Issue 2 | October 2016 — October 2016
A Circle of Friends Makes the Difference for Chiquita: A Video Case Study
Chiquita was living with two other under-socialized dogs in the previous home. Their owner was starting cancer treatment, and could no longer care for all three dogs. We ended up getting Chiquita and Ramon both surrendered to us. All dogs were fearful when we met...
By the Humane Society of Silicon ValleyCase Study: Raisin
Case Information Dog’s name: Raisin Sex: Spayed female Age: 1 year Breed: Terrier mix Other people involved: Cindy Lowrey, Megan Hewes, Sylvia Brink, Collin Stevens, and various volunteers. Location Animal shelters in Jacksonville, Florida. To help the community and...
By Amy SchindlerThe Science of Finding Lost Pets
If you were to ask me to spend the day searching a remote, wilderness area like the Cascade Mountains for a missing person, but you gave me no details about why they were out there, I would have a very difficult time knowing just what tools to use and where I should...
By Kat AlbrechtBest Practices in Husbandry and Handling
It has been a very busy and exciting time since the inaugural journal issue. Video submissions have been pouring into my email from talented trainers and veterinary professionals from around the world. Inspiring stories enhance each video, documenting the journey of...
By Laura Monaco Torelli — Husbandry Content EditorHow Do You Spell Behavior? At Darwin’s Dogs, We Use Gs, Cs, Ts, and As.
There are approximately 3 billion bases—represented by the letters G, C, T, or A—in a dog genome. A majority of these are the same across all dogs—these are the bits of DNA that make your dog a dog. But what makes your dog an individual? What makes your dog different...
By Jesse McClurePawsimony: Oh, Deer
A Facebook group shared this video claiming the deer “intuitively” knew to keep still so that the man could rescue it. /wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Pawsimony-Deer.mp4 Given that the vast majority of interactions between deer and humans involve hunting, somehow it...
By Tiro Miller, PhDSit Means Play!
It was a second training session with an adorable Labradoodle puppy and his family. He lay patiently at their side while we began talking through solving the issues that come with bringing a young, energetic companion into their home, one with sharp teeth and an...
By Lisa DesatnikCase Study: Dog-directed Food Aggression
Dog’s Name: Benji Breed: Collie mix Sex: Neutered male Age: 3 years Other animals in the home: None Background A three-year-old neutered collie mix dog had recently aggressed to a level three bite onto two other dogs while in a home boarding facility. The family also...
By Sally FooteClicker Training for Horses: A Video Series
Clicker training is slowly gaining ground in the equine world. Please join me in a series of videos that discuss and demonstrate foundational lessons for both horse and human. In this edition, we will explore an essential skill for trainers as they begin their...
By Sue BennettRehabilitating an Umbrella Cockatoo
I adopted a male cockatoo from an animal shelter in February 2007. His name was Charlie, and he had obviously been neglected physically, emotionally, and socially. At that time, his diet consisted solely of Cheerios. He was plucking his feathers and fearful of people....
By Debbie WinklerCanine Neurobics: A Curriculum to Improve Brain Health
Canine problem behavior can stem from issues related to anxiety, impulse control, and boredom. Applied animal behaviorists often prescribe mental stimulation exercises for dogs to treat some of these problems. A unique way to provide this level of treatment is...
By Camille KingStats Trek II: Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics
Figures often beguile me, particularly when I have the arranging of them myself; in which case the remark attributed to Disraeli would often apply with justice and force: “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.” – Mark...
By Jess FryHuman Centered Design as a Framework for Successful Canine Treatment Plan Implementation
As the applied animal behavior profession continues to grow and innovate, how can human-centered design methodologies be applied to increase the implementation of successful canine treatment plans? In the following article, I will show how the tenets of design...
By Luisa Ruge