Ask The Behaviorist
In these short articles Dr. Martinez, LOMA Behavior and Training’s Founder, offers insight to common questions from clients. She explores puppy socialization, dog training and dog behavior modification. Dig in to find the answers you need.
Your Veterinarian Sent You To LOMA. Here’s Why.
Veterinarians in San Antonio and the surrounding region refer to LOMA because we are one of the few cat behavior and dog training services in this area that meets the standards they would stake their professional reputation on. That is not a marketing claim—it is the reality of a region where qualified, credentialed, force-free dog and cat behavior specialists are genuinely scarce.
E-collar series: Is it really only used to get the dog's attention?
Is an e-collar really only used to get a dog’s attention? There is a lot of confusion about how the e-collar works. Scientists use the word "punishment" with a very clear definition as the addition of something unpleasant to discourage behavior. In general though when people talk about punishment, the definition is much less clear. We will examine the statement above to see how this fits with current research and science related to animal learning.
Do you offer free dog training consultations?
Who doesn’t want something for free? So why do some people in the pet training world offer a free consultation and others do not? At Loma Behavior and Training, we offer an initial assessment, which is a comprehensive evaluation of a dog’s behavior, the needs of the client, and the factors that will impact a training plan. We believe this gives our clients the best understanding of what their dog needs and allows us to make the best estimate of success with any training plan. It allows us to be as transparent as possible with our estimate of the change that is possible for any individual dog.
Do I need to keep my dogs separated if they only fight on occasion?
Dogs fighting in a home is the most complicated issue we address as behavior specialists because there are many reasons that dogs can fight, including poor social skills, damage to their relationship, guarding resources, medical issues, or inability to control themselves in exciting situations.
Why can't I take my dog to puppy preschool class?
One of my own dogs had to be hospitalized during the critical socialization period… She had debilitating fear of common neighborhood sights and sounds, such as leaves blowing across the sidewalk or cars passing on the road. She would flatten herself on the ground and not move.
Case File: Why is my dog aggressive to visitors?
Colt’s owners initially reached out to a trainer who used an e-collar. For several months they pursued this approach without success. …Colt remained very fearful of many everyday things like getting into the car, passing people on sidewalks and loud vehicles outside the house. In fact, Colt’s anxiety appeared only to be getting worse and one day this resulted in a bite to a visitor….
Can I comfort my dog when he’s afraid, especially during storms and fireworks?
I was talking to a new client whose dog is afraid of thunderstorms and fireworks. She said when the thunder started her dog would crawl into her lap trembling. A previous dog trainer told her that she should not comfort her dog because it could reinforce the dog’s fear.
Can I train my puppy before he has all his shots?
The veterinarians of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior make the recommendation to get puppies socialized during their critical socialization period, before full vaccination, because behavioral problems are the number one cause of dogs getting relinquished to shelters and the number one cause of death for young dogs.
How can I help my leash reactive dog?
Leash reactivity can be helped by a qualified behavior specialist. If it takes you a while to find someone skilled and experienced, don’t despair. Follow the guidelines… to create your Decompression Plan so you can enjoy your life with your dog and avoid the stress of leashed walks.
Why does my dog hate my husband?
She said they had their dog, Dawn for close to three years and that the Dawn has hated her husband for almost that entire time. She described Dawn as growling as soon as her husband pulled into the garage, and then Dawn would bark at the husband when he entered the house. After a few minutes, Dawn would finally slink off into a bedroom and avoid her husband. The clients were at their wits end and not sure they could continue living with a dog who seemed to hate the husband.