Animal Medical Hospital’s Blog

There are so many satisfying moments in the life of a pet owner, but few can truly compete with successful house training. When your pet learns to go to the bathroom (in places you designate and time you approve of), it is nothing short of a life-affirming victory. This is partially because learning this new skill isn’t always easy, and it’s hardly ever quick. 

With that in mind, we welcome you to this endeavor and wish you (and all the flooring in your house) all the best!

Most pets thrive in a routine. They like to know when they will eat, exercise, and see you, naturally. During the past several weeks, though, the routine has probably been one that included lots of at home time. For us, it was a struggle, but for our pets who enjoyed the attention and companionship, it was wonderful. 

Now that many cities have reopened work, school, and other forms of daily life, our pets may be dealing with the abrupt change in routine. Pets often have behavioral and emotional issues when change occurs too quickly. 

This is why the team at Animal Medical Hospital & 24 Hour Urgent Care is here to discuss dealing with change and your pet. 

If your dog has been shaking, you’re probably concerned about what might be causing it.

There are many reasons why you may have a shaking dog, some of them more worrisome than others. While we are always happy to check your pet out at Animal Medical Hospital & 24 Hour Urgent Care, in some situations you may be able to address your shaking dog at home. 

Reasons Dog’s Shake

Reasons for a shaking dog can run the gamut from benign to quite serious, and it can be difficult to know where your pet lies on the spectrum.

Pet shaking may be behavioral, related to pain or other physiological causes, or may be part of an actual medical problem. Shaking can occur due to a pet:

We all do it – observe our pet’s behavior and assume we know what they’re thinking. Sometimes we’re probably right, after all we know our pets better than anyone else. But because our furry friends are members of a different species, there are certain aspects of their behaviors that are bound to be lost in translation.

One of the most important things we’ve learned after caring for Charlotte area pets for more than 35 years is that, when it comes to animal behavior, knowledge is power. Understanding what your pet is trying to tell you is what every pet owner wants, and our animal behavior basics will get you started!

Dogs are full of energy, enthusiasm, and curiosity. They are much like toddlers that way, in the sheer fact that they can get into mischief in the blink of an eye. 

Dogs (of all ages) are also a quick study on which behaviors earn rewards – like your attention. This is all well and good, if they are taught they are taught proper communication and manners. If not, though, these sneaky, and sometimes naughty, behaviors can win out.

There are plenty of ways you can encourage good behavior in dogs. Animal Medical Hospital and 24-Hour Urgent Care is here to tell you more!

Puppies may be quite clumsy at times, but they are actually incredibly skilled. They have the special abilities to leap into our hearts, cover us from head to know in puppy kisses, and make us wonder what life was like before their adoption and homecoming. 

Despite their scrumptious goodness, some puppies have terrible manners. They don’t mean to misbehave, they really just don’t know that there are alternatives to their fledgling canine instincts. Because most owners of young dogs are blinded by their cuteness, we’d like to weigh in on 7 puppy behaviors that can improve over time, and with the right methods.

You know the struggle… You finish a long day of work and all you want to do is crash on the couch and binge watch your favorite series. Exercise can go by the wayside  if we don’t remain loyal to what is best for our health. The same is true in keeping pets active. It’s easy to let those daily walks, runs, hikes, or backyard play get off track when you must be indoors or are too busy to think about it. 

Our pets need exercise and play in order to live a healthy life and to curb bad behavior. A bored pet can gain too much weight or display behaviors like chewing, digging, and anxiety. The team at Animal Medical Hospital & 24 Hour Urgent Care wants to help you keep your fur friend active now and throughout the year with some suggestions.

It may seem counterintuitive, but the best way to get what you want is to ignore the things you don’t. This is true in so many aspects of life, but especially so in the world of dog ownership.

Without a doubt, getting to the root of dog behavior isn’t always as straightforward. And yet, there are multiple ways you can encourage positive dog behavior at home – and in public. 

They Can’t Help It (Most of the Time)

Dogs don’t always look for trouble, but they certainly find it from time to time. At the intersection of curiosity and opportunity, dogs might do things that go against our wishes. The trick is, though, that most of them don’t even realize they’re misbehaving.

Most cats aren’t shy about their attachments to certain routines. They dislike when their food is switched up, when meal times vary, and under no circumstances are they keen on going to the bathroom in strange places. Furthermore, don’t even attempt to throw curveballs at them regarding their preferred type of litter! 

Indeed, cats have very strong opinions about how their litter box looks, feels, and smells. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to transition them to a new normal, especially if the changes benefit the entire household.

If you have had a pet destroy your sneakers, obliterate your television remote, or shed your furniture, you aren’t alone. Animals, as endearing as they are, can be a bit inconsiderate.

Destructive pets can be a problem for your home and a danger to themselves. Thankfully there are some things that you can do to help curb chewing and other unwanted behavior.

Derailing Destructive Pets

When dealing with a destructive pet, it is important to realize that some of these behaviors may be perfectly normal. Dogs dig and chew, cats scratch, and nothing we do as humans is likely to change this. 

When we acknowledge these behaviors as somewhat normal, we can then provide an acceptable outlet for them. Consider: