Pets

How do your personal dogs, Taki, Shadow, Toby, Pasha, and Greta, influence your work?

Lessons from Lost Dogs: Taki, Shadow, Toby, Pasha, and Greta's Impact

Taki Shadow Toby Pasha and Greta are all dogs of mine that have passed away. Each one of them taught me valuable lessons. Taki beagle. Mix was the gentlest of dogs and taught me about tolerance and resiliency Shadow got me started on my journey as a dog professional because of him, I learned to be a poodle groomer and dog trainer. Toby a rescue, your key taught me humility and That there is sometimes limits to how much improvement a dog who has been abused can make even with all the right support Pasha. Another standard poodle taught me about working with dogs who are unsure and having anxiety about trying new things and Greta a terrier mix taught me how much genetic scan Drive behavior. And that despite very early interventions, some behaviors cannot be changed enough to allow some dogs to live. Live with other dogs. Each of them were unique, and each gave me Knowledge. And Skills that I will always carry with me. I currently live with two dogs. Willow and Mimi, who are the best of friends and continue to teach me every day.

Taki, Shadow, Toby, Pasha and Greta were all dogs of mine that have passed away. Each one of them taught me valuable lessons such as tolerance, resilience, humility, anxiety-management, genetics, behavior and the limits of improvement. I currently live with two dogs Willow and Mimi who continue to teach me every day.

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My personal dogs, Taki, Shadow, Toby, Pasha, and Greta, have had a significant influence on my work. Although they have all passed away, each of them taught me valuable lessons that I carry with me.

Taki, a beagle mix, taught me about tolerance and resiliency through his gentle nature. Shadow, a poodle, sparked my journey as a dog professional. Because of him, I became a poodle groomer and dog trainer.

Toby, a rescue, taught me humility and the limits of improvement for a dog who has experienced abuse, even with the right support. Pasha, another standard poodle, taught me about working with dogs who are unsure and anxious about trying new things.

Greta, a terrier mix, showed me the influence of genetics on behavior. Despite early interventions, some behaviors cannot be changed enough to allow certain dogs to live harmoniously with others.

Each of my dogs was unique and provided me with knowledge and skills that I will always carry with me. Currently, I live with two dogs, Willow and Mimi, who continue to teach me valuable lessons every day.

Hi Viviane! Tell people about your background, expertise, and how you can help.

Viviane: The Expert Guide for all Things Dog - Training, Behavior, and Collaborating with Professionals!

Hi. I'm Vivian arzu manian and I've been training dogs and conducting Behavior. Consultations since 2005, I want to be your guide in all things having to do with dogs whether you are an animal professional or a family Guardian. I'm a networker and I deeply value collaborating with other animal Professionals in order to serve our mutual clients and colleagues. If I don't have a resource you need I'll use my ever-expanding network to find it. For you coaching humans has always been something. I enjoy immensely. And in recent years I've increased my focus on The Human Side of dog training and behavior. I offer coaching and guidance in an atmosphere of empathy acceptance and safety. My clients include other professionals and eating resources or a sounding board for finding new or tried-and-true ideas. And for puzzling out difficult cases. I'm a resource to pet parents who are struggling with different difficult decisions and not sure they are on the right track with their dogs. I am available for a full range of conversations, including case review, referral to other professionals, all the way to discussion of quality of life, for humans and canines living together. In addition to my formal dog behavior education. I've been educated by thousands of clients and their dogs and I learned something new everyday.

I'm Vivian Arzu Manian and I've been training dogs and conducting behavior consultations since 2005. I offer coaching and guidance in an atmosphere of empathy, acceptance, and safety. I'm a resource to pet parents who are struggling with difficult decisions and not sure they are on the right track with their dogs. In addition to my formal dog behavior education, I've learned something new every day from thousands of clients and their dogs.

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Hello! I'm Vivian Arzu Manian, and I've been training dogs and conducting behavior consultations since 2005. I'm here to be your guide in all things related to dogs, whether you're an animal professional or a family guardian.

I highly value collaboration with other animal professionals and have built a strong network to serve our clients and colleagues. If I don't have a specific resource you need, I'll tap into my network to find it for you.

Coaching humans has always been a passion of mine, and in recent years, I've focused more on the human side of dog training and behavior. I offer coaching and guidance in an empathetic, accepting, and safe environment. My clients include professionals seeking resources or a sounding board for ideas, as well as pet parents who are unsure about the best decisions for their dogs.

I'm available for various conversations, including case reviews, referrals to other professionals, and discussions about the quality of life for both humans and canines living together. Alongside my formal dog behavior education, I've learned a great deal from thousands of clients and their dogs, and I continue to learn something new every day.

I'm here to provide you with the expertise and support you need when it comes to dogs.

What does a holistic approach to dog training and behavior involve?

A Holistic Approach: Understanding Dogs and Their Environment

When I approach a behavior case, I want to get a very full picture of the situation. And so I want information about the dog's prior learning history. I want information about the dog's environment, not only within the home, but outside of the home and what the dog's activities are. I want to also know what genetic predispositions might be within the dog based on their breed or breed mix to try and understand what the dog's needs are from their environment. And then I want to look at the dog as an individual and analyze what the issues and problems are that are being brought to me for help. And I also want to look at the human side of the equation in a very similar way so that I can integrate the needs of the dog and the needs of the humans into a plan that is doable for everyone and can bring a greater understanding and enjoyment of each other to the situation.

When approaching a behavior case, I want to get a full picture of the situation by gathering information about the dog's prior learning history, environment, breed/breed mix, and individual issues. I also want to analyze the human side of the equation in order to create a plan that is doable for both the dog and the humans, and can lead to greater understanding and enjoyment between them.

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A holistic approach to dog training and behavior involves gathering a comprehensive understanding of the situation. This includes obtaining information about the dog's prior learning history and their environment both inside and outside the home. Genetic predispositions based on breed or mix are also considered to understand the dog's specific needs. Analyzing the individual dog and identifying any issues or problems is crucial. Additionally, it's important to assess the human side of the equation in a similar manner. By integrating the needs of both the dog and the humans involved, a feasible plan can be developed that promotes better understanding and enjoyment for everyone in the situation.

How do you approach behavior consultations and what techniques do you use?

Comprehensive approach: Gathering information and keeping an open mind

My approach to dog behavior consultations is one of first gathering as much information as I possibly can about the situation that the client is contacting me about with their dog. I want to know as much going in the door as I possibly can so that first of all I can be prepared and safe if reactivity or aggression is part of the issue that the client is facing, but also in order to save everyone time I have clients fill out a very comprehensive behavior history form that tells me many, many things about the dog and helps me figure out what additional questions I might have to ask. I also go into a consultation with you know some knowledge having seen so many dogs over the course of my career, but also ready to to keep assumptions to the side until I really see what is going on. I am never judgmental of my clients every client that I have ever seen is really trying to do the best for their dog sometimes they don't have the best information to act upon until I get there, but most clients really care very deeply about their dogs and so going in with an open mind and getting more information is really my first step in every case.

My approach to dog behavior consultations is to gather as much information as possible before the consultation, have clients fill out a comprehensive behavior history form and go into the consultation with an open mind.

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When approaching dog behavior consultations, my first step is to gather as much information as possible about the client's situation. This helps me be prepared and ensure everyone's safety, especially if reactivity or aggression is involved. To streamline this process, I have clients fill out a comprehensive behavior history form that provides valuable insights and helps me identify any additional questions I may need to ask. Additionally, while I bring knowledge from my experience working with numerous dogs, I try to keep assumptions aside until I observe the actual situation. It's important for me to remain non-judgmental towards my clients because they are genuinely trying their best for their dogs. Sometimes they may lack accurate information, but their deep care for their pets is evident. Approaching each consultation with an open mind and gathering more information is always my initial step in every case.

What are the common challenges that trainers may face when working with shy and reactive dogs?

Overcoming Challenges When Training Shy and Reactive Dogs

The most common challenges of working with either very shy or reactive dogs fall into a few categories. One is helping the dog's guardian understand the possible motivations for the behavior. There is often a lot of misunderstanding about this. Then, managing the environment that the dog is in is incredibly important and especially difficult for those of us who live in urban areas, so this is always a challenge. It's also incredibly important for the guardian to learn the dog's body language and especially the very subtle signs of discomfort because this will allow the guardian to act quickly and often to preempt problematic incidents. Also, helping the guardian to understand that there are no quick fixes for these kinds of behavior. Often, they are deeply rooted in the dog's underlying temperament and so it can take months or more to make significant changes for the animal. And then finally, everyone wishes that they had the most chill and friendly dog to all creatures in the world, but many dogs just don't fall into that category and so while vast improvements can be made, their dog may never become a social butterfly.

Working with very shy or reactive dogs can be challenging, as the guardian must understand the underlying motivations for the behavior, manage the environment the dog is in, learn the dog's body language, and accept that there may not be quick fixes. However, with patience and dedication, vast improvements can be made.

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When working with shy and reactive dogs, trainers commonly face several challenges. One challenge is helping the dog's guardian understand the motivations behind the behavior, as there is often confusion in this area. Managing the dog's environment is crucial but can be particularly difficult in urban settings. Guardians also need to learn the dog's body language, including subtle signs of discomfort, to respond promptly and prevent problems. It's important to emphasize to guardians that there are no quick fixes for these behaviors, as they are often deeply ingrained in the dog's temperament and may take months or longer to see significant changes. Lastly, it's essential for guardians to accept that not all dogs will become social butterflies, despite improvements that can be made.

How do trainers balance use of science-based methods with maintaining boundaries and establishing leadership?

Trainers find harmony in science-based methods and leadership

I don't see the combination of science-based methods, setting boundaries, and establishing leadership to be in conflict with each other at all. So I don't see it really as a balance. When I think about setting boundaries, I think about how to train behaviors, create a sense of safety for the dog, creating predictable patterns of behavior on the part of the guardian for the dog, which will then allow the dog to follow predictable patterns of behavior. And setting up a safe, predictable environment for an animal is 90% of what we might call establishing leadership, though in my mind, leadership is sort of a parental model where we are kind, we are firm, we are humane, and we help the dog to learn to do the things that we want them to do, and we give them a lot of clarity in that process where we don't say no for everything. We say, oh, please stop doing that, and then let's do this, and let's do more of this, and let's reinforce more of these things that you do that help you fit into this complicated, modern, urban setting where we live, if it's an urban one, but this works wherever you live.

Establishing boundaries and leadership in a science-based method do not conflict with each other. Setting boundaries is about creating a safe, predictable environment for the animal while leadership involves using a parental model of being kind, firm, humane, and helping the dog to learn the behavior expected from it.

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Combining science-based methods, setting boundaries, and establishing leadership in dog training is not a matter of balance or conflict. Setting boundaries involves training behaviors, creating a safe environment, and establishing predictable patterns for both the dog and their guardian. This is essential for creating a sense of safety and allowing the dog to follow expected behaviors. Establishing leadership follows a kind, firm, and humane parental model where we help the dog learn desired behaviors and provide clarity in the process. It's not about saying no to everything but rather redirecting behavior and reinforcing positive actions that help the dog adapt to their environment, whether it's an urban or rural setting.

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My business has a team of highly qualified certified dog behavior professionals. We offer classes, private consulting, mentoring, consultations for difficult decisions having to do with quality of life due to behavior, health, age and more.

Neither AnyQuestion nor its Experts provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment or otherwise provide professional healthcare services.

Viviane Arzoumanian