1.2 Understanding normal behavior

UNDERSTANDING NORMAL BEHAVIOR:

• Vet Professionals can provide timely advice to prevent behavioral problems. The best time is during the pet's first few visits so the owner knows what to expect. Before understanding a problem, the VT must understand what is "normal" for the species.
• SOCIALIZATION:
• Canines and felines adjust to social situations throughout their lives. A critical socialization period occurs from 4-14 weeks for puppies & 2-18 weeks for kittens. During these ten and six week periods they learn to interact with their own species and others. They need to be exposed to as much of the world as possible during this period. If not, they can be overly fearful later.
• Exposure to humans & other animals helps the young animal to learn how to respond to future stimuli. E.g. puppies & kittens will adapt to a new owner more quickly when they've been properly socialized during the CRITICAL PERIOD.
• Early socialization & exposure to new stimuli must be positive in nature. E.g. a puppy experiences its first fear period age 8-10 weeks. Pain, punishment and no attention can cause permanent psychological damage during this 2 week phase. Puppies experience a second fear period near puberty which can also create permanent fearful behavior.

Slide 2

• AGGRESSION:
• Aggression is behavior bred from an impulse to harm another being. In animals, occurrences are normal. Preventing aggression is not simple because many factors determine when and where an animal will become aggressive. Socialization and learned fear can help onset of aggression.
• One way to prevent aggressive behavior is through proper socialization during the animal's CRITICAL SOCIALIZATION PERIOD. (Puppies develop fear-induced aggression between 8-10 weeks & near puberty. Castration in canines and felines can reduce the risk of some types of aggressive behaviors.
• ELIMINATION:
• Housebreaking is one of the first behaviors an owner expects a puppy to learn. There are many training techniques for this. A new owner should be counseled on using techniques that don't inflict punishment or negative stimuli (this can damage relationship between owner and pet).
• Implementing a technique that uses the animals natural instinct to eliminate (expel waste) and anticipates need for elimination works better than waiting for the animal to eliminate in the house. POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT techniques work faster than punishment & won't damage relationship.
• Proper housebreaking prevents dogs from being abandoned/euthanized for inappropriate elimination habits. Best way is to familiarize dog with acceptable elimination area & provide rewards for using it. This should be easily accessible location with direct route from door of room. Owner must accompany puppy and reward it, this should be done every 1-2 hours at first. As interval is learned, time can be altered to coincide with need. Pet should be taken to elimination area after waking up, playing, drinking, before sleep & confinement. Rewards for these times should be given.
• Cats instinctively use cat litter. Kittens need easy access as well as clean litter. Litter changed weekly, scooped daily for a clean environment. Kittens are physically and behaviorally immature so box should be within easy access all times (may mean restriction to one area or having multiple boxes around).
• Cats/kittens may stop using it if it isn't easily accessible or private. Traffic, loud noise or cold flooring may stop them. Multiple-cat households may also have an issue, there should be the same number of litter boxes to cats.