Richmond Animal Behavior Wellness Center

07/05/2024

Thanks so much to our sponsors for helping us plan the day!.com

03/17/2024

Amazing!

02/07/2024

Some decisions can be very difficult, help is out there.

Our Pet Loss Support team offers a FREE Behavioral Euthanasia Support Group for pet owners dealing with the loss of a pet due to behavioral issues. Please know that you don't have to face this alone. Join us for our next session tomorrow at 4pm ET. You're welcome to share your story or simply listen to others who are going through similar experiences. Click here to register today: https://hubs.li/Q02htn330

11/27/2023

Join Tabitha in a captivating conversation with Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Amy Learn of Richmond Animal Behavior Wellness Center as they delve into Amy's personal journey in the field of animal behavior. In this episode, they explore five invaluable tips for veterinary professionals dealing with behavior cases in general practice.

Together, they debunk common behavior myths and provide practical insights to enhance the understanding and management of animal behavior in the veterinary setting.

Tune in for a paw-sitively enlightening discussion!

Listen here or wherever you get podcasts

https://tailsfromrvt.buzzsprout.com/1887137/13999545

10/15/2023

Happy Vet tech week to all my support staff!! Sam, Lily, Lindsay, Lesley, Oliver!!!

Happy National Vet Tech Appreciation Week! We love our ABWC veterinary nurses, Cara and Michelle! We will be celebrating our entire team this week, so help us by showing YOUR appreciation in the comments!

10/05/2023

Good luck to all the Behavior Residents that are sitting for the exam this weekend- brutal but you can do it!! American College of Veterinary Behaviorists

05/10/2023

A WORD ABOUT WAGS
Contrary to popular belief, a wagging tail doesn’t always mean a dog is happy. You may have heard - “I don’t understand why that dog reacted badly to me; his tail was wagging!”

Dogs communicate through so many different types of body language, but the wag and the tail position are probably one of the easier to notice.

As with most things dog behaviour related it depends on the individual dog. Some breeds naturally carry their tails in a different position and some breeds wag their tails differently to others.

Wags and tail positions should always be looked at in context and in conjunction with the rest of a dogs’ body language.

By taking note of how your dog’s tail usually looks or how that tail behaves when they’re really excited or happy to see you, provides a good base line to interpret other types of tail language.

I’m probably odd, but I often watch my dogs’ tails with fascination as they stalk or hunt for something, bark at something outside the gate or see another dog approaching while out walking.

The type of wag and position of their tails gives me so much information about their emotional state.

Although some people won’t agree, I definitely see wags to the right when my dogs are happy and wags to the left when there is arousal, uncertainty, predatory behaviour or other emotions going on.

Not only is the tail an important method of communication but it also plays a role in balance, stability, movement and counterbalancing when a dog quickly changes direction.

I believe that tail docking destroys an essential part of a dog's ability to communicate with other dogs by creating a distinct social disadvantage or misunderstanding as tail signals can’t be read.

People with working dogs believe that tail docking is necessary to prevent tail injuries or improve permormance, but many countries have banned this practice either completely or only under specific medical circumstances.

Start taking notice of what your dog is doing with their tail - you may find it interesting and it may open up a new way of understanding how your dog is feeling.

05/10/2023

Socialisation.
Play is NOT socialisation. Play is a separate and important skill.....but it isn't socialisation.
What is socialisation ?..... Calmness and acceptance.
What it isn't......over excited, scared, hyper, wary behaviour or PLAY.

I know that seems like a big statement to make for some people but society has some strange ideas of what socialisation is.

That doesn't mean dogs and puppies shouldn't play, it simply means one of the FIRST things they need to learn in life is be calm and accepting of dogs in general....then play can be added as a separate skill.

Calmness and acceptance IS socialisation.
Play is play.
Two completely separate things.

Dogs and puppies are a very small part of having a socialised dog. An important small part... but a very small part in a much bigger picture.
The word socialisation seems to be associated with play and that is a big issue with new puppy guardians/owners.

How you let other dogs meet yours and how your dog meets other dogs forms patterns of behaviour.
The more these dogs have over excited, over aroused and hyper behaviour around other dogs...........the more they understand this IS exactly how to meet dogs....and that is really problematic for many dogs.

True socialisation is acceptance and calmness in ALL the world has to offer.
Everything you encounter in everyday life...is exactly what you need to expose your dogs to.

Little and often
Positively and calmly......and you are well on your way to a well socialised puppy or dog.

One of the best lessons you can teach your puppy or dog is they do NOT need to interact with others.
They don't need to go to that hyper excited behaviour when other dogs are near.

They can be calm, assess the situation and choose to play and interact if they wish.....

That is true socialisation.

05/04/2023

We want to congratulate our own Lily Hargis for All the hard work and preparation she put in to pass her KPA exam!! We are so proud and lucky to have her as part of our team!

03/12/2023

01/06/2023

When you punish a cat for exhibiting a behavior you don’t like, it doesn’t stop the behavior. First, it’s important to understand that regardless of how unwanted the behavior is, it serves a purpose for the cat. Your cat isn’t scratching on the sofa or jumping on the counter just to make you mad. Animals engage in behaviors that serve a function (i.e. a pay-off). Additionally, many of the behaviors cat parents view as unwanted, such as furniture scratching, are normal, natural behaviors. When you sq**rt the cat with water for scratching the furniture you may momentarily stop the behavior but the cat has a normal and natural need to scratch. If he gets punished every time he attempts to engage in a normal behavior, he will probably become afraid of you and he’ll also continue the behavior in secret. That’s a very stressful combination.

01/04/2023

Your friendly reminder: Fearful dogs do not need obedience; they need a guardian who will help them learn that the world is safe.

When they feel safe, the barking, hiding, lunging, pacing, etc. become unnecessary.

12/28/2022

A fairly common reason dog owners reach out to us for help is when they experience a sudden behavior change in their dog.

Typical examples are things like:
➡️ a sudden increase in potty accidents
➡️ suddenly starting to display aggression during handling or petting
➡️ suddenly not wanting to go out on walks
➡️ a sudden increase in sound sensitivity

Very often, *sudden* behavior changes are an indicator that your dog may be dealing with a new or worsening health condition.

Over the years, our wonderful veterinary partners have uncovered everything from ear infections, broken teeth, and skin allergies, to tick-borne diseases, inflammation from arthritis, torn ligaments & tendons, parasites, and gastrointestinal issues in our shared clients - when the ONLY symptom present in the dog was a *sudden change in behavior.*

SO, if you notice a sudden change in your dog’s behavior that you can’t link it to a specific life event, learning experience, or environmental change (e.g., “my dog is suddenly having more potty accidents after moving from the country to a new city apartment”), we encourage that your first call should be to your veterinarian, rather than to a trainer or behavior consultant.

Depending on the issue, you & your dog may end up benefitting from some combination of medical intervention *and* training, but exploring potential health contributors is your best first step toward getting things back on track with your dog.

12/24/2022

This time of year brings extra time spent with loved ones, along with great happiness! It's true, this is the season of light and love! But, it can also be stressful. There are decorations to be displayed, shopping to do, tables to set, and meals to cook, family dynamics to navigate...

While we can't make sure your meal doesn't burn, we can give you some tips to make your dog’s holiday safer!

Be on the lookout for some handy enrichment ideas!!!

11/28/2022

Did you know that a lot of aggressive behaviors can have medical causes? Often times when I get someone asking about their dog's "Sudden" aggression the first thing I tell them to do is make an appointment with their vet. There are a myriad of medical conditions that can cause aggressive behavior in dogs. And if we don't treat those, no amount of work done on a psychological front is going to have the impact it could, because we haven't treated the root cause of the problem. And that is that ultimately the dog is not feeling well. I don't know about you, but I am rarely the best version of myself when I am sick, or in pain.

A study being conducted in the UK has released preliminary results. It is doing medical work ups on dogs reported to have aggression, or reactivity issues in the home. The work ups are intense, bloodwork, MRI scans, CAT scans, ultrasounds etc. The kind of work ups that most people are not going to be able to do either due to access or financial constraints. But the preliminary findings is that some 76% of the dogs being worked up on a medical front for "aggressive behavior" have an underlying medical condition. The most common of which was undiagnosed arthritis. What this study is pointing out is that medical causes of behavior are often underdiagnosed. So when you reach out to me with a sudden need, please understand my suggestion of speaking to a vet first is because I want to make certain we address any pain issues before we start so we have full arsenal of available treatments to help your dog!

11/23/2022

Thanksgiving is tomorrow! Here are some safety tips to help your pets:

Enrichment - Give your pet something to help them relax, like a frozen kong, lickimat or long lasting chew.

Management - Having lots of people over can be overwhelming for our pets, and they need a place to decompress from the excitement.

Support - If your pet has struggled in the past, reach out to your vet about medication to help them be less stressed.

Food - Not all food is safe for pets to eat! Make sure you know which foods they can't have and keep it out of reach.

What have you done to help prepare your pets for tomorrow?

11/09/2022

Please read this carefully.

Dog licks are often thought of as doggy kisses. But, it’s actually something to take a step back and notice. And could sometimes be considered a, “Kiss to Dismiss” (more on that below). These licks do trigger some questions that may seem a bit silly to ask in response. Something like, “Describe the licks for me. Fast, slow, and then does the dog move away?”
“Is it a full tongue or a little bit?”
“Full tongue lick or quick flick?”
“Is the child sitting and the dog approaches or vice versa, what level of mobility does the child have, is food present or remnant?

There’s many questions! But, these questions help us gather valuable information to help us understand what the dog may be communicating. At Family Paws Parent Education, we want to help parents consider and recognize that dog licks may not always be what we think they are, “affectionate kisses”, or indications of “love,” but could have other meanings. We refer to this as “Kiss to Dismiss”. If you are curious of these doggy “kisses” and if they are a “Kiss to Dismiss”, ask yourself,
🐶 Is your dog in need of space? (what just happened? Did your baby crawl closer to your dog?)
🐶 Is your dog in need of space and there is a reason they may choose not to move? (example: comfy spot, resource, pain)
🐶 Does this licking deter closeness or lead to an increase in space?

Thank you, Steve Bishop of Bishops Gate Dog Training for this graphic! Steve is also a Family Paws Parent Educator.
We do not recommend baby and dogs interact as shown in these illustrations. Never allow your baby to crawl up to or freely explore your dog in this way.

You can also find him on Instagram at

11/07/2022

Good tip!

10/25/2022

The new educational FGS© Factsheet is available for download in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.

Check it out on our website: https://www.felinegrimacescale.com/

English:https://www.felinegrimacescale.com/_files/ugd/103d43_22a9712fe2f145368a6584aab0abc9aa.pdf

French:
https://fr.felinegrimacescale.com/_files/ugd/103d43_71cb16dc43694c4d8280acfdf8b724c1.pdf

Spanish:
https://es.felinegrimacescale.com/_files/ugd/103d43_6630eaa5783d42e18ff0fcf4fa2e3fe5.pdf

Portuguese:
https://pt.felinegrimacescale.com/_files/ugd/265d09_ffeb7d9c0c5742549d6e812cec0b64f1.pdf

This is all about love and cats! 😍😻

10/18/2022

💖Thank You Vet Techs!

🌟 The key to creating sustainable
careers in veterinary medicine depends on the continued development and utilization of our teams!

🌸The path forward requires higher pay and delegating greater responsibility to our credentialed staff!

💥They are willing, able and educated to take on bigger roles… Empower them to do their jobs and everyone wins!

10/09/2022

I cannot stress enough how just changing ball play to a different game for a more natural outlet like tug, search and find or good person to dog rough housing, impacts a dogs moodstate for the better as well as their physical well being. I am seeing a number of ball obsessed dogs recently that are completely wired and their mental health is suffering. Just replacing the ball play completely has a dramatic effect on sleep, reactivity and more. This is a great infographic from Canine Arthritis Management