Jill Kessler Miller
Expert Witness in Dogs, Dog Bites and Behavior
"Dogs and Storks"
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I am a licensed Dog and Storks presenter. If you are expecting, have a new baby or small child in the house and have concerns of how to safely live with the child and the dog, I am the one to tell you how!
I am available for private consultations or group classes.
"Puppy Socialization"
"In order for puppies to become better at communicating and have the best opportunity of coping with other dogs, it is so important that they have the possibility of being together with other dogs all the way: all the kinds of breeds, sizes, colors and appearance. It is the best education your dog can get, and it will save you so many problems later."
–Turid Rugaas On Talking Terms with Dogs
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​So, what is Jill's puppy class? Well, to begin with, it's not a class, it's socialization.
One friend said "It's like a Mommy and Me group!" That's because it's not structured, but is IS a lot of fun.
Puppies come and they play. I supervise to make sure no one is bullied or getting over-stimulated. Other than that,
they are allowed to play and "communicate" with each other, to keep up their dog-language skills. They teach
​each other about bite inhibition, approaching with politeness, respecting another's feeling (good and bad), reading intent, etc. It's fantastic and fascinating to watch.
While they run and get tuckered out, we talk puppyhood and ownership. Puppy-parents bring up questions, problems and issues. I answer, counsel and problem solve. Sometimes it's the usual stuff such as digging and housebreaking, sometimes it's more complex such as biting and self-control issues. The day dictates. There are often treats for the dogs, and the people too.
Playtime is at my home, where it is safe and clean. No outside dogs come into my yard and I sterilize with Wysi-Wash frequently. My yard is fenced with stucco and solid wood fences and gates. The dogs are on grass and not cement. I realize many folks are concerned that their pups haven’t finished their vaccine series. I hear you--but times have changed, and isolating your pup actually creates fear issues that can take months, if not a lifetime, to reverse. Veterinarians are now encouraging socialization.
​Here is a position statement form the American Veterinary Behavior Society Association:
" The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior believes that it should be the standard of care for puppies to receive such socialization before they are fully vaccinated." Full article here
Puppy class is open-enrollment, with no commitment as to how many weeks. I also limit it to 4 puppies maximum. I encourage people to bring their children. People come as they want and when they can. But once you've come, you won't want to leave!
This is for pups from 8 to 20 weeks. Please call me at 310-573-9615 to see if there's room for you to join us!
"Doggone Safe at Work"
I am also a presenter for Doggone Safe At Work, a safety program for employees who encounter dogs in their daily work tasks, such as utility and postal workers, package delivery and repair people. The program covers how to size up a situation, how to conduct oneself and handle dogs in those environments. Dog bites cost businesses and society millions of dollars every year. A little education and small amount of prevention can go a very long way in avoiding an accidents.