Title: Interpret companion animal behavior.
Course: Small Animal Care II (18102-II) > Section: Exploring Aspects of Companion Animal Training

Interpretation should include the meanings of

- various body postures, including movement/position of head, eyes, ears, tail
- common vocalization patterns (e.g., barking, growling, hissing, howling, purring)
- behavioral changes, which may be due to the environment or an underlying medical condition.

Process/Skill Questions:

- What can be learned by observing an animal’s tail?
- How can one determine whether a behavioral change is due to an underlying medical condition or to something in the animal’s environment?
- How does a dog demonstrate aggression? How should one respond to an aggressive dog?
- How does a cat demonstrate aggression? How should one handle an aggressive cat?
- What is fear-based aggression? How can it be avoided?
- How are eye and ear movement important in determining behavior?