Animal Medical Center of Morgantown

06/09/2026

🐾 Low Stress Handling with Dr. Sophia Yin, Part 3: Your Puppy’s First Walk 🐾

Bringing home a puppy and dreaming of long walks together? Beautiful image — but here’s the truth: your puppy doesn’t know what a leash is, what a sidewalk is, or why this stranger keeps stopping to coo at them.

The “first walk” can go one of two ways. Either it becomes a foundational good memory… or it becomes the moment your puppy learns that the leash means being dragged, scolded, and overwhelmed.

Spoiler: the difference isn’t the puppy. It’s how the human handles the first few outings.

In this short video, Dr. Sophia Yin walks through exactly how to start.

Notice what she prioritizes: letting the puppy explore, rewarding the choice to check in with you, and stopping the moment the leash gets tight — never letting pulling pay off, even once.

A few first-walk tips from the AMC team:
🐾 Start in your yard or driveway before tackling a real walk — your puppy needs to learn the leash before they learn the world
🐾 Keep early outings SHORT (5-10 minutes is plenty) — puppies tire fast and an overtired puppy learns nothing
🐾 Bring treats. So many treats. Reward every glance back at you
🐾 If your puppy “plants” and won’t move, don’t drag — kneel down, encourage gently, and reward the first step forward
🐾 Skip the retractable leash. A simple 4-6 ft flat leash teaches better habits and is far safer
Bonus: a puppy who learns walks are calm and rewarding grows into a dog who doesn’t pull you down the sidewalk for the next 12 years. The work you put in during those first few weeks pays off every single day for the rest of their life.

🎥 Watch Dr. Yin’s demo here: https://youtu.be/IjnazCoW9es

Have a new puppy? Ask us about our Puppy Plan wellness package — and our nurses are always happy to recommend the right harness or collar for your pup’s size and personality. 💛

A video of one of Lucy's first walks.

06/02/2026

🐾 Low Stress Handling with Dr. Sophia Yin, Part 2: Teaching Your Kitten to Love Nail Trims

🐾 Have a new kitten in the house? Now is the time to start nail trims — not because their tiny needle claws are destroying your couch (though, yes), but because what your kitten learns about handling right now will stick with them for life. Cats are not small dogs.

The five-and-under-five rule applies here: under five months old and under five pounds, you have a window where almost everything you introduce gently becomes “normal” forever. Skip that window, and you may spend the next fifteen years wrestling a cat for one back paw.

In this short video, Dr. Sophia Yin shows the gentle, treat-based method for teaching a kitten to enjoy — not just tolerate — nail trims.

Notice what she doesn’t do: no scruffing, no burrito wrap, no holding the kitten down. Just patience, tiny bites of food, and stopping before the kitten has had enough.

A few kitten-specific tips from the AMC team:
🐾 Trim only the curved clear tip — avoid the pink “quick” inside
🐾 One paw per session is plenty when you’re starting out
🐾 Right after a play session or meal is your golden window
🐾 Sharp cat clippers (not dog clippers, not human nail scissors) make a huge difference
Bonus: a kitten who learns that paw handling means treats grows into a cat who lets the vet examine those same paws without a fight. The work you put in now pays dividends every time we see them. Give it a try and let us know how it goes!

🎥 Watch Dr. Yin’s demo here: https://youtu.be/CmRhinN91io

Have a new kitten and want a hands-on lesson? Bring them in for a nail trim with one of our nurses — we’ll walk you through it step by step. 💛

A video demonstrating the steps to train a kitten to accept toe nail trims.

05/24/2026

Trouble clipping nails or cleaning ears?

Training your dog doesn’t have to be hard! You can use Low Stress Handling to solve problems at home just like the veterinarians and nurses do at AMC!

One of the most important things dog owners can do to help their dog be comfortable with handling. Whether it is nail clipping, ear cleaning, tooth brushing, blood taking, grooming, or any other handling task, Dr. Sophia Yin‘s Low Stress Handling has the answer.

Watch this short video to see how she teaches a dog to be comfortable, even nonchalant, about nail trimming in just a couple minutes. (You can easily adapt this process to ears, mouth, tail, or whatever other handling tasks you need to do.)

So, grab a helper, sharp bypass dog nail clippers, and a big pile of “high value” small treats, then follow Dr. Yin’s simple, gentle example! Let us know in the comments or next time you’re in how it goes!

ps. If you run into trouble, our nurses are always happy to coach you on nail trimming or other handling needs!

A video showing how this dachshund was trained to enjoy toe nail tr...

03/16/2026

Happy Snow Day!! Dr. Zucker’s dog, Prairie, is enjoying the return of winter! Are you? Show us!

02/03/2026

MORGANTOWN!! We are still desperately hoping for a reunion with Kodiak, Dr. Zucker’s (adult) son’s cat! We had a tracker out from Virginia today and the dog picked up strong scent near the intersection of Arch Street & Long Alley.

Neighbors (an extremely kind client, actually!!) there have allowed us to put up trail cams and food. PLEASE keep your eyes out and call or text if you see him! DO NOT APPROACH, as the tracker told us he is most likely to be very scared and to run. Call or text and let my son come to him! Thank you!! PLEASE SHARE!!!!!

01/26/2026

❄️‼️ UPDATE ‼️❄️

We will be closed today, Monday, January 26th.

We will open again tomorrow, January 27th at 7am

We appreciate your understanding! Stay safe and warm🩵🐾

01/24/2026

In preparation for expected inclement weather, we will be opening at 1pm on Monday, January 26th. Thank you for your understanding. Stay warm & safe💙🐾

01/22/2026

🐾 We’ve completed an exterior update and refreshed spaces inside—so your pet’s care starts feeling calm, welcoming, and intentional from the moment you arrive.

At Animal Medical Center, we combine modern medicine with gentle handling and a team that treats pets like family.

We’re currently welcoming new clients.

📞 Call to schedule an appointment.

01/18/2026

It’s official—our new mural is up!

After weeks of online voting, you chose the Cavalier, and now he’s the first friendly face to greet you when you walk through our front door.

New here? He’s excited to welcome you.

12/18/2025

Earlier today, our team met with an AAHA practice consultant, and we are happy to report that we have been reaccredited! Each reaccreditation has been special, but this one is even more special since it's our 20th year of being accredited. Thank you for being with us on the journey!