Behaviour, Handling and Socialisation Flashcards
What is the difference between fear and anxiety?
Fear- worry about something actually happening
Anxiety- worrying about something that might happen
Why is it important to minimise fear and anxiety in a vet practice?
Animal welfare
Safety of all involved
When is fear and anxiety useful and when is it not?
Useful- removing a threat
Not useful- when no treat present
What are the principles of a cat friendly clinic?
Increasing standards of cat care and welfare
Tailored waiting rooms to minimise stress
Suitable hospital environment to keep calm, stress free and quiet
Consult rooms suitable such as non-slip surfaces and no escape routes
Gentle handling, recognise cats fear, allow cat to take the lead and take breaks
How can animals be prepared to minimise fear and anxiety?
Pre-training
Habituation
Positive reinforcement
What is the best way to behave around animals?
Predictably to reduce stress
Quickly respond to body language cues
What do dogs do when fearful?
Flight- running/backing away
Appeasement- showing not a threat, roll over or turn away
Fight- last resort, biting, growling
What are body languages of dogs that show anxiety?
Yawning Panting Licking Snapping Ears back Wide eyes Avoiding eye contact Vocalising Cowering Tail tucked Restlessness Accidents Anorexia Destruction
How do dogs progress up the ladder of aggression?
Initially show subtle signs
If unsuccessful remove threat escalate behaviour
Aggression is last resort as is high risk for them too
When may dogs start with signs high up the ladder?
When signs are ignored in the future they skip unsuccessful behaviours
What body languages do cats show to show fear and anxiety?
Tense body Piloerection Tail swish Ears flat Wide, dilated eyes Crouching and hiding Hissing Scratching Biting
Why do cats show fear body language at the vets?
Feel threatened due to unfamiliar environment and lots of handling
How to examine cats?
Keep in crate where possible
Examine facing away to give idea of control and escape
Keep all feet on table
How to limit cats stress regarding equipment
Quiet clippers Small needles Local anaesthetic Restrain in towel Sedate when necessary
How should you approach cats?
Slowly
Not confrontational
Calm soft voice
Observe but dont stare
What are the sensitive periods for learning?
Puppies- 4-12 weeks
Kittens- 2-7 weeks
What is meant by the sensitive period of learning?
Neural plasticity, open to new learning
Learn what is normal so ensure positive experiences and avoid bad
What experiences should you provide for your puppy in the sensitive period of learning?
Learn how to socialise
Expose to as many noises, smells, interactions, environment
What is habituation and how can it be done?
Learn stimuli and how to respond
Learn what can be ignored in day to day life
Introduced in slow and fun way, recognise when moving too fast
What is sensitisation and how does it happen?
Opposite of habituation
Increasing response to high level stimulus or a stimulus applied when animal is already aroused
Negative experiences that cause fear responses to develop
What is meant by operant conditioning?
Associative learning so animals realise their behaviour has consequences
Behaviour adapts to maximise positive and minimise negative outcomes
Why are puppy classes useful?
Opportunity to learn about the world in gradual and supervised exposure in an enjoyable way
Learn how to interact with humans and dogs
Education for owners
Teach life skills, prevent unwanted behaviour
Uses reward based training
What type of training is the most ethical? Explain how it works
Positive reinforcement
Adding nice in response to behaviour
What is negative reinforcement?
Taking away something nasty in response to behaviour
What is meant by positive punishment?
Adding something bad in response to behaviour
What is negative punishment?
Taking away something good in response to behaviour
Why do both forms of punishment decrease likelihood of target behaviour?
Negative outcome so animal less likely to want to do something
Explain classical conditioning
Associative learning where emotional responses develop in response to neutral stimuli through pairing with reward for another stimuli
Why is dominance in training often misunderstood?
Teaches based on putting dog in place
Dogs in reality has fluid relationships and learn from previous interactions and perform behaviours that will gain access to important resources
