Dr. Lisa Radosta

03/10/2025

02/10/2025

🐕‍🦺National Walk Your Dog Week is the perfect reminder that exercise isn’t just about movement—it’s about joy, stimulation, and strengthening the bond with your pup. In this week's , I'll answer "How much exercise does my dog need?"

It depends. Some dogs need more exercise than others. The idea of exercise is to stimulate your dog mentally and physically, give them an outlet for excess energy and leave them feeling fulfilled and in need of a short rest.

Exercise is a good thing for your dog if your dog can tolerate it, enjoys it and it is not stressful for your dog. When I see people jogging with dogs in the heat-so often it is a Bulldog or a Husky. I cringe because that kind of heat stress is not healthy for your dog and it could be deadly.

If you have a fearful or reactive dog, outside exercise may be super stressful and does more harm than good. Until you can get help for your dog, it is best to exercise in environments where he feels safe indoors or in your backyard.

Exercise is also a time for you to bond with your dog and there is nothing wrong with that. Put your phone down and enjoy the time with your dog. You will both benefit.

There is a lot of talk in the dog training world about exercising dogs and how it will help with all kinds of behavior problems. The truth is that a couple of case reports and studies have looked at this superficially in dogs and there is no evidence that this is true.

In my practice, I see a lot of well-exercised dogs who are freaking out for whatever reason. It makes sense to me as a type A person who loves to work out. It takes a lot of intensity to get that endorphin rush and even then, it doesn’t last.

🐶Your dog’s exercise plan should fit them—not the other way around. Aim for an average of 30 minutes of fun, non-stressful, stimulating exercise for your dog at least 5 days a week. But remember—what counts as “fun” will vary. The exercise has to match your dog. If your dog looks stressed, switch it up until you find the activity that makes their tail wag.

➡️Tag a friend you walk with or drop your dog’s daily step count in the comments. Want more tips? Just !

01/10/2025

Tracy and I talked about so much more than "Psych drugs" in thie episode of Dog Talk (and kitties too)

Podcast Episode · Dog Talk ® (and Kitties Too!) · 09/29/2025 · 30m

25/09/2025

🐕👩‍👩‍👧‍👦 Being a responsible dog pet parent means keeping your dog on a leash unless he is in a dog designated, off leash area.

Keeping your dog on a leash isn’t just about following the law—it’s about safety and respect.

➡️ Safety for your dog: Even the best-trained dog can bolt if startled by a loud noise, squirrel, or another dog. A leash keeps them safe from traffic and unexpected dangers.

➡️ Safety for others: Not every dog (or person!) wants to meet yours. A leash prevents unwanted greetings and protects fearful or reactive pets.

➡️ Strengthening your bond: Leash walks give you the chance to guide, reward, and build trust. It’s not just control—it’s communication.

Responsible dog ownership means recognizing that freedom doesn’t always mean off-leash. The leash is your dog’s lifeline in a human world. Follow and comment to get more in this series!

23/09/2025

It's back!!!! Fat Bear Week. Been waiting for this years competition. Let's make Chunk (32) the winner! He deserves it.

Are you ready for , where Katmai’s beefiest bruins flaunt their fluff, vying for glory as if they’re the wobbliest, blue-ribbon-winning Jell-O mold at a Midwest state fair?

One of the biggest questions we get during this week is, “How do you weigh the bears?” We get asked a lot of things, but this one is pretty big. Pun definitely intended.

So, how do you weigh the bears? The answer is: once. Just kidding! We could try getting a bear to sit nicely on a scale or just ask them flat-out what they weigh (rude), but good luck finding volunteers for that job. Before you raise your hand saying it’s your destiny, think it over. Who really wants to lug a giant doctor’s scale—one that no one really knows how to use—into the Alaskan wilderness and politely ask a 600-pound grizzly to step on it… before it steps on you? Huh? Anyone? Wow, so many hands are still raised.

Let’s go deeper. In the past, terrestrial LiDAR scanning has been used to calculate estimated volumes of some of the largest bears. However, another tried-and-true method is called “eyeballing it.” Bear with us. Actually, let’s go with “visual estimation” instead. That’s park-speak for eyeing a bear’s big belly, comparing it to, say, a barrel of salmon or a particularly stuffed camper van, and declaring, “That’s a proper unit.” No scales, no tape measures—just years of gawking at chunky bears and guesstimating their size. It’s a gift.

You can practice your best weight-guessing skills starting this week as you vote for your favorite fat bears. Matchups are open for voting from September 23–30, between 12 p.m.–9 p.m. Eastern (9 a.m.–6 p.m. Pacific). Learn more at: https://explore.org/fat-bear-week

Image: Bear 747, Fat Bear Week Champion 2022. Estimated weight: A lot.

22/09/2025

🩺🐾 Aches and Attitudes: How Pain and Disease Shape Canine Behavior

Join me virtually for a thought-provoking live webinar hosted by the Animal Care Foundation of Minnesota as part of their Fall Webinar program.

Discover how underlying pain and medical conditions influence canine behavior—and what that means for your patients and clients.

📅 October 1, 2025
🕛 12:00 PM CST
🎓 RACE-approval Pending | 1.0 CE hour

Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your knowledge and improve the lives of the dogs you care for. Access link in comment for more info.

21/09/2025

"Why does my dog “dig” the floor when she greets certain people? Her body language is wiggly and she seems excited to see them. People always ask me what she’s doing and I don’t have a good answer!"

🐕If your dog’s body is loose, wiggly, she could be overexcited or she could be anxious or conflicted. Sometimes even when dogs are really excited to see someone and they love them, they can be conflicted because they aren’t sure what they need to do to get attention from them. Maybe they have jumped on them in the past and been pushed off or corrected. Maybe they pet the dog for jumping while you tell your dog to get off of them. These types of mixed messages can cause confusion and conflict.

It might be that she is excited to see them and she knows that she isn’t supposed to jump on them because you taught her that, but she doesn’t know what to do instead.

In these types of situations, the “digging” is likely a displacement behavior that’s part of her emotional overflow. In other words, she doesn’t know what to do so she does something that is easy to access.

Here’s what’s going on:
👉 Displacement behaviors happen when a dog has a strong emotional state (like joy, anticipation, anxiety, conflict, panic, fear or arousal) and channels that energy into another, unrelated action—like sniffing, scratching, or “digging” the floor.
👉 It’s her way of releasing extra energy and regulating herself when her excitement levels spike.
👉 Once they feel better while doing this or just afterward, the behavior is reinforced and it is likely to happen in the future.

19/09/2025

18/09/2025

“How can I help my dog calm down when he’s anxious?” 🐶

1️⃣Identify Triggers
Keep a log of when your dog shows stress signs: pacing, panting, barking, lip licking, hiding. You might need to keep a log for a week or even a month depending on how often your dog shows anxiety. Consider all possible triggers, including the weather, your schedule, outings, illness, visitors, etc.

2️⃣ Avoid Triggers
Most pet parents feel that they should start to expose their dog to all the things that cause their dog anxiety. However, if your dog does not have the tools to self-soothe or communicate with you, exposing your dog to those triggers will make your dog worse. Until your dog has the skills needed, avoid all triggers that cause anxiety.

3️⃣ Visit your Veterinarian
Make sure that your pet is physically well and free of pain or discomfort that could be contributing to the anxiety. I’ve seen everything for arthritis to inflammatory bowel disease cause anxiety.

4️⃣ Create Safe Zones
If your pet’s anxiety usually occurs inside of your home, create a sanctuary space where your pet can relax. That takes training on your part, but it can be really helpful. If your pet becomes anxious outdoors, you can use safety cues. Teach your dog to watch you, do a hand-touch (nose to hand), or find treats in the grass to help calm them. If you don’t have strong dog training skills and an understanding of anxiety, your efforts to help your dog could actually make your dog worse. Work with a board-certified veterinary behaviorist and a positive reinforcement force free dog trainer.

5️⃣ Seek Professional Help
If you don’t have strong dog training skills and an understanding of anxiety, your efforts to help your dog could actually make your dog worse. Work with a board-certified veterinary behaviorist and a positive reinforcement force free dog trainer.

6️⃣ Exercise the Brain & Body
Avoid triggers that stimulate your dog’s anxiety as they can become housebound. If walks cause anxiety, it can be challenging to give your dog exercise. Use mental stimulation like nosework games and food toys or play in your yard and in the house to provide exercise.

7️⃣ Loving Your Dog is Ok
Be kind to your dog, hug your dog and pet your dog, if that actually helps your dog calm down. You want to bring down those stress neurochemicals. But if that’s all you ever do, your dog will not know how to self-soothe so make sure to teach coping skills, so they won’t be so reliant on you.

16/09/2025

🚨 Fear-Free Member Webinar 🚨Stressful vet visits don’t have to be the norm. 🐾 Join me on Sept 17 at 12 PM EST for Talk First. Meds Second: Communication for Fear-Free Visits—a 1.0 RACE-approved CE session.

Here’s what I’ll share:
👉 How I use empathy-driven communication to ease client concerns
👉 Practical scripts in plain language to explain pre-visit meds
👉 Team strategies to deliver a consistent message that builds trust & boosts compliance

You’ll leave with real-world tools you can put into practice the very next day—helping patients, clients, and your team breathe easier.

🔗Fear-Free Exclusive Member Event—I’d love to see you there! Log in to your Fear-Free account to attend.

Fear Free Pets

14/09/2025

🐶💊Not every pet with a behavior problem needs medication—but for the ones that do, the right prescription can feel like a miracle.

Think about it: your dog didn’t choose to live in a noisy city, surrounded by trucks, chaos, and constant stress. He can’t opt out of that environment. If every single day feels overwhelming and terrifying, wouldn’t you want help too?

For some pets, medicine is the lifeline that makes their world livable.

As veterinarians, we have FDA-approved options like Reconcile (fluoxetine/Prozac for dogs) and Clomicalm (clomipramine). While these were approved for conditions like separation anxiety, we often use them off-label for other behavior issues. That’s standard, safe, and guided by clinical experience.

Here’s something pet parents should know: brand-name, FDA approved products are generally deliver more consistent results than generics. They have consistent quality, ingredients and results. Whenever possible, if it doesn’t break the budget, ask for the brand name medication.

When a client comes in and says, “If this dog isn’t better in a month, I can’t keep him,” I don’t hold back. I reach for the most reliable tool in my arsenal—the one that gives that dog the very best chance at a better life. Because sometimes, the right medicine can be the difference between despair and hope.

# Clomicalm DOGTV Virbac

13/09/2025

Help! Our colleague, and former UC Davis Behavior Resident Dr. Sun Kim, is doing a research study to help dogs who find vet visits stressful. Please share!