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Arden Answers
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According to a nationwide study, more than 40 percent of dogs were surrendered to animal control because of behavioral problems. This means that learning to curb your dog’s behavioral issues may keep him out of the shelter. From destructive chewing to aggressive behavior, Pet Behavior Expert, Arden Moore, tells ZooToo how you can prevent the three most deadly doggie sins.
Q What are the three most deadly behavioral sins of dogs?
The top three are aggressiveness that includes growling and biting people and other dogs, destroying household valuables - like expensive leather shoes and sofas - and being an accomplished escape artist. Some dogs break through windows or chew through doors to escape homes and then are at risk of being injured or killed by vehicles and natural predators like coyotes.
Q Why are behavior problems bad?
Bad behaviors take a toll on everyone – the dogs and their people. It creates frustration and anger in people and causes a sense of uncertainty and confusion with the dog. Unchecked, it can be very expensive to people to replace destroyed items, consult behavior experts and risk possible lawsuits if their dog bites or injure someone. For dogs, it can be a death sentence by being surrendered to animal shelters and euthanized if not adopted. Or worse, be tossed out on the streets and forced to try to survive.
Q What are common signs that would indicate that your dog has a behavior problem?
Behavior problems do not typically surface overnight. They take time to grow and intensify. That’s why is it vital to set up household “ground rules” early – when the dog is first adopted and make sure that everyone in the home knows and follows the pet rules. To explain further, let’s examine three behavior scenarios:
Biting: It is often viewed as cute for a young pup to nip a hand or ankle during play. After all, the teeth are tiny and don’t puncture skin. But allowing this behavior to continue only encourages the fast-growing pup to continue biting and nipping. When the pup becomes an adult, he may perceive himself as “top dog” in the house and use his now adult-size teeth to boss others, including people.
Destroying household items: Pups need to chew to soothe their gums. But they need appropriate chew items – not easy-to-access leather shoes or the corner of the coffee table. Some breeds are more chew-oriented than others. It is important to recognize this and keep appropriate items like Kong toys (filled with treats and cheese), meat-flavored ice cubes and other items to give them the chance to chew safely.
Escaping: Some breeds like Huskies are more independent-minded and unchecked, use their canine brains to figure out ways to escape out of the house or back yard. Others with severe phobias to say, thunderstorms, can panic and in desperation, injure themselves in attempts to flee.
Q What should someone do if they suspect their pet has a behavior problem?
Seek the help of a professional animal behaviorist. There are various levels of expertise available. For mild to moderate problems, consult a member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (www.iaabc.org). For more severe problems, ask your veterinarian to recommend a certified applied animal behaviorist in your area.
Q How can I learn more about pet behavior problems?
Many common – and quirky –dog behavior problems are addressed in my book, The Dog Behavior Answer Book (Storey Books). This book was voted the best training/behavior book this year by the Dog Writers’ Association of America.
Q Can you tell us about a successful treatment of a pet with a bad behavioral problem?
A Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Jazz hated the dishwasher and would lunge at the door handle whenever his family was trying to load or unload the dishwasher. He even managed to shut off the dishwasher by leaping and grabbing the handle. Corgis are herders, breeds noted for being stubborn and determined. After all, they were bred to dodge kicking cows and sheep while moving them from one place to the next. Herding dogs are also highly intelligent and energetic. These dogs need jobs because boredom brings out their worst behaviors.
The goal was to change this Corgi’s view of the dishwasher from evil to welcoming. That involved identifying what motivates Jazz: fetching tennis balls and performing tricks for treats. His owner began playing fetch and having him perform tricks closer and closer to the dishwasher. The goal was to build a history of fun times associated with the appliance. A dog cannot be happy and angry at the same time.
Remember, the biggest mistake people make is to try to go too quickly, which usually makes the problem worse. It may take days, weeks, or even months, but eventually dogs like Jazz can build up enough memorable experiences involving treats and toys near the dishwasher that they will gain a new appreciation for this appliance.
1 year ago