Anxious Pets 101 with Dr. Gary Landsberg

High anxiety is the cause of many behavior problems of dogs and cats, according to veterinary behaviorist Dr. Gary Landsberg, who is a contributor to a book authored by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, “Decoding Your Dog,” (which I co-edited with Dr. Debra Horwitz and Dr. John Ciribassi). Listen HERE to my conversation about how to identify this anxiety in our pets from my national Steve Dale’s Pet World radio show.

When anxiety or fear is the cause of a behavior problem, (in other words you have anxious pets) punishment can stop the behavior (at times), but simultaneously may create more anxiety or fear, and diminish the relationship we have with our pets. And punishment never illustrates the behavior you do want.

When a pet’s behavior is abnormal, medication may be needed and/or nutritional supplements, to make learning through behavior modification, possible. When a pet is terribly worried or anxious, the pet simply can’t learn.

Landsberg is also a co-author of “Behavior Problems of the Dog & Cat” (co-authored by Dr. Wayne Hunthausen and Dr. Lowell Ackerman).