Articles

Do Therapy Animals Enjoy Their Work? …Here’s How to Find Out
This project was a Finalist in the Dog Writers Association of America competition for 2021-22 in the category of Online Dog Article or Blog Entry on Behavior and Training!

What It Means to Be Humane in Animal-Assisted Interventions
VanFleet, R. (2014). What It Means to Be Humane in Animal-Assisted Interventions. The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, Fall, 18-20.
The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. All rights are reserved.

Overcoming Extreme Fear in Unsocialized Dogs: A Participant-Observation Study of the Impact of Safety and Play in a Home Setting
VanFleet, R. (2014). Poster presentation at the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ) Conference in Vienna, Austria, July 20, 2014.

Face Value
VanFleet, R. (2014). Face Value. The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, Spring, 20-22.
The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. All rights are reserved.

I Want a Puppy!
VanFleet, R. (2013). I want a puppy! Psychological News You Can Use, Winter, Pennsylvania Psychological Association.

The Empathic Dog Trainer
VanFleet, R. (2013). The Empathic Dog Trainer. The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, Fall, 60-63.
Winner of the 2013 Dog Writers Association of America Friends of Rescue Special Award.
The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. All rights are reserved.

Falling in Love… with a Dog: How it Changes Our Lives
VanFleet, R. (2012). Falling in Love… with a Dog: How it Changes Our Lives. The APDT Chronicle of the Dog. This 3-part series was published in Nov/Dec 2010, July/Aug 2012, and Sept/Oct 2012. The series is included in its entirety here.
The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. All rights are reserved.

The Power of Play, Multiplied
VanFleet, Risë and Faa-Thompson, Tracie (2012). The Power of Play, Multiplied. Play Therapy, Magazine of the British Association of Play Therapists. Summer 2012. Vol. 70, 7-10. Cover Article.
The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission of the British Association of Play Therapists. All rights are reserved.

That Lazy Owner! That Reactive Dog! The Pitfalls of Labeling Our Clients
VanFleet, R. (2012). That Lazy Owner! That Reactive Dog! The Pitfalls of Labeling Our Clients. The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, January/February, 22-24.
The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. All rights are reserved.

Control, Compassion, and Choices, Part 1 of 2
VanFleet, R. (2011). Control, Compassion, and Choices, Part 1 of 2. The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, July/August, 50-53.
The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. All rights are reserved.

Control, Compassion, and Choices, Part 2 of 2
VanFleet, R. (2011). Control, Compassion, and Choices, Part 2 of 2. The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, September/October, 28-33.
The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. All rights are reserved.

“If You Can’t Say Anything Nice…” A Tale of Three Adages
VanFleet, R. (2011). “If You Can’t Say Anything Nice…” A Tale of Three Adages. The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, May/June, 27-28, 33.
Winner of the 2011 Maxwell Award from the Dog Writers Association of America for Best Training/Behavior Article in Any Magazine!
The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. All rights are reserved.

The Emotional Dog
VanFleet, R. (2011). The Emotional Dog. The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, January/February, 45-47.
The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. All rights are reserved.

A Case for Using Animal-Assisted Play Therapy
VanFleet, R., & Faa-Thompson, T. (2010). A Case for Using Animal-Assisted Play Therapy. British Journal of Play Therapy, 10, 4-18.
The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission of the British Journal of Play Therapy. All rights are reserved.

Walks with Dogs… for the Sake of Kids
VanFleet, R. (2010). Walks with Dogs… for the Sake of Kids. The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, September/October, 42-44.
The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. All rights are reserved.

Farewell to Fido: Helping Children when Their Companion Dog Dies
VanFleet, R. (2010). Farewell to Fido: Helping Children when Their Companion Dog Dies. The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, July/August, 51-52.
The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. All rights are reserved.

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom: Lessons Learned from a Semi-Feral Dog
VanFleet, R. (2010). Zoom, Zoom, Zoom: Lessons Learned from a Semi-Feral Dog. The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, March/April, 26-29.
The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. All rights are reserved.

Girl Scouts to the Rescue
VanFleet (2010). Girl Scouts to the Rescue! The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, January/February 2010. 41.
The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. All rights are reserved.

Captivating Kids During Dog Training
VanFleet (2010). Captivating Kids During Dog Training. The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, January/February 2010. 38-40.
The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. All rights are reserved.

Canine-assisted Play Therapy Enhances Emotional Growth
VanFleet, R. (2009). Canine-assisted play therapy enhances emotional growth. National Psychologist, September-October, 11.
This article is used with the generous permission of the National Psychologist.

A Psychologist’s View of Crossover Training: Personal & Professional Reflections
VanFleet, R. (2009). A Psychologist’s View of Crossover Training: Personal & Professional Reflections. The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, September/October, 53-55.
The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. All rights are reserved.

What’s This Dog Doing In My Playroom?
VanFleet, R. (2008). What’s this dog doing in my playroom? Play Therapy, 3 (1), 18-21.
This article was a finalist in the Dog Writers Association of America 2008 competition for best feature in a special interest magazine.
The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. All rights are reserved.

The Winning Combination of Kids, Canines, and Play
VanFleet, R. (2008). The Winning Combination of Kids, Canines, and Play. The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, July/August, 36-38.
The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. All rights are reserved.

Engaging Owners Fully in Dog Training: Attitudes and Skills That Work: Part 1
VanFleet, R. (2008). Engaging Owners Fully in Dog Training: Attitudes and Skills That Work: Part 1. The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, November/December, pp. 14-16.
Winner of the 2009 Maxwell Award from the Dog Writers Association of America for best magazine series!
The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. All rights are reserved.

Engaging Owners Fully in Dog Training: Attitudes and Skills That Work: Part 2
VanFleet, R. (2009). Engaging Owners Fully in Dog Training: Attitudes and Skills That Work: Part 2. The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, January/February 2009 issue, pp. 32-34
Winner of the 2009 Maxwell Award from the Dog Writers Association of America for best magazine series!
The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. All rights are reserved.

A Common Bond: Maltreated Children & Animals in the Home (Guidelines for Practice & Policy)
Published by American Humane, this is an important booklet showing the research-based links between child abuse, domestic violence, and animal abuse. It also describes actions that people and professionals can take to deal with these problems and to prevent them in the future. It has been made available here with the full permission and generosity of American Humane.

What Therapy Animals Should Look Like!

What Type of Training Do Therapy Dogs Need?

Building Relationships with Dogs…The Squirrely Way

Fake News in the Animal World: Which Reporters Should We Believe?

Empathy in Animal Assisted Play Therapy: Considering the Animal’s Point of View

Therapy Dogs for Sale: Can Therapy Dogs be purchased?

Are Dogs Really Unconditional?