New to my blog? Or just looking for a specific entry? Either way, you're in luck. This page contains links to some of my favorite and most popular entries. Posts about seminars I've attended can be found here. Also, don't forget to check out the tags in the side bar to the right!
POSTS ON REACTIVITY
Introduction to Reactivity
What is Reactivity?
Reactivity is a Spectrum
What Ring Nerves Have Taught Me About Reactivity
Help! I think my dog is reactive! What do I do?
Things You Need to Understand About Your Dog
Why Growling is Good!
Good Dogs Bite, Too: The Bite Threshold Model
It's Not All About the Dog
Unreasonable Expectations and Reasonable Expectations
Labels and Perceptions
Labels vs. Descriptions: Talking about Behavior
You Can't Fix it All... and That's Okay
You Can't Fix it All... but You Do Need to Manage It
Be (On Mindfulness and Being Present)
Compassion Fatigue: Caring for Yourself so You Can Care for Your Dog
Rehabilitating Reactive Dogs
Why You Need a Trainer (Even if You Can't Afford One)
Why Punishing Anxiety Doesn't Work
Your Best Tool: A High Rate of Reinforcement
It's Okay to Comfort Your Fearful Dog
Can You Reinforce Fear?
Two helpful tools: Behavior Logs and Videos
Namaste: Lessons from Yoga on Going at Your Own Pace
The Effect of Stress
How Stress Affects the Body: A Personal Story
The Stress Bathtub: A Visual Guide to Thresholds
What to do After a Stressful Event
Protecting Your Reactive Dog
Citronella Spray: Should You Use It? and Practice Makes Perfect!
Can I Pet Your Dog? Saying No Without Sounding Like a Jerk
When You Show Your Reactive Dog
Should Reactive Dogs Be Allowed at Trials?
Skills Reactive Dogs Need to Trial
Thoughts on Trial Stress
Ways to Reduce Trial Stress
Other Posts on Reactivity
The Dentist's Gift: Giving Warnings Before Scary Things Happen
Moving with a Reactive Dog
MEDICATION FOR REACTIVE DOGS
Should You Consider Meds?
Proceed with Caution: Meds Aren't Magic
The Prescribing Professional
Why People are Resistant to Meds, and Why You Shouldn't Be
Personal Experience with Meds
What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
Baseline Data
Maisy's First Appointment with the Veterinary Behaviorist
Updates: Week 2, Week 4, Week 6, Week 8 and the logs
Maisy's Second Appointment
Updates: Week 2, Week 4, Week 6, Week 8
5 months
6 months
Recheck Appointment, June 2011: Behavior Logs, Before and After Videos, More Videos, Future Plans
The Search for a Short-Acting Drug: The Trazodone Disaster, Clonidine
One Year on Meds
Two Years on Meds
Three Years on Meds
Supplements for Reactive Dogs
Not medication, but some people choose to use supplements instead. Here's what I learned about them (even if I ultimately chose to use meds instead).
Introduction
Tryptophan and 5-HTP
Melatonin and L-theanine
Vitamin B Complex
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Dog Appeasing Pheromones
Homeopathy and Flower Essences
Valerian Root and Chinese Medicine
GENERAL TRAINING POSTS
About Positive Training
Positive Training: More Than Just Ignoring the Bad
What it Means to be a Positive Trainer
Why I Love My Clicker
Thoughts on Other Training Methods
Do Methods Matter?
Be True: The Use of Self in Dog Training
Beep, Beep! Punishment in Dog Training
Learning Theory 101
Part 1: What is Learning Theory?
Part 2: Classical Conditioning
Part 3: Desensitization and Counter-Conditioning
Part 4: Operant Conditioning
Part 5: Extinction
Reinforcement 101
Part 1: Discovering What Your Dog Likes
Part 2: Determining Value
Part 3: When to Use a High Value Reinforcer vs. a Low Value Reinforcer
Part 4: Choosing the Right Reinforcer for the Situation
DOG TRAINERS TRAIN... PEOPLE!
Thank You For Not Shaming Me
Watch Your Thoughts
Who's the Expert?: On the Need for Humility in Trainers
Your Dog: Why Trainers Need to Respect Their Students
MISC.
Choosing a Vet
The Joy of Food Toys
We Can't Save Them All
Last updated: December 20, 2013
