Animal Behaviorist and Pet Expert Harrison Forbes Joins Progressive on Twitter to Answer Pet Questions
MAYFIELD VILLAGE, Ohio — September 2, 2009 — Wednesdays on Twitter mean "#woofwednesday," a popular category used by animal lovers to share tweets about pets.
In keeping with this theme, Progressive invited visitors to its Twitter page on Wednesday, August 26 (which was also National Dog Day) to "tweet" their pet-related questions and concerns live with spokesperson and professional dog trainer Harrison Forbes. At noon, Progressive opened up the forum to tweeters and tweeted back with Harrison's responses their questions.
If you missed it, you can view the full Q & A transcript from the hour-long session.
To keep up with further updates from Progressive on Twitter, follow us at @progressive.
About Harrison Forbes
Harrison Forbes has been an animal behaviorist for over 20 years with an extensive background in police dog training in the United States and abroad. He is the host of Pet Talk, a nationally syndicated radio show that is broadcast to millions of fans nationwide. His credentials include appearances on the Larry King Live show and the Regis and Kelly show.
###
Q & A Transcript
The following represents the discussion, including each question asked (as repeated by Progressive) and the corresponding answer from Harrison Forbes. Because Twitter lists the most recent tweets first, the order of this transcript has been reversed for your convenience; the tweets have been chronologically ordered so the oldest appear at the top.
Kicking off our #progpettalk Q & A in a few minutes. Thanks for everyone's questions so far! Harrison will try to get to everything.
11:55 AM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
A quick tweet to placate the lawyers: the opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent the views of Progressive. #progpettalk
12:00 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
1st Q: @pyfwd one of my dogs gets up in the middle of the nite to play w/the other 2 dogs...need sleep! what to do? #progpettalk
12:03 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
1st A: @pyfwd Most dogs sleep 12-14 hrs during the day. Keep dogs separate at night, or exercise them during day #progpettalk
12:06 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
Q: @CLFatica What techniques can help when leash training a dog? #progpettalk
12:09 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
A: @clfatica For a new pup, getting them used to the collar while doing something fun (like eating) will help. #progpettalk
12:11 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
A: @CLFatica for an adult dog, don't allow dog to lead u. Keep reversing direction if needed, baiting w/treat #progpettalk
12:13 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
Q: @bcarney80 My cat is an outdoor cat. Yesterday began drooling & shaking. Been vaccinated in the past. What should I do? #progpettalk
12:15 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
A: @bcarney80 Take her to the vet to get her checked out soon as you can. #progpettalk
12:17 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
Q: @Tklein102 Lab puppy keeps chewing on everything. Last time he actually chewed through drywall. Anything I haven't tried? #progpettalk
12:16 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
A: @Tklein102 Destructive habits from teething can turn into permanent habits as adult if allowed to go on. Keep pup confined. #progpettalk
12:20 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
Q: @tiseeger I can't seem to get my cat to do her business in the litter box...just everywhere else. What's the trick? #progpettalk
12:21 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
A: @tiseeger Limit the cat's access to the places where it's been going, or try moving the litterbox #progpettalk
12:22 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
Q: @stephieanneg how do i stop my dog from barking when we raise our voices at each other? (such as when we are playing a game) #progpettalk
12:24 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
A: @stephieanneg Calmly move the dog away from the situation to prevent them from getting overstimulated. Don't yell at them. #progpettalk
12:26 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
Q: @dawnetteshelton I have a rescue puppy who squirts on everything. how do i keep him from marking his territory? #progpettalk
12:26 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
A: @dawnetteshelton limit his water intake to planned times during day. as he grows his bladder control will improve #progpettalk
12:28 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
Keep in mind, if they nibble all day, they dribble all day! #progpettalk
12:29 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
Q: @socialbe My dog likes to eat her own poo, what do I do to get her to stop? #progpettalk
12:31 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
A: @socialbe In the vet community, it is one of the most hotly debated issues. No remedy has been found. #progpettalk
12:32 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
Q: @jmsur how can i get my dog to stop jumping up on ppl? #progpettalk
12:33 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
A: @jmsur she's looking for attention! don't reinforce the behavior, just ignore her and keep walking. #progpettalk
12:35 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
Q: @lspuppy We have a baby coming to the house soon. What are some good tips for getting our poodle ready for his arrival?
#progpettalk12:36 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
A: @lspuppy If possible shift pet responsibility to the person who will not be primary baby caregiver. Should be a softer blow. #progpettalk
12:39 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
Q: @AndSobel My kids want a puppy. What are the best breeds for families with children? #progpettalk
12:40 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
A: @AndSobel first, don't get a puppy unless your kids are older than four. #progpettalk
12:42 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
A: @AndSobel make a lifestyle match based on your family's activity level. Research: Petfinder and AKC.org are good resources #progpettalk
12:44 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
Q: @JulesJill Chows are usually very aggressive but I have seen some that are very calm. Is it all about the training? #progpettalk
12:46 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
A: @JulesJill Chows can be a temperamental breed based on genetics and training. #progpettalk
12:49 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
Q: @RDudeA my 6 yr old dog doesn't like people or other dogs is there any way to change this behavior? #progpettalk
12:50 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
A: @RDudeA you CAN teach a new dog new tricks, but you'll probably need the help of a professional trainer. #progpettalk
12:52 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
Q: @shortevey Love my cat but constantly lint roll almost daily and vacuum at least 1x/week. Suggestions for managing pet fur? #progpettalk
12:53 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
A: @shortevey Best way to elminate that is to brush with a groomer recommended brush for 1 minute twice a day. #progpettalk
12:56 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
Q: @kayasmami my dog pees anytime I raise my voice at her or she's in trouble.....can I get her to stop? #progpettalk
12:55 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
A: @kayasmami that's called submissive wetting. soften your body language by turning away and averting your eyes #progpettalk
12:58 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
Q: @bridgesgirl13 My dog eats her dog bed when I'm at work. Short of buying a new bed every month, what can I do? #progpettalk
12:59 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
A: @bridgesgirl13 Give the dog alternatives for his/her frustration #progpettalk
1:01 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
That wraps up our Pet Q & A. thanks for sending in your questions! big thanks to Harrison for joining us. #progpettalk
1:03 PM Aug 26th from TweetDeck
###
