Angel Fund Helps Shed Light On Vishnu’s Heart Problem
When Leticia Shaw’s cat, Vishnu, had a urinary blockage that required surgery about three years ago, the veterinarian told her that the condition sometimes can come back.
“Ever since then, I’ve been really anxious about that,” Leticia said. She has gotten regular checkups for Vishnu to make sure that doesn’t happen again.
During one of those checkups this spring at Little Tokyo Pet Clinic, Dr. Mary Chung told Leticia that Vishnu had a heart murmur. She recommended testing and x-rays to determine how severe the problem might be.
“That’s when Dr. Chung informed me about Angel Fund,” Leticia said. “I applied for a grant. The entire staff helped me with that process. Thankfully it was approved right away. I thought it would take way longer than it did.”
The tests showed that Vishnu has a cardiac problem. “They were able to do all the cardiovascular checks. But, basically, they just mentioned to me that he does have the problem – and once he has it, there’s no going back,” Leticia said.
“Thankfully, it doesn’t seem like it’s too serious. They caught it pretty early and they have given me heart medications and instructions on how to keep an eye on him to make sure it doesn’t get worse.
“There are warning signs like he might stop eating or when he sleeps his heart might beat too fast. So they gave me a couple of things to check. But honestly, he’s been amazing. He’s been super normal – he plays, he’s still himself. So hopefully it’s something that won’t get serious and we can just keep it contained.”
Leticia is grateful that she knows about the issue. And, she said, “thank God, things are going pretty good. I’m not seeing any signs for concern.”
She also expressed her gratitude for the Angel Fund grant and what it did to give her peace of mind and to help pay the veterinary bill.
Vishnu is seven years old and Leticia is optimistic that he has many years ahead of him. “He’s just so carefree and I hope he lives to 20. I can’t see him having any other problems. He’s now on a veterinary-prescribed diet and he can’t eat anything else.” But, she said, “the really scary problem for me was the urinary blockage.”
Leticia works as an IT manager for the Downtown LA Proper Hotel.otel.H Besides Vishnu, she has three dogs. She and her animals live in North Hollywood.
How to Be a Better Owner for a Pet Rabbit
Improve pet rabbit welfare in the home and vet clinic with simple techniques.
Updated July 7, 2023 | Source: Dr. Lori Gaskins for Psychology Today; Reviewed by Gary Drevitch
Source: Photo by Satyabratasm on Unsplash
by Lori Gaskins, DVM, DACVB, DACAW
Research regarding rabbit welfare and behavior indicates that there are many things that general practitioners and pet rabbit owners can do to improve the welfare of pet rabbits.
Veterinarians can play an active role in improving rabbit welfare during veterinary visits by using and recommending stress-reducing techniques. Some of these techniques include recommending owners bring a bonded companion to the exam; using aromatherapy; handling in a stress-free fashion; and offering treats and hiding places.
Veterinarians can also help prevent behavioral complaints of owners such as aggression, destruction, and house soiling. The majority of rabbits are fearful when lifted and handled, which can result in aggression to owners. Providing advice on reading the communication signals of rabbits and not handling them in ways that induce fear will decrease the risk of injuries to both the pet and the owner, and improve the human-animal bond. Other examples of responsible advice include housing the rabbit in a large and complex environment, getting rid of the food bowl and allowing the rabbit to forage for food, providing water in a bowl and not a water bottle, providing an appropriate litterbox, and always providing a companion and a hiding place. If veterinarians educate owners regarding their rabbits’ innate behaviors and emotions, this will increase the likelihood that each owner will provide a more welfare-friendly home for their pet.
How Rabbit Owners Can Improve Their Pets’ Welfare
Pet rabbit owners can improve their pet’s welfare in the home by providing their rabbit with companionship, foraging opportunities, hiding places, perches, digging boxes, positive reinforcement training, proper litterboxes, and a large enough enclosure to provide all of these things. Additionally, since the majority of rabbits are fearful when lifted and handled, these practices should be discontinued. An alternate method of moving the rabbit around is to train the rabbit to target an object, such as a finger or a stick with a ball on the end. The pet should be trained with positive reinforcement to place his nose on the target. This is done by luring the rabbit to the target with his favorite treat, then giving the treat if he sniffs or touches the target. Once the rabbit is trained to move to wherever the target is in order to touch it, the target can be placed wherever the owner wants the rabbit to go. This allows for fun interactions that can replace those that include picking the rabbit up and cuddling him.
Pet rabbit owners should work to decrease the stress of traveling, whether it’s for boarding or veterinary visits. The target training will help here, as the owner can place the target in a crate to get the rabbit crated for travel. Travel stress can also be decreased by always allowing bonded rabbits to travel together, using non-slip flooring in the crate, covering the crate with a towel, using aromatherapy such as lavender or valerian or blended essential oils, and providing favorite treats in the crate.
The 5 Domains of Welfare and the Pet Rabbit
Improving rabbit welfare can be accomplished using the framework of the 5 Domains of Welfare.
- Health: Provide timely veterinary visits to ensure the rabbit is physically and mentally healthy.
- Nutrition: Provide a nutritionally balanced diet and require rabbits to forage for food as nature intended.
- Environment: Provide natural light, appropriate temperatures, and hiding places.
- Behavioral Interactions: Provide a rabbit companion, stress-free interactions with humans, and a complex mentally stimulating environment which simulates the natural environment.
- Mental state: Provide a life that approximates what nature intended and therefore makes life worth living.
Dr. Lori Gaskins – Lori Gaskins is a veterinarian who is a diplomate of the American College of Animal Welfare and of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. She has been a practicing veterinarian for over 30 years and has been teaching animal welfare and behavior for 16 years. For more, see her ACVB Webinar on Rabbit Behavior and Welfare.
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Boydston Senior Grant Helps Lulu Find New Lease on Her Life
Noreen Sturges, who lost her 15-year-old canine companion Papillon last year, found a replacement a few months ago in Lulu, a female Maltese. “Lulu was rather matted, had a hacking cough and needed care and lots of love,” Noreen said.
Lulu had belonged to a family that was no longer able to provide her with the care and attention she needed. When Lulu was brought to Noreen’s home, “it was love at first sight,” she said.
Noreen hired a groomer to attend to Lulu’s matted hair. After the grooming, Noreen took Lulu to Monarch Veterinary Hospital in Laguna Niguel not far from her home.
Dr. Kelly Alcala examined her and found some serious dental issues that would require surgery and the extraction of some teeth. Lulu also had a hacking cough – “not like she would have had with a cold,” Noreen said. Dr. Alcala told her that she thought decay from the dog’s teeth was getting into her digestive system and probably causing the cough, Noreen said.
The doctor suggested that Noreen apply for a Boydston Grant to help pay for Lulu’s treatment and surgery. A grant of $500 was approved and Dr. Alacala did the surgery. The dog is now thriving, Noreen said, and the hacking cough is gone.
Lulu is eating her new diet voraciously. “And she’s a love!” Noreen said. “Everything’s good now.” The dog, she said, “is running around – up and down the stairs and all over the place.
“I didn’t think I could ever love a dog as much as my Papillon, “but I just love Lulu.”
She added that she is grateful for the help provided by her Boydston grant and the matching sum from Monarch Hospital, as well as for the work of Dr. Alcala. “I just love her, too,” she said.
Noreen said that she and Lulu “are having a lovely time together. She is quite a companion.”
How to Optomize Your Home for a Service Dog
Written By Holland Webb April 25, 2023
Article compliments of Today’s Homeowner – https://todayshomeowner.com/blog/guides/how-to-optimize-your-home-for-a-service-dog/
Why You Can Trust Us
Service dogs lead their owners into more functional and fulfilling lives. These loving, highly trained animals bear a lot of responsibility as they help perform a variety of day-to-day tasks for people with disabilities.
Most people know about guide dogs, but did you know that service dogs can also watch for signs of seizures, listen for sounds that people with hearing impairments may miss, or help open doors and carry objects for their handlers?
Service dogs are valued working partners and companions to over 500,000 Americans. Welcoming a new service dog is an exciting opportunity for you and your family.
It’s important to optimize your home for your service dog’s comfort, ease, and security. In this article, we’ll explore how to do that along with how to connect with organizations that provide service dogs and considerations for training your own service dog.
What is a Service Dog?
In addition to being great companions, working dogs perform a variety of jobs. They may aid in search-and-rescue operations, sniff out illegal substances, detect cancer, or provide therapy for people living in institutional settings.
Not every working dog is a service dog, though. The Americans with Disabilities Act specifically defines a service dog as one individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.
These disabilities may be physical, intellectual, psychiatric, or sensory. To qualify for a service dog, you typically need to work with an organization that serves people who live with your specific disability.
Common Service Dogs
The kind of disability you have partly determines which breed of dog you’ll get. The tiny Pomeranian, for example, lacks the physical strength to pull a wheelchair, but it has sharp hearing, a keen sense of smell, and enough dexterity to open cupboards and doors.
Labradors, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, and Great Danes may be employed for jobs that require physical strength and agility. Poodles are often used for tasks that require keen vision and problem-solving skills. A Pomeranian can work in tight, confined spaces due to its small size. Whatever the breed, a service dog must have qualities like intelligence, friendliness, a calm demeanor, and a love for work.
It takes about 18 months and can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 to train just one service dog. More than half of service dog candidates do not complete their training. Fortunately, these dogs can find homes as companions for loving families, while service dogs who complete their training programs go on to find work.
Optimizing Your Home for a Service Dog
When your new service dog arrives at your home, you’ll want it to feel welcome. That means optimizing your home and garden to make them accessible, navigable, and easy to work in.
Interior of the Home
Your dog needs clear, wide spaces that are simple to navigate and memorize. If you’ve had a disability for a long time, your home is probably already well-suited to your needs — and probably in good shape for your new dog, too. On the other hand, if your disability is recent, you may need to make some prompt modifications to your home.
Bathroom
The bathroom is probably the most hazardous room in your house. Every year about 235,000 people go to the emergency room because of an injury sustained in the bathroom. Small, slippery when wet, and filled with small objects in out-of-the-way cupboards, the bathroom can be tricky to manage.
Help your dog out by storing anything it needs to retrieve in a low storage container. If you use non-slip coverings on your floor, make sure they’re well-positioned to avoid either you or your dog getting tripped up.
Living Room
The clearer your floor is, the easier your dog will find it to navigate. Store remotes, magazines, throws, pillows, and other small items in baskets or bins that open from the top.
Keep personal belongings put away and debris picked up. In case of emergency, your dog will have a much easier time helping you get to safety.
You’ll also want to keep your living room well lit. If your dog will be turning lights on and off for you, be sure that switches are within easy reach of his nose or paw.
Bedroom
Most likely, your service dog will share your bedroom so it can respond to any nighttime emergencies. If your dog is a seizure detection specialist, it may need to sleep in the bed with you. If it will remain on the floor, however, make sure it has a designated sleeping spot.
You’ll also want to keep cords secured to the wall, slippers put in the closet, and pajamas picked up off the floor. Nothing should be scattered around that could distract the dog from its important job.
Kitchen
The kitchen is the primary workplace for many service dogs. Here, they may put away groceries, operate appliances, or alert their humans to alarms or smoke detectors. You’ll want to talk with your trainer about what your dog needs to do his specific jobs well.
For example, you might need to install tugs on the refrigerator doors or even remodel your kitchen so that countertops and cabinets are easy for your dog to access. Sometimes installing a lazy susan or pull-down shelf can be a great way to make your kitchen canine accessible without major renovations.
Doorways
Modern doorways are generally 32 inches wide or more to allow space for wheelchairs to get through. In an older home, however, you may be facing doors that are too small for you and your dog to pass through easily. Check with your dog’s trainer to see if your doors will be feasible for your animal to use. If not, you could have a remodeling project on your hands.
Some doorways are easy for an avid DIYer to enlarge on their own. If a door is part of a load-bearing wall, though, you need a licensed contractor to do the job.
Hallways
Narrow by nature, hallways can be a real challenge for your dog to navigate. Help your dog out by keeping them clean and clutter-free. You’ll also want to relocate furniture or decor that’s currently obscuring any part of the space.
Finally, keep this space well-lit. Maximize any natural light the space gets, and make sure overhead lights are clean and bright. If you haven’t already painted your hall a light color, now’s a good time to do that, too.
Exterior of the Home
Your dog will spend time outdoors. It’s important to keep your yard, sidewalk, and garage in good shape.
Garage and Driveway
If your dog will assist you in getting into and out of your car, it will need plenty of space to work. Trim any bushes or shrubs that extend into your driveway. You can also keep your space clear by moving other vehicles to another area outside your home. Most importantly, if your driveway is less than 12 feet wide, consider having it enlarged before your dog comes home.
Sidewalks and Pathways
Will your dog walk with you on the paths around your home or garden? If so, your sidewalk needs to be at least 36 inches wide if you use a wheelchair or 24 inches wide if you walk. Here again, you’ll want to trim any shrubs or other growth that may obscure the path or trip up your dog.
Yard
If your home has a yard, your dog needs a fence. A six-foot high barrier that discourages digging is enough for most dogs. You’ll want to check into the policies governing what kind of fence you can have in your area, and consult with the service dog trainer about the right kind of fencing for your dog’s breed and build.
General Accessibility Tips and Emergencies for Service Dogs
As you plan to welcome your service dog, look at your home as a whole space, not just a collection of individual rooms. What could you reorganize or remodel to help your dog live and work comfortably?
Avoid The Following For Your Service Dog
- Tight Spaces: Like people, dogs can’t work well in confined quarters. Find out your dog’s size, and then look for places that might feel like a tight squeeze.
- Obstructions: Your dog is probably much smaller and closer to the floor than you are. What might seem like a small obstruction to you could be a big impediment to it.
- Situations Your Dog Is Not Accustomed To: Dogs work best in predictable environments. Although service dogs are trained not to react to their surroundings, they will appreciate fewer distractions when working.
- Overstimulating Settings: While service dogs are chosen and trained to be gentle and quiet, they do experience a lot of work-related stress. Build in time for relaxation and exercise, and keep your dog out of intense environments as much as you can.
- Highly crowded Areas: Your service dog may be trained to lead you through a crowd or to provide crowd control if you have PTSD. You’ll probably want to keep your dog away from rowdy, crowded areas whenever possible, though.
Emergency Plan Tips
- Establish a safe spot for earthquakes. Make sure the area includes ample space for yourself, your dog, and any supplies both of you will need.
- Create a flood evacuation plan that your dog can follow.
- Designate an area with access to communication services during tornadoes or storms.
- Plan for power outages with an emergency kit that includes battery packs, medications, and first aid kits that the dog can reach.
Organizations that Help Find and Train Service Dogs
- The Seeing Eye
- Located in New Jersey, the Seeing Eye breeds and trains dogs to assist blind and visually impaired people. They also instruct dog owners in the proper use of handling service dogs.
- Good Fit For: People who are blind or visually impaired
- https://www.seeingeye.org/
- Assistance Dogs International
- Assistance Dogs International is a clearinghouse of programs that provide guide dogs, hearing dogs, and service dogs. The organization also accredits individual programs around the world.
- Good Fit For: Anyone looking for a service dog
- https://assistancedogsinternational.org/
- Leader Dogs for the Blind
- Fully funded by individuals and nonprofit donors, Leader Dogs for the Blind helps people who are blind or visually impaired live with independence and mobility.
- Good Fit For: People who are blind or visually impaired
- https://www.leaderdog.org/
- Epilepsy Foundation
- The Epilepsy Foundation provides resources for people interested in learning more about seizure dogs and their work. The foundation can connect you with an appropriate organization near your home.
- Good Fit For: People with epilepsy or a seizure disorder
- https://www.epilepsy.com/
- Canine Partners for Life
- Canine Partners for Life helps match people with disabilities with partner dogs. The organization provides canine partners for people with a wide variety of disabilities as well as people with diabetes and those who need a home companion.
- Good Fit For: Anyone with a qualifying disability
- https://k94life.org/
- Fidos for Freedom
- Fidos for Freedom provides trained service dogs, hearing dogs, therapy dogs, and combat-related PTSD dogs for people with disabilities, patients in health care facilities, and children with reading difficulties.
- Good Fit For: People living in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. metropolitan community
- https://fidosforfreedom.org/
- Guide Dogs of America
- Based in Los Angeles, Guide Dogs of America breeds, raises, and trains service dogs for veterans, children with autism, and people with visual impairments. The organization also provides highly skilled dogs for jobs in hospitals, courtrooms, or classrooms.
- Good Fit For: Veterans, individuals with autism, or people with visual impairments
- https://www.guidedogsofamerica.org/
- Warrior Canine Connection
- Using a Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) model, Warrior Canine Connection helps warriors reconnect with their lives, families, friends, communities, and each other. Warriors both train and use the dogs as service partners.
- Good Fit For: Veterans, military families
- https://warriorcanineconnection.org/
- Puppies Behind Bars
- Founded in 1997, Puppies Behind Bars partners with incarcerated men and women to train service dogs and places the animals with qualifying applicants.
- Good Fit For: Veterans
- https://puppiesbehindbars.com/
- Canines for Disabled Kids
- Headquartered in Worcester, MA, Canines for Disabled Kids provides scholarships for children who need service animals. The organization also offers public education and training for families interested in acquiring a dog.
- Good Fit For: Children and families
- https://caninesforkids.org/
Tips on How to Train Your Own Service Dog
Service dogs do not have to be professionally trained. Anyone has the right to train a service dog.
However, before you begin training your own dog, make sure that he or she would make a good service dog. To be trained as a service dog the animal should meet the following criteria:
- Younger than six months old
- Spayed/neutered
- Properly sized for your needs
- Calm personality
- Long attention span
If you would like to train your own dog, consider the following best practices:
House Training
Like other house-dwelling animals, service dogs must be trained to do their business in a designated place outside. Crate-training is an effective approach since most dogs want to keep their crates clean. In the early days of training, reward the dog for going to the bathroom outside so it associates outdoor bathroom behavior with positive reinforcement.
Teaching Focus and Attentiveness Towards Handler
Your dog should focus on you — and only you — while it is working. Start this habit by encouraging the animal to make eye contact with you. Give the dog a treat for staying focused.
Off-leash Training
A service dog must respond to you whether it is on or off a leash. In a safe and controlled environment, you can take off the dog’s leash and give it simple commands. Reward or praise it for obeying those commands. Over time, you can move the activity to more-public situations.
Task-Oriented Training
Your dog is more than a companion. He or she has a job to do, and it’s up to you to train them how to do it. What do you need the animal to do?
- Be alert to seizures?
- Answer the door?
- Be alert to alarms?
- Carry groceries?
- Close doors?
- Guide you through a crowd?
- Be alert to allergens in food?
- Pull a wheelchair?
- Retrieve medication?
- Find help?
Socialization and Task-Focused Training
A successful service dog can stay focused on specific tasks even when it is out in social settings where there are distractions. Puppies should be acclimated to different sounds and people as much as possible and as early as possible. Also, be sure the dog is comfortable staying alone to minimize separation anxiety.
Disability Specific Training
Some service dogs work in disability-specific roles. For example, a hearing dog’s job is to listen for certain sounds and respond to them. A mobility assistance dog helps a human partner with limited mobility. You may want to work with a coach who can help you focus on building your dog’s unique skill set.
Emergency and Medication Focused Training
Medical alert dogs are trained to get help for those who need it. Some dogs also help manage their human’s medication. These dogs need to be individually trained to meet their job’s requirements.
Offer Relaxation Periods Between Training
Don’t forget to let your dog have fun. Off-duty time to relax, chew on a toy, get some exercise, or play with other pets is a critical part of training — and enjoying — your service dog.
Mila Gets Needed Bladder Surgery With Help from Angel Fund Grant
For more information about the Animal Health Foundation’s Angel Fund CLICK HERE
Yelena and her mother have been rescuing dogs and cats they find on the streets near their Reseda home for years, often finding them homes, if they cannot locate their owners.
That’s how they found Mila nearly two years ago. A Poddle mix, she “was running around and she was in horrible condition,” said Yelena, who asked that Pulse not use her full name. “She clearly had not been eating well and she was covered with fleas. I had to give her three baths, one after the other.
“We tried to find her owner. She did not have a chip. We posted a description of her and some people contacted us and said they thought she was their dog. But none of them sent us a picture of her and we ended up keeping her. I think we gave her a really good life.”
A few months ago, Yelena noticed that Mila “was straining to pee. I checked her and there was no blood. But I took her to the vet, who asked if I had seen any blood and if Mila was eating. The vet prescribed antibiotics, thinking the problem might be an infection.
“That seemed to help her a little bit. But then I took her to the dog park and every five seconds she was squatting down and acting like she was going to pee. And I decided I would take her either to the emergency clinic or the vet. Then I looked again and I finally saw some blood.”
Yelena called VCA McClave Animal Hospital not far from her home. “I told them exactly what was going on. They said this was an emergency, since there was blood, and to bring her in. Dr. Carina Cortez told me that they would prefer to do x-rays and a few other procedures,” Yelena said.
“I was thinking, oh this poor dog! When Dr. [Nada] Khalaf [co-medical director at McClave] called me after she saw the dog, she told me: ‘We can’t keep giving her antibiotics – we would just be going in circles.’”
Dr. Khalaf said that she saw the stone shadow on an ultrasound. She told Yelena that she suspected stones but needed radiographs to confirm they were there. When the x-rays were taken, they showed “two enormous stones in her tiny bladder,” Yelena said.
“I said that I wanted to help the dog, but I really couldn’t financially, and I asked if there was any kind of financial plan I could do. And Dr. Khalaf said she could refer me to Angel Fund. I had never heard of Angel Fund. She said: ‘I don’t know how much they can help you’ but that she would call and we would see.
“And I was thinking, ‘Oh my god, maybe they would help!’ Dr. Khalaf called back and said Angel Fund would help. I was thinking maybe $100 or $300. But the doctor said they would do more – $1,000 – and the hospital also would help, matching the grant, and that they would help me open a CareCredit account.
Dr. Cortez performed the surgery to remove the stones.
“I was really so grateful,” Yelena said. “I am just very, very thankful.” She also expressed gratitude to Dr. Khalaf: “She’s the one who helped set everything up.”
She also said that she would “rate Angel Fund at 200 on a scale of 100.” The day she learned that she was getting the grant “was a very emotional day for me.”
Mila is now doing well, she said. “After the surgery we had some antibiotics and pain medication. She was told to keep Mila from running and jumping for two weeks but the dog wanted to do just that. She now urinates normally. “She’s 100 percent different from the way she was in the dog park.
“Mila is a very special dog.”
“Words Matter” – The Whole Dog Journal
Why the language you use makes a difference in your relationship with your dog – and perhaps even the success of your training program.
By Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
I’ve been training dogs professionally for 27 years, but I don’t use “commands” for this purpose, I use “cues.” What difference does it make? A lot!
The definition of command is “an authoritative order.” Even when we use gentle training methods, if we think “commands,” our brains connect to the authoritative definition and we are likely speak in a louder, harsher (commanding!) tone of voice. In contrast, a cue is an invitation to perform a behavior for which your dog can be reinforced with a treat, play, praise, or the opportunity to perform a behavior the dog enjoys. We are far more likely to speak softly and gently when we use “cues.”
Words to avoid
“Command” is just one of many words that we force-free trainers avoid. Here are others that interfere with the message of kindness and mutual respect we want to send to our dogs:
- “It.” This word is used to refer to non-living objects. Dogs (and other animals) are living, thinking, feeling beings. Use he, she, him, and her rather than “it” when referring to a dog. When you acknowledge the sentience of non-human animals, you’re likely to treat them better.
- “Breaking.” Breaking evokes force, and we’re not “breaking” anything, we’re “training” – so we use housetraining (not housebreaking) and say we are training desirable behaviors (not breaking bad habits).
- “Obedience.” We want a partnership with our dogs – a happy willingness to offer behaviors we ask for, not their submission to our authority. That’s why we offer good manners training or family dog training rather than “obedience classes.”
- “Make.” We don’t “make” our dogs do things. “Make” suggests force and coercion. Instead, we ask our dogs for certain behaviors, invite them, help them, and encourage them.
- “Bad.” Dogs aren’t bad and they don’t do bad things – though occasionally they may do something inappropriate. When we think of them as bad, we give ourselves tacit permission to punish them. But when we frame their behavior as “inappropriate,” we’re more likely to think in terms of management and teaching appropriate behaviors rather than punishment.
- More pejoratives. I cringe when someone refers to a dog as stupid, stubborn, disobedient, or any other negative adjectives, placing the blame for any unwanted behavior directly on the dog’s shoulders. When a dog doesn’t do what you ask, it’s because she can’t for some reason: she doesn’t understand, she’s too stressed, was distracted, didn’t hear you, is in pain or otherwise physically unable, you haven’t made the consequence of the behavior reinforcing enough, or you haven’t generalized it well (you haven’t trained her!). Figure out why she can’t do it and then help her succeed.
Respectful language
Think carefully about the words you and/or your instructor use to discuss training and your dog. Philosopher and cognitive scientist Daniel Dennett suggests that language lays down the tracks upon which thoughts can travel. Your words connect to your thoughts and influence your behavior. If your words align with your philosophy of creating a kind and nurturing relationship with your dog based on mutual trust and respect, you’re likely to behave accordingly – and you and your dog will be well on your way to achieving that pinnacle.
WDJ’s Training Editor Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, grew up in a family that was blessed with lots of animal companions: dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, goats, and more, and has maintained that model ever since. She spent the first 20 years of her professional life working at the Marin Humane Society in Marin County, California, for most of that time as a humane officer and director of operations. She continually studied the art and science of dog training and behavior during that time, and in 1996, left MHS to start her own training and behavior business, Peaceable Paws. Pat has earned a number of titles from various training organizations, including Certified Behavior Consultant Canine-Knowledge Assessed (CBCC-KA) and Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA). She also founded Peaceable Paws Academies for teaching and credentialing dog training and behavior professionals, who can earn “Pat Miller Certified Trainer” certifications. She and her husband Paul and an ever-changing number of dogs, horses, and other animal companions live on their 80-acre farm in Fairplay, Maryland.
A Beloved Pet’s Death Can Trigger Real Grief
The death of a beloved pet can cause extreme grief and trigger grief over previous trauma, according to a study in Human-Animal Interactions, but society and even some mental health care providers don’t always recognize how deep the human-animal bond is, says co-author Colleen Rolland, a pet loss grief specialist. People who don’t feel comfortable expressing grief after the loss of a pet due to social stigma may turn inward, and Rolland says health care professionals should consider pets as integral to some patients’ social support systems.
Key Takeaways
A pet loss grief specialist says sometimes the loss of a beloved animal can trigger feelings about childhood grief or other traumas
Fear of stigma keeps many from voicing their sorrow when a pet dies
There’s a segment of the population that doesn’t get it, specialists say
Warning signs and treatment for Poodle Glaucoma
A standard poodle is a beautiful addition to your family. They are considered child-friendly and loyal companions. Whether you own a poodle or have the option of adopting the perfect pup into your home, researching medical history for inherited conditions is very important. Knowing what risk factors and symptoms to watch for in a disease like glaucoma is crucial to reducing the onset of symptoms. Remember that purebred dogs are more likely to suffer from diseases and other medical conditions. Therefore, being a responsible pet owner might look like investing in pet health insurance. This type of insurance will give you a security blanket to optimize medical procedures to reduce pain and damage.
To find out more about glaucoma in poodles, Breed Expert has a great article