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Aggression in Dogs Conference 2024

Writer's picture: Mecca Curtice, CDBC, CCDT, CFDMMecca Curtice, CDBC, CCDT, CFDM

Updated: Oct 15, 2024

Aggression in Dogs 2024 was a great conference, once again. I try to attend to every year.  This is an opportunity for me to listen to other professionals.  Continuing education is part of my career, to learn from other certified dog behavior consultants on experiences and sharing cases they have had.  Listening to veterinarians and others with PhD’s.

As a certified dog behavior consultant, it’s my responsibility to be up to date with continuing educating. As a professional who has earned a certification from the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants.

  

This year the conference started off with The Great Big Dog Bite Outbreak. Janis Bradley as she spoke about dog bites and reporting. She can be found on National Canine Research Council.  I am glad to hear there are other people that are not bias. Dog bites have been an interest of mine for years. During her time on stage, she started her slides to view there was a lot of interesting information before us.

Why Do Dogs Bite?

•They want something aversive to go away.

•They want to protect something they value.

•They want to gain something of value.

The discussion continued about different places around the world with estimated dog bites, in the U.S.A, Switzerland, Holland and Chile. Dogs are everywhere around the world.

Public Education

• Body Language

• Husbandry

• Training

• Situational awareness

• Child education

• Health


Public Safety

This is a topic for another time. Following leash laws is always a good start. Often people forget that this is a law. There are dogs in homes that struggle on walks and a muzzle could help. It is a safety tool and can be used properly in different situations.

 

 Dog bites are preventable, but I have noticed many times, I get calls only after the fact the dog has bitten. As I will explain to everyone, dogs do give warnings, and those signals are overlooked and ignored until the dog strikes and bites.

 

Trauma and Dogs in Animal Shelters

 This was very interesting and was given by Sheila Segurson DVM, DACVB she is doing good work.

 


 I really enjoyed this, because I learned a few new things to put into my trainer's toolbox. This is for dogs under behavioral restriction. There was one specific idea I really liked, and it is a sniff chat. I use sniffing with dogs because it is calming for them. But this idea, I was drawn into. Sniff chat is about telling your dog via odors. Using one baggie and collecting items into a bag through your day. Then pulling items out of the bag in a selected area. Tricks as jobs and cued task. Some of this I already use, but there were parts of this that I was drawn into and look forward to adding this in to help clients and dogs.

 

Treats: Your Best Friend or Your Worst Enemy

 Some speakers talked about their experiences in shelter work. I enjoyed observing their videos as they worked with the animals. There was one that was so intense. I have worked with rescued dogs for over fourteen years. I have learned a lot from hands on experience with each dog. I never just put my hands on a dog. I allow a dog to decompress, and I use a leash or longline on a dog until, I am ready, and the animal is ready. I toss treats out and observe the dog’s body language. If they dog is taking the food, that is good. Then I wait for the dog to look back or move towards me. It’s a process, I have used for years.

In this story the speaker was sharing about a dog meeting people, it got very intense. A rescue organization had taken a video of a dog that almost bit someone in the face. The dog was on leash and the handler was allowing the dog to go to people, but the dog was very focused on the treat bag. I noticed this and the dog never did look at any of the people, but only the treats. The treats were being ate as long as he was being fed.  A person in the small gathering handed the treat bag over to the person next to her. This man started feeding the dog treats, again the dog was only interested in the bag of treats.

All through this meeting the dog, the people were bent down and very low. I never recommend being in a position like this when meeting a dog you don’t know.  This position will put you at a disadvantage. The man stopped feeding treats from his hands, then suddenly the dog looked at this man in the face. The dog’s expression changed and soon he barked, then moved towards the man’s face. The handler pulled back just in time to prevent a bite to the man’s face.

 

 There was so much to take away from the conference. I often work with cases for reactivity and there are reasons why I add into plans because they are built from information I take in.  There are reasons why I request walking a dog to be shortened, or at a different time of the day. One is thinking of the human side and also the dog.

There are other ways to help dogs for exercise and mind stimulation, without pushing them over threshold.


Dr. Clive Wynne: Canine Conspirators: How Dogs Made the Modern World Possible

He took us back 20,000 years ago. In his career he has had the opportunity to travel around the world. The pictures in his slides were very interesting. As he spoke about the Ice age there was so much detailed information. A grave had been found with the skeletal remains of a female where she had died with her pup there. He had pictures of dogs that were used to pull small carts when traveling across the country. I've always had an interest in history of dogs, and how they were used for a purpose, they had jobs.

Its estimated 80 % of the dog population in the world are living without a home. They survive by searching for food they may find in trash, left from humans. They learn to navigate around people on the streets.

 

 Each day was filled with valuable information, and I look forward to using these in my toolbox.

I now have an online school; you can find the link below and offer private one-on-one consultations in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and surrounding areas. If you are looking for obedience training or need help with a behavior problem. Please contact me, to schedule an appointment. If you want to have an online Zoom consultation, please allow 24 hours to set

up, I do check my email daily.


I use positive reinforcement in training, I also bring in therapeutic ways to help dogs with stress, fear, anxiety and aggression. I believe in holistic approaches to helping dogs.

Dogs are learning 24/7/365 days a year.


Find me on Facebook: Mecca's All Breed Dog Training

My prices are listed on www.meccacurtice.com


I look forward to hearing from you. Until next time! Listen to your dog, because they do communicate to us every day. They need guidance and to feel safe and secure.


Mecca Curtice, CDBC, CCDT, CFDM

© 2024 Mecca Curtice Mecca's All Breed Dog Training



German Shepherd waiting for the cue
Mecca Curtice CDBC stands with a German Shepherd


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