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Despite our 8 am departure time from Prague, I pulled into the parking lot at the Lipno ski resort 20 minutes late. (I'm blaming 1 bathroom break, 1 wrong turn, and 3 chattering kids in the backseat.) The first day of "lyžařská škola" (ski school) had started, and my 4-year old daughter and her similarly-aged half-Czech friend were more than impatient to get into their gear. While I ran to pay for their ski passes, my friend helped them get into ski clothes and helmets.
I had to admit, I was also antsy. Even though I've lived in the Czech Republic for over 3 years, this would be my first week-long vacation with both children and no husband. Apart from visiting babička and a few overnight trips to Vysoké Mýto, I'd traveled exclusively with Radek. Although I've made several cross-continental trips to the States without Radek, traveling solo in the Czech Republic seemed more daunting.
Even after he assured me that I had nothing to worry about, my mind was still racing with "what ifs." What if the children misbehaved all week? What if the sled flew off the car's roof rack while I was driving? What if there was a mix-up with our reservation and the hotel clerk didn't understand my Czech? My worry list then quadrupled when I thought about the actual skiing. What if Anna didn't like skiing? What if she refused to ski, or if my younger son refused to sit still long enough to watch?
Despite my worries, I knew that taking the kids for a trip to the mountains was a unique opportunity. We'd planned the trip with my friend Sara and her son Matej, so I had some support. I pushed my idle worries aside as Anna grabbed my hand, and we headed for Lipno's Fox Park children's ski area.
Since the class had already started, we'd been instructed to "přidat" (add) our kids to the beginner's group. It sounded easy enough, and I relaxed now that we had all 3 children out of the car and walking in the direction of the kid's park. The Fox Park certainly looked inviting, with its brightly-colored inflatable entrance arch, two moving carpets and front-row spectator seating (a row of benches just outside the fenced in area). Near the park's entrance was a giant bouncy castle, and I hoped the children wouldn't spot it before they started skiing.
As we entered the ski park, I looked around for some indication of a beginner's group, or someone in charge, but I just saw clusters of reflective vest-clad children led by a few orange or yellow-jacketed adults. I approached one of the instructors and showed her our passes while pointing at Anna and her friend Matej. I tried to explain that our kids wanted to start today in mid-lesson, but the instructor looked confused.
Then I remembered the word začátečník (beginner), and the instructor pointed out the beginner group. I approached the two adults who seemed to be in charge of these fledgling skiers and explained our situation again. They agreed to add Anna and Matej, and asked if they understood Czech. Since the Lipno recreational area is popular with Dutch and other non-Czech tourists, it was a reasonable question. Anna introduced herself in Czech as "Anička," and we gave a last kiss and stepped back to watch.
As they rode up the moving carpet of a ski lift, Matej turned around, waving and smiling, but Anna was solemn with her "game face" on. When they reached the mid-way point, the lift operator helped Anna off while Matej continued up to the top. Sara and I shrugged our shoulders in mild confusion. At first impression, the ski school system was a mystery, but we were cautiously optimistic that there was a method to the confusion.
A minute later, a lift operator greeted us with a "Guten Tag" and motioned for us to leave the ski area. He pointed emphatically at our shoes, and once outside the fenced area I saw a sign prohibiting regular shoes, strollers, dogs, and sleds. I set Oliver on the ground and scanned the area for Anna. I saw her on the ground near the bottom of the slope, but I couldn't tell if she'd fallen or just sat down. The rest of her class was getting onto the carpet, and I anxiously watched to see if someone would help Anna up.
At the same moment, Sara let out a cry, "Oh no! She's going to let him go down by himself." I looked up to see Matej at the top of the hill. My friend screamed, "Don't go!" as Matej pointed his skis straight down and took off. Sara slipped under a fence and started running up the hill, and seconds after hearing the commotion, the instructor who'd let Matej start out began skiing frantically after him. Although the incline wasn't steep, there were a few obstacles he could hit. Luckily, Matej crashed unhurt into the snow just as his mother and the instructor reached him. He'd made it well over half-way down the slope and seemed proud, although a bit shaken.
When Sara asked the instructor why she'd let him start at the top, she answered, "He told me he'd skied before." Sara replied, "He's 3. He thinks he can do everything. You're the teacher." Still she waved Matej on and returned to stand beside me.
With that near-disaster averted, I turned my eyes back to Anna who was still struggling to get up and catch up with her group. Anxious from Matej's near accident, I shouted to her, "Get help from your teacher!" Although I heard her yell "Pomoc" a few times, none of the teachers seemed to notice her. Finally, just as I'd decided to go in the park to help her myself, one of the teachers made his way over and pulled her up. He pushed her toward the carpet, and she fell again as she got on.
The first few days continued in the same pattern. Matej flew down the slopes and Anna fell nearly every time she went down. When the instructors passed out small circles to help the children learn to turn, Matej immediately took his and "drove" down the slope, turning from side to side. Meanwhile, Anna put her circle on her arm like a bracelet and cautiously snowed plowed her way to the bottom of the hill. She took frequent breaks, sitting on a foam duck in the middle of the slope, and didn't seem to enjoy herself that much. However, she loved skiing near Matej, and when they got a chance to ride the moving carpet together, she grinned and waved.
Although I was a little discouraged that Anna hadn't caught on as quickly as her friend had, I reminded myself that I should be proud of her, regardless. Some of the children didn't even make it through the lessons without crying. As it turned out, Anna had a hand in trying to cheer up her sad fellow classmates. One day in particular, I watched Anna help a crying girl in her class. First Anna positioned the foam duck next to the foam horse. Then she carried the girls' skis over for her, and motioned for her to sit on the duck. They sat together for several minutes until Anna eventually got up to ski again. At the time, I was impatient for Anna to get her skis on and get back on the slopes. But when Anna told me that she'd told the little girl a story about Krteček, a popular Czech cartoon character, to cheer her up, I felt ashamed of my negative thoughts and very proud of my daughter.
On the fourth day, the last day before Radek would join us for the weekend, something clicked for Anna. During the lesson, she managed to turn her skis side-to-side to go through the slalom course, and she even let herself go "whizzing fast" a couple of times. She skied almost as fast as her friend Matej, and most importantly, she seemed to finally be enjoying herself. She continued to improve on the last day of the lessons, and when Radek offered to take her on the lift up to the real slopes, she jumped with excitement. She skied successfully, with frequent stops, down the nearly 1 km long run several times. On our last day, she did one long run, went too fast and fell and decided to take a break for the rest of the day. She and Oliver bounced in the bouncy castle and walked through the resort with Radek while I got a chance to ski by myself.
Overall, the week had been a great success. However, watching Anna's progress in ski school from the sidelines was more difficult than I had anticipated. The competitive part of me wanted to constantly shout instructions and the supportive part wanted to give encouragement. In the end, the most important lesson that I learned from the week was that ski school was only the first in a lifetime of experiences where I'd need to learn to stand back and watch Anna carve her own path.
Every Friday Half-n-half highlights personal stories of bilingual families living in the Czech Republic. The main contributor is Emily Prucha, an American living in Prague with her Czech husband and two children. The Prague Daily Monitor and Emily welcome your feedback on Half-n-half; please comment below or write to [email protected].


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Benign, self-limiting condition characterized by excessive crying and fussiness in an apparently healthy infant during the first 3 months of life, without an obvious cause. Etiology is uncertain; proposed causes include feeding habits (overfeeding, underfeeding, swallowing air), allergy, fecal microflora, immaturity of digestive mechanism, environmental exposures (smoking), and psychosocial factors (family stress). Lacking a standard definition, colic might be viewed as crying 3 or more hours a day, 3 or more days a week. Other characteristics include a piercing, distressing, or dysphonic cry, a paroxysmal pattern, tightening of muscles, facial flushing, and inability to be consoled, all to a greater degree than normal crying.
Ruling out a checklist of potential pain triggers and more serious conditions, management includes helping parents cope with the colicky behavior, finding interventions to remediate feeding difficulties, limiting environmental stimulation, and developing calming routines to help comfort the infant. Key to infant-parent relationship building is helping parents manage stress. Care should be taken to observe for signs of parental harm to the infant.
Infantile colic
Alerts and Notices
Important News & Links
R10.83 – Colic
35363006 – Infantile colic
R10.83 – Colic
35363006 – Infantile colic
Differential Diagnosis & Pitfalls
Other gastrointestinal-related causes in the differential can include:
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Milk and/or soy protein intolerance
- Intussusception
- Pyloric stenosis
- Meningitis (viral, bacterial, fungal)
- Physical abuse, neglect, or shaken baby syndrome
- Malnourishment or failure to thrive
- Genetic / developmental disorders
Subscription Required
Last Updated:09/12/2016
Infantile colic

subset: commoncrawl


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G.K.Update 2, July 2016 (English)
By: D.K. Choudhary
1. Suresh Prabhu launches NIVARAN portal
i. Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, Minister of Railways has launched "NIVARAN portal", an online system for redressal of service related grievance of serving and former railway employees.
ii. Nivaran portal is an online system that seeks to facilitate the employees to lodge their grievances and also monitor the progress.
iii. It has been developed by CRIS (Centre for Railway information systems), an IT arm of Indian Railways on basis of process designed by Establishment directorate of Railway Board.
2. Indigenously built Tejas inducted into IAF
i. The Indian Air Force (IAF) inducted the first squadron of the indigenously made Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas into its fleet.
ii. An induction ceremony to induct two Tejas aircrafts was held at the Aircraft Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE) in Bengaluru, which included a multi religious prayer.
iii. The crew members of the first squadron of Tejas, a multi-role supersonic single-engine aircraft designed and developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) in collaboration with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
3. SBI Digital Village
i. Balal village in Kasargode district in the state of Kerala is one of the 21 villages selected across the country by the State Bank of India under the SBI Digital Village initiative, which will be launched by the SBI Chairperson on State Bank Day (1st July).
ii. The objective of the initiative is to popularise digital banking in rural areas. The bank has already installed an ATM, provided free Wi-Fi connection and conducted technology training sessions at Balal village.
4. D K Hota assumes charge as BEML chairman
i. D K Hota has been appointed as Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of Bharat Earth Movers Ltd. (BEML) with effect from July 1.
ii. Prior to assuming his office, he was the Director (HR) on the board of the company.
iii. Further, BEML has informed the exchanges that P Dwarakanath, ceased to be the company CMD consequent upon his attaining the superannuation on June 30, 2016.
5. World famous futurist, writer Alwin Toffler dies at 87
i. Alvin Toffler, the Famous author of Future Shock, passed away on in Los Angeles, United States. He was 87.
ii. Toffler's book Future Shock outlines people's anxiety at the pace of social change in the 1960s.
iii. Alvin Toffler was known for his works discussing modern technologies. His works included the digital revolution and the communication revolution with emphasis on their effects on cultures worldwide.
6. India's first integrated defence communication network launched
i. India's first integrated defence communication network was launched, enabling the army, air force, navy and the Special Forces Command to share situational awareness for a faster decision-making process.
ii. The Defence Communication Network (DCN), a strategic, highly secure and scalable system, has a pan-India reach from Ladakh to the North East to island territories.
iii. Built by HCL under a nearly Rs 600 crore project, DCN offers high quality voice, video and data services covering 111 entities spread across the country.
7. India Post payments bank proposal gets Cabinet nod
i. The Union Cabinet has granted its approval to set up India Post's payments bank, 650 branches of which will be made operational by September 2017.
ii. The payments bank will be managed with a professional setup, headed a chief executive officer, and will have representations from various other government departments including the Department of Posts, Department of Expenditure and Department of Economic Services among others.
iii. Total architecture of postal payments bank is of Rs 800 crore which will have Rs 400 crore equity and Rs 400 crore grant. By September 2017, all 650 branches of postal payments bank will become operational.
8. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu makes history again, becomes first Indian to feature in Europa League
i. Indian goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was named in Norwegian club Stabaek FC's squad for their Europa League qualifying match against Welsh Premier League side Connah's Quay Nomads FC, making him the first from the country to play in the continental competition.
ii. Sandhu, who signed for Stabaek in 2014, made headlines in May when he became the first Indian to start a first team match in a top-division league of Europe. In that match against IK Start in the Norwegian Tippeligaen.
iii. He kept a clean sheet in a 5-0 away victory. He then returned back home to play in goal for India's thumping victory over Laos.
9. Sameer emerges fastest athlete of 56th National Inter-state Athletics
i. Sameer Mon, the veteran sprinter of India, won gold in 100 meter dash in 10.60 seconds at the 56th National Inter-state Senior Athletics Championships in Hyderabad.
ii. With this, Sameer, representing Manipur, also became the fastest athlete in the country.
iii. 32-year-old Sameer was a member of the bronze winning Indian 4x100m relay quartet in Delhi Commonwealth Games. He had earlier won the Inter-state titles in 2008 and 2011


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Superior Access, Personalized Service & Unique Industry Knowledge
One Source Advisors, Inc. is an independent insurance brokerage and consulting firm specializing in employee benefits providing clients with proactive advocacy while delivering state of the art solutions designed to push the status quo.
As a client-centric firm, we engage at a deep level to turn the complex to simple, use a consultative approach to set each client uniquely apart from the rest and deliver creative solutions designed to contain costs.
What Our Clients Are Saying. . . . . .
We all know how complex the health care system has become and One Source Advisors can be trusted to understand it, interpret it and offer members the optimum employee benefits solutions for their requirements.Eric L. Burkland, PresidentThe Ohio Manufacturers' Association
Employee benefits are constantly changing, and as an organization, it is very difficult for us to always stay on top of it. One Source Advisors does this for us. They provide customer service beyond compare - not only with assisting us with competitive benefit options, but equally important ~ being a dedicated resource in addressing and responding to employee questions and concerns quickly and effectively.Mike Pax, PresidentPax Machine Works, Inc.
The City of Whitehall has worked with many consultants in the past and have found One Source Advisors to be the most knowledgeable, experienced and accessible.Kim Maggard, MayorCity of Whitehall
One Source Advisors is an integral member of our team, providing creative and aggressive strategic thinking as we drive for a strong health care program for our staff. And then, when other firms would disappear for the year, they are right beside us, supporting our HR department and our team members through every question and health insurance hiccup. They are truly another critical member of our team. I can't imagine this level of service from anyone else.Lisa Stein, PresidentRevolutions, Inc.
We've been working with One Source Advisors for over 10 years now. They provide us with excellent and competitive employee benefit solutions while having our company's best interest in mind.Linda Andraitis-Varljen, Vice PresidentEMI Corporation
When looking for an insurance broker, there is no need to look any further. If a customer focused, hands on, caring, compassionate, and client-first mindset is a high priority, One Source Advisors will exceed your expectations.Zachary Stanfield, Director of Human ResourcesLykins Energy Solutions
My business, West Park Animal Hospital, in Cleveland, Ohio, has been working with One Source Advisors for almost 20 years. They have always provided the best insurance options for my business and staff while keeping my best interest in mind as the business owner. I would highly recommend One Source Advisors to any business searching for a conscientious, personable insurance broker.Kane Henderson, DVMWest Park Animal Hospital
REMEDI is very pleased with the partnership we have with One Source Advisors. Over the many years we have worked with them, we have counted on their advice and guidance for our employee benefits. Beyond their high level of ongoing service, One Source Advisors has been especially helpful in recent years as the complexity and compliance around employee benefits has grown.Brad Loetz, PresidentREMEDI Electronic Commerce Group


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Fixed or Fluid WidthThis template has the ability to set the entire width of your set to either a fixed pixel width or a fluid percentage width. You can set the width to any size you want.
Be sure to check out the responsive layout page to see how the layout below is constructed on multiple screen sizes. The responsive layout will work with both fixed or fluid settings. Responsive layouts are completely optional.
Column WidthsYou may also set the widths of the following positions to any width that you need to: left, left_inset, right, and right_inset. You may set them to any width you need to. Columns can either be set to a fixed px width or they can be set to a fluid percentage width. If you are enabling the responsive layout we recommend setting these to percentage width.
Row WidthsThis template comes loaded with module positions, many of which appear in rows of 6 module positions. Any row that contains 6 module positions can have it's row columns set to automatic widths or manual. For example, in the picture below the first row shows 4 modules published and since it's set to automatic each is set to 25% width. The second row shows a manual calculation for each module in the row. Again, you may do this for any row that contains 6 modules. If you setup a manual calculation they must total to 100%. Not all 6 modules need to be used, as shown below.
All of this is done very easily in the template configuration.


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Welcome to Mangamo
Welcome to Mangamo! We are a manga subscription service that delivers unlimited access to a robust manga library via your iOS devices. For only $4.99 USD a month, you gain access to over 300 titles, legally! Your subscription helps support the manga creators that work tirelessly behind the scenes to forge your favorite stories. Every manga on Mangamo is of the highest graphic quality with the most accurate localization.
But that's not all… our app has a host of amazing features that is sure to heighten your manga reading experience!
When you first open the app you will land on the explore screen which highlights some of our best manga offerings and suggests new titles. As you scroll down you will also find genre-specific suggestions. When you see a genre you like swipe sideways to check out awesome suggestions.
Once you've found a manga title you are interested in you can either read it right away or add it to your library so you can check it out later. Under the "my manga" tab you will find your library and it contains all of the manga that you are currently reading, the titles you've added to your list for later, and your completed manga. Need a break? We've got you covered! Mangamo will automatically save your reading progress.
If you're ready to jump back into the last manga you were reading, we have a dandy little bar at the bottom of the app that allows you to get right back into the action.
Download Mangamo on the iOS app store now!
Do you still have more questions about Mangamo? Check out our FAQ section!


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From the "all's fair in love, war, and climate science" department comes this opportunity.
On Facebook, Dr. Roy Spencer made a comment related to a post on the original website calling for scientists to "March on Washington" to…
…take a stand for science in politics. Slashing funding and restricting scientists from communicating their findings (from tax-funded research!) with the public is absurd and cannot be allowed to stand as policy.
They add (bold mine):
Who can participate:
"Anyone who believes in empirical science. That's it. That's the only requirement. We will both have a diversity committee and a diverse steering committee that represents people of many backgrounds and identities. Science is done by POC, women, immigrants, LGBTQ, indigenous people, people of all beliefs and non-belief. We hope that this diversity is reflected in both the leadership of the march and the march itself."
Dr. Spencer commented:
It is ironic that they emphasize "empirical science", since that's what argues against global warming being a problem. It's the "theoretical science" they have to invoke to scare people.
But the comment by Dr. Spencer that motivates this post is this one:
Since *everyone* is invited to a "scientists march", I'm reminded of the time Anthony Watts had his dog join the Union of Concerned Scientists. https://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/10/07/friday-funny-the-newest-member-of-the-union-of-concerned-scientists/
Kenji might need a white lab coat though.
Long-time WUWT readers may recall that I put UCS to the test. Here's excerpts:
Be a "concerned scientist" – valid credit card required
Since becoming a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists when I found out all you needed was a valid credit card, my curiosity about who and what they really are has spiked.
I decided to put that theory to the test. I am very proud to announce that a member of my family has been accepted into this prestigious organization. With pride, I present new UCS member, Kenji Watts:
Yes, Kenji is our dog. Apparently, the claim is true, all that is required to be a member of the illustrious group of "concerned scientists" is a valid credit card. No discerning questions were asked of me when I prepared Kenji's application and no follow up check after the application was done. I simply put in his name, address, and provided a valid credit card that matched the address.
Here is his letter of acceptance:
Kenji is a Japanese Chin, hence the name. Read the full post here: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/10/07/friday-funny-the-newest-member-of-the-union-of-concerned-scientists/
I replied to Dr. Spencer's comment on FB with:
Kenji does believe in empirical science, why just the other day he sniffed out some empirical evidence of change on the lawn. Yeah, I figure if those protesters in SFO at AGU(16) can wear white lab coats, (see below) Kenji certainly can. UCS might even have to put out a press release "denying" his membership.
and…it tuns out that cyber-criminal Dr. Peter Gleick who admitted he took on a fake identity and used it to steal documents from the Heartland Institute, has announced his intentions of going in a Tweet:
So, it's settled (the science march, not the science). If these clowns can go "stand up for science" (on the steps of a Catholic church in downtown San Francisco no less) then the only canine member ever accepted by the Union of Concerned Scientists can certainly go.
And it gets better, the march name and website have been changed….
….and now there's no requirements to attend listed on the new website at all!
It gets better:
Someone should warn Washington that the "White Coats are Coming!" We march for freedom, then for Congress! #LabCoatParty
— Willow ✍🏻 (@MindOverMuses) January 28, 2017
Well, OK then.
To do this, Kenji and I will need to fly from California to Washington DC. I'll fly coach, probably Kenji will fly doggie carrier under the seat, which Southwest airlines allows for a $100 fee each way. Also, he'll need to get a health certificate from the vet to fly. We'll need to get a dog-friendly hotel for a couple of nights at a minimum, transportation to/from the hotel/event and I'll need to make a sign to carry, get a custom white lab coat for Kenji, plus do some training with Kenji to get him acclimated to large crowds. Since he is so small, and could easily be stepped on, or kicked on purpose, I'll likely get a chest carrier for small dogs like this one.
We'll have a two-sided sign, one that shows support for science, and on the reverse, a picture of the worst climate monitoring station ever found by the surfacestations project at the University of Arizona with the question "If you measure climate in a parking lot, is it still science?"
Help Kenji go!
Estimated costs by the time this is all done is about $2000-2500. Since Kenji is still waitng for the #BigOil check, or a grant from the #KochBrothers and has no funds of his own, he's asking WUWT readers to kick in some pocket change ($10-25 or set your own level) to help get there and "March for Science" (whenever that is they haven't got the date set yet).
Of course, we'll have pictures, commentary, and probably some hilarious reactions by people to this.
Captions for the other side of the sign are welcome. Right now, "My Dog is a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists" is the leading message.
Kenji has his own Twitter account, so be sure to follow him for updates.
Also, if we don't get enough donations to make it happen, they will be refunded. Thanks, Anthony


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What is the Pyloric Sphincter?
The pyloric sphincter is a valve that controls the movement of the stomach contents from the stomach into the duodenum at the start of the intestines. It is an important part of the digestive tract that performs a number of functions related to regulating digestion and maintaining the healthy operation of the digestive tract. This portion of the stomach's anatomy is also known as the pyloric valve.
This structure is located in the pylorus, an area at the bottom of the stomach. The pylorus narrows and thickens to create the ring of smooth muscle that is the pyloric sphincter. When contracted, the sphincter holds the stomach contents in the stomach, allowing the digestive juices of the stomach to break them down into a substance known as chyme. When the chyme is ready, the sphincter opens, allowing it to pass into the duodenum for the next stage of the digestive process. If the stomach contents are dumped too early, digestion is disrupted, and people do not receive the full nutritional benefits of the food they consume.
In addition to regulating digestion, the pyloric sphincter also acts to prevent regurgitation from the intestines into the stomach. This is undesirable as it may disrupt stomach activity and could potentially make someone sick. Acting as a one-way gate guard, a healthy sphincter keeps the contents of the digestive tract moving along in one direction only.
People with stomach cancer can develop a blockage in the pylorus that makes digestion difficult. In a condition known as pyloric stenosis, the pyloric sphincter becomes narrowed, limiting the amount of chyme that can pass through. It can also open insufficiently or open at the wrong times, leading to disruption in the person's digestion. Conditions involving the pyloric sphincter can be diagnosed with the assistance of medical imaging studies including endoscopy, a procedure that involves inserting a camera into the body to provide a view of what is happening inside.
People who develop problems with their pyloric sphincters will need to see a specialist to discuss treatment options. Treatments vary, depending on the cause of the problem and the person's general level of health. They can include surgery to remove cancerous growths or address stenosis, along with medications. It is important to receive treatment for conditions involving the gastrointestinal tract, as they can develop into serious problems and create a domino effect in which an initial health problem leads to a cascade of medical issues.
Discussion Comments
I am 23 years old and currently having problems with my pyloric valve. I was an expert at projectile vomiting as a baby but the doctors had no idea why.
Finally I found a doctor who knew what the problem was and I have had a botox injection into the valve and a balloon inflated to enlarge the valve. Since then the botox has backed out and my pain, bloating, nausea and constipation have returned. I am scheduled for another botox injection to relieve some of my symptoms until I have surgery next month. I have heard from many people that it is very unusual for this to happen to an adult and surprising that I was as functional as I was for so long.
Has anyone had the problem where the stomach seems to empty your meals fairly quickly, where it was later determined to be an issue with the pyloric muscle (e.g. stretched or opening too often)?
What are the indications that something serious is wrong with the pyloric sphincter?
What I mean is, if a person is experiencing a lot of stomach discomfort when they eat and nausea, but no other cause can be found, could it be this particular valve working improperly?
How can you find out if your pyloric sphincter functions the right way?
My son was two months old when he started projectile vomiting. I knew something was very wrong because it had a pinkish color, but the doctor insisted he was allergic to milk. It kept getting worse and I had to sleep him in his bouncer so he didn't choke on his vomit. After 2 weeks of watching him suffer I took him to urgent care where they did a culture on his vomit. And sure enough, it had blood in it and we were rushed to the hospital. He was diagnosed with pyloric stenosis and had surgery on his little stomach that night. He is now 9 and still has the scar on his tummy; I learned to listen to my mommy instincts.


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Modern romance is epitomized in Julia Kalmanovich's spring collection. The Russian designer, who grew up in Moscow, is inspired by her mother's classical style as well as her love of the ballet and traditional theater. I'm obsessed with the cobalt tailored faille trousers paired with the tweed jacket and the black and white off the shoulder dress with bell sleeves. Want, need!
(available for pre-order at Moda Operandi)


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Due to the impending weather, we will be rescheduling for Sunday, February 21 at 3:00 p.m.
You are invited to attend the Kris Tynski- Tails of the Light Exhibit
February 20- J. Franklin Wright Gallery at 3:00 p.m.
Born and raised in Cape Breton, Kris Tynski developed a strong admiration for the outdoors. His lens captures the wildlife, seascapes, and landscapes of the Island, focusing on the Wildlife that inhabit Cape Breton.
" I have always had a connection with the great outdoors since a very young age, hunting, fishing and foraging for wild mushrooms and berries in the forests and meadows. Our Island, Cape Breton, offers some of the best photographic opportunities in the world. Surrounded by rugged coastline, rolling hills and mountains, and the inland sea-the Bras d'Or Lake – we are fortunate to have an abundance of wildlife that encounters four very distance seasons."
Kris resides with his wife Laurie in Beechmont, Cape Breton with their border collie Ryker, and cats Foxy and Brooks.


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Kentfield, CA (02/09/2018) – "Alone we can do little; together, we can do so much." ~ Helen Keller
Local Girl Scout Troop 10949 from the 4th grade at Bacich Elementary School in Greenbrae were our local heroes for February. They joined our residents on the 9th for a Valentine assembly session to benefit children at the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital.
With Scout leader Molly Schaefer, the girls provided all the materials and a big portion of the love, as they joined with our creative residents in making cards and gift bags for kids undergoing medical treatments over the Valentine's holiday. These girls are shining examples of courage, confidence, and character!
Once completed, the bags were delivered to the hospital by Dena Selix from Love Is the Answer (LITA) in time for Valentine's Day.
Our ties to the community, especially our intergenerational partnerships with groups like the Girl Scouts and LITA, help our residents to maintain a sense of importance and connection while contributing to a charitable cause. That's a win-win!


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Colorado's New Safety-Minded Oil And Gas Agency Gets To Work
The new-look Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission held its inaugural meeting on Tuesday as it begins rewriting state rules to emphasize public safety and the environment instead of energy production.
It's the first time the commissioners have met since Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed a law mandating sweeping changes in regulations.
The previous law said encouraging production was regulators' top priority. In addition to the new focus on protecting the public and the environment, the law gives local governments some authority over the location of wells and changes the commission makeup to dilute industry influence.
The law reduces the number of commissioners with oil and gas experience from three to one while adding experts in wildlife and public health. Polis announced the new members on Friday.
Republicans also saw their influence on the commission wane, echoing their losses in the 2018 election. The new commission has four appointed Democratic members, two unaffiliated members and one Republican. The old commission had four appointed Democrats and three Republicans.
Commission staff members have already begun rewriting administrative and procedural rules and have held preliminary meetings and released some proposals. But the commissioners themselves are still reorganizing, and work on rewriting substantive drilling rules isn't expected to begin until later this year.
Only two commissioners are holdovers: Howard Boigon, who has oil and gas experience, and Erin Overturf, who has experience in environmental protection. Boigon is an oil and gas attorney and Overturf works for the environmental group Western Resource Advocates. Both are Democrats.
Commission spokesman Chris Arend said four other members of the old commission applied for reappointment but were passed over: Ashley Ager, John Benton, James Hawkins and Kent Jolley.
Polis' spokeswoman, Shelby Weiman, did not directly answer a question about why those four were not chosen but said the new commission has the geographic and political diversity as well as the expertise needed to implement the new law. She said Polis appreciates the service of the former commissioners.
Once all the rules are rewritten, the commission will be replaced by a smaller version including five appointed, full-time commissioners and the heads of two state departments, natural resources and public health. The current commission consists of seven appointed, part-time members and the two department heads.
The new rules and the reshuffled commission are part of Colorado's latest attempt to balance its booming oil and gas industry with a burgeoning population. The state's crude oil production has quadrupled since 2010, it now ranks sixth in the nation in both oil and natural gas output, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency.
But the state's most productive oil and gas field — the Wattenberg field north and east of Denver — borders on some fast-growing communities, raising fears about the dangers of air and water pollution, fires and explosions.
Copyright 2019 Associated Press. All rights reserved.


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SASB and the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) today launched their new merged organization – the Value Reporting Foundation – as the latest step aimed at developing a comprehensive corporate reporting framework covering global sustainability performance.
The foundation intends to help companies and investors through three resources: integrated thinking principles to improve understanding of how value is created in the short, medium and long term; the integrated reporting framework to aid reporting on strategy, governance, performance, prospects and business models; and the SASB standards to offer investors consistent, comparable and reliable information on the ESG factors that are most relevant to companies.
The Value Reporting Foundation will more closely align the integrated reporting framework and the SASB standards, and is also committed to creating a more coherent corporate reporting system by working with the IFRS Foundation and other framework providers and standard setters.
At a virtual event to launch the new group today, Value Reporting Foundation CEO Janine Guillot described 2021 as a 'momentous year' for advancing sustainability disclosures. She pointed to the IFRS Foundation's proposed creation of an International Sustainability Standards Board, the introduction of the EU's Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation and the SEC's request for input on climate change disclosures.
The SASB standards and integrated reporting framework are already complementary but the foundation aims to fully harmonize them over time – though it has yet to finalize a timetable for doing so, Guillot said. The foundation wishes to make it easier to use them together but not to replace the broader stakeholder reporting covered by GRI, she added.
Robert Steel, who co-chairs the new foundation's board, said today that the histories and perspectives of SASB and the IIRC are complementary. 'We can accomplish more of our shared vision together… The wind is in our sails to achieve great things,' he told reporters.
SASB has previously taken a number of steps – in partnership with other organizations – to simplify and streamline the ESG reporting landscape. In July 2020, SASB and GRI announced they would work together to provide guidance on joint implementation.
Last year CDP, the Climate Disclosure Standards Board, the IIRC and SASB announced a shared vision for enhanced sustainability accounting disclosures through integrated reporting. This was followed in December 2020 by a prototype climate-related financial disclosure standard.
SASB's standards align companies with 77 industries and provide industry-specific ESG reporting suggestions, based on financial materiality. As part of a recent review, SASB found that 68 of those 77 industries are significantly affected in some way by climate risk, totaling 89 percent of the market capitalization of the S&P Global 1200.


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Canadian Champion Kaetlyn Osmond out for rest of the season
OTTAWA, ON: Two-time Canadian figure skating champion and Olympic silver medallist (team) Kaetlyn Osmond will not defend her title at this year's Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. The 19-year old native of Marystown, Nfld., who represents Edmonton, Alberta's Ice Palace FSC was off the ice for several weeks earlier this season after fracturing her right fibula in a fall.
Although she was back on the ice, the skater and her coach made the difficult decision to focus on a longer recovery, rather than pushing to compete this winter. It means she will not compete for her third consecutive title at the upcoming 2015 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships in Kingston, Ontario. She also will not be part of the Canadian team at the ISU Four Continents and ISU World Figure Skating Championships later this season.
Osmond appreciates all the support from fans, friends and family. "It was a really hard decision for me not to compete this year. I tried everything to be able to come back, but I just couldn't get to where I wanted to be for competitions this year. I'm hoping this break and healing time will set me up for a great season next year."


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On radio this morning, Glenn, Pat, and Stu somehow got on the topic of Alec Baldwin and an old video that immortalizes his rough talk radio audition. Baldwin was filling in on a local radio program in Philadelphia a few years ago, and he learned the hard way that filling a couple hours of airtime on radio is not as easy as it may seem.
Listening to Baldwin flounder through just a couple edited minutes of tape, Glenn couldn't help but feel bad for the guy. Glenn explained that talk radio has proven to be the most difficult job he has ever held.
"I've done hard work, and I've never worked this hard in my life," Glenn said of his early days in talk radio. "People don't know how hard it is – and that's coming from a guy who is in radio… I did morning radio morning forever. Talk radio is 1,000 times harder than anything I ever did. So I want to make Alec Baldwin feel a little better about his stumbling."
That led Glenn to share a story from his early days in talk radio that may very well have been – by his own admission – one of the worst hours of broadcast in radio history.
As Glenn explained, he was doing a show on WABC in New York at the time, and Stu was one of his producers. They had meticulously planned out every minute of the show, so Glenn would know exactly what to say and when to say it.
The only problem?
Glenn and Stu apparently didn't realize how much airtime they had to fill.
"I walk in and I'm prepped for every single word, and I'm ready to go… At the end of the hour I said, 'All right. See you next time. WABC New York.,'" Glenn explained. "And I'm unplugging my headphones and the producer says, in my ear, 'Whoa whoa, you got another hour.'"
Needless to say, Glenn was not prepared for another hour of radio, and his lack of experience at the time made the prospect of going off-the-cuff particularly daunting. They came up the idea of pitching a topic that would rile people up so they would call in, and Glenn would play devil's advocate for the hour.
At the time, the story of Sally Hemmings and Thomas Jefferson was in the news, so Glenn came back at the top of the hour and laid out a rather incendiary case.
"I said something like: In those days Thomas Jefferson having sex with a slave is like having sex with a chair. He owned it. What's the difference? That's the way he looked at it," Glenn explained. "I was just grasping at straws. And I said, 'Here's the number for WABC, blah, blah, blah.'"
It seemed as though Glenn had dodged a bullet as the calls began to pour in. After coming back from a quick break, Glenn went to speak to the first caller and the unthinkable happened – the phones failed and all the calls dropped.
"I'm about to say, 'WABC, go ahead,' and all the lines drop – every one of them. The phone screen was completely blank," Glenn recalled. "So we're like 12 minutes into an hour and all of the phones crashed. And I had an Alec Baldwin moment… The whole hour, no phones."
As Glenn remembers it, he somehow got through several segments before the final few minutes of the hour were upon him. At that point, he had all but given up.
"I was reading a book on the train to New York, and it was dog-eared from where I was reading," Glenn said. "I saw that book sitting on my desk, so I said, 'On the way in I was reading this book. And I want to share something with you that I found.' I literally opened it up to the dog-eared page… There was nothing in there, but I tried to make it sound like there was something important in this book."
"I looked at the clock and I was thinking, 'How many paragraphs do I have to read?' And that clock was just like, tick, tick," he continued. "And I'm like, 'You know what? That's all I have time. I think you'll have to take it from there…' I was dying."
Ultimately, that day – while embarrassing – proved to be one of the biggest teachable moments of his career.
"I learned my lesson in talk radio," Glenn concluded. "You better be prepared for absolutely anything."


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This should be used after students complete the activities and lessons. It is designed to help you assess their understanding of the content. Students will work in small groups to determine answers to True/False, Choices & Consequences, and Fill-in-the-Blanks questions.
The quiz will help you assess your students' understanding of the content of the "Right Decisions, Right Now: Be Tobacco Free" program.
When you are done with the lessons and your students have completed the activities, have your class break into small groups and face the interactive whiteboard. You may also opt to project this onto a screen from your computer.
Display the main page of the quiz on the interactive whiteboard or projector screen.
In this quiz, there are three categories: "True/False", "Choices & Consequences", and "Fill in the Blanks." In each category, there are five questions. There is also one "Daily Double" question (worth twice the points) and a "Final" question.
Decide which group of students will begin the game. Then, let them select a category and a number value. For example, they may select "True/False" for 200, or "Fill in the Blanks" for 400. They need not go in order.
When students select a category and number value, click on it from your computer or at the interactive whiteboard to display the question. When you click a second time, the answer will be displayed. Do not display the answer until the correct answer has been given by a team or all groups have taken a turn. Review the answers first (in the "Answers" section) and consider printing them out for easy reference. To go back to the main quiz screen after each question is answered correctly, click on the back arrow at the bottom of the screen.
Pose each question to the entire class and determine who will get to answer first based on speed of response. Alternately or in addition, you may wish to ask teams to write down their complete answers before raising their hand to respond. If you do so, you may opt to award points to all teams that get the correct answer, regardless of response time. In this case, have teams take turns selecting categories and point values, as well as answering.
If you choose to determine who gets to answer first and earn points based on speed of response, follow these guidelines: if someone in a group raises their hand first, with the correct answer to the question in the category, they will then win the points and get to choose the next category and number value. If they raise their hand first but get the answer wrong, you would then allow the other teams to answer, based on how quickly they responded. The team with the correct answer, or the team that had the last correct answer, will choose the next category and point value. This will continue throughout the game.
Request that a student volunteer keep track of points for each team on the chalkboard or on a piece of paper. When a team gets a correct answer, they earn the category value. When they get an incorrect answer, the point value of the question is deducted. Alternately, you may opt to only add and not deduct points.
For the Final Question round, show the groups the category: "Health Consequences." Based on the category, each group should write down a point value they are willing to risk. The scorekeeper should share the team scores prior to this point so groups can make an informed decision.
Teams with the correct answer will have the point value they risked added to their score. Teams with an incorrect answer will have it deducted from their score, or simply not added.
Emphasize that the point of the Unit Quiz is for students to have an opportunity to share what they've learned about being tobacco free.
Note the questions students struggle with most and consider discussing them with students after the quiz.
|Questions/Prompts in "True/False" Category
|Most middle schoolers are not current cigarette smokers.
|What is "True"?
|Young people who smoke cannot become addicted to nicotine.
|What is "False"?
|Many young people say they're going to quit smoking in the future, and then can't.
|What is "True"?
|Smokeless tobacco is harmful to your health.
|What is "True"?
|Smoking cannot cause heart disease.
|What is "False"?
|Questions/Prompts and Answers in "Choices & Consequences" Category
|Young people who smoke cigarettes_______.
a) are likely to be less physically fit and to have more breathing problems than kids who don't smoke
b) report that they cough and wheeze more than their peers who don't smoke
c) neither A nor B
d) both A and B
|Smoking cigarettes can damage________.
a) only your mouth and gums
b) only your lungs and heart
c) only your lungs
d) nearly every organ in your body
|What best describes what you should think about when making a decision?
a) your friends
b) what other people will think
c) your goals, choices, and consequences
d) your friends, choices, and consequences
|What are three health consequences of tobacco use?
|What are:
any three of the following would be correct:
strokes, cataracts (which can cause blindness), emphysema, gum disease, pneumonia, bronchitis, chronic coughing, wheezing, heart disease, phlegm production, bleeding gums, mouth sores, shortness of breath, hardening of the arteries, increased risk of infection, damaged immune system, cancer, being less physically fit, impaired lung growth
|What are three consequences of tobacco use that are not related to health?
|What are:
any three of the following would be correct:
stained teeth, wrinkles, smelly clothes, stinky hair, punishment from parents, punishment from school, legal consequences, avoidance/ostracism from non-smokers
|Questions/Prompts and Answers in "Fill in the Blanks" Category
|The chemical in tobacco that affects the brain is_______________.
|What is nicotine?
|(Double Your Points—Worth 400 Points!)
Three reasons why most middle schoolers do not use tobacco are ______________, ____________________, and ____________________.
|What are:
any three of the following would be correct:
|"My friends who smoke teased me about trying it. So, after school I smoked a cigarette with them even though I didn't want to." This statement is an example of ______________.
|What is peer pressure?
|Three reasons why some young people try tobacco are:
|What are:
any three of the following would be correct:
|You want to be tobacco free. What are three ways you could say "no" to a friend who offers you a cigarette or smokeless tobacco?
|What are:
any three of the following would be correct:
|Prompt and Answers for the Final Question
|TBD by Students
|Category: Health Consequences List three types of cancer caused by smoking.
|What are:
any three of the following would be correct:
pharynx (mouth and throat), larynx (voice box), esophagus, lungs, stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder
Teachers, please note that students may come up with other types of cancer they believe are caused by smoking. Direct students to some of the online resources included in the program footnotes to have them check to see if they are correct.
When the Unit Quiz is completed, congratulate students on what they've learned about being tobacco free!
For your convenience, we have created this same activity in two formats. The optimized interactive whiteboard PowerPoint includes additional audio and visual effects to engage your students. Click here to download the PowerPoint. You'll also find it in the "Materials" section below.


text: Boot Camp is full of challenging bodyweight exercises, many times secretly packed into a fun drill or game. You will also learn proper form and train your body to work more efficiently with balanced warm ups, light weight training and cardiovascular intervals. Become a part of our Boot Camp family and enjoy partner drills, team challenges and personal record goals!


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George Edgar Vincent
National Cyclopedia of American Biography
VINCENT, George Edgar, educator and president of Rockefeller Foundation (1917-29), was born at Rockford, Ill., Mar. 21, 1864, son of John Heyl and Elizabeth (Dusenbury) Vincent. He is a descendant of John Vincent, a Huguenot, who emigrated from Rochelle, France, to New York in 1687, the line from John and his wife Susanne Nuquerque descending through their son Levi and his wife Esther Tourneau; John and Elizabeth Dοremus; Cornelius and Phebe Ward; Bethuel and Martha Nimrod and John and Mary Raser who were the grandparents of George E. Vincent. His father (q.v.) was a bishop of the Methodist Episcopal church and
( 207) one of the founders of the Chautauqua Institution. He attended the public schools of Plainfield, N.J., Pingrey's academy, at Elizabeth, N.J., and Yale college, where he was graduated A.B. in 1885. After engaging in newspaper work in New York city and traveling in Europe and the Orient he joined the Chautauqua Institution in 1886 as literary editor and became vice-president in 1888, principal in 1898 and president in 1907, retaining that post until 1915. For sixteen years from 1894 he was also a member of the University of Chicago faculty, obtaining the Ph.D. in 1896 after serving successively as fellow, assistant and instructor in sociology. Thereafter, he was associate-professor and professor in that subject, dean of the junior college and dean of the faculties of arts, literature and science. He was president of the University of Minnesota during 1911-17 and from 1917 to 1929 was president of the Rockefeller Foundation, whose chief activities at that time were the furthering of medical education and combating disease throughout the world. In accordance with the retirement policy of the foundation, lie retired at the end of 1929. At the same time he resigned from membership in the General Education Board and in the International Education Board, with which he had been connected since 1914 and 1922, respectively. For some years Dr. Vincent has been a member of the American-Scandinavian Foundation, Commission for Relief in Belgium Educational Foundation and English-Speaking Union, and during the year 1935-36 was chairman of the hospital survey committee of the United Hospital Fund of New York city. He was president (1916-17) of the American Sociological Society. Since retirement he has been active as a public speaker and traveler. Dr. Vincent is the author of "An Introduction to the Study of Society," with Albion Woodbury Small (1895), and "Social Mind and Education" (1896). The honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred en him by Yale university (1911) and the universities of Chicago (1911), Michigan (1913) and Minnesota (1930). He was married Jan. 8, 1890, to Louise Mary, daughter of Henry Wilbur Palmer (q.v.), an attorney, of Wilkes Barre, Pa., and they had three children: Isabel, wife of Paul V. Harper; John Henry, and Elizabeth Vincent, wife of Maxwell Foster.


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I was just awarded the Spirit Animal Blogger Award by Sabine @ incahootswithmuddyboots.com whose contributions to the Blogosphere I truly admire.
Sabine's blog is filled with tales of world travel, stunning photography, recipes (including great cooking tips) and gardening. I've learned alot from her. To recieve this award from her means a great deal. I hope you'll check her out, you won't be disappointed.
In order to accept this award, I'm to share who I am, what my blog means to me and what animal I would want to be.
Who am I?
Nearly two years ago, I retired at age 57 with a goal to spend time with Spence, learn new things, travel and never be bored.
Spence and I live in Michigan with our two adorable sibling cats, Biscotti and Tipper (who've become "famous" when they frequently pop up on my blog). Passionate about travel, writing, cooking, wine and gardening, blogging seemed to be the perfect fit in which I could explore and share my interests. In addition to the aforementioned passions I'm an avid reader, love music and dancing, enjoy movies, make bath products as gifts and study yoga and meditation. Later this month I'll begin guitar lessons, a lifelong dream. Retirement has been a great blessing. I'm not squandering a minute!
A Blog is Born
And so it began… after a few months of traveling and enjoying my "new normal" I launched this blog on October 31, 2014. I'm honored by every single person that has followed me or liked a post. I'm loving everything about blogging and I thank you all! Blogging has been a way to merge my interests and share them with the world, keeping it positive and light-hearted.
What Animal would I want to be?
I can't imagine anything better than being a cat. Not very original perhaps but I've often said I was a cat in a past life. I tend to identify with felines. I find them highly intelligent, loving and admire their ability to play and sleep, purr, snuggle and be great companions.
Paying it forward I nominate the following:
For the final part in the award process, I'm to nominate fellow bloggers for this award. I hope you'll click on their links and check them out….
- thecobaltblonde.com – Kristina is a vibrant young blogger with a interest in finding beauty in everything and an emphasis on style with a budget. She is fun and shares great photography as well.
- theviewfromtheporch.com – Nancy is one of those bloggers that you feel as though you've known forever and though you don't see her, you stay in touch. She projects positivity and humor as she shares what's happening in her world and with her family, plus Jack the cat.
- tastingeverything.com – Anne is a skilled professional chef with an extensive background. Her food is primarily gluten-free, her recipes and plating are absolutely stunning. Seriously, if this is what gluten-free is – count me in. I could spend hours on this blog. If she publishes a cookbook, I'm buying it.
- truenorthnomad.net – Lily is a Canadian blogger who is a writer, photographer and travel enthusiast sharing her passion for all things Canada. Spence and I adore Canada so this blog has been delightful as I learn about places I've haven't travelled to yet. Her photography is lovely and she does her country proud.


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Another Potentially Dangerous Dog Trainer
When dog owners are considering hiring a dog trainer they have no shortage of options. The internet is flooded with all manner of businesses, products and individuals touting results and guarantee's. Many tout credentials and associations with organizations to assure the dog owner they are spending their hard earned dollars well and getting the best service.
What many of the dog trainers do not tout is the how they will train the dog, how they will educate the dog owner and what exactly are the methods they use and if there are risks associated with those approaches.
Many trainers will promote various collars, both choke and electronic and many talk about "dominance" and "leading the pack" and of course the ever popular "life time guarantee" is seen all too often.
When pressed to explain exactly what they are going to do to the dog you never read these words, "we choke the dog into submission until the dog comes close to passing out" Nope, they say things like "we teach you how to be a leader and the dog learns to be calm and submissive". They do not explain that they will potentially slam your dog to the ground for a minor infraction such as barking at a passing jogger. They say things like "we teach the dog to obey on command". They do not explain they will shock the dog for growling at the person next to a food bowl, they say, "We reduce the dog's jealousy and spitefulness".
They do not explain that dogs make associations based on being safe, unsafe or neutral due to functions of the amygdala – the fear regulating part of the brain. They do not explain that dogs work very well with predictors of reinforcement. Meaning when the dog sees a leash it usually predicts a walk. When a dog hears a beep setting on a shock collar it predicts a shock – i.e. pain.
Now transfer this predictive learning to hearing a beep from a shock collar, or a "shzt shzt" that precedes a neck jab, now seeing a passing person predicts being choked, jabbed, shocked etc... These bits of stimuli such as people or dogs etc…now predict fear and pain and now that stimulus has a negative association or a further negative association. The results from abusive methods are aggression, fear, being anxious or shut down dogs.
These pain trainers do not explain that dogs generalize fear very well. They say things like "the dog is stubborn, or disobedient and showing "dominance", "it's in the genes". Yet when asked to explain those terms behaviorally they run at the mouth with more garbage buzz words or go into a nonsensical diatribe on the "energy" of the people and the dog.
No matter how good the hack trainer feels their timing is they cannot guarantee what the dog will associate the aversive to. Many times the association is to other dogs and people in general.
One would think that the goal would be to condition the dog to have a positive emotional reaction to the world in general, and then teach the dog and the owner's simple effective ways to communicate and obtain reliable behavior. One would think, but alas this is not the world we live in.
Perhaps some dogs will stay under threshold with the owner or trainer and appear "calm" after the fear & pain has been issued yet what is happening is the dog is in a state of learned helplessness" not "calm submission". That is another fictional assessment, or they toss out a buzzword euphemism to cover up the fact they have no clue, or perhaps they just do not really care as much as they say they do? Actions speak louder than words.
What about the owner that shuts down the dog with harsh aversive methods and removes the protracted warning signs such a growl, a bark, a freeze, and now they let the dog go into a dog park or mingle with people in their home? What about the new friend that visits the house that reaches for the dog thinking "the dog must be friendly my friends own this dog".
The result could be aggression, the result might be a submissive dog, the result might be anxiousness, but something will occur based on the fear and pain that was administered to the dog, and when predictors start kicking in the triggers the dog views the environment as unsafe it is the result of the primary humans imprint on the dog.
This fear and pain approach to "training" is far too risky a venture and it smacks of callousness by these hacks that underscores an even greater ignorance about behavior in general and a delusion comparable to the flat earth society.
A dog's over all behavior is the result of the choices the humans made in regards to how they addressed the dogs behavior. Ie. Imprinting.
It is not the fault of the dog. It is called owner imprint and in a large sense we can also look at the "trainer imprint". Owners will do a version of what the trainer showed them, so indeed the dog trainer has a big influence on how the owners will be proceeding training the dog daily.
When there is a professional dog trainer in the equation that took money and promised a service, they are squarely culpable and in many cases responsible for the dog's treatment based on their instructions for the dog owner. No different than instructions on a bottle of medicine.
Dog owners by and large will do what is accepted in culture as a methodology. They will also do what the trainer they hired suggests and then that becomes the way they deal with reducing unwanted behavior daily. After all they paid for this advice they will attempt it.
So if the dog "trainer" simply says "give the dog a shock when they bark at the people passing the fence" the dog owner will comply. If they say "pin the dog on its side when they growl at the food bowl" they will do it.
Or at least do a version of it. If the dog shuts down, they consider it a success, when the dog fights back or bites; the dog is blamed, by some and depending on the humans they may become incredibly violent and ramp up the fear and pain.
Many times people do these abusive things against what they feel in their heart. But hey the magical dog man that they paid told them to do it and they saw it "work" on TV.
They will do these abusive methods until the results yield them a dog that is worse, or they will stop when the dog shuts down. In any case all this violence in dog training is a slippery slope. It is also just plain stupid and the wrong approach to keep dogs and humans safe.
The environment influences dog behavior and humans by and large control most of the dog's environment.
Even when the dog is always in the same environment the context will change. The dog will at some point be motivated to exhibit the unwanted behavior, and then the owner will go for the abusive approach or re hire the "trainer" or perhaps hopefully and finally get another assessment from a qualified humane dog trainer. It is quite a bit of wasted time and it's really risky.
Hopefully it will not be too late. Hopefully the dog will still be "all there" and not too far - gone.
This is where the pet dog training system is failing dogs & owners miserably.
Recently there was a dog "trainer" abuse case in Colorado where a man, Ryan Matthews, was caught on film and in the presence of witnesses slamming his own dog through a wall!
Was done under the guise of "training".
In what context would it ever be acceptable to "slam a muzzled dog into a wall"?
What was the purpose of this? What exactly was the man "training"?
You might be reading this and thinking this was an "extreme case", you might say "not all dog trainers are abusive", you might think "my dog is ok and I have shocked, choked and pinned him down".
However you might also not have the proper perspective to really understand just what a nightmare it is for dogs when it comes to learning how to make associations to the world around them when they are fearful or given pain.
It impedes the dogs learning, they go into survival mode.
Everyone is entitled to their own "opinion", however we are not entitled to our own "facts".
These "fictional explanations" that some so - called dog trainers toss out are just plain nonsense. Some of these fictional assessments are classics. The dog is "stubborn", the dog is "dominant" the dog is " jealous" the dog is "disrespectful".
Amazing how these so called trainers never ask, "what is wrong with my approach", they never admit they are the one's getting it wrong, they blame the animal. This is categorically wrong when you look at the dog's behavior in a legitimate sense based on behavioral science. It is also patently wrong when you look at legit animal trainers.
The fact is that dogs learn the way they learn, through associations and consequences, when those associations and consequences are fearful and painful dogs will develop a negative conditioned emotional response. Period.
Science in this is case not up for debate. That is how behavior works. It works this way for dogs and humans. Humans however have a thing in our behavioral make up called "cognitive dissonance".
We as a species can stuff it down, ignore and generally refuse to admit or believe something until it comes back to bite us. Dogs are very clean behaviorally. For dogs it is all about safety; and survival contingencies & sound safe reinforcements. When those criteria are considered and dogs are taught not forced or frightened; most dogs will do pretty darn well.
Many dogs also mask pain as a survival mechanism, thus leading the abuse "trainer" to think the dog is "ok".
On the scale of negative associations and on the trajectory of consequences dogs can take many roads. Dogs are amazingly forgiving, and their innate innocence is what makes them targets for people looking to dominate, subjugate and "own" them and use them as a way to work out their own troubled souls.
The fault of the dog is their willingness to be loved, their ability to forgive even the evil people that torment them, that is their curse.
The one thing people should be seeking for their dog or any dog is the road to soundness. Perfection is a lie so please stop buying into it.
Look to the best for the best information
This man knows a bit about animal training, his name is Bob Bailey.
I recently attended a two - day seminar that Bob Bailey presented. He is as brilliant as everyone had told me he was. His level of knowledge in regards to animal training is beyond reproach so he is not someone anyone can really challenge unless they can match his skills and his resume is astounding.
Bob Bailey is perhaps the worlds most accomplished animal trainer. He has trained dogs, chickens, bears, birds and dolphins for over 60 years using non - force – non - pain based methods and achieving incredible eye popping results. "Wiz Bang" as Mr. Bailey would put it.
Bob Baily trained dogs for the military as well as trained humans to train dogs for the military. Those dogs cannot have any negative associations that would lead them to shut down or not do the job. If so soldiers die.
They train military dogs with humane methods to ensure the dogs are sound and trained to fluency. They do not "dominate" them, they teach them.
Bob Bailey is known to say that "Training is simple but not easy", "empower don't overpower", "there is no such thing as perfect behavior" and one of my favorites "there is nothing worse than yesterdays science".
Bob Bailey is a master behavior technician. Most pet dog trainers, are lucky if they can even understand why a dog is distracted and not sitting on cue, let alone observe dog behavior based on legitimate scientific information and assess fear and aggression concerns.
Sad to say that most pet dog trainers, even the one's that do not use fear and pain are quite frankly vastly unqualified to do much more than teach sit and perhaps one or two "cute tricks", if that, more on the "cookie toss crowd" later.
Bab Bailey also says "if you cannot explain what you are training in one sentence it is too complicated for the human and the animal". I would also add that if someone uses one - word catch phrases to explain methodology they are being evasive and illustrating their ignorance. Buyer - beware indeed.
If more dog trainers and dog owners looked at what they are doing as a point of change then perhaps they'd be making some strides to help the dog. The focus should be on the human behavior and the human mechanics.
One of the major problems between dogs and humans is how the human fails to look at the training as it relates to what they do, not so much what the dog does.
It is this narcissistic self - denial that has dogs being blamed for things that they cannot help, but need help reducing. When done properly the results of dog proper dog training can be eye popping and the very least reliable and a whole lot less stressful!
What matters is the economics of behavior.
We've all heard the phrase "it's the economy stupid". In legit pet dog training the economy is also the answer. The economy of movements, of verbal cues or prompts used by the human, the rate of reinforcement (pay) for the dog getting it right, the humane consequences placed at the right moment to teach the dog what works not jut simply stop the unwanted behavior, and of course the amount of time and energy that the human dedicates to getting it right so the dog learns. Leg work and brain work go along way when humans get the proper info.
All this could be filed under economics of behavior. Much time is wasted on nonsensical fictional assessments, too many human concerns over what the dog is "thinking" and then using abusive approaches, these are literally killing the pet dog training culture. It is dividing the trainers and it is messing up far too many dogs and giving far too many dog owners more stress than they need or deserve.
As I have said before training should not be a loophole for abuse. Sadly it is.
Cracks in the system are starting to show.
Back to the sociopath disguised as a dog trainer that slammed his muzzled dog into a wall. Ryan Matthews is a former solider in the US military.
He is also a member of the Association Of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT).
I'm certain that both of these "credentials" are selling points to pet dog owners.
Oh yea he's also fond of using electronic shock to "train" and claims that it does not "hurt" if done "correctly".
All behavior has a pathology you just need to take a history and you'll see it. This goes for dogs as well as humans.
None of Matthew's "credentials" or assertions about shock has any relevance in how well he can train pet dogs or how well he can educate pet dog owners to imprint safe sound dogs with reasonably reliable training. In fact his opinion on shock is the tell tale sign he is a hack.
In fact without ever meeting the guy, I will go out a limb and say he most likely has zero to very little understanding of legitimate dog behavior based in behavioral science. If he did; why would he slam a muzzled dog into a wall unless his life was in danger? Even then with legit knowledge and a detailed behavior history form, and a leash or fence he would be safe.
There are numerous dog trainer abuses perpetuated daily. People drop off their dog to a trainer and "think" based on what a friend said, or what the website said, that all is ok. Based on the dog coming back to them seemingly ok, as long as the dog is eating and drinking and not barking "too much", most dog owners are pretty much unaware of any behavioral subtleties that may indicate a problem, until it's really bad.
In Canada recently a so - called dog "trainer" was convicted of animal cruelty because she dragged a Pug behind her while roller blading, injuring the dog physically and emotionally. Hmmm… roller blading with a "pack of dogs", I wonder where she got that stupid idea?
People stand by and watch dog "trainers" shock, choke, jab & pin dogs into submission and then comment how it turned out "ok" or "the dog seemed fine to me". Then they try it the next day and the next day ad homonym.
Not a fun way to live for dogs or humans.
The Shocking Truth
Recently there was a 2009 study on the effects of electronic shock in a training context. It detailed that nearly 80% of the dogs exposed to shock in a training context had adverse effects on their behavior outside of the training context. There is that generalization of fear that dogs are equipped with rearing its risky head.
When I posted the article to Facebook it was interesting to see all the people in defense of shocking their dog. The defenses included "it saved my dog's life, now they do not run into traffic" – that is what fences and leashes are for.
Or the fabulously fictional assessment of "It does not hurt them" – if the aversive is not fearful or painful or well, at least aversive in some way how then does it work? Its like saying smoking does not cause harm. It's has to have a negative effect other wise it does not work.
Or the ever popular clueless notion; "I only use the beep/buzz/vibration setting" its just a "tickle".
Some dogs will find this very aversive, others will at first stop the behavior only to habituate to the sound/vibration, thus leading the human to the next setting; which is electricity. Where does it stop?
Also as this blog was being constructed a story cam across the wire about a police officer that let his police dog off leash and the dog attacked a woman in overalls.
The assessment was that the dog mistook the overalls for a bite suit, again the generalization of fear clearly at play.
Never mind why the dog was off leash, the dog is clearly not able to discriminate subjects or equipped with impulse control. We can attribute this is shoddy training. I would bet that the dog was shocked at some point as many police dogs are.
Part of the trouble is that dog owners need more education and professional pet dog trainers need more education. But where do they go to get it? Who do they turn to?
The other trouble spot here is firmly and squarely with organizations that tout how much they are educating the public, or how they are " helping dog trainers become better at their chosen profession". Yet fail to get real about what fear and pain based methods are going to do.
The third troublesome aspect is that there has been a very lazy effort on the part of the collective brain trust of vets (who get zero to little behavior training in vet school) and the board certified veterinary behaviorists to dissuade the pet dog owning public from hiring trainers that use violence.
This violence in dog training must be stopped with a full - scale educational assault on the profession of pet dog training, better education of vets and the dog owning public need no nonsense information about what can happen when dogs are shocked, choked and dealt with abusively.
With a spirited and no nonsense informational deluge focused at educating dog owners on what is and what is not accepted forms of legitimate pet dog training we'll see an increase in educated dog owners and thus a rise in reliable training and more sound dogs.
Hopefully a decrease in the dog training abuses will follow suit.
Any organization that claims to be an educational out post that is not truthfully and plainly detailing the fallouts of fear and pain based methods is not only culpable for "looking the other way" they are responsible for failing dogs and owners.
Hack trainers leaving the dog in a state of fear, aggression or learned helplessness for legit pet dog trainers or board certified vet behaviorists to deal with is not only inhumane it smacks of the worst sort of negligence as there are sentient beings in the equation, a dog and the humans that love the dog. It also underscores the fact they failed and do not really care as much as they say they do.
Why would anyone want to risk ruining a dog or eroding the bond between dog and human?
If a plumber messes up the pipes and the next plumber comes to fix the pipes and explains why plumber number one is liable and can be sued or at the very least the person can get their money back, complain to the better business associations etc…they have recourse.
With dog's that are abused in a training context people are left with in some cases years of troubling issues, heartbreak and perhaps euthanasia.
You can call the humane police and hire a lawyer but the really sick individuals are also really slick and wormy, and they'll slink out of their responsibility as much as they can. It usually boils down to them blaming the dog, and the owners.
Though if it happens or has happened contact the humane police in your area. If the dog is worse after the abuse and or has new issues, you have a case. When you also have a time line of what and when it happened it helps. Videotape is also a great silencer of nonsense so if you are concerned tape the session.
This "cleaning up the crap of other trainers" hits close to home for me.
I have recently been involved in a number cases where people have sought the services of pain trainers only to have their dogs abused in the name of training, left worse off than before and to top it off they wasted money and valuable time.
In one case the dog is potentially on the road to euthanasia. So for all the pedestrian claims the "shock saved my dogs life" I can personally tell you it is not "saving" the lives of dogs, it is at best shutting the dog down, giving the dog owner and hack trainers a false sense of security and ultimately no matter what anyone "thinks", fear and pain have fallouts and those are shut down dogs, aggressive dogs, fearful dogs and or anxious dogs.
Take your pick. Sure you may get lucky and have one of the dogs in the 20% that came through "ok" from shock, but how do you know and what if you don't?
This dog I am speaking of had in 2009 when I first worked with her, a mild apprehension of unknown people. Very under threshold fear orientations to people on leash, able to be kept under threshold and counter conditioned with passing people at a range of as little as 3 – 5 feet.
Considering the dog was found left for dead this was a great sign.
We issued a desensitization and counter conditioning protocol for the owner and the dog was making really good progress.
The owner decided to hire a pain trainer based on "recommendations from friends". Because they said he was "great with aggressive dogs".
The ex cop dog trainer proceeded to do his "work". The dog was first choked and then shocked, three sessions total. Then the owners took over the advice.
Now the dog will lunge at passing people within a distance of 10 feet or less, and now the dog has a bite history. Now the dog is fearful of anyone that comes in the home. This "trainer" is an ex police officer that trained dogs for the military and for police duties. That is all he has as a credentials for training pet dogs. He has from what I can tell very little if any understanding of legitimate science as it relates to training pet dogs or dogs in general.
Yet the website touts "expert abilities". There is not one mention of shock or choke. No explanation of exactly what and how this "trainer" does the training. It's all evasive gossamer to lure in dog owners.
I have extensive video of the before and the after of the dog, my assessments are not based on my opinion or my "feelings". I also have a detailed behavior history form filled out by the dog's owner both pre and post shock. There is also a copy of the original training plan that was given.
So again this is not a whole lot of my opinion, it is fact. It is based on the dog's behavior before shock and after shock. This is also just one dog. I know of more.
BTW the two other "trainers" that worked with the dog after me took no behavior history at all! They gave no written instructions or written evaluation for the dog owners. Just came by and bla bla bla shock the dog.
One of the other "trainers" was a cookie toss trainer, so at least the dog was only subjected to one abusing "trainer". Having actually mentored this cookie toss trainer I know the skill set they have and it is limited in all areas despite the months this person was supposedly learning from me.
Now with a small circle of people the dog knows; she is wonderful. She is also very well trained in a sequence sense sit – down – stay etc.... However emotionally she is not good for unknown people. Unknown people predict fear due to being choked and shocked. This makes her a risk and her social life very limited. The stress level of her owners has reached a boiling point. Now they want to re home the dog. Not an easy task in general, add in a dog with issues and the re homing is even more challenging.
Great job there ah dog "trainers".
Before the abusive methods the dog was making great strides. After being choked and shocked the dog is worse. The proof is in the dog.
Sure the dog owners get their share of the responsibility for making bad choices. I will take my responsibility in so far as I should have done a better job selling training in a positive humane way, I do my best all the time, and dissuading the fear and pain approaches is something I am not shy about.
In the end people will make decisions about their dogs that I will have no influence on. I can only do what I can do; it is up the dog's owners to use empathetic common sense and make smart safe choices.
I have started working with the dog again free of charge. Because the dog is a friend of mine and I owe the dog the benefit of my abilities to help make her feel more safe.
Another of these so called dog "trainers" that met with one of my other recent clients; choked the dog so bad that the owner said "it sounded as though he was murdering my dog". She also said this "trainer" just "wanted to get the prong collar on", he said he "cannot train the dog on a harness".
I bet he can't.
The dog now has an aversion to any equipment being put over her head. Reaches are apprehensive for the dog and if you lean over her the dog will lunge and snap.
None of this was present until after the dog was choked to the point of submission.
Again, great job there dog "trainer". You have created a dog that has fear and aggression issues surrounding reaches and putting on collars. Was that the point of the session? Did you consider the fallouts, nope just yank & crank em right?
Fortunately this particular dog's owner has seen the light and realizes where she failed and is on the right road to soundness. The dog is making progress but there is the added stress that could have been avoided.
A few years ago in `08 this same "murderous choker" advised a young couple to shock their dog each time the dog barked at the doorbell. They did this for two weeks until the dog became so aggressive it started biting anyone that entered the home. It generalized the fear so bad that it was fearful in any context inside or outside the house and around anyone but the two young owners.
The dog was eventually euthanized. That dog's death is on that trainer's conscious, if he has one.
This shock `em choke `em dog "trainer's" website is slick with the right buzz words, like "positive" & "academy" lots of shock collar ad's and a logo from The Association of Pet dog Trainers. (APDT).
So how many more dog owners will be duped and dogs abused by the APDT logo being seen as some sort of assurance?
Now I am not blaming APDT for what others do, however APDT has been warned before about these types, they have been made aware of the abuses that take place in pet dog training and the brain trust of APDT has long been educated in proper, humane, legitimate dog training.
They can claim they are not a "policing organization" well what are they then? What does the membership fee go to? If they educate owners and dog trainers where is their influence? I do not need the glossy magazine that they send out each month, I need them to step up their stance on abuses in pet dog training.
Failure to demand sound safe practices from their members is the problem. There is no consequence and consequence drives behavior.
Instead they recommend and suggest a "positive reward approach". They have no real enforcement or real consequence for abusers in their ranks. It all just get's filed under "we feel bad about it". Feeling bad is not good enough folks. Bob Bailey has been known to say the difference between good and great trainers is "good enough".
Organizations that portend to be a bastion of educational excellence need to hold their members, especially paying members to the highest standards. Period. If not then it's just a joke. Why even suggest it unless you back it up somehow?
I am sure the board feels terrible when they hear about these abuse cases. I am sure there are many good, honest, hard working, educated and talented dog trainers in the APDT ranks.
Why would these legitimate folks want to be associated with the hacks, the abusers and the sociopaths? I certainly do not.
Someone that has a bad experience with an APDT trainer that results in their dog being abused, or euthanized reflects poorly on all trainers in the ranks of APDT!
It is one thing to be in the same industry with the hacks and abusers, that is dreadful enough, but to be aligned in the same organization with these horrible people is disgusting.
APDT needs to fix this loophole in it's your organization at once please!
DEMAND a written explanation and video examples of the pet dog trainer's methods and protocols for ALL pet dog-training contexts. Such as general manners, house soiling, recall, leash walking, separation anxiety, reducing fear, reducing aggression, resource guarding, disengagement cues, shaping dog play, puppy development and at least a 10 question test on the knowledge of learning theory and the associated fall outs for the use of fear and pain based methods. In today's computer camera phone driven world how hard would this be? If the board of APDT get's paid, let them earn their money by vetting pet dog training videos and written explanations of the dog trainers knowledge.
Pet dog trainers should have knowledge of how to do a behavioral in take form, construct a training plain that people can follow and is adaptable to their clients dynamic. People do not need cookie cutter nonsense and BS wrapped in buzz - words like "Pack Leader".
Why should someone pay a fee and get a logo and presto change – o they have perceived credibility? That is ridiculous. But that is the world of pet dog training.
It is time for not only APDT but all the humane organizations and cruelty officers to realize and recognize that pet dog training has for too long been unregulated and filled with abuses.
It is a breeding ground for sociopaths and abusers who protect themselves under the guise of "training" and it must be stopped.
When you look the other way, or make weak suggestions about what is accepted and what is not accepted in the pet dog training industry you are part of the problem not part of the solution.
The tide is turning slowly.
The new book by John Bradshaw Dog Sense The new science of understanding dog behavior just might be the catalyst for some of this change.
Bradshaw is not a dog trainer he is a scientist. So there will be no dog training posturing, as is often the case. He is not concerned about ego and dog training. Finally a person who just tells it like it is.
Of course what Bradshaw discovered or found out is not all that "new" it is just accurate, humane and science based and for some of us the book could not have come at a better time.
"There is nothing worse than yesterdays science" says Bob Bailey. Of course if yesterdays science is right on target for reliable behavior and it is humane and safe then it is valid and useful science. If not, get rid of it.
What dog owners need for success is to understand legitimately what and why dogs are doing what they do in the environment that the behavior occurs, they do not need reasons and justifications for abusing their dog.
Dog owners also need to know exactly what and why their behavior has a massive effect on the dogs training and behavior. Humans are the biggest variable in the equation.
That excuse for abuse is what many dog owners have been given for the past 8 years mainly by the exalted king of hack "trainers", the "dog psychologist" we all know as being a "whisperer". Finally he is on the way out and his "energy" is becoming passé.
Dog owners do not need fictional antidotes based on human insecurities of dominance.
What dog owners need to understand is not too blame the dog at all but instead take responsibility for learning about dogs in a factual, scientific, humane way that does not include fear and pain.
Dog owners need to know that the decisions they make about their dog holds their dog's life in the balance. Even something as seemingly innocuous as how to train a sit can ruin a dog when approached with fear and force.
The goal of pet dog training is not "perfect dogs" it is sound dogs and responsible owners imprinting safe and sound associations for the dog.
Don't worry your dog will not take over the house if they do not sit and wait on cue the first time. Relax, take a breath and just learn how dog's learn and you'll be fine. If you have a dog with issues in the fear – aggression – anxiousness category, trust that causing them fear and pain will only make the dog worse. Think about it.
If you want a rock star trained dog that wow's friends and family, here is the secret, the HUMAN better get their act together and become a rock star dog trainer, then the dog's behavior will follow suit. That is how it works, not the other way around.
Focus on human behavior and the dog's behavior will change.
It will not be easy for the old school pain trainers that have their cemented dominance views stacked up like brick walls impeding their growth.
But once the law catches up with the science and protects dogs in a training context from abuse in the cruelty laws they will have no choice. Trust me those days are coming.
Once the dog educating organizations step up and demand that pet dog trainers will be tossed out of their ranks and the human police will be alerted to their "methods" if caught using fear – pain – force – shock – startle & choke, then these abusing so called "trainers" will be forced to change.
Forcing these abusers to change or get out of the game is the perfect poetic justice. Perhaps a taste of they're own medicine is what is required here?
Learning and changing and growth for humans is many times painful to some extent. Oh well, no growth without discontent, right? But we humans get to choose many times just how much we want to endure. Dogs are subjugated.
A dog's growth in their intelligence should not and cannot be so fearful and painful as to impede their learning and damage their trust. Dogs are not human's dogs are animals. Animals are looking for safety by and large.
The pain of human intellectual and spiritual growth in one's brain and soul is quite different from the pain in a dog's soul from being abused. What the dog learns from pain and fear is to not trust and to shut down or aggress to stop the fear.
Read legit books, pass a real test, grow, change and learn to understand dogs based on quantifiable science not fictional assessments from TV hack trainers or out dated thinking passed off in shelter parking lots and dog parks as "gospel".
Learn how to teach people and write easy to understand protocols. People do not need more "pack leader" nonsense. People that is all that is being stressed here. Learning.
Forced education is the way to enact change in the culture of pet dog training. Just like people are forced to learn how to drive a car or wire a building for electricity should they desire to work with electricity. Seems reasonable.
When the force-based trainers are forced to become legit pet dog trainers and they have to own up and get educated or get out of the game we'll see change.
Considering how many dogs have been forced to endure cruel and abusive treatment it is only fair that now the human abusers are forced to become educated and change their behavior. Is that not what they preach?
Learning and growing into a legitimate humane dog trainer is all that is needed here, it's all us legit pet dog trainers are asking. Now all you fear & pain trainers consider the alternative – change and get legit or be charged with animal cruelty?
Which one sounds like a better option? Ask Ryan Mathews, ask Jeffery Loy.
Now to be fair; there are quite a few "cookie tossing" hacks out here giving positive pet dog training a bad name as well.
I know of a large contingency of pet dog trainers in my area that are vastly under qualified to counsel people in dog training and behavior. I know because I have seen their skills up close and I have seen the results of their service.
In fact a "known" trainer that teaches puppy classes in my area does not teach the dogs name recognition, sit, recall, handling, bite inhibition or socialization!
For a person to attend a 6 - week puppy class and leave without name recognition, recall and a sit, as well as a list of socialization protocols is just plain negligence on the part of the "trainer". It is called the critical development period for a reason.
I have detailed knowledge of a part time wanna be "pet dog trainer" who plays around at being a "pit bull expert" as well and this person is playing the "positive" card.
This "trainer" went on ignoring the fact a dog had trachea damage and continued to use a prong collar! The "trainer" met with the people and did zero to educate them or equip them with something to help with the issues the dog has.
This trainer just wasted the time and money of these people. I know as I have a detailed history form on the dog and exactly what was worked on. Nothing substantial.
The "trainer" knew the dog had serious aggression issues and never referred the people to a board certified vet behaviorist or another more competent pet dog trainer. This person is also responsible for playing fast and loose with dogs lives, just like the pain trainers are.
This is a service - based industry and people and their dogs deserve a competent service. Not some mumbo jumbo.
Far too many "positive" dog trainers are simply not equipped to take on advanced cases yet they do. They take the money and they waste the dog owner's time and in the process the positive moniker loses respect.
To the hacks, sociopaths and wanna be dog "trainers", get educated legitimately or get out of the game, stop abusing dogs and wasting dog owners time and money, because the day is coming when your kind will become extinct, all of you.
In any behavior modification protocol there is a point of extinction. Our goal as a humane pet dog training industry should be extinction of abuse in the training context. Then eradicating or educating the pet dog trainer so they are equipped to give the best most humane and complete service to dog owners.
Dog Training is a life - time of events, not a two - session miracle and pet dog trainers should be setting up the dynamic of pet dogs and their humans with enough info so they can have a life time of information to work from.
Proper education of the pet dog training professionals is where the line is drawn. The "Org's" are either working at this in an efficient manner or you are not.
Dog owners need education in how to pick a dog trainer, where as pet dog trainer's need education in how to educate humans and train dogs without force. If we as a culture of pet dog trainers are doing anything less it is negligence.
Anything less being exhibited by people claiming to be professionals working for the betterment of dogs is just hackneyed at best and at it's worse it is plain abuse.
It is high time the pet dog trainers, the pet dog training organizations and the humane organizations changed their training criteria, redefined the parameters of pet dog training and issued a new plan for pet dog training that is based on quantifiable accountability in being humane and effective at educating pet dog owners so they are best equipped to train and maintain their dogs.
Otherwise dog owners are always going to be at risk of choosing Another Potentially Dangerous Trainer.