Pet Behavioral Counseling FAQs

Animal Behavior Is a Gateway to Pet Comprehension

Animals rely extensively on behavior and instinctual patterns for their roles, interaction, and relation to the world around them. Noise and vocal projection are one percent of their lexicon. Therefore, understanding how a pet behaves gives a pet owner a tremendous expansion of knowledge of what their animal is communicating. At Connolly Animal Clinic in Florence, AL, we explain the details of this behavioral training,

What Is Veterinary Behavioral Counseling?

Behavioral counseling in Florence, AL, involves explaining why a pet behaves the way it does, particularly with undesirable behavior such as chewing, digging, constant running away, biting, and other acts we as humans deem undesirable. However, the approach goes further than just identifying why the behavior is happening. It also provides pet owners with learning how to change their behavior.

Who Provides the Counseling?

Professionals that deliver the counseling for pets and their owners involve certified trainers and animal behaviorists. The group can also include veterinarians, but those most qualified tend to be counselors certified explicitly in animal behavior studies.

How Is Counseling Different from Training?

Pet trainers focus on convincing an animal to adopt a behavior pattern. This behavioral pattern is done through routine rewards and helps the animal concentrate its attention. Training can produce desirable results, but it is often formula-based. The animal expects a specific response for behaving a certain way. Therefore, training is contingent on a set reward or similar.

How Is Training Determined?

Each animal's pet is different. Therefore, there isn’t a veterinarian counseling approach that fits every pet like a simple cookie-cutter. Instead, the behavioralist determines the most likely causal factors and how to steer the pet toward more positive behaviors. Since each animal is unique in how it responds, a case-by-case approach is taken with sessions that can either be group, private, or day appointments, depending on what is feasible for the pet owner. Remember, successful behavioral change happens with the pet and the pet owner, not just the animal alone.

Behavioral Counseling for Pets in Florence, AL

At Connolly Animal Clinic, our veterinarian-led team can help with behavior needs and understanding a pet. Combined with veterinary science, we can comprehensively evaluate what's happening with a pet. Call us today at (256) 757-5376 to set up an appointment.