Well, hello there! My name is Ayriel and you are now reading Ohana Animal Hospital’s new blog on animal behavior! I will be collaborating with Dr. Jennifer Hacker and Dr. Zachary Steffes to make sure I’m providing the best advice and information for all of you and your beloved animal friends.
I want to help you to provide your animals with the best possible care. Behavioral issues are often contributors to aggression, anxiety, feeding problems, vocalizations, and much more. For example, if you’re frustrated with your dog because he/she always chases the cat in the house, is it because the dog is naturally a herding dog? Do you make sure your dog gets exercise every day? Do you provide attention when he/she chases the dog? Does this behavior occur only during certain times? Are there certain environmental variables that could be influencing this behavior? These are all things you must consider before saying that your dog has a behavioral problem.
We will be covering topics such as: enrichment (toys/enclosures/activities for senses/design ideas/games), various behavioral issues (aggression/excessive vocalizations/going to the bathroom in the home/furniture destruction/depression/anxiety/bolting/visits to the vet/sensitivity to noises), and medical Issues that may be contributing to behavioral issues. If there’s a topic you’d like for me to cover, feel free to send Ohana Animal Hospital an email or comment on the Facebook page!
About the Author
Ayriel has her M.S. in Autism Spectrum Disorders with a concentration on Applied Behavior Analysis. Her passion is animal enrichment for animals big and small. Until recently, she worked as a Behavior Therapist providing intensive therapy (using Applied Behavior Analysis) for children diagnosed with severe autism. Additionally, she’s had 15+ years of experience working with and training different animals. She currently works privately with animals and their owners. Ayriel loves to make obstacle courses and homemade toys for her 3 wonderful feline friends.
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