If my dog is having behavior problems, are they capable of change?
Absolutely. Remember that these behaviors they have are a problem, but they're learned behaviors. So if they can learn them, they can certainly learn new behaviors to replace those or maybe even extinguish them. The wonderful thing about the nervous system is that it is very capable of learning and adapting, and we can definitely do things to help.
Dr. David Steele, FFCP
Advanced Animal Care of Mt. Pleasant
When should you start obedience training with your dog?
That's an excellent question. First of all, what we really care about is that they have better manners. Obedience training is more of a dominance and submission type relationship where one party has all the power, demands all the responses, and doesn't really consider how the other party feels or what they might want to do. What we really desire is for our dogs not to be a nuisance when company comes over, to not put their grubby paws all over people, or to bark incessantly and make your ears bleed. So what we're talking about is learning manners, and manners are something that we practice all the time, first at home. The sooner you start learning good behaviors and good manners, the better.
What are the most common behavior problems in dogs, and how can they be addressed?
There are typical nuisance behaviors, such as barking in the backyard or chewing things up. But then there are also the real problem behaviors such as separation anxiety, thunderstorm phobias, and fear aggressions. We treat the two kinds differently, but for both of them, we still apply the same therapies. We're going to manage, modify, change their behaviors, and sometimes we need medications too.
Can behavior issues in my dog ever indicate that they are sick?
Absolutely. In our practice, everything is considered holistic, mind and body. Everything is connected, and how you generally feel will influence how you behave. None of us, when we are as sick with the flu, want to go out and party or even behave like our normal selves. Your behavior is different. So sometimes, if we see behavior changes, we first have to look for possible physical reasons why they might be doing this.
What are some behavior problems that may be associated with a medical condition?
For instance, one of the common ones we see might be inappropriate urination in the house or elimination outside of the litter box in cats. We'll frequently find they have a urinary tract infection or they have crystals or stones in their urine. So many conditions we see might be caused by some physical problem.
How can a veterinarian help address my dog's behavior problems?
As veterinarians, we first need to look for the physical reasons why they might have these behaviors. Is there an underlying health problem? Once your veterinarian has gone through that, they may feel very comfortable helping you manage your dog's behavior problem, recommend a trainer who is well-versed in the right types of techniques for training, or refer you to a specialist.
If my dog has a behavior problem, where can I go get help?
I always think you should check with your veterinarian first. We are very well-trained in understanding and recognizing normal dog behaviors, and we may be able to help you there. Of course, we also have to look for any possible physical health problems before treating the behavior. Once that's done, your veterinarian may feel comfortable in proceeding and treating the behavior or may recommend a trainer. Trainers can be very helpful, but I do recommend that when you seek out a trainer, look for one who is willing to talk to you about their methods, maybe even sit in on one of their training sessions. Trainers I don't recommend are those who use aversive techniques such as using choke chains, pinch collars, shock collars, or even vibration collars. All of those training methods use very aversive techniques that can really make your dog's behavior much worse.
If you still have other questions and you'd like to reach out to us, you can call us directly at (843) 483-5838 , or you can email us at [email protected]. But please do reach out, and we'll get back to you as fast as we can. Don't forget to follow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/AACMP/, https://www.instagram.com/advancedanimalcaremp/?hl=en
Dog Behavior - FAQs
Dr. David Steele, FFCP
Advanced Animal Care of Mt. Pleasant
Why is addressing dog behavior problems early on so important?
That's a really good question. Think of it this way. Every time your dog has an opportunity to express that behavior, it's kind of like practicing. Even though practicing doesn't make it perfect, it can definitely make it permanent. So the more times they do this behavior, the more difficult it will be for us to create some kind of change and have the outcome we desire.
Are certain breeds predisposed to behavior problems?
That's a sticky question. On the one hand, we know that dogs have not been able to breed on their own. They've been chosen selectively, specifically by people, to have certain traits. Especially the working breed, your herding dogs, and so on, they will have some consistent behavior patterns. Still, even when we look at them, they're still unique individuals because their life experiences and what they've learned will also play a big role. So it's not hard and fast. The way I like to put it is that we all have those days when we, at some point, say that we're not going to behave like our father. And then, when we're parenting, we say something like, because I told you so. So we're not doomed, though. There are going to be some tendencies that we will always express that are inherited from our ancestors, but we can also learn and grow because we're each our own unique individual. That's the same for our animals as well. The real concern I have is when we start to make overgeneralizations of groups, and this can be a real problem with breed-specific legislation. Having bans on Pitties or Dobermans in apartment complexes or municipalities has been consistently shown not to keep the community safer. Based on their physical appearance, we can't judge how they'll behave. We still have to treat each one of them as unique.
Can my dog's behavior problems resolve on its own?
Maybe. I guess it depends on the behavior and what was causing it. In most cases, if problem behavior is developed, there are things going on in their life that frequently trigger that behavior. Unless we do something to change that, the behavior is not likely going to change.
When should I seek professional help for these dog behavior problems?
The really short answer is the sooner, the better. Because of that opportunity for practicing and further ingraining the behavior, the sooner we intervene, the better the chances of getting opportunities to have a positive outcome.
What can I do to reduce my dog's chances of developing behavior problems?
That's a really good one too. A lot of that's going to go into their entire life. So ensure you're feeding them a well-balanced, complete diet in the right amounts, and provide them with the environment they need to be healthy. Letting them exercise and express their behaviors and normal dog behaviors and providing them with a good social structure at home can go a long way in preventing behavior problems.
Can getting my dog spayed or neutered help with their behavior problems?
Maybe. Most behavior problems that have historically been assigned to their reproductive organs have not been proven over time. Very few direct causes from testosterone, estrogen, and those hormones' fluctuations will result in these big problems. So it may take some of the equations and variables out of the behavior, but it will likely not resolve it.
If you still have other questions and you'd like to reach out to us, you can call us directly at (843) 483-5838 , or you can email us at [email protected]. But please do reach out, and we'll get back to you as fast as we can. Don't forget to follow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/AACMP/, https://www.instagram.com/advancedanimalcaremp/?hl=en