Understanding Canine Behavior

Their drive is to be in shared harmony with both their animal and human peers. This harmony can, however, be easily corrupted and misguided leading to confused, (not “bad”) fearful and anxious dogs.

The conventional notion is that dogs have a job or function to play out. These “jobs” are, unfortunately, assigned to them by perhaps well-meaning but poorly informed people who fail to recognize and honor the true nature of dogs. Dogs don’t need “jobs.” They need to feel and live their exquisite canine natures and they need (ideally) to be with their mothers and littermates until they are (at least) eight weeks old if of a larger breed like Golden Retrievers and twelve weeks for small dogs.

Categories of behavior such as dominant, possessive, territorial, etc. are surface readings that can be a valuable guide but do not fully embrace or give meaningful definition to the whole dog. Simply having dominance as a trait is not undesirable while dominance aggression is. It is dominance out of harmony that creates confusion. It is not necessary to “break” a dog’s spirit to redirect dominance aggression or any other behavior.

Every year, more dogs lose their lives to a condition that is unmatched by cancer, kidney failure, heart disease or illness of any kind. This condition is unwanted and misunderstood behavior.

The relationship between people and dogs is as old as recorded time and to imagine a world without dogs is unthinkable. Sadly, however, most people remain poorly informed about the true nature and behavior of dogs. Dogs are often, misguidedly, described as “jealous” or “vindictive” but that is a quality of human, not K-9, nature. They are more likely distressed, anxious, feel displaced or threatened by someone or something or some change in their lives. E.G.: New home, people, other animals, etc.

Well meaning but misguided “advice” from a variety of sources rarely works, postpones effective treatment and can complicate and escalate a problem. Early intervention is best but it is never too late to seek professional intervention.

Your dog is not going to “grow out of it;" whatever the it may be. Millions of healthy dogs are surrendered to pounds and shelters where they are executed. Responsible no-kill shelters do not accept animals with known behavior problems, as they are considered unadoptable. If the problem is not disclosed but revealed after they are accepted by a shelter or rescue group and adopted to another family, they are returned to the shelter (at best) or mishandled through punishment or worse. Some shelters that claim to be no-kill do not reveal that they have “exchange programs” with those that do kill. They exchange what they consider to be an unadoptable dog from a no-kill shelter with an adoptable dog from a kill shelter. The no-kill shelter does not do the killing themselves but the unadoptable dog has his or her fate sealed once they enter the kill shelter.

The puppy who comes bounding into your lap will soon lose his charm when he is an eighty (or more!) pound adult . He has no way of knowing that what he did for months and was welcomed is no longer acceptable. He cannot understand why his people are reacting in such a strange way to what used to bring him smiles of approval and affection.

Consistency is a vital part of interacting with your dog. If your messages are mixed this will lead to confusion, anxiety, frustration and even aggression. E.G.: It is not uncommon to hear someone say to their dog, “Come on, sit down.” Please be aware that this sentence contains three separate verbal directions: Come, sit and down. Can we really expect a dog to translate that? I have actually seen dogs attempt to do so by sitting, then going into the down position and crawling in the down position in an attempt to come!

Obedience Classes: These classes are useful for dogs without behavior problems and can work well to produce good canine citizens who require basic education and some socialization. This should be well researched as too many instructors still rely on archaic methods of “correction” that consists of jerking dogs about by their necks, prong, choke and shock collars and other unnecessarily harsh methods that serve only to make matters worse.

Professional Intervention: If you decide that you need or want professional guidance, interview and select very carefully. Not everyone who calls him/herself a “trainer” or “behaviorist” is either qualified or experienced. Do not send your dog away to a school where you are not present and a full participant. This is potentially dangerous and if it is successful at all, the dog will have learned to love and respect the instructor and return to you with your relationship unaltered or fragmented.

Underlying Physical Illness: Some behavior problems are not behavior problems at all. They are signals of underlying physical illness. It is essential that all dogs who seem to have a behavior problem (especially those with sudden behavior changes) have the benefit of a complete veterinary evaluation. It should consist of a careful physical exam, complete blood chemistry that includes thyroid evaluation, urinalysis with culture and sensitivity, fecal analysis and any other diagnostic tool that will aid in ruling out underlying pathology. Your veterinarian is a necessary and welcome member of the team. We will look to her/him for involvement of all kinds beginning with the medical records that include chart notes and lab results and extend to evaluation for and approval of any prescription medication and the monitoring, thereafter.

Fear and Panic: This is a condition that is very common and MUST be treated with great care. Most of the garden-variety approaches (e.g.: Intentional exposure to the source of fear. This technique is known as “flooding”) do not work and, in fact usually exacerbate the condition. There are better and kinder methods that will prove effective and they must be tailored to the individual need of each sensitive, fearful and anxious animal.

Biting & Aggression: There is little else more frightening, disturbing or frustrating than a dog who bites…except, perhaps, being bitten by that dog yourself.

Dogs (and they may be perfectly normal dogs) bite for a variety of reasons. Their targets range from strangers and other animals to people they know well and have interacted successfully with in the past.

Biting and other aggressive behaviors do not always indicate an abusive past or anything you may have done “wrong." While it is true that people often encourage unacceptable behaviors or habits in their canine companions without knowing it, there are larger factors at play that are beyond your control but not beyond your understanding (with help) or repair.

Examples of that are seen in the time line of maturity that begins to shape every dog’s personality, natural tendencies and over-all behavior. Dogs, not unlike people, develop socially, environmentally, physically, and sexually. This takes place at different times and a sexually mature (able to produce puppies) dog is most often not a socially mature dog.

Though it may appear that a dog has bitten for “no reason” that is never true. There is always a reason an often a number of reasons that have been building over time.

Every Problem Has A Solution! Your commitment of time, love and adherence to a carefully crafted care plan that may include but not be limited to multiple behavior modification protocols, environmental changes as well as the possible need for prescription medication.

No one of the things mentioned will solve the problem on its own. No drug or behavior modification is so powerful that it alone will be the “magic bullet.” The approach or treatment is not unlike what we now understand about the treatment of anxiety or depression in people. Talk therapy and behavior modification works. Supportive drug therapy works. Neither works as well alone as they do when properly combined!

Your dog may be an outstanding graduate of classic "obedience training." It will, however, have no positive effect or influence on behaviors like biting and aggression of various kinds, separation anxiety, fear disorders, acoustic insult & trauma (thunderstorms, traffic and unusual sound generated in or around the home like squeaky floors) and generalized anxiety.

The time frame in which you can expect to see improvements varies. It may be weeks to months depending upon the circumstance but you should see levels of improvement as you proceed toward your goal of extinguishing the unwanted behaviors.