Natural Pet Remedy

This question is for pet owners who are not animal behavior professionals.

Do you want to understand your pet’s behavior or are you more interested in directly eliminating the specific problems your pet has? I am a behavior analyst and I would like to write a manual to help pet owners resolve many of their own behavior problems, or to prevent them from happening in the first place. Trainers have different opinions- some think pet owners need simple info that applies to the specific issue at hand, while others think they need to understand the science of behavior to some extent to really be able to manage problems. (more…)

I work at a vet clinic, and while we had a relief vet this week, she mentioned that at a behavior seminar she had attended, they said that with aggressive female dogs, spaying can make the problem worse because the estrogen isn’t there to mediate the testosterone put out by the adrenal glands. I have been looking this up on the internet and have found conflicting information. I was wondering if anyone here had seen this/heard about it? Before anyone gets on their soap box, I’m not suggesting people not spay and neuter their pets, and I’m not suggesting aggressive pets be allowed to breed and pass on this temperament. And dont’ insult my intelligence by telling me that that spaying/neutering FIXES aggression- I’m educated, and I work in a vet clinic, I have seen MANY aggressive dogs and cats that have been spayed/neutered, and aren’t the tiniest fraction better after. I’m simply asking if anyone has seen the problem get WORSE in female dogs who already have aggression. (more…)