Helping fearful dogs

When we fold a piece of paper, even if we return the paper to its original shape, the memory of that fold remains. When we are building different objects out of paper we might create a fold which we do not intend to use right away, but will return to it further along in the process of making our creation, using the memory of the ...

If when I was in university someone had suggested that my major of Women's Studies would help me be a dog trainer I probably would have thought they were crazy. Majoring in Women's Studies was like majoring in Philosophy or English Lit, it made for good late into the night conversations with housemates but the job market might be thin when it came to hiring ...

I often say to people that I can talk about dogs anywhere, with anyone. Friends who asked me to officiate their wedding may have thought I was joking when I suggested that weddings were not excluded. I was not joking. As a dog trainer I had learned something about animal behavior that applied to people as well and that is that it's not 'stuff' that ...

Lose weight easily! No diets or exercise necessary! Increase your bust by inches overnight! Clearer skin in minutes! Get longer more luxurious hair! Gotta face it, we want what we want, fast. Many of the claims being made about dog training 'devices' and training methods remind me of these claims that range from the silly to dangerous. Trainers who use reward based training techniques to ...

When I first got out of college I had the good fortune to work for Susan Herman, who along with her husband at the time, ran a progressive summer camp that also offered summer student travel programs. I was hired to lead 4 week travel adventures with 12 teenagers and a co-leader. We worked 24/7, organizing and preparing 3 meals a day, driving hours to ...

Does your town have a local cable or community access channel? If so you may be able to produce films for it! I created a short film about Daphne a dog that has spent too much time at our local shelter. She needs a home and this happy and clever dog deserves to be seen! Here's Daphne's video which will be airing in Brattleboro, Vermont ...

One of my favorite podcasts is the Brain Science Podcast hosted by Dr. Ginger Campbell an emergency room doctor in Alabama. Described as the show for 'everyone with a brain', Dr. Campbell interviews authors of books on neuroscience. Of special interest to me was her interview of Jaak Panksepp on affective neuroscience. Dog lovers will appreciate her interview with Kyla Duffy of Happy Tails Books, ...

Do you know what this dog is saying? Photo courtesy of Olathe Animal Hospital in Olathe KS The use of punishment, of any kind, for cases of fear and aggression is contraindicated, meaning the risk of making the situation worse is greater than potential benefit. The idea that you can slap someone across the face and have them come to their senses is ...

When I was a kid my grandmother carried a purse with her, all the time. It may have been one of many but likely a huge vinyl affair that she could drop a gallon of milk into. It had a handle for dangling off her arm (shoulder bags had yet to make the scene) and a change purse clasp on the top, two metal balls ...