Some dogs suffer from stress or fear arising from:

- separation related problems

- a new pet in the household

- loud noises

- fear of places or things

- a new environment

In the animal kingdom, pheromones are used to communicate between members of the same species. For example, a dog may release warning or sexual pheromones which will affect the behaviour of other dogs. DAP mimics the properties of natural appeasing pheromones released by the lactating bitch which help reduce stress and fear. Read more »

The first 4-6 weeks of a puppy’s life are mainly about survival - getting enough food, competing with littermates for food and warmth, etc. From 6-16 weeks the puppies are learning to socialise - to interact with other dogs and people. Yet this is the age where puppies are taken away from mum and put into a strange new environment, often with no other dogs around. Read more »

Behaviour problems account for approximately 80% of dumped and abandoned pets and for a huge number of euthanasias each year.

The most common complaints are barking, jumping up on people, aggression toward people and other dogs, digging, destructive behaviours, escaping. In cats some common complaints include urine spraying and marking, overgrooming and inappropriate vocalization.

A survey conducted in Eastern Australia in 1998 revealed that over 17% of cat owners and 15% of dog owners were not happy with their pets behaviour. Read more »

One of the most important lessons your puppy or dog should learn is that they must sit before interacting with you or any other human.

You can easily teach a puppy or even a mature dog to sit. Dogs learn at any age, as long as lessons are repeated often enough and teaching sessions are short and fun.

Step 1

• To begin, take a very special food treat like a small piece of cheese, and hold it between the two fingers of a hand.

• Place this hand close to the front of your pet’s nose.

Step 2 Read more »

Fear of thunderstorms is common in dogs, and tends to get worse as they age. It is partly genetic. While some aspects of this problem remain a mystery, we know a lot that can make life easier for thunderstorm-phobic dogs and their families. Best of all, you may be able to help your dog avoid developing this fear in the first place.

Prevention and Precautions Read more »

Puppies and dogs who have never been to places other than their homes can become unable to cope with going anyplace. This becomes a serious problem when the dog needs to go to the veterinarian’s office, to a specialist, or out for any other reason. Socializing to places is essential for a dog’s mental health and for physical well-being, too. Read more »

Ideally every puppy would receive a good foundation of experiences for the ability to cope with all kinds of people as an adult dog. Even if the genetics for temperament in your pup are not the best, or your pup has a bad experience when young, a good foundation of social experiences will give the best chance for a dog to have good social skills. If your puppy comes from two temperamentally-sound parents and is lucky enough to avoid any traumatic experiences with humans during formative months, you might never see problems from lack of good early socialization. Read more »

Do dogs get obsessive-compulsive disorder? We’re not sure. Since dogs don’t use words, no one can interview a dog and find out what thoughts accompany the dog’s behavior.

We see cases of a dog repeating a behavior over and over, though, with resulting harm either to the dog or to others. We’ll call it “obsessive behavior” here, with the understanding that other terms might also apply. Perhaps the dog becomes addicted to the behavior because of stimulating or soothing chemicals it releases in the body. Read more »

Your veterinarian and the veterinary hospital staff are vital people in your dog's life. A dog who copes with veterinary care with no stress about the people, the handling or the place has a huge advantage in life. There's a great deal you can do to help your dog become this kind of dog.

In the Beginning Read more »

Housetraining puppies is easy, right? How hard could it be? Little puppies learn it all the time, right?

Sadly, that’s no longer the case. Most families are now two or more generations removed from farm life. Many people have grown up without dogs and don’t have the ability to read dog body language that comes of being with dogs during the time the human brain most rapidly develops language ability, which is prior to age 6 years. Read more »