Optomising emotional health

What is emotional stability

An individuals ability to remain emotionally stable and balanced

What is emotional capacity

The level of emotional arousal that an individual can tolerate without significant or long lasting negative outcome

What is emotional valence

The extent to which an emotion is positive or negative

What is emotional arousal

The intensity of the emotional motivation

What is emotional resiliance

The ability to adapt to stressful situations and cope with ups and downs

What responsiblity to breeders have in emotional stability

• Selection of breeding stock

• Caring for pregnant bitches and queens

• Early rearing of puppies and kittens

What responsibilities do gaurdians have in emotional stability

• Providing optimal physical and social environment according to species specific needs

• Provide opportunity for classical and operant conditioning

• Rewarding appropriate decision making

• Setting individuals up to succeed

What is capacity of arousal decided by

• Genetics of parents and realtives

• Experiences under 7-8 weeks old

• Experiences during first year of life

Which positive emotions motivate behaviour

• Desire seeking

• Social play

• Lust

• Care

Which negative emotions motivate behaviour

• Fear anxiety

• Pain

• Frustration

• Panic-grief

What causes calming

• Sleeping

• Chewing

• Grooming

When is emotional overflow most likely

• Low emotional capacity

• Emotional disorder

• Inappropriate physical or social environment

• Poor emotional resiliance

How do you create adequate emotional capacity

• Appropriate breeding and rearing

• Positive life experiences

How do you establish good socialisation and habituation

• Reduce salience of everyday stimuli

• Create positive associations with everyday stimuli

How do you create optimal emotional resiliance

• Chewing appropriately

• Self directed relaxation

What does emotional intelligence consist of

• Self awareness

• Self regulation

• Motivation

• Empathy

• Social skill

How do you teach emotional intelligence

Expose young animals to a variety of contexts and establishing suitable emotional associations

What are fear anxiety strategies designed to do

• Take animal away from stimulus

• Make stimulus move away from animal

• Limit the potential damage that can be caused by the stimulus

What is the aim of repulsion

Increase the distance from and decrease interaction with the trigger by influencing the trigger to take action

What are the repulsion techniques

• Growling and snarling

• Hissing

• Air snapping and swiping

• Biting

What is the aim of avoidance

Increase the distance from and decrease interaction with the trigger

What behaviours cause avoidance

• Bolting on walks if there are loud sounds

• Moving away from people engaging

• Taking a wide berth around other dogs

• Hiding from visitors

How are avoidance stratergies compromsied

• Leads

• Carriers

• Crowded environments

What is the aim of appeasement

To increase availability of information about the trigger by interacting and offering signs of non-hostility

What behaviours are due to appeasement

• Jumping at people

• Attention seeking

• Urination on greeting

What is the aim of behavioural inhibition

To increase availability of informatiom about the trigger by passively gathering information without delivering any in return