The Bitey End of the Dog

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Trish McMillan MSc, CDBC, CCBC, CPDT-KA Sep 14, 2020

Show notes

This episode is the season finale for The Bitey End of the Dog, and I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for listening, sharing the podcast, and for your wonderful feedback! It has been an incredible experience for me to chat with such amazing and enlightening guests.
With that being said, stay tuned for Season 2 where I will be bringing on some more fascinating experts from around the world to talk about all things aggression. Season 2 will be launching early 2021.
In this episode, I chat with my good friend and colleague, Trish McMillan about some very necessary, and sobering topics that need to be discussed in the dog training, rescue, and shelter world, and I hope this podcast can allow for some self-reflection within our industry.

And this episode is sponsored by AggressiveDog.com, where you can find a variety of educational offerings with a focus on helping dogs with aggression, including the Aggression in Dogs Master Course, the most comprehensive course available anywhere in the world on helping dogs with aggression, and The Aggression in Dogs Conference, a three day virtual event happening from Oct. 2-4, 2020 with ten amazing speakers, all experts in their field. You can find out more about the conference by going to thelooseleashacademy.com.
September 28th, 2020 is the last day to register for the conference.
Trish McMillan MSc, CDBC, CCBC, CPDT-KA
https://trishmcmillan.com
Trish McMillan is a certified professional dog trainer (through CCPDT), certified dog behavior consultant and associate certified cat behavior consultant (through IAABC) who holds a Master’s degree in Animal Behavior from the University of Exeter in England. She specializes in training and behavior modification work using positive reinforcement with dogs, cats, and horses.
During her seven years with the ASPCA, Trish gained a wide variety of experience in the field of animal behavior. For three years she was the director of the animal behavior department at the ASPCA’s New York City shelter, helping staff, volunteers, and adopters work with animals and make great matches. Trish has also helped assess and rehabilitate animals from cruelty, hoarding, and dogfighting cases, as well as pets rescued from natural disasters. In addition to writing for the ASPCA’s Virtual Pet Behaviorist and other publications, she helped create and present several very popular webinars on dog and cat behavior and handling for the ASPCA Pro website. Trish also co-chairs the Shelter Behavior division of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and runs an online shelter behavior mentorship through IAABC twice a year.
Show Notes Links:
The Perils of Placing Marginal Dogs
ASPCA Position Statement

Learn more about options for help for dogs with aggression here:
AggressiveDog.com
Learn more about the CANIS Conference here:
CANIS Conference
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The Bitey End of the Dog Bonus Episodes
Check out all of our webinars, courses, and educational content here:
Webinars, courses, and more!

Janet Cutler Ph.D., CAAB Sep 14, 2020

Show notes

You know we had to have an episode on puppies and aggression! In this episode I have the pleasure of chatting with Janet Cutler, who is an expert on puppies and has researched puppy socialization while earning her PhD. We discuss why puppies may display aggressive behaviors at such a young age, and what factors might influence aggression. We also chat about things like the secondary imprint period and littermate syndrome….or the lack thereof.

Simon Gadbois, PhD Sep 10, 2020

Show notes

If you get a dopamine rush when geeking out to the science of behavior, this episode is for you. I literally could not wait to release this show because it is packed with so many mind blowing insights!
Dr. Simon Gadbois is someone I’ve been wanting to interview to get his take on aggression, and he does not disappoint. I pick Simon’s brain about topics such as behavioral endocrinology and how hormones relate to aggression; continue to explore predatory behavior as I have in previous episodes; and we chat about the behavior sciences that might be best suited for learning about and addressing aggression. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg for this episode!

Simon Gadbois Ph.D.
Simon Gadbois integrates ethology, animal experimental psychology, and behavioural neuroscience to study wild and domestic canids. He completed his Ph.D. in behavioural endocrinology at the Canadian Centre for Wolf Research (CCWR) examining the hormonal correlates of social behaviour in wolves, as well as action sequences in wolves, coyotes and red foxes. When the CCWR closed in 2007, he started the Canid Behaviour Research Lab at Dalhousie University and focussed his research on coyote-human conflicts and canine scent detection and search. He is interested in the fundamental science of olfaction and olfactory learning, as well as some applications: His lab has focussed on environmental/conservation, biomedical, and forensic applications of scent processing in dogs.

Dr. E'lise Christensen DVM, DACVB Sep 08, 2020

Show notes

One of the most important aspects of successfully working aggression cases is often collaborating as a team with a veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist.
I’m super excited to bring in another Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist for this season. I get to chat with Dr. E’lise Christensen, who is the chief medical officer for Behavior Vets, with locations in NYC and Colorado. We talk about how to know if behavior meds are actually working, the effects of spaying and neutering on behavior, and how noise sensitivities can affect aggressive behavior, and much more!

After veterinary school Dr. C began a rotating small animal internship at SouthPaws Veterinary Referral Center in Springfield, Virginia. While working there she continued her studies in veterinary behavior. She practiced feline-only medicine in Arlington, Virginia and general medicine in Bloomingdale, New Jersey before entering the Behavior Residency Program at Cornell University in 2004. During her residency she researched the behavior of dogs, cats, and horses and treated behavioral problems in a number of different species. Her most cited research involved evaluating the efficacy of canine temperament tests in the shelter system.

Dr. Christensen has contributed to articles in Dog Watch, Cat Watch, Cat Fancy, Dog Training Solutions, Real Simple, Newsday, and various other print media. She has been a contributor and guest on Foxnews.com’s “Pet Health” and “Studio B with Shepard Smith”, ABC News’ “Nightline,” and many other radio programs, television programs, and newscasts. She enjoys lecturing nationally and internationally on an array of behavior topics including, but not limited to, small animal behavior, public health and animal sheltering topics.

Dr. C is board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists and a member of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) Speaker’s Bureau and the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Dr C is always working on new ideas to support animals, families, trainers, and veterinary colleagues as they learn more about behavior and manage animals with behavioral disorders. Work-life balance is her last unicorn. She is also on a crusade to rescue the Oxford comma.

Jennifer Shryock B.A., CDBC - Founder Family Paws Education Aug 31, 2020

Show notes

I have to say, recording these podcasts has been an incredible experience for me, as I am learning so much from each and every guest.
Jen Shryock is another passionate expert that I had the pleasure of chatting with, and learned more about children and dogs, and how we can keep both safe.
We talk about what to look for as red flags for potential problems between kids and dogs, how we can help to educate the public about dog bite safety with children, and even discuss the rare, but serious topic of predatory behaviors directed at infants.
Aggression in Dogs Conference
The Aggression in Dogs Master Course
Jennifer Shryock is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC), owner of Family Paws™ LLC in Cary, NC and holds a degree in Special Education. Jennifer is also former VP of Doggone Safe a non-profit dedicated to dog bite prevention and victim support.

Jennifer also has proudly served on the board member of the International Childbirth Education Association. A recognized expert on dog and baby/toddler interactions and safety, Jennifer has written and spoken extensively about these topics. Her two programs, Dogs & Storks® and Dogs & Toddlers™ have been featured in national media such as The Wall Street Journal, Martha Stewart LIVING along with many TV and radio appearances.In 2000 The Shryock family adopted their first German Shepherd Rescue dog. Subsequently Jennifer became involved with the rescue organization as a counselor and trainer finding herself supporting families with babies or young children who, overwhelmed by the challenges of their situation, were often on the verge of surrendering an otherwise beloved dog.

As a Mother, dog behavior consultant and teacher… Jennifer recognized a need for support and education for these families and began building resources for new and expecting families through her own business Family Paws. A consistent need for this specialized service led to the creation of the highly endorsed international program Dogs & Storks® for expecting and adopting families and then years later Dogs & Toddlers™, for families with babies 3 months of age and up. All of these passions and ideas have led to the creation of Family Paws™ Parent Education now offering programs all of the United States, Canada and beyond! Jennifer has mentored and supported hundreds of dog trainers all over the world and continues to support families in her community and beyond.
Jennifer lives in Cary, North Carolina, with her husband, 4 children, 2 dogs, and 4 cats.

Sue Sternberg Aug 22, 2020

Show notes

In this episode I chat with Sue Sternberg, a world renowned dog behavior expert who has devoted her personal and professional life to helping dogs and people live together happily.
We talk about the street dogs we had the pleasure of observing when we were together in Valle De Bravo, Mexico, and the profound difference in behavior with dogs in the United States. I also pick Sue’s brain on her fascinating insight into dog body language and red flags for aggression, and we dive deeper into the reason why we might be seeing an increase in aggression cases overall. Hopefully, this episode will generate some much needed conversation about how we are getting dogs and bringing them into our human lives.

AggressiveDog.com
Aggression in Dogs Conference
Sue's website:
https://www.suesternberg.com
About Sue:
Sue has been working in shelters and as a dog trainer since 1981. Sue was the 2016 recipient of the APDT's Lifetime Achievement Award. She founded the shelter featured in the HBO documentary: Shelter Dogs. Her over 40 years of canine behavior experience includes as a dog control officer, behavior consultant at the ASPCA, shelter owner, successful competitor in a variety of dog sports (with Nose Work being her current wild favorite) and a teacher of dog trainers world-wide. She has published many books and DVDs on all aspects of dog behavior, training and assessments, available through www.Dogwise.com and www.TawzerDog.com.

Her latest book from Dogwise, is Assessing Aggression Thresholds in Dogs —Using the Assess-A-Pet Protocol to Better Understand Aggression. Sue has been developing and refining assessment techniques for decades to help shelter workers and trainers determine the likelihood that a dog will engage in aggressive behaviors. This book includes Sue’s newest protocols based on the theory that sociability is the key predictor of a dog’s potential for aggression.

Sue’s newest DVD project is a giant, lifetime video collection of discrete behaviors serving as a catalog of body language—over three hours of an intensive study guide to dogs, available through Dogwise.

Sue is a hobby paleontologist, and spends as much free time as she can exploring the desert with her dogs looking for fossils and also pretty rocks. She loves all things Star Trek, is an avid tea drinker, and plays the fiddle, too.

Grisha Stewart MA, CPDT-KA, KPA-CTP Aug 17, 2020

Show notes

In this episode I chat with Grisha Stewart, the founder of the well known protocol for reactive dogs, Behavior Adjustment Training.
We talk about how BAT has evolved, when it can be incredibly useful, and how it can be integrated with other strategies for other problem behaviors, such as when a dog is showing true predation, or as we call it in the episode, when a dog is actually having fun.

AggressiveDog.com
Aggression in Dogs Conference
About Grisha:
Grisha Stewart is an author, international speaker, and dog trainer based in Oregon, USA, who specializes in dog reactivity. She founded Empowered Animals and the online Animal Building Blocks Academy, as well as Ahimsa Dog Training in Seattle, which she sold to a staff member in 2015. Grisha's Ahimsa team earned many awards, including Best of Seattle and Best of Western Washington.
"Ahimsa" is a Buddhist doctrine of nonviolence to all living things, which reflects Grisha's focus on force-free methods to promote the well-being of dogs and their humans.
Her seminal book, "Behavior Adjustment Training: BAT for Aggression, Reactivity, and Fear in Dogs," was published by Dogwise in late 2011. Grisha's popular second book, "The Official Ahimsa Dog Training Manual: A Practical, Force-Free Guide to Problem Solving & Manners," was published in 2012 and updated in 2014. She also has over a dozen DVDs, with 6 currently in print. Her third book, BAT 2.0 was released in early 2016 and is available to order here on her site (and other places, but here is best)! This content replaces the first BAT book.
Grisha's Educational Opportunities

Matt Beisner - Dog: Impossible Aug 07, 2020

Show notes

In this episode I take a little detour from my usual format of talking about aggression in dogs, and chat with Matt Beisner, star of the show Dog Impossible on Nat Geo wild.
We talk about how we ended up meeting in the first place, Matt’s journey and evolution, and the need for inclusivity, tolerance, and compassion in the dog training community. All things that are much needed right now.

AggressiveDog.com Educational Offerings
Aggression in Dogs Conference
Matt Beisner:
Dog Trainer Matt Beisner, star of Dog: Impossible on Nat Geo WILD / Disney Plus, has spent the past decade working with dangeroulsy aggressive dogs. As an adult, Matt was once afraid of dogs. Now, through his company THE ZEN DOG, Matt has committed his life to serving dogs and their humans. Matt uniquely transforms these troubled relationships through the use of affection, rather than relying on fear, force, food, commands or control.

Matt and his team are currently fliming Season Two of Dog: Impossible in Los Angeles, where they'll bring more hope, help and heart to dogs in need - never giving up, and never saying no. Because for Matt Beisner, there are no bad dogs.

Website: http://www.thezendog.com
Instagram: The Zen Dog

Emily Strong CDBC, CPBT-KA, SBA and Allie Bender CDBC, CPDT-KA, SBA Jul 20, 2020

Show notes

In this episode I chat with Emily Strong and Allie Bender, authors of Canine Enrichment for the Real World.
Emily, Allie, and I get to geek out a bit, and chat about things like agency, modal action patterns, and stereotypies in dogs. But of course, we also dive deep into what enrichment really is, and why it matters so much in aggression cases.
AggressiveDog.com Educational Offerings
Aggression in Dogs Conference
Allie Bender:
Allie Bender, CDBC, CPDT-KA, SBA is the co-owner and founder of Pet Harmony, LLC and the co-author of Canine Enrichment for the Real World. She believes in working with animals by addressing underlying causes behind undesirable behaviors. She also believes in working with people to find the best solutions for your situation and household.

Allie has been working with rescue groups and shelters since 2006 in various capacities, including founding a student-run organization, Students Helping Rescue Animals, to aid local shelters with fundraising, supplying volunteers and providing education to the public about animal shelter issues.

Allie graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Iowa State University. During her education, she spearheaded a research study exploring the effects of enrichment on stereotypical behavior in shelter dogs. After graduation, Allie was employed with local animal welfare organizations including a humane society and low-cost spay/neuter clinic.

Allie has been training animals professionally since 2012. In 2014 she moved to Utah to work as a dog trainer at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. In 2015 she was promoted to Lead Dog Behavior Consultant. During her time at Best Friends, Allie was fortunate to be invited to speak multiple times at the Best Friends National Conference, make TV and commercial appearances, and provide nationwide behavior and training workshops with esteemed colleagues.

Emily Strong:
Emily Strong, CDBC, CPBT-KA, SBA is co-owner of Pet Harmony, LLC. She is committed to a Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive (LIMA) and science-based approach to training, behavior modification, and teaching people. She loves working with learners of all species, and the list of species she’s worked with so far includes dogs, cats, horses, parrots, ramphastidae, corvids, a wide variety of other bird species, rabbits, ferrets, hamsters, rats, mice, horses, donkeys, pigs, goats, tortoises, leopard geckos, snakes, pygmy octopi, fish, and a few species of insects.

Emily has been working and volunteering in various animal welfare fields since 1990, including several different shelters and rescue groups; as a vet tech in a wide variety of animal hospitals; in stables, aviaries, and wildlife rehabs; as a pet sitter for animals with medical and behavioral special needs; as a freelance journalist and editor; and finally, as a behavior consultant.

In Austin, she co-founded and ran Austin Parrot Society, served on the board of Wings of Love Bird Haven, and served as both the Volunteer Medical Coordinator and a medical and behavioral special needs foster home for Austin Pets Alive!. In 2013 she was offered a job at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah and worked there as a behavior consultant, which is where she met and began collaborating with Allie Bender.
Emily is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC), a Certified Professional Bird Trainer through the International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators (IAATE), a Shelter Behavior Affiliate (SBA) through IAABC, and is TAG Teach certified at the primary level.

James Crosby M.S., CBCC-KA Jun 29, 2020

Show notes

In this episode I chat with Jim Crosby about all things dog bites, the forensics of dog attacks and dog bite fatalities, police encounters with dogs, and I get a truly fascinating look into the world of severe dog aggression incidents.
I do want to give a content warning that Jim and I will be discussing severe dog attacks and fatalities that some listeners may be sensitive to. Listener discretion is advised.
AggressiveDog.com Educational Offerings
The Aggression in Dogs Conference
James W. Crosby M.S., CBCC-KA, is a retired Police Lieutenant (Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville, FL) and has professionally trained dogs, taught individual and group obedience classes, and addressed canine behavior problems since 1999. Jim first obtained his CPDT in 2008 and became a CBCC-KA in 2016.
Holding a Master of Science degree in Veterinary Forensic Medicine, Jim is recognized in and out of Court as an expert in the US and Canada on dangerous dogs, canine aggression, fatal dog attacks, and related issues. He has personally investigated over 30 fatal dog attacks on humans and has, post-attack, physically and behaviorally evaluated over 50 dogs that have killed humans. Cases have included attacks in the US, the UK and Australia. Jim served as Chair of the Review Committee addressing Dangerous Dog procedures and processes for the Government of the Australian Capital Territory in 2017/2018.
Jim is the Director-Canine Encounter Training for the National Law Enforcement Center on Animal Abuse, and is the designer of the Law Enforcement Dog Encounter Training course supported by the National Sheriff’s Association and others.
Jim is an Associate Member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, a Charter Member of the International Veterinary Forensic Science Association, a Supporting Member of IAABC, and is honored to serve on the Board of Directors of the CCPDT.
A certified Animal Control Officer in Florida, he served as Animal Control Division Manager of Bay County Animal Control from 2008 to 2010 and has been Division Management Consultant to Jacksonville (FL) Animal Care and Protective Services since 2016.
Jim teaches safe handling, evaluation and rehabilitation of Dangerous Dogs and the Investigation of Fatal and Serious Dog Attacks to police, animal control agencies, and others across the US, Canada, Italy, the UK, Poland and Australia.
Jim authored two chapters in the textbook “Dog Bites: A Multidisciplinary Approach”, published by 5M Publishing in 2017. He contributed to “Humane Animal Control: Effective Enforcement, Shelter Management, Local Government Support and Community Engagement” published by Best Friends Animal Society. Jim is currently finishing up his PhD through the College of Veterinary Medicine and Graduate School at the University of Florida.

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