Pet Pals Country Club

08/18/2024

We are back!! After many months of getting my new Veterinary practice open, Quinn Veterinary Clinic and Behavior Center, we are now able to start offering group classes again!!! They will be held at the new facilty, 2809 Theater Ave. Huntington, IN 46750 for now. Some classes in the future may still be at our Pet Pals location nearby, where we have a fenced in area and walking trails!

Our first classes begin this week, sorry for such short notice. Puppy classes will be on Monday nights from 5:30 to 6:30. Adolescent/Adult classes at the same time on Tuesday evenings. Classes will run for 5 weeks and the cost is $150. We also have an option to "audit" the class where you come without your puppy/dog to learn and take all the great info home to teach your pal. There are a number of reasons this option may be beneficial for some people and dogs. For regular registration you can go to our website, petpalscountryclub.com, to register, but if you are interested in auditing a class please call us at the Quinn Vet office at 260-454-7623. I'm excited to be back in the classroom again! :)

09/13/2023

07/08/2023

I definitely still agree with training your dogs ( and cats!) to be comfortable in a crate for when a crate is needed. Such as travel time, limited times at home for specific circumstances, and being boarded or having to be hospitalized. But we need to move away from keeping our dogs crated just for confinement. The more we learn how the freedom of movement and having agency is so critical to our dog’s wellbeing the better we can do for them!

Did you know that the best way to reduce, and in time completely eliminate, the need for a crate in your home, is by adding more freedom?

🐾 In order to learn to navigate an environment, we need to be exposed to it. A lot. It is the same for dogs. We also need plenty of options to rehearse proper behaviour in the environments in order to form a generalisation. Confinement slows this process down and in some cases entirely prevents it from happening.

🐾 Confinement in small quarters such as crates can create frustrations. For dogs, who are polyphasic sleepers, extended crate time can negatively impact their sleep quality drastically, which in turn can cause behavioural issues.

🐾 Crates themselves do not have any teaching value for environmental generalisation.

🐾 If you want to transition away from the crate, it's okay to start small ❤️ for a dog with well-met needs, ditching the crate at night is an excellent place to start. It will also increase sleep quality for your dog.

🐾 For transitioning out during day hours, you can start with leaving your dog out while you run quick errands. Make sure he's had his needs met before you go and that you've allowed some time for him to wind down before you leave. Don't leave your dog right after a high-arousal activity such as fetch.

🐾 Alternative management can be implemented in the transitioning period. Pens, gates, and similar are an easy way to give yourself some peace of mind. I recommend penning the furniture, not the dog.

🐾 Allow yourself small wins by letting your dog alone out of the crate for daily things like getting the mail, taking out the trash, using the bathroom, and if you have several floors doing things on the other floors.

🐾 Take any opportunity possible to reward your dog for relaxing in your home. A calm dog is a happy dog.



Accessibility: "Did you know? The best way to reduce the need for a crate is to reduce crate time. Crates hinder the environmental learning that teaches dogs to exist in our homes. Always opt for choice when possible." Below the txt are two photos of dogs sleeping peacefully on a couch.

07/03/2023

How can I prepare my dog for the noise of Fourth of July fireworks? What can I do to make July 4 easier for my pet?

07/01/2023

This will be an amazing conference for anyone wanting to learn more about pet behavior! You don’t have to be a pet professional to benefit from these great sessions…and the food and activities will be fabulous!! Check out the speakers, you might recognize someone you know!!😉😉

L.E.G.S. in Motion Conference 2023

06/02/2023

Our new blogpost is up: The Secret Behind Your Pet's Symptoms
When veterinary behavioral problems are the tip of the iceberg
by by E'Lise Christensen, DVM DACVB and Amanda Modes, DVM, Behavior Resident
https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/decoding-your-pet/202305/the-secret-behind-your-pets-symptoms

06/02/2023

How to get your dog walk next to you

04/17/2023

04/15/2023

Great information!

🎉 Thank your dog for growling! That’s right, you heard me!

👉🏻 Growling doesn’t make for a bad dog.

🐕 The misconception is that bad dogs growl.

💟 We should thank our dogs for growling.

‼️ Growls are an important communication behavior for dogs.

✔️ Dogs who growl aren’t bad. Dogs who growl are desperately trying to tell us that they are stressed in that moment.

✅ Dogs who growl are doing their best to not escalate to a bite. The growl is a warning signal that they need more space from what’s stressing them.

✅ If growls are ignored a snap or even a bite is the next step for a dog to try to get out of a stressful situation.

‼️ Never punish your dog for trying to communicate what’s causing them to be anxious.

⚠️ Punishing a dog for growling may stop the growl, but all you’ve done is take away their warning signal. Now you won’t know when they are stressed. Instead of warning you they are stressed, they will go right to biting.

⛔️ A dog who no longer growls is like having a fire alarm in your house without batteries.

04/15/2023

04/12/2023

Let's work together to educate about bite prevention. We have many resources to help: posters, books, handouts and more.
https://bit.ly/3JEursR?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=facebook_page&utm_medium=CattleDog%20Publishing%20-%20The%20Legacy%20of%20Dr.%20Sophia%20Yin

11/15/2022

10/22/2022

10/22/2022

This is so awesome it gives me goosebumps! TAGteaching is the human version of clicker training. When those in the dog world realized how effective this way of learning is they started teaching people using the same principles. Starting with those who were actually training the dogs and on into athletic coaches, teachers, especially those teaching kids with special needs like autism, and now into the human surgical world! Sharing of ideas, knowledge, and methods, rather than arguing about who’s right , can bring amazing changes for everyone!!

09/07/2022

𝗦𝗜𝗚𝗡𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗦𝗜𝗚𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗦 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗣𝗘𝗧 𝗜𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗡⁣
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What if you couldn’t tell your doctor that you were in pain? Animals suffer from pain just like we do. Pain comes in many forms: surgical pain, arthritis and cancer, just to name a few. Acute pain is obvious and distressing. Chronic pain can be subtle, and masked as “getting old” or “slowing down.” Age is not a disease, but pain is. There are many options to treat the various causes of pain in animals including pain medications, physical rehabilitation, and acupuncture. ⁣
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You are in the best position to identify the signs and signals that your pet is in pain or distress. The sooner their pain is diagnosed and treated, the sooner they can go on to enjoy their happy, comfortable life.⁣
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09/07/2022

There are so many ways the physical and emotional health go hand-in-hand.

Image description: A terrier has its head gently held.

Text reads: Allodynia. Emotional trauma can lead to an increased skin sensitivity. This hypersensitivity develops as a way of keeping the body safe by ensuring that the brain is alerted quickly to the surroundings, however it can remain after the trauma is resolved. If an animal doesn’t like physical contact, we should consider that this may not be pleasant for that individual. To assess this, note their response to different types of touch, for varying lengths of time, in different contexts. You can then work out what they feel comfortable with and when.

09/06/2022

This is a great interview with Temple Grandin about Fear Free Veterinary care. Cooperative care is something I am very passionate about and am available to help you learn how to make those vet visits less stressful!

Join world-renowned animal behaviorist, award-winning author, and subject of an Emmy-award winning film Temple Grandin, Ph.D., as she takes a tour of a veterinary hospital with Fear Free founder Dr. Marty Becker and describes what she sees, hears, and experiences. Learn through Dr. Grandin’s first...

09/06/2022

Great information if you have or will soon have an adolescent dog! I think it’s the toughest stage to get through with your canine friend but the more we learn the better we can all actually enjoy this period of our dog’s life!

08/31/2022

We always need to listen to our dogs, no matter what their size!

08/30/2022

Meet Bo, another happy graduate from Puppy Social Skills Class! He came to all 5 sessions and did great, as did his dog dad! Congratulations Bo!
Remember, you can join puppy class during any week, the 5 sessions are all independent of each other, so no waiting to start class. And you can do them in any order as you schedule allows , so register today online at petpalscountryclub.com

08/20/2022

Check it out!

You asked for more body language examples and we think we created something you will LOVE!!!

Check it out at https://www.familypaws.com/dog-aware-body-language/
Let us know what you think! We’d love you to help spread the word. Practice your doggy detective skills.

08/20/2022

08/09/2022

Great video and great advice! Our pets ARE allowed to say no!