Blog – Green Acres Kennel Shop

Thank You! Trivia, Gus, & PPG Too!

Don Hanson — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 13:46:47 +0000

Thank You! Trivia, Gus, & PPG Too!

By Don Hanson, PCBC-A, BFRAP

May 2017 issue of Barks from the Guild, a publication of the Pet Professional Guild>

< A version of this article was published in the February 2021 issue of Downeast Dog News and on the Green Acres Kennel Shop blog.

< Updated 2026-08-17 >

< The link to this page – https://www.forcefreepets.com/thanks-trivia-gus-ppg/ >

This article has been published in many places under various titles since it was first published in the May 2017 issue of BARKS from the Guild, a publication of the Pet Professional Guild. I’ve updated it again because it is, in a sense, my origin story as a pet care professional. It describes not only who I am today, but also how I got there, who helped steer my journey, and where I hope to go next.

The photo on the right is me with my first dog-crush, Desirae, a standard Poodle who belonged to our friends, the Jenson’s. I was between three and four at the time. Since they lived about 6 hours north of us in Wisconsin, I only saw Desirae about once a year. However, from that first meeting in the summer of 1961, I wanted a dog. My parents understood but knew they had to be practical. They both worked. We lived in everything from a very small house to an apartment until the fall of 1974, when we moved into the largest home we ever lived in. I was a junior in high school, and for some reason in December of 1974 my parents allowed me to start looking for a dog. One of the questions I wished I had asked them before they passed was “Why did you let me get a dog when Dad was a few months from retirement, and I would be going off to college within 18 months?” You know who played a major role in caring for “my” dog for several years, and it was not me. Mom and Dad, thank you!

In January of 1975, I brought home a cute little puff of black fur. The pet store where I found her said she was a mix of Keeshond/Poodle and “we never caught the father”. I knew nothing about dogs. While my parents had dogs on the farm, they were not pet people and knew very little about them. Neither the pet store nor the veterinarian where I took my puppy offered much advice beyond “These are the shots she needs, and this is the food you should feed her.” They did not suggest any books for me to read, offer me any handouts, or say anything about taking her to a training class. Other than some basic housetraining, Trivia had no real training during her life.

I named her Trivia, but she was far from a trivial part of my life, as she still influences me today. She was a happy dog who liked everyone and was with us for 14 wonderful years. However, I believe that the life Trivia and I shared could have been so much better if I had known then what I know now. I am thankful that PPG exists today because they are an excellent resource for anyone who has just adopted their first dog.

My last dog was Muppy. More than once, I thought Muppy was Trivia reincarnated, coming back so I could do things better this time. They were similar in size, and both had a way of making anyone smile.

My first venture into training a dog was when my wife Paula and I got our first puppy as a couple. It was the spring of 1991. We had just purchased our second home, and on the advice of Paula’s boss, a veterinarian, we went looking for a Cairn Terrier puppy. We found one and named him Laird Gustav MacMoose, calling him Gus. Also, on the advice of Paula’s boss, we immediately enrolled ourselves and twelve-week-old Gus in a puppy kindergarten class offered by the local dog club. We also purchased and read both Mother Knows Best and How to Be Your Dog’s Best Friend because they were the two dog-training books recommended at the time.

Our first night in puppy class was a complete disaster. Things went downhill the moment I was told to “command” Gus to sit, and Gus failed to comply. Now, this was not a big deal to us nor a surprise, as Paula and I knew Gus had not been trained to sit. That’s why we were taking the class. However, it was a huge deal to the two instructors. They told me, in no uncertain terms, that Gus is exerting his dominance and that I had to alpha-roll him to show him that I was the boss. The “alpha rollover” was explained in the books we were reading, so, not knowing any better, I did as I was told. As I grabbed Gus by the scruff and pinned him, he immediately began thrashing around underneath me, growling and snapping, and trying to connect his teeth with any part of me, so that I would let him go. I now know that he was terrified and could not understand why his friend (me) had instantly become a threat to his well-being.

When I was told to grab his muzzle and to “hold it shut,” I again, naively, complied. That is when Gus taught me that the dog’s teeth will ALWAYS be faster than the human’s hand. Gus instinctively sank his canines deep into my palm. I said something inappropriate and immediately let go and began to bleed profusely all over the floor. As one instructor ran to get me some ice for my hand, the other gave me a dirty look and continued teaching the class. I handed the leash to Paula, disappointed in Gus and even more disappointed in myself.

After we had gone home, it was evident that the relationship between Gus and me was severely damaged. I was no longer being asked to “throw the ball” by the Cairn, who had a tennis ball in his mouth and a vibrating tail. Gus did not trust me, and I did not trust him. I let Paula handle him for the remainder of his puppy classes, and when she moved on to the next level of classes with a different training club, I chose not to participate. I am thankful that the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) exists today and can guide a young couple with a dog in finding a qualified trainer who will teach them how to build and maintain a relationship based on trust. I am grateful that PPG can also recommend which books to read and, equally important, which to avoid.

Over time, Gus and I learned to trust one another again. Paula and I adopted a second dog, and we were fortunate to discover Dr. Patricia McConnell and her Dog’s Best Friend Training facility, where we learned about the wonders of reward-based training. I worked with Gus, and Paula handled Shed, and the four of us learned a great deal, but more importantly, we also had lots of fun. This is also when I started reading Dr. McConnell’s books, which have been a great influence.

While Gus and I had learned to trust one another again, in many ways he remained a conundrum throughout his life.

A few months after we brought him home, we learned his breeder had been sanctioned by the AKC.
Gus developed chronic urinary tract infections that lasted for 7 years and were allegedly due to an “unidentified nutritional imbalance”. FMI – Pet Nutrition – Our Story with Gus
He started trying to bite people when they left our home.
Gus began reacting to thunderstorms. Not hiding, but desperately wanting to go outdoors to bark and kill them.
He wanted to kill the windshield wipers when they were in motion.
Gus started having idiopathic seizures.

However, Gus’s quirks inspired both Paula and me to start learning everything we could about canine nutrition, reactive behavior, behavior modification (Thank you, Dr. McConnell), epilepsy, and alternative healthcare options for pets.

As all this was going on, Paula and I were working every day, all while also running a nature store on the side for the Madison Audubon Society. We really enjoyed doing this, and when our plans to start our own store didn’t pan out, we had the crazy thought of building a boarding kennel. We ended up buying an existing facility and moving ourselves, three dogs, and three elderly parents to Green Acres Kennel Shop in Bangor, Maine in 1995.

Gus was a major catalyst for our getting into the pet care services industry. His behavioral issues led to my interest in canine behavior. His bladder and urinary problems, determined to be due to his diet, led us both to focus on learning everything we could about pet nutrition. When Gus developed epilepsy, he sparked our interest in complementary medicine. Thank you, Gus! You were quite the teacher as well as a fabulous, furry friend. Even before it was “acceptable,” we considered you and the other canines in our lives to be family members.

In the fall of 1995, we moved from Wisconsin to Maine after purchasing the Green Acres Kennel Shop. Paula and I jumped right into our new business. Having learned the value of professional organizations in my previous career, I found and joined both the American Boarding Kennel Association (ABKA) and the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT). Through the APDT email list, I met several people, many of whom are now wonderful friends, and I started reading books they recommended. I also began attending seminars and worked with our existing trainer, Kate, to develop my training skills. Kate taught me one of the most important things I’ve ever learned when she kicked Gus and me out of class, exclaiming, “You are both miserable. Neither you nor Gus are having fun, so please, rather than training, go do something that’s fun for both of you.” FMI – Accepting Your Dog for Who They Are

In 1998, I attended my first APDT conference in Valley Forge, PA, and stepped right into my first debate over shock collars. A shock collar company was exhibiting at the APDT trade show, and there was a significant debate over whether it should be allowed to do so. I was firmly in the anti-shock camp. After that conference, APDT adopted a policy prohibiting the promotion of shock collars at its conferences.

I was also recruited to join the APDT’s new Education Committee, which was tasked with developing a certification exam for dog trainers that would demonstrate they had the necessary knowledge to teach people how to train and care for their dogs. The exam we developed resulted in the formation of the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), which administered the first exam in 2001. I was one of the first certificants.

Three years later, I was encouraged to run for the APDT Board of Trustees and started my first three-year term on the Board in 2002. Hoping to expand upon the ban on promoting shock collars at the conference, in July of 2002, I proposed that the APDT adopt a resolution defining dog-friendly dog training. At the core of my proposal was the statement, “Dog-friendly training” does not include the use of tools or methods that cause pain, physical injury, suffering, or distress.” Sadly, my motion died for lack of a second. I was very disappointed that no one was even willing to discuss my proposal.

I served on the APDT Board for two consecutive terms, waiting for an opportunity to get APDT to take a more assertive position on dog-friendly practices, but it never happened during those six years. I was again encouraged to run for the Board in 2010 and was elected to another three-year term. Sadly, it was evident that the APDT was still not ready to take a stand. I do believe that APDT has done many good things for our profession, but it disappoints me that they had never been willing to take a strong position against the use of force, fear, and pain until 2023.

In 2014, I discovered the Pet Professional Guild (PPG), applied for membership, and let my APDT membership expire. Earlier, I stated that professional organizations are important. To me, membership in such an organization demonstrates an individual’s and a business’s commitment to best practices in their profession. For that reason, as soon as a staff member at Green Acres completes their probationary training period, I enroll them in the PPG, regardless of their role here. Every trainer, pet care technician, groomer, customer service associate, and manager is a PPG member and is expected to uphold the PPG Guiding Principles. It is a condition of employment. These principles are part of our own ethics policies at Green Acres Kennel Shop and ForceFreePets.

I am so thankful that I finally found a cohort of like-minded pet care professionals who are committed to the same things that I am: treating our pet family members with kindness, as supported by science. Thank you, PPG, and thank you, Niki Tudge, for starting PPG.

I joined the PPG’s Advocacy division in 2016, became co-chair in 2018, and chair in 2019. In 2021, I was appointed to the PPG Board of Directors, where I continue to chair the Advocacy Task Force.

While the CPDT-KA credential I helped develop was a first step, I became disenchanted with the organization because it was also not keeping up with the science. In 2022, I replaced my CPDT credential with one from the Pet Professional Accreditation Board for two reasons: my accreditation as a professional canine behavior consultant covers not only training, but behavior modification, and not only covers knowledge but also skills, but it also comes from an organization that is current on their science and ethics and prohibits those with their credential to treat dogs the way Gus was treated.

I’ve been a pet care professional since October 1996. Changing careers was a big decision that I have never regretted. I have learned a great deal, much of which has been taught to me by my canine and feline family members (Trivia, Gus, Shed, Queenie, Sandy, Tyler, Tikken, Crystal, Dulcie, Thelma, Louise, Batman, Hanger, Muppy and Boomer), and I hope to continue doing all I can to improve the well-being of the pets we include all include in our families.

Woof Meow Pet Tip for August 17, 2026 at Star 977 with Don Hanson – New Science About Cats & Dogs

Don Hanson — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 12:31:31 +0000

Woof Meow Pet Tip for August 17, 2026 at Star 977 with Don Hanson – New Science About Cats & Dogs

< Updated 2026-08-17 >

< The link to this page – https://www.forcefreepets.com/wfmwtip-2026-08-17/ >

https://www.forcefreepets.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Woof-Meow-August-17-to-Aug-31-2026-New-Science-About-Cats-and-Dogs.mp3

MIKE DOW: – Welcome to Woof Meow with Don Hanson here on Star 977. When it comes to pets, how to best care for them, how to train them, and how to make that bond with your pet even stronger, do what so many people in Maine do: they go to Don Hanson at Green Acres Kennel Shop, 1653 Union Street in Bangor, and online at greenacreskennel.com, and at the ForceFreePets website at forcefreepets.com

DON: – At Green Acres Kennel Shop and Force Free Pets, it is our mission to provide humane, ethical, and empathetic pet care and education based on SCIENCE. We do that by attending webinars, conferences, and reading scientific journals. This week I’m going to discuss two papers that recently appeared in some of those journals. The first is about cats. We’ve all seen a cat grooming another cat by licking, which appears affectionate. However, a new study at Ghent University in Belgium found that such licking, known as allogrooming, is not always affectionate. It can also be a form of bullying where one cat licks another until the one being licked moves away. I’ll discuss the dog study after the break.

MIKE DOW: – Since 1995, Don has owned Green Acres Kennel Shop at 1653 Union Street in Bangor, offering pet food and supplies, boarding, daycare, and grooming. Learn more at greenacreskennel.com. Don also offers education for pets and their people at forcefreepets.com.

DON: – Scientists have been investigating a dog’s ability to recognize the emotional state of both other dogs and humans for several years. A paper published by iScience on August 10, 2026 revealed that by looking at our faces, dogs can determine whether we are happy or afraid. This is important because if you and your dog are both happy during training, you’ll be a better teacher, and your dog will learn faster. Your dog can also tell if you are angry or sad. You can read articles about both studies on my blog at ForceFreePets.com, where you will also find links to both studies.

MIKE DOW: – Animal lovers listen for Woof Meow with Don Hanson each Monday at 4:20, and at various times during the week, only on Star 977

Cats Grooming One Another Is NOT Always Affectionate – https://www.forcefreepets.com/shared-2026-08-03/

Dogs Understand Our Mood Based on Our Facial Expressions – https://www.forcefreepets.com/shared-2026-08-16/

I maintain two blogs, where I write about a variety of topics related to dogs and cats, or with a “Woof and Meow” theme. You can explore either by clicking on the links below. I also often share links to articles written by others that I believe you will find interesting. If you like what you see, please subscribe. You can unsubscribe at any time. If you think friends and family members would like what I’m writing about, please share the link. – Don Hanson, PCBA-A.
ForceFreePets Blog –
https://forcefreepets.com/blog/

Green Acres Kennel Shop Blog –
https://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/

Shared Blog Post-Dogs Understand Our Mood Based on Our Facial Expressions

Don Hanson — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 15:23:22 +0000

< Updated 2026-08-16 >
< A version of this article was also published on the Green Acres Kennel Shop blog >
< The link for this page – https://www.forcefreepets.com/shared-2026-08-16/ >

Scientists have been investigating a dog’s ability to recognize the emotional state of both other dogs and humans for several years. A paper published by iScience on August 10, 2026 [ Hernández-Pérez et al., 2026, iScience, 116900, 2026 © 2026 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.116900 ] has increased that knowledge as indicated below:

By looking at our faces, dogs can determine whether we are happy or afraid. They can also tell if we are angry or sad, but the study did not indicate whether dogs can differentiate between the two. Further studies may indicate whether dogs use aspects of our body, other than our face, to assess whether we are sad or angry.
When a dog sees a happy human face, it triggers activation in parts of their brain called the temporal cortex and caudate nucleus. The latter is the brain’s primary reward center, suggesting that a happy human face has emotional and motivational value for our dogs.
The study also indicated that dogs could assess a person’s emotional states even if they were unfamiliar with the person.

So why is this important?

Over the years, I have spent countless hours training my own dogs, but even more time watching my students train theirs. The people who enjoyed working with their dogs were happy, and their dogs were happy, and learning occurred faster and more easily. When the people were unhappy, the dog was uncomfortable or stressed in their presence, and often no learning took place, frustrating both the people and their dog.

Other papers, listed below, have indicated dogs can discriminate between human faces expressing happiness and those expressing anger,^6,7 fear,⁸ sadness,⁹ disgust,¹⁰ or neutrality^11,12, as well as between angry^6,7 and neutral faces.¹²

⁶Albuquerque, N., Guo, K., Wilkinson, A., Savalli, C., Otta, E., and Mills, D. (2016). Dogs recognize dog and human emotions. Biol. Lett. 12, 20150883. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0883.
⁷Müller, C.A., Schmitt, K., Barber, A.L.A., and Huber, L. (2015). Dogs can discriminate emotional expressions of human faces. Curr. Biol. 25, 601–605. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2014.12.055.
⁸Merola, I., Prato-Previde, E., Lazzaroni, M., and Marshall-Pescini, S. (2014). Dogs’ comprehension of referential emotional expressions: Familiar people and familiar emotions are easier. Anim. Cognit. 17, 373–385. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-013-0668-1.
⁹Morisaki, A., Takaoka, A., and Fujita, K. (2009). Are dogs sensitive to emotional state of humans? J. Vet. Behav. 4, 49. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/248577149_Are_dogs_sensitive_to_the_emotional_state_of_humans..
¹⁰Buttelmann, D., and Tomasello, M. (2013). Can domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) use referential emotional expressions to locate hidden food? Anim. Cognit. 16, 137–145. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-012-0560-4.
¹¹Nagasawa, M., Murai, K., Mogi, K., and Kikusui, T. (2011). Dogs can discriminate human smiling faces from blank expressions. Anim. Cognit. 14, 525–533. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-011-0386-5.
¹²Deputte, B.L., and Doll, A. (2011). Do dogs understand human facial expressions? J. Vet. Behav. 6, 78–79. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241118368_Do_dogs_understand_human_facial_expressions

Articles in the Scientific Press About the Papers

Dogs know when humans are happy—and it shows in their brains, By Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American – 2026-08-10 – https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-dogs-read-your-facial-expressions-it-depends-on-your-mood/
Sad or afraid? Dogs may be able to read your face, By Meghan Rosen, ScienceNews – 2026-08-10 – https://www.sciencenews.org/article/dogs-understand-emotions-humans-face
Dogs can distinguish between fearful and angry or sad human faces, brain scans suggest, The Guardian – 2026-08-10 – https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/10/dogs-distinguish-fearful-angry-sad-human-faces-brain-scans

Cats Grooming One Another Is NOT Always Affectionate

Don Hanson — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 14:50:13 +0000

Cats Grooming One Another Is NOT Always Affectionate

< A version of this article was published on the ForceFreePets Green Acres Kennel Shop blogs >

< Updated 2026-08-03 >

< A short link for this page – https://www.forcefreepets.com/shared-2026-08-03/ >

We’ve all seen a cat grooming another by licking, which appears affectionate. However, a new study by Morgane Van Belle at Ghent University in Belgium found that such licking (allogrooming) can sometimes be a form of bullying: one cat licking another until the one being licked moves away. The study was published in the Applied Animal Behavior Journal – Unravelling (sp?) feline social dynamics – A video-based observational study on allogrooming in domestic cats – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168159126001292

The study examined video interactions among 106 cats from 53 households. The study concludes that allogrooming in domestic cats is part of social bonding or affiliation, or a way of coping with social tension.

The paper allows the image below to be downloaded, which illustrates their findings.

Articles in Popular Media

The Independent – The sinister motivation behind cats licking each other – https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/cats-animal-behaviour-licking-science-study-b3014486.html

The Brussels Times – Belgian researcher uncovers the disturbing truth behind why cats groom each other – https://www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/2230916/belgian-researcher-uncovers-the-disturbing-truth-behind-why-cats-groom-each-other

CBC Radio: Cats don’t always lick each other out of affection – https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/cat-grooming-passive-aggressive-9.7272755

Woof Meow Pet Tip for August 3, 2026 at Star 977 with Don Hanson – Questions to Ask Yourself BEFORE Adding a Dog to Your Family

Don Hanson — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 14:26:50 +0000

Woof Meow Pet Tip for August 3, 2026 at Star 977 with Don Hanson – Questions to Ask Yourself BEFORE Adding a Dog to Your Family

< Updated 2026-08-03 >

< The link to this page – https://www.forcefreepets.com/wfmwtip-2026-08-03/ >

https://www.forcefreepets.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Woof-Meow-August-3-to-August-16-2026-Questions-B4-Getting-a-Dog.mp3

DON: – Adding a puppy or dog to a family is no small matter. The decision to do so will affect all family members, and the dog will be affected by everyone else in the home, humans and non-humans alike. Therefore, to be fair to the dog and all other family members, everyone in the home needs to consider the following: Are you ready to live with a companion that will be emotionally and cognitively equivalent to a human toddler its entire life? If you have any experience with human toddlers, you know that their innocence and curiosity can be charming and usually outweigh any mischievous or undesirable behavior. However, while most adult toddlers mature into responsible adult humans, a puppy, or even an adult dog, does not. After the break, I’ll list some more things for you to consider.

DON: – Additional questions to ask yourself before adding a dog to the family are: Do you have the time, energy, and knowledge to manage human and non-human toddlers in your home? If you are living with elderly family members or others with health issues, would a puppy or dog be a benefit or a nuisance? Is it fair to an existing dog or cat to bring a new dog into the home? Do you have the financial ability to care for a dog? Please note, I’ve just scratched the surface of this important topic. For more things to consider, check out Questions to Ask Yourself BEFORE Adding a Dog to Your Family on my blog at ForceFreePets.com.

MIKE DOW: – Animal lovers listen for Woof Meow with Don Hanson each Monday at 4:20, and at various times during the week, only on Star 977

Green Acres Kennel Shop Blog –
https://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/

Resources on Canine Body Language & Communication

Don Hanson — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 14:11:23 +0000

Resources on Canine Body Language & Communication

By Don Hanson, PCBC-A, BFRAP

< Updated 2026-08-02 >

< The link to this page at FFP – https://www.forcefreepets.com/resources-on-canine-body-language-communication/ >

< The link to this page at GAKS – https://www.greenacreskennel.com/2026/08/03/resources-on-canine-body-language-communication/ >

Most of us bring a dog into our lives to be a companion and family member. Both types of relationships require trust; however, to establish trust, we must first be able to communicate with our dog. That means we need to learn our dog’s language. Much of a dog’s communication is done silently with their entire body, unlike humans, who primarily communicate with their mouths and ears. Below are my favorite books and online resources to help you communicate with your dog.

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog

( https://forcefreepets.com/blog/ & https://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/ )

Book Review – A Kids’ Comprehensive Guide to Speaking Dog! by Niki Tudge – https://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2018/01/10/book-review-a-kids-comprehensive-guide-to-speaking-dog-by-niki-tudge/

Book Review – On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals by Turid Rugaas – https://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2018/01/10/book-review-on-talking-terms-with-dogs-calming-signals-by-turid-rugaas/

Book Review – The Other End of the Leash, by Patricia McConnell, PhD – https://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2002/12/29/book-review-the-other-end-of-the-leash-by-patricia-mcconnell-phd/

Book Review – Beyond Belly Rubs: The Compassionate Pet Guardian by Niki Tudge and Louise Stapleton-Frappell – https://www.forcefreepets.com/bookreview-beyondbellyrub-mar26/

Book Review – Bark!: The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog by Zazie Todd – https://www.forcefreepets.com/book-review-bark-zazie-todd/

How Your Dog Can Tell How You Feel & How It Affects Their Behavior – https://www.forcefreepets.com/how-your-dog-can-tell-how-you-feel/

Keeping Both You and Your Dog Free of Stress – https://www.forcefreepets.com/youdogstressfree/

Managing An Aggressive, Fearful, or Reactive Dog – https://www.forcefreepets.com/managing-an-aggressive-fearful-or-reactive-dog/

Mental Health – Does Your Dog Enjoy Public Events, or Would They Rather Stay Home? – https://www.forcefreepets.com/mental-health-does-your-dog-enjoy-public-events-or-would-they-rather-stay-home/

Mental Health – Respecting Personal Space & How to Interact with a Dog – https://www.forcefreepets.com/mental-health-respecting-personal-space-how-to-interact-with-a-dog/

Pets, Emotions, & Anthropomorphism – https://www.forcefreepets.com/pets-emotions-anthropomorphism/

Shared Video – How Would YOU Like It? – https://www.forcefreepets.com/shared-video-howwouldyoulikeit/

Why Your Pet Wants You to Read Beyond Belly Rubs – https://www.forcefreepets.com/readbeyondbellyrubs/

Woof Meow Pet Tip for April 20 2026 at Star 977 with Don Hanson – Beyond Bell Rubs No2 – https://www.forcefreepets.com/wfmwtip-2026-04-20/

Books

A Kids’ Comprehensive Guide to Speaking Dog: A fun, interactive, educational resource to help the whole family understand canine communication, Niki J. Tudge, Joanne Tudge (October 4, 2017), ISBN-10: ‎ 0999262092, ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0999262092
Doggie Language – A Dog Lovers Guide to Understanding Your Best Friend, Lili Chin, Summersdale; Illustrated edition (October 6, 2020), ISBN-10: ‎787837017, ISBN-10: ‎ 1787837017
How to Greet a Dog and What to Avoid, Sophia Yin, DVM, CattleDog Publishing (September 25, 2011)
On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals, Turid Rugaas, Direct Book Service; 2nd edition (December 14, 2005), ISBN-10: ‎ 1929242360, ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1929242368
The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs, Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D., Ballantine Books; Reprint edition (January 1, 2003), ISBN-10: ‎ 034544678X, ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1863253208
Beyond Belly Rubs: The Compassionate Pet Guardian, Niki Tudge and Louise Stapleton-Frappell, DogNostics Education, 2026, ISBN-13: 979-8295640353
Bark!: The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog, Zazie Todd, Greystone Books, 2024, ISBN (Paperback): 978-1778403323

Online Resources

Articles

A Dog’s Communication System – Pets and Their People, March 30, 2022 – https://petsandtheirpeople.education/canine-social-behavior-your-dogs-communication-system/

Do Dogs Learn More Quickly from Verbal or Visual Signals? – Psychology Today, October 16, 2018 – No longer available online

Dogs really can smell your fear, and then they get scared too – NewScientist, October 19, 2017https://www.newscientist.com/article/2150956-dogs-really-can-smell-your-fear-and-then-they-get-scared-too/

Smile! Your dog’s brain will light up in response, Science, March 2018 – https://www.science.org/content/article/smile-your-dog-s-brain-will-light-response

The Data Says “Don’t Hug the Dog!” Psychology Today, April 13, 2016 – No longer available online

What Do You Know About Canine Communication? – Pets and Their People, March 16, 2022 – https://petsandtheirpeople.education/what-do-you-know-about-canine-communication/

Posters & Graphics

Bekindrescue.com

Where to pet your dog graphic – https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0536/1126/6208/files/309021184_512530147373205_4825248449283197775_n.png

Dr. Sophia Yin – https://cattledogpublishing.com/poster-download/

Body Language of Fear in Dogs
How Kids SHOULD Interact with Dogs
How Kids SHOULD NOT Interact with Dogs
How to Greet a Dog (and What to Avoid)

Mighty Dog Graphics

The 3-second meet and greet graphic from Mighty Dog Graphics – https://www.facebook.com/mightydoggraphics/photos/pb.100064488174466.-2207520000./1431858283608350/?type=3

The Sophisticated Dog

Ways Dogs Show You That They Want Space graphic – https://www.facebook.com/TheSophisticatedDog/photos/pb.100057722677378.-2207520000./10158679102787409/?type=3

Videos

How Would You Like It? – San Diego Humane Society – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G775ppK3VEM

Websites

iSpeakDog.org – http://www.ispeakdog.org/

Silent Conversations – https://www.silentconversations.com/

Woof Meow Pet Tip for July 6, 2026 at Star 977 with Don Hanson – Inch by Inch & Patience

Don Hanson — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 18:47:51 +0000

Woof Meow Pet Tip for July 6, 2026 at Star 977 with Don Hanson – Inch by Inch & Patience

< Updated 2026-07-06 >

< The link to this page – https://www.forcefreepets.com/wfmwtip-2026-07-06/ >

https://www.forcefreepets.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Woof-Meow-Julyt-6-to-July-19-2026-Inch-By-Inch-Patience.mp3

DON: – I recently heard Mike and Paul, when Paul quoted his father as saying, “Inch by inch, life’s a cinch, yard by yard, life is hard.” The same principle applies to teaching your dog! Too many people expect their dog to learn too many things far too quickly, expecting yard-by-yard progress. That’s like expecting your 5-year-old child to attend six weeks of summer school and be ready to start their PhD in college that fall. It’s unrealistic, puts unnecessary stress on both you and your dog, and is not helpful in any way. The best thing for your relationship with your dog is to be patient and kind. I’ll discuss how to do that after the break.

DON: – The teaching of people and training of pets is a science. The first step I recommend any dog parent take is to work with a canine behavior consultant who has completed coursework in animal behavior and training, has experience teaching people and training pets, and has passed a credentialing exam administered by an independent certification body. Such an individual will have the knowledge and skills to coach you and your dog throughout the training process. They will encourage you to be patient, to go at your dog’s pace, and to always put a nurturing relationship between you and your dog first. You can find many such individuals at the Pet Professional Guild. [ https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/find-a-ppg-professional/ ]

MIKE DOW: – Animal lovers listen for Woof Meow with Don Hanson each Monday at 4:20, and at various times during the week, only on Star 977

I maintain two blogs, where I write about a variety of topics related to dogs and cats, or with a “Woof and Meow” theme. See what I did there? You can explore either by clicking on the links below. I also often share links to articles by others that I believe my subscribers will find interesting. If you like what you see, please subscribe. You can unsubscribe at any time. If you think friends and family members would like what I’m writing about, please share the link. – Don

ForceFreePets Blog – https://www.forcefreepets.com/blog/

Green Acres Kennel Shop Blog – https://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/

Shared Blog Post-Dr Lisa Radosta on Facebook – 2026-06-28

Don Hanson — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 17:38:03 +0000

< Updated 2026-07-04 >

< A short link for this page – https://www.greenacreskennel.com/2026/07/04/shared-2026-07-04/ >

On June 28, 2026, Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Lisa Radosta posted the following on Facebook, stating “I will not prescribe medication to reduce your dog’s stress so you can use a shock collar to train him.” Thank you, Dr. Radosta. Her message is so important I felt it needed to be shared on my blog.

Before I could share Dr. Radosta’s post here, I saw another post suggesting that fireworks should be banned due to the health hazards they present to many people and many animals, both domestic and wild. I agree with that post. Someone who disagreed suggested we just drug our dogs so people could enjoy their fireworks. People’s cruelty disappoints me more every day. – Don Hanson, PCBC-A

Dr. Radosta’s Post

Yes, if you can believe it people ask me to prescribe medication to reduce the dog’s stress so that they can shock their dog.

Medication is not a workaround for training methods that increase fear, pain and distress.

In behavioral medicine, the goal of pharmacologic intervention is to reduce pathologic anxiety, improve emotional stability, and allow the brain to learn more adaptive responses.

Shock-based tools function by introducing pain, discomfort, or threat. For a dog already experiencing fear or anxiety, this does not resolve the underlying emotional state—it compounds it.

When fear and pain occur together:

Physiologic stress responses intensify
Associations with the environment, people, or other animals can worsen
Warning signals may be suppressed, increasing bite risk without reducing intent

Medication cannot ethically or effectively be used to facilitate this process.

Treatment plans in veterinary behavior prioritize reducing fear, not layering additional stress onto it. That means selecting interventions that are compatible with how the brain processes safety, learning, and threat.

If a dog requires medication for anxiety or aggression, the approach must also minimize aversive experiences and support predictable, controlled learning environments.

The objective is not compliance at any cost.

It is a stable emotional state that allows for safe, sustainable behavior change.

Woof Meow Pet Tip for June 15, 2026 at Star 977 with Don Hanson – Pets and the 4th of July

Don Hanson — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 19:05:56 +0000

Woof Meow Pet Tip for June 15, 2026 at Star 977 with Don Hanson – Pets and the 4^th of July

< Updated 2026-06-15 >

https://www.greenacreskennel.com/2026/06/15/wfmwtip-2026-06-15/>

https://www.forcefreepets.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Woof-Meow-June-15-to-July-5-2026-Pets-and-July-4.mp3

DON: -In the US, more pets run off between July 4th and July 6th than at any other time during the year. The flashes of light and the booms and bangs that bring out the worst in human adolescent males frighten our pets and many people. Sadly, some of those pets that run off never make it back home. Which is why our dogs and cats would rather we celebrate July 4th in silent meditation and wish that fireworks had never been invented. Please, be a good neighbor. If you plan on using fireworks at your home, first seek permission from everyone who lives within a mile of your home. If they say, “Please don’t use fireworks”, respect their request. It’s what good neighbors do. After the break, I’ll discuss ways you can keep your pets comfortable during the fireworks insanity.

DON: – Please, don’t take your pets to a public fireworks display. Keep them inside your home after dusk, ideally in a quiet room with window coverings. If you must take them outside, please keep them on a leash or in a fenced yard. If people are using fireworks in your neighborhood, I recommend that you remain in the yard with your pet the entire time they are outdoors. If you know your pet reacts poorly to fireworks, talk to your veterinarian well before the 4th to see if they can prescribe something to help keep your pet comfortable. For more pets and fireworks tips, please check out the Pet Safety Alert on my blog – Pets & Fireworks Don’t Mix at ForceFreePets.com.

MIKE DOW: – Animal lovers listen for Woof Meow with Don Hanson each Monday at 4:20, and at various times during the week, only on Star 977

I maintain two blogs, where I write about a variety of topics related to dogs and cats, or with a “Woof and Meow” theme. See what I did there? You can explore either by clicking on the links below. I also often share links to articles by others that I believe my subscribers will find interesting. If you like what you see, please subscribe. You can unsubscribe at any time. If you think friends and family members would like what I’m writing about, please share the link. – Don

ForceFreePets Blog – https://www.forcefreepets.com/blog/

Green Acres Kennel Shop Blog – https://www.greenacreskennel.com/blog/

Is Your Dog a Leftie or a Rightie?

Don Hanson — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 19:21:57 +0000

Is Your Dog a Leftie or a Rightie?

< A version of this article was published on the ForceFreePets blog >

< Updated 2026-06-11 >

< A short link for this page – https://www.greenacreskennel.com/2026/06/11/shared-pawedness/ >

No, I’m not asking about your dog’s political persuasion. I’m inquiring whether your dog is left-pawed, right-pawed, or ambidextrous.

A New article in Science, How can you tell whether your dog is right-pawed or left-pawed?, discusses a new paper published by The Royal Society Open Science; “The ‘Doginburgh Inventory’: from hands to paws in assessing canine motor laterality.” Scientists were interested in learning more about a dog’s pawedness because there is evidence that it may affect our dogs’ immune response and behavior.

While some pet parents and scientists have posed this question more than once, a new protocol was recently developed by a team of scientists based on the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory, a standardized tool used to assess handedness in humans. Scientists wanted a more accurate assessment beyond hand or paw preference; the strength of that preference can vary among individuals. Those who are ambidextrous can do things equally easily with either hand or paw.

Sometimes a person or dog may change their handedness due to injury. For example, my father entered the United States Marine Corps right-handed. An injury during the battle for Guadalcanal left him paralyzed on his right side for over a year. When he was finally released from a Naval Hospital stateside, he departed left-handed and remained so the rest of his life.

Dogs in the study were evaluated after two tasks involving paw manipulation and two tests involving locomotion. The test results allowed them to place a dog in one of five categories: strong left, weak left, ambilateral, weak right, or strong right. Further studies hope to examine the effects of a dog’s age and breed on paw preference. You can learn more at the links below.

Science – June 9, 2026 – How can you tell whether your dog is right-pawed or left-pawed? – https://www.science.org/content/article/how-can-you-tell-whether-your-dog-right-pawed-or-left-pawed
Royal Society Open Science – June 10, 2026 – The ‘Doginburgh Inventory’: from hands to paws in assessing canine motor laterality – https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article/13/6/252201/482081/The-Doginburgh-Inventory-from-hands-to-paws-in

Don Hanson lives in Bangor, Maine, where he is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop (greenacreskennel.com) and the founder and owner of ForceFreePets.com, an online educational resource for people with dogs and cats. He is a Professional Canine Behavior Consultant (PCBC-A) accredited by the Pet Professional Accreditation Board (PPAB) and a Bach Foundation Registered Animal Practitioner (BFRAP). Don is a member of the Pet Professional Guild (PPG), serving on the Board of Directors and the Steering Committee, and chairs the Advocacy Task Force and the Shock-Free Coalition. He writes and edits the blogs for both Green Acres Kennel Shop and ForceFreePets. Don also writes a monthly column for Downeast Dog News and is a frequent contributor to Pets and Their People. You can learn more about Don at About Don Hanson.