AnimalBehavior.

Getty Amy D. Shojai is a certified animal behavior consultant and the award-winning author of 23 pet care books, including "Complete Kitten Care" and "Complete Care for Your Aging Dog." There's no doubt we love our pets -- but do our cats and dogs love us back? The answer is yes. But cats and dogs show affections in ways that aren't always what humans expect. In fact, a pet's Valentine wishes might instead puzzle, aggravate or even offend some people. Here are 13 ways dogs and cats show love. 1. Cats (sometimes) scratch and pee to show affection. Cats seek out items that smell most like their beloved human -- and they find scratching and peeing calming. So marking up your favorite chair ...

sfllaw, Flickr Meet Mary Burch, American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Director and Paw Nation's columnist addressing questions on animal behavior. Dr. Burch has over 25 years of experience working with dogs, and is one of fewer than 50 Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists based in the United States. She's the author of 10 books, including the official book on the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program, "Citizen Canine: 10 Essential Skills Every Well-Mannered Dog Should Know." I recently adopted a 3-year old mixed-breed dog named Sally. When other dogs approach, she will drop to her belly and won't budge. Sometimes she just stays there, and sometimes she springs up right as they're walking ...

Getty Images Meet Mary Burch, American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Director and Paw Nation's expert columnist addressing your questions on animal behavior. Dr. Burch has over 25 years of experience working with dogs, and she is one of fewer than 50 Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists based in the United States. She is the author of 10 books, including the new official book on the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program, "Citizen Canine: 10 Essential Skills Every Well-Mannered Dog Should Know." How can I stop my dog from begging at the table? When those sweet brown boxer eyes look up at you, it's hard to resist sharing a piece of your pot roast. Yet begging at the table is one canine ...

Getty Images Meet Mary Burch, American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Director and Paw Nation's expert columnist addressing your questions on animal behavior. Dr. Burch has over 25 years of experience working with dogs, and she is one of fewer than 50 Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists based in the United States. She is the author of 10 books, including the new official book on the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program, "Citizen Canine: 10 Essential Skills Every Well-Mannered Dog Should Know." My family and I are about to move. How can we help our dog adjust to a new home? To help things go smoothly for your dog, one of the most important things you can do is to keep to a strict ...

Shiny Things, Flickr When an elderly chimpanzee died in Scotland two years ago, her three closest companions appeared to comfort each other, holding vigil over the body and displaying other human-like signs of grief, suggesting the primates may better understand death and dying than previously thought. The death of the elderly chimp, Pansy, and the effects on her group were captured on video in late 2008 and documented in the journal Current Biology. Researchers at the University of Stirling and the Blair Drummond Safari and Adventure Park watched what happened during Pansy's final days. As Pansy got sicker, her adult daughter, Rosie, and two other chimps stayed by her side at night and ...

Photo: Getty Images Food Network Star Rachael Ray needs a new recipe, but this time, it's for how to keep her much adored pit bull Isaboo from attacking other dogs. The TV host is distraught over the future of her aggressive dog and fears she may have to be put to sleep, reports RadarOnline. While being walked by a dog handler in New York City earlier this month, Rachael's beloved pit bull allegedly tore off another dog's ear before her handler could tug the pooch away, according to a report in the National Enquirer. Luckily, a vet was able to repair most of the injured dog's ear and Rachael and her husband, attorney John Cusimano, offered to pay for all medical bills, reports ...