Questions of the Day for the week of August 11th-14th We posted a series of pictures with questions on Facebook and we got some great answers. How did you do with your answer? Test yourself!     Question: This cat has come for its first visit and spends most of the visit in this position. Is the cat relaxed or anxious? Explain. Answer: A comfortable cat should explore the room. This cat is stationary with tail tucked and feet tucked into his body because he’s nervous. This behavior is a form of freezing.      Question: You enter the exam room

Question: What exactly is the program, and how long have you been doing it?  Answer: In 2007, the Broad Ripple Animal Clinic opened Bark Tutor School for Dogs, a family-focused, dog-friendly training school designed to address the behavioral health needs of the clinic’s patients. The majority of canine students range between 10 weeks and 18 months old, but the training programs are designed for companion dogs of any age.      Question: How is this program different from others in terms of the overall structure?       small-dog_webgm Answer: The program is different from other training programs, at least in Indianapolis, because of

At the San Francisco SPCA Behavior Resources Department, board certified veterinary behaviorist, Dr. Jeanine Berger, and her behavior technician, Lisa Stinnett, RVT, deal with fearful and aggressive dogs successfully on a regular basis. Their success is due in-part to their deep body of knowledge as well as a broad tool box. One important tool they use is the Treat&Train®—a remote controlled food reward system for training dogs and cats.  One unique way that they use the Treat&Train is to reward reactive dogs to become more comfortable around strangers in the home. Treat&Train Behavior technician Lisa Stinnett explains, “The owner is instructed to play

While many trainers and pet owners use the Treat&Train® for training their pets, one unique use occurs at Ontario ARC (OARC), a facility whose mission is to “create great opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.” Their Pet Connections Program uses Animal Assisted Interventions to encourage individuals with various disabilities to improve their range of motion, work on strength and endurance, and to enhance their social interactions with others. The program headed by Program Manager, Gail Furst, CPDT-KA, in conjunction with the Occupational Therapist, Brenda Burton, uses the Treat&Train® for individuals who are unable to deliver the treat to the dog using their

Every veterinary behaviorist’s dream is to have a technician who is certified in behavior. And if you’re a veterinarian in general practice, after you read this article, it may become your dream too. In this Q&A, Melissa Spooner, a licensed veterinary technician (LVT) with a Veterinary Technician Specialty in Behavior, answers questions about how she uses the Treat&Train® remote-controlled positive reinforcement training system during behavior consults to train dogs to settle down and to convince owners that she and the behavior team can indeed help them change their dog’s behavior. Spooner is the Special Events Coordinator at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services where she

In Part 1 of this article, I interviewed Greg Snyder, Tristan Christianson, and Fred Schechter, three engineers who formerly worked for The Sharper Image, to learn about the process of developing a pet product. In this article, I continue with interview and learn about the project that brought them back together. Question: Dr. Yin: So, tell me about this product, The Foobler.  Who decided to make this product, and when did you guys decide to get together and work on it? Answer: Tristan: Foobler we’ve been working on for about a year now. It is, basically, if you’re familiar with smart