Communication and Documentation in an Animal Shelter

It is the responsibility of the Behavior and Training Department at our animal shelter, the Humane Society of Pinellas (HSP), to create, communicate, and implement behavior modification and training plans...

By Heather Gibbs, SBA

Grey Zone Dogs

“Is this a no-kill shelter?” That’s one of the most common questions I was asked when I worked at the Denver Dumb Friends League, a huge shelter that provides services...

By Kayla Fratt, CDBC

Getting Over That Paywall: Accessing Research When You’re Not An Academic

As animal behavior professionals, we should all be committed to keeping up with the scientific basis for our practices, and we want to know when new discoveries about how animals...

By Tiro Miller, PhD

An Interview with Michele Pouliot

Michele Pouliot is widely credited with introducing positive reinforcement-based training to the guide dog world and promoting the expansion of Clicker Training internationally within the guide dog field. Before she...

By Sarah Dixon, CDBC

Using Rotation to Reduce Stress in Multi-Cat Situations

Multi-cat homes where all the cats live indoors are growing more and more common in today's feline world, as shelters, breeders, and behavior consultants recognize the benefits of bringing more...

By Kathryn Weil

Managing Canine Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease commonly seen in pet dogs. It has been found that 80% of dogs over the age of 8, and 20% of dogs over the age...

By Rebecca Barr, BVMS MRCVS MSc

Outdoor cats: Science and Welfare

Recent research (Chalkowski et. al 2019) into whether outdoor access was a risk factor in the spread of 19 different pathogens, some of which transmit to humans and wildlife as...

By Jane Bowers

Getting Out of my Dog Training Comfort Zone by Experiencing a Different Species

I had trained dogs, cats, and humans, but never a bird. I felt a mix of trepidation and confidence. I knew my behavioral science, I knew how to lure, capture,...

By Adria Karlsson, CDBC

Cueing our Learners: Giving Feedback in Dog Training Classes

Dog trainers and behavior consultants tend to spend a lot of time helping our learners – the clients, not their dogs – develop new skills to help manage their canines....

By Helen Prinold, M.Sc, CDBC

Every Tale Tells a Story

Winner of the 2019 IAABC Rebecca Park Animal Behavior Consulting: Principles & Practice Scholarship

By June Kim

Working with Rescues as an Animal Behavior Consultant

Building a relationship with your local rescue can not only be a way of improving the welfare and rehomeability of many dogs but can also help with expanding your client...

By Tom Candy, CDBC

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...

By Pat Tagg, M.Sc, CABC

How to Talk About…

In this regular column, we ask animal behavior consultants how they approach some of the most common challenges in working with clients.

Puzzle Feeding for Snakes

Environmental enrichment and focus on animal welfare are now common practice for many pets. Some companies have started producing toys specifically designed for foraging. It’s even becoming standard in zoological...

By Peter Amelia

Reflections on Pain in Equine Behavior

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard (or seen on social media) someone say "I've had all the physical checks so it must be behavioural" when referring...

By Catherine Bell, CHBC

Using Mat Work Training in Behavior Modification

The concept of mat work or place training is nothing new in dog training. However, it remains one of my favorite behaviors to teach because it is very useful for...

By Sarah Dixon, CDBC

Issue 14 | November 2019