I train service dogs for a living. Where do I get my dogs? From the local shelters! 100% of the dogs that we train and place as service dogs come predominantly from the local Humane Societies and rescue groups and have…
Blog Archives
10 steps to getting a great dog from the shelter
Tagged with: abandonment, animal shelters, Dog, human dog bond, Jennifer Cattet, Smart Animal Training Systems
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, Misc, Resource, Shelter
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, Misc, Resource, Shelter
The Insider’s Secrets to Teaching Words to Dogs
For as long as humans have lived with animals, we’ve fantasized about being able to hold conversations with them. Throughout much of the traditional literature we can find people and animals talking together, from Eve and the serpent in the…
Acts of punishment are stronger than rewards
We sometimes assume that choosing punishment or rewards in training is merely a matter of personal preferences. We use the tools that we deem the most effective, and that we have grown proficient with. If we can teach a dog…
Shelter dogs: studies highlight why some are adopted, others aren’t
The leading cause of death of our companion dogs is euthanasia in shelters. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), about 60% of dogs entering shelters are euthanized (ASPCA 2011). Some of these dogs…
Tagged with: animal shelters, Animal training, Dog, dog behavior, dog shelter, Jennifer Cattet, Pet Tutor, Smart Animal Training Systems
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Misc, Shelter
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Misc, Shelter
Loose Leash Walking Fundamentals
How wonderful is it to take a nice stroll in the park with our dog? We’re enjoying the cool breeze in our hair, the sound of birds in the trees and just sharing a nice stress releasing moment with our…
Medical Detection Dogs: new applications for life saving canines
What would you do if your dog was constantly sniffing or even trying to bite a mole off of your leg? Today, you might take it seriously and run to the doctor’s office, but 20 years ago, who could have…
Tagged with: Animal training, c. difficile dog, cancer detection dog, diabetes alert dog, Dog, Jennifer Cattet, medical alert dog, medical detection dog, Pet Tutor, seizure dog, service dog, Smart Animal
Posted in Dog training, scent, science
Posted in Dog training, scent, science
When science and dog training come together – SPARCS 2014
Dog lovers from all walks of life are often convinced that they have a fairly strong understanding of dog behavior. From the dog guardians to the dog professionals, most feel confident about interpreting canine behavior and are quick at dispensing…
Tagged with: #SPARCS2014, Animal training, Behavior, dog cognition, Dog training, Ethology, human dog bond, Jennifer Cattet, Pet Tutor, Smart Animal Training Systems, SPARCS 2014
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, Educational, Misc, science
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, Educational, Misc, science
Choke collars, prong collars or flat collars are harmful training tools
Since dogs aren’t allowed to walk around the world freely, our canines are required to wear some kind of equipment that we can hook the leash to. For many guardians, taking a walk with their dog is often quite challenging…
Tagged with: choke chain, choke collar, dog collar, dog walking, Jennifer Cattet, Pet Tutor, prong collar, Smart Animal Training Systems, walking on leash
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, Misc, Training tools
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, Misc, Training tools
Is your body language helping or confusing your animal?
Humans and their pets understand one another on many basic levels. We can even extend this statement and recognize that we are capable of a certain level of interpretation of the intentions of wild species. We can identify most expressions…
Tagged with: abrantes, Animal training, Behaviorism, Dog, dog cognition, Dog training, Ethology, Jennifer Cattet, Smart Animal
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, emotions, Horse, Misc, science
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, emotions, Horse, Misc, science
Dog barking: different types and treatments
Barking is loud, obnoxious, irritating and is very hard to tolerate. It’s meant to be! When a baby cries, we feel an insurmountable urge to do something about it. In the same way, when our dog barks, we’re compelled to…
Tagged with: Animal training, Barking, Dog, dog emotions, Dog training, dogs, human dog bond, Jennifer Cattet, Pet Tutor, reward based training, Smart Animal Training Systems
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, emotions, Fear, Misc, Psychology, Separation anxiety
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, emotions, Fear, Misc, Psychology, Separation anxiety