Dig In: Summer Reading for Dog Lovers
This summer has been…well, if not the summer of our discontent, certainly arduous and fraught. But being at home this much has given some of us the time and space to crack open a book, sit back in the patio chair and read, read, read. Just as we give our dogs the enrichment they need […]
Sound Sensitivities and Unexpected Parameters: A Case Study from Academy Grad Kathryn Boccia
Graig and Ashley, an Army Corp engineer and a special education teacher, are in their mid-30s with two young sons, ages five and two. They live on a 27-acre lot in rural western New York. In February of 2009 Graig rescued two Malinois / Husky puppies living in a cardboard box, naming them Ava and […]
Staying The Course With A Nervous Dog
“She’s afraid of the hall again,” my young client said, her voice tense. “And she’s also flinching when she hears the elevator. She’s regressing more and more!” “She” was Nellie, a 5-month-old Rottweiler mix who had been rescued from an abandoned house in rural Puerto Rico and transported to a tenth-floor apartment in Washington, D.C. […]
The Difference Husbandry Training Can Make to Vet Visits
I’ve never forgotten the time we took my late dog Bodger to the vet for a paw injury. We had recently adopted him, aged 2 and a half, and to say he had body handling issues was an understatement. If we looked at him he would growl out of fear that we might touch him, […]
Taking a Seat at the Table: Co-operative Veterinary Care, Professional Practices, and Dog Training
Recently, I started using the term care team with those clients who have dogs fearful enough to be referred to a veterinarian or veterinary behaviourist. These dogs often need an integrated approach: the veterinarian takes medical history from the client and tackles the discussion of behavioural medication or supplements, and, if appropriate, other medical rule-outs. […]
Skeletons (Quite Literally) in my Closet: Dog Training, Anthropology, and the Zeitgeist of “I’m Sorry”
Ah, those were the days! I remember the first few years of my university degree in anthropology (and my chosen sub-discipline, archaeology) back in the early holocene—I was purple-haired and fresh-faced, and felt like I was on the cutting edge of all things “ist”: we were feminist, we were anti-racist, and heck, our theory class […]
Introducing The Pet Rescue Resource
At The Academy for Dog Trainers, it is not lost on us that many dogs are relinquished to shelters for their behavior. In fact, one of our key missions is to help dogs stay in their homes. It’s unsurprising, then, that many Academy students found their way to the program via shelter and rescue work, […]
The Many Paths That Lead to Professional Dog Training
Recently, a client of mine was bitten…by the training bug. Her mastiff had been aggressive when he was eating or had a chew toy and was snarling, lunging, and even biting anyone who dared to approach. No small deal, considering his size and rather ferocious appearance! We were able to change the dog’s behaviour (and […]
Math, Nursing, and Academic Standards: Why the Academy for Dog Trainers Requires an 80% to Pass
Recently, I was having lunch with two friends. One—Robyn Rittmaster—is an Academy for Dog Trainers graduate who, in addition to training dogs at Carolark in Ottawa, teaches animal behaviour to students in the veterinary assistant program at a local college. The other—Benjamin Carroll—is a high school friend of mine. Ben is a nurse and MNSc […]
Overcoming Fear of Dog-Dog Play: An Interview With Suzanne Bryner
Many dogs enjoy dog-dog play. It’s enriching, it’s welfare-increasing, and it’s good exercise for dogs. But although many dogs enjoy it, the same can’t always be said for the people in the room. Standard, safe, and species-typical pet dog play can appear (to the human’s gaze, at least) alarming and aggressive, and it’s not unusual for dog […]