While we’re on the subject of books (and ooooh, I love the suggestions from so many of you about books you have loved. Oh boy, can’t wait to check them out. . .), have you seen Sophia Yin’s Low Stress Handling, Restraint & Beh Modification of Dogs and Cats? This is not a cheap book, as a matter of fact, it’s problematically expensive ($117 on Amazon), but it’s a great book to encourage your library or shelter or vet clinic to get. It has the best, clearest photographs I’ve ever seen of how to, and how not to do just about everything you need to do around a cat or dog: enter a kennel, pick up a cat, restrain a dog, etc. If you are feeling flush, it’d be a great donation to your local humane society. Would that all shelter volunteers had a chance to look at it.
Pages 46 and 47 have the best illustrations of I’ve seen of what greeting an unfamiliar person would look like to a shy dog. Best is the photo that shows that up close, a dog might only see the bottom portions of your legs and not be frightened UNTIL you lean forward and your huge and scary face descends upon them like doom. (The person in the book’s illustrations has on a scary Halloween mask. What a perfect way to get the point across!)
You don’t need to be a vet tech or shelter worker to profit from looking at this book though (although every one in a clinic or shelter should have access to this book). I page through it sometimes when I’m eating my lunch, always comparing the “Correct” versus “Incorrect” photographs within the book. There are hundreds of color photos in the book and they are remarkably clear and easy to follow. There’s also a great section on behavior modification, with photos illustrating, for example, the difference between de-sensitizing and sensitizing (a woman looks at a spider in a glass cage with cautious interest, versus a woman being restrained while someone thrusts a spider in her face). The use of putting people in the positions into which we put dogs is brilliantly done. Here here Sophia!
I’d be curious how many of you have seen it. I’m thinking of calling my local shelter and asking if they have a copy. Maybe you could do the same, and if they don’t, helping to find a way to get it for them. Many won’t be able to buy it themselves, but hey, we’re creative, right? Maybe do some fund raising among your dog lover friends? Get your vet clinic to buy two, one for them and one for the shelter? Any other ideas?
MEANWHILE, back on the farm: Hope showed no visible reactions to his last vaccination, good news for us. I’ll never know if it’s the chinese meds, the cooked greens or that he just wasn’t going to react anyway. It could also have been because I separated out the Lepto vaccine, which is famous for physical reactions (allergic–swelling, breathing problems, rashes) but not necessarily for behavioral ones. But we seemed to have dodged that bullet anyway. He still needs another Lepto (a big problem in this area, or I’d skip it), his Rabies vaccine and neutering. I’ll be so glad when all that is over.
However, adolescence appears to be starting early. Mr. What’s in It For Me? just showed up, and is now learning that ignoring recalls means that Willie gets all the treats cuz he arrived on time and Mr. Teenager did not. (4 months seems a tad early for all this, but then, they just don’t read the books, do they?) Most of the time he just makes me laugh, although last night I used my sweetest voice to call him some names that shall not be repeated here. This too shall pass; I can’t imagine what this feels like if you’re not expecting it! He is doing beautifully on so many things though; he loves walking in town now and can’t throw out downs, sits or “get backs” fast enough when I ask for something. And Willie and Hope play so well together, with Will always seeming thrilled to see Hope if we’ve been gone anywhere. I remind myself of that when he begins to push my buttons.
The high pressure beautiful weather has held, resulting in puffy cloud skies and cool evenings. Gorgeous. High summer is coming back though, hot, humid and rainy weather is right around the corner. We’ll be on vacation next week, an honest to goodness-not-taking-the-laptop-not-checking-email vacation. We had planned one earlier, but spent it taking care of Jim’s surgery and my smashed knee. We’ll try to keep our body parts intact this time. We’re supposed to be hiking on the Mississippi River bluffs; Instead I’ll be strolling for a bit and then waving goodbye to the rest of the group as they hike up the hills, and going back to the room to read novels and do my leg exercises. Sounds darn good to me, no complaints. I’m going to take some more pictures this weekend to post next week, hope you enjoy them.
Speaking of pictures, I took this yesterday afternoon on the way to the farm from the office. Gotta love those Kleenex clouds and that corn well over “knee high by the fourth of July!”
John says
I’m dying to read it, but at that price I’ll be trolling half.com, probably for quite a while.
Heidi Meinzer says
Isn’t it around four months when a puppy’s “license” wears out and the adult dog starts to cut the pup off when he gets out of line? Have you seen any of that yet? We’ve got a two-year-old Shepherd mix, Sophie, and a 3-month-old black lab, Boomer. I’ve been watching your puppy posts in earnest because Boomer is just a month behind Hope, and Sophie has many of the same confidence issues as Will. I’d love to hear more on this topic if you’ve got time to post on it!
I just started volunteering at our local shelter — looks like Sophia Yin’s book would make a perfect donation! She’s coming out this way (northern Virginia) in November, and I hope to have the chance to see her speak.
Jen Gibson says
I DID buy that book and really, really like it! There’s so much in it that makes sense, and if more people could read it, our pets would be so much happier for it. I told my vet about it, who soon became my boss as I began a job as a vet assistant, and she bought it for the staff to look at. While it’ll be a long time before everyone embraces it and starts to follow every suggestion, I do think it helps in having people think differently about how they treat the animals. I’ve purchased a couple of bath mats for the exam rooms, some anti-slip stuff as well, and some little tupperware boxes for the cats to sleep in when they stay with us. I’d love to see a clinic START with this kind of attitude, and help their clients by educating them on how to get their cats/dogs used to crates, cars, vets, etc., but one step at a time!
Too funny about Hope and the “What’s in it for Me.” Aren’t we all glad they can’t read lips? 🙂
Claire says
I love your description of ‘Mr. What
Shelly says
So, they do eventually grow out of it, right? Lucy is over 2 years now, and she still gives me the “mama, how are you going to convince me” look. 🙂
Nicola says
Sounds like a great book, but if it is expensive to you, it is way out of my reach (and probably all shelters & most clinics) once you factor in the exchange rate. I’ll keep it on my list of “if you are feeling really generous presents”, you never know…
More photos of Hope please, the beautiful weather just makes me jealous!
One of my 11 year olds is going through a “what’s in it for me” stage – I guess I haven’t been rewarding the recall enough!
Frances says
Right – Inter-Library Loan here we come! Sounds a brilliant book – I constantly have to ask people not to loom over Poppy, but to let her approach them. Mind you, there is a whole generation of children around here who automatically sit down the moment they see one of my tiny dogs, and let them approach in their own time – happy dogs, happy children, and happy cats, who also approve of the courtesy. (Less happy parents when the ground they sit on is wet and muddy, but there – you can never please everyone!)
trisha says
Sounds like there is a lot of interest in dealing with those dogs who “have a mind of their own.” (I always wondered who else’s mind we’d expect them to have?) It can be tough when your dog didn’t read watch Lassie on TV and has no interest in doing anything without a pay back. I’ll write when I get back about the things I’ve been working on with Hope, the same the I recommend to my clients. (And good boy Hope, today is a good day! Ah, adolescence).
And I’ll also pick up on the question about “puppy privileges,” when they expire and what to do about it if you have another dog who might create problems. FYI, Willie is being 100% better than I thought he might be with Hope. As a matter of fact, he has put up with too much from Hope (also known now as “Homeboy”), and I find myself trying to help Hope learn boundaries. Best part of all this? I love Willie more than I ever have, which I would have said was impossible a few months ago.
Karen says
Have known about this book for a long time but way to expensive for me! I would dearly love to have it! I think this book and DVD should be required reading and watching in every Vet clinic. Had the great pleasure of meeting Dr. Yin at the Fur Ball in Telluride, CO. Still need to get you to Colorado!
Barb says
I too have Sophia Yin’s book and like it a lot. I finally got to a seminar of hers this spring and enjoyed that a lot also. I’m hoping to get a copy of the book into the vet clinic that I go to. Valuable information, well-presented.
This week has been one of perfect, non-humid, warm summer! Will be hard to greet the humidity. Oh well. Hopefully the humidity will introduce another week of perfect, non-humid, warm summer!
Rusty says
I had the same thought that Frances did; Interlibrary loan. I checked the Linkcat for South Central Wisconsin and they do not have the book. A question or two for you Trisha: Is it coincidence that your dogs, or most of them are males? Are there great behavioral and trainability differences between male & female dogs? I have heard from some people that female dogs are more tempermental abd harder to train but I’ve no experience myself to confirm or deny that statement.
Catherine says
I’ve been enjoying the threads the last few days and the “to read” list is growing… the low stress handling sounds invaluable. My redbone mix is pretty content to be petted, handled, and even hugged (he initiates something like a hug when he places his head in the crook of my elbow, leans on me a bit, and lets his neck go limp as I rub his neck & behind his ears), though since reading your advice on canines and hugging I’m always watching for signs that he is turning away or otherwise uncomfortable. But when small children, whom my dog finds incredibly fascinating and appealing, start jumping, squealing, and moving their hands in darting motions toward his head, it can be challenging to redirect that eager energy into something more dog-friendly without making them wary of the dog. Sounds like Frances has it down pat, though asking small children to sit down when they’re already at eye level with my dog when standing may not be practicable! I will contact my library to see if they have that book available.
Thanks for the stunning pictures of big skies and sunny cornfields – as a displaced Midwesterner, I can’t get enough of those views, clouds, and clear colors. So glad to hear Hope and Will are doing so well – you must be so proud of Will! I hope you all have a wonderful and restful vacation – much deserved, I might add.
Alexandra says
What a postcard perfect picture! Beautiful.
I had to laugh about your comment on who else’s mind we would expect them to have. I am very lucky with Copper because he never went through that teenager-I-forgot-you-ever-taught-me-anything phase. He just turned three. His whole life revovles around food, and I suspect that helped us a lot. Izzy on the other hand is almost 6 and some days I swear she never left the teenager phase. Nothing like asking for a sit and getting that “uh, why?!” expression instead!
I have been reading “Scent of the Missing” and enjoying it greatly. I used to assist dog-handler teams doing wilderness SAR when I was in college, and the author’s beautifully descriptive language takes me right back. Thanks for all the good reviews of it, guys!
Jill says
Check out the difference between these 2 YouTube videos on how to approach a dog. Completely contradictory.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfRDuPk3xas
Denise says
Spitz type dogs tend to ask “What’s in it for me?” at any age and I adore them for it. Granted it takes more effort on the trainer’s part but what a way to keep life interesting! That and their fabulous smarts and sense of humor go a long way to ameliorating the occasional true aggravation. A trainer at my club just got her first Pom (6 months old and cute as a button!) and was describing exactly that attitude to me with some awe and amazement last Monday. We had a good laugh – she’s used to Shelties so the Spitz outlook on life has been something of a revelation for her. It left me thinking about how important personality is – both the dog’s and the owner’s. A good match does matter but if it’s the right match, you’ll cope. I had no inkling of what I was getting into when I adopted a Husky/Malamute mix pup 30 years ago but she hooked me for life. The book “When Pigs Fly” is a great resource if you find yourself in love with a dog with attitude. And don’t forget to laugh!
Dena (Izzee's Mom) says
Trisha, it’s great to hear how well Will and Hope are getting along. I’m lucky to have a similar situation with my 5-year-old Springer, Ford, and his 1-year-old half-sister, Pixie. They absolutely adore each other, which made Pixie’s puppy training much easier for us than Ford’s was.
trisha says
To Jill and all: Eeeeeeps! Watch the person LOOM over the dog in the first video (this is the ‘right’ way!) Oh my my my. Words fail.
JJ says
Thank you for telling us about Will and Hope’s relationship. It made my day to hear such beautiful news. I also appreciate you sharing how it affects your relationship with Will.
re: “I
quinn says
I subscribe to Dr. Sophia’s website/blog, and have found a lot of wonderfully helpful information there, and on the linked videos, and all for free 🙂
Kat says
Ranger has repeated episodes of “what’s in it for me” and he’s 4. Any time off from regular training increases the What’s in it for me. Although to be fair, it does tend to happen more regarding things he’s not fond of doing. Sometimes when he’s gazing blankly at the back of the car refusing to put his paws up and get in I resort to saying “Yes, I have bribes.” The feet hop right up; I don’t even have to show him the bribe just promise it. Of course I always keep my promises. My husband calls treats memory aids–it’s amazing how much Ranger’s memory improves when treats are in the offing. It keeps me on my toes and reminds me not to slack off on training time. Any regular training keeps the “what’s in it for me” gremlin contained. We’ve started him on weave poles. We’ve been doing some agility training for fun (no plans to compete with him) but tunnels and jumps weren’t much of a challenge. Poles should keep us occupied for a good long while.
Enjoy your vacation!!
Sophia Yin says
Hi:
FYI: The low stress handling restraint and behavior modification of dogs and cats book and dvd will be available online for an access fee of $25.00 per one month access at http://www.lowstresshandling.com. It’s actually available now but we are still beta testing to get any kinks out of the system. Quality of text on computer is not as nice as a book but those who want the book quality can get the book/DVD.
Sorry I can’t get the book/DVD cost down, but we wanted it in color and good quality and wanted the content to be complete. the same photos in black and white just didn’t cut it. And we felt that it wasn’t worth it to only show a small portion of the techniques or skip steps, or only show the correct ways to do thing when we knew that if we didn’t show people what they looked like when they were doing the technique incorrectly, they would do the techniques incorrectly thinking it was correct. (We know this from experience…. see below:-).
Realistically, no textbook publisher would have touched this project with a 10 foot pole
Joanna says
What age are you planning to neuter Hope at? I’d be interested to hear your take on early vs late neutering, and weighing the effects of early neutering on health vs the effects on behavior.
Frances says
Unfortunately Sophia Yin’s site does not appear to be accepting new registrations, but there is still a lot of excellent information and some of the videos available there without subscribing.
Kay says
I attended a Sophia Yin seminar several months ago, and purchased her book there. I LOVE all the photos and the video, although I found some of her behavior modification explanations were not written for beginning trainers. I think it really hits her target audience, and people with experience training.
Frances says
I am so pleased to hear from Sophia that there will be an online way of accessing all the excellent information she has developed – I couldn’t find a copy of the book anywhere in the UK, on either the public library or academic library combined catalogues. I shall watch out for the release of the online version, and then take out a subscription when I can spend several weeks in total immersion!
Janice says
Hi,
I’m one of the beta testers for Dr. Yin’s book online and it is amazing!! The on-line version is a great way to get your feet wet with the book, but I have to say, it will go on my Christmas list for getting a book that I can hold in my hands, because there is a lot there that I will want to come back to. This book should definitely be in the hands of every veterinary practice and veterinary student around.
Denise, thank you for telling me that Spitz-type dogs can be in the “What’s in it for me” stage at any age. My 14 year old Schipperke, Raven has never been any other way! Getting a border collie to help me on the farm with my sheep (and now two BC pups that I am raising) has been quite an eye opener. After all those years with an independent Schipperke, it is hard to get used to a dog who seems to say “Oh, you’re walking!! Can I help??? Oh you’re laughing! Can I help???”Oh you’re breathing!!! Can I help???”
trisha says
Re the question about neutering: I’m going to have Hope neutered soon after I get back from vacation. He’ll be about 5 months of age at that point, which is not really considered an “early neuter” but is a tad earlier than the traditional “six months.” There is one well documented effect of early neuters, which is a delay in the closure of the growth plates of the long bones, resulting in dogs who are slighted taller than otherwise. This however, was seen in dogs neutered at 7 weeks, and is not that extreme anyway, so I’m not worried. But I want to neuter Hope soon, because he appears to be a very early maturing dog (he is starting to lift his leg already, and recall his litter mate lifted his leg at 9 weeks. Wow.)
And one comment about the cost of Dr. Yin’s book. As a publisher of my own books, I can tell you that the work required in the photos in her book is nothing short of ridiculous. The book is expensive as I said, but given the work involved and the number that can be printed at one time, it is not at all unreasonable. I hope angels can come in and purchase more copies for shelters and vet clinics!
Melanie S says
Sophia’s book sounds fabulous. Will add it to the ever growing wish list.
I laughed at your description of Hope as hitting the Mr. What’s In It For Me stage – You’ve expressed that perfectly. It prompted me to think how to describe my whippet Slipstream’s adolescent attitude which I think could be captured as Mr. Yeah-Yeah… When I’m Ready. Thankfully that stage seems to be waning.
Smiles…
Heidi Meinzer says
Thanks for picking up on the puppy privileges topic! It’s funny that you say Will is letting Hope get away with more than you anticipated! When my now adult dog, Sophie, was growing up with our Golden, Raoul (who unfortunately passed away earlier this year), Raoul let Sophie get away with murder! It’ll be interesting to see what Sophie lets Boomer get away with now!
Mary says
Ah, adolescence. Good luck with that. I don’t think my BC got his adult brains until he hit 2 years. Not that he was overly defiant. To the contrary, he is a “soft” dog. But he was full of adolescent vim and vigor, and full of himself. I realized he had matured while we doing the task that is simultaneously the easiest and hardest for a BC – herding (easiest because the desire and instinct is inborn, and hardest because they have to learn control). At 2 years, he suddenly seemed to be more in control of himself. I guess some dogs just mature later than others!