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Behavior
Referring Veterinarians
Referring a client to Foster Hospital is easy with veterinarian liaison support.
The Behavior Service sees dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, birds (including parrots and backyard chickens), and pet pigs.
What Kind of Behavior Problems Do We See?
The behavior service successfully treats many common animal-behavior problems, including:
- Aggression directed at people or other animals
- Anxiety issues, including separation anxiety
- Fears and phobias such as thunderstorm phobia or fear of car travel
- Fear of veterinary care and grooming
- Compulsive disorders such as tail and/or shadow chasing and flank and/or wool sucking
- Inappropriate elimination issues, including urine spraying
- Excessive vocalization
- Destructiveness, including excessive chewing or furniture scratching
What About Horses and Other Large Animals?
The behavior service consults with owners of large-animal patients that are in the hospital for treatment with other services. We focus on behavior modification that supports tolerance of veterinary care and continued treatment after discharge.
The behavior service treats other problems in horses and large animals—including aggression, repetitive movement (compulsive) disorders, and severe fearfulness—via consultation with your animal’s primary care veterinarian.
Training Services
We offer individual training services for clients of the behavior service, customized to the individual needs of your pet. We can help with implementation of specific behavior-modification techniques in your pet’s behavior plan or with training new skills to support your pet’s behavior goals. We are also available to work on other “life skills,” including attention, loose leash walking, and calm greeting. Our trainer uses strictly force-free training methods.
We offer behavior-modification packages in which clients and patients work with the behavior service trainer to address a single problem or learn a necessary life skill. These include:
- Nail trims with a nail board
- Desensitization to veterinary care
- Desensitization to homecare procedures (eye medication, ear cleaning, nail trims)
- Muzzle training
Resources
New Clients at the Behavior Service
Book an appointment and learn what to expect when you bring your pet to the Behavior Service.
Follow-Up Care for Current Patients
Emails and phone calls are invited for urgent concerns, quick questions, and clarifications of the doctor’s treatment plan.
Behavior Service Forms
Prior to scheduling an appointment, please download and fill out the relevant questionnaire for your pet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Need help? Please review our most frequently asked questions about appointments and our services.
Faculty
Featured Stories
Should dogs be allowed in stores and restaurants?
Assistant clinical professor Stephanie Borns-Weil spoke with WBZ-TV on tips and best practices for bringing dogs to public places.
Puppies on Prozac: How to Handle Your Pet’s Anxiety
Clinical assistant professor Stephanie Borns-Weil is quoted in The New York Times discussing pets and anxiety. (Subscription required)
How accurate are dog-activity trackers?
Deborah Linder, V09, SK16, head of the Tufts Obesity Clinic for Animals, explains
Preparing for your Behavior Appointment
Taking these steps before your appointment at Tufts Behavior Clinic will ensure the most productive session and the best possible outcome.
Staying Safe with Your Pet Who has Behavioral Issues
Dr. Stephanie Borns-Weil, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist at Cummings Veterinary Medical Center says, “the best predictor of an animal’s future behavior is past behavior.”
Looking Through the Eyes of Animals
Temple Grandin on the importance of first impressions, why “draconian leash laws” are a problem for dogs, and more.
‘As Long as He’s Eating, He’s Happy’: Is Appetite the Best Way to Measure Quality of Life?
Using appetite as the only test for whether your cat is happy or dealing with medical conditions means you might miss some subtle behaviors.
Is scruffing the best way to handle an upset cat?
Veterinary behaviorist Stephanie Borns-Weil, V07, and emergency/critical care veterinary technician Michelle Damon from the Foster Hospital for Small Animals, respond
This Tufts veterinary student spent the summer playing music for very good dogs to see if it helped with short-term stress
Second-year veterinary student, Sidney Beecy, discusses her research project that looks at the effect of music on short-term stress in dogs.
New Stay-At-Home Norm Could Impact Pet Anxiety
It's not just humans who are having their schedules disrupted due to widespread stay-at-home orders. Veterinary behaviorist Dr. Stephanie Borns-Weil, V07, talked to Shari Small at WBZ NewsRadio about how the new norm is affecting our pets
How to Stop Territorial Barking
A veterinary behaviorist shares how to get your dog to stop barking at passersby—and providing an unwanted soundtrack to your Zoom meetings—during the pandemic.
How to Stop Attention-Seeking Behavior
A board-certified veterinary behaviorist shares how to get your dog to stop barking, pawing, stealing or otherwise acting up to get your attention during the pandemic.
Managing Mask Phobia in Dogs
If your dog is fearful of face masks, don’t despair. Behavior modification can help your dog accept the unacceptable masks.
Pet Stress Has Increased During COVID-19, Bringing Behavior Problems
Veterinary behaviorist Stephanie Borns-Weil discusses why the new stay-at-home normal is hard on cats and dogs—and shares tips for fostering healthy behaviors for us all.
Fireworks, Fireworks, Fireworks
As soon as the sunsets, the pops and bangs begin and the poor dog begins to tremble. Even dogs with a history of mild fear can be sensitized to the frequent explosions.
Our Four-Legged Friends During COVID-19
Megan Mueller, the Elizabeth Arnold Stevens Junior Professor at Cummings School, and Clinical Assistant Professor Stephanie Borns-Weil were featured on WCVB’s Chronicle talking about the human-animal bond and animal behavior during the pandemic.
Pets Exhibit Behavioral Issues with Humans Home in Pandemic
Clinical assistant professor Stephanie Borns-Weil talks with WBUR's "All Things Considered" about how the pandemic has impacted pet behavior
Pets are helping us cope during the pandemic—but that may be stressing them out
National Geographic quotes clinical associate professor Emily McCobb and assistant professor Megan Mueller on the relationship between people and pets during the pandemic
When should you get your dog ready for a 'return to normal'? Yesterday.
Clinical assistant professor Stephanie Borns-Weil spoke with NBCNews.com for a story on how dog owners can get their dogs ready for a ‘return to normal’
American Veterinary Society for Animal Behavior Position Statement on Punishment
AVSAB’s position is that punishment1 (e.g. choke chains, pinch collars, and electronic collars) should not be used as a first-line or early-use treatment for behavior problems.
Sleeping with Dogs
Aside from my personal preference, as a veterinary behaviorist, I can say that there is no reason why most dogs should not sleep in their owners’ beds if they and their owners prefer the arrangement.
Good Behavior
Behavior veterinary technician Sandra Robbins is all about positive rewards