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#dr sophia yin
choclodox · 7 months
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⁣⁣ Here she is: Dr. Michelle Yin, the only xenoveterinarian in the avatar program.⁣
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She’s definitely a smart cookie, both book-wise and real-world wise. She was in a program that let her finish her bachelor’s degree early and then went to Pandora to pay off that student debt (which is BRUTAL if you go to vet school). ⁣⁣
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I will establish that she was 12 years younger than Maria, but she was 31 and Maria was 43 when they met. There was NO mind mind gap: Michelle already knew what it was like to pay bills, rent, taxes, debt, and how relationships work. And when you work with animals in the vet world, you learn real quick that you can’t be afford to be uncertain about important decisions in life.⁣⁣
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That and you have to have a certain personality to want to work up-close and personal with Pandora’s animals—even the ones that want to rip your face off. The Na’vi have a close relationship with animals, so Grace figured that Dr. Yin could be a great way to help build a bridge between the humans and the Na’vi. But then the school shooting happened.⁣⁣
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And since I’m partial to the animal science world (since for the longest time I wanted to be a vet), I figured I should give the Vet Med world some representation. They really don’t get enough recognition for the hard work and strife that their industry goes through (that’s why I named her after Dr. Sophia Yin).⁣⁣
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Seriously, when I tell you that I am DISGUSTED with how few veterinarian characters I’ve ever seen in fictional stories…⁣
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darkwood-sleddog · 2 years
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@chemistfail
I totally understand that frustration. Dog Training is an unregulated industry which does make it hard to cut through this sort of stuff.
You can start by educating yourself on Dog Behavior Science in general. Becoming more widely familiar with the actual science behind why dogs behave the way they do will help you personally cut through a lot of the crap. People like Patricia McConnell Ph.D. and Dr. Sophia Yin DVM MS are great starting points. I enjoy resources from other sources, but also think it's important to not overwhelm you as a newbie. and I'll stress here that I'm not a dog trainer nor an expert in the field. When looking at articles on dog training & animal behavior it's also important to look for the qualifications of the author. What titles do they have? What experience do they have that makes them worth listening to? A tv show, podcast (and even a tumblr blog for example) are not to be lauded as reasons to listen.
Some further tips:
1.) associate yourself with the theory of behavioral quadrants. Note that these terms will come up a lot by a wide variety of trainers and is also often applied to the behavioral science of other animals (such as the cooperative behaviors and positive association behaviors we see being done to better medically treat animals in zoos).
2.) Never take advice from anybody that believes in alpha/dominance theory. This is outdated science. HERE's a nice article by the VCA Animal Hospitals that goes over various myths vs reality.
3.) Always be aware on what the trainers you may follow online are doing. Because the industry is unregulated you need to decide for yourself what defines somebody as a "yes" or "no" for yourself. For example I recently had an ongoing battle helping my neighbors get a certified positive reinforcement trainer to stop letting their off leash day camp dogs that they were unable to control run all over private property where they were not wanted. In this case every qualification and scientific application was there for me, but the person training and running the camp was not a responsible and good person. On the other side while many dog trainers call themselves "balanced" (balanced being the idea that they pull from all or multiple or the behavioral quadrants to train) many are instead purely aversive trainers and often skirt the line of vague alpha theory. It is important to vet everybody you seek to learn from regardless of their training philosophy.
I'm sure some other more educated folks will also chime in, but best of luck!
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Perfect Puppy in 7 Days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right
New Post has been published on https://bestnaturalpetfoodstore.com/perfect-puppy-in-7-days-how-to-start-your-puppy-off-right/
Perfect Puppy in 7 Days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right
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With 400 photos and a step-by-step plan, this puppy book visually guides you through socialization, potty training, and life skills while making the process fun.
Dr. Marty Becker; “America’s Veterinarian” of Good Morning America, says, “This is like no other puppy book you’ve seen before. It’s not just about teaching your puppy manners, it’s a step-by-step recipe for bonding with your puppy, learning to communicate with him, and preparing you pup for life! With Dr. Yin’s approach your puppy will learn more in a week than many dogs learn in a year!”
Victoria Stillwell from Animal Planet’s “It’s Me or the Dog” says, ” This book is a must-have for any puppy parent or canine educator.”
Dr. Johan Bradshaw, author of “Dog Sense” says, “This book is a comprehensive and humane guide to puppy behavior and training, incorporating a detailed guide on how to interpret your puppy’s body language. Worth buying for the socialization advice and checklist alone.”
Dr. Ellen Lindell, veterinary behaviorist, states, “This well-organized book is filled with essential information about puppy development and learning. Experts and novices alike will appreciate the illustrations and analogies that turn science into a clear and enjoyable read. Most important, Dr. Yin offers a plan that incorporates critical socialization and training into a daily routine. It will be a puppy life-saver.”
Nancy Abplanalp of “Thinking Dogs” says, “I own tons of dog training books and none of them are as much fun to read as this one. It’s accurate and easy to access. The puppy socialization chapters and checklist are especially well done. If you have a puppy, work with puppies, raise puppies, or just plain like puppies, get this book.
Chapters include: • How Your Puppy Developed Before You Got Her • Why Start Training So Soon? • Preparing for the Puppy • A Foolproof Potty Training Program • Dr. Sophia Yin’s Learn to Earn Program for Puppies • Socializing Your Pup to Dogs, People and Handling • A Head Start on All the Rest
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logan-maya · 7 years
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One more thing. People are comparing it to the forceful restraint involved in veterinary procedures and nail trims, etc. The difference is - 1. those are necessary, a film scene is not, and 2. good trainers will put in the work to make these procedures as comfortable for their animals as possible.
Dr Sophia Yin revolutionised the concept of low stress handling in veterinary clinics. If this can be implemented for painful and uncomfortable medical procedures, then of course it can be implemented for animals who are performing. In fact, there is actually no reason to physically restrain an animal who is performing, because you should never force an unwilling animal to comply. But I’ve attached a link with more information on the low-stress handling algorithm. There is also a Fear Free clinic certification program which promotes the same idea, reducing stress at the vets. There are no excuses. This is my last post now, I just needed to voice my views on here, after opening tumblr to see dog people defending the video. Smh.
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80s4life · 3 years
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Character/Movie List
Below is movies and TV shows I like personally and are lsited as a reference. If you don't see something you're interested in, it is not that I don't like it, it is because I most likely forgot it because I love so many movies/shows tbh. Just ask, and I'll answer! And, from the Rules and Regulations page, what I had meant by "mostly" is that I can dabble outside of the acting world and into actors/actresses themselves and/or singers, popstars, etc.
{Another side-note, I am not so much into shows, but mostly movies! Although, there are some exceptions that I love beyond belief!}
MOVIES
Back to the Future Series:
Biff Tannen
Griff Tannen (Maybe, he wasn't the best of the Tannen's imo)
Buford Tannen
Marty McFly
George McFly
Doc Brown
Lorraine Baines
Match
Titanic:
Rose DeWitt Bukater
Jack Dawson
Caledon Hockley
Brock Lovett
Rabrizio De Rossi
Thomas "Tommy" Ryan
Karate Kid Series {1/2/3}:
1-
John Kreese
Mr. Miyagi
Johnny Lawrence
Daniel LaRusso
Tommy
Dutch
Bobby Brown (not so much; don't know him too well)
Ali Mills
Lucille LaRusso
2-
Chozen
Kumiko
3-
Terry Silver (duh lmao)
Mike Barnes (also duh)
Jessica Andrews
Stand By Me:
Vern Tessio
Billy Tessio
Gordie LaChance
Chris Chambers
Eyeball Chambers
Ace Merrill
Teddy Duchamp
Goonies:
Brand
Mikey
Chunk
Mouth
Data
Andy
Stef
Jake Fratelli (he was kinda hot ngl)
Ferris Bueller's Day Off:
Ferris Bueller
Jeanie Bueller
Cameron Frye
Sloane Peterson
License to Drive:
Les Anderson
Dean
Mercedes Lane
Charles
Toy Soldiers:
Billy Tepper
Joey Trotta
Snuffy Bradberry
Ricardo Montoya
Hank Giles
Derek/Yogurt
Scream Movie Series {1/2}:
1-
Billy Loomis
Stu Macher
Dwight "Dewey" Riley
Ghostface
Randy Meeks
Tatum Riley
Sidney Prescott
Gale Weathers
2-
Cotton Weary
Derek Feldman
Mickey
Predator:
Dutch
Blain
Yautja
Escape Plan:
Emil Rottmayer/ "Victor Maheim"
Ray Breslin/ "Anthony Portos"
The Expendables:
Barney Ross
Lee Christmas
Toll Road
Tool
Gunnar Jensen
Bao Thao/ "Yin Yang"
Hale Caesar
Trench
Church
Divergent Movie Series {1/2/3}:
Divergent-
Beatrice "Tris" Prior
Caleb Prior
Peter
Tobias "Four" Eaton
Christina "Chris"
Eric Coulter
Will
Insurgent-
Marcus Eaton
Allegiant-
Matthew
Terminator Series:
T-100/"Uncle Bob"/Terminator
T-1000 "Austin"
John Connor
Sarah Connor
Grace
Dani Ramos
Dazed and Confused:
David Wooderson
Fred O'Bannion
Randall "Pink" Floyd
Ron Slater
Don Dawson
Mitch Kramer
Benny O'Donnell
Rocky Series:
Rocky Balboa
Apollo Creed
Captain Ivan Drago
Zombieland {1/2}:
Tallahassee
Columbus
Berkeley
Witchita
Little Rock
Madison
Lethal Weapon Movie Series {1/2/3/4}:
Martin Riggs
Roger Myrtaugh
Rianne Murtaugh
Leo Getz
Goodfellas:
Henry Hill
Jimmy Conway
Tommy DeVito
Karen Hill
Marvel:
Avengers Heroes-
Iron Man/Tony Stark
Thor
Ant-Man/Scott Lang
Hulk/Bruce Banner
Captain America/Steve Rogers
Hawkeye/ Clint Barton
Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff
Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff
Black Panther/T'Challa
Vision/Victor Shade
Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff
Mantis
Spider-Man/Peter Parker
Doctor Strange/Stephen Strange
Avengers Anti-Heroes/Antagonists:
Yondu Udonta
Loki Laufeyson
Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes
Whiplash
Thanos
Mysterio
Kaecilius
Ronan
Hela
Ultron
Wolverine/Deadpool:
Wolverine/Logan Howlett
Sabretooth/Victor Creed
Bolt/Chris Bradley
Gambit/Remy LeBeau
Cyclops/Scott Summers
(Younger!)Professor X
Deadpool/Wade Wilson
Cable/Nathan Summers
Colossus/Piotr "Peter" Nikolayevich Rasputin
Dopinger
Weasel
Negasonic Teenage Warhead/Ellie Phimister
DC Universe:
Superman/Clark Kent (Henry Cavill)
Batman/Bruce Wayne (Affleck, Bale versions)
Aquaman/Arthur Curry
Wonder Woman/Diana Prince
Harley Quinn
Joker (Leto, Ledger, Phoenix versions)
Deadshot
Captain Boomerang
Enchantress
Rick Flagg
Bane (Tom Hardy)
TV Shows
Stranger Things:
Mike Wheeler
Nancy Wheeler
Will Byers
Joyce Byers
Johnathan Byers
Maxine "Max" Hargrove
Billy Hargrove
Dustin Henderson
Lucas Sinclair
Robin Buckley
Jim Hopper
Steve Harrington
Sex Education:
Erric Effiong
Aimee Gibbs
Adam Groff
Ola Nyman
Rahim
Otis Milburn
Maeve Wiley
Hannibal (Show):
Hannibal Lector
Will Graham
Dr. Alana Bloom
Jack Crawford
Abigail Hobbs
Orange Is the New Black (OITNB):
Piper Chapman
Nicky Nichols
Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren
Galina "Red" Reznikov
Tasha "Taystee" Jefferson
Dayanara "Daya" Diaz
Gloria Mendoza
Lorna Morello
Tiffany "Pennsatucky" Doggett
Alex Vause
Joel Luschek
Big Boo
Maritza Ramos
Poussey Washington
Yoga Jones
Gina Murphy
Brook Soso
Sophia Burst
George "Pornstache" Mendez
Larry Bloom
Polly Harper
Stella Carlin
The Boys:
Billy Butcher
Starlight/Annie January
Hughie Campbell
Homelander
Kimiko Miyashiro
Queen Maeve/Maggie Shaw
Mother's Milk "M.M."
The Deep/Kevin Moskowitz
Frenchie
Stormfront
Becca Butcher
The Walking Dead (TWD):
Daryl Dixon
Merle Dixon
Rick Grimes
Carl Grimes
Lori Grimes
Maggie Greene
Beth Greene
Glenn Rhee
Negan Smith
Michonne Hawthorne
Carol Peletier
Shane Walsh
Paul "Jesus" Monroe
Eugene Porter
Sgt. Abraham Ford
Outer Banks (OBX):
Sarah Cameron
Rafe Cameron
Ward Cameron
JJ
John B
Topper
Pope
Kiara
Shameless:
Frank Gallagher
Fiona Gallagher
Lip Gallagher
Ian Gallagher
Debbie Gallagher
Carl Gallagher
Kevin Ball
Veronica Fisher
Mickey Milkovich
Mandy Milkovich
Svetlana
Jimmy "Steve" Lishman
Karen Jackson
Cobra Kai
Miguel Diaz
Eli "Hawk" Moskowitz
Robby Keene
Demetri
Carmen Diaz
John Kreese (baby version & old version)
Terry Silver (baby version & old version)
Tory Nichols
Samantha "Sam" LaRusso
...AND MANY MORE!
If there is something or someone you like not on this list, feel free to ask or direct message me! For movies like the DC Universe and Marvel, if there is multiple actors of that character and you want a certain one, please make sure that you add that detail!
Rules & Regulations
Masterlist
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audible-smiles · 4 years
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hey Makenzie! We don't know each other like at all but I like updating you on my dog with the skin issues: she got allergy tested (I finally saved up a good bit of $) and she is allergic to almost EVERYTHING! now I'm giving her immune shot things and do you have insight on when she might stop scream crying bc of the needle? So far so good tho! Also she is allergic to yeast and has a skin yeast infection bc of the allergies and I just find it ironic. Thanks for being a cool vet tech!
Hi, yes, I remember! Atopic dermatitis can be of the most frustrating conditions in veterinary medicine, just for the time/effort/money that goes into it, so thank you on behalf of your pup for sticking with it. 
Since I don’t work for a dermatologist I’m not experienced with immunotherapy injections; what gauge of needle do they have you using? Sometimes downsizing can make it less painful, but its not always practical given the amount/type of medication you have to give. 
At work we often have a ‘head tapper’; literally someone who’s job it is to pat a dog vigorously on the head to provide a stimulus which distracts from the needle poke. We also sometimes smear peanut butter on these things as a distraction, or hypoallergenic canned food if they can’t have PB.
Dr. Sophia Yin has some excellent books on the process of desensitization and counter conditioning dogs so they are comfortable with medical care, and here’s a link I found to a quick guide she wrote about injections specifically.
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dogsofimladris · 5 years
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quitesorry · 6 years
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parakavka replied to your post: ooof abotu to get in a argument on twitter over...
no idea why choke chains are still available for sale when the gentle leader is better and safer
i know like... if your dog is reactive, use a muzzle and if you have trouble controlling them use a gentle leader/harness... if you STILL have trouble controlling them then you should probably look into rehoming or extensive training... :o( i just can't stand it when ppl say these things are useful tools when they're really not? and when ppl like dr. sophia yin and dr ian dunbar and the literal RSPCA has researched everything from a medical and humane POV and is saying these collars are inhumane and unecessary i jsut... dont get why ppl have to be like THEYRE USEFUL IF USED CORRECTLEY :o) LEASHES CAN BE DANGEOUSE IF USED INCORRECTLY TOO :oO
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cxvgfrertiou879878 · 3 years
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[*PDF/Kindle]-> Read/Download Perfect Puppy in 7 Days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right BY Sophia Yin Book
Read and download book Perfect Puppy in 7 Days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right in PDF, EPub, Mobi, Kindle online. Free book Perfect Puppy in 7 Days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right by Sophia Yin.
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  √PDF | √KINDLE | √EPUB
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Read/Download => https://bryandcvg-a88030.blogspot.com/?book=B005FR0OEA
 Descriptions :
Read and Download Sophia Yin book Perfect Puppy in 7 Days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right.With 400 photos and a step-by-step plan, this puppy book visually guides you through socialization, potty training, and life skills while making the process fun.Dr. Marty Becker; "America's Veterinarian" of Good Morning America, says, "This is like no other puppy book you've seen before. It?s not just about teaching your puppy manners, it's a step-by-step recipe for bonding with your puppy, learning to communicate with him, and preparing you pup for life! With Dr. Yin's approach your puppy will learn more in a week than many dogs learn in a year!"Victoria Stillwell from Animal Planet's "It's Me or the Dog" says, " This book is a must-have for any puppy parent or canine educator."Dr. Johan Bradshaw, author of "Dog Sense" says, "This book is a comprehensive and humane guide to puppy behavior and training, incorporating a detailed guide on how to interpret your puppy's body language. Worth buying for the socialization advice and checklist alone."Dr. Ellen Lindell, veterinary . 
 Perfect Puppy in 7 Days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right by Sophia Yin
Tags: Perfect Puppy in 7 Days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right by Sophia Yin Free download, PDF, epub, docs, New York Times, ppt, audio books, Bloomberg, #NYT, books to read, good books to read, cheap books, good books,online books, books online, book reviews, read books online, books to read online, online library, greatbooks to read, best books to read, top books to read Perfect Puppy in 7 Days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right BY Sophia Yin books to read online.Reading Download Pdf Epub read
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darkwood-sleddog · 3 years
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Could you please explain more of this Dominance Theory? I haven't heard of it a whole lot, and finding any information about it has proven difficult.
I'd like to learn what it actually is, this way I can avoid it with my dog training and try to teach my family has they have a kinda old fashioned view on how to handle dogs.
Dominance Theory is an outdated school of dog training that is still used and believed by many people, despite the fact this line of thinking has been disproven by science. You may be familiar with some famous TV Dog Trainers that employ such practices like Cesar Milan.
Dominance Theory is the theory that we must become the dominant leader and rule our pets the way a wolf would rule a pack. That is, they assume most misbehavior in dogs is due to the dog trying to be dominant and then they employ techniques that they think a wolf (since dogs are seen as having a social structure similar to wolves) would perform in a wolf pack. (Description by Dr. Sophia Yin). 
This theory became popular because when scientists were first studying wolf packs in captivity they were observing groups of wolves that were not family, but put together in captivity where they DID fight for control and dominance. This is NOT how wolf packs are naturally (they are family units with the “alpha” pair being a breeding pair and the other pack members are their pups from various seasons. This family unit is why some primitive dog breeds can be good with others they live with/are raised with (their family), but may be same sex aggressive or generally aggressive/selective to dogs not part of their family(like how the scientists put together unrelated captive wolves). But most dogs do not live in family groups, even if feral, so most of the time pack/wild canid behavioral science does not apply to domestic dogs.
Dr. Sophia Yin has a great article about it HERE.
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doberbutts · 6 years
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Better Training or Better Marketing? Part 3
Once again, the disclaimer: This post is not to say X or Y product is "bad". I own or have recommended quite a few of these and will continue to do so as necessary. This is a series of posts pointing out exactly how each tool works and whether or not the continued phrasing of "gentle", "safe", or "comfortable" is actually true or if it's based in advertising and psuedoscience. I have not been paid by any of these companies to recommend or discourage the use of these products on my blog.
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The Petco No More Pull, now the Good2Go No More Pull, is the number six on our list. Buzzwords on this package include: gentle, fuss-free, unique, control, comfortable. Note that the package does not actually say how it works, just that it "controls" through its "unique design".
How it works is fairly simple. It is, effectively, a padded ThunderLeash with a breastplate. The "restraint cords" on the back tighten if the dog reaches the end of the leash and starts to pull, putting pressure on the ribcage. They have added Sherpa padding to cut down on chafing and wear marks, which is good, but padding does nothing to relieve any pain or discomfort from constricting or crushing pressure.
Pros: almost instant results, no training needed to teach the dog to accept wearing prior to training, fewer complaints about wear marks, less difficult to put on than the competitor harnesses
Cons: rib and lung injuries still common due to being squeezed while moving
Again, this is not a force-free product, it exists in both +P and +R. Again, this product relies on a great deal of discomfort (and, from personal experience on ribcages being squeezed, pain) in order to produce results. Again, whether this particular device is "gentle" or "comfortable" in a true sense is very subjective- there are no metal pieces, sure, but the product does not use feather light touches or comfort to make it clear to the dog that it should not be pulling.
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The Freedom Harness, from 2HoundsDesign, is number 7. Because this product is mostly only available for order online or at specialty shops and dog event vendors, I had to pull advertisements from websites it sells on instead of from the packaging. There are three different ads here to make up for it, buzzwords include: gentle, high quality, (no) force, (no) pain, comfort, control.
This product works in two ways- there is indeed a front D-ring which you can, and are encouraged to, use. However, the advertising makes it clear that you should use the front in tandum with the back D-ring, which also requires either their specialty leash or a multifunctional leash (also called a european or police dog leash) for the ability to use multiple clasps. While the front ring does not tighten, the back ring is indeed set with a limited slip function, meaning that this device also squeezes the ribcage to correct a dog for pulling. It's effectively a hybrid of the EZ-Walk put on backwards, and the ThunderLeash.
Pros: almost instant results, no training required to teach the dog to wear it before training, does not appear to alter gait
Cons: relies on both setting the dog off balance and constriction over the ribcage to correct the dog, personally I had a hard time figuring out how to put it on initially and that is one of the biggest complaints I've heard from clients
This product is often recommended in place of the flaw in the EZ-Walk's design that alters gait, as this one has a different location of energy transferrence and does not appear to change gait or create shoulder injuries. However, due to the pressure on the ribcage, again there is really no way to claim this product does not cause pain or use "force" to teach the dog to not pull. Additionally, many clients are frequently very confused on how to put it on, which means the rate of people using it incorrectly is much higher than other products.
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Lastly, for this post, recommended by the late Dr Sophia Yin herself, is the Walk In Sync harness. Again, this product is only available from specialty shops, vendors at dog events, and online stores, making it hard to procure packaging. I will also admit that the leash featured in the ad I pulled from their website is one of my favorite leashes that I own, and that it is not only meant for this particular harness (which didn't exist when I bought the leash). Buzzwords include: humane, professional, holistic, safe, easy.
This is the only no-pull harness design I have personally seen that does not rely on chest constriction in some way. It is simply a Y-front harness with padded breastplate, with the D-ring high on the chest instead of mid-back. It works the same way as if a human had a bra on and someone was leading them around by the front clasp of the bra. There is no constriction, the D-ring is set on the sternum instead of resting around the shoulders, and the Y-front is created to prevent shoulder dislocations or injuries.
Pros: almost instant results, no training required to teach the dog to accept wear, easy to put on design, no discomfort or pain involved
Cons: complaints that it doesn't work as well as constriction-based designs (both a pro and a con- it does not rely on discomfort or pain to teach which is a pro, but because of that it is less aversive and thus not as effective as designs that do rely on discomfort or pain), hard to find in stores, not commonly known by the average person
If anything, like the Good2Go Head Collar, this particular design is likely the least aversive out of all the no-pull harness solutions. However, like the Good2Go Head Collar, there are many complaints that it doesn't work as well, and dogs are more likely to fight or pull through corrections rather than cease the unwanted behavior. It does, still, work in both +R and +P, like all of these products. The design is a little better known in the Kurgo car harnesses, pictured below, which use the same feature but noteably do NOT advertise it as such except in one very small line on the packaging AND on their website.
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That's all I have for this post, there will be at least 3 more additions to this series by the end, so stay tuned!
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How Animal Care Professionals and Pet Lovers Can Keep from Being Bitten
As Dog Bite Prevention week is being recognized across the United States, the Center for Disease Control reports that 4.7 million Americans are bitten by dogs every year.  Almost 20 percent of the bitten seek medical attention and approximately 1000 victims per day require a trip to the hospital emergency room.  Unsurprisingly, 1 set in danger is animal care professionals--veterinarians, groomers, shelter employees and individuals who work or volunteer in the animal care field.
Based on Dr. Sophia Yin, author of a new textbook and DVD called “Low Stress Handling,Restraint, and Behavior Modification of Dogs and Cats,” a vast majority of snacks could be avoided if animal care professionals understood that the warning signals and took a more sensitive and deliberate approach for handling.  Yin has identified a set of low pressure methods which can help both professionals and pet owners prevent bites.
Here are some tips for preventing dog bites
1.  Because most puppy aggression is actually because of fear or anxiety, it’s essential for animal health professionals to understand the signs of fear and nervousness.  The more blatant signs of fear are the dog protects from you, cowers, or sets its tail between its legs.  But dogs exhibit more subtle signs too, such as preventing their gaze, yawning, licking their lips, moving in slow motion or acting sleepy when they ought to be wide awake.  Animal care workers must also be on alert for a slight raising of the lip or even a sudden stressed, frozen posture.  When a dog displaying these warning signals is forced it is very likely to lead to a sting.
2.  Set up a safe, comfortable atmosphere.  Many dogs are afraid of unfamiliar dogs and people and are uneasy in fresh environments.  As a result it’s essential to make the surroundings as calm and comfortable as you can.  For example, veterinary hospital waiting rooms must have sufficient space or room dividers so that dogs aren’t face-to-face with people or other dogs that they dread.  After their fear and arousal levels grow, they’ll be more inclined to bite as the trip progresses.
3.  Create a great first impression by coming the dog correctly.  A head-on approach and an outstretched arm can induce a fearful dog to feel like it has to defend itself.  A more appropriate approach is to stand or crouch sideways, avert your gaze, and allow the dog make initial contact.Speaking in a happy voice and pitching multiple small treats can also change the dog’s awareness of what you’re up to.
4.  Avoid hugging or placing your face to the surface of an unknown dog.  While some dogs may tolerate being hugged, few dogs actually enjoy it.  Even a friendly dog may bite as soon as an unknown individual invades its personal space within this frightening method.
5.  When possible avoid holding animals down for handling processes they dislike.Instead, take some opportunity to train your pet to enjoy it.  Forcibly controlling dogs for procedures such as a toenail trim can make the pet more fearful or reactive every time you attempt and the puppy can become more aggressive or fearful towards unfamiliar people.  Dogs can be trained to appreciate routine handling procedures like pilling, grooming, toenail trims and frequently in a really short quantity of time--for example 5 minutes.  The more skilled the handler’s technique at pairing positive encounters with the previously unsavory managing, and the fewer bad encounters the dog has had, the quicker the good behaviour could be trained.  See an illustration of training a dog to enjoy a nail cut (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWZUcLfHXLE).
6.  When controlling or repositioning an animal make sure you’re encouraging the creature well so it feels safe.  Should you’re putting pressure in the wrong locations or the animal does not feel protected, your handling can actually make the monster battle and become aggressive.
7.  Control the puppy ’s movement.  Avoid chasing your dog or allow it to pace because these can cause the puppy to become more anxious, excited, or aroused and therefore more likely to bite.  Instead calmly control movement by keeping a suitable and consistent leash span.  The leash should be long enough so there’s no pressure on the dog when it’s stationary but short enough to keep the dog from multiplying.
For more information on the Low Stress Handling Restraint and Behavior Modification of Cats and Dogs textbook and DVD set visit www.nerdbook.com/lowstresshandling.  Retail price:$149.00.  1600 color photos, 105 video clips.  For access to viewing extra chapters and handouts, email [email protected].
Dr. Sophia Yin’s Bio: Dr. Yin is a vet and applied animal behaviorist, an executive board member of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, a past animal behavior lecturer in the Animal Science Department at the University of California, Davis, along with an award-winning author.  She lectures internationally on animal behaviour and educates low pressure handling workshops to veterinary personnel, students and animal care professionals throughout the nation.
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