Considerations for the City Dog: Placing and Helping Dogs in Densely Populated Areas

Considerations for the City Dog: Placing and Helping Dogs in Densely Populated Areas

with Melissa McCue-McGrath,

CEUs: PPAB 1, CCPDT 1, KPA 1, PMCT 1, & IAABC 1

In nearly every matchmaking quiz about finding the perfect dog, there are considerations for a pet’s energy level, size, and sometimes there will be mention of if the dog will be ok in an apartment - but very rarely are the environmental impacts of a city mentioned.

Noise from garbage trucks backing up and crashing cans to the sidewalk, straight lines from hallways and sidewalks, and elevators are just a few of the daily obstacles our dogs have to cope with when they move into densely populated areas.

The way cities are built for people is in direct conflict with how most of our dogs comfortably navigate the world, and with more people bringing companions into their condos and high rises, we have to look at how to best match for the environment, too.

Presenter Melissa McCue-McGrath will walk attendees through what makes living in a city harder on our dogs, how to look for city-smart pups who will cope better in these busy environments, and you’ll never look at sidewalks the same way again. This presentation is for those who are presently working in cities or will likely take on clients in densely populated areas; for rescuers and breeders looking for ways to help place dogs appropriately, and for those curious as to how the environment impacts our dogs in a very real way.

About Your Presenter

Melissa McCue-McGrath, CPDT-KA

Melissa McCue-McGrath, CPDT-KA has spent most of the last 20 years focusing on the environmental impact on pet dogs and their families in densely populated areas. She wrote the book Considerations for the City Dog in 2015 to help address some common training and behavior issues in cities.

As part of her work, she has been invited to present at Tufts University, The Broad Institute/MIT, the New England Federation of Humane Societies, and the Boston Museum of Science during their DOGS: A Science Tail! exhibition in 2020. Melissa has been the co-training director of the New England Dog Training Club (the oldest AKC obedience club in the US) since 2012 and is currently teaching at the Animal Welfare Society in Kennebunk, Maine. Her side project, the BewilderBeasts podcast, focuses on stories on the infinite ways in which animals intersect with human conventions. The podcast has a steady worldwide audience and frequently breaks the top 50 in science/nature podcast rankings.

Melissa, her husband, and their daughter moved from busy Boston to a quiet piece of land in Maine in 2022. Joining them in tick-country include their aptly named dog, Captain Love, two ancient cats who will live forever, and the most loved flock of chickens on the planet. For more information, go to www.melissamccuemcgrath.com, listen at BewilderBeastsPod.com, and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or on Instagram.