Issue 29 | February 2024 — contents
Issue 29 Table of Contents
A Multidisciplinary and Trauma-Informed Perspective Approach to Community-Based Support Programs by Lauralee Dorst, RVT, Dillon Dodson, RSW, MSW, and Beverley McKee, CDBC, CPDT-KA Pesky Pudgy Ponies: Equine Obesity and the Behavior Consultant by Justice Smith, MEd...
Issue 28 | February 2024 — contents
Issue 28 Table of Contents
CAT: When Extra Sweet Turns Sour: Supporting Cats with Behavior Changes Related to Feline Diabetes by T Hamboyan Harrison, CCBC, ACSB-C, SBA, FFCP DOG: Gentle Yoga for Gentle Dog Trainers by Eve M. Riley, PhD, KPA-CTP, RYT200 HORSE: The Effects of Saddle Fit on Horse...
Issue 27 | October 2023 — contents
Issue 27 Table of Contents
CAT: Case Study — Excessive Vocalization in a Cat by Kate Luse, CCBC CAT: Environmental Considerations When Treating Feline Osteoarthritis by Morgan Redell HORSE: Recognising Signs of Pain in Horses: A Checklist for Horse Owners and Caregivers by Sarah Johnson, BSc....
Issue 26 | June 2023 — contents
Issue 26 Table of Contents
DOG: A Framework for Behavior Modification and Training Plans to Help Build and Maintain Resilience: The Resilience Rainbow by Bobbie Bhambree, CDBC, CPDT-KA, and Dr. Kathy Murphy, BVetMed, DPhil, CVA, CLAS, MRCVS DOG: Teaching Polite Play by Christina Young BSc,...
Issue 25 | February 2023 — contents
Issue 25 Table Of Contents
DOG: Case Study: Luna — Reactivity To Other Dogs Part 2 by Jen Gumas CDBC, CPDT-KA, CBATI DOG: Living and Learning with a Blind Dog by Micaela Frank, CDBC, CPDT-KA, KPA-CTP DOG: Using Innate Stress Coping Styles to Inform Behavior Management Strategies by Gavin Fraser...
Issue 24 | October 2022 — contents
Issue 24 Table Of Contents
DOG: Who Keeps The Dog? Advice From A Pet Custody Expert by Karis Bryen, CDBC, Accredited Family Mediator DOG: Case Study: Luna — Reactivity To Other Dogs Part 1 by Jen Gumas CDBC, CCPDT-KA, CBATI DOG: Working With Shy Dogs In A Class Setting by Alicia L....
Issue 23 | June 2022 — contents
Issue 23 Table of Contents
DOG: Consent Behaviors for Veterinary Procedures by Natalie Rogers SHELTER: Everyone Is on the Behavior Team: How ASPCA’s eLearning Platform Broadens and Deepens Behavior Knowledge for Shelter Personnel by Renee Dunaway and Amy Duskiewicz HORSE: Equine Advocacy by...
Issue 22 | March 2022 — contents
Issue 22 Table of Contents
EXOTICS: A Physiotherapy Program for Bears at Animals Asia’s Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre by Kate Shipton (BVetMed MRCVS) and Sarah van Herpt (BSc, MSc, CVN) DOG: All the Worst Puppy Problems: Housetraining Hang-Ups by Jess Erace LVT CPDT-KA CTDI DOG | SHELTER: Claire:...
Issue 21 | March 2022 — contents
Issue 21 Table of Contents
SHELTER | DOG: Pet Parent Support Network: Creating a Successful Alternative to Surrender Through a Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive Approach by Beverly McKee ACDBC, CPDT-KA SHELTER | DOG: The Dead Dogs on My Phone by Paige Kim DOG: Pushing ALL My Buttons: Dogs...
Issue 17 | March 2022 — contents
Why Animals Need Trainers Who Adhere to the Least Intrusive Principle: Improving Animal Welfare and Honing Trainers’ Skills
A typical debate about negative reinforcement is something like a train wreck — you don’t want to stare but you can’t look away. Some trainers argue negative reinforcement has a place in animal training; others say it does not. With some recent interest in the animal...
Written by Susan G. Friedman, Ph. D.Issue 16 | July 2020 — contents
Zoos: Time Saving Through Training
There’s a conundrum when it comes to the training and behavior management of animals in zoos: Training may be considered important for the management of animals but is often viewed as a luxury. It’s not uncommon to hear keepers make statements such as, “I’ll train if...
Written by Eduardo J. Fernandez and Peter GiljamIssue 15 | April 2020 — contents
One Dog at a Time: Enriching the Emotional Lives of Shelter Dogs
The animal sheltering world is an emotional one for all stakeholders: the animals who live with the stress of an imperfect and unpredictable environment; a shelter organization that is constantly addressing challenges with funding, staffing, and rehoming animals;...
Written by Dr. Nee Kang, PhD, CDBC, Elisa Ang, and Jaipal Singh GillIssue 14 | January 2020 — contents
What Dog Behavior Doesn’t Teach You About Sheep
Anna and I were standing at the back of a queue of woolly bottoms. Anna is my German shepherd dog, and the woolly bottoms belong to my 200 Poll Dorset sheep. We all work together on a small farm in Dorset, U.K., where we study traditional herding techniques,...
Written by Pat Tagg, M.Sc, CABCIssue 13 | October 2019 — contents
Using Cannabis and Cannabidiol (CBD Oil) in Dog Training and Behavior Work
The continuing legalization of cannabis has led to a growing number of CBD oil products available for sale in the pet market, where sales have quadrupled since 2017. Dog owners are increasingly using these products for their dogs, and may be seeking advice on their...
Written by Helen PrinoldIssue 12 | August 2019 — contents
Overcoming Fear in a Traumatized Horse: Magnum’s story
Magnum—a paint Clydesdale/Stockhorse cross gelding—came to live with us at the end of 2004. We had recently moved to a large property, and my plan was to get two horses to go on quiet trail rides through the forest. I’d had a lifelong love of horses, but my...
Written by Heather BinnsIssue 11 | April 2019 — contents
IAABC’s Position on Dominance
Dominance is a concept we frequently encounter in discussions of companion animal behavior. Many pet owners believe that the most important thing they can do to ensure their animal behaves appropriately is to establish themselves as “dominant,” “the alpha mare,” or...
Written by The IAABC Editing TeamIssue 10 | February 2019 — contents
Spay and Neuter Surgery’s Effects on Dog Health
Twenty-odd years ago when I first started practicing veterinary medicine, if a client asked when they should spay or neuter their dog, my response was “6 or 7 months of age,” and then we would move on to the next question. Today, when a client asks when they should...
Written by David Lane, DVMIssue 9 | October 2018 — contents
What Went Wrong With The Humane Hierarchy is Still Wrong With The Proposed Revisions
Although the title of this editorial is a wink at Tim Steele’s recent blog for the Academy for Dog Trainers, I applaud his discussion of the Humane Hierarchy. I admire anyone who believes there is an opportunity for improvement and takes meaningful action. Similarly,...
Written by Susan G. Friedman, PhDIssue 8 | July 2018 — contents
Choice, Control, and Training for Ectotherms
Research into the ethological needs and cognitive abilities of companion animals like dogs has increased exponentially in recent years, leading to a greater understanding of what they need to have good welfare and how we can meet those needs. There is still a great...
Written by Carrie KishIssue 7 | April 2018 — contents
How Accurate are Those Dog DNA Tests? Insights and Challenges in Decoding DNA
1. Stanford University School of Medicine; 2. Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard For a purebred dog and, on occasion, even a first-generation hybrid, breed-inference services often just confirm what the dog owner already knows. Sometimes a pedigree is available,...
Written by Linda Boettger, PhD and Diane P. Genereux, PhDIssue 6 | February 2018 — contents
Riggins and Wallace – A Tale of Two Pitties
Background My intake form is pretty basic. I use it primarily for triage. Is the dog being an unruly adolescent in an adult-only home, or do we have a just-turned-adult snapping at toddlers? This intake rose to the top, not because there was imminent danger, but...
Written by Erika Lessa, CDBC, CPDT-KAIssue 5 | October 2017 — contents
Post-Surgical Rehabilitation and Behavior Modification of a Foster Cat Through Guided Play
History Medical history On March 1, 2017, I picked up Sal, a long-haired orange tabby from the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL). Sal was brought to the ARL with injuries consistent with being hit by a car. Sal’s right front leg was broken and his left back hip had...
Written by Lillian Ciardelli, MSIssue 4 | July 2017 — contents
The Cognitive Revolution and Everyday Dog Training: The Case of “Look at That”
If you love dogs and haven’t yet heard about the canine “cognitive revolution,” you’ve been living in a bubble. Sara Shettleworth broadly defines cognition as “an array of mechanisms by which animals acquire, process, store, and act on input (information) from the...
Written by Laura Donaldson, PhD, CDBC, KPA-CTPIssue 3 | April 2017 — contents
Multisensory Enrichment for Shelter Dogs
I have worked in the animal industry for over 18 years. I currently work at the Arizona Humane Society, where my original title was canine welfare specialist. My role is to provide mental and physical stimulation to the dogs in our care. We get a lot of medically...
Written by Mik MoellerIssue 2 | February 2017 — contents
The Future of Compassion Fatigue Education: Working Partnerships with Mental Health Professionals
The concept of compassion fatigue (CF) has received increased attention in the animal care and welfare professions in recent years. This is a positive trend. Today, thanks to courses such as IAABC’s Animal Behavior Consulting: Principles & Practice, which contains...
Written by Kristin Buller and Jessica DolceIssue 1 | October 2016 — contents
Relapse of Conditioned Fear in Horses: The Four R’s
My 18-year-old thoroughbred is a warrior in most respects. He barely flicks an ear at a motorcycle speeding past as we cross the road; he nods politely and winks at a large coyote standing at the trail’s edge (in truth, the wink may just be a tic in his bum right...
Written by Robin Foster
Mike is an emerging animal behaviorist sitting in Minnesota in the US. He carries an MSc in social science research methods (U. of Kentucky) and brings a passion for understanding how the methods we favor shape the knowledge we privilege. Coming from careers in teaching and non-profit program evaluation, he found companion animal behavior by accident helping anxious feline friends in a unique shelter in Ohio. It is a privilege and a joy to combine these and advance the journal in this exciting time of growth.
Alexandra is a certified dog behavior consultant and holds a PhD in neuroscience. She has spent over a decade in academic research and is author of numerous scientific articles on different aspects of brain development, including olfaction, neurogenesis, and memory formation. Her work as a behavior consultant focuses on creating trusting relationships between humans and their dogs through communication, respect, and science-based knowledge. Alexandra is very dedicated to promoting more science within the dog training world. She supports dog guardians and professionals to build a solid understanding of scientific principles and provides guidance on how to apply these to life with dogs. She runs Canine Mindscape in Alicante, Spain.
I’m an Argentinean-Italian dog trainer and CSAT who spent eight amazing years in Brazil learning and working with dogs. Now based in Europe, I volunteer with the IAABC as a translator and, in my free time, help rehomed dogs settle into their new families. I love bridging languages—and hearts—between people and their dogs.
I’m a translator, editor and journalist, as well as canine educator for children and families, specialized in canine body language. I am part of the IAABC Family since 2019, as Language Director at the IAABC and Translators Team Lead at the IAABC Foundation, at the moment. I volunteer at local shelters and promote bite prevention and animal welfare at schools and events all over my country, Uruguay.
I’m a Chilean veterinarian and certified dog trainer, based in Madrid and working at a veterinary clinic. I’ve been volunteering with the IAABC and the IAABC Foundation for over seven years. In my free time, I help dogs and their guardians strengthen their bond, and I love spending quality time with my own dogs.
Master’s Degree in Natural Sciences, with a strong interest in environmental sustainability and the protection of natural ecosystems. Passionate about writing and science communication, she collaborates with multidisciplinary teams on research projects, such as Equine International, and with non-profit initiatives in the environmental and cultural fields. She is writing for different magazines, including IAABC Foundation. Her major goal is to improve horse’s welfare through behaviour research and empirical practice.
Adrienne Hovey is the copy editor for the IAABC Foundation journal and the owner of
I believe that knowledge from a wide range of disciplines fosters a more empathetic, curious, and engaging world. I am passionate about social, environmental, and minority rights issues (both human and non-human), and this has invariably led me down the road of multi-species anthropology. Perpetually curious about the world we live in, I hope to contribute towards making the world a kinder place for all of us earthlings to live on!
Beckie Wheldon is based in England, UK, and has been supporting the IAABC Foundation Journal team as a volunteer journal content editor since early 2025. She has a BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour and Welfare, and has recently completed a MSc Clinical Animal Behaviour. With a passion for both practical and theory, Beckie is proud to be a part of the journal submission journey and support the process of applied animal behaviour information and research getting from our writers to the readers. As her full-time career, Beckie is currently part of the UK veterinary charity, PDSA, as a Learning and Development Business Partner for Veterinary, where she supports the professional development of people in their Veterinary Hospitals. Her last position was with the rescue charity, Dogs Trust, as a Canine Behavioural Welfare Manager, where she worked on embedding evidence-based behavioural welfare best practices throughout policy and practices, with both internal and external professional stakeholders, such as the police and military. With a varied background in kennels, caregiver education, and charity dog training classes, Beckie is also an accredited Animal Training Instructor (APDT UK) and an Associate Clinical Animal Behaviourist (APBC).
Erin Jones, PhD, IAABC-ADT, CDBC, CPDT-KA, CANZ-ATI, CANZ-ABC, is the Journal Director of the IAABC Foundation Journal. She holds a PhD in Human–Animal Studies, an MSc in Anthrozoology, a PG Dip in Animal Welfare, and a BSc (Hons) in Anthropology and Psychology. An international presenter, editor, writer and mentor, Erin’s writing bridges research and practice with a focus on the intersection of philosophy, ethics and dog-centered behaviour practice. She is the author of Constructing Canine Consent and co-editor of Topics in Non/Human Coexistence and numerous academic and trade journal publications.