Doggy Issues

[Nienke]

Quote rrose070:

my dog also acts up unbelievably - fireworks, thunder especially, sirens etc. and he gets reallly angry!

In your opinion, Neinke, could a Western dog with no street-sense at all, a mini dachsy, who thinks he's as big as a bulldog, live here?

As TEOTN already said it is very possible to have Western dog with no street-sense here as long as you don't leave it loose on the street, whether that's supervised or not supervised. Actually, even a dog that seems street wise should NEVER be let loose on or near a street. After all, it's a dog! Even the best obedience trained dog can still suddenly run of when it sees something irresistible across the street.

It's a bit similar idea to a child who has been taught to stay on the pedestrian at all times, and normally always does so. But only that one time when the ball rolls of on to the street and the child, without a thought or even noticing it comes of the pedestrian, runs after the ball.

Quote TheEmperorOfTheNorth:Mine was a locally raised dog, but super timid and super stupid.

Yep, a remark that definitely suits you

Quote JuniorExPat: I would also be very interested in the information about fear and therapy - one of our dogs nearly rammed a pair of sliding doors out of the frame recently because he was so intent on getting indoors away from the fireworks!

Fear for loud noises is learned behavior. This can be:

* Sudden loud noise, dog gets a fright and runs for shelter or barks upset. Loud noise stops. Dog learns that by showing a certain behavior the scary things goes away. Behavior increases.

* Sudden loud noise. Dog sees that the otherwise easy-going dog or human (a higher ranked) gets frightened and reacts fearful. Dog picks this up as that the loud noise MUST be scary and will act fearfull with the next loud noise as well if the behavior of the first one isn't altered and, therefore, behavior of the dog isn't re-inforced again.

* Sudden loud noise. Dog gets a fright. Owner immediately pays special attention to dog by comforting it. Behavior increases.

Solutions:

* Allow your dog in the house, a crate, a cage or anything rather small that acts as a den.

* Act normal, as you would do otherwise during daily life. The main task of a leader is to protect the pack. If the leader shows fear or suddenly start acting up during something fearful, the dog will pick this up as that there MUST be something weird about the whole thing and will react accordingly.

* Dogs show calming signals in order to reduce stress. When one dog shows stress the other one can try to calm things down by showing calming signals such as yawning, stretching, shaking, lip licking, looking away etc.

* Dogs who are too sensitive for (loud) noises can benefit from systematic desensitisation therapy. If interested in this PM, email or call me.

For understanding a sound sensitivity problem or any other behavioral problem in a dog, the what, when, how and the interaction with the care-takers is important, not only for the dog behaviorist but also for the owners/care-takers.

A few dog problem behaviors can be changed by a dog trainer/behaviorist, but in most cases the full involvement of the owners/care-takers is required. A full history of the dog (physical, mental and interaction with it's human and/or dog pack members) is required in order to understand how the behavior developed, when it occurs, how it is sustained and how to alter it. Once this is done, the dog behaviorist will explain to the owner how the problem occurred (IF that is possible, because in certain cases, e.g. with street dogs, it is only guess work), how the behavior of the owner influences the behavior of the dog, and how to solve the problem.

A basic obedience course on a one-to-one basis where the problem behavior is addressed is often advised.

In most cases quick fixes can not be expected as well (many people are impatient and want a quick fix). Sometimes it can take weeks, months or even (1 or 2) years before the problem behavior is under control. This means a lot of patience and understanding on the part of the owner/care-taker. Also with certain behavioral problems life-time reinforcement and change of the owner's behavior is needed, such as with lack of socialization, quite dominant dogs that tend to take over the leadership of the pack or with a (super-)timid dog that can benefit enormously when the owner would mellow his/her dominant attitude towards the dog.

An example: Currently I have a little chihuahua in training together with her owners. It is guess work for what has happened to this little animal before the owners purchased her. Something did happen though as this little creature just freaked out each time when it felt constrained, and that was very quickly. She also was very scared in every new environment which was all except home, and would depend her whole life on her owners.

Most of the obedience classes are spend on her behavioral problem INCLUDING the interaction between her owners and her. We are now a month further and there is already a major difference (which is so nice to see). The owners did a fantastic job. It is not finished though, they still have more work to do.

The little one steps on a tiny piece of plastic, jumped almost a meter in the air and ran of for shelter under the car. After some encouragement, she ran to the owner and hid underneath or behind her, while the owner had the piece of plastic in her hand. After a while she was brave enough to check it out, though not exactly confident yet. Later on, danger had subsided and she was able to follow her owner on the lead again.

Nienke

[p1p]

I'm moving this to Vets and Pets. It is more apt there than in the CM Forum.

[Tywais]

I'm moving this to Vets and Pets. It is more apt there than in the CM Forum.

You just beat me to it.

Thanks Nienke for taking the time to start this topic.

[Bardamu]

I bought a dog from a shop underneath robinsons/airport. just a pup and very cute. all was going well for a few months, he had taken to the family and was fitting in well. then last week i noticed that some money had gone missing from my purse. the next day, more cash had gone. and then the next day the dog has a new lead and is chewing on a great big bone. now me and wife have discussed this, we;ve given him everything hes ever wanted, so why would he steal. how can we keep him out of our purses?

[Nienke]

I bought a dog from a shop underneath robinsons/airport. just a pup and very cute. all was going well for a few months, he had taken to the family and was fitting in well. then last week i noticed that some money had gone missing from my purse. the next day, more cash had gone. and then the next day the dog has a new lead and is chewing on a great big bone. now me and wife have discussed this, we;ve given him everything hes ever wanted, so why would he steal. how can we keep him out of our purses?

Do you always leave things about? You never learned to tidy your room? Sheeeeeeeze!

Each time when you come home you put away your stuff: coat on the hook, bags and purses in the cubboard, shoes in the shoe cubboard. Then lock the cubboards, but make sure you don't forget where you put your key or you need to train your dog to find it

Oh, and stop spoiling him ... it's made an asshol_e out of him.

Nienke

[NaiGreg]

I bought a dog from a shop underneath robinsons/airport. just a pup and very cute. all was going well for a few months, he had taken to the family and was fitting in well. then last week i noticed that some money had gone missing from my purse. the next day, more cash had gone. and then the next day the dog has a new lead and is chewing on a great big bone. now me and wife have discussed this, we;ve given him everything hes ever wanted, so why would he steal. how can we keep him out of our purses?

Easy!

Explain to him (does he understand doggy Thai or doggy English?) that the purse he is stealing from is made from the hide of the last dog that stole from you.

-NG