Canine Behavior Problems

yes

death of the dog

yes

yes

no, usually make it worse because dogs learn from each other, now you have 2 dogs with the behavior problem

multiple problems

• what is going on with the dog
• are there other animals in the house
• identify the problem
• identify stimulus
• must see the dog interacting with the owner
• WWWWH
• what has the owner done to try and correct the problem

• who
• what
• when
• where
• how

behavior modification plan

• we need to understand the client's preception of the dog's behavior
• client needs to understand why the behavior is incorrect
• we need to see how the client is rewarding the behavior and the process of extinction

make sure the behavior is not due to a disease

• destructive behavior
• barking
• escaping
• roaming
• phobias
• jumping up
• unable to housebreak
• car chasing
• unruliness/excitability
• submissive behavior
• compulsive behavior
• pica

• alarm bark
• play bark
• separation anxiety
• response to stimulus

alarm bark

reward the dog when they bark due to a noise outside, then distract them to make them stop after they bark once or twice to prevent them from barking over and over again

• ABS (citronella) collar
• shock collar

when owners are away

• leave for short periods of time and reward dog when they are quiet
• gradually increase the time away

not usually

yes, but usually the last resort and some vets will not do it

• no
• dog still makes a hoarse noise and sometimes the vocal cords will even grow back

• is it a housebreaking issue?
• is it a medical problem?
• is it separation anxiety?
• is it make marking behavior?
• is it dominance behavior?

barking and destroying things

• correct behavior as soon as dog raises his leg, before he urinates
• use odor neutralizers

yes, sometimes a dog can be housebroken in one environment and not in another

turn it loose or give it away

when they are still a puppy

when greeting someone

yes

• ignore the behavior and dog right when you greet them
• avoid dominant gestures
• distract the dog
• don't get excited and stay calm around the dog

• don't leave over puppy
• crouch down to dogs level
• use a higher pitched voice when talking to the dog

when the owner is gone

• chewing
• digging
• knocking over objects
• in trash
• poop in owner's place (example - in the owner's bed)
• stealing

• lack of training
• boredom
• separation anxiety
• barrier frustration
• overabundence of energy

• age
• cause
• place (where is it happening)

• keep dog away from your stuff
• don't leave dog unattended
• obedience training
• interact with dog
• make sure dog gets exercised
• planned departures (boarding dog, doggie daycare)
• reward dog when being good

at least 15 minutes a day

• to escape
• boredom
• tension relief
• cooling holes
• nesting
• to get a prey
• allelomimetic

dog digs a hole in the ground to lay in and stay cool

pregnant female digs a hole to have her puppies

mimicking another dog or mimicking the owner

• bring dog inside
• actively interact with the dog
• don't leave dog unattended in yard
• limit access to places the dog wants to dig
• provide environmental stimulation
• remote punishment
• put food/water where digging
• place large rocks in holes

interactive toys in the yard

• a disease
• a dog will often mimick a previous disease to get attention (example - limping or coughing) because they got lots of attention when they were sick and still want that same attention

rewarding the behavior becuase the dog wants to get a reaction out of you and that is their reward

• vomiting
• anorexia
• coughing
• lameness
• nosing
• barking

• a dog that gets a lot of attention at home
• multidog households

• must convince owner there is no medical problem
• stop all reinforcement (ignore)
• reward when dog is not showing the behavior

yes

puppies

a dog who is medically hyperactive (like a child with ADHD)

• ignore the dog when active
• provide regular exercise
• actively interact daily
• correct when behavior starts
• reward when quiet
• accept the behavior (the dog may never be laid back)

• no eye contact
• no touching the dog
• no talking to the dog
• turn away or look up as soon as behavior starts
• reward when all 4 feet are on the ground (dog will start to jump when rewarded, ignore again)

no very rare

only adult dogs

• put dog in a quiet room
• check HR and RR
• give dexedrine
• recheck rates
• if the rates are lower than before, then the dog will need to be on dexedrine for life

increase HR and RR, so if it lowers the HR and RR then the dog is hyperkinetic

• pushes open door/window
• digs out of yard
• climbs fence

reinforces

• female in heat
• male seeking female in heat
• boredom
• barrier frustration
• seeks something on the outside (food, companions, prey)

• escape proof enclosure
• provide dog with yard activity
• reward when good
• routinely remove dog from enclosure for training of play
• remote punishment (hot wire)
• neutering

• to mate
• find food or prey
• social activity

because dogs are decendents of wolves and their "home range" area is a few square miles, so a dog will roam within that area

• neuter/spay
• remote punishment
• reinforce not roaming by fasting the dog, then going outside and giving it rewards at different times, this will cause the dog to not want to leave the yard because it never knows when you will come out with a treat and wants to be there when you do

fence underground to keep dog in yard

• shock
• sound
• spray

yes, it will get shocked, hear a sound, or sprayed with citronella when crossing the barrier, eventually the dog learns the barrier and will not cross it

• other animals or people may enter the yard and the dog will not be able to get away
• the dog may be motivated to get across the fence but then will not come back across

• barrier frustration
• territorial defence

yes, when the dog chases something, it will run away and that is what the dog wants it to do

hit by car

• remove stimulus
• change environment (put dog in backyard instead of front yard and vice versa)
• turn attractive stimulus into an aversive one (make dog scared of chasing the car)

yes

yes

no

anticipation of danger from unknown

consciously recognized external threat

persistent, excessive, irrational fear

• ears back
• panting
• licking lips
• trembling
• yawning
• pacing

• tail tucked
• avoidance
• crying
• shaking
• escaping
• aggression

• overreaction resulting in injury and destruction
• often results in injuring themselves

fear

phobia

• usually learned from a traumatic event
• restricted early experiences (not being socialized enough)
• genetic predisposition

• injury to dog
• damage to property
• upset owners
• owner-pet bond damaged
• rehoming
• euthanasia

a fear of being left alone

separation anxiety

• SPCA or boarding kennel
• being with the dog for a long period of time and then leaving it 

predeparture cues (panting, pacing, whining)

• barking
• destructive behavior
• elemination in the house

no

• provide novel stimulus
• give interactive toy on departure
• avoid emotional leavings/returns
• board while at work or take dog with you
• take dog to a sitter
• may need meds in beginning
• crate may help, but not a cure

• thunder
• loud noises
• cars
• vet clinics
• children
• certain people, uniforms, etc

may occur gradually or immediately during a violent storm

herding dogs

• panting, shaking, dilated pupils, salivation, loss of bladder or bowel control
• attention seeking behavior
• extreme escape behavior, frantic barking, destruction

• don't reward fear behavior
• identify stimulus
• desensitization
• counter-conditioning
• drug therapy
• Adaptil
• anxiety wrap
• classical conditioning
• melatonin added to food
• storm defender cape, thunder shirt

yes, chemical imbalances

repetitive, ritualistic behavior in excess of those required for normal function

2 - 4 years old

• flank sucking
• tail chasing
• fly biting
• pacing
• pica
• lick granulomas

• boredom
• attention seeking
• anxiety
• disease

increase exercise and interaction with people

stop reinforcement of behavior

counter-conditioning or habituation

• figure out the disease
• treat

drug therapy for life

eating feces

• separate dog from feces
• use copro-aid or for-bid
• put noxious stuff on feces (example - hot sauce)
• treat with pancreatic enzymes
• inject with apomorphine after act - will cause them to be nauseous and then they will relate that to eating the poop
• decrease carbohydrates in diet

put the pancreatic enzyme in the food of the dog who's poop is being eaten

• separation anxiety (30%)
• aggression to people (26%)
• house soiling (23%)
• phobias (19%)
• cognitive dysfunction (7%)

• disorientation
• sleep - wake cycle changes
• decreased activity
• housebreaking errors
• attitude change towards family

3

medical problems

• Anipryl
• canine b/d (brain diet)
• psychological enrichment

• drug that increases dopamine
• expect improvement in 2 weeks after starting treatment