Behaviour basics

Understanding Animal Behaviour

During an MMI, you may be asked to handle an animal or explain how you would handle an animal. Understanding the basics of animal behaviour shows that you know more about animals than just ‘loving them’, and means that you can go about handling them safely. Behaviour reflects the animal's mental state and is key to understanding how to safely handle animals.

Animals, unfortunately, cannot talk, so reading their body language is important, as this is often how they express how they are feeling.

Dog Behaviour

Dogs show their emotions by their:

• Tail position
• Ear position
• Lip licking and yawning are signs of stress
• They avoid eye contact
• ‘Whale eye’
• They may growl or snap as a warning sign to leave them alone

Cat Behaviour

Cats are a little bit harder to read as their signs are more subtle, but they may:

• Flick their tails
• Hide
• Pupils dilate
• Ear position changes
• Vocalise more

Farm Animal Behaviour

Farm animals have something called a flight zone, which is their personal space around them, and when you step into it, it causes them to move away. They may also have more aggressive maternal behaviours when pregnant or recently postpartum.

Stress Related Behaviours

Animals expressing stress-related behaviours are communicating, they aren’t misbehaving.

Safe Handling Includes

• Approaching calmly
• Minimising fear and distress
• Using low stress restraint
• Allowing animals to have control
• Avoiding sudden movements

Linking to Work Experience

You may observe different animal behaviour on work experience, and you can link this to the interview:

“I noticed how the vet gave a nervous dog time to sniff the room and avoided approaching the dog suddenly.”

Interviewers want to hear that you have a basic understanding of animal behaviour and that you can recognise fear and stress signals.