What's the most common cause of behaviour problems in adult dogs?

insufficient - 

carefully introduced - 

polite exposure to life’s experiences -

as a puppy!

Probably!

It’s all very easy for us dog behaviourists and trainers to presume that pet owners know things. We know that there’s been a lot of work done on the important topics. We probably presume that everyone gets a puppy pack from the vet or a ‘best puppy’ book that helps new owners ensure that their puppy gets the best start in life. It’s probably fair to say, that, indeed, many people do know about the Critical Socialisation Period for puppies.

But, experience from seeing a few behaviour cases last weekend tells me differently. Therefore, it seemed perhaps helpful to share some information.

Aggression, separation issues, fireworks fear, barking, pulling, jumping – all the big problems - can be largely avoided by adequate socialisation and early training. (And carefullly selecting where you get your puppy from in the first place - another blog on that to come soon...).

To explain further – There are 2 critical things going on as your puppy is growing. Firstly, their brains are developing extremely quickly: at 16 weeks old (less than 4 months), their brains are 90% grown. Secondly, when they are born, they don’t ‘feel’ fear. The chemicals in the body that cause them to actually feel scared start to kick in about the 5 week mark and build up to being fully functional about 16 weeks. (All dogs are different in this respect – generally, Germans Shepherds feel fear earlier and Labradors later – but individual dogs are affected differently).

It’s therefore crucially important to get as much experience ‘knitted’ into that exponential brain growth whilst these new things aren’t being associated with fearful feelings. This Critical Socialisation Period is usually accepted as being 8-12 weeks of age.

So, what do they need to be exposed to? Well, all of the things that they are going to have to cope with as adult dogs: all sorts and shapes of people, young and old; motor bikes and people wearing hats and helmets; built up areas; noisy traffic; open country-side; objects and noises such as wheely bins, carrier bags, squeaky gates, washing machines, hoovers, fireworks; other puppies, dogs and animals; being handled; and how to be polite through early training. (There’s a puppy socialisation full checklist available for freeon the Pawsability.co.uk web site.)

Ok, so many of you may be saying: ‘But I got a puppy and didn’t bother with anything, and they are fine!” Well that’s great news, but why risk it? Even if there’s only a 50/50 chance of things going wrong, surely it’s better to work hard over the first three months to save your dog from troubles later (and to save you from a lot more hard work, stress and expense in the future).

It seemed worth mentioning this at this time of year too as many people still think about xmas puppies (not usually advisable). But whether then or at another time, please make sure that you have plenty of time set aside for your puppy’s first few months. It’s hard work.

So what else can we do? Well, firstly please quiz your breeder about socialisation. Secondly, encourage your vet to start safe puppy parties. And, thirdly, enroll early in a puppy training class or early learning session. (Ofcourse, please also take your vet’s advice on safe exposure during the vaccination period.) And please please please don't get a puppy who was brought up in a barn, or from a pet shop or where you don't get a good feeling when you see Mum - there's more info on how to choose a puppy here.

As always, there’s loads of free help on the Pawsability.co.uk web site to prevent puppy problems, and please do feel free to get in touch directly – anna@pawsability.co.uk.

Author : Anna Patfield, First published in the Northern Times, Oct 2014

The menace of fireworks for dogs (and pets)

Most dog owners know that dogs are scared of fireworks. Those who have an affected dog may indeed presume that it’s just a thing - that all dogs are scared. Well, strangely, many dogs don’t bat an eyelid - only about 40% are affected. So the question really is why are some dogs scared? Well, we really just don’t know. 

Maybe it’s similar to people being scared of spiders or snakes. Maybe it’s an inherited phobia. Maybe it’s a result of their first experience. Maybe we cuddled them and coo-cooed and told them all was ok. So, perhaps it’s about nature and nurture.

The thing is, I’m convinced that for a large number of dogs, it just never has to be that way. I’d like to start a campaign to stop it. And hopefully one day in the not too distance future I shall. If anyone else is interesting in doing so, I’d be only too happy to help! All puppies and scared dogs can benefit from desensitisation: a program that carefully exposes them to the noises of fireworks and helps them to learn that it’s nothing to be bothered about.

But, in the mean time, what can we do?

Well, firstly, I’d request that everyone who ever breeds puppies gets hold of a fireworks desensitisation program and works through that, carefully, with their puppies, starting when they are only 4 weeks old.  And, I’d like to ask vets to promote this to all breeders.

For puppy owners to-be, please discuss this with your breeder and give them a CD  or downloadfile / DVD and instructions on what to do to help to reduce the likelihood of fear.

For dog owners whose dogs are already scared, October is almost perhaps too late to work on a desensitisation program. Usually these are best carried out before it’s dark at night – because many dogs associate dark with the possible risk of fireworks. However, it’s still worth doing some work over the next few weeks. Ceva, the company that makes the Adaptil (Dog Appeasing Pheromone) product has done tests that show that noise desensitisation programs with best when the Adaptil product is used in conjunction with the noise exposure. The best product appears to be the Sounds Scary program, which has been recorded with special combinations of noise. However, the program takes 8 weeks. I'd also add that it always helps to look a that the big picture - does your dog have other behaviour problems? It's quite common for dogs who are scared of fireworks to have other behaviour issues too. So, rather than just working on the fireworks fear cd, it may be worthwhile seeking professional behaviour help to put everything into perspective.

In the mean time then, please look at what else you can do for your dog. There is a free fireworks fear help guide guide on the PawsAbility.co.uk web site to help you with setting up the best den area and with ways to keep your dog distracted and to ensure their safety.

You may also benefit from speaking with your vet for medication. There are drugs that can be used to limit the fear affect, but also to ensure that you don’t take backward steps in your desensitisation program over the actual fireworks period.

Please don’t just live with it. Please share this information. Wouldn’t it be nice if our children didn’t still have to face these same problems with their dogs? Together, we can help many many dogs and puppies to feel ok around fireworks. Let’s do this!

For your free dogs and fireworks fear guide, and for products to help, please look here.

And look here for a dog behaviourist near you to help you - www.capbt.org, who will help you devise a behaviour program to build your dogs confidence in general, and help with their fear.

Author: Anna Patfield, first published in the Northern Times, Oct 2014

Dog Food, Feeding and Behaviour

Does diet have anything do do with dog behaviour problems? Many trainers and behaviourist have been tearing their hair out over this question..... Why are some dogs absolutely happy on some dog foods and others seem hyper or bitey or skinny or even perhaps aggressive? Is high protein good or bad? Are carbohydrates good or bad? Are additives good or bad?

Well, ever since I first realised that food feeds the brain, I've been studying the topic of canine nutrition and trying to unravel the question on whether food affects behaviour.

Is diet part of the equation?

As time and studies progressed, it has become clear that every dog is an individual and some appear to be affected by some ingredients in food and some don't.

Many dogs are happy eating just anything. But, when dealing with behaviour or training problems, or indeed, health problems, it just seems sensible to look at the big picture and to look at the ingredients in the dog's food - whether that's manufactured food or a home made diet. Analysing the ingredients can provide information on whether food is more or less likely to be part of the problem.

The Good Dog Diet is a book that allows readers to answer these questions by themselves. Most books on canine nutrition simply tell you what to do. Sure, they cover some of the basics of canine nutrition, but they may be written from a particular stand point: either by food manufacturers or by those who feel that all manufactured food is wrong, and feed home prepared foods - raw of cooked.

This book is unbiased. It provides the pure knowledge on what food is and how it is digested. In doing so, it helps to dispel some of the myths, and helps lead to clearer answers. Consider for instance, a thought held by some, that fat is more easily digested by dogs than people. This is a myth that has developed probably due to the fact that dogs don't appear to suffer quite so much from clogged arteries as we do. However, the actual process of fat digestion is the same for dogs and humans. The reasons behind the health problems are not due simply to digestion.

The book continues on to looking at the variety of causes of behaviour problems and therefore allows the reader to judge whether diet should be questioned. Nutritional balance is key, and nutritional imbalance is as important as the quality of food fed. Insufficiencies or excesses of vitamins and minerals and of the major nutrients can cause all sorts of health and behavioural problems.

So, if you're looking at dog behavioural problems or are concerned about your dog's health, then have a read at The Good Dog Diet, and be happy with your dog food decisions.

www.TheGoodDogDiet.com
Author : Anna Patfield

Behavioural Calming Aids

When our dogs are anxious or scared of something, many of us turn to some form of drug for help. Many of course don’t, and are really reluctant to use any form of medication.

However, there are many different options for us nowadays: herbal pills, treats with added calming ingredients, nutritional supplements, pheromone therapy, plug ins, collars, clinical medication, homeopathy and Bach flower remedies.  There are also calming aids such as the Thunder Shirt, the Canine Lullaby CD, and Calming Caps.

Generally we’ll try something because a friend has said that it works for their dog, or perhaps we’ve just come across it on the web. It’s all quite confusing, so I thought it might help to provide a wee summary of the options.

Herbal pills and calming treats: These have a variety of different herb mixes.  They are not all the same. It seems possible that one may be better suited to a particular situation than another. And it’s also possible that one dog will respond best to one or the other.

Nutritional Supplements: These are clinically active and tested ‘drugs’, correctly termed Nutraceuticals. They variously contain: the calming nutrients from milk, potatoes, some vitamins and proteins. The contents are based on food and are therefore considered natural and having fewer or no side effects.

Pheromone Therapy: There are devices that emit the same pheromones as a mother just after she’s given birth to her litter, providing a similar feeling of safety. There is a plug in device, a spray and a collar. Cats and dogs need different pheromones.

Medication: There are a number of different products, obviously only available though your vet.  These can help by working on the brain chemistry to provide a more relaxed state of mind.

Homeopathy & Bach Flower Remedies: These are said to work on the holistic emotion, mood and character of the animal. Many people would pick up a standard product, perhaps thinking that it works for all. It may well be that it would help, but the recommendation is to determine the right mix for your individual pet and situation.

The Thundershirt is a jacket that’s designed to fit snuggly and provide the dog with a feeling of security. It was originally devised for helping with fireworks fear but can help in many other circumstances, including travel problems.

And the Canine Lullaby concept is based on a regular heart beat rhythm combined with calming music to relax the dog.

So how can you choose? Do you just pick one and hope for the best. Many times people call me for help, saying that they’ve tried everything. Some will say that they’ve tried all these pills and things and nothing has worked. Others will only have tried some training measures.

Generally the problem with trying ‘everything’ is the scattergun approach. Too many random things have been tried. What works best, is a logically thought through, consistent, step-by-step program.

This then is where the calming aids above are of most benefit. It is generally believed that all these products work best in conjunction with behaviour therapy.

My recommendation therefore would be to speak with your vet or behaviourist. They will be able to determine which, if any, product is most likely to work and when and how to help you towards a quicker result, with less frustration along the way.

Copyright by Author : Anna Patfield

First published in the Northern Times, May 2014

For further information and help, please look at www.pawsability.co.uk or email anna@pawsability.co.uk

How to choose your behaviourist or trainer

 Even as little as just 10 years ago, if you had problem with your dogs behaviour, then you’d probably just find the local dog training club, or perhaps ask your vet for help.

Nowadays, dog behaviour has become a profession, with new education courses and qualification options being advertised on line and in all the dog magazines. Who knows whether Victoria Stillwell or Cesar Milan have done more to promote the desire to join the merry band of dog lovers who believe that they can help you fix your dog behaviour problems.

Sadly, just a few months ago, I was asked to help a lovely couple that were just about to have a baby and had 2 problematic puppies. They realised that the dogs were going to be handful shortly after they came home and tried to find some help. Their story follows.

They went to the behaviourist’s training location to talk about biting, jumping, house training problems, separation problems, chewing problems and problem with one of the dogs constantly biting and fighting the other puppy.  They were asked a few questions then the person got down his hands and knees and tried to get one of the puppies to walk beside him as he crawled. An attempt at heel work. Nothing else was addressed.

Six months later, with no progress, much stress, and many of the problems having become worse, they contacted me. We now had only 6 weeks before the baby was due.

I’m sorry, but I have to say that I felt just awful that this lovely couple put their faith in someone proclaiming to be a behaviourist. With such poor service, how would they think anything other than that all behaviourists may be the same. Now I’m not magical, nor am I arrogant, so I’m not saying that I could fix all these problems in 6 months so that the puppies were perfect when the baby was born. However, I do know that they would have been in a much better place had the problems not been allowed to develop.

There are so many other situations similar to this, such as when people have been told to use a choke chain or pin their dogs or ignore them when they come home. All of these approaches simply serve to make the problem worse. They are dangerous. They hurt. And most importantly, they do nothing to teach your dog what you want, and they certainly do nothing to improve how your dog feels about life.

So how can a pet owner figure out whom they can trust? Despite what may be published on any web site - there is no regulatory body, and probably never will be.

Well, your vet is probably the best place to start. They should have a list of qualified and experienced behaviourists that they work with. Alternatively yes, look on line, but look at the qualifications that your prospective behaviourist has. Then go there and check up on the details of the qualification. I’m not saying that your behaviourist needs a degree. Far from it. But there’s a raft of difference between a 4 week on-line course, and qualifications that are regulated through a board such as OfQual – the government’s official education / qualifications regulator. 

Have a look here to find out more about the types of qualifications that your behaviourist should have – www.COAPE.org

And have a look here to find a COAPE qualified and trusted behaviourist – www.CAPBT.org.

If you’re in any doubt at all about someone you’ve found, I’d be very happy to check things out for you – no matter where you live.

You can contact the author – Anna Patfield – at http://www.pawsability.co.uk.