Dr. Melissa Bain, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist and animal welfare specialist, is a Professor of Clinical Animal Behavior at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. She leads the Clinical Animal Behavior Service, where she and her team treat behavior cases at the referral teaching hospital, focusing on issues such as aggression, separation anxiety, and other behavioral problems.
Dr. Bain holds certifications in DVM, DACVB, and MS, and she emphasizes the use of humane tools for training and behavior modification, avoiding those that operate via positive punishment. Medications are considered as part of the treatment ‘equipment.’ The training philosophy at the clinic revolves around treating dogs as members of the family, utilizing humane behavior modification techniques.
Dr. Bain and her team take various factors into account, including diagnosis, relationship with the dog, environment, prognosis, and the severity of the problem. Their services extend to the University of California School of Veterinary Medicine in Davis, CA, and they cater to clients from northern California and Nevada, offering housecall appointments to local clients.
The Behavior Service, in alignment with the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine’s mission, focuses on educating veterinary students and residents, providing high-quality veterinary care, and contributing to the discovery, application, and dissemination of new knowledge in the field. The clinic specializes in treating aggression, separation anxiety, phobias, compulsive disorders, and housesoiling.
The Behavior Service is staffed with board-certified specialists in veterinary behavior, overseeing the nation’s largest veterinary behavior program. Behavior consultations are conducted by highly qualified veterinarians with a strong interest in preserving the human-animal bond.
Dr. Bain and her team apply humane behavior modification techniques derived from the field of applied animal behavior, utilizing scientific principles from the study of domestic and wild animal behavior, learning theory, and counseling to assist owners in resolving their pets’ behavior problems. Medication, when necessary, is used in conjunction with behavior modification therapy, and veterinarians are equipped to diagnose medical conditions that may affect a pet’s behavior.
Dr. Melissa Bain is board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVB) and the American College of Animal Welfare (ACAW). Dr. Liz Stelow is also board-certified by ACVB. The residents at the clinic are working towards their ACVB certification through a 3-year residency. Additionally, the veterinarians at the clinic are members of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB).
