I think that getting a good training relationship with your dog as early as possible is probably one of the most valuable things that you can ever do for your pet. If you think about it, we are two species trying to live in the same environment with very different social structures and communication methods. Creating a form of communication with them and setting expectations as early as possible can make a massive difference in the quality of life and the dog’s health over their lifetime. Socialization plays a huge role in this. We don't always have control over this process in the prime socialization time if your dog is a rescue or you're adopting them as an adult. Still, when we do have those opportunities, it can make a world of difference.

Behavior modification is creating a plan to change behaviors. We do a fair amount of that here at the clinic regarding our comfort conditioning or cooperative care. In those situations, we're trying to modify your dog’s association with specific procedures. It could be a physical exam. It could be getting their blood drawn. It could be getting an injection. It's just starting to change that association or change that behavioral response to a particular situation or action.

So once we know your dog's healthy physically, but we do have a behavioral problem, oftentimes, we're going to end up working with a certified professional dog trainer. We have a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in Maine now, which is a fantastic resource. In some situations, we can come up with a plan just between you and me. But in other situations, we're going to call in the troops. Have you worked with one of the trainers that we've vetted and felt comfortable with their methods? Or we can even send you over to Dr. Calder, our veterinary behaviorist, to formulate a plan. That could be something as simple as some exercises or homework to do. But it can sometimes also mean adding on some medications or supplements to improve your dog's mental health and make the behavior modification more successful.

Anything that's not working for you in a lot of ways. So you and your dog have a relationship. You live in the same house. You guys need to be able to get along. And that means keeping you and your dog healthy and happy. When we're thinking about things, if you're finding something that your dog is doing is annoying, destructive, and potentially affecting your health, we need to consider that. And that can be something as simple as chewing on things they're not supposed to. It can be jumping behavior. It can be dog aggression when they're out and about. But really anything that you find that affects your relationship or affects your daily life. If it's a problem, then let's talk about it and find a solution.

That's where we come in. So you're going to be able to notice if your dog is limping and therefore not acting themselves. But there can also be subtle changes that we may be able to find on blood work or a physical exam that may indicate an underlying medical issue as a cause of a behavioral problem. Some things that we think about, any kind of pain - whether it's joint pain, stomach pain, or any sort of discomfort - can cause behavioral changes. And that can range from anything from lethargy to anxiety to aggression. So it can be a range of things that can happen. Certainly, neurologic conditions could cause behavior changes. And there is some thought that abnormal thyroid levels may play a role in behavioral issues. I think the jury's still out on that in a lot of ways. But it's always worth evaluating.