blog

Community celebrates Independence Day by ‘Calming the Canines’ at their local shelter

June 22, 2023

We’re republishing this blog from 2018 since Fourth of July is a stressful time for shelter pets. Here’s how one shelter kept their dogs calm during fireworks.  It was the Fourth of July, and both of the shelters run by Maricopa County Animal Care & Control were full. Fireworks displays, a notorious trigger for canine…

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Behavior Dogs Alive! Solving Eight Common Behaviors that Happen in Shelters

Mike Kaviani and Regan GoinsApril 2020

Learn practical and manageable solutions for common canine behaviors and increase your lifesaving immediately.

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Playing with Your Dog- Part One

August 2019

Who doesn't like to play? Dogs play because it's fun, but it also helps them to develop coordination, strength, and confidence.

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What To Do If Your New Dog Is Aggressive

August 2019

Aggression is a form of communication. Keep pets and people safe by preventing aggression from occurring.

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What to Do if Your New Dog Won't Eat

August 2019

For the first day or two after arriving at a new home, a dog may not eat. Lack of appetite can have multiple causes, such as environmental change, stress, depression, illness, food allergy or a change in food.

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Why Train Your Dog?

August 2019

Training your dog to respond to cues establishes a common language that will help you communicate with your dog. Having a common language will make it easier for you both to bond.

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Teaching Your Dog to Say Please

August 2019

A dog who sits every time they want something (e.g. attention from people) is much easier to live with than a dog that hasn't learned to say please and jumps up or barks when they want something.

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Teaching Your Dog to Settle

August 2019

Goal: Teach your dog to settle down and be quiet when you cue them to "settle". With this cue, your dog can readjust their body but must stay lying down in one place.

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Teaching Your Dog to Sit

August 2019

Goal: Teach your dog to put their rear end on the floor when asked to "sit".

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Teaching Your Dog to Touch

August 2019

Goal: The cue "touch" (hand targeting) directs your dog to target your palm with their nose.

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Teaching Your Dog to Walk on a Loose Leash

August 2019

Goal: Teach your dog how to change their stride to stay close to you on a loose leash without pulling. It will take time, patience, and consistency.

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Dog - The Right Rewards

August 2019

Reward-based training is humane, fun and helps you build a communication style with your dog. Reward based training also bonds your dog more closely to you and your family.

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Ways To Train Your Dog

August 2019

The best way to train your dog is by using humane methods that focus on rewarding dogs for good behavior. Here are few ways to train without pain or fear.

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Reducing Stress During Handling

August 2019

Some dogs might like to be petted, but get stressed when you try to brush them, clean their ears, and/or hold their paws. Be patient with your new dog and teach them how to feel safe around you.

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Reducing Your Dog's Stress

August 2019

Review Assessing Your Dog's Stress for behavioral and body language indicators of stress. You can help your dog by modifying the environment slightly and the way you and others behave around them to help them cope with stress.

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Scent Games for Dogs

August 2019

Dogs rely on their sense of smell to identify the world. Imagine how much fun you and your dog will have if you encourage your dog to find stuff you need or a game to keep them occupied.

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Teaching Your Dog To Stay

August 2019

Goal: Teach your dog to remain in a sit, down or stand with the cue "stay." When and where to use "stay".

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Teaching Your Dog to Come When Called

August 2019

Goal: Teach your dog to come close to you when you give the cue "come."

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Teaching Your Dog to Down

August 2019

Goal: Teach your dog lie down on the ground when you give the cue "down."

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Teaching Your Dog To Drop It

August 2019

Goal: Teach your dog to drop or let go of objects in their mouth with the cue "drop it."

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Teaching Your Dog to Go to Bed or Mat

August 2019

Goal: Teach your dog how to go to their bed or mat and lie down.

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Teaching Your Dog to Leave It

August 2019

Goal: Teach your dog to ignore things you don't want them to have or pay attention to with the cue "leave it."

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Introducing Your New Dog to Your Dogs

August 2019

Dog relationships are like people relationships. Some dogs will become playmates, others will enjoy the companionship of another dog and others just aren't interested in other dogs.

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Playing with Your Dog- Part Two

August 2019

Playing is fun, but it can also relieve stress, provide exercise, teach self-control and instill confidence. Follow the tips below to encourage your dog to play.

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Preparing Your Home for a New Dog

August 2019

Before bringing a dog home, prepare carefully. There's much to consider, including what rules to set for your new dog, what equipment you'll need and what questions to ask the shelter/rescue group, foster coordinator or your veterinarian.

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Introducing Your New Dog to Cats

August 2019

Introducing a new dog to a resident cat can be challenging and should be done slowly and carefully. With time, many dogs and cats can learn to coexist peacefully, become playmates and even friends!

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Introducing Your New Dog to People

August 2019

If your dog enjoys meeting new people, follow the tips below to help those greetings be successful.

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Improving How Your Dog Responds to Cues

August 2019

Incorporate the 3 D's (distractions, distance and duration) into training each cue into a well trained behavior. Here are ways you can help your dog learn how to respond to cues the way you want them to!

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Getting to Know Your New Dog - Part 2 Expanding Your New Dog's Horizons

August 2019

Once your new dog is comfortable with your home and family, you can begin to slowly introduce them to new people and environments. Always pay attention to your dog's body language, as new experiences can sometimes be stressful.

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Getting Your Dog's Attention

August 2019

Teaching your dog to make eye contact with you is a great foundation behavior. If your dog is making eye contact and paying attention to you they are less likely to pull on leash, bark at people or dogs, or sniff and eat things off the ground.

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Helping Your Dog Adjust to a New Home

August 2019

Your new dog might need a few weeks to months to completely adjust to their new home, depending on the new environment and the dog's personality. This is normal - it's important for you to respond appropriately and help your new dog adjust.

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Children and Dogs - How to Keep Interactions Safe

August 2019

Children and dogs can be great, lifelong friends, but it is up to us as their guardians to keep their interactions safe. Children may not be able to read a dog's stressed body language, and injuries can occur.

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Dogs Riding in Cars - Safe Transport

August 2019

Many dogs need time to get used to car rides; it should be done slowly and carefully. Here are some tips for traveling safely.

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Food-Dispensing Toys for Dogs

August 2019

By offering your dogs meals in a food-dispensing toy, your dog has something to play with, instead of your furniture or favorite shoes and they get exercise.

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Crate Training Your Dog or Puppy

August 2019

Crate training can help your dog in many ways, such as providing them with a safe place to rest when unsupervised, keeps them from chewing human belongings, and aids in potty training.

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Cat Pheromones

August 2019

Cats communicate through natural messages released in the air called pheromones. Pheromones for cats are commercially available and can have many positive behavioral and physiological effects.

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Reducing Outdoor Stressors for Indoor Cats

August 2019

Seeing the outdoors can be entertaining and engaging for an indoor cat, or it may cause stress. Because even the sight of another cat, when not properly addressed, can evolve into serious problems, it is important to assess and tackle any change in your cat's behavior right away.

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Dog - Basic Training - Level 1

August 2019

Basic Dog Training - Level 1

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Keeping Your Cat Happy Indoors

August 2019

It is important to provide enrichment for cats living indoors. Enrichment makes the indoors more exciting and provides an outlet for excessive energy.

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Should I Let my Cat Outside?

August 2019

Indoor cats and outdoor cats encounter different challenges and risks. Whatever your choice is, it's important to keep your cat healthy and safe.

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How Can I Keep Cats Out of My Yard?

August 2019

Seeing the outdoors can be entertaining and engaging for an indoor cat, or it may cause stress. If you only have one indoor cat, observe carefully to see if unfamiliar outdoor cats are visible and causing them stress.

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Playing With Your Cat

August 2019

Play isn't just for kittens; adult cats enjoy play too! Play strengthens your bond with your cat and provides them with needed mental stimulation and physical exercise.

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Gentle Handling: Techniques to Reduce Stress & Save Time

Erin Doyle, DVM, DABVP, Senior Director of Shelter Medicine, ASPCAJuly 2019

Learn techniques for handling the animals in our care in a low-stress, gentle manner. This presentation was recorded at the 2019 ASPCA Maddie's® Cornell Shelter Medicine Conference.

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Solutions for the Top Five Reasons Dogs are Dying in Shelters

Mike Kaviani, Director, Orange County Animal Care and Aaron Caldwell, Dog Behavior Co-Manager, Austin Pets Alive!March 2019

The presentation will provide you with practical and manageable solutions for the top five reasons dogs are dying and being killed in shelters today.

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5 marketing strategies to take your shelter dog field trip program to the next level

April 30, 2019

Dozens of animal shelters and rescue organizations across the country are launching field trip programs as part of a groundbreaking nationwide study of foster care. By making it easy for their communities to participate and using innovative marketing strategies, multiple organizations have sent so many dogs on field trips that they've cleared their adoption floors…

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Saving More Lives with Best Practices

Cynthia Delany, DVM, UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program; Supervising Shelter Veterinarian - Yolo County Animal Services; Executive Director - California Animal Shelter Friends, Inc.October 2018

This talk discuss how you can save more animals while emphasizing welfare (both for the animals, yourself and your staff) by following best practices.

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An Evidence-Based Look at Compassion Fatigue: Diagnosing the Doctor and Healing the Healer, Part 1 of 2

Brian A. DiGangi, DVM, MS, DABVP, Senior Director, Shelter Medicine, ASPCA December 2018

This presentation explores the various definitions of compassion fatigue, reviews the evidence of its impact on healthcare professions and the symptoms of compassion fatigue in ourselves and others.

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An Evidence-Based Look at Compassion Fatigue: Diagnosing the Doctor and Healing the Healer, Part 1 of 2

Brian A. DiGangi, DVM, MS, DABVP, Senior Director, Shelter Medicine, ASPCADecember 2018

This presentation continues the deep dive into the research behind compassion fatigue among animal caregivers and offers methods for managing stress.

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Clicker training can reduce stress for cats in animal shelters

August 14, 2018

When shelter staff and volunteers talk about clicker training for cats, it’s mostly as a way to get the kitties to put their best paw forward for adopters. But what if it can be something more — even a tool to fight suffering and disease? That was the theory of researchers at Colorado State and North…

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Can something in the air treat fights between cats in the same family?

July 31, 2018

What if you could sprinkle magic fairy dust to reduce fighting between cats in a family? That would certainly help keep cats in their homes, and encourage people to adopt multiple cats, so we wish we could tell you magic anti-cat fight fairy dust was a thing. What we can tell you is there’s something…

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Tip: Create a ‘relaxation station’ for shelter dogs who need to chill

July 19, 2018

Do you have a dog in your shelter who could use some time away from the noise and activity levels of the adoption floor? How about a dog who just needs a staycation? With some creativity and a little bit of extra space, you can create your own “relaxation station” for a stressed-out dog! The…

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#FeelGoodFriday: Shelter dogs on big, comfy chairs

May 25, 2018

The only thing better than getting adopted is getting comfy in the meantime! That’s the likely opinion of these shelter dogs who are benefiting from the recent craze of putting armchairs into animal shelters so the pets can chill out in comfort. The chairs make the pets more appealing to adopters, too. It’s a classic…

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#FeelGoodFriday: Cats. Bubbles. What more do we need to say?

May 4, 2018

Stuck for ways to brighten the lives of the cats in your shelter, rescue organization or foster home? Think bubbles! Not only will bubbles make the cats happy, watching the cats play with the bubbles will make you happy, too! Just see what happened when Best Friends Animal Society turned the bubbles loose in their…

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Study: Can foster field trips improve welfare in dogs?

May 1, 2018

Can just a few hours outside the shelter make a difference for a dog? Data from an ongoing study suggests foster field trips can help improve welfare in dogs, increase adoption chances and create other advantages for the organization caring for the dogs. Here’s the background: About a year ago, Austin Animal Center received a…

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#FeelGoodFriday: 50 boxes. 2 cats. A-MAZE-ing!

April 20, 2018

We could tell you the reason we’re posting this is to suggest an inexpensive, effective form of enrichment for cats in homes, foster care, or animal shelters. While that’s accurate, it’s also kind of untrue… because the real reason we’re posting this is because it makes us so darn happy just to watch it. And…

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Every Day, Every Dog - Let Them Play! The Impact of Play Groups

Aimee SadlerMarch 2018

It's more than just fun and games; play groups save lives! Aimee Sadler, Founder and CEO shares case studies and evidence that playgroups improve the quality of life of dogs and their caretakers.

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Basket Muzzle Training

Fear FreeFebruary 2018

Conditioning a dog to be comfortable wearing a muzzle is an important life skill. In this short video by Fear Free you can learn how to do exactly that.

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Study: Can a human drug help community cats experience less stress during TNR?

December 12, 2017

Can you imagine how terrifying it must feel for cats who are trapped for sterilization and returned to their outdoor habitat, especially when the cat is not socialized to humans? And you probably don’t need to imagine how much stress pet cats can experience when taken to the veterinarian — if you’ve ever owned a…

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#FeelGoodFriday: Shelter dogs listen intently as children read to them

August 11, 2017

Children and shelter dogs: It’s pretty much the definition of a feel-good story, right? Absolutely! That’s why we’re bringing you this heartwarming blast-from-the-past of one of the earliest news stories featuring young children reading to shelter dogs at the Humane Society of Missouri, featured on NBC Nightly News. Given recent research showing that both human…

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#FeelGoodFriday: Cats get happy in the ball pit!

July 7, 2017

We’re all about enrichment for sheltered pets at Maddie’s Fund. In fact, we’re also all about enrichment for pets in homes. And now that we mention it, we’re pretty into enriching the lives of the people who care for pets, too. That’s what so great about this video. It’s featuring a fantastic idea for fun…

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#FeelGoodFriday: Builder creates indoor playland for his 15 rescue cats

June 16, 2017

Everyone knows cats like to climb, perch and explore. That’s why California builder Peter Cohen decided to turn his home into the ultimate feline playhouse for his 15 adopted cats. It all began when he moved into his home and found it came complete with two outdoor cats. When one was killed by a car…

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From anxious to adoptable: An expansion of foster care using a Maddie’s Idea Lab Grant

June 7, 2017

Do you have shy or anxious dogs in your shelter who you just know would benefit from being in a foster home and out of the shelter environment? That's exactly how the Anxious Dog Program (ADP) started at Longmont Humane Society in Longmont, Colo. The Anxious Dog Program expands the shelter’s foster program to include specially…

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Embracing kennel enrichment at your shelter can save lives

April 4, 2017

Could something as simple as enrichment in a dog’s kennel or run play a key role in saving more lives? Absolutely, says Kristen Auerbach, Deputy Chief Animal Services Officer at Austin Animal Center. In her guest blog post, Auerbach shares the power of kennel enrichment in reducing kennel stress and improving quality of life for dogs, and how…

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How a dog named Patty sparked a lifesaving revolution for dogs with behavior challenges

March 28, 2017

Are there dogs in your shelter or rescue who you honestly think can’t be adopted because of behavior problems? There might be a simple solution — and if it works for them, they’ll have a dog named Patty to thank. Kristen Auerbach, Deputy Chief Animal Services Officer at the Austin Animal Center, told Patty’s story…

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Study: Audiobooks outperform music at reducing stress in shelter dogs

March 1, 2017

By now you’ve probably seen the research showing dogs in shelters are quieter when they’re listening to soft rock, reggae, and (at least for short periods) classical music. You may have seen programs where children come in and read to shelter dogs. So here’s the question: Do dogs like listening to audiobooks? The answer is…

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Through a cat’s nose: How understanding smell can keep cats in homes and reduce stress in shelters

January 10, 2017

Most of us know dogs put a lot of store in how things smell, their noses are legendary for their sniffing ability. It’s not as widely known that the smells in a cat’s environment are a critical part of what makes a cat feel safe and free of stress, whether the cat is living in…

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The way shelters handle and care for cats can improve their adoption chances

December 13, 2016

Can something as simple as more frequent cleaning of food bowls and changing of water in a shelter cat’s housing get them adopted more quickly? A study soon to be published in the peer-reviewed journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science suggests that it is. The study was conducted in Austria, where it’s illegal for shelters to…

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Study: How much space do shelter cats need to be happier, more playful, and less stressed?

November 15, 2016

Shelter cats are happier, more playful, friendlier with each other, and less stressed when they have more room — 4 square meters, or 43 square feet, per cat, to be precise. In a study published in the June 2016 issue of Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Swedish researchers tested the play, mutual grooming, and inter-cat aggressiveness…

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Stress Reduction: Happy and Healthy Shelter Dogs

Dr. Sara L. BennettJune 2016

Everyone wants to make sheltered life better for dogs while they wait to get adopted. Learn what works and what doesn't in this webcast.

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What animal-loving kids do on their summer vacation

June 1, 2016

What’s better than summer vacation for kids? Summer vacation spending time with and helping animals! If your kids are crazy about animals, and you want to encourage the development of empathy and compassion, summer programs working with homeless pets should be at the top of your family to-do list. Consider these possibilities. Reading programs are…

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Stress Reduction: Happy and Healthy Shelter Cats on a Fast Track to Adoption

Dr. Brenda GriffinMay 2016

Stress can trigger physical, emotional and behavioral problems for cats in animal shelters. What can be done to help overcome stress and its negative outcomes?

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Toys and TLC in animal shelters: Looking beyond adoption rates

March 15, 2016

What if playing and interacting with shelter pets didn’t help them get adopted more easily? Would that be a reason to stop? Absolutely not, and here’s why. A number of studies in recent years have looked at the impact of toys, play, grooming and human interaction on pets in shelters. Some have shown those interventions…

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How Stress is Sabotaging Your Cat Adoption Efforts

Dr. Sheila D'ArpinoFebruary 2016

It's well known that cat health is quickly and negatively impacted by stress. But is it also making it harder for them to get adopted? Learn strategies to identify those effects not only in individual cats, but in the entire population of cats in a facility.

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Shelter medicine course opens its webinars to all, #ThanksToMaddie!

February 3, 2016

The University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine’s Maddie’s® Shelter Medicine Course invites all shelter veterinarians, shelter professionals, vet students, and community members to join them for their series of free webinars this semester: This lecture series not only discusses concepts key to sheltering but also helps veterinary students, shelter professionals and volunteers, and members…

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Playing with dogs is the best medicine

January 14, 2016

Looking for an easy way to enhance the well being of your dog and yourself this New Year? Simply resolve to play! Just as with children, play for dogs isn't only about having fun. In fact, play is as essential for dogs' health and well being as it is enjoyable. Now is the perfect time…

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How Stress is Sabotaging Your Dog Adoption Efforts

Dr. Sheila D'ArpinoJanuary 2016

Are dogs in shelters developing health and behavior problems because of stress? And does that make adoption more difficult and less likely for those pets? Learn to recognize the harmful effects of stress on sheltered dogs, and strategies to alleviate that stress in this free webcast.

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Is stress undermining your pet adoption efforts?

January 12, 2016

Are dogs and cats in shelters developing health and behavior problems because of stress? And does that make adoption more difficult and less likely for those pets? Yes, says board certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Sheila D’Arpino. On January 14 and February 4, 2016, she’ll be presenting free webcasts on how stress is sabotaging your pet…

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How foster homes set shelter pets up for behavioral success

January 5, 2016

Foster homes can provide a valuable safe harbor for stressed, fearful, or anxious shelter pets, as well as a place where they can learn behaviors that will maximize their chances for successful adoption into a permanent home. For that to happen, however, the foster family must also provide appropriate support for the easing of fears…

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In shelters and at home, peanut butter makes dogs’ lives better

November 3, 2015

It’s a stickily delicious solution to a lot of common dog challenges, and it’s being celebrated during National Peanut Butter Lovers Month! Peanut butter can help relieve stress in shelter dogs, keep dogs in homes occupied and happy, and distract dogs from frightening or disruptive situations. And of course, it can be made into a…

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TLC from humans staves off respiratory infections in shelter cats

September 23, 2015

Cats who receive positive attention from human caretakers while in animal shelters exhibit fewer signs of stress and a lower incidence of upper respiratory disease than cats who don’t. These results, reported in the October 2015 issue of the peer-reviewed journal Preventive Veterinary Medicine, are consistent with the authors’ earlier study on petting shelter cats,…

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Enrichment for Shelter Cats

Rebecca Lohnes, MS October 2015

Hear about enrichment options to increase quality of life for the cats in your facility, including low cost enrichment options, and positive training techniques.

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Enrichment for Shelter Dogs

Rebecca Lohnes, MSOctober 2015

Positive reinforcement training and enrichment exercises are some of the best ways to reduce kennel stress and increase adoptability for shelter dogs.

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Taking Troubled Tabbies from Naughty to Nice

Sara Cookson and Kristin Hill February 2015

Every rescue encounters troubled cats with issues that go beyond tortitude. The Austin Pet's Alive! Cat Behavior Team will teach you how to prevent behavior problems before they start.

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Enrichment and Training for Dogs and Cats

Kelley Bollen, MS, CABCJuly 2012

Ms. Bollen talks about the benefits of enrichment and training for both dogs and cats, as well as the value of these programs in enhancing opportunities for adoption.

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Stress Reduction for Shelter Cats

Kelley Bollen, MS, CABCJuly 2012

Various strategies for reducing the stress experienced by cats in a shelter environment.

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Stress Reduction for Shelter Dogs

Kelley Bollen, MS, CABCJuly 2012

Various strategies for reducing the stress experienced by dogs in a shelter environment.