Shared Blog Post – Reactivity:Misunderstood

< Updated 02JAN22 >

< A short link for this page – https://bit.ly/ReactivityMisunderstood >

I found this excellent graphic on Facebook, which does an excellent job of describing dog reactivity and aggression. Thank you to the Dancing Zombie Design Studio for creating it and Calvert Canines – Training, Behaviour Modification & Nutrition for sharing it.

< Click for original post >

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog
( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com  )

Help! My Dog is Aggressive, Reactive, Fearful, Anxious, etc. – What do I do? – http://bit.ly/HelpDogAggx

How Can I Tell When My Dog Is Anxious or Fearful?http://bit.ly/DogsSignsofFear

Dog Training – Reward Based Training versus Aversiveshttp://bit.ly/RewardVSAversive

Shared Blog Post – Why Counterconditioning “Doesn’t Work” or How to Help Ensure Counterconditioning Will Workhttp://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2021/11/11/shared-blog-post-why-counterconditioning-doesnt-work-or-how-to-help-ensure-counterconditioning-will-work/

Shared Blog Post – the misunderstanding of time by Nancy Tannerhttp://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/11/16/shared-blog-post-the-misunderstanding-of-time-by-nancy-tanner/

What Is A Pet Behavior Consultant? – http://bit.ly/WhatIsPetBhxConsulting

Introduction to Canine Communication http://bit.ly/CanineComm

Dominance: Reality or Myth http://bit.ly/Dominance-RealityorMyth

Understanding, Identifying and Coping with Canine Stresshttp://bit.ly/Canine-Stress

Canine Behavior – Myths and Facts – Part 1, Where do we get our knowledge about dogs? – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/05/04/canine-behavior-myths-and-facts-part-1-where-do-we-get-our-knowledge-about-dogs/

Green Acres Kennel Shop Position Statement on the Use of Dominance and Punishment for the Training and Behavior Modification of Dogs – http://bit.ly/GAKS-Pos-NoPain-NoForceNoFear

The Unintended Consequences of Shock Collars – http://bit.ly/ShockCollars

The emotional toll of a reactive dog by Jay Gurden in Dog’s Today – http://bit.ly/SharedGurenEmotional

Important Position Statements Related to Animal Welfare & Care in the USA by Leading Organizations – https://bit.ly/Pos_HumaneTraining

What’s Shocking about Shock? – What Science Tells Us About the Use of Shock in Dog Training – PPG BARKS from the Guild – July 2019http://bit.ly/ShockBARK-JUL2019

Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Started Training Dogs – Gus, the Dominance Myth, An Alpha Roll, and a Damaged Relationship – WWM-SEP2018 http://bit.ly/Things-Gus-Dominance

Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Selected My First Dog – Aversives are Unnecessary and Counter-Productive When Training A Dog – Part 1 – WWM-JAN2019http://bit.ly/Things-Aversives-1

Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Selected My First Dog – Aversives are Unnecessary and Counter-Productive When Training A Dog – Part 2 – WWM-FEB2019 –  http://bit.ly/Things-Aversives-2

Choke Collar Pathology – an excellent blog post from dog trainer Daniel Antolec on the dangers of using a choke collar on a dog. – http://ppgworldservices.com/2017/06/13/choke-collar-pathology/

Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show
( http://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ )

Canine Behavior: Myths & Facts – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/03/27/podcast-canine-behavior-myths-and-facts/

Pet Behavior, Vets & The AAHA Canine and Feline Behavior Management Guidelines with Dr. Dave Cloutier from Veazie Veterinary Clinichttp://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/03/13/podcast-the-woof-meow-show-pet-behavior-vets-the-aaha-canine-and-feline-behavior-management-guidelines-with-dr-dave-cloutier-from-veazie-veterinary-clinic/

Dog Training Questions for Don and Kate with special guest host Dr. Mark Hanks – part 3http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2015/07/27/blog-post-27jul15-podcast-dog-training-questions-for-don-and-kate-with-special-guest-host-dr-mark-hanks-part-3/

The Unintended Consequences of Shock Collarshttp://bit.ly/ShockPodcast

The Pet Professional Guild and the Shock-Free Coalition with Niki Tudgehttp://bit.ly/PodCastShockFree-NikiTudge-2017

What’s Shocking About Shock – What Science Tells Us About the Use of Shock in Dog Traininghttp://bit.ly/WfMw-WhatShock-27JUL19

Podcast – Charlee and the Electronic Shock Containment System w-Dan Antolechttps://bit.ly/Blog-Charlee_E-Fence

Handouts to Download

Dr. Sophia Yin – Body Language of Fear in Dogs – http://info.drsophiayin.com/free-poster-on-body-language-in-dogs

Dr. Sophia Yin – How To Greet A Dog and What to Avoid – https://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/preventing-dog-bites-by-learning-to-greet-dogs-properly/

Dr. Sophia Yin – Canine Bite Levelshttp://info.drsophiayin.com/download-the-bite-levels-poster

To Find A Qualified and Credential Animal Behavioral Specialist

American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVB) https://www.dacvb.org/search/custom.asp

Animal Behavior Society ( ABS ) Certified Applied Animal Behavior Consultants – http://www.animalbehaviorsociety.org/web/applied-behavior-caab-directory.php

International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants ( IAABC )http://iaabc.org/consultants

Pet Professional Accreditation Board (PPAB)https://www.credentialingboard.com/Professionals

Podcast – The Bangor Humane Society’s & the 28th Annual Paws on Parade-2OCT21

< Click to Listen to Podcast >

< Updated 14AUG21 >

< A short link for this page – https://bit.ly/WfMw-BHS-Paws2021 >

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from August 14th, 2021, Don talks with Suzan Prendergast and Kathryn Ravenscraft from the Bangor Humane Society about the 28th annual Paws on Parade. They talk about the mission of the Humane Society, how the pandemic has affected their operations, and how you can participate in Paws on Parade on Saturday, October 2nd starting at 9 AM at Husson University. FMI – https://donations.bangorhumane.org/event/paws-goes-to-woofstock/e336617

You can listen to The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts, at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store.

Contact Info

Suzan Prendergast and Kathryn Ravenscraft
The Bangor Humane Society

Address: 693 Mt. Hope Ave., Bangor, ME 04401
Phone: (207)-942-8902
Website-https://www.bangorhumane.org/
Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/BangorHumane

Don Hanson & Kate Dutra
Green Acres Kennel Shop, ForceFreePets.com & The Woof Meow Show

Address: 1653 Union St, Bangor, ME 04401-2204
Phone: (207) 945-6841, x103
EmailEmail Don 
Website-Green Acres: https://www.greenacreskennel.com/
Facebook-Green Acres: https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/
Website-The Woof Meow Show: https://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/
Facebook-The Woof Meow Show: https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/
Website-ForceFreePetshttps://forcefreepets.com/ 
Facebook-ForceFreePetshttps://www.facebook.com/ForceFreePets

©14AUG21, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved
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Podcast – Science Dogs of New England with Lindsay Ware, – 22FEB21

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< Updated 22FEB21 >

< A short link for this page – http://bit.ly/WfMwSciDogs2020 >

 

In case you didn’t know it, your dog’s sense of smell is amazing. In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from October 24th, 2020, Kate and Don talk to Lindsay Ware, the founder of  Science Dogs of New England, where Lindsay trains her dogs to use their noses to help preserve wildlife. Lindsay has been a past guest on the show where she discussed her work with United Blood Trackers using trained tracking dogs to recover wounded game such as bear, deer, and moose. If you are interested in how your dog’s sniffer can be put to good use, tune in!

You can listen to The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts, at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store.

< Click to Listen to Podcast >

Contact Info

Don Hanson & Kate Dutra
Green Acres Kennel Shop, ForceFreePets.com & The Woof Meow Show

Location: 1653 Union St, Bangor, ME 04401-2204
Phone: (207) 945-6841, x103
Email-Email Don

Website-Green Acres: https://www.greenacreskennel.com/
Facebook-Green Acres : https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/
Website-The Woof Meow Show: https://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/
Facebook-The Woof Meow Show: https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/
Website-ForceFreePets-https://forcefreepets.com/
Facebook-ForceFreePets-https://www.facebook.com/ForceFreePets

 

Lindsay Ware
Science Dogs of New England

 Email: Email Lindsay
Website: https://www.sciencedogsne.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ScienceDogsofNewEngland

Scent dog takes on new role-Finding Imperiled turtles-from the Portland Press Herald–2020-09-27https://www.pressherald.com/2020/09/27/scent-dog-takes-on-a-new-role-finding-imperiled-turtles/

 

©22FEB21, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved
< Click for Copyright and Use Policy >

Podcast – Preparing for the Holidays; Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Years

< Click to Listen to Podcast >

< Updated 18OCT20 >

< A short link for this page – http://bit.ly/WfMwHolidayPrep >

The last three months of the year are often your favorite or least favorite time of year. It is a time filled with holidays, more guests in our home than usual, frantic activity, hectic schedules, and yes, stress, and not the good kind but unpleasant distress. All of these things can affect our pets every bit as much as they affect us. In this show, Kate and Don will be discussing ways you can make this time of year less stressful for both your and your pets. We’ll address Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

You can listen to The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts, at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple podcast app.

< Click to Listen to Podcast >

Contact Info

Don Hanson & Kate Dutra
Green Acres Kennel Shop & The Woof Meow Show
Bangor, ME
(207) 945-6841
https://www.greenacreskennel.com/
https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/
https://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/
https://www.facebook.com/WoofMeowShow/

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog
( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com  )

 Halloween Tips for Pets and Their People – http://bit.ly/Halloween-Pets

Preparing Your Pets for the Holidayshttp://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/01/01/preparing-your-pets-for-the-holidays/

 Other Resources

Mighty Dog Graphics Halloween Postershttps://www.facebook.com/mightydoggraphics/posts/the-halloween-collection-/1328779170582929/

©18OCT20, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved
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Podcast – Spaying & Neutering with Dr. Christine Calder

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< Updated 09FEB21 >

< A short link for this page – http://bit.ly/WfMw-SpayNeuter2020 >

If you are wondering if you should spay or neuter your pet, and when to do so, may find this podcast helpful.

Not so many years ago, the consensus opinion was that spaying and neutering pets early was necessary to control pet overpopulation. Evidence also suggested spaying/neutering reduced the risk of various cancers and the development of certain behavioral problems such as aggression and marking. Today, the evidence is less clear. In fact, if you ask five different pet professionals if you should spay or neuter and when to do it, you may get multiple opinions even from the same individual.

Before you decide whether to spay or neuter your pet, the best thing you can do is take the responsibility to do some research and to consider the information that is available. Your decision may depend on many factors; species, breed, your individual pet, lifestyle/situation, and even where you live. Did you know that in some countries it is illegal to spay/neuter a pet, or that, in some of those same countries animal shelters and rescues are unnecessary because they do not have homeless pets? As for the health and behavioral pros and cons of spaying and neutering they can go both ways.

For this show, which first aired on February 15th, 2020, Kate and Don invited Dr. Christine Calder, a veterinary behaviorist, who also spent fifteen years as a general practice veterinarian, to help us sort through the latest information on spaying and neutering so that you will know what to ask and consider when you discuss whether to spay your pet with their veterinarian. Our podcast page will include links to several articles you may find helpful, but be advised they do not encompass all the information on the risks and benefits of spaying and neutering your pet.

Contact Info for Dr. Calder

Business: Calder Veterinary Behavior Services
Address:
Phone: (207) 298-4375
Email: reception@caldervbs.com
Websitewww.caldervbs.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Christine-Calder-DVM-DACVB-Veterinary-Behaviorist-104864721012254/

More info on Dr. Calder

From the January 2020 issue of Downeast Dog Newshttps://downeastdognews.villagesoup.com/p/what-is-a-veterinary-behaviorist/1846547

Podcast – Introducing Dr. Christine Calder, Maine’s 1st Veterinary Behavioristhttp://bit.ly/WMw-DrCalderVetBhx

For Reference

Reexamining the early spay-neuter paradigm in dogs, dvm360, 2019, Dr. Mike Petty and  Dr. Mark Goldstein, – https://www.dvm360.com/view/reexamining-early-spay-neuter-paradigm-dogs

Are There Behavior Changes When Dogs Are Spayed or Neutered?, Stanley Coren, PhD., DSc, FRSC, Canine Corner, Psychology Today – https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/canine-corner/201702/are-there-behavior-changes-when-dogs-are-spayed-or-neutered

Long-Term Health Risks and Benefits Associated with Spay/Neuter in Dogs, Laura J. Sanborn, M.S., dogs naturally blog, – https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/long-term-health-risks-benefits-spay-neuter-dogs/

Behavioral and Physical Effects of Spaying and Neutering Domestic Dogs (Canis familiaris), Summary of findings detailed in a Masters thesis submitted to and accepted by Hunter College by Parvene Farhoody in May 2010. – http://www.naiaonline.org/uploads/WhitePapers/SNBehaviorFarhoodyZink.pdf

Behavioural risks in male dogs with minimal lifetime exposure to gonadal hormones may complicate population-control benefits of desexing, McGreevy PD, Wilson B, Starling MJ, Serpell JA, 2018, PLoS ONE 13(5): e0196284, – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5931473/

Long-Term Health Effects of Neutering Dogs: Comparison of Labrador Retrievers with Golden Retrievers, Hart BL, Hart LA, Thigpen AP, Willits NH 2014, PLoS ONE 9(7): e102241. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0102241 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4096726/

You can hear The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ , at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store.

 

©15FEB20, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved

< Click for Copyright and Use Policy >

 

Book Review–What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love, and Marriage: Lessons for People from Animals and Their Trainers by Amy Sutherland

< A version of this article was published in the January 2020 issue of Downeast Dog News>

< Updated 29DEC19 >

< A short link for this page –  http://bit.ly/BookReviewShamu >

In my December column, I encouraged you to give your pet the gifts of patience, knowledge, and an attitude that emphasizes frequently rewarding behavior we like rather than fixating on our pets when they do something we do not like.

About a week after I completed my column, Kate and I recorded a Woof Meow Show on the same topic. We discussed books I had recommended where people could acquire knowledge and help them understand the importance of patience and rewards. It was then that Kate reminded me of a book that we had both read that greatly influenced us, not only in the way we work with dogs but with the people in our lives. That book is What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love, and Marriage: Lessons for People from Animals and Their Trainers. By Amy Sutherland, the book is not a dog training book but is a reflection on how writing a book about exotic animal trainers (Kicked, Bitten, and Scratched: Life and Lessons at the World’s Premier School for Exotic Animal Trainers) dramatically changed the author’s life, for the better. The book eloquently presents the case for patience, knowledge, and a positive outlook.

In the books Introduction Sutherland notes:

I’m an altogether different person than I was three years ago. …My friends and family may not have noticed, but I am almost unrecognizable to myself at times. My outlook is more optimistic. I’m less judgmental. I have vastly more patience and self-control. I’m a better observer. I get along better with people, especially my husband. I have a peace of mind that comes from the world making so much more sense to me.”

Wow! To me, that is quite a life change and all from writing a book about animal trainers. The discussion Kate and I had about “Shamu” convinced me to reread the book and to give it a proper review.

In her book, Sutherland discusses how she applied what she learned about animal training to people in her life, such as her husband, mother, and friends. Below I have highlighted some of my favorite snippets from, hoping to entice you to borrow or buy a copy and read it in its entirety.

Based on her experiences while training her dog Dixie, Sutherland became increasingly interested in animal training and started researching a book on animal trainers and the Moorpark College’s Exotic Animal Training and Management Program. There she learned the following:

Training with force and coercion is unnecessary and counterproductive. – “Train every animal as if it’s a killer whale” meant to work with every animal as if you could neither forcibly move it nor dominate it.

We are the human with the allegedly more powerful brain, so we need to take reasonability for our dog’s success. – “It’s never the animal’s fault” is pretty much what it says: If an animal flounders in training, it’s the trainer’s fault.”

Both dog and human trainer must be one hundred percent engaged with one another while training. – “When they train, that is all they are doing. They aren’t answering the phone, looking for a yogurt in the fridge, or paying bills while checking to see if a dolphin correctly slapped the water with its pectoral flipper.”

Sutherland also learned that trainers must attend to their own behavior – “Students [Student Trainers] can’t lose their temper during a training session, ideally not even sigh, because that might undo all they have accomplished to that point…

Most importantly, Sutherland learned to resist the human instinct to focus on the negative and instead to focus on the behavior we want. – “Progressive animal trainers reward the behavior they want and, equally importantly, ignore the behavior they don’t.”

Progressive trainers want nothing less than zest, spark, joie de vivre.”

The trick is that ignoring unwanted behavior is only half the equation. The other half is noticing and rewarding what you want. The two go hand in hand.”

Every year I give each member of the Green Acres Kennel Shop team a book at Christmas time and often share the same title with the local veterinarians and their staff. This book was my gift choice for 2019.

If you are not a hermit living a solitary and isolated existence, but instead interact with other living things, I am confident that you will learn something from What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love, and Marriage: Lessons for People from Animals and Their Trainers. While not a classic “how to train your dog” book, I have added it to my recommended reading list for anyone with a pet or who works in the pet care service industry. The foundation it provides for changing your behavior, as well as the behavior of your dog, parent, friends, children, mother, or anyone, is invaluable.

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog
( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com )

A Recommended Reading and Listening List for Pet Care Professionals – http://bit.ly/ForPetCarePros

Recommended Resources for People with Pets http://bit.ly/KnowledgeforPetParents

________________________________________________________________________
Don Hanson is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop ( greenacreskennel.com ) in Bangor, ME, where he has been helping people with their pets since 1995. 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). Don is a member of the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) and is committed to PPG’s Guiding Principles and the Pain-Free, Force-Free, and Fear-Free training, management, and care of all pets. Don produces and co-hosts a weekly radio show and podcast, The Woof Meow Show, that airs on Z62 Retro Radio WZON (AM620) and WKIT 103.3-HD3 and is streamed at http://www.wzonam.com/ every Saturday at 9 AM. Podcasts of the show are available at http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts, the Apple Podcast app, and at Don’s blog: www.words-woofs-meows.com.  The opinions in this post are those of Don Hanson.

 

©29DEC20, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved
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Podcast – The Benefits of Training Your Dog and 2020 Classes at Green Acres Kennel Shop

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< Updated 7DEC19 >

< A short link for this page – insert link >

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from December 7th, 2019, Kate and Don discuss the benefits of training a dog and why it’s so important. They explain how your learning about canine behavior and how your dog communicates is an essential part of your ability to successfully and efficiently teach them things like sit, down, and coming when called. They also review training classes offered at Green Acres Kennel Shop in 2020 and stress the benefits of working with an accredited professional and always making sure that the learning process is fun for both you and your dog!

You can find more resources on dog training and behavior at – Resources When Looking for A Dog Trainerhttp://bit.ly/DogTraining-Resources

You can hear The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ , at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store.

< Click to Listen to Podcast >

Contact Info

Green Acres Kennel Shop
1653 Union Street
Bangor, ME 04401
207-945-6841

www.Greenacreskennel.com

https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/

©06DEC19, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved
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Holiday Gift Ideas for Pets and Their People – 2019

< A version of this article was published in the December 2019 issue of Downeast Dog News >

< Updated 30NOV19 >

< A short link for this page – http://bit.ly/WWM-HolidayGifts2019 >

< A short link to a podcast on this topic – http://bit.ly/WfMw-HolidayGifts2019 >

The holidays are upon us, and I have some holiday gift suggestions that will be beneficial to both you and your dog.

The gift of patience –Teaching and learning are a process that will occur throughout your life and your dog’s life. Your dog is not going to learn everything you want them to know in seven days or even a couple of months, no matter what some book with a hyperbolic title “guarantees.” Give your dog the time to learn what they need to know, rewarding each tiny step in the right direction. Yes, teaching a dog can be frustrating, but your irritation with your dog works against the teaching process. When I find myself becoming impatient, I find it helpful to read The misunderstanding of time by dog trainer Nancy Tanner [ FMIhttp://bit.ly/Patience-Dogs ]. Your dog, you, and those around you will all enjoy and befit from the gift of patience.

The gift of knowledge – The best assurance that you and your dog will have a long and wonderful relationship is by equipping yourself with current and accurate knowledge about your dog and their physical, mental, and emotional needs.  In their 2015 Canine and Feline Behavior Management Guidelines, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) noted: “More dogs and cats are affected by behavioral problems than any other condition, often resulting in euthanasia, relinquishment of the patient, or chronic suffering.” The report explains that a major reason for behavioral problems is erroneous information about pets and what constitutes normal versus abnormal behavior and appropriate training methods. Misinformation often comes from family, friends, neighbors, rescues/shelters, and even pet care professionals such as veterinarians and trainers. Please do not assume that everything you think you know about pets is good advice based on science. Give yourself the gift of knowledge by seeking education from an accredited professional who is committed to remaining current on what is best for pets.  [ FMI –  http://bit.ly/MEPetPros ]. As a supplement to working with a professional, you may also want to review some of the recommended resources at this link. [ FMIhttp://bit.ly/KnowledgeforPetParents ].

The gift of rewarding behavior you like – It seems to be human nature to focus on others, whether people or dogs when they are doing something we dislike. When the dog jumps on someone, we explode with attention towards our dog, often yelling harshly, and perhaps grabbing at the dog to get them to stop and to demonstrate our displeasure. However, in those moments when the dog is perfectly calm, lying, or sitting at their side, many people ignore the dog. They are seemingly oblivious to their dog’s behavior when they are not annoying them. Failure to reward this behavior is a missed opportunity!

Dogs and people have simple rules that determine how they learn. When we reward a behavior, we make it more likely to be repeated. Giving a dog a treat every time they sit will create a dog who sits regularly. Most people understand how learning works when actively training their dog but do not always see how it can apply to everyday life.

If our dog lies quietly by our side, many people will not even notice because the dog is not disruptive. Whenever our dog exhibits behavior we like, whether we asked for it or not, it is beneficial to reward that behavior. Failure to do so is a missed opportunity.

Having their dog lie quietly by their side while at an outdoor café was the primary goal for a recent student. We taught them how to reward this behavior when the dog did this in class. They continued to reward this behavior at home, and anywhere else, the dog would lie quietly. Within a few weeks, they had a young, exuberant puppy lying at their side in outdoor cafes.

The gift of choice – Our dogs are living, sentient beings with emotions very similar to our own. Some are extroverts, and many are introverts that do not enjoy every one. One of the greatest gifts we can give our dogs is a choice as to whether or not they want to interact. If your dog is not harming anyone or anything, and they choose NOT to interact with a person or another dog, please accept their decision. Interactions between a dog and others need to be consensual. This important concept of consent was written about by Jenny Efimova in a blog article entitled What My Dog Taught Me About Consent. Please read the article and learn the importance of giving your dog the gift of choice. [ FMIhttp://bit.ly/Dog-Consent]

Have a happy holiday season, and please celebrate by giving the gifts of; patience, knowledge, rewards, and choice.

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog
( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com )

Shared Blog Post from Nancy Tanner – The misunderstanding of time by Nancy Tanner – http://bit.ly/Patience-Dogs

Maine Pet Care Professionals That We Recommend  http://bit.ly/MEPetPros

Recommended Resources for People with Petshttp://bit.ly/KnowledgeforPetParents

Shared Blog Post from Jenny Efimova What My Dog Taught Me About Consent http://bit.ly/Dog-Consent

Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show
( http://www.woofmeowshow.com )

Podcast – Holiday Gift Ideas for Pets and Their Peoplehttp://bit.ly/WfMw-HolidayGifts2019

 

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Don Hanson is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop ( greenacreskennel.com ) in Bangor, ME where he has been helping people with their pets since 1995. 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). Don is a member of the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) and is committed to PPG’s Guiding Principles and the Pain-Free, Force-Free, and Fear-Free training, management, and care of all pets. Don produces and co-hosts a weekly radio show and podcast, The Woof Meow Show, that airs on Z62 Retro Radio WZON (AM620) and WKIT 103.3-HD3 and is streamed at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON every Saturday at 9 AM. Podcasts of the show are available at http://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/, the Apple Podcast app, and at Don’s blog: www.words-woofs-meows.com.  The opinions in this post are those of Don Hanson.

©30NOV19, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved
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Podcast – Pet Photography with Deb Bell & Holiday Pet Portraits- A 10th Anniversary Celebration

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In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from October 5th, 2019, Don and Debra Bell, from Bell’s Furry Friends Photography, talk about pet photography and the 10th anniversary of Holiday Pet Portraits at Green Acres Kennel Shop. We’ll discuss how we are marking this anniversary with some special events. Tune and learn how you can capture your pet in a photo you will treasure forever, by the Bangor Regions Best Pet Photographer, Debra Bell.

Deb has been taking photos of Don, Paula, and their pets for years. In the following link, Don has shared an album of photos taken by Deb that mean the most to him. Take a look, and you will see why Deb has been voted the Bangor Region’s Best Pet Photographer year after year.

Favorite Photos of Our Pets by Deb Bellhttp://bit.ly/FavPhotosByDebBell

You can hear The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ , at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store.

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Contact Info for Green Acres Kennel Shop
and Holiday Pet Portraits

Address: 1653 Union Street, Bangor, ME 04401
Phone: 945-6841

Webpage for Event: http://bit.ly/HolidayPetPortraits

Website: https://www.greenacreskennel.com/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GreenAcresKennelShop/

Contact Info for Deb Bell and Bell’s Furry Friends Photography

Website: http://www.bffpetphotos.com/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/BellsFurryFriends/

 

©05OCT19, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved
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