Renton Veterinary Hospital Behavior Specialists

Dogs and cats misbehave at times just like children. However, their misbehavior can persist for their lifetime if proper training is not administered promptly. The best pet care Kent WA and training techniques take ample time and repetition to sink in to pets' brains. Dogs tend to have problems with remembering to not potty in the house and chew their owner's things. When they reach one year of age, they may begin barking excessively due to the social anxiety stage. Proper training will turn these behaviors back around and end them for good. Cats cannot be trained in traditional ways, but that does not mean they do not misbehave. Cats can be discouraged from bad behavior such as scratching furniture and going potty outside their litter box by using a squirt bottle or loud noisemaker. Bad behavior should be addressed at the Renton veterinary hospital before entering a training program.

Puppies begin to chew around four months of age to relieve their teething pain. The chewing action soothes the teeth and gums so the puppy can relax while the teeth come in. Additionally, chewing helps the teeth come in much faster. However, this habit could turn quite destructive if the puppy is allowed to chew on old shoes or toys. As the puppy grows, he will continue to prefer the items he used as a teething ring. Giving the puppy appropriate toys from the start will foster a preference for dog bones and chew toys instead of shoes and children's toys. If the puppy does get into something he shouldn't, he can be gently corrected by clapping the hands loudly and saying, "No" in a firm voice. The puppy will immediately drop the item and move away from its vicinity. Once the puppy drops the item, generous praise should be given to the pup. The puppy needs to know that his owner is happy with him leaving the object alone.

Going potty in the house can be a big behavioral problem for dogs and cats. In cats, however, urinating or defecating in the house is likely a sign of a urinary tract infection or other health problem that needs to be addressed. If a cat has pain while going to the bathroom, they will associate that pain with the litter box and choose to avoid it. Puppies may squat and potty on the floor due to confusion about how to signal they need to go out. Puppies will also usually wait too long before requesting to go out so they accidentally mess on the floor instead. Once the puppy has an accident on the floor, it will need to be cleaned up adequately to avoid sending the wrong signal. If any scent from the urine or feces is left on the floor, it will signal the puppy to potty there again. Special enzyme cleaners are available from the Renton veterinary hospital if this behavior becomes a problem.

A veterinarian should look over any animal that is having behavior problems before the owner seeks training. The Renton veterinary hospital will make sure that there are not any health problems causing the pet to misbehave. Acting out is one of the only ways pets have of telling their owners that something is wrong. The Renton veterinary hospital professionals are superb in finding out the root cause of a pet's behavior. If the vet at the Renton veterinary hospital cannot find anything wrong with the pet, it may be a good candidate for extra training. Training programs help pets work through their behavior problems in a positive way. Positive reinforcement training reinforces good behaviors while discouraging bad behaviors. Most pets respond strongly to positive reinforcement training since it is fun and rewarding for them.