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The following behavioral information is provided to give you tools
to address negative behavioral issues you may be experiencing. It is NOT a replacement, however, for seeking out professional
help. I would encourage you to find a true behavioral specialist, and not just any trainer you can find in the phone
book.
Trainers' techniques can be very different, and any adversive methods
(i.e. choke chains, rolling dogs over on their backs or other dominance training, shock collars, pinch collars, etc) will
NOT be effective in dealing with these problems. True, you may have luck alleviating some of the issues with these methods
through fear and intimidation, but you will only mask the problem and not address the underlying issue. Addtionally,
you may find that this type of training actually exacerbates the problem, and certainly, damages your relationship with your
dog.
A deference protocol is provided to give you understanding about appropriate behavioral modification techniques by Debra Horwitz,
DVM, Diplomate ACVB
Veterinary Behavior Consultations, St. Louis, Missouri.
Thyroid disease can also be an underlying problem with behavioral problems in dogs.
 The following information
about, and by, Ian Dunbar is well worth the reading for canine behavioral issues.
Ian Dunbar PhD, BVetMed,
MRCVS, CPDT is a veterinarian, animal behaviorist, dog trainer, and writer. He received his veterinary degree and
a Special Honours degree in Physiology & Biochemistry from the Royal Veterinary College (London University), and a doctorate
in animal behavior from the Psychology Department at the University of California in Berkeley, where he spent ten years researching
the development of hierarchical social behavior and aggression in domestic dogs. For seven years Dr. Dunbar ran a behavior
clinic specifically for biting dogs. Dr. Dunbar is a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the California Veterinary
Medical Association, the Sierra Veterinary Medical Association, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, and the
Association of Pet Dog Trainers (which he founded).
Over the past 30 years, Dr. Dunbar has given over 750 one-day seminars
and workshops for dog trainers and veterinarians in an effort to popularize off-leash puppy training classes (which he pioneered),
temperament modification, and owner-friendly and dog-friendly dog training. Dr. Dunbar's books, videos, and AKC Gazette "Behavior"
column (which he created), have won numerous awards. Dr. Dunbar is currently Director of the Center for Applied Animal Behavior
in Berkeley, California, where he lives with Kelly, plus Claude, Ollie, Ugly, Mayhem and Dune.
Click here for Ian Dunbar's specific behavioral problem information.
The links below take you to Ian Dunbar's publishing company
to purchase his booklets on these subjects.
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