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CEVA Practical Pheromone Use: The Road to a Calmer Pet Experience

CEVA Practical Pheromone Use: The Road to a Calmer Pet Experience

Did you know the smells in an environment can affect the stress and anxiety levels of pets? Join Dr. Natalie Marks as she discusses the prevalence of fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS) in pets, how these can create unwanted behaviors, and methods to alleviate this stress for a calmer experience. FAS leads to a stressful experience in the clinic, grooming, or boarding and daycare environments, as well as in a pet and pet parent’s day-to-day lives. Pheromones are a successful tool to help alleviate stress and anxiety in pets. By combining the use of pheromones with the calm clinic approach, you can help create a calmer experience for pets and pet parents.

Brought to you by our friends at Ceva.

From Hiss to Kiss: Feral Kitten Clicker Training

Nancy PetersonClicker training is a simple and fun way to replace unwanted behaviors in frightened kittens with new, desirable behaviors. A tool called a clicker is used. If the sound of the clicker frightens the kitten, a quieter, retractable ballpoint pen can be used. Here’s how it works.

A kitten hisses as you approach the cage. Wait until she stops hissing, click and toss in a treat as close to her as possible, and quietly step back. It shouldn’t take long for her to realize that she gets two rewards when she’s not hissing: a treat and the scary person steps back.

Even if the kitten doesn’t eat the treat, she’s learning. If she eats, repeat your approach, click, treat and back away for two or three more times. If she doesn’t eat after the first few clicks, come back later and try again. Paws up if she ate the treats while you were gone. If she left the treats, carefully remove them and try again the next day with better treats.

What Makes Clicker Training So Effective?

The click lets you capture the exact moment that is being rewarded, and the kitten will make the association between her action and the click and treat. Once the desired behavior is learned, the kitten will let you approach without a click or treat.

Clicker training puts the kitten in control. She chooses to repeat the behavior because she understands that something positive will follow. In a shelter where she may feel like she has lost all control, this is powerful.

You might wonder why clicking is preferable to a “yes” or “good” to mark the behavior. It’s because the kitten will only hear the clicker sound during training, whereas “good” or “yes” are words she’ll hear in other situations. This can confuse her, and the words may lose their meaningfulness. In addition, people’s speech varies, but the sound of the clicker is consistent.

How Else Can Clicker Training Be Used?

When you’re clicker training, you may “catch” the kitten doing something you want repeated. For example, if your goal is for her to come to the front of the crate, click and toss in a treat if she takes even one step toward the front.

As the kitten begins accepting the click-and-treat game, up the ante by putting the treat nearer to the front of the crate. Step back and let the kitten finish the treat. Then, stand still and watch for any movement toward the front of the crate. Click exactly during that movement, give the treat, and step back. The kitten is learning that she can make you click and treat if she moves toward the front of the crate. Once she understands that a step toward the front of the crate is rewarded, wait for her to take two steps before clicking and treating.

When a behavior is understood, give it a name, or cue, such as “Come.” Once the cue is learned, it’s not necessary to click, and rewards can be given less frequently.

How Long Should a Clicker Training Session Last?

Sessions that are five minutes or shorter and more frequent will be more effective than longer, less frequent sessions. Keeping a training log may be helpful to monitor the kitten’s progress and, if you’re working with more than one kitten, reduce confusion on your part.

What Treat and When?

Pick a time when the kitten is hungry and a treat that is pea-size (you can break up a larger treat) and soft so the kitten can eat it quickly. That way she remembers why she got the treat and is more likely to repeat the behavior.

What’s a Target Stick and How Is It Used?

A target stick can be a plastic spoon (easy to disinfect) with a long handle. The goal is to get the kitten to touch her nose to the end of the handle, which you place near the crate door. Hold the spoon end and the clicker in the same hand. (When the clicker is held in the same hand as the spoon, the noise it makes can seem loud to a kitten. If the kitten is frightened by the noise, switch the clicker to the other hand so it’s farther away.)

If the kitten is scared by the handle, smear tasty canned food on the end. The moment she moves toward it, even if she just turns her face to it, click, remove the spoon and toss in a treat. The moment she finishes the treat, offer the handle again. If she doesn’t make any movement, place the handle an inch or two in front of her. Click and treat when she touches the handle with her nose.

Once she reliably touches the handle, offer it to her at a slight distance, so she has to move toward it. Are we having fun yet? Let the kitten absorb the experience, and train again in a few hours or the next day.

What’s the Best Way to Use the Target Stick?

Once the kitten is eagerly touching the target stick, raise the bar by getting her to follow the stick back and forth across the tabletop or onto your lap.

Do Kittens Need to Be Separated for Clicker Training?

Because they learn from one another, it can be beneficial to initially keep kittens together in their crate and train them together. A more frightened kitten may see her bolder littermate getting treats and decide you’re not so bad after all. On the other hand, it may incite aggression between kittens so observe carefully to determine whether to train them together or separately.

Clicker training is fun. It can be used to teach many practical behaviors, such as come, or tricks, such as “high five.” Practice clicker training with your personal pets to help you get the hang of it so you can effectively socialize frightened furballs. You’ll increase their chances of adoption into a forever home, and that’s worth lots of clicks and treats!

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Nancy Peterson worked as a registered veterinary technician, trainer of dogs for people with disabilities other than blindness, and was Community Cats Program Manager for The Humane Society of the United States. She retired in 2015 and currently serves on the boards of Neighborhood Cats and The National Kitten Coalition. Nancy volunteers as a foster and cat cuddler for her local animal shelter, Colorado Animal Rescue (CARE). During COVID, she became an avid birder and is working to protect cats and birds by building bridges between cat and bird advocates.

Resources

“Getting Started: Clicker Training for Cats,” by Karen Pryor

“Fearful Kitten Socialization 101”

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/590a7f1303596e669d422f5d/t/5ed50c3595645801a7a41f3e/1591020601625/Fearful+Kitten+Socialization+101.pdf

From Hiss to Kiss: Feral Kitten Socialization

Nancy PetersonSocialization prepares kittens to interact and be comfortable with people, other animals, objects, environments and activities. It can be very rewarding to turn hissing kittens into purring furballs.

However, when there are so many kittens who need homes, socializing those with the best chance of being adopted is important. Generally, the younger the kittens, the quicker they’ll socialize.

Kitten socialization can take from two to six weeks, depending on their age, personality inherited from their mother, friendliness inherited from their father and their early socialization experiences.

Although feral kittens can be weaned at 4 weeks of age, they have the best chance of survival with their healthy mom. For that reason, trap mom and her kittens when they’re 6 weeks old.

At that age, the kittens are still within the primary socialization window, from 2 to 7 weeks of age, when It’s easiest to socialize them. That said, older kittens may still come around since individuals develop at different rates.

Generally, feral kittens older than 16 weeks should be spayed/neutered, vaccinated, ear tipped (the universal sign of a spayed/neutered cat) and returned to their colony. That frees up cage space and staff time for younger kittens.

Housing the family apart from the general kitten population may be impractical, but options exist. Use a quiet one- or two-person office, which allows the family to become comfortable in an indoor environment and daily human activities.

Place a large wire crate with small openings (so kitten body parts don’t get stuck) on a table in the office. Include a hiding box, facing away from the front of the crate, in the crate. Cover the crate with a lightweight sheet that you retract as the family grows more secure.

Food is one of the best tools for socializing kittens. Kitten kibble should always be available, but toss in small, tasty morsels when you approach the crate so kittens and mom look forward to your presence.

When you feed wet food, first place the bowls toward the back of the crate; stay nearby when you provide wet food and treats to help create trust and positive associations with you. Move closer to the crate each time you feed. Then move the bowls closer and closer to the front of the crate and remain close.

If after three days, mom is still highly stressed and charges you when you approach the crate, spay, vaccinate, deworm, ear tip, and return her to her colony.

Older kittens who have learned to swat and bite and continue doing so 1 and a half weeks after removing mom should be spayed, vaccinated, ear tipped, and returned to their colony.

If the kittens are only hissing and spitting, carry on. However, if one isn’t coming around, house him in another location and work with him individually. You can return him to his siblings once he has progressed.

When they’re eating wet food at the front of the crate, try “petting” kittens on their face and chin with a toothbrush through the crate. Offer your bent forefinger through the crate near their bowl and see if they rub against it.

Don’t offer food on your finger or allow kittens to play with your hand. They may accidentally bite or scratch you, teaching them it’s okay to bite and scratch.

Since most feral kittens are initially frightened by interactive toys, start with one that isn’t too threatening, such as a wand toy, that allows you to play with them from a distance through the crate. Aim for small sessions, while talking on the phone or attending an online webinar, for a total of two hours a day.

Once the kittens allow you to touch them through the crate, try the following while they’re eating in the crate, but not after playing with them as they’ll be too worked up.

  • Rest your hand in the crate.
  • Put light pressure on their sides and gently move them from one food bowl to another.
  • Put gentle pressure on their underside in preparation to being picked up.
  • Lift them slightly, facing away from you, with both hands. Gradually lift them a bit longer and higher.

If there’s no struggling or tension, move one kitten at a time out the door; then quickly return him to the crate. Progress until you can lift the kitten out of the crate to a dish of food placed just beyond the door. If the kitten runs back into the crate, leave the crate door open and see if he ventures out on his own.

Once they’re comfortable outside the crate, briefly cuddle each kitten close to your body so they feel your warmth and heartbeat. When kittens are relaxed being held, cuddle them often. Once they seek your company, have other people provide treats and petting in preparation for the kittens’ adoption into a forever home.

If possible, adopt kittens in pairs or into a home with other friendly cats and no young children whose erratic movements and loud voices would be scary. Inform potential adopters that the kittens were feral and provide adopters with the resources listed at the end of this article so they understand the importance of socialization.

As with all new pets, adopted kittens should initially be confined to a kitten-proofed room with food, water, litter box, bed and toys. Hiding is normal and kittens shouldn’t be grabbed and dragged out. They can be lured with a toy onto their adopter’s lap.

Giving kittens time to adjust by talking, playing, petting and offering special treats will build trust and create a lasting bond.

Resources:

http://torontoferalcatcoalition.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/10-the_behaviour_dept_taming_feral_cats.pdf

https://marketplace.animalsheltering.org/magazine/articles/kitty-their-hands\

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/animal-emotions/202003/the-cat-human-relationship-and-factors-affect-it

https://catvets.com/public/PDFs/PracticeGuidelines/FelineBehaviorGLS.pdf

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Nancy Peterson worked as a registered veterinary technician, trainer of dogs for people with disabilities other than blindness, and was Community Cats Program Manager for The Humane Society of the United States. She retired in 2015 and currently serves on the boards of Neighborhood Cats and The National Kitten Coalition. Nancy volunteers as a foster and cat cuddler for her local animal shelter, Colorado Animal Rescue (CARE). During COVID, she became an avid birder and is working to protect cats and birds by building bridges between cat and bird advocates.

Pandemic Puppies: Puppy Socialization During a Disease Outbreak

Pandemic Puppies: Puppy Socialization During a Disease Outbreak

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the world has had to embrace the concept of social distancing. According to CDC regulations, all humans should remain at a safe distance of 6 feet from each other. This adds an entirely new challenge to the world of puppy socialization and training, as puppies during this period may be practicing social distancing with their owners.

Puppies should still be introduced to their “new” world in the safest ways possible (for puppy and owner). The puppy socialization period has not changed even though our world has. From 6-16 weeks, we still need to be introducing puppies to the human world while keeping ourselves safe from disease outbreak.

Presented by Rachel Lees, RVT, KPA CPT, VTS Behavior, this webinar will:

  • Educate pet owners and pet professionals on the importance of the socialization period
  • Define the terms desensitization and classical counterconditioning and how they are used during the socialization period
  • Educate pet owners and pet professionals on how to work through puppy socialization to objects, sounds, etc. during a pandemic
  • Describe safety techniques and ideas on how to have puppy socialization groups during the pandemic
  • Successfully teach a “name” orientation and recall for a skill to interrupt puppies during play groups

Fear Free Success Stories: Patience for the Win

Kim Campbell Thornton
Whether they are going through training or learning to overcome previous fears, dogs do best when people give them time and space, in tandem with management and—if needed—medication, to develop confidence.

Body Language Messages

I’ve been a volunteer puppy raiser for Summit Assistance Dogs for about seven years. Each year I’ve raised a pup following Summit’s training guidelines based on positive reinforcement and what puppies can handle at each developmental stage. Each pup explores the world in tiny increments based on what they tell me through body language about how the new environment feels to them. Sometimes we don’t even get out of the car if the pup seems to be hesitant. If they’re not ready for a new place, we go somewhere they have already been to build confidence. Each pup is born with unique strengths and levels of confidence. The big and bold ones move through environments more quickly than timid pups. My current pup, Jazz, came to me at 11 months of age. She was timid about change, so we moved slowly and calmly. We joined a scent work class, which allows the dogs to move freely at their own pace. This built her confidence quickly and now she rocks in almost any setting. Watching what your pet tells you through body language (relaxed, happy, withdrawn, cowering) is key to a truly Fear Free companion.

Anne Campbell, Greenbank, Washington

Muzzle, Medication, Management, Magic

Alaska is a three-and-a-half-year-old white German Shepherd, who was adopted from a pet store when she was three months old. Early veterinary visits had caused her to become fearful. Medication didn’t help and she required heavy restraint. Her pet parents called our clinic about taking her on as it had been suggested that she might prefer a female veterinarian.

We requested that they start to get Alaska comfortable with a muzzle at home and to do drop-in visits when our clinic wasn’t busy. They did all this over the course of a month. For the first visit, we asked Alaska’s previous vet to write her a prescription for Trazodone and advised her owner to give it on an empty stomach 12 hours and two hours before the exam, because of the hepatic first pass effect of the drug.

We booked out extra time for the visit. We took down preliminary info like diet, likes and dislikes, activity, allergies, etc., from mom while dad waited outside with Alaska. Her mom told us that at the previous vet, the exam room was small and that Alaska didn’t like being confined, so we pushed our rolling exam table against the counter, leaving an open space in the exam room. We had already started the lavender diffuser and Baby Einstein classical music.

To mask any hospital odor, the tech, assistant, and I washed our hands and exposed arms, dried them thoroughly, and applied Bath and Body Works Stress Relief Eucalyptus and Spearmint body lotion. The pet parents walked a muzzled Alaska into the room and we gave her space to walk and investigate. The assistant crouched to her level, and I sat on the lowered rolling table. We stretched out our arms for her to sniff….no growls! However, her ears were flat back. I called that to everyone’s attention and explained to her parents that she was wary, stressed, and afraid, and that we needed to move cautiously and slowly. As she made her rounds to us and looked us in the face, we closed our eyes or turned away, so we weren’t staring at her, while we talked to her gently and started to stroke her.

We started feeding her peanut butter, and I was able to look at her eyes from an angle, and slowly went to her ears, but she raised her lip at the otoscope, so I stopped and let her regroup. Mom then said she didn’t like ears, feet, or back touched. Eventually, Alaska’ s ears came from flat to sideways elevated to straight up. She nudged the assistant for attention, and I was able to palpate her abdomen, examine her haircoat, and auscultate her heart and lungs. The assistant continued with the peanut butter, mom with bits of chicken, and lots of neck rubs and sweet talk, and I was able to give her four vaccinations. We paused at that point, as she needed to have blood drawn for a heartworm test.

I wish I had grabbed my cell phone; Alaska was lying in the middle of the floor, back legs curled around, front feet outstretched, ears straight up, and if it weren’t for the panting, looking completely relaxed as if she were at home. The parents were amazed and happy; this had never happened before.

While they wanted to get everything done in one visit, I persuaded them that we should stop at this point so she would have a positive visit to build on. (I had squirted some alcohol on a lateral saphenous vein to see how she would take it, and while she didn’t growl, she didn’t like it, so more peanut butter to the rescue.) The owners concurred, and I had them take some Solliquin to start her on, and advised them to come back in a month. In all likelihood we will have to give some IM dexdormitor to draw the blood, but I think we can build on today’s visit. The pet parents couldn’t stop thanking us for taking the time and making the extra effort to understand their beloved dog. I love Fear Free!

Cathy Grey, DVM, Oakdale Animal Hospital, Oakdale, New York

Caring for Canasta

Canasta is fearful of strangers and handling, which makes veterinary visits difficult for both Canasta and her caregiver. I recently started working with Canasta on basket muzzle training and being more comfortable with strangers, but she was in need of bloodwork immediately. Her veterinarian prescribed pre-visit pharmaceuticals, and I worked with the technician to create a handling plan and came to the visit to assist. When Canasta walked in wearing her basket muzzle, I used gentle control to restrain her while the technician drew blood. Canasta even took a treat from the technician when we were done, which is a huge win! Her mother was crying, knowing her dog did so well, and I will continue to work on cooperative care with the caregiver and Canasta.

Tabitha Kucera RVT, CCBC, KPA-CTP, Chirrups and Chatter Cat and Dog Behavior Consulting and Training, and Lyndhurst Animal Clinic, Lyndhurst, Ohio

Want to be featured? Submit your success story here!This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Kim Campbell Thornton is content manager for Fear Free Pets and is a Level 3 Fear Free Certified Professional. She has been writing about dogs, cats, wildlife, and marine life since 1985.
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Fear Free Success Stories: Veterinary Visits for the Win

Kim Campbell Thornton
It’s not unusual for dogs to be fearful of veterinary visits, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Many dogs have benefited from Fear Free techniques to help them get through what was once a frightening event and even learn to love it. Here are some of their stories.

Kindness Worth Traveling For

I’m a Fear Free trainer, but there are no veterinarians I trust in my town, so I travel an hour to TLC Pet Hospital in Albuquerque and have had the most amazing experiences, thanks to the patience, kindness, and knowledge of the staff there. My dogs are fearful, and one is especially vet-phobic after traumatic experiences elsewhere. Some of his past vet visits have been so anxiety-inducing for him that I also end up in tears. But with gabapentin on board and the Fear Free approach from Dr. Long and Sam the veterinary assistant, my dog was wagging, approaching them, licking their faces, asking for pets, and acting like the brave and social dog he is at home. All of us in the room were floored by the change! At the next checkup he took food from them, did some chin-rest stationing with them, targeted their hands, and showed off his tricks. My own fear, anxiety, and stress levels have been drastically reduced thanks to their dedication to Fear Free vet visits. I’ll continue to do the two-hour round trip because I love having a veterinarian who listens to me and treats me like an adult, and because my dogs’ mental and emotional health is taken as seriously as their physical health at TLC. I am so thankful for their care and commitment to Fear Free vet visits and their overall friendly clinic.

Erica Beckwith, CTC, CBCC-KA, Fear Free Certified Professional, A Matter of Manners Dog Training, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Blood Draw Pugcess

Tater Tot is a Pug who needed a dental cleaning. Since he would be undergoing anesthesia, we required blood work beforehand. Tater Tot was generally friendly, soliciting attention and being food motivated, but when we attempted to occlude his lateral saphenous vein, he stopped eating and attempted to bite the technician holding him. He became distressed and tried to back up, so the technician placed him on the floor, where he again tried to bite her. The owner agreed to bring him in later on some anxiety medication.

Tater Tot came in a second time on gabapentin as well as clonidine. He appeared less excited and fidgety, but still sought attention. We offered him baby food on a disc toy and did his blood draw on the floor instead of the table. He ate throughout as we attempted to collect blood from his lateral saphenous veins. After poking both legs without success, we held him in position for jugular venipuncture, performed some brief desensitization and counterconditioning for that positioning, and successfully drew blood from his jugular vein. He went straight back to the baby food after the blood draw.

Maria Marano, The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center, Community Practice, Columbus

Toby Turns Around

I work closely with the veterinary hospitals in my town. The team at Appalachian New River Veterinary Associates (ANRVA) referred Toby to me. Toby was terrified at the veterinary hospital and could not take food, even as a young puppy. I established a rapport with Toby away from the veterinary hospital. I did this using special food and something else Toby loved – play! Toby learned foundation behaviors that gave some predictability to our sessions and helped him feel safe.
The team at ANRVA invited me to work with Toby in the exam rooms during their lunch break. Since Toby already had negative associations at the veterinary hospital, we started those sessions with just Toby’s owners and me. Toby and his owners entered the exam room the first time and surprise – I was there with some extra-special food for Toby (hamburger) and his favorite toy. Toby readily ate the memorable food and played with a toy. He even performed some simple behaviors. We repeated this a couple of times, and by the third time, Toby was excited to get to the exam room. Then we incorporated Dr. Suan Koh into our play and training sessions and, later, Dr. Cathy Kreis. Some of the support staff also got in on the fun.
Toby was successful for many reasons. He had committed owners who took the time to help Toby feel better about his veterinary care. The team at ANRVA is as committed to Toby’s behavioral health as they are to his physical health. They encourage and welcome clients to come in for happy visits with their pets. And, finally, both the owners and veterinary team are committed to positive reinforcement training.

Marge Rogers, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, Certified Fear Free Professional, Rewarded Behavior Continues, West Jefferson, North Carolina

A Win for Maxwell

Maxwell is a 7-year-old retriever/hound mix who was rescued from a hoarding situation with more than 100 dogs. Maxwell was the most fearful of them. We don’t know a lot about Maxwell’s day-to-day life while on the hoarder’s property, but volunteers reported that he was kept in a small shed without much social interaction.
Not surprisingly, he was fearful of people and of being touched or handled. The veterinary facility that provided Maxwell’s initial care was unable to examine him or perform any medical or handling procedures unless Maxwell was placed under anesthesia or heavy sedation. Maxwell would shake uncontrollably and withdraw if any person approached him. Unfortunately, during his initial care, some handling interactions were forced on Maxwell to which he responded by “gator-rolling,” snapping, and inflicting a severe bite to one of the vet techs.
After moving to a foster home, Maxwell was taken to see the wonderful Dr. Lynn Honeckman, owner of Veterinary Behavior Solutions and a Level 3 Fear-Free Certified Professional. She diagnosed Maxwell with severe global fear of people and new environments and started him on a course of daily behavior medication in an effort to reduce his anxiety.
Maxwell did not do well in his initial foster homes, so in December 2018 he moved into a new foster home, where he has remained and is doing very well. During his initial visit as well as his behavior rechecks, Dr. Honeckman recommended introducing Maxwell to cooperative care behaviors and made specific recommendations of pre-visit pharmaceuticals to help alleviate Maxwell’s fear during veterinary visits.
Since December 2018, Maxwell has been a client at Loch Haven Veterinary Hospital (one of the lead veterinarians, Dr. Jim Martin, is Fear Free certified and the entire hospital including all technicians follow the Fear Free approach). Since then, every veterinary visit has consecutively been more positive and more stress-free for Maxwell. Prior to his visits, Maxwell receives a combination of gapabentin and Sileo. His appointments are scheduled during times when the hospital is less busy, and the staff ensures we get put into a treatment room right away, where Maxwell is given ample time to acclimate before any staff enter the room. Physical handling is kept to a minimum and all procedures follow the Fear Free approach. One of Maxwell’s many cooperative care behaviors was to comfortably wear a basket muzzle. Although he has shown zero signs of aggression since switching to Loch Haven Veterinary Hospital, Maxwell now happily wears the muzzle for any physical handling in the exam room, which allows everyone to feel comfortable and at ease. Now – almost a year later – Maxwell no longer (or only rarely) shakes when entering the veterinary hospital. He willingly accepts treats while waiting in the exam room and is eager to perform his chin rest behavior while waiting to be seen. As his foster mom, I am overjoyed by Maxwell’s progress, none of which would have been possible without his dedicated veterinarians. Their care, patience, and understanding in using a Fear Free approach has made a world of difference for Maxwell and we could not be more grateful to them.
In his foster home, Maxwell has blossomed into a happy and playful dog who is particularly fond of his canine housemates. New environments will likely always pose challenges for Maxwell, but at home he has found his happy place.

Daniela Ackerman, Orlando, Florida

Want to be featured? Submit your success story here!

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Kim Campbell Thornton is content manager for Fear Free Pets and is a Level 3 Fear Free Certified Professional. She has been writing about dogs, cats, wildlife, and marine life since 1985.
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Six Client Tips for Puppy Socialization

Six Client Tips for Puppy Socialization

Veterinarians often recommend that new puppy owners actively socialize their puppy during the sensitive socialization period. Well-intentioned pet parents may take that general guidance and inadvertently create, not prevent, problems. In this webinar, Jacqueline Neilson, DVM, DACVB, demonstrates how sharing six socialization principles will allow veterinary staff to help owners make wise choices for socialization that promote the pups’ emotional and physical wellbeing.

Sponsored by Elanco.

Kitten Socialization: Do Kittens Need Kindergarten?

Kitten Socialization: Do Kittens Need Kindergarten?

Getting kittens off to a good start lays the foundation for an adulthood free of fear, anxiety, and stress. But just what does a “good start” mean? What exactly is kitten socialization? What role does genetics play, and what should we be doing for our kitten patients? In this webinar, Dr. Krista Sirois answers these questions and discuss the benefits of establishing a Kitty Kindergarten program in your clinic for your patients, pet parents, and your team.

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