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Pet Prescription and
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| INDEX OF ARTICLES | WAITING ROOM | EXAM ROOM | SURGERY ROOM | X-RAY ROOM | GENERAL TOPICS | IMPORTANT TOPICS | LAB and PHARMACY | PET PHOTOS | PET SUPPLIES | PET PHARMACY |
Top Ten List of Pet Behavior Questions
Presented by
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Dr. Manette Kohler |
and | Dr. Diana B. Beam |
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Go to Dr. Kohler's Top 5 Q and As.
Housetraining |
Go to Dr. Beam's Top 5 Q and As.
Fear
and Aggression |
Behavior Modification in dogs and cats!
During Dr. Kohler's and Dr. Beam's careers in veterinary medicine they have answered thousands of requests for information about animal behavior, including their excellent work for PetFoodDirect.com's online "Ask The Vet" service. Behavior counseling, a highly valued segment of veterinary medicine, provides great assistance to pet owners who have difficulty making their pets understand what is expected of them. The dog or cat has to know what the owner desires; and the owner must know how to communicate on the pet's level in order for a desired behavioral change to take place. Sadly, many pets have been abandoned, dropped off at shelters or even euthanized because of behavioral abnormalities... many of which may have been corrected if the pet owner only knew how to communicate with their pet in a manner that the pet understands.
The key factors in
animal behavior modification are:
Making sure the pet understands your command
Following through on your demand that the command is obeyed
Rewarding correct behaviors
Repetition of
desired behaviors
QUESTIONS FOR DR. KOHLER
Question for Dr. Kohler:
Coprophagy
My dog keeps eating his own stool. Is something missing in his
diet? How can we get him to stop this disgusting habit?
Answer:
Coprophagia is defined as the consumption of fecal material, including the
ingestion of a dog’s own feces as well as the
feces of other dogs and other species. Although dogs find nothing wrong with it,
we humans find it rather 
disgusting.
Nobody really knows for sure why dogs do it and an old myth was that there had
to be something missing in their diet. Studies have shown, however, that even
dogs on the best diets will practice Coprophagia, but, to be on the safe side,
always be sure to feed a high quality meat-based diet to your dog. Puppies tend to explore their environment with their mouths and thus many of
them taste-test feces but many of these puppies outgrow this practice. If not
outgrown, the best way to control or eliminate Coprophagia is to pick up the
stool daily or right after they defecate so that there isn’t anything to eat.
This may sound labor intensive but it really is the best
remedy. If it’s not
there, they can’t eat it!
Alternative treatments include
the following: 1) Place pineapple
juice or chunks in with their food. This renders the stool distasteful to dogs.
I have also heard of Adolph’s meat tenderizer being added to the food with the
same effect. These suggestions may
work if the dog is eating its own feces. 2)
There are commercial products on the market such as “Forbid” and
"Deter" which can also be tried. Forbid is sold by veterinarians and
Deter can be purchased from
PetFoodDirect.com.
(Type in "deter" in the Product Search window.) Deter tends to be less expensive. 3.) A quick scold when they attempt to eat the feces can be tried
as well. This usually works well as long as you accompany your dog
outside. If outside alone, the dog may learn not
to do it in your presence but may be more than happy to eat feces when your back
is turned.
Other than the fact that eating feces is an ugly practice (not to mention the effect it can have on a dog’s breath!), dogs can contract certain intestinal parasites from ingesting the feces of other dogs or animals, which is another reason to try to eliminate this behavior. To learn about intestinal parasites at ThePetCenter, look here.
As for “cat feces”, dogs seem to find this especially tasty so it is best to keep the cat's litter pan out of your dog’s reach. A pet gate works well to keep dogs out of the litter pan room (the cat simply jumps over the gate or goes under). A small pet door can also be inserted in a door to a designated litter box room and will successfully keep larger dogs out of the room. Another alternative is to place the litter box off of the floor and on a counter or table in some "out of the way" part of the house. The cat can jump up to use it but the dog can't. Now you know there is no easy “fix” for Coprophagia but you do have a few tricks to try.
Question for Dr. Kohler:
Barking Dog
Why does my dog bark all the time and how can I keep him quiet when I am
away?
Answer:
Barking certainly can be annoying but it is
important to understand “why” dogs bark.
Most dogs that are considered problem barkers are not really behaving
abnormally - they are responding to environmental stimuli (such as hearing a
siren, seeing a squirrel run up a tree, etc.) and exhibiting alerting behavior
(people or dogs approaching their “perceived” territory, etc.). Some dogs
bark because they are distressed at being left alone and others bark as part of
an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but the majority of barkers are just
being "dogs". Barking is
one their major modes of communication.
The key to controlling the barking is in identifying and treating the underlying stimulus. For instance, if the dogs are being teased by neighborhood children, the dogs should be removed from that environment. (And a few phone calls to some parents will help, too.) The next step is to teach the dog a more appropriate behavior with which to replace the barking. According to Dr. Karen Overall, Board Certified Animal Behavior Specialist, most dogs that bark continue to do so because they become more stimulated and, generally, more anxious. Dogs cannot learn another behavior to replace the barking unless you are present. Several things will help make bark control possible including obedience training, plenty of play and exercise (to use up excess energy that may otherwise be used for needless barking), and head halter training (two brands are Promise Halter and Gentle Leader). These halters look a bit like a horse halter and can be purchased through many veterinary offices. You can use this halter with a lead to correct the dog by closing its mouth and then encouraging the dog to sit (this is where the obedience training comes in handy) and relax every time they start to try to bark. The dog must sit until it is calm, and then it can be petted, rewarded, or told that it is "okay" only when calm and relaxed. Rewarding “good” behavior is more successful than just reprimanding inappropriate behavior. It is important to respond to the dog within the first 30-60 seconds of the onset of the barking so you will have to pay close attention. Other items which you can use to interrupt the barking include water sprayers, shake can (an empty soda can with coins or pebbles sealed inside), ultrasonic trainers set appropriately, etc. These devices will work to interrupt the barking and then you can redirect the dog’s behavior to something more appropriate such as playing fetch or other kinds of play. This is a simplistic description of how to handle this situation since each dog presents its own unique personal tendencies.
There is no easy or quick fix for barking. Shock collars can be used but absolutely must be tuned properly and only used under supervision. For dogs that mainly bark when you are not around to correct or work with them, the citronella collars on the market now are quite effective. These collars are triggered to spray a citrus mist every time the dog barks and are effective to cause most dogs to abort the barking. They eventually learn to decrease their barking behavior. One drawback is that these collars are not cheap but they certainly can save your sanity by helping to break the barking behavior. There are other bark-activated products as well. As a very last resort, a dog can be surgically de-vocalized but it is important to know that many dogs retain some degree of ability to make “noise” unless a radical excision of the vocal folds is done by an experienced surgeon. No... de-barking a dog does not affect them mentally.
Question for Dr. Kohler:
Housetraining
We just got a new puppy. She is just the sweetest little thing and
I don't want to be harsh with her but what is the best way to housetrain her?
What about pushing her nose into any mess she makes?
Answer:
Housetraining 101! The
following information relates to housetraining a puppy but the same information
applies to housetraining an adult dog. The
best strategy is to teach her that she should only eliminate outside and not in
the house. With this in mind, puppy pads and paper training probably should be
avoided since this actually allows her to 
eliminate in the house.
Instead, opt for a combination of close supervision, encouragement and
some type of confinement such as
crate training.
The size of the crate is very important. It should be big enough for her to stand up and turn around in, even as an adult. Portable dog kennels work great for crate training and they come in a variety of sizes. (PetFoodDirect.com has a great selection of quality crates and wire cages.) They can also be used for travel (i.e. on an airplane, etc). Other dogs prefer a larger area such as an exercise pen or small room. A crate can become a positive place to be if the pup is conditioned to the crate with such things as treats and toys. It is also a positive place to be if it is not placed in an isolated area such as a laundry room or garage. Instead place it in a frequented area of the house such as the kitchen or den since dogs are social animals. She should be in her crate whenever you are not able to watch her such as when you are sleeping, at work, or even when you are too busy around the house to watch her closely. A puppy should not be expected to spend more than about four hours in the crate, however. If you are unable to let her out of the crate after about four hours to eliminate outside and get some exercise, then a larger confinement area is necessary. This way she can eliminate if necessary and be allowed to rest away from any soiled area.
When she is let out of her crate, she should be taken directly outside to eliminate if needed. Make it fun to be outside, not a punishment. A puppy should also be allowed to eliminate just prior to being placed in her crate. When she is out of the crate, you will need to watch her VERY closely so that you can take her outside every hour or two or if you notice any body language which might indicate that she is about to eliminate in the house. Such body language includes sniffing the ground, turning in a circle, starting to squat, sniffing at the outside door, looking at the outside door, etc. All dogs are different so you will have to learn what her cues are. There are critical times when a dog should be taken outside and these include immediately after waking (even if just from a nap), after playing, and within 15-30 minutes of eating.
She can be taught “where” to
eliminate outside by taking the pup to the desired location and staying with the
pup, verbally encouraging it to eliminate with a code word such as “hurry
up” or “go potty”, etc. Don't
actually
play
with her outside until after she eliminates. Business first and then pleasure!
A cheerful praise session is in order after the pup eliminates outside as
well as during playtime. If you
catch her starting to eliminate in the house, it is best not to scold but,
instead, to startle her with a clap of the hands, or shaking a soda can filled
with coins or small rocks, or a stomp of your foot in order to stop her from
eliminating and then quickly place your hand under her belly and scoot her to
the same door used every time she exits from your house. Now she'll learn that
she is supposed to go to that door whenever she needs to eliminate and you can
respond by letting her out. It is OK to say
"no" with a stern voice but try not to frighten her. We don't want the
pup to fear you. Then praise her when she finishes the job outside. If you find
a mistake on the floor but didn't catch her "in the act", just clean
it up. Don't scold the dog or push her nose into it because it is too late for
her to understand the association between the mistake and the punishment. Scolding
would have needed to be done within 2 seconds for a pup or dog to understand the
association. Any mistakes in
the house should be cleaned up thoroughly and the area treated with an
odor-neutralizing product (See PetFoodDirect.com
for a good selection of "clean up" products.), so that the pup is not drawn back to the location by
smell.
It is also handy to have a set feeding schedule for a puppy such as two or three times per day since this helps to regulate the bowels and makes it easier for you to predict when the puppy will have to eliminate. Leave enough time for the puppy to eliminate before being placed back in to a crate or confinement area and be sure to feed the last meal three to five hours before bedtime. Being consistent, rewarding appropriate behavior, and close observation will help ensure timely housetraining.
Question for Dr. Kohler:
Feline
Elimination Disorders
We have three cats and one or more of them keeps missing the litterbox...
urine and stool Our house is starting to really smell. What can we do?
Answer:
Inappropriate elimination encompasses all problems associated with not using
the litter box (urine spraying, urinating on horizontal surfaces and defecating out of
the box). You are not alone... this is the number one behavior problem among
cats.
This is a complicated subject with many different factors to consider.
The following information will serve as a general overview of the
subject but I encourage you to work closely with your veterinarian on this
matter in order to figure out “why” your cat or cats are eliminating
inappropriately and then to create an effective treatment plan. Each
individual and its health status and environment is unique; so there is no
standard answer to these questions of inappropriate urinating and defecating.
It is instinctive for cats to want
to dig and bury their waste (urine and feces) in a litter box, but many factors
can play into a cat abandoning their litter box (whether it is occasionally or
full-time). There are issues to
address concerning the litter box itself, including:
1) the location (cats like a
quiet, low traffic area); 2) the type of litter (some cats prefer certain litter
types, usually unscented); 3) the cleanliness of the box (it is best to scoop
the box daily and then dump the entire contents and clean with soap and water on a
regular basis such as every 10-14 days); 4) the number of boxes (it is best to have
one box per cat but some cats also prefer having separate boxes for urination
and defecation); 5) changing the
location of the box. If you ever
need to change the location of a litter box it is best to leave the original 
box
in its regular location and add another box in the “new” location. Eventually, you will be able to eliminate the original
litterbox once the cat is using the box in the new location. For a wonderful selection of types and brands of kitty litter,
including some natural products, look
here.
There are also social issues to consider and this topic can be quite complicated. By social issues, I am referring to the social structure of the felines in the home for multi-cat households. This hierarchy can also refer to the humans in the home. Many cats become stressed when family members (human) either move into or out of the home or if a new boyfriend/girlfriend shows up on the scene, etc. As for feline social structure, the individual personalities play a big part here. It is not unusual for inappropriate elimination to start when one or more of the cats within a multi-cat household reach social maturity which is at about three to five years of age. This is the time in their lives when they begin to figure out where they fit in “socially” in the home. Some cats are more outgoing and confident than others and some are more subordinate or shy/timid. The shy individual, in a multi-cat household with more confident cats or cat, may find it necessary to urinate out of the litterbox in order to make itself feel more comfortable in its surroundings (carving out a niche for itself so-to-speak). A more confident cat may urinate out of the box to mark its territory. To complicate issues even more, some cats will urinate out of the box (especially near doors and windows) if they see another cat outside through the window. They may perceive this as an encroachment on their territory. Other stressful events or things the cat perceives as stress can also trigger elimination out of the box. Examples include redecorating, remodeling, moving to a new house, new pet in the home, etc.
Commonly,
medical problems result in inappropriate elimination. These conditions
include urinary tract
infections, crystals in the urine, diarrhea or constipation.
These medical issues can cause the cat discomfort when it eliminates and
may cause it to avoid the box. (Could the
cat think the litterbox is causing the discomfort?) Once
a cat has box. This is called "substrate preference" and this is
difficult to treat if it is not addressed quickly. Many cats prefer soft surfaces such as carpeting, clothing,
bedding, etc. If clay litter is
currently being used, re-training the cat and
using softer litters such as the
newer clumping litters may prove favorable to the cat. Be sure to remove all odor from the soiled areas with a pet
odor eliminator so that they are not drawn back to the location by smell.
If they can detect the odor of a previous
elimination they soon “learn” that this is their area to
eliminate. It is much easier to
treat these cases if they do not “learn" to use a new area.
You MUST consult with your veterinarian about medical reasons for
inappropriate elimination because if a medical problem goes untreated, you and
your kitty will never be happy.
Another cause for eliminating out of the box is location preference which means that they are not against using the box they just don't like where the litter box is located. Placing the box in the location they are using inappropriately treats this! Once they are using the box well, move the box 1-2 inches per day until the box is in a more acceptable location for the humans in the home (this is called compromising!). Don't try to move the box more than 1-2 inches per day or your cat will realize what you are up to and it won't work. Again, you will need to remove the entire odor from the areas that they were inappropriately using. There are several good products on the market including Nature’s Miracle Stain and Odor Remover (available through PetFoodDirect.com). You can also make the soiled area less appealing by temporarily placing the cats food and water there since the cat will not want to eliminate where it eats. Another suggestion is to place a sheet pf plastic carpet runner (nubby side up), two-sided sticky tape or an aversive odor (ketone sprays, perfume, etc) in the previously soiled area.
The next step is to retrain your cat to use the litterbox. This is best accomplished by locking the cat in a small room (such as a bathroom) with all throw rugs removed. The cat's food and water and litter box are kept in the room as well, but the food and water dishes should not be kept right next to the litter box. You may want to experiment by placing two boxes in the room to see if they prefer to urinate in one box and defecate in the other. You may also want to try two different types of litter in each box to see which one it prefers. There are many litter types to choose from so you may want to experiment with different brands including ones made from newspaper, etc. Many cats prefer only a small layer of litter in the bottom of the box so that they can dig to the bottom. Try using just enough litter so that the cat will easily dig through the litter to the bottom of the box. Keep the cat in this room for several days (at least a week or so) and give the cat a lot of attention while they are locked in this room. If they are routinely using the litter box, as they should, then you can test them in the house again but only under close supervision at first. If you catch them attempting to soil an area in the house again, quickly startle them with a spray bottle or loud clap of the hands to cause them to cease their current activity. It is not wise to punish your cat such as with a swat or by rubbing their nose in the mess since this only serves to make things worse and may result in the cat fearing and avoiding you (more stress!). If a mishap does occur, the cat should be locked back up again for a few more days. In some cases, especially those concerning social structure, behavior modification medication may be needed. These medications are typically given for a set period of time (for example, 2 to 3 months or more) before weaning the patient off of them. Some cats needs to be placed back onto the medication from time to time. I encourage you to work closely with your veterinarian to solve any behavior problem, especially to rule out any medical causes first.
Question for Dr. Kohler:
Feline Aggressive Behavior
I don't want my new kitty to bite
at my hands and scratch me as if it is fun play. My last cat did that and
it was very annoying. What did I do wrong and how can I make my new kitty
less likely to bite and scratch?
Answer:
Kittens that are weaned early never learn how to temper their play responses and
it is often these kittens that exhibit play aggression. The mother cat teaches
her kittens what is appropriate and what is inappropriate play behavior but if
she is not present during the early time periods when kittens learn about play,
kittens miss out on this very important information.
The best approach is to use
behavior modification that interrupts the inappropriate behavior and replaces it
with a more appropriate one. For instance, when the kitten bites during play, it
can be surprised with a water pistol or a hissing compressed air canister at close
range. The point is to startle the kitten so that the biting or scratching stops
immediately. 
This
goal is best accomplished if the startle occurs as the kitty is commencing the
biting, not after he has been biting you for several seconds. Then, when the
kitty seeks out your company, you can stroke, massage, and provide food treats
whenever he is acting calm. It is very important to reward "good"
behavior since this will accomplish more than just correcting inappropriate
behavior. You must be vigilant and watch for the first signs of play aggression
including dilated pupils, claws unsheathed, ears back, tail twitching. Correct the kitten
immediately by using the above-mentioned startle technique as early in the
aggression sequence as possible. Say a firm "No!" so that the kitty
will learn to associate that voice command with an unpleasant event and
eventually all you will have to do to correct is to say "No!" and the
kitten will respond. The startle or correction should be humane and
so should be at the lowest level of stimulus that achieves the desired effect of
aborting the behavior. We don’t want to terrify the kitten.
Tapping of the nose or head should be avoided since it could encourage the kitten to tap back... tap as in scratch. Another good tip is to avoid using your hands to play with the kitten. This only serves to make your hand and fingers the target of play. Instead, use interactive cat toys including balls to throw for the kitty and toys on strings or sticks which can be dragged or bounced around for the kitty to chase. PetFoodDirect.com has many great toy choices for kittens and cats. Reserve your hands for such things as petting and stroking. Keeping the kitten’s claws clipped will also help prevent little scratches. Ask your veterinarian to show you proper nail trimming technique. It is about the same as trimming a dog's nails and is shown here.
QUESTIONS FOR DR. BEAM
Question for Dr. Beam:
OLDER KITTY AND BEHAVIOR CHANGES
I have a 13 year old neutered male named
Herm. I have noticed over the
past 4-6 months that he is acting 
differently.
He yowls a lot, sometimes wonders around aimlessly, and even picking him
up does not always console him. I
have also noticed that his appetite has been picking up as well.
It is almost like he can not get enough food and seems to becoming
thinner in the process despite feeding him more food.
Answer:
From what you have shared, the first stop should be to your veterinarian.
In older cats, there can be so many things going on that can result in
behavior changes. It is even
possible that he is just becoming a little senile.
As we are finding out in people, senility is often a label we put on
behavior changes when an animal grows older and we cannot find physical causes.
Some cats do have cognitive dysfunction but your vet would need to help
you in evaluating this. The first
step will be to do a complete physical examination, blood chemistry and cell
analysis, and check a
fresh urine sample. This will do
much to narrow down the list of possibilities of what is going on.
1.) A
reduction in hearing and/or eyesight makes them perceive their world differently,
hence they become more vocal almost to reassure themselves.
2.) Kidney
failure, diabetes,
and hyperthyroidism.
3.) Cognitive dysfunction and senility are considered
probable when
everything else proves to be normal.
As you can tell from what I
have shared there are a wide range of causes for the changes you are seeing in
your older kitty's behavior. The
first step is to call your veterinarian and take Herm in for a geriatric cat
evaluation. Usually this
includes a thorough physical examination, checking a fresh urine sample, and
drawing blood. The blood work most
commonly includes a CBC and a Chemistry Profile. A
CBC is a complete blood count to check for anemia, white blood cell levels, etc.
A Profile basically checks out the kidney and liver function along with
the glucose and various electrolyte levels such as Sodium, Potassium, Calcium,
etc. and helps to see how the rest of the body is working.
With what you have shared above, Thyroid hormone levels would definitely be run as well since
Hyperthyroidism is common in older cats and can cause all of what you have
described. As you can see there are a variety of different things that may be
causing Herm's difficulties so the first step is to work with your veterinarian
and do a thorough medical evaluation.
Question for Dr. Beam:
Cats, Adding a New One
I have one spayed female kitty that is about 6 years old and we are
thinking about adding another cat to our household.
How do I go about it?
Answer:
One thing to keep in mind is to evaluate why you are adding a new cat.
Is it for you or the cat? The
key to this question is to realize that cats are, in general, solitary creatures
and enjoy their own personal space and may not like the addition of another
feline.
Take your current kitty’s personality into consideration first, then
proceed. This does not mean to not
add another cat, just go in with your eyes open.
Very dominant cats seem to have a harder time adjusting to new
"family" members which can result
in behavioral issues.
With this said, even though cats are solitary creatures by nature, they can become the best of friends over time. If you haven’t already picked out the “newcomer”, keep in mind that many times it works best to add a kitten or cat of the opposite gender. That is not to say that two males or two females can’t get along just fine and be friends though. It all depends on their individual personalities. Adding a younger cat or kitten to a home with a resident cat usually works out best. The younger they are the better they adjust since cats don’t reach social maturity until about three years of age. Make sure to take the new cat or kitten to your veterinarian right away for a check-up. Your veterinarian can test for diseases such as Feline Leukemia Virus and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus if this hasn’t already been done. The new cat can also be tested for parasites and dewormed if needed before coming to your house, as well as getting updated on any vaccinations.
When you arrive home with your new cat or kitten give him/her their own room with their own litter pan, food and water dishes. It is best to keep it in this room for several days to make sure it is healthy (by watching for any signs of illness), and to let the kitty settle in and get used to the new environment and your family. This will also give the resident cat some time to adjust as well. Believe me, your resident cat will know there is another cat in the house and will appreciate some time to get used to the idea and the new odors.
After
a few days, you can allow the newcomer some time alone in the house to learn its
way around (i.e. learn where the litter box is kept as well as food and water),
by locking up the resident cat in another room for an hour or so each day.
After you are sure the newcomer is healthy and seems settled in, try
opening the door to its room when you are home to supervise.
Let the cats take it slowly and approach each other on their own terms
and only if they choose to associate. Chances
are, they will watch each other from a distance for a while unless the newcomer
is a curious little kitten. Kittens (if
young enough) often approach other cats quite quickly.
Don’t be surprised if the resident cat isn’t too happy with the
intruder at first. There may be
some hissing and growling and other physical displays such as swatting at the
air. Just be sure to
be present to make sure no one gets hurt and to lock up the newcomer again if
things aren’t going well. Having a spray bottle filled with water available is a
good option to break up any situation if necessary. Be patient because it
sometimes takes weeks or months for cats to become friends.
Even if they never do become “friends” they will likely learn to
co-exist just fine. Until you are
sure they can get along fairly well, lock up the newcomer in its room whenever
you are not home. Once they are
both co-existing in the house, be sure to have one litter pan per cat unless you
are sure that sharing a litter box that will not lead to inappropriate
elimination.
Question for Dr.
Beam:
My six month old Springer Spaniel
seems very destructive while I am gone from the house for more than a few
minutes. He tears up things and even has dug up our carpeting. He
never does that sort of thing when we are there. What's going on?
What you are describing sounds like a case of Separation Anxiety.
Many dogs are uncomfortable and fearful when separated from their
"people", or in a dog’s mind, their pack leaders since dogs are pack
animals. There are a lot of social
interactions that can play into a dog's ability to be content and peaceful when
left alone. During a dog’s life there are many times they can become
susceptible to impressions. One of
the dog's critical learning times is around the age of 6 to 13 weeks of age when
they make solid and lasting impressions of the world around them. They
learn about the environment and what happens in certain situations.
For some pups this critical period of socialization is filled with all
sorts of interesting stimuli, including having to be left alone for a time.
If nothing stressful happens while alone, the pup will grow up accepting
being alone as normal and "no big deal".
In other cases, the pup may experience something fearful while left alone
during the critical period of socialization. For example a thunder storm experienced while all alone
during the critical period of socialization may imprint in the dog for life the
fear of loud noises; if someone ring the door bell or knocks loudly on the door,
the pup may grow up with excessive responses to anyone at any door.
The next question is, what can
you do about a dog that experiences separation anxiety?
If it is mild, you may be able to desensitize your dog on your own.
If the anxiety is strong behavior, you would benefit most by finding a
trained veterinary behaviorist to help you come up with a plan of behavior
modification. This usually involves
a veterinarian who has taken postgraduate training and specializes in the study
and treatment of animal behavior. They
will examine your dog, take a good history, and talk with you and then come
up with a method to desensitize your dog. Part
of this plan will often incorporate the use of various anti-anxiety drugs along
with methods of behavior modification created from this history.
No matter what you do, it will take patience, persistence and some
creativity to come up with a way that will work for each animal. Remember,
you are trying to change the dog's solid perception of cause and effect
relationships. Often when
these dogs are secretly videotaped it has been found that they exhibit their
anxiety within 30 minutes of the owners leaving and again within 30 minutes of
the owners arriving back home again.
If you think your dog’s separation anxiety is mild, there are some things that you can try on your own. A few of these things are: Having a room or area that is dedicated to a safe area for your dog while you are gone. It may help to have this be their special room at night as well. This is a time when they know you are there but they are still in their special room and they can learn to feel safe even if they are not in the same room with you. Decide what you think might work best and then start getting your dog used to this room or area. Many times leaving the TV or radio on at a good level will help them to not feel so alone. Also have the safe place in an area, if possible, that is more insulated from outside sounds. Dog’s that are crate trained can be much easier to work with; it just depends on the dog. (See a selection of crates at PetFoodDirect.com.) Most dogs initially become anxious in crates so you would need to crate train them first while you are at home, then move on to the separation anxiety. Some dogs become anxious at confinement if they are not used to it.
Once you decide where you would like your dog to stay, the next step is to come up with a plan. The goal is to get your dog comfortable in their safe room first. Then you begin leaving the room for short periods and return. Next is to leave the house, and come back in 5 minutes or so and slowly lengthen how long you are gone. The idea is to add reassurance that you are coming home and then slowly lengthen the time gone. It will take time, patience and reassurance to accomplish this desensitization to your absence. Some people have actually taken time off from work to get this problem corrected.
Sometimes the situation does not get better without help from an animal behaviorist’s evaluation. Often an animal behaviorist will use a combination of specific behavior modification and the use of anti-anxiety medication. Talk to your veterinarian about consulting an animal behaviorist and using medication if the anxiety is severe. Some of the medications used for this behavior problem are Amitriptyline, Clomipramine and Buspirone. The desensitization process is complicated to explain and since every dog is a little different there is no one way that works. Your dog’s history, breed, interaction with you, etc. are all taken into consideration... then a desensitization plan is created very specifically for your dog. Just like in people, animal behavior is quite complex and we may need help through it from a professional.
As a final note, some people recommend getting another pet to help solve the problem. It really depends on the circumstances. If it works according to plan, then you now have two happy, interactive pets that don't need you to "baby sit" them. Be aware, though, that if your first dog is so upset at you leaving, the new puppy may learn this behavior too! In some cases the new dog displays no anxiety but the anxiety of the other dog persists. Each case is unique. The goal is to find a way to modify, eliminate, or at least alleviate the anxiety. Begin your plan with your veterinarian, then consider the animal behaviorist. Most of the teaching veterinary schools have certified animal behaviorists on staff.
Question for Dr.
Beam: CAT GETTING ON THE
COUNTERS
I have a cat that once she has been old
enough to jump up there, she gets on our kitchen counters.
I have tried to tell her no, sprayed her with a water bottle after saying
no, and now what she does is just wait until I am out of the room or away and
still gets on the counters. I am
exasperated and don’t know what to do.
Answer:
I know that this can be very frustrating. Cats
definitely have their own code when it involves certain types of things they
like to do. I would suspect that sitting up high is somewhat instinctual
and the counters seem like a great vantage point to them so you are fighting a
bit of instinct along with curiosity. That
means it takes more persistence and creativity on your part.
You
have already tried my first recommendation which is to (if possible) restrict
their access to counters. Using 
a squirt bottle with water and saying a stern
"No!" can be effective IF you are present consistently enough to
really make an impression. In your
situation, that hasn't worked, though. There are a couple of other things that you can do.
This will work for anything they are getting on that you do not approve.
Place crinkly aluminum foil on the area.
Cats do not like foil and usually will jump right back off of the
counter. It can become a pain for
you to
keep foil on the counters all the time but eventually the cat will believe
the foil is there and they will stop jumping up because they expect that
darned tin foil to rattle them a bit! The couch can be harder since they can actually check to see
if it is there first. Another
option is to look for one of the small devices that detects any kind of movement
and then emits an irritating audible beep until movement stops. This will work well on anything whether it is counters or a
piece of furniture. Look for
it at pet food and supply stores. These
sonic devices really do work.
Question for Dr.
Beam: FEAR-AGGRESSION
I have a young, medium sized, mixed breed male dog that is neutered and is
about 2 years old. He has
always been a little scared of people when they come to the house or when we go
for walks. Lately his reactions to
people have seemed to get much worse. The other day when someone came to our house he was cowering
beside me. The person, trying to
soothe him, crouched down to reassure him and my dog growled and snapped at her.
Since then I have seen more and more times that now he is becoming more
aggressive in these situations. What do I
do?
Answer:
From what you are describing, your dog is exhibiting the animal instinctive
response of fear/aggression. Fear is one of the strongest emotions that can be felt and when
something triggers the transition from fear to aggression, the switch to
aggression seems to come more quickly each time it occurs.
From my observations, it seems that the animal feels more in control
(which they are) in the aggressive mode so once they make the transition from
fear and then to aggression the incidence of aggression will continue to
increase. Much of this is tempered by the dog’s personality as well.
You can almost tell by the dog’s demeanor when in the aggressive mode
their type of personality.
In
many ways a dog that is aggressive and standing its ground is less threatening than a dog that is initially
fearful and then turns aggressive and is
fueled by fear. As a
veterinarian, if I do not want to get bitten I need to become very observant
of behavior and understand when to proceed with handling the dog and when to stop.
If the dog is fearful and aggressive in nature, I must be very cautious.
A fearful dog feels totally vulnerable and will do what ever it takes to survive. There is no logic
in their mind other than the overwhelming urge to respond with either “fight
or flight” and then depending on temperament they will either want to leave,
or the more aggressive dog then will continue to be more aggressive. You can
understand that this is a very complex set of reactions and fear turning into
aggression can be very dangerous. Each animal
has different trigger situations and the number and variety of social situations can
continue to increase, especially around the time of social maturity.
I surmise from what you have described that your dog is still more in the fear stage than in total aggression. If possible, back out of the situation and avoid these situations in the future until you can get help. Advise people right up front to not try to pet your dog. The dog should be ignored, and do not look them in the eye or try to pet them. You need to be very aware of your dog at all times. The next step would be to work with your veterinarian and get a referral to a veterinary behaviorist to help you work through the behavior and then come up with ways to modify the behavior and also to desensitize the dog to the situations that are inducing the fear. The earlier you seek this help the better. From what you have shared, your dog is just now socially maturing and this is often when they start to assert themselves. This is the age when we start to see the big change from the pure fear response to the fear – aggression type of response. Animal behaviorists are veterinarians who have specialized in animal behavior. They are usually Board Certified in Internal Medicine in animal behavior. Their studies have included the study and treatment of animal behavior issues. Most of the teaching veterinary schools have them now and they are becoming more common in private practice such as a visiting doctor to a local specialist clinic. Your veterinarian should be able to suggest a local animal behaviorist because a case such as this really needs individualized, hands-on, consistent work. In the meantime, be very observant of what situations seem to trigger the fear versus the fear-aggression response. Your notes regarding the "what and when" activities will assist the behaviorist in understanding your particular dog's personality. To give you more specific information is impossible, since like in people, every situation is unique and has to be evaluated one at a time. Your dog’s age, personality, breed, demeanor, and environment as well as a history of past experiences are evaluated in order to devise a method of desensitization. The success of the desensitization depends on all of these factors and is best handled as soon as possible with the help of a professional. I would recommend strongly handling it sooner rather than later.
You might also find this article about fearful dogs interesting as well. A professional animal behaviorist will be your best resource regarding how to proceed in your own unique situation.
An excellent resource is the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. (Do an Internet search for those key words.)
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