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March 2024: The Behavior Issue
From the Editor
The Chinese philosopher Mengzi believed that people are inherently good, while his counterpart, Xunzi, said that people are born bad. They agreed that moral teachings were the key to keeping people on the good side. What do Chinese philosophy and this issue of Trends have to do with each other? Read on to find out!
Beyond Good and Bad
The Chinese philosopher Mengzi believed that people are inherently good, while his counterpart, Xunzi, said that people are born bad. They agreed that moral teachings were the key to keeping people on the good side.
What do you think about companion animals? Are pets inherently really good or bad? I’m thinking that most people in the veterinary profession would say no. However, the ancient Chinese philosophers were on to something. Now, they were probably not tossing dumplings to people for positive reinforcement of good behavior (although that might work with me). But, consistent training, a healthy environment, positive reinforcement, and a little pharmaceutical assistance can go a long way toward unlocking that “good dog” or “good kitty” in most pets.
With that wild digression, welcome to the Behavior Issue! We have articles on the top postpandemic behavior concerns, how to “train” your clients to collect and share behavior data with you, and a look inside some Fear-Free practices. And for those interested in human behavior, we also have Part 2 of Dr. Stacee Santi’s article on handling clients who are showing their “bad” side.
Seriously, Enter the Contest!
Do you like money? I mean, who doesn’t? Go to aaha.org/EOTM to nominate one of your co-workers for the Employee of the Month contest, and you could win $100 for yourself, and $400 for your nominee. The only catch? You get an email from me and from CareCredit saying congratulations. And who doesn’t want an email from me?
Coming Next Month
Dermatology, artificial intelligence, and parasite control are on tap for April. Also look for an article on whether or not you should start a podcast.
As always, let me know what you think at trends@aaha.org.
Ben Williams
Editor