In memory of Dr. Sophia Yin

Thank you Dr. Sophia Yin,

From at least early elementary school, I grew up watching certain TV shows about “so called dog experts who did dog training and rehabilitation for difficult dogs”. While I greatly liked the idea, watching certain parts of these popular TV shows often gave me a lot of mixed feelings - at the time I was not able to pinpoint exactly why I did not like the “training” I was seeing, but it left me feeling uneasy with bad feelings in my body.

I grew up proudly telling myself “I know dogs! I'm super familiar with them because I've lived with dogs my whole life, I love dogs, I know some things from TV, I learned some things from what I’ve heard from other people, and I'm confident in my way!”

While I refused to use the “tsssssssscccchhhhh!” sound paired with “the claw hand/hand biting” and prong collars or shock collars, etc, I did grow up yanking and pulling on the leash, saying “no!” and “hey!”, clapping my hands, and stomping my foot – I remember feeling a lot of (unresolved) anger and frustration during those times, and when my dog “wasn't cooperating” “misbehaving” “being bad” I got very angry and frustrated, which often resulted in me yanking or pulling the leash, saying “no!” and/or “hey!”, clapping my hands, and/or stomping my foot...

After I finally understood the fallout from using of aversive methods, looking back became especially difficult – It can bring up a lot of different thoughts, emotions, feelings, and I occasionally catch myself trying to justify my past usage of aversive methods as "I was just using mild forms of discouragement to keep my best friend safe".

I continue doing my best to understand: "I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.” ~ Maya Angelou (Thank you Colleen Pelar!)

Fast forward from early Elementary School to 2017 - when I was in the beginnings of thinking about if I wanted to work with dogs, the first dog training and behavior book I happened to read was “How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves” by Dr. Sophia Yin.

After reading the book, I wanted to learn more, and I very fortunately stumbled upon Dr. Yin’s Low Stress Handling Silver Certification program.

The Low Stress Handling Certification program gave me a lot more wonderful confirmation bias for what I was looking for – a way to relate to dogs, a way to understand them, a way to show love in ways that dogs actually appreciate, especially dogs with sensitivities.

“How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves” and the Low Stress Handling Certification program totally changed how I operate – with dogs, with myself, with others – they profoundly changed my life!

At the time, I was volunteering at a rescue/shelter, which gave me the opportunity to practice Low Stress Handling with the canine residents. It was amazing how the most sensitive dogs gravitated towards me, and these were often the longest stay residents who were having a hard time connecting with other humans and canines + in general, struggling with the shelter environment.

Dr. Yin, thank you for so eloquently demonstrating and teaching a MUCH better way of interacting with other living animals, including how I interact with myself!

Thank you for giving me much needed confirmation bias, and the foundations that are so instrumental to my approach to working with dogs, for my relationships with myself and others – it is a very ongoing, everyday process.

While I have A LOT of room for improvement, I do the best I can with what I have, and I do my best to truly feel the satisfaction from doing my best, truly understanding that I am enough, and being kind(er) to myself. (Thank you Colleen!)

Learning and practicing Low Stress Handling continues to be life changing – it gives me a framework and rules for a lifestyle that can be very helpful for the dogs + my own physical, mental, and emotional health.

Dr. Yin, I wish you were still here today to continue increasing the Standard of Care for animals, especially for dogs...

Thank you, Dr. Yin! I hope you RIP. You are greatly missed by many. I miss you and Jonesy, a lot - I hope you and Jonesy are now reunited.

For resources + more about the late great Dr. Sophia Yin’s incredible work and her legacy: https://cattledogpublishing.com/dr-sophia-yin/

https://cattledogpublishing.com/blog/the-low-stress-handling-movement-how-sophia-and-her-cattledog-started-it-all/

https://cattledogpublishing.com/blog/free-downloads-posters-handouts-and-more/

Thank you to the team at Cattle Dog Publishing for continuing Dr. Yin's work and her legacy!

-Alex (and the Mister Amore)

Also, thank you Dr. Sally J. Foote, for so many things!