We held our first sponsored event on June 6, 2005. Brooktondale resident and TCDOG member Sharon Garland presented a free educational seminar on dog behavior at the Women's Community Building in Ithaca. Sharon, a member of the Society of Veterinary Behavior Technicians, brought along four of her own ten (!) dogs to help demonstrate her material, as well as an informative handout and video presentations.
Sharon focused on the most effective methods of keeping dogs safe, both on and off leash, in a variety of settings. She stressed the fact that dog owners must be responsible for keeping their own dogs safe, and also for preventing their animals from harming other dogs. One of the most effective ways she recommends is to pay close attention to your dog's behavior with other animals so that any play or interaction that escalates into undesirable activity can be nipped in the bud before it gets out of control.
Sharon maintains that it is very, very difficult and dangerous for people to attempt to break up a dog fight in progress; it is far better to prevent a bad situation by closely monitoring your own dog and the actions of other dogs in your vicinity. At the first sign of aggressive tendencies, it may be enough to distract the dogs, or it may be better to just leave the area immediately. Sharon also suggested the use of citronella spray as a means of getting a dog's attention during an altercation if nothing else works. The best approach is to be alert and aware of impending problems in plenty of time to avoid them.
Sharon's presentation lasted for approximately an hour, followed by an enthusiastic question and answer period with the crowd of some 60 attendees. TCDOG was pleased to present this informative and dedicated speaker, and the organization looks forward to providing more educational opportunities for local dog owners in the future.
A video of Sharon's presentation is available for members to view. Anyone interested in borrowing the video tape should contact Cyndy Scheibe scheibe@ithaca.edu.