Veterinary Behavior Options

13/09/2023

11/09/2023

Never could pass up a good opportunity to learn! Here is the group picture from this past weekend's Great Big Dog Aggression Workshop at the Science Museum in St. Paul.

Don't look for me. I didn't know about the picture and was taking a walk...

But how exciting to be back among my peers, learning from experts, about important things!

21/04/2023

There are differences in words used by aversive and non-aversive trainers.

17/07/2021

Yep, I'm still semi-retired, with emphasis on the "semi". People keep asking me stuff!

I just got an advance copy of the September/October 2021 issue of Catster magazine. I'm quoted in an article by Jackie Brown on feline body language.

It's not on their website yet, but here's a link to a couple of other articles I've contributed to.

How Cat Grandpa Terry Became Famous for Cat Naps 2 Comments / Lifestyle / By Kellie B. Gormly For decades, people knew Terrence Lauerman as Brother Terry. Now, millions of people know him as Cat Grandpa Terry — a YouTube star, famous catnapper, calendar guy and even coffee flavor. The fame started...

18/05/2021

The time has come to admit to myself: it’s time to retire.

For 17 years Veterinary Behavior Options has been my dream. Wonderful people with lovable but challenging dogs and cats have invited me into their homes, and for the most part I’ve been able to help them.

But medical issues/a pandemic/time have altered my world just enough that I can’t quite reach the level of functioning my clients and my patients deserve.

I’ll miss everything about it.

(Except writing up the consults. Everyone hates writing up consults.)

Thank you for allowing me nearly two decades of rewarding and exhilarating work.

Terri

12/05/2021

Trainer Laska Parrow is from the Twin Cities. We were sorry she relocated to Florida, but lookie here at the great work she is doing!

Buffy, a Labrador retriever, is trained to detect the smell the human body gives off when it is fighting COVID-19, and the dog has brought her skills to the Doctors Hospital of Sarasota in Florida

13/04/2021

Husbandry (especially nail trims!) can be a daunting task for people and pets like. The esteemed behaviorist Patricia McConnell writes and links to trainer par excellence Chirag Patel to explain the concept and ex*****on of “the bucket game”. The bucket game allows better communication between dog and owner, leading to improved trust and far less stressful nail trimming!

I wrote about Chirag Patel, as a rising star in the dog training world in July of 2018 (or, a million years ago, in the Before Times), and am loving the opportunity to write about him again. What he calls “The Bucket Game” has gotten a lot of attention lately, as well it should. I’m […]

02/04/2021

An excellent visualization of why some dogs like dog parks, and others don't.

26/03/2021

With my background in animal control and sheltering, this story gives me all the feels!

The animal control officer who moved Sisu from the North Carolina Dollar General store to the shelter bought the stray dog his unicorn toy before bringing the canine in

22/02/2021

Oh, how heartbreakingly familiar this story is!

The writer looks beyond her own interactions, and has words of wisdom about all of our relationships with the animals in our world. But still, it is Jack's story that will stay with you.

To love another animal so different and useless is to remind ourselves of how strange, complex, and irresponsible our behavior as humans can be.