Dogs Unknown

Latest Episodes:

Nature-Driven Nurture with Sarah Fraser Feb 11, 2022

Show notes

First, thank you to the tens of thousands of listeners who tuned into season 1. We had a lot of fun, and with your support, we won the Dog Writers Association of America's best podcast of 2020. Something we are really proud of and wouldn’t be possible without all of you!

Based on feedback, the theme for season two is “the role of dogs as family members”. The lives that dogs live now are very different than how they existed through most of history. And while this comes with benefits for dogs, it also poses new unique challenges.

To help you navigate the season, this first episode is about Instinct’s Nature-Driven Nurture framework, which helps people parent their dogs in a very individualized way. We hope that by providing this framework, it’s going to help you put all of the 12 episodes of season 2 into context; as information on dog behavior and training can sometimes seem very piecemeal. Our goal is to not only provide access to some of the top dog behavior people in the world but help you understand these topics and how it fits into the broader picture of your dog as a family member.

- YouTube Link to watch the interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_oYnPouMAc
- Free Nature-Driven Nurture Mini-Guide: Email us at onlinelearning@instinctdogtrianing.com and we'll email you a PDF version of the course materials for free.
- Pre-Register for the Nature-Driven Nurture Course launching on Feb 28, 2022! This is INSTINCT's in-depth course on Nature-Driven Nurture and includes live bi-weekly drop-in Q&As, and access to our new Nature-Driven Nurture Facebook group. Cost is a one-time fee of $49 but it is discounted to $19.99 for those who pre-register. Sign up here! https://onlineschool.instinctdogtraining.com/course/nature-driven-nurture

The Sticky Interaction between Medical Issues and Behavior with Dr. Chris Pachel Jul 23, 2020

Show notes

We have a special treat for you today; world-renowned veterinary behaviorist and lecturer, Dr. Chris Pachel has joined us to discuss a sometimes confusing topic; medical issues and how they can cause or contribute to behavior issues.

The more experience one gets with behavior and training, the more and more it becomes evident that some behavior issues are related to a seemingly unrelated medical issue. But here’s the thing; just like chronic or acute pain, or inflammation, or UTIs, or hormonal problems, or neurochemical imbalances, etc, can cause people to be more irritable, depressed, or even sometimes aggressive, the same thing can happen to our dogs. Not only that, but the only way they can communicate this to us is through body language or aggression to allow us to know how they are feeling. And this communication can be so subtle that it can take an expert in canine body language (or even medical diagnostic tests) to get to the bottom of it.

Thankfully Dr. Pachel helps us understand the situations where a veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist (or other veterinary specialists) may need to be brought in, and how you can best help your veterinarian understand your concerns, and ensure that they have the right information for them to help you and your dog move forward.
Guest: Dr. Christopher Pachel
Dr. Christopher Pachel, DVM, DACVB, CABC received his veterinary degree from the University of MN in 2002 and became board certified by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists in 2010. He has operated both house-call and office-based behavior practices and is currently the owner and lead clinician at the Animal Behavior Clinic in Portland, OR. Dr. Pachel lectures regularly throughout the US as well as internationally, teaches courses at multiple veterinary schools in the US, and has authored several articles and book chapters on topics such as Inter-cat aggression and Pet selection for animal-assisted therapy. He is a sought-after expert witness for legal cases involving animal behavior and is also a Vice-president of Veterinary Behavior on the executive leadership team for Instinct Dog Behavior and Training.
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Remember, to follow us on twitter @dogs_unknown and email us any questions or topic ideas to dogsunknown@instinctdogtraining.com
References:
- Dr. Chrisopher Pachel
- Animal Behavior Clinic (Portland Oregon but also available for remote consults)
- Animal Behavior Clinic on Facebook

The "Teenage Phase"/Adolescent Dog with Dr. Naomi Harvey Jul 15, 2020

Show notes

The "Teenage" Phase (6 months - 2 years) with Dr. Naomi Harvey
We have a special episode for you today, with a world-renowned researcher Dr. Naomi Harvey from Dogs Trust, who has been all over different media outlets recently to discuss her latest research on adolescent dogs. The findings are utterly fascinating and difficult to exaggerate; while anecdotally canine experts have for years discussed similar phases of development in adolescent dogs that we see in adolescent humans, the data collected supports that not only do dogs go through these phases, but pet-parenting/attachment style can also influence the level of conflict seen between dogs and their owners, and can actually cause an early onset of puberty when the attachment is insecure (similar to humans).

There are a few important notes here before listening to the episode. First, your dog going through a “rebellious” phase between 6 months and 2 years is entirely normal. Let me repeat. It is entirely normal to see more “rebellious behavior”, “disobedience”, and conflict during this phase. Having a sense of humor, realizing that your dog is developing and that the phase will eventually end is incredibly important. However, as always, if there is any severe aggression or other behavior problems, please reach out to a certified professional.

We also spend about 10 minutes discussing a topic that is not really touched by a lot of dog trainers, but really important in the context of this conversation; which is dominance. Frequently when pet parents have a difficult adolescent dog, they may (understandably) think they need to “dominate” their dog or something similar. While dominance has a rich scientific literature, it has been hijacked by some in the dog training world to justify harsh or abusive training methods. This is just wrong, completely misguided, and harmful. So thankfully Dr. Harvey takes the time to clear up the myths regarding dominance, and how you can set rules and help your dog through this phase by using positive reinforcement methods.
Guest: Dr. Naomi Harvey
Dr. Naomi Harvey is a zoologist with a specialty in applied animal behaviour and veterinary health and welfare. Since November 2019 Naomi has been working at the Dogs Trust as a Research Manager in Canine Behaviour and she holds an honorary position as an Associate Professor of Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare at the University of Nottingham. Her research interests lie in improving the evidence base for issues affecting companion animal welfare within the fields of veterinary medicine and clinical animal behaviour, to better inform how we manage and treat dogs to enhance their welfare.

Resources:
- The Published Study by Dr. Naomi Harvey Discussed in the Episode: Teenage dogs? Evidence for adolescent-phase conflict behaviour and an association between attachment to humans and pubertal timing in the domestic dog
- Dr. Naomi Harvey on Twitter
- Dr. Naomi Harvey's Research (ResearchGate)
- Dogs Trust
- The Patient and Polite Dog Course by Instinct Dog Training

The Future of Detection Dogs with Dr. Lucia Lazarowski Jun 29, 2020

Show notes

Today we have Dr. Lucia Lazarowski to discuss the future of Detection Dogs, and how we can use that knowledge to improve the selection and development of our own pet dogs.

In this episode, we discuss the history of detection dogs, the difference between passive and active indication, behavioral evaluation and selection, developing and socializing puppies, cognition abilities in detection dogs, and olfactory learning and memory. We also spend a good amount of time discussing resiliency in working dogs, and how that can help us raise more resilient pets.

Guest Bio:

Dr. Lucia Lazarowski received her Bachelor’s and Masters’s degrees from the University of North Carolina Wilmington where she studied Psychology with a concentration in animal cognition and behavior. For her Master's thesis, she examined the effects of multiple exemplar training on olfactory concept learning in rats. After completing her Masters, she worked at North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine as a Research Associate where she studied behavior and olfaction in military working dogs for three years. She then completed a Ph.D. in Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences at Auburn University in August 2018. For her dissertation, she studied cognitive development and early predictors of success in detection dogs. Currently, she is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Canine Performance Sciences program of Auburn University's College of Veterinary Medicine.

References and Resources
- Dr. Lucia Lazarorwski's Research
- Dr. Lucia Lazarowski's Professional Website
- Dr. Lucia Lazarowski on Twitter
- The Canine Performance Sciences program of Auburn University's College of Veterinary Medicine
- The Frequency of Canine Parvovirus Infection in Vaccinated Puppies That Attended Puppy Socialization Classes
- Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy by Zazie Todd
- Books by Alexandra Horowitz
- Books by Clive Wynne
- Books by Brian Hare

Pet Grief with Dr. Katherine Compitus (Part 2 of 2) Jun 15, 2020

Show notes

Today's episode (part 2 of 2 with Dr. Katherine Compitus) is on a tough but important topic, pet grief. If you are struggling with this or will be in the future, we hope this episode helps you through the grieving process.
Our Guest:

Dr. Katherine Compitus, D.S.W., is a licensed clinical social worker in New York. Her research focuses primarily on clinical social work, the social determinants of health, and the human-animal bond. She is also the founder and chairman of Surrey Hills Sanctuary, a nonprofit organization providing veterinary social work services, including trauma-informed animal-assisted therapy for abuse survivors. Katherine has a Master’s degree in social work from NYU and also a Master’s in Education and a Master's in Animal Behavior and Conservation from Hunter College. She received her doctorate in Social Welfare (Clinical Social Work) from New York University.

Katherine is especially interested in crisis intervention as it relates to the human-animal bond; Recently she has published articles on the clinician’s experience of conducting animal-assisted therapy and the welfare of therapy animals. She is the author of the Zooeyia (zoo-AY-uh) blog at Psychology Today, discussing the myriad of benefits that we get from interacting with animals. She designed and currently teaches the human-animal bond course at New York University’s Silver School of Social Work. Katherine was a teacher prior to becoming a social worker and has almost 20 years of experience working with children and families. Katherine is currently an adjunct lecturer at New York University, Fordham University, and Columbia University and owns Wiggly Pups in New York City, providing training, daycare, and boarding services.
References:
- Dr. Katherine Compitus's Research
- Dr. Katherine Compitus on Twitter
- Dr. Katherine Compitus's Blog on Psychology Today: Zooeyia
- Surrey Hills Sanctuary
- Wiggly Pups (Dr. Compitus's NYC Doggy Daycare)
- Losing Lulu (a Facebook support group for people who have done behavioral euthanasia)
- Brian's memorial tattoo of Sammy (who was found as a stray by Yankee stadium):
- Pet Loss Companion Guide

Dr. Katherine Compitus Part 1 of 2 - Animal Assisted Therapy Jun 01, 2020

Show notes

Today we have Dr. Katherine Compitus here to discuss two important topics; Animal Assisted Therapy and Coping with Pet Grief. Due to the importance of both subjects, we have decided to break this into two parts, with this first episode exploring Animal Assisted Therapy and the next episode focusing on coping with losing a pet (which will be released next week).

Animal Assisted Therapy as a concept has become popular in recent years, but what actually is it? And what is the difference between Animal Assisted Therapy, Animal Assisted Activities, and Animal Assisted Education? And in terms of animal-assisted therapy, if you are a current licensed professional or somebody who uses a licensed professional for psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Speech Therapy, or even Physiotherapy (to name a few), how do you responsibly integrate a dog (or other animals) into these sessions so it’s beneficial for the humans and also fair for the animal? That’s what Dr. Katherine Compitus is here to help us with.
Our Guest:

Katherine is especially interested in crisis intervention as it relates to the human-animal bond; Recently she has published articles on the clinician’s experience of conducting animal-assisted therapy and the welfare of therapy animals. She is the author of the Zooeyia (zoo-AY-uh) blog at Psychology Today, discussing the myriad of benefits that we get from interacting with animals. She designed and currently teaches the human-animal bond course at New York University’s Silver School of Social Work. Katherine was a teacher prior to becoming a social worker and has almost 20 years of experience working with children and families. Katherine is currently an adjunct lecturer at New York University, Fordham University, and Columbia University and owns Wiggly Pups in New York City, providing training, daycare, and boarding services.
References:
Dr. Katherine Compitus's Research
Dr. Katherine Compitus's Blog on Psychology Today: Zooeyia
Surrey Hills Sanctuary
Wiggly Pups (Dr. Compitus's NYC Doggy Daycare)
Pet Partners (FKA Delta Society)
Therapy Dogs International
International Institute for Animal Assisted Play Therapy

The Evolution of Pet Parenting with Dr. Shelly Volsche May 18, 2020

Show notes

Today we are investigating human-canine coevolution, and specifically, the role pet dogs currently play in our families. I think for most of us long enough in the tooth, we have seen a dramatic shift in the roles dogs play in our families, and the expectations we place on them. While I live in NYC now, growing up in Nova Scotia I can rarely remember people walking their dogs on leash (and certainly not bringing them to restaurants or birthday parties), but I can clearly remember neighborhood dogs following us to the ball field or frozen pond to take part in our pick-up games of baseball or hockey. I can also remember certain dogs who would chase (and bite) us if we weren’t quick enough biking past their house. Dogs certainly had a lot more freedom and autonomy but also dealt with more risk and less attention to species-specific needs. So in western societies, how are pet owners now approaching pet parenting, and what effects (good or bad) does this have on pet dogs? And what are we seeing in counties like China and India where the opinions and cultural attitudes towards dogs as pets are changing? That’s what Dr. Shelly Volsche is here to help us with.
Our Guest
Dr. Shelly Volsche is an Anthrozoologist in the Department of Anthropology at Boise State University. Using a biocultural and evolutionary lens, she studies our ever-changing relationships with non-human animals, particularly dogs. Her current projects investigate the increasing importance of pets as family members, including the application of human parenting strategies to companion animals. This involves consideration of human-canine coevolution, cross-cultural comparisons of pet keeping, interspecific attachment, and the connection between reduced fertility and increased pet parenting. Relatedly, she is interested in how an appreciation of the emotional and cognitive abilities of other species shapes human perceptions of which species are food, foe, or family, and the welfare implications of our influence and uses of these animals.

Remember, to follow us on twitter @dogs_unknown and email us any questions or topic ideas to dogsunknown@instinctdogtraining.com

Episode References and Resources:
- Dr. Shelly Volsche on Twitter (@ShellyVPhD)
- Dr. Shelly Volsche's Research
- Dr. Alexandra Horowitz, Book "Our Dogs, Ourselves"
- Instinct's Canine Enrichment Course

Lost in Translation with Ruth Crisler and Sarah Fraser May 06, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, Sarah Fraser and Ruth Crisler are back by popular demand to discuss Lost in Translation; how dog body language or behavior can easily be misinterpreted. This nuanced discussion taps into the immense experience of our guests, and will certainly help you understand your canine family member better.
Guests:
Ruth Crisler
Ruth Crisler has been working with dogs and horses since 1991 and training dogs professionally since 1998. She is a Certified Behavior Consultant (CBCC-KA), IAABC Behavior Consulting Principles & Practice course mentor, and served as IAABC Ethics Committee Chair from 2015 to 2020. Ruth has contributed articles to The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, as well as writing for her own blog Spot Check.

Since 2000, Ruth and her team at See Spot Run have been offering customized, developmentally appropriate training programs for dogs of all ages and breed types, and designing humane and practical solutions to serious and long-standing behavior problems. She believes that different dogs require different approaches and that the best tools a trainer can possess are experience and an open mind.

Sarah Fraser
Sarah Fraser is Co-CEO of Instinct Dog Training, Inc. and Co-Founder of Instinct Dog Behavior & Training. She oversees behavior & training programming for all Instinct locations and for the Instinct Online School. She develops Instinct Inc.’s internal policies and guidelines related to training and operations, and is in charge of marketing, communications, and brand management.

Sarah is an MA Candidate, Animal Behavior & Conservation at Hunter College/CUNY. She is a CDBC, CPDT-KA , and Karen Pryor Academy CTP, who has worked with thousands of NYC owners and dogs with severe aggression, fear, and anxiety issues. She has been featured in media outlets including The New York Times, The New York Daily News, New York Magazine, Martha Stewart, NBC Nightly News with Lester Hold, Pix11 News, and many more.
Resources:
- The Ladder of Aggression
- Instinct's Greetings Do's and Don'ts
- ASPCA's Tips on Dog Body Language
Research:
- Description of the behavior of domestic dog (Canis familiaris) by experienced and inexperienced people
- Can humans discriminate between dogs on the base of the acoustic parameters of barks?
- The effect of the emotional content of verbal commands on the response of dogs.
- Study on verbal vs hand signal cues

Dog and Kid Safety with Dr. Emily Levine and Helen St. Pierre Apr 20, 2020

Show notes

In today's episode, we discuss Dog and Kid Safety with veterinary behaviorist Dr. Emily Levine, and Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, Helen St. Pierre. We discuss Dr. Levine's soon-to-be-released children's book titled "Doggy Do's and Don'ts" (email dremilylevine@animalbehaviorclinicnj.com to be notified when this becomes available on Amazon in May 2020), why kids are more likely to be bitten by a dog that they know, the benefits of kids having a pet dog in the home, how to bring a new dog into the family, how to introduce a new child to the family dog, how to incorporate training with children, and other related topics.
If dog and kid safety is an important topic to you, or if it will be in the future, it is very much worth listening to the entire episode to get great advice to make interactions between your dog and child safer and more enjoyable for all.

Guests:
Dr. Emily Levine is a Veterinary Behaviorist and the owner of the Animal Behavior Clinic of NJ, and VP of Veterinary Behavior at Instinct Dog Behavior & Training. She did her behavior residency at The Cornell University Hospital for Animals. After completing her residency, Dr. Levine moved to England where she ran the behavior clinic at the University of Lincoln and has since then practiced Veterinary Behavior for over 13 years. She has authored several papers in peer-reviewed journals and textbooks, as well as co-edited international proceedings on behavior research. Her new children’s book titled “Doggy Do’s and Don’ts” will be available in the next few weeks (May 2020) on Amazon in e-book, softcover and hardcover formats. Contact her at animalbehaviorclinicnj.com if you’d like to be notified on when the book comes out.

Helen St. Pierre is the owner and operator of No Monkey Business Dog Training. Based in Concord New Hampshire, Helen has been training dogs for over 17 years and is widely recognized in our industry as an expert on the interaction of dogs and kids. She is a certified member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and is also a licensed Dogs and Storks/Dogs and Toddlers presenter with Family Paws. Helen teaches classes locally in the Concord, New Hampshire area and offers workshops and seminars on a variety of subjects all around New England, and has been featured on radio, print, and on TV.
References:

Research Articles:

Helping Dog Owners Navigate the COVID-19 Pandemic Apr 13, 2020

Show notes

Today we are focusing on practical advice that you can use for common behavior and training issues in this COVID-19 lockdown world. While the shutdown provides some unique challenges, it also provides some opportunities to make progress on behavior and training goals. We discuss enrichment (both mental and physical at 00:04:55), leash reactivity (00:26:00), separation anxiety (00:56:50), puppy socialization (01:14:42), and foster dog basics (01:23:00). If you are only interested in one or a few of these topics, you can see the time stamp for each above so you can fast forward to the ones you are interested in and skip the rest.

Guests:
Ruth Crisler
Ruth Crisler has been working with dogs and horses since 1991 and training dogs professionally since 1998. She is a Certified Behavior Consultant (CBCC-KA), IAABC Behavior Consulting Principles & Practice course mentor, and served as IAABC Ethics Committee Chair from 2015 to 2020. Ruth has contributed articles to The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, as well as writing for her own blog Spot Check.

Since 2000, Ruth and her team at See Spot Run have been offering customized, developmentally appropriate training programs for dogs of all ages and breed types, and designing humane and practical solutions to serious and longstanding behavior problems. She believes that different dogs require different approaches and that the best tools a trainer can possess are experience and an open mind.

Sarah is an MA Candidate, Animal Behavior & Conservation at Hunter College/CUNY. She is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, Certified Professional Dog Trainer, and Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner, who has worked with thousands of NYC owners and dogs with severe aggression, fear, and anxiety issues. She has been featured in media outlets including The New York Times, The New York Daily News, New York Magazine, Martha Stewart, NBC Nightly News with Lester Hold, Pix11 News, and many more.
Resources:
- Enrichment Course by Instinct
- Enrichment Items (available on Amazon): Flirt Pole, Long Line, Rally Signs (free on AKC site), Scents (Pheasant, Quail, Rabbit)
- Leash Reactive Course by Instinct
- House Training Guide for Puppies
- Defensive Handling Video
- Unprompted Attention Video
- Tether Time Training Article

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