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Second in a series We want our pets to have peaceful lives, getting along well with others in our home. Dog fights are deeply disturbing. Everybody wants these conflicts solved fast, simply, and reliably. Sadly, it’s never that easy. Every situation is different and complicated. Aggression between family dogs, more often among females, is the most common problem treated in veterinary behavior practices. In an earlier life, prior to my residency, I surgically repaired some really heinous wounds. Most of these participants in canine domestic violence survived, a few, often involving big dogs assaulting smaller pets, did not. It’s hard thinking back to those tragedies. Tensions can smolder for months or years. Coveted resources like food, toys, and proximity to a pet parent are common triggers. Many people try to quell the antagonism with equal rights. It may be important for children to get the same size cookie at the…
Dogs need a place of their own. That makes crate training valuable. And you don’t want your stuff damaged. Can they stay in there for a few hours? All day?
First in a series The brain is considered the most complex organ in the body. No one is perfect because, with 86 billion active neurons in the human mind (only 3-4 fewer cell layers in our pets’) there are a whole lot of ways for behaviors to be different or abnormal. Polly is a 10 year old Australian shepherd mix who shares her home with Holly, a dog of similar age and parentage. They’ve lived most of their lives together and have always, sort of, hated each other’s guts. In addition to two doting pet parents, this active family includes one more dog and a cat. Their house is small; the furniture is big. When one dog wants attention, the other acts as though this resource mat be suddenly and permanently evaporating. Competition seemed nonstop. Lots of dogs jockey for position while trash-talking each other in subtle canine-speak, never really…
Does your dog fling himself at you? At visitors? Is he all over you like a cheap suit when you’re trying to relax? Establish boundaries with kindness – and get the message across.
Question I have a 2 year old intact female Weimaraner with severe anxiety and reactive behavior. She chews bark, material, paper, nuts, plastics, and her crate. She barks in her crate so much that she stands in her drool. She rubs skin off her muzzle. She is dog reactive. Hesitant with touching except with me and my husband. She is extremely affectionate with us. Dr. Nichol: This big girl is blessed with strong human bonds while suffering from a soul-crushing behavior disorder. Separation anxiety, destructiveness, and agitation toward unfamiliar people and dogs are not rare afflictions. Your Weimaraner deserves a better life. So do you and your husband. Research has shown that most dogs with separation behaviors were genetically predisposed. They’re overwhelmed when home alone. I strongly advise against crate confinement; it worsens their angst, often triggering frantic escape attempts. Lacerated lips, broken nails, and even fractured teeth add physical…
Most dogs would never pee inside the house – but some just can’t help it. There may be a physical problem or it could be behavioral. We can help them succeed.
Last in a series PJ’s aggression started at about the same time he began rubbing his ears. Jenny and Phil also reported that some evenings he would suddenly bolt from the room and burrow into blankets in the closet. An ear exam revealed mites, outdoor video showed coyotes and bobcats near the yard, and, worst of all, there were no indoor rats for sport hunting. Ear pain is commonly overlooked in kitties. Prescription Bravecto quickly decimated PJ’s ear mite population. To reduce his fear of the much bigger predators lurking outside, I advised his people to install a motion activated sprinkler to disperse the unwelcome vagrants. Despite those nagging stressors Jenny and Phil still had a cat who needed to perch high, ready to strike and maim. We all knew that if they allowed him outside to hunt he just wouldn’t survive long. Indoor simulations of the wild life made…
Some kitties live under the bed; others may run for the hills when you sneeze. Dogs, noises, or just daily life can trigger a bunker mentality.
Third in a series Behavior medicine is all about improved quality of life for everybody but there can be limits; our genetics are the cards we are dealt. PJ was an inveterate predator despite the steady flow of healthy food into his dish. Civilization at Jenny’s and Phil’s house just didn’t satisfy his innate programming. Even more than most pussy cats, he had the skills and motivation to thrive in the wild. Sadly, he was rarely allowed outside to function like a real cat. It was Aristotle who observed that, “Nature abhors a vacuum.” Unmet needs get met. All PJ wanted for his birthday was a colony of gerbils. With a natural outlet for his primal need to stalk and kill he would have never targeted Jenny or the family dog Micky as his surrogate prey. Feral cats are survivors; they’ll hunt any time of day or night but the…