Dear Mr. Meisterfeld:

I want to thank you once again for the opportunity of attending your Canine Behavior Psychology Classes, November 3 and 4, 1984, here on campus.

A copy of my report made to the CSUS Animal Care and Use Committee is attached. The Committee was pleased the campus community took an interest in attending these classes. It is hoped Extended Learning will bring you back to our campus at a future date.

Also attached is an article we found in the Wall Street Journal. I you might find the article interesting.

I wish you and your wife much success with these worthwhile classes.

Sincerely,

Ginger Manz, Secretary
CSUS Animal Care and Use Committee

Also from CSUS:

ANIMAL CARE AND USE COMMITTEE

On November 3 and 4, 1984 I attended two classes by C. W. Meisterfeld here on campus, hosted by the CSUS Extended Learning department:

(1) Canine Behavioral Psychology and (2) Psychological Dog Training.

Mr. Meisterfeld is a professional canine psychoanalyst/therapist/trainer with over 35 years experience. Since 1963 he has pioneered the concept and practice of canine psychoanalysis and psychological training. He has written several books and is a California court qualified expert witness for legal cases involving canine behavior.

Mr. Meisterfeld believes that psychological training (training the dog's mind based on mutual respect and developing the dog's second nature - willingness to please and perform for owner) is a better approach than the wolf-pack theory (based on owner forcing dog to submit to hint). He showed how the wolf-pack method did not work well with large aggressive or fearful dogs and could compound shyness or aggression in a dog. With positive, repetitious, consistent reinforcement, new behavior can be taught without any physical hitting, yelling, challenging or use of other emotional responses. If you use force/fear in training, there is no "real" change in behavior since dogs still revert to prior negative behavior when you are not present. "Man changed against his will, is of the same opinion still." This is also true of a dog. It was shown how dog owners were many times at fault for their dogs' behavior (trying to humanize dog, being overly emotional, having inconsistent standards for dog, trying to break dogs' spirit, lack of discipline/training).

It was shown how to test and evaluate canine behavior and some of the causes and cures of canine mental stress and training problems were presented. Video presentations showed "before" and "after" examples of actual case histories.

If the campus is ever in need of such services for class presentations, training of any canine handlers, etc., I feel, Mr. Meisterfeld would be a very worthwhile person to contact.

Ginger Manz

Secretary to Pete Roddy
Secretary for Animal Care and Use Committee