CattleDog Publishing, VIN and the VIN Foundation Partner to Honor Dr. Sophia Yin’s Legacy
The Low Stress Handling® Movement: How Sophia and Her CattleDog Started It All!
Davis, CA: As the 8th anniversary of Dr. Sophia Yin’s death approaches, CattleDog Publishing, Veterinary Information Network, and the VIN Foundation, honor her memory by highlighting her life achievements and contributions. Her passion, science-based teachings and experiences transformed the veterinary and pet professional community. Without knowing their origin, many continue to use her techniques daily.
A tribute written by board-certified veterinary behaviorist, Dr. Christine Calder is available at https://cattledogpublishing.com/blog/the-low-stress-handling-movement-how-sophia-and-her-cattledog-started-it-all/ and a tribute video can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrvl7vuebrI
“With good handling, the patient should get better and not worse.” Sophia Yin
In the early 2000’s Dr. Sophia Yin, a veterinarian and animal behaviorist, made it her lifelong passion to educate veterinarians and pet professionals about animal behavior, which led her to create the innovative and industry-standard Low Stress Handling® method for dogs and cats. Sophia developed the “Ten General Principles of Handling,” which are now the core concepts for other certification programs, including AAFP’s Cat Friendly Practices®, and Fear Free® Pets.
Sophia’s contributions to veterinary behavior did not stop at implementing low stress veterinary care. She also introduced pet professionals to the scientific method and learning theory. She provided hands-on training in the fundamentals of animal behavior, emphasizing the specific causes and effects of behavior and how a learner will only repeat what has been reinforced, both desired and undesired. In her lectures, she used visual examples from her extensive video and photographic library and cited scientific studies showing how positive punishment often increases fear and anxiety.
Before her untimely passing, Sophia had many long-term goals for her company, CattleDog Publishing. She was actively creating additional Low Stress Handling® Certification programs and various material targeting pet owners, shelter workers, and dog trainers. So much has come from Sophia’s legacy, including the body language posters hanging on many veterinary hospital walls, The Perfect Puppy in 7 days book, bite prevention posters, books, and videos for children, and the How to Behave so Your Dog Behaves book for pet owners. These publications and tools are still relevant and popular today. Sophia’s company, CattleDog Publishing, continues to thrive and expand upon the foundation she built.
About CattleDog Publishing
After Dr. Sophia Yin’s untimely death in 2014, her mother, Jackie, chose the Veterinary Information Network to archive and protect Sophia’s materials. Now an integral part of the VIN family, CattleDog Publishing is revitalizing Sophia’s vision while continuing her original goals of educating others and improving animal welfare. To learn more, visit https://cattledogpublishing.com.
About VIN Foundation
The VIN Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, provides resources to help the veterinary community thrive so they can help our animals and those who care for them. The Foundation was created by members of the Veterinary Information Network (VIN), an online community of veterinarians and veterinary students with over 94,000 members worldwide. Learn more about the VIN Foundation and its resources at https://VINFoundation.org. The VIN Foundation is made possible through generous gifts by individual donors and grants; all gifts made to the VIN Foundation are tax deductible.
