Issue 1 | August 2016
Welcome!
In developing this website, we hope to create a resource for sharing best practices and insights into managing and preventing behavior problems across all of IAABC's divisions: Dog, Cat, Parrot,...
Stats Trek: How to Be a Commander of Data
How do you assess client compliance?
Pawsimony: Cookie Nookie
Technology is making it ever easier to share footage of animals; something this journal is taking full advantage of. However, the rise of viral video has also lead to an...
Case Study: Linda and Joe
Primary complaint or reason for visit: Touch to rear (just above tail) caused charge, multiple contact open- and closed-mouth bites.
Behavior Consulting and Declawed Cats
If you work with cats in the United States or Canada, you will face a few conundrums related to partial-toe amputations (declawing).
New Strategies for Improving Veterinary Visits
I have heard a lot of horror stories from both clients and other pet professionals about problems taking pets to the vet. The reactions range from pets shaking and struggling,...
World Within a World – Changing Lives
Every Monday morning, when I enter the correctional facility, walk through the metal detector, scanner, and guardroom, put on a body alarm and walk across the yard where hundreds of...
Side-Eye: A Critical Look at Dog Science in the Media
Recently, there has been some hubbub over whether or not you should hug your dog.
The Perils of Placing Marginal Dogs
Back in 1998 I had been volunteering with shelter dogs for a couple of years and was firmly convinced that there was a home for every dog out there …...
Best Practices in Husbandry and Handling
They say a picture's worth a thousand words. I'll add that video is worth a million.
Countering Counter-Surfing
When my cat Lassie was young, she had springs for legs. I’ve never seen a cat jump as quickly or with as much agility as she would, especially when it...
Service Dogs: Ethics and Education
Most Americans are familiar with the presence of service animals. From the standard-bearer guide dog for the blind to the much photographed but rare service mini-horse, their stories are more...
IAABC News – June 2016
We’re thrilled to announce that on the 24th of May this year, the IAABC reached a milestone of 1000 members!
Eliminating Aversives in Training: If Dogs, Then Why Not Horses?
I remember it so well. I was reading my first book on dog behaviour and was impressed. —the trainer was pictured happily walking a collection of dogs off lead, the...
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...
Case Study: Blade
This kitten was presented at my practice for pouncing, biting, and scratching at both owners in the household.
Feline Cognitive Dysfunction
The joys of keeping our cats indoors with plenty of environmental enrichment, good food, health care and an enormous amount of love and respect are all well-documented: besides having a...
Choices, Not Labels Help Birds Learn
Dreyfuss, my pionus, is a bird who—if I'd let her—would spend much of her day sitting next to me or on me, frequently with her head down for rubs. So...
Brie Breathes Easy: Training a Cat to Enjoy an Inhaler
When I took Brie to the emergency vet, his respiration rate was over 80 breaths per minute.
I Got a Kick Out of You…
Pavlov was scooped, but nobody noticed.
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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.