Behavioral Issues
Written by Renee McDuffy, Animal Whisperer
About Animal Whispering

When the animal has been trained and then suddenly begins to do what it knows it is not supposed to do, this is usually an indication it has something to say. Example of this would be if the cat starts using the rugs or carpet for a litter box, the bird starts biting its favorite person, the horse starts throwing its riders or the dog starts pulling uncontrollably on the leash.

Solving this dilemma can start with you, the primary caregiver to the animal, by taking a look at the animal's environment. Is the litter box kept clean? Is the bird getting enough interaction/entertainment with its people? Does the horse have all it needs? Is the dog getting enough socialization with other dogs?

Secondly, make sure the animal is healthy. Take it to the vet for a thorough examination to make certain everything is functioning properly. We people get grumpy when we don't feel well, and so do the animals. An aging animal may have developed arthritis which, left untreated, can be very painful.

One of my clients, a young woman and rising executive, called me because her beloved parrot of 12+ years began to act uncharacteristically stand-offish and then one day suddenly bit her on the lip, leaving a deep scar. A visit to the vet determined that the bird was well with no indication of upset, disease or pain. During our conversation, Amber, the parrot revealed the fact that she hated the sound of her person's voice. She said it was too shrill and bothered her ears. Patricia, the young executive, was shocked, but decided to take voice lessons.

A few months later Patricia reported that not only was she and Amber having a great time "singing" together, but Patricia got the promotion to upper management she'd been working toward. Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not.

Even later still, Patricia notified me that a few of her friends mentioned they had felt the same about her voice but only her bird was brave enough to mention it.

As in most cases, the beloved pet bird in this story was truly operating on the highest behalf of her person. It all came from the heart and in a very loving way. Sure it took quite a jolt to get the woman's attention, and sometimes that is exactly what we need.

Our pets are in our lives for more than just to entertain us. They bring us riches beyond our wildest imaginations.

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