Steve Dale, Special for USA TODAY 7:07 p.m. EST January 5, 2014
Though they write for scientific journals, this is the first time
veterinary behaviorists have written a book for the public. Experts address pet
problems from jumping to fear of thunderstorms
When it comes to animal behavior, everyone is a self-professed expert.
"You must be the 'alpha dog' in your house, showing your dog who's
boss," is one common misconception, say veterinary behaviorists.
That belief is not based in science, and it may even be downright
dangerous.
Setting the record straight is one reason the American College of
Veterinary Behaviorists has written the new book Decoding Your Dog: The
Ultimate Experts Explain Common Dog Behaviors and Reveal How to Prevent or
Change Unwanted Ones, out this week (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $27). It's
edited by two veterinarians who specialize in pet behavior, Debra Horwitz and
John Ciribassi, and myself.
It might be that more dogs die as a result of perceived bad behavior than
all cancers combined. When a dog has cancer or another illness, the
human/animal bond is often intensified. But when a dog has a serious behavior
problem — say the dog is barking non-stop and chewing on the baseboard when the
family departs, with the landlord and neighbors complaining — the human/animal
bond may fracture. When that happens, the pet may land in a shelter.
In fact, behavior may be the most common explanation for giving up pets,
particularly young animals. Avoiding behavior problems, or having appropriate
tools to deal with them, will save lives, which is the goal of this unique
book. Though they write for scientific journals and books for veterinary
professionals, this is the first time veterinary behaviorists have written a
book for the general public. The 21 contributing authors offer science-based
methods to deal with a wide array of problems, from dogs happily jumping up to
greet guests at the door to dogs not so happily lunging at other dogs on walks.
Here are some of the book's nuggets of knowledge and advice:
Q: Do dogs bite their owners or other familiar people because they are
competing for "alpha status"?
A: This is untrue. Most often dogs bite for defensive reasons that are not
related to a social hierarchy.
Q: Do dogs get on sofas, rush ahead on walks or jump on people to be
dominant?
A: Again, no. Dogs favor couches for napping like we do, because they are
soft, and because they smell like their favorite people. Dogs rush ahead on
walks because they're eager to explore the world, those smells are exciting,
and people are too darn slow. Dogs are happy to greet people and like to jump
because it's the only way to greet them face to face, and because they are
beyond exuberant.
Q: Do dogs purposely urinate in the house or otherwise behave badly because
of separation anxiety?
A: Like all behavioral problems, dogs with separation anxiety aren't being
spiteful. They're not intentionally punishing you for your departure; they are
just attempting to cope with your separation. Like many behavior problems, an
appropriate diagnosis is most important.
Without veterinary input, people may
assume the problem is separation anxiety, when the dog might be under-exercised
and/or bored. Perhaps the dog is piddling in the house when you are away
primarily due to an undiagnosed medical condition. Some dogs were never
reliably taught to be home alone (despite what their owners believe). If this
is a senior dog, has the dog "forgotten" house-training? Or does the
dog actually suffer from separation anxiety? And suffer is the right word —
these dogs are suffering. Often pharmacological intervention, combined with
behavioral therapy, is most helpful and most humane.
Q: If dogs are anxious or fearful, do they need better training?
A: Fears and anxieties have nothing whatsoever to do with how well a dog is
trained or intelligence. In fact, if you have a dog who is pacing (perhaps a
dog is fearful of an oncoming thunderstorm), and you tell her "lie
down," and she does, while she may no longer be pacing she may still be
very anxious. Anxiety doesn't go away just because you're not seeing it. One of
the most potentially damaging myths is the idea that a dog should be punished
for anxious or fearful behavior. The idea stems from the beliefs that the dog
is "being bad" or "trying to be dominant" by not listening
when you try to tell the dog to stop a certain behavior (pacing, whining,
etc.). Using punishment will only make the animal more anxious and fearful in
the long run.
Q: So what can you do if your dog is afraid of thunderstorms?
A: Generally dogs who exhibit signs of anxiety during thunderstorms don't
just "get over it." In fact, typically without intervention, the
anxiety worsens over time. The following are among a list of tips that may help
many dogs, but not all dogs, as one size doesn't fit all. Create a cozy place
to "escape" the storm, offering a "zen" mood there with
classical music. Plug in an Adaptil diffuser (which emits a copy of a calming
pheromone). Also, potentially helpful is a body wrap called the Thundershirt.
Some dogs can be distracted with games or tricks. Of course, close the blinds
and pull the shades on windows. Ultimately, the most humane action may be
medication, which lowers the anxiety just enough so the above suggestions (and
others) can be implemented.
Q: My dog almost seems like he has Alzheimer's sometimes. What's going on?
A: Senior dogs can suffer from a condition similar to Alzheimer's disease
in people, referred to as canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome. To determine
if a dog has CCDS, the first step is a medical exam to rule out a medical
explanation causing or contributing to the problem. While there is no fountain
of youth, the good news is that old age is not a disease. Especially when
discovered early, there are things that can be done to help slow the disease
progress, including nutritional supplements, appropriate exercise and teaching
an old dog new tricks.
Steve Dale is a nationally syndicated pet journalist, radio host and
certified animal behavior consultant who has written numerous books.