Pet Resource Center
Getting help for your pet
Regardless of your dog or cat's behavior, we offer several free options to help!
Our team of behavior specialists provides enrichment, daily training, and when necessary, additional behavior support to pets in our shelters so that they become the best possible candidates for adoption.
Other resources
Schedule a Behavior Help Line appointment:
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Definition:
"Drop whatever is in your mouth, and I'll give you something even better!"Practical uses:
"Drop it" is useful when your dog picks up something in his mouth that he shouldn't have – your shoe, your child's favorite toy, or a chicken bone, for example. It's also useful for...
Definition:
"Leave whatever you are doing and look at me!"Practical uses:
"Leave it" is useful when you want your dog to stop doing something, whether that is sniffing at someone or something, barking or licking. The dog should immediately stop whatever she is doing and look to you for...
Definition:
"Relax, be calm."Practical uses:
"Settle" should be more relaxed than a "Down-stay" or "Sit-stay"; the dog need not maintain a specific position. You can use it in the waiting room at the veterinarian, or when you are out on a walk and stop to chat with a neighbor....
Definition:
"Sit where you are."Practical uses:
Have your dog sit before you set down his food dish, put on his leash, let him out the door, pet him, etc. This concept is called "say please" and can help to prevent many common problems such as door-darting, jumping up on...
Definition:
"Stay where you are until I return and release you."Practical uses:
Stays are useful when you need your dog to be still while you do something else. They can also help to teach your dog self-control and independence.How to teach:
Start in a quiet place with few...
Definition:
"Watch me, look at my face, and focus on me."Practical uses:
"Watch Me" is a useful behavior when you want to get your dog's focus on you instead of something like another dog, a squirrel, or other temptations.How to teach:
Do something to get your dog's attention–move...Escaping is a serious problem for both you and your dog, as it can have tragic consequences. If your dog is running loose, he is in danger of being hit by a car, being injured in a fight with another dog, or being hurt in a number of other ways....
Dogs can be afraid of a lot of different things. A frightened dog might also do a lot of different things when it's afraid. Scared dogs might freeze, or try to run away, to calm down the scary thing, or to scare away the scary thing. Scared dogs might do...
Is your cat more independent than you would like? Is your cat affectionate but only pays attention to you when he decides? A common misperception about cats is that they aren't affectionate, or only give affection on their terms. Another misperception is that you can't train a cat–but you can!...
Animal shelters throughout the country take in millions of lost cats each year and 99 out of 100 of these cats have no identification. Less than three out of 100 lost cats are ever reclaimed by their owners, and usually one of those three has an identification tag. The owners...
Congratulations! We are very excited that you have decided to adopt a new cat. We want this to be a positive experience so that you and your new cat can live happily together for a long time, so here are some tips for starting your new relationship...