I got into this job because I love animals, and I also have a love of psychology and behavior. It was the perfect marriage of passions for me. While working in this field requires me to understand animals, this job is mostly about people. Thankfully, I like people pretty well too! The true work is in helping humans better understand and communicate more effectively with their companions, so I’ve picked up a few things about human behavior and what influences success in relation to animals.  One of the first things I have to begin doing is dismantling misconceptions about the com ..read more

So many times when speaking with people about their companion, we hear the descriptor “stubborn” to describe them. While we know where this sentiment stems from and absolutely sympathize with the frustration, our goal is to help people to start examining that assigned trait and what it really means. While it seems harmless, chalking up their behavior to stubbornness can get in the way of progress towards the goals we have for our animals if we take it to heart.  So first, let’s take a look at the definition of the word stubborn.  stub·born /ˈstəbərn/ adjective having or show ..read more

It can be a lot of fun owning a cat, dog, or bird. They can provide a lot of love and companionship, but there might be some issues with their behavior in certain scenarios. That's where animal behavior training comes in. What are some of the scenarios where you might have to do that? Here are a few to consider. They Have Separation Anxiety Dogs often have this issue, while cats and birds are generally okay if you’re gone for a period of time; though, you may see their faces at the window looking for you if it’s near meal time. Some dogs have no concept of time. which is why they greet you so ..read more

Dogs are the most popular pets in American homes. When you bring a pup home, you may wonder if training is necessary. You may even equate training to teaching them tricks. However, professional training is handy for more than getting your dog to sit or roll over on command. Read on to learn how you and your beloved canine will benefit from professional dog training courses. Socialization Like humans, dogs have different personalities, and some dogs may naturally be friendlier than others to people and animals. It may be hard to predict how well your dog will socialize over time, so training is ..read more

This is my 20 year old male Goffin Cockatoo named Iggy. My husband and I adopted him 1 year ago this month! This picture was taken a day or two after we got him. Iggy wasn't in great shape, but has come a long way since then! Now, we had never lived with a cockatoo up until this point and knew that they could be loud, but truly did not know what we were in for until Iggy was settled in. He's loud. Like......really loud. He will scream bloody murder at the following: "Scary" things on tv. Like wide, panoramic shots, cows, yelling, bright moving colors, laughing, women with heavy make up ..read more

In our job, we understand the importance of looking at the whole picture, which includes evaluating an animal’s environmental experiences, social experiences, learning history and much more. In addition to these many puzzle pieces that come together to make up how behaviorally healthy an animal is, another major piece is being aware of each one’s physical health. We know that physical health and behavioral health are intensely interwoven, which is why when we work with our clients and their furry or feathered friends, we want to do so in tandem with their veterinarian. Working to improve your ..read more

Besides inter-cat conflict cases, inappropriate elimination (aka litter box problems) cases are one of the most common feline behavior concerns that we are presented with. There are a variety of reasons that cats urinate and/or defecate outside of the litter box: A medical cause. This is one of the biggest sources of litter box problems. From urinary tract infections (UTIs) to arthritis, there is much to rule out medically when a cat stops using the litter box. Being declawed. Research has shown that declawed cats statistically have a higher likelihood of having problems using the litter box ..read more

The animal behavior industry in the United States is unregulated. This means that YOU (yes, you) could decide tomorrow that you're a trainer and can charge money for your "services." Individuals are not required to prove that they know anything about behavior before working in the field. With that being said, within the behavior industry there are different terms that professionals use to describe one another that can be helpful in narrowing down what will be the best fit for a potential client: Trainer - This is an animal professional that teaches basic manners like sit, leave it, loose leas ..read more

I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that nail trimming is one of the less glamorous parts of living with animals. With that being said, it's a crucial part of keeping dogs, cats, and birds healthy. Nails that grow too long make it hard for animals to move around. Super long nails change an animal's gait and can make their feet hurt. Some nails can get so long that they curl into an animal's paw pads. Many birds use their feet to eat and groom themselves (just to name a couple of examples), so not being able to perform species-typical behaviors due to long nails can literally be detrimental to ..read more

A term that Jolene and I use frequently when discussing behavior is agency (freedom of choice). When an animal doesn't have agency in a social situation, they are more likely to experience fear and/or stress. The ability to give consent is very much a part of having agency. When animals can't give consent, it can create a feeling of being trapped, which increases the likelihood of the animal shutting down emotionally or becoming proactively defensive (growling, swatting, biting, etc). Giving the opportunity for consent builds trust. It's so common for humans to push themselves onto an animal ..read more