In Press: Nibblett, B. M., Ketzis, J. K., & Grigg, E. K. (2015). Comparison of stress experienced by cats examined in a clinic versus a home setting. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. In this recently published study, Nibblett et al. set out to examine whether cats might experience more stress when examined in a veterinary clinic […]

If you are a fan of the 1983 holiday classic A Christmas Story, you may well remember little Ralphie dreaming of receiving from Santa his very own Red Ryder B.B. gun, amidst shaking heads and repeated admonitions from the adults around him that he will surely shoot his eye out. You might also remember the […]

I have had many clients over the years who complain that they are concerned or embarrassed about their dog’s behavior when playing with other dogs. Some dogs are constantly biting the necks or backs of other dogs, chasing in “dogged” pursuit when the other dog seems to be wanting only to get away, or barreling […]

Dr. Melissa Bain provides a quick overview of environmental factors that can influence an owner’s risk assessment of their pet’s problem behavior, in this excerpt from Psychology Today’s Decoding your Pet series. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/decoding-your-pet/201510/risk-analysis-behavior-problems-environmental-factors-3

Incorporation of behavior into veterinary practice is part of the standard of care, but it can be challenging to know where to begin. This webinar gives learners a taste of things that veterinary practitioners and their staff can begin to incorporate into their everyday practice. http://ucdavisvetmed.wcea.education/searchOnlineTraining/#/training/160854

In this lighthearted video from Business Insider, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist Dr. Stephen Zawistowski explains why most cats crave cavorting in a cardboard box! http://www.businessinsider.com/why-do-cats-like-boxes-2013-6

Hello, I’m a PhD student studying at the University of Sydney in the faculty of Veterinary Science. My current project involves using compiled footage as part of an online questionnaire that features questions on experience, dog emotional state and emotional processing. We are seeking volunteers to complete our online questionnaire. The survey can be found […]

In ongoing recognition of Dr. Sophia Yin, I am presenting here the most recent article posted to her website. In this post, Dr. Valerie Jonckheer–Sheehy discusses how to implement positive reinforcement and desensitization to trim a cat’s nails in an exam room setting. This provides just one example of the implementation of low-stress veterinary handling […]

Dr. Melissa Bain continues her discussion of risk factors for behavior problems in this post from Psychology Today’s Decoding your Pet series. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/decoding-your-pet/201510/risk-analysis-behavior-problems-animal-factors-2

As cooler breezes send auburn leaves fluttering to the ground and kids adorn pumpkins with toothy Jack-o-Lantern grins, many of our pets are gearing up for one of their least favorite holidays. Now, any dog worth his salt could tell you that 4th of July is clearly worse than Halloween, what with all those frightful […]