Early socialization efforts are critical. After the primary socialization period it’s concerning if an animal has a bad experience, because they’re likely to bounce back faster when they’re older than when they were younger.

Behavior is influenced by:

Training and behavior modification principles of the course do not apply to older kittens past 12 or puppies past 14 weeks of age.

There’s no need to prep the pet early on to tolerate handling unless there are signs of discomfort during care.

Which of the following is least likely to be a sign you’re progressing too fast with the handling and need to start at an easier step:

Most distractions have little benefit for bettering the animal’s emotional state.

Which of the following is not a recommended distraction to consider during veterinary care?

The way an animal takes treats may change with the animal’s level of fear, anxiety, and stress in the given situation. Which of the following responses while taking treats is least concerning sign of FAS during a puppy’s visit to the vet?

Petting should always be a distraction of choice for kittens and puppies, because human touch is something animals all will innately enjoy.

A kitten isn’t interested in the crunchy cat treat presented to her during an exam. What response would be least appropriate for the veterinary team member to make when looking for a better distraction?

If a kitten moves away from an outstretched hand, it’s an invitation to come closer and reinitiate petting

Treats should be reserved only for vaccination

While working with a puppy to feel more comfortable during paw handling, you notice the puppy yawns a couple of times in a row as you reach for the paws. What is the best assessment and action to take in response?

A puppy lip licks after hearing a clicker or a conditioned word like yes that’s used to signal a treat is coming. Sometimes the puppy lip licks when the person opens the treat bag and sticks their hand inside. Which of the following two interpretations is more likely to accurately address the situation?

Play and toys should only be used for kittens in the home, not during vet visits. If used during the vet visit the kitten’s being conditioned to be hyper excitable and to use claws on hands.

Choose the best answer to fill in the blank in the following sentence. To desensitize an animal to care, start ____ the level where the pet displays the initial signs of fear, stress and anxiety.

It’s always better the animal doesn’t know what’s going to happen next. The element of surprise can be used to your advantage to get care done.

Which of the following scenarios would be least advisable to add a communication cue to?

It’s okay to put the collar and harness on immediately without conditioning the animal first. The kitten or puppy will eventually just get used to it.

When putting on a muzzle or head halter it’s best to (which of the following is most accurate):

Tricks are useful to build the pet’s confidence and positive rapport with the veterinary staff and environment.

Dogs and cats do better if they never get a chance to sniff or get up close to equipment that might be used on them during care, such as the stethoscope.