By Jonesy Yin (a.k.a. Jonesy the Jack Russell Terrier) Pssssst! Over here! Over the last year it has come to my attention and to the attention of my beloved human, Dr. Sophia Yin…….. That I am a star!!! I’m practically the focal point of several chapters in the Low Stress Handling, Restraint and Behavior Modification of Dogs & Cats Book, not to mention all of my video spots in the accompanying DVD. And I know how much my mom talks about me in her lectures and seminars around the globe. Which means my fame is international! Like my mom, I want to help people

With all the stories of dog bites in the news plus any personal experience you may have had of being lunged at or chased when walking or jogging by a house, have you ever wondered what you should do in case you ARE ever attacked by a dog? As a veterinarian and animal behaviorist, I deal with aggressive dogs on a daily basis and have rarely been bitten. Here are some tips that can help you: First, if a dog charges you, stay calm and stand still! That can be easier said than done, but here’s why it’s important: Most

For the last two decades, I’ve been telling myself that when I retire from veterinary practice, I’m going to open a fat farm for dogs. Here’s why: It all started nearly twenty years ago, during my first week in practice. I picked up my first patient’s file. “Sandy, five-year-old, female, spayed beagle,” read the medical record. “Here for a routine check-up.” I scanned her file. “Vaccines current. On heartworm prevention. Weight, 65 pounds.” Wait a sec — 65 pounds? Surely that was a mistake. No beagle could get that big. She must be a beagle cross. I entered the room.

       Play Dead/Bang2     Step 1: Start with a tasty semi-moist treat shaped such that you can let her gnaw little bits off. Or use a series of small tasty hard treats that you can give sequentially. Hold the treat right up to her nose in a position that causes here to turn her head slightly. Once she’s finished with the treat, remove your hand and start again.     Play Dead/Bang3       Step 2: Once she will consistently turn her head to get the treat while remaining lying down, place the treat a little further back such

If you have problems imagining that your kitty’s suddenly become super-clean or really just likes his new comfy toilet spot on the carpet better, you may be right. There are some medical reasons for a cat’s poor potty behavior, too. Here’s one example. “I’ve found that many cats who start pooping (but not urinating) outside the box have impacted anal sacs,” said veterinarian Dr. Melanie Thompson. “They return happily to their boxes after treatment,” she said. Unlike dogs with anal glands that fail to empty — they sit straight-legged and scooch their itchy bottoms along the carpet — in cats

Recently I posed a question about research to fans of my Facebook page. The question goes like this: Say you’re comparing dog-training method A for training a down-stay (using a clicker and food rewards) with method B (using a shock collar at low levels when the dog starts to get up). You want to know if one method causes more signs of fear and anxiety during the training than the other. For consistency you decide to use the same trainer for both groups.  The trainer is skilled at both training methods. You are recording the training sessions and having a