Archive for category: General

Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist Dr. Patricia McConnell’s new book, a memoir titled The Education of Will, brings up many issues related to the experience and treatment of trauma in both people and companion animals. In conversation with Drs. Suzanne Hetts and Dan Estep, the book is used as a...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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

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Dr. Megan E. Maxwell, CAAB, discusses some of the factors that impact a dog’s response to behavior therapy: For some dog owners, the question of how much their dog can learn is a challenging but exciting one. They envision fun possibilities in agility, advanced obedience, therapy dog work, or...

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