Posts Tagged animal behaviorist

Mean Kitty! Petting and Biting Syndrome

Posted in .. By Jelena, .: Pet Cats, .: Pet Tips (Other), .: Pet Training • Tags: , , , ,

Does your cat allow only a certain number of strokes before turning and nipping your hand? If so, you’re in good company. Many cats, of all genders, ages, breeds, sizes, and personality types, have the clearly defined behavioral pattern known as “petting and biting syndrome.” Most of these cats allow the same number of strokes during each petting session before biting, but others vary the number of strokes permitted.

The Problem

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Posted on July 3, 2008 by Jelena Woehr • There are no comments, hop to it!

Curing Problem Barking Without a Bark Collar

Posted in .. By Jelena, .: Pet Dogs, .: Pet Training • Tags: , , , , , , ,

I cringe every time I see a dog wearing a barking collar, particularly the type that delivers a painful shock to a dog’s neck. These collars are stronger than many people think. When I put a standard Petsafe bark collar around my own neck and made a barking noise to trigger it, the shock I received was strong enough to make my knees buckle momentarily. It felt like a baseball bat to the throat. While shock collars are perhaps better than a dog losing its home due to problem barking, these painful collars should be used only as a last result. Most habitually barking dogs can become good neighbors using a combination of enrichment, positive reinforcement training, and management of their environment, without ever subjecting the dog to a shock and to the unpleasant potential side effects of punishment, which include fear and aggression.

Honestly Evaluate Your Involvement in the Problem

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Posted on June 13, 2008 by Jelena Woehr • There are 4 comments!