|
 Animals
may be born with certain behavioural tendencies such as
fearfulness or confidence. These traits can be strongly shaped for
better or worse by yourselves and by the environment in which the
animal is kept.
To
help prevent behavioural problems:
If you're buying a dog, make sure you can see one if not both of
your puppy's parents, ideally more than once. The dispositions of
the parents are likely to be passed to the pups. Watch the pups at
play, and avoid the most dominant and the most timid. Make sure you
can handle the pup easily, that it is attracted to humans and that
it relaxes in your arms with gentle restraint. Make sure the breeder
keeps accurate health records on all her dogs and that she has done
any testing for genetic problems that are appropriate for the breed.
If you let go when
she's struggling, then she's won
Proper training of puppies:
From 4 to 12 weeks of age is a critical socialization period for
dogs. During that time, they are most open to accepting new
experiences. The experiences of the first 8 weeks of life are up to
the breeder; the next 8 are under your control. This is the time to
get your new pup used to a large variety of stimuli. Introduce you
pup to the mail person, and have him/her give your pup a treat of
your choosing. Introduce your pup to friends and strangers of
different ages, genders, races, etc., and have them give her treats.
Take her to puppy kindergarten where she'll be well socialized with
other pups and people and where you will learn the beginnings of
properly shaping her behaviour in a way that is fun for her and gets
results for you. Take her for rides in the car, and take her for
short fun visits at the vet's office, so it doesn't become a scary
place. Continue training and socialization after puppy class and
throughout adolescence and puberty.
Handle your pup all over her body during this time.
Let her know that no area is off limits. If she objects to being
handled somewhere, don't let go of that part until she relaxes and
"gives". If you let go when she's struggling, then she's won and
knows she can get her way by putting up a fight. Gently put your
hand over her shoulder and neck from time to time to reinforce that
you are the pack leader. Also, take her food away and give it back
while she's eating. Take food out of her mouth. She needs to learn
to tolerate this from the start. Teach her "sit" by holding a treat
just above her head so she has to look up. Her bottom automatically
drops down. Tell her "sit" when she's in that position and give her
the treat. Repeat this often. Have her do a "sit" before she gets
anything to eat.
Make
all training very short, fun, and consistent.
Use only positive reinforcement, never lose your temper and never
strike or use abusive training, no matter what your pet is doing.
That will introduce unwanted fearful or aggressive behaviours and
could injure them.
Retraining an aggressive animal:
If you have an aggressive animal, there are steps that must be taken
for the safety of your and your family.
Step #1:
- Recognize that an aggressive animal is a potential danger to all
humans and must be trained or removed from your home.
Step #2:
- Assess what causes the aggression. Is it directed toward other
dogs, strangers, family members, or something else? Are dogs
fighting over food, toys, or attention? Is your dog snarling and
snapping when you try to groom him?
Step #3:
- Stop whatever you're doing to elicit the behaviour. Remember, much
of this is under your control, directly or indirectly. If your dogs
are fighting over food, get two dishes and always feed them in
separate rooms. If your dog is constantly nipping at your hand, keep
your hand in a fist when you're near her mouth so your tempting
fingers are not accessible, and don't play mouthy, rough games with
her. Give her an approved
toy to chew on. Get a
Gentle Leader
halter to keep your dog under control and reinforce your position as
leader. The beauty of these halters is that they work with the dog's
natural behaviours and relieve you of trying to strong-arm your dog
into control. Make sure your dog has plenty of exercise to expend
her pent-up energy.
Step #4:
- Call your veterinarian and have him/her refer you to an animal
behaviourist, if necessary. Don't put it off; you need immediate
help to tailor a program for your animal's particular behaviour
problem and personality. You need to learn the right things to do to
eliminate this behaviour and avoid other problems in the future, and
this can only be done by a qualified professional. Unless you see a
person trained in behaviour modification who has a variety of
techniques available and can tailor the treatment to your pet, your
chance of success is low. Also, some animals may need dietary
modification, lengthy desensitization, or even temporary drug
therapy to help change the undesirable behaviour. Only a veterinary
behaviourist has all these tools available.
Source:
Dr. Laurie Green Pet Care Information Centre
www.petcare.umn.edu
Edited by Dr. Peggy Root
Reviewed by Dr. Petra Mertens |
