Tag: agggressive behavior in dogs

Online Dog Training – Your First and Best Choice

Michael Baugh CDBC CPDT-KSA CSAT

It wasn’t that long ago that folks thought of online dog training (live video coaching) as a second choice. We considered it a good-enough option when in-person training wasn’t available. There are some reasons for that. Dog trainers weren’t as good at remote training as we are today. Fair enough. The other reason, though, is that we just didn’t know what we didn’t know. The pandemic, quite frankly, forced us to immerse ourselves in online learning experiences. Little-by-little it became a welcome part of our comfort zones. We got good at it and we learned how good it could be for us.

Dog training and behavior coaching has some key elements in every case:

  • Setting goals
  • Charting a training plan
  • The trainer modeling specific skills and exercises
  • The client practicing those skills hands-on and getting feedback
  • Review and Follow up

The truth is, not only are all of those things able to be accomplished live on a video connection, some of them are actually better accomplished that way. I take notes for my clients and can often send clients a written training plan the very same day if we are working online. I also record demonstrations and practice sessions and can send a link for those to the client within minutes after our consultation.

And, believe it or not, there are real disadvantages to seeing a client and their dog in-person. For dogs with aggression issues, having a stranger in the home can be very stressful. Half of a training session or more can be wasted just getting the dog to calm down. We don’t have that problem with live video coaching. The client can work with their dog in a calm stress-free environment, skill-building and preparing the dog for real-life encounters later in the process. Dog separation anxiety training is done entirely online. The idea is to help the dog learn how to be calm when left alone. You don’t invite someone over and then leave the dog alone, right? It’s essential that the trainer not be there so that he can monitor your dog’s behavior when left on his own.

It’s normal to have some hesitation around online training. I get it. Many of our clients did at first too. Then the reviews started coming in:

Michael is Very professional and helpful. We were worried about the training being performed virtually at first but found that the training was just as helpful as in person training if not better. – Mary C

I was worried how training might translate over Zoom since we began at the height of COVID, but everything went so smoothly and I think the distance helped Finn to be a bit more natural at home during training sessions. – Corrine B

Even through remote training due to covid, Michael’s professional assessment and training skills shone through and worked wonders. He gave us a customized plan to help her build trust and positive engagement with my husband. – Mabry Family

We met with Michael through Zoom meetings and he helped us immensely with positive training techniques that helped our pup become a loving part of our family. – Pat V

We’ve learned there are other real advantages to live video dog training sessions online, as well.

  • Expert help when you need it. There are still too few dog behaviorists and dog behavior consultants who handle difficult behavior cases. With online coaching you can access experts more easily with less wait time for an appointment.
  • Convenience of scheduling. With no worries about service area or travel time, we can make more evening and weekend time slots available.
  • Expert care and instruction no matter where you are. Online dog behavior coaching is not bound by geography or service area boundaries.
  • Safety. Online coaching is stress-free for dogs with aggression issues.
  • Less stressful for the humans, too. There’s no fuss or worry about having a stranger in your home.
  • Online training costs less.

I’m a watcher of trends. It’s one of my passions. One of the things we are noticing from the pandemic is that we will probably continue to do more work with each other remotely from our own homes. Certainly we crave social interaction in-person. At the same time we are realizing we don’t need that (or want it) for all interactions. If we can get expert help that’s better, quicker, and less expensive, that really should be our first option. Experience has shown me so far it’s likely to be our best option, too.

Michael Baugh teaches dog training in Houston, TX. He’s also able to help people around the world with live video coaching online.

 

 

Covid Pets and the Unexpected Fallout

Michael Baugh CDBC CPDT-KSA

Nineteen months ago, none of us really knew what was coming. Dog behaviorists and trainers predicted and increase in behavior problems from dog separation anxiety to puppy socialization issues to increased resource guarding. We got some of that right. We trainers also braced ourselves for a collapse in business. I had one other trainer working for me in April 2020. At the time I didn’t know whether or not we’d survive financially. In an interview with KTRH Radio in Houston I talked about how we were rebuilding our business model, just so we could make it. Some of our worries and associated predictions were well-founded. There were some increased (and interesting) behavior problems that cropped up. But we got another part completely wrong. Business was going to boom. In fact, we were about to be in over our heads with an increased demand for help.

By some estimates pet ownership increased during the pandemic by more than 40-percent. People who had never had dogs before got dogs or puppies. People who had one or more dogs got a second or a third. By mid 2021 the trend was so apparent it became a meme (apparently air fryers sales did well too). At first glance this may look like great news. We all want to see more cats and dogs adopted – and that was happening. But as with many good things in life, there was a flip side.

As early as Fall 2020 veterinary practices were becoming overwhelmed. All of these new dogs and cats needed medical care. Scheduling a standard vaccination appointment for tomorrow or the next day was off the table. The wait time became a week or two or more. Wait times for emergency care (unless your pet was critical) increased to as much as 8 hours. Even in normal times veterinary medicine is considered an at-risk profession with a higher-than-typical suicide rate (physicians and other caring professions are similarly at risk). Now, with the added cases and little time in the day to catch their breath, veterinarians are burning out. Many are leaving the profession or shifting specialties. Others are dying. Not One More Vet (NOMV) is an organization founded to help keep veterinarians healthy, alive, and in the profession they love. NOMV and your own personal vet will always appreciate your kindness and support.

Dog trainers and behavior consultants were caught in the storm of demand as well. We here at The Behavior Group had to adapt quickly. What started as a two person operation in March 2020 is now a five person operation. (See: Inside Michael’s Dogs – How We Survived 2020). We did well, but one of our trainers got buried under a huge caseload. She had to step away for  break and then eventually left the group. While this person is doing exceptionally well now, other trainers have reportedly left the profession permanently. The ones who remain have full schedules with no openings for 2 to 3 months.

If you’re tempted to roll your eyes at my complaints about being too busy, I get it. Fair enough. The real problem goes beyond just that, though. None of this is happening in a vacuum. Veterinarians and we trainers are all tasked with helping people who, themselves, are under unprecedented pressure. This was literally the subject of my last newsletter. Life is hard right now. The real problem is a toxic blend of more dogs, more demand, and a client base that is hurting more than ever. I’m hearing about the fallout from my friends, fellow trainers, and vets. I’m also seeing it on social media. A well-respected trainer with more than 20-years experience recently posted that they’d considered closing their doors and quitting the profession. But why?

“What people don’t see, or hear, or read,” They wrote, “is what we take on every single day. The hysterical voicemails, the impossible cases that are immediate emergencies, the rude comments, the pressure of social media, the incessant demand for attention right away. The texts at 11pm [demanding]  response or [they will write] a negative review. People truly have no idea. It is not playing with puppies all day.” 

Some people are, frankly, thoughtless and unkind. Another trainer put it in the form of a meme (left). “People are feral since the lockdown, I swear.”

Please do not misinterpret this is a cry for help. It is more of a peek behind the curtain – a look at how the sausage is made – choose your favorite metaphor. Covid puppies. Covid pets. This unexpected fallout. These are all our issues to take on as trainers and behavior consultants and as veterinary professionals. We know self-care. More importantly we know that caring for each other is even more powerful and essential.

I’m not claiming to have figured all this out. But, here is what we are doing in our group. A few months ago we brought on Stephen Kelly as our Client Care Lead. His role is to support our clients and our trainers, both. Stephen can help you with anything from rescheduling an appointment to fixing a typo on your email address in our files. He helps the trainers by assisting you as well, so they can focus on the thing they love – teaching and training. All of us work hard to communicate our process and what we have to offer (I think we set the standard in client learning and support).

We also clearly communicate our boundaries. Boundaries in our group are so important. It’s why we have a clear cancellation polity (this actually helps you plan better, too). We have boundaries around when we accept texts – not just from clients but from each other. This clarity about boundaries lets you know when you will have our full attention. We take days off. These days are do-not-enter zones for recharging our emotional and intellectual batteries. They are so important to us. But, don’t underestimate how important they are to you as well. A rested trainer is smarter, more creative in their teaching and training, and more empathetic.

Empathy. So much of our work is about standing with you as you navigate the path of learning with your dog (it is sometimes a difficult winding path). I’ve been here. I am here with you now. That’s empathy. First Aid Arts posted a Vimeo video with Brené Brown in which she says, “I find Empathy to be infinite. I think it gives back tenfold what you put out. It’s sustaining” There interviewer, named Travis, then jumps in and says, “If you’ve done the work and you have your boundaries you could tread that water forever.” Brown responds, “Okay so, Empathy. I’m quoting Travis here. Empathy. If you’ve done your work and set your boundaries you can tread that water forever. Amen!”

I’ll second that. Amen, indeed.

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Michael Baugh teaches dog training in Houston, TX. He leads Michael’s Dogs Behavior Group – and amazingly talented team of people-care professionals. 

Meet Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Lore Haug

Michael Baugh CDBC CPDT-KSA

Tons of folks have heard of Dr. Lore Haug. Many of you have probably worked with her to help your dog or cat with behavior issues. Dr. Haug is a board certified veterinary behaviorist here in the Houston Area. For those of us at Michael’s Dogs Behavior Group she is a trusted colleague, a mentor, and a friend. Dr. Haug is who we routinely turn to for professional counsel (often with our own pets) as well as personal chats to celebrate or commiserate. We work with lots of her patients. Collaborating with a professional of Dr. Haug’s caliber is a privilege and a joy. I feel particularly lucky to have her in my life.

Dr. Haug has been a veterinarian since 1993. She actually started out in general practice with a strong interest in neurology. But, Dr. Haug also had a keen interest in training and behavior that went all the way back to her childhood. “My love of training persisted through college and veterinary school, so when I graduated, it was a logical progression to evolve my love of training with the physiology and neuroscience behind the learning process.”

Dr. Haug became a board certified veterinary behaviorist in 2002. “Veterinary behavioral medicine is one of the only disciplines in our profession where residents receive education in all aspects of veterinary medicine.” Dr. Haug and I chatted about her beginnings and a range of other topics. Here is our brief conversation, mostly unedited.

MB: People often get the various behavior professionals confused. What exactly is a veterinary behaviorist? What is it that you bring to the table that is different from what we do as Certified Dog (and Cat) Behavior Consultants?

LH:  The term “veterinary behaviorist” simply refers to a veterinarian that practices behavioral medicine. Technically, there is no legal restriction on the use of this term; however, within the veterinary profession, there are strict guidelines for being able to use the term “specialist”.

While board certified veterinary behaviorists do receive extensive education in learning principles and behavior modification, our program is still centered around medicine and how the animal’s physiology and medical status relates with its behavior issue as well as the treatment modalities that may be utilized. So we are uniquely qualified to evaluate both the animal’s brain (and behavior) and its body.

MB: You have such excellent training skills that, honesty, some behaviorists lack. How important are solid training techniques to the work you do?

LG: While you can learn quite a bit by reading books, watching videos, and watching other trainers, there are nuances that can only be gleaned by personal training challenges. Decades ago, many veterinary behaviorist did lack hands-on training skills. I feel this was in part because the origin of our discipline focused highly on medicine and ethology. Our newer generation of boarded veterinary behaviorists has an impressive array of hands-on skill and experience.

Other individuals, such as myself, started in this discipline as trainers. This is how our love of behavior melded with our passion for medicine. I love training. While I certainly find solving the puzzle of a medical problem very reinforcing, taking the journey through a learning process with an animal is equally if not more reinforcing to me. So despite the fact that I work with an amazing group of trainers in the city, and have a talented behavior technician myself, I will never want to completely relinquish those hands-on training challenges entirely to those individuals

MB: A lot of folks got dogs during the Covid 19 pandemic. I am sure many have ended up in your office. What do you wish every new dog owner knew that would keep them from having to see you or us for help later down the line?

LH: Bringing an animal into your family is an obligation and there are certain minimal interventions that must be provided to ensure that animal’s mental and physical well-being. Many of my acquaintances and clients are surprised to discover that I have only one dog and one horse, but I realize that spreading my time and financial resources across more animals will only do them all a disservice as none of them will receive the level of attention and care that they deserve to keep them happy and healthy. Educating the animal is one of these obligations; we can’t expect them to be well behaved if it is our fault that they are “illiterate.”

So as the famous Ken Ramirez states, training is an obligation just like feeding and watering your pet. It is not something that you do only if or when you have time.

MB: The world is changing super fast. There are young trainers coming up the ranks and new technology emerging every day it seems. Look in your crystal ball. When you imagine the future of dog training and behavior care what do you see?

LH: The comment about new technology is interesting. I think technology can fall into categories that are going to make us better trainers, behaviorists, and pet parents – or that are going to remove us from the picture.

Science and technology that provides new knowledge allowing us to improve our relationship with our animals, design training protocols that provide more clarity, and further reduce stress during the learning process will be a boon to our professions.

However, there been a few devices come out over the years that essentially allow owners to care for or train their pets with a device rather than in person. Training is largely about establishing a bond and a relationship with your learner. Removing the owner from the equation, especially for a social species that evolved to live and bond to humans, will not have a good outcome. This type of technology is going to be extremely detrimental to our animals’ behavior and welfare in our relationship with them. What’s the point of having a dog if you don’t want to talk to it, touch it, and take a learning journey together? How sad if we missed seeing the expression on our dogs’ faces when they earn a
reinforcement or solve a training puzzle? My oxytocin level is probably dropping just thinking about how I would feel if I could not come home to my dog or go out to the barn and see the eagerness and “joy” in my dog’s or horse’s face at the chance to have a training session together.

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Dr. Lore Haug is a Diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. Her practice, Texas Veterinary Behavior Services is based in Sugar Land, TX.

Michael Baugh leads Michael’s Dogs Behavior Group. He teaches dog training in Houston, TX.