Pet Connections Behaviour Services

11/10/2024

Great advice for interacting with cats for owners and professionals alike

🐱 In the October issue of Feline Focus, Laura Watson RVN takes us back to basics with her article ‘Interacting with cats 101’. Read it now to find out what C.A.T stands for and make sure you are familiar with:

➡️ How to approach a cat
➡️ Touch zones
➡️ Feline emotions and behavioural responses

Find out more about the author Life of a Cat Nurse

🤩 With a free ISFM Nurse Membership, you can view Feline Focus by logging in to https://portal.icatcare.org. Select Forums & Library and head to the Resource Library tab.

Become a author! ✍️ Share something you are passionate about or submit a case report – there are plenty of options. 📧 Get in touch with us at [email protected]

07/09/2024

Adolescence occurs between six months and 18 months of age—a time when guardians typically struggle the most with their dogs. Some guardians are so overwhelmed and underprepared for this developmental stage of their dog’s life, they choose to surrender the dog to a local shelter or rescue group. In a recent study published in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science found that the majority of the surrendered dogs (47.7 percent) ) were between 5 months and 3 years of age (M.D. Salman,John G. New, Jr.,Janet M. Scarlett,Philip H. Kass,Rebecca Ruch-Gallie &Suzanne Hetts, 2010)

The neurobiology of adolescence is fascinating, with some key events that alter both the structure and function of the brain.

During canine adolescence, changing s*x hormones effect the animals stress responses. Adolescent dogs have a decreased ability to process information they are receiving from the environment including the presence of dogs, vehicles, people, or really anything around them. They behave in ways that might feel frustrating or upsetting for the dog’s person.

The connectivity between the frontal cortex (responsible for decision making) and amygdala (responsible for emotional processing) decreases, resulting in less behavioral control. We see increased risk taking and more sensitivity to fear.

So what does this mean? This could mean that what was once no big deal to the dog now feels scary; what was once easy to do is now stressful; what once made sense is now confusing. At times, the world can feel like ‘too much’ for the adolescent dog.

As your puppy undergoes this transition into adulthood their inner world is intense, even chaotic. Many pet owners experience an increase in undesirable behavior and find themselves becoming increasingly frustrated. In turn, our own frustration and impatience can cause us to act unpredictably. This adds to our puppy’s inner turmoil. When the inside and the outside are both unpredictable it can be difficult for our dogs to adjust.

If you have an adolescent dog, what can you do? You can give your dog the time and space to observe what is going on around them when on leash at a distance away from the activity when possible. You can give your dog long walks to sniff and explore in nature, giving their brain time to decompress. You can offer your dog a quiet space to sleep so that they can consolidate memories effectively. You can continue training various skills, breaking them down into easier steps that can be generously reinforced.

By understanding what our adolescent dog is experiencing we gain greater compassion and understanding. When we approach adolescence with patience we create a world that is predictable and gentle so our puppies grow up to be their best adult selves.

09/03/2024

I have just bought this book and it is a GAME CHANGER. I'd highly recommend to any animal professional or pet parent who wants to help their pet with grooming or medical procedures. https://www.amazon.com.au/Cooperative-Care-Seven-Stress-Free-Husbandry/dp/0578423138/ref=asc_df_0578423138/?tag=googleshopmob-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=378729121412&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17645055144353457145&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9068978&hvtargid=pla-602197833300&psc=1&mcid=6cbb168fbf2e3ce38ad77dce1e0faf6c

09/12/2023

https://www.facebook.com/100079403839705/posts/315432647780194/?app=fbl

17/11/2023

https://www.facebook.com/100050588464933/posts/891038389259102/

20/10/2023

If your dog is showing several of these signs, it may be time to seek help from a behavioural veterinarian.

18/10/2023

Often "normal" behaviour is not fixed. It can be how the dog responds to change over time. This is why it may take several training or behavioural therapy sessions before we know if your pet is responding normally.

14/10/2023

Did you know normal dogs spend 10 to 16 hours resting or sleeping? Lack of sleep can be a symptom and a cause of anxiety related behaviours. The ability to return to calm after being stressed is soooo important, if we don't have this then each additional trigger causes an increased response.

13/10/2023

Great advice from our friends at Calm Pet Vet

11/10/2023

The Ladder of Aggression is commonly used in dog training to explain behavioural escalation. One of the most common things I see in dogs with anxiety disorders, is going straight from green to red. One of the aims of therapy is to slow down this response to give the caregiver time to respond.

08/10/2023

Behavioural problems can cause abnormal responses that don't fit the context (who/what/when/where). When starting behaviour therapy, we are looking at whether the behaviours are responding in a "normal" way.

07/10/2023

It can be really difficult, even for veterinarians, behaviourists and trainers, to determine what is a training problem and what needs behavioural therapy. You cannot out-train abnormal brain chemistry or a mental illness. Follow us for more information on how we try to determine if we have "normal" or "abnormal" brain chemistry.

01/10/2023

I often see clients who feel (or have been told) that they are the cause of their dog's behaviour. While the training and environment we provide influences behaviour, there are so many other contributing factors! Using a holistic approach can help us help our pets.

30/09/2023

Setting up your environment for success is so important in training a dog. However, we often ignore (or don't know about) the dog's internal environment. How you feel affects how you behave! Seeing a veterinarian with a behaviour interest can help uncover the internal environment of your dog.

28/09/2023

Sophia Yin started my behaviour and low stress handling journey. I use her teachings every single day. She also reminds me that no veterinary professional is safe from the Black Dog, no matter how good you are.

28/09/2023

Your dog is always learning! We can use our knowledge of sensitive periods to support our pups and teach them how to live in our society. Not sure what a well run puppy school looks like, or how to change your dog's behaviours? Reach out to us!

26/09/2023

25/09/2023

The genetic component of behaviour is important when choosing a dog. If (like me) you have a dog of unknown parentage, it is also helpful to realise that some contributors to behaviour are out of your control.