ABSTRACTS
FOR THE 2013 MEETING
Schedule
2013
meeting
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The
“A” word
Julie
Hecht
Anthropomorphism
is the attribution of human characteristics to that which is not human,
and it is often denounced as a misattribution. In this talk,
anthropomorphism will be considered within a psychological and ethological
framework: how and why do we anthropomorphize, and do anthropomorphic
assessments hold water? This talk will explore the psychological factors
behind the human tendency to see human in that which is not and will
briefly discuss recent canine cognition studies of guilt and fairness. I
will also touch on research investigating the relationship between
anthropomorphism and emotional support from companion animals. This talk
aims to bring a more comprehensive understanding of anthropomorphism to
interactions with both human and non-human animals.
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Sleep deprivation in horses
Joseph J Bertone
For a time, any horse
that has episodic near collapse with a drowsy appearance was quickly
diagnosed as narcoleptic and a search for imipramine began. Although
it’s true that some horses can remain standing for prolonged (3 to 6
months) periods of time, there is a subset of horses that seem to require
periods of paradoxical sleep (PS) and associated REM in shorter periods.
They seem to not be able to go without PS for more than 2 to 4 weeks. This
group and those with more prolonged periods of PS deprivation show signs
of near collapse. Pain associated with being in or achieving the recumbent
position, or herd or environmental insecurity hamper these horses from
achieving the essential recumbent position to achieve PS and episodes of
near collapse ensue. Video and owner email questioning have been
reviewed since 2000. Geldings are exceedingly over-represented in the
study population, especially if one excludes discomfort and physical
issues with lying down. Four syndromes in the non-physically challenged
horses are ascribed by the author and include: environmental insecurity,
need for submission (I want a dominatrix) and sleep terrors.
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Agonistic
behavior patterns of dogs in response to a threatening stimulus
Suzanne
La Croix
Many studies of the domestic dog
have focused on the ontogeny of behavior, clinical behavior issues faced
by veterinarians, and dog bite incidents.
However, a detailed description of the agonistic behavior portfolio
for domestic dogs is needed to balance our understanding of canine
behaviors deemed as acceptable responses (by human society) to threats
with those canine behaviors deemed unacceptable (e.g., avoidance of a
threat vs. aggressive interaction). This study investigated whether adult
dogs exhibited agonistic patterns of behavior in response to a threatening
stimulus and whether dogs that had been bred for different purposes
exhibited different patterns. An
understanding of these patterns may improve the identification of
escalating behavioral responses which might resolve as aggression.
Sixty-two
dogs were tested in an outdoor arena.
All dogs exhibited agonistic behavioral components; 87% of dogs
ultimately sought an agonistic solution to the threat.
Solutions ranged from avoidance to attack.
Lag sequential analysis indicated that multiple patterns of
behaviors are available to dogs providing them with a large behavioral
response portfolio. Analysis
of patterns according to working groups also demonstrated multiple
patterns of behavior and indicated that behavioral components are utilized
differently among groups, leading to different behavioral resolutions.
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Discussion
of “food-related” aggression
Ellen
Lindell
Opinions abound regarding the
best way to manage puppies and their food bowls. Regardless of management,
it seems some dogs spontaneously begin to growl when people are near their
food. To date, there is no solid information regarding the risk factors of
the behavior, the incidence of the behavior, or the management of the
behavior. The terminology
associated with the behavior is also not consistent.
After
a discussion of representative cases, comments regarding a study design
will be proposed. Comments and discussion with the group would be welcome.
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Cats on drugs
Ellen Lindell
When veterinarians are faced with a feline behaving badly, they reach
for the drug closet. It is standard for cats to come to the clinic taking
at least one psychotropic medication, and uncommon for the diagnosis to be
clear. Unfortunately, using mood altering drugs is not without risk and
can ultimately make it more difficult to manage the patient. Two feline
case examples will be presented in which the risk in medicating outweighed
the benefit.
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Spatially
Speaking
Ellen
Mahurin and Jennifer Shryock
Proximity matters to our
dogs when it comes to comfort. One
of the most common trouble spots when it comes to growing babies and dogs
is a child's ability to enter into a dog's space.
This presentation will cover common pit falls and offer solutions
to help support the families we consult with. Knowing about "grumble
zones," "growl zones" and subtle canine posturing can
decrease the risk of an unfortunate encounter between a family dog and
toddler.
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That'll
Do Babe
Patricia
B. McConnell
The interactions between sheepherding dogs, their handlers and the sheep
themselves are goldmines for anyone interested in genetics, interspecific
communication and training methodologies. This presentation will focus on
working Border Collies, bred in the Border counties between
England
and
Scotland
to manage large flocks of sheep. Through slides and abundant videos, the
talk will include videos illustrating the (presumed) key visual signals
between dogs and sheep, the different personalities of dogs and how each
relates to their effectiveness in different contexts, the use of acoustic
signals between handler and dog, and training methodologies that allow two
different predator species to control (or not!) the behavior of a prey
species.
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Validity
and Reliability of a Behavior Assessment for Dogs
Petra
Mertens
A variety of behavior tests and assessments are used in shelter
settings. These test are either not validated or tested partially. To
systematically determine the validity and reliability of an assessment
tool used in an open admission shelter, 92 randomly selected dog were
tested in a prospective study between January and April 2012.This study
followed a pilot study that included 20 dogs. Eighteen dogs were
euthanized for medical or behavioral reasons at the shelter. Each dog was
tested twice on two successive days by two handlers under strictly
standardized conditions to control as many variables as possible. Both
tests were video recorded and reviewed twice in random order by four
blinded observers using Noldus Observer software system. The dogs were
placed into new homes independently of their behavior. For ethical
reasons, adopters were offered to obtain information regarding the
outcomes of the test. A follow up survey using CBARQ was conducted 6-9
months after the dogs’ placement to determine retention and incidence of
behavioral problems in the new home. Based on the data obtained,
inter-handler reliability, inter-observer reliability, intra-observer
reliability, order effects and predictability (validity) were calculated.
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Introducing
the
ASPCA
Behavioral
Rehabilitation
Center
, studying treatment of severe canine fear
Kat
Miller, Kristen Collins, Pia Silvani,
In late 2012, the ASPCA Anti-Cruelty Behavior Team (ACBT)
inaugurated the
ASPCA
Behavioral
Rehabilitation
Center
at St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Society in
Madison
,
NJ
. The Center’s work focuses on study of the rehabilitation of fearful
and undersocialized dogs rescued mainly from hoarding situations and puppy
mills. Rehabilitation efforts are devoted to helping the dogs overcome
their fears and learn to interact comfortably and safely with the world
around them before transfer to shelter partners for placement into
adoptive homes. In accomplishing this goal, we aim to reduce the resources
and risks involved in accepting dogs from abusive or neglectful situations
and increase the dogs’ chances of finding loving homes. Rehabilitation
and evaluation are carefully documented and post-placement follow up is
conducted so that the ACBT can track efficacy of rehabilitation efforts
and share information with other professionals. This presentation will
introduce the Center, its integration with
St. Hubert
’s and the field services work of the ACBT, and provide preliminary data
from the first several months of operation.
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The
TAZmanian Chewer: A case study on Taz the cat who chews everything
Barbara
Pezzanite
Taz was a 13-month-old spayed
female Domestic Shorthair cat when I first consulted with her. She was
rescued during hurricane Irene.
Her foster mother watched the mother cat remove all of the other
kittens, yet never returned for Taz. She
was rescued at 6 weeks of age and fostered until she was adopted 2 months
later. Taz has chewed a
variety of objects including: wires
(phone & HDMI), the corner of a glass table, a chair, a wall, etc.
She will become aggressive, hissing, spitting, and will even
scratch if approached while chewing. She
has plenty of toys to chew on and is not deterred by the taste of bitter
apple, cayenne pepper, or citrus.
She was on Buspar 2x daily, which was not helping, then switched to
Amitriptyline. There are 2
other cats in the household: a
12 year old and a 6 year old. At
present Taz continues to chew. Her
case and condition will be followed for the next 6 months.
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Back
To The Future
Diane Mollaghan
The topography of animal sheltering is experiencing a significant shift in
goals and ideologies. Animal shelters are going through a period of
enlightenment, as no-kill shelters are becoming a reality in both private
and public sectors. Many municipal shelters are
succumbing to the pressure of the no-kill movement, and are responding to
this pressure by beginning to limit their shelter's intake, in order to
achieve this goal. "Live outcomes" have become the newest
metric of success in animal sheltering. However, this bottom-line
approach is problematic, in terms of the functionality of animal shelters,
and the health and safety of the communities they serve. The reason
why most shelters exist is to protect the health and safety of the
community, preventing the spread of zoonotic diseases (e.g., rabies) and
help decrease the number of unwanted pets. In an effort to
completely eliminate the euthanasia of every animal that ever enters an
animal shelter, a growing number of municipalities are electing to
relinquish their ability to manage the pet population of an individual
community. The myopic view of improving the field of animal
sheltering by eliminating euthanasia represents a shift of focus.
This shift in focus reduces the municipality's ability to protect the
health and safety of the community, not to mention the potential problems
that are created downstream. These potential problems will
ultimately tie up community resources (e.g., time and money), that may
have been used to improve a community's quality of life for both people
and pets.
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Do
Cats That Have Access to Outside Areas Have Fewer Behavior Problems?
Dan Estep &
Suzanne Hetts
There is an emerging belief among some cat owners and pet professionals
that cat behavior problems may be due in part to living in an “impoverished
environment.” It has been
suggested that giving cats access to the out of doors may prevent or
resolve behavior problems. As
far as we know, this hypothesis has never been tested.
To address the question, we surveyed 1,163 cat owners through the
internet asking about the indoor and outdoor activities of their cats,
time spent alone and the incidence of behavior problems.
Sixty-three percent of the cats lived in inside areas of 1,000 square
feet or more, with only 8% living in less than 500 square feet of indoor
space. In 44% of the homes
someone was always home with their cats, while in only 12% of the homes
were the cats left alone more than 8 hours a day.
Sixty-six percent of the cats were exclusively indoor, while 20%
went outside every day. Of
those going outside, 63% were out less than 3 hours, and only 13% were
allowed out overnight. Thirty-eight
percent of those cats going outside were allowed out without supervision
or allowed to roam off the property, the rest were under supervision or
confined to their property.
Fifty-five percent of cat owners reported behaviors in their cats that
were a problem for them. The most commonly reported problems were fears of
people, other pets or things (22%), aggression to people or other animals
(13%), inappropriate elimination (13%), feeding problems (12%) and
destructive clawing or chewing (12%).
The remaining complaints accounted for 27% of all problems, with no
one problem accounting for more than 5% of all problems.
During our presentation we’ll present results examining the
relationships between behavior problems and lifestyle characteristics,
with a focus on outside time and behavior problems.
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Cognition
and Social Behavior in Two Hand-Reared Coyotes with Reference to Domestic
Dogs
Camille Ward
Domestic Dogs are the direct descendants of wolves separated by 30,000 -
100,000 years of evolution. Early
research showed that domestic dogs, but not wolves, were able to follow
human social cues to find hidden food.
The researchers claimed that this ability is unique to dogs and a
by-product of domestication. However,
more recent work has shown that hand-reared wolves perform above chance at
following human social cues in certain environments.
Coyotes and dogs diverged
from a common ancestor more than 1,000,000 years ago, yet they are both
canids and may share behavioral and cognitive traits. If dogs can
follow human social cues to locate hidden food, and wolves can perform
above chance at least some of the time, then how capable are coyotes when
compared with dogs on the same tasks? I will present the results of
a pilot study on the ability of two coyote pups to read human social cues.
Additionally, I will share video on coyote social behavior and discuss
what I've learned about their trainability relative to domestic dogs.
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Establishing New Relationships Through
Chemical Signals: Status, Scent-marks & Anogenital Investigation in
Unfamiliar Dogs
Anneke
Lisberg
Chemical
communication is widely known to be an integral part of social
introductions among dogs. In dogs and other highly social mammals,
chemical signals may be important to establishing hierarchies and allowing
individuals to make “smarter” social introductions, for example
choosing whether and how to approach unfamiliar conspecifics based on
scent mark “information” about sex, age, body condition and more. I
will be discussing several ongoing experiments and studies that test the
roles that urine marks and anogenital investigation may play before and
during social introductions between unfamiliar dogs. Specifically, I will
discuss multiple studies that suggest that dogs may discern social status
through assessment of multiple components of urine marks and an ongoing
observational study aimed at understanding variation in anogenital
investigation during social introductions between shelter dogs. I will
also briefly address possible implications of this research for dog-owners
and other applied fields.
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Sick
as a Dog: Do modern veterinary anesthetic techniques foster future stress?
Jenna
Buley
It is readily accepted that nausea creates long-lived and strong
sensations of aversion. In the veterinary profession one of the earliest
encounters with a canine patient is the appointment for the animal's
surgical sterilization. In our attempt to control the animal's pain,
hydromorphone is often used as a premedicant to anesthesia. This almost
uniformly produces a profound sensation of nausea. I propose to conduct an
experiment comparing those animals spayed/neutered that were given a
premedicant that causes nausea (hydromorphone) vs. those given a
premedicant that does not have this effect (butorphanol). The comparison
of their cortisol levels at a veterinary visit one month after the
procedure will be the primary data point of interest, though cortisol
levels at other points in the experiment will also be taken. This
experiment aims to better understand and control for events that may make
a companion dog's veterinary care a stressful and unpleasant experience.
It also aims to explore an effect of anesthesia often ignored. Pain
control has too long been the only focus of animal welfare during surgical
procedures. Other stresses must be examined and taken into careful
consideration.
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“Bailey the Wonder Dog”:
a senior dog in need of medical care
Melissa Spooner, Theresa L. DePorter
Acceptance of medical handling by senior pets is an obstacle to
provision of quality care. Bailey, 17 yr M/N Shih Tzu, presented for
behavior consultation due to aggression to owner and veterinary staff when
the owner declined euthanasia. Oral sores required intensive treatment but
treatment attempts resulted in multiple uninhibited bites to the staff and
the owner. The concern was not only for the owner’s welfare (79 year old
woman) but also for the alleviation of the dogs suffering since the oral
sores had been present for 6 months.
Bailey was adopted at 5 years of age. He had been groomed
regularly and received regular veterinary care without displaying
aggression previously. At presentation, the owner was still able to brush
Bailey’s teeth without aggressive display but could not administer the
prescribed oral solution. Medical history included major medical
conditions: chronic allergies, Cushing’s disease, bladder stones and a
neck injury which required surgery after a car accident.
In the 6 months prior to presentation, Bailey seemed less engaged
in social interactions, displayed occasional night time waking, con
fusion
and disorientation. Behavior consultation included detailed history,
physical examination and observation. Bailey was diagnosed with defensive
aggression related to cognitive decline. Other rule outs included
neuromuscular pain and resistance to restraint. He paced aimlessly and
displayed a dull manner. Forced physical restraint, verbal
reprimands and “ambush” medical treatments were discontinued. Senilife®,
ADAPTIL® Collar and ADAPTIL® spray were initiated. The behavior
technician demonstrated classical counterconditioning techniques for the
empty vial of mouth wash, low-stress medical handling techniques and the
client was instructed to observe and respect Bailey’s conflict signs as
precursors to aggression. A dilute and palatable wash solution was
prescribed (amoxidrops, prednisolone, diphenhydramine and lidocaine).
Subsequent consultations at 3 and 6 weeks revealed the oral sores healed
completely and Bailey displayed improved cognitive abilities, animated
social interactions and solicitation rather than avoidance of veterinary
procedures.
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Story of the Little
Spinning Horse
Victoria Voith
Case history of a
self-mutilating stallion and treatment outcome. Also short review of
literature re this syndrome. Accompanied by video and PowerPoint visual
aids
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“Slow
is smooth, smooth is fast”
Mark Hines
The
saying has its origins in the military. To the infantryman of World War 1,
slow practice was target practice; it gave you time to get it right, as
well as the time to correct your mistakes. In today’s army the term is
associated more with training of soldiers for close quarter battle, moving
fast or rushing it, is reckless and will likely get you killed. I’d like
to think this old but successful combat military philosophy somehow bleed
over into their K-9 training programs. For the sake of our brave military
and law enforcement K-9 training community, I claim, progressive methods
of dog training have just been a little more cautious in coming. I’m
excited to share some immense and very refreshing changes that have come
about recently in both military and law enforcement K-9 training programs,
and too, discuss some of the challenges that confront both groups in the
near future.
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Case report: Role of Cat
Appeasing Pheromone in the resolution of conflict between
familiar felines
-
Theresa DePorter
Key words: feline aggression, affiliative behaviors, cat
appeasing pheromone
Case presentation:
Long term follow-up on familiar housemate felines (age 4 and 5.5
yrs) recovering from a
redirected aggression event (cat outside home in 2009) revealed
the cats were responding well to an ongoing behavior program (Reconcile,
Feliway, Composure and DS/CC) and affiliative interactions included:
limited near-nose touches, brief periods of sleeping in the same room and
cuffed swats.1 The author speculated Cat Appeasing Pheromone (IRSEA,
France) would further reduce tension and promote affiliative
relationships.2
Treatment and results:
CAP diffusers were used for two one-month periods. The owner kept
journals and noted an increase in cat-cat proximity, more tolerance of
agnostic displays, quicker recovery following encounters and overall
reduced tension, during the periods of CAP. Sleeping proximity was
maintained at within 6” of each other but duration increased to 30
minute periods during the first CAP period and to 1-2 hours multiple times
per week during the second CAP period. The cats were reported to be more
social with familiar people. Both cats were napping or sleeping with the
owners more often and for a longer duration. Cats are noted to solicit
more attention from people (bunting and purring). Both cats visited the
people in bed during the night more often. The cats appeared friendly and
happy and were described as “kitten-like”. During the 2 month long
non-CAP period, there was an increase in hissing, swatting, tailtwitching,
lashing and chasing similar to pre-CAP activities. No injuries occurred.
One of the cats developed mats on the hind quarters. The periods sleeping
with people were reduced in frequency and duration. The cats did not
solicit or invite human attention as much as they did during the CAP
periods.
Conclusion:
Cat Appeasing Pheromone may facilitate feline relationships and
may also enhance feline
relationships with human companions. The effect on human
relationships may be secondary to eased tension between housemate cats.
References:
1 DEPORTER TL., 2011. Case report: role of reconciliation in the
resolution of conflict between familiar felines. 18th Annual Meeting of
the ESVCE European Society of Veterinary Clinical Ethology
Avignon
,
France
.
2 COZZI A., MONNERET P., LAFONT-LECUELLE C., BOUGRAT L., GAULTIER
E., PAGEAT P., 2009. The maternal Cat Appeasing Pheromone: exploratory
study for the effects on aggressive and affiliative interactions in cats.
Proceedings of the 7th International Veterinary Behaviour Meeting,
Edinburgh
,
Scotland
, 113-114.
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Do puzzle toys have long-term benefits on canine cognitive functioning?
Jill
Goldman
Can
cognitive exercises used to address human Alzheimer’s disease help stave
off Canine Dysfunction Disorder? Veterinary
specialties and procedural advancements, new medications, and physical
rehabilitation facilities focus on and succeed at extending the life span
of pets, but what advancements have been made to extend these pets’
cognitive functioning and improve the psychological or behavioral health
of senior pets. It looks like
the pet toy industry is jumping on board and inadvertently addressing the
psychological counterpart of aging with an explosion of puzzle games and
toys. This presentation
includes a list of dog enrichment puzzle toys, videos showing differences
between and within dogs in preference and proficiency, and a proposal for
a retrospective or longitudinal study to whether the increase in dog
puzzle toys is having long-term as well as short-term benefits.
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What
is our value?
Jill Goldman
What
is a credentialed pet behaviorist worth in today’s economy? What is
expected of a credentialed pet behavior professional? Is the field of
applied pet behavior giving away so much information that it is now
expected for free? What are people and hiring agents willing to pay for
the education and experience? According to the American Pet Product
Association, the Pet Industry seems impervious to the economical downturn.
The estimated U.S. Pet Industry expenditure in 2012 is $52 Billion, and
the actual expenditures have shown consistent significant growth since
1994. This presentation will attempt to reveal the perceived financial
worth of a credentialed pet behaviorist using the following variables: a)
competing services (e.g. trainers, vet behaviorists, television shows,
internet), b) job opportunities and requirements (private and non-profit),
and c) associated service fees and salaries. What can the future
generation realistically expect in years to come? What is their best
course of action to retain value and worth?
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Our
role as the Behavior Professional
Crista Coppola
We
are trained as behavior professionals to help owners resolve behavior issues
through behavior modification but sometimes treatment isn't
an option, either by our own recommendation or by the owner's choice.
Whether the decision to not work with the animal is for logistical
reasons, safety reasons or simply an owner's desire not to
continue owning their pet, where/when does our role as the
behavior professional end? Looking for a stimulating discussion with
an exchange of ideas, opinions and thoughts to consider.
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Breed Stereotype and Effects of Handler
Appearance on Perceptions of Pit Bulls
Lisa
Gunter
Previous research has indicated that dog breed stereotypes exist and
that the appearance of a human handler alongside a dog can affect
perceptions of the dog's temperament. The present study looked at
participants' perceptions of a pit bull-type dog in comparison to a
Labrador Retriever and Border Collie; and whether the addition of a rough
adult male, elderly woman or male child influences the dog's perceived
characteristics of approachability, aggressiveness, intelligence,
friendliness, trainability or adoptability. The results indicated that
participants viewed the pit bull least favorably in all six
characteristics when evaluated with the other breeds, confirming the
presence of a negative stereotype.
The appearance of a handler alongside the pit bull influenced
participants' impressions of the dog on characteristics of aggressiveness,
friendliness, approachability and adoptability. When comparing impressions
of the pit bull alone versus alongside a handler, perceived intelligence
improved across all three conditions. Additionally, perceptions of
friendliness and adoptability increased while aggressiveness decreased in
both the elderly woman and male child conditions, and the perception of
friendliness decreased with the presence of the rough male. These findings
demonstrate how the appearance of a human handler in photographs can
influence our perceptions of pit bulls and suggest possibilities for the
use of human handlers to positively affect the perceived qualities of pit
bulls among the general population and particularly those who are
considering adopting a dog.
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Lunch Presentation by Invisible Fence
Suzanne
Hetts & Brian Atkison
It’s
safe to say that a large portion of the training and behavior communities
are not enthusiastic about electronic containment systems.
Concerns include the appropriateness of the outdoor environment
created when the boundary area allows dogs to be close to passersby and
whether containment is even possible in the face of temptations such as
wildlife and other dogs. In
addition, it is believed by many behavior and training experts that both
the containment systems themselves and the training methods for
containment systems often create behavior problems, most often fear and
aggression related.
There
are substantial differences among the brands of electronic containment
products, but unfortunately the generic term for these systems has become
the “invisible fence”, despite the fact that Invisible Fence® is a
specific, registered brand the 40 year old company has worked hard to
protect.
In
this presentation we will discuss a certification and training project
undertaken by Invisible Fence® in cooperation with a panel comprised of
certified and veterinary behaviorists, a certified dog trainer and
certified veterinary technician to review and revise the Perfect Start©
protocol for training dogs to the Invisible Fence® system.
We will also describe the Perfect Start© education and
certification program created for the system installers and the company’s
efforts to have 80% of its dealer network certified in 2013.
Finally, we will demonstrate the complex capabilities of the system’s
programmable transmitter that can be programmed not only for indoor and
outdoor settings but boundary areas customized for multiple family pets. Optionally,
participants can also experience the fine
gradations of electronic stimulation (shock) the product can deliver,
ranging from levels barely discernible to those that definitely hurt.
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