Cloverfield Animal Behaviour Services

As good as new!

1/20/2015

Our boy Thunder has now had his wires out, and the veterinary specialist says he is as good as new!

Thunder on his way home from the vet - free of his wires at last!

Back to his happy, handsome self!

So many thanks again to all who have given moral and/or financial support - this sweet boy is definitely worth all of the love he gets.

CBC News also interviewed his trainer Stephanie about his progress, and you can see that article here: Thunder, PTSD service dog in training, recovering after injury.

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More about Chase's graduation

1/19/2015

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From Pat Lee at the Chronicle Herald:

Last Thursday was a day of wish fulfilment.

It was the day a little red rescue dog named Chase was introduced as the first graduate of the only Nova Scotia program to train service dog trainers.

It was the day Chase’s trainer — who had never worked with dogs before but was the first through the program — passed the pooch off to his new handler.

Read more: PET CORNER: Nova Scotia program turns pooches into therapy companions

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Chase graduates as a Certified PTSD Service Dog!

1/16/2015

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The combined efforts of Lisa Atkinson, Paws for Thought, and Cloverfield Animal Behaviour Services have resulted in a new beginning for two special individuals: Chase the rescue dog, and Larry Mercer, his new handler.

Lisa, Larry, and Chase - photo by Joey Smith, Truro Daily News

The graduation ceremony on Jan 15, 2015, was held at Little Moe's K9 Academy. Larry received Chase as his Certified PTSD Service Dog, and Lisa received her official Service Dog Trainer certification. We could not be more proud!

The Truro Daily News covered the event, and you can read the full story there:
Canine companions help PTSD sufferers

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Chicken Camp! A video from the past...

12/26/2014

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Two wonderful students tracked down a video from the past for me - my Level 2 OCBA training final test! This was in Hot Springs, AR, in the late 1990s. "Chicken Camp" was an incredible experience each time I went (all 3 levels), and I learned so much from Bob Bailey and Marian Breland Bailey (the person wearing the bobbing chicken on her head in the bottom of this video).

I trained "Sugar" (the white hen) to do a complex chain behaviour: to walk to the end of the table, knock off the blue bowling pin, and then the yellow bowling pin, then walk up the A-frame, down the other side, and roll a dowel, before getting her click. And I couldn't move an inch - I had to stay fixed in trainer position! But she did it - amazing what just one week of training can accomplish - and what fun!

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Thunder on the Mend

12/3/2014

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Thunder, on a better day!

As those who follow us on Facebook know, one of the Service Dogs in Training, Thunder, had an freak accident last week. He was playing in the fenced-in yard with his trainer, slipped on ice, and broke his lower jaw on both sides!

Stephanie immediately took him to Truro Vet Clinic where they assessed and stabilized him, and recommended that he have surgery with a specialist in Halifax.

On his way to the vet.

With Stephanie after surgery.

After surgery, in his cone.

Surgery went well, and he is expected to make a full recovery. He normally goes to school with Stephanie every day (a student at Dalhousie University Agricultural Campus), so his training to remain lying down and quiet during class will be coming in handy to help him with his recovery.

Thunder had a check-up with the surgeon three days after the operation, and he is healing well and getting lots of rest.

Many, many thanks to all of those who contributed to the GoFundMe fund for Thunder's surgery - your generosity is unparalleled.

Looking good at his 3 day check-up.

The quotation for Thunder's surgery and follow-up was approximately $2500; Paws for Thought will also be generously helping with the costs. Money remaining in the GoFundMe account after Thunder's bills are paid will be put into an emergency fund to be used for the Service Dogs in Training in the future.

We'll keep you up to date on Thunder's progress. He is a smart, sweet boy, and will be an excellent partner for a veteran with PTSD when his training is complete.

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Cloverfield PTSD Service Dog Training in the News

11/20/2014

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Global News did a great story today on the Cloverfield PTSD Service Dog Training Program, featuring Heather and Dan, and Jessy and Niobe.

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Dan's Story (so far)

8/10/2014

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Dan as a wee pup

Dan was born June 27, 2013, the result of an excellent breeding by Hilary Flower, a reputable sheep farmer/Border Collie breeder from Lunenburg, N.S.

It was not really Dan I wanted - I actually wanted my former Service Dog, Tag. Tag was a Border Collie who had certified as a Service Dog when she was less than 1.5 years old. Tag was “My Dog”, she had my front, she had my back, Tag had it all. Unfortunately Tag also had some sort of neurological abnormality resulting in her devastating death before her second birthday.

Tag at play

Heather and sweet Tag

Dan had a huge spot to fill. He soon stole my heart but the training was difficult for me, since I wanted him to be Tag. At 15 weeks of age he flew to Calgary with me, as my Service Dog in Training. Again at 7 months we flew back out to Calgary to visit my daughter Miranda. He was so well behaved on the planes and in the airports it was difficult to believe he was a pup.

In training, Calgary airport, 15 weeks

Dan’s training continued daily, obedience, fun behaviours and alert behaviours. Alert behaviours are things that we train service dogs to do to let their handlers know when the dog senses that something is wrong. Epilepsy dogs alert before a seizure, diabetic dogs alert to a drop in blood sugar, and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) dogs alert when their handlers start getting anxious. This allows the handlers to become aware of the situation and either get to a safe place or do something to prevent the situation from worsening.

Dan's first un-cued alert behaviour happened the Wednesday before Easter weekend. I needed a few items at Walmart; Dan and I got a cart and proceeded up and down crowded aisles. As we were making our way to the check-out area I heard someone call out my name, “Heather, Heather”. It was a good friend Nancy whom I had not seen in a very long time. I backed myself up to an aisle end, cart in front, Dan to left side and Nancy on left. We were having a fine chat when all of a sudden Nancy said, “Dan must want to leave.” I looked down to see Dan had moved from his position beside me and was now standing with one foot on mine and was poking my left thigh with his nose.

Heather and Dan in Walmart in June 2014

Finely the light bulb came on and I said, “No, he is alerting me,” and just then two people associated with my PTSD injury walked by chatting to each other as they shopped. Evidently I had been hearing their voices without consciously recognizing them, and Dan was picking up on my rising anxiety level. I was able to quickly leave the store and got to my wonderful Ford Escape before breaking down. “My Dan” got me out of a situation that could have become emotional and embarrassing in public.

Training continued and I was gaining confidence in this wonderful young dog. I thought he was doing well but of course I cannot see what he is doing when I am shopping, etc. My daughter Melissa came home from Germany for a visit in early June and she took some pictures and videos while Dan and I shopped. I was absolutely delighted to see how well he was doing his job even before his first birthday.

Yesterday Dan and I spent a couple of hours at the farmers market. He weaved in and out of the cramped quarters without a hitch. He loves children and there were plenty of them - running, screeching and eating - to distract him, but he remained focused on his job without reminding. He earned many pats and dog treats from my pouch. As we worked our way through the crowds to coffee and a treat, two family pet dogs got into a fight. Much barking, growling, and human yelling ensued, but Dan did not miss a step - he ignored the mayhem and lied down next to me at a picnic table. We were positioned so that he had exposure to vehicles coming and going from the parking lot behind him, venders and costumers milling around, food being dropped within reach, music, noise, etc. He is just over one year old, but “My Dog” Dan is incredible.

Dan at home

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Fairy's Lunch Box

5/16/2014

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Fairy showing off her box

Guest post - Melissa Cox
Question: How do you keep an energetic house cat on a diet from constantly begging for food?

I recently had this problem with my one year old Birman, Fairy. Fairy needed to slim down (or at least stop gaining), and protested loudly at her reduced meal sizes.

Lyric, my Labrador Retriever, happily destroyed the cat food-dispensing ball, so I looked into other puzzle-type food toys for cats. As I was describing one (the Aikiou Stimulo Activity Food Center, where cats pull kibble out of tubes) to my husband, David, he suggested that we could make our own. We grabbed a cardboard box and paper towel and toilet paper rolls and got creative.

Aikiou Stimulo Activity Food Center

Building blocks for the "Cloverfield-version" activity food centre

After measuring out her food for the day, we folded the bottoms of each tube so that we could put a few kibble in, and then folded the other end loosely. We would have placed the tubes in various places around the apartment, but knew that Lyric would get them well before Fairy would. So we put all of the tubes into a cardboard box into which Fairy can jump, and as she plays and digs around, kibble falls out of the tubes.

Step 1: Fold tube bottom, add kibble

Step 3: Put tubes in box

Step 2: Loosely fold top of tube

Step 4: Add cat

Throughout the day, Fairy spends a few minutes now and again, digging and harvesting her kibble. As the cardboard tubes get flattened or dirty, we put them into the recycling, but somehow always have more to add to her box. We keep the "Lunch Box" up on a table where Lyric the dog can't be tempted to raid it, and Fairy has a fun activity that allows her to "hunt" for her food.

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Studying Animal Behaviour

5/10/2014

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A tribute to a fine Mother

Today most chicks are hatched in incubators and grow up in large flocks. Melissa and I have had the pleasure of raising some incubator hatched Buff Orpington chicks and enjoyed each stage. We thought we learned a lot about chicken behaviour until one of our original hens set on her eggs. We soon learned that a hen is an incredible Mom.

This spring Mara set a clutch of eggs and is raising Martha and Marvin. Our spring was so cold and late coming that I decided to move them into the basement. One evening as I went down to load the wood furnace, yet again, I noticed Mara sitting on the shavings outside her nest box. I stopped to chat and asked where the chicks were and out their little heads popped. I turned and ran upstairs to grab the camera and returned to snap this picture.

Every day I spend a little time with Mara and family. It is wonderful to hear the variety of tones and combinations of sound and actions Mara uses with her chicks. I have experienced her teaching them everything from "This is water and this is how you drink," "This is food - eat many times per day" and now at 3 weeks of age she is teaching them how to get Granny (that would be me) to hand out special treats.

This morning I picked them a large handful of grass and dandelions and was amazed to watch and listen as she gave instruction. I know many people will say do not put human thoughts and feelings onto the animals, but I can describe what I saw and heard. At first she seemed to say "Stand back chicks, while I check it out." Both Martha and Marvin moved about a foot and a half away from the pile of strange green stuff. Mara moved the grasses around inspecting it all as she clucked and peeped and scratched. When she was satisfied everything was ok, her tone changed and Martha and Marvin ran in to try out the treats. Mara broke large dandelion leaves into chick-size pieces and they gobbled them down. Later when I stopped by to say hi there was not a piece of green to be found.

When I am cleaning the pen Mara calls the chicks over to the corner and waits until I finish. As soon as I have placed the fresh food and water she tells them they can help themselves and out they come.

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Cloverfield and ElderDog Canada

5/9/2014

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Our 'Jive' at 14

Is there anything sweeter than the love of a good dog? We believe that everyone should be able to enjoy animal companionship throughout their lives, without worries about what might happen in the future. Cloverfield Animal Behaviour Services is therefore proud to be a supporter of ElderDog Canada.

ElderDog Canada is a national volunteer-based non-profit headquartered in Nova Scotia that focuses on supporting elderly owners in caring for their often senior canine companions and in maintaining the strong and mutually-beneficial bond they share.

Their activities include education and outreach, bereavement support, physical assistance with daily care requirements and re-homing dogs tragically left behind by a senior companion – whenever possible with a senior(s) anxious to give back to a canine in need.

ElderDog’s “perpetual care” model provides assurance that a senior’s dog(s) will be properly cared for in a loving environment for the remainder of the dog’s life. In short, the dog becomes a life-long client of ElderDog Canada. Find out more at www.elderdog.ca and www.facebook.com/elderdog.

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Author

Heather A. Logan is an animal behaviour consultant located in Nova Scotia, Canada. She specializes in multi-species operant conditioning behaviour analysis (OCBA), teaching, behaviour consultation, training service dogs and giving seminars and workshops. Above all, she enjoys spending time with and observing the natural behaviour of her animals.

As good as new!

More about Chase's graduation

Chase graduates as a Certified PTSD Service Dog!

Chicken Camp! A video from the past...

Thunder on the Mend

Cloverfield PTSD Service Dog Training in the News

Dan's Story (so far)

Fairy's Lunch Box

Studying Animal Behaviour

Cloverfield and ElderDog Canada

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