Synergy Veterinary Behavior

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Synergy Veterinary Behavior Creating harmony between people and their pets. We follow the ACVB and AVSAB's position statements on training and behavior approaches.

Vet Behavior consults, training, and group classes are offered in the Portland, OR area, and virtually within the US! We are a veterinary behavior referral practice dedicated to bringing happiness to the Portland-area's people and their pets by providing supportive and comprehensive programs for diagnosis and treatment of problem behaviors.

Celebrating Syphon ⭐ 🎉Syphon's journey with Synergy started about 6 months ago when they came in for their initial appoi...
10/12/2026

Celebrating Syphon ⭐ 🎉

Syphon's journey with Synergy started about 6 months ago when they came in for their initial appointments with Dr. Valli, and we're so excited to share her progress!

She was seen for fear-based aggressive behavior concerns, along with generalized anxiety, noise phobia, and reactivity on walks. Pain was suspected, and her humans saw great improvements with her once it was addressed and as they started implementing Dr. Valli's recommendations.

We're so happy for them and want to show Syphon's case as a great example of how pain and behavior concerns can be connected. Syphon's case also shows that big improvements can happen in less time than one may think!

Way to go, Team Syphon! 💙

Are you feeling stuck with your pet's behavior? You've been working on X, Y, or Z, but change isn't happening as you'd h...
10/08/2026

Are you feeling stuck with your pet's behavior? You've been working on X, Y, or Z, but change isn't happening as you'd hope?

Behavioral treatment isn't always a straight path. Sometimes we have to find a different route, change directions, or backtrack.

If your pet's behavioral concern feels stagnant instead of gradually improving, we have to determine what changes can happen to support better learning, recovery, reduced stress, etc.

It's important to talk with your pet's behavioral support team about your concerns as they come up. Your veterinarian/veterinary behaviorist, +R trainer, and/or behavior consultant should be able to help advise you on what next steps to consider.

There are officially less than 3 months until the start of 2027, so as we start wrapping up 2026...⭐ What have you achie...
10/07/2026

There are officially less than 3 months until the start of 2027, so as we start wrapping up 2026...

⭐ What have you achieved with your pet this year?

👀 What do you want to work on with your pet in 2027?

🧐 What did you learn about your pet this year?

I'll go first, with my dog, Archie!
▶ This year, we made several new dog friends, and he was able to stay in a home with 2 other dogs while I was on vacation, without any hu***ng or other issues. This is big progress, as he used to be very pestery and insistent on playing with other dogs. He's become FAR more respectful since his arousal-based excitement and frustration have improved.
▶ In 2027, I want to work on Archie's ability to be in more public settings without reacting to other dogs, now that he's doing well on neighborhood walks.
▶ This year, I learned that Archie LOVES oranges, is fearful of people pushing carts, and that his recovery time from stressful events is much reduced!

While our goal for pets is for them to learn and experience events with as little stress as possible, triggers aren't al...
10/06/2026

While our goal for pets is for them to learn and experience events with as little stress as possible, triggers aren't always predictable or controllable.

Due to this, we must understand how pets experience and recover from stressful events, and learn how to help them through.

Most importantly, our pets' brains can only learn the new skills we want to teach them and solve problems when in the “safe and social” mode. It is our responsibility to help our pets get back to that stasis, which means working through the stress cycle BEFORE we ask them to do hard things.

This infographic was made by our trainer, Lorenzo, to visualize the Stress Cycle. It also gives examples of what we, as humans, can provide and do for our pets to help them feel safe and have outlets to alleviate residual stress.

"My dog is terrified at the vet. What do I do?"❌ Stop: It's not as simple as a dog "getting over it". Chances are, their...
10/05/2026

"My dog is terrified at the vet. What do I do?"

❌ Stop: It's not as simple as a dog "getting over it". Chances are, their feelings and concerning behaviors at the vet will worsen UNLESS intentional effort is made to improve their feelings. Don't be afraid of medications or sedation to help this process.

💙 Advocate: Learn to advocate for your dog at the vet. The goal for all exams and procedures should be "with as little force and stress as possible". This requires a supportive and understanding team, starting with YOU, as the pet parent!

👤 🤝 🐕 Train: Cooperative care training and training for different types of handling (including grooming) can be life-saving and life-changing. If you don't know where to start, find a qualified, positive reinforcement-based trainer to help!

We are responsible for our pet's comfort and health, and for finding solutions to ensure they receive care safely, with as little stress as possible.

Need additional assistance? We offer a Veterinary Care Consult and Recovery Program to help give you hands-on guidance with our veterinary behaviorist and training team: https://www.synergybehavior.com/veterinary-care-consult/

What does puppy socialization really mean? What do we need to focus on?🌟 Building confidence: We want our puppies to dev...
10/01/2026

What does puppy socialization really mean? What do we need to focus on?

🌟 Building confidence: We want our puppies to develop and grow into confident adult dogs. This isn't something we just get lucky with! It takes intentional practice.

🌟 Exposure: To different sights, sounds, experiences, people - the list goes on! Think of it as "building" or "customizing" your puppy for the life you want them to thrive in!

🌟 Resilience: Consistent and positive exposures help show puppies that the world isn't scary. However, if something scary happens, we have to help them recover.

▶▶ For socialization to be effective, exposure MUST be done at a level the puppy finds comfortable and enjoyable. This helps build their confidence and resilience.

Think of socialization as ✨ Problem Prevention ✨
Though nothing is 100% guaranteed, a solid foundation in socialization helps prevent behavior problems.

❓ What if they're out of their socialization window?
This doesn't mean we cannot continue to socialize them; we just need to be more cautious about how we approach it. As they grow, dogs can become less adaptable and need more gradual positive exposures.

Marbles' first work week was a success! 🥰It's been a busy week of...✅ Makin' friends✅ Posin'✅ Zoomin'✅ Snoozin'He's been...
09/30/2026

Marbles' first work week was a success! 🥰

It's been a busy week of...
✅ Makin' friends
✅ Posin'
✅ Zoomin'
✅ Snoozin'

He's been a rockstar puppy, full of s***k and determination 💙 We're so excited to watch him get older (because let's be real, he won't get much bigger😉)

We have a new addition to the Synergy family, and he's a 3 lb 6 oz puppy named Marbles Elizabeth Pound Cake!To celebrate...
09/29/2026

We have a new addition to the Synergy family, and he's a 3 lb 6 oz puppy named Marbles Elizabeth Pound Cake!

To celebrate his arrival, we'll have more photos of his first week with Jenn, too! In addition, we figured it was a great time to talk about some "Puppy Firsts" 💙

When you first bring home a new puppy, it's important to:
▪ Build a routine for feeding, rest, play, and training. Consistency is important.

▪ Potty training: Start paying attention to the puppy's bathroom signals right away. You'll start to notice that they likely need to go out immediately after waking up, a few minutes after playing (or in the middle of a play session), and a little bit after eating. If there are accidents in the house, where do they happen, and what does your puppy do just before? Do not punish for accidents, but ALWAYS reward for successful outside elimination.

▪ Start working on gradually building their comfort and independence in the crate and/or confinement area.

▪ Put together a socialization plan for your puppy and get to work! Sign up for positive reinforcement-based puppy classes right away. Yes, 8-week-old puppies should be in classes, too:https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Puppy-Socialization-Position-Statement-FINAL.pdf

When is alert barking really a problem? Is it after the first or second bark? Third? Seventh?Behaviors that some of us f...
09/28/2026

When is alert barking really a problem?
Is it after the first or second bark? Third? Seventh?

Behaviors that some of us find obnoxious, others may not mind, or they may not mind them to the same extent.

Some common examples:
▪ Alert barking: 1-2 is may be encouraged to let them know someone is at the door.
▪ Jumping up: some people encourage jumping up, especially with smaller dogs or people who can't bend down to pet their dog as easily as others.
▪ Face kisses: Some people hate being licked on the face; others love it!

▶▶ What "problem" behavior doesn't bother you? Do you have one you encourage with your pet, on purpose?

Our feelings about certain pet behaviors are subjective. Just because someone else's dog does something you dislike doesn't make them ill-behaved.

Did you know... ▶ ▶ Separation Anxiety Facts ▪ Separation anxiety doesn't improve by "waiting it out". This is one of th...
09/24/2026

Did you know... ▶ ▶ Separation Anxiety Facts

▪ Separation anxiety doesn't improve by "waiting it out". This is one of the most common misconceptions! Waiting doesn't erase panic and can make it worse in many cases.
▪ Cats can also experience separation anxiety!
▪ Separation anxiety and noise phobias often happen concurrently.
▪ Separation anxiety is not going to improve if the pet is repeatedly left alone and scared/stressed. This can be a big hurdle to overcome, especially because many people's lives cannot be put on "hold", so to speak. Utilizing pet sitters and daycares, when appropriate, can help tremendously as you work on gradual separation training.
▪ You are not "rewarding" the behaviors (ex: howling, destructive behavior, house-soiling, etc.) by returning home or letting the pet out when they begin to panic.

Separation anxiety can be a challenge for humans and their pets. A solid support system is important. This can include a veterinary behaviorist, certified separation anxiety trainer, friends/family for emotional support and extra assistance, and potentially mental health help for the humans in the home.

Address

2127 NW York Street
Portland, OR
97210

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 6:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 6:30pm
Sunday 9am - 6:30pm

Telephone

+15033361202

Website

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