Every once in a while, when I’m doing a seminar for dog trainers, someone will ask, “Are head collars such as Gentle Leaders, Haltis and Snootloops safe for dogs to wear? Can’t a dog hurt its neck?” It’s a pretty simple question, but what some trainers really mean is, “Head collars are bad because I’ve heard they cause injury. How could you possibly use them? Dogs will run to the end and break their necks.” Or “I used one but my dog just pawed at it and didn’t like it.” Or, “I have no control with a head collar when

Veterinarians, shelter workers, and other professionals who work with dogs on a daily basis are always asking me, “If I’m dealing with a dog who can’t have treats because he’s having a procedure later in the day or because he’s not hungry, what can I do to get him to be more cooperative or to behave better?” Creating a Relaxing Environment Well, because the main reason dogs are anxious and uncooperative in the veterinary hospital and shelter situation is fear, my answer is, “It really would be helpful if you avoid scaring the poop out of the dog first.” By that, I

This is the overall approach to the fearful or reactive dog in a nutshell. It’s all about addressing the dog’s overall ability to look to you for guidance, and your ability to be aware of his emotional state and to reward desired behaviors and remove rewards for unwanted behaviors.

Diseases of Aging Dogs and Cats A few years ago at a family gathering, my aunt, who had just finished telling one of her famous cat stories, proclaimed, “ All of my cats over the last 25 years have gotten kidney disease. There must be something in the water.” Now, a regular cat enthusiast off the street may have been swayed by her proof; however, as her relative and as a veterinarian, I knew she had left out a vital bit of information—that all of her cats had lived to at least 13 years of age. Realistically even if your

Imagine you’re walking down the street in a foreign country-like, maybe Texas or Louisiana- and suddenly people start shouting wildly at you. Like a scene out of Hitchcock, you see a crowd of distorting mouths but can’t understand the words coming out. Only the increasingly frantic arm flailing tells you a climax is about to spring. While you may have never been in such a situation, chances are your horse or dog has experienced something similar. Believe it or not, horses and dogs aren’t born knowing English, and while they are experts at learning to read human body language, they’re

To some people, the death of a pet or even the decision to euthanize seems just another complication of day-to-day life. To others, the loss of an animal companion can lead to overwhelming grief. Says Betty Carmack, author of Grieving the Death of a Pet, “People often say they grieved more for their animal’s death than they did for a spouse, parent, child, or sibling, and they seem a bit surprised by that. But when they say it in a support-group situation, other people are nodding their heads in understanding.” “Our relationship with animals is sometimes very different from our