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Behavior & Training

  • Losing weight can be difficult. While feeding a prescription weight loss diet is certainly a good start in a weight loss program for your cat, it is important to remember that food intake is only one part of the problem; energy expenditure is also significant. Encouraging your cat to exercise by playing with him, putting his food in unusual places so he has to look for it, and making him work for his food (e.g., training, foraging toys) will help.

  • Obesity occurs when a cat consumes more calories than they expend. Therefore, managing obesity in cats often requires both dietary changes and increased exercise/activity. There are several methods for increasing activity in cats, including play, using cat trees and climbing structures, outdoor enclosures, and intentional, active feeding practices. Each of these can be beneficial in promoting weight loss.

  • Dogs may become frightened of specific locations due to a traumatic event or negative experience that occurred at the location. Comfortable exposures during a puppy's sensitive socialization period may prevent fear from developing. Treatment includes behavior modification and medication, in some cases.

  • Feather loss occurs either because the bird is truly losing feathers or because the bird, or its cage-mate, is picking out its feathers. Feather Destructive Behavior (FDB) is a general classification that describes the many types of damage a bird can do to its own feathers, including feather picking. Feather loss and feather-picking can also be caused by diseases that result in irritation or pain for the bird, or damage to, or inappropriate growth of feathers. Feather loss and feather-picking are complicated problems. For specific advice, your bird should have a thorough work-up by a veterinarian familiar with birds.

  • Cat food has been made so palatable that it can easily create gluttonous behavior. Meal feeding and portion control are important to prevent obesity. Owners should not give in to begging behavior. Cats that are still hungry after their meal can be supplemented with snacks such as green vegetables recommended by your veterinarian. Cats that eat too quickly can be fed creatively to slow down eating.

  • Dog food has been made so palatable that it can easily create gluttonous behavior. Meal feeding and portion control are important to prevent obesity. Owners should not give in to begging behavior. Dogs that are still hungry after their meal can be supplemented with snacks such as green vegetables recommended by your veterinarian. Dogs that eat too quickly can be fed creatively to slow down eating.

  • Due to their well-deserved reputation as escape artists, ferrets should be housed in a cage that can be securely closed and/or locked. They also need a safe, "ferret-proofed" play area or room where they can explore and investigate while supervised.

  • The Field Spaniel can be a dedicated hunting companion, an enthusiastic hiking partner, eager agility competitor, ecstatic retriever of anything, and contented lap warmer, all rolled into one.

  • Despite being loud, alert and agile when on the chase, Lappies are calm, friendly and very submissive with people. Their gentle disposition makes them ideal dogs around small children and the elderly.

  • The Finnish Spitz, the national dog of Finland, loves to bark, and his barking talents are so valued that every year in Finland, officials select a King Barker. Maybe not the breed for peace-and-quiet lovers, the Finkie, as he is known to his friends, is nonetheless a playful and devoted companion.