Animal Behavior: Assessment, Disorders & Management

Animal behavior is an essential part of veterinary practice. Changes in behavior may reflect fear, stress, anxiety, environmental problems, social conflict, pain, disease, or a true behavioral disorder. For veterinarians and animal professionals, understanding these differences is critical for accurate assessment and effective management.

This practical course introduces the principles of animal behavior and applied veterinary ethology, with a strong focus on behavioral assessment and real-world clinical reasoning.

You will learn how to observe and assess animal behavior, distinguish normal from abnormal behavior, recognize behavioral signs associated with medical disease, and develop practical approaches to behavioral management.

The course covers behavioral problems in dogs, cats, horses, cattle, and other domestic animals, including aggression, fear, anxiety, stereotypic behaviors, stable vices, and other common behavioral disorders.

You will also explore animal communication, social behavior, dominance and social hierarchies, learning, maternal behavior, sexual behavior, early-life experiences, animal welfare, and the relationship between behavior and management.

Practical veterinary topics are also included, such as animal health assessment, vital signs, veterinary drug administration, dentition and age estimation, equine dental assessment, and horseshoeing fundamentals.

Throughout the course, case studies, clinical reasoning, practical examples, quizzes, and problem-solving activities are used to connect behavioral science with veterinary practice.

What You Will Learn

• Understand the scientific foundations of animal behavior and applied ethology.

• Perform a structured behavioral assessment.

• Distinguish normal behavior from abnormal behavior.

• Recognize when a behavioral change may indicate an underlying medical problem.

• Understand fear, stress, and anxiety in domestic animals.

• Identify common behavioral problems in dogs, cats, horses, and farm animals.

• Understand aggression, social behavior, communication, and dominance.

• Recognize stereotypic behaviors and behavioral vices.

• Apply principles of learning and behavioral management.

• Understand the relationship between animal behavior, management, and welfare.

• Analyze practical behavioral cases and develop appropriate management strategies.

• Apply behavioral knowledge to everyday veterinary and animal-care situations.

Who Is This Course For?

This course is designed for veterinarians, veterinary students, animal health professionals, animal-care professionals, livestock professionals, horse owners, and anyone interested in understanding domestic animal behavior from a practical veterinary perspective.

The goal is not simply to memorize behavioral patterns, but to develop a structured way of thinking about animal behavior: observe, assess, identify possible causes, distinguish medical from behavioral problems, and select an appropriate management approach.