CPS Pet Behavior & Handling Flashcards

A dog that repeatedly licks its lips, yawns, and turns its head away during grooming is most likely displaying:

Answer: Calming signals indicating stress or discomfort

Lip licking, yawning, and head turning are recognized canine calming signals that indicate the dog is stressed and trying to communicate discomfort.

When a dog growls during grooming, the safest immediate response is to:

Answer: Pause the activity, assess the trigger, and reduce pressure before continuing

Growling is a warning signal and should be respected — pausing to assess and reduce the trigger prevents escalation to biting.

Which restraint technique is most appropriate for a small, anxious dog during nail trimming?

Answer: Gentle towel wrap to minimize movement and reduce visual stimulation

A gentle towel wrap (sometimes called a 'burrito wrap') minimizes movement and reduces visual stimuli, helping calm anxious small dogs during nail trims.

A cat that is flattening its ears, dilating its pupils, and lashing its tail during grooming is signaling:

Answer: Increasing agitation and readiness to scratch or bite

Flattened ears, dilated pupils, and tail lashing are clear feline stress and aggression warning signs indicating the cat may scratch or bite if handling continues.

The 'fear free' grooming approach primarily focuses on:

Answer: Reducing fear, anxiety, and stress through positive associations and low-stress handling

Fear Free grooming centers on minimizing fear, anxiety, and stress through positive reinforcement, gentle handling, and creating positive associations with the grooming environment.

When approaching a fearful dog for the first time in a grooming setting, you should:

Answer: Crouch sideways, avoid direct eye contact, and let the dog approach you

Crouching sideways, avoiding direct eye contact, and allowing a fearful dog to approach at its own pace reduces threat perception and builds initial trust.