Animal Behaviour and Trauma Recovery Service

16/12/2022

I have had a great week of CPD and learning including an excellent workshop on Transforming Perspectives on Difficult Behaviour: THE DOGS ARE WAITING with Andrew Hale and Laura Donaldson, Fear Memory Generalization: When the Protective Mechanism Goes Wrong, with Dr. Kathy Murphy & Bobbie Bhambree and Working With Fear And Trauma In Horses with Dr Emma Lethbridge Some key takeaways and musings I will likely comeback with more as I process the weekend. ( this is not an exhaustive list please check out these amazing courses for more information):

* Fear generalisation is adaptive because :

• It allows us and our animals to adjust to ever-changing and complicated physical and social environments. This enhances an individuals chance of survival.

• No unpleasant or aversive situation is the same.

• Adaptive generalisation saves time and is efficient. It reduces the length of time it takes an individual to discriminate between stimuli.

* Maladaptive generalisation can lead to:

• Excessive generalisation is not energy efficient, it can result in poor discrimination where the individual can not accurately tell the difference between safe and unsafe contexts and situations. This might also make the use of safety signals less effective.
(Dreschel et al, 2010.)

• The neurobiological mechanisms of fear generalisation are

• Pattern separation and pattern completion

• Pattern separation: This is the ability to both discriminate and store sensory inputs that are similar but not identical. These are then changed into dissimilar outputs (Wynn et al, 2021). For humans think "Spot the difference”.

• Pattern completion: This is the retrieval of a full memory based on a partial cue from the environment a human example might the first few bars of a song enabling us to identify it (Ngo et al,2020).

• Alterations in the functional connectivity of brain regions

• Increased stress sensitivity and reactivity.

• In the case of memory the specific details of the event are lost faster than the conditioned emotional response (fear).

• We can support dogs (and horses) through resilience conditioning by ensuring and supporting predictability , decompression, completion of the stress cycle, mental and physical wellbeing , safety and security, social support and agency ( supporting the animal’s agency). Please see the amazing Resilience Rainbow that Behaviour Vets have created.

• From the workshop the affirmation that there is a deep need to move away from operant approaches as the first port of call in supporting animals' who are very fearful, traumatised or just struggling in our human world. That instead we must focus on knowing the individual, learning from them and giving them opportunities to learn they are safe and support their agency. To work on ourselves so we can be available and don’t add to what is already difficult and to work alongside in collaboration with our animals.

• Last but NOT least we can't train trauma away!!
I will add to this list when I have had time to process all of the learning

©️Jessie Sams (2022) Animal Behaviour and Trauma Recovery Service

14/12/2022

Fantastic post from Dog Communication

13/12/2022

Hi guys it has dawned on me I have never properly introduced myself or how I work. . Please say Hi and tell me where you are all from. In addition to what is listed below I am also a passionate trauma geek and mental health advocate for all species including humans. I hope you find a safe non-judgemental space here.

This page is for those of you seeking support to heal your traumatised animal through bespoke treatment via veterinary referral using the trauma informed principles of safety, trust, choice and agency , collaboration and empowerment . Information and resources will also be shared here to support your journey.

🐴🐴Who am I ?🐴🐴

I am a qualified horse and dog behaviour consultant working towards becoming a Clinical Animal Behaviourist via the APBC APEL route. I have been practicing as a behaviour consultant since 2012 and have a background in show jumping. I specialise in and I am passionate about supporting rescue horses and dogs or those that have experienced any form of psychological trauma. I also am UK representative for MiMer Centre where we offer training and do research into equine /human interaction and Equines in Therapy and Learning . My work involves a multidisciplinary approach and I work alongside other professionals to support you and your horse.

What does a Behaviour Consultation Involve?

A behaviour consultation is designed to help you address the root cause of your horse’s behaviour problem be it trauma, fear or phobia, loading or travelling issue, separation distress, aggression, stereotypic behaviour ( crib biting, weaving etc),ridden, handling or catching problem. They can also be used to prevent behaviour issues by preparing a horse for veterinary procedures, the farrier, dentist, teaching loading to starting your young horse or just to enhance your relationship or lower your horse’s stress levels. I am passionate especially about horses who have experienced any sort of trauma to help them to feel safe and thrive.

What does a behaviour consultation involve?

Contact via a phone call or send a message. We discuss your needs and see if I am right for you. THERE IS NO OBLIGATION

If you determine that you'd like to move forward you will need to get a referral from your vet to rule out any physical, medical or neurological causes for the identified behaviour complaint. This is a requirement of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966. Usually this is at no cost to you and can be achieved via phone call allowing me to send my referral forms and contact your vet. This ensures the problem is behavioural as opposed to medical or neurological in nature. These consultations are designed to be holistic and offer a trauma informed and multidisciplinary approach.

🐴Referral from your vet to rule out physical or medical cause for the identified behaviour complaint in line with the Veterinary Surgeons Act. You can either ask your vet to refer to me or approach me directly and with your consent I can reach out to your vet to refer your horse to me.

🐴Full history and behaviour assessment due to social distancing the bulk of the history form will be done over the phone followed by completing the assessment face to face with your horse. You also receive a more practical session as part of the assessment. The history includes an informal discussion of your horse’s early history ( if known), current routine and environment ( this part is undertaken at your yard), diet ,full assessment of the problem and an in depth look at your relationship. I do not use any force towards your horse or gadgetry and everything as at you and your horses’ pace.

🐴I formulate a treatment and support plan based on the history you have given me and my observations from our face to face assessment then I write an overview and initial training plan and send you an information pack. Your plan is updated as we progress you may also receive additional hand outs where appropriate.

🐴On-going , long term support and habilitation training is an essential part of the service and can be offered either intensively (2-3 days per week where we work with your horse together or I work with your horse a set number of days and then we have one or two sessions together) or sessions are weekly , fortnightly or monthly. Intensives are offered at a discount and two days per week is typically recommended at the beginning for particularly fearful or complex horses. All sessions are trauma informed focusing on safety, trust ,choice and collaboration with your horse. Throughout treatment assessment is on going. So for intensive enquiries please ask.

🐴 Prevention of behaviour issues developing or to support your horse to cope with veterinary procedures such as injections, worming, dentistry, hoof and leg handling for the farrier.

🐴 Helping your foal or young horse or dog to navigate the human world including leading , loading and basic handling. It is important your foal or young horse has the best start in life and that they can cope with our human world.

I promise to always listen and offer you a safe and non-judgemental space to explore your relationship and address any issues may have or just support your relationship to grow.

Working with our animals when they are struggling is often challenging and emotional for us. These sessions are designed to support you both and focus on establishing relationship before using a combination of systematic desensitisation, counter conditioning, aspects of Polyvagal Theory , positive reinforcement, enrichment and scent work to encourage natural behaviour and relaxation. All of my work is based on the principles of Trauma Informed Care (Safety,Trust, Choice, Collaboration and supporting Agency). Your horses’ behaviour issue developed over time and as such will take time to change. There are no quick fixes in life and helping your animal is no exception but change can be achieved with patience and time.

This service is available for dogs too .

12/12/2022

I think I have just finished watching one of the most life changing webinars I have ever seen. It answered so many questions for me both personally as someone who lives with a massively generalised fear response and professionally with the animals I meet. Massive thanks to the outstanding Behavior Vets team and Kathy Connor and Bobbie Bhambree-Wirkmaa for their awesome webinar on Fear generalisation. I highly recommend it and I look forward to putting it into practice.

12/12/2022

This is sad and disappointing . Horses deserve better .The normalising of pain and stress has to stop. .

12/12/2022

This is so sad and disappointing . Horses deserve better .The normalising of pain and stress has to stop. .

12/12/2022

This should be a great webinar series for anyone interested in ethology and equine welfare . It is a real privilege to part of this . I will be thoroughly rinsing my brave pants for this one .

12/12/2022

I love this from Leslie Horsemanship . Puppy socialisation is much the same it’s also about the individual .

I don’t want to expose my horses to as much as possible, as a way to desensitize them.

I see this often on social media, people throwing everything but the kitchen sink at their horses. And although these are always quite popular videos, and impresses alot of people, it’s not something I ever have as a goal in my horses education.

Instead, I want to build a foundation that allows them to handle new, and potentially scary situations. A foundation of trust, and one that shows the horse that, it’s ok to get worried about stuff, but that they can investigate, and problem solve their way through the situation.

We will never be able to desensitize our horses to every stimulus out there and unfortunately, improper desensitization can cause the problem of shutting a horse down, creating the illusion of calmness, when it reality the horse has become a ticking time bomb.

I also don’t want my horses to become unresponsive to stimuli, I much prefer a horse that is a bit reactive, because it tells me that they’re comfortable communicating their concerns to me, and allows me to actually work with them through it. This communication is also VITAL for safety. For example if you ride or walk anywhere you would encounter wildlife, having a horse that alerts you to a potential bear or cougar, but also trusts you to make the right decisions for everyone, is what’s going to help keep you and your horse safe.

So in conclusion, WHAT we “desensitize” our horses to, is not so important as HOW we approach new and scary things.

12/12/2022

Wonderful post

I don’t want to expose my horses to as much as possible, as a way to desensitize them.

I see this often on social media, people throwing everything but the kitchen sink at their horses. And although these are always quite popular videos, and impresses alot of people, it’s not something I ever have as a goal in my horses education.

Instead, I want to build a foundation that allows them to handle new, and potentially scary situations. A foundation of trust, and one that shows the horse that, it’s ok to get worried about stuff, but that they can investigate, and problem solve their way through the situation.

We will never be able to desensitize our horses to every stimulus out there and unfortunately, improper desensitization can cause the problem of shutting a horse down, creating the illusion of calmness, when it reality the horse has become a ticking time bomb.

I also don’t want my horses to become unresponsive to stimuli, I much prefer a horse that is a bit reactive, because it tells me that they’re comfortable communicating their concerns to me, and allows me to actually work with them through it. This communication is also VITAL for safety. For example if you ride or walk anywhere you would encounter wildlife, having a horse that alerts you to a potential bear or cougar, but also trusts you to make the right decisions for everyone, is what’s going to help keep you and your horse safe.

So in conclusion, WHAT we “desensitize” our horses to, is not so important as HOW we approach new and scary things.

11/12/2022

Taking a risk but here goes

SPONTANEOUS RECOVERY OF FEAR

Whilst I am a huge fan of science I also want to post about how this feels in my experience. Fear extinction put simply is a reduction or decrease in a conditioned fear response or responses (CR) after a period of non-reinforced exposure to in this case a feared conditioned stimulus (CS) (Kataoka et al,2019,Norrholm et al, 2006). If an extinguished fear response or responses re-emerge after a period of time when the feared stimulus is presented again this is spontaneous recovery. Extinction itself is a type of inhibitory learning. Spontaneous Recovery of response can happen with desired behavioural responses unrelated to fear as both will wane and weaken if they are not reinforced. In this case, the focus is on fear. When the feared conditioned stimulus is later re-introduced the fear “ spontaneously” returns often with renewed strength and intensity. (Lacagnina et al, 2019,Kim & Cho,2020).

So what does all that have to do with a cup of coffee or indeed spontaneous recovery of fears in animals?

The feelings bit. I am anorexic as some of you may know so what does that have to do with spontaneous recovery you are probably thinking?

Recently I have been increasingly anxious (actually I am always anxious😉) and I also became very unwell with a nasty virus. I couldn’t go out for a few days. Starbucks used to be a safe drink for me. Well, that short window of around forty-eight hours was long enough to rapidly and violently cause my fears to return (Murray et al,2020). No more coffee for me at least not without an immovable wall of fear. It is so important to frequently revisit fear-inducing stimuli and situations especially if there is a long gap between them. It does not have to be done at full intensity every time but aspects at least should be revisited. So for example, if your horse is afraid of clippers don’t go months without exposing your horse to them. There is a great app that simulates clippers you can practice with even if their coat has not grown back. It is safest to start at a lower level of intensity especially if some time has elapsed.

References

Kataoka, T., Fuchikami, M., Nojima, S., Nagashima, N., Araki, M., Omura, J., ... & Morinobu, S. (2019). Combined brain‐derived neurotrophic factor with extinction training alleviate impaired fear extinction in an animal model of post‐traumatic stress disorder. Genes, Brain and Behavior, 18(7), e12520.

Kim, W. B., & Cho, J. H. (2020). Encoding of contextual fear memory in hippocampal–amygdala circuit. Nature communications, 11(1), 1-22.

Lacagnina, A. F., Brockway, E. T., Crovetti, C. R., Shue, F., McCarty, M. J., Sattler, K. P., ... & Drew, M. R. (2019). Distinct hippocampal engrams control extinction and relapse of fear memory. Nature neuroscience, 22(5), 753-761.

Murray, S. B., Strober, M., Craske, M. G., Griffiths, S., Levinson, C. A., & Strigo, I. A. (2018). Fear as a translational mechanism in the psychopathology of anorexia nervosa. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 95, 383-395.

Norrholm, S. D., Jovanovic, T., Vervliet, B., Myers, K. M., Davis, M., Rothbaum, B. O., & Duncan, E. J. (2006). Conditioned fear extinction and reinstatement in a human fear-potentiated startle paradigm. Learning & Memory, 13(6), 681-685.

©️Jessie Sams (2022) Animal Behaviour and Trauma Recovery Service and Beeching Horse Behaviour

10/12/2022

I love this from Ben Hart - Hart's Horsemanship those of you who are clients of mine will know I talk a lot about observations and responding to what the horse shows us . Observation and listening to the horse and ourselves allows us to communicate effectively .

What one thing has made the biggest impact on you in your life with horses, donkeys or Mules during 2022? 🤔

09/12/2022

This is a very important message

Social media can be a great place and a not so great all at the same time. I read through posts with hurtful comments and feel for the people they are aimed at. The 1 minute video you see, or that one picture is such a tiny part of someone's day, you don't know the rest. You can keep scrolling or unfollow if you don't like something someone has posted.

I go by this basis throughout life....

*** T H I N K ***
T - is it True?
H - is it Helpful?
I - is it Inspiring?
N - is it Necessary?
K - is it Kind?

You will never understand the battles someone is hinding under their smile. You may think someone is strong enough to hear it when really they are crumbling inside and put a smile on for that 2 minutes you see on socials.

BE KIND. BE NICE. BE HELPFUL. BE SUPPORTIVE. BE INSIRING. BE THERE FOR SOMEONE. It costs NOTHING.

The one thing I wanted to provide when I become a trainer was a safe, supported, non judgemental environment for my clients. Where clients can speak openly feeling heard and without feeling judgement. All us IHrs are the same 🥰

08/12/2022

I love this post it is so true .

"But I love my horses"

A love which is expressed in ways that violate the mind and body of that love's object is toxic.

If you are causing pain or fear or stress or frustration to another living being whom you also love at the same time, you have work to do. And that work doesn't involve making excuses for yourself on social media. Just saying.

08/12/2022

This and it’s the same for horses enjoy the horse or dog you have .

“Pushing boundaries”? Or pushing against aversive control and micromanagement, as well as seeking choice and reinforcers?

Behaviour is information and communication. What we might see as “pushing boundaries” is often really a dog that is tired of the lack of choice and reinforcers in their lives, potentially as well as the aversive control they are being subjected to. They could also be experiencing pain and discomfort for undiagnosed reasons.

Having choice and control over one’s life is a basic need. It’s a basic need to have food and water, be able to move freely, rest comfortably, have access to reinforcers, and have access to social contact.

Sadly, sometimes in the name of “training” and “discipline”, these basic needs are withheld from dogs until they “earn” it. On top of causing harm, this serves no purpose in helping our dogs.

Nor do they help us, the human. Because no sentient being exists to simply be controlled, so it is totally understandable a dog in such a situation may “push back”, whether that’s through avoidance or redirected aggressive behaviours.

Apart from that, we’ll also miss out on learning the skills to help our dogs effectively and miss out on actually enjoying the dog we have and making a meaningful connection with them.

If we feel like our dogs are all of a sudden “pushing boundaries”, we can rethink that and ask ourselves “What reinforcers does my dog require right now? What needs aren’t being met?”

We will get so much more answers from that and be able to grow with our dogs, as opposed to repeating or furthering the ineffective and harmful cycle of aversive control.


ID: The text in the middle says “”Pushing boundaries”? Or pushing against aversive control and seeking reinforcers? Just as any sentient being would.” On top of the first line of text is a cut out photo of a short haired cream coloured dog barking.

07/12/2022

Wonderful memory of my gorgeous mate Banana boy Bil ! Utilising enriched environments as part of supporting horses not just as part of encouraging natural behaviour is very much like experiential learning for horses. I deleted the other one because I hate my voice lol

07/12/2022

Wonderful memory of my gorgeous mate Banana boy Bil ! Utilising enriched environments as part of supporting horses not just as part of encouraging natural behaviour is very much like experiential learning for horses.

07/12/2022

Unpopular opinion post alert! Is it really a two way conversation if we the human decide what the correct answer from the horse is? Where is the horses' contribution beyond them having the choice to walk away if for the most part both the question and the answer are predetermined by the human. If they are even allowed that. This is NOT a dialogue it is us as humans talking at the horse. What if we all were open to the horses' expression and “ideas” to the conversation ? Is it that you don’t trust your horse or because you are the human you must know best ( maybe in some scenarios you do but not in all of them !). This to me is the key difference between training and communication. Just more of my musings after the recent webinar Emily Kieson and I did together.

07/12/2022

This is a great post and true for horses too. Please note it may take your horse or dog differing lengths of time to return to their baseline .

A few words about stress and decompression.

When dogs experience stressful events their body undergoes a stress response (also known as “fight or flight”) during which the sympathetic nervous system is activated and stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, are released.

The following physiological changes occur: dilated pupils; increased heart rate & blood pressure; increased threshold for pain; inhibition of digestion, immune, and reproductive functions just to name a few.

It takes about 60-90 minutes for the body to clear the stress response (this can be longer for some dogs). During this time your dog may be unable to focus, respond to cues, or eat.

After all, if someone is running after me with a machete I won’t be too inclined to sit or look at you or solve even the simplest of math equations. There’s no time for that.

The stress response is activated by physical or psychological stressors, and by the *anticipation* of them.

Chronic stress, i.e constant activation of the stress response and spikes in stress hormones will lead to long-term immune system suppression, impaired healing, GI distress, changes in metabolism, reduced response to vaccines, and reduced ability to learn.

In fact, evidence shows that dogs living with chronic fear and anxiety have shorter lifespans. Stress can literally kill.

When we talk about keeping dogs under threshold and reducing their stress by reducing their exposure to triggers, this is why. It’s not a matter of opinion or convenience. It’s not optional. It’s simply imperative.

As is decompression. Allowing dogs adequate time to recover from stressful events by providing rest and activities that encourage relaxation is essential.

We can’t expect to change our dogs’ behavior without changing their environment, as no behavior occurs in a vaccuum. We have to look at the bigger picture and stress reduction and decompression are a central part of it.

For more information please see Stress in Dogs by Martina Scholz and Clarissa von Reinhardt; Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers by Robert Sapolsky; and the study on the effects of stress on dogs’ lifespan here: https://centerforshelterdogs.tufts.edu/blog/can-stress-and-fear-affect-the-lifespan-of-dogs-what-about-humans/

07/12/2022

This is cool. It is also so much about what happened AFTERWARDS what support was there for the individual . While animal and human trauma aren’t the same this part is applicable .

07/12/2022

For the past few months we have been working on short incremental separations with Betty and her daughter Mabel. We started with them just having the gate between them while they had their feeds and then reuniting them. This has now progressed to Mabel being at the far end of the yard where she can go out of sight. Both ponies are calm and relaxed. Betty was even able to have a snooze. Next we will support Mabel to feel relaxed when Betty goes out of sight as Mabel is able to leave her mum but is anxious if the situation is reversed.It is important to understand that it is normal and understandable for horses to experience some worry when separated especially given modern weaning practices, frequent individual turn out and attachment ruptures that are sadly often a part of routine management. If possible providing horses with stable social groups, choices about who to be with and opportunities to explore and build their confidence when alone can go some way to reduce the likelihood that a horse will struggle with separation. Social panic, bonding and attachment are opioid-mediated, so separation and social isolation produces and analogous response to that of opioid withdrawal (MacMillan, 2016,Panksepp,2011,Perez-Manrique et al, 2022). In other words separation and isolation is comparable to actual physical pain in all mammals including horses and humans, separation and emotional pain hurts. When addressing separation related distress it is crucial to go at your horses' pace.Photo of Betty having her snooze.

06/12/2022

This is an emotional read

05/12/2022

Brilliant

Just some

American Society for Veterinary Behavior’s position statement on punishment in training:https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/AVSAB-Humane-Dog-Training-Position-Statement-2021.pdf

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2020.00508/full

https://www.uu.nl/en/news/the-negative-effects-of-the-electronic-collar-on-the-welfare-of-dogs-and-positive-training-methods

https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/shockcollars

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2020.00508/full

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/animal-emotions/202201/the-use-shock-collars-dogs

https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2020/01/why-you-should-never-train-dog-to-come.html?m=1

https://avsab.org/positive-reinforcement-is-more-effective-at-training-dogs-than-an-electronic-collar-study-shows/

List of scientific articles about the implications of using punishment in training

1. Study by DEFRA (UK Department of the Environment and Rural Affairs) into the use of shock collars and punishment based training
https://banshockcollars.ca/pdf/Defra_Study.pdf

2. The Welfare Consequences and Efficacy of Training Pet Dogs with Remote Electronic Training Collars in Comparison to Reward Based Training
Jonathan J. Cooper , Nina Cracknell, Jessica Hardiman, Hannah Wright, Daniel Mills https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0102722

3. Electronic training devices: Discussion on the pros and cons of their use in dogs as a basis for the position statement of the European Society of Veterinary Clinical Ethology
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1558787818300108

4. University of Lincoln
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0102722

5. Dr. Karen Overall
https://banshockcollars.ca/pdf/Karen_Overall_Journal_of_Veterinary_Behavior.pdf

6. If You're Aggressive, Your Dog Will Be Too, Says Veterinary Study
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090217141540.htm

7. Applied Animal Behaviour Science
Volume 132, Issues 3–4, July 2011, Pages 169-177
Training methods and owner–dog interactions: Links with dog behaviour and learning ability
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159111000876

8. Journal of Veterinary Behavior Volume 9, Issue 2, March–April 2014, Pages 58-65
Effects of 2 training methods on stress-related behaviors of the dog (Canis familiaris) and on the dog–owner relationship
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1558787814000070

9. Journal of Veterinary Behavior Volume 19, May–June 2017, Pages 50-60
The effects of using aversive training methods in dogs—A review
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1558787817300357

10. Implications of using punishment in training
https://www.dogwelfarecampaign.org/implications-of-punishment.php?fbclid=IwAR1QJg1SRrSA-reWvsRGTIIKXGvB1HiCqsOD522UTg-f6hAYCoSznRl_f3c

11. Companion Animal Psychology
https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2017/04/new-literature-review-recommends-reward.html?fbclid=IwAR2BrtRa6rPa3xeGrm2sqdAwpZT2c5IsYhBDbSMMP2gPQio69uWvRptDBU4

12. Companion Animal Psychology, Zazie Todd https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2018/06/study-outlines-reasons-to-ban.html?m=1&fbclid=IwAR0YRt5-_MkeGs3L3tcK1VYWjxgtV5qkkFIcMA2F7Wzh-0xI6tXzLv3Id
(contains links to other studies)

13. Companion Animal Psychology
https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2020/07/positive-reinforcement-is-more.html?fbclid=IwAR2GP7hovvmrIGI6qtDxknqTs2AnSMVgT4Kda8Wi7wcLqdLaqifaqMwHEXA
(contains links to other studies)

14. Frontiers in Veterinary science
Efficacy of Dog Training With and Without Remote Electronic Collars vs. a Focus on Positive Reinforcement ORIGINAL RESEARCH article Front. Vet. Sci., 22 July 2020 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.00508
15. THIS IS A PDF AND SO IT DIDN'T COME OUT IN THIS POST 🙁
.
16. Helen McKinnon on May 19, 2013 at 12:57 pm said:
Dr. Dodds Says:
“… the thyroid and salivary glands are superficially located just under the skin in the upper part of the neck. The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ just in front of the larynx and trachea, and the mandibular salivary glands are found on the side of the face just below the ears. Thus, they can be easily injured by trauma and sudden pressure forces (as could occur from the slip ring and chain of metal collar, and a metal prong or hard braided leather collar). A harness or “gentle leader” type collar is preferred these days, especially for strong dogs that like to pull and lunge out when on a standard collar and leash.
W. Jean Dodds, DVM
Hemopet / NutriScan /cont…
11561 Salinaz Avenue Garden Grove, CA 92843
http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/41645121585/dog-collars-thyroid
http://www.hemopet.org/index.php?option=com_newsfeeds&view=newsfeed&id=1&Itemid=62

17. https://fearfreepets.com/electronic-collars-versus-positive-reinforcement/?fbclid=IwAR1BLFSmJ02q7coF-iLEOefXK1mMUCBHU52ob0CeDeNvGf5CCq-3nNqqtlI

18. Dog Training Requires Respecting the Deep Emotional Lives of Dogs
Exploring the affective dog behavior approach. Dr, Mark Beckoff
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/animal-emotions/202202/dog-training-requires-respecting-the-deep-emotional-lives-dogs?fbclid=IwAR3DvJCLup60WiDyzuV2m4MJBBJo2eQK508Kt1nR4CkI0b6kVWEg6RdG2GQ