[ad_1] One of the great gifts animals give us is helping us learn to be vulnerable, and to love without reservation or fear of loss. I was chatting with a friend who had not had a pet in many years, and he explained to me that he had owned a dog, it had died, and […]
Restraint – Talented Animals Blog
[ad_1] I hear often from people whose pets “hate” baths, or having their nails done, or some other activity, and when I ask them to show me or tell me more, it is immediately obvious that the animal is not objecting to the activity per se, but to being restrained. So I wanted to discuss […]
Education Protects Against the Vagaries of Life – Talented Animals Blog
[ad_1] I have written many times about how and why education is critical to the life of an animal. How it builds confidence, develops intelligence, strengthens bonds, etc.. How learning begets more learning, and understanding begets comfort, relaxation, and joy. I go on and on about this from the animals’ perspective because it is one […]
Contextualizing Loss – Talented Animals Blog
[ad_1] A friend asked recently what was the best technique I have found for coping with the grief of losing a beloved pet, and in the instant of loss I had no great advice other that to reassure her that, in time, the pain and grief subside a bit and all the joy and love […]
But My Vet Said… – Talented Animals Blog
[ad_1] Your veterinarian is a crucial part of the team keeping your pet healthy, and they have extensive knowledge and expertise that should be heard and incorporated diligently if you want to do what is best for your animal. However, many people seem to imagine that vet school or a few years of practice has […]
Emotional States as Training Goals – Talented Animals Blog
[ad_1] For most of the last twenty-five years, if you had asked me to define my training style, I probably would have identified myself as a “joy trainer.” My central defining characteristic as a trainer has been to find and develop joy in playing the game; to determine ways to ensure that doing whatever behavior […]
Seek the suck! – Talented Animals Blog
[ad_1] There are many trite inspirational sayings and anecdotes about embracing challenge and struggle in life, for it is in these moments that growth occurs. (One of my favorites is the story of how a reporter asked Muhammed Ali how many sit-ups he performed, and he answered that he had no idea, because he did […]
A Letter to Veterinarians – Talented Animals Blog
[ad_1] Over the past few years, a bit of a disconnect has developed between many veterinarians and their clients, and I wanted to share a slightly different perspective on the problem and suggest that it might be somewhat ameliorated by vets rethinking some of how they operate: Many articles and memes have been written about […]
Considerations Impacting if and when to Surgically Neuter Male Dogs – Talented Animals Blog
[ad_1] There are many articles on the internet about neutering: pros, cons, optimal age, etc.… And there have been many interesting studies worth perusing, and considerable research about the physiological factors including joint issues and cancer. (I am not including links because this is an ongoing area of research and new studies appear regularly) I […]
Seek Your Tribe – Talented Animals Blog
[ad_1] There are respected, successful, talented, effective trainers at nearly every point along the spectrum of “hardness.” (Personally, I think the very best trainers tend to have superb balance of the various principles along the majority of the spectrum, and can shift themselves as the animal and situation demands, but that is a topic for […]