Labels Don’t Solve Behavior Problems
From Coffee with the Critters by The Animal Behavior Center
May 19, 2026 · 15 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the impact of labeling animal behaviors and the importance of understanding the underlying reasons for those behaviors.
Before we label an animal as aggressive, stubborn, anxious, hormonal, difficult, or “just being bad,” we need to understand what the behavior is doing for the animal and what the animal may be learning from us. In this live-stream, we will take a powerful look at the definition of a label, and explain why using them hinders changing behavior concerns.
People in this episode
Host: The Animal Behavior Center
Topics covered
- animal behavior
- labels
- behavior problems
- understanding animals
- behavior modification
Keywords
- aggressive
- anxious
- behavior change
- animal learning
- stubborn
- hormonal
- difficult
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