Empowered Animals Behavior and Training, LLC

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Empowered Animals Behavior and Training, LLC Empowered Animals Behavior and Training provides behavior consultation for people and their pets. We
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Raise your hand (or share a photo!) if your bunny loves the little IKEA doll house bed!
17/11/2024

Raise your hand (or share a photo!) if your bunny loves the little IKEA doll house bed!

16/11/2024

Wanted to give a HUGE shoutout to ! Earlier this ,week, we took one of our rescues in training, Patrick, in for an annual exam. It was, far and away, the most PEACEFUL vet appointment ever!

You may have seen the video we posted last week of his unusual gait, so he was also getting some x-rays done to take a look at that. Due to his intense generalized fear, Patrick was going to be sedated for his exam. We came into the hospital and Patrick instantly did not want to walk any further. The tech gently and patiently coaxed and coaxed him until he got onto the scale, and then they set us up in a room with some blankets for him to rest on.

After he got quite a bit of time to decompress, the vet came in, and talked to me for a bit rather than immediately greet Patrick. She carefully watched his body language, moved slowly, and let him know what she was doing while she touched him, then listened to his heart and lungs. She set up for him to be sedated via an IM injection in the room with me, where he was comfortable.

The techs came in with the injection, waving off a third person who was coming to assist because they didn't want too many people to upset him. While he laid next to me, the tech moved in stages over to his back, where she gave him the injection, and then they quietly left the room. Patrick drifted off to sleep peacefully, having not moved since the vet's exam because he was so comfortable and didn't feel threatened.

The time, patience, and consideration that went into this guy getting a routine exam was exceptional! I cannot put into words how happy I was with the appointment. Honestly, this is what I'm used to in zoos: this is how we do our exams. When it comes to small mammals, there is always a good deal more restraining, stress, and guilt as the animal is afraid. I have never had such a GREAT experience at a vet, and cannot say enough about how wonderful Dr. Borderieux and her staff were with this sensitive, scared guy.

If you have a pup who is afraid of the vet, consider Pebble Creek! They are sensitive, kind, and genuinely want your pet to be well and be comfortable while they make that happen!

15/11/2024

Is your dog a resource guarder?

Resource guarding is a label used to describe dogs who growl, show their teeth, bite, or otherwise ward off advances towards them while they are in possession of things of value. This can be food, toys, a spot on the bed, or even a favorite person.
Let me offer some relief-THIS IS NORMAL DOG BEHAVIOR!

We utilize an exercise we call “Positive Pairing” to help mitigate resource guarding behaviors. Ginger showed some early signs of being uncomfortable when approached while she was enjoying a large Whimzee. So, we spent LOTS of time pairing my approach with something BETTER THAN the Whimzee.

The results: this. I approach, and Ginger looks up to see what I have for her! She even goes back to her chew and then immediately looks at me, because she associates it with something positive I have to offer!

Need help with resource guarding behavior? Schedule a FREE Discovery Call with us and tell us about what’s going on: https://empoweredbehaviorandtraining.youcanbook.me/

12/11/2024

Happy ! Today’s tip is that enrichment can be a really helpful part of a successful training program.

Noble is heartworm positive and it’s unsafe for him to get out his energy by running and playing. High-energy activity is high risk for him while he is undergoing heartworm treatment, so it’s important that he is able to expend his energy in other ways.
Noble is learning a variety of enrichment activities that challenge his brain, which should help give his brain some activities while his heart has to rest!

Always the light at the end of my tunnel! ❤️ Hope everyone has a wonderful  !
10/11/2024

Always the light at the end of my tunnel! ❤️ Hope everyone has a wonderful !

09/11/2024

Unsure if virtual training is a good fit for you and your dog?
“When I heard about this training using Zoom, I was skeptical, but I was ready to try anything. This is the best thing I have done with a dog with problems, and I would recommend this to anyone who has ‘a problem child!’ Kudos to Empowered Animals and Emily!!”

Meet Dakota, a rescue lab who just could NOT get adopted! Despite her senior age, Dakota had no lack of energy when it came to expressing herself! Dakota expressed her displeasure at the neighbor’s dogs by charging and barking at them through the fence, sometimes even at the neighbors, and by pulling on leash whenever she saw a bird or other animal.

Dakota’s foster mom did fantastic with her, and Dakota was finally adopted!
If you are unsure if virtual training is a good fit for your needs, schedule a free call with us to talk about it!

08/11/2024

to that time I helped with a Gharial training session! Gharials are critically endangered crocodilians. This crew has learned to separate for feedings. Each croc comes to their assigned seat (indicated by tapping with the tongs) and once EVERYONE is in their seats, they get fed. This ensures each animal gets the right amount of food, and that everyone eats peacefully together. As you can imagine, if someone eats faster than the others, it could lead to him or her trying to bully another croc out of their meal!

All animals are really smart if we just take the time to learn about them!

06/11/2024

Confession: I fully forgot to post for so here I am, a day late! Let me explain why I forgot, because it's the basis for today's tips.

I've been working for about a week now on getting some of the rescue dogs I work with scheduled and set up to be seen by veterinarians for a variety of issues. Luckily, the rescue is VERY understanding and trusts me when I tell them that I think something is off, and they don't hesitate to get the dogs the help they need. This makes my job easier, because I really can't train a dog who isn't well. It's super important that they trust my observations, because most of these guys are currently only showing behavioral symptoms.

Think about trying to learn something new when you don't feel well, especially if you are someone like Patrick, who is afraid of EVERYTHING! Patrick is learning to conquer his fears, but our trust-based training means that he must feel he has the full ability to opt out of anything he is afraid of.

Recently, I noticed Patrick's gait seemed a bit off while he was walking away from me. You can see a tiny wobble in this video, and you can notice that his hocks are bent pretty low. Hind leg weakness is something that is not uncommon in a senior dog like Patrick, but it's of course something we want to take care of! Patrick has a prescription for some x-rays, a new firm bed to sleep on, and some help getting up in the morning in the meantime!

It can be frustrating for pet owners to hear that their dog needs to be seen by a vet for a behavior problem. However, it is our ethical responsibility as trainers to ensure that our students are set up for success in learning, and that means ruling out any discomfort!

If your pet experiences a sudden behavior change, treat it like a symptom and get a clean bill of health from the vet! This may mean not just a physical exam, but bloodwork, x-rays, or other diagnostics which will be determined by your vet when you describe the behavior you are seeing.

Hope everyone got to enjoy their extra hour last night!! Happy   !
03/11/2024

Hope everyone got to enjoy their extra hour last night!! Happy !

Happy Halloween Everybun!! 👻🎃
31/10/2024

Happy Halloween Everybun!! 👻🎃

Have you heard of the 3-3-3 rule?When an animal goes into a new home, 3 DAYS is the amount of time they are experiencing...
29/10/2024

Have you heard of the 3-3-3 rule?

When an animal goes into a new home,

3 DAYS is the amount of time they are experiencing stress and overwhelm from the change in environment.

3 WEEKS is how long it takes for them to truly settle in.

3 MONTHS is about how long is takes for them to begin to bond and build a relationship with their human family members.

Sometimes, your pet may not feel truly settled for about 3 months, so foster-to-adopt is a GREAT way to bring a pet into your home and make sure they are a good fit before fully committing! (However, you should NOT do this unless you are intending to adopt the animal unless it really doesn't work out-it's not a "test drive" because it can be quite stressful for them to be returned).

Harley's new dad is doing a foster-to-adopt at the rescue's request. She has only lived outdoors and in a kennel, so she have some unexpected surprises in behavior when it comes to living in a home.

Based on how eager her new dad was to finalize the process, though, I don't think surprises will matter too much! Congratulations, Harley!

We couldn’t celebrate   without featuring our rescues in training!🐶Sweet Patrick is a senior guy who was feral and had t...
27/10/2024

We couldn’t celebrate without featuring our rescues in training!

🐶Sweet Patrick is a senior guy who was feral and had to be darted to be caught. He struggles with some pretty big fears about the world, so our goal has been to build a relationship with him and show him that the world is a place to be loved, not feared!

🐶Noble’s name is a bit of a misnomer-this goofy goober is like a baby puppy in a giant body! Obtained as a puppy and stuck in a crate in a garage for 2 years, Noble’s suffers from a lack of experience in the world. Our work together focuses on calm behavior, learning to think THEN act, as opposed to the other way around, and to trust people he does not know.

🐶Bucket is a very sweet giant who was adopted and returned because he did not get along with the adopter’s cat. Despite his size, Bucket is a bit insecure and needs a lot of reassurance! Our training focuses on building his confidence and independence!

🐶Buttercup is a VERY excitable girl who reacts to ANYTHING that moves! Her hypervigilance about the environment is a bit outside of normal range, so we’ll be seeing a vet behaviorist. In the meantime, Buttercup is learning to, of all things, USE HER NOSE! Sniffing can be very calming for dogs, as a huge part of their brain is dedicated to processing this sensory input. Buttercup is learning to spend longer periods of time doing this healthy activity to take breaks from constant scanning.

🐰Phoenix is a sweet, but fearful little guy! He has made HUGE improvements in confidence due to the diligence of his caretaker. From hiding constantly and startling at any stimulus in the environment, Phoenix now readily approaches those who pass his pen, and enjoys puzzles outside of the comfort of his hide. Phoenix’s startle response has cost him a few partners, despite his desire to cuddle! Now that Phoenix is growing in confidence, he is currently building a relationship with a senior male bun who has a very calm demeanor and won’t be upset by Phoenix if he takes off running!

The truth is you never know what you are getting when you get a rescue. Have you heard Tula’s rescue story?Tula was foun...
24/10/2024

The truth is you never know what you are getting when you get a rescue.

Have you heard Tula’s rescue story?

Tula was found as a stray, stealing veggies from someone’s garden (so cliché!) She came into rescue emaciated and gave birth to 5 kits. Sadly, none of them survived.

I reached out to the rescue looking to foster, and originally was going to foster a different bunny who was in better health because I thought Tula needed more practiced hands than mine. However, the rescue sent me pictures of them both, and I fell head over heels for Tula.

I met the rescuer at her work to pick Tula up. She was transporting Tula in a gym bag, as she had to smuggle her into the office (supervisor was happy to have her there, and she popped around the office while I was on my way, but she needed to get past security).

I fostered Tula for a total of 6 days before she stole my heart with her characteristic “pet me” head snuggle beneath my hand with one paw stepping forward. I stroked her with one hand while texting the rescue with the other!

The rest is history! Tula is the first and currently the ONLY bunny to have achieved a Trick Champion title. She has learned over 75 different tricks, and is the best friend anyone could ask for!

So, you really never do know what you are getting with a rescue pet. Sometimes you get your best friend. Sometimes it’s a guardian angel. Sometimes it’s a Trick Champion bunny. Sometimes, it’s all of the above!

21/10/2024

When is the best time to teach good behavior? While it is happening, of course! Today's tip is to reward your new dog or puppy while they are doing behaviors you'd like them to do!

Puppyhood is ROUGH for humans. We think we are getting a cute, cuddly bundle, and then we quickly discover that we actually have a cute cuddly bundle that constantly gets into everything. This is the RISKIEST time for creating problem behavior. Why? Because it gets our attention!

Puppies want, more than anything, to have FUN! If you come running and make a scene whenever they dump the bathroom trash, swipe a pillow off the couch, or nail you in the back of the calf while you are working on the computer, you run a very good chance of reinforcing the exact behavior that is driving you nuts.

It can seem counterintuitive, though, to praise, reward, or give treats to a puppy who is laying quietly, playing nicely with a toy, or chewing a bone. You may not want to interrupt them when you FINALLY catch a break, but NOW is the time! Come running for the good stuff!

What about the bad stuff? We'll talk about that next time!

20/10/2024

WATCH CLOSELY to see how a behavior problem is avoided by DOING NOTHING!!

Did you notice how Ginger started to chew on the blanket and nothing was said to her? Then she carried on and went to do something else? SO MANY behavior problems are created by jumping in unnecessarily and intervening when a puppy is investigating something.

When you jump in, even to say "no," "stop," etc., it provides attention following an undesirable behavior. If you were, ignoring your puppy and working on the computer, like I was in this video, ANY attention can be positive, even if you don't intend for it to be.

In this case, what behavior problem did I avoid? A puppy who learns to get into trouble to get my attention when I ignore her! If I had done anything, I can guarantee that she would have revisited that purple blanket and insisted on messing with it. Continued responses on my part would have shaped tugging, dragging the whole crate around, and generally causing havoc. She would have quickly learned to begin this behavior as soon as I sat down at my computer.

Instead, she just never touched the blanket again because it just wasn't that interesting-back to the tail chasing!

19/10/2024

Don't forget to register for tonight's FREE Zoom event! If you are interested in emergency prep for your pets, make sure to join us tonight at 7pm EST for our Empower Hour!

DM or email us at [email protected] to register.

17/10/2024

Hi everyone! This Saturday, we'll be hosting a special Empower Hour. We'll be talking all things storm prep. Just after an event like this is often the time we feel the most motivated to get things in order so we feel more prepared for a next time. We'll be talking this weekend about exactly how to be prepared, and we'll also have the opportunity to share ideas with each other.

Our event will be held over Zoom, and registration is required, but it's FREE! DM or email us at [email protected]. We'd love to see you there!

17/10/2024

Finishing up the last of those hurricane snacks!

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