Fear in Dogs (and why they just can’t ‘get over it’)
Reacting to scary things is normal and yet it causes huge problems for dogs and their people. To many people, it’s not the fact that the dog is scared that is an issue, it is the way in which the dog deals with that fearful situation that matters. A dog that freezes when alarmed may not even be considered as being fearful, however a dog that chooses barking and lunging will be taken notice of.
It therefore makes sense that we should notice the small signs that the dog is becoming uncomfortable. Dogs communicate in subtle (and not so subtle) ways. This seminar examines what we know about dog communication and the smaller, subtle signs that we may miss, in addition to exploring the topic of fear and the methods that may be used to help the dog to develop coping strategies.
The seminar will cover the topic of FEAR, the brain and body reaction, causes, body language, core emotions and strategies to help dogs in overcoming or reducing their fearful responses. We will discuss when dogs may use aggressive responses in relation to pain, how fear can affect development and attachment but also consider when fear is not the driver for unwanted behaviours.
As part of the seminar, we will use videos/photographs and group discussions as a way of further understanding the topic, to ultimately enable us to develop successful behaviour modification plans.
We are fortunate to have a Qualified Veterinary Nurse, Janice Macleod, who will present on the difficulty of telling fear and pain apart, focussing on strategies to reduce fear and stress in animals during a Consultation. Janice will also tell the story of her own dog, Freya, and her journey from frightened rescue dog to flourishing individual.
This Seminar is a must for anyone who has an interest in learning more about the emotions that drive behaviours and why an animal may choose a particular response to seemingly benign experiences. Dale’s is quoted as saying that ‘the behaviour is not the problem, it’s the answer to the problem and we need to sometimes dig deep to discover the motivation for the responses before we can begin to offer alternative ‘answers’.
For a registration form for the seminar, please write to: office@iscpaustria.eu. The deadline for registration is the 27th March 2020.
This seminar will take place in Lower Austria, Gleißenfeld. Times: 9:30 to 17:00.
Costs:
ISCP Students – free participation
ISCP CPD € 170,–
Others € 225,–
Dale McLelland
Dale is a Qualified Behaviourist and Trainer based in South West Scotland, UK.
Her business, Being Canine, not only provides support to dogs and their guardians in relation to behavioural issues but also popular home boarding and daycare services. She works closely with local Veterinary Surgeons and other Professionals, specialising in more complex cases, leading to a wide variety of interesting and challenging case histories.
Previous roles in Change Management within the NHS have provided Dale with a skill set in relation to supporting people to embrace and sustain change, in addition to applying proven methodologies in Transformational change.
Dale is a Tutor with The ISCP (leading ISCP Scotland) and a Committee Member of The Association of INTODogs (leading INTODogs Scotland), she hosts practical and theory events for Students and Graduates and presents at several events.
Janice MacLeod, RVN, BSc (Hons) VN
I’m Janice and I have been a veterinary nurse for 10 years.
I have a wonderful cheeky wee dog called Freya and a fabulously relaxed black cat called Sid, both rescued through my job as a veterinary nurse. My job is both varied and rewarding and I especially enjoy running puppy classes and learning about dog and cat behaviour