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Dental disease is more than just a cosmetic issue. An unhealthy mouth allows bacteria to access the body’s blood supply. This shower of bacteria can cause irreversible damage to the liver, kidneys, joints and heart. The damage would not be immediate but insidious in nature, perhaps not manifesting until years later. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help prevent dental disease. Dental Care Starts at Home Dental care is best started at home with a puppy or kitten. Brushing your pet’s teeth can be a positive experience, but it will take patience, perseverance and a good attitude (from…

Basic Training Cats are usually easy to litterbox train because they are naturally clean and prefer to bury their waste. First, make sure that your cat knows where the litterbox is. Confine your cat to a small area or room with clean water, fresh food, and a clean litterbox until he or she is successfully using the litterbox and seems comfortable. Do not use a covered litterbox during the training period because it might complicate the process. If your cat urinates or defecates outside the litterbox, place the waste in the litterbox; the smell should help your cat find and…

Pavlov found that, over time, animals make associations with certain stimuli that did not elicit a response originally. In Pavlov’s famous dog experiment, the sound of a dinner bell could start a dog’s salivation response, because the dog had learned through previous experience to associate this cue with food. This approach is called classical conditioning. Classical Conditioning and Operant Conditioning Skinner’s experiments explored ways to get animals to repeat or avoid behaviors depending on the consequence of that behavior; for example, he taught lab rats that pulling a lever resulted in a treat appearing in front of them. This approach…