Animal Communication and Body Language Collection

Animal Communication and Body Language Collection

If you’re new to working with dogs and cats, start here! Understanding animal communication and body language is a critical skill when learning how to safely and humanely interact with and support dogs and cats.  

Our goal in providing this content is to support learners in understanding what dogs and cats are communicating. Is it safe or unsafe to interact with the animal in front of you?   

View this material and then practice with this material at your shelter or home. What are the dogs and cats who you interact with telling you? It can be helpful to record dog and cat behavior when you’re not sure what they’re communicating, and then spend time with others to view and discuss what you’re seeing. 

This collection contains Maddie’s® University courses about body language and communication, an example of volunteer training about body language, and resources from other websites.

  • Cracking the Cat Code: Recognizing Feline Signals for Better Care
    Contains 3 Component(s), Includes Credits

    Learn practical tools to assess and respond to feline communication using Fear Free's Fear, Anxiety, and Stress scale.

    This course is part of Maddie's Monthly Behavior Connection, monthly webcasts about pet behavior - supporting pets in our community and animal shelters.

    This session provides practical tools to assess and respond to feline communication using Fear Free's Fear, Anxiety, and Stress scale. Through interactive exercises and video demonstrations, attendees will gain the confidence to advocate for the cats in their care, promoting better welfare and adoption outcomes.

    Presenter: Tabitha Kucera, Elite Fear Free and Low-Stress Handling Certified Registered Veterinary Technician, Veterinary Technician Specialist (Behavior), Certified Cat Behavior Consultant, and Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner. She is also the creator of Chirrups and Chatter Cat and Dog Behavior Consulting and Training.

    This webinar has been pre-approved for 1.0 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credits by The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement and by the National Animal Care & Control Association.

    Visit Maddie's Pet Forum to comment, access the resources, follow a discussion or ask questions: https://maddies.fund/BehaviorC...

    kewords Maddie's Monthly Behavior Connection, Tabitha Kucera, feline communication, feline behavior

    Tabitha Kucera

    VT, CCBC, KPA-CTP, Owner, Chirrups and Chatter

    Chirrups and Chatter

    Tabitha Kucera is an Elite Fear Free and Low-Stress Handling Certified Registered Veterinary Technician, Veterinary Technician Specialist (Behavior), Certified Cat Behavior Consultant, and Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner.

    She is the owner of Chirrups and Chatter Cat and Dog Behavior Consulting and Training and serves as the animal behavior technician at The Gentle Vet in Ohio. Tabitha lectures nationally and internationally, helping audiences build stronger connections with animals through a deeper understanding of behavior.

    Tabitha has held leadership roles with the Society of Veterinary Behavior Technicians, the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, and the Pet Professional Guild's Cat Committee. She also served as a behavior consultant and mentor for the Cat Pawsitive Pro program for six years.

    In addition, Tabitha works closely with animal welfare and veterinary organizations, including veterinary hospitals and animal shelters, to develop and implement training and behavior programs. She is a Fear Free certified speaker and coach, a Fear Free Practice Certification Consultant, and the host of the podcast Tails from a Vet Tech.

  • Fundamentals of Canine Communication and Safe Dog Handling
    Contains 4 Component(s), Includes Credits

    Learn the basics of reading dog body language and communicating effectively with dogs to keep you and the dog safe

    Reading dog body language and communicating effectively with our own behavior are practiced skills that we need to mindfully develop over time. In this course you'll analyze videos of dogs and handlers having conversations. The handler needs to understand what the dog is telling them and also communicate their intentions to the dog. The goal is always for the human and the dog to be in agreement that "I'm into you!" Through this course, you'll recognize behaviors that suggest the dog is unsure, and consider how to de-escalate the conversation to "I'm into you!"

    Course author: Devan Amundsen, CPDT-KA, is a certified dog trainer with over 15 years of experience working with not just dog owners, but dogs in shelters, assistance dogs and other working dogs

    This course is the first in a two-part series. The second course is in development.