When an animal companion is “bad” we just want the behavior to stop. But waving a wand that makes the critter “act nice” could be compared to inserting a cork when diarrhea develops, without addressing the “why” of the symptom. We short-change our pets by not looking deeper into why they misbehave. Dr. Susan Friedman says we all behave for an effect, and it’s important to understand what prompts an action in order to address it. She’ll explain all this and more—including some fascinating insights about parrots—in this episode. Look for pet care articles and behavior tips, and links to past and future Pet Peeves radio episodes when you sign up for the free Pet Peeves E-newsletter from www.shojai.com.

Questions or Comments? Send them to: amy@petliferadio.com.