Dr. Wailani Sung

Wailani Sung, MS, PhD, DVM, DACVB

Board-Certified Veterinary Behavior

The Behavior Specialty Clinic at the San Francisco SPCA

Education & Trainings

Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (DACVB) -- October 2013

Completed Residency in veterinary behavioral medicine -- August 2006-April 2013
Training program approved by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorist ACVB
Mentor: Lynne Seibert, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVB

DVM -- May 2005
University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine

Ph.D., Psychology -- May 2001
University of Georgia
Major Professor: Dr. Sharon L. Crowell-Davis, DVM, PhD. Dipl. ACVB
Recipient of University Wide Research Assistantships (1997-1999).
Dissertation Title: The elimination behavior pattern of domestic cats (Felis catus) with and without elimination behavior problems.

M.S., Psychology -- August 1998
University of Georgia
Major Professor: Dr. Sharon L. Crowell-Davis, DVM, PhD. Dipl. ACVB
Thesis Title: Effect of gender on initiation of proximity in free ranging domestic cats (Felis catus).

B.S., Animal Science -- May 1995
Cornell University
Research Advisor: Dr. Katherine A. Houpt, VMD, PhD. Dipl. ACVB
Title of Research Project: The welfare of Alaskan Huskies kept in a confined area.
Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (DACVB) -- October 2013

DVM -- May 2005
University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine

B.S., Animal Science -- May 1995
Cornell University
Research Advisor: Dr. Katherine A. Houpt, VMD, PhD. Dipl. ACVB
Title of Research Project: The welfare of Alaskan Huskies kept in a confined area.

Activity & Honors

Fear Free Certification:

Fear Free Certification, Level 1 (July 2017)
Fear Free Certification, Level 2 (July 2019)
Fear Free Certification, Level 3 (July 2019)
Fear Free Certification, Fear Free Shelter Certification (January 2020)

American College of Veterinary Behaviorist:

Board of Regents: Member at Large -- Current; 2015-2016
Exam Committee: Member -- 2014-current
Exam Committee: Chair -- 2018

Professional Memberships

DACVB
ISAE
AVMA
CVMA
SFVMA

Publications

Peer Reviewed Journal Articles:

Liu S, Sung W, Berger J. Retrospective study of outcomes of cats (felis catus) with house-soiling in a limited intake shelter. Submitted May 2020 – under review
Sung, W. Animal Behavior Case of the Month. 2015. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Vol 246:7, 745-746.
Sung, W, Crowell-Davis, S.L. 2006. Elimination behavior patterns of domestic cats (Felis catus) with and without elimination behavior problems. American Journal of Veterinary Research, Vol 67: 9, 1500-1504.
Crowell-Davis, S.L, Seibert, L.M., Sung, W., Parthasarathy, V., Curtis, T.M. 2003. Use of clomipramine, alprazolam, and behavior modification for treatment of storm phobia in dogs, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Vol 222: 6, 744-748.
Yeon, S.C., Golden, G., Sung, W., Erb, H.N., Reynolds, A.J., Houpt, K.A. 2001. A comparison of tethering and pen confinement of dogs. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Sciences, Vol 4:4, 257-270.
Seibert, L.M., Sung, W., Crowell-Davis, S.L. 2001. Fearful behavior in a Goffin’s Cockatoo. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Vol 218: 4, 518-520.

Books in Popular Press:

American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. Decoding Your Cat. June 2020
Becker, M, Radosta, L, Sung, W and Becker, M. From Fearful to Fear Free. HCI, April 2018.

Published Magazine Articles:

Sung, W. Is Your Pet Food-Aggressive? Healthy Pet, Summer 2017, 26-27.
Sung, W. It’s a Dirty Problem: Stop your Dog from Digging in the Trash. Healthy Pet, Spring 2017, 24-25.
Sung, W. Polly want a parrot? 2009. AZ Daily Sun, September, 7.

Dr. Wailani Sung has a passion for helping owners prevent or effectively manage behavior problems in companion animals, enabling them to maintain a high quality of life. Dr. Sung obtained her Master’s degree and Doctorate in Psychology, with a special interest in animal behavior from The University of Georgia. Upon completion of these graduate programs, she obtained a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, then board certification in veterinary behavioral medicine. Dr. Sung currently provides behavioral consultations at the Behavior Specialty Clinic located at the San Francisco SPCA. She does not consider any patient or problem hopeless, and her treatment protocols are based on scientific information about animal behavior, psychopharmacology, and learning theory. Dr. Sung also contributes to the management and treatment of the behavioral needs of the shelter pets at the San Francisco SPCA.

Dr. Sung frequently lectures on managing common behavioral issues and consults with veterinary practices to design programs and train staff in best practices for making vet visits less stressful and developing treatment protocols for patients with behavioral issues. Dr. Sung also provide consultations to shelter and rescue organizations.

Dr. Sung is a co-author of the book, “From Fearful to Fear Free," in which she collaborated with America’s veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, veterinary colleague Dr. Lisa Radosta, and renowned trainer, Mikkel Becker. Dr. Sung also co-authored a chapter in “Decoding your Cat” coming out July 2020. Dr. Sung has been a contributor to the magazines, Healthy Pet and Happy Paws, and the websites, PetCoach and PetMD. Dr. Sung has written chapters for the following veterinary textbooks: Behavior of Exotic Pets, Blackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Canine and Feline Behavior, 2nd Edition and Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult: Canine and Feline: 7th edition. Dr. Sung is also an advisory member of Fear Free Pets. She is a Fear Free certified speaker. Dr. Sung was interviewed on the documentary, Cat Tales by NOVA.

Recent Articles

Puppy Crying in His Crate? Here’s What To Do

Wailani Sung, MS, PhD, DVM, DACVB

The first few days of bringing home a new puppy are exciting—but they can also be stressful for both new pet parents and the puppy. And in those first few days, there’s nothing more important than acclimating...

How To Socialize a Puppy and Why It’s So Important

Wailani Sung, MS, PhD, DVM, DACVB

When puppies are brought to their forever home, not only do they need to be fed, cuddled, played with, and house-trained, but they also need to learn to interact with people, other animals, and the outside...

Fear Aggression in Dogs

Wailani Sung, MS, PhD, DVM, DACVB

When a dog is labeled as “aggressive,” people typically think this means the dog is a bad animal. But that’s far from the case. He’s not a bad dog—he’s a dog that has not been heard, a dog that needs space,...

Why Is My Puppy Crying and Whining and How Can I Help Them?

Wailani Sung, MS, PhD, DVM, DACVB

Why Do Puppies Cry? Both puppies and adult dogs cry and whine, but often for different reasons. Puppies cry or whine when they are distressed, such as when they cannot find their mother. They emit sounds...

How to Keep Your Pet Calm During Social Gatherings

Wailani Sung, MS, PhD, DVM, DACVB

A recent study found that about 30% of dogs may exhibit some form of anxiety, and in another survey, two-thirds of cat owners reported their cats had anxiety or fear. Anxiety is the emotional response...

Why Do Dogs Growl & What To Do

Wailani Sung, MS, PhD, DVM, DACVB

Growling is part of normal canine communication. People usually think of a dog’s growl as a warning or as a sign of defense. Often, growling means that the dog needs space or is uncomfortable. However,...