Volume 13 No. 3, July - September 2010

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The Agro Animal

One of the most difficult issues I encounter is the aggressive animal. Aggression is a very tricky behavior to turn around while at the same time ensuring the animal does no further harm. It is just not an easy situation. Here are a two tactics that I have found helpful.

Check the Dynamic – Are the human/humans involved in the situation too lenient and accommodating, or are they afraid and hesitant, and is the animal assuming dominance. If so, then the dynamic needs to be adjusted. How to do that is always a fun question.

For cats I recommend doing the loud parrot-like screech - “Ah Ah”- right in the cat’s face a few times right as he or she is beginning the aggressive behavior. For example, if a cat is jumping at the person as the person walks by and attacking a leg, I recommend doing the “Ah Ah” the split second the cat launches to attack. The “Ah Ah” has to be loud enough to be obnoxious and drive the cat away. Usually a loud noise once or twice is all that is needed. From then on if the cat starts up just a simple normal volume “Ah” will stop the behavior and soon the behavior will be all but extinguished. Any other obnoxious noise could work, or a spray bottle or squirt gun could be used (unless your cat likes water LOL. (For those who don’t know…. LOL means Lots of Laughs).

Before you embark on any behavior modification routine, I recommend explaining it all to the animal out loud. Tell the animal what you will be doing and why and explain that to avoid the whole thing or have it stop fast the animal can just let go of the unwanted behavior. After you explain it all, then show the animal a mental movie of what you want. This is the coach approach – the intuitive approach – to animal training that I explain in detail in my most recent book, Ask Your Animal.

For horse aggression I recommend using Carolyn Resnick’s ground training techniques, which help condition your horse to see you as the herd leader, but do so in horse language and in a non violent, non predatory way. (see CarolynResnickblog.com)

Dogs are by far the biggest problem when it comes to aggression, as they are very hard to turn around, can do considerable damage and can kill other animals quickly and easily. Who wants to be on that ride with a vicious dog and possible mayhem lurking at every moment? It is really not fun. But I have seen situations like this turn around, time and time again. It is possible. It is just that people have to be smart, get the right help, and hit it with everything they can. In terms of the dynamic, it is often the case that the aggressive dog feels he or she is the pack leader. So the first order of business is to find a way to change that.

Here are a few resources I have found for shifting dominance and addressing aggression in dogs:

Jan Fennell – a dog trainer in UK who has a good nonviolent approach to this: http://www.janfennellthedoglistener.com/behaviouralproblems.php

Krista Cantrell – a dog trainer in AZ who has a good program for setting yourself up as pack leader in a friendly way http://www.kristacantrell.com/

Ways to condition the dog to be less aggressive –

Click to Calm – a book by Emma Parsons that uses clicker training to reprogram a dog aggressive dog http://www.amazon.com/Click-Calm-Healing-Aggressive-Clicker/dp/1890948209

BAT training – also a reconditioning program that works to redirect and extinguish aggressive behavior http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/bat/

Look at the Issue of Mirroring – Often there is something going on in the person’s life that is contributing to an animal’s aggressive behavior. For example, a person who does not set boundaries well with people will have the same problem with an animal. When working on a case, I assess the issue of mirroring using intuition and then ask my client to evaluate my impressions for accuracy. To do a self assessment, the owner of an aggressive animal can ask, “How is this situation with my animal like anything else I have experienced or am experiencing in my life. When and where have I or do I now feel the same way as I feel with and about this animal?” That will usually net some very interesting information! Then of course the trick is to do something about what is going on in one’s own life, i.e., to learn how to set boundaries. This will then completely change the dynamic with the animal. Or, conversely, when someone learns to set boundaries with their animal it often translates into the ability to do this with people, and ends up changing the person’s life.

Other Factors – There are so many factors that contribute to aggression, including what happened to the animal in the past, the influence of chemical/drug/vaccine exposure on the animal, poor nutrition, the physical pain level of the animal, and on and on. So assessing and addressing aggression is a complex process.

Your Resource Ideas – I would love to hear what you recommend for aggression in animals. Please email me your favorite books, trainers, supplements, treatments, ideas and solutions and I will share those in the next newsletter.

Upcoming Workshops

August September - Virtual Practice Group

The Virtual Practice Groups are coming up on the following Tuesdays: August10, September 7 and October 12 (future dates to be announced). You need to have had a beginning course to participate. If you have not had that somewhere (doesn’t have to be with me) you can schedule a half hour tutoring session to learn the basics and then join in with the group.

Here is the schedule:

• 10 am PST – by conference call
• 5:30 pm PST by conference call
• 8pm PST - by Skype.

Pick a time and method (i.e. phone or Skype) that works for you. Register on my site and I will send you instructions for the group.

Workshops in Europe

The Greece venue was cancelled for lack of enrollment. Instead I will do two series of courses in Spain. I am also teaching a series of courses in Switzerland. That course is almost full. See my website workshop schedule page for more info and to register.

Fire Safety and Your Animals

Thanks to Jenn Nadeau for sending in these fire safety tips:

The following tips can be used to help educate pet owners on how to prevent their beloved pet from starting a fire, as well as how to keep their pets safe.

Prevent your pet from starting fires

• Extinguish open flames - Pets are generally curious and will investigate cooking appliances, candles, or even a fire in your fireplace. Ensure your pet is not left unattended around an open flame and make sure to thoroughly extinguish any open flame before leaving your home.
• Remove stove knobs - Be sure to remove stove knobs or protect them with covers before leaving the house – a stove or cook top is the number one piece of equipment involved in your pet starting a fire.
• Invest in flameless candles – These candles contain a light bulb rather than an open flame, and take the danger out of your pet knocking over a candle. Cats are notorious for starting fires when their tails turn over lit candles.
• Beware of water bowls on wooden decks – Do not leave a glass water bowl for your pet outside on a wooden deck. The sun’s rays when filtered through the glass and water can actually heat up and ignite the wooden deck beneath it. Choose stainless steel or ceramic bowls instead.
• Pet proof the home - Take a walk around your home and look for areas where pets might start fires inadvertently, such as loose wires and other potential hazards.

Keep your pets safe

• Keep pets near entrances when away from home – When leaving pets home alone, keep them in areas or rooms near entrances where firefighters can easily find them.
• Secure young pets - Especially with young puppies, keep them confined away from potential fire-starting hazards when you are away from home, such as in crates or behind baby gates in secure areas.
• Practice escape routes with pets – Keep collars and leashes at the ready in case you have to evacuate quickly with your pet or firefighters need to rescue your pet.
• Consider using monitored smoke detection services – As an added layer of protection beyond battery-operated smoke alarms, smoke detectors connected to a monitoring center help save pets who can’t escape when left home alone.
• Affix a pet alert window cling – Write down the number of pets inside your house and attach the static cling to a front window. This critical information saves rescuers time when locating your pets. Make sure to keep the number of pets listed on them updated.

The NVFC has a listing of fire departments across the nation where pet owners can obtain a free pet alert window cling as part of National Pet Fire Safety Day. Visit www.nvfc.org/windowclings to find a location near you. The clings are also free online at www.adt.com/pets and will be available this September at your local AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day. This year’s flagship event will be held in Raleigh on September 24. Visit http://www.akc.org/clubs/rdod/ for more information on an event near you.

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) represents the interests of the volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services. The NVFC serves as the voice of the volunteer in the national arena and provides invaluable tools, resources, programs, and advocacy for first responders across the nation. Learn more at www.nvfc.org.

Check these out!

Transparent Butterflies

Something every cat owner can relate to -

How to Give Your Cat a Pill

Gulf Oil Volcano

The BP oil volcano disaster now threatens all life on earth. I have done a definitive blog, titled, A friend asked me…, on what is happening and what you can do to get involved in shifting this hideous situation.

Please read and pass it on if you find it helpful.

Mustangs

A new group of activists has come forward to help the mustangs. Please see the following websites and support their legal fund.

Websites for grassroots activists for the mustangs

http://wildhorsesneedyou.com/
http://grassrootshorse.com/

There is also a Facebook site with the latest of what is happening with the mustangs. Log into Facebook and become a member of this site: Wild Horses and Burros Support Circles

Standing up for the Earth and the animals isn’t easy. It takes time away from other things one might have planned or needed to do. And you have to really search for what feels useful and right for you. But I encourage you to embark on this journey. Ask the universe to show you what it is you are supposed to do at this time to help the animals and the Earth. Then follow any hits or hunches you get. The Earth and the animals desperately need us now. If not us, who? If not now, when?

Copyright ©2012 Marta Williams. All Rights Reserved.