Wailani Sung

Dog behavior is shaped by life experiences when they are puppies A new study links stressful puppyhood events to adult dog behavior, such as fear and aggression. Early care and training are crucial.

A recent dog study found adverse experiences in the first six months of life were significantly associated with increased aggression and fearfulness in adulthood. It is important that socialization involves positive exposure and we do not stress the puppies.
www.earth.com/news/dog-beh...

Owning a Cat or Dog Could Boost Brain Health as You Age, Study Finds A recent study found that owning a cat or dog may slow cognitive decline in older adults.

In a new study from Europe, pet parents had significantly slower cognitive decline in older adults. Owning a dog or cat can be cognitively protective as the pet parent ages. Pet ownership supports healthy cognitive aging.
www.verywellhealth.com/owning-a-cat...

Thank you Laura, Kris and NBC for having us, Joybound People and Pets, on the Bay Area Morning show to talk about Clear the Shelter and kittens on International Cat day! #Cleartheshelter #Joybound

nbcbayarea.app.link/VEST6dflGVb

This is a great option for a pheromone diffuser. I know many pet parents who don’t want to use a plug in to their electrical outlet. Thank you SIGNS for giving us another option to use pheromones to reduce anxiety and improve wellbeing! #SIGNS #petwellbeing

So great to learn about this new product from SIGNS. It is a hand sanitizer with dog and cat pheromones included. Yay! Way to go SIGNS looking out for veterinary staff to improve wellbeing and reduce stress in our patients! #SIGNS #veterinarybehavior #petwellbeing

Thank you to the kind anonymous AVMA attendee who went and got this for me and left it next to the speaker podium. You are too kind and generous! This was one of the highlights of the day. The other highlight was nearly 400 people in attendance. Thank you!
#veterinarybehavior #dacvn #AVMA

I’m all set for my presentations tomorrow. Come join me to learn how to diagnose, manage and treat behavioral disorders. Improving the quality of life in your patients improves the quality of life of the pet owners too!

Heading to AVMA/WVAC in Washington, D.C. next week? Join me on July 18th for a full day of veterinary behavior! I'll be presenting a series of lectures on important & challenging topics in behavioral medicine. #AVMA2025 #WVAC #VeterinaryBehavior #VeterinaryContinuingEducation #SeniorPets

For some mental processes, humans and animals likely follow similar lines of thinking. Catherine Falls Commercial/Moment via Getty Images

Animals from monkeys to fish can perform logical reasoning tasks similar to humans. But the type of logic being tested matters, and results can vary widely between species and tasks. An animal behavior expert explains his latest findings: theconversation.com/humans-and-a... 🧪

Rare hunting dogs' unique noses may offer clue to cause of cleft lip and palate in humans It's not entirely understood why some children are born with orofacial clefts, such as cleft lip or palate. But a new study suggests a genetic clue may be found in a rare breed of hunting dog.

Today I learned there are dog breeds with a split nose (Turkish Pointers, Spanish Pachón Navarro, Bolivian Andean Tiger Hound), due to a gene mutation (PDFGRA). Could be a connection with this gene mutation to people with orofacial clefts. medicalxpress.com/news/2025-05...

Opportunities — ASAB

We are seeking a full-time Managing Editor for our journal Animal Behaviour. This editor will be involved in all stages of the publication process & must have a general understanding of the topics covered. Position starts Oct 1, application deadline July 31.

More details:
www.asab.org/opportunities

Researchers have reported on cats that sleep on their left side are at an advantage. Info from the left visual field are processed by the right hemisphere, which processes threats & coordinates escape, and therefore aid in the cat's survival. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.04.043

Association between androgen receptor gene and behavioral traits in cats (Felis catus) Cats (Felis catus) are companions familiar to people worldwide. Despite their popularity, few studies have investigated the genetic background of their behavior. This study aimed to explore the relati...

Researchers found that domestic cats with short type androgen receptor gene had higher “purring” scores. Short-type females had higher “stranger-directed aggression” scores. Genetic data can be used to improve our understanding of cat communication. journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...

Dogs’ olfactory resting-state functional connectivity is modulated by age and brain shape - Scientific Reports Scientific Reports - Dogs’ olfactory resting-state functional connectivity is modulated by age and brain shape

This is study claims that the shape of a dog's head and age affects their sensitivity to smell. Older dogs and round headed dogs may have decreased olfactory performance.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Individual differences in dog brain networks for smelling
www.youtube.com/watch?v=542m...

Ready to join me to talk about behavior medications for shelter pets? Come on down to room 309-312!

Catching up with friends and networking with new connections at the Animal Care Expo 2025!

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed them!

Updates on Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome With early diagnosis and early intervention, veterinarians can help pet owners preserve their pets’ quality of life and mental wellbeing.

Want to learn more about cognitive dysfunction in pets? Please read my latest article on Today's Veterinary Practice: todaysveterinarypractice.com/behavior/upd...

Here are some common signs! If anything seems strange always contact a vet! Pain is different in both cats and dogs 💖