Hi. I’m Patricia McConnell, a PhD, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and dog trainer who makes no apologies for being crazy in love with my dogs. I once wrote, about my soul mate dog, Luke: “I imagine Luke’s death to be as if someone took all the oxygen out of the air and expected me to live without it.” The powerful emotions that I share with so many others are matched by my intellectual curiosity about dog behavior, and the behavior of those of us who love them. Animal behavior and human behavior have always been my passion. Even when I was tiny I wanted to know what Fudge, our family’s delicately-nosed terrier cross, was thinking as she curled up tight against my belly on the carpet. And why did that woman across the street always yell at her dog when he finally came home? It didn’t seem to be helping, but she couldn’t seem to stop…
During my high school years I lived for the weekends, when I could go to the stable down the road and ride through the mesquite trees along the Arizona Grand Canal, watching the world through the two, pricked bookends of my horse’s ears. I say “my horses” although I never owned one, I just worked my way up to taking tourists out on trail rides, and grooming and feeding many of the stable’s horses. I loved it then, and I love horses still, although I rarely get to work with them now.
After high school I started college, but dropped out because of illness and an early marriage. I eventually recovered from them both, and spent a decade doing jobs just because they were jobs. I was a cashier at a bookstore, an administrative assistant at a non-profit organization fighting for treatment for alcohol and other drug abuse, a production assistant at a television station, a counselor for troubled adolescents, and a go-go dancer. Well, okay, that was just for one night, but who could resist adding it to one’s resume?
At the age of thirty I enrolled as a freshman at the University of Wisconsin to study what I’d always cared most about: animal behavior. I ended up getting a Ph.D. from UW-Madison, not so much because I wanted the degree, but because I wanted to find the answer to a question I’d uncovered as an undergraduate: “Do different kinds of sounds, for example rapidly, repeated notes like “Pup- pup-pup” or long, slow extended ones like “Whoaaaaaa,” have inherent effects on the animal who hears them?” In other words, can some types of sounds, without training, speed animals up and others slow them down? (The answer is yes… check out my first few blogs.)
After I got my degree I was determined to apply what I learned about behavior to animals that we live with. Although between undergrad and graduate school I had spent a wonderful two years working with psychologist Chuck Snowdon’s Cotton Top Tamarins, (google them, they are unbearably attractive and interesting), I wanted to work with animals that are an intrinsic part of daily life, so I decided to use what I had learned about behavior to help solve behavioral problems in companion animals.
In 1988, not long after I sent in the final version of my dissertation, I took a deep breath, and with Nancy Raffetto, a colleague who had also just gotten her PhD with an emphasis on behavior, began working as applied animal behaviorists. Dogs Best Friend Ltd. began in 1988 as a service to people who needed help with behavior problems in dogs (I later expanded to working with cats, with apologies to them for the name of the business.) We set up shop in the tiny little town of Black Earth, Wisconsin because it was close to our homes and the rent was $100 a month. My first client was Peaches, a Shar Pei with separation anxiety so serious that she turned her pudgy, wrinkled face into hamburger the first time she was left alone.
That was over twenty five years ago. (Oh my.) Since then, my work has expanded into a variety of directions. Because it became clear that many of the problems we were seeing were caused by punishment-based type of training classes, we began offering our own classes emphasizing positive reinforcement, eventually ending up with classes in five different locations and over 25 trainers and volunteers. For over 22 years I had a busy practice as an animal behavior consultant, and saw clients primarily for “aggression” and fear-based problems like separation anxiety and thunder phobia. During that time I also trained several excellent behavior consultants, including Chelse Wieland and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist Dr. Karen London, who is now in Flagstaff, Arizona. Seeing clients led to writing and publishing problem-solving booklets, as well as a busy speech and seminar schedule. In addition, for over 14 years I co-hosted a call-in radio show, Calling All Pets, produced by Wisconsin Public Radio and broadcast to over 110 cities around the country.
A few years ago I felt like I was juggling too many things, so I sold the training class and consultation business to DBF’s training director, Aimee Moore, and she and the trainers are doing a wonderful job of carrying on the tradition of helping people and dogs with effective and humane methods that are based on the best of current practices.
Now, with the invaluable assistance of Denise Swedlund (Office Mgr), Katie Martz (Marketing & Communication Coordinator) and Lisa Lemberger (Business Mgr), I focus on writing and speaking, with the goal of continuing to spread the word about effective and humane training methods. I don’t see many clients anymore, but I do see some on occasion, partly because I love it and partly because it seems important to keep my hand in. I think it’s altogether too easy to give advice about dog training when it’s theoretical, but an entirely different matter when you’re living through it yourself.
I continue to write and speak around the country, and to teach “The Biology and Philosophy of Human/Animal Relationships” at The University of Wisconsin-Madison once a year. I now live with two dogs, a cat and a flock of sheep on a little farm in southern Wisconsin. Luke is gone now (and yes, it was unbearable; you understand, I know), although I sense him there still when the sun dips below the high hill and the sheep raise their heads to me, looking for their evening grain. Luke lives on in his nephew, Willie, a working Border Collie who I will write about often. Luke’s daughter Lassie, a butter cream of a dog who still holds my heart in her paws, died in January of 2010. We added a new dog to the farm in fall of 2011: Tootsie, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who lived the first seven years of her life in a cage in a puppy mill. Here are pictures below of the animals, past and present, and of my small farm in the hills outside of Madison, Wisconsin. The other member of the pack is Jim, my human soul mate, the kind with only two legs. We have been together many years now, and I simply cannot imagine life without him. Willlie worships him, and Sushi the cat loves cuddling next to him in winter. Me too.
If you’d like to learn more about me and my dogs, past and present, you’ll learn most at this point by reading my two books published by Ballantine, The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs, and For the Love of a Dog: Understanding Emotions in You and Your Best Friend. I write that with hesitation, there is plenty of advertising for those books elsewhere. But because they combine personal stories with discussions about the biology and psychology of people and dogs, they are simply the best way I know to tell you who I am. My hope is to continue those type of writings in this blog: to inform and enrich our relationship with dogs by combining the experience of life with relevant information from science and progressive dog training. I hope you’ll join in the discussion.
Trisha
Me and Will at the top of the hill pasture. Will, as always, looks great. I look like a fat chipmunk. This is why actresses won’t let photographers take pictures of them from underneath.
My dear old Lassie, quiet here, but she was playful and active until a week
before she died of liver cancer at age sixteen .
Sushi.. two pictures, cuz I can’t figure out how to separate them…..sigh. Oh well, she deserves two pictures for being herded around the house on occasion by Willie.
Here are some lambs from spring of 2010. Apparently the one in the front is attempting to disguise himself as a border collie . . .
This is Tootsie, on one of her first walks in the out of doors. We call her “Mop of the Woods” for obvious reasons. She is learning to love the walks outside, has learned her house training lessons incredibly well and has decided that life on a couch is GOOD!
Charlene dickson says
hello Trish my name is Charlene Dickson I brought a border collie to you about 10 years ago in your office and home, and I was so happy with the results from our meeting with you , and do understand the oxygen. “Being gone.as i couldn’t put it any better. I lost him 2 years ago I canstill see him flying over the hills at your home, well I recently lost him and I purchased two more red Merle to be best buds play with each other I figured what better to exersize a border collie then a bordercollie each other, on top of our walks ect. I love the breed .i have a big problem my male has gotten into this mold called blastomycosis , Trish he has lost the site in left eye, we are only in week 2 of treatment he’s scared of everything but my voice I doN’t know what’s the best thing to do how to help him and I Rembered you and hoped maybe you could help us please thank you my phone number is 1815-965-6769 Charlene thank you
Tom Szalkay says
Just finished reading “the Other End of the Leash” and enjoyed it immensely, especially the anecdotes at the beginning of each chapter and the stories about Luke and Lassie throughout. Here’s hoping what I read helps with the one year old BC I just rescued two months ago. She has some issues with other dogs approaching her on walks and also lunging at cars when we are out and about. Then when we are in the house my 11 year old cocker mix gives her a hard time every now and then for reasons that are difficult to decipher. Wish me luck.
Karyn Ellinger says
FINALLY SOMEBODY WILL UNDERSTAND. I love my working dogs. Currently down to 1 border collie Giz 10 months old, Moki 8yr lab, Frosty 8 yr old great Pyrenees, Missy 10 year old heeler (non working), Nana a Anatolian 10 month guard dog and sheep!
Giz will be started on sheep this spring, Nana is working already with the older Pyrenees. I think working dogs are a bit different, mostly rained the same way, just different issues….
A B.C. pup showing intrest in working and developing his eye. Eye is usually on us in the kitchen and of course cats. Looking forward to reading all of your books. Have been looking for a while for a behaviorist that ‘gets’ the working border collie and guard dogs!
YEAH
Anne Surman says
Dear Patricia,
I think that President Joe Biden’s dog, Major would benefit greatly by meeting you. I saw you once at speaking event in Portland, Maine. I have read all of your books and shared and read many of your booklets with new dog owners and long-time dog owners alike. I am serious. Could you reach out to the Bidens and help them with Major? I once adopted an abandoned GSD and she had fear aggression that I learned about the hard way. After two biting incidents with strangers. That is how I learned about you. This was in 2006, and this 9 year old Shepherd named “Angel” was the beginning of me learning all about socialization and positive training. I am confident that you can help Major. Thank you.
Anne L. Surman
Helena Jean Perez says
Ms McConnell,
I so much enjoyed your book “The Other End Of The Leash. I have two questions for you.
I love scented candles; usually I burn lilac, sandalwood or teak wood scents. During the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays I burn cinnamon and pine tree scents. What scents do you suggest that is conducive for my dog’s relaxation. I also play a lot of Gregorian Chants and meditation music. Is this kind of music relaxing to my dog?
Thank you,
Helena Perez
Roger Dier says
Patricia,
You came to Oshkosh more than 10years ago to help our Lab, Vinny, connect with us. So thankful you did. We miss him more than we could know.
PS Does Willie spell his name with two L’s or three? Take a look see near the end of your story.
Maureen says
I started reading your book’ end of a leash in February before my dear Cora suddenly became sick and had to put her down Good Friday afternoon with cancer or fungus wrecking her lungs. My fourth Aussie, she was only 10 but torn acl of both hind knees. I had purchased a mini black bi 2 mos before the loss. She big sistered the boy and he obviously missed her for a couple days. She was a beautiful red Merle and friend to many in my quiet Milwaukee neighborhood. I’d long has hopes to expose her to farm animals having farmed for 35 years myself, wanting to leave the city when I retire. I get choked up just telling you of her, so special. Bobby Blue is a very different personality though learning quite well. The last chapter in the book made me sad this Sunday evening after much yard work. I would like to visit your cozy farm sometime if you accept visitors.
Trisha says
Maureen, I’m so sorry about your Aussie. She sounds lucky to have had you. I’m afraid I can’t welcome visitors I don’t know to the farm, would be just too much for us all to handle. Best wishes to you though, and to Bobby Blue.
Jenny danks says
We have two goldendoodles that are three and they are 3 weeks apart. The girl came to us 8 months ago as a rehome. We recently learned that she has a high prey drive towards small dogs and cats, as well as the usual. We are keeping her in a muzzle and we are planning on having a fence installed. I want to work on her training more and I’d love for her to accept, not like, but accept small animals.
Do you have training recommendations besides “leave it” and giving her outlets to use her prey drive in a more controlled way?
Trisha says
Jenny, I’d look for a good, reliable positive-focused trainer to come in and do a house call. Exactly what to do is dependent on so many variables; I’d want to meet her in her home environment, get to know what is true R+ for her, etc. Good luck with her and keep us posted. Lucky girl that you are doing so much for her!