Articles by Norma Jeanne Building a Successful Business Creating a Good Learning Environment Dealing with Complaints Difficult Clients The Importance of Learning Theory Kids in Class Misdiagnosis A Positive Approach Preventing the "Banning Breeds" Trend The Power of Prevention Private Consultations Recommending Euthanasia Risk Management That's What You Have To Do The Dominance Theory Standing Up Against Abuse Think Outside the Box

Pets & Animals Magazine   Quick Bites Dog Aggression Columns by Norma Jeanne Laurette   Join us in following issues, as we explore prevention, safety, management and treatments for caning aggression.     Column 1                     Prevention Tips            Volume 6 Issue 1 click on image to read the article

 

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Creating a Good Learning Environment

Dear Norma Jeanne,
I’ve watched classes in all the training schools in my area and found some of them to be disorganized and chaotic. I took my dog through a puppy class at one school in particular and there were over thirty dogs in my class. I noticed some of their clients were leaving frustrated and when I returned the following week half of them had not returned, by the third week, I didn’t either. I am getting ready to open my first training school and was wondering if you had any suggestions to prevent chaos and to ensure that my clients leave satisfied.  Mariah Jackson

Dear Mariah,
The key to a well-run training class is to plan ahead. Disorganization and chaos are not only unappealing and counter-productive, but also potentially dangerous.  Decide how many dogs you will allow in one class, making allowances for an acceptable amount of space between them. This number will also be dependent upon the number of qualified assistants you have. One common mistake is to over-crowd training classes, not only increasing the risk for injury but making it impossible for each client to receive the personal attention they need. Keeping the number of dogs manageable will ensure that you and your assistants can make certain the dogs are kept under control at all times. Off- leash exercises or play sessions will also thus be controlled and appropriately supervised.

Some schools will limit the number of family members allowed to attend and some will have a separate spectator area. At the very least, your clients must be informed of the rules at the beginning of your first class. Make sure you have written policies available to your clients as well, including topics such as rules of the facility, refunds, cancellations and waiver forms.

To make sure that you are able to avoid chaos, teach your clients a signal at the beginning of the first class that will be used to inform them to immediately stop talking and give you their full attention so that you can quickly assume control whenever necessary. To help your clients get control of their dogs, the first exercise I teach each basic class is a "watch me" as this teaches the dogs to re-direct their attention and calm themselves very quickly.  Much class chaos is caused by unforeseen distractions such as the arrival of an unexpected visitor or a tardy client; a lock on the door to the main training room and a separate reception area can prevent some of this.

The more prepared you are, the more organized your classes will be. Although it is good to be creative with your classes you should always plan your curriculum ahead of time. Create your exercises with the understanding that people have different learning styles. For example, visual learners need to see a demonstration, auditory learners need to hear an explanation and have a manual to refer to and kinesthetic learners need hands-on practice.  College Professor Dr. Richard Felder states; "When mismatches exist between learning styles of most students in a class and the teaching style of the professor, the students may become bored and inattentive in class, do poorly on tests, get discouraged about the courses, the curriculum, and themselves, and in some cases change to other curricula or drop out of school.

According to Dr. Linda K. Silverman, an educational psychologist, "The idea is not to teach each student exclusively according to his or her preferences, but rather to strive for a balance of instructional methods." Your exercises should include an explanation of what exercise you are teaching, why it is important and how to proceed. Your explanation should always be followed by a demonstration and time for hands-on practice for your clients. While your clients are practicing, you and your assistants should go from group to group and assist them with any problems they may be having before moving on to the next exercise.

Keep your explanations simple and to the point and include vocabulary that most people will understand. When using a new term, give a definition. Use a variety of teaching aids and techniques to keep your classes interesting. Set your clients up to succeed by breaking your exercises down into easily achievable goals, beginning with simple exercises and gradually progressing to the more difficult ones. Monitor their progress and offer assistance and/or private sessions as needed.  Keep in mind that you may have clients with special needs that may involve age, physical strength, physical and learning limitations and language, so be flexible, versatile and be prepared.

Encourage questions and feedback, as this will benefit both you, as a trainer, and your clients. An anonymous suggestion box is always a good idea as many clients are more likely to be honest with you if they don’t have to identify themselves.  By planning ahead, maintaining order and making learning easy, you will decrease the stress on both your clients and their dogs, minimize the possibility of injury, and maximize the potential for success. Your classes will be relaxed, fun, educational and productive.

 

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The Importance of Learning Theory

Dear Norma Jeanne,
I’ve been training dogs for over twenty years and am quite confident with my abilities. I was at a networking session for pet experts in the area and I left feeling stupid. They were discussing learning theory and I am not too familiar with this. When asked a question I answered as best I could. Afterward, I overheard them saying things like; “that didn’t make any sense” and “he doesn’t know what he’s talking about”. The dogs I train seem to be doing well, so how important is “learning theory” to being a good dog trainer? Embarrassed to give my name.

Dear Embarrassed,
Some people have a natural ability with dogs and are exceptional trainers, and some know their theory but are not very good at teaching dogs or people. That said, learning theory is quite valuable to those that teach, it doesn’t matter if you’re teaching animals or people, the concepts remain the same. Without a thorough understanding of behaviour, body language and learning theory, you are missing out on an exciting world of information and ideas. It’s like taking the highway instead of the back roads to get from point “a” to point “b”. It involves a collection of proven principles that once understood, will make your job much easier. Using these principles, you can affect behaviour, create it, put it on cue, fade it into extinction, re-direct it etc. Learning theory helps you understand why one technique works and another does not, and enables you to achieve success with less trial and error.

Without these learned skills we tend to fall back on what we were taught, often it is what our parents were taught, their parents and so on. Everyone has opinions about how we should train a dog but many are uninformed. Dog training has changed so much in the past twenty years that many of the methods previously used are now out of date. In hind- sight, I owe a number of apologies to my first dog, as I made many mistakes at his expense. Using the wrong “techniques” can be counter-productive at the very least.

In her book Excel-erated Learning, Dr. Pamela J. Reid Ph.D. states; “By providing you with the ability to understand how dogs learn, you will never be tied to any one technique. You will be able to decide what works best for your dog, as the learner, and what works best for you, as the teacher. You will be able to try different approaches to the same problem and develop new ones. You will never need to worry if you are doing a particular technique correctly because you will understand why it works and therefore, how it works”.

The more techniques you have in your toolbox the better, because every dog is different.
The consequences of not being able to solve a problem could cost the dog its life, the owners - a broken heart, and you - your reputation.

As you’ve already noticed, using terminology out of context will make you look as though you don’t know what you are talking about, and in essence, that is true. It’s better to speak the language you understand until you have learned the correct application of dog training terminology. Even with a good understanding of learning theory, it’s important to use it only when it’s appropriate to do so, because the average dog owner will not understand what you’re talking about, and you can confuse and frustrate them.

My father was an artist and everyone agreed he was very good. After marrying my mother he took art lessons, and through newly found tools and techniques he became a phenomenal artist. Dog training is a creative art, there are tools and techniques available that will make the job easier and make you better at your craft, it would be a shame to ignore them.

There are many excellent books on the market that discuss learning theory. Two good ones to start with are; “Excel-Erated Learning” by Pamela J. Reid Ph.D., and “Don’t Shoot The Dog” by Karen Pryor. There are hundreds of dog training and behaviour books and videos available, a good selection can be found at www.dogwise.com or by contacting Professional Animal Behavior Associates (PABA) at dogs@gentleleadercanada.com.

Not understanding learning theory does not make you stupid or a bad dog trainer, so don’t let these people affect your self-esteem. However, there is an entire world that you are missing out on, and we as professionals, owe it to the dogs, their owners and ourselves, to keep up to date on the latest information to be the best trainer we can be. If you take the time to learn, I guarantee you’ll be glad you did.

I can’t imagine doing this job without all the information I’ve gathered over the years. I also can’t imagine my life without the never-ending quest for new information, ideas, tools and techniques because the more you know about your area of expertise the better you will be at your craft. Remember, like everything in life, it’s not a destination, it’s a journey.

 

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Kids In Class

 

Dear Norma Jeanne

I am currently teaching a basic training class for adult dogs. A couple of these dogs have just recently been adopted into their new homes and therefore, we know very little about their temperaments. The problem is not the dogs, it is one seven year old boy who comes to class with his mom and their dog. I’ve asked him to stay seated numerous times, explaining the danger of approaching strange dogs, but he doesn’t listen and his mom doesn’t seem to care. Last week I turned around to find the boy grabbing the tail of the dog next to him, the dog turned quickly and snarled at him, his mom didn’t notice. She specifically asked for a class she could bring her son to, so I am worried that she will not return and will demand a refund if I ask her to leave her son at home. Any suggestions? Colleen MacDonald

Dear Colleen,
You should be concerned as this is an accident waiting to happen. This boy was very lucky because this situation could have ended badly. I would call this woman before the next class and make it clear that under no circumstances is she to bring her son back to class and explain the reasons why. If she doesn’t return and demands a refund, return only the portion of her fee that covers the classes she is not attending and cut your losses. Should this child get bitten in your school, you can be assured that you will be blamed. When you look at the worst that can happen, it’s just not worth the risk.

Review your policy regarding the age of those who are welcome to attend your classes and your stipulations for being removed. Since safety is always my first concern, children are not allowed in my adult dog classes without their parents and their parents’ word that the children will remain in their seats at all times unless working with their own dog. I make it perfectly clear that if the child does not follow the rules they will be asked to leave for their own safety.

You will want to review your screening process as well. You are correct that without an accurate history on the dog we have no idea how well socialized the dog is, how good its bite inhibition or what may trigger aggression. One way to reduce your risk is to have all dogs over five months of age come in to register in order to undergo a basic temperament evaluation before being accepted into the program. All dogs that present a risk must be trained privately. Keep in mind that the information you collect over the phone may not be accurate because some clients may not be honest with you and others know very little about their own dogs.

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, the majority of dog bite victims are boys between the ages of five and nine, and seventy-seven percent of these bites are facial. It is our job to educate our clients. All children must be taught to never approach a dog they don’t know, to never hug or kiss dogs and how to handle dogs correctly when it’s appropriate to do so. We need to teach the owners how to read their dogs to understand how the dog is feeling in order to prevent bites. They must be taught the importance of socialization, teaching bite inhibition and desensitization to potential triggers in order to create a dog that is unlikely to bite. Dr. Ian Dunbar states that "A dog is not domesticated until it is properly trained and socialized.”

Your next policy up for re-evaluation is the number of dogs you allow in each class versus the size of the room. In my classes, I accept only half the number of adult dogs versus puppies in any class. Due to their size, adult dogs usually take up more space than puppies, and they need more space between them in order to ensure safety. Remember that many dogs that are fine off leash can be aggressive on leash.

Have each client sign your release form before entering your class and take as many safety precautions as possible. According to lawyer Frank Lee, "A release form is no guarantee that you will win a lawsuit against you. If a dog is at your facility for behavioral training when the bite occurs, even if it is not, you could be held responsible or partially responsible in a court of law."

 

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Misdiagnosis

Dear Norma Jeanne,
I recently advised one of my clients on what I thought was a housebreaking problem? After a vet check she learned that her dog had a kidney infection. How can I ensure an accurate diagnosis so that I don’t make this kind of mistake in the future? Patti Denon

Dear Patti,
Everyone makes mistakes so don’t be too hard on yourself. That said, mistakes are often made by jumping to conclusions and making assumptions without first gathering all applicable information. Even if you ask all the right questions, many owners know very little about their own dogs, owners of adopted dogs may have little or no background history and, others may not tell you the truth.

When dealing with housebreaking issues, the first thing you want to look for is a change in the dog’s habits and routine. Is this a new problem? Was the dog properly housebroken or is this a puppy going through the process? Is the dog eliminating more often than usual, is it smaller amounts, discolored? Is the dog straining, does it appear to be restless? If there is any chance a physical condition may be contributing to the problem, a vet check is in order, and this applies to all behavioural problems, not just housebreaking.

Another common mis-diagnosis that I see way too often is “dominance”. Just because a dog leads the way through the door, sits on your feet, steals food, jumps on people, etc does not indicated dominance. It’s more likely that; the dog is excited to go outside and moves faster than you, sits on your feet because it gets attention, steals food because dogs are scavengers by nature and you presented an opportunity, jumps on you to say hello because he likes you. These behaviours are not due to dominance but instead are normal canine behaviours that can be changed through guidance and training. With the hundreds of behavioural and aggression problems I have observed, only a few were caused by a dominant personality.

Because animals cannot speak for themselves, we have to use the diagnostic tools available to us. The main rule I follow when treating any behaviour problem is “do no harm”. As long as your treatment does not leave a medical condition un-diagnosed, and you do not cause fear or pain you are on the right track. Present the treatment you feel is best suited to the particular dog and problem, if that doesn’t work, move on to plan “B”. It’s important to have a variety of alternatives, there is no one treatment that works for every dog.

Diagnostic tools include a veterinary check up and any necessary tests. It includes your personal observations of the dog and family dynamics. Questions regarding; the dog’s breed, age, sex, etc., and the dog’s relationship with each member of the family are important. You’ll want to know about the environment the dog lives in, the family’s schedule and the amount and type of exercise the dog receives. Find out about the dog’s handlability, social skills and previous training and any other behaviour or aggression problems they may be experiencing. Include questions about any corrections used and behaviour modification programs they have tried to date.

The most important question to ask is “what is the dog doing?” I’ve often heard; “my dog chewed my couch because he was mad at me”, “my dog peed on my bed out of spite”. The only accurate information provided here is that the dog chewed/urinated. Always take the owner’s emotions out of the equation and break it down into basic facts, many owner’s are famous for mis-diagnosing their own dog’s problems.

I had a client tell me that his six month Rottweiler was becoming aggressive because he was growling at him. He proceeded to demonstrate by rolling his Rotti over and rubbing his tummy, the happy Rotti moaned with pleasure. Another client called to complain about an aggressive dog, upon further investigation, I realized that she had a normal eight week old Labrador pup that was mouthing and biting.

The most obvious answer to your question is education. Ask other professionals if you are not sure about a diagnosis, and/or refer your client to someone you trust for a second opinion. The more you know, the better your ability to diagnose correctly. Attend as many educational forums as possible. Utilize conferences, lectures, seminars, workshops, symposiums, books, videos etc. Apprenticing with an experienced and effective trainer can be helpful, it allows you to watch an expert deal with a variety of problems. With experience you will gain confidence in your own ability, but always remember to keep an open mind, there is always more information available, another concept, idea, tool or technique.

 

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A Positive Approach

Dear Norma Jeanne,                                                                                                             

I teach dog training in a small city that has only four veterinary clinics. All the vets are telling their clients to wait until their puppy has all their shots before starting class. As result, I am getting lots of puppies with behaviour problems that have been occurring for months but even worse, I am getting a lot of timid and border-line aggressive puppies. If I book them earlier, I could lose the vet’s referrals. How can I start training these pups earlier without losing veterinarian support?
Nelia Ertel

Dear Nelia,
What could be more effective than prevention; the art of pro-actively creating a desirable personality through early training, socialization and habituation, in order to prevent and solve problems before they become a deeply rooted part of the puppy’s personality?

Unless there is a physiological cause, all unwanted behavior is normal; from barking, digging and house- soiling, to fear, excitability and even biting. It is innate, the result of ancestral and breed inheritance, hormones, and/or environment. Once you understand what is normal for a particular dog, you can begin to nurture the behaviors you like and suppress and change the ones you don’t. The problem is, the longer the behaviour occurs, the more deeply rooted it becomes and the more difficult it is to change.

Dr. Gary Patronek of Tufts University, MA states “The reason animals end up in shelters is because they are unwanted and they are usually unwanted because of a behavior problem.” If people are relinquishing their dogs due to behaviour problems, it makes sense that many would keep their dog if the problem could be solved, better yet, they would not want to give them up in the first place if the problem had been prevented.

Creating a dog’s temperament is accomplished through careful selection, socialization, training, behavior modification and environmental management. This involves constant supervision, controlling the environment to prevent unwanted behavior from occurring and, teaching new behaviors to replace the ones you don’t want. There are many pro-active exercises you can use to manipulate the personality of a growing puppy, but since a puppy’s brain is finished forming, the personality is set, the socialization period is over at approximately four months of age, time is of the essence. It is my opinion that waiting until this strong learning and socialization curve is over is simply too late.

I encountered the same problem when I opened my training school back in 1992, but having gained their trust over the years, most of the veterinarians in my area now sending me puppies as young as seven weeks of age. Due to rigid cleaning, health and safety standards, not one dog has acquired a life-threatening disease at my school. The other reason I have veterinary support is the dogs themselves; when they return to the vet for their next check up, many dogs that were fearful return confident, and those previously hard to handle are easier to manage. Many vets are educated about canine behaviour but there are some that focus solely on health risks with no consideration for behavioural factors.

Although this will always be a personal choice, I choose to do what is best for the dogs regardless of political pressure. In my opinion, a dog that begins the process of training & socialization immediately, has a much higher chance of survival because the number of dogs euthanized for behaviour issues is much higher than those put down for health problems.

According to Dr. Ian Dunbar “Because of the crucial importance of early experience for normal social development, the first three to four months of puppy-hood are referred to as the period of socialisation. ....to allow the pup on public property before it has received its full quota of “puppy shots”, the pup’s socialization is arrested at a crucial stage in development.”

One of the most important benefits of puppy class is the ability to offer a safe environment for dog/dog and dog/human socialization. During off-leash play time, puppies learn how to read body language, to communicate effectively and fearful dogs have the opportunity to build confidence. They learn how to get along with other dogs and avoid conflict, skills they will need for the rest of their lives. Dogs that do not learn these skills or remain fearful after the socialization period is over are more likely to behave in a defensive or fear-aggressive manner. Some don’t learn to heed the warnings of other dogs, and others can become bullies.

You can increase your safety margin by making sure all puppies have been in their home for at least one week before starting class to make sure they did not bring a disease home from the kennel. Confirm that each pup has had a check-up and at least one set of shots. Follow a rigid cleaning program, use a screening process to prevent aggressive dogs from entering your classes, and do not allow confident puppies to bully timid ones. Most importantly, educate your clients about potential health risks and ask them to not bring sick dogs to class, to call and ask questions first if they are not sure.

This is a controversial topic with people standing strong on both sides of the issue, so each trainer will have to make his/her own decision. In my experience, it is much easier to prevent problems than it is to solve them once they become part of the dog’s personality. Dogs not properly trained and socialized run a much higher risk of becoming a biter or fighter and ultimately euthanized.

Fear aggression accounts for approximately 97% of dog bites, and biting has become a huge political issue causing great concern in the dog industry. In order to prevent problems that are the cause of un-necessary euthanasia, and aggression that threatens the very existence of certain breeds, it is clear that early training and socialization are necessary. I’ll do my best to educate the vets and dog owners and take every precaution I can, but for the sake of the dogs, I’m going to continue training young puppies.

 

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Preventing the “Banning Breeds” Trend

Dear Norma Jeanne,
This week Allstate Insurance announced that any new policy holder owning one of the following breeds; Rottweiler, Pitbull, Doberman or German Shepherd may be denied insurance. As a breeder of Doberman’s this is quite upsetting, what’s next? What can we as professionals do to stop this trend toward banning breeds?
Tammy Henderson

Dear Tammy,
Like you, I am appalled by this new policy as it is, in my opinion, a form of racism. The problem of aggression is not the result of “breed” as anything bred into a dog can be bred out of it. Unwanted canine aggression is the result of poor breeding, neglect, abuse, lack of, or poor early socialization and/or training. If we as trainers and/or breeders don’t do what we can to prevent this problem things will continue to spiral out of control.

As a breeder you can do the following;
• Breed only dogs with no sign of genetic health problems or unusual aggressive behavior at least three generations back.
• Make sure there is a demand for your puppies before breeding.
• Keep all puppies in the litter until they are at least seven weeks of age so that they can learn canine communication from their mother and litter mates.
• Make sure your pups are only sold to owners that have the time and financial means to meet their dog’s needs.
• Ask for proof that the new owner has registered (and paid for) a basic education, training and socialization program or provide one yourself and make it a mandatory part of your purchase agreement.
• Make sure your clients spay and neuter all pups not intended to be bred or shown and make it part of your contract.

We as trainers can hold regular information sessions for the public teaching the importance of the following;

• The responsibilities of dog ownership.
• Reading canine body language in order to prevent problems before they occur.
• Basic training to ensure that the owner has control over their dog.
• A supervised socialization program to teach the dog communication skills with dogs and people because dogs that like new dogs and people are less likely to bite them.

“Roll and Unshelm report that nearly half of the aggressors and victims in their study ‘Aggressive conflicts amongst dogs and factors affecting them’ were described as having few interactions with conspecifics between the ages of 5 weeks to 5 months.” (Lindsay S, Applied Dog Behavior and Training, 2001)

Banning breeds is not the answer and we as professionals have to take pro-active measures to prevent aggression and put a stop to this trend. By understanding that aggression is a normal part of a dog’s behaviour repertoire and implementing programs such as these, not only can we play an active role in decreasing unwanted canine aggression, we can also help decrease the amount of neglect and abuse and the number of unwanted dogs in our society.

 

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The Power of Prevention

Although we, as Dog Trainer/Behavior Therapists take great pride in the vast number of humane tools and techniques in our tool box, the most positive tool available to us is prevention.

Eighty percent of my classroom bookings involves puppies under the age of five months, and thus, the potential for creating dogs without problems is huge. Our biggest window of opportunity is during the strongest learning curve in the puppy’s life, while its brain is still forming. During this time we can teach desirable behaviors that will be part of the dog’s personality for the rest of its life and change the behaviours we may want to eliminate from its behavior repertoire so that each puppy enters adolescence prepared to survive in our society.

During this time there is great potential for educating the owner, in order to prevent problem behaviors before they become deeply rooted habits. Remember that without helping the owner, we can’t help the dog. Through eleven years of puppy training, I have found a much higher success rate eliminating unwanted behaviour if accomplished before the puppy is four months of age. Once the brain has finished forming and the puppy’s personality is set, manipulating unwanted behavior becomes behavior modification.

Especially in cases with genetically inherited traits, time is of the essence. By controlling the environment during these critical periods, it is often possible to suppress unwanted natural behaviors and nurture incompatible, desirable behavior in its stead.

A puppy who has been taught to like dogs and people through numerous pleasant experiences is less likely to bite one as an adult dog. A dog who likes other dogs is less likely to fight with them and a dog who likes other animals is less likely to chase, catch and kill them. Socialization is the key to survival because dogs who bite are less likely to survive.

A puppy who is taught bite inhibition from a young age is less likely to seriously injure someone if it feels the need to defend itself, and a dog who has been well trained is less likely to end up out of control.

There are numerous triggers known to cause an aggressive reaction in dogs such as; children and child-like behaviors, frightened people, people quickly approaching, loud and intimidating people, sudden or unusual movements, loud noises, handling, ear cleaning, nail clipping or anything new. If desensitized to these and other triggers from a young age, the dog is less likely to be triggered to aggression as an adult.

I am not saying that older dogs can’t learn, they definitely can. What I am saying is that all the tools and techniques that we use for behavior and aggression modification would not be necessary if we utilized the single most effective tool available to us, prevention.

 

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Private Consultations

Dear Norma Jeanne,
I am confident with my training skills and teaching obedience classes but I find it a bit overwhelming when I have to do a private behaviour consultation. I am always worried that I’m going to miss something or make a mistake. Can you help me to get organized?
Mary Whitmer

Dear Mary,
You are correct that the secret to a safe, effective and thorough consultation is organization beginning with the initial phone call.  Start by allowing your client to explain the purpose of their call; their main concern and what other problems are they having? If you decide you are not qualified to help them, refer them to someone who can. If you find a consultant that you trust, ask him or her if you can tag along on the consultations that you refer to them, so that you can learn how to deal with these problems in the future.

If you are qualified, decide whether it is more beneficial to hold the consultation at their home or your facility. In many cases, observing the dog’s behaviour, family dynamics and the home environment can be critical to an accurate diagnosis.

In order to arrive prepared, gather all the important information before the consultation, depending on the nature and severity of the problem, a medical work-up including laboratory tests may be required. If so, this should be completed before you proceed. Wayne Hunthausen, DVM states “Behaviour issues with an underlying medical etiology are unlikely to be resolved unless the medical problem is successfully diagnosed and treated.”

Ask your client if it is possible to safely video tape the behaviour for you. Let them know that you will be mailing an in-depth questionnaire that must be filled in and returned (hopefully with the video) at least two days before your consultation.

Let them know that you will be video taping the session and that they must sign and return both a Responsibility Release and Permission to Video Tape Release with their questionnaire. The video tape can be used to protect you in case of lawsuit and allows you to keep an accurate account of the consultation on file. Send an invoice that must be returned with payment; once received it will take you a couple hours at the very least to prepare for this consultation.

Be careful when making any diagnosis or giving advice over the phone. Lawyer, Katie Freedman tells the Forum; “If it is customary for a professional in a particular field to gather all the facts before giving advice, he or she will be held to a higher standard in court, and may be accused of taking un-necessary risk if advising the client before gathering all necessary information. If the dog bites due to negligent advice, the trainer could be held responsible, or partially responsible.” To protect yourself when dealing with potential aggression the only advice you can safely give is, creative avoidance and environmental management, to avoid and prevent problems from occurring before the consultation.

For your protection, your Responsibility Release Form should include a Declaration; that as animals, dogs can be unpredictable, displaying unwanted behaviours without warning, it should include a Release From Liability, Indemnity and Assumption of Risk.

In your questionnaire include; all applicable information about the dog and owners, and a complete medical and behavioural history. Also include a list of possible aggression and behavioural problems so that your client can send you a detailed description of all applicable problems. It should contain questions about the dog and family member’s relationships, the environment, schedules, lifestyle and the dog’s handlability. Ask about social skills, types of corrections used to date, previous training and crate training information.

Once your client has returned the questionnaire and video, signed released forms and payment you can now prepare for your consultation. This will include viewing the video, reading the questionnaire and highlighting all important information. From this highlighted information, prepare three separate pages of information. The first page will consist of additional questions, make a phone call to get these answers as they will affect the information that you are preparing. The second page will be comments, pieces of information that will help your client understand the nature of their problems. The third page will include treatments and recommendations.

Depending on the nature of the problem you may choose to enter your clients home as any guest would, ask them to have the dog on leash or confined in another room in the house then brought to you on request. For your safety, the owners must be informed to follow your instructions explicitly, especially when dealing with aggression.

Once inside your clients home it is important to be a good listener; be patient, compassionate, helpful and non-judgmental. Make notes involving any observations that may be important to your treatment plan; the dog’s behaviour, family interactions and/or the environment, these observations may lead to further questions.

Next is your diagnosis; what you feel is happening and why, although the why is not always known. Your diagnosis is based on the answers from your questionnaire, your observations, and the dog’s physical examination. Always treat the cause of the problem, not just the symptoms.

Your prognosis is your prediction of success based on factors such as; the type of behaviour, intensity, frequency, severity, duration and complexity of the problem. It includes the family’s ability to predict the behaviour, to interrupt, control and/or re-direct it, and the ability to identify and control the initiating stimulus. It is based on how long the behaviour has been occurring, the dog’s health, level of arousal, motivation, breed inheritance, genetic make-up, history and temperament. You have to take into account potential safety risks, bite/fight ratio and the dog’s level of bite inhibition. It also includes the family’s level of commitment, understanding of the problem and ability to follow your instructions, to control the environment, to pay any additional costs that may be necessary, and the amount of time that must be spent working on the problem. It also depends on whether or not appropriate treatment has already been attempted.

At this point your clients must choose one of four available options; accept the behaviour, work on changing the behaviour, re-home the dog or euthanasia. Be careful about recommending the re-homing of an aggressive dog because if you do so, and the dog bites someone, you could be held partially responsible.

It’s important that your client understand their responsibilities to the dog’s well-being, to the safety and needs of their own family and visitors, to the community and of course their legal responsibilities.

Your treatment recommendations will include warnings and safety precautions, creative avoidance, environmental management and the applicable behaviour modification techniques. In some instances behaviour is guaranteed to get worse before it gets better and if this is the case it is important for your clients to be aware of this and have a behaviour management plan. Make sure that your treatment plan is realistic, that all family members understand what needs to be done and are capable of following your recommendations.

Choose a time period that is realistic for change and plan for a follow-up visit or phone call. Encourage your client to call you if they have any questions, problems or reoccurring incidents of the behaviour.

The reference materials that I leave with them are books that I have written on their particular problem, my contact information, an easy to read, point-form list of recommendations, a list of other books and/or videos on the topic, and in some cases, a copy of the video taped consultation.

 

By planning ahead; gathering all the necessary information, doing research where necessary and planning your client’s behaviour modification program, you are less likely to miss anything important or make mistakes and will present yourself you your client as a professional.

 

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Recommending Euthanasia

Dear Norma Jeanne,

I have been training dogs for three years and have yet to recommend euthanasia. One of my clients put her dog to sleep against my advice, what criteria should a dog owner follow when making this decision?
Sylvia Losereit

Dear Sylvia:
First of all, I’d like to mention that dogs do not fear death, people do. Death is simply a door we will each pass through when our time comes. If we make the passing comfortable, the dog need not suffer, but the owners will. That said, we should never recommend euthanasia without considering the following:

Start by eliminating any medical problems that may be causing or contributing to the unwanted behaviour, and this means a visit to the veterinarian. If the dog is suffering can something be done to reduce or eliminate this suffering? The client must decide whether euthanasia is the most humane thing to do and/or the only option. If it is a medical-related problem, the decision must be made by the client and their veterinarian.

If the problem has been determined non-medical, then is the problem a behaviour that can be modified? Many dogs have been unfairly euthanised for housebreaking issues, separation distress and other problems that can be solved.

If the problem is aggression, there are a few things that must be considered. Is there a risk that this dog might cause injury? Can everyone be kept safe while treating the problem? Can the aggression be predicted and are the triggers identifiable? Can the environment be controlled? What is the dog’s quality of life? If the problem is determined workable, then are the client and family willing and able to follow instructions? If the answers to these questions point to potential danger, especially if children, seniors or disabled people are at risk, the dog must at the very least be removed from the home.

If euthanasia is being considered because the dog has bitten, then you must consider the extremity of the situation. According to Dr. Ian Dunbar’s guidelines, this would include analyzing the “Bite Level” (the severity of each bite) and the “Bite/Fight Ratio” (the number of aggressive incidents that have occurred verses the severity of the injury). For example, a person who throws temper tantrums on a regular basis but has never raised a hand is much less dangerous than a person who is always calm and cool but shoots someone.

You have to be very careful when recommending the client re-home an aggressive dog for the following reasons. You must take into consideration the safety of everyone who will come into contact with this dog and the legal implications of a client knowingly re-homing a potentially aggressive dog. Clients often ask about the option of moving the dog to a farm, but remember that farmers have friends, families, pets and visitors too. It is also important to be aware that putting the dog into the hands of the wrong person could end in abuse, and moving a dog from home to home is very stressful and upsetting for the dog. It is my opinion that a dog is better off dead than abused.

If you have been treating a behaviour or aggression problem and your treatment is not working, you have to ask yourself two questions: Is the client following instructions? Should the treatment be changed? If the client is following instructions but making no progress, and you are out of options, get a second and third opinion from professionals you trust. The CAPPDT email list is a great source of qualified professionals who are more than willing to offer support and ideas There are also some rescue groups that work with qualified behaviour and aggression consultants, so this may be a viable option.

I received a call from a woman who wanted to euthanise her dog. Although the dog had snapped at her baby, it had never made tooth contact or broken the skin on a dog or person. Her decision was based on her own deeply rooted fear of dogs and her fear of legal repercussions. She had not socialized her dog with children and was surprised when her dog felt the need to defend himself. Both her veterinarian and I recommended that the dog be placed carefully in a new home, but only with owners who lived up to our list of criteria and were willing to work with a qualified professional to re-socialize the dog.

In summary, euthanasia may be warranted if all of the following have been thoroughly examined:

- if you have eliminated possible medical causes for the problem
- if the dog’s suffering can not be relieved
- if the risk of injury cannot be predicted and/or controlled
- if the aggression is too severe to warrant re-homing the dog
- if you have consulted other qualified professionals
- if you have run out of viable options.

 

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Risk Management

Dear Norma Jeanne:
I have been attending a marketing program for the past three weeks, we are dealing with a lot of negativity in this class and are constantly reminded of the very worst case scenarios. Today I was asked what responsibility I would feel if I trained an owner, and the dog seriously harmed someone. What can I do to prevent problems from occurring.                                

Jo-Anne Strang, CT.ccs Pawsitive Affects, Windsor, Ontario

Dear Jo-Anne
The truth of the matter is that those who do not plan for all possible contingencies can find themselves in trouble, nothing in life comes without risk. Therefore, your teacher is focusing on worst case scenarios for a reason.

It’s important to remember that dogs are animals and can be unpredictable, and although we can give our clients tools, we can’t make them use them. Take precautions, and be prepared for the unexpected.

The first thing you can do is develop a risk management plan, make a list of safety precautions so that you are in control of what can be controlled. These precautions should include but are not limited to:

• Using techniques designed with safety in mind.
• Screening your clients to prevent aggressive dogs from attending classes.
• Asking questions such as:
“Are you experiencing any problems?”
“How does your dog react when he/she meets a new dog?”
“How often does your dog meet new dogs?”
“How does your dog react when he/she meets a new person?”
“How often does your dog meet new people?”
“Are your dog’s vaccinations up to date?”
“Does your dog have any health problems?”
• You can go one step further by booking appointments to meet each dog during registration.
• If an aggressive dog arrives in class, remove him/her immediately. Either book a private consultation or refund their money and refer them to someone you trust.
• You can lower your risk drastically by refusing to work with aggressive dogs.
• Keep your school clean, disinfected and free of clutter to prevent accidents and the spread of disease
• Be prepared for ice and snow.
• Proof of vaccination must be mandatory.
• Make a point of asking your clients to never bring their dog to class if they suspect illness.
• Remind your clients to pick up after their dogs outside, do it yourself if they don’t.
• To prevent escape, keep doors locked during classes and make sure all collars and halters fit properly.
• Make sure your release form is checked by a qualified attorney.
• Make sure all clients read and sign your release form.
• Have a first aid kit handy and know how to use it.

At the spring conference, lawyer Doug Jack pointed out the importance of explaining the contents of your release form to each client, avoiding the inclusion of any unusual provisions that may render the contract void and that every trainer should have at least 2 million dollars liability insurance. He stated that your release form should include:

• A declaration that dogs are animals and as such can be unpredictable, they can attack without warning.
• A release from liability due to the unpredictable nature of animals.
• An assumption of risk stating that the client agrees to assume any and all risk including injury to any dog, self or other person.
• An indemnity clause stating that the client agrees to pay all liability costs that the trainer may accrue as result of lawsuit resulting from the behaviour of their dog, themselves, or any person attending class with them.

Once you have taken every precaution possible, the rest is out of your hands. Remember that it’s not what happens to you that matters as much as how you choose to handle it. Contrary to popular belief, adversity does not build character, it reveals it. If something goes wrong it’s your responsibility to do what is right, maintaining your integrity at all cost, then to take precautions to prevent the problem from re-occurring.

Focus on the positive remembering that although the world is full of negativity, what you focus on is a choice. Don't worry Jo-Anne, you'll do just fine and always remember that if something negative does happen to you, learn from it and move on. Keep your head up and don't let anyone rain on your parade.

 

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“That’s What You Have To Do”

Dear Norma Jeanne,
There are only two training schools in my city, a school that has been running for twenty years and mine. This school still hangs dogs, alpha rolls them, hits them, etc. I use non-aversive methods and am constantly forced to defend them because this other trainer has drilled it into everyone’s minds that they have to do it this way. I refuse to accept these methods and I’m becoming increasingly frustrated. My biggest obstacle is getting my clients to take off the choke chain or pinch collar. How can I convince my clients that non-aversive methods are better.
Cindi Adams

Dear Cindi,
First of all, I would be careful about calling yourself a “non-aversive” trainer. Do you use time outs, verbal corrections, shaker can, citronella, withholding the reward, etc? Remember that anything unpleasant to your dog is an “aversive”. Although you may be careful to not use fear or pain in your training, remember that re-directing is not always effective to stop a behaviour, making it necessary to use carefully chosen aversives for the temperament of dog. It’s imperative that you are clear about what you are doing so as not to make false claims but also, make it clear that you do not use fear or pain. Remember that even a verbal correction can cause fear in a very sensitive dog.

It’s also important to remember that everyone has the right to make their own decision, if you want your clients to believe that your methods are better, you have to prove it. If you have only one technique for a particular problem and it doesn’t work, your clients are likely to go back to the tools they know. All dogs are different, hence the need for variety of techniques. For example; I have ten punishment-free methods for teaching a dog to walk on loose leash, with so many methods to choose from, I always find something that works.

When my clients register for class they are told to bring their dog on a flat collar, Gentle Leader or Martingale, choke chains and pinch collars are not accepted in my school. If questioned I explain to them that although these tools can be effective if used correctly on the right temperament of dog, the proper use of the choke chain and pinch collar requires; good timing, co-ordination, reflexes, awareness, sensitivity and self control and takes very little strength to deliver a severe correction. Due to the criteria that must be met for to these tools to be used correctly, the risk for mis-use is high.
 

When clients ask, I have prepared handouts available explaining the dangers of aversive training and, information on all of the viable alternatives for their particular problem.  “Studies by Pavlov, Wolpe, Masserman, Liddell, Maier and Seligman have confirmed the dangers of aversive stimulation under certain conditions” including; “hypervigilance and irrational fear, heightened irritability, impulsive-explosive behaviour, hyperactivity, aggression evoked with minimum provocation, withdrawal and social avoidance, loss of sensitivity to pleasure and pain, and depressed mood”.

When I began teaching classes many years ago there were four well established schools in my city, all using physical punishment. When I said that I was not comfortable using a particular tool or technique I was told time and again “you have to do it this way”. NOT!!! I felt very much alone during this time and was unaware that there were so many alternatives and so many trainers already using them in other cities. I am thankful that I found the CAPPDT and the many other sources that allowed me to gather numerous alternatives. Now, all four schools are gone and are replaced by my own school and six schools all run by trainers using mainly positive reinf