Auntie Beth's Pet Service

07/03/2024

07/03/2024

We're going to set up a "listen with your dog" area in the amphitheater this year. On leash at all times, no singing along (barking 🙂), well-behaved pooches are welcome to sit with their family. If this goes well, it will be a permanent part of our festival! Service animals (a level above Emotional Support Animals) are welcome anywhere in the amphitheater, per ADA laws. (open source stock photos courtesy of freepik)

07/03/2024

06/17/2024 COURTESY LISTING

♡ Sage ♡
Clarksville Tn 37042

1.5 years old
Spayed Female
26 lb

Breed(s):
Australian Cattle Dog Other Mix

UTD Vaccines:
Rabies Distemper-Parvo Bordatella

"Hi there! I work at a vet clinic in Clarksville Tennessee and Sage was brought in several months ago and surrendered as a stray. She's a very sweet dog. Estimated between 9-18 months old. Red heeler mix, 1 year, red heeler mix. She's about 25 pounds and gets attached to one person. Seemed to do better around other heeler type dogs. Needs a slow introduction to other animals. She's very sweet and picks one person to cling to. We don't know a whole lot because she was a stray. She loves to run and play and we have gotten her spayed and up to date on vaccinations."

Donation Request: Make a donation of 50 to Animal hospital riverside dr in Sage's name.

Owner: [email protected]

For more information on Sage, please contact the owner directly at [email protected]

Feel free to share and tag this post!

Please refrain from criticism of owners who are rehoming their dog. Negative comments on our social media will be removed.

PNWCDR is not responsible for the accuracy of courtesy listing content or for the rehoming process.

07/02/2024

Are you hitting the trails this weekend? Even in the back country, there are things we horse owners can do to reduce our impact on the environment and take better care of the land.

• Avoid spreading w**d seeds. Clean your horse's hooves at home to prevent transporting potentially harmful seeds, particularly if your horse lives in a w**dy area. Remove mud and foreign debris from riding boots, too.

• Carry a manure fork in your trailer so you can clean up manure and hay from the parking lot. (Take it home and add it to your compost bin.) If possible, throw a bucket of water on urine puddles to help dilute them.

• In the parking area, avoid driving your truck and trailer over vegetation, into sensitive areas, or widening parking areas in any way.

• Teach your horse to keep walking when they defecate on the trail to spread manure out a bit. When you stop for a break, disperse any piles before you leave.

• Encourage your horse to walk through mud and puddles. Riding around them widens the trail, destroying vegetation and creating a muddy quagmire.

• Stay on marked trails. Whenever possible, ride single file to help keep trails from widening and degrading. Never go off a trail into a sensitive area such as a wetland, bog, or marshy meadow, which destroys wildlife habitat and may cause erosion and loss of valuable topsoil.

• Avoid tying your horse to trees or other vegetation, which can cause serious damage. If you have to tie your horse, look for the sturdiest tree possible or a low hanging branch. Teach your horse to stand quietly, as pawing may damage sensitive tree roots.

• Observe wildlife from a distance. Don't stalk or approach wild animals and never feed them. Dogs should be kept under control at all times, but especially around wildlife. Avoid wildlife during sensitive times, such as mating, nesting, and raising young.

Trail riding offers us an opportunity to appreciate the land and native flora and fauna, and it gives your horse new learning experiences as well. Taking care of the trails and landscapes we ride through will help ensure their availabilty for future enjoyment.

07/01/2024

07/01/2024

There are a lot of misconceptions about how R+ and R- work, so i thought i'd clear it up with a simplified step by step comparison of how to get behaviors on cue.

Many people wonder if R- has to be aversive, even if its trained gently? 🤔
If trained with someone who understands the steps of R-, that the release reinforces the behavior, and to use only mild escalation, often horses can learn a great deal with relatively gentle aversives. We apply a gentle aversive, maintain or slowly increase it, the horse does what we want and we provide a release to let them know they got it. This can be done kindly, with great tact and consideration to the horse's feelings.
Until...
Until the horse doesn't want to do what we're asking, until the task is hard to perform, scary, uncomfortable, inconvenient or unclear. Then our aversive needs to be stronger to outweigh these things. Sometimes we need to use very strong aversives a few times to let the horse know that these small aversives we are using are kind warnings that something larger will come if they don't respond as desired... the history of strong aversives maintain the strength of the gentle aversives.

With R+ we shape the behavior with whatever shaping method we like, free shaping, using targets, capturing and so on, we can be hands on or on the other side of a fence, we don't even need to be near the horse to train them 😉 then as the horse approaches the goal behavior they are reinforced by something they like/want. We repeat until the behavior is how we like then we put it on any cue we like.

Until they don't want to...
Then we counter condition what's scaring them, build their confidence in what they find difficult, break down the skill into small achievable steps and ESCALATE THE APPETITIVE! Just like we escalated the aversive we can escalate the appetitive. The history of high value appetitives can work the same way the history of high value aversives worked with R-.

Its all the same, exact opposite. Training from opposite emotional directions, seeking/avoiding.

07/01/2024

06/30/2024

So proud of the community he has created!

06/30/2024

Back in 2018, a review paper in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior outlined the reasons why, in their words, "there is no credible scientific evidence to justify e-collar use and the use of spray collars or electronic fences for dogs. On the contrary, there are many reasons to never use these devices. Better training options exist, with proven efficacy and low risk.” If you want to know more, you can read about the study on my blog: https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2018/06/study-outlines-reasons-to-ban.html in a post from the archives.

06/30/2024

The level of sweetness with these two is over the top! Poppy and Momo are still waiting for their adopter to find them. Will you help them do that by hitting your share buttons for them today? 🙏🐾

11 year old littermates Poppy and Momo are affectionate ladies who are longing for a family that will give them the love that they deserve. They enjoy basking in the warm rays of the sun and getting cozy under their blankets. They also enjoy sitting on the couch with their people while getting pets and kisses. Poppy and Momo are a great little duo in the car and wouldn't mind if they were included for ride alongs. Poppy weighs 7 pounds and Momo weighs 5 pounds.

Poppy and Momo are friends to everyone. They are enjoying the company of the other dogs in their foster home and, although they tend to stay close to one another, they would be fine with other doggie friends. It is unknown what they would think about a cat but they are so sweet that their rescuers aren't too worried. Poppy and Momo would be fine with calm, respectful children. Because of their size and the unpredictable nature of small children their rescuers are asking for a home without children under 10 years of age. Poppy and Momo are crate trained and housebroken but will need a family to be patient as they navigate their new home and routine.

Momo and Poppy are posted for Save-A-Mutt. They are being fostered in Snohomish County, WA. If you'd like to learn more about Momo and Poppy, please email: [email protected] or check out their Petfinder link: https://www.petfinder.com/pet-search?shelter_id=WA630

These are not Old Dog Haven dogs. Old Dog Haven has not assessed these dogs for medical issues and will not be responsible for medical care after adoption. We urge prospective adopters to do their own evaluation.

06/29/2024

06/29/2024

Here's a repost of our fast facts on heat injury. There's a lot of bad info going around out there right now. Everything we state in this list is backed by scientific evidence and lessons learned in the field. Feel free to share!

06/29/2024

Artimas the Curious

06/26/2024

Grateful to finally be able to walk normally, AND on uneven ground. I have missed this beach in particular, used to go weekly. Been a year since felt Richmond Beach Saltwater Park sand in my toes!. I paced myself, was careful, even went barefoot what a joy. The cortisone shots worked.

06/25/2024

06/25/2024

😆 Perfect shirt for me

This shirt is 100% accurate! For me anyway

06/24/2024

Lovely Fiona is such a sweet dog! She impresses everyone she meets with her friendly, affectionate nature. Fiona is about 8 years old. She weighs 60 pounds. Fiona is a lovely mixed breed girl, perhaps boxer with shar pei or a mastiff.

Fiona's rescuers were asked by a vet clinic to take her into care when her former owner brought her in to be put to sleep. The technicians and vet gushed over how sweet and cooperative Fiona was. She received rave reviews!

Poor girl, she's had a hard few years. Her family separated, her health deteriorated, and little was done about it. She was deligated to outdoor living with very little to no fur to protect her.

Fiona is crate trained and she travels well in the car. She is nicely house trained and very loyal. Fiona loves people! Her rescuers believe that she'd probably be okay in a home with a docile, male dog. It is unknown how she would do with cats. Fiona would also do well as an only dog that has attention from her people. She'd be happy sitting on the porch, watching TV with you, cuddling on the sofa or taking an evening stroll. She is a shadow-dog that just prefers being close to her people. She does know how to wait patiently for her people to come home.

Fiona would be a great companion for an individual or couple who enjoy a gentle K-9 presence that is loyal but not overly demanding. She'd be happiest with an owner who is retired, works from home or only part time.

Fiona's rescuers are hoping to find this lovely girl a new family that will dote on her and keep her as a happy, spoiled pet for the rest of her days. She'll return your love with affection and devotion.

Fiona is posted for SPOT (Saving Pets One at a Time) located in Burlington, WA.
If you are interested in Fiona, please go to their website, www.savingpetsoneatatime.org, to submit a dog adoption application.

This is not an Old Dog Haven dog. Old Dog Haven has not assessed this dog for medical issues and will not be responsible for medical care after adoption. We urge prospective adopters to do their own evaluation.

06/23/2024

Most People promoting shock collars are misinformed about its function, so I put together information as former industrial engineer, and director of research and development, and former shock collar trainer ( now, crossover trainer and behavior consultant)

When a dog perceives a correction with a shock collar, several physical and emotional processes occur. Here is breakdown in physics terms:

Electric Pulse Generation:
The shock collar contains a power source that supplies electrical energy.
When activated, the collar’s electronics convert this stored chemical energy into electrical energy, producing an electric pulse.

Electric Pulse Transmission:
The electric pulse travels through the collar’s electrodes, which are in direct contact with the dog’s skin.
The electrodes serve as conductive interfaces, allowing the electric current to enter the dog's body.

Current Flow in the Body:
The electric pulse induces a flow of electric current through the dog’s skin and underlying tissues.
The current follows a path of least resistance, typically flowing through the tissues with higher water and electrolyte content (muscle tissue, for instance, has higher conductivity compared to fat).

Nerve Stimulation:
The electrical current stimulates the sensory nerves in the skin. Nerves operate by the movement of ions across their membranes, which generates action potentials (nerve impulses).
The shock collar’s current disrupts the normal ion balance, causing a sudden depolarization of the nerve membranes and triggering action potentials.

Transmission of Sensory Information:
These action potentials travel along the sensory nerves to the spinal cord and brain.
The brain interprets these signals as a sensation, which is typically perceived as a sharp, sudden discomfort or pain.

Muscle Contraction:
In addition to sensory nerves, the electrical current can also affect motor nerves, which control muscles.
When motor nerves are stimulated by the electric pulse, they can cause involuntary muscle contractions. This is why dogs might twitch or jerk in response to the shock.

Behavioral Response:
The perception of pain or discomfort leads to a behavioral response. Depending on the dog’s training and temperament, this response can range from a sudden startle to a conditioned behavioral change aimed at avoiding the stimulus.

Of curse there are several psychological and physiological factors come into play.
Immediate Emotional Response:

The sudden and unexpected experience (discomfort in low settings or pain in high settings) from the shock can induce immediate fear and anxiety. Dogs may become hyper-vigilant, constantly on edge, anticipating the next shock.

The initial reaction to a shock is often a startle response, which is a sudden, reflexive reaction to a surprising stimulus. This can lead to an increase in heart rate and adrenaline production.

Association and Conditioning:
Dogs may begin to associate certain people, environments, or objects with the shock. For example, if a shock is administered when a dog approaches a fence, it may develop a fear of the fence or even the entire yard.

Repeated exposure to shocks can condition a dog to fear specific stimuli. This can lead to redirected aggression, avoidance behaviors and a reluctance to engage in normal activities.

Stress Response:
The use of shock collars can trigger the dog’s stress response system. This involves the release of cortisol and other stress hormones, which can have long-term health implications if the stress is chronic.
Behavioral Signs of Stress: Dogs may exhibit signs of stress such as panting, pacing, drooling, trembling, and loss of appetite. They may also show submissive behaviors or attempts to hide.

Trauma and Long-term Effects:
If the use of a shock collar is frequent or severe, it can result in trauma. Traumatized dogs may display hypervigilance, exaggerated startle responses, and general anxiety.

In some cases, dogs subjected to repeated shocks may develop learned or default helplessness, a state where they stop trying to avoid the shock or give up as default, because they feel powerless to change the outcome. This can lead to depression and a lack of engagement with their environment.

Impact on Human-Dog Relationship:
The use of shock collars can damage the trust between a dog and its owner. The dog may start to fear the owner, associating them with the pain and discomfort of the shock.

Dogs may begin to avoid their owners or show reluctance to engage in training sessions, leading to a breakdown in communication and bonding.

Attachment Issues:
Dogs may develop insecure attachment styles due to the unpredictable nature of shock corrections. Instead of feeling safe and secure, they may feel anxious or avoidant around their owners.

Some dogs might become excessively clingy and anxious, seeking constant reassurance and showing signs of separation anxiety when their owner is not present.

Some dogs might develop avoidant attachment behaviors, distancing themselves from their owners due to the association of the owner with the discomfort and pain of the shock. Even show aggression towards owners and handlers when they have strong feelings about a situation and expect to get shocked.

In severe cases, dogs might exhibit disorganized attachment, showing a mix of clingy and avoidant behaviors, confusion, and a lack of a coherent strategy to deal with stress. This can result in erratic and unpredictable behaviors.

I'm deeply passionate about educating people, especially on the severe consequences of using shock collars. My mission is to help both dogs and their owners recover from the traumatic experiences associated with shock collar use. I specialize in teaching a more compassionate and ethical approach to handling crisis situations, focusing on healing from past trauma. My goal is to foster understanding and promote humane, effective methods that strengthen the bond between dogs and their owners.

If you or someone you know is struggling with the aftermath of shock collar use, or if you're looking for a more ethical approach to dog training, I offer personalized consultations and support. Together, we can create a better, more respectful world for our canine companions. Reach out to learn more about how I can help you and your dog on this journey to recovery and understanding

06/23/2024

Artimas the Curious

06/23/2024

06/22/2024

Thank you for continuing to use my services!

Official 2024 Community Voting Awards Platform for Everett, WA. Where the community votes for their favorites every year.

06/22/2024

06/22/2024

True story! I should know because I was there. Many thanks to David Adams

06/22/2024

Love it!! My hometown physician is honored with a brewsky named after him!
I will never forget slicing my foot wide open while swimming then waiting for three hours until Dr. returned from hiking. Then next time I got hurt it was by my horse Toby who FOR SAFETY (mom) was leading my horse through town. Toby reared up at a cat streaking by, came down on my arm. ATM would work so I tucked it into my jacket pocket and rode to the town clinic. Tied Toby to Dr. Schillhammer's bumper so Doc wouldn't go anywhere lol! Then went into the Darrington Clinic to call around and try to find my mother. This was the 80's no cell phones back then

06/22/2024

It was gorgeous yesterday with gorgeous kitties. River pics are the Snohomish from Lowell boat launch