When we compare the lives of wild animals to that of our pets, there is a striking difference in their activity levels. Dogs, cats, birds, hamsters and gerbils of all sorts, spend a large part of their days just lying…
Blog Archives
Enrichment – 8 easy ways to increase your dog’s quality of life
Tagged with: Animal training, Dog, Dog training, enrichment, human dog bond, Jennifer Cattet, Smart Animal Training Systems, Technology
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog/human relationship, Psychology, Resource, Technology, Training tools
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog/human relationship, Psychology, Resource, Technology, Training tools
Social referencing: we influence how our dog sees the world
When we’re unsure about a novel situation, our first response is to look around and check how others are reacting. This behavior is easy to spot when watching hidden camera TV shows where a person faced with an ambiguous situation…
Tagged with: Animal training, Dog, human dog bond, Jennifer Cattet, Smart Animal Training Systems, social referencing
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog/human relationship, emotions, Fear, Psychology, science
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog/human relationship, emotions, Fear, Psychology, science
Smaller dogs, bigger problems?
From Rin tin tin to Lassie, Benjie and Beethoven, medium to large dogs have dominated the Hollywood scenes, the TV shows as well as our homes. Often statements of prosperity, leadership and strength, dogs convey a certain image we have…
Tagged with: Animal training, Dog, dog behavior problems, dog fear, human dog bond, Jennifer Cattet, small dogs, Smart Animal Training Systems
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, Fear
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, Fear
2013 – A year to remember! Top 10 blogs.
What a year! Year 2013 has been a journey for all of us at Smart Animal Training Systems, on many levels. It was a year of many beginnings, of exhilarating moments as well as growing pains. In March we launched…
Tagged with: Animal training, Dog, Jennifer Cattet, Pet Tutor, Smart Animal Training Systems
Posted in Bob Bailey, Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, Positive Animal Training, science, Technology
Posted in Bob Bailey, Dog behavior, Dog training, Dog/human relationship, Positive Animal Training, science, Technology
Treated fear can return – even to the next generation
As I have mentioned in a few other posts, the vast majority of behaviors that we deem problematic in our dogs, such as, barking, biting, lunging, destruction, separation anxiety or resource guarding, stem from the dog’s fear, anxiety or panic.…
Tagged with: DNA, Dog, dog behavior, Fear in dogs, Jennifer Cattet, Smart Animal Training Systems
Posted in Dog behavior, Educational, Fear, Psychology, science
Posted in Dog behavior, Educational, Fear, Psychology, science
New study sheds light on serious to fatal dog bites
The bond between man and dog goes far back in the history of mankind and countless studies point to the benefits of owning a dog. Yet, there are times where the relationship between the two species takes a turn for…
Tagged with: Dog, dog aggression, dog bites, human dog bond, Jennifer Cattet, Smart Animal Training Systems
Posted in Children, Dog behavior, Dog/human relationship, Fear, science
Posted in Children, Dog behavior, Dog/human relationship, Fear, science
Generalization in dogs and humans – the difference is in the brain
My dog sits perfectly during the training sessions, but looks at me with a blank stare when I ask her to sit when we’re in the park. Why is it that dogs can’t figure out that ‘sit’ in my house…
Tagged with: Dog, dog brain scans, dog cognition, Dog training, generalization, Jennifer Cattet, SMART, Smart Animal Training Systems
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog/human relationship, Educational, Psychology, science
Posted in Dog behavior, Dog/human relationship, Educational, Psychology, science
Thanks for Giving – to all the shelter and rescue workers
An estimated 3-4 million cats and dogs are put to death in the US alone (according to the APPA statistics). That’s a fantastic decrease from to 12-20 million that were euthanized in the 70s, especially since the overall number of…
Tagged with: abandonment, animal shelters, human dog bond, Jennifer Cattet, Pets, Smart Animal Training Systems
Posted in Dog/human relationship, Misc, Shelter
Posted in Dog/human relationship, Misc, Shelter
When is controlling our dog too controlling?
When teachers, psychologists and parents are asked which methods are more acceptable when teaching our children, they consistently prefer a positive-reinforcement based approach over the use of punishment. A punitive approach to behavior is not only less effective, but it…
Separation Anxiety in Dogs – A Consultant’s High Tech Toolkit
Dogs are social creatures and fit naturally into our human society because they are biologically driven to form bonds with others. They love being in our company and are always happy when we give them attention, play time, or a…