Dog Behavior

Keeping It Simple

Dr. Suzanne — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:31:31 +0000

During a recent presentation at a conference, we were discussing myths surrounding playing tug of war with dogs. We were explaining that tug-of-war is a cooperative game, not a competitive interaction over which individual is going to control the toy. Several people in the audience mentioned they had heard playing tug-of-war is a good way to build a dog’s “confidence.” What exactly does this mean?

Dog – Dog Aggression is a Serious Problem

Dr. Suzanne — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:18:35 +0000

On July 7th 2009, what animal control officers are calling an American bulldog came at us on a dead run, shortly after we left our house for a walk with our dogs. The dog ran past Suzanne, slipping her collar as Suzanne tried to grab her, and attacked our Irish setter Coral.

What We Dog Owners Live With

Dr. Suzanne — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 23:52:23 +0000

We were made aware of this video by our friend and colleague Dr. Marsha Heinke, a veterinary practice management consultant in Grafton OH. This musical video was made by one of her employees.

There’s no underlying education message connected to this, it’s just fun to watch and listen to. And knowing you love your dogs as much as we love ours, it brings a tear to our eyes to think what life would be like without — dog hair. We too would rather live with TONS of it, than not share our lives with our canine family members. Enjoy!

How to Have a Better Behaved Pet

Dr. Suzanne — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:08:10 +0000

We all want wonderfully behaved pets, but it doesn’t happen on its own just because we wish it. It takes time and effort to create the kind of pet and relationship you want. Here are some basic principles that can help you have a better behaved pet.

Acclimate Your Dog to the Veterinary Hospital

Dr. Suzanne — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 20:41:59 +0000

For many of our pets (and us!), going to the veterinarian is a stressful event. The hospital can be a scary place. It has unusual smells and noises and there may be unfriendly dogs or cats in the waiting area. Things that happen there can be frightening for pets, such as being handled and manipulated by unfamiliar people, having various instruments inserted in body openings, and being given injections. If we do nothing, and simply let our pets have unpleasant experiences, chances are that our pets will become frightened and possibly even aggressive when they go to the veterinary hospital

But it doesn’t have to be that way. By working with your veterinary staff you can make visits pleasant and even down right fun. This is an important topic for us, because we want our dogs’ veterinary visits to be something they enjoy.