MHERA - Balancing wellbeing with welfare

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This webinar will be live on Wednesday 3rd June at 7pm(UK) and the recording will be available after the live event.

Balancing wellbeing with welfare - An introduction to the MHERA Hedonic Budget in applied behaviour therapy

In this webinar, we will be exploring the difference between welfare and wellbeing, and why this distinction matters in companion animal practice. While welfare typically focuses on preventing harm and meeting basic needs, wellbeing requires sufficient activation of positive emotional systems to manage long-term stable mood states.

This is where the MHERA™ Hedonic Budget works best - as a practical framework for ensuring that wellbeing needs are assessed and supported alongside welfare considerations. Using examples from applied behaviour therapy with companion animals, the talk demonstrates how practitioners can move beyond risk management toward actively building lives worth living.

Karin began her career in animal behaviour therapy after completing her studies in Animal Behaviour Science in the United Kingdom in 1997. She is a published author, a COAPE Certified Animal Behaviourist (C.C.A.B) and sits on the UK Behaviour and Training Charter Director Committee as the CABTi's representative, as well as being an ICAN Certified Animal Behaviourist (C.A.B).

She presents extensively at conferences both locally and abroad about animal emotionality. Karin is the creator of the MHERA method - an intuitive framework for assessing, tracking, and supporting the emotional and behavioural wellbeing of animals. To enhance its practical application, she developed the MHERA App, a professional tool that simplifies assessments and significantly reduces report-writing time for professionals.

MHERA has been successfully implemented across a wide range of species, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and in settings ranging from domestic care to captive wildlife management. Her first book, Mood Matters: MHERA - An Innovative Assessment Approach to Animal Emotionality in the Treatment of Behaviour Problems, was published in 2023 by DogWise (USA). She is currently writing her second book, which explores the application of MHERA to improve the wellbeing of animals living under professional human care.

In addition to her academic and professional contributions, Karin plays an active role in policy and welfare initiatives. She serves on the South African Government’s task team for the safe guardianship of Pitbulls, sits on the AAWHC Welfare Committee and collaborates with the Department of Agriculture’s GDARDE team on the development of wildlife wellbeing protocols.

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Get Some Exercise
In 2014, A University of Illinois Study, led by Dr. Chuck Hillman, found that as little as 20 minutes of exercise can lead to better cognition and memory, and higher scores on tests and examinations. This is great news for dog owners and something that you can definitely take advantage of as a daily walker.

Limit Distractions
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Stay Hydrated
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Read Out Loud
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Teach as You Go
A step beyond reading aloud is to describe the lesson to somebody else. Try and make the subject understood and invite questions. If you don’t have the answer to the question, you have a new area of understanding to explore and study which will help to further your knowledge in a given subject.

Make Notes and Diagrams
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Research
Even when you feel that you have fully understood a subject from the course material, take some time to research further by looking online, reading books or talking to others who are involved in the subject. The study group is a great place to meet like minded people who are also learning new topics.

Review
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Create Flash Cards
Flashcards are a great way to test your knowledge. Write a subject on one side of the card and then explain the subject on the opposite side. You can either draw the cards randomly and test your own knowledge or ask a friend to help.

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1. Purpose

To maintain academic integrity, this policy outlines the prohibition of AI generated content and plagiarism in assessments. Our goal is to ensure that all work submitted by students reflects their personal understanding, effort and original thoughts.

2. Prohibited Conduct

Students are strictly prohibited from: a) Using AI tools to generate any part of their assessment submissions. This includes but is not limited to text, ideas, or structures created by AI. b) Engaging in any form of plagiarism, including but not limited to:

Copying text, ideas, or work from any source without proper attribution

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First Offence: The student will receive notification from their tutor that their work has been flagged as unacceptable due to AI generated content or plagiarism. The submitted assessment will not be accepted. The student will be required to resubmit the work using original content with proper citations where necessary.

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External research is a great way to improve your knowledge on any subject. Often, a course subject will be focused on the specific area that is relevant to the type of course. A course that covers the topic of scentwork may describe the scenting ability of a dog in great detail, whereas a course that covers dog training in general may only include a foundation knowledge of the same subject. For this reason, external research can provide an invaluable way of expanding on specific course subjects.

When you choose to include external research as part of your assessment, it is important that the work is clearly referenced. If you have previously studied at a higher level, you will be aware that there are many ways to reference your research. For the purpose of Canine Principles assessments, we are happy for you to include your references at the end of each answer.

References from online research can be included as a link to the source of the information:

Example:

...During a stressful experience, the canine immune system will begin to shut off nonessential functions in order to maximise the chances of survival. “The body sees no point in digesting food when danger is upon it. Neither does it place emphasis on fighting disease, for it is putting all that effort into fighting the threat on life itself, so the immune system shuts down.”...

(https://canineprinciples.com/fear-dog-physical-illness/ accessed online Feb 2018)

References from printed publications can be included in the following format:

Example:

A common mistake made by dog owners is to misinterpret canine communication in a way that suits our own style of communication and body language. “Anthropomorphism, the attribution of Human characteristics to non-human creatures – to phenomena such as weather, and even inanimate objects like rivers and mountains – is an intrinsic part of human nature.”

(John Bradshaw, In Defence of Dogs P.148)

In both examples, the external research is highlighted as a quotation and clearly referenced.

The following section includes 3 different answers to the same question. All of these answers are correct, however they will each vary in the level of demonstrated understanding.

Question: Describe how you would apply an emergency improvised muzzle to a dog, for the purpose of performing first aid safely.

i. Create a large loop in a bandage and slowly slip it over the dog’s muzzle. Tighten the loop so the dog’s mouth remains closed and he can’t open it. Pass the ends under the chin, knot again and then tie behind the ears to secure it.

This answer describes the correct process of applying an emergency muzzle. The method is correct; however, no consideration has been given to safety. To improve on this, and answer the full question, we can include more detail...

ii. Slowly approach the dog, talking gently. Create a large loop in the gauze bandage and slowly slip it over the dog’s muzzle. At this point, it is best to stand behind the dog. Tighten the loop so the dog’s mouth remains closed and he can’t open it, not so tight as to cause pain. Pass the ends under the chin, knot again and then tie behind the ears to secure it.

This answer has improved and includes personal safety advice. We now have a correct answer that covers the whole question. To demonstrate our understanding of the subject, we can go one step further and cover the whole subject in greater detail.

iii. Any injured dog, no matter how gentle they are normally, can bite when painful or panicked. Unfortunately, an injured animal is highly likely to bite, even if you are trying to help them. You may also be in a situation where you need to help a strange dog during an emergency. It is a useful and important skill to be able to muzzle a dog in an emergency situation. Some people will carry a muzzle in their car for emergency situations. However, you can also use a shoelace or gauze bandage. Slowly approach the dog side on, talking gently to reassure them. Be mindful of the dog’s body language and communication efforts while he is experiencing pain. Create a large loop in the gauze bandage and slowly slip it over the dog’s muzzle. At this point it is best to stand behind the dog to prevent direct eye contact. Tighten the loop so the dog’s mouth remains closed and he can’t open it, not so tight as to cause pain. Pass the ends under the chin, knot again and then tie behind the ears to secure it. NEVER apply a muzzle if the dog is struggling to breathe or vomiting.

This final version is an excellent demonstration of the whole subject. We have added information about the subject of emergency muzzles and included advice for keeping the dog free from additional pain or suffering.

You will receive positive, personal feedback from tutors who are always available to answer any questions and guide you through your learning experience. If you ever have any questions about course material or assessments, you can contact us here via email or through the study group.

Students are also encouraged to support each other, through access to a private study group where discussions and new information are shared daily.

Students are also encouraged to support each other, through access to a private study group where discussions and new information are shared daily.

Canine Principles offers both self-paced and time sensitive courses.

Self-paced - All CPD Diploma Courses, CPD Certificate Courses, Workshops, Webinars and Self Study Courses are completely self-paced learning with no deadlines for assessments or completion.

Qualifications - All regulated qualifications inherit a 2 year registration period. The cost of registration is included with initial enrolment. When the 2 year registration period expires, students may re-register for an additional registration fee. Fees vary by course, please contact us for details.

CPD Courses
Upon successful completion of your course, you will receive 2 certificates. The first certificate is supplied by Canine Principles and the second is supplied by the CPD Standards Office. All Certificates are available to download on successful completion and marking of the final exercise.

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Upon successful completion of your course, you will receive 2 certificates. The first certificate is supplied by Canine Principles and the second is supplied by AIM Qualifications, an independent awarding body. Both certificates will be available as a digital downloads only.

All Other Courses & Workshops
These courses come with a single Canine Principles digital certificate of completion.

You will receive positive, personal feedback from Tutors who are always available to answers any questions and guide you through your learning experience. Tutors will respond to assessments within 48 hours (72 hours during weekends)

Students are also encouraged to support each other through built in student community and private Facebook Study Group. where discussions and new information are shared daily.

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Welcome Back

Your [[[COURSE NAME HERE]]] Is Waiting...

Canine Pain

Guest Webinar

NEW GUEST WEBINAR

Explore the difference between canine welfare and wellbeing

Why this distinction matters in companion animal practice

Guest Speaker

Karin Pienaar

COAPE Certified Animal Behaviourist (C.C.A.B)

Founder of the MHERA method

Karin's Website

Certificate of Achievement

IICE Membership

What methods will I learn?

Who can join the webinar?

Are there any requirements?

Is the webinar assessed?

Ready To Learn

2 Ways to Enrol

Choose a payment option to suit your CPD budget.

Single Payment

£20

Subscribe

£40

Balancing Wellbeing with Welfare WebinarCommitment Free 14 Day Access

Start Your CPD Skill-Hub Subscription Free Trial Today

A Huge Library Of Self-Study Online Dog Courses, Workshops & Resources.

Worth Over £1500

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