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What Can You Do?

There is more the veterinary profession can do to foster a healthy and strong HAB.

Start by following these five (5) important steps.

Step 1 – LEARN

As a veterinary professional, you have the opportunity to become more aware and educated about animal behavior and common reasons for relinquishment, as you are demonstrating by taking this course. You can make a difference by continuing to learn about behavior and humane positive management and training techniques.

Step 2 – ASK

You can incorporate routine questions into your history taking process to discover behavior issues. You can proactively ask pet owners about topics such as:

General questions

  • How does your pet react when it hears a loud noise?
  • How does your pet react when a stranger enters your home?
  • How does your pet react to being petted?

Elimination habits

  • How is the house training process progressing?
  • How are you house training your puppy?
  • Describe what occurs when your puppy soils in the house.
  • Describe how you have set-up your food, water and litter box area for your cat.

Resting area

  • Where does your pet spend most of its day?
  • Describe where your pet is spending most of its time?

Activities

  • What activities are you doing with your pet?
  • How often do you do these activities?
  • How does your pet act during these times?

Behavior changes

  • Describe any behaviors that have changed in your pet recently.
  • How has your older dog’s (or cat’s) behavior changed over the past year?

Remember, if you don’t ask you may not know until it is too late!