SOUTHEAST ALASKA ANIMAL MEDICAL CENTER
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Training Your Pet

Once your pet has settled into your home it is a good idea to think about training. Training your pet can help ensure that the behaviors that they exhibit are primarily desirable ones. Dogs in particular like to please their owners and doing so will help retain a lifelong bond between you.

Training your Dog
Whilst dogs have earned a reputation as ‘man’s best friend’ thanks to their loyal and affectionate nature, just like their human counterparts they can sometimes possess annoying habits or personality traits that make them difficult to live with.

Training your dog will be hugely beneficial to your dog learning to live harmoniously alongside his human family. It will strengthen the bond between you and ensure his safety when out and about. Many dogs also find training to be a fun activity.

What is the best method to train my dog?
There are many different schools of thought as to how best to train a dog. Some owners prefer strict training with punishments for non-compliance, whilst others prefer to praise positive behavior and ignore undesirable reactions. Studies have shown that as a general rule the latter method works best, but however you decide to train your dog, in order to do so effectively you need to consistently control the consequences of your dogs’ behavior.

Dogs cannot relate events that are separated by time and so the consequences to behavior need to be immediate. You cannot praise your dog several minutes after returning to you when called as he will not understand why he is receiving it. The easiest way to train a dog is to reward the behaviors that you like and not reward those that you don’t.

  • If your dog likes the consequence you give them they will be more likely to repeat that behavior so they get the consequence again i.e. love, attention and praise.
  • If they dislike the consequences then they will do the behavior less often.

It really is that simple, but being consistent is vital otherwise you will send mixed messages to your pet. For example, if you do not want your pet to jump up at you (which they do to get your attention) then ignore them until they calm down. Praise and make a fuss of them as soon as they have returned to calm behavior. They will then learn that this is the way that you prefer them to behave. It may take several days or weeks of doing this, but your dog will soon learn the correct behavior to exhibit.

What positive consequences should I use?
The biggest thing that your dog craves is love, attention and affection from his human family. Rewarding their good behavior with these should make your pet happy and lead to successful training. Occasional commercial dog treats can be used if necessary too.

For more information on training your dog, speak to your veterinarian who may be able to direct you to local dog or puppy training classes.

Training your Cat
Cats are naturally independent creatures that are not as inclined as dogs are to work for praise or attention. They are also harder to motivate. This does not mean that they cannot be trained, but you will need additional patience.
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Just like training a dog, you should reinforce desired behavior by offering positive consequences whilst undesirable behavior should be left unrewarded. However unlike dogs that are happy to be rewarded with affection, positive consequences for cats almost always have to be food-based. Find the food treats that your kitten or cat likes best. These could be small chunks of meat, tuna or commercial cat treats.

Some people use a clicker or a pen with a clicking function to train their feline friends. Clicking at the precise moment that your cat performs desirable behavior helps them to make the association which the positive consequence then reinforces.
CLINIC INFORMATION
Address: 

8231 Glacier Highway
Juneau, AK 99801

Phone:

After Hours Emergencies:

907-789-7551

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907-789-7551

OFFICE HOURS
Monday       8:00am- 1:00pm / 2:00pm-5:00pm

Tuesday       8:00am- 1:00pm / 2:00pm-5:00pm

Wednesday 8:00am- 1:00pm / 2:00pm-5:00pm

Thursday     8:00am- 1:00pm / 2:00pm-5:00pm

Friday          8:00am- 1:00pm / 2:00pm-5:00pm

Saturday      Closed

Sunday        Closed
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EMERGENCY SERVICES

Due to very short staffing we will be offering limited after-hours coverage during the month of February-March. This was a hard decision to make, but a necessity to allow our doctors to provide care during the day. We will still have VetTriage available 24 hours a day for telehealth consultations and will have a doctor available for on-call services some weeknights. We will not offer in-hospital after-hours coverage February 27, March 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 22, 23, 26, 27, 29, 30. We advise our clients to be mindful of this limitation and keep their animals indoors, on leash and under supervision to prevent injury by car, porcupine quills, dog fights and lacerations. If you perceive an emergency situation outside of business hours, please reach out to VetTriage. If you contact VetTriage and they recommend contacting our office the following business day, please call (907)789-7551 at 7:30AM to secure an appointment. If you perceive a medical issue with your animal during business hours, please contact our office early so we can advise you if a same day urgent care appointment is needed.

To continue offering after-hours care to our clients and patients we must make a few changes.
Starting today, October 15th, we will be offering after-hours care only between the hours of 5pm and 10pm. Weekend days we will cover between 8am and 10pm. If you are unsure if your animal is having a life threatening emergency please reach out to VetTriage well before 10pm to see if your animal requires emergency medical attention. If you need help after 10pm reach out to VetTriage and they will give you medical advice and instruct you what to do until your animal can be seen.
Starting today, October 15th, we will no longer be treating patients for clients that are established with and receiving treatment at other local clinics. We will treat patients that have been established with our practice and have received routine services (yearly examinations, vaccinations, spay or neuter) within the last 24 months. We will also see patients that are new to Juneau and are not established with a local clinic.

For after hours emergency services we have partnered with VetTriage to offer video telehealth services. The VetTriage veterinarians are available 24/7 and for a consult fee they will assess your pet on live video chat to determine if your pet requires immediate emergency care, or simply monitoring at home until we reopen. In the event of an emergency they will coordinate your visit with the on call veterinarian. Please click the button below to initiate the telehealth service.

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Online Resources 

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Make An Appointment 

To make an appointment please call 907-789-7551 our staff looks forward to talking to you!

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  • Home
  • Services
    • Wellness Care
    • Dentistry
    • Diagnostics
    • Emergency Care
    • Exotic Patient Care
    • Non-Invasive Treatments
    • Surgical Procedures
  • About
    • Meet Our Professional Staff
    • Meet Our Support Staff
  • Contact
  • Client Reviews
  • Life in Juneau
  • Local Resources
  • Helpful Articles for Dogs
  • Helpful Articles for Cats
  • Helpful Articles for Health
  • General Articles
  • Privacy Policy