Welcome back to the Trainers Ring! With warmer temperatures upon us, it’s time to get your spring training plans on track. Warmer weather brings a lot of joy to life with our dogs, as well as its own set of challenges. Between the fresh smells that were hiding under the ice and snow, the new […]

In this excerpt from her behavior advice column, The Teacher’s Pets, Dr. Megan Maxwell, CAAB, reviews some intervention strategies for addressing canine separation anxiety. Amos was a handsome and well-behaved 2-year-old Airedale. His owners lived in a large home with a big fenced-in yard and Amos enjoyed days full of chasing squirrels and spending time […]

Echterling-Savage, K., DiGennaro Reed, F.D., Miller, L.K., & Savage, S. (2015). Effects of Caregiver-Implemented Aggression Reduction Procedure on Problem Behavior of Dogs. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 18, 181-197. Summary Many studies in applied animal behavior rely on correlational designs or survey research, rather than experimental manipulations involving direct observation and systematic measurement of […]

The 2016 animated hit The Secret Life of Pets opens with an entertaining montage of scenes depicting how pets behave when their owners leave for the day. As owners say good-bye and head to work, closing the doors behind them, we see the Chihuahua who promptly urinates in the houseplants, the Pug who rearranges the […]

A variety of research studies have demonstrated that environmental enrichment improves animal welfare in a variety of settings, from laboratories, to farms to zoos. The most common approach to evaluating the effectiveness of environmental enrichment is direct observation of behavioral measures over time, such as the occurrence of stereotyped behavior. But this method can be […]

September 14-17, 2017 Samorin, Slovakia Abstract submission instructions Abstracts must be submitted electronically using Microsoft MS Word file. The abstract must be submitted online (www.ivbmslovakia.org). Place your email in CC for verification of delivery. In the subject line indicate your name, abstract submission, and a number of the submission (if submitting more than one). For […]

The health benefits of human-animal interactions have been well-documented. Thousands of horses provide therapy to people with a wide range of physical, cognitive, and emotional abilities.  Some unique features of horses, compared to dogs and other therapy and service animals, is that they are large and strong, and can be ridden. Unfortunately, horses are often […]

As we settle in for the typically more sedentary wintry months ahead, it’s important to assess the exercise and enrichment needs of our dogs. For many dogs, warmer weather promises opportunities for long walks, exciting Frisbee and ball play, or hours just basking under the sun with their humans in the back yard. But these […]

How about starting the new year with a reading or re-reading of the AAHA 2015 Canine and Feline Behavior Management Guidelines? Here’s the link! https://www.aaha.org/professional/resources/behavior_management_guidelines.aspx

In the fourth installment of a series, Dr. Melissa Bain discusses owner factors that play a role when assessing pet behavior problems. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/decoding-your-pet/201511/risk-analysis-behavior-problems-owner-factors-4