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Pet Health Articles

Behavior & Training

  • A crate for a pet is like a crib, travel sleeper, or playpen for a small child. With gentle training, a crate becomes a safe area that can be associated with resting and sleeping. Cats that are calm in their crates experience less distress when they need to travel, visit the veterinary hospital, or recover from a medical procedure.

  • A crate for a pet is like a crib, travel sleeper, or playpen for a small child. With gentle training, a crate becomes a safe area that can be associated with resting and sleeping. Dogs that are calm in their crates experience less distress when they need to travel, visit the veterinary hospital, or recover from a medical procedure, or stay at a boarding facility.

  • Curly-Coated Retrievers are large sporting dogs known for intelligence, independence, and a distinctive curly coat. The Curly-Coated Retriever is one of the oldest retriever breeds, originally developed for water retrieving and hunting. These dogs are intelligent, confident, and somewhat more independent than other retrievers, while still forming strong bonds with their families.

  • Dandie Dinmont Terriers are live-wire dogs that enjoy rousing play, yet can be as tough as nails when extracting a rodent from its den or when standing up to a challenge.

  • Dexmedetomidine is a sedative and tranquilizer used in the treatment of fear and anxiety in dogs (Sileo) and as a sedative and pain medication in both dogs and cats (Dexdomitor). It is also used off label (extra label) as a pre-anesthetic or tranquilizer in exotic pets.

  • Behavior problems in pets can be due to physical illnesses, behavioral illnesses, or both. In addition, some behaviors that you find undesirable are perfectly normal for a dog. It is always important to identify and treat underlying medical physical conditions once they have been identified. In most cases, physical and behavioral conditions must be treated simultaneously.

  • Dogs exhibit many normal behaviors that can seem unruly. Some dogs are overly active and never seem to settle. Attempts to stop disruptive, normal behaviors using corrections are not typically successful. This handout outlines more effective strategies, including teaching replacement behaviors.

  • Dogs have the same five senses that humans have: the ability to see, hear, smell, feel, and taste. Some of these canine senses are very acute and function at a high level. Some people think that dogs have a sixth sense, but this presumption may be based on how well dogs use and integrate their other five senses. There is no scientific evidence that dogs have a sixth sense, but there are anecdotal reports demonstrating how perceptive they are.

  • Just like people, your dog can mourn when there has been a loss in their world, and the symptoms are similar. There are ways that you can help, with some guidance from your veterinarian or a behaviorist if needed.

  • When choosing a behavior professional to add to your dog's healthcare team, it is helpful to understand what professionals are available, what they do, and how they can help you and your dog. This handout outlines the various roles and specializations of behavior professionals and how to choose, and how to know what is best for your pet.