Great first day of the conference! Here are some of my takeaways (out of many!): * Severe trauma is pervasive: it changes the brain structure and neural pathways and physiological function; and it has long-lasting effects. * Dogs who have suffered severe trauma may not show behavioral effects of the trauma right away. Those effects may emerge later. * The symptoms dogs exhibit after traumatic events are very similar to those humans exhibit: hyper arousal, avoidance, re-experiencing, and delayed onset. * One of the most important things you can do in helping traumatized dogs is to give them safety and security, which includes not pushing them and letting them decide how quickly or slowly they are ready to engage. * Dr. Coppinger presented a very compelling case that there is no evidence that the dog more likely evolved from a wolf than there is evidence it evolved from any other canid (e.g. jackal, dingo). Oh, and by the way, the man is an absolute HOOT! * There are many behavioral issues that can have a medical basis. Be sure to involve your veterinarian in discussions of behavior changes in your dog. Really looking forward to tomorrows day-long session on Canine Social and Psychological Development! #APDT2014
Posted on: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 01:11:19 +0000
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