Pet Behavior

Does you pet get upset when you show attention to someone else, 2-legged or 4-legged? While their emotions may not be as complex as ours, we as animal lovers have always known that our pets are feeling creatures. Not that we needed confirmation, but we have validation from studies performed by scientists and animal behaviorists. […]

Animals are certainly more attuned to their environment than people are. But do they really sense disasters before they occur? Experts, as they often do, disagree. Before hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, storms, many animals head for the woods and forests where they feel safest. During thunderstorms, lightning flashes produce nitrogen oxides and the smell produced […]

Stress – something we would like to avoid, but impossible to do. Our pets are so attuned to our moods that they experience our stress. This is especially true during holiday times, but can happen anytime. We all lead busy lives these days and we rush to prepare our homes for guests (and ourselves), cooking, […]

Some pets will chew on inappropriate items and those that ingest these things can be at risk for major health problems. PICA is the name given to the eating of items other than food. Coprophagy is a specific type of pica, the eating of feces. Pica is seen in dogs much more often than cats. […]

Have you ever watched your pet curl up on a winter’s day, feet tucked in, tail curled round covering the nose? While it may not look like the most comfortable position for your pet, it offers warmth and comfort. The curled position conserves body heat and while our dogs and cats usually have their own […]

Ever wonder why your dog does the things he does? Scientists have only recently begun studying dog behavior seriously. Dog owners all know that their dogs are intelligent and can understand them pretty well. Researchers are studying how much of the anecdotal stories can be proven scientifically and whether dogs’ behavior has been modified as […]

We humans are not the only creatures that yawn. Apes, snakes, rabbits, fish, some birds and cats and dogs yawn too. We yawn mainly when we’re tired or bored. But cats and dogs do so for other reasons. When pets yawn and stretch, especially when arising, they use all the muscles in their bodies and […]

From studies conducted and my own observations, the results are some pets enjoy being the only one and some enjoy the company of others. Usually, if socialized early with other animals, your pet will enjoy companionship. It can be difficult to train prey animals and predators to live together peacefully. But it can be done. […]

Many pets enjoy burrowing under the bed covers to be close to their humans. That feeling possibly dates back to the time when they slept in dens, close to each other. Burrowing under the covers has an advantage for pet parents too as it can make crate training easier. Placing a blanket in the crate […]

You may be busy at some task only to look up and find your pet staring at you, watching your every move intently. Staring usually means your pet wants something – like food. But there are other reasons pets stare. Some examples can be seeking attention, wanting praise, waiting for direction, inquisitive, defiant, sad. A […]