In nearly every matchmaking quiz about finding the perfect dog, there are considerations for a pet’s energy level, size, and sometimes there will be mention of if the dog will be ok in an apartment – but very rarely are the environmental impacts of a city mentioned.

Noise from garbage trucks backing up and crashing cans to the sidewalk, straight lines from hallways and sidewalks, and elevators are just a few of the daily obstacles our dogs have to cope with when they move into densely populated areas.

The way cities are built for people is in direct conflict with how most of our dogs comfortably navigate the world, and with more people bringing companions into their condos and high rises, we have to look at how to best match for the environment, too.

Presenter Melissa McCue-McGrath will walk attendees through what makes living in a city harder on our dogs, how to look for city-smart pups who will cope better in these busy environments, and you’ll never look at sidewalks the same way again. This presentation is for those who are presently working in cities or will likely take on clients in densely populated areas; for rescuers and breeders looking for ways to help place dogs appropriately, and for those curious as to how the environment impacts our dogs in a very real way.

CEUs: PPAB 1, CCPDT 1, KPA 1, PMCT 1, & IAABC pending

About Your Presenter
Melissa McCue-McGrath, CPDT-KA has spent most of the last 20 years focusing on the environmental impact on pet dogs and their families in densely populated areas. She wrote the book Considerations for the City Dog in 2015 to help address some common training and behavior issues in cities.

As part of her work, she has been invited to present at Tufts University, The Broad Institute/MIT, the New England Federation of Humane Societies, and the Boston Museum of Science during their DOGS: A Science Tail! exhibition in 2020. Melissa has been the co-training director of the New England Dog Training Club (the oldest AKC obedience club in the US) since 2012 and is currently teaching at the Animal Welfare Society in Kennebunk, Maine. Her side project, the BewilderBeasts podcast, focuses on stories on the infinite ways in which animals intersect with human conventions. The podcast has a steady worldwide audience and frequently breaks the top 50 in science/nature podcast rankings.

Melissa, her husband, and their daughter moved from busy Boston to a quiet piece of land in Maine in 2022. Joining them in tick-country include their aptly named dog, Captain Love, two ancient cats who will live forever, and the most loved flock of chickens on the planet. For more information, go to www.melissamccuemcgrath.com, listen at BewilderBeastsPod.com, and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or on Instagram.

WEBSITE LINK:  https://petprofessionalguild.com/event-5187846

Boss battles, character stats and magic points!? In this webinar, you’ll discover how the mindset of fantasy and adventure games can help you navigate the epic journey that is real life with a dog as your player two.

You’ll learn how the mechanics and core elements of role playing games (RPGs) relate to living and learning with dogs, with a focus on helping environmentally sensitive and worried dogs. We apply the RPG approach to dogs in the real world based on the Control Unleashed framework created by Leslie McDevitt.

The webinar includes video examples that demonstrate the concepts in the context of real-life scenarios.

Endorsed by Leslie McDevitt! “A must see webinar”

Watch This Short Trailer Here

Learning Objectives

• Identify what is a role playing game aka RPG
• Recognize applications of fantasy and role playing games in human behavior and learning
• Understand how RPGs can help us create our own dog training adventures
• Analyze the core elements of RPGs and how they pertain to living and learning with dogs
• Relate the RPG mechanics to your dog’s mental and emotional state
• Apply the RPG approach to real-life and adapt the concepts to your team

Presented by Judith Bordt

CEUs: PPAB 1, CCPDT 1, KPA 1, PMCT 1, & IAABC Pending

Registered for the live event, get busy and cannot make it! No worries you will automatically receive a recording!

About the Presenter
Judith Bordt, BA (Hons), CCUI, ProDogTrainer, Doggycoach I’m a force-free certified dog trainer and behavior consultant in France (éducateur canin comportementaliste) specialized in games-based training with a particular focus on dogs who struggle with reactivity-, over-arousal-, and chase-related behaviors. Brave New Dog is my playground where I offer online and in-person events for dogs and people.

Play is my favorite approach to teaching and learning. I’m especially interested in play as a state of mind, rather than an activity. My main goal is to transform the human’s mental attitude towards interacting with their canine partner from training to play.

WEBSITE LINK:  https://petprofessionalguild.com/event-5226167

Our dogs transition through several phases across their lifetime. From a behavior perspective adolescence is perhaps the phase with the most potential to cause disruption in a household and can really test our skills as a trainer.

Adolescence is the time between puppyhood and adulthood. In dogs, this developmental phase starts anywhere between 6 and 12 months and typically ends somewhere between 18 months and 24 months. Adolescence is accompanied by physical changes, endocrinological changes, and neurological changes. During this phase there can be significant changes to motivation, preferences, energy levels, ability to focus, emotion regulation, impulse control, and decision-making skills.

Many of the overt and challenging behaviors exhibited during adolescence are driven by frustration; increased evidence of frustration is common at this time due to our dog struggling with conflicting motivations, and/or due to them being blocked from engaging in the (inappropriate / unsafe) activities they would choose to undertake. Frustration can be a particularly challenging emotion for an adolescent dog to manage. The intensity of the emotions and urges experienced, together with the dog’s reduced ability for impulse control during this phase, frequently leads to “undesirable” and challenging behaviors that the human needs to manage or modify. The exact behaviors exhibited will depend on the individual dog’s coping style as well as other factors influenced by genetics and prior learning. Some of these behaviors are only evident in training scenarios, whereas others are evident in day-to-day life. Common examples include:

• Reverting to performing behaviors that had previously ceased during early training (e.g. jumping up on people, pulling/lunging when on leash, mouthing / nipping / grabbing, etc.)
• Excessive barking and/or whining.
• Destructive behaviors (e.g. digging, ripping up objects, etc.)
• Unable to maintain a stay or other durational behavior particularly when “distractions” are added.
• Unable to focus or remain attentive for more than brief periods.
• Reduced interest in their human, combined with increased interest in the environment.
• Low levels of perseverance (i.e. rapidly disconnecting from training at the first moment of confusion / frustration / uncertainty – resulting in either zoomies, running off to visit people/dogs, wandering off sniffing, leaving and lying down, leaving and hiding, the development of avoidance behaviors, etc.).
• An apparent deterioration of previously “known” behaviors (e.g. not able to follow “known” cues, not able to perform a fast or accurate recall, etc.)
• In some dogs we may also start to see aggressive responses occurring that were not previously present. These may be directed at other dogs or humans.

Adolescence can be an extremely challenging time for both the dog and their human/s. Sadly in the pet dog sector adolescence is the primary developmental phase where re-homing and relinquishment occurs. In the dog training sector, it is the phase where handler’s skills and emotions can get pushed to the limit. Having our dog emerge into adulthood as a confident, capable, relaxed, and well-rounded individual requires us to be strategic in our training and management during the adolescent phase.

In this webinar we discuss the changes that are occurring in our dog as they transition from puppyhood into adulthood, as well as practical adjustments we can make to our training during this developmental phase. These adjustments will:

• Reduce frustration for both us and our dog.
• Allow us to enjoy our time with our adolescent dog.
• Allow our dog to enjoy their adolescence.
• Assist in forming a stronger relationship with our dog that will carry forward for the longer-term.
• Create beneficial habits that will support our long-term training goals.
• Increase the probability of reaching our long-term training and competition goals.

Presenter: Sharon Carroll

WEBSITE LINK:  https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/self-study/webinars

Changing behavior is hard work for your dog; are there things you can do right now to make sure your dog is feeling their best before engaging in behavior modification?

This webinar will give you tools and exercises to help create a more thoughtful and focused dog. Both are beneficial when working with a fearful or reactive dog prior to exposing it to potential triggers during the behavior modification process. We will explore ways to decrease the dog’s adrenaline (fight or flight), increase their dopamine and serotonin, and take advantage of the oxytocin you share.

Presenter: Karen Deeds

WEBSITE LINK:  https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/self-study/webinars

Blue doesn’t look good on you!

In this 1-hour, VETgirl veterinary technician webinar, Tiffany Gendron, CVT, VTS(ECC) will review the veterinary technician’s role in assessing and providing treatment for the cardiac patient. What are commonly encountered cardiovascular emergencies, and how do you recognize them? Tune in to learn the importance of your role in management and treatment, as well as monitoring considerations you need to know!

Not a VETgirl ELITE member? Get your learning on with the #1 veterinary CE resource – clinically relevant, practical, and accessible 24/7 on your own time! Don’t miss out – click HERE to check out your options, including our new  14-day, no-commitment ELITE Trial.

WEBSITE LINK:  https://vetgirlontherun.com/webinars/may-31-2023-cardiovascular-emergencies-the-beat-goes-on/

Vaccine decoder HELP!

In this complimentary, 1-hour VETgirl–Merck Animal Health webinar, Dr. Sara Gonzalez, MS, DABVP (Canine and Feline Practice) reviews the antigenic components of DAPPv x L4 vaccination and dives deeper to decode the “alphabet soup.” Tune in for a review of these diseases and the updated recommendations from the 2022 AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines.

Thanks to sponsorship from Merck Animal Health, this webinar is FREE to all! (Remember: you must be logged in as a free Basic, ELITE Trial or ELITE member to register for the live event)

WEBSITE LINK:  https://vetgirlontherun.com/webinars/may-30-2023-dappv-x-l4-an-alphabet-soup-review/

U-100, U-40, U-don’t need insulin?

In this complimentary, 1-hour, VETgirl–Elanco webinar, Dr. Natalie Marks, CVJ reviews the clinical presentation and diagnostics encountered with a new feline diabetic. What are the treatment options, and specifically, how do I use the new SGLT2 inhibitor Bexacat™ (bexagliflozin tablets)? Tune in to learn about the mechanism of action, dosing, possible adverse events (and how it differs from insulin therapy), case selection, monitoring guidelines, and frequently asked questions.

Thanks to sponsorship from Elanco, this webinar is FREE to all! (Remember: you must be logged in as a free Basic, ELITE Trial or ELITE member to register for the live event)

WEBSITE LINK:  https://vetgirlontherun.com/webinars/may-21-2023-wait-no-syringes-needles-or-insulin-meet-the-newest-option-in-therapy-for-diabetic-cats/

Are you ready to be part of the solution for feral and stray cats in your neighborhood? Our expert instructors will teach you best practices for Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and colony management. Learn what TNR is and why it works. We’ll cover getting along with neighbors, preparations for trapping, trapping itself (including entire colonies at once), feeding, providing winter shelter, and more. Take advantage of the interactive format, extensive handouts, and video footage of actual projects. Attendees will receive a certificate of attendance and gain access to an ongoing Facebook group for networking with other TNR activists. Instructed by Susan Richmond, executive director, and Bryan Kortis, national programs director.

Session duration is 2.5 hours, followed by an optional 15-minute Q&A session.

Proudly sponsored by Tomahawk Live Trap

WEBSITE LINK:  https://www.communitycatspodcast.com/events/the-neighborhood-cats-tnr-certification-workshop-june-2023/