During the early period of domestication, dogs were mainly bred to do tasks; their daily activities enabled them to exercise their natural instincts and engage in natural canine behavior. They worked as livestock herders and vermin catchers; they also worked beside hunters and fishermen. Back then, no dog was overweight or obese.

As dogs evolved to become household pets, many living conditions curtailed their innate drives and behaviors. Without anything important to do, many dogs end up with behavior problems. Dogs become bored and prone to develop undesirable behaviors if they don’t receive adequate opportunities for physical and mental enrichment. Pent-up energy fuels undesirable behaviors like digging, excessive barking, destructive behavior, and even potty problems. Dogs that spend most of the day alone, with few opportunities of socializing and interaction with other pets or with their humans, are more pro ... Read more »

Most turtles typically live solitary lives as they are basically on their own from day one. However, If your Red-Eared Slider appears to be lonely call your vet. Most Red-Eared Sliders will not act lonely or behave different than usual unless they are coming down with an illness or even a small cold. Longing for turtle companionship is not typically the cause. You may see turtles together in the wild, but they don’t tend to communicate or socialize with one another like other pets. When turtles like the Red-Eared Slider do interact it is usually aggressive and territorial. They tend to prefer their own space and even their privacy. The only time turtles seem to have any form of communication is during the breeding season. As some experts note, Red-Eared Sliders have been known to travel in groups to breeding grounds. Talk with vet Happy Valley, OR for further information.

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