matm, Author at Forrest Animal Behaviour Archive

How does my pets weight affect behaviour?

Weight can affect behaviour choices for our animals, such as: Increased/decreased appetite changes Decreased physical activity Increased aggression Stealing behaviours Resource guarding behaviours General responsiveness Gait changes If your pet is overweight, your dog or cat will be less likely to partake in physical activities and thus have a reduced mental stimulation. This could also…

Do sofa/bed rules matter?

I often hear in my consultations: "I let him on the sofa, which I know I shouldn’t" or "I don’t let him on the bed, as the last trainer said he is dominant" News breaker: Being on the sofa or bed, doesn’t make your dog dominant! Dominance theory has been proven to be an incorrect…

Do medical conditions affect behaviour?

Do medical conditions affect behaviour problems? YES! It has been shown in recent studies that from animal patients seen at behavioural referral centres, that up to 80% of cases had a medical problem contributing to the behaviour, leading to the emotion of PAIN being involved in their diagnosis. If medical concerns are found, they can…

Can you teach an old dog new tricks?

YES YOU CAN! It doesn’t matter how old or how long your companion has performed a behaviour or not performed a behaviour, learning can happen at any age! Yes, it might take longer, yes the route you use might need adapting to suit other medical needs, but the outcome can be just as good as…

Should I walk my dog every day?

Did you know, that it is ok to not walk every day! Part of being a dog owner is setting expectations for your dogs. This means it is actually unrealistic to walk your dog every day for the whole of their life. Following medical procedures for you or your dog, could mean restricted exercise regime.…

How long does it take to fix a behaviour problem?

Unfortunately, behaviour changes are not quick to resolve, they take time and patience. Often these behaviours have emotions, motivations and reinforcers attached to the presentation of the behaviour. They can take months or years to get to the end result. It doesn’t necessary mean you need support for the full time, I will be giving…

Yellow Dogs!

Do you see Yellow dogs? or do you have a Yellow dog? Dogs wearing Yellow means that they need space from you or your dog. Yellow can be seen with their: Leads Harnesses Jackets These dogs might need space due to: Medical issues Recovering from surgery In season Unable to cope with close contact…

What’s better for my cat? Laser toys or conventional toys?

To answer this question, we have to look at the feline play-hunt sequence. When cats play, the behaviours they display are similar to hunting behaviours. Therefore, it is believed that when in play, it is actually perceived by the cat, as a hunting opportunity with a chance of food. During play and hunting, cats follow…

Does at one fit’s all approach work for pets?

Imagine going to your doctors for three different medical problems and each time you get given a blue pill to resolve your issue with no medical assessment. The first time you take the pill, it has no affect. The second time you take it, it works brilliantly within one day. The third time you take…

Are your expectations for your pet too high?

As pet owners, we often have high expectations of our pets. We could ask our pets to perform a task and we expect them to do it the exact same every time. Can I ask... when you go to work each day, your boss expects you to do the same work. Does your performance outcome…