Behavior

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Clinical Case Studies

• Clinical Case Challenge: Animal Behavior Clinic (Dog) Case Description
  A 2.5-year-old miniature dachshund named Otto, presented to the Animal Behavior Clinic at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University for the sudden onset of aggression to his owners. The aggression consisted of growling, lunging, snapping and biting. Lifting him, attaching a leash and approaching him while resting triggered an aggressive response. …
• Clinical Case Challenge: Behavior (Dog) Phobias may be related to living or inanimate objects, or noises.

Success Stories

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Research

• Newly identified genomic causes of severe compulsive behavior in dogs could further understanding of human OCD Research led by investigators in veterinary and human medicine has identified genetic pathways that exacerbate severity of canine compulsive disorder in Doberman pinschers, a discovery that could lead to better therapies for obsessive compulsive disorder in people. The discovery appears online in advance of print on February 29 in the International Journal of Applied …
• Newly identified genomic causes of severe compulsive behavior in dogs could further understanding of human OCD

  NORTH GRAFTON, Mass. – Research led by investigators in veterinary and human medicine has identified genetic pathways that exacerbate severity of canine compulsive disorder in Doberman pinschers, a discovery that could lead to better therapies for obsessive compulsive disorder in people.  The discovery appears online in advance of print on February 29 in the International Journal of …

• Animal Instinct Tufts scientists seek to put some evidence behind what we intuitively know is a wonderful thing: our special relationship with the animals in our lives.
• Like Minds The similarities between behavioral disorders in people and animals may lead to breakthroughs in the detection and treatment of autism, OCD and other compulsive disorders.

At Your Service

• At Your Service: Animal Behavior Clinic The Animal Behavior Clinic at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University provides comprehensive services aimed to help pet owners address many common animal behavior problems, including:

  aggression directed at people or other animals, inside or outside of the home;
  anxiety, including specific fears and phobias (e.g., separation anxiety and thunderstorm phobia);
  compulsive disorders, such as tail chasing, …

• At Your Service: Behavior Tufts Animal Behavior Clinic offers numerous avenues for owners to obtain help with their pet’s behavior problems–including owners who live too far away to travel for a traditional appointment.

Client Education

• Animal Instinct Tufts scientists seek to put some evidence behind what we intuitively know is a wonderful thing: our special relationship with the animals in our lives.
• Like Minds The similarities between behavioral disorders in people and animals may lead to breakthroughs in the detection and treatment of autism, OCD and other compulsive disorders.
• Preventing Everyday Pet Accidents Unfortunately, accidents happen and for even the most careful and dedicated pet owners, sometimes there’s nothing you can do to prevent them. Knowing who to call in the event of an emergency will ensure your pet receives the best possible care. What’s also important to know is that there are some steps you can take …
• Not Guilty Bad behavior doesn’t land dogs in shelters. It’s long been thought that behavior problems drive the majority of owners to surrender their pets to animal shelters. …the real culprit for surrenders: the owners themselves.

Stories

• Tracing the Roots of OCD in Pets and People

  Animal behavior research at Tufts holds promise for better detection and treatment of the disorder

  In 2011, science threw a curveball at Nicholas Dodman and Alice Moon-Fanelli. The two researchers were looking at bull terriers in hopes of finding the gene responsible for a debilitating behavior common in the breed. Up to 85 percent of any …

• Ever Wonder: Why Do Cats Purr?

  This feline response happens when the animals are happy—and when they’re in distress—says Tufts animal behaviorist Nicholas Dodman

  The Tufts Now video series Ever Wonder features faculty and other experts answering questions about which we all have wondered—everything from why leaves change color to why we laugh.
  You can view the entire series at http://everwonder.tufts.edu, and submit …

• Las mascotas al divan (Pets on the couch) This article mentions Nicholas Dodman’s research on obsessive compulsive behavior in dogs.
• Study: Big dogs behave quite differently from their smaller cousins Nicholas Dodman proposes that Bull terriers that chase their tails may have autism. He is the first to propose that autistic behavior can occur in dogs.
• Ever Wonder: Why Do Dogs Bark?

  Stephanie Borns-Weil, V07, a resident specializing in animal behavior at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, explains

  The new Tufts Now video series Ever Wonder features faculty and other experts answering questions about which we all have wondered—everything from why people laugh to why cats purr.
  You can view the entire series at http://everwonder.tufts.edu, and submit your own …

• The Hoarding Gene Using the behavior of Doberman pinschers to understand the compulsion to collect