If you are having behavior problems with your dog such as fear or aggression, I recommend Dr. Ciribassi (board-certified veterinary behaviorist at Chicagoland Veterinary Behavior Consultants, http://chicagovetbehavior.com/) or Dr. Kelly Ballantyne (resident veterinary behaviorist) at Furnetic (http://furnetic.com/) in Chicago or Purdue University Veterinary Behavior Clinic (http://www.vet.purdue.edu/animalbehavior/) in Indiana. You can also use the Tufts University PETFAX service to get answers to behavior questions: http://www.tufts.edu/vet/behavior/petfax.shtml.
Please familiarize yourself with the standards for trainer selection on the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB, http://avsabonline.org/resources/position-statements) and the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVB, http://www.dacvb.org/resources/position-statements/) websites.
Do not use shock or dominance with your dog. Please see the standards on the AVSAB website about the use of punishment and dominance in training and behavior modification – also, this article: http://www.k9behavioralgenetics.net/resources/Articles/Why%20electric%20shock%20is%20not%20behavior%20modification.pdf
This website will continue to remain online, but there will be a lapse in internet service between July 31 and August 4, 2013. If you need to contact Canine Connection we ask that you do so by phone at 563-451-9177. Once settled in our new location, we will once again offer long distance training consultations.