Wisdom for the Ojai Valley, CA (888) 798-WISDOM
Find out how a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist can help you as a pet owner, or a veterinarian.
Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) website can be a great resource to find a trainer if you are outside my service range. Click here to find a trainer
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BOOKS & RESOURCES:

Heather just co-authored 3 book chapters on reptile behavior
(Snakes, Lizards, and Turtles). This was a large collaborative
publication organized and edited by Dr. Valarie Tynes.
The book "Behavior
of Exotic Pets" was just released in August 2010.
Looking for a good book on dog behavior, diet, or training? Try Dogwise.
Looking for books, handouts, supplies for positive based training on almost any species? Check out Dr. Karen Pryor's website at http://www.clickertraining.com
Nothing makes you a better trainer than trying to train a new species. Check out fish school!
Test your timing with Sniffy the Rat.
Want to take a telecourse to learn more about training or running your own business? Check out Rasing Canine!
Looking for local places to buy high quality food, enrichment, or training supplies for your dog or cat? Try:
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HANDOUTS & BEHAVIOR INFORMATION:
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American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) has great handouts for the pet owner to troublshoot common behavior problems here.
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4 Paws University in California has great handouts on a variety of behavior problems.
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Interested in positive reinforcement or click training? Karen Pryor's website is the best source on the web.
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Sophia Yin, DVM, MS has great handouts as well on a variety of species including exotics.
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Have a new dog or interested in useful tips for making it easier to live with your dog? Go to the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT)website to see the top 7 tips! http://www.apdt.com/default.aspx
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Want to test yourself to see how much you know about training? This link allows you to answer questions about basic learning theory which is needed to successfully train any animal.
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PUNISHMENT TECHNIQUES & DOMINANCE:
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Click here to learn more about using the least intrusive but most effective way of training (I will give you a hint...adding something to stop a behavior is last)
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American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) has several position statements aginst the use of punishment in companion animals and ideas about dominance here.
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Click here to find a handout on problems that can happen when using punishment with your companion.
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4PAws University has tackled the problems that Cesar Milan "The Dog Whisperer"
has created. They list common questions that people ask, and their
answers are thorough and scientifically sound. http://www.4pawsu.com/cesarfans.htm
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SHOCK COLLARS AND INVISIBLE FENCES BEING BANNED!! Many countries are now banning the use of shock collars due to scientific evidence to show it is inhumane and violates Animal Welfare Acts. Whales is the first in the UK. Go Whales!! Electric training collars are already banned in Denmark, Australia,
Germany, Switzerland and Slovenia, and Austria. For more info about
these countries and their bans, open the PDF
link here. See video below of the Whales ban passing in March 2010. Now anyone seen using these devices could pay a $25,000 fine and go to prison for 6 months Here you can read the brief
article.
BREW CITY TAILS WEBSITE. Articles written by Heather and published on thier site are below:
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Are you a shelter or rescue group? Be sure to check out the ASPCA Pro site- filled with dates on thier workshops, ways to fight cruelty, fundrasier ideas, and wasy to save more lives including enrichment ideas, fostor, tranfer programs, and more!
The ASPCA has a "virual behaviorist" to give you tips and ideas on how to change your animal's behavior in a humane and ethical way.
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CAREERS IN ANIMAL BEHAVIOR:
Interested in graduate schools that offer education in animal behavior related field? Go to the Animal Behavior Society Graduate Guide for the US.
Looking for a career in animal behavior? Click here to find out what type of education is needed, the kind of work available, and more links.
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Useful Videos:
Dog Star Daily has a great video on getting your dog used to wearing a muzzle. This same process can be used for a head halter or any equipment your dog may be unsure of in the beginning. Avoid shortcuts by putting something new on the dog and expecting them to "just get used to it". Take the steps needed to condition and your work will be easier and more fun for both you and your dog. If using a muzzle, please be working with a trainer or behaviorist becasue the muzzle may prevent bites but does not change the behavior or emotional state. Also be aware that muzzles can come off when not fitted properly and a dog can still cause significant injury and bruising while wearing one.