Dog boredom vs anxiety

DOG BOREDOM VS ANXIETY
(from Victoria Stilwell’s “Positively” https://positively.com/dog-behavior/behavior-problems/separation-anxiety/dog-boredom-vs-anxiety/)

Many people return home after a day at work to a household of destruction and mayhem, and their first assumption is that their dog suffers from acute separation anxiety. Sometimes this can be the case, but in many cases, the dog has destroyed the house as a cure for another very common problem in the canine world: acute boredom.

Does My Dog Have Separation Anxiety or Is He Just Bored?
There are specific signs that tell an experienced positive dog trainer whether the dog is truly suffering from separation anxiety or is simply trying to cope with feeling really bored and unstimulated. The end result can look similar, but thankfully many cases of supposed separation anxiety are actually easy-to-rectify cases of a bored dog finding ways to fill his day.

The best way to find out whether constant barking or destruction is just boredom or true anxiety is to video your dog when he is alone. This is easily done by putting a camera on a tripod and focusing it on areas where the destruction is worst or by the door that is used most regularly to come and go. If the barking, whining and destruction is very severe particularly within the first 30 minutes of your departure, that is a good indicator that your dog is suffering some distress on separation. If however your dog goes to sleep after you leave and then wakes up and barks or chews, the behavior is more likely to be due to boredom.

Once you have determined the cause of the behavior and established that your dog is just bored, how do you keep him entertained? The world is full of unemployed dogs that engage in very little activity and spend most of their lives on the couch. Even though most domestic dogs do not work for humans as they once did, however, their lives can still be enriched with activities, games, and exercise to prevent boredom, anxiety, and behavioral issues.

10 Tips for Preventing Dog Boredom:

Stimulate your dog’s senses by allowing him to experience different environments each day. Taking your dog around the neighborhood or to the local park can help mix up his everyday routine.
If your dog is home alone for long hours, consider hiring a dog walker or (if appropriate) taking your dog to a reputable doggie daycare facility. Leaving your dog in the yard all day is just as bad as leaving him in your home.
If your dog loves the car, take her for a ride. This is a great way to give a fearful or reactive dog mental stimulation outside the home.
Play games with your dog. Hide-and-seek, fetch, Frisbee, and tug-of-war are all great games.
Find a dog sport that you and your dog can enjoy together. Sports challenge your dog mentally and physically and can help fearful dogs gain confidence. There are sports that satisfy every type of dog, from agility to dock diving.
Minimize destruction by managing your dog’s environment, and provide him with a safe area where he can stay when unsupervised.
If your dog likes to be touched, give him a massage. This is a great way to relax your dog.
Learn about your dog’s breed or mix of breeds and find activities that suit his abilities. Border collies enjoy herding, Bloodhounds love to track, and greyhounds are great at lure coursing. Find what suits you and your dog.
Organize a regular dog walking group or set up canine playdates. Keep your dog social and active by giving him plenty of interaction with others.
Therapy work is great for confident, social dogs. Find a therapy group near you and make a real difference with your dog.

Can my dog be stressed? Part 1

(from Victoria Stilwell’s “Positively”)

By: Beverley Courtney

Those of us who have a reactive, anxious, or fearful dog, work very hard to make life easier for them (and us!).

We try this idea and that technique, perhaps with distressingly little success. Some days our dog just seems worse!

Here is the first of three excerpts from my next book – Building Confidence in your Growly but Brilliant Family Dog – which points out an area which will be affecting your dog mightily.

While you’re doing your best to improve the situation and you take a look at what may be making things worse, you cannot overlook stress.

Stress causes reactions to be exaggerated
Stress causes us to snap
Stress wears us out

And there are some areas of your dog’s life that are building stress that will really surprise you.

1. Too many walks

“What!” you squawk! “I thought I had to take my dog out for a walk every single day! I thought I was doing the right thing!”

Well, like so much in life, that depends. It depends on how your dog is experiencing these walks.

A happy-go-lucky dog who loves meeting people and other dogs will relish his daily walks. But that’s not the dog you have, or you wouldn’t be reading this.

It may be that your dog gets sick with anxiety at the very thought of a walk. The walk may consist of you getting upset or telling him off while he runs the gauntlet of narrow paths, fence-running dogs, squealing children, dog walkers walking their dog straight towards him, traffic noises, people wanting to pat his head …

This is not an enjoyable walk for an anxious, shy, or reactive dog!

There are two reasons for walking your dog. One is for exercise. The other is for socialisation. Clearly the second reason here is a fail. So cut your losses, exercise your dog with vigorous play in the garden or on solo walks in a relatively dog-free zone – a forest trail, for instance – and save road walks for when your dog is calm and you can avoid most of the hazards.

Energy-burning games

There are great games you can play with your dog to exercise him – without ever having to leave your home. Free running and jumping about till your dog’s sides are heaving, his tongue lolling, and his eyes shining, are what you want for exercise.

If you have outside space you can play with balls or frisbees, reinforcing the connection between you all the while. Tug is a game that uses a load of energy – and you can really go to town on harnessing your dog’s instinctive drives by playing with a flirt-pole.

The joy of these games is that you can use them to build your dog’s impulse control at the same time. He’ll learn never to jump up or snatch the toy from your hand in Tug. And the flirt-pole teaches the collection and restraint needed for a successful bunny-hunt.

And no, it won’t turn your dog into a predatory nightmare. I used the flirt-pole to build Cricket the Whippet’s impulse control around small furry things, with the result that I can call her off rabbits. I have known dogs who were so full-on in their play that their owners had to wear thick gloves to play with them and stay in one piece! Once the dog learns the rules of the game, it becomes rewarding for both parties – and no more need for gloves.

If you have no outside space, you can rely on Tug to tire your dog out – especially as you’re getting him to use his brain in this puzzle too.

French Bulldog pup on skateboardUsing wobble cushions and planks will help to build muscles and balance that your dog didn’t know he had. Walking down the stairs, then walking up again backwards, step by step, is a skill which uses lots of brain and brawn.

Hide and Seek is always a popular, tiring, and satisfying, game, especially if you have children to join in. My boys used to love rolling themselves up in their duvets and waiting to be found – which didn’t take long with all the squealing going on!

Choose a good time for an outing

Once your dog is rested from having to face the daily challenge of a walk, you should see some calmness entering the picture.

Then when you feel ready, you can take him out. The aim of Puppy Socialisation is to expose your pup as much as possible to all the experiences of our world – while the puppy enjoys the experience. The same goes for your older dog. Taking him places where he is scared or uncomfortable is just tormenting him without any good resulting: in fact this could make him more fearful.

So find a quiet time when you can take your dog out for a walk, and be flexible with your plans! You can turn away from anything your dog finds upsetting.

The garbage truck is collecting and making a huge noise? Just turn and go the other way. There’s a school outing of excited children heading towards you? Go! Heavy rain is making the traffic very noisy? Head home.

Resist the temptation to say “I always go this way,” and go right, then left, through the street market, across the railway bridge … Your walk can just be the same 100 yards in front of your house repeated several times!

As long as your dog is viewing this as a positive experience, then you are succeeding.

What is the result we want?

We’re focussing on the outcome here – calm walks with a happy and relaxed dog. If your daily walks are not a step in this direction, then you need to cut them right back.

For a free e-course to help remove the stress from your life, and your dog’s life – and news about the new book! – go to www.brilliantfamilydog.com/growly

What should you do when your dog growls at someone?

I admit, that’s a pretty broad question to answer because dogs growl for a lot of different reasons. There are good growls, like when a dog’s having fun playing tug-of-war and there are bad growls like when a dog growls at a young child. Nobody wants their dog to growl at an innocent child and our first instinct is usually to swiftly correct the dog in order to send a message that we don’t like that behavior. I was guilty of doing that with Haley when she was younger because it’s a common human reaction, but when I stopped to think about why Haley was growling and what she was feeling, I realized that she was only trying to communicate her feelings.

A Dog’s Growl Can Mean:

• I’m having fun trying to wrestle this rope toy away from you.
• I’m hurting or don’t feel good and would like to be left alone.
• I heard something outside, but I’m not sure if it’s anything to be worried about.
• I’m unsure of the person that I see walking up the driveway.
• I’m defending my yard or my spot on the couch.
• I’m worried that you might take my food or toy away from me.
• I’m scared, stressed or uncomfortable in this situation.

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH TERSIGNI / CC BY 2.0

The last two reasons, fear and possessiveness, are the ones that usually cause that knee-jerk reaction inside of us to issue a correction. If a dog is fearful or aggressive, you’ll often see other body language signals before you hear a growl. For a lot of dogs, a growl is the last warning sign before they could be provoked to bite or attack, especially if they feel cornered and can’t retreat. It’s a vocal warning, a heads up so to speak, so the last thing you want to do is correct a dog for growling and possibly silence their early warning system. If you know when your dog is fearful or uncomfortable before they resort to a bite, you’ve got the best chance to desensitize them through counterconditioning.

Haley’s Fear of Little Girls

When Haley was young, she had a fear of small children, especially little girls. I think part of her fear came from an encounter we had with some very pushy and aggressive little girls that approached us in the park during her socialization period. Not long after that incident, she would sometimes emit a low, quiet growl when kids would approach her. It’s not a good feeling to have a dog that growls at kids. I wanted Haley to feel comfortable around children and I wanted to be able to take her anywhere without worrying about how she might react to people. Here’s what I did to help her overcome that fear.

My first job was to protect her (and of course, the kids) while we began the counterconditioning process. We first visited parks and watched children play at a distance where Haley was comfortable and relaxed and she got plenty of treats and praise for her cooperation. When we would pass children on our walks, I would create more distance to keep her comfortable and again, she got lots of yummy treats and affection. We slowly decreased the distance to the children and increased the level of interaction but only within Haley’s comfort zone and while ensuring the safety of the kids. It didn’t take long before she started associating good things with the sight and sounds of youngsters and eventually she was even relaxed enough to listen and take commands from them, in exchange for yummy treats of course.

I have to add a disclaimer here. I don’t mean to imply that everything you need to know about fixing an issue with a reactive dog is found in the paragraph above. The concept of counterconditioning is simple to understand in theory, but it’s a slow process that requires you to be able to closely analyze your dog’s behavior and body language. For that reason, it’s best to consult with a professional trainer or canine behaviorist first. I just wanted to give a real example of how Haley’s anxiety issue was treated because she was initially able to communicate her fearfulness to me by growling. Here are some tips if you’re ever in a situation where your dog’s growling at someone.

What To Do When Your Dog Growls at Someone

Growling is the best way your dog has to communicate with you and others that she’s stressed or uncomfortable. It’s her early warning signal before matters could escalate to a bite.

To ensure everyone’s safety, make sure your dog is fully under your control and leashed.

Dogs sometimes react to our own emotions, so it’s important to stay relaxed, move slowly and use a calm tone of voice when your dog is growling or showing signs of stress.

Diffuse your dog’s reaction by putting distance between her and the person she’s reacting to, even if that means turning around and walking in the opposite direction. If your dog is growling at you, slowly move away and give her more space.

Don’t pressure or push your dog to accept or approach the person she’s uncomfortable with. Pressuring a dog that’s already stressed will likely escalate her emotions to a level where she could lash out and bite.

If your dog is growling at you or is being possessive of food or toys, don’t make the assumption that she’s being dominant or defiant. Confronting her or reacting back with an aggressive attitude will likely escalate her reaction and diminish trust.

After analyzing the situation, create a plan to help your dog overcome her issue. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from a professional trainer or canine behaviorist that specializes in using positive reinforcement methods. They can best advice you on the appropriate course of action when dealing with fear or aggression related issues.

What If Your Dog’s Growling at Someone Outside Your Home?

It’s normal for dogs to want to protect their territory and alert you to anything unusual outside by growling or barking at the window. Most people like having a dog that will let them know if something looks suspicious. I don’t mind Haley’s growling when this happens, but the barking can get annoying sometimes. I’ve always used the phrase It’s Okay when I want to calm her down, so instead of saying “No!” or “Quiet!” when she alerts me to something, I say “It’s Okay”. This usually works pretty well and her demeanor changes as if she’s thinking “Okay, you can take care of this one if they come busting through the door”.

PHOTO BY SMERIKAL / CC BY-SA 2.0

Sometimes it’s hard to fight the instinct to correct a dog that’s growling at someone, especially if that someone happens to be us or a small child. But when we understand that our dogs are actually trying to communicate their feelings, we should be thankful they’re giving us a heads up warning and the opportunity to help them overcome the stressful issue they’re dealing with.

Have you ever been concerned when your dog growled at someone? What did you do?

What should I do when my dog reacts?

(From Victoria Stilwell’s ‘Positively’)

Naughty But Nice: What should I do when my dog REACTS?

When we come across a situation our dog doesn’t like, whether that be seeing something (e.g. a black wire-haired small dog, a person with a beard, a child, etc.), hearing something or any other experience, there is a huge temptation to encourage interaction with that thing. It’s human nature to feel the need to DO something in that very instant – to FIX the problem.

WARNING – This is the worst thing to do!! Here are four tips to turn worry into confidence!

1. Give them a break! Stress levels don’t come down instantly, in fact they can take days to return to their normal levels after an incident! Giving them at least a few days break from both positive and negative arousal/stress events is key to ensuring this does not become a frequent occurrence. My research shows that it can take 72 hours+ before some dogs stop showing a behavioural response after a “reactivity episode”, and this suggests that their buckets may be quite full for some time following that!

2. Build an optimist!

The underlying cause of this response is, what I call and for which there is an increasing body of evidence, a pessimistic bias on the way they perceive and process experiences. This means that new or novel and slightly different or ambiguous situations may be presumed to be something negative, something bad!

New thing = it’s going to eat me!

Building an optimist involves, long-term, teaching the dog that new things are something good; we need to make them predictors of good stuff, which in most cases is food! Setting aside some of your dog’s daily food allowance and using this to pay into the optimism bank account by following new or different things with food throughout the day is incredibly effective! Equally, shaping games and filling your dog’s lives with fun massively helps this too!

3. Work with SIMILAR, not the same!

When it comes to actually tackling the specific situation that concerned you, I urge you to leave that specific situation well alone and work on similar ones instead! Let’s take the example of your dog lunging forward and barking as a car backfires on a walk.

• First of all, I would give him a break from all things stressful or high arousal for a few days.
• Next up would be setting into action a plan to build your dog as more of an optimist.
• Then you could begin building a more positive association with other loud noises, following the sounds of doors closing, dogs barking in the distance or a truck driving past the house with delivery of food from your dog’s daily food allowance.
• Then you may do the same on a walk,
• and finally the situation may present itself again where a car backfires. The difference this time is that your dog is now much more prepared to perceive this as something not so terrible and what’s more you have practised all the skills to be able to build this specific situation as something positive for your dog!

Forcing interaction with the scary thing is possibly the worst thing you could do in that instant but certainly is the most tempting! Following these three simple tips will ensure long-term success in this!

4. Games, Games, Games!

The secret to working with these dogs is using a programme that focusses on simple, quick games you can play in your living room.These games add in the fun, take off the pressure and teach key skills!

The focus of these games might be, for example, focus, impulse control, calmness or even games that train behaviours you can use in tricky situations, like “middle”. In this latest downloadable and completely three eBook, five games that, in my opinion, are the fundamentals to any programme of working with dogs that may be reactive, easily overaroused, frustrated or just lacking focus or impulse control: http://tinyurl.com/zdjwcdo

Enjoy!

Prey drive

Prey Drive

Prey drive is one of the most widely misunderstood aspects of the canine personality. Prey drive is NOT the same as aggression. This has been demonstrated scientifically using Electrical Stimulation of the Brain (ESB) studies. The part of the brain that controls predatory behavior is completely separate from the part of the brain that controls aggressive behavior. Predatory behaviors are fun for animals. Aggressive behaviors are not. This was also demonstrated with ESB studies. When given the choice, animals will push the button to stimulate the predatory part of their brain. When given the choice, animals will NOT push the button to stimulate the aggressive part of their brain. That tells us that predatory behaviors are enjoyable while aggressive behaviors are not.

ESB studies also show that all animals have a predatory part of their brain. In non-predatory animals, like rats, this part of their brain is never triggered (until they did it in a lab with ESB). Dogs are predators as well as scavengers, so that part of their brain does get triggered. A dog who chases and kills prey is doing what normal dogs do. Dogs and cats alike do not always kill for food. Chasing and killing prey are vestigial wolf behaviors. It’s not necessary for the domestic dog’s survival but lingers from their genetic roots, rather like our appendix! However, as anyone who has had a ruptured appendix knows, this vestigial behavior can cause serious problems.

When we make the decision to bring a predatory animal into our lives, we must accept that prey drive is part of who they are. When prey drive crosses the line from normal dog behavior to serious problem is when the dog is out of control. Dogs who escape their own fences and roam free in the neighborhood killing cats and sometimes even other dogs are a menace to society. Society holds dogs to a different standard than every other predatory animal. It is our responsibility as dog owners to be aware of that and protect our dogs. They could be labeled a dangerous or vicious animal for killing a cat, and it does not matter how irrational that is. For your dog’s safety and for your personal liability (you could be sued, fined, or even jailed), make sure your dog is under control.

Many people believe that dogs who kill cats will also kill children. This is a false assumption. Normal healthy pet dogs do not kill children and know the difference between a cat and a child. However, several dogs together who have not been fully raised in a domestic home environment can kill large prey such as sheep, goats, and cattle, and even children. Wolves are able to kill prey much larger than themselves because they hunt in packs. When a group of dogs get together, they can emulate this wolf behavior.

Prey drive can also be a problem when you take your dog for a walk on leash, especially if you have a large dog. Dogs have approximately as much strength as a person 3 times their size. So, if you have an 80 pound dog and you are not a 240+ pound person, you will not be able to control the dog with strength alone. When a high prey drive dog spots a prey animal, something switches in their brain and all they are focused on is that prey. If they decide to take off for the chase, you could have your shoulder wrenched, fall on your face, lose your dog completely as he jerks the leash out of your hand, or all of the above! It is especially important with the high prey drive dog to have voice control of him.

Does my dog have a high prey drive?

If your dog has a high prey drive, he will show predatory behaviors even if there is no actual prey around. This includes pouncing on and/or shaking toys and intense focus on things that move erratically, such as a leaf falling from a tree or a plastic bag being blown by the wind. Of course, picking birds off the birdbath is also a pretty good clue! The canine personality profile will tell you your dog’s prey drive score. The score will give you a good idea of how diligent you need to be with your dogs around small animals.

Managing the high prey drive dog

(NOTE: From Two Dog Farms: We do not advocate the use of prong collars – in our experience, Asian dogs are typically too sensitive around the necks for such ‘tools’)