Understand Animals

20/07/2025

This will be brilliant
Tom Candy is an excellent speaker with so much practical shelter experience and a dog centred approach

Note time is 4pm EST which is 9pm GMT+1

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19F9KG3dE4/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Are you looking to better understand what dogs in your care are feeling and how those emotions affect their welfare?

Join me for a fascinating new webinar, "Welfare Starts Within: Emotions, Stress & Shelter Life," featuring Tom Candy of Simplifying Shelter Behaviour.

📆 Monday, July 28th at 4:00 PM EST

In this session, we will explore how understanding the emotional states of shelter dogs can improve both welfare outcomes and behavior support strategies. Drawing on a multi-dimensional model of emotion assessment, Tom will help attendees go beyond surface behavior to better recognize what dogs are experiencing on the inside.

As both a certified behaviorist and passionate educator, Tom brings a global perspective and a heart for shelter work. Register now and join us to deepen your understanding of canine emotion and take your behavior lens to the next level.

Register at: https://laurielawless.com/lawless-off-leash

And yes, the replay will be available to all registrants… even if you can’t make it live 🐾

18/07/2025

Gradually we are gaining more information on how disease in companion animals can influence their behaviour.

I see a fair number of "pica" cases - both in first opinion "GP" vet practice and as a vet and behaviourist. Gut health can influence this tendency in multiple ways.
In this NEW PUBLICATION the authors discuss how potentially nausea, visceral pain and an inability to absorb enough calories or key nutrients may be the motivators for this behaviour. There is no doubt that pica can occur for reasons unlikely linked to a long standing gut issue (what we refer to as a chronic (gastro)enteropathy) but as the paper discusses, it is essential to thoroughly consider the presence of gut issues in these cases.

Sadly, we still see many dogs in particular, being muzzled, punished or repeatedly trained in some other way to "leave" items whilst the underlying cause is not effectively addressed. Given inflammatory conditions can be worsened by certain stress experiences, this type of approach might actually negatively impact the medical condition further.

Definitely worth a read.

And if delving into science papers isn't your thing, or you are keen on considering how we can practically use this type of information to help dogs and the people who share their lives ... watch this space for some exciting news about a new online course I have coming out later this year :))

Perez, J., Ford, S. and Lynch, H., 2025. Pica as a clinical sign of a chronic enteropathy in dogs and cats. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 1(aop), pp.1-6.

17/07/2025

Would you like to be part of the change to help animals and their people?
Why not take a look at the brilliant courses offered by HBCA (Human Behaviour Change for Animals)

If you are interested, you can get 10% off any course (including their upcoming HBC Fest live) by using the code "10percentdiscount" at check out.

More on the live Fest this September here
https://hbcl-online-learning.thinkific.com/courses/hbcfest2025

https://www.hbcforanimals.com/what-we-do/training-events/

Join the HBCL team and a whole host of very special guests for a weekend of interactive, participatory and experiential human behaviour change activities and workshops! Location - Big Sky Hideaway, Lincolnshire.

15/07/2025

If you are involved with horses, this will be fantastic!
ITS TOMORROW NIGHT!!! So there is still time to grab a ticket - and you get access to the recording for one month after.

Rachael is a true vision of light in the equine world, combining high standards of welfare to practical situations
I am super proud to call her my friend 😊

I hope some of you can join and learn about this really important topic.

https://calmingsignalsofhorses.com/en/product/webinar-standing-still/

14/07/2025

ABK 2025 conference …. A fantastic few days.
Such an amazing vibe, great speakers, fab sponsors, so many brilliant attendees.

Huge thanks to Daniel Shaw and team for all their outstanding work to put it together

I was surrounded by so many excellent voices in the dog community.
See the dog. Hear the dog. Consider the dog. Support the dog. ❤️

Who else was there and what did you learn?

09/07/2025

Really excited to be joining a fab in person and online line up in Adelaide, Australia later this year for the APDT Australia 2025 conference.
I m giving a number of presentations with a practical twist across the 4 days. My first in person trip to Australia!

If you know any dog professionals who might be interested in this comprehensive programme, perhaps you could share it with them. Very excited

https://apdt.org.au/wp-content/uploads/APDTConference2025A4Flyer.pdf

02/07/2025

Gut feelings:
Just less than a week until I give this online presentation about gut health and behaviour in dogs, on behalf of the Grisha Stewart Academy- looking forward to it!

The newly published review article here provides a fairly easy to read yet detailed description of elements of the gut brain axis if you d like a deeper understanding of the physiology involved.

Dewey, C.W., 2025. P**p for thought: Can f***l microbiome transplantation improve cognitive function in aging dogs?. Open Veterinary Journal, 15(2), p.556.

The webinar is 1.5 hours long with time after for questions. The link refers to US Pacific time - so it’s 6pm here GMT +1 (British Summer Time) Open to all. If you are a GSA member you get ongoing access throughout your membership.
🎉🦠💩🤣

Dr Batson will look at the reasons why the gut and digestive system influence behaviour.

01/07/2025

It’s been pretty hot in England the last couple of days and another hot one today …. Paws, Explore! Has some ideas on their page for entertaining dogs whilst keeping cool that may be of interest

How are you and your 4 legged companions keeping cool in the heat?

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=122185472114295270&id=61558858123200

28/06/2025

Always a pleasure - and very multi national this year too which is fabulous ❤️
Thanks to all who attended and to Nordic Education Centre for Ethical Dog Training for inviting me 😊

05/06/2025

I ve had a fair number of requests about availability of a presentation on gut health and behaviour .... so I m delighted to be able to share that I will be joining the Grisha Stewart Academy on July 8th for a live webinar on this topic.

Note the time is US Pacific - so here in the UK the presentation is 6pm (GMT+1 hr)

If you purchase the webinar you have lifetime access, if you join as a member of GSA you will have access as long as you remain a member. 😊

Looking forward to it - such an important topic!

Dr Batson will look at the reasons why the gut and digestive system influence behaviour.

03/06/2025

There's still time to grab the EARLY BIRD discount for this online education presented by myself, Dr Amber Batson, and canine myotherapist Julia Robertson, at the end of this month.

This education is aimed at having the knowledge and practical application to consider how physical well being impacts on emotional wellbeing and behaviour.

More info in the link :))

Beyond Training: Understanding the Dog Inside and Out Advanced Science Based Seminar for Dog Professionals Online June 28th - 29th 2025