Dogs in Yellow day

Puppies born in commercial breeding establishments can be properly socialized and be less likely to develop behavioural problems through a simple training programme in their crucial early weeks, welfare researchers were told in a Universities Federation for Animal Welfare online seminar held on 30 June. John Bonner reports…

The importance of providing families with tools and information they need to raise their pets properly cannot be overemphasized. Puppies that are raised by educated owners are more likely to exhibit appropriate and acceptable behaviour, and less likely to develop behaviour problems. This chapter covers pre-selection advice, introducing the puppy into the household, preventing aggression, learning and rule setting, confinement training, housetraining, destructive behaviour, play-biting, jumping up, puppy socialization and training classes, veterinary visits.

A range of separation-related behaviour problems may occur in the partial or complete absence of a pet’s owner. These problems can have different underlying motivations, relating to factors such as fear, anxiety, over-attachment and lack of appropriate stimulation, and require different treatment interventions. The chapter deals with evaluation of the patient, differential diagnosis, treatment of separation-related behaviour problems, prognosis, follow-up, prevention of the problem.