Useful Links

Animal Behavior Society – certifies Applied Animal Behaviorists meeting its criteria
American College of Veterinary Behaviorists
Dog Bites – Dog bites are a very serious situation, and we encourage those with dogs in the home and those considering adopting or rescuing to seek education about how dangerous situations involving dogs can be avoided. This article may do a bit of unintentional finger pointing, but it still illustrates an important point: in the majority of cases, there are warning signs that precede a bite and they are rarely unprovoked. This is a good starting point to learn more about animal behavior and how recognizing certain warning signs may avoid bite situations.
Resource Guarding – Guarding possessions from humans or other animals is normal behavior for dogs. Wild animals who successfully protect their valuable resources—such as food, mates and living areas—are more likely to survive in the wild than those who don’t. However, we find the tendency to guard valued items undesirable in our domestic pets, especially when the behavior is directed toward people. Resource guarding in dogs can range from relatively benign behavior, like running away with a coveted item or growling at an approaching person, to full-blown aggression, such as biting or chasing a person away.