Posts in Category: Training & Behavior

The short days and cold weather this time of year can have all of us feeling a little glum. Pets can feel the vibe, too, and sometimes are affected by a down mood, just like people. Volunteer Veterinary Hospital hopes to help pet owners recognize if their dog is depressed so that they can help man’s best friend feel better. 

We can all agree that scratching behavior from your cats is no fun, especially if you have young children in the house. 

Discovering the root of this behavior can help curb excessive scratching and hopefully help you have a more peaceful relationship with your cat and their claws. 

Drooling is just a fact of life as a dog owner. Whether it comes in the form of slobbery kisses or drooling before mealtime, this behavior is a natural part of a dog’s digestive process. However, at certain times, you may notice your dog is drooling more than their normal share or slobber. You may be asking yourself, why is my dog drooling? And is this normal? 

The team at Volunteer Veterinary Hospital is here to help you learn what is typical when it comes to your dog’s drool, and when it may be a symptom of something else. 

Your relationship with your pets is likely a strong one, and there are very few things that can change that. At Volunteer Veterinary Hospital, though, we do sometimes see wedges come between animals and their owners. One of the most common reasons we see for trouble in paradise is pet behavior problems. 

Whether it’s chewing up your belongings, relieving themselves on your carpet, fighting with your other animals, or something else altogether, pet behavior problems can really put a strain on the human-animal bond. No matter the issue, though, there are things that you can do and ways that we can help.

How exciting it is when you make the decision to bring a new puppy or adult dog into your pet-loving household. Dogs, while being loyal, loving, and goofy, also require a period of socialization and training. Without these skills, behavioral problems often follow as your pet adjusts to the home. 

If you are a new dog owner and are unsure about how to begin the journey to successfully training a new dog, we have you covered. The team at Volunteer Veterinary Hospital is here to offer some great suggestions to these solid skills for a well behaved dog.

Chances are, your pet has relished in the recent stay-at-home order. Of course, they didn’t realize that your new schedule wasn’t the result of a terrifying contagious disease, they were just happy that you were around. 

Now that life is readjusting to a new normal, you might be preparing to head back to work. Pet separation anxiety can quickly stem from abrupt changes, and we’re here to help.

What is Pet Separation Anxiety?

Pet separation anxiety is caused by a profound fear of being parted from their favorite human. If you think about it, you’ve possibly spent more time than ever before in your pet’s company. It’s natural that they’ll be a little confused when you start to leave without them, and not return for some time.

Fireworks, thunderstorms, summer parties, and the list goes on. Loud noise this time of year is common as we celebrate graduations, ball games, the Fourth of July, and more. It is not so surprising, though, that animal shelters wind up with more lost pets after these loud events. 

If your pet is anxious every time there’s a clap of thunder or firecrackers popping in the neighborhood, you’re not alone. Noise related anxiety in pets is a serious concern for many pet lovers and the team at Volunteer Veterinary Hospital is here to help alleviate the problem. 

In your experience, are great dogs born, or made? In our experience, the latter is true – especially if your best furry friend has been adopted from a shelter or rescue group. If this is the case, we couldn’t be more supportive. Shelter pets are wonderful, loving animals and in most cases with a little TLC, can become lifelong cherished companions. 

But a rehomed pet will likely have at least one behavioral “uniqueness” that may need to be addressed with behavior modification, training, or both. 

Come along as Volunteer Veterinary Hospital explores how to get your newly adopted pet started off on the right foot.