Working on basic training is a great way to bond with your dog, increase their skillset, build their confidence, and improve their quality of life as well as your own. We always use positive reinforcement to teach dogs which behaviors are appropriate, and what we want to see more of. Did you know that there’s plenty more work to be done after your dog successfully knows how to perform a basic cue like “sit”? When we start teaching a new cue, we want as few distractions as possible, so the animal can focus on the task at hand. Once they’re
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Archives for Behavior tips
How to pick the right cat for you
You’ve decided you’re ready to adopt a cat! How do you pick the right one? Here are some tips to keep in mind when looking for the best fit possible for your lifestyle. If you have an active home with lots of people or kids, look for a cat who is actively seeking attention. These kitties may be cats who adjust easily or are less concerned with lots of noise and commotion and who would likely do well in a busier home. If you have a very quiet home, or are away from home much of the day, keep in
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Operation Cooperative Canine (a.k.a., getting a dog’s buy-in for basic caregiving)
Cooperative care allows your dog to be a willing participant in a necessary activity that involves handling, such as nail trims, eye drops, brushing teeth, etc. It enables them to communicate when they are stressed and need a break from handling, creates a safe environment, and makes them more comfortable with the activity. For example, when a dog is experiencing stress during a nail trim, this creates negative associations and can make nail trims more stressful and more difficult over time. Instead, we can reduce stress by giving breaks when they’re communicated and heavily rewarding with treats and praise. Giving
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Cat-astrophic eating
Do you have a cat who gulps their food, sometimes so quickly that they almost immediately vomit it back up? (Also known as “scarf and barf”ing?) Or maybe you have a cat who gobbles their food and then moves on to steal more food from their feline siblings? Here are a few tips to help with a cat who eats too quickly. Invest in a variety of feeding tools. Feeding puzzles and slow feeders can help slow your cat’s eating down so that they can both digest their food, and potentially prevent them from moving on to the food resources
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What’s positive reinforcement and why do we use it?
Why do we use positive reinforcement when training and working with our dogs? Positive reinforcement (also known as R+) builds trust and helps strengthen our relationship with the dogs around us. We use a mark and reward system to teach the dog when they are doing something right. This helps us effectively communicate behaviors that we want to see more from our dogs and helps them build confidence too! With R+, we mark using a clicker or a friendly “yes!” and then we reward the dog with a reinforcer like a high value treat. The dog quickly learns that the
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Can you change your cat?
We unlock the mystery of how to get your cat to do what you want.
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Calming Your Anxious Dog
Our staff and volunteers spend hours each day walking the dogs and providing them with mental and physical stimulation that keeps them comfortable and happy during their stay. There are some dogs, though, who need extra attention as they struggle with arousal or fear. Aroused (high-energy) dogs can get overly excited and have a surge of adrenaline when it’s time to leave their kennel or go for a walk because it is often the highlight of their day. They benefit when we: Maintain calm Encourage four paws on the floor for leashing Refrain from lots of petting or excited baby
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How to help your one and only kitten
While it may be hard to find peer-reviewed data on what we in the animal welfare industry call “single kitten syndrome,” anecdotally, we’ve all seen it time and time again. When a kitten is raised without littermates or a mom to teach how to interact with other cats and people appropriately, we have a lot more work to do as their human. Here are some important things to make sure you’re adding to your single kitten’s environment to help them thrive and interact with their world, and their people, appropriately. Enrichment Make sure that your little one has plenty of
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How to choose your kitty
It can be overwhelming when you come to the shelter looking for a cat or kitten to adopt. You may wonder what kind of feline will work best for your home, and how to tell which cat might fit that bill. Following a few general rules can help make that decision for you! Genetics, history, and socialization all play a part in who a kitten or cat is, or who they will be when they grow up. All cats have had different experiences throughout their lives that help shape who they are, so be prepared to offer lots of great
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How to “enrich” your dog’s life
We all know how important enrichment is for our animals. Enrichment gives them the opportunity to engage in natural behaviors and provides them with vital mental and physical stimulation. Sniffing, chewing, shredding, and licking are all ways to relieve stress. Additionally, when a dog is experiencing heightened arousal from activities like a brisk walk or playing in the yard, engaging in enrichment afterwards is a great way to bring their chemicals like cortisol and adrenaline back down to a baseline level. Getting creative with enrichment is fun and we can even step it up by offering something like multi-layer shredding
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