Dr Jennifer Cattet

04/25/2023

Hey friends! 💕
I am getting so excited as we're just a little over a week away from the IAABC Foundation conference! 🎉 I will be giving two talks and can't wait to share my knowledge and learn from other experts in the field of animal behavior. If you're interested in attending, here's the link to the conference: https://iaabcfoundation.org/2023-animal-behavior-conference/. The conference is not just in-person, but also super importantly live virtual, AND recorded to be more accessible to as many people as possible!

My first talk will be on "Unleashing lifesaving potential," where I'll be discussing the incredible impact of medical alert service dogs and the essential steps in training them. 🐾 It's a topic I'm incredibly passionate about and I can't wait to share my insights with all of you.

My second talk is all about "Pawsitive Impact" 🐾 and the transformative effect of positive reinforcement dog training on our mental health. As a firm believer in positive reinforcement methods, I'm thrilled to share the science-backed benefits of this approach and how it can improve our relationship with our furry friends.

I'm really looking forward to connecting with fellow animal behavior enthusiasts, learning from each other, and making new connections. If you're attending the conference, I would love to meet up and chat! Let's make this a memorable event together! 🐾🐾

04/19/2023

Calling all professional dog trainers! 🐾👨‍🏫👩‍🏫

Get ready to make a difference in the lives of individuals with medical conditions by joining our upcoming classes starting on June 8th! 🩺🐾

Our comprehensive program covers everything you need to know to train medical alert service dogs to help with conditions like seizures, psychiatric disorders, PTSD, diabetes, etc. 🐾❤️

The program includes:
• Selecting and assessing dogs to train as service dogs.
• Service dog training foundational behaviors.
• Intermediate training and going out in public.
• Advanced Assistance Dogs Training. Scent training for medical conditions.
• Specialized training for disabilities such as diabetes, seizures, autism spectrum, and psychiatric disorders.
• Selecting and matching dogs and clients.

Our experienced professionals will guide you through each step of the process, equipping you with the skills and knowledge needed to become a successful medical alert service dog trainer. 🙌

Ready to take the first step towards making a positive impact in the lives of others? Sign up for our classes now! 📝🐾
Visit our website https://assistancedog.center/ to learn more and sign up for our upcoming classes! 🐾📚"

04/13/2023

Attention all professional dog trainers! 🐾👨‍🏫👩‍🏫

Do you want to take your dog training skills to the next level and make a real difference in people's lives? Join our upcoming classes starting on June 8th to learn how to train medical alert service dogs that can help individuals with conditions like seizures, psychiatric disorders, and diabetes.

Our comprehensive training program will equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to train dogs to detect and respond to medical emergencies. You'll learn from experienced professionals who have trained successful service dogs that have transformed people's lives.

Don't miss this incredible opportunity to improve your dog training skills and make a difference in the world. Sign up for our classes now and be part of something truly special! 🐾❤️👨‍👩‍👧‍👦"

for details visit https://assistancedog.center/

02/09/2023

11/03/2022

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S037663572200170X?fbclid=IwAR2pzubYIZvaRSe38-wpwnYp-hovjGMluDvEAvxe8vZrvrXSA1qh7lH-Xxg&mibextid=77go5D

Dogs are highly sensitive to human behavior, and they evaluate us using both their direct experiences and from a third-party perspective. Dogs pay att…

09/21/2022

Medical Mutts Service Dogs was at the ADI - Assistance Dogs International conference in Concord CA! A fantastic organization led by industry leaders. It’s a unique opportunity for service dog schools to mingle and learn from each other so that we can better help our clients.

09/18/2022

09/02/2022

A man's best friend deserves better Prong collars are used to decrease behavior and involve waiting for the dog to do something wrong, like pulling, and then jerking the dog. Used "correctly" they ride high up on the neck. Starting with a play on words, replace the P in Prong with ...

07/20/2022

No matter where you live, learn how to train your own service dog with the help of experts. Medical Mutts offers online service dog training classes.

06/26/2022

Coaching for professional dog trainers and organizations. Learn how to train service dogs for diabetes, seizures, psychiatric conditions, etc.

06/13/2022

We have choices today. there is no reason to hold on to outdated methods that force our dogs into obedience when we can instead just teach them.

We assessed the efficacy of dog training with and without remote electronic collars compared to training with positive reinforcement. A total of 63 dogs with known off-lead behavioral problems such as poor recall were allocated to one of three training groups (each n = 21), receiving up to 150 min o...

06/11/2022

One of the biggest mistakes I see in training is to miss out the little steps, take big leaps.

It’s great to have faith in our dogs but if we stick to small steps, it’s so much clearer to our dogs what we want.

The result is getting to the end goal faster and getting a much more solid behaviour.

For more tips and advice, help to slow down, join us on the support membership! (Link in bio)

06/08/2022

Training often fails because people expect too much of the dog and not enough of themselves. - Bob Bailey

06/07/2022

There are a lot of different reasons for your dog's behaviour, intentional vindictiveness or naughtiness isn't one of them.

All behaviours have a function. They serve the individual in some way. Behaviours are the observable actions of any number of underlying environmental and internal processes. Assumptions are not only unhelpful, they are potentially damaging and neglect to address your dogs' reality.

Step back and take a moment to observe what your dog is telling you. If you need help, reach out to a certified and qualified professional.

06/05/2022

Training your dog to not pull on the leash does not have to involve force, i.e. leash pops. In fact, there are many benefits to choosing the most modern and ethical methods of training.

Training your dog to not pull on the leash, or to get off the couch, or to sit still to harness him does not have to involve force. Learn more.

06/05/2022

Many pet dogs seem to react to the changes in their owner’s glucose levels.
We know from peer-reviewed studies, that dogs can detect a smell when a person's glucose levels are out of range. Despite the many claims, We still have no real proof of what they are smelling. But the fact that there is a smell related to the condition, allows us to effectively train dogs to alert to those low blood sugar events.

Diabetic Alert Dog accuracy at detection of low blood sugar samples from Type 1 diabetics was just published and is summarized in this article.

06/03/2022

"As part of her series "Resources Replace Fear", Epilepsy Coach, Liz Nicholls, sits down with the pioneer Jennifer Cattet, Ph.D. to discuss how she developed the method to train seizure alert dogs. You will find this discussion fascinating, and learn more about her nonprofit Medical Mutts, which is changing and saving people's lives with debilitating diseases. Learn more about the organization and what makes them and their dogs special and unique, and how you might have a service dog too!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXFUhmysP-4

As part of her series "Resources Replace Fear", Epilepsy Coach, Liz Nicholls, sits down with the pioneer Jennifer Cattet, Phd. to discuss how she developed t...

06/03/2022

It’s described as a ‘time bomb’ for dogs. Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), also known as bloat, is a painful and immediately life threatening condition caused when a dog’s stomach twists, leaving the entrance and exit to the organ blocked. Bloat can be fatal for your beloved pet if the dis...

05/30/2022

We love summer for all the fun and celebrations we can enjoy outdoors. But some of the ways we celebrate can be terrifying for our dogs. The 4th of July is around the corner with blasting fireworks that can scare our dogs. We can better prepare them when we take the time to desensitize them. Here's a blog I had written a few years back with guidelines to help a dog work through fear.

Modern dog training recognizes that many of our dog’s problematic behaviors are the expression of an underlying fear. When Fido is scared, he’s going to automatically flee, freeze or fight depending on whether he’s dealing with another dog, a person…Read more ›

05/28/2022

While the focus of the book is on training, you will also find detailed information on the following subjects:

How much time, effort, and cost are involved in acquiring and training a service dog?
Do certain breeds work best?
Can you train a rescue dog to be a service dog?
What are the laws and standards for service dogs?
How do you deal with the public when out with your service dog?
Is a service dog is the right choice for you?
What can you do to maximize your chances of success?

This new book by Jennifer Cattet Ph.D. will guide you through all the steps you need to get the service dog that you need. The focus is on training for public access but along the way you will learn so much more.

05/27/2022

I'm a huge fan of Dr. Jean Donaldson. If you're concerned that using treats is bribing your dog, this is a great article for you.

I understand. You don’t want to use treats to train your dog because he should learn appropriate behavior without having to be bribed. If you reward him with treats, it degrades more important rewards such as your approval. He’ll never learn right and wrong. You want him to respect you. He’ll ...

05/27/2022

Service dog training is an unregulated industry. In other words, anyone could start an organization or claim to train service dogs without any particular degree or license. As service dogs have become more popular, more trainers have started offering that service, quite often with no previous experience in this field of work. So, it’s very easy to fall for good advertising, and finding a competent trainer can be tricky.

How to find an experienced service dog trainer? What are the different training methods and how to decide what is best for your dog?

05/27/2022

How do you know if you need a therapy dog, an emotional support dog, or a service dog? There are big differences in how these dogs help and how each one of them is covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA.gov).

To learn about Medical Mutts, visit https://medicalmutts.org/

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How do you know if you need a therapy dog, an emotional support dog, or a service dog? There are big differences in how these dogs help and how each one of t...

05/27/2022

I got hacked recently and all my FB accounts were deleted, so here's my new professional page. Starting all over with new and improved services for dog professionals.

05/27/2022

Dog trainers, enrollment for our next classes have started!
Learn how to train diabetic alert dogs, seizure alert dogs, psychiatric alert dogs, and more, with ethical, efficient, scientifically proven, and force-free training methods.
You will learn over 30 different behaviors for service dogs, how to screen and coach clients, and how you can use scent to teach dogs how to help people with their disabilities.

For more information about our comprehensive and live teaching program, visit: https://assistancedog.center/

05/27/2022