Zippity Do Dog Training and Behavior Modification

Zippity Do Dog Training and Behavior Modification Specializing in Family Dog Mediation and Dog Centered Training Informed by Science

Lee Desmarais is a graduate of the Karen Pryor Professional Dog Trainer Program, a Certified Dog Trainer (CDT) through INTOdogs, a licensed Family Paws Parent Educator, Certified Level-1 Applied Behavior Analysis Accredited Practitioner (ABAP-1), and has also completed 60 hours in Dr. Susan Friedman's Learning and Living with Animals course. In addition she is a Licensed Family Dog Mediator thr

ough Kim Brophey's, L.E.G.S. Applied Ethology Professional Course® and holds a certificate of completion in Michael Shikashio's Aggression in Dogs Master Course. (Scroll down to see certifications)
​Lee is an organizational member of INTOdogs as well as, the Pet Professional Guild, International Initiative for Force-Free Dog Trainers and Progressive Reinforcement Training. Lee is a “positive based”, “force-free”, “aversive-free” trainer; Certified Fear-Free Professional, whose primary style of teaching is based in ethical and scientifically proven training approaches, according to the ethical guidelines and humane practices as defined by:
The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior
The American College of Veterinary Behaviorists
The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants
Linda Michaels' Hierarchy of Dog Needs
The Pet Professional Guild

Studies show that yelling at dogs is emotionally damaging.
01/17/2025

Studies show that yelling at dogs is emotionally damaging.

Your dog may be the apple of your eye, but let's be honest: she is an animal, with her own instincts and idiosyncrasies, and there are going to be times when she makes you want to tear your hair out.

01/17/2025

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This is an amazing course! I would encourage anyone to take it. It was literally a life changing experience for me.
01/07/2025

This is an amazing course! I would encourage anyone to take it. It was literally a life changing experience for me.

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01/05/2025

Today, we honor the incredible life and legacy of Karen Pryor, a pioneer who transformed the world of animal training and left an indelible mark on our industry.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that Karen Pryor’s groundbreaking work paved the way for trainers like myself, and countless others, to advocate for humane, effective training methods. While the fight for positive change would still continue, her visionary efforts undoubtedly accelerated the progress, bringing us to this better place much sooner than we might have otherwise achieved.

Karen Pryor was one of the first to show the world that animals don’t need to be trained with violence or fear. Her work with marine mammals in the 1960s, grounded in science and compassion, paved the way for positive reinforcement techniques that continue to shape the industry.

She didn’t just teach us how to train better; she taught us to see animals as sentient beings, deserving of respect, patience, and understanding.

Her book Don’t Shoot the Dog! remains a cornerstone in the field of behavioral psychology and animal training, introducing the world to the principles of operant conditioning and the power of positive reinforcement. The Karen Pryor Academy, founded in 2007, has trained thousands of professionals, ensuring her legacy endures in the hands of those committed to ethical training practices.

She laid the foundation for a movement that prioritizes trust, connection, and kindness. The positive changes we see in the industry today, our collective rejection of outdated, punitive methods, are a direct result of her fearless advocacy and unwavering belief in a better way.

Her work changed our field, but more importantly, it changed the way we connect with the animals who share our lives.

Thank you, Karen, for showing us what’s possible when science and compassion come together.

Your legacy will continue to inspire us, and we’ll strive to honor your memory by carrying your vision of compassion for animals forward. Rest in peace, and thank you for everything.

Zak George

01/04/2025
12/30/2024

While at the Texas Pet Sitters Conference recently, we had the chance to hear from Dr. Roy Madigan, a veterinarian, and the principal scientist in the Canine Chagas Treatment Study.

We felt it imperative to share with our clients, and our community, the surprising information we learned.

Chagas disease is a parastic disease that is spread by kissing bugs. Similar to heartworm disease, animals can become infected with Chagas if they're bitten by, or ingest, a kissing bug.

The symptoms of Chagas can show up in a variety of ways. For less severe cases, lethargy, decreased appetite and weight loss may present. In more severe cases, you may see fluid in the abdomen, heart failure, vomiting, and unfortunately, sudden death.

Dr. Madigan estimates that up to 23% of companion dogs in Texas currently are positive for Chagas (compared to about 3.3% that are heartworm positive).

Chagas tends to attack the heart tissue, and is a progressive disease. The most common symptom seen when this happens is arrhythmia. It is also known to attack the brain.

Testing for Chagas is not common. The pet owner usually has to seek it out. There is currently a reliable test called "ELISA" that costs around $120.00. Dr. Madigan tells us that by next year, a new version will be available that will cost around $35.00 and will include a heartworm test. It will be readily available to all veterinary practices. They are currently awaiting approval from the FDA.

The treatment for Chagas is in a pill form and lasts for 12 months. Dr. Madigan reports that while it is 100% effective, it does not fix the harm that has already been done to the body by the parasite.

Our best defense against Chagas is preventative action. Pyrethroid insecticides will kill kissing bugs. Oral flea and tick medicine will kill Chagas.

If you see your pet with a kissing bug, do not squish the bug. Use a plastic baggie to capture it (don't touch it!) and contact https://kissingbug.tamu.edu/contact/ for instructions on how to submit it for testing.

It takes up to three weeks for a pet to test positive after exposure to Chagas, so don't immediately get your pet tested.

It is not only dogs who get Chagas. Cats also are affected. Chagas is the number one cause of seizures in cats.

Humans can also get Chagas. If your pet tests positive, every pet in the house should be tested, as well as all humans.

Antibodies are not effective at preventing reinfection, so a vaccine is not an option. Researchers are currently working to develop a slow-release injectible to protect pets.

Our takeaways:

*Chagas is impacting more pets than most people know. If your pet is showing unusual symptoms, ask your veterinarian to test them for Chagas. The sooner it is detected, the better off your pet will fare.

*Chagas is a treatable disease.

*Be aware of your enviroment. Keep your yard clean. Turn off outdoor lighting. Bring pets inside at night. Remove piles of rocks, leaves or wood near your home. Keep vegetation trimmed regularly. If you find a kissing bug, submit it for testing.

*If your pet tests positive for Chagas, test ALL your pets. Also, test all humans in the house.

For more information, please visit https://kissingbug.tamu.edu and www.vidapharmacal.com

What Dogs Do When Family Members QuarrelIn family disputes dogs tend to side with the victim rather than the aggressor.
12/30/2024

What Dogs Do When Family Members Quarrel
In family disputes dogs tend to side with the victim rather than the aggressor.

The older the dog, the more affected they are, though few run away.

12/28/2024

New research on the benefits of scenting for dogs.

12/25/2024

How my dogs spent their morning.
2 hrs & they still didn’t find everything.

12/21/2024

Please make note that we will be closing for the holidays and will reopen on January 3rd, 2025

Environmental management prevent bites and many other issues such as:📌Stealing food off the counter📌Running out the door...
12/16/2024

Environmental management prevent bites and many other issues such as:
📌Stealing food off the counter
📌Running out the door
📌Inter-household fighting between dogs

Marty🩵 my whole heart
12/16/2024

Marty🩵 my whole heart

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Norton, MA
02766

Opening Hours

Monday 6pm - 7pm
Saturday 9am - 2pm

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+17744095065

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Videos

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Please make note that we will be closing for the holidays and will reopen on January 3rd, 2025

Voluntary paw targeting (all 4). This behavior wasn’t cued (asked for) this was Wish’s first time paw targeting in the woods after practicing for 45 minutes in our play yard. Wish learns things quickly and she generalized this behavior well in this new environment. Eventually she stopped waiting for me to cue her and began looking for structures to target independently with her front feet and then she began targeting with all four. She is fed repeatedly in place to build in a tiny bit of duration before being released.

Like every October we are running a special for the pitties.

Working on recalls and check-ins with long line dragging.

Hand Targeting
Hand Targeting

Back chaining Recall Gracie practiced hand targeting inside the home for a week. Her human added in distractions and distance. When we met last week she was ready to begin working outside. I always teach this behavior FIRST because it is the last part of my recall training plan, and I want the dog to 1. get used to coming all the way to their human and 2. normalize coming from far away. This is not all that we do. We condition the recall word, and capture with a clicker all of the approximations involved with coming from the first head turn, to the body turn, to the hand target. We spend four weeks working on recall. Four weeks. Not one session. Many trainers will guarantee that they can teach your dog a reliable recall with an e-collar in one session. When that collar comes off, will the dog still come? Will they come because they are filled with joy to do so, or will they come to escape the annoyance or pain of the collar. Which would you rather have a dog who is afraid to NOT come to you, or a dog that is filled with joy to come to you? #compassionovercruelty #trainwithoutpain

We will be closed the last week in August. Intake can still be submitted and will be acknowledged, but there will be no appointments during this time.

Somewhere in the distance fireworks are being set off, I am so grateful that neither of my dogs is bothered by them (or thunder storms). 🚨 🚨 🚨 🚨 🚨 🚨 🚨 🚨 If you live with a dog who is frightened by fireworks 📌 YOU NEED TO CALL YOUR VET TOMORROW 7/1/24 FOR 💊 MEDICATION AND MAKE A PLAN FOR YOUR PUPPER.

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