How refreshing it is to feel the warm breeze and see the pops of color appearing around town as we (finally!) move into spring. For those of us who like to fancy ourselves green-thumbed, one of the brightest aspects of spring is the chance to get back into the garden. For those of us who […]

Identifying Behavioral Indicators of Welfare Using A Converging Evidence Model of Health, Physiological, & Cognitive Data Register and listen in on this month’s CAAB Chat at the link above. With guest chatter Dr. Lisa Gunter, MA, PhD. CPDT-KA Previous research has identified many stressors in the daily lives of shelter dogs, including but not limited to […]

Molly and Polly were two Pugs I worked with several years ago. Among other problems, I was called in to address an issue the owners found especially distasteful – the dogs ate their own feces. When crated, the dogs would defecate and then eat whatever they had deposited. Outside, they would circle around in the […]

How to Train Dogs to Use Pet Stairs and Ramps [Infographic] This infographic was created by topdogtips.com

Upcoming Book Publication: Train your Dog Now! From Simon and Schuster publishing company: The forthcoming book Train Your Dog Now! Your Instant Training Handbook, from Basic Commands to Behavior Fixes by Jennifer L. Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA (March 6, 2018), presents an effective, new way to train a dog, with bite-sized instructions to help owners teach their dogs the most important and […]

Valentine’s Day Safety Tips for Pet Owners https://topdogtips.com/valentines-day-dog/

A Clockwork Hound: Fruit Fly Clock Genes and Understanding the Genetics of Dog Behavior In this most recent CAAB Chat, Drs. Stephen Zawistoski, CAAB, and Jessica Hakman, DVM, discuss some new and exciting research on canine behavior genetics. For more information and to registerl visit: http://caabchats.com/a-clockwork-hound-fruit-fly-clock-genes-and-understanding-the-genetics-of-dog-behavior/

Grrr… This Lap Belongs to Me! When I met Lucy for the first time, she rushed to greet me at the front door, happily jumping and whining as she tried frantically to lick my face. She was a 9-pound Chihuahua mix, totally adorable and totally adored by her owners, Jan and Dave. Lucy was a […]

How to Teach “Leave It” In nature, animals often use aggressive threats to prevent others from stealing their possessions. With our pet dogs, however, aggression toward owners is often deemed inappropriate and even dangerous. This resource guarding can be exhibited along a continuum of intensity. A dog may freeze, for example, holding her head low […]

The Canine Science Collaboratory, headed by Dr. Clive Wynne just finished its first Canine Science Conference in Phoenix Arizona.  Papers were presented by an international, interdisciplinary collection of speakers.  Presentations ranged from factors influencing behavior at the genetic and biochemical level, to observing interactions between individuals in groups. In this chat Dr. Suzanne Hetts, Dr. Mindy […]