Articles
-
Urination during greetings is common in some dogs, particularly puppies and socially inexperienced dogs. This article explains why it happens and outlines training methods to reduce excitement and anxiety during interactions with people. Guidance is also provided for appropriate greetings and recognizing when veterinary assessment may be needed.
-
When a behavior is harmless, it is probably normal. When a behavior is destructive, disruptive, or places people or other pets at risk, it is not normal. Addressing the problems early, before they become ingrained, is the best hope for avoiding future problems.
-
Chewing is a normal behavior for puppies and adult dogs, but it can be unsafe when non-food items are ingested. Supervision combined with ample access to appropriate, appealing chew toys can prevent and reduce inappropriate chewing. In some cases, destructive chewing is abnormal and may reflect an underlying physical or behavioral illness. Consult your veterinarian if you are concerned.
-
Dogs dig for a variety of reasons. It may be done to accomplish a goal that, to a dog, is reasonable, but it can also be a sign of an underlying behavior disorder. This handout describes the most common causes of destructive digging and methods that can be used to manage it.
-
Enriching a pet's environment with food toys and puzzles at mealtimes can encourage mental stimulation and fulfill the need to forage, effectively increasing daily movement in inactive pets.
-
Dogs can be amazing family members and greatly enrich our lives! Adding a dog to the family is also a serious commitment, and research before choosing a dog will help set the family and the dog up for success. This handout goes over some factors to consider when selecting a dog.
-
Single, traumatic experiences or repeated exposure to frightening stimuli can cause reactions ranging from mild fear to extreme phobias. Medical conditions such as pain have been associated with noise sensitivity in dogs. Dogs that experience extreme fear and/or phobic behaviors need professional intervention.
-
Dogs may become frightened of specific locations due to a traumatic event or negative experience that occurred at the location. Comfortable exposures during a puppy's sensitive socialization period may prevent fear from developing. Treatment includes behavior modification and medication, in some cases.
-
A dog may develop a fear-based response toward people or other animals for a number of reasons, including inadequate socialization, emotional trauma, genetic predisposition, or an underlying medical condition. Dogs indicate fear by using postures such as stiffening, cowering, or moving away. If the trigger remains too close for comfort, a fearful dog can exhibit an aggressive response such as a growl or snap. Dogs that experience intense fear benefit from professional intervention.
-
Fear can be a normal response to a threat, but it can also contribute to emotional and physical distress. Anxiety is the anticipation of fear. Phobias are intense fear responses to relatively benign triggers. Behavior modification and medications may be used to treat fear, anxiety, and phobias in dogs and cats.