Videos
These videos are made possible by the generous volunteer support of our expert presenters. Click on the thumbnail below to see a full description of the segment, or to watch the video. Registered users can also download these videos in either QuickTime or WindowsMedia format.
All materials © Animal Behavior Resources Institute, Inc.
Tips for giving pills to a cat
This video illustrates some counterconditioning techniques to use with cats to help with administering pills. You can start by gently restraining the head, and giving treats. Repeat this approach until the cat equates having her mouth open with receiving treats.
You can then use the same technique to give a pill, followed immediately with a treat.
This segment is excerpted from material published in “Low Stress Handling, Restraint and Behavior Modification of Dogs & Cats” by Sophia Yin, DVM MS, with permission of the author. The book can be purchased at this link.
This Rotweiler, Mischa, has a history of growling, struggling and needing to be muzzled at the veterinary hospital. She is also fearful of people who suddenly approach to pet her. And she startles at sudden sounds.
Handling Cat with “half burrito wrap”
Towels can make handling easier for many cats, especially those who are fearful. The wrap is not meant to be a straightjacket by which the cat can be held down screaming and hissing.
Rather the goal of a towel wrap is that the cat struggles less and remains calm. In general, the cat should struggle for less than 1–2 seconds and should not struggle repeatedly. If a cat is struggling for prolonged periods or repeatedly, then use a different method or chemical restraint. Switching to a more appropriate method before the cat becomes overly aroused means that you’re more likely to be successful.
Tips for giving cats medications
Loose Leash Walking Tips and Tricks
In this video, Becky Schultz demonstrates a number of techniques for improved loose–leash walking. This video also serves as a companion to her segment on fitting the Gentle Leader headcollar, and she shows some approaches to fading use of the Gentle Leader if the owner wants.
Becky also works with the dog Charley's owner, helping her handling and management of the dog on leash.
Working with on-leash aggression
Trainer Jean Donaldson demonstrates tools and techniques for safely and effectively handling dog–reactive shelter dogs during behavior modification sessions. Commentary by veterinarian and animal behaviorist, Ian Dunbar describes how use of this technique impacts body language between dogs.
Tips for Handling a Dog-Reactive Dog
Ian Dunbar and Claude help Jean Donaldson work with a leash–reactive shelter dog.
Jean show us the baseline leash–reactive behaviors that certainly may have contributed to this dog being surrendered to the shelter. At the sight of another dog, the dog becomes unmanageable, barking, lunging and pulling so strongly that it’s impossible to hold on to her.
Conditioning an Emotional Response
Author and trainer Jean Donaldson demonstrates installing a conditioned emotional response (CER) to an object. She uses this process to introduce her chow, Buffy, to a new piece of equipment. She shows how she easily conditions Buffy to enjoy wearing her head collar.
Dr. Anderson Lifetime Achievement Award
The Association of Pet Dog Trainers honored Dr. R.K. Anderson with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Citing his long career promoting positive training methods and his influence on thousands of professional trainers, the APDT presented the award during their 2008 annual conference in Louisville, Kentucky.
Changing Emotions in Fearful Dog
Using Gentle Leader for Pulling on Leash
Fitting the Gentle Leader
Managing arousal
Using cues to settle dog
Cat Enrichment
Loose Leash Walking Tips
Clinic Visit with Unruly Dog
Play Time
This fun video montage shows all types of dogs and puppies at play. Play is an important part of the lives of all dogs, and can be effectively incorporated into a training program. You can use this video as an introduction to classes or a talk about play. For more information, see the accompanying article about integrating play into your program. You can find this in the "Articles" section of our website.
Points of View: What the dog sees
This is the second of two parts, and shows a typical enthusiastic human–to–dog greeting from the dog's perspective.
Typical human greeting behavior includes walking directly toward a dog, bending over and reaching toward them, looking them in the eyes, and patting them on the head. If the human considers themselves a real dog lover, they may also hug them around the neck.
Points of View: What we see
Many people are bitten because they do not realize that dogs feel threatened by what we consider to be normal human behavior when greeting a dog. These two clips can be downloaded for use in educational presentations that can help people learn that what we consider to be "normal" is actually quite stressful for any dog.
The first clip shows a typical dog–loving human enthusiastically greeting a dog. Humans usually approach dogs head on, walking straight toward them, leaning over and reaching toward the dog, and patting him on the head. Dogs only clasp each other when fighting or mating, so hugging them around the neck can be stressful to even the most well–socialized dogs.
Walking with an injured dog
In this video, trainer Leslie McDevitt talks about one of her competition dogs, Maggie, who had injured her neck and shoulders. Because of this injury, a typical buckle collar could be inappropriate. Leslie describes how using the Gentle Leader allowed the two of them to continue to enjoy their walks.
Walking His Dog Claude
Veterinarian and behaviorist Ian Dunbar shares his story about his rescue dog, Claude. When he met Claude, the dog had all sorts of problems. He was frightened, was a biter, and had bitten him four times before Ian brought him home.
Maltese barking at the door
Fitting the Easy Walk Harness
Managing Barking at the door
Tips for using the Easy Walk Harness
Janet Velenovsky, Behavior and Training Education Specialist for Premier Pet Products, works with the owner of a frisky boxer. The owner had previously used other methods to try and curb pulling on leash. With Janet's help, she learns the proper techniques for using the Easy Walk Harness, and becomes convinced that it will be a successful solution for her and her dog.
Veterinary behaviorist, Jacqui Neilson works with a newly surrendered dachshund on situational aggression during baths. Sophie, the dachshund, has a history of anxiety and biting during the bathing process. During baths, she would tremble, bite humans trying to handle her and also redirected aggression toward herself.
Veterinary behaviorist Gary Landsberg demonstrates how to improve the aggressive behavior dogs during veterinary examinations. He quickly changes Rusty's typically traumatic clinic visit into a positive opportunity to learn.
This is the second session with Sophie, the situationally fearful and aggressive dachshund who will now be desensitized to being toweled off after a bath. Veterinary behaviorist Neilsen demonstrates how using a Gentle Leader head collar facilitates this process by calming the dog and providing added control for safe handling.
Helping a student who has MS
Certified applied animal behaviorist and service dog trainer Mary Lee Nitschke helps a client with her service dog, Katy. Jane has limited strength and manual dexterity due to multiple sclerosis. She has been using a harness with Katy, but feels she needs added control with minimal effort.
Helping first time owner be successful
Trainer Pia Silvani helps first–time dog owner Brian with Milo, his newly adopted Jack Russell Terrier. Milo is very active and does not like being handled, particularly around the head.