Veterinarians and behavior professionals are frequently faced with questions about aggressive behaviors that may include biting, scratching, lunging, or threatening postures. As with other behavioral questions, it is rare for there to be a single “right” answer to a question, or a “one size fits all” solution to the problem that is occurring. This presentation will discuss risk factors that affect the likelihood of achieving a safe and successful outcome for these patients. Strategies for approaching topics such as rehoming or humane euthanasia will also be covered.

WEBSITE LINK:  https://www.dog-ibox.com/market/catalog/live-webinars/live-webinars-english-c-34/risk-assessment-of-aggression-cases.html

Whilst knowledge of dog behavior during adolescence arguably exists in the public and professional domain, the period of adolescence in dogs and other companion animals is vastly understudied within the scientific community.

Adolescence is a relatively long period of development during which a juvenile becomes an adult and is marked by intense neurological and hormonal changes. Within the domestic dog, adolescence is typically considered to begin with the onset of pubertal development at around 6 months of age (puberty is thought to begin between 6-9 months in males and 6-16 months of age in females) and continues until behavioral/social maturity is reached. There is no precisely agreed age at which an individual dog can be considered behaviorally mature, but dogs aged younger than two years have the shortest memory spans and certain trait level behavioral changes still occur between 18-24 months of age in border collie dogs. Therefore, dogs aged under 2 years of age are likely to still be undergoing adolescent behavioral development.

This period of development is likely to be a particularly vulnerable time for dog-owner relationships, and for shaping the long-term behavior of the developing animal. In this session, the presenter will provide an overview of the neurological and behavioural changes that mammals undergo during adolescence, along with highlighting the potential implications.

Although the particular focus of this session will be on dogs, much of the theory and evidence behind it should be applicable across all mammalian species, and much of the background provided will be in general terms, so the session should be applicable for anyone interested simply in mammalian behavior development.

CEUs: PPAB 1, CCPDT 1, IAABC 1, KPA 1

About Your Presenter

Dr. Naomi Harvey is a zoologist with a specialty in applied animal behavior and veterinary health and welfare. Since November 2019, she has been working at the Dogs Trust as a research manager in canine behavior and she holds an honorary position as an associate professor of companion animal behavior and welfare at the University of Nottingham. With a BSc in zoology from Cardiff University and a PhD in applied canine behavior from the University of Nottingham, Dr. Harvey has a particular specialty in designing and validating methods for securing robust and valid measures of animal behavior from their guardians.

She also has expertise in veterinary epidemiology, having successfully designed and led the Itchy Dog project to investigate the environmental and genetic risk factors for canine atopic dermatitis and its impact on dog behavior. Her research interests lie in improving the evidence base for issues affecting companion animal welfare within the fields of veterinary medicine and clinical animal behavior, to better inform how we manage and treat the animals in our care. Her PhD focused on how behavior develops in juvenile guide dogs, and as such, she has a particular interest in the adolescent phase of development and what it could mean for our pets.

WEBSITE LINK:  https://petprofessionalguild.com/event-4361943

You love your dog’s enthusiasm for the reinforcer but you don’t love the frantic ball of fur energy that comes out in its presence. You love your dog’s drive for work but sometimes you wish she took a day off once in a while. You love to train your dog at home but when you go out, it’s as if the whole world is a trigger for high arousal.

Sound familiar?

Easily aroused dogs are awesome dogs with fantastic working capacity but sometimes we wish they could self-regulate better. Self regulation is necessary to live peacefully in our world, and if you have goals for competition, they are essential in order to perform with a clear head. Plus, it’s kinder to the dog. Who wants to exist in a state of overarousal all the time?

So what can you do? You can learn to provide appropriate outlets for that energy, and give your dog the tools they need to relax (or escalate) their arousal as appropriate. Here’s where Calming Games for High Arousal come in! We hope you’ll join Denise Fenzi for this webinar to find out about the skills and games you can play with your dog to raise and lower arousal. An essential skill for both life and sports!

WEBSITE LINK:  https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/fdsa-calendar

In this VETgirl veterinary technician webinar, Jaime Maher, CVT, VTS (AA, ECC) reviews anesthesia considerations for different organ systems. Tune in to learn how to optimize your patient for anesthesia, even in emergency situations, and what key monitoring parameters to focus on in certain disease processes.

Want to learn more? Check out our other veterinary technician webinars HERE.

Not a VETgirl ELITE member? VETgirl ELITE members receive 100+ hours of RACE-approved, online veterinary CE/year ($249). That way, you know that you have flexibility to view any of our webinars (including small animal, large animal, veterinary technician, leadership, practice management) and listen to our podcasts when you have time.

All the webinars are recorded and can be viewed 24/7 after their release date for CE credit. If you’re watching the recording later on, don’t forget to take the CE quiz with it when you’re done to get your CE certificate!

WEBSITE LINK:  https://vetgirlontherun.com/webinars/august-3-2021-anesthetic-considerations-for-different-organ-systems-what-to-do-when-one-or-more-system-is-suffering/