Tag: news release

Does your dog like to play with other dogs? How to tell!

For immediate release: September 10, 2023

Nanaimo, BC: PACTA BC announces the event, Are They Having Fun? Identifying Appropriate Dog-Dog Play. This interactive presentation showcases professional dog trainer and behaviour consultant Christina Young, BSc, CDBC, PCBC-A, KPA-CTP (www.Positive.Dog). Young will discuss what it looks like when dogs are enjoying play together, as well as how to recognize when they are not and what to do about it.

“An estimated 35% of Canadian households include dogs and dog parks are a growing amenity in many communities. Many dog guardians think their canine companions enjoy playing with other dogs, but don’t really know how to tell,” says Sylvia Currie, President of PACTA BC. “Intervening if interactions seem to be too rough can also be tricky. This presentation will teach how to read canine body language, provide guidelines on how to determine if intervention is necessary, and share ideas of qualities of a good playmate for your dog.”

Date: Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Time: 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Location: Beban Park Social Centre, 2300 Bowen Rd, Nanaimo, BC, as well as simultaneously live streamed on Zoom

Cost: $30 to attend in person or to attend via Zoom (includes a recording of the event for later viewing)

For more information or to register, please visit https://www.pactabc.ca/identifiying_appropriate_dog-dog_play. 

Spokespeople: Sylvia Currie 
hello@pactabc.ca

Please contact us for additional information or to book an interview time with the spokespeople available.

Established in 2020, PACTA BC (Professional Animal Care and Training Association of BC) promotes reward-based, humane animal care and training in British Columbia.

News Release: Certified Behaviour Adjustment Training Instructor (CBATI) in Thompson-Nicola

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Sylvia Currie
Being With Dogs
250 318 2907
sylvia@beingwithdogs.ca
beingwithdogs.ca 

Sylvia Currie Receives Dog Reactivity Training Certification

One of the most common dog training issues is over reactivity, often leading stressed-out humans to euthanize or re-home those dogs because they don’t know how to find help. Now owners of aggressive or fearful dogs in the Thompson-Nicola region can be assured of a trusted dog training coach.

Merritt/Kamloops, British Columbia, November, 2016.

Sylvia Currie, MA (Applied Sciences), BEd (Psychology) of Being With Dogs is one of four dog trainers in British Columbia to meet the strict requirements to become a Certified Behavior Adjustment Training Instructor (CBATI). Behavior Adjustment Training (BAT) is a low-stress, non-aversive technique for working with problem dog behaviors such as aggression, fear or frustration.

BAT was developed by Grisha Stewart, MA, CPDT-KA, KPACTP, as an efficient rehabilitation technique to help her own fearful dog, Peanut. Stewart created the CBATI designation after BAT gained rapid international popularity, prompting repeated requests for referrals for dog trainers and behaviorists to expertly apply BAT to help families with dogs that cower, bark, lunge, growl or bite.

“As requests poured in for recommendations for trainers with BAT experience, I realized the importance of developing a certification process,” says Stewart. “The CBATI gives dog owners the confidence that they are working with a trusted dog training professional—a person who understands how to teach others how to use BAT, works well with clients, and has significant experience working with reactive dogs.”

The certification process requires a four-hour BAT video case study, a written exam with essay questions, a commitment to the principles of progressive reinforcement training, and 200 hours of experience training dogs using force-free training techniques.

A dog-friendly method for rehabilitating and preventing reactivity in dogs, BAT works by helping dogs learn socially acceptable ways to deal with the things that scare or upset them. Instead of barking, lunging, or snarling, dogs learn to use “cut-off” signals like head turns and ground sniffs to communicate to their handlers that they are uncomfortable.

BAT is not just a way to prevent or rehabilitate problems; it also teaches two-way communication, which builds a more powerful relationship between people and their dogs.

“The best part about teaching BAT is that my clients can continue to apply these techniques in all future situations. It creates a foundational understanding of why dogs behave the way they do, and how to help them. I also like what it’s not about — forcing dogs to comply,” says Sylvia Currie, CBATI.

About Being With Dogs
Being With Dogs provides you with the education and skills to develop the best possible relationship with your canine companions.

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