Conference 2011

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CONFERENCE SCHEDULE 6

JIM AKENHEAD 7 IAABC CONSULTING SKILLS FOR ANIMAL BEHAVIOR CONSULTANTS

BRENDA ALOFF 47 SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING BLUE:CORE STRENGTH, STRETCHING AND BACK HEALTH IN EQUINES AND THEIR USE IN REHABILITATION

NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT IS NOT AN EVIL PHRASE

BOB BAILEY 50 BEHAVIORAL ECONOMICS: HOW MUCH IS THAT COOKIE WORTH?

ONE MAN’S HISTORY OF APPLIED ANIMAL PSYCHOLOGY

ALYSSA BENNETT 52 BAD HAIR DAY? THE BIOLOGY OF STRESS

LISA CLIFTON-BUMPASS 54 CONNECTING THE DOTS

KASHMIR CSAKY 56 BODY TALK

STEVE DALE 63 BRAIN DEAD FELINES AND CANINE UNEMPLOYMENT

SHEILA D’ARPINO 73 WORKING WITH FOOD AGGRESSIVE DOGS

DR. NICK DODMAN 76 COMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR ACROSS THE SPECIES

ERIC GOEBELBECKER 78 SOCIAL MEDIA: WHY SHOULD I?

BARBARA HANDELMAN 79 TWO SPECIES, SAME SOLUTION: CLICKER TRAINING FOR POWERFUL PULLERS

PAM JOHNSON-BENNETT 100 FROM SHELTER TO NEW HOME: INTRODUCTION AND ACCLIMATION OF CATS IN TRANSITION

KATENNA JONES 101 ANIMAL STRESS AND THE RESEARCH BEHIND IT

4 KATHRYN LORD 103 SENSORY DEVELOPMENT IN WOLVES VS. DOGS

KEN MCCORT 105 ANIMALS AND INTENTION THINKING:: DO THEY DO IT AND IS IT NECESSARY?

DR. FRANK MCMILLAN 106 PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT

PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA IN ANIMALS: PTSD AND BEYOND

DR. MYRNA MILANI 117 WHERE THE SUN DON’T SHINE: THE DARK SIDE OF THE HUMAN-COMPANION ANIMAL BOND

GINA PHAIRAS 124 TRAINING FOR A LIVING

LINDA S. RUBIN 131 THE ETHOLOGY OF AUSTRALIAN PARROT FLOCKS AND CAPTIVE BEHAVIOR

CARA SHANNON 133 LEASH LUNGERS ANONYMOUS

VICTORIA STILWELL 149 VICTORIA STILWELL LIVE

JANET VELENOVSKY 153 FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW TO ASSIST CLIENTS THROUGH THE MOST DIFFICULT STAGES OF LIFE

JAMIE WHITTAKER 157 OLD PARROTS, NEW HOMES: HELPING PARROTS TO ADAPT

DR. KATHRYN WRUBEL 159 CAT TO CAT & DOG TO CAT HOUSEHOLD AGGRESSION

MULTI-SPECIES PANEL: 161 BARBARA HANDELMAN DEE GANLEY JACQUES MUNERA JAMIE WHITTAKER KEN MCCORT DEVELOPING SELF CONTROL USING POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT METHODS: A MULTI-SPECIES PANEL

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James E. Akenhead, Ed.D

Dr. James Akenhead is the author of 5 books, including: Uncommon Leadership, A Playbook for People Driven Organizations (currently under revision) & Thoughtful Owners, Great Dogs. He is the inventor of the original Puzzle Box and the B.E.L.T.S Program. He has earned five degrees: B.S., M.Ed., ED.S, M.S., ED.D.. Holds training and behavior certifications: CPDT-KA, CDBC, PDT., CDT. Board member: Inter- national Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. Director Emeritus: National K-9 Trainers Associa- tion. Instructor Youngstown University Canine Behavior Program. Instructor Kutztown University Canine Behavior Program. CEO of Signature K-9 Behavior and Training.

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IAABC Consulting Skills for Animal Behavior Consultants

Compiled and Written by James E. Akenhead, Ed.D.

Edited by Beth Adelman

Copyright © 2011

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46 Brenda Aloff

Brenda's childhood love was training and showing horses. She has taken this knowledge about working with large, po- tentially dangerous animals and applied it to training dogs with problem behaviours. Unsatisfied with the results of "traditional" dog training, Brenda studied marine mammal training, exotic animal training and learned about wolf pack behaviour. Puzzled by the lack of answers in dog lore and literature, and because traditional dog training techniques did not offer the tools needed to deal with aggressive dogs, in particular, she became an expert in behaviour modification and positive reinforcement.

Published works: Get Connected with your Dog; Canine Body Language, a Photographic Guide; Aggression in Dogs: Practical Management Prevention & Behaviour Modification; Positive Reinforcement: Training Dogs in the Real World; Brenda Aloff’s-Fundamentals: Foundation Training for Every Dog DVD

47 Brenda Aloff

Negative Reinforcement Is Not An Evil Word

In my work with the most difficult dogs I found myself desperately looking for more tools. In my work with a horse that kept trying to murder me on a regular basis, I discovered many techniques, that are sound and in line with learning the- ory that increased my effectiveness - and my safety - with him one hundred fold. In light of this, I started trying some of the techniques with my problem dog patients. The results were quite impressive. Curiosity then drove me to develop a series of exercises that used "pressure" to work with my canine patients. One of the things that I loved about this is that, in the process of doing these exercises, my human clients discovered much about themselves and the way they interacted with their dogs while doing the exercises, too.

I thought a lot about how dogs perceive personal space and how humans generally do not address the issue of the "space between us." I worked to develop exercises that addressed the canine's point of view about these conversations and a way to get the right message across to the dog. I wanted to find effective and yet humane ways to "correct" a dog. During this process my goal was to explain to people how to improve the relationship with their dog and how to "support" the dog in ways the dog would be able to understand and appreciate. It was requisite to me that all of these techniques and ways of thinking would be able to mesh with the Positive Reinforcement training that I already know and love to do.

This journey has made me more aware of what is important to the dogs that we are training, and how our training goes awry. Teaching dogs, in a systematic and deliberate way, to cope with stress and to include you in their decision making process is what I would consider the basic skill sets. When these items are in place, teaching specific behaviours, such as weave poles or heeling becomes a very simple task that goes along relatively quickly.

This lecture will include film clips of meshing negative reinforcement with negative punishers and positive reinforce- ment to illustrate the uses of pressure in dog training. I am so sorry I only have 50 minutes, because in this way, I can only introduce you briefly to the efficacy and gentleness that these techniques can embody when they are deliberately and thoughtfully applied.

48 Brenda Aloff

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed Something Blue. Core Strength, Stretching and Back Health In Equines and Their Use In Rehabilitation

I have always tried very hard to take excellent care of my animals and I pride myself on my husbandry skills. I ride and compete in Dressage and in our world much emphasis is placed on the horses back. I was always careful that my horses had carefully fitted saddles and that they regularly see a chiropractor. I felt rather righteous about the fact that I was do- ing all the “proper” and politically correct things.

I already knew the close connection between core strength and back health and its direct effect on comfort for the horse and the rider. (Riding on a soft, “lifted” back is good for both of us!) However, it was when my gelding had a pasture injury requiring extensive rehabilitation (still on-going 11 months later) that brought home to me how crucial this pack- age is to the very soundness of our animals.

The New: I am unbelievably fortunate to live within 2 hours of Michigan State University, therefore have direct access to the vast knowledge and research that goes on at the McPhail Equine Center there. Thanks to them (specifically Nicole Rombach and Narelle Stubbs) I was able to draw on the latest technology in equine biomechanics and movement. This includes a variety of core strengthening and stretching exercises to increase range of motion.

The Old: I didn’t stop there, because I am incredibly interested in the history of Classical Dressage (differs slightly from the philosophy of competitive dressage) and work in hand. (Not such a hot topic. Very few people do the classical work in hand.) The old Masters knew their stuff! de la Gueriniere published in 1733 the use of the Shoulder-In, which is an incredible strengthening and gymnasticizing technique that helps teach the horse to carry more weight on the hindquar- ters. Then there is “Goat on the Mountaintop”, another exercise used to prepare a horse for piaffe and the deep collection work of pessade and levade. Goat on the Mountaintop is an amazing stretch for the back and a core strengthening exer- cise.

Borrowed (Old, but currently making a comeback): Thank goodness my fascination with the desensitizing and athleticiz- ing techniques of natural horsemanship prepared my horse well for the rehabilitation work that I was to do. It was our prior work with Natural Horsemanship that prepared my horse to accept the work in hand and made him safe for me to work around during this determinate point in his recovery. Because horses have such strong fight/flight reactions, and the Natural Horsemanship work addresses this quite specifically, the desensitization work made the in-hand work possi- ble without risking further injury to him.

We didn’t actually use anything blue, unless you count the scrubs of the surgeons. But my work begins long after they are finished, so they are not in this story.

In this presentation I am going to show you a variety of exercises that will be of benefit to every horse, no matter its cur- rent occupation. This will encompass work on the Cross-ties, work on the Lunge line, work in Free Long Reins and rid- den work. (As an added note: I have found many of these exercises to be beneficial to our canine athletes as well. They do, of course, require some modification to be adapted to the pertinent species.

49 Bob Bailey

Bob Bailey

Bob Bailey is a chemist and zoologist at UCLA. He pioneered operant-based animal training methods in free-environment and production settings. Studying fishes, reptiles, and birds at UCLA in 1958 was Bob's first exposure to behavior analysis and ethology. After a stint in a biochemistry lab, and in the field as a fish & game biologist, he became the US Navy's first Director of Training. Joining ABE (Animal Behavior En- terprises) in 1965, Bob became Research Director, and then General Manager. Bob is also an inventor, de- signer, writer, teacher, diver, photographer, and video editor. The work Bob and his wife, Marian Breland Bailey Ph.D. (who sadly passed away September 25, 2001) has been a tremendous value to animal trainers, teachers, behaviorists, scientists and many other professions all over the world.

50 Bob Bailey

Behavioral Economics: How much is that cookie worth?

Reinforcement appears deceptively simple - simply put, it increases the rate of behavior. But, the processes and the effects of reinforcement are actually very complex. Are all reinforcers equal in their power to reinforce behavior? Are all behaviors equally reinforceable? How do animals choose amongst behaviors, and the reinforcers of those behav- iors? How can trainers change the value of a reinforcer? Behavior economics is a topic usually reserved for classroom theoretical discussions; I will discuss it in the language of in-the-trenches animal training and try to make it relevant to those who need or want to change animal behavior.

One Man's History of Applied Animal Psychology: ancient myths to modern science

My view of the history of applied animal psychology has been shaped by half a century of studying animal behavior in the wild and changing animal behavior for commerce and for the government. In my experience, applied behavior analysis is the most powerful methodology for changing animal and human behavior. I will trace the growth of today's behavioral technology from the late 1930s to the present time, drawing from my own experience, and from the words of Marian and Keller Breland, the earliest first scientists to leave the laboratory and commercially exploit the then-new technology of applied behavior analysis - animal training.

51 Alyssa Bennett, MS, CPDT-KA

Alyssa studied animal behavior at Hampshire College and received her MS from Smith College, where she designed and conducted research in behavioral neuroendocrinology with dogs. Alyssa is fascinated by the interrelated nature of traits (physical, physiological, and behavioral) and the affects that both natural forces and selective breeding have on these traits in dogs. Her research with dogs explored the relationships among hair pigments, coat colors, hormone levels, and behavior. She presented her research results to the American Society of Mammalogists and some of her findings were recently published in the Journal of Domestic Animal Endocrinology. Alyssa has been working as a trainer (CPDT-KA) and in-home behavior consultant for dogs and cats for the past 10 years. Her dream is to see more science in these pro- fessions in the near future. Alyssa’s work with animals has ranged from working as a pet adoption counselor to deliver- ing lambs, rehabilitating wildlife, and designing educational zoo programs. She believes that pet owners have a lot to teach us and she learns something new from them every day. Alyssa currently teaches a college course in animal behav- ior and is learning how to survey small mammal populations in Africa.

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53 Lisa Clifton-Bumpass

Lisa started her professional training career in 1995 as a result of a career ending injury. An element of her recovery and physical therapy process required her to learn how to work with dogs. As the training and consulting profession evolved, Lisa reached out for continuing education to advance her understanding of the biology of behavior and in- vested in courses focusing on mechanical skill development. In 2007, she started volunteering for the Oakland Zoo after seeing a demonstration of fruit bat training. Since that time, Lisa has worked with 36 different species, training animals, building training plans, and teaching training mechanics and problem solving for domestic and exotic ani- mal trainers. Beyond her work within several of the core professional dog-training organizations, she is also the training liaison and a founding member for the International Association of Giraffe Care Professionals. Lisa is an award-winning author, teacher and international speaker specializing in the training of giraffe. In addition to her daily work, Lisa is a court certified expert in dog training methodology and a consultant to advertizing and market trending companies on the human animal bond.

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Connecting the Dots:

An Integrated View of Teaching Animal Behavior Modification

Over the history of animal training and behavior management, tool selection use and methodology have be- come camps of ideology that limit and isolate the development of the teaching trainer skill set and the progress of the learner in a behavior modification plan. In “Connecting the Dots”, we will examine the process of trainer skill assessment, tool selection and use, training plan development and team training protocols as they relate to behavior modification of domestic and exotic animals.

Through the use of multi species case studies, we will review specific tool selection, training needs for both learners, human and animal alike, while addressing the industry and species differences and their common training goals.

55 Kashmir Csaky

Kashmir Csaky is an international speaker, writer and behavioral consultant. Her papers have been trans- lated into Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Dutch and Czechoslovakian. Her articles have appeared in Bird Talk, Companion Parrot Quarterly, Parrots Magazine, Parrot Information Pages, Psittascene, Watchbird, the German and Czech publication Papageien and Nova Exota and in numerous newsletters and journals. She has advised zoos and private aviculturists on breeding Macaws, artificial in- cubation procedures, hand-raising chicks and parent-rearing chicks. Kashmir was the first breeder known to co-parent Hyacinth Macaws.

56 Kashmir Csaky

Body Talk Parrot Body Language

Kashmir Csaky CPBC Lynchburg, Virginia

When a dog is baring his teeth with raised hackles, we avoid him. If a cat arches her back, we understand to back off. If a parrot opens his mouth, lifts his wings and has all the feathers on his body standing straight out, most people do not back off and they get bitten by the parrot. Even though parrots are capable of using human words and they sometimes do this effectively, they do most of their communicating with body language.

Parrots are masters of reading human body language. They can quickly detect minor changes in our physical ex- pressions. They notice micro-expressions such as the corner of a person’s lip twitching, a quick clenching or the jaw or our pupils contracting or dilating. Parrots are capable of seeing many more colors than humans can see. They notice if a person skin is turning pale or reddening before the person is even aware that a change is occur- ring.

Though most parrots are very skilled at reading us, humans are not as accomplished at reading a parrot’s body language or we choose to ignore it. If we learn, observe and read body language we have a tool that helps us pre- dict what a parrot will do next.

Predicting behavior is an important tool. If we are able to predict behaviors, we will never have to punish unde- sirable behaviors and we can spend our time reinforcing wanted behaviors. This makes observation of body lan- guage exceedingly important.

Interpreting body language must be approached with care. We cannot assume that our understanding of body language is an indication that we understand the emotions that fuel the behavior. Humans are capable of commu- nicating with speech, yet research has documented that there is often a poor correspondence between the spoken word and personal experience.

The learning history of the individual has a tremendous impact on body language. If we want to predict behavior, we must first observe the individual. Then we can use our knowledge of the various behaviors we have seen in different species to further predict behaviors. The experience of the individual, the species, the age and health of the parrot all influence body language. In many cases, we can only distinguish between positive and negative emotional valances. The following descriptions are merely a guide and may help develop a keener eye for a par- rot’s tells.

57 Kashmir Csaky

Head Feathers

When parrots are relaxed and comfortable, the feathers on their head are smooth and lie flat to their heads with- out looking slicked down. If they are mildly excited and anticipating something pleasurable the feathers may be slightly raised at the crown and or the nape.

When excited parrots lift their head feathers, sometimes every feather on their heads is standing straight out. Normally if all the feathers are raised, the bird may rock from side to side. If the feathers point straight up, like a crew cut, or are elevated on the nape and around the neck, the bird behavior will escalate to the next level. If the situation is tense and the mature bird has a history of biting, move away, and avoid the bite.

Baby birds may demonstrate similar expressions with their feathers. However, their bodies will appear limp and they may flip one or both wings while vocalizing. This is a solicitation for food. Chicks that lunge at people and grab them with an open mouth are not attempting to bite. They are hungry.

Head Bobbing and Repetitive Behaviors

Parrots bob their head up and down in an effort to regurgitate. It is a compliment for a parrot to try to feed a per- son, even though it is disgusting to us. When birds are trying to regurgitate food, they arch their necks and pull their heads in towards their chests. They hold their bodies upright and they look taller. Head bobbing may be a self-soothing behavior exhibited by a nervous bird, most of the time it is a gesture of friendliness. Parrots will also bob their heads up and down when they are threatened. In these instances, they do not stretch their bodies upwards and they do not arch their neck. They also bob at a higher speed.

Head bobbing can be a part of dancing. If is rhythmic and in time to music. When a bird excels at dancing, the head movement will vary between bobbing, swaying, figure eights and tossing.

Bored, neurotic macaws trapped in a cage or on a perch for long periods will do the “Stevie Wonder”. This is often mistaken for dancing. The “Stevie Wonder” refers to head movements that remind people of the blind singer. The birds’ eyes do not appear to focus on any particular object or person. They stand upright and move their head in a circle or figure eight. Some birds simply sway back and forth with a blank stare. Bored parrots in need of enrichment run in circles around their cages, like a hamster in a wheel, or they run their beaks up and down between a set of bars. These are all indications that the birds are suffering from extreme boredom and are in desperate need of enrichment

58 Kashmir Csaky

Blushing and Facial Patches

Some macaws blush, just like humans. The facial skin reddens when the bird is feeling intense emotion. The bird may be very happy or the emotion may be negative; evaluate the situation before rendering a judgment. Blue- throated macaws maintain a pale pink facial patch even if they are not experiencing any emotional stimulation. Palm cockatoos have bare facial patches that deepen in color when they are stimulated. Their skin is photosensi- tive and may appear pink rather than red when they live indoors for prolonged periods. Emotional changes are easier to detect in these birds. Hyacinth macaws also have photosensitive skin that deepens in color with pro- tracted exposed to sunlight. Palm cockatoos and Hyacinth macaws may be in poor health if their skin is too pale. Their skin can change to a deep bright color when the bird is capable and ready to breed. This is important to note, since birds are more reactive to stimuli during breeding season and they can develop an unnatural sexual attraction to a human or a toy.

Air sacs

Parrots have air sacs throughout their bodies. A parrot can puff up the air sacs in his head and neck to attract at- tention. A bird with a ruptured air sac in his neck may look like a chick with a full crop.

Eyes

Parrots have amazing eyes. They see into the ultraviolet range of the spectrum. To them we are colorblind. A parrot’s eyesight is much keener than a human’s eyesight and some species of parrots are able to focus simulta- neously on near and far objects. Their depth of field is poor due to the placement of their eyes. Having eyes on the side of their head allows them to have a greater field of vision. However, there is a small blind spot, directly in front of their beaks. It is best not to hold treats too close to a parrot’s face since she may not see it.

Flashing or pinning is the easiest eye expression for people to recognize. When we see their eyes pinning they are attempting to judge distance or it can be an indication of an emotional response to stimuli. Parrots will pin their eyes before biting, getting into a fight with another parrot, grabbing up a delectable treat and while eating it.

Whenever birds are sleepy, their eyes will narrow. Birds that look sleepy most of the time are not feeling well. Old birds’ eyes will often look hooded and sleepy. Chicks hatch with their eyes sealed shut and their eyes slowly open over a period of days or weeks.

If a parrot’s upper lid flattens and the lower lid remains rounded, the bird is expressing negative emotion. A par- rot may arch his neck, bring his head in towards his chest, and look down his beak. When he does this, he will look very much like a person looking over the top of reading glasses in disapproval. I see this expression most frequently in African Greys and Amazons.

59 Kashmir Csaky

Mouth

Beaks are solid structures made of keratin and it may seem that little about a bird emotions is readable by looking at the mouth. Yet, a parrot’s mouth and the feathers around it can be very expressive. Some birds like cockatoos can raise the feathers around their beaks so that the beak is almost covered. They do this when they are calm or at rest. Cockatoos will grind their beaks as they are falling asleep. When happy they raise their crest turn their heads sideways and make a rapid clicking sound with their beaks.

To bite, a bird must first open his mouth and some birds will open their mouths very wide as a warning. Yet, there are times when we see an open mouth and are unable to decide if the bird is being threatening or may want some- thing that we have in our hands. It is possible to tell the difference by looking at the bird’s tongue. If the tongue is set right in the middle of the bird’s mouth, half way between the upper and lower beak, the bird is threatening to bite. If the tongue is resting in the lower part of the beak and is extended towards the person’s hand, the bird is reaching for an item. Of course, observing other physical expressions may be more obvious and easier to read.

Parrots have bones in their tongues. At the tip of the tongue, they have a bone that looks very much like a pelvic bone with joints; the design of the bones allows each side of the tongue to move independently. Consequently, par- rots are able to use their tongues to manipulate items within their mouths with ease. A parrot will sometimes lift his tongue to the roof of his mouth when he reaches for an item that he intends to slip under his tongue.

Wings

A parrot’s wings can be very expressive. When their wings are held open they make the birds look much larger, increasing their apparent size dramatically. Because their wings are the primary means of escape or attack, wings held away from the body are usually an indication of negative emotions. Birds may hold their wings spread out and stiff, lifted over their heads straight up, with bends to their wings at the shoulders or held akimbo as an indica- tion of negative emotions. A parrot may be fearful if he holds his wings tight against his body and his feathers flat against his skin. He may have his shoulders lifted, making him look smaller. When birds are comfortable, their wings are relaxed at their sides. Droopy wings indicate that a parrot is tired, sick or stressed out.

Legs and Feet

Parrots do not use their feet like raptors to kill prey. They occasionally use their feet as weapons and a parrot’s pri- mary defenses are his beak and his voice. Chicks cannot use their beaks successfully to defend themselves. When chicks hatch, their beaks are soft and harden over time. They have little strength in their jaws and their bite is not effective in doing much damage to predators. If attacked in the nest they kick violently and use their feet as weap- ons. Adults bite to defend themselves and if they are on their backs, they will kick. When asking to be left alone, a parrot might lift one leg and hold her foot out in front of her, as if to say, “Stop.” Another parrot may look like he is pushing someone away by beating at the air with his open foot. This normally happens when someone is trying to pick-up the bird and the bird does not want to step onto the person’s hand. It can be confusing for most people. The person feels that the bird has lifted her foot as an indication that she wants to step up. An adult bird seldom lifts a foot high enough that the pads of her foot are visible. Eager babies and some very eager adults will expose the bottom of a foot when they want to step up.

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Cockatoos often beat one of their feet against their perches when they become excited. This can be an expression of both a positive or negative emotion. Foot stomping can escalate into head swing and screaming.

Eclectus are known for toe tapping. There are numerous suppositions about the cause of this behavior including im- proper diets, allergies, disease and emotional distress. Yet, no one knows the answer.

Macaws and conures are two species that mate side-by-side rather than mounting. When they grab a person’s hand from the side, they are offering a sexual invitation.

Sometimes a bird that appears frustrated will look like he is biting his foot. He grabs his foot in his mouth and pumps on it. This is not to be mistaken for a bird that is using his own foot to help him regurgitate. When the bird is actually trying to regurgitate the pumping is slower and much more deliberate.

Nervous birds will tighten their grip. If you have a bird perched on your body and you feel the bird’s grip tightening up on you, it is wise to stop what you are doing and take note of any changes in the environment that may be making the bird anxious and move away from it.

Tail

Parrot tails are a thing of great beauty and they know it. They fan their tails when they are trying to get human atten- tion, when they are trying to appear formidable and when they are trying to attract a mate. When some birds are molting a tail feather, they will shake their tails in an effort to get the feather to fall out. Parrots with long tails often appear fearful of a tail feather as it is about to molt. They will jump around shake their tails and look like they are running from some invisible threat. Most birds also shake their tails after preening their tail feathers.

Macaws masturbate by pulling their own tails with their feet. This is often mistaken as a cute behavior, since people do not notice any sexual contact and they do not understand that it is still stimulating for the birds.

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Sexual Body Language

Courtship behaviors are obvious to other parrots and often confusing to humans. During courtship, the goal is to gather as much positive attention as possible. Birds fluff themselves up to stand out. They lift their crests, if they have one. They fan their tails; flash their wings to show the color on the undersides of the wings. Their eyes pin and dilate and the males strut.

Females may become submissive, crouching down with quivering wings. Female cockatoos become quieter if there is a raucous male swaggering about. Female macaws and conures lift their tail into the air to be sexually pro- vocative.

Bonded pairs exhibit synchronized movements. This is particularly noticeable when the pair is landing together. Bonded pairs of Hyacinths display strong synchronized movements and they will copulate at the sight of an inter- loper near their nest during breeding season.

Parrots feed their mates, their babies and the people that are important to them. It is a sign of affection for a bird to regurgitate to you. Young birds that are weaning or have just become food independent will regurgitate to every- thing, this is a normal and natural part of their development. It is not a sign of sexual solicitation.

It is vital to recognize sexual language in a pet bird so that it is not encouraged. Encouraging sexual behavior can lead to many future difficulties that become hard to control. Avoiding this issue will make life much more pleasant for both the people and the birds.

62 Steve Dale

Steve Dale

Steve Dale, pet expert and certified dog and cat behavior consultant, reaches more pet owners than any other pet journalist in America.

Steve writes a twice-weekly syndicated newspaper column (Tribune Media Services); he’s a contributing editor at USA Weekend and host of two nationally syndicated radio shows, Steve Dale’s Pet World and The Pet Min- ute, and Steve Dale’s Pet World at WLS Radio, Chicago.

Frequently sought after for his passionate views, he’s a frequent guest on radio talk shows. On TV he’s ap- peared on The Oprah Winfrey Show; National Geographic Explorer; Pets Part of the Family. PBS; the Fox News Channel, CNN Headlines News, various Animal Planet Shows and others. He was a regular on WGN-TV Chicago. In print, he’s been quoted in, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Redbook, vet- erinary publications and dozens more.

Steve’s a regular speaker at veterinary and animal welfare conferences, and has hosted many national TV and radio satellite tours.

Steve edits Pawprints, a newsletter for veterinarians; and he’s a special correspondent for Cat Fancy. He serves on Boards of Directors including the American Humane Association. His books include American Zoos and DogGone Chicago. Steve’s many awards include the distinguished AVMA Humane Award.

63 Steve Dale

Steve Dale’s cat Ricky played the piano, and jumped through hoops – here’s a cat who’s life was totally enriched. Steve is certified by the International Association of Animal Behavior as a feline and also canine behavior consult- ant. He’s spoken on this topic and others at meetings including the Conference of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Western Veterinary Conference and North American Veterinary Conference. He syndicated newspaper column is read in over 100 newspapers, and he is the host of three radio shows about pets and he makes frequent TV appearances. He’s won many awards including the AVMA Humane Award, and Winn Feline Foundation Media Award. His web- site is www.stevedalepetworld.com.

FELINE ENRICHMENT: Brain Dead Fat Cats

Enrichment is quite the Buzz Word  Environmental Behavioral A matter of manipulating the environment to suit animals’ behavior or the match the animal’s behavior with the environment.

"Environmental enrichment is a process for improving or enhancing zoo animal environments and care within the context of their inhabitant's behavioral biology and natural history. It is a dynamic process in which changes to struc- tures and husbandry practices are made with the goal of increasing the behavioral choice available to animals and drawing out their species-appropriate behaviors and abilities, thus enhancing their welfare. As the term implies, en- richment typically involves the identification and subsequent addition to the zoo environment of a specific stimulus or characteristic that the occupant(s) needs but which was not previously present." 1 "The physical environment in the primary enclosures must be enriched by providing means of expressing non- injurious species-typical activities. Examples of environmental enrichment include providing perches, swings, mir- rors, and other increased cage complexities; providing objects to manipulate; varied food items; using foraging or task-oriented feeding methods; and providing interaction with the care giver or other familiar and knowledgeable person consistent with personnel safety precautions." 2 Zoos have long been interested and have participated in providing animals with behavioral enrichment, more than what our companion animals at home receive. 3, 4, 5, 48 Zoos feeding road kill, hiding food (under ground debris, in pipes, etc.) in exhibits, using ‘giant buster cubes,’ oper- ant conditioning, orangutan’s who paint, chimpanzees who use computers – even allowing great apes to choose their own music. Simply allowing them to choose, indoors or outdoors. Rotating objects in the exhibit which seem station- ary, but are not, places to sit to the vines. Choose to give themselves a shower if they so desire. If they pass by a mo- tion detector, they get a shower. A light lets them know that food is in the termite mound, and a condiment inside for chimps varies (mustard, catsup, barbeque cause, jams, etc). Optimum examples are chimpanzees in Chicago, who can blow air on the people. 46, 47, 48, 49

64 Steve Dale

It’s about offering choices and giving control 46 The secret is to think like a cat – lion or a domestic cat. Using enrichment techniques, zoos have: Lessened stereotypical behaviors, increased animals ‘natural tendencies,’ enhanced exercise (lowering number of overweight animals, or animals as overweight), slowed the aging process, lessened or eliminated anxious behaviors 47, 48, 49 Presumably if enrichment techniques can help zoo animals, they can help our companion animals…. Or simply, what grandpa said. “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” Millions of our purring pals are braid dead – they’ve lost it upstairs while at the same time they’ve gained it around their middles. And their owners have no idea because that is how they expect cats to be. At least 30 to 40 per cent of pets are overweight; 25 per cent obese – and even greater number in cats. These tubby tabbies likely have: 6, 7, 8  Change in metabolism Significant health issues

The average life span of indoor cats is about 14 years – though this is reduced to 4 years in cats that are allowed to roam free, exposing themselves to the hazards of outdoor life. 9, 10, 11, 12 Cars Stray Dogs Anti Freeze Wildlife Cold weather/Car hoods Cytauxzoonosis Human Cruelty: Shooting, cat napping Infectious disease

“The truth is life may be more exhilarating for cats outdoors. However, as a veterinarian my job is to encourage safety and good health,” Dr. Nicholas Dodman 9

Millions of indoor cats are likely clinically depressed. Doing nothing all day, everyday is not normal.” Dr. Karen Overall 15

Advantages of Socialization Classes for Kittens: 17, 18, 19 Kiitty Classes Saves Lives!  Cats must be vet checked before enrolling – support, in fact, of twice a year visits 20  They are desensitized to the carrier  Desensitized to travel  Desensitized to strange people, species (canines)  Learn about proper care – which may enhance health, such as clipping nails, brushing their coats and brushing teeth  Prevent behavior problems, before they occur  Understand what is normal cat behavior  Subtle Signs of Illness 21, 24

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 Feline Heartworm 22, 23, 25, 26 Provides a resource should problems occur later To boost confidence, and just plain fun for kittens and for people

“Having an activated prey drive is a requirement for all cats,” Pam Johnson-Bennett 16

This is ‘normal’ feline behavior - 27, 28

Behavioral/Environmental Enrichment: 15, 29, 30, 31, 45 Alleviate boredom Brain exercise Exercise / Burning calories Prevent behavior problems Assist in dealing with behavior problems if they do occur Enjoyment / fun Slows onset cognitive changes

A clear link between lack of enrichment and stress, various health problems in cats including cystitis. 31 A link between stress and health – A link between offering all this to your cat and enhancing the bond

Every House Should Have: 15, 29, 30, .31 High places where cat is allowed Scratching post Window ledge (not only high – but view outdoors) A cozy place (a box, tunnel) Room with a view, place(s) to watch the outside world

Toy Story: 29 30, 32, 45 Rotate toys Understand the kind of toys your cat likes Re-define toys – an empty box can be a toy More ideas: Empty box, bottle caps, corks, aluminum foil ball, walnut in bathub, ping pong ball. Once a day with an interactive toy (with fabric, feathers, Cat Dancer) – that’s the stress busting prescription – 32 Feliway, catnip, valerian root, etc. Laser light (pro’s and con’s) 15 Various other toys, balls, mice toys, etc. 3 Food Games – feed from Play’n Treat Balls, Scent Games. Cats are not Anti-Social, Aloof: In fact, they are social 33, 34, 35

66 Steve Dale

Other furry friends….¼ of cat owners have a dog; ¼ of dog owners have a cat …living with another cat, or another pet. 36, 37, 40, 44 Training Cats: A Cat’s Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste: 38, 39, 41, 42, 43  Harness Training  Tricks  Agility If a cat goes outdoors – protected – great…but then –for certain, protection also against parasites: Heartworm, flea protection. 50

1. American Zoological Aquarium Association Behavioral Advisory Group, BHAG, (1999.). 2. United States Department of Agriculture 1991. Title 9, CFR (Code of Federal Register), Part 3. Animal Welfare; Standards; Final Rule. Federal Register 56(No. 32), 6426-6505. 3. “Behavioral Enrichment in the Zoo,” by Hal Markowitz, (1982). 4. “The Zoo Book: The Evolution of Wildlife Conservation Centers,” by Linda Koebner, pgs.. 86-90. (1994). 5. “American Zoos,” by Steve Dale, (1992) 6.Therapeutic Exercise and Weight Management, American Animal Hospital Association, (2005). 7. Diet and Weight Control, www.healthypet.com (AAHA site). 8. Purina® Study Confirms Link Between Body Fat and Certain Health Conditions, (2003). 9. Dr. Nicholas Dodman, personal interview, (2003). 10.”The TNR Handbook” Bryan Kordis, Meredith Weiss, Anitra Frazier, Laura Burns and Susan Green, pgs. 1 to 7, (2004). 11. Berkeley, California Animal Services, http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/animalservices/feralpubsafety.html 12. American Bird Conservancy, Cats Indoors Initiative, http://www.abcbirds.org/cats/index.htm 13, Keeping Cats Indoors Isn’t Just for the Birds, the American Humane Society, American Bird Conservancy and the Humane Society of the United States. 14. Facts on Cats and Wildlife: A Conservation Dilemma, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Bulletin 7148. 15. Dr. Karen Overall, personal interview, (2003). 16. “Think Like a Cat,” by Pam Johnson-Bennett, pgs. 103 to 124, and personal interviews (2000 to 2007). 17. Feline Behavior Guidelines, American Association of Feline Practitioners, www.aafponline.org, pgs. 22 to 24, (2005). 18 “Training Your Cat,” Dr. Kersti Seksel, Hyland House Press, Flemington Victoria Australia, pgs. 39 to 41, (2001). 19 Kitty-K: www.stevedalepetworrld.com 20. American Association of Feline Practitioners 2006 Feline Vaccine Advisory Panel Report, www.aafponline.org 21. Dr. James Richards, director Cornell Feline Health Center, at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medi- cine, Ithaca, NY, My Pet World syndicated newspaper column, Steve Dale, (August, 2006) 22. American Heartworm Society, http://www.heartwormsociety.org/FelineHeartwormInfo.htm approved by the Executive Board of the American Heartworm Society (Dr. Charles Thomas Nelson, Dr. Donald W. Doiron; Dr. John W. McCall; Dr. Sheldon B. Rubin; Dr. Lynn F.

67 Steve Dale

CANINE ENRICHMENT

Enrichment is quite the Buzz Word Environmental Behavioral A matter of manipulating the environment to suit animals’ behavior or the match the animal’s behavior with the en- vironment.

"Environmental enrichment is a process for improving or enhancing zoo animal environments and care within the context of their inhabitant's behavioral biology and natural history. It is a dynamic process in which changes to struc- tures and husbandry practices are made with the goal of increasing the behavioral choice available to animals and drawing out their species-appropriate behaviors and abilities, thus enhancing their welfare. As the term implies, en- richment typically involves the identification and subsequent addition to the zoo environment of a specific stimulus or characteristic that the occupant(s) needs but which was not previously present." 1 "The physical environment in the primary enclosures must be enriched by providing means of expressing non- injurious species-typical activities. Examples of environmental enrichment include providing perches, swings, mir- rors, and other increased cage complexities; providing objects to manipulate; varied food items; using foraging or task-oriented feeding methods; and providing interaction with the care giver or other familiar and knowledgeable person consistent with personnel safety precautions." 2 Zoos have long been interested and have participated in providing animals with behavioral enrichment, more than what our companion animals at home receive. 3, 4, 5, 10 Zoos feeding road kill, hiding food (under ground debris, in pipes, etc.) in exhibits, using ‘giant buster cubes,’ oper- ant conditioning, orangutan’s who paint, chimpanzees who use computers – even allowing great apes to choose their own music. Simply allowing them to choose, indoors or outdoors. Rotating objects in the exhibit which seem station- ary, but are not, places to sit to the vines. Choose to give themselves a shower if they so desire. If they pass by a mo- tion detector, they get a shower. A light lets them know that food is in the termite mound, and a condiment inside for chimps varies (mustard, catsup, barbeque cause, jams, etc). Optimum examples are chimpanzees in Chicago, who can blow air on the people. 8, 9, 10, 11 It’s about offering choices and giving control 8. The secret is to think like a cat – lion or a domestic cat. Using enrichment techniques, zoos have: Lessened stereotypical behaviors, increased animals ‘natural tendencies,’ enhanced exercise (lowering number of overweight animals, or animals as overweight), slowed the aging process, lessened or eliminated anxious behaviors 9, 10, 11 Presumably if enrichment techniques can help zoo animals, they can help our companion animals…. Or simply, what grandpa said. “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” Millions of are brain dead. They’ve lost it upstairs while at the same time they’ve gained it around their middles. At least 30 to 40 per cent of pets are overweight; 25 per cent obese – 6, 7 Change in metabolism Significant health issues

All dogs were bred to do something…. Dogs do need to have a job 27:

68 Steve Dale

On average, a dog spends 15 minutes per day eating….there musty be more to life 12

Stimulants - Visual -Scent Discrimination -Auditory

Insufficient stimulus can cause: Hyperactivity, destructive chewing, acral lick dermatitis, attention-seeking behaviors, contribute to compulsive disorders, separation anxiety, bad habits in the backyard and certain forms of aggression, and plain old boredom. Dying brain cells. 12, 17, 27, 28, 29

The choices of how a dog plays, where a dog plays, what toys the dog plays with may be dependent on age, breed and personal preference. Young dogs prefer (require) oral toys and the opportunity to explore environment. Terriers enjoy digging up toys; a Retriever may simply want to walk around with a toy in his mouth. A herding breed dog may enjoy interactive play, ‘herding’ a Frisbree disc. 17

Predictability of toys and time they are left to play has benefits, but so do changes and surprises, if from as a puppy a dog developed that elasticity. 13, 19

Ideas: Feed all means from age and “talent” appropriate treat dispensing balls. Read the Paper: Scattering food under newspaper. Turned over boxes Closed boxes with a hole. Divide portions of dog’s meal in containers or Kong toys or Busy Buddy toys and located around the house, “Sniffing for Supper.” Placing novel scents in the environment: Rabbit, squired scents from sporting goods stores. Novel herbs, spices and colognes. Wading pool for a dog. Digging pit in the yard. A popsicle of Gatorade, low salt bullion or chicken broth (perhaps with kibble inside or a dog treat or carrot stick). Frozen melon balls. Unused washed plastic milk cartons – put some kibble inside, dog rolls it and kibble falls out. Training sessions Take a dog for walks in new places for new sights and smells. Rotates indoor and/or outdoor toys, and encourage play Novel walks to new and different places, offers new and different sensations and experiences. Doggy door (which critters can’t walk into, and can lock if coyotes, snakes are an issue) Learning new tricks

Chews toys, in particular, can: 13, 18 Offer Dental benefits Learn appropriate mouthing behavior as puppies Used as a training technique, offering an alternative activity when the family is eating, etc. Learn what is ‘theirs’ to chew on Explore their environment via their mouths

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Offers a sense of enjoyment – dogs enjoy chewing ie: a sense of well being

Companionship: Dogs Are Pack Animals We know dogs living with canine companions may be more active 13 Dogs do best with canines to interact, socialize with, as well as with people 15, 16 Another cat, even a pet parrot is helpful. Of course, if you get a parrot – it’s the parrot who may be in charge. Other pets such as hamsters, gerbils, Guinea pigs – the challenge is to insure their safety and anxiety thresh- olds. Even seeing another dog housed in cages showed that they responded more than toys alone offered. 14, 15 Living with pets can solve some problems, be careful not to create new ones. 26

Impact on Aging:

Cognitive enrichment early in life appears to protect against development of age-associated cognitive decline and dementia. 19

In one study at the University of California-Davis, 62% of 11- to 16-year-old dogs showed signs in at least one cate- gory of CDS.22, 23 In a pet owner survey, nearly half of dogs age 8 and older showed at least one sign associated with CDS.24

Watch for DISH 20 DISH Disorientation (confusion) Interactions with family members/other pets Sleep / Wake Cycle Changes House Soiling Additionally: Deafness, Anxiety Diet: Hills BD, or diet for joint problems since pain can cause other changes in pets.

Although the cause of cognitive dysfunction is unknown, autopsies reveal that the brains of old dogs are often clogged with globs of nerve-damaging beta-amyloid plaques similar to those found in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease. 21 Treatment may include: Diet (antioxidant fortification), Enrichment . 19 ‘You can teach an old dog new tricks:’ - - - Stimulating environments suggests improved learning due to induced changes in brain cellular structure which may help to actually grow new neurons when otherwise they would not, and increase existing neurons to injury. Would dogs with stimulated environments learn new tasks? They did – but did best with nutritional supplementation as well. 19

Having a job may help. And physical benefits of enrichment assist in mobility, and may offer some defense against worsening cognition. 19

Motor learning (as opposed to mere motor activity) may increase synapse formation in the cerebellar cortex in rats. 19

An enrichment outlet is good, and may lesson anxiety 21

70 Steve Dale

Treating with Anipryl earlier may be helpful. 25 Anipryl® is the veterinary trade name for a drug called selegiline hydrochloride, also known as L- deprenyl. It is used in humans for treatment of Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease, and Cushing's Disease. The drug is approved by the FDA for use in dogs for treatment of Pituitary Dependent Hyperadrenocorticism (PDH) also known as Cushing's Disease and Canine Cognitive Dysfunction

1. American Zoological Aquarium Association Behavioral Advisory Group, BHAG, (1999.). 2.United States Depart- ment of Agriculture 1991. Title 9, CFR (Code of Federal Register), Part 3. Animal Welfare; Standards; Final Rule. Federal Register 56(No. 32), 6426-6505. 3. “Behavioral Enrichment in the Zoo,” by Hal Markowitz, (1982). 4. “The Zoo Book: The Evolution of Wildlife Conservation Centers,” by Linda Koebner, pgs.. 86-90. (1994). 5. “American Zoos,” by Steve Dale, (1992) 6.Therapeutic Exercise and Weight Management, American Animal Hospital Association, (2005). 7. Diet and Weight Control, www.healthypet.com (AAHA site). 8. Steve Ross, behavior research specialist Lincoln Park Zoo personal interview, 2004 9. Shepherdson, D. 1989. Stereotypic Behaviour: what is it and how can it be eliminated or prevented? Ratel, 16:100- 105; 1998; Introduction: Tracing the Path of Environmental Enrichment in Zoos. Pp. 1-14, in Second nature: environ- mental enrichment for captive animals (D. J. Shepherdson, J. D. Mellen, and M. Hutchins, eds.). Smithsonian Institute Press, Washington, District of Columbia, p. 350. 10. Proceedings North American Veterinary Conference Post Graduate Institute, Craig Schultz, United States Depart- ment of Agriculture, “Behavior Techniques in Zoo Animals,” 2004. 11. Manufacture, Selection, and Responses to Habitat Enrichment Items for Captive Nonhuman Primates, Mary Baker (et. al). http://faculty.ucr.edu/~maryb/enrichment.htm, in conjunction with San Diego Zoo. 12. Dr. Lore Haug, handout Environment Enrichment for Dogs 13. Dr. Debra Horwitz, “Enriching the Environment of Our Pets: The Psychology of Play and Behavior Modification Veterinary Forum,” December, 2002. 14. Dr. Andrew Leuscher, “Enriching the Environment of Our Pets: The Psychology of Play and Behavior Modifica- tion Veterinary Forum,” December, 2002. 15. Hubrecht RC, Scrpcll JA, Poole TB: Correlates of Pen Size and Housing Conditions on the Behavior of Kenneled Dogs, Applied Animal Behavior, Sd 34: 365-383, 1992. 16. Dr. Gary Landsberg, Enriching the Environment of Our Pets: The Psychology of Play and Behavior Modification Veterinary Forum,” December, 2002. 17. Dr. Barbara Simpson, Dr. Jacqui Neilson, Landsberg, Horwtiz Enriching the Environment of Our Pets: The Psy- chology of Play and Behavior Modification Veterinary Forum,” December, 2002. 18. Personal interview Dr. Jean Hawkins (veterinary dentist), 2006. 19. Neuroprotective Effects of Cognitive Enrichment, Norton W. Milgram, Chrstina T. Siwak-Tap, Joseph Araujo, Elizabeth Head, Aging Research Reviews Neurobiology of Aging, Elsevier, pgs. 354-369, 2006. 20. “Studies of the Infirmities of Aging Dogs Offer Insights for Humans,” by Jane Brody, New York Times, 2002. (Dr. Gary Landsberg) 21. Handbook of Behavior Problems of the Dog and Cat, by Dr. Gary Lansberg, Dr. Wayne Hunthausen and Dr. Lowell Ackerman, pgs. 269-304; 1997.

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22. Neilson JC, Hart BL, Ruehl WW: Cited in Hart BL, Hart LA: Selecting, raising and caring for dogs to avoid prob- lem aggression. JAVMA, 210(8):1129-1134; 1997. 23. Ruehl WW, Hart BL: Canine Cognitive Dysfunction. In Psychopharmacology of Animal Behavior Disorders (Dodman NH, Schuster L, eds.). Boston: Blackwell Scientific, 1998; pgs. 283-304. 24. Proprietary market research, 1998. Pet owner sample size: 255. Data on file, Pfizer Animal Health. 25. Dr. Nicholas Dodman, personal interview, 2007. 26. PETiQuette: Solving Behavior Problems in Your Multi-Pet Household, by Amy Shojai, 2005. 27. The Culture Class, by Jean Donaldson, 2nd Edition, 2005. 28. Don’t Shoot the Dog, by Karen Pryor, 1984 29. Pet Behavior Protocols, by Suzanne Hetts, American Animal Hospital Association; p. 131; 1999.

©Steve Dale

72 Dr. Sheila D’Arpino

Dr. Sheila D'Arpino

Dr. Sheila D'Arpino is the Senior Applied Animal Behaviorist for the Animal Rescue League of Boston, where she serves as a behavioral resource for ARL and other shelters, develops behavior programs for the Center for Shelter Dogs, lectures at conferences and veterinary schools, and participates in research to improve the quality of life and behavioral assessment procedures for shelter dogs. Dr D'Arpino is board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. Dr. D'Arpino is the author of two book chapters about shelter animal behav- ior, has contributed to several magazines and websites, and has presented numerous webinars through PetSmart Charities. She is also a member of the Independent Review Board for American Humane Association's ABRI online website. Dr. D'Arpino graduated from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 1996, interned at the Animal Medical Center in New York City, and then worked in private practice as an emergency veterinarian and gen- eral practitioner. In 2005, she completed a three year post-graduate behavior specialty training program at UC Davis, with an emphasis on shelter animals and shelter behavior programs. Before moving to Boston, Dr. D'Ar- pino worked for the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program and a behavior specialty practice, Sacramento Veterinary Behavior Services.

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Working with food aggressive dogs: evaluation, management, and training

Food aggressive dogs are dogs that behave aggressively over meals, edible chew toys (rawhides, pig’s ears, etc), and/or stolen food items. Lecture and videos will teach attendees about successfully evaluating, training and managing dogs with this problem

74 75 Dr. Nicholas Dodman

Dr. Nicholas Dodman

Dr. Nicholas Dodman is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Be- haviorists, and Professor, Section Head and Program Director of the Animal Be- havior Department of Clinical Sciences. Dr. Dodman is one of the world’s most noted and celebrated veterinary behaviorists. He grew-up in England and trained to be a vet in Scotland. At the age of 26, he became the youngest veterinary fac- ulty member in Britain. It was at that time that Dr. Dodman began specializing in surgery and anesthesiology. In 1981, Dr. Dodman immigrated to the United States where he became a faculty member of Tufts University School of Veteri- nary Medicine. Shortly after his arrival, Dr. Dodman became interested in behav- ioral pharmacology and the field of animal behavior. After spending several years in this area of research, he founded the Animal Behavior Clinic - one of the first of its kind - at Tufts in 1986. He received an additional board certification in animal behavior from the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. Dr. Dodman began to see clinical cases in 1987 and since 1990, he has devoted all of his time to his specialty practice of animal behavior. Since the mid 1990s, Dr. Dodman has written four acclaimed bestselling books that have received a tremendous amount of national press. His first book, The Dog Who Loved Too Much (Bantam Books, 1995), was an unqualified suc- cess selling more than 100,000 copies as did his second book, The Cat Who Cried for Help (Bantam Books, 1997). His third book, Dogs Behaving Badly (Bantam Books, 1999) was again a bestseller while his latest, If Only They Could Speak (W.W. Norton & Co., 2002) was recently released as a trade paperback. Dr. Dodman is internationally recognized and sought after as a leader in his field. In addition to his four trade books, he has authored two textbooks and more than 100 articles and contributions to scientific books and journals. He appears regularly on radio and television including: 20/20, Oprah, The To- day Show, Good Morning America, Dateline, World News with Peter Jennings, Discovery Channel, NOVA, Animal Planet, the BBC and CBC, CNN’s Headline News, Inside Edition, MSNBC, NOVA, NPR’s “Fresh Air” and A&E. He is an ad hoc guest on WBUR’s “Here & Now.” As a former senior editor for PetPlace.com, he is currently a columnist for the American Kennel Club’s quarterly publication, AKC Family Dog, where his column was nominated for 2005 “Column of the Year.” Additionally, he is a Pet Expert for Time, Inc. and also writes a monthly “Expert Advice” column for LIFE magazine that is read by twelve million people. Dr. Dod- man is also the editor of Tufts University’s forthcoming Puppies First Steps, which has been sold to Houghton Mifflin (2007). He is a consultant to and official national spokesman for a new line of pet products from Zero Odor LLC for whom he recently completed shooting a 28-minute infomercial that will air up to five times a week on cable television networks beginning the spring of 2006. In addition, Dr Dodman has recently com- pleted a television pilot for a series of his own sponsored by The Humane Society of the United States. Dr. Dod- man graduated from Glasgow University Veterinary School in Scotland where he received a BVMS (DVM equivalent). He was a surgical intern at the Glasgow Veterinary School before joining the faculty. He received a Diploma in Veterinary Anesthesia from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, and is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists and the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, and the American Society for Veterinary Animal Behavior. Dr. Dodman holds ten US patents for behavior modification treatments, including a recent (2002) patent that details a novel treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder in humans. Early work in the Harvard and Yale University Psychiatry Departments confirms the validity of this novel treatment. Dr. Dodman lives near Tufts University with his wife, Dr. Linda Breitman, a veterinarian who specializes in small animals, and their children.

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Compulsive Behavior Across the Species

Dr. Dodman will go over the history of how compulsive behaviors were first recognized in animals, his own early work which lead to his interest in compulsive disorders, and the research and clinical trials which have linked the human and animal condition more closely than ever before. He will refer to equine, canine and feline compulsive disorders - the form they take and treatments that can be applied - and will make passing reference to compulsions in other species, including zoo animals and captive psittacines.

77 Eric Goebelbecker

Eric Goebelbecker

After adopting a puppy that was a "bit of a handful", Eric Goebelbecker, CPDT-KA discovered modern dog training via classes at St. Hubert s Dog Training School, experiencing first hand what can be done with dog-friendly techniques.

Eric owns and runs Dog Spelled Forward while also working as software engineer on Wall Street. Eric started working closely with rescue dogs 8 years ago as a volunteer and decided that he wanted to change careers almost on the spot. Since then he has attended several advanced apprenticeships, courses, and seminars, and worked as a trainer at Best Friends Pet Care in NY and St. Hubert s.

As a software engineer and technology executive Eric has worked on or around Wall Street for 20 years. He co-founded a small company that changed the way market data is distributed to financial institutions. He has also worked as a sys- tems engineer designing and installing trading floors for several major banks and financial institutions, was the Director of Systems Engineering for Telerate, and has run several development teams. Eric is also a regular blogger at Dog Star Daily.

Social Media: Why Should I Bother?

Everywhere you look it seems like everyone is talking about and using social media. What is it? Is it something you can use for your business, or it is just a way to connect with old friends from High School?

The fact is, all businesses need to be aware of social media and how they can use it to remain competitive without letting it consume too much of their time or worse, make them look uninformed or unprofessional.

78 Barbara Handelman, M.Ed., CDBC

Barbara Handelman is the author of the highly acclaimed book, Canine Behavior: A Photo Illustrated Handbook. This book grew out of Barbara’s close relationships with her dogs Moon, Luca, and Pan who filled her days with opportuni- ties to observe the fascinating variety of canine behavior. With her book Barbara offers readers, devoted to dogs, a color- ful tapestry of interwoven words and woofs.

Barbara has been a Clinical Mental Health Counselor for forty years. Early in her career, her work focused on relation- ship therapy with non-verbal children. In that context, Barbara became a careful observer of human body language. Studying the ways dogs and horses use their bodies to communicate became a natural extension of her work with chil- dren. She is now a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant specializing in clicker training assistance dogs for people with disabilities. For the last twenty years Barbara has had a second career as a professional photographer, using her camera to capture the moods and movements of people, horses, and dogs.

Barbara was an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maine, and the University of New Hampshire where she taught for many years. Currently, she teaches an on-line course: Understanding Canine Behavior, and moderates a lec- ture series on Ethology and Canine Behavior, both und under the auspices of www.e-trainingfordogs.com.

Currently, Barbara’s animal training energies are divided between her giant horse Sante´ and her assistance dog, Nate. Nate is a career change dog from the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, who came into Barbara’s life a year ago – after the winter, 2009, deaths of both Luca and Pan. Nate and Sante´ have remarkably similar personalities. Both have the innate capacity to pull with considerable force. Barbara has adapted Alexandra Kurland’s “Why Would You Leave Me” clicker exercises to train both her horse and her dog to walk quietly by her side.

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99 Pam Johnson-Bennett

Pam Johnson-Bennett

Pam Johnson-Bennett is a certified cat behavior consultant and author of 7 books on cat behavior. She is the founder and co-chair of the IAABC Cat Division. She is the behavior spokesperson for Friskies and is also on the American Humane Association's Advisory Board on Behavior and Training. She owns Cat Behavior Asso- ciates, LLC, a private veterinarian-referred behavior service in Nashville, TN.

From Shelter to New Home: Introduction and Acclimation of Cats in Transition

During a visit to the shelter, a cat is picked out by the family and brought home. The family may be expecting kitty to blend right into the daily routine without missing a beat. In many cases, the family members have no idea what is involved in the transition period from the cat's previous life, time spent at the shelter and now as a member of a new family. This talk will guide you through the steps needed to help a shelter cat make a smooth transition from cage life to home life. The presentation will cover the first night home, trust-building and how/when to introduce family members.

100 Katenna Jones, ScM, ACAAB, CABC, CPDT-KA

Katenna Jones has been a Humane Edu- cator and Animal Behaviorist for Ameri- can Humane since 2007. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Mas- ter’s Degree in Experimental Psychology from Brown University, where she stud- ied animal behavior, learning, and cogni- tion and where her thesis work examined communication and recognition among shelter dogs. Katenna is very passionate about animal shelter related behavior and training issues and has nearly a decade of experience in all aspects of animal shel- tering, with four years as an Animal Be- haviorist and Cruelty Investigator at the Rhode Island SPCA. While there, Katenna implemented the organization’s first resident canine socialization pro- gram, training classes, behavior problem assistance program, and the state’s first bully-breed specific training class. Katenna is also the co-creator of the na- tionally successful “Baby-Ready Pets” program designed to help expectant par- ents – whether biological, adoptive, or foster – prepare a variety of pet species for the new arrival. She also ran her own very successful behavior consultation business before joining American Hu- mane, and continues to volunteer her ser- vices to local animal shelters and rescue groups. Katenna lives in Cumberland Rhode Island with her fiancé, 2 adopted cats, and adopted pit bull named Maison.

101 Katenna Jones, ScM, ACAAB, CABC, CPDT-KA

Animal Stress and the Research Behind It

‘Stress’ is a word we say and hear on a regular basis. It is often used when describing our professional, social, or per- sonal lives. It is also commonly used when dealing with or talking about our animal clients. But do we really under- stand what it means? Is our stress the same as an animal’s? What does stress have to do with working with an animal client? What should we consider when training? How do I know if an animal is really stressed, or simply excited? And how can I alleviate stress?

Attendees will have the opportunity to address all of these questions, and more. Learn the physical and psychological symptoms, as well as the silent impact of stress, and learn to identify stress in a variety of species. Dogs will be the primary focus of this presentation, but we will also touch on cats as well as birds and rabbits.

Attendees will also learn about several research studies that examine animal stress in animal shelters. Finally, attendees will learn how enrichment plays a role in addressing stress.

Talk Outline:

What is stress?

Understanding what is going on inside the body Chemical response Physical response Brain Response

Signs of stress in animals Cats & dogs Rabbits & birds

Acute Vs chronic stress Physical response Brain response Signs Stereotypies

Potential sources of stress

Stress reduction studies Visual stressor reduction Auditory stressor reduction Olfactory stressor reduction Enrichment Social contact

Training implications Causing stress Working with stressed animals Tips for reducing stress

102 Kathryn Lord Ph.D.

Photo credit: Monty Sloan

Kathryn Lord received her B.A. at Hampshire College and her Ph.D. at the University of Massachusetts in the department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Massachusetts. Her main re- search interests are the development and evolution of behavior in the genus Canis.

103 Kathryn Lord Ph.D.

A Comparison of the Sensory Development of Wolves Canis lupus lupus and dogs Canis lupus familiaris

While many dog trainers use similarities between dogs and wolves to inform their training and handling techniques, it is their differences that teach us the most. The formation of the brain, and consequently adult behavior, can be profoundly effected by changes in early experiences. Thus early differences are of particu- lar interest. Both dogs and wolves are born blind, deaf and anosmic. They experience life through their senses of touch and taste. Dogs begin to smell the world at one and half weeks, hear the world at three weeks and see the world a four weeks. After all of their senses have started to work they begin to walk and explore the world at four weeks. Wolves begin to walk and explore the world at two weeks, a full two weeks before dogs. However, it was previously unknown when they first started to see, hear, and smell.

I tested the response of wolf and dog pups to smells, sounds and sights from 2 to 7 weeks of age. I also ob- served the dog and wolf pups’ daily activities for the first appearance of orientation towards sounds and sights.

I found that dogs and wolves develop their sensory systems at the same time. This means that wolves are still blind and deaf when they begin to walk and explore! Since exploration is a key component in the de- velopment of social bonds, these findings offer a new explanation for why dogs can easily form social bonds with humans and wolves cannot.

104 Ken McCort

Ken McCort is a professional animal trainer and behavior consultant. With his wife, Marilyn, he lives on a small farm in Doylestown, Ohio with multiple species of animals, most of them rescues. In his business, he has been working with ani- mals with behavior concerns since 1986. In addition to individual clients, Ken also gives seminars and presentations all over the US, Japan and Taiwan.

Ken has been involved with animal assisted activity and therapy since 1983, and currently works with Akron Children's Hospital and their Doggie Brigade program along with a few other facilities. In addition, Ken has been a consultant and trainer for Wolf Park in Battle Ground, Indiana for many years working with their wolves, coyotes, foxes and other ani- mals to assist in cognitive research and basic husbandry.

Animals and Intention Thinking: Can They Do It and Is It Necessary?

When scientist measure cognition in animals, they often do so on many levels. The first question would be can the animal use the cognitive process in question, and then how well. One of these processes that fascinates me is the intentional stance. As these processes are not easily measurable by scientists, to talk about it we must enter the realm of the philoso- phical. The philosopher Daniel C. Dennett, PhD. is one of the principle writers on the intuitional stance and how it work. This presentation will give attendees an insight into what this process is all about and to what extent some animals can and do use it.

105 Franklin D. McMillan, DVM, DACVIM

Dr. Franklin McMillan has been the director of well-being studies at Best Friends since October 2007. As director of well-being stud- ies, Dr. Frank assesses and studies the mental health and emotional well-being of animals who have endured hardship, adversity and psychological trauma. Through these studies, he hopes to learn what the effects of trauma are - the psychological injuries and scars - and how best to treat them in order to restore to these animals a life of enjoyment rather than one of fear and emotional distress.

He is currently conducting such studies on cats from the Great Kitty Rescue in Pahrump, Nevada - an institutionalized hoarding situa- tion - and the fighting dogs taken from the estate of former NFL quarterback Michael Vick.

He is a board-certified specialist in veterinary internal medicine. Before coming to Best Friends, Dr. Frank was in private practice in Los Angeles for 23 years. In addition, he was a clinical professor of medicine at the West- ern University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Frank is the author of Mental Health and Well-Being in Animals, the first textbook on the mental health of ani- mals, and he has also written a book for the general public titled Unlocking the Animal Mind: How Your Pet?s Feelings Hold the Key to His Health and Happiness.

His favorite part of working at Best Friends is collaborating with great people and doing great things for the animals. At home, Dr. Frank has two cats, Birdie and Boo, and a rat named Mr. Peabody who chases them both around the house.

106 Franklin D. McMillan, DVM, DACVIM

Psychological trauma in animals: PTSD and beyond Franklin D. McMillan, DVM, DACVIM

Special challenges in studying and understanding psychological trauma in animals

The knowledge that severe adversity can cause long-term physiological and psychological problems in humans has been recognized for centuries, but the concept of psychological trauma as a mental condition is only recently estab- lished. Recent studies have shown that following experiences of severe stress, a homeostatic condition may not be re- established, especially with traumas that are prolonged or repetitive in nature. Rather than return to homeostasis, the body continues to function as if the trauma were continuous and ongoing in daily life. Major impediments in develop- ing a widely accepted definition of psychological trauma include the wide variance in individual response to adversity and the fact that responses to adversity exist on a continuum; it is not possible to draw a distinct line between psycho- logical trauma and nonpathological adaptations such as learned fears. In the current version of the manual (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Text Revision [DSM-IV-TR, hereafter referred to as the DSM-IV]), a trau- matic event is defined by the presence of 2 features: (1) The person has experienced, witnessed, or been confronted with an event or events that involve actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of oneself or others, and (2) The person's response involved intense fear, helplessness, or horror. However, considerable controversy persists among experts as to exactly which events should be characterized as traumatic. A consensus has not emerged regarding a clear point of separation between traumatic events and other undesirable events, or whether such a point exists.

A rapidly proliferating literature provides extensive evidence supporting the existence of psychological trauma and its characterization in nonhuman species. Foremost is the extensive work done with animals on fear and stress reactions. In recent review papers, a broad selection of studies is presented involving a variety of animal species exposed to an array of stress paradigms which demonstrate that the experience of a single aversive experience may result in profound and long-term neuroendocrine and behavioral changes.

In a recent study in horses, the investigators concluded that exposure to only occasional uncontrollable aversive experi- ences may cause only short-term deficits in motivation, emotion, and cognition, but that horses who are repeatedly ex- posed to uncontrollable extreme stressors are likely to suffer from long-term debilitating effects.

In domestic dogs, psychological trauma has been documented as early as 1975, when Seligman first reported on the detrimental and enduring emotional effects of uncontrollable electric shocks in dogs, which resulted in a depression- like state in approximately 2/3 of the experimental animals.

In the presence of an aversive stimulus, control—defined in this context as a belief that one has a response available that can affect the aversiveness of the event—bestows to the individual the sense that he/she can, at will, terminate the event, make it less probable or less intense, or change its duration or timing, each of which can increase the individ- ual’s ability to tolerate the unpleasant stimulus. Research has demonstrated that those who perceive that they have the ability to affect the outcomes they receive experience reduced intensity and harmful effects of physiologic and emo- tional stress in humans and in animals, cope better with a stressful situation in humans and in animals, and are better able to relax and function effectively, even in potentially dangerous situations in humans and in animals. A sense of control also has been shown to have protective effects against psychological trauma: numerous studies in humans and in animals show lower levels of psychological trauma and PTSD symptoms in individuals with a perception of control. Social companionship has also been shown to have protective effects against psychological trauma.

107 Franklin D. McMillan, DVM, DACVIM

Chronic stress as trauma In humans, psychological trauma was originally conceived as being associated with severe, acute stress; chronic, pro- longed or repetitive forms of dversity were not part of the initial trauma concept. More recently, researchers have recognized that prolonged and ongoing adversity, such as extended captivity, domestic and interpersonal violence, and childhood physical or sexual abuse can be traumatic. Chronic traumatic experiences in people are now known to have the potential to create profound emotional scars that may affect the individual for the remainder of his or her life. Chronic stress in dogs in kennel and shelter environments has been the subject of a few studies. A recent report of caged bears by Loeffler et al, however, appears to demonstrate how multiple stressors at the same time can lead to major psychopathological consequences. The practice of farming bears for bile extraction is le- gal in China, where bear bile is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (despite the fact that it is unnecessary, as more than 50 alternative herbal products with equal or greater medicinal efficacy exist). The Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) make up most of the estimated 10,000 to 12,000 bears used in these farming operations. The bears are con- fined for their entire lives to very small cages that are only marginally bigger than the bears themselves. Stressors en- countered by the bears include: loss of the sense of control, deprivation of social needs, extreme spatial restrictions, severe restriction of species-typical behavior, adverse substrate for sleeping and standing, extreme understimulation, and unpleasant interactions with humans (the bile extraction procedure is painful).

In the last 15 years approximately 250 of the bears have been rescued from bile farms and given refuge at the China Bear Rescue Center (CBRC) operated by the Animals Asia Foundation. These bears display evidence of severe and chronic physical and psychological suffering, even after intensive rehabilitation.

On arrival at the CBRC, 95% of the bears exhibited signs of stereotypic behaviour. These stereotypies in- cluded bar biting, head rolling, cage banging and, when space allowed, bobbing and weaving of the head and body, pacing, rocking, circling, and stepping from side-to-side or back and forth. Conversely, some bears were unusually unresponsive and slept excessively. All but five of the bears demonstrated unusually aggressive be- havior, agitation or nervousness. Some of these behaviors resulted in self-injury.[ARQ]

The report states that certain stereotypic behaviors, such as periodic pacing and head-swaying, persist for years post- rescue. The researchers concluded that their findings indicated that the physical and psychological health of bile farm bears is severely and chronically compromised and precludes their ability to engage in normal behavior.

Posttraumatic distress and PTSD in animals Posttraumatic stress disorder is one of the most severe outcomes of exposure to an event provoking fear, helplessness, or horror. In humans, the clinical diagnosis of PTSD is made only if an individual exhibits a certain number of symp- toms from each of 3 quite well-defined symptom clusters over a certain period of time. As specified in the DSM-IV, in addition to the history of exposure to a traumatic event meeting the 2 criteria previously described, the 3 symptom clusters that distinguish PTSD from other posttraumatic psychological disturbances, often referred to as the PTSD symptom triad, are: (1) reexperiencing the trauma through intrusive memories, dissociation, flashbacks, and night- mares; (2) avoidance of anything reminiscent of the traumatic event; and (3) hyperarousal symptoms such as hyper- vigilance and increased startle response (not present before the trauma).

Rather than a normal level of alertness with relaxed attention, individuals with PTSD have an elevated baseline of arousal: the individual suffering from PTSD continues to function in a “red alert” status of readiness, behaviorally primed for another stressful event. The dysfunction becomes manifest by the generalization of stimuli that can trigger the fear response as well as an expansion of the threatening context to the extent that almost every place becomes per- ceived as unsafe, resulting in a loss of one’s sense of security. As the fear generalizes, danger becomes both imminent and unpredictable, resulting in a state of continuous anticipatory anxiety and hypervigilance.

108 Franklin D. McMillan, DVM, DACVIM

The evidence for psychological trauma in nonhuman animals is convincing. However, there remains the question as to whether PTSD, as defined in DSM-IV, occurs in animals in general, and the dogs in the present report specifically. In the laboratory, a large number of animal models of PTSD have demonstrated behavioral disturbances that often match the most prominent and cardinal features of

PTSD in humans. Overall, in terms of posttraumatic physiological and behavioral alterations, experimental studies in clinical populations of many human survivors with PTSD are consistent with animal studies.

Naturally occurring cases of PTSD in animals have been published Traumatic stress disorder was reported in an adult female wolf (Canis lupus) born in the wild then placed into cap- tivity. The writer suggested that the wolf’s method of capture, which involved being darted twice by helicopter and translocated twice, would have exposed her to the factors that are important in the etiology of PTSD in humans. He proposed that the wolf displayed symptoms similar to those of humans with PTSD, and included generalized fear, avoidance, hypervigilance, arousal, exaggerated startle reactions, and “looking up” behavior.

Bradshaw et al reported PTSD (specifically, complex PTSD) in 2 sanctuary-housed female chimpanzees who had previously sustained prolonged captivity and biomedical experimentation. The animals exhibited a wide array of signs, including intense screaming, self-injurious behaviors, stereotypic rocking, trance-like states, ritualisti- cally arranging each piece of food in a circle around oneself, sudden and unpredictable aggression, emotional instability, hypervigilance, attacking one’s own hand or foot as though it did not belong to him/her, self- isolation, and hitting oneself continually in the head.

Wild elephants showed signs that Bradshaw interpreted as resembling PTSD symptoms and meeting the diagnostic criteria for PTSD, such as abnormal startle response, depression, unpredictable asocial behavior, and hyperag- gression. Also, similar to circumstances in human childhood trauma, elephant calves witnessing culls as well as those raised by young and inexperienced mothers are reported to acquire an increased risk for psychological disorders later in life, including an inability to regulate stress-reactive aggressive states.

Several anecdotal reports describe signs of posttraumatic stress in canine and feline survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Signs reported in the animals were severe personality or temperament changes, new phobias, chronic chewing or paw licking, and depression; trembling, excess salivation, pacing, aggressive behavior, loose stools, vomiting, lack of appetite, elimination in the house, avoidance of people, and twitching during sleep; and indelible fear of storms as well as nervousness, fear, or aggressive behavior in response to trauma=specific cues such as heavy winds, rain, or rushing water.

More recently, media accounts have reported animals showing signs which closely resemble human PTSD, such as an extreme change in behavior in military dogs after exposure to combat and violent events in Iraq.

While the dogs in the present report cannot strictly be given the diagnosis of PTSD, the evidence for the existence of PTSD in nonhuman animals in general is compelling. First, a large body of experimental evidence demonstrates that animals experience posttraumatic psychopathology, that is, psychological trauma. Second, numerous signs observed in animals—experimentally as well as clinically—closely resemble the symptoms in the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. Third, the modifications of the number of symptoms required for diagnosis as proposed by Scheeringa and colleagues and the American Psychiatric Association’s proposed revision for DSM-V for use with traumatized children reasona- bly applies similarly to nonhumans.

109 Franklin D. McMillan, DVM, DACVIM

Epidemiological studies in humans have shown that PTSD symptoms are not the only, indeed not even the most likely, form of posttraumatic reactions. It appears clear that the responses to traumatic events are best understood as a spectrum of conditions rather than as a single disorder, in which posttraumatic stress symptoms are distributed along a mild-to- severe continuum and that people who meet PTSD diagnostic criteria generally represent those affected most severely.

To describe the forms of psychological trauma exhibited by victims who experience substantial psychological impair- ment and distress but fall below the diagnostic threshold of PTSD, a newer terminology has developed. Not consistent among researchers, the terms include subthreshold, subsyndromal (including severe subsyndromal), and partial PTSD. Patients with partial or subsyndromal PTSD are significantly more impaired than normal comparison subjects, and sig- nificantly less impaired than subjects with full PTSD. Some researchers refer to PTSD that meets the DSM-IV criteria as “full” PTSD; however, Friedman et al have asserted that the line separating full and partial PTSD is arbitrary at best.

A proposed gradient of psychological trauma Level 1: Learned fear – only affects life when fearful stimulus present or in anticipation – fine when not in presence of stimuli Level 2: Learned fear – generalized to where life affected by more than the discrete fearful stimulus – but still fine most of time Level 3: Severe fear/phobia – severely impairs normal functioning (social and pleasurable activities) when fearful stimulus present or anticipated Level 4: Post-traumatic psychological injury – effects generalize to multiple aspects of life, impairs normal func- tioning (social and pleasurable activities) including when fearful stimuli not present (Subthreshold/Partial PTSD) Level 5: PTSD Level 6: Complex PTSD

A condition described in dogs which appears to represent a type of Partial PTSD is posttraumatic phobia. In dogs and humans, this condition is the appearance of a state of fear when exposed to a specific stimulus rendered sensitizing by the associated traumatic episode.

POTENTIAL CAUSES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA IN ANIMALS (Causes of severe stress)

1. Abuse and neglect 2. Aversive confinement 3. Multiple re-homing 4. Animal hoarding 5. Natural disasters 6. Fighting animals 7. Racing 8. Forced work 9. Military and Service animals 10. Laboratory animals 11. Physical trauma and injury

110 Franklin D. McMillan, DVM, DACVIM

Stress during developmental stages Prenatal stress—The effects on the developing offspring of stress experienced by the pregnant mother: Animal studies have demonstrated profound and long-lasting adverse physiological, psychological, and behavioral effects of prenatal stress on the animal throughout its life.

Early life adversity (ELA)—Accumulating evidence in nonhuman animals supports the thesis that ELA has extensive and enduring effects with strong correlations to the development of psychopathology later in life. The strongest evi- dence to date suggesting that stressful experiences in early life may cause permanent dysregulation of the HPA axis comes from animal studies.

Psychologically “snapping” – Incidents of sudden, unexplained aggression by previously docile animals – usually to- ward their owners or trainers: “Killer whale kills trainer at Florida’s Sea World” “Pet chimpanzee attacks and severely mauls owner” “Tiger escapes from San Francisco Zoo enclosure, attacks and kills zoo patron”

Resilience and protective factors (eg, social support) It has long been known that for any group of humans exposed to the same traumatic event – such as wartime combat, violent assault, abuse, or natural disaster – roughly 80 percent of the people will quickly and fully recover with no ongo- ing distress, but 20 percent will suffer posttraumatic psychopathology that causes emotional distress and disruption in the person’s normal day-to-day functioning. What protects the 80 percent from psychological harm, that is, what makes indi- viduals resilient? What makes the 20 percent susceptible to harm?

Conditions resembling psychological trauma Inadequate socialization Generalized anxiety disorder

Behavioral problems in companion animals resulting from psychological trauma Because behavioral disorders caused by psychological trauma have in some cases a better prognosis and in other cases a worse prognosis than the same behavioral disorder not caused by trauma (e.g., fear, housebreaking, aggression), know- ing the animal’s trauma history can protect animals from unrealistic treatment expectations and under- or over-treatment in a futile effort to achieve what may not be achievable for that animal

Rehabilitation and treatment: Healing psychological trauma Rehabilitation involves pharmacologic as well as nonpharmacologic methods. Treatment principles have applications to all forms of psychological trauma in animals, although, just as in humans, the specific treatment must be tailored to the individual patient

Prevention Preventive measures can be utilized at all stages of an animal’s life, in the form of a mental wellness program, which involves not simply stress avoidance, but methods that promote psychological resilience with which the animal may cope more effectively with stressful events in life.

111 Franklin D. McMillan, DVM, DACVIM

Psychological aspects of abuse and neglect Franklin D. McMillan, DVM, DACVIM

3 MAJOR PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT AS A CAUSE OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT – EMOTIONAL MALTREATMENT EMOTIONAL MALTREATMENT AS THE CORE OF ALL MALTREATMENT AS THE EFFECT OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT

AS A CAUSE OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT – EMOTIONAL MALTREATMENT Cruelty to children and animals provokes powerful emotional reactions among the general public. A good portion of this reaction likely stems from the widely held view of children and animals as innocent and defenseless and hence especially unworthy of any form of cruelty. Childhood emotional abuse does not generate the public interest or outrage that physical and sexual abuse do, in part because emotional maltreatment is harder to recognize, as it does not leave visible scars or overtly recognizable injury like that found in physical neglect and abuse. In animals, the disparity in reaction and response (legal and otherwise) to emotional, as opposed to physical, maltreatment closely resembles the early situation in the field of child abuse.

The focus of maltreatment in animals has traditionally been on physical harm, also likely due in a large part to the fact that the outcome of physical trauma is graphic and shocking in nature as compared to that of emotional trauma. How- ever, because of the potential for emotions to inflict discomfort, anguish, and suffering, the goal of understanding and addressing emotional maltreatment in animals necessarily deserves a high priority in animal care.

The emotions relevant to the issue of emotional maltreatment are those with unpleasant affect (feelings). Unpleasant emotions for which substantial evidence exists in animals include fear (and phobias), anxiety, separation anxiety (or separation distress), loneliness (and isolation-related emotions), boredom, frustration, anger, grief, helplessness, hope- lessness, and depression.

Definitions Maltreatment may be defined as actions or inactions that are neglectful, abusive, or otherwise threatening to an indi- vidual's welfare. Maltreatment is commonly used as a collective term for its two constituent parts: neglect and abuse.

Neglect is widely considered to be a passive process, or an act of omission, in which the basic needs – physical and emotional – of a dependent individual are not adequately met by the caregivers. In child care, parents are considered to have responsibilities to their children; they must provide food, clothing, shelter, health care, education, a safe envi- ronment, along with love, affection, and emotional support

Neglect is distinguished by its lack of intent to harm; rather, acts of neglect result from a poor understanding or igno- rance of the individual's needs, a lack of motivation, or poor judgment. In children, neglect comprises 60% of reported cases of child maltreatment. In animals, the overwhelming majority, 80% or more, and almost all of cases of maltreat- ment. Needs, which constitute the basis for neglect, can be physical or emotional; hence, two types of neglect – physi- cal and emotional – exist.

Abuse, in contrast to the passive nature of neglect, is a form of maltreatment that is an active process consisting of acts of aggression with intent to harm the victim. Abuse may include acts of commission or omission, but in both cases, the perpetrator is conscious of the fact that the result will inflict harm. Like neglect, harm may be physical or emo- tional; therefore, abuse also exists in both forms.

112 Franklin D. McMillan, DVM, DACVIM

In categorizing maltreatment in animals, due to the fact that both neglect and abuse may be subdivided into physical and emotional components, the clearest approach would be to subdivide animal maltreatment into four categories: physical abuse, physical neglect, emotional abuse, and emotional neglect.

Emotional Neglect Serpell has suggested that emotional needs, such as the need for social companionship, have acquired many of the properties of a physical need such as hunger and that satisfying these needs is required for a state of happiness and ful- fillment. Evidence suggests that the brains of higher animals are constructed such that the animal is signaled, through unpleasant feelings, when it needs something, whether it be a physical factor such as water, salt, or warmth or an emo- tional factor such as social companionship.

An emotional need may thus be defined as any need that is signaled by an emotional affect (feeling). Any caregiver actions (or inactions) that impede the meeting of emotional needs would be harmful to animals.

A number of emotional needs have been widely accepted as being shared by most sentient animals, and include: control (ability to exert meaningful change to situations, especially those of an unpleasant nature, in one’s life) sufficient living space mental stimulation safety, security, and protection from danger, such as hiding places social companionship (for social animals) adequate predictability and stability to life events

Human influences often directly contribute to the creation of emotional needs, which may result in emotional neglect. Of particular relevance in animal care is the fact that confinement of animals in man-made environments – such as zoological parks, farms, research laboratories, and even private homes – places frequently create and prolong emo- tional needs that in the natural setting can be easily fulfilled by the animals, including needs such as social companion- ship and mental stimulation.

One specific factor by which human intervention has contributed to the emotional pain of social separation is domesti- cation of the dog. In this species, the enhanced emotional attachment of dogs to humans at least partially brought about by domestication has thereby also intensified an emotional need that now appears to be intensely unpleasant when un- fulfilled.

Emotional Abuse Emotional abuse can be defined similarly in all sentient species (including human) as the deliberate infliction of emo- tional distress on a dependent individual.

Several categories of emotional abuse identified in children have direct application to animal care: rejecting, terroriz- ing, taunting, isolating, abandonment, and overpressuring.

Proposed Definition of Emotional Maltreatment A definition of maltreatment, whether referring to physical or emotional forms, must meet certain criteria. It must specify, to the greatest extent that current knowledge permits, the central role of affect in the harmful effects, the issue of intent, criteria for differentiating lesser actions that do not rise to the level of maltreatment from actions that do, and exemption criteria for those actions that cause emotional harm but are intended to benefit the animal (such as eliciting fear in a cat by taking it to the veterinarian's office for medical care).

113 Franklin D. McMillan, DVM, DACVIM

The following is a proposed definition of emotional maltreatment: Actions (or inactions) of the animal caregiver or other person(s) which, intentionally or unintentionally, cause, perpetuate, permit, or intensify emotional distress. Emo- tional distress is here defined as unpleasant emotional affect at a level that exceeds coping capacity. Such actions (or inactions), when intentional, are not maltreatment when there is a reasonable expectation that the ultimate outcome will be a meaningful net increase in that animal’s overall well-being. Emotional maltreatment consists of two major types— passive neglect and active abuse—with some additional less distinctly classifiable forms.

EMOTIONAL MALTREATMENT AS THE CORE OF ALL MALTREATMENT According to the above definition, emotional maltreatment occurs whenever any human action or inaction – emotional or physical in nature – heightens emotional distress. Physical abuse or neglect can therefore also be regarded as emotional maltreatment if it causes the victim to experience emotional distress.

This notion has been widely accepted in childhood maltreatment. In children it has been recognized by many researchers that all physical abuse and neglect has a psychological component. No form of childhood maltreatment is believed to occur without coexisting fear, terror, anxiety, loneliness, hopelessness, helplessness, or other negative emotional state

Emotional maltreatment is considered part of or an inevitable consequence of all other kinds of abuse and neglect, and all maltreated children are regarded to be victims of emotional harm, the impact of which may persist long after the physical injuries have healed. Emotional maltreatment is now widely considered the common factor underlying all other forms of maltreatment, and for this reason, emotional maltreatment is regarded as the core issue and major destructive force in the broader topic of child maltreatment. Ascione and Barnard have made the same observation for maltreatment in animals, stating that an abused animal may also be considered emotionally maltreated.

AS THE EFFECT OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT The Harms of Emotional Maltreatment Contrary to the greater the sense (and "gut reaction") that physical abuse and neglect are of the utmost concern, substan- tial evidence now exists to support the notion that in both animals and children, the harm caused by emotional maltreat- ment is frequently worse than that from physical neglect and abuse. For example, it has been proposed that for social animals such as dogs, withdrawal of social interaction is far more punishing than is physical abuse.

The harms of emotional maltreatment in animals appear to bear considerable similarities with those in children; a large proportion of the research on human maltreatment, in fact, utilizes animal models. Many relatively complex effects iden- tified in children appear possible and even likely in animals. These include impaired ability to learn, inability to build or maintain satisfactory social relationships, inappropriate behavior and feelings under normal circumstances (e.g., separa- tion anxiety), a pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression, and a tendency to develop physical symptoms.

Immediate Harm The most obvious immediate harm of emotional maltreatment in any sentient species is the emotional pain and discom- fort of the unpleasant emotional states elicited by the maltreatment. Unpleasant emotions such as fear, anxiety, isolation and social deprivation, boredom, frustration, anger, helplessness, grief, and depression appear to be capable of causing distress and suffering of great intensity in animals. Another important immediate harm of emotional maltreatment is the adverse effects of unpleasant emotions ("stress") on physical health. Mental states interact continuously with bodily states, and emotions appear to have an influence on all disease processes; acute emotional events can be severe enough to cause death.

114 Franklin D. McMillan, DVM, DACVIM

Long-term Harm The evidence for the long-term consequences of emotional maltreatment in animals is less clear than that for the immedi- ate consequences. Long-term harm has not been as well studied in animals as in people, not only because the effects are often difficult to recognize, but also because of the unknown history of many animals.

The harm that persists after experiencing emotional maltreatment is highly age-dependent. The effects of maltreatment on the young developing brain differ substantially from the effects on the mature brain-mind; evidence from a large body of animal and human research in neurobiology and epidemiology has demonstrated that stressors in early life cause long term changes in multiple brain circuits and systems which lead to enduring brain dysfunction that adversely affects health and quality of life throughout the lifespan.

Compounding the distress of maltreatment The victim of emotional maltreatment is often dealing with numerous negative affects at once, all having complex inter- actions and all the object of the maltreated individual’s best efforts to alleviate. Unfortunately, at times two or more un- pleasant affects are active at the same time and in conflict, forcing the individual to choose one over the other as their priority—to choose the lesser of two evils and bring about the least suffering. A much too common example of this dy- namic is the battered woman who stays in the abusive relationship because she fears the loneliness and isolation if she leaves. To this woman the pain of loneliness will hurt more than the beatings she receives from her abuser. Child psy- chologists have observed that in some, but not all, instances where an infant or toddler is being maltreated by his or her primary caregiver the child is at risk for a disorganized/disoriented attachment status, that is, a pattern of behavior to- ward the caregiver in which the child shows conflicting patterns of avoidance and approach. Scientists as well as nonsci- entist observers of canine behavior have known for hundreds of years that a physically abused dog will often continue to seek affection from, and even show affection to, his or her abuser. The emotional need for social companionship in highly social animals is, sadly, often the source for such punishing emotional pain that it keeps the abused animal—or person—coming back only to receive more abusive treatment from the person they only want to share comfort and affec- tion with.

Recognizing emotionally abused and neglected animals The result of frequently having an unknown history for an animal—and the current state of affairs—is that animals (usually dogs) that show fear or anxiety, especially when cowering at the approach of a person or just a hand, are fre- quently assumed to have been, at some time in their unknown earlier life, “probably abused.”

The primary barriers are that the emotional maltreatment itself is not readily visible to outside onlookers, a vast number of the animals for which we most suspect emotional maltreatment have unknowable histories due to placement in shel- ters and foster homes and re-homing (often multiple times), and, of course, the inability of animals to communicate in- formation of current or past maltreatment to us the way a child or adult can.

Marder and Engle looked at a small sample of dogs seized by the ASPCA for reasons of physical abuse, neglect, or abandonment. These 17 dogs were compared with 18 owner-relinquished dogs on ninety different scores. The research- ers found few consistent differences between the groups. Both groups were likely to show signs of fear in some situa- tions, but with no consistent or distinguishing pattern.

Treating the psychological aspects of abuse and neglect Do victims of different types of abuse respond best to different types of therapies? For example, do types of abuse where the animal associates unpleasant outcomes with a human (such as being yelled at and hit) have different treat- ments than types of abuse with no adverse human connection (such as a dog left chained outside with no human con- tact)?

115 Franklin D. McMillan, DVM, DACVIM

Promising research in animals has begun to show some of the ways that the adverse effects of emotional trauma may be alleviated and potentially reversed. Multiple studies have demonstrated that the effects of early life adversity can be modified by the subsequent caregiving environment. Francis et al, studying infant rats, first determined that postnatal maternal separation increased HPA and behavioral responses to stress. They then modified the animals’ living conditions and found that environmental enrichment during the peripubertal period completely reversed the effects of maternal separation on both HPA and behavioral responses to stress.

The researchers concluded that “environmental enrichment leads to a functional reversal of the effects of ma- ternal separation through compensation for, rather than reversal of, the neural effects of early life adversity.”

Preventing psychological adversity of abuse and neglect Education of the public is a critical step in the prevention of emotional maltreatment. Aware that most of the emotional neglect in children is a result not of malice but of an inadequate understanding of the child's emo- tional needs, child protection workers have focused on educating the well-meaning parents to make the home more nurturing and emotionally fulfilling for the child. Recently, authors on animal maltreatment have adopted a similar view. For public education to be effective, it is first essential that veterinarians, animal control offi- cers, and humane workers be well educated about emotional maltreatment. During adoption screening, ques- tions regarding a potential adopter's ability to meet the animal's emotional needs should carry equal weight as the standard questions about meeting the animal's physical needs of nutrition, water, shelter, and health care.

116 Myrna Milani, BS, DVM

Myrna Milani earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, and a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the Ohio State University, College of Veterinary Medicine. Her interest in, and study of, the relationship between humans and animals as it affects the health and behavior of both led her to write seven books for the general public.

Dr. Milani has written veterinary text, the script for an audio tape, Understanding Your Cat's Behavior, as well as scripts for the internationally broadcast, Pet Care Minutes, sponsored by Merck Pharmaceuticals and the American Veterinary Medical Association. She also written monthly columns for Cornell University's DogWatch newsletter, and the Golden Triangle column for Veterinary Forum about owner, animal, and veterinarian interactions. Her essays appear in The Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior (2004) and The Encyclo- pedia of the Human-Animal Bond (2007). She currently writes a column on client communication for The Canadian Veteri- nary Journal.

Dr. Milani’s other professional activities include presenting material at professional meetings. Topics explored include feline behavior, the physiological, behavioral, and bond factors associated with companion canine aggression, the role of human and animal emotion as it relates to companion animal health and behavior, feline elimination problems, and the fundamen- tals of ethology for animal-care professionals. She served as keynote speaker at the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation’s “Frontiers in Veterinary Medicine” program at Purdue University, and the Sheba Symposium on Feline Health and Behavior in Vienna, Austria She was also a plenary speaker for the International Society of Anthrozoology. She was awarded the Lilly Lectureship in 2009 for the advancement of veterinary and public understanding of the human- companion animal bond. She has taught Animal Behavior, Wildlife Ecology and Bioethics on the college level, and courses in companion animal behav- ior and the bond for the general public.

She serves as a consultant to non-profit and for-profit organizations regarding animal-related issues, in addition to doing private behavior/ bond client consultations. She has discussed canine and feline care and behavioral problems with thou- sands of owners and professionals, at shows and events, including those in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Detroit, Dallas, Mi- ami, and New York City. She has been interviewed regarding various aspects of the human-animal bond on numerous televi- sion shows including: Today, Regis and Kathy Lee, Good Morning New York, and the NBC Nightly News. Her television credits include a show on feline behavior for ESPN. The author has contributed to newspaper articles published in the Miami Herald, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, and by the API and Reuters news services. Dr. Milani has written for Parenting, New Woman, Dog Fancy, Cat Fancy, DogWorld, The Whole Dog Journal, Prevention, and other magazines. Her radio work runs the gamut from three-hour listener call-in marathons in San Francisco and Indianapo- lis, to in- depth discussions of specific behavior or bond-related topics. In keeping with the times, her work has expanded to include on-line interviews, blogging, and podcasting. Her blog and podcasts have been named one of the top 50 written by veterinarians and one of the top 100 for pet owners by the staff of Veterinary Technician Schools Online.

The author has spoken to a wide variety of public and professional organizations on different aspects of animal behavior and/or the human- animal relationship. She enjoys a close working relationship with veterinarians nationwide who call her regarding behavioral/ bond problems and who refer clients to her. The eclectic nature of her studies of the human-animal bond have led her to develop a network of trainers, breeders, psychologists, sociologists, ecologists, ethologists, shelter per- sonnel, wildlife experts, law enforcement officials, and other professionals with whom she routinely shares personal obser- vations and material. She is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the International Society of Anthro- zoology, the International Society of Applied Ethology, The Association of Pet Loss and Bereavement, and past president and current member of the New Hampshire Veterinary Medical Association.

Dr. Milani is the founder and owner of TippingPoint, Inc., an organization devoted to the advancement of our understanding of the interaction between animal health, behavior, and the human-animal relationship. She lives in Charlestown, New Hampshire.

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Where the Sun Don’t Shine: The dark side of the human-companion animal bond Myrna Milani, BS, DVM

Introduction

There is a tendency among animal behavioral professionals to initially focus the bulk if not all efforts on ensuring a proper diagnosis and treatment protocol for patients. When this is the case, clients are viewed as a means to that end. As long as there is no evidence of what the professional considers animal abuse, the relationship between the person and the animal receives little attention.

Part of the problem is that studies in anthrozoology (i.e., the study of the human-animal relationship) make it clear that many people gravitate toward animal companionship because animals may have beneficial effects on human physical, mental, and emotional health. This is problematic for animal-care professionals because these studies do not involve interactions with animals who bite, kick, or claw humans, or those who chew, urinate or defecate on, or otherwise destroy human belongings. Nor do these studies consider how certain relationships that may benefit cer- tain humans may negatively affect the animal.

As a result, aside from those cases in which obvious, usually physical animal abuse occurs, the view of the human- companion animal bond (HCAB) perpetuated by the media and the companion animal care industry is often an overwhelmingly sunny one. But it is the darker aspects of that relationship that keep consultants and their clients awake at night and undermine animal health and behavior. This presentation briefly will consider a few of the more common problematic HCAB scenarios that may undermine the success of the behavioral treatment process and those involved in it.

Problematic Behavioral Consultant-Animal Relationships

Abraham Lincoln said that, “Happy is the man who can make his avocation his vocation.” In other words, those who approach their work with the same joy with which they approach their hobbies are in a much better position than those who look forward to each workday or parts of it with apprehension or dread.

In a perfect world filled with perfect people, all those attracted to work with companion animals would do so be- cause they delight in working with animals and people, even under the very worst conditions. Alas, such perfection evades us all and we may routinely or periodically adopt problematic orientations toward our work that takes its toll on us, our clients, and their animals.

Behavioral work as a means to resolve personal problems

When we consider the aforementioned physiological and emotional benefits of working one-on-one with animals, we can appreciate why the profession may be especially attractive for those who feel vulnerable for some reason. Exerting force on animals or getting others to—be that force defined as negative or positive—to change their be- havior to conform to our wishes may make those who feel vulnerable feel more in control.

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Animals as symbols

It is possible that those who work with animals are particularly prone to viewing their work symbolically because humans have had symbolic relationships with animals for eons. In fact, the relationship is so long-standing it even would be easy to view it as normal. Realistically, it makes no difference what kind of symbolic meaning we assign to animals as long as it doesn’t undermine our relationships with our clients, those between our clients and their animals, or the animals’ health and/or behavior. But when it does, then we need to take a closer look at what is go- ing on.

For example, if we view animals as symbols of their skill in training or their views of unconditional love may be- come upset if animals respond in a way that challenges that symbolism, or if clients challenge that view.

Pitfalls of conflicting personal and professional relationships with animals

One needn’t work with animals with behavioral issues and their owners very long to realize that doing so is as much if not more about working with people than working with animals, and sometimes one or both under the worst conditions. Moreover, the client responses to our recommendations that we envisioned may not match real- ity. If we don’t reconcile any such disparity between the benefits we gain from what we define as positive human- animal interactions and their results, we may experience three negative effects:

The work is much less enjoyable that it could be. It undermines our ability to interact with clients and animals in a meaningful way. It may lead to burn-out and all the negative effects associated with it.

One sign that we may be leaning toward the dark side is that we take negative responses by the clients and/or their animals very personally. Instead of thinking, “Hmmm, that approach usually works. I wonder what’s different in this case that I need to take into account,” we blame the animal and/or the client. “That dog’s a genetic disaster and probably has a brain tumor. That owner’s as dumb as a stump.” mmmH Such negative thoughts and reactions are more likely to occur when client and animal compliance is essen- tial to fulfilling one’s sense of control. Whereas those who enjoys working with clients and their animals see any deviations as making their work more challenging and improving their skills , those who define their success in terms of the client and animal fulfilling their—the behavioral consultant’s—process exactly as stated do not.

Needless to say, if we define the animal as a disaster and the client as stupid, this greatly reduces the probability of any kind of meaningful communication with either of them. Once that occurs, the probability of resolving any but the most basic behavioral problems also decreases accordingly.

In these situations, what should have been a beneficial bond experience for all involved becomes a negative one. Behavioral professionals who experience enough of these may find themselves dealing with the signs of burn-out. These are often described as the 4 Ds: disengagement, distancing, dullness, and deadness. Sadly, preliminary stud- ies of those in other animal-care professions who face similar situations suggest that turning to various substances for relief and subsequent abuse of those substances may occur with all of the consequences thereof.

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Reconciling personal and professional relationships with animals and clients

Reconciling our personal and professional relationships to animals is a challenge behavioral consultants may face on a daily basis. Ideally we gravitate toward this profession because it reflects our genuine interest in animals as animals, and a desire to understand the different displays animals use to achieve behavioral and physiological stability in their envi- ronments. Simultaneously and also ideally, we gravitate toward this work because we are fascinated by the full range of human-animal relationships and how they play out in different environments.

But if this is not the case, there’s nothing like a solid grounding in ethology and anthrozoology to counter any problem- atic bias our personal relationships with animals might otherwise impose of the treatment process.

Problematic client-companion animal relationships

The good news about the effect of problematic relationships between clients and their animals is that they’re similar to those experienced by consultants. They, too, can attach sometimes highly personal and intimate symbolic meaning to their pets. They, too, may see animals as a form of therapy, income, or status. If we’ve taken the time to understand our own relationships with animals and resolve any conflicts these have created, it is much easier to help clients experiencing these same issues. On the other hand, if we haven’t worked through any problematic associations we may have made to our satisfaction, we may find it much more difficult to analyze what’s going on between clients and their animals objec- tively.

Regardless of our own relationships with animals, determining the role an animal plays in the client’s life may require a fair amount of patience and communication skill. Those lacking that skill or the desire to gain it may find it frustrating to work with these people. In such situations, even though consultant and client may both be taking about Spot of Puff, what that animal actually means to each of them might be quite different.

The nature of problematic client-companion animal relationships has changed over the years. In some cases this is be- cause the relationships themselves have changed. In others it is the result of increased awareness of the many different forms the human-companion animal relationship may take. In the past, client relationships with their animals were viewed simplistically with physical abusers at one extreme and those who viewed their pets as surrogate children at the other end of a linear spectrum. Other relationships, which comprised the bulk of them, were considered normal and given little thought.

However as the general public’s knowledge of normal animal behavior has decreased, the area between those two ex- tremes has been filled by an array of complex human-companion animal relationships. Let’s briefly consider two that arise relatively often in a clinical behavioral practice.

Clients who define their animals as their physical and/or emotional protectors

In spite of the fact that we’ve been breeding domestic animals for thousands of years to take their cues from us, a fair number of people expect their pets to take care of them. Once again, this is understandable given all that well-publicized data on the benefits animal companionship has for humans. For those who feel vulnerable, the idea of ceding the respon- sibility for their well-being to a valued pet can be very seductive, particularly when so many support this orientation to- ward animals.

If the animal can handle any stress associated with this human-animal role-reversal, no problems arise. But if the animal cannot, stress-related negative behaviors and/or health problems may result.

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Viewed strictly from the animal side of the relationship, the solution is clear: common sense says that people should assume responsibility for their own well-being as well as that of their animals. The consultant’s challenge is how to help that person do this while building the animal’s confidence level to lessen any negative effects of the existing relationship.

Clients who have succumbed to “recueitis”

The marketing of unwanted animals and those from free-roaming street populations as “rescues” has resulted in increased numbers of what was once a relatively rare form of human-companion animal relationship. In this rela- tionship, the animal is positioned as a hapless victim and the owner as a rescuer or savior of some sort.

If the animal has the physiology and temperament to absorb any stress generated by the owner in the fulfillment of these roles, once again no problems arise. But if problems do, then replacing the emotion-based relationship with a more realistic one with the animal’s capacity becomes necessary. If it can be done.

In both of these examples and in others involving detrimental client-animal relationships, successfully changing these requires the aforementioned patience and communication skill. Ultimately, though, whether clients will give up such relationships boils down to the answer to the same question consultants with counter-productive relation- ships must face: Which is more important—the animal or what the animal symbolizes to me?

While it’s easy to say “It’s always the animal who’s more important,” for some people giving up problematic sym- bolism may not be that easy to actually do.

The effects of problematic human-animal relationships on companion animals

If humans have more likely than not always attached symbolism to animals, why should we be concerned about doing it to companion animals? After all, we interact with them more intimately and thus have more opportunities to do so. But while the convenience of closeness benefits us, it can backfire when/if the animals lack the physio- logical and mental wherewithal to absorb any stress this might create.

Historically humans assigned symbolism to wild animals. Deer were fleet, lions brave, etc. Whether any human symbolism applied to an animal or species was ethological sound was immaterial. The animals lived freely in their natural environments in which they fulfilled their individual and species needs in the most energy-efficient manner unaffected by human beliefs.

However, as humans began exerting more and more control over animals via domestication, domestic animals lost that freedom. As a result, any discrepancies between the natural and the symbolic animal became more problematic for animals trapped in a human environment as well as for their owners. For a while, selective breeding for those qualities that best approximated the human symbolic ideal seemed like a viable solution. But then we discovered that breeding for certain human-pleasing animal looks might result in not-so-pleasing animal behaviors. Or that the combination of more infantile animal looks and behaviors that some humans found comforting or beguiling re- sulted in physiological changes that could be problematic if those same people expected the animal to also function as a physical and/or emotional protector.

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At the same time as we are breeding more and more compromised purebreds, the human quest for novelty has resulted in an increased population of local and international street animals whose behavioral and bond needs may be quite different. To these we also may add the underground railroaded young animals who may have been deprived of quality maternal care and otherwise stressed who are then shipped to environments unlike those to which their parents had adapted.

In all of these examples we have a population of animals who, relative to the expectations of some humans, may lack the physiological and/or behavioral capacity to fulfill them. In the latter case, the result may be ag- gression, marking or other destructive behavior, including self-mutilation. And because changes in behavior inevitably cause changes in physiology and vice versa, the potential for medical problems may co-exist with any behavioral ones. But although we may define these displays as “problems” for the sake of convenience, they also represent what these animals must do to achieve physiological and mental stability in their environ- ments.

If we focus only on what the owner considers the problem display, then the goal will be to eliminate any signs of the problem. For example, we may eliminate the stress-related barking by redirecting the dog to a toy for stress-relief. If we focus on the physical environment, we may suggest the owner put heavy blinds and/or drapes over the window where the dog does most of his barking to block out troublesome stimuli. If we focus on the mental environment, we may suggest a drug or other calming substance to dull the animal’s response to the stress.

Eliminating the signs of a problem rather than the cause has two drawbacks. One is that there is a good possi- bility that the treatment will be life-long unless the client and animal establish a more stable relationship with- out the consultant’s help. The second drawback is that other, sometimes more serious behavioral problems and even medical ones may arise as the animal attempts to deal with the any stress related to the problematic rela- tionship some other way.

Conclusion

Most behavioral consultants realize that physical problems can contribute to behavior ones, and that part of any work-up includes addressing this possibility. Most also realize that there are problematic environmental factors that may contribute to behavioral problems that also must be addressed. Adding the awareness that the HCAB as it relates to ourselves and our clients also plays an important role in the creation, diagnosis and reso- lution of behavioral problems further enhances our ability to provide quality assistance to our clients and their animals.

122 123 Gina Phairas, BSc Comms, CTC

Gina is one of the forces behind dog*tec, the dog pro industry’s leading business consultancy. A former in- structor at the San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers, Gina develops products that help trainers succeed and works one-on-one with dog pros as a business and case coach. She is a dynamic speaker and gifted teacher who has taught workshops across the country. Gina previously ran a successful dog training business of her own and consulted nationally for shelters and rescue groups

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Training for a Living Gina Phairas

Take your training training business to the next level. dog*tec business coach Gina Phairas will tackle the most pervasive business myths plaguing our industry and keeping dog trainers and behaviorists from making a true living. Join Gina to learn how to structure your services to get better results for your clients and their dogs, and higher personal satisfaction and income for yourself.

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126 Gina Phairas, BSc Comms, CTC

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129 Gina Phairas, BSc Comms, CTC

130 Linda S. Rubin

Linda S. Rubin is an author, speaker, industry consultant and avian educator with an international byline and 35 years experience keeping and breeding cockatiels, budgerigars and parrots since 1976. She is the author of “Multiple Bird Households” and “Ultimate Parrot Guide” (TFH Publications), “Cockatiel Genetics Made Easy!” and others at www.CockatielsPlusParrots.com.

Linda writes as a feature columnist on the Cockatiel Information Center and bird breeder expert for BirdChan- nel.com on BowTie’s Animal Network. With more than 250 magazine articles published, she has penned columns for Cage & Aviary Birds (UK), UK Birdkeeper, Bird Times, American Cage Bird Magazine and AFA Watchbird. She worked for Seacoast Publishing as senior editor at Cockatiel & Parakeet World and was sole contributor on color mutations to BowTie’s maga-book, Popular Cockatiels. Her articles have appeared in Bird Talk, Birds USA, Critters USA, Parrots Magazine, Talking Birds (Australia), business industry magazines and more than a dozen or- ganizations’ international journals.

Active in organized aviculture since the late 1970’s, Linda is currently founding president and genetics consultant of the Cockatiel Foundation, Inc. and specialty organization vice president of the American Federation of Avicul- ture, Inc. She is a certified panel judge for the Cockatiel Foundation and the Society of Parrot Breeders & Exhibi- tors, judging shows across the USA, Canada and Puerto Rico since 1984. She will be judging the SPBE show held in San Francisco during the American Federation of Aviculture upcoming August convention, where she will also be a presenter.

Linda has presented at a dozen conventions of the American Federation of Aviculture, Inc. and other national con- ferences including the Canadian Parrot Symposium, Kaytee Great American, National Cage Bird Show, Canadian National Cage Bird Show, private meetings and as facilitator of the first Cockatiel Genetics Workshop(TM) in the United States during the 1980’s. As a result of her overseas columns, Linda was invited as keynote speaker to ad- dress the First International Cockatiel Symposium hosted by the Australian National Cockatiel Society, and the Na- tive Cockatiel Society of Australia, in Brisbane and in Sydney, and as overseas speaker at the Avicultural Society of Australia in Melbourne. While in Queensland, Linda had the opportunity to travel into St. George to observe parrots and cockatiels in the Outback and witness their behaviors in the field.

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The Ethology of Australian Parrot Flocks and Captive Behavior

There is much to be learned about parrot behavior in captivity by learning about their behavior in the wild. Aus- tralian parrots, including cockatiels and cockatoos and some of the most popular species of parrots kept in homes. This presentation will show the correlation between many of the flock behaviors observed during field

www.afabirds.org www.SPBE.org

www.cockatielfoundation.com

132 Cara Shannon, JD, CPDT-KA, CAP 1

Cara Shannon is the author of Bad to the Bone: Analyzing and Assessing Dog Bites DVD and a dog behavior consultant who works with aggressive and reactive dogs on an almost daily basis at Buddy’s Chance, LLC in Austin, Texas. Cara teaches other behavior consultants how to analyze dog bites and work with reactivity and aggression.

She is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) and is CAP1 certified. Cara also holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Law and she practiced law for several years before embarking on her career with dogs.

Cara served on the board of directors of the CCPDT from 2008-2010 and as its Vice President for 2009-2010. Cara leads a group called the Austin Canine Corps that is devoted to demonstrating responsible dog ownership by bringing well trained dogs and their owners together for events and activities. Cara works with several res- cue organizations in Austin, where she lives with her husband and daughter and their four dogs and two cats.

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148 Victoria Stilwell

149 Victoria Stilwell

Born and raised in Wimbledon, England, Victoria Stilwell is one of the world's most recognized and respected dog trainers, reaching audiences in over 50 countries. She is best known for her role as the star of Animal Planet's hit TV series It's Me or the Dog, through which she is able to share her insight and passion for positive reinforcement dog training by taming some of the world’s most unruly pets as she counsels families on their pet problems. She also served as a judge on CBS's Greatest American Dog. In the early 1990s, Stilwell began her career in pet training when she created her own successful dog-walking com- pany and immediately recognized the need for qualified professionals to help her clients with the training proc- ess. While pursuing a successful acting career (working in London's West End as well as in numerous films, TV series, commercials and voiceovers), she expanded her focus to dog training by learning from some of Britain's most respected positive-reinforcement dog trainers and behaviorists. After moving to the U.S. with her husband, Stilwell co-founded several successful dog training companies up and down the East Coast, quickly establishing herself as one of New York's most sought after dog trainers. With a par- ticular fondness for rescue animals in need of behavior rehabilitation, Stilwell devoted much of her time and energy to a number of animal rescue organizations in New York and Atlanta, serving as a behavior advisor and giving regular seminars on the subject of dog rescue, training and rehabilitation while becoming one of the leading voices in the field of dog training and behavior. Stilwell is a passionate advocate for positive reinforcement training methods that enhance a dog's ability to learn while increasing confidence, resulting in a healthy, well-adjusted pet. She is a vocal opponent of punitive, domi- nance-based training techniques which often result in 'quick fixes' but ultimately cause more long-term harm than good while damaging the owner-dog relationship. Her two best-selling books, It's Me or the Dog: How to Have the Perfect Pet and Fat Dog Slim: How to Have a Healthy, Happy Pet, have been widely praised, and they detail her core reward-based training philosophy: “There’s a better way to train… Positively.” A regular guest on countless talk shows, news broadcasts and radio programs in the US, Europe and Asia, Stilwell was named 2009’s Dog Trainer of the Year at the Purina ProPlan Dog awards. Since its premiere in 2005, Stil- well’s show, It’s Me or the Dog, has filmed over 100 episodes in both the UK and US and has been the recipient of multiple honors including a 2009 People’s Choice Award nomination. Stilwell is a regular columnist for The Bark, Dog World, and Dogs Today magazines, and she has been featured in numerous magazines, journals and newspa- pers including The New York Times, USA Today, Cosmopolitan, Time.com, The Oprah Magazine, Rachael Ray Everyday, MSNBC.com, Self Magazine, Shape Magazine, The Daily Mail, and The Sun. In 2010, she launched Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Training, the world’s first global network of hand-picked, world-class positive reinforcement dog trainers dedicated to providing the public a brand name they can trust in humane, force-free training. Her Positively Podcast series is available globally, while her popular website, Positively.com, serves as the online home of positive reinforcement dog training and features the world’s leading veterinary behaviorists, dog trainers and behavioral scientists on her Positively Expert Blog. Stilwell remains deeply committed to helping the cause of animal rescue and is heavily involved with rescue groups around the world including Paws Atlanta, Atlanta Pet Rescue, Stray from the Heart (NYC), Hong Kong Dog Res- cue and Greyhound Rescue of West England. She works closely with the Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project, the HSUS, Puppy Mill Awareness Day and the Waterside Action Group to increase awareness of the horrific practice of puppy mills globally. She has worked as a volunteer adoption counselor for the ASPCA and continues to advise the American Humane Association in its efforts to promote animal welfare and responsible pet ownership. Victoria is a proud member of the US Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT). Victoria currently resides in Atlanta with her husband, daughter and Chocolate Lab, Sadie.

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Victoria Stilwell Live

Victoria’s unique high-energy live shows combine humor, unparalleled dog training expertise, live dogs, per- sonal enrichment and Victoria’s special blend of wit and charm to create a truly inspiring evening for her au- diences. Using state-of-the-art technology, Victoria uses music and projected HD video to transfix her audi- ence in an absorbing multimedia experience while she dishes the inside scoop on her amazing experiences traveling the world working with some of the world’s most unruly and dangerous dogs. Throughout the program, Victoria demonstrates her astounding gift for transforming even the most rambunc- tious puppies into well-behaved pets before the audience’s eyes. She also includes the audience on a journey through each dog’s transformative process so that they can better understand her philosophy and apply her unique brand of dog training on their dogs at home. Along the way, she features:

 Exclusive behind-the-scenes footage  Extended live audience Q&A  ‘Where are they now’ video updates  Storytelling and photo/video featuring Victoria’s personal and professional history  Exclusive outtakes and bloopers  Audience interaction/quiz shows  Step-by-step video breakdown and analysis by Victoria of how she tackled some of her most challenging cases. More than just an evening for fans of her TV programs, Victoria’s live shows create a life-affirming, educa- tional and uniquely entertaining experience by coupling her passion for dogs’ well-being and a celebration of

151 152 Janet Velenovsky, CPDT-KA, CDBC-TAC, KPA CTP

Animal Behavior Consultant Montpelier, VA [email protected] www.velenovsky.com

Janet is a past president of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and the current chair of its Working Animals division. She is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC) and a Therapy Animal Consultant (TAC) with IAABC.

Janet was honored with the "Animals as Other Nations" award at the 3rd annual IAABC conference held in Houston April 24-26, 2009. Janet has gained the respect of veteri- nary and training professionals nationwide and followed Dr. R.K. Anderson and Dr. Lore Haug as the recipient of this award.

Janet conducts presentations at veterinary, training and behavior conferences, and has published articles in Off Lead & Animal Behavior, Animal Wellness, and APDT Chronicle of the Dog.

In addition to living and working with three wonderful dogs, Janet also has a strong feline side. She has been owned by cats since the age of six, and has a special interest in both finding ways to enrich the lives of indoor cats and in helping owners understanding the enigmatic feline. Janet shares her home with Cally and Griffin, and a very understanding husband.

Janet is a co-creator of the patented “Come With Me Kitty” Cat Harness and Bungee Leash and contributor to several cat enrichment toys by Premier Pet Products, where she has served in the Training & Behavior Educa- tion Department since 2003.

Memberships & Achievements: HOPE Animal-Assisted Crisis Response (national) & Caring Canines (local therapy dog team) Cat Writers' Association Board of Directors, Association for Pet Loss & Bereavement Graduate of Purdue’s DOGS Course, 2003 Graduate of SF-SPCA’s Counseling Certificate, 2005

153 Janet Velenovsky, CPDT-KA, CDBC-TAC, KPA CTP

Final Considerations: Things You Should Know to Assist Clients through the Most Difficult Stage of Life

Animal Behavior Consultants are experts at most life stages for pets; early socialization periods, difficult adolescent phases, adult chapters including the geriatric period. But many of us don’t know enough about the most difficult stage of all, death. While we may have dealt with the passing of our own pets, that first-hand knowledge is not enough to pre- pare us for the roles we will likely play at some points in our careers. We may be called upon to be advi- sors or resource guides as our clients make some of the most heart-wrenching decisions in their lives -- and those of their companion animals. These difficult stages can be further complicated by the well-meaning but ignorant comments and actions of friends, family and, sometimes, uneducated professionals themselves. A painful time can be further ag- gravated into disenfranchised grief and isolation without intention. Are you familiar with the difference between “high grief” and “low grief”? Are you familiar with what happens during euthanasia and what options are available? Do you know what you clients’ options are for burial and memorials in your state? Do you know how to spot a client who may not be coping well with their loss, or anticipated loss? How might all these situations change for a person with a service animal? Are you prepared with a vocabulary and phrases of what to say – or not to say? Do you know what re- sources are available?

Janet Velenovsky, CPDT-KA, CDBC-TAC, KPA CTP, acts as Director of Internet Resources & Network- ing for the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement. Janet is the owner of Kaizen Pet Training & Behav- ior in central Virginia. www.velenovsky.com The APLB has been in existence since 1997 as a non-profit, volunteer organization that provides both free online support for pet owners and an affordable 10-hour training program for professionals who need to be prepared on topics related to the death of companion animals. www.aplb.org In 1987, APLB founder, Wallace Sife, Ph.D. suddenly lost his beloved seven-year-old miniature dachs- hund, Edel Meister, to congestive heart failure. His own extensive training as a psychologist did not offer any immediate insights. As a loving and healing memorial, he wrote The Loss of a Pet, and dedicated it to Edel and “all his soul mates who were beloved, and the good people who mourn our common loss”. Dr. Sife noted, “This is the book I would have wanted for myself. And my unanticipated new orientation in life was part of his legacy to me.”

“The mission of the APLB is to do whatever can be done to help those in deep bereavement for a beloved pet. Caring for others is so necessary in this painful encounter — which we all must take part in during our own lifetimes. What we learn is freely offered to anyone who can benefit from it — which immeasurably enriches the giver, as well.”

APLB online chatrooms have been specifically designed for supportive guidance through pet loss bereave- ment, including support for the loss of service dogs. The Pet Loss Chats happen Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights from 8-10 pm, and Sunday afternoon from 2-4 pm, all Eastern time. Also available, an An- ticipatory Bereavement Chat on Thursday nights from 8-10 pm, Eastern time.

154 Janet Velenovsky, CPDT-KA, CDBC-TAC, KPA CTP

There are many emo- tions that arise from the loss of a pet. Among them are shock, disbelief, anger and guilt. They are predictable re- sponses. But with the support of our trained hosts and Assistants, visitors learn how to process those feelings. The APLB is pleased to offer the collective wisdom and experiences of many wonderful and talented friends and members. Information is available to anyone who can use it to help those in deep bereavement for a be- loved pet. The APLB favors therapies based on established and authenticated pet bereavement analysis and treatment. We also advocate that this specialized categorization of counselors requires provable successful experience in counseling in this subject. The APLB makes no endorsements, but serves as a centralized registry, enabling potential clients to make more educated choices of counselors and services that may be able to help them. The next APLB conference will be held in 2012 in New Jersey. Basic membership in the APLB is $25 per year.

Below is the kind of information you may wish to have available for clients.

PREPARING YOURSELF FOR EUTHANASIA OF A PET

Euthanasia is often the most emotional and painful decision you make for your animal. Because this decision is so difficult, it can be comforting to you to know what to expect from the procedure and how you can best meet both your and your animal’s needs. This brochure suggests a few of the most important questions to ask your veterinarian beforehand. Knowing what to expect may help make the experience just a little easier.

1. Where will the euthanasia be performed? Can it be done at my home? Some veterinarians make house calls for euthanasia and some work solely in a hospital. Keep in mind how your animal typically re- acts while in the veterinarian’s office and also your comfort level with having the procedure done there or at your home.

2. What will happen to my animal’s body afterwards? How long will it take to get my pet’s remains back? Do you have a special burial spot in mind or would you like your animal cremated? If you would like to have your pet’s ashes returned, be sure to request a private cremation. Your veterinarian can also take care of your animal’s remains for you. The veterinary office of your choice should be able to inform you of local laws and costs surrounding these options.

3. What method do you use to perform the euthanasia? The euthanasia process itself is designed to be as quick and peaceful for you and your animal as possible. Euthanasia solution is ideally injected intravenously and is a fast-acting sedative which stops the heart within seconds. This requires the placement of either a catheter or needle directly into the vein. The veterinarian will test it first, to make sure it is in the vein and that the solution is administered as desired. In some instances, it may be necessary for your veterinarian to administer an additional sedative before the euthanasia solution. If possible, discuss with your veterinarian or his or her office staff how euthanasia is performed at that particular office. Your animal’s health, tempera- ment, and your preferences should each be considered when making this decision. Be sure that you are com- fortable with the procedure that you and your veterinarian choose.

4. What can I expect during the euthanasia? Be aware that your animal may gasp, have bodily tremors, vocalize, or void urine and/or feces after the heart is stopped. This may be unpleasant, but the reactions are

155 Janet Velenovsky, CPDT-KA, CDBC-TAC, KPA CTP

5. Can I be with my pet during the euthanasia? Can I spend some time with him/her after? Once you know what to expect from the procedure, you can decide whether or not you wish to be there, or if you would like other important people to be with you during that time. How and when you say goodbye is an im- portant and very personal decision. Talk with your veterinarian to make sure you can be present with your animal if you so choose.

After you have been through this experience, you probably will experience mixed feelings including sadness, guilt, or even anger. Others may have difficulty understanding your bond with your pet. Know that there is support. The Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement (APLB) website (www.aplb.org) has a wealth of in- formation including helpful literature, local support groups and even a special chat room open several times during the week. Your veterinarian may also know of additional local support.

156 Jamie Whittaker CPBC

Jamie Whittaker CPBC

Jamie Whittaker and her husband, Barry, have owned and operated ABC Birds since 1988. They are members of Ameri- can Federation of Aviculture, the Avicultural Society of America and the National Parrot Rescue and Preservation Foun- dation. Jamie is a life member of the American Federation of Aviculture and currently serves on their board as First Vice President.

Jamie also teaches classes on living with and caring for parrots at their store. Jamie is an aviculturist and advocate for parrots in the home. Her unique experience allows her an opportunity to know birds in all stages of their lives. Helping people to understand and work with their bird's natural behaviors has enabled many parrots to stay in their homes long term. Her overall approach to parrot behavior is positive, natural and practical.

Jamie has been certified as a parrot behavior consultant through IAABC since 2006.

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Old Parrots:New Homes Helping Parrots to Adjust

The average parrot will have at least five homes in his lifetime. Parrots are highly adaptable and adjust well to new situa- tions. In fact, in nature, parrots are constantly adapting to changes in their lives.

When a parrot goes into a new home, it’s important to separate the learned behaviors from the natural behaviors. Every new environment is an opportunity for a parrot to learn new behaviors that will help him to have a happier future. The baggage that birds carry from one home to another is often thought of as a suitcase full of bad memories, past problems and unhappy things. I think of it more as a toolbox. Birds are survivors, they live in the moment, they have to travel light. The things that birds hang on to are things that work for them, things that help them to manipulate their environ- ment and survive.

158 Dr. Kathryn Wrubel

Dr. Kathryn Wrubel

Dr. Kathryn Wrubel is a behavior specialist that sees cats and dogs for behavior issues for InTown Veterinary Group at the Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital in Woburn and the Bulger Veterinary Hospital in North Andover. Dr. Wrubel has a B.S. in behavioral psychology from Eastern Michigan University and a Ph.D. in behavioral neuroscience from the University of Texas at Austin. She completed postdoctoral studies at the Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine in the Animal Behavior Clinic. Dr. Wrubel has expertise in animal learning, memory, psychopharmacology, anxiety, and aggression. She is energized by her ability to resolve behavior issues by teaching people and their pets positive-based be- havior modification techniques. Dr. Wrubel has been volunteering with animal shelters and rescue groups for the last 9 years.

159 Dr. Kathryn Wrubel

Intercat Household Aggression & Dog to Cat Household Aggression

Intercat household aggression is the type of feline aggression most referred to behavior specialists. Topics cov- ered will include feline social behavior, how to properly introduce a new cat into a multicat household, the im- portance of resource distribution in multicat households, and the use of behavior modification methods for re- solving intercat household aggression issues.

Aggression issues between household dogs and cats involving predatory aggression and resource guarding will also be discussed.

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Developing Self-Control Using Positive Reinforcement Methods

Dee Ganley

Dee Ganley CPDT, CABC, CAP2, skilled dog trainer, handler, behav- iorist and author, shares her 35+ years experience modifying ag- gressive dog behavior in her book “Changing People, Changing Dogs: Positive Solutions for Diffi- cult Dogs”. Dee’s approach to ag- gressive dog behavior is to help handlers teach their dog self- control by effectively applying (or, if needed, withholding) what their dog wants. This is done through management and positive rein- forcement dog training programs that shape and reward good dog behavior while managing the dog’s environment to prevent reactive behavior . Dee applied these techniques dur- ing her 8 years evaluating and de- veloping retraining programs for shelter dogs at risk of being euthanized for their behaviors.

Dee’s private practice specializes in retraining unruly and dogs with behavioral issues. She shares her hands-on experi- ence as a behavior consultant giving workshops and lectures worldwide for the general public, trainers and shelter staff, for evaluation of dogs for adoption placement and as a private consultant offering dog training services for dogs and handlers who need help she is highly recommended by many Veterinarians.

Structured exercise is an effective and fun addition to Dee’s approach to help owners learn how to change their rude and/ or reactive/conflicted dog’s behavior. Dee offers “nosework” workshops where the dogs learn to use their talented noses to locate hidden food or scent. Getting to use their natural abilities helps them achieve the self control they need for every day life. Dee doesn’t limit her animal clients to dogs – she also works with cats, horses and a number of pot bellied pigs for good measure.

For more info go to Dees web site at www.deesdogs.com

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Jacque Munera

As owner of Positive Cattitudes, Jacqueline Munera coaches human clients on how to live in harmony with their cats and dogs, while encouraging people to push the boundaries of what they think cats are capable of. She is an IAABC Certified Cat Behavior Con- sultant and is co-instructor of the Companion Animal Sciences Insti- tute’s Diploma of Feline Behavior program. She has a B.A. in Hon- ors Biological Psychology from New College of Florida, where she pursued studies on animal cognition and behavior, and finished her thesis work on coat color as an indicator of cat personality. Jacque- line presents nationally and internationally on a variety of cat training and behavior topics and has published multiple cat related articles. She is especially interested in helping cats in shelter organizations, and her own adopted rescue cat, Jazzmanda, is the first feline Delta Society Pet Partner registered in the Tampa Bay area. Jacqueline and Jazzmanda are also the first human-cat team in the world to pass level 2 of Kay Laurence’s challenging test of clicker training skills, the Competency Assessment Programme (CAP). Another of Jacque- line’s rescue cats, Pedro, starred in the clicker training video Ankle Attack, the winner of the 2007 Karen Pryor Canis Film Festival’s feline division. A second feline clicker training video, Cat Burger- lar, was a finalist in the 2009 film festival.

Barbara Handelman Biography and picture on page 79

Ken McCort Biography and picture on page 105

Jamie Whittaker Biography and picture on page 157

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