Large dog behavior

APA’s Dog Behavior Team
A Behavior Modification & Training Department featuring
Play Groups
Presented By:
Mike Kaviani,
Dog Behavior Program Manager
Austin Pets Alive!
In Cooperation with:
Aimee Sadler, Director of Behavior and Training
Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation
Safe Humane Chicago play group photo

What is our role?
(as animal welfare organizations)
• To function as a safe haven for lost and
surrendered companion animals
• To provide any and all available
resources to maintain the medical
and behavioral health of our sheltered animals
• To save as many animal lives as possible (not
at the expense of the community)
• To educate the public about responsible pet
ownership
Copyright 2011© by Aimee Sadler, All rights reserved

Behavior Department
Vision Statement
We will provide the animals in our care all available resources to enhance their
quality of life while sheltered and to save as many lives as possible. We will
recognize, respect, and treat each animal as an individual. We will utilize all tools
and techniques in our training and behavior programs to teach and support
healthy and appropriate behavior for companion animals within our communities.
We will continue to learn and develop our skill sets as handlers and trainers so
that we may meet the needs of as many sheltered animals as possible. We will
support our adopters in strengthening and nourishing their fundamental bond
with their companion animals. We will share our program successes with other
animal welfare organizations to support life-saving efforts beyond our own shelter
and community.

Benefits of Play Groups
• Determining sociability & providing unique resource to the community
― Dog Parks, etc., are a way of life for many adopters
― Where can people go to resolve dog- dog issues???
• Physical outlet, exercise & mental stimulation
― A 30 minute romp can be equivalent to a 2 hour walk!
― Mental energy is burned through intensive social interaction.
• Natural environment for pack animals
― Pack-like bonding vs. social isolation can minimize behavioral deterioration.
― Rapid behavior modification can be accomplished.
― Best NOT to create mini-packs within one common territory
• Resources maximized
― Two people can attend to many more dogs in group then handling dogs individually = more outlet provided
to the animals.
― Time is always of the essence in rescue work! We average 70-100 dogs in 3.5 hours every morning (with the
dogs getting an average of 20 minutes of play time each!)
• Reduction of Barrier Reactivity (BR) and On Leash Reactivity (OLR)
― Healthy contact can reduce perception of threat.
• Better room-mate matches
― after time to play together dogs generally cohabitate in kennels more smoothly
• Better adoption matches
― from all of their social experience while sheltered, most of our dog meets go more smoothly and we have
comprehensive information about our shelter dogs’ interactions with numerous other dogs.
*** NOT a guarantee that territorial or resource guarding issues will not surface in the home! ***
Copyright © 2009 by Aimee Sadler, All rights reserved

Best Bang for the Buck
Enrichment, Assessment, Training, Behavior Modification
• For dog-dog issues, socially healthy dogs can be much more
effective trainers than humans (providing a unique service).
• The mental and physical outlet of play groups can create
higher receptivity to training.
• What may be considered inappropriate play with a person
can be natural between dogs.
• Play groups can provide an enhanced quality of life for many
sheltered dogs.
• Play groups can create the
most natural environment for
overcoming fear, anxiety
and aggression.
Copyright 2011© by Aimee Sadler, All rights reserved HCAS play group photo by Debbie Malott

Candidates for Play Groups
All ages, breeds, temperaments…
It depends upon the dogs…
MOST IMPORTANTLY…
the comfort level of the handler!!!
Copyright © 2009 by Aimee Sadler, All Rights Reserved Photo by Brian George

Creating Healthy Behavior
• Puppies:
– learn best from appropriate adult
dogs about bite inhibition and
responsive play behavior
– must be socialized with playful
and/or tolerant dogs only…no
un-socialized, fearful, defensive
or offensive adults
– can socialize with other puppies
but must be monitored against
developing bad habits
Copyright © 2009 by Aimee Sadler, All Rights Reserved

Understanding Play Styles
Gentle and Dainty:
• Very Mutual
• Relatively quiet
• Frequently starts & stops
• Easily becomes nervous with rough play

Rough and Rowdy:
• Mainly mutual
• Usually noisy
• Very physical
• Grabbing & Holding
• Chasing and
tumbling
• Escalates & de-
escalates
• Can trigger conflict
Photo by Annalie Martini

Push & Pull:
• Sometimes mutual
• Chasing, driving, heeling
• Can get noisy
• Can escalate & often ends in conflict
• Antagonistic to others

Seek and Destroy:
• Usually not mutual
• Rooted in prey drive
• Often noisy (growling
and squealing)
• Can escalate
• Tends to need handler
intervention
• Provocative to others

Compatible & Incompatible
Play Styles
=
• Generally, same play styles do well
together.
• Push & Pull’s and Seek & Destroy’s
tend to do well together.
• Rough & Rowdy’s LOVE to play
together…if the handler is brave
enough  ≠
• Rough & Rowdy’s and Push &
Pull’s can be combustible.
• Gentle & Dainty’s don’t prefer to
play with the other play styles.
Photo by Hany Hosny

Interruption
• The goal of interruption is to
momentarily influence
interaction.
• Behavior is inappropriate
rather than concerning.
• Dog needs to develop
different play habits.
• Only necessary if dogs are not
responding to one another.
• REMEMBER – the goal is for
the dogs to learn how to
communicate with each other!

Correction
• The goal of correction is to extinguish behavior.
• Behavior is concerning and must not escalate.
• Dog needs to show increased responsiveness to handler
while decreasing drive in play.
Dog Correction Handler Correction

Capone
• Pulled from AAC euth list due to
redirected bite on an employee
while being put away in his kennel
• Found out to be dog social in PG
• Extremely gentle with people
• Placed in a home with 3 children
and 1 grumpy little dog
• Sheltered for ~3.5 months
• In home for 5 months
Photos by Sandi Sandman

Jake
• Pulled off AAC euth-list on Dec. 13th
(“very low impulse control and guards
resources, making him a relatively high
risk for biting”) with other notes about
high arousal issues in kennel
and on leash, and notes about being
inexperienced with dogs
• No resource guarding observed in shelter
• Immediately put Jake into PG, discovered
him to be highly dog social
• Arousal/impulse issues completely
dissipated, no b-mod needed
• Available for adoption!

Louise
• Euth-list pull from AAC on Jan. 4th “there is no doubt in
my mind that she would attack any dog she could if she
were to get loose” – AAC Employee
• “With any animals, she…has true intent to do harm.
She…has exhibited a “kill shake” during a testing with a
stuffed dog who she thought was real. She never realized
the dog was not real and continued the aggression….She is
nervous with children and shows high arousal and reactive
behavior and is considered dangerous around children of
any age.” - Evaluation from Professional Trainer
• After the formation of the Behavior Department, assessed
in PG, found to be stable, reliable, and a combination of
social/selective with dogs. Goes to PG every day.
• Has become one of APA!’s best trained dogs, has strong
but appropriate drive and is given daily outlets, has been put
through the paces with people of all ages and is routinely
safe and friendly with children that she meets when walking
the local trails.
• Available for adoption!

Olive
• Jumped fences on numerous occasions while in APA’s
care to fight with other dogs
• Professionally assessed by a private trainer: “She may
not live with other animals since the behavior is well
practiced. She will be able to be managed in
environments with other dogs in proximity but will take
intensive training and handling for her to be reliable
under most circumstances.”
• Labeled dog aggressive and a “no dog household”, but
behavior of jumping fences to fight with dogs persisted,
questions regarding safety arose
• Upon formation of Behavior Department, was assessed
in PG and found to be social/tolerant (huh!?)
• Became PG regular, fence jumping stopped, ran to PG
instead!
• Adopted to home with another dog (dogs are getting
along very well, no fence jumping observed whatsoever,
sheltered for 11 months

Play Group Handling Techniques
• Tone of Voice
– Less is more
use verbal when necessary…no jabbering!
– Low, not loud
Use tones that exude confidence
and control rather than reactivity
– Consistent negative marker
Such as “eh-eh” or “enough”
• Body Blocking
– Legs, not hands!
Communicate with the
part of your body that is being affected
• Collar Leads
– Guide rather than Drag!
No pressure on their collar if they are following
– Remain calm!……even when there is camper chaos 
Photo by Brian George

Work That Gate!
• Understand taking space…use your legs
• Open in or out…yield or invite?
• Balance between taking a moment to observe?...or,
building frustration?
• Goal is to reinforce correct energy upon entrance 

Tools and Applications Table
Interruption Correction Single Dog Multiple Dog
Spray Bottle
  
Shake Can
  
Direct Stop™ or
Pet Corrector™   
Air Horn
 
Be creative!…no limitations in tools...

Potential Side Effects of Tools
• Shake Can (audible)
– ‘innocent dog’ is effected in addition to ‘offending’ dog
– Fear of handler
• Direct Stop™ or Pet Corrector™ (audible)
– ‘innocent dog’ is effected in addition to ‘offending’ dog
– Physical reaction to citronella
– Fear of handler
• Air Horn (SUPER audible)
– Effects all dogs
– Physical reaction to extreme volume
– Generalized fear of handler and/or play yard

Safety Tools Table
Un-socialized Fearful Defensive Offensive
Leash   *  
Gentle Leader
brand
 
Muzzle 
* When fearful of the handler.
 For the potential suppression effect.

Better Safe than Sorry
• Be a neutral hall monitor
• Keep your yard free of toys,
treats = potential trigger
• Check collars are fit properly
(loose ones can be a hazard)
• Remove dragging leashes once comfortable
• Remove certain equipment (Halti’s, metal pinch
collars, any slip collars)
• Take your time, don’t panic…stuff happens!
Copyright 2009 by Aimee Sadler, All rights reserved
Photo by Greg Davidson

When all else fails…
Keep your cool and focus on safety
• Always try startling tools first
• If startling fails, be quiet and calm
• If leashes are attached USE THEM!
• Be prepared for redirection
• Grab hind ends before collars
• DO NOT PULL DOGS APART if latched on
• Immobilize the latched on dog and “feed the bite”
• Use any object to get between the dogs
• Only pull dogs apart once they have let go of each other
• Remember…!&*$%! happens despite best efforts
• Whenever possible allow them to stay and play and recover!
Photo by Hany HosnyCopyright © 2009 by Aimee Sadler, All Rights Reserved

What is vicious?
Vicious: given or readily disposed to evil; grossly immoral; depraved
Aggression: An unprovoked attack. Aggressive action or practices.
• Can be legitimate communication
• Disproportionate response = aberrant behavior
Threat: A declaration of an intention to inflict
injury or pain.
Warning: Admonition, advice, recommendation.
*Defense: The act of defending or guarding.
*Offense: The act of offending; a fault, sin or crime.
*Defense vs. Offense*
The behavior can look the same but is motivated differently, therefore,
it should be handled differently!!!
Photo by Hany Hosny

Photo by Hany Hosny

Definitions of Social Status
Un-socialized: overly aroused and/or
reactive despite appropriate social
gestures from others.
Fearful: generally overwhelmed by
environment, handlers and other
dogs (with or without defense).
Prey-like: fearful with immediate
flight response, usually
accompanied by high pitched
vocalization.
Defensive: doesn’t initiate aggression
but responds to challenge or
bullying with aggression.
Offensive: seeks out opportunities to
aggress.
Playful: consistent gestures to initiate
play. Quick to avoid and/or diffuse
defensive or offensive aggression.
Tolerant: passively avoids overt
playful and/or antagonistic
gestures.
Dominant: confident with calm
leadership qualities. Might
appropriately correct obnoxious
behavior. Might appropriately
submit antagonistic behavior. Will
effectively diffuse aggression. Will
most likely ignore indifferent dogs
and will play with appropriate dogs
of either sex.
Copyright © 2009 by Aimee Sadler, All Rights Reserved Photo by Hany Hosny

Social Status Table
Best combinations for introductions:
Opposite sex Playful Tolerant Dominant
Un-socialized    
Fearful   
Prey-like   
Defensive    
Offensive   Copyright © 2009 by Aimee Sadler, All Rights Reserved

Precursors for a fight???
• Pinned Ears
• Erect Tail
• Hackles
– Shoulders (offense)
– Full body (defense)
• Mounting
– Assertive
– Sexual
• Necking
• Growling
• Showing Teeth
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO

Dog Social Categories
(adapted from BAD RAP)
• Dog Social = appropriate and
playful with other dogs on and
off leash
• Dog Tolerant = usually more
tolerant than playful or shows
no interest
• Dog Selective = plays with
some dogs while intolerant of
others
• Dog Defensive = playful with
some dogs but reactive to dogs
that challenge or dominate
• Dog Aggressive = not able to
play with or tolerate other dogs

Risks Chart
“What good are we doing if we
preserve their physical health at the
expense of their mental health?”
De Fowler, Director of Operations
From 9/05 - 12/12 Monday-Sunday 15 dogs/group average
0
50
100
150
200
fatalities emergencies sutures minor injuries
dogs
handlers
Minor Injuries:
1 concussion
1 scratch to the face
22 displaced bites while interrupting a fight
1 cheap shot to the butt!
Copyright © 2009 by Aimee Sadler, All rights reserved

A Day in the Life…
• PG from 8-1130 (Between 60-100 dogs rotated through, average of about 25
mins per dog)
• B-mod cases, AFU from 12-4
• PG from 4-6 (Between 30-50 dogs, avg. of about 15 mins per dog)
• Volunteer Training Classes from 530-7/8 (avg. of 8 handlers and 8 dogs per
class)
• Last Behavior Dog outings/EOD from 6-730 (avg. 4-5 dogs)

Rewards & Corrections
Rewards Corrections
Time-outs
Aversives
Leash
corrections
Pressure & Release
Verbalpraise
Petting
Food/Toys
squirt bottle
shake can
The dog decides!!!

Sensitivity to Aggression
To save more lives our industry needs to address our
understanding and response to animal aggression:
Sheltering Field (can’t win)
• “…too many good dogs destroyed to
expend resources on dogs with issues…”
VS.
• “You don’t understand!...they just need to be loved…”
Professional Training Field
• the only thing two trainers can agree upon is what the third
trainer is doing wrong!
Human Nature (defense mechanism)
• my diagnosis is “right”…but…what if you’re wrong???
• litigious society…how many shelters have shut their doors???

Things to Consider
(Resources pertain)
• Triggers
– are they predictable?
– are there too many?
– can they be controlled
• Thresholds
– how much to blow them?
– push (rather than provoke)…then TEACH/TRAIN to
develop coping skills
• Risks
– Skill level and compliance of adopters
sufficient? (handling and management)

Our Lines in the Sand
• Offensive Aggression to PEOPLE
– it’s rare…usually defensive no matter how ugly
– when being aggressive is a self-rewarding behavior
– when flight is an option but fight is the chosen response
● Uninterruptible Drive
- when the handler can not influence behavior
- when is an animal allowed to be an animal?
● Unpredictable Aggression
– how can we work on a behavior if we can’t identify the
triggers?

Milo
• Pulled off euth-list from AAC for
arousal issues on Oct. 25
• Displayed obsessive behaviors with
plastic containers, leashes, toys, etc.,
and would redirect onto handler
during obsessive destruction
behaviors
• Evaluated in PG and found to be
extremely dog social
• Used to evaluate new dogs in PG
• Combination of PG and behavior
modification on remote collar has
resulted in a safe and successful
adoption candidate

Method to the Madness
Green: Easy
Pink: Pulls on leash
Orange: Shy/fearful
Silver: Reactivity issues, mouthy
Red: Specific training program, Behavior Team
approval needed

Volunteers
B.O.O! (Basic Orange Orientation) – This is a one hour class that
focuses on dealing with shy/fearful dogs. You’ll learn a little about body
language, interacting with a fearful dog and then meet a few of our shy guys.
Level 1 Handling – This class meets once a week for 5 weeks. Covers
basic leash handling skills that will not only teach you how to deal with
common on-leash situations, but also give a strong foundation to help
improve the “walkability” of our adoptable pups. You will also be approved
to handle Green/Pink dogs off-site.
Level 2 Handling – This class follows Level 1 and upon completion, you
will be approved to work with Silver dogs. It builds upon the foundation
from Level 1 and deals more with on-leash reactivity.

Volunteer Behavior Team
• Have gone through Level 1 and Level 2 classes (10 1-
hour classes) and continuously attend weekly training
classes with Silver or Red dogs
• Continuously expanding in members and in talent!
• Goal is to reach as many dogs as possible to enhance
their adoptability
• Many members are entrusted with dogs that many of
the staff do not handle
• Couldn’t do it without them!

Why Adoption Follow-Up?
• Learning from our adoptions
– What can our community bear?
– What trends do we see in behavior problems in the home compared
to those we saw in the shelter (or in past history)
– AFU (in addition to life-saving mission) guides our behavior depts.
• Positive outcomes from AFU
– Able to place behavior dogs if we can offer the support
– Helps to keep more animals out of our shelters!
– Learning more about behavior and context
– Long-term collaborative relationships with adopters
• Revisiting Our Mission Statements to save more lives!
– Hopeful trend for more resources supporting them on the way out
rather than screening them on their way in! …better aligned.

What We Provide
• All Complimentary
– Phone consultations
– Private sessions at the shelter or home
– Group classes
• No time limit for AFU support
– Can’t provide ongoing training, but we do provide support for
issues or behavior concerns
***Support surrendering when deemed more appropriate***

Can we really predict?
• BR and OLR behaviors
– are not necessarily indicators of dog
aggression!!!
• Successful Play Sessions
– are not a guarantee that a dog will be
social with other dogs in the home
– dogs have personality conflicts, too
• Shelter vs. Home
– is not necessarily contextual
• Relationship
– can profoundly affect behavior and
can not be scientifically measured
• Resource Guarding (dog-dog)
– can escalate once home…or
disappear
• Territorial behaviors
– can emerge once home

June 2012 - YTD Canine
Stats
SASF
(1,000 animals annually)
APA!
(~3,500 dogs for 2012)
Canine Live Release Rate 97% 96% (91% City of Austin)
***City of Austin LRR w/o Beh. Euth
Pulls = 88% (Under “No-Kill” Criteria)
Average Length of Stay 27 days 45 days
(excludes dogs < 42 days of age)
Returned Adoption rate 11.5% (6
months)
14%
% of Returns for Behavior
(adopter’s version)
37.5% 35%
% for Returns for Pertinent Behavior
(shelter’s version)
1% 2%

Industry Obstacles to Saving Lives
• Industry Standards:
– Behavior Evaluations as culling tools
– Categories of adoptable…how?
– Breed labeling dogs of unknown origin (visit NCRC)
– Emotional issues over training tools and techniques
– Misguided “Do No Harm”…but death doesn’t count?!?
– Once transferred no questions = false omnipotence
– Aggression and Dominance oversimplified and misunderstood
• Resource Deficits: (different per organization)
– Qualified volunteer coordinators…#1 priority!!!
– Staff time/Facility space
– Monetary Limitations
– Training & Behavior skill set
– Brave Leadership in the face of societal challenges…

• The longer we are in sheltering the less confident we
are in predicting!
• You never know until you try  …and we’ve learned
a ton about behavior from trying!
• Once an animal is gone there is no way of knowing
what they could have been in another context…or
with relationship.
• We’d rather support our adoptions
than euthanize just in case…
because we love being wrong!
What we have learned from them…

• Revisit your mission statements 
• Employ full-time, well qualified volunteer coordinators
• Revisit behavior evaluations and how to use the information to
allocate resources rather than to cull
• Avoid breed specific policies…strive to treat them as individuals
• Measure behavior department success with raw statistics rather
than categorized statistics
• Embrace comprehensive approaches to training and behavior
issues and allow community pros to help!
• Network and create relationships to support
animals based upon your shelter’s resources
• Develop adoption follow-up programs!!!
Getting to the next level:

• Not just our opinion!
– Participation in Cortisol Study in August 2009 revealed
significantly that play groups reduce stress in shelter dogs!
– Play groups have been introduced to 38 shelters around
the country and they are all reporting positive results
– Internships at SASF (Aimee’s shelter…we’re getting there!)
• Take what you can…
– Be comfortable and confident in your application
– For us, the benefits far outweigh the risks
– Utilizing canine play groups reduces stress while enhancing
quality of life and training programs that save shelter dogs
lives!!!
Belpedio, C., Buffington, L., Clusman, S., Prete, F., Sadler, A., Whittemore, L., & Mungre, S. (2010). Effect of multidog play-groups on cortisol levels
and behavior of dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) housed in a humane society. Journal of Applied Companion Animal Behavior, 4(1), 15-27
Conclusion

Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation
Southampton, NY
aimee@sasfinc.org
www.southamptonanimalshelter.com
Point of View Training & Consulting, LLC
303-775-5491
Professional IACP Member #1449
In Cooperation With:
Aimee Sadler
Director of Training & Behavior
Mike Kaviani
Dog Behavior Program Manager
Austin Pets Alive!
Austin, TX
mike.kaviani@austinpetsalive.org
www.austinpetsalive.org
949-697-8451

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