Where's Your Sit?: behaviour problems

Showing posts with label behaviour problems. Show all posts

Friday, March 7, 2014

Why Has My Dog Changed???

Well I’ll start off this blog entry by apologizing for the very long delay in entries. 2013 went out like a lion with a number of personal emergencies. Luckily life has settled down a bit and I have time to write more dog training entries!

Today I want to discuss why a dog’s behavior would change. I often see dogs around age 2 to 4. The owners will describe a change in the dog’s behavior towards other dogs and/or people. They are often confused about what happened and will attempt to pinpoint the change to one circumstance.

So what’s really going on? How can a seemingly friendly dog suddenly not like other dogs? Or a well-mannered happy go lucky pooch just start to blow off anyone he/she doesn’t know already? What has happened?

Well simply put sometimes once a dog completes adolescence they are less playful and happy go lucky just like humans. Sometimes they’ve spent the first few years of life being bullied or mishandled and they’ve had enough. More often than not there is no single occurrence that has led to this change.

This change can be a shock to the owners of any dog. And sometimes there’s not much you can do about it. Let’s talk about it from the dog’s point of view. As a puppy Ms. Golden Retrieve was very friendly. She adored playing with all types of other dogs. She went to the dog park every day and sometimes to doggy daycare too. She would play and play and play. Sometimes she played so much she would get sore. Now she’s 3 years old and her hips hurt sometimes, she still goes to dog daycare and has adolescent dogs bouncing off her and biting her ears. She wants a break. Last night at the dog park a young, large male jumped on her and hurt her hips which made her cry out. So the next time she sees a young dog bee lining her way she shows her teeth. What she’s trying to say “hey there youngster, give me some space”.

This dog is not aggressive. She’s getting slightly older, she’s less playful and she has an undiagnosed medical issue. Her behavior has changed. So what should her family do?

- Get a vet examine and if possible visit an Osteopath or Physio as well. This will rule out lameness issues. Anytime your dog’s behavior changes drastically you need to rule out medical causes. Dogs can’t tell you that they are sore and will often hide it.

- Respect that your dog might not want young dogs bouncing off of her anymore. Find play solutions with appropriate friends for your dog’s play style. If necessary STOP going to the dog park and daycare. Instead take her for leisurely hikes where she can sniff and run around without fear of being knocked over.

- Take your dog to environment where dog interaction is more controlled. A Rally Obedience class where all the dogs are in control and having fun bonding with their owners is a great option.

That’s just one example of what I see on a daily basis working with clients. All of our dogs are different and as they mature they will change. They are not puppies forever (for better and worse). And please remember behavior changes should not be ignored as they can be a symptom of anxiety or illness.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Why Obedience Training is Integral to Living with Any Dog

My clients literally come into all shapes and sizes. I’ve worked with dogs as small as 4lbs and as large 160lbs. They have varying backgrounds; some are feral dogs from reserves while others were luckier born to breeders who loved them and nurtured them.

The size or breed or even to some degree background doesn’t matter as much as one crucial component that the owner of the dog can control. When I’m addressing a behaviour concern such as aggression, resource guarding or impulse control concerns (such as jumping up or stealing food) it is quicker and easier to “fix” the issues with dogs who have attended some sort of obedience class as a puppy.

Why is this?

Simply put because the dog was socialized to work around distractions (to varying degrees of proficiency) and the owner has a relationship with their dog that includes listening to commands (even if it’s just sit). Dogs who have had no formal training and happen to have an owner who hasn’t taught them much take a lot longer to work with.

So have a new puppy? Time to get to class. Not only are you less likely to have serious behaviour problems down the road but if they do happen it will be easier to address saving you money, stress and time in the long run.

It’s also important to remember that not all obedience classes are created equal. Puppies need to trained using positive reinforcement techniques not coercive or punishment based (no choke chains, no prong collars, no shock collars, no leash corrections using a karate chop or any other sort of hard yank, no hanging in the air, etc). Some of these classes are labeled as positive or balanced training. Puppies specifically should not be trained using harsh corrective methods and even in the “good old days” these methods were not used on dogs under 6 months.

So how do you find a good class? Well there’s a few signs of a great puppy class. You’ll want a trainer who has experience (ask where and if you do not understand the answer look it up as some dog training schools aren’t so good), has certification (CPDT-KA is a good start – that being said there are good trainers out there who do not have certification), use food when training, encourage people to come watch their classes before signing up, and can provide references. Be choosey and don’t settle on someone you don’t like. A good trainer/client relationship can help you keep small problems small throughout your dog’s life.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Adopting a Dog? Some Considerations

In recent years "adopting" a dog from a shelter or rescue group has become the norm. However adoption is not the only choice nor is it the best choice for every family. Personally I have "adopted" 3 adult dogs from the Calgary Humane Society, 1 adult dog from a breeder and purchased 2 puppies from breeders. There has been some significant differences in the dogs that came to me as puppies and those that showed up as adults.

Adopting A Puppy

Puppies (4 months and under) are available through rescue. They come in a variety of mixes as well as the occasional "purebred". They tend to be adopted quickly and spend very little time sitting in a shelter or foster home. So what's different about adopting a puppy rather than seeking out one from a reputable breeder?

- Unknown history on parents including their breeds and temperaments

- Unknown medical screening on parents

- Puppy might suffer malnutrition and lack of socialization

A good breeder does the work before a puppy is ever born. Planning a litter should include screening both parent dogs for a variety of genetic health concerns (includes hip displaysia, blindness, skin issues, ect). Parent dogs should also have a sound temperament because behaviour problems include a genetic component.

Another concern is whether your puppy got the right start once he/she were born. This can be extremely important because what a puppy is exposed to before they are 4 months old will affect them throughout their life. Puppies need to be fed a well balanced diet and experience new people (all ages), new dogs and changes in environment. This creates a happy, confident dog as an adult.

Adopting An Adult Dog

Adopting an adult dog can include all the challenges of adopting a puppy and more! Sometimes adult dogs are given up due to behaviour problems in the home including house soiling, biting, aggression with other dogs/pets, resource guarding or a general lack of manners. While these issues can generally be resolved with good management and a training plan they do exist. Sometimes adopters are not even aware that these issues exist at all.

One of the most important considerations should be what you want in a dog. Make a list and screen each dog carefully. Rescues and shelters who do their due diligence should be screening all adoptable dogs with behaviour assessments. Please take these assessments seriously but consider that the dog might act different once he/she settles into the home.

A list of considerations:

- What breed(s) do I want and why? Have I researched what this type of dog was bred to do?

- What behaviour issues am I willing to work on and what is a deal breaker?

- Do I have children and is this dog acquainted with kids?

- Do I have time for training and integration?

- What type of health concerns am I prepared to deal with immediately?

Choosing to rescue is indeed saving a life but it is not the right choice for everyone. Choosing a reputable breeder can be just as difficult. Dogs live between 9 and 18 years. This choice will affect you and your family for some time to come. Do not make a rushed decision and consider contacting a dog trainer to help you make that decision.

Where's Your Sit? offers pre-adoption consults where we can help assess what kind of dog would be best for you and where you should acquire your dog.

Blog entry coming next on choosing a good breeder. Not all breeders care about the future health of your dog or his/her temperament either. Screening is very important!