mara velez
Yes, we have enemies. And that's ok.
Our unwavering commitment to great welfare and creating evidence-based education for shelters has raised the ire of some large organizations
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Mikayla Moore
Nov 183 min read
Resource guarding: How to safely use food and toys in playgroup
Shelter Playgroup Alliance occasionally receives questions about using food and toys in playgroup.
45 views
Alli Holte
Sep 165 min read
Hot take: Consent and ethics also matter for humans.
When we take care of our own emotional health, we can show up for the animals in our care.
22 views
Mikayla Moore
Aug 123 min read
Running playgroup is an advanced skill!
For safe and fun playgroups, you need to train people, not dogs.
58 views
Mikayla Moore
Aug 32 min read
What do you call a playgroup with no play? Fight Club.
Escalation to aggression is NOT play.
17 views
mara velez
Aug 22 min read
Play Styles -- Fact or Fiction?
Good play happens with relaxed dogs in a low-stress environment.
18 views
mara velez
Jul 313 min read
Working together: Incorporating ethics, choice, and collaboration into shelter volunteer programs
Volunteers are critical to great welfare.
10 views
mara velez
Jul 304 min read
"Just tire them out" is bad advice, full stop.
For highly aroused dogs, there's much more going on under the hood!
7 views
Mikayla Moore
Jul 235 min read
How and when do we add a cue to a behavior?
...and what even is a cue, anyway?
10 views
Mikayla Moore
Jul 222 min read
Command or Cue? Language matters.
Word choice reflects the relationship between you and your learner.
4 views
Mikayla Moore
Jul 214 min read
Errorless Learning -- for Pets and People!
pssst -- our ethical approach to animal trainings happens to work with people, too!
6 views
Mikayla Moore
Jul 202 min read
The Rat is Always Right.
Labeling a learner stubborn or unintelligent when a training session goes poorly is a dead end.
2 views
Mikayla Moore
Jul 192 min read
Be in the moment -- there's a first time for every behavior!
Don't tell yourself a story -- read the behavior in front of you.
13 views
Mikayla Moore
Jul 182 min read
Happy Visits at the Shelter? Yes you can!
Sprinkle in Happy Visits for long-term positive feels about vet visits!
5 views
Mikayla Moore
Jul 172 min read
Calm Exits: Well-placed Food is your Friend!
Managing arousal on kennel exit will set your dog up for a successful session!
10 views
Mikayla Moore
Jul 162 min read
Consent Tests: Yes, please! or No, thank you!
A consent test is distilled down to “pet pet pause.”
8 views
Mikayla Moore
Jul 152 min read
When Playgroup Isn't Right
Playgroup is only PART of the enrichment picture!
21 views
Yona Rappaport
Jul 148 min read
Learning and growing through feedback
Receiving critical feedback is part of the learning process, and something our team takes very seriously.
10 views
Alli Holte
Jul 136 min read
For shelter animals, training is enrichment and enrichment is training.
How can we use learning science to our advantage when the animal:trainer ratio in a shelter might be 100:1, or worse?
44 views
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