure.

International Reach Meanwhile, we set up a statewide apprenticeship program for Puppies for Parole. It required a minimum of 2,000 handling hours, plus other stringent requirements. The Department of Labor now recognizes this apprenticeship program along with other education and life enhancing programs in the rehabilitation process for offenders.

Several years ago, a contingent of folks visited from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in London, England in order to learn how to implement a similar program under their rehabilitation of animals and humans pro­ gramming. They were very pleased and impressed and returned home armed with mountains of information and inspiration. Missouri Puppies for Parole has since been a model for many developing programs across the country.

During these uncertain times, sadly, many of the prison dog pro­ grams have been shut down across the country due to safety, security and health concerns. Fortunately, the Missouri Puppies for Parole pro­ gram is going strong in most of its facilities. They are still serving the community, working with local shelters, and adopting out dogs on a daily basis, that might not otherwise have had a second chance at life.

ANIMAL COURSES DIRECT

As the program developed, participants who reached their release date often went into the field of animal care. Some worked for major box stores, local grooming shops, or shelters, and some even started their own businesses serving the community. We also developed advanced training for dogs that showed a propensity towards a working career. The program trained the very first courthouse dog that helped children of abuse testify in court.

This was completely intentional. The goal from the outset was to set up a self­sustaining program that could survive the ups and downs of the life cycle of any system, plus societal changes. I worked very hard on a daily basis to be in contact with each staff person involved at each fa­ cility. We set up quarterly training sessions with staff so they also had the skill set, should an emergency arise, to be able to carry on. Many have also become CPDT trained staff and/or joined other educational networks in order to keep their skills updated and network with trainers outside the corrections system.

I will close in saying the future of prison dog programs continues to look good. It is more challenging with the COVID restrictions, but people are finding a way to make it work and still save more lives. In addition, this world within a world, has found a way to touch lives beyond the prison walls. In many instances it has become a viable resource for shel­ ters that were having difficulty adopting out at­risk dogs. It continues to be a win­win­win for all involved.

A small army of hidden heroes continues to work in the unseemliest of places to save lives. It is even more important, now than ever, for each of us to realize that any kindness extended to others can and does indeed change the world. Kindness matters. n Don’t miss the inspiring story of Shawn Dowling, the newest recruit and dog trainer at the Northeast Missouri Humane Society. Shawn is a re‐ cent graduate of the Puppies for Parole program and is an incredible testament to the success of the program.

Resources Missouri Department of Corrections/Puppies for Parole Heddie Leger is the owner/founder of Hero’s Hope and training coach with CampGoodStay in Camden, Tennessee, a full service canine coaching and pet care service. She is a certified humane educator, a therapy animal/instructor/evaluator, C.L.A.S.S. instructor/evaluator and CGC evaluator. Her passion of rehabilitating homeless and displaced dogs blossomed with her therapy dog, Hero, and developed into a full service program for rehabilitation of shelter dogs and correctional facility and people incarcerated in correctional facilities. Together, they received the Pet Partner finalist of the year, and Purina Service Team of the year award. She has worked in a collaborative effort with the Missouri Department of Corrections and local shelter/rescue groups to help facilitate a program that received the Governor’s Award for Innovative Programs.

She was recently awarded the Director’s Coin of Excellence. She and her therapy dog, Hero, began the first reading programs with the Mid-Continent Public Library and the Kansas City Public Library systems. Those programs are still operating, as well as programs in the Liberty Public School District promoting literacy, humane treatment of animals and the importance of reading as a life skill.

She is also a published author in several magazines as well as her book Hero to the Rescue, The Memoir of an Unlikely Hero.

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canine

Managing an Aggressive, Fearful, or Reactive Dog Don Hanson provides advice for guardians who are struggling with their dog’s aggressive behavior, highlighting the importance of identifying triggers and being aware of the dog’s emotional state in any given situation or context

W

hen you have a dog that is exhibiting aggressive behavior, you have a responsibility to keep yourself, your family, your pets, and your community safe. A dog that is behaving aggressively is experiencing some form of emotional stress, so it is your responsibil­ ity to identify and keep him away from the stressors that trigger the be­ havior while working with a professionals who can help you.

#1. Get Help from an Accredited Professional as Soon as Possible Helping change aggressive behavior is not a Do­It­Yourself project, nor is a dog likely to “grow out of it.” Aggression is an emotional response.

That response could be due to fear, anger, or frustration and may be in­ tensified by chemical imbalances in the brain. Working with a dog trainer and teaching behaviors like sit, leave it, stay etc. are extremely unlikely to change how your dog feels.

As such, I recommend you immediately seek help from a veterinary behaviorist, applied animal behaviorist, or credentialed behavior con­ sultant (PCBC or CDBC). The earlier you get professional help for your dog, the sooner you can relieve his suffering and the greater probability you have of changing his aggressive behavior. Resolving this behavior will very likely require behavior modification and, potentially, medica­ tion as well. A veterinary behaviorist can provide you with both.

© Can Stock Photo / mcgill

Stress is frequently a component in undesirable behavior for people and animals

#2. Ensure Safety Preventing your dog from hurting you, another person, another animal, or themselves must be your priority.

• Please keep your dog physically isolated from people or animals that could become the target of his aggression. This may mean keeping him crated, preferably in another room, or closed/locked in another room when you have guests in your home.

• When the dog is outside of your home, make sure that you can safely handle him. When he is outside of your home and in an unfenced area, he should be on a regular 6ft.­leash. Please do not use a Flexi or retractable leash, as they do not provide ade­ quate control. The leash should be securely attached to a front­ connect harness.

• Consider using a muzzle if you can do so safely. It is essential to gently condition your dog to wear a muzzle before using it.

Seek the advice of a trained professional in helping you accom­ plish this task (see Resources). Muzzles can be a useful manage­ ment tool. However, in my experience: 1) a determined dog can get out of any muzzle; 2) putting on the muzzle can cause the dog stress; 3) muzzling your dog and having him around others can be tantamount to advertising that you have an aggressive dog and, thus, may change the people’s behavior which can cause a reaction by the dog; 4) a muzzle may make the dog more fearful; 5) A muzzle can limit your dog’s ability to breathe correctly, causing additional distress. A muzzle is, at best, a temporary solution and does nothing to address the source of

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the dog’s behavior or his emotional state.

Do NOT leave your dog outside, unattended. Being tied­out can be very stressful to a dog and can be a frequent cause of fear aggression. When a dog is tied up, he knows he cannot flee or fight, which are both typical reactions a dog would pursue if afraid. Even if you have a fenced yard, I recommend you remain with your dog whenever he is in the yard, as no fence can be guaranteed to be 100% secure.

If your dog does not need to go with you, leave him at home. A dog that is reactive while in the car can be a threat to your safety and that of others. If he becomes reactive wherever you take him, you may make yourself unwelcome, and you are probably making him more likely to react in the future too.

#3. Prevent the Behavior from Getting Worse •

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This is a given but I will mention it anyway. Refrain from using any training and management tools that have the potential to cause your dog distress, discomfort, or pain.

Avoid placing your dog in situations where there is a potential for him to display the behavior of concern. Preventing him from acting aggressively is essential to ending this behavior. Each time the dog has the chance to engage in the behavior, it can make it more likely to occur again and to increase in intensity.

Events like this can affect the chemistry and anatomy of the brain, making future reactions more likely.

Limit movement when your dog reacts. Activity can increase

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canine

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arousal, and this can increase the probability of aggression and reactivity. If your dog is barking and running back and forth from window to window, either in your home, in the yard, or in the car, try to restrict movement either with a crate, a leash, or, if in the car, a seat belt.

Carefully consider safety issues and the possibility of making your dog’s behavior worse if you walk him away from home. If you cannot walk your dog safely or if you continue to expose him to his triggers, you are better off staying at home. If you do take him for walks, choose locations and times when you are least likely to encounter his triggers. When walking a dog with reactivity/aggression issues, you must be constantly aware of your environment. It is not a time to be daydreaming, thinking about tomorrow’s schedule, chatting on your cell phone, con­ versing with a friend walking with you, or listening to music. Al­ ternatively, you can find other ways to provide your dog with physical and mental stimulation, such as playing in the yard and feeding him with a Kong.

If your dog is aggressive towards people or dogs, you need to keep him away from places where people and dogs congregate.

Dogs with aggression issues will not get better if you take them places like pet stores, dog parks, dog events, charitable walks, or any other site where people and dogs gather.

Prepare people before allowing them to interact with your dog, and do not force your dog to interact. Remember, it is not just your dog’s behavior that will determine the result of a dog/human interaction, but also the actions of the person. Do your best to teach people that come to your home how to in­ teract with your dog. Providing them with a copy of Dr. Sophia Yin’s How to Greet A Dog (And What to Avoid) handout is an ex­ cellent first step (see Resources). Allow the dog to decide if he wants to interact with people, and if he declines, allow him to do so. You need to be especially prepared if your dog is a breed that some people readily prejudge. If someone is anxious around your dog, it will likely make you and your dog nervous as well.

Be especially cautious in the following situations: o Whenever your dog is around large gatherings of people.

Large groups are likely to increase his excitement/anxi­ ety/fear/frustration, which increases the probability of an inappropriate response. o Anytime your dog is around children. Most children do not understand how to behave around dogs. Children and dogs ALWAYS need adult supervision.

NEVER punish your dog or get angry with him for growling.

While a dog’s growl can be upsetting and disheartening to us, it also serves the beneficial purpose of alerting us to the fact that

© Can Stock Photo / juanjo39

Dogs are adept at reading the emotions of people through their body language and scent, which may change how they react

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the dog is feeling threatened or uncomfortable. It is the dog’s way of saying, “If something in this situation does not change, I may feel threatened enough to bite.” If your dog growls, calmly remove him from the situation with as little fanfare and emo­ tion as possible.

Consider how your emotions and those of others may be af­ fecting your dog. Dogs are very adept at reading the emotions of people through their body language and scent, which may change how he reacts to them and/or you. Since our emotions are always part of the dog’s environment, any anxiety and frus­ tration we, or others, feel may cause our dog to become more anxious. If your dog detects someone is angry, it may cause him to become angry or afraid. He will not inherently know why a person is angry or scared, but may react out of self­preserva­ tion. If you are having difficulties with your emotional re­ sponses, it may be beneficial for you to seek assistance. Your dog may also benefit from seeing a veterinary behaviorist that can help him temper his emotions.

#4. Reducing Your Dog’s Stress •

Learn how stress affects your dog’s behavior. Stress, either the detrimental kind, distress, or the beneficial type, eustress, is frequently a component in undesirable behavior for people and animals. Our bodies react very similarly when experiencing dis­

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canine If your dog is aggressive towards people or dogs, you need to keep him away from places where people and dogs congregate. Dogs with aggression issues will not get better if you take them places like pet stores, dog parks, dog events, charitable walks, or any other site where people and dogs gather.

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tress or eustress, producing hormones and other chemicals that make us more likely to be reactive and irritable. People often think of adverse events or memories of adverse events as being the cause of stress. However, things our dog enjoys, such as playing fetch, can also cause stress. When something our dog likes is allowed to the extreme, reactive behavior can be­ come more likely.

Minimize unpredictability and be consistent. Unpredictability in our behavior can be a significant stressor for our dogs. As a family, you all need to commit to working together and using the same training approach with your dog. Getting a different response from each individual in the home only stresses the dog more. You all need to have consistent expectations, but they do need to be reasonable.

Work with an accredited professional to consider options for helping reduce your dog’s stress. A veterinary behaviorist may recommend prescription medications and non­prescription products that may help alleviate your dog’s anxiety.

#5. Document Your Dog’s Behavior •

Keep a daily journal. Behavioral issues are seldom straightfor­ ward. However, if you keep a detailed journal of what hap­ pened and when, your chosen professional will be better

equipped to help you help your dog. A journal has the added benefit of allowing you to see improvements in your dog, which is positive reinforcement for you continuing to follow the pro­ gram you are using.

#6. Train Your Dog Training your dog to offer specific behaviors when cued will not neces­ sarily change his emotional state. However, teaching him certain behav­ iors may make him easier to manage, especially if you can intervene well before he starts reacting to a situation. Training your dog is also a great way to build and maintain trust, provided you use only rewards and do not use any aversives. n

Resources Dog Training by Kikopup. (2013). Teach your dog to wear a muzzle [Video File] Hanson, D. (2015). Canine Behavior – Understanding, Identifying and Coping with Canine Stress Hanson, D. (2015). Canine Behavior – What Should I Do When My Dog Growls?

Hanson, D. (2020). Do I Need a Dog Trainer or a “Behaviorist?”

Pet Professional Guild: Find an Expert Muzzle Up Project. (n.d.). Muzzle Training Yin, S. (2011). Preventing Dog Bites by Learning to Greet Dogs Properly Don Hanson is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop in Bangor, Maine. He is a Bach Foundation registered animal practitioner (BFRAP), certified dog behavior consultant (CDBC), associate certified cat behavior consultant (ACCBC) and a certified professional dog trainer (CPDT-KA) and also produces and co-hosts a weekly radio show and podcast, The Woof Meow Show on The Pulse AM620 WZON. He writes about pets on his blog and is co-chairman of PPG’s Advocacy Committee.

Become Your Community’s Dog Bite Safety Expert Keeping future generations safe Keeping Future Generations Safe

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BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

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interview

Overcoming Fear of Vet Visits In this first of a two-part interview, Susan Nilson and Angelica Steinker speak to Petra Edwards about her recent studies that investigate dogs’ experiences at the veterinary clinic as a means to find out how fear and distress could potentially be reduced

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ased in Adelaide, Australia, Petra Edwards is currently working on her Ph.D, which focuses primarily on how dogs experience visits to the veterinary clinic while also looking at possible strategies that could be implemented to reduce or prevent stress.

Last year, she and her co­researchers published the papers, Fearful Fido: Investigating dog experience in the veterinary context in an effort to reduce distress and Investigating Risk Factors That Predict a Dog’s Fear During Veterinary Consultations in an effort to see what measures could be implemented to reduce the levels of fear and/or distress expe­ rienced by many dogs when they go to the vet.

There are a number of reasons why stress during veterinary visits is counterproductive, including “the negative impact of stress on long­ term health; how frequently a guardian brings their dog to the veteri­ narian; the veterinarian’s ability to accurately diagnose health concerns; and, stressed dogs can place veterinarians at greater risk of injury.” (Ed­ wards et al., 2019a).

Yet, as the researchers also point out, all dogs will require veterinary care during their lifetime, and each of them will experience their vet vis­ its differently: “From the dog’s perspective a ‘routine’ veterinary visit encompasses walking into a strange place with slippery surfaces, being surrounded by strange sounds, sights, smells, and potentially stressed animals (Hewson, 2014), and then being handled or restrained, while potentially enduring painful or invasive procedures.” (Edwards et al., 2019a).

“At this stage, the research indicates that veterinary visits are stress­ ful for at least some dogs, but we don’t know exactly how common it is,” said Edwards (P. Edwards, personal communication, 2020). “Previous studies vary in their estimates of prevalence of fear and/or stress at the vet. Last year, we published a study from a large worldwide sample that looked at predictive factors for dogs fearful of their veterinary visits and found approximately 40% of guardians reported their dogs showed some form of fear at the vet, and one in seven dogs displayed severe­ex­ treme fear (Edwards et al., 2019b).

“There are lots of aspects of a veterinary visit that may exacerbate a dog’s fear or stress response, but unfortunately there isn’t enough re­ search yet to confirm which aspects will make the most difference. The review of the literature Fearful Fido: Investigating dog experience in the veterinary context in an effort to reduce distress (Edwards et al., 2019a) provides some useful tables summarizing the different approaches peo­ ple and veterinary clinics can use to help ameliorate a dog’s stress or fear during veterinary visits.”

“I don’t want to take my dogs’ good behavior at the vet for granted. My ability to cope with various things that life throws at me is constantly evolving, I see no reason why our dogs would be any different and I want to give them every chance of success as long as it’s safe.” - Petra Edwards

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BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

© Petra Edwards

Petra Edwards (above, with Gus) has recently published two papers that examine how dogs experience vet visits and identify some of the risk factors that may promote a fearful response

Veterinarian’s Office and Staff

BARKS: In my (SN) experience, vet offices are not necessarily always set up with the animal in mind – e.g. reception areas (which can get noisy) may be located right outside the treatment rooms, or the practice entry doorway might be located right next to one of the treatment room doors, causing a potential bottleneck if both doors open at the same time, or the waiting area is set out more for humans than considering the needs of, say, cats who do not want to be near dogs, or dogs who do not want to be situated near other dogs etc., or floors may be slippery. What can be done in terms of actual setup to avoid adding to already elevated stress levels?

Petra Edwards: I think veterinary clinics often seem to be built with a focus for practicality, or are existing properties converted into a veteri­ nary space, rather than built with companion animals in mind. Unfortu­ nately, this field of research is only just gaining traction, so we don’t yet know the extent to which clinic layout or surfaces (or smells) play a part in a dog’s fear or stress. Having said that, from a ‘common sense’ per­

interview spective, there are lots of things that can be done that might help a dog (or cat) feel more comfortable when they visit the vet. Some of these things include: • Separate waiting rooms for dogs and cats.

• Using a target or ‘Go Find’ behavior to encourage dogs onto the weigh scale of their own accord (without a lure or forcing them).

• Weigh scale placement and approach – walking toward or practically into a wall might be confusing for some dogs.

• Bringing a nonslip mat for your dog for the wait and consult (especially if they get examined on a slippery table).

• Bringing your dog’s favorite reinforcers – food and/or toys to help keep them calm and focused on you in the waiting room and to use consistently during the consult.

• Sitting away from other dogs or animals while you wait wher­ ever possible.

• Leashes that are 2m (6ft.) or less in length, and that do not ex­ tend, can also help your dog not encroach on other animals’ personal space (social interactions are best done in less stress­ ful environments – vet visits aren’t for socialization).

• Asking to be taken straight into a consult room, or waiting outside in the car (weather permitting) until a consult room is ready.

• Paying after the dog is secure in the car (weather permitting).

To that end, simply requesting any of the above might help highlight the importance of the layout and structure of veterinary visits, and hopefully help veterinary staff make those recommendations for other clients too.

BARKS: Same question for treatment rooms that often feature high ta‐ bles, slippery metal tables, small rooms etc. What physical changes could be made to help alleviate stress?

“...there’s not much research (yet) on what exactly causes, or will help reduce a dog’s stress in the consult room. However, examining animals where they are most comfortable (wherever possible) will help, especially on the floor (but even in the guardian’s lap).” - Petra Edwards contentious, but I don’t believe there is any evidence that they will make anything worse. My personal opinion is that these complementary therapies might help the dog feel slightly better, but extreme fears are complex and likely very hard to overcome. I’m sure they will help some dogs with mild stress at the vet cope better, and if they can’t hurt, why not use them?

BARKS: What role does trigger stacking play in terms of the stress levels experienced during a vet visit? How can this be mitigated?

PE: I first came across this from an awesome infographic, The Trigger Stacking Effect by Yaletown Dog Training (see next page, bottom left, and Resources) and through reading more about ‘spoon theory,’ which is definitely worth reading more about both if you haven’t already (see Resources). It makes just as much sense in a veterinary context – little things will add up in quick succession without giving the dog a chance to process or ‘de­stress.’

These triggers might start at home with putting a harness or leash on, going in the car, arriving at the clinic, walking in, weigh scales, wait­ ing, greeting staff, being around other animals, sights/sounds/smells/ slippery surfaces, walking into the consult room, the examination, etc.

PE: Again, there’s not much research (yet) on what exactly causes, or will help reduce a dog’s stress in the consult room. However, examining animals where they are most comfortable (wherever possible) will help, especially on the floor (but even in the guardian’s lap). Affordable non­ slip, washable bath mats can help with slippery flooring or tables, and a mat from home might help with calming smells. If the waiting room is empty, perhaps staying in the slightly larger space might be beneficial.

Or guardians or staff might be able to make the space more inviting with some toys on the floor or food treats hidden around the room.

BARKS: What about brightness, color, scent, sounds? How can these be manipulated to make the environment less stressful?

PE: A recent study by Stellato et al. (2019) found that background noise within a clinic was less of an influence on fear responses than the veteri­ nary handling itself. The impact of sounds should still be considered, as some dogs are more noise sensitive than others, but background noise is unlikely the thing causing a dog’s fear at the vet. I can’t think of any other studies that looked specifically at brightness, color or scent – it’s likely these things play a small part in what helps dogs recognize veteri­ nary clinic as ‘The Vet,’ but we just don’t know for sure. I imagine any­ thing that helps make a clinic look or feel more homely will help – less clinical, more plants, sofas, open windows to remove chemical smell, etc.

DVM360 has some great recommendations for color palettes and clinic design that might help interested clinics get started (see Resources).

BARKS: What is your opinion on the use of DAP and classical music/spe‐ cial “dog” (or “cat”) music as destressors?

PE: At the moment, the research on the efficacy of their use is slightly

© Can Stock Photo / gpointstudio

There are a number of measures that can be taken to help an animal feel more comfortable when they visit the vet, including separate waiting rooms for dogs and cats, and sitting away from other animals while you wait

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

33

interview And each set of triggers that adds up for each dog will be different based on their perspective and history. What this means is that dogs are likely already slightly stressed before they even enter the clinic – and may be way over threshold by the time the actual examination comes.

Training cats to go into their carriers was found to help reduce stress behaviors in transport and also the length of the veterinary consult (Pratsch et al., 2018), so it makes sense that the same (reinforcing for calm behavior while putting leads and harnesses on, car travel and ar­ rival at the clinic) will benefit dogs too.

Another study found that dogs showed less fear when their guardians interacted with them in a positive, supportive manner in com­ parison to guardians who were quiet (Csoltova et al., 2017). But other than that, we don’t know enough about a dog’s veterinary experience from a scientific perspective yet to say (with confidence) exactly how we can mitigate this.

However, we do know a lot about learning theory. Training for coop­ erative care can be incredibly beneficial and empowering for pets and their people. Guardians could also look for a vet and/or vet nurse that has additional low stress handling or fear free certifications (e.g. Fear Free Pets).

Being aware of the triggers for each dog, observing their body lan­ guage and responding appropriately could help too. The following are only some examples that might help remove a trigger or two from the stack. If a dog:

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BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

“From the dog’s perspective a ‘routine’ veterinary visit encompasses walking into a strange place with slippery surfaces, being surrounded by strange sounds, sights, smells, and potentially stressed animals (Hewson, 2014), and then being handled or restrained, while potentially enduring painful or invasive procedures.”

(Edwards et al., 2019a).

• • •

Is scared and/or reactive around other dogs, waiting outside (weather permitting) or going straight into a consult room.

Doesn’t like people, asking vet nurses to avoid approaching may help.

Hates slippery floors, bring a nonslip mat, or ask for the exami­ nation to occur in the car park, in the car, or other courtyard type area (as long as it’s safe for the veterinarian to do so).

BARKS: Can you talk a little about chemical restraint vs. manual re‐ straint? The pros/cons of each?

PE: As I’m not a veterinarian, I wouldn’t feel comfortable providing rec­ ommendations about the different types of chemical restraint and the pros or cons involved for each dog.

One study found that chemical re­ straint was beneficial (for healthy dogs cleared for sedatives) over manual re­ straint in that it showed trends for im­ proving behavior and cooperation in subsequent visits within the study, and was generally quicker and involved less staff (Barletta & Raffe, 2016). Because of that, I think of chemical sedation as part of a ‘preventing­fear­of­vet’ toolbox.

Personally, if my veterinarian agrees short­term sedation is safe for my dog, and it won’t inhibit a diagnosis, I prefer this in situations where the examination might be overtly fear inducing or painful.

Likewise for short­term anxiolytics like Trazodone. I don’t want to take my dogs’ good behavior at the vet for granted. My ability to cope with various things that life throws at me is constantly evolving, I see no reason why our dogs would be any dif­ ferent and I want to give them every chance of success as long as it’s safe.

If you do need to use manual re­ straint, I recommend pre­training as much as possible. If it’s not urgent, re­ schedule the consult and practice the manual holds the dog needs to be okay with, invest in a good force­free trainer, and use lots of counterconditioning and/or positive reinforcement for remain­ ing calm. If your dog needs a muzzle – purchasing a basket muzzle and training your dog to love it at home, means they don’t have to have a strange, stress­scent filled, improperly fit muzzle on them at © Yaletown Dog Training the clinic.

Reprinted with permission

interview

© Can Stock Photo / thesupe87

© Can Stock Photo / ckellyphoto

A nonslip mat or towel with a familiar scent may help an animal feel more secure if they usually get examined on a slippery table

Examining animals where they are most comfortable (wherever possible) may help reduce fear and stress, e.g. on the floor

BARKS: What role can veterinary staff play in the destressing process?

As such, positive punishment can be another trigger in the stack, meaning they may be more stressed or prone to aggression at the onset of the visit. There may also be less warning a dog is becoming increas­ ingly distressed, which could put veterinary staff at risk of injury. Sup­ pressing unwanted behavior (through punishment) isn’t the same as having dogs actively engaged and cooperating eagerly in their own health care through positive reinforcement training techniques.

PE: Some things vets might be able to help with are to: assess the struc­ ture and layout of the veterinary clinics; scheduling (are consults too close together?); consult length (some dogs may need longer consults); use of DAP or classical music; how they approach and interact with each dog; type and value of treats used; and, being able to accurately identify and respond appropriately to body language.

Being aware of each dog’s triggers, and writing short notes on the clinical record for each dog and how they coped might help other staff interact with that dog differently next time (e.g. ‘Fido hates being pet­ ted on the head,’ ‘Rover’s favorite treat is chicken,’ ‘Bella can’t wait near other dogs – straight into consult room’ etc.). Veterinary staff can also upskill through certification programs like low stress handling or fear free pets, which will help provide a much more detailed approach to each aspect of veterinary care in an effort to reduce distress.

I think we’re lucky in that there are a huge range of recommenda­ tions to reduce fear that work very well anecdotally (see tables 1‐5 in Fearful Fido), and so I would encourage veterinary staff to look through each of the options and pull out any that they can do feasibly and with the support of their clinic. Perhaps clinics could employ a new strategy every month (or quarter?) and keep adding them on as they go through the year. That way change might feel less overwhelming as new habits form, but there’s a consistent evolution toward focusing practice on re­ ducing stress overall.

BARKS: “Veterinarians treating dogs trained with aversive methods should be aware the dogs may be more susceptible to experiencing dis‐ tress during their care.” (Edwards et al., 2019a). Can you expand on this?

PE: To be clear, we don’t know if there is a link between positive punish­ ment (the application of an aversive as a consequence for an unwanted behavior) and fear at the vet (or risk to veterinarians) – this hasn’t been studied yet. However, positive punishment is associated with increased problem behaviors, stress and aggression. The same correlations are simply not observed with the use of positive reinforcement (the provi­ sion of something pleasant as a result of desired behavior).

BARKS: Do you have a preference for low stress handling vs. fear free? If so, why?

PE: I prefer any approach that actively and thoughtfully caters to the dog’s emotional state and well­being as a priority, over and above non­ urgent veterinary care (critical care is a different story of course). I think the priority is that you need to have a basic understanding of how coun­ terconditioning (and positive reinforcement to a certain extent) work, and then be imaginative about how you can employ them in a veteri­ nary context. I have completed the initial Fear Free certification and re­ ally enjoyed it – I thought it was insightful, with a great selection of practical and common sense examples and ideas for modifying interac­ tions with dogs to reduce fear/ stress in every aspect of the veterinary visit. The low stress handling university is on my list of things to learn.

BARKS: “Strategies to reduce stress will be most successful where they can be adapted for each dog’s unique perception and experience.” (Ed‐ wards et al., 2019a). How can this be done?

PE: This is more a suggestion that there is likely no one­size­fits­all ap­ proach to reducing distress in the veterinary context. Stress is mainly based on the perception of the stressor. Therefore each dog will have a different perception of each aspect of their experience – which triggers do and don’t add up will be unique for every dog. For example – book­ ing a consult when the clinic is quiet for a dog fearful of other animals might work best for one dog, but for another a nonslip mat might make the most difference. I would recommend it best to have as many ‘easy’ strategies to reduce stress in place as possible for every dog, and then adapt for each individual dog as needed.

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

35

interview Summary

BARKS: You conclude Fearful Fido by saying that “stress experienced by dogs visiting veterinary clinics is a complex issue.” Can you sum up the complexities in a nutshell, i.e. what can be done to alleviate what is ob‐ viously a very common problem?

PE: The journey that leads to dogs becoming fearful of their veterinary visits is complex because, to our best understanding of the research so far, there are so many different moving parts to a veterinary experience.

These can include, but aren’t limited to, their: • Previous experience.

• Interactions with people or other animals.

• Associations and history with handling and grooming.

• Idiosyncrasies of audible or olfactory sensitivities or walking on slippery surfaces.

• Pain or other symptoms they’re feeling.

• How they cope with car rides or being on leash.

• Whether they’re hungry, thirsty, tired or stressed from the weather, etc.

And how each of these things all interact and accumulate on any given day. I imagine there will be no one­size­fits­all approach for all dogs, and all veterinary staff, in all clinics. The Fearful Fido review (Ed­ wards et al., 2019a) provides a list of the strategies that might help for anyone interested. More research is needed to learn more about what aspects of the visit contribute most to fear, and which interventions are most beneficial in reducing it. I am so excited to see research like this gaining traction and hope more guardians and vets can feel empowered to focus on our pets’ emotional well­being as part of the veterinary in­ dustry standards of care. n

Study Article References Edwards, P.T., Smith, B.P., McArthur, M.L., & Hazel, S.J. (2019a). Fear­ ful Fido: Investigating dog experience in the veterinary context in an effort to reduce distress. Applied Animal Behaviour Science (213) 14­2 Edwards, P.T., Hazel S.J., Browne, M, Serpell, J.A., McArthur, M.L., & Smith, B.P. (2019b). Investigating risk factors that predict a dog’s fear during veterinary consultations. PLoS ONE 14(7)

About Petra Edwards Petra Edwards holds the Professional Canine Trainer accreditation through the Pet Professional Accreditation Board and has a Bachelor of Science (Hons), with a specialization in animal behavior. She is also a Fear Free certified professional and has her CAP 1 and 2 qualifications in clicker training.

She has been involved in the dog training industry since she was 12, when her mother, Mim Edwards, started Adelaide Pet Dog Training. She is passionate about animal behavior and welfare and the amazing achievements and relationships that force‐free training facilitates. She is currently undertaking a Ph.D, analyzing how dogs experience veterinary clinics and looking at strategies to reduce or prevent stress.

She and her partner share their home with their Rottweilers, Gus (pictured on p.30) and Gwen.

References Barletta, M., & Raffe, M. (2016). Behavioral response and cost comparison of manual versus pharmacologic restraint protocols in healthy dogs. Canadian Veterinary Journal 57 258–264 Csoltova, E., Martineau, M., Boissy, A., & Gilbert, C. (2017). Behavioral and physiological reactions in dogs to a veterinary examination: owner-dog interactions improve canine well-being. Physiology and Behavior 177 270–281 Stellato, C., Hoffman, H., Gowland, S., Dewey, C.E., Widowski, T.M., & Niel, L. (2019). Effect of high levels of background noise on dog responses to a routine physical examination in a veterinary setting.

Applied Animal Behaviour Science 214 64-71 Pratsch, L,. Mohr, N., Palme, R., Rost, J., Troxler, J., & Arhant, C. (2018). Carrier training cats reduces stress on transport to a veterinary practice. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 206 64-74

Resources Fear Free Pets Gifford, B.E. (2019). What is the Spoon Theory?

Lewis, H.E. (2014). Building your veterinary practice color palette.

DVM360 Lewis, H.E. (2015). Fear-Free: What you see is not what the cat or dog gets. DVM360 Yaletown Dog Training. (2017). Dogs do not bite “out of the blue” Susan Nilson BA (Hons) DipCABT PCBC-A is editor of BARKS from the Guild and a Reuters-trained journalist with over 10 years’ experience in print journalism in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. She also studied feline behavior under the tutelage of Prof. Peter Neville at the Centre of Applied Pet Ethology (COAPE) in the United Kingdom and completed her diploma in companion animal behavior and training with COAPE in 2005. She is also an accredited professional canine behavior consultant through the Pet Professional Accreditation Board. In 2018, she co-authored Pet Training and Behavior Consulting: A Model for Raising the Bar to Protect Professionals, Pets and Their People.

Angelica Steinker PCBC-A owns and operates Courteous Canine, Inc. DogSmith of Tampa, a full service pet business and dog school specializing in aggression and dog sports. She is the national director of training for DogSmith Services, and co-founder of DogNostics Career College.

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BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

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f e l i n e

Once More, with Feeling Andrea Carne discusses new research that reveals how cats react to negative human emotional states

A

friend gave me a coffee cup some time ago which reads, “Cats know how you feel…they don’t care, but they know.” Well, recent research reveals that such comical turns of phrase are untrue.

Not only can cats perceive our emotional state, but they will react ac­ cordingly through their own stress levels.

Before getting into the nitty gritty of research findings, however, let’s begin by looking in general at cats and emotion. I mean, despite what some choose to believe (including, perhaps, the creator of my cof­ fee cup’s slogan), but what many cat guardians already know: cats do have feelings. Of course they do!

Emotional Systems Observation of cats across a multitude of research studies shows they frequently monitor their environment, evaluating what’s around them and adjusting their responses to suit. Those responses are influenced by their emotional systems.

If we take the definition of an emotion as “a strong feeling deriving from one’s circumstances, mood, or relationships with others” (Lexico, 2020), there’s no way we can deny that cats have emotional responses to situations and therefore experience emotions – or feelings – as driv­ ers of that response.

That’s not to say feline emotions are the same as those of humans.

Cat emotions are generally grouped into positive or negative. On the positive side, we know they feel things like pleasure, comfort, relax­ ation, lust, and playfulness. On the negative side, we know they feel things like fear, anxiety, frustration, panic, pain, and grief. And we also know they can feel more than one emotion at once – for example, they may be feeling pain, but also frustration that the pain is stopping them from achieving something, such as scratching an itch.

So, yes, cats have emotions. But do we know if they can interpret the emotions of others, specifically humans?

Higher Understanding This is where the recent research comes in. Previous studies, including the 2016 project by Galvan and Vonk, have already shown us that cats are sensitive to the emotions of humans (particularly their owners). But now, thanks to a group of Italian researchers at the University of Bari, led by Angelo Quaranta, we know even more. The group’s paper con­ cludes that our feline friends not only recognize certain human emo­ tions, but also respond via their own stress levels, pointing to a higher level of emotional understanding and reaction than was previously real­ ized.

In short, the study by Quaranta et al. (2020) looked at how cats per­ ceived acoustic and visual signals from humans and other cats, and their ability to match those signals with the corresponding emotions.

The cats involved with the study were presented with visual pictures of cats and humans showing negative and positive emotional states, as

...cats displayed more stress-related behavior when exposed to the negative emotional stimuli (the cat hiss and the human anger) than to all other stimuli.

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BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

© Can Stock Photo / barsik

A study has found that cats will react to human emotional states through their own stress levels

well as corresponding audio for the emotions pictured (for the cats, a hiss and a purr; for the humans, a laugh and a growl).

The cats’ preference to look at different emotional stimuli and their subsequent display of behaviors related to stress/anxiety were observed and recorded. The results showed the cats displayed more stress­related behavior when exposed to the negative emotional stimuli (the cat hiss and the human anger) than to all other stimuli.

This would support the theory that cats become stressed or anxious when exposed to negative emotions: “Our results demonstrate that cats integrate visual and auditory signals to recognize human and conspecific [same species] emotions and they appear to modulate their behavior according to the valence of the emotion perceived.” (Quaranta et al., 2020).

Interspecific Communication But the study goes further than that, particularly with regards to cats and their relationships with humans. Unlike previous studies (including Pongracz et al., 2018), the Italian project supports a new train of thought regarding cats’ generalization of interpreting human emotions.

In other words, cats seemingly have the ability to perceive and act upon the emotional states of all humans, not just those they are familiar with.

This conclusion was drawn from the fact that the cats in the University of Bari study were responding to pictures and audio of humans not known to them.

“We found that cats are able to recognize and interpret unfamiliar human emotional signals, suggesting that they have a general mental representation of humans and their emotions. This cognitive represen­

f e l i n e tation, therefore, is pre­existing and not affected by individual lifetime experiences with humans.” (Quaranta et al. 2020).

This points to our feline friends being far more emotionally aware of humans in general than we ever really knew. It would be of no surprise to cat lovers that their cats are in tune with their emotional states, but this study hypothesizes that cats have this ability with or without a bond with the human. “Therefore, it is possible that during domestication, cats developed socio­cognitive abilities for understanding human emo­ tions in order to respond appropriately to their communicative signals.”

(Quaranta et al. 2020).

Why is this important? Well, for one, while only involving a small group of cats (10), the study increases our knowledge of our feline friends and their behavior, and that is important on its own. It also en­ courages further, more widescale research in the area.

...our feline friends not only recognize certain human emotions, but also respond via their own stress levels, pointing to a higher level of emotional understanding and reaction than was previously realized.

Research It is safe to say that research into cat behavior of any kind is lagging well behind that involving dogs, but this is slowly changing.

After all, it is clear from various studies (including the recent one by Lawson et al. (2019) cited in my previous article (see The Power of Choice, BARKS from the Guild, May 2020, pp.54‐56), that the average cat guardian claims to have a good understanding of cat behavior when they perhaps don’t know as much as they think. Gaps in knowledge can lead to stress in their feline companions and ultimately the issues cat behavior consultants are called upon to solve.

Any research that helps us better understand how the feline mind works and how cats present those thought processes in behavior should therefore be welcomed with open arms. If nothing else, it helps provide us with the scientific evidence to support the work that we do in solving behavior issues. And a large part of that is client education.

If we can help make our clients realize that their feline companions not only can perceive their emotions but that they get stressed when those emotions are negative, we have a hook to helping them use posi­ tivity in their human­cat relationships.

We know cats are sending us messages all the time – through overt and more subtle body language and other behavioral signals – but we

need to remember that we are also sending them messages. It’s impor­ tant we ensure those messages are positive wherever possible. A cat that not only has all of his environmental and health needs met, but also enjoys a positive emotional relationship with his human is in the best place for a long and happy life. n

References Lexico.com. (2020). Emotion [def] Quaranta, A., d’Ingeo, S., Amoruso, R., & Siniscalchi, M. (2020). Emotion Recognition in Cats. Animals 10 1107

Resources Carne, A. (2020, May). The Power of Choice. BARKS from the Guild (42) 54-56 Galvan, M., & Vonk, J. (2016). Man’s other best friend: Domestic cats (F. silvestris catus) and their discrimination of human emotion cues.

Animal Cognition 19 193-205 Lawson, G.T., Langford, F.M., & Harvey, A.M. (2019). The environmental needs of many Australian pet cats are not being met. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery Pongracz, P., Szapu, J.S., & Farago, T. (2018). Cats (Felis silvestris catus) read human gaze for referential information. Intelligence 74 43-52 Andrea Carne is a graduate of the University of Southern Queensland, Australia where she majored in journalism and drama before, later in life, following her dream to work in the field of animal behavior. She is a qualified veterinary nurse and dog trainer and member of PPG Australia. Her special area of interest is cat behavior and her passion for it led to the establishment of her own cat behavior consultancy Cattitude, based in southern Tasmania, through which she offers private in-home consultations.

Showcasin best of theg the industry to pet chuckle an chat, d share Join hosts Niki Tudge and Louise Stapleton‐ Frappell with their special guests discussing news and views on force‐free training, behavior, and pet care!

barksfromtheguild.com/podcasts

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

39

f e l i n e

Quick Cat Behavior Tip: Nighttime Wakefulness The PPG Cat Committee addresses the common issue of felines who keep their guardians awake at night

C

ats keeping their people awake at night, whether by zooming around the house, chasing or playing with a toy, interacting with other cats in the home, or “talking”/vocal­ izing (usually loudly) will be a familiar concept to many a cat guardian, who may have suffered a dis­ turbed night more than once. Fortunately, there are a number of steps those of us who share our lives with cats can take to try to keep our kitties calmer at night and en­ sure they remain on a more “human­friendly” schedule.

sensory deficits to have variable sleep­wake cy­ cles. Many cats begin to encounter age­related physical changes be­ tween 7 and 10 years of age. See your feline health practitioner to en­ sure your feline family member does not have an underlying medical issue.

There are five main The cause(s) for a cat’s categories of wellness nighttime wakefulness testing for senior cats: must be determined and complete blood count addressed appropriately (CBC), biochemistry pro­ and effectively file, urinalysis, thyroid hormone testing, and © Can Stock Photo / vetdoctor blood pressure assess­ Cats are crepuscular, meaning they tend to be active at dawn and dusk when the animals they ment. Comprehensive prey upon are most active, an activity pattern that doesn’t always coincide with that of their testing is recommended guardians for senior cats due to the Important Reminders about the Behavior higher risk of underlying disease. These important medical profiles are recommended every six months for senior cats. Most cats enter their • Cats are crepuscular, which means they tend to be active at senior years at 8 to 10 years old. dawn and dusk when the animals they prey upon (e.g., ro­ dents and birds) are most active. This activity pattern often Management and Safety Information*: doesn’t coincide with the cat guardian’s schedule of leaving the house early, working all day, and returning in the evening • Avoid playing with your cat on your bed. to relax and unwind, and to sleep at night.

• Make sure your cat’s litter boxes are clean and well lit (use • The cause(s) for a cat’s nighttime wakefulness must be deter­ night­lights if necessary). mined and addressed appropriately and effectively. Don’t just • Make sure your cat has access to fresh, clean water before ignore your cat without making an effort to discover what going to bed. Wet food or raw food tends to complete the needs he has that might not be getting met. hunt­eat­groom­sleep cycle much more effectively than dry • Avoid all forms of discipline and punishment, as they can food alone, creating a more content kitty. make your cat fearful of you, can damage the bond you have • Locate water separately from your cat’s food, and keep both with your cat, and can also cause him to direct frustration­re­ food and water far from litter boxes. lated behaviors toward other animals or people in the home.

• Make sure your cat has plenty of cozy and quiet sleeping Also, avoid closing the cat out of the bedroom, or in another places. Consider providing a heated cat bed or self­warming room or separate area of the home, at night and/or using mat. other deterrents, as they can cause undue stress and lead to • Create a detailed spreadsheet of hourly behavior of both hu­ further behavior problems. Such methods also risk breaking mans and cat(s) in the home: down the bond between cats and their people. o Write down a 24­hour timeline of what behavior is oc­ • Underlying medical issues can contribute to disrupted sleep curring when. For example, 6 a.m. cat pounces on patterns and cause cats to wake up and become restless at face/bites feet in the bed until around 8 a.m. Human night. For example, an increase in hunger or thirst, or the feeds cat at 8:15 a.m. Cat uses litter box at 8:30 a.m. need to urinate or defecate may be symptoms of many dis­ Human goes to work at 9 a.m.; comes home at 6:30 p.m. ease processes and can cause nighttime wakefulness. It is im­ (giant time gap unknown to human(s) while they were portant to rule out medical causes for your cat’s nighttime away). This helps to put into perspective why the cat is wakefulness, especially if it is a new behavior. so active at night. It is not natural for a species who, in • Also, consider that it is common for senior cats and cats with the wild, would be hunting 18­20 times during dusk and 40

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

f e l i n e o

o

dawn to sleep all day.

If the humans are working from home, they can create the same kind of spreadsheet, but with an hourly run­ down of behaviors for both the cats and humans.

As your family modifies their routines (adding in more playtime and foraging sessions during the daytime) they can track the changes of unwanted behaviors and wanted behaviors. This helps you to see what's happen­ ing and when, with the cat's activity levels and how they can increase them to decrease nighttime wakefulness.

•

•

*These management techniques and the behavior modification skills outlined below must be implemented simultaneously.

Behavior Modification Skills •

•

•

•

•

Set up a bedtime routine that taps into a cat’s natural cycle of hunt­eat­groom­sleep. Give your cat a vigorous play session (hunt) just before you go to bed. Then give him a meal (eat).

This will help him settle down to groom and sleep.

Use your cat’s scent to promote feelings of calm and content­ ment. Collect your cat’s scent by rubbing his favorite sleeping or resting spot with a clean cloth, then rub the cloth on cor­ ners of walls and furniture and on doorjambs about 8 inches above the floor (the height of your cat’s nose).

If your cat sleeps most of the day: o Give your cat opportunities to “hunt, chew, scratch, and view” during the daytime and evening.

Interactive play with wand­type toys twice daily. Give your cat a play session immediately before bedtime followed by his largest meal of the day. If you free feed, pick up the cat’s food bowl in the early evening so he will be eager to eat this last meal before bedtime (see How Cats Play for tips). o Provide outlets for exploratory play with food puzzles and treasure hunts (see Food Puzzles for Cats). o Provide scent enrichment with cat grass, catnip, silver vine, valerian, and toys and other items with your scent on them. o Rotate solo play toys regularly. Cats habituate to toys in three short play sessions. o Provide entertainment with “Cat TV.” Search You Tube for videos designed for cats to enjoy. o Ensure that your cat has his preferred amount and type of social interactions with people and preferred animal companions during the day.

If your cat is hungry at night: o Set out some food in a food puzzle toy for free feeding overnight. o If free feeding isn’t an option, feed multiple small meals throughout the day, a pre­bedtime meal, and an early

morning meal.

Set up a timed feeder to open about 10­15 minutes be­ fore your cat typically gets hungry at night.

If you work long hours or your schedule changes a lot: o Ask a friend or family member, or hire a pet sitter to play and interact with your cat when you are not home.

If your cat is just a night owl: o Set up some special enrichment that only comes out at night. This might be boxes, bags, tunnels, catnip toys, or anything your cat will explore and play with on his own.

Set them up in a room that’s as far from your bedroom as possible, and put them away in the morning. o Leave an outdoor light on at night to attract moths and insects, and give your cat a comfy perch near a window with a view of the light. o Set up a bird feeder near a window where your cat perches to look outside.

If your cats get into scuffles overnight: o Provide plentiful, separate resources and vertical space o Ensure that all of the cats have appropriate outlets for natural predatory behaviors o Hire a professional cat behavior consultant for help If other animals outside the house (e.g., birds, squirrels, other cats) or environmental noise (e.g., garbage truck), light (e.g., a streetlight or car headlights shining in the window), or vibra­ tions (e.g., from overnight construction or doors slamming if you live in an apartment building) are waking up your cat: o Play classical music or music designed for cats (consider Music for Cats) at low volume to help drown out other sounds and promote calm (if the cat appears to enjoy the music – we recommend playing the music in only one area so if the cat doesn’t like it, he can move to an­ other area). o Close blinds at night to block the cat’s view. o Keep outside lights turned off and bring in any bird feed­ ers to avoid attracting other animals to your home at night.

If you have been reinforcing your cat’s behavior by feeding, playing with, or giving him attention when he wakes you up, your cat might continue to try to wake you up, even after en­ suring that all of his needs are being consistently met. If this happens, play dead—don’t stir, get up, talk to your cat, or ac­ knowledge him in any way. o Your cat’s behavior might get worse before it gets bet­ ter! This is called an “extinction burst”—the old behav­ iors don’t work anymore, so your cat might try harder to get a response from you. Stay strong and don’t give in!

If your senior cat wanders and vocalizes at night: o Make sure his resources (food, water, litter boxes, o

•

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SUBMIT A CASE STUDY OR MEMBER PROFILE FOR PUBLICATION IN

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BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

41

f e l i n e scratching items, toys) are located close to where he sleeps. o Add night­lights in areas where the cat’s resources are located and in commonly used pathways o Provide easy access to your cat’s favorite perching and resting areas by adding lower steps that lead to the higher perches. o Provide heated cat beds or self­warming mats near your cat’s favorite resting spots. o Play classical music or music designed for cats.

If you have made great progress and then go out of town for the weekend, be prepared to have some setbacks when you return. Be patient and flexible and get right back to the sched­ ule you set before you left town.

•

Specific Tools • • • • • •

Interactive toys, food puzzles, and toys for solo play.

Boxes, bags (with handles removed), and cat tunnels.

Catnip, cat grass, silver vine, and valerian.

Timed feeder.

Bird feeder.

Radio/laptop/smartphone/iPad etc. (i.e. any device that plays music).

Supplements, Diets, and Medication Consider asking your feline veterinarian about safe supplements and medications to promote calm.

Timeline Approximately 2­4 weeks. (Note: this will vary for each individual cat and may take more – or less time – than this, which is intended as a guideline only).

Maintenance It is important to keep up your behavior modification protocols to estab­ lish and maintain desired behaviors long­term. n A printable PDF version of this document is available as a handout on the PPG website.

More PPG feline behavior resources are available here.

Note: Every cat is an individual, and behavior is complex.

If you need help training your cat, please seek out a qualified feline behavior professional.

Resources Adelman, B. (2017, September). How Cats Play. BARKS from the Guild (26) 50-51 Breyer, M. (2020). This Music Calms Cats the Best, Study Finds Food Puzzles for Cats Garber, P., & Miller, F. (2017, November). Clicker Training for Cats.

BARKS from the Guild (27) 16­23 Music for Cats YouTube

Pet Training and Behavior Consulting: A Model for Raising the Bar to Protect Professionals, Pets and Their People Pet Training and Behavior Consulting: A Model for Raising the Bar to Protect Professionals, Pets and Their People is a newly published book in which the authors present their views on: • •

• • •

The need for a level and model of oversight in the fields of pet training and behavior consulting and for those choosing to practice within them.

The prevalence of individuals who hold no credentials, formal education, knowledge or skills, yet who are today working across the nation with full responsibility for the well-being and welfare of their unknowing clients’ treasured pets.

The lack of consumer protection and transparency across the marketing and operations platforms of many pet-related businesses.

The inherent weakness in how pets are legally classified.

How the current lack of reported and enforced animal cruelty laws means there is insufficient protection when it comes to holding pet professionals accountable for their methods, approach and philosophies toward their craft and the pets they serve.

The authors advise on the pertinence of all these issues to the development of an infrastructure for oversight to support the professional evolution of the pet training and behavior industry while providing a complete recommended implementation model from which to do so.

"I would urge anyone interested in the direction of the industry to get a copy. It has been invaluable for a project I am involved in, and identifies and clarifies really important aspects of the industry that desperately need addressing. Even as an individual practitioner it provides a great resource for identifying best practice." - Andrew Hale, chair of association of INTOdogs "Check out this groundbreaking new resource for the pet training and behavior consulting industry written by the best in the business." - Paula Garber, owner of LIFELINE Cat Behavior Solutions and chairwoman of the Pet Professional Guild Feline Committee "Reliable, scientifically accurate behavioral information from experts in the field."

- Gallivan Burwell, owner of Upward Dog Training & Counseling

Online: petindustryregulation.com Available in print and ebook format from: Facebook: facebook.com/petindustryregulation bit.ly/PetTrainingBehavior Twitter: twitter.com/PetTrainingReg Available in pdf format from: petindustryregulation.com

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BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

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Companion Bird Foster Programs – A Review Sheila Blanchette explores the world of foster care for companion birds and the different programs currently available, and makes recommendations for how adoption and retention rates can be improved based on data she gathered from a number of multi-animal rescues over a period of six years

© Sheila Blanchette

© Sheila Blanchette

Star, a 7­year­old Goffin cockatoo was surrendered due to plucking behavior. He spent several months in a behavioral foster home before being successfully adopted into his forever family

Josh, a 10­year­old caique, was surrendered due to plucking and screaming. He was adopted and returned, and was then placed in an exotic bird sanctuary with another caique

W

ence with helping with a specific medical issue. They may have a quar­ antine/quiet area and know how to properly administer medication.

The foster family cares for the companion bird until the medical issue is under control or resolved. A rescue or placement program may use this choice so as not endanger other birds at the location. The rescue or placement program staff may not be able to give the one­on­one atten­ tion which a foster home can give to a companion bird.

ithin the New England area of the United States (i.e. Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Connecticut) there are many avian and multi­animal rescues (private shel­ ters) that have foster programs. These programs involve placing an ani­ mal in a temporary housing, outside of the rescue, for a duration of time to aid with illness, injury, stress, or caring for young offspring for a given duration of time. Depending on the rescue, companion birds may or may not be included in the foster program.

When a rescue does develop an avian foster program, there can be a variety of options:

Foster to Adopt Home: A companion bird is placed into an adoptive home for a “trial” period. A rescue or placement program may use this choice because the adopter has the knowledge and the proper environ­ ment for the companion bird. The rescue or placement program wants to make sure the companion bird can adapt to the new environment.

After a designated time period, the adopter accepts the companion bird or the bird is returned back to the rescue.

Medical Foster Home: A companion bird has a medical issue and is placed into a temporary home. In this case, the foster family has experi­

44

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

Temporary Foster Home: A companion bird is placed into a tempo­ rary home until a permanent home can be found. This usually occurs when a rescue or placement program may not have room at the loca­ tion for the companion bird. They need a temporary space until there is room within the location. Avian placement programs may not have a permanent brick­and­mortar location, so they heavily rely on volunteers to be temporary foster homes. Additionally, some rescues and avian placement programs have included a sub­program as part of their com­ munity outreach called the safe haven option. This is used during do­ mestic abuse or legal cases when a companion bird needs a temporary home as cases are being worked out (third party, safe haven) or when there is a loss of home, e.g. when a family loses their home due to fi­ nancial reasons, weather damage, and/or fire.

a v i a n Behavioral Foster Home: A companion bird has a behavior issue (screaming, plucking, and/or biting) and is placed into a temporary home to assist with behavior modification to increase the likelihood of adop­ tion. A rescue or placement program may use this choice if they have volunteers who have experience helping with specific behavior issues.

Case Study: Intakes and Returns I have volunteered at several local brick­and­mortar rescues (private shel­ ters) in my area (north of Boston, Massachusetts) and have seen, over time, companion birds being returned because of the same behavioral is­ sues. Adopters may say that a bird was “not trainable” or “would not bond” with them. Now, the rescue’s policy is to improve the welfare of the companion bird by getting him into a good and knowledgeable home. This strategy may reduce the undesired behavior. However, some rescues avoid placing birds in foster homes because, if returned, the upheaval of moving him from one home to another would cause him more stress, which could, in turn, cause an increase of the undesirable behavior.

In spite of this, I still saw birds being returned and then adopted back out with the same behavior issue. This did not happen a lot, but I began to wonder whether a foster program, related to behavior, could decrease the number of returned companion birds to multi­animal res­ cues. I suggested starting a foster program that was focused more on behavior. One of the rescues asked me to obtain some data on the ben­ efits of this plus possible outcomes of this, so they could consider up­ dating their foster program.

Like any good researcher, I had a few analyst friends help me put to­ gether a simple survey. Amazingly, this mini case study started in 2013 and progressed through 2019. During that time, I received my IAABC parrot behavior consultant certification, and started the foster program at the multi­animal rescue.

Data Analysis In 2014, and again in 2018 as a follow­up, I surveyed brick­and­mortar local rescues in my area on their foster programs and outcomes related to companion birds. There were about 25 surveys sent out but, unfortu­ nately, only nine rescues responded (even after friendly reminders). In any case, data is still data, and I found the following: In 2014, the number of intake birds was 1,386 (nine rescues): • Cockatiels and parakeets* were the largest number of intakes.

• Additionally, from the survey, 78 birds were returned, 59% of which were parakeets and cockatiels (see Fig. 1, next page). *Parakeets includes budgies, ring necks, and any other birds that could be defined in the parakeet category.

In 2018, the follow­up survey was sent out to the same nine rescues and this time only seven responded. The data was as follows: In 2018, the number of intake birds was 750 (seven rescues): • Cockatiels and parakeets (smaller)** were the largest number of intakes.

• Additionally, from the survey, 42 birds were returned, again, 59% of which were parakeets and cockatiels (see Fig. 2, next page). **Survey improved with parakeet category

Reasons for Rehoming The 2018 survey revealed that the reasoning for rehoming had not changed much from the 2014 survey: 1.

Family/guardian can no longer care for the bird because: • Guardian passed away.

• Guardian moved into an assisted living home.

• Guardian has bequeathed bird to a new caretaker.

• Guardian has lost home/job.

2.

Undesired vocalization (noisy).

3.

Aggression/biting/chasing.

4.

Guardian has allergies (to bird).

Companion birds are most likely going to be rehomed at least once (maybe more) in their lifetimes. Though more surveying and feedback is needed, the more gathered information available, the better the assistance on improving and growing foster programs related to companion bird behavior could be.

5.

Does not want the bird anymore because: • Too much work.

• Moving.

• Messy.

• Kids in college.

6.

Guardian’s life changes: • Pregnant.

• Married.

• New baby.

• New significant other.

The next step after analyzing the data was to speak to the foster families to get supplementary information, data, and further details of outcomes. Of course, I had to ask the rescues for permission to contact the foster families. This was a more difficult part of the project. While collecting the data and progress reports, I also had to find out if the fos­ ter family and the rescue kept records on the assessment, training plans, tracking progress, and outcomes. Plus there was the need to fol­ low up with the adopter of the companion bird.

The Case Study: Foster Program The data also showed that, in 2014 and 2018, there were 24 companion birds in a foster program related to assisting with behavioral issues*.

Out of the 24 birds, there were only three, Star, Josh and Jay, that met all the mini case study guidelines: o Behavior assessment. o Veterinary check (bloodwork) – no underlying medical issue. o Creating/updating training plan. o Some form of log tracking. o Transitioning plan to adopter. *Any birds that were adopted by the foster family were removed from the study.

Case Study: Star Star, a 7­year­old Goffin cockatoo was surrendered due to plucking be­ havior. While at the rescue, he continued to pluck even with the intro­ duction of foraging and enrichment toys. His veterinary examination and blood work were normal (no diseases) and there were no mites. He was DNA tested (male).

The rescue determined that Star was a good candidate for a behav­ ioral foster home. The foster family had experience with cockatoos, and working with plucking issues. They slowly introduced very simple forag­ ing toys, and incrementally increased the complexity.

After six months there was: o Documented reduction of plucking. o Improved Interaction with: o Advanced enrichment toys. o Increased activities outside the cage. o Small approximation training related to new activities.

Transition Plan: o o o

Documentation on process to introduce new toys.

Documentation on favorite food and treats for training.

Documentation of defined body language (what the bird looks like when uncomfortable or happy).

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

45

a v i a n Star was adopted in November 2014 to adopters who had experi­ ence with cockatoos. They followed the transition plan and, when Star was comfortable with them, he went with them every day to the store they operated. Star loved hanging out at the store. The adopters also in­ troduced him to new enrichment. In 2016, sadly, Star passed away. The adopter said he was happy and “so funny.”

Case Study: Josh Josh, a 10­year­old caique, was surrendered due to plucking and screaming (undesired vocalization). While at the rescue, he continued to pluck even with the introduction of foraging and enrichment toys. His veterinary examination and blood work were normal (no diseases) and there were no mites. He was DNA tested (male).

The foster family had experience with medium­sized birds and plucking,

as well as following a training plan on reducing vocalization. However, after five weeks of the vocalization increasing, they returned Josh to the rescue.

He was then placed in an exotic bird sanctuary with another caique.

Case Study: Jay Jay, a 22­year­old pionus was surrendered due to extreme behavior of attacking and biting. Jay’s story is very long and so is posted separately.

Jay was my own foster bird and I kept detailed records on his progress.

The following links detail his progression: Part 1 ‐ The Introduction Part 2 ‐ The First Training Lesson Part 3 – Capturing Behavior Lesson Part 4 – Transition Plan Lesson Part 5 – The Adoption and Beyond

© Sheila Blanchette

Figure 1: 2014 HOF Survey: # Companion Birds Intake

© Sheila Blanchette

Figure 2: 2018 HOF Survey: # Companion Birds Intake

46

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

a v i a n Fig. 3: The Proposed Trifecta Support System

© Sheila Blanchette

© Sheila Blanchette

Author Sheila Blanchette (above) fostered Jay, a 22­year­old pionus who was surrendered due to extreme attacking and biting behavior

This mini case study may not have produced a mound of data, but it was a good start to lay the groundwork for further study into behavioral foster programs for companion birds in multi­animal rescues and others.

Summary of Findings When foster homes were prepared and had accomplished a defined plan, and when the rescue/placement program, foster family, and adopter all worked together for the success of the bird, there was a re­ duced number of returned companion birds. When the adopter used the available resources and reached out to the rescue/placement pro­ gram with any questions or concerns, the ensuing communication and assistance continued to keep the companion bird in the adopted home.

The behavioral foster program was most successful when: • The foster home was experienced with a specific companion bird, understood the commitment and expectation, and had the appropriate environment and setup.

• The foster home was properly educated for assisting with a specific behavior, including continuing education and access to the rescue trainers and staff members.

• The foster home’s end goal of preparing the companion bird for adoption was defined, including adapting the bird to changes and the transition plan was ready.

Companion birds are most likely going to be rehomed at least once (maybe more) in their lifetimes. More surveying and feedback is needed. The more information gathered and available, the better we

can improve and grow foster programs related to companion bird be­ havior. This could include a new trifecta support system (see Fig. 3, above) to assist multi­animal rescues and others to reduce the number of companion birds returned and educating the public (community serv­ ices).

My recommendations for this are as follows:

Rescues: •

•

Have a contract or on­site certified parrot behavior consultant, trainer or staff member, who is trained in companion bird be­ havior analysis and can: o Review the intake paperwork and understand the be­ haviors (not rely on the labels). o Log behavior. o Determine if a foster home is needed and begin the evaluation and training plan.

Conduct companion bird education sessions for the public, foster homes, and potential adopters:

I...have seen, over time, companion birds being returned because of the same behavioral issues.

Adopters may say that a bird was “not trainable” or “would not bond” with them.

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

47

a v i a n o o

An on­site certified parrot behavior consultant or trainer and/or other rescues could assist with sessions.

Create online training sessions.

Foster Homes: •

Have a staff member, certified parrot behavior consultant or trainer check in and adjust the plan with the foster home. The staff member, certified parrot behavior consultant or trainer works with the foster home in: o Reviewing the environment/setup. o Training in companion bird body language. o Formulating a detailed training plan (with explanations, and contingency plans). o Formulating a transition plan. o Providing support and assistance on expectations and planning.

Adopter Homes: •

The staff member, certified parrot behavior consultant or trainer sets up: o Training in companion bird body language that adopters should attend. o A review of the training plan.

• Access to education (can be prerecorded and posted online, e.g. YouTube, or in the form of webinars, or both).

• Has support/assistance available from the rescue?

By implementing this format, it would be my goal to promote a better understanding of companion bird behavior among adopters and foster­ ers. This would go a long way towards ensuring that behavior issues are successfully managed and addressed and that the birds’ species­specific needs are met, including mental, physical and environmental enrich­ ment. Ultimately, this will help create stronger bonds between guardians and their avian charges, thereby keeping more birds in good homes. n

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BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

Resources Blanchette, S. (2017). Case Study: A Foster Bird - The Past, The Preparation, and the Post Story: Part 1 - The Introduction [Video File] Blanchette, S. (2017). Case Study: A Foster Bird - The Past, The Preparation, and the Post Story: Part 2 - The First Training Lesson [Video File] Blanchette, S. (2017). Case Study: A Foster Bird - The Past, The Preparation, and the Post Story: Part 3 – Capturing Behavior Lesson [Video File] Blanchette, S. (2017). Case Study: A Foster Bird - The Past, The Preparation, and the Post Story: Part 4 – Transition Plan Lesson [Video File] Blanchette, S. (2017). Case Study: A Foster Bird - The Past, The Preparation, and the Post Story: Part 5 – The Adoption and Beyond [Video File] Sheila Blanchette is an IAABC certified parrot behavior consultant/ trainer who has operated her own companion bird training company, Heart of Feathers Education & Training, in Haverhill, Massachusetts since 2015. She conducts in-home and online companion bird behavior consultations. Her love for birds began when she received her first red lory in 1995 and she joined the American Lory Society. She began volunteering at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and formulating her desire to improve the understanding and welfare of companion birds. She then began her study of avian behavior and applied behavior analysis and started reaching out to animal rescues in the New England to offer assistance with companion bird education and review companion bird cases. In 2017, she was named chair of the Quaker Parakeet Society Rehome and Placement Program, which includes coordinating the surrender and adoption of Quaker parakeets throughout the U.S., organizing and educating volunteers, and facilitating the foster program.

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Dominance: The Horse’s Perspective In this second of a two-part series, Dorothy Heffernan explains why humans may inadvertently give their horses mixed messages, and why dominant behavior in the world of the horse is simply a way to gain access to resources as needed A horse who is very thirsty may use a dominance display to gain preferential access to a water hole.

But that’s it. He gains access, he drinks and he leaves. He will not remain to guard that water against all incomers, because by doing so, he loses access to friends, mates and food.

T

he concept of dominance is not exclusive to horses, or to herd animals (Hartmann et al., 2017). But it is not quite what we think it is. It is not a way of keeping other animals in line. It is not a way of determining where other animals go and what they do. It is not a way of deciding who is the queen or king, or who fol­ lows whom. © Can Stock Photo / Melory To understand what it is, we need to look Horses have evolved as herd animals, so will trade off exclusive access to resources like food, water, shelter and mates for safety in numbers. not at what we want from horses, but what horses want for themselves. Horses have evolved as herd food will lose his companions. The exception is a stallion, who can use animals, meaning that they trade off exclusive access to resources like aggression against competitors (who are not members of his own food, water, shelter and mates with the fact that there is safety in num­ group) because he wants them to go away and stay away. Even then, bers. You are more likely, as a horse, to be able to reproduce and pass they often don’t, returning again and again to try to gain access to on your genes if you can confuse your main predators with numbers. mares. Within his own group, a stallion needs the mares and foals to Herd members are joined with an invisible elastic thread that holds stay near him but he cannot use aggression or force to achieve this; he them together and they cannot allow the elastic to stretch so much that needs the mares and foals to want him there. it breaks through aggression and causing fear. In a natural setting, a horse who consistently uses fear and aggression to gain resources like

Behaviors Humans Want That May Go Against a Horse’s Natural Instincts in a Given Situation • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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Horse to approach rather than run away from us.

Horse to stay, rather than run away from us.

Horse to walk when we walk, trot when we trot.

Horse to accept separation from conspecifics.

Horse not to resist unpleasant/painful procedures.

Horse not to direct aggression at us.

Horse to display affection in a way acceptable to us.

Horse not to defend food resources against us.

Horse to eat what we consider appropriate.

Horse not to eat what or when we say not to.

Horse not to mate unless we allow.

Horse not to run when fearful.

Horse to allow us in his personal space.

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

Proximity vs. Distance

If we translate our requirements of horses into how they interact with each other, we realize that our need for our horse to maintain “proximity” is much like a stallion with his family group. We need him to stay close and not feel the need to run away. The more the stallion chases, the more likely the mares and foals will distance themselves. The more they distance themselves, the higher the chance another stallion will lure them away.

At the same time, we need “distance.” We don’t want the horse crowding us. Just as with family groups, we need him to stay attached to us as if there’s an invisible thread joining us and, just as with a family band, if we use fear or aggression to move him away, we risk the con­ nection being completely broken or, at least, very damaged.

Because we don’t always properly think through our definition of dominance, we may use it in a way that means we’re actually working and training in a way that’s incomprehensible to the horse, all the while thinking that he understands. For example, if we are so agonistic that he wishes to distance himself or defend himself, we may contain him so he

e q u i n e cannot escape. If he then finds nowhere to go, so crowds in on us, we may use even more agonistic behavior to move him away. As such, we signal constant “go away and stay away” messages, all the while expect­ ing him to stand quietly in close proximity to us. We are the masters of mixed messages; as a result, if this is our understanding of dominance and leadership among horses, it risks leading us to expect the provision of completely opposite behaviors!

teractions. At the same time, we will be developing a set of cues that gains us the behaviors we want to see. If we work towards an under­ standing where a horse knows and wants to respond to the signals for “move away from me,” “stand close to me,” or “follow me” because he knows these signals are predictors of reward, we will end up with a horse who wants and chooses to be with us without fear, conflict or un­ certainty. n

Hierarchy

References

In reality, dominant behavior in the world of the horse is a way of gain­ ing and maintaining access to valuable resources without breaking the elastic connection between herd members. It is a way of reducing the risk of injury and lowering the stress — and, according to Linklater et al.

(1999), the resultant impact on health — of constant aggression.

Horses do not understand the concept of a hierarchy; they only know, for each familiar horse in their group, whether that particular horse will or will not attempt to contest a particular resource. Horses do not engage in dominance behaviors to “move the feet” of another horse for no particular reason – that would be a costly waste of energy.

A horse has the ability to drive another horse away from something he wants, but in a normal herd environment they won’t direct the other horse to a specific place. He just wants the horse to go away from his (or her, obviously) food, mate, foal or particular friend. He has no way of saying, “Go and stand over there and don’t come back until I say so.”

Equally, there is no dominant behavior that can result in a horse stand­ ing in close proximity to another horse until told to leave. Proximity is through preference, not dominance.

A horse who is very thirsty may use a dominance display to gain preferential access to a water hole. But that’s it. He gains access, he drinks and he leaves. He will not remain to guard that water against all incomers, because by doing so, he loses access to friends, mates and food. Nor will a horse guard access to grazing or browsing, because by being on guard and using aggression, he will use up valuable energy he hopes to obtain from the food.

Cozzi, A., Sighieri, C., Gazzano, A., Nicol, C., & Baragli, P. (2010).

Post-conflict friendly reunion in a permanent group of horses (Equus caballus). Behavioral Processes 85 185–190 Hartmann, E., Christensen, J., & McGreevy P. (2017). Dominance and Leadership: Useful Concepts in Human–Horse Interactions? Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 52: 1–9 Linklater, W.L., Cameron, E.Z., Minot, E.O., & Stafford, K.J. (1999).

Stallion harassment and the mating system of horses. Animal Behaviour 58: 295-306

What Are Affiliative Behaviors?

• • • • • • • • •

Resource Heffernan, D. (2020, September). Rethinking Dominance. BARKS from the Guild (44) 48-49 Dorothy Heffernan is a Scotland, U.K.-based psychologist who applies her knowledge of learning, cognition and neuroscience to help horse owners improve their horses’ lives through a changed approach to management, training and environment. She uses a force-free approach to training and enjoys making science fun and relatable. Since 2013, she has written the blog Horses Under Our Skin to help people understand why their horses behave the way they do. She is an endorsed trainer of the World Bitless Association and helps horse owners transition to bitless riding using positive reinforcement techniques. In addition, she works with horse, pony and donkey guardians using an evidence-based approach to resolve behavior issues from handling, riding, transporting and husbandry problems.

She has been a chartered member of the British Psychological Society for nearly 20 years.

Mutual grooming (allogrooming).

Food sharing.

Space sharing.

Tail swishing (cooperative insect removal).

Sharing breath.

Resting head on other horse.

Sucking and comfort behaviors.

Licking.

Nickering.

Horses vs. Humans Horses, in practice, carry a constant profit and loss account around with them. They want to do the best they can at minimal cost. We, on the other hand, may expect them to expend a lot of energy for, from the horse’s immediate point of view, no benefit. They don’t think in terms of “submission now means guaranteed food later.” Rather, they may per­ ceive that they are being made to run when it would be more sensible to walk, or they are being made to stay in one place when it would make sense to move around foraging.

This is where human demands can fall short. If we choose to use ag­ onistic behaviors in the belief that we are making ourselves leaders and respected, in reality we are stretching the elastic connection to breaking point while moving further away from the affiliative and affectionate behaviors that are the glue between herd members (Cozzi et al., 2010).

Those of us who live and work with horses must bear in mind that we have more than one training strategy open to us and we can choose one that builds the bond we want through creating a history of rewarding in­

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

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b e h a v i o r

Understanding Emotional Resilience Kathie Gregory outlines the importance of emotional resilience in both humans and animals, why it is so essential to have the ability to cope with the stressors we face in everyday life

D

uring the months of isolation and social distancing many of us have been exposed to during the pandemic, the need for emo­ tional resilience has become stronger than ever. Emotional re­ silience can help people cope better with whatever life throws at them, such as dramatic changes in situations and circumstances. It can also re­ duce stress and help people recover more quickly from adverse experi­ ences and return to equilibrium.

Emotional resilience is necessary for homeostasis and maintaining a healthy mind and body, and it plays a big part in rehabilitation tech­ niques to overcome trauma. In my experience, however, the concept is not always readily applied to animals. But while what constitutes emo­ tional resilience varies in different animals, it is every bit as necessary for all species, in my opinion.

There are three main three main influ­ ences on emotional resilience to consider: physical, psychological, and social. Some factors are common to all species, while some are species specific.

standing, problem solving, the ability to adjust, paying attention, com­ prehension and decision making. Emotional aspects include self­aware­ ness, self­esteem, self­regulation, self­confidence and self­care.

Knowledge leads to awareness, which leads to understanding. When an animal understands a situation he is able to adjust, problem solve, and make decisions. When he also has the emotional quality of self­aware­ ness, his decisions will be based on what is good for him rather than detri­ mental. When he has self­esteem, he gains self­confidence, which also has an effect on his ability to interpret and act on intellectual data. Self­ regulation comes from a combination of all these things. In this balanced psychological state, an animal can maintain equilibrium and is able to dis­ engage, so is not prone to obsessive actions. No less importantly, he is able to determine the best course of action for his own well­being.

Social

Emotional resilience includes knowing when to react and when to ignore things, when to disengage, when to focus, when to relax, when to engage in social activities, and when to seek quiet time

© Can Stock Photo / gurinaleksandr

The social element is about connections, rela­ tionships, communication, cohesion, belonging and feeling safe in your group. Every social species needs to connect with others of the same species and isolation can be enor­ mously damaging. In the 1950s, in a series of controversial experiments, Harlow separated baby monkeys from their mothers and kept them in partial or full isolation. The end re­ sult was that the infants displayed severely disturbed behavior, resulting, sadly, in the deaths of some of the monkeys.

Making connections allows animals to get to know each other and develop friend­ ships, which are essential for a healthy psy­ che. Social settings enable communication between animals and working together cre­ ates cohesion in the group. A sense of safety and belonging is the result of being in a sta­ ble social environment.

Physical

Self­Care

The physical element covers health, nutrition, and exercise. Health is not just about being free of illness, but also about being physically capa­ ble and strong enough to complete physical tasks with enough energy, enthusiasm, and/or motivation. Nutrition has to be adequate to provide overall health, but also to support the strength and energy needed to carry out daily tasks. Adequate exercise is necessary to support an ani­ mal's ability to perform well and not fatigue prematurely.

Beyond physical, psychological and social support, every being needs the ability to administer self­care. For that to happen, the individual needs to be aware of what is good for him and what is not. This means having the ability to know one's own limits, when to react and when to ignore things, when to try harder, when to stop, when to remove oneself from negative situations, when to disengage, when to focus, when to relax, when to feel content, when to engage in social activities, and when to seek quiet time. All of these factors contribute to emotional resilience.

To live a contented life with a strong body and mind, animals rely on emotional resilience. So when we ask our pets to participate in different activities, which may or may not be acceptable for them in terms of

Psychological The psychological influences include intellectual and emotional aspects of the mind. Intellectual factors include knowledge, awareness, under­

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BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

b e h a v i o r what is appropriate for their breed or species, we should acknowledge that just because an animal participates in an activity, he may not nec­ essarily enjoy it. An alternative approach is to address the three ele­ ments of emotional resilience and include them in every aspect of keeping animals, tailoring our strategy for each individual animal.

Establishing an emotional resilience program should be part of an overall management strategy for every animal, and we should apply the same strategy to ourselves. Often, we neglect our own self­care as life is too busy, but it is essential to find ways to incorporate it into our lives too.

A resilience program enhances an already adequate life and gives an animal a better chance of being able to cope with difficult, scary, or un­ pleasant events and situations that are bound to occur during his life­ time. It is not a means of compensation for neglect, a poor life, and inappropriate elements, however. As we have already established, emo­ tional resilience requires a certain level of physical, psychological, and social health to manifest resilient traits in the first place. The aim is to then improve the health of body and mind to help the animal reach his emotional potential.

Surviving vs. Thriving Resilience means different things to different people. Some would de­ scribe it as the ability to cope, survive, and get through life. Rather than surviving, some describe it as thriving – adaptability, strength, and ro­ bustness. Kaplan et al. (1996) describe it as the capacity to maintain competent functioning in the face of major life “stressors,” while Cutter et al. (2008) describe it as “the ability of a social system to respond and recover from disasters and includes those inherent conditions that allow the system to absorb impacts and cope with an event, as well as post­ event, adaptive processes that facilitate the ability of the social system to re­organize, change and learn in response to a threat.” Wilson (2010), meanwhile, states that resilience is “about the ability of a system to ab­ sorb impacts⁄disturbance and to re­organise into a fully functioning sys­ tem, as well as post­event adaptive processes.”

Resilience is necessary for the ongoing small stressors that we face in everyday life as well as the ability to weather a significant event. It is a mechanism to protect a being from the negative effects of adverse sit­ uations, anticipated difficulties, unexpected events, and stressful situa­ tions, whether short­ or long­term, mild or extreme. It also constitutes the ability to overcome hardships and remain positive, which enables the mind to shield itself. This protective quality also has a positive effect on the body and helps guard against a variety of physical issues.

Developing Resilient Traits There are actually two very distinct aspects to emotional resilience: re­ silient traits and dynamic response. We may ask, why do some people maintain a healthy mind and not succumb to stress related disorders

The social element is about connections, relationships, communication, cohesion, belonging and feeling safe in your group. Every social species needs to connect with others of the same species and isolation can be enormously damaging. and dysfunctional behavior despite experiencing adversity, when others have a very different response to stress? Resilience research is still in its infancy, but studying why some individuals are resilient and others are not can lead us towards a greater understanding of the mind­body con­ nection, and how to shield against stress related disorders, rather than dealing with them only once they have manifested.

Research supports that one aspect of developing resilient traits is genetic. However, in reality, this may have little influence. What has more influence is a person’s or animal’s environment, including what the mind is exposed to, how it responds, and how it is guided to learn during early development.

We understand how early experiences can shape a mind and create strength or weakness, but we sometimes forget that this starts in utero.

The life the mother has when pregnant is the first influence on how the infant mind develops. However, this does not mean does not mean we are unable to develop resilient traits later in life. We are all capable of becoming more resilient in our mindset.

Resilience traits also develop with age. A youngster with little life ex­ perience will have limited resilience traits, whereas an older animal who has gained knowledge and understanding and has experienced a variety of situations, has the ability to develop coping strategies that contribute to his overall resilience.

Not surprisingly, flexible thinking is also a very important emotional resilience trait. It allows us to react and adjust to new situations, helping us find ways to navigate through them. This flexibility then leads to new knowledge and experiences, which help the brain update its current perception, which in turn further supports flexible thinking and progres­ sion of perspective. This new perspective can help us understand and respond constructively to adversity in the future.

Having said that, traits alone are not what makes a being success­ fully resilient. Resilience is actually a dynamic process that activates at the time of stress. People or animals may have the potential for emo­ tional resilience, but until something adverse or stressful happens, they do not know what their response will be or how they will cope during the situation – or indeed how they will recover afterwards.

Most researchers agree that resilience is not the product of un­ awareness, an inability to react, or passivity in the face of adversity.

ATTENTION WRITERS! Get Published in BARKS from the Guild or on the BARKS Blog!

Got something to share? We are always on the lookout for interesting features, member profiles, case studies and training tips to feature in BARKS from the Guild and on the BARKS Blog.

If you’d like to join the growing band of member contributors, please get in touch!

BARKS BARKS blog from the Guild

Email: barkseditor @petprofessionalguild.com

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

53

b e h a v i o r To live a contented life with a strong body and mind, animals rely on emotional resilience.

So when we ask our pets to participate in different activities, which may or may not be acceptable for them in terms of what is appropriate for their breed or species, we should acknowledge that just because an animal participates in an activity, he may not necessarily enjoy it.

References Cutter, S., Barnes, L., Berry, M., & Burton, C. (2008). A place-based model for understanding community resilience to natural disasters.

Global Environmental Change 18(4) 598-606 Kalisch, R., Baker, D.G., Basten, U., et al. (2017). The resilience framework as a strategy to combat stress-related disorders. Nature Human Behavior 1 784–790 Wilson, G. (2010). Multifunctional Quality and Rural Community Resilience. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 35(3) 364381

Resources Rather, the resilient brain responds to stressful experiences with an ac­ tive adaptation process that encompasses different aspects of the mind.

The adaptations may be temporary or permanent, depending on the sit­ uation and the individual. Recent studies have revealed that the neural systems of animals undergo adaptations and change when exposed to adversity (Kalisch et al., 2017).

So while resilient traits are a good safeguard for minor stressors, situ­ ations and event, they may have less effect when we are faced with major occurrences. When we experience the latter, our emotional resilience is really determined by the activation of the dynamic process. How the brain actually responds to adversity, how it copes in the aftermath of an adverse experience and recovery from the experience determine the ac­ tive emotional resilience a being has. This process can subsequently make changes in the brain that ensure it is better prepared next time.

Resilience is complex and engages several parts of the brain. Being aware of these traits and dynamic responses can enable us to try to form more adaptive coping strategies, something we can think about in our day­to­day interactions with both people and animals, something we can apply in our day­to­day interactions with both people and animals. n

Chowdhury, M.R. (2020). What is Emotional Resilience and How to Build It? (+Training Exercises) Kaplan, C.P., Turner, S., Norman, E., & Stillson, K. (1996). Promoting Resilience Strategies: A Modified Consultation Model. Children & Schools 18(3) 158–168 Psychology Notes HQ. (2020). Harlow’s Monkey Experiment – The Bond between Babies and Mothers Wright, C., Kiparoglou, V., Williams, M., & Hilton, J. (2012). A Framework for Resilience Thinking. Procedia Computer Science 8 45-52 Kathie Gregory is a qualified animal behavior consultant, presenter and author, specializing in advanced cognition and emotional intelligence. Passionate about raising standards and awareness in how we teach and work with animals, she has developed Free Will TeachingTM, a concept that provides the framework for animals to enjoy life without compromising their own free will. She has authored two books, A tale of two horses: a passion for free will teaching, and A Puppy Called Wolfie: a passion for free will teaching, and her work is currently divided between working with clients, mentoring, and writing.

The A-Z of Training and Behavior Brought to you by M is for...

Maintenance: The phase of training in which stimulus control has been attained.

Cue response occurs both accurately and with minimal latency. The proofing part of the training process has been completed.

Ex. The pet sits on cue even when the trainer lies on the floor or calls the cue from another room.

Management: Preventing the pet from being exposed to the antecedent stimulus.

An important tool in behavior modification as it prevents the rehearsal of the undesired behavior. Ex. Pet’s trainer moves the pet behind a car to prevent the pet from seeing the stranger. The pet therefore does not rehearse barking and lunging.

Matching Law: Matching law suggests that when different schedules of reinforcement are available at the same time for different behaviors the pet will behave according to

the relative rates of reinforcement available for each behavior performed. Therefore, the pet will engage, exhibit more of the behavior that produces the highest levels of reinforcement.

Medical Model: The medical model perspective on behavior is that behaviors can be categorized, labeled and treated with standardized protocols. Unlike the ethological, psychological and medical mode orientation the behavioral perspective on behavior is that behavior is a function of its environment and that environmental stimuli cause behavior as opposed to genetics.

Modal Action Pattern: Formerly referred to as Fixed Action Pattern. MAP’s are instinctive or innate behaviors. An innate pattern of coordinated behaviors that have a somewhat fixed form and need not to be learned.

From: A Lexicon of Practical Terms for Pet Trainers & Behavior Consultants: The language you need to know!

by DogNostics Career Center. Available from: dognosticseducation.com/p/store 50

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

advocacy

Emotional Scars In the fourth of an occasional series of articles on animals and abuse, Beth Napolitano explores the effects of mistreatment on a dog’s behavior, as well as some possible signs of abuse Content Warning: This article contains subject matter that some readers may find upsetting

T

hrough careful observation, behavior provides us with a “window” into what a dog, or any animal, might be feeling or thinking. Ac­ cording to Dr. Susan Friedman (2008), a dog’s behavior is affected by whether or not his health, nutrition, and physical needs are being met, while Bibancos et al. (2006) point out that negative early life events, such as social isolation and stressful environments, influence brain development and have long lasting consequences on behavior.

Research with mice has shown that negative events affect emotion­re­ lated behaviors, and increase aggressive and hyperactive behaviors be­ cause the brain is “vulnerable to the environment.” (Bibancos at al., 2006).

So can we extend what we know about laboratory rodents to the behavior of dogs? According to Wernick (2015), the answer is yes. He cites Blaisdell, a professor of comparative psychology at the University of California: “They (rats) have a lot of the social mechanisms of behavior that are pres­ ent in, for example, primates, pack hunting dogs and wolves.”

Signs of Stress One indication of a dog’s level of stress is the appearance of stereotypi­ cal behaviors, defined as “repetitive, invariant behavior patterns with no obvious goal or function.”(Mench, 1998). These are abnormal behaviors that may be associated with multiple factors, including living in an envi­ ronment that is less than optimal, which may result in stress­induced re­ actions like changes in brain chemicals and hormone levels.

The actual performance of such behaviors may be a dog’s attempt to reduce his internal state of stress – which would produce the added reinforcement to repeat the behaviors. Even when environmental condi­ tions improve, the stereotypical behaviors may continue and re­ searchers think this may represent the emotional “scars” of past abuse and trauma, i.e. the behavior is our clue that the scars exist.

According to Pierce (2012), emotional scars are invisible but may take longer to heal and cause more suffering than a physical injury. Pierce (2012) also states that “little is known about the long­term psychological effects of abuse on animals” and that researchers are trying to improve their understanding of what constitutes emotional suffering. This may lead to improved animal cruelty laws that currently only reflect the physi­ cal harm and injuries of an abused dog. Current research indicates that emotional abuse may be more widespread than physical abuse.

According to Todd (2014), there is “no single profile” that reflects behavior in all abused dogs. Rather, these dogs may display “various problem behaviours including aggression and fear to unfamiliar people

According to Pierce (2012), emotional scars are invisible but may take longer to heal and cause more suffering than a physical injury. Pierce (2012) also states that “little is known about the long-term psychological effects of abuse on animals.”

© Can Stock Photo / Svet_lana

Through careful observation, behavior provides us with a “window” into what a dog, or any animal, might be feeling or thinking

and dogs, attachment problems, attention­seeking, and repetitive be­ haviours.” Symptoms range from no behavioral changes at all, to severe, depending on the individual, temperament, nature of abuse and length of time the abuse occurred. For example, a dog who has been abused at close range may display more fearful behaviors around humans than a dog that was shot from a distance and did not associate the injury with a human.

Based on research of abused children which shows that emotional abuse can result in more harmful effects than physical abuse, re­ searchers suspect the same is true for dogs. The Sunbear Squad (2005 ­ 2016), a volunteer and nonprofit humane awareness organization, lists the following among a number of risk factors associated with abuse: dogs that are kept in large numbers like hunting and sled dogs, dogs who have never been trained in basic obedience behaviors or house trained, dogs kept to guard drug houses, and dogs who live outside. The Sunbear Squad (2005­2016) also notes that “a family in financial crisis is more likely to abandon their pets and some have been found, left be­ hind, inside empty houses.”

Sunbear The Sunbear Squad is named after just such a dog, Sunbear, whose fam­ ily left him behind when they had to move out of their home. Sunbear, a chocolate Lab, was not discovered until six weeks after the family had abandoned him in their empty house without any food or water. Initially found alive, sadly, Sunbear passed away a few days later from the ef­ fects of malnutrition and dehydration. Thanks to the efforts of one of the Sunbear Squad members, an animal control officer, Sunbear’s

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

55

advocacy In a study of 69 dogs with a documented history of abuse, McMillan et al. (2014) found multiple differences in their behavior when compared to 5,239 companion dogs who had no documented abuse history. owner was located, transported across state lines and sentenced under animal cruelty laws.

Behavioral Differences McMillan et al. (2014) state that “the secretive nature of abuse” makes it very difficult to study due to incomplete information provided by guardians. Research typically compares an abused dog with a non­ abused dog and there is little that is understood about the behavioral changes in the same dog before and after being abused. There is also the question as to whether a particular behavior is the result of or the cause of abuse, or if it's a vicious cycle (i.e. the abuse causes worsening behavior, which incites the abuser to respond more harshly, resulting in more severe behavior problems).

In a study of 69 dogs with a documented history of abuse, McMillan et al. (2014) found multiple differences in their behavior when com­ pared to 5,239 companion dogs who had no documented abuse history.

Some of the behaviors noted in the abused dog group were: excessive fear of men or strangers, timidity with humans, fear of caregiver, com­ pulsive behaviors such as digging and circling, hoarding shoes, rolling in feces, persistent barking, bizarre or strange and repetitive behaviors, in­ creased attention seeking behaviors, pronounced separation anxiety, hyperactivity, impaired human­animal bond, and increased aggression (seen as defensive behaviors). Attachment disorders are common in both abused dogs and children – separation from their guardian can lead to extreme panic attacks, self­harm and excessive vocalizing.

McMillan et al. (2014) also reference the study by Marder and Engel (1998), which “looked at a small sample of 17 dogs (Canis familiaris) seized for reasons of physical abuse, neglect, or abandonment by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. When behav­ ioral responses were compared between these dogs and 18 dogs with no history of maltreatment who were relinquished by their caregivers, the maltreated dogs were more likely to show fearful responses to pet­ ting or reprimand, whereas the control dogs showed more fear of an opening umbrella or when brushed.”

Animal Welfare Abuse and shelter relinquishment are two major animal welfare prob­

BARKS from the Guild

© Can Stock Photo / sonjachnuj

McMillan et al. (2014) found that dogs who had been confiscated due to maltreatment had a much lower rate of adoption (38.5%) and a corresponding higher rate of euthanasia (61.5%) *Stock image: There is no suggestion that this dog has been subjected to mistreatment in any way

lems: “Recent evidence has shown that the sources of dogs entering an­ imal shelters had a major impact on the rates of adoption and euthana­ sia (Protopopova, Gilmour, Weiss, Shen, & Wynne, 2012). Dogs who had been confiscated due to maltreatment, as compared with dogs surren­ dered by their caregivers or found as strays, had a much lower rate of adoption (38.5%) and a corresponding higher rate of euthanasia (61.5%).” McMillan et al. (2014).

Clearly, these dogs are in great need of methods to improve their chances for successful adoption. McConnell (2017) says she has believed for years that many of the dogs she has worked with “had behavioral problems because of some kind of trauma.” Once a dog is labeled with a behavior problem, however, possible hidden causes of trauma or abuse may not be considered or even suspected. McConnell (2017) lists the fol­ lowing symptoms that “MIGHT indicate trauma in a dog: anorexia, won’t eliminate, pacing, inability to sleep, hyper­vigilance, extreme fear, being easily startled, outbursts of aggression or rage that have no predictable pattern, and refusal to play.” In such instances, the last thing the dog needs is “force or coercion to behave.” (McConnell, 2017).

Learned Helplessness Learned helplessness occurs “when an animal is repeatedly subjected to an aversive stimulus that it cannot escape.” (Cherry, 2018). Long­term or severe abuse can be just such an aversive stimulus whereby a dog learns that he cannot escape. Once a being realizes their behavior will not

BARKS from the Guild is the 64-page bi-monthly pet industry trade magazine published by the Pet Professional Guild, available internationally to Pet Professional Guild members, supporters and the general public via a free lifetime digital subscription.

Widely read by pet industry professionals and pet guardians alike, BARKS covers a vast range of topics encompassing animal behavior, pet care, training, education, industry trends, business AND MUCH MORE! If you would like to reach your target audience, BARKS is the perfect vehicle to achieve that goal.

To contribute an article, please contact the editor, Susan Nilson.

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To advertise, please contact Kelly Fahey.

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

advocacy change their outcome, they may give up trying to escape because they have learned to accept the inevitable.

Learned helplessness was discovered “accidentally” in the lab by Seligman and Maier (1968) while researching the effect of shock on ca­ nine behavior. Ultimately, their conclusion was that the helpless behav­ ior was not due to the shocks themselves, but the dogs’ perception that they had no control over the situation. Even when given the chance to escape the shocks, the dogs didn’t take the opportunity. Learned help­ lessness is seen in both animals and humans. Inescapable traumatic events can result in passive responding to future aversive events as well.

According to Regan (1985), the entire system of our treatment of animals is wrong because “we view animals as resources.” Regan (1985) argues that people must “change their beliefs before they change their habits.” Perhaps, by changing our beliefs to accept animals as emotional beings who are as vulnerable (if not more so) to emotional abuse as hu­ mans, we may also change our attitudes and behaviors that govern our relationships with them. n

References Bibancos, T., Jardim, D.L., Areas, I., & Chiavegatto, S. (2006). Social Isolation and Expression of Serotonergic Neurotransmission-related genes in several Brain Areas of Male Mice Cherry, K. (2019). What is Learned Helplessness and Why does it Happen?

Friedman, S.G. (2008). What’s Wrong with This Picture? Effectiveness is Not Enough Marder, A., & Engel, J. (1998). Are There Behavioral Indicators of Animal Abuse? Symposium conducted at the Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior Meeting, Baltimore, MD McConnell, P. (2017). Dogs and Psychological Trauma McMillan, F.D., Serpell, J.A., Duffy, D.L., & Zawistowski, S.L. (2014).

Behavioral and Psychological Characteristics of Canine Victims of Abuse. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 18 (1) 1-20 Mench, J. (1998). Why it is Important to Understand Animal Behavior Pierce, J. (2012). Emotional Pain in Animals: An Invisible World of Hurt Protopopova, A., Gilmour, A. J., Weiss, R. H., Shen, J. Y., & Wynne, C. D. L. (2012). The effects of social training and other factors on adoption success of shelter dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 142, 61–68 Regan, T. (1983). The Case for Animal Rights. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press Seligman, M.E.P. & Maier, S.F. (1967). Failure to Escape Traumatic Shock. Journal of Experimental Psychology 74 (1) 1-9 Sunbear Squad. (2005-2016). Know the Risk Factors for Animal Neglect and Animal Abuse Todd, Z. (2014). Learning More about Canine Victims of Animal Abuse Wernick, A. (2015). The rat could become man’s newest best friend

Resources McMillan, F.D. (2003). A World of Hurts—Is Pain Special? Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 223(2) 183-186 Seligman, M.E.P., Maier, S.F., & Geer, J.H. (1979). Alleviation of Learned Helplessness in the Dog. Origins of Madness / Psychopathology in Animal Life 401-409 Tudge, N. & Nilson, S. (2019, March). What Do Dogs, Cats, Cars and Chairs Have in Common? BARKS from the Guild (35) 16-21 Beth Napolitano worked as a staff nurse in hospitals for 40 years.

Since retirement, she obtained certification as a pet care technician, level 2, and is currently working for certification as a dog trainer.

She volunteers at Courteous Canine, Inc. in Tampa, Florida, and is an AKC Star puppy kindergarten instructor.

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

57

What dog trainers are saying about

“I appreciate this group so much… I am learning a lot and incorporating it into practice.”

“I’m going to get sh*t done!”

“Thank you for another excellent session! You rock!”

“I’m just where I’m supposed to be.”

“I’ve been training for a long time and appreciate ‘freshening up’ my thinking.” “…packed full of ideas and information.”

“…feeling inspired by you all!”

“Love this community…

THANK YOU!”

“LOVE IT! LOVE IT! LOVE IT!” Join dogbiz coaches and fellow R+ dog trainers for weekly group coaching sessions to grow your business and achieve your goals.

Limited enrollment opens soon. Don’t miss your chance to join! Sign up for the THRIVE! waitlist here:

https://dogbizsuccess.com/thrive/

business

Ask the Experts: Virtual Training Veronica Boutelle of PPG corporate partner dog*biz presents her strategies for encouraging hesitant clients to give online training a try

Q

: I’m hearing other trainers say they’re getting clients to use online training services now, but I’m still not having any luck.

Pandemic case numbers in my area are high and I’d really pre‐ fer to be training online. How do I convince dog peeps in my area to go for it? Help!

A: You aren’t alone in experiencing continued resistance to online train­ ing services. We’re hearing from lots of trainers in the same situation— as well as many who are seeing a very encouraging uptake of online private training and classes.

Some of the separation may be due to regional differences in demo­ graphics, perceptions, and attitudes. But from what we can see, there are some business practices that can really help, even if you serve a more reluctant population.

Strategies Here are a few of the strategies we’re emphasizing in our THRIVE! group coaching program:

Benefits: Emphasize the benefits of online training. Don’t just state that you’re offering it, sell it! Tell potential clients on your website and when you talk to them how thrilled you are with the advantages (and outcomes!) of this way of training.

© Can Stock Photo / GeorgeRudy

With careful marketing, dog trainers can highlight how and why virtual training is beneficial and show potential clients that it works

ample, as one THRIVE! member shared, there’s a world of difference be­ tween “Offering online training only” and “Now exclusively offering on­ line training.”

It Works: Show people how it works. Help potential clients understand what training this way will be like—both to inspire them and to assuage concerns or confusion they may have about it. Sometimes we just need to be able to imagine ourselves in a situation. You can do this through photos or video clips of you and clients or students working online (with their permission), testimonials, etc.

Adjustment Period Keep at it! With strong messaging and steady marketing you’ll see your audience warm to your offerings. The passage of time is on your side, too, as all of us are in the process of learning to adjust to doing things in new ways in all aspects of our lives—there’s no reason online training should prove an intractable exception. n

Dissolve Concerns: Speak to the points of resistance people may have about online training. Assure them it’s easy; no tech savvy required. In­ clude an optional, short free tech set­up session for clients or students who may need it. And, again, share the results you and other trainers are seeing.

Resources

Value: Be careful not to undermine the value. All of your good messag­ ing work can easily be undone by inadvertently undermining the value of your online services. Resist the temptation to price these services lower than your in­person training. And watch your word choice. For ex­

Veronica Boutelle MA Ed CTC is founder and co-president of dog*biz, and author of How to Run Your Dog Business and co-author of Minding Your Dog Business. dog*biz offers professionally designed positive reinforcement dog training class curricula, including Open-Enrollment Puppy, Open-Enrollment Basic Manners, and short Topics classes built for retention.

Emphasize the benefits of online training. Don’t just state that you’re offering it, sell it! Tell potential clients on your website and when you talk to them how thrilled you are with the advantages (and outcomes!) of this way of training.

Do you have a question for the business experts at dog*biz?

Submit your question for consideration to: barkseditor@petprofessionalguild.com

Bradley, A. (2020). Dog Trainers: Still Here to Help – Virtually! BARKS Blog Radtke, G. (2020). Surviving the Storm. BARKS Blog

Learn how

can help your business.

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

59

Enter the PORTL The tabletop game that will help you learn more about animal behavior and learning

Learn the Portable Operant Research and Teaching Lab

A Two Day Workshop in Tampa, Fl Saturday, March 20 - Sunday, March 21, 2021

YOURÂ PORTL TO SHAPING PRESENTED BY MARY HUNTER, M.S.

Limited Spaces Available

Join Mary Hunter for two intensive days of lectures and hands-on exercises using PORTL - The Portable Operant Research and Teaching Lab, a tabletop game that will help you learn more about animal behavior and learning. This workshop will focus specifically on the topic of shaping.

You’ll learn about behavior principles and techniques that will help you create optimal learning situations when working with both animals and people.

Play the Game and learn to problem-solve and think more creatively when designing training solutions giving you more insight into how people and animals learn.

PetProfessionalGuild.com/PORTL-Workshop/

p r o f i l e

The Dog in Front of You In our ongoing series of PPG member profiles, this month BARKS features Lynn Webb of The Proficient Pup Dog Training and Massage in Escondido, California

L

ynn Webb owns and operates The Proficient Pup Dog Training and Massage in Escondido, California. She spent 16 years work­ ing with birds, mammals, and reptiles at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park for before becoming a full­time dog trainer.

Q: Can you tell us a bit more about yourself, how you first got into animal behavior and training and what you are doing now?

A: I learned a lot about animal behavior during my time at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, during which time I also had the opportunity to educate the general public about the need for conservation. I left the zoo to pursue dog training and I now focus on helping shy and fearful dogs. In addition, I offer canine massage, hence the name of my busi­ ness. I also specialize in rattlesnake avoidance training without the use of force, pain, or shock – or snakes.

Q: Why did you become a dog trainer or pet care provider?

A: I became a dog trainer after my husband and I adopted a 5­year­ old American Staffordshire terrier from a local shelter. When we dis­ covered that she had some behavior issues, I looked to the internet for some help. I knew enough about animal behavior to know that much of the advice I found was not good, so I decided I would learn

There Is No Excuse

FOR ABUSE

It’s time to ban shock collars I would say that, as with any helping professional, your first and primary obligation is to do no harm, and we have compelling evidence that applying shock, either systematically or randomly, to domestic dogs increases their general level of stress and discomfort. So given that knowledge, there simply is no ethical rationale for using it.

Janis Bradley,

Director of Communications and Publications, National Canine Research Council

If there’s a tool which causes pain or discomfort, it has the potential of creating other problems. As animal care professionals, I feel that if we...can’t find kinder, gentler ways of doing something, then maybe we are in the wrong profession.

Ken Ramirez, Executive VP and CTO, Karen Pryor Clicker Training

“Until these devices are illegal, consumers must protect themselves and their dogs by looking beyond the marketing messages of those who profit from their sale and use. It is not necessary to use electric shock to change behavior.

It is not necessary in humans, in zoo species, in marine mammals or in dogs.”

Jean Donaldson, Author, Train Your Dog Like a Pro

© Lynn Webb

Lynn Webb with Charlotte, who does not like the camera and, at the time, was concerned that her guardian was wearing shoes – which usually meant she would be leaving the house

properly how to help my dog, and from there, how to be a resource for other fearful dog guardians.

Q: Tell us a little bit about your own pets.

A: We have two cats and one dog. Because the cats are seniors and are not as quick and nimble as they used to be, we keep our dog separate from them. This works for everyone.

Q: What is your favorite part of your job?

A: Providing understanding for people who may not be getting that from their family or friends. I like to encourage good human behavior and that starts with listening. I like to be the change I wish to see.

Q: What do you consider to be your area of expertise?

A: I do not consider myself an expert, but I am most interested in fearful and reactive dogs. I also focus on training humans and dogs to avoid hazards like rattlesnakes.

ShockFree.org

Q: Are you a crossover trainer or have you always been a force‐free trainer?

A: As a professional trainer, I have only been force­free. When I was a teenager without enough knowledge, I did rely on punishment with our family dogs. For example, shaking a can to stop excessive barking.

BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

61

p r o f i l e “I am driven by the need for education. Without it, people cannot make the best choices. So I want to provide people with education and choices. So many people rely on punishment to change behavior, and it is not necessary.”

- Lynn Webb

the client is working and when I see that, it’s what makes me happy.

Their good work is what gets good results.

Q: What drives you to be a force‐free professional and why is it impor‐ tant to you?

A: I am driven by the need for education. Without it, people cannot make the best choices. So I want to provide people with education and choices. So many people rely on punishment to change behavior, and it is not necessary. Plus, we are better humans when we do not treat oth­ ers with punishment.

Q: Who has most influenced your career and how?

A: I think the Karen Pryor Academy has most influenced me. I earned my KPA CTP certificate in 2015 and benefitted greatly from attending classes taught by Nan Arthur. She taught me the importance of listening to the dog in front of me. I take that knowledge with me to every class­ room and to every client's house.

Q: What are some of your favorite positive reinforcement techniques for the most commonly encountered client‐dog problems?

A: My favorite behavior of all is “Find It.” For dogs that may be too fear­ ful to do much training, eating a treat off the floor is much easier. It gives me a starting place for further training and helps me assess a dog's emotional capabilities. I also love hand targeting to assess a dog's ability to focus, and “Go to Mat” to alleviate begging for food, counter surfing, and door dashing, and to promote calm behavior, in general.

Q: What is the reward you get out of a day's training with people and their dogs?: A: I get the most reward from seeing people feel proud about their ani­ mals’ successes. I love to see the dog progress, but that only happens if

Pet Professional Guild has partnered with BarkBox to provide all members with a 20% discount. * Order a monthly box of dog goodies for your canine friend! * Special rates available for gifts for dog friends * A portion of proceeds from each box will go to help dogs in need The promocode can be found in the Member Area of the PPG website: PetProfessionalGuild.com /benefitinformation

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BARKS from the Guild/November 2020

Q: What is the funniest or craziest situation you have been in with a pet and their guardian?

A: I know I've had many funny moments with my clients, but cannot think of one that stands out. As for crazy, I try to keep that to a mini­ mum!

Q: What advice would you give to a new trainer starting out?

A: Listen to your client and do not judge. Take the time to see their per­ spective. Give them choices. Treat them with the same kindness and un­ derstanding as you do their dog. People need positive reinforcement too.

Q: How has PPG helped you to become a more complete trainer?

A: PPG provides a great education with webinars and articles. I love to read and learn. n

The Proficient Pup Dog Training and Massage is located in Escondido, California.

To be featured in the BARKS Profile section, please complete this form: bit.ly/2y9plS1

Put Your Dog In The Driver’s Seat

A 2-Day Workshop

Reactive to Relaxed: Next Steps in Control Unleashed

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