Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice: Winter 2006

Animal Behavior
Consulting:
Theory and Practice
A publication of
The International Association
of Animal Behavior Consultants
Vol. 2, No. 1
Winter 2006
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Winter 2006
Vol. 2, No. 1
President
Lynn Hoover, LSW, CDBC
Editor-in-Chief Associate Editor

Mychelle Blake, MSW, CDBC Jolanta Benal, JD
Beth Adelman, MS, CABC, Publications Consultant
Journal Review Board
Beth Adelman, MS, CABC Myrna Milani, DVM, CABC
Susan Bulanda, MAT, CDBC James O'Heare, CABC
Mary Burch, PhD, CABC Joanne Oliva-Purdy, PhD, CABC
Linda Case, MS, CABC Merope Pavlides, PhD, MEd
Steve Dale, CABC Valerie Pollard, CDBC
Ian Dunbar, PhD, DVM, CABC Veronica Sanchez, MEd, CABC
Lynn Hoover, MSW, CDBC Dani Weinberg, CDBC
Pam Johnson-Bennett, CABC Liz Wilson, CVT, CPBC
The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants
The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, Inc. is a professional association for the field of animal
behavior consulting. The association represents the professional interests of behavior consultants throughout the
world. It is involved with the problems, needs, and changing patterns of animal-owner relationships, and helps to
ensure that the public’s needs are met by trained practitioners. The association provides the tools and resources
animal behavior professionals need to succeed. It works tirelessly to nourish the animal-human bond.
The association’s members meet rigorous standards for education and training and are held to the highest ethical
standards of the profession. Clinical members qualify as Certified Animal Behavior Consultants (CABC). They
work with multiple species, including dogs, cats, horses, birds, and other animals. They have met the highest
standards of the profession for education and clinical experience. Associate members are consultants in clinical
practice, on the path to Clinical membership. The IAABC facilitates research, theory development, and education.
It develops standards for education and training, professional ethics, and the clinical practice of animal behavior
consulting. Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice is the professional journal of the IAABC and is
published semi-annually. All published work contained within is copyright 2006 The International Association of
Animal Behavior Consultants, unless otherwise indicated.
Winter 2006
Submission Guidelines
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice is published in accordance with the purposes of the sponsoring
organization, the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, Inc. (IAABC) and the International
Association of Dog Behavior Consultants (IADBC), a division of the IAABC. The IAABC’s mission is to advance
the professional understanding of animal behavior, the most effective management of animal behavior, and
humane, scientifically-based plans to modify the behaviors of distressed animals, and to promote the animal-
human bond. Toward that end, Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice publishes articles on research,
theory, clinical practice, and training in animal behavior consulting. We accept submissions of manuscripts on
behavior consulting for all animals. We accept book and video reviews, commentary on practice, case studies,
research, and essays.
Articles are selected on the basis of appropriateness, clarity, significance, timeliness, and contribution to the field
of animal behavior consulting. Papers published in Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice are selected
from papers submitted directly to the IAABC editor-in-chief. Authors need not be members of the IAABC to submit
manuscripts. No remuneration is paid for accepted manuscripts.
Business matters are handled by IAABC’s business office. Inquiries should be addressed to IAABC, 505 Timber
Lane, Jefferson Hills, PA 15025. Phone: (412) 384-2677, or e-mail journal@iaabc.org. Copyright on all materials
published in Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice is held by the IAABC and authors must agree upon
acceptance of the manuscript to transfer copyright to the IAABC. Permission to reproduce such copyrighted
materials must be obtained through IAABC. Requests can be made by emailing journal@iaabc.org. No portion
of an article may be reproduced without permission in writing. Reprint orders for individual articles are handled
by the IAABC business office. If the manuscript contains more than 100 words of material previously published
elsewhere, the authors must obtain written permission from the copyright holder to include this material in publication
of their manuscript in Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice. Any costs associated with obtaining this
permission are the responsibility of the author or authors.
Manuscripts should be submitted to the editor-in-chief, Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice, 505
Timber Lane, Jefferson Hills, PA 15025. E-mail: journal@iaabc.org. Electronic submission is preferred.
Manuscripts are accepted for consideration with the understanding that they have not been published previously
and are not being considered simultaneously for publication elsewhere. The right to reject any manuscript or return
it to the author for format, style, or other revisions before accepting it for publication is reserved by the editor-
in-chief. Submission of a manuscript by the author(s) assumes acceptance of editing by the Animal Behavior
Consulting: Theory and Practice editorial staff.
Papers should be submitted in a form that will permit “blind” refereeing. The author’s name and other obvious
identifying notations should appear only on a detachable title page. Manuscripts may be submitted electronically
as an e-mail attachment in rich text format (.rtf) or in Microsoft Word to journal@iaabc.org. E-mail is the preferred
submission format. The Editorial Office acknowledges receipt of the manuscripts and reaches a decision concerning
publication as quickly as possible. Page proofs will be sent to authors via e-mail and must be returned within 72
hours. Changes are limited to correcting of printing errors, spelling, dates, and grammar. Substantive changes
such as adding phrases, sentences, and paragraphs are rarely permitted.
Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis. Specific deadlines for issues are determined by the editor-in-chief
for solicited manuscripts. Contact the editor-in-chief at journal@iaabc.org for specific deadline information.
Manuscripts should be formatted for 8-1/2" x 11" paper with a 1-inch margin on all sides. The entire manuscript,
including footnotes, references, and quoted materials should be double-spaced. Total manuscript length, including
references, tables, and figures, should not ordinarily exceed 30 pages using a 12-pt. font. Manuscripts should
be ordered as follows:
1. Title Page. The title page should give the title of the article and each author’s name along with his/her primary
(current) professional affiliation, if applicable. Underneath this information, please provide: (1) asentence about
each author that includes author’s name, highest earned degree, professional certifications (e.g. CPDT, CDBC),
current professional or departmental affiliation if applicable, and location; (2) any changes in affiliation subsequent
to the time of the study if this is a research submission; (3) previous presentations of the paper, grants, or thanks
Winter 2006
Submission Guidelines
and acknowledgments; (4) contact information including name of author, complete mailing address, and e-mail.
2. Text. Following the introduction, papers should be divided into appropriate sections with headings. First-order
headings should be centered on a separate line, bold, all caps. Second-order headings should be placed on a
separate line, begin with the left margin, and be completely italicized. Third-order headings should begin on the
same line with the first sentence of the section, be indented five spaces, have only the first word capitalized, end
with a period, and be italicized.
3. References. Citations should be given in the text by enclosing in parentheses the surname of the author(s)
and the year of the publication. The page numbers are included when a direct quote is used. Example: (Hanley,
2002, p. 204). References for all citations should be typed, double-spaced, and listed alphabetically on a separate
sheet(s) following the text. References should be in hanging indent format. Journal and book titles are italicized.
Page numbers must be included for book chapters.
4. Notes. Notes should be typed, double-spaced, and numbered consecutively on a separate sheet following
the references. Notes should be used rarely.
5. Figures (Tables, Charts, Graphs, Photographs). Each figure should be given on a separate sheet. The
desired location of figures in the text should be noted, and figures should be numbered appropriately so that they
correspond to mention of them in the text. If photographs are submitted that include a person or person(s), written
permission from the subject(s) of the photo is required. Please contact the editor-in-chief at journal@iadbc.org
for the standard photo release form. Photos electronic files must be at a resolution of 300 dpi or higher.
6. Style. The style calls for formal usage. Contractions, slang, and abbreviations should be omitted, except in
direct quotations, or when usage is specifically demanded by the context and set forth in quotation marks. For
manuscripts primarily focused on presenting the results of a research study, the use of the first person should be
avoided unless it facilitates greater clarity in expression than would use of another form. All accepted manuscripts
are subject to editing. For a copy of the style guide, contact the editor-in-chief at journal@iaabc.org.
A note regarding terminology: There is controversy, frequently quite heated, over whether a person who keeps
a companion or service animal should be called that animal’s “owner” or its “guardian.” Because usage here
often reflects a writer’s strongly held ethical beliefs and political opinions, to impose another term may effectively
misrepresent his or her point of view. The editors of Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice have
concluded that it is best to let each writer make the choice of terminology. Therefore, the use of terminology
regarding animal ownership or guardianship is a reflection of the author or authors’ own beliefs and not necessarily
a reflection of the beliefs of the editors or the IAABC. We ask our readers and members to bear in mind that
whatever our differences in this respect, we are united in our goal of working with animals and people in the most
scientific and compassionate way possible.
The guide for citation style is the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). This guide
can be obtained from the Order Department, American Psychological Association, PO Box 92984, Washington, DC
20090. The guide can also be ordered on the American Psychological Association’s web site, www.apastyle.org/
pubmanual.html. Our editorial staff can assist you with APA style as well.

Winter 2006
Vol. 1, No. 1 Winter 2006
Table of Contents
President’s Message.................................................................................................. 6
Association and Member News................................................................................... 10
IAABC Membership Criteria and Applications................................................................ 15
IAABC Board Statement on Approved Mentor Responsibilities......................................... 16
IAABC Board Statement on Advertising Degrees and Accreditation.................................. 17
IAABC Dog Tutorial Guidelines.................................................................................... 18
Follow-Up Procedures in Animal Shelters: A Survey of Current Practices........................... 21
IAABC Commitees and Divisions................................................................................. 26
What Do You Say When Your Clients Want Electronic Containment Systems?.................... 27
Cheryl S. Smith, CDBC
CASE STUDY: Handling, Enrichment, and Cleaning for a Sometimes Aggressive Iguana . ... 33
Debbie Winkler, CPDT, CABC
Animal Assisted Therapy - The Human-Animal Bond. A Personal Perspective..................... 35

Tara McLaughlin, CPDT
Lowering Arousal: How to Train Impulse Control........................................................... 41

Dee Ganley, CPDT, CABC
Think Twice Before You Declaw................................................................................... 44

Steve Dale, CABC
Asking How, Not Why: Utilizing Functional Behavior Assessments in Dog Training.............. 48
Merope Pavlides, MEd, PhD
Nine Activities to Address Behavior in a Good Dog Class ............................................... 58

Sue Alexander, CPDT, CDBC
CASE STUDY: The Flight of Bonnie's Thunderstorm Phobia............................................. 67

Carolyn Wilki
BOOK REVIEW: Cat Vs. Cat........................................................................................ 79

Beth Adelman, MS, CABC
Glossary of Useful Vocabulary for Parrot Behavior Consultants........................................ 81

Liz Wilson, CVT, CPBC
Letters to the Editor may be sent to journal@iaabc.org.
Winter 2006
Message From the President
by Lynn D. Hoover, LSW, CDBC
I Have a Dream
Delivered at the first annual IAABC conference, “Animals & Other Nations,” in Columbia, MD, June 3–5,
2005
I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in our history, as the greatest
gathering on behalf of companion animals with behavior problems in the history of our
profession.
Five score years ago, the great natural historian Henry Beston, in whose symbolic shadow we
stand today, wrote his moving discourse on the relationship animals bear to us:
We patronize them for their incompleteness, for their tragic fate of having taken form so far
below ourselves. And therein we err, and greatly err. For the animal shall not be measured by
man. In a world older and more complete than ours they move finished and complete, gifted
with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never
hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with
ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendor and travail of the earth.
These now-famous words have been oft-repeated as a great beacon of hope for millions of
companion animals. The animals had been measured by humans and found wanting, and were
being seared by the withering flames of abuse and exploitation.
It came as a joyous daybreak for animal caregivers to envision an end to the long night of
suffering. But one hundred years later, we must face the tragic fact that animals are still not
living in a right relationship with humans. And one hundred years later, the lives of animals who
live as companions to humans are still sadly crippled by the manacles of distorted perceptions
and the chains of unrealistic expectations.
One hundred years later, companion animals with behavior problems are an endangered
species. Why? Because animals are unable to communicate with humans in a language that
most humans understand. Humans draw the wrong conclusions, and that leads to the wrong
interventions that get animals into even deeper trouble with our species. Thus, companion
animals who are unable to make things right with us find themselves living on the loneliest of
islands. “I was hungry and you did give me to eat; I was frightened and you did comfort me.
But with all your food and comfort, you nourished me not. For you failed to notice: I am not like
you. I am another nation.”
So, one hundred years later, companion animals with “issues” can be found living in exile,
languishing in the corners of shelters or dying simply because there is no place to keep
them after being abandoned AS-IF: as if the love relationship they had with their families is
irrelevant; as if there is no human-animal bond worth fighting for. These animals have been
deprived of their families, and all too often are made to die when there is still hope. So we have
come here today, in part to do something about a shameful situation.
In a sense, we have come here today to cash a check. When the architects of our association
wrote the visionary words of the Mission Statement, we were signing a promissory note to which
every IAABC animal behavior consultant falls heir. We wrote in our note: Our Mission is to assist
companion animals and their humans by interrupting the cycle of inappropriate punishment,
rejection, and euthanasia of animals due to behavior problems that are resolvable.
Winter 2006
This note was a promise that all animals living in relationship with humans—cats and dogs,
parrots, and horses—will be guaranteed the right to love, understanding, and appropriate
support in their time of need.
It is obvious today that families and whole communities have not acknowledged this debt
insofar as animals with behavior problems are concerned. Instead of honoring their obligations,
animal owners are allowing healthcare providers, insurance companies, extended family,
neighbors, breeders, groomers, trainers, to give their pets a bad check. And especially with
aggression, the check is coming back marked “insufficient funds.”
But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there
are insufficient funds in the great vaults of possibility among those who define social norms, or
with families who bring animals into their hearts and homes. So we have come together today
to cash this check, a check that will give companion animals with issues, PRN – per need - the
riches of understanding and the security of acceptance and optimal care.
We have also come to his spot to remind ourselves of the fierce urgency of NOW. Now is the
time to make real the promise of the IAABC Mission.
Now is the time to raise animals living in relationship with humans from the dark and
desolate desert of neglect to the sunlit path of enlightened behavioral intervention. Now is the
time to think “rehabilitation first” for animals with issues.
We will not overlook the urgency of the moment or underestimate the capacity of family pets
to adapt and heal.
We in the IAABC embrace a collaborative model of healthcare and urge our colleagues in
allied professions to recognize the wisdom of this approach. A Collaborative Healthcare Model
promotes seamless cooperation and an exchange of usable information between animal behavior
consultant, client, veterinarian, and veterinary behaviorist. Groomers, breeders, neighbors, and
extended family, may also be included in the loop.
The veterinary community must become aware of the determination of our members.
Animal behavior consultants do not practice veterinary medicine without a license. We do not
diagnose medical conditions or prescribe medical treatments. But we are committed to providing
maximum support for animals in our care. As such, we do research and make information from
known reliable sources available to clients, colleagues, and veterinarians.
Paolo Friere, one of the most influential thinkers regarding education during the late
twentieth century, emphasized the need for dialogue in his concern for the oppressed. His
book Pedagogy of the Oppressed is currently one of the most quoted of educational texts. In
it, Friere teaches us that dialogue should not involve one person acting on another, but rather
people interacting with each other. He observes that withholding information is a tactic of an
oppressor.
IAABC animal behavior consultants are not oppressors. We are liberators. As such, we
embrace an obligation to make known, reliable information available to those who are in the best
position to act on it.
We will not rest until a majority of pets with behavior problems are given appropriate
opportunities to achieve behavioral health. The whirlwinds of our movement will continue to
shake the foundations of our communities until a bright day of opportunity for companion
animals emerges.
We cannot be satisfied as long as families cannot solve their problems with pets because
Winter 2006
everywhere they turn, the information they get is the wrong information. We cannot be satisfied
as long as animals are robbed of their dignity by assumptions such as “we know he’s trying to
dominate us” and “she’s doing that to spite us” and “he’s just a dog.” We cannot be satisfied as
long as the human response to animals in trouble is almost always the wrong response.
We can never be satisfied as long as animals are punished for being afraid.
And we can never be satisfied as long as animals who are presumably loved by their humans
are summarily euthanized after being provoked by their humans to bite.
We are not unmindful that some of you have come to this profession out of your own trials
and tribulations. Some of you have come from communities where your quest for help for your
pets left you and your pets battered by supposed experts and staggered by bad advice.
As Winnie the Pooh observed in the The Tao of Pooh:
“Lots of people talk to animals,” said Pooh.
“Maybe but...”
“Not very many listen, though,” he said.
“That’s the problem”
As we well know, pets with issues in our communities are veterans of unearned suffering, as
are their families.
Go back to your communities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.
It is something I dream about. It is a dream deeply rooted in the IAABC dream.
I have a dream that one day animal owners will rise up and live out the true meaning of their
commitment to care for family, in sickness and in health, and that commitment will extend to
other species living in loving relationships with them.
I have a dream that our members will continue to deeply respect the family’s right to self-
determination. Families must decide if they will go the distance for a pet, and it must be
understandable to us if they say “No.” And for certain sad situations we must recognize that
“No” is the optimal response.
But I have a dream that we will encounter increasing numbers of families who are willing to
sit down with qualified animal behavior experts and map out strategies to manage and modify
their animal’s problems. To achieve this end, however, we will need thousands more qualified
practitioners than are currently available.
I have a dream that we will never hear again from another owner: “I loved this dog, she was
my best friend for seven years. She saw me through a painful divorce. We were inseparable.
Then she bit me! Twice! I knew what I had to do. I held her while our veterinarian euthanized
her.”
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day the majority of owners of pets with issues will say “what can we
do to help?,” not “how do we rid ourselves of this problem?”
I have a dream that one day in pet owners homes, families who have been educated to
show their animals “who is boss” to end unwanted behavior, will understand that “showing their
animals what to do instead” yields better results.
I have a dream that pet owners who don’t believe in giving “cookie rewards” because animals
should be “above bribery” and should “work to please” their humans – that these owners will
Winter 2006
comprehend as we do, that the only alternative to the effective use of rewards, is punishment.
I have a dream that one day soon, animal owners and caretakers will commit to working
along with us, without a fight, to “minimize the use of aversive stimuli and maximize the
effective use of reinforcers to modify animal behavior.” The LIMA-first principle ( that is, the
least intrusive and minimally aversive) will become their general rule as it is our general rule.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that families will free themselves of antiquated rules about pets, such as “a
dog must never growl at humans” and “a parrot must never become irate”….and will tune in to
their pets’ real needs and nourish their friends instead.
The rough places will be made plains and the crooked places will be made straight and the
glory of animals living in relationship with humans will be revealed and we all will see it together.
I have a dream because right now, right here in our International Association of Animal
Behavior Consultants, our members are serving as models of cooperation and respect. We
understand what is good and are inspired to fight for the good for animals, owners and societies.
We extend welcoming hands to colleagues from allied professions who also have the wisdom to
fight for what is right and good.
This is our hope. This is the faith we will bring back to our communities. With this faith we
will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair, sparkling crystals of hope and everlasting
affection and devotion to the Other Nations that inhabit our homes and our hearts.
And if, in the end, we are to be measured not by how much we acquired but by how much
we loved…not by how much we controlled but by what we gave to nourish others …and if it takes
love to beget love, and love to accept the idea of animals as sentient beings, then what the
great Henry Beston wrote must become true: “We need another and wiser and perhaps a more
mystical concept of animals”…
And that wisdom will finally set the animals free.
So let freedom ring.
When we let freedom ring, we will be able to speed up that day when animals living in
relationships with humans, if they could sing in our language, just might be inspired by the
words of the old Negro spiritual to sing, “Thank God Almighty, you finally understand us and we
are free at last.”
Thanks to Martin Luther King for his incomparable “I Have a Dream” speech that gave inspiration for this
speech, and in some ways the inspiration for this movement, the IAABC.
Copyright 2005 Lynn Hoover. All Rights Reserved

Winter 2006
10
Association and Member News
Association News
Logos. We encourage all Certified and Associate members to use the IAABC logo on their own
Web sites and in marketing materials. E-mail Marilyn Krieger, MarilynK1@sbcglobal.net, for logos.
We thank Mira Jones' son, Brandon Jones, for the new logo design. Brandon Jones' company, DVD
Synergy, specializes in high quality video and DVD productions: www.dvdsynergy.com.
Brochures. The Education Committee labored over the brochure, Dog Behavior Consulting: A
Consumer’s Guide, for members to use for public education and marketing. Brochures are available
to Certified Dog Behavior Consultants (CDBCs) via e-mail attachment. E-mail Info@iaabc.org for
the templates. Members add their own contact information. Many thanks to the pioneers who
contributed so generously to this effort: Veronica Sanchez as Chair; Robin Pool for her design; Becky
Schultz, Sue Kapla, Jen Shryock, Barbara Handelman, Barbara Shumannfang, and Parvene Farhoody;
and Beth Adelman for her superb editing skills.
Thanks to Pam Johnson-Bennett, Amy Shojai, Beth Adelman, Val Pollard, Marva Marrow and others
for the new brochures, Animal Behavior Consulting: A Consumer's Guide, Cat Behavior Consulting:
A Consumer's Guide, and Animal Behavior Consulting: A Referral Guide for Veterinarians. The are
available to Certified members whose dues are paid for 2006.
Declawing Cats. Member Steve Dale has prepared a four-page color flyer on alternatives to
declawing cats. This journal article will be available to the public on the IAABC Web site.
Dogwise. Dogwise is giving IAABC members a discount on purchases: Ten percent for Certified
and Associate members and five percent for Affiliate members. To use the discount you have to
enter your member number in your Dogwise account records. E-mail jlrhoover@comcast.net for
your membership number.
The Human-Animal Mutualism Division has been hard at work on various projects
related to the division’s objective: to promote mutualism in humans’ relationships with working
animals such as service animals, therapy animals, animals trained to assist in public safety, and
animals trained for search and rescue, as well as companion animals. The committee provides
educational resources, guidance, and support to behavior consultants and the public on how
to meet the unique needs of humans and animals in working and companion partnerships. The
committee has drafted several documents already, including a general continuing education
outline for service and therapy animal consultants, a handout for consumers on emergency
planning for companion animals, a letter for emergency planning professionals to ensure
that companion animals' needs are considered, and a listing of web sites and resources for
consultants interested in issues related to service and therapy animals. They are also working
on a set of guidelines for handlers of working animals to consider the needs of both animals,
handlers, and the general public. The committee will continue working on these projects and as
soon as they are finalized they will be made available to IAABC members.
Journal. Our deepest thanks to pioneering editors, Mychelle Blake and Jolanta Benal, the
Journal Review Board members, and our authors for another stunning achievement, Animal Behavior
Consulting: Theory and Practice, the first of its genre. Calling all authors! Please contribute to the
next journal, scheduled for Fall 2006. Submission guidelines are posted to the Web site at www.
iaabc.org/journal.htm as well as in this journal. The editors are looking for commentaries, case
studies, formal research, and more.

Winter 2006
Association & Member News 11
IAABC Listservs.
• IAABC-L. If you would like to be added to the general listserv for case discussion, join IAABC-
L. E-mail: Kathie Compton at kc@texasdogtrainer.com. Many thanks to Michael Burkey, listserv
manager, for helping to keep our list discussions grounded. Thanks also to the participants for the
respectful and creative exchange. Visit groups.yahoo.com/group/IAABC-L for a description.
• CAT_IAABC. If you want to learn about cats, e-mail jlrhoover@comcast.net to be added to
the list. Thanks to members for the high-level discussions.
• PARROT IAABC. Listserv for members interested in learning about behavior consulting for
parrots. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Parrot_IAABC/.
Tutorials. The Dog, Cat, Parrot, and Horse divisions have tutorials for formal, in-depth case
discussion. Members range from extremely experienced to newcomers. The purpose is formal, in-
depth case discussion. The tutorials are open to Certified and Associate members. Mentors and case
presenters can use participation for CEUs/points. E-mail Kathie Compton at kc@texasdogtrainer.
com to be added to the Dog Tutorial. For information on Dog Tutorials, please e-mail Jim Barry at
jim@ridogguy.com and Heide Coppotelli at goodshepherd@infoave.net. At this point, Cat, Parrot,
and Horse Division tutorials are held on the main listservs.
Membership Numbers. Contact Bonnie Kenk, Membership Chair, at parroted@cox.net for
your membership number.
Membership Renewals. All dues for 2006 membership must be paid by March 31, 2006.
The Scientific Studies Group is moving ahead on several topics that we hope will benefit
not only the IAABC membership but also the general public. At present the topics that are being
researched include:
• Electronic training
• Temperament testing and the reliability of using it as a predictor of future behavior
• Tethering, crating, and containment
• Same-sex dog issues
• Dominance theory and how domestication has affected social behavior of the dog
• Evolution of relationships between the American family and their family dog training
• Effectiveness of Dog Appeasing Pheromone (DAP)
Web Content. If you have a training/consulting-related product to sell, or a seminar to promote,
you can list it now under DBC Resources on the IAABC Web site, www.iaabc.org. E-mail jlrhoover@
comcast.net with specifics.
Consultant Locator and Member Locator on the Web Site. All members, please check your
listings on the Web site for inclusion and accuracy. Certified members are listed under Consultant
Locator, http://www.iaabc.org/consultant_locator.htm, by division and region. Certified, Associate,
and Affiliate members are listed under Member Locator by region, http://www.iaabc.org/member_
locator.htm. Member Locator was established to encourage regional networking and referrals; you
will find many accomplished trainers in Member Locator. If you want to make changes or do not wish
to be listed, please e-mail Lynn Hoover at jlrhoover@comcast.net, and allow time for a response.
Welcoming Committee: A new committee has been formed to welcome new members.
Thanks to Mira Jones, Chair, and the committee members: Skye Anderson, Kathie Compton,
Debby McMullen, Jen Shryock, Janet Velenovsky, and Dani Weinberg.
Winter 2006
12 Association & Member News
Guided Study Group: Susan Pfadt as Chair, with Kathi O'Malley, Skye Anderson, John
Metcalfe, and Wendy Herkert are organzing guided study groups. The purpose of the group is to
help members develop their knowledge, skill, and ethics base for the practice of animal behavior
consulting. Book authors who are members of IAABC will lead discussions. The first guided study
will be held in March 2006 and Pam Dennison, author of How to Right a Dog Gone Wrong, will be
the instructor. Please contact Susan Pfadt with questions, spfadt@wmconnect.com.
Member News
NOTE: Please consider purchasing your books through the Resources section of the Web site,
www.iaabc.org. Members get a discount while generating revenue for the association.
Brenda Aloff released a new book, Canine Body Language: A Photographic Guide, available
through www.dogwise.com.
Darlene Arden, CDBC won a CWA Muse Medallion for a humor article. She spoke at
the convention of Massachusetts Librarians and at the Brussels Griffon Roving National in
conjunction with the prestigious Morris & Essex Dog Show. The topic was both small dogs and
wellness and was open to the public. She also will speak at the 2006 National Association of
Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS) Convention in San Diego, CA on February 25, 2006. She will
present a freestyle workshop at Masterpeace Dog Training Center in Franklin, MA on January
8th, 2006. She is also scheduled to judge a freestyle competition in Chicago in March 2006. She
is currently updating and expanding The Irrepressible Toy Dog and the second edition will be
released in May 2006 under the title Small Dogs, Big Hearts. Member Beth Adelman is once
again editing.
Patricia Bentz, CPDT, CDBC completed her weekly television spots with Carol Erikson:
“45 Seconds to a Better Pet” on WKYW, Channel 3 in Philadelphia in 2005. In January 2005,
she was on WBLQ radio’s “Pet Talk with Heidi & Rosemary” in Westerly, RI. Her article “Beyond
Obedience” was published in the 2005 Natural Pet Expo Resource Guidebook for Philadelphia.
Ann Castro’s book on clicker training parrots and other birds is being published in Germany
in December 2005 (Die Vogelschule - Clickertraining für Papageien, Sittiche und andere Vögel,
Ann Castro, ISBN 3000174389). VOX, a major German television station, filmed a short
documentary with Ann featuring species-appropriate parrot keeping and clicker training. It will
air in late January/early February 2006 with an estimated one million viewers.
Suzanne Clothier CDBC’s book Bones Would Rain from the Sky: Deepening Our
Relationship with Dogs was cited by the Wall Street Journal (November 19, 2005, weekend
edition) as number two on their list of the Top Five Dog Books. In December 2005, Suzanne was
featured in an article by Steve Dale for Dog World magazine. Her seminar schedule can be found
at her Web site: www.flyingdogpress.com/seminars.html.
Pam Dennison has a new book coming out in January 2006, Click Your Way to Rally
Obedience. She is also releasing a Rally video in early 2006. She will present her Camp
R.E.W.A.R.D. seminar for aggressive, reactive, or shy dogs in Blairstown, NJ on April 28-30,
June 23-25, and September 22-24, 2006. She will also speak at Tails U Win in Manchester, CT
on October 7 and 8, 2006; for Northeast Boxer Rescue in Andover, CT on May 6 and 7, 2006;
and for New England Border Collie Rescue on September 9 and 10, 2006. For information on
seminars go to www.positivedogs.com.
Patty Dobbs Gross' new book, THE GOLDEN BRIDGE: A Guide to Assistance Dogs for
Winter 2006
Association & Member News 13
Children Challenged by Autism or Other Developmental Disabilities, will be published in March

2006 by Purdue University Press.
Marguerite Floyd is doing a series of podcasts about parrots called "Parrot Chat." These
are small free audio shows featuring interviews or discussions with avian veterinarians, behavior
consultants, “regular” parrot owners, animal communicators, and other parrot professionals. The
podcasts are located at www.scritches.com/podcast/index.html The Web site also features a
free discussion board.
Sarah Gorwitz-Kalnajs, CDBC, CPDT has a new DVD series. Part one is The Language of
Dogs and part two, available in January 2006, is Am I Safe: Assessing Dogs for Rescues and
Shelters.
Pamela Johnson-Bennett is the resident cat expert at Cat Fancy magazine’s new Web
site www.catchannel.com, as of November 2005. She has an expert message board on the site
called “Think Like a Cat with Pam Johnson-Bennett.” In 2006 she will begin her third year as the
spokesperson for the National Friskies Tour.
Eve Marschark, PhD, CPDT, CDBC will be teaching an undergraduate psychology course
at Temple University Ambler Campus in the spring of 2006, titled “The Relationship between
Humans, Dogs and other Domestic Animals." She will also be speaking at the Bucks-Mont
Owners-Handlers’ Association on the first Tuesday in March, 2006 on the topic of how humans
and dogs communicate. For information, contact Audrey Williams at: blumobeard@comcast.net
or evemarschark@verizon.net.
Stephen C. Rafe, Starfire, will present a day-long conference on canine behavior at the
Groom and Kennel Expo in Burbank, CA on February 17, 2006, www.groomexpo.com/GKE_
homepage.html. On February 18, 2006, he will present three additional programs at this event:
a one-hour seminar on behavior-based training techniques, and two one-hour seminars on
canine-behavior topics not covered in the day-long conference.
Jennifer Shryock, CDBC released the first edition of Dogs & Storks, a narrated CD program.
She won the Writer of the Year award from the International Positive Dog Training Association,
www.ipdta.org, for her work with Doggone Safe. She is also a regular guest on Army Wife Talk
Radio (www.armywifetalkradio.com).
Pia Silvani, CPDT’s new book, Raising Puppies and Kids Together: A Guide for Parents, was
published in September 2005. The book is for people who have infants, toddlers, or school-age
children and are thinking of adopting a puppy, or who have a family pet and children, or who are
planning on starting a family. The goal is to guide people and help foster a bond that all children
should experience with their dogs. The book is available through St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare
Center Web site, www.sthuberts.org, and proceeds from the sale fund the work of the shelter.
The book is also available through Dogwise and major booksellers. St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare
Center will also feature the following seminars in 2006: Pamela Reid, PhD, “When Good Dogs Go
Bad – Dealing with Canine Aggression” on February 11 and 12; Leslie Nelson, “The Rules, Tools
and Tricks of Positive Reinforcement” on April 29 and 30; Jean Donaldson, “Execution of the Big
Six Techniques in Behavior Modification” and “Evolution and Dog Behavior” on June 10 and 11;
and John Rogerson, topic to be announced, on September 30 and October 1.
Cheryl Smith and co-author Mandy Book will have a new book, Right on Target, published
in early 2006 by Dogwise. The book will look at using target training to teach nose, body, and
foot touches for agility, freestyle, good behavior, and more. Cheryl's radio show, PetSmith, will
be going national on the Animal Radio Network in 2006. She will be lecturing at the Groom and
Winter 2006
14 Association & Member News
Kennel Expo in Burbank, CA on February 17 and 18 and teaching at the WCFO International
Conference in Detroit on April 27 and 30.
Susan Smith, CTC, CPDT, CDBC runs Raising Canine, providing both live and audio-
taped telecourses, which are actually just a telephone conference call! When you attend a live
telecourse, you have the opportunity to interact with the speaker and other course attendees;
the audio telecourses allow you the freedom to listen to quality speakers at your convenience
-- just enroll in the course, and away you go! Both live and taped courses qualify for CEUs and
credit toward certification. For more information and a list of courses, visit the Web site at www.
raisingcanine/com/courses.
Dani Weinberg, PhD, CDBC will publish her new book in early 2006 through Howln Moon
Press: Teaching People Teaching Dogs: Insights and Ideas for Instructors (working title).
Nicole Wilde, CPDT will present a seminar on “The Ins and Outs of In-Home Training” at
Narnia Pet Behavior and Training in Plainfield, IL on June 10 and 11, 2006. She will also speak
at the 2006 APDT Annual Educational Conference on September 15 and 17 in Kansas City, MO,
and on October 6 and 7 in central England. These presentations are entitled “Fear Issues” and
“Solving Behavior Problems.”
Liz Wilson, CVT, CPBC used her monthly parrot behavior column in the February 2006
issue of Bird Talk Behavior to highlight the IAABC. Liz cited some great quotes from Lynn Hoover
about the organization. As a result, Lynn has received numerous queries about joining IAABC, as
well as a donation from a woman who was so impressed with the IAABC Web site that she sent
money to support the IAABC mission.


Winter 2006
The IAABC Statement on Certification 15
Membership Criteria and Applications
The following areas of competency are of import to applicants on the path to certification:
Core Areas of Competency:

• Assessment and Intervention Strategies
• Counseling Skills & Social Systems Assessment - understanding and
intervening in complex human systems including the family, community,
healthcare system; development of necessary
knowledge, skills, and attitudes
• Behavioral Science - the capacity to understand and apply scientifically
derived fact, theory and skill related to animal development and animal
behavior problems
• General knowledge of animal behavior/genetics/neuropsychology/
ethology
• Species-specific knowledge: healthcare, nutrition, husbandry, behavior
Certification Process
Applicants are assessed for knowledge and skill base in the five core areas of competency, as
well as character and ethics and contributions to the field of animal behavior consulting.
Applicants are asked to complete the Application for IAABC Membership, submit two (2)
essays, and provide three (3) references in envelopes (sealed and submitted by mail or e-mail
by the endorser/reference), as outlined below, and submit all documents but references in
triplicate. References submitted by applicants will not be accepted.
Applicants also submit college transcripts and progress reports from mentors and instructors
on IAABC approved courses. Standards may ask for additional supplemental materials and
administer tests.
Standards will review animal behavior consulting experience and will be interested in
philosophy, techniques, knowledge, skill base, and ethics.
Standards assesses competency in the five core areas. Applicants must establish competency
in at least two areas to be accepted at the Associate level and five areas to be accepted for
Certification.
Standards identifies areas where supplemental study and experience is needed to achieve
competency, called “growth areas.” Standards provides lists of educational resources, reading
and other materials to assist applicants. Associate members submit a plan that details how they
will achieve competency in identified areas. Standards may accept or ask for revisions of the
plan.
Applications may be accepted at the Associate level with certification pending completion of
additional criteria, or may be denied. All Certifications are provisional for the first year.

Winter 2006
16 IAABC Statement on Approved Mentor Responsibilities
IAABC Statement on Approved Mentor Responsibilities
Approved Mentors are bound by the IAABC Code of Ethics, IAABC Practice Guidelines, and the
Responsibilities detailed below. The IAABC Code of Ethics is available at www.iaabc.org/about.htm.
IAABC Approved Mentors may supervise Associate members who are working towards IAABC
Certified Membership and Certified members wishing to expand their skill base. Associate members
will be awarded credit towards certification for entering in to a supervisory relationship with an IAABC
Approved Mentor; Certified members will earn CEUs.
Conversation between the IAABC trainee and the mentor will preferably take place in-person
but can be by phone or by e-mail if distance is an issue.* The mentee may be asked to use
audio or video taping with appropriate client consent.
The learning process should be as sustained and intense as necessary to support mentee
development.
The major emphasis of supervision should be on the trainee’s work with clients. Supervision
focuses on live cases.
Agreement should be reached about fees and collection procedures, hours, time and methods
for meeting, case responsibility, case review, handling of potentially dangerous client situations,
and so forth.
Mentors should recognize their legal responsibilities for cases seen by mentees. Both mentors
and mentees should have liability insurance coverage.
Progress Reports: The progress of trainees should be periodically reviewed according to
pre-determined goals, and evaluations should be shared and discussed with mentees. Mentors
comply with mentee requests for confirmation of supervision and performance reviews are
submitted to the Standards Commission. Evaluation forms will be provided by the IAABC
Standards Commission
Should a mentor develop significant concerns about the abilities, philosophical beliefs, or
practices of a mentee, the concerns must be shared with the mentee and documented in writing
as early as possible. Mentors do not disclose trainee confidences except in limited circumstances
described in the IAABC Code of Ethics.
Tutorials: Mentors may assist IAABC members formally on the tutorials; case presenters may
ask mentors assisting on tutorials to submit progress reports. Mentors will be especially interested in
mentees’ ability to negotiate practice issues successfully and to learn from mentors and colleagues.
*Geographic Hardship: Associate members (on the path to certification) who need supervised
practice hours but live in areas where there is no compatible choice of Approved Mentors within
20 miles may fulfill the mentoring requirements by telephone and e-mail. They may be required
to present videotaping of animals and their habitats.

Winter 2006
IAABC Board Statement on Advertising Degrees and Accreditation 17
IAABC Board Statement on Advertising Degrees and Accreditation
As the Board continues to finalize the development of the new certification policies and
procedures, the Board wishes to encourage members to take some time to review the Code of
Ethics and Practice Guidelines, all of which can be accessed on the Web site. In concert with
the new certification protocols, these documents will ensure that qualified professionals with
integrity are always the centerpiece of IAABC. Recently the Board has received inquiries about
the parameters of the following Ethics sections.
8.5 Animal behavior consultants list only bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees
from recognized accredited colleges and universities, as described below.
8.6 Animal behavior consultants correct, wherever possible, false, misleading,
or inaccurate information and representations made by others concerning the consultant’s
qualifications, services, or products.
8.7 In representing their educational qualifications, animal behavior consultants list
and claim as evidence only those earned degrees: (a) from institutions accredited by regional
accreditation sources recognized by the United States Department of Education, (b) from
institutions recognized by states or provinces that license or certify animal behavior consultants,
or (c) from equivalent foreign institutions
The Board addressed this issue at its retreat in September and after exhaustive research
and review of laws reaffirmed its earlier decision to include in these sections only degrees from
institutions that are accredited by accreditation organizations recognized by the U.S. Department
of Education or equivalent foreign agencies/organizations. On its Web site the USDE indicates
why this form of accreditation is so important: “The U.S. Secretary of Education recognizes
those agencies determined to be reliable authorities as to the quality of education or training
provided by the institutions of higher education and the higher education programs they
accredit. Accreditation of an institution or program by a recognized accrediting agency provides a
reasonable assurance of quality and acceptance by employers of diplomas and degrees.”
The Board believes firmly that consistency in standards, both external ones such as
educational degrees and internal ones such as the new certification procedures are musts
in accurately representing credentials to the public. The Board does not intend to diminish
the value of learning opportunities that might have taken place in other institutional settings
and certainly permits members to disseminate descriptions of those experiences in peer
and customer interactions. Yet, those have not been scrutinized by independent recognized
accrediting bodies and are therefore not appropriate as listed degrees by IAABC members.
The Board and Ethic Committee welcome any inquiries about the Guidelines and Code
of Ethics. The Board hopes though that this will clarify past inquiries and that corrections of
educational qualifications will be made by members, as appropriate.
The Board and Ethics Committee reaffirm their commitment to IAABC members and believe
that observance of the principles outlined above supports and protects IAABC members and the
profession of animal behavior consulting.

Winter 2006
18 IAABC Dog Tutorial Guidelines
IAABC Dog Tutorial Guidelines
Outcome Goal: To optimize learning

Process Goal: To facilitate a creative process and flow of ideas; to minimize competition and
maximize cooperation and support.
How will discussion progress?
Step 1: The consultant wishing to present sends a Facilitator his/her case using a behavior
questionnaire or another format that’s acceptable to the facilitator. The facilitator asks for
mentors willing to help with the case, up to a maximum of three mentors.
Step 2: Information-Gathering: The presenter/consultant with the case posts the case
information to the list and asks for input on information-gathering. What additional information
do members need to formulate a diagnostic assessment?
Step 3: Assessment: Members offer their ideas about what is going on. Includes speculations
on causality, possible medical causes, ideas about dog and family.
Step 4: Intervention: Members offer ideas about what might be done to influence change.
Includes recommendations consultant gives to client families, strategies for working with
humans, interventions with dog.
Note: Assessment and Intervention may be overlapping and can be discussed together
if the member contributing is clear that he/she is mixing assessment with intervention. But
participants should generally hold their suggestions for how to resolve the problem for the
Intervention phase.
How many cases can be discussed at a time? How will members know discussion is
coming to an end?
Generally, we will discuss one case at a time. When one is winding up (intervention) you
may move on to the information-gathering stage with a new case. To help clarify the end of a
case the facilitator/mentor and/or presenter will capsulate as best they can the conclusion of the
case. This can be a short compilation of key findings..
Do we require that all participants use the same questionnaire?

No. Participants can use the questionnaire of their choice as long as the questionnaire they
use covers certain areas/questions/points. Members will find samples of questionnaires in “Files”
at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Dog_Tutorial_IAABC/files/. Members can also find sample
questionnaires as follows:
Overall, Karen. Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Small Animals. Appendix A, p. 393
Lindsay, Steven. Applied Dog Behavior and Training: Volume Two, p. 53
Canine Behavioral History, Animal Behavior Clinical, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell
University, http://www.vet.cornell.edu/abc/canine_history.html
Role of Facilitator:
Facilitators will also serve as mentors. The facilitator may ask other certified members to join
Winter 2006
IAABC Dog Tutorial Guidelines 19
in mentoring. There may be a maximum of three mentors for each case.

The facilitator will post a compilation of questions from the information-gathering phase.
There will be no compilation of assessment and intervention input unless members ask for it.
There will be a time limit on each phase. Facilitators will set the time limit. The time periods
may be shorter for “live” cases and longer for “retrospective” cases or the length of time may be
shorter or longer depending on the complexity of the case. Three to four days for discussion of
each phase will be the norm.
Facilitators will help keep the discussion on-topic.
Facilitators will monitor the subject line. Subject lines should include: Name of Dog
(pseudonym); breed; age: phase (information-gathering, assessment or intervention, or
assessment/intervention)
Mentors will earn one CEU for assisting members with a case, to a maximum of six CEUs
for per year for serving as mentors on tutorials. Mentor/facilitators will earn two CEUs each
for seeing through a case from beginning to end. Mentor participation must be sustained and
intense to earn CEUs.
When members arrive at the diagnostic/intervention stage the facilitator may try to broker an
agreement as to what the assessment and recommendations should be. If there is no movement
each person can simply state what they feel should be done and leave it at that. The mentors
may ask participants to justify or explain their recommendations and engage them in discussion
on the pros and cons of specific recommendations.
The facilitator may ask questions about what went well or wrong and why. They may also ask
members what they learned.
The facilitator may ask the case presenter to fill in any blanks that were missed and also
share what actually happened, and the results of their program.
Facilitators will set aside three to four days for each phase. Facilitators may remind
members on the day before the deadline that they need to get their responses in by the next
day.
Role of Multiple Mentors: (up to three per case)

Mentors will each ask questions and make their assessments and recommendations after
other participants have discussed the case. The purpose is so members can see how three
experienced trainers would have assessed and handled the same case. The differences as well
as the similarities will be educational. Members will have opportunities to ask the three mentors
questions about why they chose x, y, or z.
Mentoring will be voluntary because not all Certified members will be comfortable with the e-
mail format and/or might prefer other means of achieving their CEUs.
We recognize that mentors will not be equally qualified in all areas; also, that disagreement is
inevitable but differences will be handled professionally with positive regard for colleagues as an
underlying value.
There may be varying levels of discussion depending on the problem behaviors/behaviors
discussed.
Mentors/facilitators will provide some assistance in interfacing with colleagues.
Winter 2006
20 IAABC Dog Tutorial Guidelines
If a presenter has a mentor whom he/she is working with independently, the mentor will
be asked to support that mentee during case discussion on the Tutorial. Mentors may e-mail
presenters privately to facilitate their learning.
Role of Presenter:
Presenters will identify if cases are “live” or reflective and how far along they are in their
work with the clients. Presenters are asked to report back periodically on outcomes, e.g.
compliance, effectiveness, new problems, etc.
Presenters will protect confidentiality and disguise all potential identifying information.
The presenter agrees to be available to respond to posts on his/her case.
Presenters may agree to identify “areas for growth” among the areas of competence required
for Certification. Every individual will have areas they lack expertise and areas they excel and
for those individuals an emphasis on understanding the areas lacking are of vital importance.

Winter 2006
21
Follow-Up Procedures in Animal Shelters: A Survey of Current Practices

by Mary Burch, PhD, CABC, Dee Ganley, CPDT, CABC, and Jill Nugent, MS
IAABC Shelter Task Force
Abstract
The Shelter Committee of the IAABC began work to develop a systems analysis of current animal
shelter procedures and practices. The IHAF model (intake, holding, adoption, and follow-up) was
used to evaluate current practices. A 10 question survey pertaining to follow-up procedures was
conducted and 56 shelters responded. Results showed that nearly half of the shelters did not have the
time or resources to conduct follow-up checks on animals that had been adopted. When follow-up did
occur, there was a significant amount of variability with regard to how often and when checks were
conducted.
Introduction
Animal shelter practices have changed dramatically in the last 20 years. An increasing number
of shelters strive to implement state-of-the-art, high-quality programs that result in as many
adoptions as possible. In an effort to ensure the successful lifelong placement of shelter pets in their
new adoptive homes, many shelters now provide comprehensive services such as assistance with
medical problems, behavior counseling, and dog training classes on-site or as a partnership with local
trainers. In addition, a number of shelters provide adoption counseling when a person is selecting a
pet and conduct follow-up after animals have been adopted (HSUS, 2006). Follow-up contacts with
people who have adopted a pet from the shelter can be in the form of phone calls, e-mails, letters,
or home visits. Follow-up contacts give the animal’s adopter the opportunity to talk to shelter staff
or volunteers about any problems such as behavioral or health issues. The ultimate goal of follow-up
checks is to reduce the chance that the adopter will return the animal to the shelter. Follow-up checks
for adopted shelter animals are generally regarded as a part of “best practice.”
Van Winkle (2005) proposed a model of looking at shelter operations that is referred to as the IHAF
(intake, holding, adoptions, and follow-up) model. The IHAF model provides a framework for looking
at all of the primary operations within an animal shelter. In any type of animal shelter, the intake and
holding components are necessary for the program to exist.
Adoptions are a common goal in most shelters and the adoption component is one area for which
standard procedures and policies exist in shelters across the country. The one component of the
IHAF model that is most often not implemented is follow-up. When shelters do not have follow-up
procedures in place, it is usually due to limited resources (e.g., staff shortage, no volunteers) or the
need to focus attention on other areas.
Method
In February 2006, a subcommittee of the Shelter Task Force of the International Association
of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) conducted a survey to determine the status of follow-up
programs in animal shelters. The survey was sent via e-mail to members of a shelter staff and trainer
listserv and it included 10 questions regarding whether follow-up procedures were in place and if they
were, how follow-up checks were conducted at each individual shelter.
Results
States
There were 56 responses from shelters across the United States. States represented in the
responses included Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia,
Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
Texas, and Washington. In addition, there was one response from a shelter in Canada.
Who responded to the survey?
Winter 2006
22 Follow Up Procedures in Animal Shelters: A Survery of Current Practices
Individuals who responded to the survey included: administrative staff (such as executive
directors, shelter directors and managers, outreach coordinators--30 responses); directors of
adoption services or behavior counselors (10 responses); volunteers (8 responses); staff including
animal care or vet techs, kennel supervisors, and animal control officers (7 responses); board
members (1 response). In the case where a board member was also a volunteer, the response was
counted under volunteers.
Types of shelters
Of the 56 shelters responding to the survey,
there was a good representation of the different
types of shelters: municipal (city or county) and
managed by a humane society (18 shelters);
private, nonprofit, and not run by a humane
society (14 shelters); municipal-city and/or
county managed (11 shelters); humane society or
SPCA (10 shelters); and rescue organizations or
sanctuaries (3 shelters).
Number of animals per day
As shown in Fig. 1, most of the 56 shelters
responding to the survey held between 101 and 300 animals per day. There was only one shelter
that held less than 10 animals at a time, and one shelter that held approximately 600 animals on any
given day.
Number of animals handled yearly
As shown in Fig. 2, most of the shelters surveyed handled between 501 and 2,000 animals each
year (13 shelters). The next largest categories were 2,001 to 4,000 animals per year (8 shelters) and
4001 to 6000 animals per year (9 shelters).
Does the shelter conduct post-adoption follow-up checks?
Three of the shelters responding to the survey
handled more than 20,000 animals per year. Thirty-
three shelters said “yes” (59%); twenty-three said
“no” (41%). Of the 23 she they did not have follow-
up procedure s in place, 15 shelters indicated that
they wer developing follow-up plans.
Who does the follow up?
In addition to the 33 shelters that had an existing
follow-up plan in place, 10 shelters were currently
developing plans for follow-up procedures. For these
shelters, follow-ups were most often conducted solely
by volunteers (21 shelters). Twelve shelters had
staff and volunteers working together to conduct follow-up checks and 10 shelters relied on staff to
conduct all follow-up checks. One shelter had a board member who managed the follow-up for all
adopted animals. Other results included: Volunteers conduct all follow-up (21 shelters); staff and
volunteers do follow-up (12 shelters); staff only do follow-up (10 shelters).
Follow-up checks were conducted by a variety of staff members, including customer service
specialists, adoption and behavior hotline counselors, animal control officers, front office staff, kennel
staff, kennel supervisors, receptionists, paid behavior consultants, and, in a few cases, shelter
directors or managers. When shelter directors or managers conducted follow-up checks, these were
most often spot checks that were done periodically in order to assess staff performance related to
customer service and the assistance that was provided during the adoption process.
How many staff/volunteers do follow up?
Winter 2006
Follow Up Procedures in Animal Shelters: A Survery of Current Practices 23
Respondents to the survey were asked to reply to how many staff or volunteers were involved
in conducting follow-up checks by choosing from the following categories: 1 person, 2 to 5 people,
and more than 5 people are involved in follow-up. The results showed the majority of shelters that
conducted follow-up, between 2 and 5 people were responsible for it. At 5 shelters, 1 person did all
the follow-up; at 26 shelters, 2 to 5 people did the follow-up; and at 9 shelters, more than 5 people
did the follow-up. Of the shelters that had more than 5 people working on follow-up, one shelter
required all 15 staff members to follow up on adopted animals and another had 26 staff and 12
volunteers dividing up follow-up calls.
Is there any special training for people who do follow-up?
Of the 33 shelters that conducted follow-up, 18 shelters (55 percent) provided those responsible
with special training related to conducting follow-up phone interviews or home visits, phone calls,
sending e-mails, or sending letter surveys. Nearly half of the shelters that did follow-up (15 shelters,
45 percent) offered no special training for staff or volunteers related specifically to follow-up.
How long after adoption do you conduct follow-up checks?
There is some overlap in the data for this question because some shelters conducted follow-up
checks more than once. Although the most common time for follow-up was when the animal had
been in the home between one and two weeks, for the most part, the answers to this question
were very evenly distributed across most categories. The shelters in this survey reported that they
conducted follow-up checks at the following times:
• Follow-up at one week (9 shelters)
• Between one and two weeks (10 shelters)
• Between two and three weeks (7 shelters)
• Follow-up at one month (9 shelters)
• Follow-up between one and three months (9 shelters)
• Follow-up between two and six months (7 shelters)
• Follow-up whenever staff can do it, from one week later to months later (1 shelter)
The answers to questions regarding when follow-up checks were conducted indicated that three
respondents had attended workshops or read materials in which follow-up was suggested at three
days, three weeks, and three months. Otherwise, follow-up practices varied from shelter to shelter.
To demonstrate the variability in the timing of follow-up checks, we offer these examples. Follow-
up was performed at:
• one week, one month, six months, one year
• one week, three months
• three days, one month, three months
• three weeks, three months
• one week, two months
• two weeks, one month, six months
• two weeks, six months, one month
• one month, three months, six months
• between one week and 30 days
How frequent is follow-up?
The most frequently reported number of follow-ups conducted was one; that is, when a follow-up
system was in place, most shelters checked up on adopted animals once. No shelter in this survey
routinely conducted more than three follow-ups, although some shelters indicated that if problems
were discovered in the initial follow-up, there might be additional phone consultations with the owner.
Winter 2006
24 Follow Up Procedures in Animal Shelters: A Survery of Current Practices
Responses to this question were as follows: 24 shelters conducted one follow-up check; 5 shelters
conducted two follow-up checks; 4 shelters conducted three follow-up checks; and two more plan to
do three checks for adopted animals).
What methods are used for follow-up?
Shelters conduct follow-up checks on adopted animals by phone, e-mail, letter surveys, home
visits, or some combination of these methods. As one might guess, due to time constraints, limited
staff, and the reported desire to not invade the privacy of the adoptive family, home visits are rare
as a routine follow-up measure. (Animal control officers routinely conduct follow-up home visits in
cruelty and neglect cases.) The most common method of follow-up was a telephone call. A number
of respondents submitted comments about the difficulty in this day and age of telemarketing of
reaching many owners on the telephone. Many people work during the day, and during the evening
hours they avoid phone calls that cannot be recognized on Caller ID. Despite this, for the shelters
responding to this survey, the phone method of follow-up outnumbered other methods.
• follow-up by phone call only (21 shelters)
• phone plus email follow-up (5 shelters)
• e-mail only (2 shelters)
• letter survey (3 shelters)
• phone call plus letter survey (2 shelters)
One shelter that conducted phone plus e-mail follow-ups also did home visits. This shelter was a
small private shelter that held approximately 15 animals at any one time with a total estimated at
200 animals per year.
If an adoptive owner reports problems during follow-up checks (or they call in), what do you do?
Almost every shelter that responded to this survey had some type of plan in place to address
behavioral and medical issues. For behavior problems, there was some overlap in responses because
some shelters would have more than one response to reported problems—for example, they might
both give a referral to their behavior hotline and ask a local dog trainer (who was a shelter volunteer)
to contact the adoptive owner. The responses to this question can be seen in the lists below.
Behavioral Issues
• Refer to trainer/behaviorist for problems (21 shelters). This referral may result in a
suggestion that dogs attend training classes.
• Ask the designated trainer/behaviorist (may be a volunteer) to contact the owner
(17 shelters)
• Refer to the behavior hotline (11 shelters)
• Have staff call and offer consult (7 shelters)
• Send packet of printed information (3 shelters)
Medical Issues
• Assist with medical referrals, funding, help with problem (14 shelters)
• Provide pet health insurance for 30 days (2 shelters)
Is there a script/checklist used for follow-up checks on the phone?
When follow-up is conducted via letter or e-mail, there is obviously a set list of questions.
However, when follow-ups are conducted on the phone, a surprising number of shelters did not use a
script or checklist. Several indicated they just “called and asked them how it was going.” Responses
to this question included:
• Yes, use a script for followup phone calls (11 shelters);
Winter 2006
Follow Up Procedures in Animal Shelters: A Survery of Current Practices 25
• No, do not use a script for phone follow-up (22 shelters).
What are the most important issues at your shelter related to follow-up?
While there was clearly variety in the responses to this question, the one area that was repeatedly
reported as a problem was the lack of time or resources (staff/volunteers) needed to conduct follow-
up checks consistently (18 shelters). Unless otherwise indicated, a sample of other single responses
included:
“We need ways for follow-up to be productive.”
“Accuracy of behavioral assessment is important re: follow-up.”
“Matching right animal with right home is important” (4 shelters).
“Hard to do phone calls because people won’t answer at night.”
“We are busy so it is hard to maintain contact and do follow-up.”
“Separation anxiety is the most common problem and hard to handle.”
“Health problems need the most follow-up.”
“We need to get them help before they surrender the pet.”
“We know what the animal needs but training help is hard to find.”
“Owners call us too late and they’ve already made up their minds to surrender” (this shelter did
have a follow-up plan).
“ Follow-up can end up convincing them to keep the animal.”
“We want them to want to adopt from us again.”
“Helping them form a strong bond with the pet” (5 shelters mentioned the human-animal bond).
Conclusions
As can be seen from the results in this survey, if there is one area in best practice for shelters
that needs development, improvement, and standardization, it is follow-up. At this time, there are
significant differences of opinion among some of the most highly regarded shelter programs in the
country as to when follow-up checks should be conducted. Further, many shelters do not provide
training on how to conduct follow-up checks, and many do not use a standard script or checklist. This
suggests that the results of a follow-up phone interview may not even be recorded.
Considering that the point of follow-up is to save placements for adopted animals, shelters may
want to analyze their owner surrender data for adopted animals to determine when the owners are
most likely to return pets. For shelters that have training and behavioral resources, adoption packets
should include a very prominent stimulus that lets each adoptive owner know the shelter can and
should be called at the first sign of a behavior or medical problem. In some communities, in order to
develop a follow-up plan, it will be necessary to develop a cadre of volunteers who have dog training
skills, a great deal of knowledge about cats, and the ability to work with exotic pets. For researchers,
there is a need for research on all of the aspects related to following up on adopted shelter animals.
Shelters are lightyears ahead of where they were two decades ago. The development of
systematic, effective follow-up programs will be a goal for many shelters in the near future.
References
Humane Society of the United States (2006). Adopting from an animal shelter. www.hsus.org/pets/pet_
adoption_information/adopting_from_an_animal_shelter.html.
Van Winkle, T. (2005) The IHAF Model. Email communication to the Shelter Task Force of the International
Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. December 14.

Winter 2006
26
IAABC COMMITTEES
Ad Hoc Public Education Committee

Jo Jacques, Valerie Pollard, Liz Wilson
Book Study Group

Susan Pfadt, Chair; Skye Anderson, Wendy Herkert, John Metcalfe, Kathi O'Malley
Consultant for Feline Behavior Consulting Education

Pam Johnson-Bennett
Editorial & Journal Review Board

Mychelle Blake, Editor; Jolanta Benal, Associate Editor; Beth Adelman, Darlene Arden, Chris Bach, Susan
Bulanda, Mary Burch, Linda Case, Steve Dale, Lynn Hoover, Pam Johnson-Bennett, Myrna Milani, James
O'Heare, Joanne Oliva-Purdy, Merope Pavlides, Valerie Pollard, Veronica Sanchez, Dani Weinberg, Liz Wilson
Education Collaborative
Rachel Friedman, Chris Hamer
Media Committee
Steve Dale, Chair; Darlene Arden, Michael Burkey, Parvene Farhoody, Pam Johnson-Bennett, Mira Jones,
Veronica Sanchez, Amy Shojai
Members Assisting with Standards, Criteria, and Consultant Education

Patricia Bentz, Mychelle Blake, Jane Bowers, Anne Ferry, Elise Gouge, Lore Haug, Pam Johnson-Bennett, Mira
Jones, Bonnie Kenk, Marilyn Krieger, Pam Kundro, Lorraine Martinez, Lisa Mullinax, Susan Pfadt,
Valerie Pollard, Kelly Ryan, Pia Silvani, Dani Weinberg, Liz Wilson, Debbie Winkler, Caryl Wolff
Publications Consultant
Beth Adelman
Scientific Studies Committee

Linda Case, Barbara Davis, Jo Jacques, Sandy Myers, Valerie Pollard, Daphne Robert-Hamilton,
Norine Twaddell, Thomas Van Winkle, Debbie Winkler
Shelter Task Force

Jenn Barg, Mary Burch, Vinny Catalano, Dee Ganley, Sarah Kalnajs, Jill Nugent, Pia Silvani, Sue Sternberg,
Kelsey Williams
Social Justice Committee

Thomas Van Winkle, Chair; Jan Gribble, Becky Schultz
IAABC DIVISONS
Cat Behavior Consulting Division

Pam Johnson-Bennett, Chair & Founder; Steve Dale, Marilyn Krieger, Marva Marrow,
Jennifer LeBaron Michels
Human-Animal Mutualism Division

Veronica Sanchez, Chair & Founder; Darlene Arden, Tara McLaughlin, Jane Miller, Robin Pool,
Janet Velenovsky, Mara Windstar, Debbie Winkler
Parrot Behavior Consulting Division

Liz Wilson, Chair & Founder; Mattie Sue Athan, Kim Bear, Jody Bright, Pamela Clark, Christine Davis,
Marguerite Floyd, Phoebe Green-Linden, Cathy Isbell, Bonnie Kenk, Joanne Oliva-Purdy,
Bianca Zaffarano

Winter 2006
27
What Do You Say When Your Clients Want Electronic Containment Systems?
By Cheryl S. Smith, CDBC
Sometimes our task of providing counseling to dog owners is relatively easy—providing a
protocol for housetraining. Sometimes it’s a puzzle—the dog suddenly refuses to walk past afire
hydrant. And sometimes the LIMA (least intrusive minimally aversive) principle becomes hard to
uphold.
Electronic containment systems offer a burgeoning example of the last case. We want to
do no harm, use positive methods. The dog owner wants an instant solution to the problem
of containing the dog, often in a neighborhood where legal covenants prohibit physical fences
of any kind. We could counsel them to give the dog freedom inside the house and use a leash
whenever outside, but is this advice that is likely to be followed? While we’re suggesting time-
intensive methods with limited freedom, the manufacturers of the electronic containment
systems are busy promising freedom, ease, safety, and nearly instant gratification. How can we
counter that?
To be honest, often we can’t. What we can do is speak objectively to our clients, so they
understand the risks associated with an ECS, the training necessary for effective use, and how to
minimize the potential for problems. This articles provides a variety of specifics about electronic
containment systems to help your clients make the best available choice.
Invalid Reasons for Choosing an ECS
Cost should not be the determining factor when choosing a method of containment. True, the
most basic ECS, at a price of $150 to $300, requires less of a financial outlay than a traditional
wooden fence. But these low-priced ECS require that owners install them on their own and
conduct their own training, and may prove less reliable or have fewer safety features (such as
a warning signal if the underground wire breaks) than more expensive systems. Other fencing
options, such as chain link, posts and wire stockyard fencing, or heavy plastic mesh, all offer less
expensive alternatives to wood.
Convenience is a deceptive factor with an ECS. Yes, it can be installed quickly with a
trenching tool, while a traditional fence requires setting posts, adding stringers, and finally
nailing on boards. But the wood fence, once in place, is an actual barrier to the dog, immediately
effective, while the ECS requires a training program that averages two to three weeks. Installing
an ECS without training the dog is not an option. Also, some of the other fencing alternatives
take no longer than an ECS to put in place.
No ECS is appropriate for long-term solitary confinement. Too much potential for a variety of
mishaps (discussed throughout this article) exists. The ECS is best viewed as a backup system
to training and supervision.
Explaining an ECS to Clients
Clients may express no interest in the workings of the system, but you should describe it
nonetheless because understanding how it works is essential to realizing what can potentially go
wrong. You should also use the term “shock” rather than the euphemistic “stimulation” preferred
by the manufacturers.
There are two basic system variations: with the underground fence, wire is buried around the
perimeter, while the “safe zone” system uses a central transmitter without the wire. The former
system is much more commonly used.
The underground ECS includes three basic parts: the underground wire, the transmitter
Winter 2006
28 What Do You Say When Your Clients Want Electronic Containment Systems?
to which the underground wire is connected, and the receiver worn on the dogs collar. Most
systems also include “flags” to provide a visual sign of the boundary. The underground wire is
nothing more than insulated wire. It’s buried to keep it safe from lawnmowers, animals chewing
on it, and humans tripping over it. The wire carries a radio signal, not an electric current. The
transmitter emits the radio signal. The transmitter is placed somewhere safe from weather,
where it can be plugged in, and both the outgoing and incoming ends of the wire are connected
to it. Different transmitters can handle shorter or longer lengths of wire and provide different
correction options.
The receiver is worn on the collar of each dog to be contained by the system. The system can
handle as many collars as you have dogs. The receiver has its own battery for power, a radio
receiver, and the metal prongs that contact the dog’s skin. When the receiver comes within some
pre-set distance of the buried wire, it emits a sound of some kind, usually a beep. When it gets
even closer, it sends an electrical shock through the prongs. Many systems provide several levels
of shock. A few systems offer the alternative of a spray of citronella. The shock stops when the
receiver is moved away from the underground wire.
The less-used system uses only a transmitter and receiver. The dog wears the receiver on
the collar. The transmitter simply plugs in at some central location. It emits a radio signal in an
adjustable radius around itself. As long as the collar is receiving that signal, nothing happens.
As the receiver approaches the boundary of the radius, it beeps. Once the radius is crossed, the
receiver emits a shock.
Drawbacks to ECS
Delivering a shock, however mild, to a dog is a fairly intrusive procedure. Some dogs do not
react well to the ECS (see the "Behavioral Fallout" section), and dog owners shouldn’t take this
risk if they don’t have to.
An ECS is no barrier at all to anyone or anything other than the dog wearing the receiver.
This means that other roaming dogs are free to enter the yard and possibly attack the dog
confined there, or breed with a female in heat. People can also enter the yard freely, so the dog
could be harassed, abused, or even stoned, or someone could be bitten. Even if people stay
outside the yard, someone walking or jogging past on the sidewalk doesn’t know the dog is
confined by an ECS and may panic and run into the street if the dog charges across the yard at
them.
Homeowners have to be vigilant about keeping the ECS in good working order. The wire can
break; the batteries in the receiver have to be replaced. And unless the transmitter includes a
battery backup, the system stops working in the event of a power failure.
If a dog does break through the ECS due to some especially enticing distraction, he can’t
reenter the yard without receiving a shock.
There are confirmed (though rare) reports of receivers malfunctioning or responding to
household electrical signals or lightning strikes. In a very few instances, dogs were continuously
receiving shocks until the collar could be removed.
Dogs with long or thick coats may have to have a portion of their neck shaved so that the
receiver prongs can make contact with the skin. This is not an option for dogs being shown in
conformation, and some owners find it aesthetically unacceptable. A few dogs have developed
skin problems from the metal prongs.
Some of the manufacturers of ECS oversell their product's effectiveness and convenience
and minimize or neglect the training and supervision necessary. In fact, many (though not all)
Winter 2006
What Do You Say When Your Clients Want Electronic Containment Systems? 29
of the problems mentioned here can be avoided or at least minimized with proper training and
supervision of the dog in the yard, without a fence of any kind..
Of course, ECS are not the only options with problems. Physical fences also have their
shortcomings. Dogs dig under them and escape. If the fence isn’t high enough, dogs can jump
over it. Some dogs learn to climb fences, especially chain-link ones. Some dogs simply chew
a hole in a wooden fence and then go through. Other dogs learn to open latches. Or humans
contribute to the problem by neglecting to ensure that gates are firmly latched. Fences can also
deteriorate over time if not maintained.
However, fence problems of any sort are exactly that – problems with the fence. All fencing
should be viewed at most as a backup system to sufficient human supervision and care and
effective training.
The Most Likely Candidate for an ECS
The dog should be at least six months old. Recall that when training was nearly all conducted
with physical force, dogs were not accepted for training until they reached six months of age
because the corrections were too harsh for younger pups; the same is true of a shock from an
ECS. The dog should also be finished with housetraining. The pup should be able to concentrate
on where he’s performing his bodily functions, not have to worry about boundaries, and the
owner should have the pup on leash anyway.
Dogs who would likely be described as outgoing, friendly, mellow individuals have
the temperament that may let them respond well to fence training. Timid dogs could be
overwhelmed by the experience, with resulting problem behaviors (see the "Behavioral Fallout
section").
Assertive, reactive dogs are more likely to break containment when faced with some
compelling distraction and then find themselves outside the fence, unable to return home.
Behaviorists note that a dog running hard toward what he perceives as a threat or an enticement
might simply run even harder upon receiving a shock, rather than reverse direction.
Behaviorists have also noted that the dog may associate the shock with something going on
around him at the time rather than with a buried wire and warning flags. One told of a dog who
bit the nearest thing, which happened to be the ECS installer, the first time the collar delivered a
shock. A dog who generally reacts strongly to what’s going on around him may be more likely to
associate the shock with something in his immediate environment.
So perhaps the two most important components to a suitable candidate for ECS are a dog of
a good stable personality plus a dog owner dedicated to training and supervision.
Finding the Best ECS Manufacturer/ Installer
Clients can help produce a favorable outcome by choosing the best possible product and
company. They should look for
• a system that always provides a warning tone of some kind
• a system that provides an alert if the underground wire breaks
• a company that provides hands-on training for the client and dog, in line with the training
program outlined here (see "Training Protocol for an ECS")
• a company that offers follow-up phone support
• a company that will not sell a system to owners whose dogs have a history of aggression
or running away
• a system of automatic battery replacement, where the company sends the client a fresh
Winter 2006
battery to install every three months or so

• the possibility of using a citronella spray rather than a shock
• a company that doesn’t make extravagant claims – “By spending just minutes a day
working with your pet, he can be fully trained in a few days” or “Keep your dog in your
yard and train him not to dig, bark, or chew.”
Training Protocol for an ECS
The object of training is to teach the dog that the collar warning tone and the flags both
indicate a boundary that should not be crossed. The dog’s response to hearing the warning or
passing a flag should be to turn back to the interior of the yard, away from the boundary. The
most sensible approach is to view the training as the actual safeguard system and the ECS as
nothing more than a backup system.
While the client is training, he or she absolutely cannot rely on the ECS system to keep the
dog in the yard. After training is accomplished, the client should still supervise when the dog is
in the yard; no fence is an effective dog sitter.
To begin training, set the signal field (the distance the flags are from the underground wire,
in which the warning tone will be heard). Make the signal field as wide as practical while still
leaving a large safety zone. This can be problematic in small yards. If the client’s backyard is
only 12 feet deep, and the client sets up a six-foot signal field, that only leaves a six-foot safety
zone. In such a narrow space, many dogs become anxious about the entire backyard, and
cannot relax threre. So first make sure there is enough space for both the signal field and the
safety. Animal behaviorists recommend at least a six-foot signal field (to help prevent fence run-
throughs) and a safety zone of no less than 20 feet.
Once the signal field is set up and flagged, have the client take the dog into the yard on
leash. The client will hold the receiver collar in his hand so that both he and the dog can hear
the warning tone. When the collar begins to beep, the client should move away from the flagged
boundary, encouraging the dog to move with him. When they are both back in the safety zone
and the collar is no longer beeping, the client should praise the dog.
Have the client do this along the entire boundary, if it can be accomplished in under ten
minutes, approaching the flags and letting the dog hear the collar beep every few feet. If the
clients are fencing a large area and will need more than ten minutes to walk it while training,
break the training into sections and walk one section in each five to ten minute session. Repeat
sessions two or three times a day.
While clients are training the dog, also be sure they spend plenty of time playing with the dog
in the safety zone, with the dog on leash or a long line. If play includes “fetch,” they must be
very sure that no ball or flying disk is thrown or rolled into the signal field.
When the dog stops and turns back into the yard upon hearing the beep (typically, after one
or two weeks of training), he or she is ready to move on to the next step. Set up some mild
distractions outside the ECS – ask some friends or neighbors to walk or bike by, for example.
The dog will still be on leash, but will now be wearing the receiver. Have the collar set to the
lowest level. Instruct the distractors not to call or entice the dog; they should just walk by
normally. If the dog approaches the boundary when the distractions appear, watch for a reaction
to the collar beeps. If the dog stops and turns back into the yard, the client should praise and
play with the dog in the safety area. They need to make the act of turning back more rewarding
than the impulse to go toward the distraction.
If the dog doesn’t turn back into the yard in response to the collar beep, do not just let him
Winter 2006
What Do You Say When Your Clients Want Electronic Containment Systems? 31
run through the boundary (as some ECS manufacturers instruct). Have the client use the leash
to encourage the dog back into the yard, making a bit of a show about the danger of going
farther. Do not, however, pick up a flag and wave it in the dog’s face, as some ECS companies
advise – this can backfire by making the dog concerned about the owner’s behavior. Just ask
them to gasp or say “Danger, danger,” or whatever comes to mind, and back quickly away from
the boundary, taking the dog with them. If the client is slow in reacting and the dog receives a
shock, encourage the dog back into the safety zone and spend some time reassuring him that
the areas of the yard that don’t beep are indeed safe. Go back to having the client carry the
collar and walk the boundary for another week before trying this again.
If the dog was successful (that is, he turned back into the yard) with the minor distractions,
go to higher-level distractions, such as people walking dogs, kids on Rollerblades or skateboards,
cats walking by, whatever you can arrange. The dog should still be on leash, and the client
should be responding as he or shee did in the previous step. If the dog doesn’t turn back on
his own in the face of these distractions, go back to the lower-level distractions and practice for
another week.
If the dog was successful, go back to the minor distractions, this time with the dog off leash.
The client must still be there observing and rewarding the dog for the correct action of turning
back into the yard. If this is successful, go to the higher-level distractions with the dog off leash.
Only after all this training has been accomplished can the client view the ECS as a reliable
backup system. They should still always keep an eye on the dog when in the yard.
Possible Behavioral Fallout of ECS
As a mild negative reaction to ECS, dogs may develop avoidance behaviors. A system was
installed for a three-dog household. Two of the dogs began staying farther and farther away
from the warning flags, while one refused to go into the yard at all while wearing the receiver
collar.
Some ECS companies advise owners to include an “invisible gate” in their training, to teach
the dog that when the collar is off, the dog can safely walk through this space with the owner.
But some dogs refuse to cross or even approach the boundary, collar or no collar, and owners
have had to resort to putting the dog into the car in the garage and driving across the boundary
line to get the dog out of the yard even for a walk around the block.
Some dogs generalize their anxiety about the boundary to the area in general and develop
such unwanted behaviors as digging, barking constantly, or chewing either on objects in the
landscape or on themselves.
Some companies’ training programs are more sensible and effective than others’. One dog
trainer reported that a client with an ECS demonstrated how the fence installer showed him to
train, picking up one of the flags and waving it in front of the dog, shouting excitedly, when the
beep went off. The dog responded by running quickly away from the owner. Another company
instructs owners to walk, or drag if necessary, the dog through the flags into the shock zone
so that the dog will “learn to respect” the boundary. Incorrect training can damage the human-
canine bond.
Dogs have also generalized the boundary warning flags so that they began to exhibit fear of
similar items, such as survey flags or leaves blowing in the wind.
An article by the behaviorist Richard Polsky in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science
(2000) documents five bite cases involving ECS. In each case, the dog had received no formal
obedience training, had no history of aggression toward humans, and was in the fence signal
Winter 2006
field at the time of the reported attack. There was no warning threat before any of the attacks,
and all the dogs bit their victims repeatedly. Polsky theorizes that these were all cases of shock-
induced aggression because that explanation comports with the rapid onset, the intense nature
of the attack, and the lack of any species-typical threat display.
An alternative explanation, also presented by Polsky, is more complex. It rests on avoidance-
motivated aggression. As previously noted, the dog may associate the shock with other stimuli
in the environment, such as people moving near the boundary. Once those stimuli are associated
with the shock, the dog may direct a fear-reducing response, such as an attack, toward the
stimuli.
Whichever reasoning is correct, a dog who attacks without warning is certainly not a desired
outcome.
Alternatives to ECS
It would be wonderful if there were more options for containment available to us. But the
reality is that we must work with what is available to us, and within the restrictions placed upon
homeowners and apartment dwellers. You can advise dog owners on these alternatives to ECS.
• If permitted, install a solid fence around at least part of the yard. Maybe covenants only
outlaw boundary fences.
• Use a management plan that lets the dog roam free inside the home and be safely on leash
outdoors. Find safe off leash areas to drive to, if you like.
• Install a kennel for those few times when the dog can’t be inside or under supervision
outside. Use it sparingly.
• Use an overhead runner and a tie-out line. Be aware that tying a dog can create its own
behavioral problems.
• Invest in a bike and dog-to-bike attachment and exercise yourself and your dog at the
same time. A tired dog generally behaves well in the home.
• If you don’t already have a dog, choose a breed (or mix) that has lower energy levels and
will be more content to lounge inside.
• Ask yourself why you want a dog if you don’t want the dog indoors with you.
The most important thing to impress on clients about an ECS is that it is not an instant
gratification containment system. It cannot be used effectively or humanely without training, at
least several weeks' worth of training.
Second, a shock, no matter how mild, is an aversive, in this case a punishment. The client
must be aware that aversives frequently create unwanted fallout, as for example when a
shocked dog turns and bites the nearest person, or a dog becomes anxious about wearing the
receiver collar or being in the yard.
ECS are here to stay. Help your clients to use them wisely, with full knowledge of the
requirements and the potential for problems.

Winter 2006
33
Case Study: Handling, Enrichment, and Cleaning for a Sometimes Aggressive Iguana
By Debbie Winkler, CPDT, CABC
History
In 2003 I was presented with a case that required modifying aggressive behavior in a ten-
year-old male iguana. The rescued male, named Igor, was three and a half feet long. In his
previous home, the primary responsibility for his care was in the hands of the child. As the child
grew tired of cleaning his pet’s cage, Igor was neglected and soon was living in a container so
small he could not even turn around.
The present owner, who was very attached to her reptile, provided him with a habitat that
any captive iguana would envy. The enclosure itself was eight feet tall and four feet by four feet
around. There was a cage within the enclosure. It had three levels, and enrichment items such
as ladders, branches, and hammocks. There was also a pool, just under a branch so that Igor
could flop into his pool as iguanas do in nature. Temperature, humidity, and full spectrum light
were also very well controlled. The habitat was kept in a special room.
The owner provided such a variety of foods that her specialist veterinarian was not concerned
about vitamins. She also provided a variety of substrates, on each level, to simulate nature,
and consequently, the cleaning of the enclosure was extremely involved and time consuming.
The owner was given advice on proper substrates from a reptile sanctuary and included tree
branches that came up through shelves in the cage. The shelves were covered with a washable
substrate and the bottom of the cage was covered with a bark made specifically for reptiles, as
well as sand and a pool of water.
Household Composition
The owner is an elderly woman who lives with two cats, two dogs, and Igor. Igor was
acquired after all of the other pets were already in the home. There is another adult present in
the home who serves as the woman’s caretaker.
Presenting Problem
The presenting problem was that the iguana would attack the owner to the point where she
bled. This occurred during cleaning and he was likely to attack his owner multiple times. This
was especially undesirable for this owner, who is an insulin dependent diabetic and does not heal
easily or rapidly from her wounds.
Since she lives alone (her caretaker is only there part of the time), it was difficult to remove
Igor from his habitat herself. I needed to find a way to prevent the attacks and ensure her
safety, as well as change his perception of the cleaning, if possible.
Possible Diagnosis
Iguanas sometimes engage in this behavior and there was no real concrete diagnosis. There
are theories that suggest this may be a territorial behavior. Iguanas are solitary animals and are
known to be very territorial. Only during breeding season can iguanas be loosely termed “social.”
However, Igor’s attacks on his owner occurred at all times of the year.
Behavior Modification and Plan
I first counseled the owner that she should understand Igor was not harboring hostility
toward her. Instead, this appeared to be a normal behavior found in captive iguanas that occurs
from time to time. I found that the human-animal bond in this household was particularly strong
Winter 2006
34 Case Stuy: Handing, Enrichment and Cleaning for a Sometimes Aggressive Iguana
and I did not believe Igor was in any danger of being surrendered to a shelter or euthanized
for his behavior. I had previous experience with some exotic animals, and iguanas fall into this
category. Based on this past experience, I felt that bridge and target methods would be ideal.
I have used these methods before in other situations where protected contact with the animal
was necessary, and I felt that it would be the best way to protect myself from direct injury.
While using bridge and target, I would also have to have protected contact with Igor in order to
prevent further attacks.
I began by checking a variety of sources to discover what food is the most desirable for
iguanas. Bananas were the most frequently suggested. I was also informed by nutritional
experts that iguanas should not be fed bananas daily or in quantity, which made them, from my
perspective, an excellent primary reinforcer. Igor loved them, so they were a perfect choice from
his perspective too. Choosing a secondary reinforcer proved to be difficult, because he could be
so reactive and I could find nothing that he seemed to be aware of, including my voice and a
clicker. I therefore chose not to use any secondary reinforcer.
Since I wanted him to remain in one place during the cleaning, and also wanted him to
be able to remain still, in different areas of his habitat, I chose to use a stationary target. A
stationary target is something that stations the animal for a period of time. Also, since he
seemed to easily notice reflecting light, I used aluminum foil wrapped around a small piece of
cardboard for the target.
We began to pair the presentation of the target with a small piece of banana very close to the
iguana, a few times a day. In a few days, we moved the target farther from him and he would
rapidly approach the target and eat his fruit. The owner worked on moving the target to different
locations in the cage. Quickly, Igor learned that wherever the target was, the banana would be.
If Igor had not responded to this course of action, I would have taught him to follow a target
pole from the station by putting some banana on the pole to lure him or by pairing the presence
of the pole with the banana so that he would learn to follow the pole at a distance to receive the
food reward.
Now, to clean the cage twice a week, the owner presents the target and while the iguana is
eating the banana, the cage is easily cleaned. The target is placed just inside the cage, leaning
against the cage wall. The target can be moved to different levels and the iguana will stay in
position by the target until the banana has been consumed, and sometimes longer.
Resources
For an excellent source of information on bridge and target training, I recommend Kayce Cover’s
Web site, www.synalia.com.
For internet resources on reptile behavior:
Melissa Kaplan’s Herp Care Collection http://www.anapsid.org/
Books
Kaplan, M. (2000). Iguanas for Dummies. New York, NY: Hungry Minds Inc.
Palika, L. (2000). Your Iguana’s Life: Your Complete Guide to Caring for Your Pet at Every Stage
of Life. Roseville, CA: Prima Lifestyles.

Winter 2006
35
Animal-Assisted Therapy and the Human-Animal Bond:

A Personal Perspective
by Tara McLaughlin, CPDT
When Sattva, my five-year-old German Shepherd Dog, and I returned home from visiting
the University of Virginia’s HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Hospital, I once again had the feeling
that Animal-Assisted Therapy is an extremely powerful tool in helping clients with their recovery.
Sattva, teamed with me as her handler, is a registered Delta Society Pet Partner. As volunteers,
we work one-on-one with a therapist and a client. We work with several different kinds of
therapists: physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists. The clients we
work with have had some type of brain injury that involves a stroke, accident, or brain tumor.
They are varied, but all of them are willing and happy to work with Sattva and me. Some have
never owned dogs before, some have dogs at home whom they miss very much, and some have
owned dogs in the past.
What is Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT)?
AAT is much more than walking into a facility and having someone visit with and pet your
dog. According to the Delta Society, “AAT is a goal-directed intervention in which an animal
that meets specific criteria is an integral part of the treatment process. AAT is directed and/or
delivered by a health/human service professional with specialized expertise, and within the
scope of practice of his/her profession. AAT is designed to promote improvement in human
physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning. AAT is provided in a variety of settings
and may be group or individual in nature. This process is documented and evaluated” (The Delta
Society Team Training Course Manual, pages 9-10).
Sattva’s job is to be a tool, so to speak, to help motivate patients in achieving their goals.
My job is to handle Sattva, cue her when needed, protect her from harm, and interact in
a pleasant and constructive way with the clients. The therapist’s job is to decide what the
goals are for the client and inform me of them so I can suggest ways Sattva can interact, pay
attention to the client and be engaged in the activity, manage and be in charge of all situations
regarding the client, have a fundamental understanding of the appropriate use and correct
rules of engagement for using a dog-handler team in a therapeutic setting, and operate with
a consistently applied set of rules of procedures. “AAT is not a style of therapy, like Rational-
Emotive Therapy, Cognitive Therapy, Behavioral Therapy, etc. Instead a therapist operates from
his/her personal practice foundation to facilitate change in the client. In AAT, however, an animal
is present for part or all of the therapy sessions. It is through the client’s interactions with
the animal(s) that the therapist obtains information about the client and then devises further
activities to obtain or enhance change.” (Therapeutic Interventions)
Are dogs effective in therapeutic applications?
As yet, there is limited empirical evidence, research, or statistics pertaining to the success
rate of using therapy dogs in therapeutic interventions. Studies done with psychiatric patients,
children with cancer, and residents in nursing homes have shown that AAT is beneficial. However,
one needs to be aware that the definition and standards of AAT vary among research studies and
organizations.
Sandra B. Barker, Ph.D., and Kathryn S. Dawson, Ph.D., at the Medical College of Virginia, do
Winter 2006
36 Animal-Assisted Therapy and the Human-Animal Bond: A Personal Perspective
discuss the benefits of therapy dogs in psychiatric rehabilitation in their article "The effects of
animal-assisted therapy on anxiety ratings of hospitalized psychiatric patients."
The reduction in anxiety scores for patients with psychotic disorders was twice as great
after animal-assisted therapy as after therapeutic recreation. This finding suggests that animal-
assisted therapy may offer patients with psychotic disorders an interaction that involves fewer
demands compared with traditional therapies . . . perhaps the therapy dog provides some
sense of safety and comfort not found in more traditional inpatient therapies. Alternatively, the
dog may provide a nonthreatening diversion from anxiety-producing situations. Or perhaps it is
the physical touching of the dog that reduces patients’ anxiety, as has been reported for other
populations (Psychiatric Services, 49:797-801).
Mainly, there is evidence that pets, in general, provide multiple health benefits. “Research
has shown that interacting with a companion animal can lower blood pressure and heart rate
and reduce anxiety. It can also improve mood,” observes Dr. David Wiebers, author of Stroke-
Free for Life: The Complete Guide to Stroke Prevention and Treatment (Becker, page 223). Therapy
dog work has become mainstream, and an integral part of rehabilitation in hospitals across the
United States. “Therapy dogs use their social instincts and learned social skills to bring people
emotional benefits. Emotions are difficult to measure. Sometimes no one knows exactly how the
dog helped, though they see positive changes in the person. Staff observations of the benefits,
volunteer dedication to control and safety, and volunteers donating their services have made
possible the great acceptance of therapy dog work” (Davis, page 7).
When we discuss the human-animal bond, it is imperative to remember it is a two-way
street. According to Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary (1989), a bond means
“something, as an agreement, friendship, etc., that unites individuals, or peoples into a group.”
What is it that makes some dogs capable of connecting with humans in a way that truly
constitutes a bond, particularly humans in need who are strangers to these dogs? And what is
it about dogs that people in need find so compelling? “Although we can try to quantify this bond
with studies and statistics, it all comes back to the relationship with an animal reminding the
human there is a reason to go on living. As James Lynch writes of this cross-species bond in A
Cry Unheard: "There is a will to live and that will is fueled by human concern, by human and
animal companionship, and by our relationship to the rest of the natural living world" (Becker,
page 77).
I believe that dogs are emotional beings. Experienced therapy dogs who are good at their
job are naturally attuned to the emotions of people and take cues from them. To humans, these
cues may be very subtle and often are not overt, but to the dogs, it is clear what is expected of
them. I have seen Sattva serve as the necessary motivation for patients, making the decision
on her own when to place her head in a lap, lean up against a person, give someone a kiss, or
simply lie at their feet.
What makes a good therapy dog?
Not all dogs can be therapy dogs—any more than any or all dogs can be agility dogs, search
and rescue dogs, or lure coursing dogs. Can you train a dog to do Animal-Assisted Therapy? For
the most part, yes, but the true nature of a therapy dog is something far greater than a well-
trained dog. Passing a therapy dog evaluation does not make a dog a therapy dog. Training, of
course, is fundamental, but if the dog does not have the desire to engage with people, or reacts
unpredictably to certain stimuli, his or her potential to be a therapy dog is diminished.
However, it is definitely a good start when a dog seeks interaction with a person the dog
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Animal-Assisted Therapy and the Human-Animal Bond: A Personal Perspective 37
does not know, and, in addition, enjoys it. Allowing a stranger to handle all parts of the body
is crucial. Often, a patient may want to hold or stroke the dog’s paws, ears, or tail. Therapy
dogs need to accept stroking or patting that is not typical, such as with a shaky hand or a fist.
Enjoying these activities is even better. Accepting loud noises, and perhaps someone screaming
or crying, is essential, as well as being non-reactive to the rare time when someone may grab or
lean on the dog, step on their tail, or run into their paws with a wheelchair. This is all part of the
job.
What makes a good handler?
Not all people are able to be therapy dog handlers. Because animal-assisted therapy requires
teamwork, its success depends greatly on how well the handler interprets and manages the
dog’s behavior and how well the dog responds to the handler. There must be a loving bond
between the handler and the dog. The handler needs to be able to interpret their dog’s mood,
manner, and behavior. They need to be able to really “read” their dog. Therapy dog work is
often stressful for the dog-handler team, and it is the handler’s responsibility to help the dog,
keep them safe, and be active in all situations. The handler must be able to be comfortable
in awkward and stressful situations, respond appropriately, and even help redirect negative
responses from patients.
Our Experience
Sattva, Therapy Dog
I have witnessed the benefits of using a therapy dog in rehabilitation. The patient has greater
focus and is more motivated to achieve his or her goals. It is also apparent that patients enjoy
the therapy more because there is a nonjudgmental, living being seeking interaction with them.
When Sattva climbs up on the therapy table and lies down next to a patient, placing her head in
his lap to be stroked, the patient immediately becomes absorbed with her. He is looking outward
and thinking of something other than himself and his pain and sadness for that moment. When I
let a patient know that Sattva is thirsty and needs a drink of water, it becomes his responsibility
to take care of her. It is his task to open the bottle of water, pour it into her bowl, and give her
the bowl to drink from. The patient's effort in this objective becomes an important event for him.
And it is ultimately a profound accomplishment, as well.
Catherine Reynolds, a speech pathologist who works with Sattva and me in AAT at UVA’s
HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Hospitals, says, “I can recall two specific sessions that I think
epitomize the benefits of Animal-Assisted Therapy. One session was obviously fun and engaging
to any observer. But the other session was with a patient who, at the time, had little in the way
of positive interactions. The session included Tara, Sattva, myself, the occupational therapist, a
student, and some other observers. To the patient, the dog, and indeed the therapist, it could be
overwhelming and confusing. But with the focus on the patients’ goals, mindful of Sattva’s skills,
and expert suggestion and manipulation by Tara, each session was remarkable in demonstrating
the potential of these patients.”
Ann’s Story
Sattva and I worked with Ann, whom Catherine describes as “a woman with traumatic brain
injury.” The staff felt that Sattva could help Ann because “it had been reported that she liked
dogs.” Ann was not able to talk at this point and the only way she was able to interact was by
grabbing hold of whatever she could get, squeezing, and pulling it toward her. The therapist
hoped that Ann would be able to stroke Sattva, but in the initial visit she grabbed hold of
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38 Animal-Assisted Therapy and the Human-Animal Bond: A Personal Perspective
Sattva’s skin and fur and pulled. Because she is extremely stoic, Sattva did not react at all. The
therapist did not allow this behavior to continue further, but attempted to communicate with Ann
that she should turn her head toward Sattva and look at the dog. Ann was not able to do this.
Catherine described this session: “Ann was very confused, had difficulty connecting thoughts and
putting them into words, and significant physical weakness and lack of use of the left arm and
leg. The initial interaction with Sattva had not convinced us that AAT would be helpful. But we
were determined to try again.”
As it turned out, Sattva and I participated in many of Ann’s therapy sessions. The changes
that occurred in Ann with each passing week were astounding. First, Ann was able to stroke
Sattva without grabbing her, which was a huge milestone. Then she held a brush and brushed
Sattva. Ann put bandanas on Sattva, opened water and poured it into a bowl, gave her treats
from a large spoon, and cued her to sit, lie down, and target. Ann started remembering Sattva’s
name, calling out to her when we would first arrive, and asking me questions about her.
Our last couple of sessions with Ann involved taking Sattva for a walk in the hospital hallway.
Walking with a therapist by her side, Ann held onto a leash attached to Sattva’s harness, while
I walked alongside Sattva with a shorter leash on her collar. Initially, this was very difficult for
Ann. Not only was she relearning how to walk, but it was also physically painful for her. However,
having Sattva by her side was truly a source of pleasure and pride for her. Sattva helped her
focus on the task at hand rather than the difficulty she had walking. Staff members encouraged
her, cheered her on, and talked to her about the dog she was walking. This stimulated Ann to
persevere and also gave her a reason to interact with the staff.
Ann was at the rehab hospital for many months. When Sattva and I were visiting another
patient, Ann stopped me so she could visit with Sattva. She was in her wheelchair with her daily
journal in her lap. We had a long discussion about her pets at home that were being cared for
by friends. She told me how one of her dogs was able to visit her outside the hospital and how
glorious that was for her.
But what was truly astounding to me was my interaction with Ann when I visited a short time
later. A therapist directed me to work with a patient who was seated in the lounge area of the
therapy room. Ann was sitting nearby in one of the chairs, and as I walked nearby, she called
Sattva over to pet her. We spoke for a moment and Ann asked if I would be there for a while,
and I told her I would. Ann got up and walked away . . . I had not even noticed she was not
sitting in her wheelchair! Ann was able to walk on her own! When she came back, she walked up
to me holding a black Labrador Retriever puppet in her arms. Ann leaned down to show Sattva
the puppet and Sattva licked it. She knew the puppet looked real and was pleased with Sattva’s
reaction, and with her own staging of the event.
Did Sattva make a difference in Ann’s rehabilitation? From Catherine’s point of view, she did.
Here is Catherine’s brief account of one visit that we had early in Ann’s therapy.
This day Ann was restless. She often needed to keep moving without staying still for longer
than a minute or two. She was not interested in therapy, instead was requesting to lie down.
We agreed to lie on the exercise mat. Once Ann was positioned, voicing her disinterest in all
but sleeping, Tara gave Sattva the command to get up on the mat and lie down too. Here was
the breakthrough moment, and it was just a moment. Ann reached out with her left arm and
petted Sattva on a shoulder and then along her nose and muzzle. Then, as Sattva sat waiting for
her next instructions, Ann was done. The session was over for her. That’s all her confused mind
could take. She loudly voiced her opposition to anything other than returning to bed, rolled over,
pushed up with her left arm and was assisted away. It felt like little had been accomplished.
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Animal-Assisted Therapy and the Human-Animal Bond: A Personal Perspective 39
As the speech pathologist, I was looking for recognition, interaction, connection, recall, and
verbalization. But what occurred was physical and was almost missed. My student pointed this
out later.
Rehabilitation is about the whole patient. We address function in everyday life. Natural use of
the left impaired arm was beginning. This patient has now, months later, recovered remarkable
verbal and cognitive skills and marvels at our retelling of her confused behavior. She calls that
the “not me.” Now she is working to recover her “real, old me.”
I often take Polaroid photos of the patients posing with Sattva and I give the photos to the
patients to help them remember their visit with her. The therapist told me that Ann had the
photos that I took of her and Sattva during our early AAT sessions, taped on her closet. After
Ann left the hospital, I heard from a friend that she was asking about me and Sattva.
The late Leo K. Bustad, DVM, PhD, co-founder of the Delta Society, said, “At long last,
animals are gaining some legitimate recognition among more and more members of the
professions involved in providing health care. In fact, we are reaching a point where, for some
conditions, animal interaction is the therapy of choice” (Bustad, l996).
Dan’s Story
Dan was an elderly man in a wheelchair. I introduced myself and Sattva to him and the first
thing he said to me was “Can I take this dog home with me?” He knew Sattva was my dog
and that this would not be possible, but he immediately had feelings of affection for her. He
commented several times on how beautiful she was. At the end of the session, Dan said to me,
“You have made my day!” He mentioned how it had been so boring before Sattva came. He
asked if he could see Sattva next week and Catherine agreed it would be a good thing to do.
Dan had fun, he was happy, and he achieved his goals for the day. Without a doubt, he preferred
rehabilitation with a therapy dog. Plus, he looked forward to having another opportunity to work
with Sattva next time.
How do we quantify the success of this visit? Below is Catherine’s description of Sattva’s and
my session with Dan.
One of the last sessions I was involved in with Tara and Sattva was with a gentleman who
had lost his voice, his balance, and use of his left side due to a stroke. He could carry on
simple conversation but could not remember where he was, why, or what he needed to work
on to recover. I had observed the physical and occupational therapists work with him, but this
session was going to be holistic with only myself and Tara.
We positioned Dan’s wheelchair facing the big armchair and Sattva followed the cue
to get in the chair. I removed the armrests from the wheelchair so Dan had to balance
himself without falling while leaning forward to pet her, take off her therapy dog cape, and
tie a bandana around her neck. When Sattva had her bandana on, we repositioned Dan’s
wheelchair so he could throw an object for Sattva to fetch. He had to keep his balance,
throw a plastic bottle from his left hand across his body to the open space on his right side,
and use his voice to command Sattva to “get it.” We altered the task for variety for Sattva
and the patient, to later have Sattva retrieve a treat from the spoon Dan held and also
to “touch” Dan’s outstretched palm. Sattva patiently waited while Dan rehearsed as we
repeated instructions. Due to his moderate confusion, it took some trials each time, but with
Sattva’s perseverance and patience, Dan was smiling, laughing, commenting audibly, and
using breath force, effortful voice, sitting balance, and left arm swings from the shoulder.
Over five previous sessions of instruction I had not been able to help Dan co-ordinate
Winter 2006
Animal-Assisted Therapy and the Human-Animal Bond: A Personal Perspective
40
breathing, voicing, and speech to make audible sounds of a single word. He could not
attend for more than three or four minutes to a task. It had been difficult to help Dan be
motivated to participate, as he had no idea what exercises he needed to do to improve.
Sattva’s presence was the stimulus. An automatic response, performing a natural sequence
of movements and speech to accomplish an engaging activity, was obvious to Dan without
complicated explanations. “Throw it, tell her to get it.” The patient used trunk control, weight-
shifting, arm swing, timed grasp and release, visual scanning, and vocal function, and was
enjoying himself so much he did not want to stop and talked all day about working with the
dog. He had attended to the activity for 30 minutes. He even remembered it!
An Honor
Whenever the patient is able to talk or interact, their pleasure at being able to work with
Sattva is apparent. They always compliment Sattva, saying how beautiful and soft she is, that
she is such a sweet, good dog, and how well-trained she is. And often they smile and laugh even
when they are in pain and suffering. Catherine’s statement that Sattva was the stimulus for Dan
to achieve his goals is powerful to me. I feel honored to be able to provide the opportunity for
patients to share Sattva’s gifts, knowing that therapy dogs can connect with people in need and
help them regain and recover many, if not all of the necessary functions in their lives .
References
Barker, S. B. and Dawson, K.S. (1998) The effects of animal-assisted therapy on anxiety ratings
of hospitalized psychiatric patients. Psychiatr Serv 49:797-801. Abstract available at www.
ncbi.nlm.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9634160&dopt=
Abstract.
Becker, M. (2002). The healing power of pets. Hyperion Publishing: New York, New York.
Bustad, L.K. (1996). Recent discoveries about our relationships with the natural world. In
Compassion: Our last great hope. The Delta Society: Renton, WA. www.deltasociety.org/
TextOnly/AnimalsHealthGeneralDiscoveries.htm.
Davis, K.D. (2002). Therapy dogs. Dogwise Publishing: Wenatchee, WA.
The Delta Society (1997). Therapeutic interventions. The Delta Society: Renton, WA.
The Delta Society (2000). The Delta society team training course manual. The Delta Society:
Renton, WA.

Winter 2006
41
Lowering Arousal: How to Train Impulse Control

by Dee Ganley CPDT, CABC
We used to say a trained dog is a free dog, a dog who can go with us anywhere on or off
lead. They know how to “behave” in the human-controlled world. But what we should have said
is: A dog with self-control is a free dog. Freedom for dogs has everything to do with impulse
control and little to do with whether they can heel or shake their paw. Dogs have to live safely
and nonaggressively in a world made by humans. Our responsibility to our dogs means training
impulse control, which leads to teaching self-control.
In my experience, a few dogs are born with low arousal levels and they have a natural sense
of self-control. But I find that there seem to be fewer and fewer of these dogs. This may be
because of breeding priorities that don’t include low arousal, or it may just mean that most dogs
don’t live in rural environments and therefore are not in the ideal circumstances to learn how
to live in a mainly human-controlled world. I think dogs who live in a busy urban or suburban
environment have a much more difficult time learning self-control because they are constantly
being shifted from long, enforced periods of quiet to periods of uncontrolled stimulation and
activity. This is particularly true of dogs who are crated for long periods of time. When these
dogs are then let out of the crate, owners often allow them to pace and be continually active in
the home. These dogs can lose their ability to control themselves, similar to what can happen
to dogs in a shelter environment. Dogs who are continually aroused in this way can have higher
cortisol levels. Arousal can also lead to aggression.1,2
Many dogs today are easily and quickly aroused by the movements of our daily life. From the
very beginning, we need to reduce arousal by training (or substituting) calm behavior. The Chill
Out game described below is one method of installing an arousal “turn off” switch when dogs are
playing. For some dogs, however, there are many external arousal triggers—events that cause
a natural overreaction in the dog. We must identify these triggers and then train substitute
reaction behaviors. Lowering arousal requires teaching a dog behaviors that are calming and
require the dog’s attention and self-control. A sit or a relaxed down is a good behavior to
substitute for the unwanted arousal reaction.
Begin in a quiet, calm location. Start with training a very reliable sit or a relaxed down. Make
this training fun with lots of treats. Then move to training the Chill Out game to help the dog
learn to turn his aroused state on and off.
The Chill Out Game
Play can be an important reinforcer for dogs who need to learn self-control. The Chill Out
game uses the opportunity to play as the reward for self-control. The importance of this game is
that it will teach the dog that he can go from really high arousal to instant calm—it helps install
an “on/off switch.” The goal is to teach the dog that he can substitute a calm behavior for his
agitated state. Examples are performing a competing behavior such as fetching a specific toy or
going to a particular place and earning a treat of some sort. The reinforcer used will, of course,
depend on the dog!
• Get the dog excited by playing tug or chasing a toy on a string, or play wrestling if that’s
what he normally does.
• In the middle of the game, stop all play, become like a tree, and quietly ask for a sit or a
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42 Lowering Arousal: How to Train Impulse Control
down.
• The dog’s reward for sitting is that you immediately re-engage him in the game. The dog
will learn quickly that his sit or down is what gets the game going again.
• Vary the length of time the dog has to sit before playing again, vary the cue (sit, down, or
simply settle), and vary the length of the play time.
Once the dog has learned the game, add short bursts of activity interspersed with quiet times
which, I find, is what normal dogs do, given the chance. For example, play or practice recalls or
go running for five to ten minutes and then have quiet time for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
The goal is to start to arouse the dog with activity and then bring him down before he loses
control.
The dog owners must hold themselves accountable for really watching the dog and learning
when to step in to ask for the cooling off behavior to lower arousal. They may need to keep a
diary for a few days to discover the rhythm of the day and know when best to engage the dog.
I find it is really helpful to use a point system. They should give themselves 20 points for each
successful encounter, which means there was no loss of impulse control, and deduct 20 points
if the dog losses control. This way, they dog owners will know where they stand. The goal is to
accumulate 1,000 points.
Working in short sessions is the best way to gain the most points! Long sessions may actually
further reinforce the "get revved and keep going till you fall over" pattern of response. This
response can carry over to barking and, eventually, aggression. Dog owners need to turn the
arousal switch off before the dog loses self-control. Consistency and lots of practice produce
the best and most lasting results. Fortunately, in my experience dogs enjoy practicing the same
thing over and over if we keep it fun and brief.
Interrupting and redirecting inappropriate behavior very early is the key to reinforcing
self-control. While I find formal obedience training is a good goal, the very foundation of this
behavior must be based on the dog achieving emotional self-control.
What should an owner be looking for to know when the dog is over-aroused? The dog should
appear happy yet able to focus his attention on the owner. The moment they see the dog is
unable to focus on them because his arousal is escalating, stop the game. This might occur
because the dog is starting to go into his own little world. I see this when the dog is no longer
playing with me but rather is beginning to initiate a different or more intense game. I might see
something as simple as faster and/or harder movements, or actually using his mouth, teeth, or
paws to connect with my body.
This is when the dog owner should use the “off” switch to bring the dog back to a "normal"
state. During the “off” behavior, I wait to see signs that the dog’s arousal level has shifted:
a softening of the overall muscular tension and the return of more “normal” eye movement.
The dog stops staring at me in anticipation of more action and begins to appear more aware
of what’s happening around him, and this may even be accompanied by a good sigh of relief. I
need to make sure I am relaxed too , because tension from me is not going to help the dog.
Make sure the dog owners wait to see signs of overall relaxation. If they haven’t gone
overboard with the "on" part, then the "off" should follow quite quickly. Be patient! It may take
a few minutes to achieve, and coming down to a less aroused emotional state is not easy. If the
owner has overdone it (and that’s most likely as they fine tune their ability to read the dogs),
they should just be patient, ask for the "off" behavior, and then be still. They’ll want to stand
quietly relaxed (joints flexed, jaw soft, slow blink rate, slow deep breathing) and wait till the dog
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Lowering Arousal: How to Train Impulse Control 43
relaxes, however long it might take. Be sure to watch that they are also giving off clear, relaxed
body signals. They should be soft and supple while standing relaxed.
At this point, provide the dog with a nice, needed reinforcement. It puts his self-control into
perspective.
Ahhh, there you have it! Remember, we all need some amount of impulse control. Some of us
must learn how to achieve self-control, while with others it happens naturally. It’s the same with
dogs.
References
1
Beaver, B. (1999). Canine behavior: A guide for veterinarians. Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders
Company, pp. 152-157.
2
Lindsay, S. (2001). Handbook of applied dog behavior and training: Volume 2: Etiology and
assessment of behavior problems. Ames, IA: Iowa State University Press, pp. 254-257.

Winter 2006
44
Think Twice Before You Declaw

The Itch to Scratch
Cats do write. They don’t communicate Asking a cat never to scratch
with a pen and paper or by using a com- is asking a cat not to act like
puter keyboard. Instead, their prose is cat a cat.
scratch—literally. They scratch to express
their excitement and pleasure. They Most of us don’t mind that
scratch to leave messages, both visual and cats scratch; what bothers us
aromatic. (A cat’s paws have scent glands is where they scratch. But
that leave smell-o-grams; we can’t read nearly all cats can be taught
them, but other cats can.) where to scratch—and
where not to. Kittens are
Cats also scratch, not to sharpen their nails particularly easy to train,
but to remove the worn-out sheaths from but it’s not that difficult to
their claws. You see the results as little cres- teach the adults, either. The
cent-moon shaped bits around scratching secret is to provide attractive
areas. Scratching is good exercise, too. scratching alternatives to the
sofa or stereo speakers and
Scratching is normal behavior for cats. then teach the cat to use
those alternatives.
All cats scratch; it’s part of being a cat.
Reality Check
Just so you know, a typical declaw on a cat who goes outdoors, since de-
(called an onychectomy) is an irre- clawed cats have been disarmed.
versible surgical procedure.
In many countries declaw surgery is
A cat’s toe has three bones; the claw illegal. The American Association of
grows from the end of the last bone. In Feline Practitioners advises veterinar-
declawing, the veterinarian amputates ians never to include declawing along
the end section of the last bone, which with spay/neuter as a promotional in-
contains the growth plate, along with centive or to present declawing as a
the nail. This can be very painful, so routine surgical procedure.
pain management is critical before,
during and after the procedure. Even if many cats ultimately do
recover without any adverse effects,
Some human amputees feel phantom why take the chance? Why put your
pain long after a limb is gone, and cat through the ordeal and yourself
declawed cats also may. through the expense when there are
other options?
Declawing should never be performed
Scratching is good exercise, and it's fun.

Winter 2006
45
How Cats Scratch

Just as we have our own preferences for to or exceed the cat’s height when she their claws into. Sisal is particularly
either pen and paper or a computer key- is standing on her back legs. popular. Natural wood and carpeting
board to write our prose, cats, too, have (many cats prefer the back side of the
preferences. While almost all cats relish a A wobbly vertical scratcher that moves carpet) are also favorites. Again, it’s all
vertical scratch, many also enjoy a good and feels as if it might tip over when a about individual preferences.
horizontal scratch. However, all cats seem cat sinks her claws in, or a horizontal
to agree about certain requirements for scratcher that easily slides along the An assortment of surfaces and scratch-
their scratching surfaces. floor, is not stable enough for serious ers is ideal, even in a home with just
scratching. one cat. And several scratching choices
Because cats like to stretch and scratch, are absolutely necessary in a multi-cat
favorite vertical scratchers should be equal Cats like materials they can really sink household.
Scratchers 101
Effective horizontal scratchers with materials that are easy to get at
are relatively inexpensive to buy home improvement stores.
from a pet supply store. They are
often made of corrugated card- While purchasing a luxurious
multi-level cat tree or condo play-
board and sometimes catnip is
ground is pricey, it’s likely to be
included to sprinkle into slits cut
less expensive than a buying a new
in the scratcher. Angled cardboard
sofa because the old one has been
scratchers are especially appealing shredded. The multiple surfaces and
to many cats, giving them a com- perches will attract feline scratchers
bination vertical and horizontal of all preferences. And when the cats
scratch in one. lounge on the cat tree, there will be
less cat hair all over your house.
Good vertical scratchers are tall
and sturdy, with a wide, heavy bot-
tom to prevent tipping. Industrious Cats like materials they can really sink their claws
souls can build their own cat trees into.
Location, Location
When you’re thinking about where to • Near where your family congre- is scratching to express his excitement
put the scratching post, keep in mind gates. to see you. Reprimanding a cat for be-
that, like all real estate, location is ev- ing happy to see you is confusing and
erything. Remember that cats scratch to • Near a favorite napping location,
can damage your relationship with
communicate, and leaving a message since cats enjoy a good stretch and
scratch after awakening. your cat.)
hidden in the basement or behind the
washing machine is not their idea of • As a part of a feline aerobic center,
• Reasonably close to the front door,
effective communication.
since many cats like to scratch af- such as a sprawling cat tree, which
You’ll need to place the scratching post ter their people arrive home. (Never may also include places to climb, play
in places cats want to scratch. These think your cat runs to the sofa to and snooze.
include: scratch after you walk through
the door because he’s angry that • Near a window or places where
you’ve been away. In fact, your cat several cats gather to play and party.

Winter 2006
46
Scratching School
Kittens are especially easy to instruct a good habit than undo a bad one. Cats kittens might not be turned on by catnip.
about where to scratch, but most any learn by watching, so all you have to do Sometimes it’s an acquired taste and a
cat will learn. Realistically, it will take is scratch your nails on the appropriate small percentage of cats seem to never
more time to teach an adult who has scratching post and act like you’re having develop an interest in catnip.)
been scratching the sofa her entire a really good time. If your kitten follows
your example, offer a pay-off with a tasty Play with your cat around the post using
life than it will to teach a 12-week- an interactive toy (a fishing pole-type toy
morsel and enthusiastically tell your cat
old kitty. However, mostly it depends with feathers or fabric at the end). Even if
how smart she is. Cats have huge egos;
on the individual cat and how good the cat just accidentally puts her paws on
they love it when you tell them they’re
an instructor you happen to be. Just the greatest. the post, that’s a great start, since now your
remember to be fair and consistent. cat’s scent has been deposited on it. Con-
Rubbing catnip on a vertical post and sistently make the area near the scratching
If you’re training an impressionable depositing catnip within the corrugated post a playground.
kitten, begin the first day you bring compartment of a horizontal scratcher
your baby home. It’s easier to start will entice many adults to scratch. (Young
Click and Train

One way to teach your cat where to scratch Now entice your cat to paw at the post. Begin the next session where you left
is by using a clicker to tell him when he is This might be as simple as you pointing off—with the kitty merely touching the
doing the right thing. Clickers are inexpen- at the post and kitty following your finger. scratcher. Your next goal is to shape the
sive and easy to find at pet supply stores. Also, play with him around the scratching behavior to what you really want; don’t re-
ward the cat until he touches the scratcher
post using an interactive toy. The moment
First teach your cat what the clicker means. with his paw.
your cat touches the post with any part of
Click the clicker and drop a treat on the his body, click and offer a treat. In each successive session, hold out for a
floor. (For noise-sensitive cats, clicking a behavior that’s just a little bit closer to what
retractable pen will do.) Soon your cat will Learning sessions should never be more you want before you click and treat. Soon
come running from another room when five to ten minutes, and even less time with your cat will be scratching at the tree. In
you click because he knows the click a kitten. While kittens may actually learn addition to the reward it will feel good, so
means food. Once your cat understands faster than adults, they’re at an age when your cat will enjoy the experience. Once
that “click” means “a treat is on the way,” they have very short attention spans. It’s your cat begins to scratch regularly, offer
rewards only intermittently or else you’ll
you can use the sound of the clicker to train important to end a learning session with a
end up with one very pudgy pussy.
him to do just about anything. treat for a successful behavior.
Bad Kitty
What if your cat is scratching up a Discouraging your cat from
favorite chair or sofa? Don’t take it scratching is most effective when
personally! Remember, scratching you are not a part of the deterrent.
these things is only inappropriate to That’s because if the reprimand
you; it’s normal to your cat. You’ll comes from you, your cat quickly
need to block her access to the inap- figures out she can scratch any-
propriate place, make sure she has where when you’re not around.
a fabulous scratching post to use
instead, and then show her what Remember what cats like to scratch
you want her to do. and what they don’t. They want to
Cats will scratch as a part of play activity; kitty condo

units are great playgrounds in multi cat homes.
continued on next page
Winter 2006
Think Twice Before You Declaw 47
Think Twice Before
You Declaw Bad Kitty
(continued from previous page) car floor mats (with the nubby to kitty and then provide some-
side up) or a plastic rug runner thing very attractive to scratch
dig their claws into a suitable (also nubby side up). as an alternative. So if your cat
Author—Steve Dale, Tribune Media material and they don’t like is scratching the arm of the sofa,
Services syndicated newspaper When you discourage the cat
to feel something bumpy or cover it up and place an entic-
columnist, host Pet Central WGN
Radio; syndicated Steve Dale’s Pet smooth or sticky. That’s why by simply blocking her access, ing scratching post right next to
World and The Pet Minute with Steve Sticky Paws (available at pet there is no reason to chase after the sofa. It’s a set-up that tells
Dale (www.petworldradio.net) supply stores and on line) is and/or raise your voice or use your cat “Don’t scratch there,
Co-Author, Editor—Beth Adelman,
a superbly effective deterrent. a squirt gun. Sometimes these scratch here instead.” When
certified feline behavior consultant, These are strips of double-sid- emotional responses will actu- your cat is consistently scratch-
author and editor of more than 100 ed sticky tape (designed not to ally encourage cats to scratch, ing at the right place for several
pet books damage furniture) that you can since they so love doing any- weeks, you can safely uncover
Layout, Editor—Margaret H. put on fabric or wood. Another thing to see their people get the sofa.
Bonham, award winning author option is ordinary double-sided excited.
of 18 books including, Bring Me tape.
Home: Cats Make Great Pets Do you need to leave the tarp
(www.shadowhelm.net) If you need to cover an entire on your couch forever? Nope.
Photos—Weems S. Hutto and Dusty sofa or chair, try a smooth The idea is to make the inap-
Rainbolt; Steve Dale, Angelical Cat plastic tarp or shower curtain, propriate items unattractive
Company
Editorial Consultants—Lore I.
Haug, DVM, MS, DACVB, CPDT,
CABC Animal Behavior Service
Texas A&M University Veterinary
Teaching Hospital Paws 'n Order
Ilona Rodan, DVM, ABVP, co- Keep your cat’s nails trimmed nail clipper, so they actually
chair 2005AAFP Feline Behavior by clipping them with a nail look forward to the experience.
Guidelines cutter every 10 to 14 days. Your (Well, at least they won’t fuss
veterinarian or a groomer can about it.)
Copyright ©2005 Steve Dale, Beth
Adelman. Photos copyright ©2005 show you how to do this while
Angelical Cat Company, Steve If you and your cat just can’t see
offering your cat a special treat
Dale, Weems S. Hutto and Dusty eye to eye about nail trimming,
as you clip. That way, your cat
Rainbolt. All rights reserved. This Soft Paws are soft, temporary
newsletter may be freely distributed is so busy eating that he won’t
nail covers that can be fitted
and printed in its entirety. All rights Maintain kitty's nails, and he notice you’re also clipping.
to articles and photos belong to their won't need to scratch as often. over a cat’s claws.
Kittens can easily learn to as-
respective authors except where
noted. No portion of this newsletter sociate a special treat with the
may be reprinted or distributed in
another medium without contacting
the copyright holders.
Resources
—Learn about clicker training at Cats Make Great Pets by Mar- • TopCat Products:
www.clickertraining.com or check garet H. Bonham (Howell Book w.topcatproducts.com, (615)
Help Is Here! out Clicker Training for Cats by House) 874-1221
Karen Pryor, (800) 47-CLICK
• Soft Paws:
If you still need help, it’s avail- • Angelical Cat Company cat
www.softpaws.com, (800)
—Read Think Like a Cat by
able. Ask your veterinarian to trees: ww.angelicalcat.com, 989-2542
Pam Johnson Bennett (Penguin
help you find a veterinary (954) 747-3629
Publishing), Every Cat’s Survival
behaviorist. Or, to find a certi- • Sticky Paws:
Guide to Living with a Neurotic www.stickypaws.com, (817)
fied feline behavior consultant • Smart Cat Ultimate
Owner by Beth Adelman (Main 926-3023
where you live, check out Scratching Post:
Street Books), Kittens for Dum-
www.iaabc.org. mies by Dusty Rainbolt (Wiley www.esmartcat.com/
• Steve Dale’s Web site:
Publishing), or Bring Me Home: shopping/ultimate.php www.petworldradio.net

Winter 2006
48
Asking How, Not Why:

Utilizing Functional Behavior Assessments in Dog Training
by Merope Pavlides, MEd, PhD
Abstract: Functional behavior analysis and assessment techniques have become a cornerstone
of creating positive behavioral supports for human students with special needs. This essay seeks
to provide an overview of how this methodology might be applied to the field of dog training. A
brief case study is included.
Keywords: functional behavior assessment, dog training, canine behavior functions.
The cornerstone of teaching—whatever species the student belongs to—is communication.

When we teach, we communicate information and ideas. Good teachers understand that
successful communication is comprised not only of sending messages, but of listening to
incoming ones as well. The best teachers realize that—even with the most articulate of
students—received messages often arrive in behavioral code. “Lost” homework can be evidence
of failure to understand the assignment. Doodles instead of note-taking may indicate difficulty in
processing auditory information. Argumentative behavior may mask an inability to approach new
tasks due to lack of organizational skills.
Understanding learner behavior can be difficult even when students can verbalize their
thoughts. But what if the students are nonverbal? What if they have no understandable
expressive language, and have complicated receptive skills? If nonverbal learners engage in
problematic behaviors—behaviors that either interfere with learning or harm the student and/or
others—creating a successful learning strategy can be difficult at best.
In working with students with autism, behavioral issues can become paramount. Children
with autism often engage in self-stimulatory behaviors such as hand-flapping, spinning or
lining objects up, or rocking their bodies. They may engage in echolalia, the repetition of
words or phrases out of context. They may act aggressively or self-injuriously, or allow internal
distractions to consume them. Tantrums can erupt unexpectedly and with amazing intensity.
As teachers, we immediately wonder why the behavior is occurring. It is easy to jump to
conclusions based on our own emotional experiences—we assume the student feels anger,
frustration, and fear. The problem with making this kind of leap, however, is that most teachers
do not have autism. To assume that neurotypical adults experience their internal and external
environments in the same way a child with autism does is to underestimate the power of specific
personal experience. The child with autism who suddenly strikes a neighboring student while
building a puzzle together may do so to get a desired puzzle piece. Or because her peer made
eye contact for too long. Or because the roughness of his plastic chair combined with the smell
of the teacher’s perfume suddenly sent him into sensory overload and an outlet was needed.
Dog trainers share certain experiences with special educators. (Disclaimer: I am not
equating children with disabilities with dogs. I do, however, seek to apply a successful method of
behavior analysis utilized with children with disabilities to teaching canines.) Dogs are, after all,
nonverbal—they communicate without words. They engage in species-specific behaviors that are
different from typical human behaviors, that are often mystifying, and that can present very real
challenges for the humans with whom they live. Some problematic behaviors may be viewed as
either injurious to themselves (including behaviors which may result in euthanasia) or to others,
or as interfering with learning. Most dogs are capable of learning how to behave appropriately
Winter 2006
Asking How, Not Why: Utilizing Functional Behavior Assessments in Dog Training 49
with humans—the challenge for trainers often lies in extinguishing interfering behaviors in order
to subsequently teach acceptable ones.
One of the methods special educators employ to help understand problematic behavior is
that of functional behavior analysis/assessment (FBA), first outlined by Iwata; et al. in
their important study on self-injurious behavior in humans (1982). The fundamental principle
underlying this methodology is not the investigation of the motivation for the behavior, but
rather an analysis of what the behavior achieves for the individual. Instead of asking “Why
is Johnny hitting Mary?,” special educators often ask “How does hitting Mary function as a
successful behavior for Johnny?” By collecting data on the antecedents to the behavior, the
specifics of the behavior itself, and the consequences of the behavior (“ABC” data), as well
as examining environmental factors, teachers hope to create interventions that can change
problematic behaviors by rendering them ineffectual, and to elicit alternative behaviors that
produce the rewards sought.
This does not mean that special educators have no interest in the emotional lives of their
students. But behavioral intervention must be efficient to allow learning to take place, and to
minimize habitual engagement in problematic behaviors with a possible downward spiral in
relationships with peers, teachers, and family members. In the past, challenging behaviors were
often eliminated via punishment of some kind. We now, however, look to positive behavioral
supports rather than punishers to manage student behavior. Understanding precisely what
maintains these behaviors may enhance our ability to alter their patterns. In fact, studies
suggest that utilizing FBAs prior to intervention design may contribute to increased utilization of
reinforcement, rather than punishment-based strategies (Pelios et al, 1999).
This method of examining how behaviors work for an individual can be separated into
“analysis” (a formalized study often conducted in a clinical setting and consisting of manipulating
specific behavioral components) and “assessment” (a more informal collection of information
gathered from observations made by teachers and family members). Functional behavior
assessments are most likely to be utilized by special educators, as they are more readily
achieved yet still can provide a wealth of behavioral information.
The Components of Functional Behavior Assessment
In their useful guide to conducting FBAs, Functional Assessment and Program Development
for Problem Behavior: A Practical Handbook, O’Neill et al. (1997) outline three basic components
for conducting a functional behavior assessment/analysis. These components may be viewed as
“levels” in analyzing behavior. In turn, each level contains a number of steps to completion.
Prior to starting any functional behavior assessment, however, one must define precisely what
constitutes the target behavior(s). For instance, it is insufficient to state that a child engages in
tantrums whenever asked to wash his hands. Instead, the tantrum should be described in terms
of specific actions such as screaming, throwing toys, and hitting a teacher. It is also important to
note that behaviors may be exhibited individually or as a chain. The child may only scream when
asked to wash his hands, but may scream, throw toys, and hit the teacher when asked to get his
backpack. Defining the target behavior precisely can be quite useful in itself. In attempting to
articulate the nature of a target behavior, we begin to focus on the behavior as problematic, not
on the child as a problem. Likewise, it can be very helpful when working with dogs to consider
the behaviors that interfere with success, rather than labeling the dogs as “difficult.”
Level One: Interviewing
In working with children, interviewing consists of collecting anecdotal information from
Winter 2006
50 Asking How, Not Why: Utilizing Functional Behavior Assessments in Dog Training
individuals who come into regular contact with the student. The behavior analyst should question
family members, therapists, and teachers. For students who are capable of self-evaluation,
a self-analysis of the behavior may be employed as well. An interview may be conducted
orally, with the examiner recording responses, or the student may be asked to complete a
questionnaire. Information gathering will include a discussion of environmental factors, among
them medical and dietary specifics and, fundamental ABC data collection:
1) a description of the behaviors’ topographies;
2) information regarding specific antecedents to the behaviors; and
3) a precise description of the consequences of the behaviors.
In addition, the respondent will be asked to contribute generalized information about
interactions with the student such as describing which teaching methods seem successful/
unsuccessful; what appropriate behavioral skills the students has learned; how the student tends
to communicate his/her needs; thoughts on what seems reinforcing for the student; and—very
importantly—descriptions of incidents when the problem behavior does not occur. (O’Neill).
Although conducting interviews can be time- consuming, it is often well worth the time and effort
to interview as many people as possible, as behaviors change not only across environments, but
can also be dependent on who is involved in the interaction.
Level Two: Direct Observation
The goal of direct observation of behavior is to record data while behaviors are occurring,
rather than relying on hindsight to generate descriptions. For example, in a classroom, a
specialist in functional behavior assessments may observe the student in question while the
classroom teacher conducts a lesson. Environmental factors will be noted as well as ABC data
collected. In addition, the observer may record intensity or frequency of behaviors. Hitting the
desk with a fist, for instance, might occur three times in five minutes, or at a rate of once every
three seconds during the course of a behavioral event. The intensity of the blows may range
from a noisy slap to bloodying the hand. The observer will also note when there is absence
of problem behavior or use of alternative appropriate behavior. To get best results, it is useful
to have more than one person observe the child (individually, not together), and have each
observer complete more than one observation session. If the behavior is happening in multiple
environments, it would be helpful to generate data across those environments.
Level Three: Analysis
Depending on the services the child in question is receiving, and staff availability, it may be
possible to design an analysis in which components of the behavior are manipulated to test a
hypothesis regarding behavior. For example, if Mary is screaming when asked to put her toys
in a cubby, the behavior analyst might instead ask her to put her toys in a basket outside of
the cubby. Suppose she did not scream at this request. The behavior analyst would then ask
her to put the toys in the cubby again, and record whether she screamed. Mary would then be
directed to put the toys in the basket, etc. until sufficient data was collected in an ABAB design.
Or, aspects of the environment might be manipulated. Perhaps Johnny bangs his head when
asked to complete a puzzle while music is being played. Does he still bang his head when asked
to engage in this task without music? Analysis may be conducted by manipulating time of day
when the task is presented. Environmental factors such as location or people present may also
be studied.
Conducting a full-scale behavior analysis is often outside of the scope of a school’s resources.
Some children may receive this service in a clinical setting—however, often only interviews and
Winter 2006
direct observations are possible.
Types of Reinforcement
When assessing behavior, we must ask not only what factors predict it, but what reinforcing
conditions maintain the behavior. It is possible to break reinforcement into two categories:
1) obtaining something; and
2) escaping something.
In turn, individuals may seek to obtain: a) attention; b) an item; c) self-stimulation. They
may seek to avoid: a) demand; b) an experience; b) a person. (O’Neill). Once we collect
and consider data, we often learn that the target behavior is reinforced quite differently
than we thought. If Johnny is throwing his books whenever he is handed a worksheet to do
independently, we may have assumed that he is doing this to get attention during time he
should be working alone. When given puzzles to do alone, however, Johnny doesn’t throw
his books. The worksheets are harder than the puzzles. It may become apparent through a
functional behavior assessment that Johnny is throwing books not to gain attention, but rather
to avoid higher task demand. We can now alter his behavioral intervention strategy accordingly.
Sometimes understanding how any one individual is reinforced is surprisingly complex.
Reinforcer values alter with environmental changes (including internal state). Conducting a
complete functional behavior assessment allows us to better understand strength of reinforcers
for the student concerned. Perhaps Mary picks at her skin during circle time. Through direct
observation we note that the consequence of that behavior has regularly been for the classroom
aide to sit with Mary and hug her. We thought that Mary was picking at her skin to avoid circle
time, when in fact, the skin-picking (which provided self-stimulation) is being reinforced with
deep pressure from the hug. Having learned that deep pressure is a valued reinforcer for Mary,
and we can begin to offer it as a reinforcer for appropriate behaviors (such as hand clapping, for
instance) during circle time.
Using FBA with Dogs
One of the challenges of dog training is to avoid anthropomorphizing canine behavior. We
applaud dog owners who view their canine companions as family members; this is indicative of
the kind of positive relationship we wish for our clients. Yet, this often leads to misinterpretation
of dog behavior. (For example, clients may describe their dogs as “jealous,” “resentful,”
“spiteful,” etc.) Utilizing functional behavior assessments with dogs allows us to: 1) better
understand how particular problem behaviors work for the individual dog in question; 2) plan
positive behavioral supports for the dog which are specific to the target behaviors; and 3)
deconstruct the notion of a “bad dog” and focus the human client on behavior analysis.
The greatest hurdle in utilizing FBAs in dog training and behavior consulting comes in helping
owners understand the usefulness of this methodology and teaching them how to work alongside
the trainer to collect useful information. Conducting FBAs requires time and concentration, and
can appear expensive if direct observation by one or more trainers is necessary. In a report
on “Collaboration with Families in the Functional Behavior Assessment of and Intervention for
Severe Behavior Problems,” in Journal of the Education and Treatment of Children, Peterson et-
al (2002) note that when a team approach is taken to FBAs with educators and families equally
valued, and with a shared goal of creating workable positive behavioral supports, families have
been shown to be both cooperative and capable of utilizing this methodology. It becomes
incumbent on the trainer, then, to adequately explain both the protocol and value of the
functional behavior assessment.
Winter 2006
At the interview level, many trainers already have intake forms in place for new clients.
Expanding these to include detailed information regarding behavioral events of concern can
provide for the creation of a team focused on positive behavioral support for the dog. Family
members should describe as many specific incidents of target behaviors as possible, including
information on environmental factors as well as antecedents and consequences. The behaviors
should be described in as much detail as possible. General information should also be collected
about interactions between the dog and family members, friends, and other animals. Incidents
of appropriate behavior should be recorded as well. If possible, it is highly useful to interview all
members of the family, either together or separately. Family members may well have different
perceptions of behavioral events, which may provide valuable information regarding the target
behaviors and the family dynamics.
Direct observations may be conducted by one or more consulting trainers, as well as by
family members and friends. It is useful to create a one-page sheet for recording data, which
is thorough yet facilitates use across observers and environments. (An example based on the
recommendations of O’Neill et al. has been included at the end of this article as Appendix
A.) Families can be provided with copies of the form on a clipboard with attached pen,
encouraging the documentation of events. To teach use of the data sheets, it is often helpful
to model protocol. This can be done even if no target behaviors are exhibited. It is possible to
demonstrate data collection by utilizing any behavior the dog is currently engaging in. Perhaps
Fido has been pushing at the consulting trainer’s arm with his nose. Even if this is not a target
behavior to be assessed, an overview of how nose-pushing functions for Fido can provide family
members with a better understanding of FBAs. Information can be gathered regarding Fido’s
history of nose-pushing, both with guests and family members, and the trainer can demonstrate
how data would be collected on this behavior as it occurs.
For many dog owners, a functional behavior analysis will be more complicated and costly
than deemed desirable. Although some manipulation of contributing factors in a behavioral event
may be manageable, consistent controlling for all other factors—which is necessary in formal
analysis—may be problematic, especially within a home environment. However, the less formal
assessment procedures themselves may be extremely valuable as well.
Case Study
The following is a brief and simplified discussion of how a functional behavior assessment
might be incorporated into working with a client. The target behavior described is not chained
with other behaviors and the events are clearly defined:
Mike is a 15-month old male Boston Terrier owned by Mrs. Cox and her husband. Mike was
obtained through an animal shelter—at the time of adoption he was being fostered. Although
no information was available on Mike’s breeding, he is known to have spent much of puppyhood
in a small basement run. When the shelter obtained him, he had gastrointestinal problems and
mange. Mrs. Cox reported that when Mike came to live with her, he was very “aloof,” although
he never growled or bit when she interacted with him or touched him. She continued to initiate
interaction with Mike; he now solicits attention by climbing into Mrs. Cox’s lap and rolling over
for belly rubs.
Mrs. Cox contacted the consultant with concerns that Mike was “stranger aggressive.” She
reported in the initial telephone conversation that Mike barked incessantly at strangers who
entered the house, and that she was concerned that the behavior would escalate into biting.
(Mike had no bite history.)In public, Mike did not react to people, unless they attempted to
interact with him, at which point he began barking. Mrs. Cox stated that she believed that Mike
Winter 2006
was afraid of strangers and very protective of his territory.

Mrs. Cox received and completed an intake questionnaire, which included general information
regarding the dog’s health and behavior, as well as details of the family structure. (Mrs. Cox and
husband are in late fifties and have no children.) Mrs. Cox noted that her greatest concern is the
couple’s upcoming retirement, at which time they intend to travel the country in a recreational
vehicle. She perceived the constant interaction with unfamiliar people while traveling and
camping as problematic given Mike’s behavior with strangers.
The intake questionnaire allowed Mrs. Cox to describe in detail the incidents she viewed as
“stranger aggression.” In each incident, whether at home or in public, Mike reacted to direct
interaction by an unfamiliar adult (never with children) by making eye contact and barking.
Never did he growl, bite or lunge. Mrs. Cox described her response to Mike’s behavior as
“scolding”—verbal corrections made concurrent with the behavior. In most instances, the
stranger engaged in further interaction with Mike during the barking, attempting to soothe him
verbally. Mike would continue barking as the stranger left. Mrs. Cox also reported an incident
that involved a weekend guest. Mike initially barked “continuously” at the guest, although as
the weekend progressed, there were periods of quiet as Mike took treats from the guest and
received petting. He continued to bark at the guest, however, when she moved around the house
engaged in other activities.
The first session with the trainer consisted of further interview as well as direct observation.
For the visit, Mrs. Cox had placed Mike in an exercise pen. Mike began barking as soon as
the trainer approached the house. Mrs. Cox verbally reprimanded Mike through much of the
barking. The trainer made no attempt to interact with Mike, instead moving to another room
with Mrs. Cox to collect further details of Mike’s background and behaviors. Mike continued to
bark throughout this time. As the trainer returned to the room where Mike was penned, barking
continued. However, no increase in intensity occurred, nor did Mike rush the walls of the pen.
As the trainer stepped closer to the pen, Mike took a few steps back, but continued to bark and
make eye contact. The trainer then began clicking for quiet (basically breath intakes) and tossing
treats. Mike stopped barking to eat the treat, but then resumed. The trainer then began clicking
for quiet and offering the treat by hand; Mike took the treats from the trainer, but resumed
barking. No escalation in barking intensity occurred when trainer reached into the pen to deliver
the treat, nor did Mike at any time growl, lunge, or bite at the trainer. Throughout this session,
the trainer recorded data on a behavior observation form. She left copies of the form with Mrs.
Cox along with detailed instructions on how to complete them.
The next two sessions consisted of further direct observation in public. At the second session,
Mrs. Cox and Mike were waiting for the trainer in their front yard. As soon as the trainer
approached, Mike began to bark. The trainer did not interact with Mike at all, and began to walk
alongside Mrs. Cox and Mike toward a small neighborhood park. Mike continued to bark during
the walk, and Mrs. Cox repeatedly told him to stop. Mrs. Cox and the trainer then sat on a bench
in the park. (No other people were in the park at this time, so no data were available on Mike’s
behavior toward strangers in public.) Mike continued to bark at the trainer, who still did not
interact with him. He then jumped up on the trainer’s leg, pawed at her, and barked. She still
did not interact with Mike. On the return walk to the house, Mrs. Cox asked that the trainer take
the leash. Mike stopped barking as soon as the trainer started walking him. Upon returning to
the house, the trainer handed Mike’s leash back to Mrs. Cox, and Mike resumed barking. Mrs.
Cox, the trainer, and Mike entered enclosed back yard and Mike was allowed off-leash while Mrs.
Cox and the trainer discussed incidents of target behavior during the previous week. Mike stood
Winter 2006
next to trainer, barking. When she did not interact with him, Mike jumped onto the lawn chair
next to her, and barked. The trainer continued to ignore Mike, at which point he climbed into
her lap and barked. At no time did he growl, lunge or snap at the trainer. Throughout this time,
Mrs. Cox talked to Mike, asking him not to bark. At this point, the trainer began to click and treat
for moments of quiet, which began to lengthen from breath intakes to several second between
barks. Mike remained on the lawn chair with the trainer. When the trainer got up to leave, Mike
started barking, walking with her to the door. The trainer continued to click and treat for quiet.
The third session occurred at a crowded county park. Mike began to bark as soon as he saw
the trainer approach. She then sat on the curb near Mrs. Cox’s car. Mike approached the trainer,
climbed on her lap and barked. This time when trainer ignored Mike, barking intensified in
volume and Mike moved closer to the trainer. The three then began walking along a path. Mike
did not bark at the trainer during this walk, although Mrs. Cox held the leash. People passed
by, both approaching and from behind. Mike did not bark at them. Whenever possible, Mrs. Cox
greeted people to prompt interactions with Mike. As soon as strangers interacted with him, he
began barking. Each time he did so, Mrs. Cox talked to him in an attempt to calm him, and the
stranger also spoke soothingly to him.
Upon their return to the parking lot, the trainer again sat on the curb. Mike climbed on her
lap and barked. She began to click and treat for quiet. Mike stayed on her lap, taking the treats.
The periods of quiet now lasted for approximately 30 seconds. The trainer and Mrs. Cox also
reviewed data collected by Mrs. Cox during the week.
The sessions described above may be viewed as consisting of a combination of functional
behavior assessment and the beginnings of intervention. (Clicking and treating for quiet.) Mike’s
target behavior was defined as “barking at strangers.” “Strangers” were defined as non-family
members Mike had just met or only met once or twice before.” Target behaviors were observed
in several environments—the home, the yard, a small park, and a large park with many adults
and children. Each session was conducted at approximately 9:30 a.m., and Mike had not been
fed beforehand. Antecedents to the barking events appeared to be either the approach of a
stranger to the home or yard, or when in public, the attempt by a stranger to interact with Mike.
The consequences of the target behavior consisted of verbal interaction by Mrs. Cox, and often,
by the stranger. At no time was the consequence of the target behavior the withdrawal of the
stranger or the removal of Mike from the situation.
How, then, did barking function for Mike? Mrs. Cox had assumed that Mike barked at
strangers because he was afraid of them. She also assumed that his behavior indicated that he
was protecting “his territory,” although the behavior never escalated as strangers approached,
and never included growling, lunging, or biting. Mrs. Cox had started to view Mike as an
“aggressive” dog, with stranger anxiety.
Examining the data collected in the FBA, however, demonstrated that although the
antecedents to the incidents of target behavior were approaches by strangers, the consequences
were consistently increased attention from Mrs. Cox, and often, attention from strangers as well.
Never did the target behavior result in gaining access to desired items, such as food or toys. Nor
was the target behavior reinforced by the stranger backing away or by access to escape from the
situation. Mike had learned that barking achieved attention, both from Mrs. Cox and strangers.
How would a functional behavior assessment for Mike affect creating a positive behavioral
protocol? The focus of the intervention became teaching Mrs. Cox to click and treat for
appropriate attention-getting behaviors, as well as for quiet around strangers. Barking was to
be extinguished by ignoring it, and Mrs. Cox was apprised of the likelihood of an extinction burst.
Winter 2006
When Mike barked at strangers, they were asked to stop interaction and withdraw, at which
point Mrs. Cox would instruct Mike to sit quietly. If he did so, the stranger could approach and
interact with him.
Had Mike’s barking been motivated by the desire to avoid strangers as Mrs. Cox originally
thought, asking them to withdraw when the behavior occurred would have reinforced the
barking. However, since it functioned achieve attention, the barking almost immediately began
to decrease in intensity and frequency as attention was given only with quiet. Mrs. Cox was also
instructed in teaching Mike other appropriate attention-seeking behaviors, such as shaking paws,
lying down, and rolling over.
Not only did utilizing a functional behavior assessment clarify how barking worked for
Mike, it also enabled Mrs. Cox to abandon some of her anxiety about having an “aggressive”
dog, and to begin to think behaviorally. No longer was Mike. a “problem dog.” Now he was
a dog with challenging behaviors that she viewed as manageable. Rather than focus on her
expected inability to keep Mike once she had retired, Mrs. Cox began to consider how she could
adequately teach Mike appropriate behaviors that would enable him to either travel with the
couple, or to mesh well into another home.
Conclusion
Whether they know it or not, many consultants already use functional behavior assessments
to some degree in their practices. FBAs should not be viewed as a substitute for education
and skill development in the understanding of canine communication techniques regarding
emotional state, but rather as an addition to the trainer’s “toolbox.” Focusing on the function
of behaviors can encourage attention to how a target behavior works for an individual animal in
a specific situation, and can sometimes eliminate the feeling of being overwhelmed by a global
“temperament problem.” Positive behavioral supports can be tailored to each dog’s particular
needs, with awareness of what consequences are actually maintaining each challenging behavior.
For dog owners, thinking in terms of the function of behaviors often helps them set aside
personality-centered assessments of their animals and can minimize or alleviate some stumbling
blocks in dog-human interactions. Functional behavior assessments also can help provide a
trainer with an approach to “mysterious” canine behaviors— a method to use at those times
when a dog does something we simply do not understand.
There is an old joke in which a male dog is engaging in a favorite self-stimulatory behavior.
A man and a woman are watching this, and the woman cries in disgust, “Why is he doing
that?” The man responds, “Because he can.” Dogs do what works for them. Knowing “how” the
behavior works—what its function is—often provides trainers with a foundation for designing
an intervention that changes the problem behavior and also encourages an approach which
deconstructs the notion that the dog’s personality may inherently render him/her unmanageable.
References
Iwata, B.A., Dorsey, M.F., Silfer, K.I., Bauman, K.E., & Richman, G.S. (1994). Toward a functional analysis of self-
injury. J Appl Behav Anal, 27, 197-209. (Reprinted from Anal Interven Devel, 2, 3-20, 1982).
O’Neill, R.E., Horner, R.H., Albin, R.W., Sprague, J.R., Storey, K., & Newton, J.S. (1997). Functional assessment and
program development for problem behavior: A practical handbook. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing.
Peck-Peterson, S.M., Derby, K.M, Berg, W.K, & Horner, R.H. (2002). Collaboration with families in the functional
behavior assessment and intervention for severe behavior problems. Education and treatment of children, 25,
5+.
Pelios, L., Orren, J., Tesch, D., & Axelrod, S. (1999). The impact of functional analysis methodology on treatment
choices for self-injurious and aggressive behavior. J Appl Behav Anal, 32, 185-195.

Winter 2006
Appendix A
Functional Behavior Assessment Form
Dog:___________________________ Target Behavior:___________________________________
Observation Date:___________________________________
Behavior Environment People Present Prior Activity Consequence
Frequency:
Duration:
Intensity:

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Event #2
Behavior Environment People Present Prior Activity Consequence
Frequency:
Duration:
Intensity:
Notes:

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58
Nine Activities to Address Aggressive Behavior in a Good Dog Class

by Sue Alexander, CPDT, CDBC
Introduction
In the Good Dog program, we use a large number of techniques to teach dogs alternatives to
the behaviors they have used in the past to deal with stressors in their environment. This article
will outline some of the techniques that are used in the Good Dog program.
Broadly, the techniques presented here can be categorized into four groups:
a) those that employ classical conditioning
b) those that employ habituation
c) those that teach the dog alternative behaviors/strategies
d) those that combine techniques
In order to understand the methods, it is important to begin with definitions for each
of the techniques we will discuss. The terms “habituation,” “dishabituation” “conditioning,”
“reinforcement,” “punishment,” “extinction,” “desensitization,” and “counterconditioning” are
used in this article as defined in Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Small Animals, by Dr. Karen L.
Overall (Mosby, 1997).
Exercises
1. Simple Classical Conditioning
Classical conditioning is the systematic process of pairing one stimulus with another. In the
Good Dog program, the aim of classical conditioning is to change the emotional relationship
that the dog has with a given stimulus and create a new, more pleasant emotional response to
that stimulus. Different from distracting the dog from a stimulus through the presentation of
something better, classical conditioning must teach the dog that a given stimulus will predict a
specific outcome.
For example, if a dog is fearful of men wearing hats, a new emotional association can be
established by pairing men wearing hats with food treats. In the simplest exercise, you would sit
with the dog and have a hat-wearing man appear, classically pairing hat-wearing men with the
presentation of treats. As the man appears, the trainer drops a handful of wonderful treats in
front of the dog. Over a period of many repetitions, the dog will learn that men with hats predict
delicious food.
An important feature of successful classical conditioning programs is that during the exercise,
the absence of the target stimulus (in this case men with hats) predicts that no appetitive
stimulus (in this case food treats) will be available. If food treats are available when the man in
the hat is unavailable, then the dog will not learn the predictive nature of the relationship.
Another important feature of successful classical conditioning is that the target stimulus
must be presented at a low enough intensity that the dog is able to be aware of the appetitive
stimulus. This means that initially the trainer may need to present the target stimulus masked
by a curtain, or at a distance, or in some way diminish the intensity of the target stimulus in
order for the dog to be able to take advantage of the appetitive stimulus. The dog’s behavior
must be disregarded for the pairing to be successful: if the dog is being contingently reinforced,
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Nine Activities to Address Aggressive Behavior in a Good Dog Class 59
then the dog will learn that the appearance of the target stimulus is a cue for a behavior, not a
predictor of a desired outcome. One way of determining when classical conditioning has been
achieved is to watch for signs of anticipation from the dog when the stimulus is presented.
Later, we can take this anticipation and use it to develop an operant sequence, as outlined in the
next section.
Finally, the dog must be protected from experiencing the target stimulus when the appetitive
stimulus is not available.1,2,3
It should be noted that the more deeply ingrained the initial response, and the more extreme
that the response is, the longer the classical conditioning program must be. Furthermore, when
the dog has many different target stimuli, it becomes more difficult to avoid repeated cycles
of the dog being triggered and then being hypervigilant following the triggering episode. A
constantly hypervigilant dog will be more resistant to forming the associations we want.4
Some pitfalls of a simple classical conditioning program include the length of time that it
can take to be effective, the owners’ degree of commitment to following the program, and the
opportunities that the dog has to experience the target stimulus when we do not have control
over the appetitive stimulus. Often when dogs are going through desensitization by classical
conditioning, much hard work on the part of the dog’s family members can be undone in a single
chance encounter with the target stimulus.
2. Transitioning from Simple Classical Conditioning to Successful Desensitization
Ultimately, the dog will need to learn to tolerate the target stimulus outside the training
context, so we must establish a standard for deciding when to increase the intensity of the
target stimulus, as well as the logistics of decreasing the use of the appetitive stimulus. When
done correctly, classical conditioning should all take place when the dog is below the threshold
at which he or she will react in an undesired manner. The trainer must watch the dog carefully
for signs of anticipation of the appetitive stimulus on presentation of the target stimulus. When
the dog is actively seeking out the appetitive stimulus, then the trainer may choose to do one of
several things.
To begin with, the trainer may choose to work with a less appetitive stimulus in order to
bridge to habituation. In this case, the target stimulus would continue to be offered at the
same strength and the value of the appetitive stimulus would be diminished (kibble might be
substituted for cheese, for instance) or a smaller quantity of the same appetitive stimulus would
be offered (one piece of cheese instead of five).
As the value of the appetitive stimulus decreases, the trainer must watch for signs to make
sure that habituation is happening (steady rhythmic respiration is a good sign to watch for,
as well as a soft facial expression; every trainer must know the dog she or he is handling well
enough to be aware of whether the dog is actually staying relaxed or becoming more aroused).
In the event that dishabituation appears to be happening, the trainer must go back to simple
classical conditioning.
The second alternative would be to increase the intensity of the target stimulus fractionally,
usually by increasing proximity. The trainer should work in increments small enough to
ensure that the dog is able to continue to work successfully. This may mean that the trainer is
approaching the target stimulus with the dog by increments of a half meter or less.
The third alternative is to begin to designate the target stimulus as a cue to an operant
behavior. This tactic may be the strongest alternative for many dogs because it allows them
to tell the trainer when the target stimulus is becoming too strong for them to cope with
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60 Nine Activities to Address Behavior in a Good Dog Class
unassisted. Once the dog reliably looks to the trainer in anticipation of the appetitive stimulus
on presentation of the target stimulus, the trainer can either wait for (free shaping) a behavior
such as a hand touch, a sit, or a vocalization and then reward the dog for the behavior, or can
cue the dog to a desired behavior. Prompting a behavior allows the trainer to control which
behaviors are associated with each target stimulus, and if needed the dog can develop a discrete
behavior for any given stimulus. With the dogs in the Good Dog Program, excellent results have
been obtained using this protocol. As the dog learns that the target stimulus at a low intensity
is a cue to a behavior, the intensity can be gradually increased, provided the dog continues to
remain relaxed in the presence of the target stimulus.
3. Classical Conditioning Using Distance as the Reinforcer
Dogs love to run and move. For some dogs, the offer of a food treat when presented with a
target stimulus is not enough to overcome the emotional response to the target stimulus. For
these dogs an alternative strategy may yield better results. Establishing a safe home base and
a stationary target stimulus can allow for successful approaches and then retreats while the dog
remains sub-threshold.
The dog should be trained to walk on a loose leash, and should know how to sit and lie down
on cue, before this exercise is started. The trainer will start at a safe station, and ask the dog to
sit. When the dog is sitting, calm and relaxed, the trainer will walk with the dog on a loose leash
towards the target stimulus. When the dog sees the target stimulus, but before the dog becomes
uneasy about the target stimulus, the trainer will use a marker such as a clicker to mark the
proximity, then turn and run with the dog to the safe station to start again. Treats may be used
at the safe station to reinforce the safety of that place. In each successive repetition, the trainer
will approach more closely, as the dog is able to tolerate more proximity to the target stimulus.
Over a large number of repetitions, the dog becomes savvy to the routine. Often, the dog
will begin cuing the trainer when he approaches his threshold with respect to the stimulus, in
anticipation of turning and leaving. As this happens, the trainer can begin to shape this cue
into clear communication from the dog that he is approaching his tolerance for proximity to the
stimulus.
4. Doggy Piñata: A Classical Method for Desensitization to Location
Doggy Piñata is the practice of scattering food on the ground for dogs to pick up. This method
can also be used to desensitize some dogs who resource guard against other dogs to a shorter
social distance while feeding. (See below.) Dogs are by nature scavengers and form small stable
groups to do so when allowed to interact freely.
Stage 1: teaching the dog to engage in the motor pattern
a. Take a handful of high-value treats to a large, defined space (kitchens work well).
b. Scatter the food liberally all over the room. Make sure that the food is not in piles; it
should fall as candy would from a piñata.
c. Turn the dog loose in the room and allow him to clean up.
d. Repeat until the dog is confident about the exercise.
At this stage, dogs are learning to use their noses to find the treats, and learning that they
will have to actually search for some of the treats. When the dog is comfortable and confident,
the exercise can be moved outdoors.
Stage 2: pairing the target stimulus with the activity
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Nine Activities to Address Behavior in a Good Dog Class 61
If the dog is fearful of a location, the Doggy Piñata activity can be carried out closer and
closer to that location until the dog is eager to approach and enter the location. This method is
very useful for desensitizing dogs to places such as the veterinary office; however, it requires
that unpleasant experiences not follow the desensitization process.
In the event that the target stimulus is a person, that person can be the one to scatter the
treats and wait passively on the edge of the area that is being used. Gradually the person can
scatter the treats closer to himself or herself until the dog is taking the treats with the person
in the middle of the scattered treats. As the desensitization process progresses, the dog may
eventually begin to try to get the target person to feed him. At the point where the dog is freely
taking treats from the target person, the target person can begin to ask for simple behaviors so
that the dog can establish an operant relationship with the person.
When the target stimulus is other dogs, another dog can be presented at a distance and both
dogs can be “piñata’d.” Before either dog runs out of food, another handful of food should be
dropped, slightly closer to the other dog than before; the dogs can be worked closer to each
other until they are working on the same pile. Both dogs should be on leash in the interest of
safety. As the dog becomes proficient with one dog, other dogs should be introduced,one by one,
until any dog can approach the student dog while he is eating.
Dogs have a rich behavioral language. It has been observed that when one dog begins to
sniff on the ground, other dogs will either join in or will give the other dog extra space to work
within. Ground sniffing is often interpreted as a displacement behavior, but it may also act as
a signal to the observing dog that the presenting dog is not a threat.5 When the dog begins to
recognize the context within which the exercise occurs, the situation itself becomes a predictor
of the expected behavior: the dog will offer the behavior within that context. In the case of
ground sniffing, the observing dog may assign a meaning to that behavior that will make the
situation more relaxed for the dog who is learning.6
If at any time the subject dog becomes aggressive in any way, remove him and start over.
This operant technique will help the dog to learn that aggressive behavior is not acceptable.
Keep in mind that this operant technique is a contingency plan; ideally, you will work
subthreshold and you will not see aggressive behavior.
When doing this exercise with dogs who resource guard, extra caution needs to be taken to
ensure the safety of all involved. When bringing another dog into the piñata area, both dogs
need to be on leash and the resource-guarding dog needs to be watched carefully for signs
of guarding behavior. As long as the resource guarder is calmly scavenging for food, he can
continue to engage in the activity. If he orients on the other dog, freezes, or otherwise shows
discomfort with the other dog, the handler needs to retreat with the guarding dog and end the
activity. Initially, when the new dog is introduced, each dog should have a separate pile of treats
to scavenge, and the dogs should work closer and closer together until they are working on the
same very large pile of treats. It is perfectly acceptable to do this exercise on muzzle if safety is
a concern.
When doing this exercise with puppies extra caution should be exercised. Allowing a young
pup to participate in an adult group could result in the pup being harshly disciplined by the
adult dogs, which could result in injuries or fears developing. Puppies and adolescents should be
permitted to experience this exercise in age specific groups for their own safety.
5. Approach and Retreat
Dogs who use aggression operantly can be particularly interesting to work with, as they have
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62 Nine Activities to Address Aggressive Behavior in a Good Dog Class
worked out contingencies to ensure that they get objects, locations or access to resources that
they desire. These dogs are typically confident, highly intelligent, assertive individuals. Often
they are trapped in a situation where some of their needs may not be met, so that they attempt
to change their situation through their behavior. These dogs often benefit greatly from Approach
and Retreat, which uses a combination of operant and classical events to change both the dog’s
behavior and his emotional state.
Approach and Retreat also benefits dogs who are fearful of people and other dogs, as we can
control contact and allow the dog to habituate with the support of the trainer.
In this method, dogs are securely tethered, with the owner or a trainer standing close
by. A helper should hide out of sight and the owner will begin to provide treats to the dog
when the helper appears. The helper walks a zigzag pattern toward the dog. If the subject
dog is aggressive toward other dogs, the helper can lead a safe, stable dog trained to deal
with problem dogs along the route to the tethered dog. As long as the subject dog remains
nonreactive, the owner continues to feed the dog. As soon as the dog reacts, the helper stops
and the owner leaves the dog and goes to stand by the helper.
Many things are happening to the dog during this exercise. As the target stimulus
approaches, the tethered dog is developing a classical relationship between the approaching
target stimulus and treats. The dog is supported emotionally by the owner who stands with the
dog. When the dog reacts to the target stimulus, the dog learns operantly that the emotional
support and treats leave when he reacts.
The dog is permitted to continue reacting as long as he wants; the owner and helper remain
neutral until extinction of the undesired behavior occurs and the tethered dog is calm and
relaxed. As soon as this happens, the owner returns to the dog and the target stimulus goes
away. When the owner returns to the dog, he can greet and comfort the dog quietly and then
cue the dog to sit. Because the owner and helper have waited for extinction, the dog learns
operantly that self-control of his reactive behavior will result in the return of the owner. When
the owner and dog are settled again, the helper can reappear and the exercise can be carried
out again. The process is repeated until the helper is able to approach the dog and the dog is
able to take treats. If a target dog is being introduced, the tethered dog can be taught to greet
by clicking and treating for soft eye contact, for appropriate sniffing of the target dog, and
for remaining calm. If at any time the tethered dog begins to react again, the helper should
withdraw to a safe distance with the owner and wait for extinction to happen again.7
6. Reinforcing Less Behavior
For dogs who engage in aggressive or reactive behaviors in a very predictable sequence,
shaping that behavior by interrupting it early in the sequence can produce desired results. This
method depends heavily on the trainer or owner being skilled at free shaping and willing to work
with the undesired behavior to build more desired behaviors.
In this method the dog is permitted to begin reacting. The aim is to work just over the
threshold level. In the case of a dog engaging in fence running when bikes drive along the
outside of the fence, you can see a predictable repeated sequence of behavior, similar in nature
to the predatory sequence. The predatory sequence can be outlined as:
Orient
↓
Freeze
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↓
Growl
↓
Lunge/snarl/snap
↓
Grab Bite
↓
Kill Bite
↓
Dissection
↓
Consumption8
Fence-running dogs are unlikely to follow the entire predatory sequence through from
the beginning to end, in part because they cannot actually get to their prey (a bike rider,
for instance). One characteristic of domestic dogs is that they have incomplete predatory
sequences, and this method will capitalize on the fact that some elements of the sequence are
stronger than are others.9 A clicker is used to mark the point in the sequence where the trainer
desires to divert the behavior sequence into something different. It is important to work in a
limited enough space that the trainer can be perceived by the dog when he is in the midst of the
sequence. The trainer will need a large quantity of very high-value treats to make this work.
Once the situation has been set up, the dog and trainer wait for a target stimulus to pass
by. It is important for the trainer to carefully observe the dog for any sign that he is beginning
to orient. This is the moment to click. After clicking, the trainer should scatter very high value
rewards around the area for the dog to clean up. Then the trainer should wait for another
opportunity to click again. The criteria is to click the dog for orienting, not for freezing. Orienting
is a very fast behavior—it can happen in less than half a second—so the trainer must have very
good timing and must be very conscious of maintaining good attention to what the dog is doing
during the training session. If the dog has moved past orienting to freezing, there is still value
to clicking. Even if the trainer clicks as late as lunging/snarling/snapping, the dog will eventually
learn to break out of the sequence and attend to the reward predicted by the clicker. As the dog
progresses, he will begin to orient and then look to the trainer before moving on to freezing.
At this point you can delay the click for the orienting and click for making eye contact (train an
alternate behavior).
Orient
g CLICK!
↓
Freeze
↓
Growl

Winter 2006
↓
Lunge/snarl/snap
↓
Grab Bite
↓
Kill Bite
↓
Dissection
↓
Consumption
This method can also be used with a dog who is leash aggressive. Walk towards the trigger.
Watch for the dog to begin to orient on the trigger. When the dog orients, CLICK, and jackpot
with high value treats.10
Training an Alternative Behavior
Sometimes if a dog is unsure what to do, he will default to aggressive behavior. Or a dog may
have learned that a given stimulus is a cue to be aggressive. In training an alternative behavior,
we create a new default behavior for the dog to use in the presence of a trigger, or whenever he
is uncertain of what to do. Default behaviors can be shaped so that the dog will always offer the
same behavior in a given context. Common default behaviors include hand touches and the sit
The default behaviors presented here are all operantly trained.
7. The Default Sit
Barrier frustration is often the result of dogs being repeatedly thwarted in their attempts to
socialize with other dogs and people; it may also be the result of poor impulse control. Dogs
such as these can learn to use the default sit to ask for the things they want. The goal of this
exercise is to teach the dog to indicate desire for access to something before his frustration is so
great that he can no longer self-regulate his impulsivity.
Trainers begin by teaching the dog to sit. For several weeks, before the dog gets anything,
the dog is cued to sit. Through consistent use of the Premack principle, the dog will learn
that if he sits, the handler will take action on his behalf. Over time, the behavior will become
generalized and the dog will begin to use the sit to ask for things such as food, water, access
to the outdoors, walks, and play. As generalization becomes entrenched, the dog will begin to
indicate when he wants access to the person or dog that comes into his sphere of awareness.
The trainer and those around the dog must become very aware of the dog’s behavior so that his
needs can be fulfilled when he asks for things.
8. The Down at a Distance
Any dog who is learning to interact with other dogs as a part of a rehabilitation program,
should be taught a strong down at a distance as a control behavior. Lying down is a signal used
by dogs when they don’t want to be aggressive or assertive toward one another. Although you
don’t want to interfere with inter-dog communication if at all possible, it is important to be able
to defuse any potentially dangerous situation quickly and effectively.
The criteria for this exercise are that the dog must down in place, on the first cue, at any
distance from the trainer, under any distraction. To begin with the dog can be operantly trained
Winter 2006
to lie down. Shaping the dog with a clicker and treats to down on the first cue make the behavior
an interesting one for dogs to engage in. Zero latency is the goal of all training and is especially
important for dogs who are learning the down at a distance for safety reasons. Once the dog has
a solid fast down under stimulus control, the trainer can begin to play with the dog, increasing
the dog’s arousal and then asking for the fast down as a speed drill game.
In order to teach the dog to lie down at a distance, the dog must understand that coming in
(approaching the handler) is not a criterion for reinforcement. Several exercises can be taught to
teach this. Using large heavy treats such as dental diet kibble, lab kibble or doughnut holes, the
trainer can cue the down, click when the elbows touch the ground and then toss the treat behind
the dog. Treats must have sufficient heft to carry behind the dog even at a great distance.
(Because the reward is delivered behind the dog without the handler going to the dog, the dog
has less motivation to come forward; after several sessions, the dog will stop coming in close.
I would begin treating in place after the dog had achieved fluency with the drop at a distance,
when I wanted to start working on the down and stay; for reasons of space, that step is not
discussed here.).
Staying down is the third criterion for this exercise. Dogs should be trained to hold a long
down-stay in a calm situation before they are asked to do this under distraction or as a part of
a speed drill game. The trainer should not be giving the dog any secondary cues to stay once
the dog is down at a distance. Once the dog is reliably lying down at a distance, the trainer can
begin to delay the click in order to build duration of the behavior. (I realize that many trainers
do not have the click signify the end of the behavior; I do.)The trainer can also begin to deliver
treats at the place where the dog is lying down.
9. The Cued Relax
Perhaps the most difficult thing for some dogs to engage in is relaxing in stressful situations.
Families with dogs who don’t relax often use intimidation and force to control their dogs without
addressing the underlying issue that the dog won’t naturally relax on his own. By teaching the
dog to relax on cue, the family gains a measure of control over the dog’s behavior that will help
to decrease the overall stress within the family.
Teaching the cued relax begins with the dog free in an enclosed safe place. Using shaping,
the trainer begins to look for signs of relaxation. If the dog is moving around, the trainer can
click for pauses and then begin to shape sitting and then lying down. Once the dog is lying
down, the trainer should look for progressively increased relaxation, starting at the tail of the
dog. By watching carefully, the trainer can click for the dog flopping onto one hip, and then for
the head going down. Next, the trainer can click for the tail relaxing and falling either to the
ground or against the body. Once the dog is assuming a relaxed tail and head down posture
quickly and efficiently after each click, the trainer should begin to look for even more subtle
signs of relaxation including decrease in respiration, eyes drooping and finally for a deep sigh.
When the dog is reliably relaxing in a very short period of time following the click, the trainer can
put the behavior under stimulus control. When the behavior is reliably under stimulus control,
the trainer can work on generalization to a variety of environments and competing stimulus, and
increased duration.
In some dogs, this behavior can become very dramatic and the dog can learn to throw
himself enthusiastically into a relaxed down on cue. It should be noted that the click is going to
increase the dog’s arousal and this can be very rewarding for some dogs. Ultimately, the dog
should learn to relax and hold the relaxed position for thirty to forty minutes in a wide variety
of situations. Once the dog understands the activity, it is important to transition away from
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the highly stimulating reward marker of the click to food rewards and ultimately to using the
behavior as a reward unto itself. For dogs who are not naturally calm and relaxed, learning to
relax on cue can become a very rewarding experience, although there are dogs who require the
cue for a very long time before they begin engaging in the behavior for its own sake. When the
dog understands how to relax on cue, the cue to relax can be used to facilitate desensitization
exercises and habituation.
Conclusion
The exercises presented here are usually used in combination as an overall part of the Good
Dog Program. Families need to assume a strong role as the dog’s protector in order for these
exercises to have effect. Working with aggression issues entails also working with the people
who are around these dogs. It is vital that they learn how to become very aware of the dog’s
emotional state. Fearful dogs should be supported and rewarded for choosing to leave situations
they perceive as dangerous. Furthermore, families must have a commitment to providing
prompt veterinary attention for any suspected medical issues, for medical problems can impede
success in any rehabilitation program. Finally, trainers and families should observe their dogs
carefully and learn what is normal behavior for each individual dog. Early recognition of warning
signs of fear, discomfort or anxiety can provide a window of safety for the handler to get the dog
to a safe place.11
References
1
Donaldson, Jean. (2003) Fight! A guide to dog-dog aggression. Kinship Communications/San
Francisco SPCA.
2
From my notes made at a lecture by Dr. Katherine Houpt, “What Works, What Doesn’t Work!”
Professional Animal Behaviour Association (PABA) conference, 2003.
3
Dr. Andrew Luescher, “The Role of Learning in the Development of Behavior Problems,” PABA
conference, 2004, from speaker’s notes and my lecture notes.
4
Lansberg, G., Hunthausen W., & Ackerman, L. (2003) . Handbook of behavior problems of the
dog and cat, 2nd edition. Philadelphia, PA: W. Saunders and Company. Also personal notes
and conference manual from PABA conference in May 2004.
5
Coren, S. (2000). How to speak dog. New York; Simon & Schuster, p. 266..
6
Rugaas, T. (1997). On talking terms with dogs: calming signals. Sequim, WA: Legacy by Mail.
7
I developed this method in 2000 while working with a German Shepherd Dog who was reactive
toward children. In 2001 I heard Dr. Peter Neville speak of a similar method at the PABA
conference, where I learned that John Fisher had detailed it in his book Diary of a ‘dotty dog’
doctor in 1997.
8
Coppinger, R. & Coppinger, L. (2001). Dogs: A startling new understanding of canine origin,
behavior and evolution. New York: Scribner, p. 116.
9
Ibid., Chapter 4: Developmental Environments.
10
This method was suggested to me by correspondence with Bob Bellamy, 2002. I have built
upon that correspondence in developing it.
11
Sue Alexander, Aggression Seminar, copyright 2002.

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67
Case Study: The Flight of Bonnie’s Thunderstorm Phobia

by Carolyn Wilki
A middle-aged professional woman, Lori lived alone in her studio apartment with Bonnie,
her seven-year-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Lori was attentive to Bonnie’s health and well-being,
arranging for the best dog walkers, feeding her the best foods, buying the tastiest-looking bones
and rawhides, and taking her to the vet for her annual checkups. She chatted to Bonnie as she
might have to any apartment-mate. Lori even brought Bonnie to visit me at my farm to fulfill her
herding heritage by taking a few sheepherding lessons.
During one of these lessons, I had suggested that Lori might be able to do something to alter
Bonnie’s one glaring behavior problem: Bonnie had thunderstorm and noise phobias.
The little dog panicked not only when she heard thunder but also whenever she heard a car
backfiring, a firecracker, or a gunshot. Outside, she might try to bolt if she heard a loud noise.
The jolt to Lori’s arm, holding the other end of the leash, was excruciating, and the moment
couldn’t have been any pleasanter for Bonnie’s neck. Inside the apartment, any loud, percussive
noise would motivate Bonnie to streak into the bathroom to cower in her “safe zone” behind the
toilet. If she didn’t have access to a bathroom she would roll her eyes, gasp, pant, shiver, and lie
down restlessly, then circle, and then tunnel at a spot, digging and scratching on the floor, the
wall, and the rug.
The effects of a single frightening sound could last for hours. I witnessed several episodes
during our sheepherding lessons. Before Lori and I even registered the startling sound—
generally, gunfire from a firing range about two miles away—Bonnie would have left the sheep,
scooted under the gate (easy for a Corgi), and run to the door of Lori’s room, where we would
find her panting and rolling her eyes. She could not be induced to return to herding, sometimes
not even for the next day’s lesson. I have never seen more extreme and long-lasting behaviors
in a dog with a noise phobia.
Lori had tried to talk with her dog, reason with her, coax her back to normalcy, pet and
stroke her, and comfort her. In frustration, and hoping that it would help snap Bonnie out of
her behavior, Lori had even tried yelling and scolding. To Lori’s distress, Bonnie remained the
same quivering, terrified, wild-eyed animal whenever she heard any atmospheric or man-made
fireworks.
Over the course of four months, between March and July, we were able to eliminate Bonnie’s
distress, so that she no longer reacted to fireworks, backfires, or summer thunderstorms, In
fact, she actually seemed either to welcome the noises or to act nonchalant in their presence.
How I Approach a Desensitization Problem
I’ll begin by defining a few terms. Most are generally accepted; one is my own.
1. Flight zone. Around any sheep or flock of sheep, the flight zone is an invisible boundary.
It becomes visible when a predatory or otherwise threatening stimulus balances on its edge or
breaches it, at which point the sheep react – and flee.1
Consciously or not, every successful shepherd uses the flight zone on a daily basis to move,
split off, or contain the members of his flock of sheep.
Dogs, as well as other animals (and people), have flight zones. In my view, any animal that
can move, can learn, and has vision and hearing – or senses that may compensate for their
lack – has a flight zone. If you, a stimulus, are outside the animal’s flight zone, by definition he
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68 Case Study: The Flight of Bonnie's Thunderstorm Phobia
reacts to you without aroused behaviors. If you, a stimulus, enter an animal’s flight zone, he
becomes aroused.
Yet the term “flight zone” may be a misnomer: many animals, including dogs and even
sheep, can respond in ways other than flight when their “flight” zone has been breached. The
animal may freeze or avoid you; he may approach you, investigate you, attack you, or collapse,
depending on the nature and experience of the animal and the nature of the situation. Even
an animal that seems to tolerate or even enjoy your proximity may actually be aroused but
inhibited (that is, frozen).
Whenever an animal becomes aroused, the heart rate and blood pressure rise, as does the
breathing rate. The digestive system slows and stops. These and other physiological changes
occurring “behind the scenes” are part of the arousal response in all mammals—the fight/flight/
freeze instinctual responses that kick in during times of emergency—and are governed by the
sympathetic nervous system.2 Although I will continue to use the term “flight zone” in honor of
the sheep’s prime behavioral response when being herded by a dog, and in honor of the clear
illustrations that sheep have provided me of what happens when their space is violated, “arousal
zone” would be a more inclusive, more descriptive term for this pan-species inter-“personal”
comfort zone, and for what happens when its boundary is breached.
Sharp, loud noises like thunder can breach a dog’s flight zone, causing many dogs to react
with terrified attempts to flee from the unseen but ubiquitous tormentor. Apart from waiting for
the dog to go deaf, how can we manipulate the rules governing the flight zone to vanquish a
dog’s reactivity to noise? The rest of this article will lay out an answer.
2. Arousal behavior. Arousal behavior is a response of aggression, avoidance, or freezing
(fight/flight/freeze) that occurs when an animal’s flight zone is violated by a physical or
psychological stimulus. Although the behaviors and emotions are modifiable, they are not
controllable. A child’s temper tantrum might be considered as a parallel. (Arousal behavior can
also be elicited by illness, physical trauma, or biochemical or physical malfunction in the brain.)
The animal is aroused to action, and the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated regardless of
whether the animal’s overt behavior can be characterized as aggressive or avoidant.3
Arousal behavior and focus are potentially injurious to the animal and others if, within ½
second of the arousing stimulus the arousal behavior cannot be switched off and the focus of the
animal diverted onto another object and maintained there.4 Although I do not want to encourage
uncontrollable arousal behavior anywhere in a domesticated dog’s life, I may want to convert
some arousal behaviors into controllable, cued performances: for example, barking/ceasing to
bark on command when unusual, threatening people approach me and then leave; chasing deer
out of the garden on sight or on my command and breaking off the chase at my property line;
converting a dog’s grabbing-and-biting behavior toward toys on the floor into a formal, safe
game of fetch; converting chasing, nipping, and circling into useful, trained sheepherding.
Unless an owner recognizes and reinforces “doggy Zen” (defined below), arousal behaviors
are reinforced instead. Most people are unaware of when they are strengthening their dogs’
arousal behavior “circuitry”; nor do they realize that their unwitting actions produce neurotically
repetitive behavior. A dog like Bonnie may well have learned that arousal behaviors get her
something, even if it is only attention, even if (from her point of view) it is mere survival.
Whining, nudging, barking, object-stealing, biting, chewing, scratching, running away, and
pacing: such behaviors, no matter if they are aggressive, avoidant, or frozen/inhibited, are all
arousal behaviors if they are uncontrollable.
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Case Study: The Flight of Bonnie's Thunderstorm Phobia 69
It is my view that many repetitive neurotic behaviors are performed by animals in

attempts to gain some control over their environment. Experiments in the fields of both
cognitive psychology and stress physiology show that the perception of lack of control is both
a psychological and physical stressor to an animal, and often produces ensuing maladaptive
repetitive behaviors.5 Those of us outside a maladaptive ritual can perceive the wasted, needless
effort and suffering. However, if the dog survives, either on account of or despite his behavior,
one must concede that the repetitive, neurotic response has allowed the dog to live another day.
It may be useful to elaborate here on what I mean by “uncontrollable” and on how a
reinforcement history can affect “uncontrollable” behavior.
Although it is difficult to say what animals subjectively feel, because animals can’t self-report
on the matter, one can identify similar physiological processes and can observe similarities in
behaviors and in provocative stimuli. If, for example, we accept that the physiological processes
associated with certain dog behaviors resemble the physiological going on in a child who is
having a temper tantrum, it is reasonable, in my view, to think of the dog as having a temper
tantrum.
Behaviors that a dog can’t control (at the beginning of training) can be seen as similar to
a human child’s temper tantrum: the dog/child can’t stop until too tired to continue, or until
circumstances change. In this stage, where the dog/child has not been educated/trained, the
tantrum is not controllable. The child may get what she wants by means of the tantrum, and
in this case she (operantly) learns that the tantrum gets her what she wants. But the ensuing,
underlying emotion after the object is achieved doesn’t necessarily resemble contented calm. By
the same token, a dog who uncontrollably screams, lunges, breaks his restraints, and then runs
after sheep is not going to calm down once he catches a sheep or is caught himself, especially
if there are other sheep still running around. The dog can’t calm himself down; he can’t control
himself, or his flow of emotion, until he has been trained. I have run after enough untrained
herding dogs chasing sheep to say this with a certain degree of observational confidence.
Also, reflexive behaviors—for example, eye blinks and patellar tendon flexions—are never
really completely controllable through an animal’s volition, yet they are modifiable through
Pavlovian conditioning procedures.6 Similarly, emotional processes backed by the actions of
the autonomic nervous system are generally not under complete control either, but they can
be modified and eventually can come under control. Buddhist monks have been practicing a
way of doing this for thousands of years through meditation training, and functional MRI scans
show that, indeed, specific parts of the brain that correspond to positive emotion and other
aspects of well-being, such as better immune response, are activated by such training.7 When
subjects trained in meditation are asked to modify their cognitive and emotional response to a
noxious visual stimulus, they use those positive emotional centers, located on the left side of
the prefrontal cortex. The untrained control subjects in these experiments use a more general,
less organized response in their brains to modify their cognitive-emotional response to the same
noxious visual stimulus.
On the basis of these studies, it seems plausible that when we teach a dog to perform in
“doggy Zen” we are modifying his brain structure in a manner similar to the brain reorganization
that takes place in a human who undergoes meditation training. Our goal is for the dog to learn
to use calm behaviors instead of “out-of-control” behaviors to get what he wants. Reinforcement
history can even create versions of dog actors, who can enact an aggressive display with the
handler acting like a director, cuing the start and end of the behavior sequence.
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3. Displacement behavior. This term refers to a psychological or physical defense
mechanism in which a behavioral response or emotion appropriate to one context is redirected
to another object or activity. Displacement behaviors are a less extreme subset of arousal
behaviors and can serve to mark the transition between the calm focus and appropriateness of
“doggy Zen” behavior and the more extreme arousal behaviors. In a desensitization session,
displacement behaviors warn you that you are beginning to breach the very edge of the
dog’s flight zone with a stimulus. Sniffing “off-subject” and licking lips/nose are two common
displacement behaviors in dogs. (By sniffing “off-subject” I mean that the dog is inattentive to
the trainer for a period of 30 seconds or more, not reacting to potential cues or reinforcers, and
not reacting to the stimulus that seems most salient in the situation.)
4. Exhaustion behavior. This is the action of a dog recovering from an episode of prolonged
physical and/or psychological exertion. The dog is tapping into his parasympathetic nervous
system to repair himself; he may well be sleeping. However, a dog who is exhausted is not in
“doggy Zen,” and because he is not sufficiently or normally alert in his responses to stimuli he is
not a good candidate for training, work, or companionship until he has rested.
5. “Doggy Zen.” This is my term for a calm, relaxed, focused state that is optimal for
dog training and performance and for dog-human relationship building. I also apply it to the
relaxation behavior occurring before and after good training, and to the performance-arousal
behaviors that are bracketed in time by “doggy Zen” behaviors. I believe that “doggy Zen”
behavior is rooted in the dog’s parasympathetic nervous system, the portion of the autonomic
nervous system in charge of relaxing and eating responses.
I think most dog trainers and dog owners/lovers overlook the importance of this state.
Nonetheless, the behavior cues are plainly in view, and people can easily be taught to observe
and heed them. For the sake of efficient desensitization, it is crucial to recognize what “doggy
Zen” behavior looks like and to react appropriately.
Useful postures and behaviors to encourage in the dog include lying down, nose pointed to
ground; looking/turning away from arousing stimuli, slowing down, licking, relinquishing, and
yielding. In general, the dog’s demeanor should suggest calm focus. The dog will take food
gently. These signs indicate that “doggy Zen” behavior is in action and that the parasympathetic
nervous system network is being strengthened.
My Working Principles
One can systematically and gradually introduce a trained, “doggy Zen” default behavior into a
habitually arousing situation so that the very stimulus that now provokes an undesirable arousal
response can eventually become a cue eliciting desirable, “doggy Zen” behavior.
1. If a dog has been in “doggy Zen” but begins to respond to a stimulus/cue with
displacement behaviors or with more extreme arousal behaviors, then, by definition, the
presentation of the stimulus/cue has breached the dog’s flight zone.
2. By the same token, if the dog is in “doggy Zen” and is exposed to that same arousing
stimulus/cue outside his flight zone, he will react with “doggy Zen” behavior.
3. The size of the dog’s flight zone can be altered by changing some aspect of the
presentation of the arousing stimulus/cue. For example, one can change a dog’s reaction
to an arousing visual stimulus by altering such parameters as the dog’s experience with it,
eye presentation, its head presentation, its postural approach, the direction of the stimulus’s
movement, its speed, and the length of time for which the dog is exposed to it.
Changes to an arousing aural stimulus include the type of sound (its frequency, density, pitch,
Winter 2006
timbre, rhythm, speed, vividness, and its organizational and structural sequences), its volume,
and its duration.
4. By systematically accumulating learned experiences we can effect lasting reduction in the
size of the dog’s flight zone.
5. There is a simple concept behind all positive-reinforcement training: If you don’t like a
behavior, train/reinforce an incompatible behavior. If you don’t like behaviors that are backed by
the sympathetic nervous system (generally these are arousal behaviors of the fight/flight/freeze
variety), you heavily reinforce the opposite: “doggy Zen” behaviors of calm focus, appropriate
activity, and relaxation. Food can function both as an important reinforcer of “doggy Zen”
behavior responses, and as an elicitor of such responses.
6. The precursors, then, to rapid desensitization are as follows:
a. First, encourage “doggy Zen” responses to all sense perceptions. The aim is to skew the
dog’s responses toward calm “doggy Zen” reactions and thereby build up the dog’s presumably
underutilized parasympathetic nervous system.
b. Second, minimize/eliminate situations that might elicit arousal behavior – that is,
occasions which will stimulate and strengthen the sympathetic nervous system response
network.
c. Third, build a heavily reinforced, frequently practiced, alternative, cued, focused “doggy
Zen” behavior that becomes a strong, voluntary default in situations far removed from the
trigger stimulus. (By “default,” I mean that the dog frequently volunteers the behavior without
the need for direct command.) The behavior should give the dog a focus, a practiced activity
he can perform to relieve the stressful moment. Giving the animal an acceptable outlet helps
reduce the experience of stress.8
This behavior is the one you want the animal to perform in arousing circumstances; it
should elicit a strong parasympathetic nervous system response in the animal. That response
is built initially through frequent practice. After multiple repetitions that indicate that the dog’s
flight zone has shrunk to zero, the trained behavior itself can fade. This is because, if the dog
continues to respond with other calm behaviors to that formerly arousing stimulus, we can infer
that the relevant parasympathetic nervous system response processing is still in place. The dog
may be ignoring the noise or embracing it—we don’t know—but if the dog is offering relaxed,
calm responses instead of fight/fight/freeze responses, we can be confident that we have
succeeded in our work.
Numerical Benchmarks
1. I use a benchmark of 5,000 reinforcements for establishing a brand-new cue-behavior
link in a pet dog so that it will generalize across all situations.9 The experience my students and
I have had upholds my opinion that 5,000 is a good estimate of the number of reinforcement-
event repetitions necessary to achieve useful overlearning in the dog, so that desirable, cued
behavior will accurately occur across many situations.
To replace an already established undesirable behavior response with desirable behavior (that
is, to achieve desensitization) will, in my experience, take twice as long.10 When I am repairing
a behavior, I envision myself as working on two separate, competing neuronal networks
(disassembling the connections of one, or letting them atrophy from disuse, while building and
strengthening the connections of the other). For this reason, it makes sense to me that it should
take twice as long to fix problem behaviors as to install them correctly in the first place.
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These numbers seem immense, but if you reinforce a dog once every three seconds, you
can sometimes achieve 100 reinforcements in five minutes. If everything goes perfectly, then
50 five-minute training sessions later, the dog will have hit that 5,000 mark. If you do four
five-minute training sessions a day, then you can achieve 5,000 reinforcements in less than
two weeks. Of course, everything rarely goes perfectly; the point is that 5,000 or 10,000
reinforcements are well within reach.
I don’t assume perfect control over the environment. However, it is crucial to avoid, as
much as possible, provocation from arousing stimuli while you are establishing your alternative,
“doggy Zen” behavior. Each arousal situation, if it is reinforced unwittingly or accidentally, will
damage the repair work you are trying to effect, though you won’t necessarily have to start all
over from the beginning.
2. If the dog gives a correct, desirable behavioral response to eight out of ten presentations
of a stimulus/cue, then the intensity of the stimulus can be increased.
3. I stop training under any one of the following conditions:
a. Three undesirable responses in a row. Even if the animal gives me seven correct responses
in a row following three wrong responses, she is going to be running at a 70 percent correct
response rate, which does not meet the criterion of 80 percent correct that marks a learned
behavior.11
b. Thirty seconds of continuous inattention, a displacement behavior, will end a training
session. Thirty seconds is an arbitrary length of time, but I need to draw the line somewhere.
Over time, I may decrease the number of seconds I allow for inattentive behavior, or increase
it, depending on my success, or lack thereof, with the dog’s training and depending on what my
training goals are.
c. I also usually stop training a new behavior at the end of about five minutes, regardless of
what is happening. This period is short enough so that I can focus both myself and the dog on
one important aspect of his behavior without fatiguing either of us, and long enough to make
significant training gains.
d. Of course, emergencies and bizarre events stop training. For example, if I am working with
a dog who is normally keen about sheepherding, and one day the dog refuses to herd, I ask the
owner to take the dog to the vet immediately. (In my experience, a medical problem turns up in
such cases.) Also, if I am in a bad mood or anything else is amiss, I stop training.
4. I wait at least 30 minutes between training sessions when teaching a new behavior. Again,
30 is not a magic number; the intent is simply to give the dog some time to process what he
has just learned and to allow both me and the dog to rest (or to exercise and rest).12 During
this rest period, behaviors and reinforcers I plan to use in the training session may gain/regain
reinforcing power because the dog is not given access to them.13 On the other hand, the dog
does have access to other behaviors and reinforcers, which I don’t plan to use in the next
training session. Because the dog has access to them during the “rest” period, they become less
powerfully attractive during my training session. Thus, I hope to change the relative value of
reinforcers and behaviors that might help shape my training session at a later time.
If 30 minutes is not long enough (that is, if the dog cannot volunteer any “doggy Zen”
behavior, cannot give me voluntary attention, or cannot perform correctly three times in a row,
for example), I will wait at least another 30 minutes before trying again.
At the beginning of a training weekend at my farm, I had Lori say Bonnie’s praise words
in neutral tones (without arousing vocal colorations), without saying Bonnie’s name and while
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Bonnie wasn’t looking at her.14 There was no perceptible change in Bonnie’s body language and
behavior. To be sure that Bonnie wasn’t deaf, I tried screaming “Eee eee eee!” Bonnie sharply
oriented her head, eyes, and ears toward me, her head up and alert, the rest of her body still.
Because Bonnie did not respond to Lori’s praise words spoken neutrally but could obviously
hear, we concluded that she had no understanding of any of the praise words—they were,
in effect, white noise. Although Bonnie had attended several “traditional” (“jerk and praise”)
obedience classes when she was a puppy, she did not lie down on command and did not respond
to hand signals, to verbal signals, or even to her name.
At the beginning of that weekend, Bonnie was not very eager for the treats that Lori had
brought for her. Indifference to food is typical of many aroused dogs. The sympathetic nervous
system, governing arousal behavior, tends to shut down the digestive system.15 Eating is
generally not adaptive in an emergency—and, in fact, Bonnie presented a picture of a very
agitated, panting dog with worry lines painted all over her pixie-ish face. It wasn’t until day two
that she began to respond somewhat to the food.
An important question was what Lori should use as her positive marker. Because she
admittedly talked nonstop to Bonnie when they were alone, it was important to have a very
distinct sound, rather than relying solely on Lori’s voice. I felt that the dog would have a
hard time sorting through all the other, camouflaging, confusing verbiage searching for that
meaningful but not specially inflected “Good.” How could she tell that “Good” was directed at
her rather than toward someone else to whom Lori might be speaking? How could Bonnie tell
that Lori’s “Good,” spoken during a telephone conversation, wasn’t meant as praise for Bonnie’s
clawing at the carpet?
Once Bonnie was taking treats, we tried conditioning her to a clicker. She bolted from the
room each time we clicked, so I tried a tongue-cluck instead. Bonnie stayed in the room and
continued eating, so we “charged” the tongue-cluck instead of the clicker.
That same weekend, I outlined basic behaviors for Lori to learn and practice with Bonnie:
• voluntary eye contact with Lori that lasted three seconds or more
• name recognition (Bonnie’s name was to be classically associated with food in a separate
exercise)
• establishment of the tongue-cluck as Bonnie’s positive marker
• establishment of a “lie down” on cue
• teaching Bonnie to follow Lori’s finger with her nose
• teaching Bonnie to lie down and then touch a target (first, Lori’s finger, then a carpet
square) with her nose on the ground between her front legs as she lay there to get fed
That last exercise is especially important. Lying down is a relaxing posture; likewise, when a
dog points his nose to the ground, the stretching motion eases some muscular tension from his
neck and spine and lowers his blood pressure and heart rate somewhat— and all these actions
facilitate and strengthen the use of the parasympathetic nervous system. Further, the act of
eating calmly and gently is a clear sign that the parasympathetic nervous system is at work.16
Bonnie was to receive no punishment (punishment activates the sympathetic nervous system
responses), and whenever she erupted with any uncontrollable arousal behavior in everyday
life, or became inattentive during a training session, Lori was instructed to remove herself from
the room. One might argue that this was a negative punishment, but given Lori’s history of ill-
Winter 2006
conceived responses to Bonnie’s arousal, I am not so sure. In any case, the point was not to
punish Bonnie for her arousal but to help Lori weaken the association between her presence and
Bonnie’s arousal behavior. I wanted Lori’s presence to become a stimulus/reinforcer more purely
associated with calm, parasympathetic emotion in Bonnie. Having left the room, then, Lori was
to wait for some sign of calm, focused, “doggy Zen” behavior from Bonnie that lasted at least
three seconds before she reentered the room.
Once Bonnie and Lori had prepared the ground as just described, we could start careful noise
desensitization.
Noises
A noise stimulus can be broken down into at least three separate variables, which can be
individually manipulated during desensitization:
• type of noise
• volume
• length of presentation (duration of noise)
I find that desensitization proceeds most effectively if we start with types of noise dissimilar
to the problematic one. For instance, if jingling car keys arouse a dog, I would begin with a very
different and non-arousing sound—perhaps the rhythmic, soft chirping of crickets, the sound of
waves lapping the beach, a baby’s heartbeat, or soothing classical or “New Age” music.
When the dog offers “doggy Zen” behavior in response to a “dissimilar” noise of any length or
volume, I introduce a type of noise that is more similar to the problematic, arousing noise, and
again I vary the volume and duration separately. I will use three, four, or more different noise
types. I think of this process as rehearsal. The learning in the last rehearsal (using a noise type
similar to the problematic one) must proceed almost flawlessly before I begin my attempt to
desensitize the dog to the actual problematic noise stimulus.
I instructed Lori to start working on the basic building blocks of communication before
proceeding to the noise desensitization. But about two weeks after the training seminar, she
phoned: “Carolyn, I have a terrible problem! Every time I walk near my stereo, Bonnie bolts into
the bathroom! I don’t know what to do!”
It turned out that Lori had rushed ahead: she had bought a thunderstorm CD and had been
playing it at a moderate volume while Bonnie attempted to eat her dinner. By the second or
third day of this, Bonnie seemed to take Lori’s every movement toward the stereo as a cue that
the dreaded thunderstorm noise might be imminent, and she rushed into the bathroom as soon
as she saw Lori near the stereo. Because Lori liked to listen to music, she went to her stereo
frequently, and so Bonnie was logging a high number of terrified escapes into the bathroom even
when no thunderstorm was taking place and the thunderstorm CD was not being played.
By failing to recognize and respond appropriately to the difference between arousal and
“doggy Zen” behavior in Bonnie, by not laying a solid foundation for a strongly reinforced “doggy
Zen” response from Bonnie, by not breaking down the noxious noise stimulus into component
parts so that it could be presented outside Bonnie’s flight zone, by not then gradually altering
those stimulus presentations so that Bonnie could learn to respond with “doggy Zen” behaviors
to increasingly intense stimuli, Lori had further sensitized her dog to thunderstorm-like noise.
She had also sensitized Bonnie to previously neutral stimuli, such as her own approach to her
stereo, that were now associated with thunderstorm-like noise. Such mistakes are common in
desensitization training.
Winter 2006
For Lori and Bonnie, I surmise that playing the thunderstorm CD for less than a week
probably set back the dog’s recovery at least about a month. Many owners simply would have
given up. Lori promised she would abandon the thunderstorm CD until further notice.
She resolved one part of Bonnie’s new stereo sensitivity by buying a remote control. We also
scheduled some weekend-long remedial sessions during which I worked with Lori and Bonnie as
much as my schedule and their attention span allowed.
In the very first such session, we reviewed all the basic building blocks described above. Two
training heads can be better than one: because I could stay in the room with Bonnie when Lori
disappeared in response to Bonnie’s inattentiveness, I could let Lori know when she could return,
that is, when Bonnie was calmly focused on the door. I was also in a position to offer Bonnie
helper cues by saying “Lie down” and then reinforcing her for quietly doing so; in this way,
Bonnie could more easily learn to lie down quietly in order to get Lori to return.
During a training session, if Bonnie did not point her head to the carpet voluntarily (without
any cue or prompt from Lori), or if she got up and withdrew her attention, then Lori was to leave
the room. If Bonnie returned to her carpet target and lay down voluntarily next to it, or if Bonnie
sat or lay down in front of the door where Lori had just exited, and if Bonnie held these positions
calmly for at least three seconds, then Lori would return.
During the second remedial weekend, we began to desensitize Bonnie to loud noises. I
started with classical music. Studies indicate that rats, cows, and dogs “prefer” classical music
to rock.17 The perceived preference that rodents have for classical music might result from
the animals’ range of hearing; the range of tones and sounds in rock may simply be more
perceptible or may resemble other sounds that elicit freeze/flight reactions in them. I conjecture
that this may be true of other animals, including dogs, and that by starting with classical music
for noise desensitization we are presenting a less arousing stimulus.18 A less arousing stimulus
presentation is, of course, what one wants at the beginning of the desensitization process.
On the assumption that loud but nonpercussive classical music might be tolerated more easily
by any animal with an existing sensitivity to loud, percussive noises, we started with Brahms
symphonies and lieder, played at a low volume. If we were able to give Bonnie a series of at
least eight clucks and pieces of food in response to her nose touching her carpet target while
she remained lying down, we increased the volume. If Bonnie “failed” three times in a row by
showing any displacement or arousal behavior for three seconds or longer, by abandoning her
lie-down position, or by not touching the carpet square within 30 seconds voluntarily, I lowered
the volume and/or Lori left the room. We rapidly reached the top volume of my CD player.
Next, again beginning at a very low volume, we used piano music, which is somewhat
percussive, drawing on dreamy Debussy at first and then some more percussive Ravel.
Over the third remedial weekend, we worked on other sounds that came closer to sounding
like thunderstorms. I have a Conair™ noise machine that produces various sounds, including a
baby’s heartbeat, rain, a babbling brook, the sound of waves, and thunder. I selected a volume
and then switched from noise to noise. If Bonnie remained calm for at least three seconds,
dipping her nose to the ground and then eating her food reward, I would then switch to the next
sound. I interspersed the thunder among the other noises. Whenever we had eight successes
in a row at a particular volume, I would increase the volume or sometimes play a given sound
longer (as long as 20 seconds).
We would allow Bonnie to “fail” no more and no less than three times in a row before
changing some aspect of the situation, either the volume of the sound, or the duration of the
Winter 2006
sound, or the type of sound. I marked the machine’s dial with each increment in volume, so that
we knew how much to lower the volume when we had to take a step back. The length of the
sessions varied. We sometimes ended a session after three aroused / undesirable responses, or
30 seconds of continuous inattention. Some sessions ended after five minutes, others when a
given bag of food was finished, which might give us as much as 30 to 45 minutes of training. (As
I mentioned earlier, my five-minute training rule applies only to new behaviors.)
Each time we ended a session, we took a break of about ½ hour to see if Bonnie was ready
to train again. If she wasn’t, we would wait another ½ hour or more.
In each session, we would start at a volume that Bonnie had already mastered and work up
from there. By the end of the third training weekend, Bonnie had mastered the full volume of the
Conair™ machine for all the possible sounds.
Lori and Bonnie’s next visit to my farm was in June, a big month for thunderstorms in my
region of Pennsylvania. (The steeple of our local church seems to be set on fire by lightning
every 20 years or so.) We worked with Bonnie at various times, starting from scratch with the
classical music first played at a low volume and then rapidly going up to high volume, followed
by the Conair™ machine also starting at low volume, and quickly increasing to the maximum
volume.
Then I graduated Bonnie to my version of final exams: the thunderstorm CD. We started at
a low volume and gradually moved the volume up. At first we asked Bonnie to lie down in front
of her carpet square. Then, we waited for Bonnie to volunteer the nose-touch behavior to the
carpet square target. Tongue-clucks and chicken came fast and furious in response to Bonnie’s
calm, focused behaviors. The thunderstorm CD was not distressing Bonnie at all. We worked
with it several times during the day. All attempts were successful.
That night, there was a real thunderstorm, complete with flashes of lightning, torrents of
rain, and real, echoing crashes of thunder that reverberated against the mountain ridges that
surround my farm. It woke me, and I wondered how Bonnie and Lori were doing. The next
morning, I asked Lori how Bonnie had acted during the thunderstorm.
“What thunderstorm?” she asked in bewilderment.
“There was a loud one at about 4:30 in the morning. Didn’t you hear it?” I asked,
astonished.
“No, I slept really well last night. I guess the storm didn’t bother Bonnie because normally
she would get me up in a storm.” Lori grinned. We worked with Bonnie some more on her noise
desensitization that day, and then they left. That was the last noise desensitization training
session I felt they needed from me. Lori was now on her own.
Lori cautiously practiced with the thunderstorm CD at home. Not much more than a week
later, I received an excited phone call from her. There had been an actual thunderstorm the
night before. Instead of diving into the bathroom, Bonnie had trotted purposefully over to her
carpet target in Lori’s apartment; she lay down, wiggled her tailless torso in the endearing way
Pembroke Welsh Corgis have, and touched her nose to the carpet target several times before a
stunned Lori finally responded to her dog’s message by clucking and running to the refrigerator
to get a treat for her dog.
Bonnie didn’t flinch during thunderstorms or firecracker displays either on that 4th of July or
future 4th of Julys. She was unperturbed when cars backfired on the street. Her non-reactive
behavior towards loud, sharp, percussive noises endured.

Winter 2006
My Goals
My goal in working with a noise phobia is not that the dog should learn to ignore the
previously frightening stimulus. Rather, I want the dog to actually enjoy it—to expect that the
formerly noxious stimulus predicts good things. I want parasympathetic bliss to replace aroused/
fearful sympathetic responses. To achieve this, I carefully train and practice a particular set of
behaviors that involve the parasympathetic nervous system: the dog is lying down, stretching
her nose to the ground to touch the carpet square target, and she is eating. Food is both a
pleasant unconditioned stimulus and an operant reinforcer. Lying down is a relaxed posture.
Stretching the nose to the ground reduces tension and blood pressure. These behaviors are then
patiently associated with closer and closer approximations to the noxious stimulus.
In Bonnie’s case, I also instructed the owner to disappear when Bonnie “stressed,” so
that she was not always associated with sympathetic nervous system processing. Lori was to
reappear when Bonnie was calm, which strengthened her association with that “doggy Zen”
state.
In sum, there are four points that make this approach unique.
1. Because I do not want to encourage arousal behavior, I generally try to be a disciplined,
pure positive reinforcement trainer, not an expedient one. If I can, I ignore arousal behavior and
try to ensure that the dog is not reinforced for it. In addition, I differentially and heavily reinforce
default “doggy Zen” behaviors in contexts far removed form any noxious, arousing situation.
When the dog is in more arousing circumstances, including the eventual desensitization process,
I will reinforce those specifically trained “doggy Zen” behaviors, which were initially established
in calmer contexts.
2. In desensitization, I alter the presentation of a noxious stimulus, starting with one that the
animal can easily respond to with “doggy Zen” behaviors instead of arousal behaviors. When the
dog shows he has successfully learned to use “doggy Zen” behaviors in response to this stimulus
presentation, I alter the presentation, making it gradually more challenging to the dog while
increasing the number of stimuli and situations that elicit his “doggy Zen” behavior.
If I do not pay attention to the dog’s flight zone during desensitization, if I frequently allow
my stimulus presentations to breach the dog’s flight zone, I am likely to sensitize a dog further,
not desensitize him. My goal is to shrink the dog’s flight zone to zero so that the dog consistently
responds to the formerly provoking stimulus with “doggy Zen” behaviors.
3. I deliberately combine Pavlovian (associative) conditioning principles and operant
conditioning principles when I train. The physiology backing the actions described by both
paradigms is hard at work at all times during learning, so I might as well use both. I use specific
numerical guidelines to frame and direct my training process.
4. Most important, everything I do when I train a dog tries to recognize, tap into, reinforce,
and strengthen the dog’s desirable parasympathetic nervous system responses: “doggy Zen.”
By the same token, I try to recognize arousal behaviors, to minimize their occurrence, and to
teach a dog how to control them by means of “doggy Zen.” To reinforce “doggy Zen” behavior
rather than react to and accidentally reinforce arousal behavior requires the owner/handler to
learn to observe the dog closely and intervene in his behavior much sooner than is called for by
traditional training.
I saw Lori and Bonnie, who is now 14, this past February when they came back to herd
for old times’ sake. Showing her age, Bonnie quickly tired, but still she and Lori had a
grand time. Lori confirmed over the intervening years Bonnie has remained complete-

Winter 2006
ly non-reactive to all loud noises, her thunderstorm phobia a thing of the long distant
past. Lori can’t remember the last time she played the thunderstorm CD. She isn’t
even sure whether she still owns it.
References
1
American Kennel Club (2004) Glossary of Terms, “Herding Test and Trial Regulations” (amended April 4, 2004).
2
See Sapolsky, R.M. (1998). Why zebras don’t get ulcers: an updated guide to stress, stress-related diseases, and coping .
New York: W. H. Freeman.
3
Ibid.
4
I say half a second for several reasons. Time must elapse while neuronal/ electrrical/chemical
aignals travel from the animal’s sensory organs to his brain and back down to his body parts
for a behavior response. Immediate behavioral response is technically impossible.
From experiments in CS-US presentations, when training a conditioned eye blink response (Kimble, 1947; cited in Paul
Chance [1999], Learning and behavior, 4th ed. [Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole]), the ideal CS-US interval is about half a
second in both delayed conditioning and trace conditioning procedures. Interestingly, shorter intervals between presentations
of the CS and the US (that is, shorter than half a second) don’t work very well. Coming at this from the operant direction, it’s
well established that an effective reinforcement must occur within ½ to three seconds after a behavior.
I take that numerical range and infer that ½ second defines a lower limit of neuronal processing speed from stimulus per-
ception to behavioral response. That is, the animal can’t effectively process a stimulus and react to it behaviorally any faster
then ½ second.
Also, bear in mind that dangerous situations evolve quickly. You, too, have a response time lag between the moment you
perceive a danger and the moment when you produce a verbal or physical signal. This brings us to the practical reason for
specifying ½ second: the more quickly the dog responds to your cue in an emergency, the safer he will be.
See also Turner, Ted (1995), “The ABCs of Behavior Shaping,” “The Fundamentals of Training,” and “Extinguishing Aggres-
sion and Other Problem Behaviors” (audiotapes; Positive Power Productions), and Turner, Ted, personal communications.
5
Seligman, M.E.P. (1975, 1992). Learned helplessness. NY: W. H. Freeman, passim. Sapolsky
(1998).
6
Chance, P. (1999), chapter 3 (“Pavlovian Procedures”) and chapter 4 (“Pavlovian Applications”).
7
Begley, S. (Nov. 5, 2004). Scans of monks’ brains show meditation alters structure, functioning. The Wall Street Journal,
p. B1. For more on the brain structures involved in emotional processing, see LeDoux, J. (2002), The synaptic self: how our
brains become who we are (New York: Penguin); Davidson, R.L. et al. (1999), Regional brain function, emotion and disorders
of emotion, Curr Opin Neurobiol 9: 228-34; Davison, R.J., et al. (2000), Emotion, plasticity, context and regulation: Per-
spectives from affective neuroscience, Psychol Bull 126 (6): 890-909; Davidson, R.J., et al. (2003), Alterations in brain and
immune function produced by mindfulness meditation, Psychosom Med 65:564-70; Peremans, K. (2002), Functional brain
imaging in the dog: Single photon emission tomography as a research and clinical tool for the investigation of canine brain
physiology and pathophysiology (Ph.D. thesis, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium; and Davidson, R.J.
& Irwin, W. (1999), The functional neuroanatomy of emotion and affective style, Trends Cogn Sci 3 (1), pp. 11-21.
8
Sapolsky (1998).
9
The 5,000 benchmark is used by the obedience trainer Patty Ruzzo; see her videotapes, The Power of Positive Training
(1995, Positive Power Productions).
10
I believe the same estimate is used by Ted Turner, former senior vice president of marine mammal training at Seaworld.
11
Eighty percent is a standard benchmark; see, for example, Wright et al. (1988), Concept learning by pigeons: matching
to sample with trial-unique video picture stimuli. Anim Learn Behav 16, 436-44. Sheila Booth (1998) uses the same figure:
Purely positive dog training: companion to competition. Ridgefield, CT: Podium Publications, p. 76.
12
See LeDoux (2002), pp. 105-108, “Nomadic Memories,” and Chance (1999, citing Thune and
Underwood (1943).
13
Chance (1999), citing Premack (1962).
14
I have people teach and deliberately use their verbal markers with a neutral, unvarying tone (as well as with emotion) be-
cause sometimes when the marker is used with emotion, the dog is only reacting to the arousing quality of the voice. There
are times when I want to avoid that arousing quality: it can send the dog over the edge into undesirable behavior, so that the
point of the marker is then lost. This was a particular concern with Bonnie.
15
Sapolsky (1998).
16
I am extrapolating from Linda Tellington-Jones’s work with horses (see Tellington-Jones, TTouch for Horses and Ttouch for
Dressage, available at http://tteam-ttouch.com). But see also Sapolsky (1998) and Sapolsky, R.M. (2002), “Endocrinology of
the stress response,” chapter 11 in Becker, J.B. et al., eds., Behavioral endocrinology, 2nd ed. (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press).
17
For various reports concerning animals and types of music, see Cooper, M. (June 27, 2001), Moosic to their ears, New Sci;
Randerson, J. (23 October 2002), Dogs prefer Bach to Britney, www.NewScientist.com News Service; Steele, K.M. (2003). Do
rats show a Mozart effect? Music Percept 21:2, pp. 251-55; Van Loo, P.L.P. et al. (2004). Music for mice: Does it affect be-
havior and physiology? Abstract, Telemetry Workshop, FELASA meeting, Nantes, France, as reported in International Labora-
tory Animal Research Journal 46:2.
18
For a report on the calming effects of certain types of music, see Weinberger, N.M. (1997), The musical hormone, MUSICA
Research Notes 4 (2).

Winter 2006
79
Book Review: Cat vs. Cat: Keeping Peace When You Have More Than One Cat
By Pam Johnson-Bennett (New York: Penguin Books, 2004, ISBN 0142004758, 224 pages,
paperback, $15)
Review by Beth Adelman, MS, CABC

According to the 2005/2006 American Pet Products Manufacturers Association National
Pet Owners Survey, 90.5 million cats live in 37.7 million American households. That’s a national
average of 2.4 cats per household. Yet most feline behavior books assume cats are living one
to a household, and usually offer some advice about how to introduce a new cat into the home
but not much about the issues that arise once the new cat is there. Pam Johnson-Bennett’s new
book is long overdue.
While the notion that domestic cats are solitary animals was discarded by behaviorists
more than a decade ago, we still know precious little about the social systems they establish.
The great majority of studies have looked at feral or barn cat colonies, and very little work has
been done on the hierarchies, territories, and modes of communication established by house
cats. This is where Johnson-Bennett’s many decades of making house calls as a feline behavior
consultant have produced a wealth of experiential information that is invaluable. She builds on
what we do know through observational and controlled studies and adds what she has learned
from hundreds of encounters to create a clear, complete and nuanced picture of how domestic
cats live together in homes.
Cat vs. Cat begins by introducing readers to the idea of a feline hierarchy. One of the
key points Johnson-Bennett makes is that the cat hierarchy in a multicat home is dynamic and
is constantly shifting in subtle ways. Changes in status may occur depending on which room in
the home the cats are occupying, who else (human or feline) is in the room, and what events
are taking place. Although this hierarchy may be fairly well established in some households,
in others the “top cat” may be hanging on by a whisker. With such a dynamic social structure,
issues surrounding territory, litter box use, proximity to one another and to beloved humans,
and sharing of resources can arise quickly and, to the uninitiated eye, seemingly out of nowhere.
Johnson-Bennett does an excellent job of describing the various ways cat owners can recognize
very subtle signs of dominance, submission, and challenge among the cats in a household.
The book then describes the basics of feline communication, including body postures,
vocalizations, rubbing, and marking. Johnson-Bennett reminds readers that feline communication
must be read as the sum of all these presentations (eye, ear and whisker position, posture, tail,
and so on), and that messages taken out of context are often misinterpreted.
Next is a crucial chapter on territory—a matter near and dear to every cat’s heart. Again,
Johnson-Bennett offers important insights into how hierarchies change. She describes what
she calls “time-share schedules,” where one cat may occupy a particular room or piece of
furniture at certain times of the day, and then another cat claims the same space at a different
time. With this kind of schedule, the cats use avoidance behaviors to enable several to share a
limited space. The chapter describes what can happen when one cat violates the time-sharing
agreement, and offers many practical ways to increase territory in a home.
A chapter on introducing a new cat into the home gives much more detail than one will find
on the same topic in other books. And a long chapter on the importance of interactive play gives
details instructions of how to play with a cat—something a surprisingly large number of cat
owners know very little about. Johnson-Bennett is a big believer in one-on-one interactive play
Winter 2006
80 Book Review: Cat Vs. Cat
to relieve or decrease feline behavior issues, and has sometimes been criticized for offering play
as a remedy for just about every problem. But the fact is that regular interactive play is one
component of solving almost any behavior problem, and I can’t argue with her prescription.
The other chapters are devoted to problem-solving: mealtimes, litter box issues, scratching,
aggression, stress, and what do to when one cat becomes ill or so old that she can no longer
maintain her place in the hierarchy; as one might imagine, the most stressful and problematic
times for house cats arise when the hierarchy changes in some way and new relationships and
territories must be worked out. Perhaps my only criticism arises with respect to the chapter
on mealtimes. Johnson-Bennett advocates free-feeding as the feeding style that more closely
approximates the way cats eat in the wild. While that is certainly true, food bullying and stealing
are pervasive problems in multicat households, leading to stress in the lower-ranking cats, and
in households with cats of different health status special diets are often required. Combine that
with the alarming rates of feline obesity, and I am just not convinced that free-feeding is the
way to go.
The book is written for the average pet owner, but behavior consultants who have not had
extensive experience with multicat households will find much to learn here. It will also be a great
resource for clients, because, after reading the book, they will be better able to describe to a
behavior consultant the problems they are seeing in their multicat family.
One of the most important components of the book comes at the very end, where Johnson-
Bennett offers further steps that can be taken to resolve behavior problems. She advises
asking your veterinarian for a referral to a behavior consultant and stresses the considerable
responsibility the human family shares in working on a behavior problem with a behavior
consultant. She also provides a clear-headed view of drug therapy, including its many risks.
Johnson-Bennett is something of an expert in pharmacological intervention for behavior
problems and has seen many vets prescribe psychoactive drugs off-label without doing their
homework. Her advice here for cat owners should help them get the best possible care for their
pets.

Winter 2006
81
Glossary Of Useful Vocabulary For Parrot Behavior Consultants

Prepared by Liz Wilson, CVT, CPBC
Words are defined as they relate to parrot behavior and training.

A-B-C (antecedent, behavior, consequence): fundamental behavior analysis formula.
Abundance weaning: name coined by Phoebe Linden for a hand feeding technique based on
feeding a baby parrot when it is hungry, as opposed to avicultural technique of feeding according
to a rigid schedule.
Aggression: offensive or defensive behaviors; usually in protection of territory or mate, or a
defensive response to perceived danger or fear.
Allopreening: mutual preening done by parrots.
Altricial: relating to birds that are born helpless (e.g., songbirds, parrots).
Ambient attention: attention that does not include physical contact. Example: talking or
singing to or with the bird when he is in or out of his cage.
Animal rights: the belief and/or movement that considers animals to have legal and ethical
rights.
Animal welfare: the care and protection of animals.
Anthropomorphism: the attribution of so-called “human characteristics” to a nonhuman
animal; often misapplied to anyone who dares suggest that parrots are capable of emotion.
Aviculture: the keeping, breeding, and raising of birds (usually exotic species).
Bappy: term coined by Sally Blanchard referring to a baby parrot.
Barbs: slender structures of a feather that branch off the rachis or central shaft of the feather.
Barbering: self-inflicted damage to a feather that is still attached to a parrot; one type of
feather destruction.
Barbules: microscopic hooks that hook barbs together; preening re-hooks the barbs together.
Beak grinding: 1. the rubbing together of the upper and lower beaks done by a relaxed parrot
as it readies itself for sleep; 2. grooming procedure done on an over-grown, abnormally shaped,
or maloccluded beak.
Blood feather: growing feather with blood and nerve supply; frequent source of hemorrhage if
damaged.
Board-Certified Avian Veterinarian: veterinarian who has gone through rigorous testing
process and can call himself or herself a “specialist” in avian medicine; use initials Dip-ABVP,
Avian Practice.
“Bopping:” behavior in which parrots thump a human with the point of their beaks; may be
playful, may be a bird-generated termination stimulus; may be bluff (see lunging).
Bridge: sound or gesture used to form a connection between a behavior and a reinforcer (i.e.,
“clicker,” whistle); also a conditioned reinforcer or a conditioned stimulus.
Cage-bound: term used to describe behavior exhibited by a bird that is only comfortable inside
Winter 2006
82 Glossary of Useful Vocabulary for Parrot Behavior Consultants
its cage and refuses to exit
Cavity breeders: birds that breed in a cavity (such as a hole in a tree) instead of building a
freestanding nest.
CITES: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species; international agreement from
1984 that bans importation of listed animals and plant life into non-native countries.
Clicker training: type of operant conditioning training that uses the sound of a mechanical
“clicker” to link a desirable behavior with the reward for that behavior.
Closed-banded: Term to describe the use of a solid band that is slipped over a baby parrot’s
foot while it is tiny. If the band was properly sized, proves a bird was bred in captivity.
Contact call: simple vocalization used to stay in touch with other flock members (parrot or
human).
Coverts: small contour feathers that are found in rows on the wing and tail.
Contour feathers: predominant and largest feathers that cover a bird’s body.
Crêche: “baby flock;” nursery area in which some species of parrots (e.g., Gallah) deposit their
young offspring.
Crop: out-pocketing of the esophagus, used for temporary food storage.
Detour compliance: term coined by Cathy Isbell for a training approach that entails stepping
around a problem instead of confronting it directly (e.g. removing a cage-territorial bird before
servicing the cage).
Developmental window: time frame in which an animal might most easily develop a
particular behavior; see window of opportunity.
Dimorphism: different colorations for male and female birds. There are other types of
dimorphism not related to sex.
DIP-ABVP, Avian Practice: designation of a board-certified avian veterinarian.
Direct attention: one-on-one, in-your-face time during which the human is doing nothing but
interacting with the bird.
Displacement behavior: a behavior substituted for an inaccessible behavior.
Display: behavior associated with sexual or territorial show involving species-specific posturing.
Domesticated: captive bred for countless generations to enhance certain characteristics.
Down command: cue for a parrot to step off the hand.
Down feathers: small, fluffy feathers that provide insulation under contour feathers.
Drama reward: dramatic response from a human to a parrot’s undesirable behavior, which
inadvertently reinforces that behavior.
Earthquaking: (a.k.a., “Little Earthquake") Chris Davis’s technique of causing a parrot to
momentarily lose its balance in response to aggression.
Etiology: cause or origin of a disease or abnormal condition.
Ethologist: someone with a graduate degree in the study of animal behavior in the natural
Winter 2006
Glossary of Useful Vocabulary for Parrot Behavior Consultants 83
habitat.
Ethology: study of animal behavior in the animal's natural habitat.
"Evil eye:" a brief frown used as a form of positive punishment.
Eye flashing: (a.k.a. pinning of the eyes; eye pinning; pinpointing); rapid voluntary dilation and
contraction of bird’s pupils; indication of excitement (good or bad).
Feather destructive behavior [FDB] (a.k.a. barbering, chewing, picking, plucking, pulling);
any behavior that damages feathers.
Feather “fluffing:” lay term for a bird shaking out its feathers; see rouse (falconer’s term).
Feather tracks: the lines in which feather follicles grow on a bird’s body.
Feces: waste from the gastrointestinal tract (as opposed to urates and urine from the renal
system).
Feral: untamed, wild; once tame but reverted to a wild state.
Flash color: a distinctive feather color pattern that identifies a bird from a distance; also used
to communicate.
Fledge: to learn to control flight.
Fledgling: young bird that is learning to control its flight.
Flight feathers, primary: feathers for flight on outer edge of wing.
Flight feathers, secondary: feathers for flight on inner edge of wing.
Flock leader: term associated mainly with companion parrots to define the human who
provides the most guidance.
Flood: to subject an animal to a feared stimulus until the animal ceases to respond.
Food deprivation: 1. Weaning technique that entails withholding food from a hand-fed baby
parrot in an effort to make it eat on its own; see weaning, forced; 2. a training technique in
which food is withheld until an animal becomes hungry enough to work for food.
Forage: searching for food.
Full-spectrum lighting: artificial (bulb-supplied) lighting that provides the entire spectrum of
natural outdoor sunlight.
Gavage feeding: insertion of a tube into the crop (e.g. of a baby parrot) for the purpose of
rapid delivery of handfeeding formula (see tube feeding).
Grit: varying sizes of small shells, stones, rocks or pebbles in varying sizes provided to help
songbirds grind their food; not considered necessary for parrots.
Hand fed: used to describe a parrot that as a baby was fed by a human, not another parrot.
Height dominance: original name for theory that humans have more control over companion
parrots if birds are not allowed above eye level; developed to explain increased aggression
frequently seen in parrots that are above eye level.
Height-related territorialism: newer name for theory to explain increased aggression
frequently seen in parrots that are above eye level; see Height dominance.
Winter 2006
Honeymoon period: nickname for period of adjustment when a parrot changes environments,
prior to the bird establishing new territory and renewing old (problematic) behaviors; ideal time
to establish new, less abrasive behaviors.
Hormonal behavior: (a.k.a. reproductive hormone-mediated behavior); sexual or reproductive
behavior
Imprinting: rapid learning process of some species of young animals, establishes a behavior
pattern (such as recognition of and attraction to its own kind or a substitute); instantaneous
bond; in birds, seen in purest form only in precocial species.
Import, imported bird: parrot that is captured in the wild and brought into captivity.
Incubator-hatched: used to describe eggs hatched in an incubator rather than by natural
parents.
Indirect attention: physical contact with the bird, but with divided attention. Example: bird
is sitting in the human’s lap while the human watches TV.
Juvenile: fully weaned parrot that is not sexually mature.
Laddering: patterning exercise in which parrot is taught to step from one hand to the other;
used by some as reprimand for aggressive behavior.
Leaf bathing: bathing technique; entails rubbing on wet leaf matter; more often seen in small
species.
Learning window: time frame in which an animal most easily learns a skill; also called window
of opportunity.
Lunging: aggressive behavior in which parrots (e.g., macaws) make a quick thrust with their
beaks; may be bluff (especially with macaws).
Model/rival method: teaching method developed to elicit behavior by rewarding a rival for
modeling a desired behavior (done by Dr. Irene Pepperberg with her African Gray Parrot, Alex).
Monogamous: having a pair bond with only one mate for at least one breeding cycle.
Molt: natural shedding and replacement of worn feathers; frequency varies with species and
individual condition and health.
Monomorphism: the condition in which both sexes of a species are identical to the human eye.
Mutation: hereditary changes in genetic information which creates new characteristics in
offspring (e.g., color mutation breeding).
Mutilation: see self-mutilation.
Neonate: newly hatched or hatchling bird.
Neutral room: unfamiliar territory for parrot where no territory is established; considered by
many as ideal training location.
Night fright: name given to extreme and traumatic fear behavior that occurs in the middle
of the night; often response to vibrations, rodents or car lights flashing through windows (see
thrashing).
Nurturing guidance: (a.k.a. guiding parrot behavior by teaching): name for Sally Blanchard’s
Winter 2006
parrot training technique.

Omnivore: animal that needs animal and vegetable protein (as distinguished from a carnivore
or herbivore); eats “almost everything.”
Open banded: term used to describe a parrot with a band closed around the bird's leg after it
is full-grown. It is not a complete or closed ring; see also split band; often identifies an imported
bird that has come through quarantine.
Parakeet: general name for group of small parrots with streamlined bodies and long tails; in US
only, connotes budgerigar [“budgie”], which is a species of Australian grass parakeet.
Patterning: training process involving repeatedly stimulating and reinforcing a behavior;
habituating a behavior.
Phobia: extreme, neurotic, or so-called pathological fear; often of unknown etiology.
Pecking order: dominance hierarchy first identified in poultry.
Perch training: see stick training.
Pinpointing: see eye flashing.
Preening: grooming feathers to clean and “re-zip” barbs of flight feathers for optimum flight
potential.
Powder: talc-like keratin substance given off by powder down feathers as they dissolve.
Powder down: specialized down feathers that are designed to disintegrate and produce a
powder.
Precocial: wsued to describe birds that are born ready to eat on their own (e.g., poultry,
waterfowl).
Psittacine, psittacine bird: parrot, hook-billed bird.
Pumping: the reflexive bobbing of a baby parrot’s head that is associated with being fed by a
parrot or human; occasionally seen in older parrots.
Quaking: A behavior specific to the the monk or Quaker parrot. Involves the bird's solicitation
and reflexive neonatal eating response.
Quick: part of the nail that carries the blood supply.
Quick fix: any technique that addresses the symptoms of a problem rather than its etiology
(i.e., Elizabethan collar to prevent feather destruction; covering cage to stop excessive
screaming).
Rachis: tubular central shaft of a feather.
Regurgitation: bringing partially digested food up from the crop; may be pathological (i.e. in
Candida infections of the crop) or sexual (to feed a mate) or brooding behavior (to feed young);
to be distinguished from vomiting.
Regression: reversion to a previous state, often a previous developmental state.
Reinforce: to reward a behavior so as to increase the likelihood of its occurrenc.
Revert: to go back to a previous behavior or habit; often reversion is a response to stress.
Winter 2006
Reward: 1. any item or behavior immediately provided for reinforcing a behavior. 2. to reinforce
for the purpose of increasing or ensuring the occurrence of a behavior.
Rouse: falconer’s term for a bird shaking out its feathers; “feather fluffing.”
Roost: where a bird sleeps, the act of getting ready to sleep.
Self-mutilation: self-injurious behavior in which parrot lacerates its own skin and/or
gouges soft tissue; likely etiology is physical but the behavior can continue due to secondary
reinforcement; not to be confused with feather destruction.
Sentient: capable of thought, self-awareness, consciousness; finely perceptive of feelings.
Skritching: Sally Blanchard’s term for petting with deep, yet gentle ruffling of the feathers.
Sleep cage: Andrew Luescher’s concept of a small cage in location unoccupied by humans at
night, for purpose of enabling parrots to get necessary sleep.
Socialization: process enabling young animals to learn social skills and social interaction with
other life forms.
Split Banded: term used to describe the use of a band closed around a parrot’s leg after the
bird is full-grown, so that the band is not a complete or closed ring; see also open banded and
closed banded.
Step-ups: term for stepping a bird onto the hand; see also up command.
Stereotypical behaviors or stereotypies: obsessively repetitive behaviors; considered
evidence of extreme boredom, stress or mental illness.
Stick training: teaching a parrot to step onto and off of a dowel or stick; see perch training.
Stimulus: event or situation that initiates a response or reaction (see A-B-C).
Stress bar: break or line on a feather indicating the bird suffered (serious) stress at the time
that part of the feather was growing.
Syringe feeding: process developed for delivering hand-feeding formula into the mouth of a
baby parrot via a syringe (as opposed to, for example, spoon feeding).
“Terrible twos”: named after period of child development, a period of obstinacy in a parrot’s
development, usually juvenile, not related to the bird being two years old.
Territoriality: guarding one’s territory.
Thrashing: extreme fear response in which a parrot throws itself around an enclosure in an
effort to escape perceived danger; if happens in the dark, called “night fright.”
“Time out:” removing the animal’s ability to receive positive reinforcement.
Tube feeding: procedure in which tube is inserted into bird’s crop for rapid delivery of food;
usually considered a medical procedure (see gavage feeding).
Up command: cue for stepping a bird onto the hand.
Vomiting: reflexive dumping of stomach or proventricular contents; pathological; to be
differentiated from regurgitation.
“Warm potato” game: invented by Sally Blanchard. A socialization exercise that encourages

Winter 2006
a parrot’s compliancy with all family members. The parrot is slowly passed around a circle of
people. Each person steps the bird on the hand and praises the bird lavishly for complying. The
bird is then passed to the next family member, who repeats the exercise.
Weaning: period in which a parrot learns to support itself nutritionally without assistance.
Weaning, forced: the attempt to facilitate a baby parrot’s weaning through the withholding of
handfeeding formula in the hopes that hunger will speed the process of food independence.
Weaning reaction: unwanted behavior developed in response to situations occurring during
weaning.
Wild Bird Conservation Act: legislation that stopped parrot importation into the US with
ratification of CITES in early 1993.
Wild-caught: term applied to a parrot that was captured from the wild and imported into the
US prior to 1993.
“Window of opportunity”: a period in a parrot’s life when learning most easily develops.
Wing clipping: a grooming procedure in which flight feathers are clipped to decrease a parrot’s
flight potential.
Wobble correction: technique to reprimand a parrot after a bite by causing it to momentarily
lose its balance.
Wobble distraction: technique to prevent a parrot from biting by distracting its attention with
movement of the perch on which it is sitting.

Winter 2006

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice: Winter 2006

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Animal Behavior

Theory and Practice

Editor-in-Chief Associate Editor

Beth Adelman, MS, CABC, Publications Consultant

Journal Review Board

Beth Adelman, MS, CABC Myrna Milani, DVM, CABC

Susan Bulanda, MAT, CDBC James O'Heare, CABC

Mary Burch, PhD, CABC Joanne Oliva-Purdy, PhD, CABC

Linda Case, MS, CABC Merope Pavlides, PhD, MEd

Steve Dale, CABC Valerie Pollard, CDBC

Ian Dunbar, PhD, DVM, CABC Veronica Sanchez, MEd, CABC

Lynn Hoover, MSW, CDBC Dani Weinberg, CDBC

Pam Johnson-Bennett, CABC Liz Wilson, CVT, CPBC

The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Association and Member News................................................................................... 10

IAABC Membership Criteria and Applications................................................................ 15

IAABC Board Statement on Approved Mentor Responsibilities......................................... 16

IAABC Board Statement on Advertising Degrees and Accreditation.................................. 17

IAABC Dog Tutorial Guidelines.................................................................................... 18

Follow-Up Procedures in Animal Shelters: A Survey of Current Practices........................... 21

IAABC Commitees and Divisions................................................................................. 26

Animal Assisted Therapy - The Human-Animal Bond. A Personal Perspective..................... 35

Lowering Arousal: How to Train Impulse Control........................................................... 41

Think Twice Before You Declaw................................................................................... 44

Nine Activities to Address Behavior in a Good Dog Class ............................................... 58

CASE STUDY: The Flight of Bonnie's Thunderstorm Phobia............................................. 67

BOOK REVIEW: Cat Vs. Cat........................................................................................ 79

Glossary of Useful Vocabulary for Parrot Behavior Consultants........................................ 81

Copyright 2005 Lynn Hoover. All Rights Reserved

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Association and Member News

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Children Challenged by Autism or Other Developmental Disabilities, will be published in March

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Membership Criteria and Applications

Core Areas of Competency:

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Outcome Goal: To optimize learning

Do we require that all participants use the same questionnaire?

in mentoring. There may be a maximum of three mentors for each case.

Role of Multiple Mentors: (up to three per case)

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Follow-Up Procedures in Animal Shelters: A Survey of Current Practices

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Ad Hoc Public Education Committee

Book Study Group

Consultant for Feline Behavior Consulting Education

Editorial & Journal Review Board

Members Assisting with Standards, Criteria, and Consultant Education

Scientific Studies Committee

Shelter Task Force

Social Justice Committee

Cat Behavior Consulting Division

Human-Animal Mutualism Division

Parrot Behavior Consulting Division

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

battery to install every three months or so

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Animal-Assisted Therapy and the Human-Animal Bond:

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Dog:_ Target Behavior:_________