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Dogs are man’s and woman’s best friends but there are differences. Unlike most of us they walk on all 4s and they’re somewhat hairier. But like us they’re genetically programmed to look after each other. My dog, Miss America is always on duty. When things go wrong in an animal’s brain it can be difficult to parse apart the details and figure out the cause. Fear is often involved in canine aggression. Anxiety, that waiting for the other shoe to drop can set a good dog up to fail. Effective treatment requires kindness. Pets are excellent models for exercising our kindness because they never grow tired of us and they’ll never leave. When we make mistakes they forgive and they give us a second chance. They won’t grind an axe and they won’t rat you out.
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As Lily headed toward the bedroom she glanced at her cat as a way of getting a read on his mood. She loved Omar but he could be impetuous. At times he was a sweetheart but he could bite – hard. His history included violent reactions when his person brushed him.
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I was just 8 years old when I made my first trip to the animal hospital with my new puppy. I felt inspired by the doctor who examined him. He was kind to me and my new dog. I was fascinated with his work and I was taken with his professionalism. I was hooked. Practicing veterinary medicine is all I’ve ever wanted to do. That childhood dog meant a lot to me but a couple of years later my parents got fed up with his indoor urine mistakes and he was taken to the shelter. Kindness had no place in the discussion. I missed that little guy but I stuck with my plan anyway. Pets aren’t for everybody but they can help bring out our best. I started learning to be a father before I even met my wife Carolyn, who would raise two sons with me. I’d been a…
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Grooming or petting a cat can be dangerous. Watch for dilated pupils and rippling skin. Physical problems can underlie serious aggression.
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As Lily headed toward the bedroom she glanced at her cat as a way of getting a read on his mood. She loved Omar but he could be impetuous. At times he was a sweetheart but he could bite – hard. His history included violent reactions when his person brushed him.
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Lily had just finished putting away her groceries when she walked past Omar, her 2 year old Ragdoll cat. This good lady relied on her fuzzy house mate for more than she might readily admit. They lived alone together in a normal house on a normal street. She seldom went out; Omar never did. As Lily headed toward the bedroom she glanced at her cat as a way of getting a read on his mood. She loved Omar but he could be impetuous. At times his postures and demeanor signaled his discontent with an outdoor scent or sound. There was the occasional rippling of his skin. Maybe there was a person approaching the house or a feral creature in the yard. Often Lily couldn’t relate her expressive cat’s visage to anything in particular. Omar was a bit of a puzzle. Sometimes Lily checked in with Omar specifically because of his…
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During Luna’s first weeks she missed out on gentle social exposures, causing her to be afraid when approached by anyone. Well-meaning human attempts to make friends triggered defensive lunging and snapping. You can side-step fearful encounters for your puppy by providing the kid with choices. Let your puppy choose to interact when he is ready. And NO DOMINANCE moves. Dogs were not put on this earth to challenge us humans for global supremacy
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We share strong bonds with our dogs and cats but there are significant differences between them and their people. Many pet parents get help for behavior problems early but some have to dabble in trying to solve these challenges alone. This often fails. Mark Twain said, “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” No matter how much we think our pets are just like us they need permission to be who they are.
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We never want a scared dog to perceive a threat. No one should ever approach, lean over, or stare at her. She’ll choose to approach when she’s not afraid. She can then learn to divert her attention away from a fear trigger by targeting. With enough repetition your dog will look to you, her reliable leader, whenever she starts feeling a bit wiggy.
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