Pet Behavior Modification

Hi Friends!


Over 21 years ago, I adopted a beautiful Yellow-Nape Amazon Parrot named Dudley.  Not by any fault of his own, before I welcomed Dudley into my home, Dudley experienced being passed from one caretaker to the next.  With a "colorful past" and a life offering good material for a soap opera, Dudley's first 12 years involved a number of challenging transitions.  Consequently, I immediately began working with Dudley for modifying negative behavior.  I committed myself to provide Dudley with the best of care, unconditional love and my devotion.

To modify Dudley's negative behavior, I achieved the most success when I provided structure and clear communication.  So, I apply the same approach in my work with dogs.  Dogs ultimately thrive in an environment where they are provided with clear structure and communication. Desirable behaviors are rewarded, whereas, undesirable behaviors are discouraged by implementing clear rules and avoiding any forms of psychological and physical intimidation. Modern scientifically-based dog training and modern dog behavior modification focuses on teamwork, and ultimately, the creation of a harmonious relationship between dogs and owners.


Dogs and cats sometimes engage in behavior that their humans don't like or find troublesome. Both species respond better to positive responses than to punishment, and fortunately you can draw on an array of modification tools to encourage the kind of behavior you want from your pet.


Dog training behavior modification is based on changing your dog's attitude and responses. It's different from standard obedience training, which has a stronger focus on specific commands and teaching tricks.

1. Base your training on relaxation. Helping your dog stay calm is at the heart of behavior modification.

2. Don't show your dog fear or anger. Instead, create a healthy rapport between you and your dog based on leadership and respect.

3. Employ passive behavior modification. Manage your dog's aggressive behavior by teaching him to defer to you. You can do this by rewarding him correctly: give him treats only when he is in a calm state.

4. Utilize desensitization techniques. This is the process of honing in on the areas where your dog acts aggressive. Approach such behavior in a non-threatening way. If he shows aggression toward animals, start exposing him to other dogs from a distance.

5. Rely on counter conditioning in dog training behavior modification. This involves changing your dog's association with something through repetitive techniques.

6. Use positive techniques. Do not use violence to train your dog. Encourage him through kindness and respect. You will develop a stronger bond between the both of you and he will follow your commands better.

7. Reinforce repetition and consistency. Build and strengthen good habits by establishing routines and repeating behavior. Keep up the routines even after your dog learns the new behavior.

8. Pump up the exercise. The more activity your pet has the better he will do with his dog training behavior modification. Walking and retrieving activities will help him release anxiety and forgo bad behavior, like improper chewing.




Positive Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement, also known as reward-based training, can be an excellent tool for changing your pet’s behavior. When the animal does what you want, you provide a reward—a treat, praise or anything else that motivates her. When she doesn’t obey, you simply ignore her. Most pets dislike that, so they do whatever will result in attention. Cats can be more difficult to train than dogs, because they’re usually more independent and you may have a harder time finding the right incentive. But if you’re patient and persistent, you should be able to modify your cat’s behavior using positive reinforcement.

Clicker Training
Clicker training expands on the idea of positive reinforcement. You can use a clicker designed for this type of training or something like a clicking pen that you already have in the house. When your pet does what you want, you immediately click and give him a treat. Eventually, he should associate the click with the reward and perform the desired behavior when he hears the click. You need to repeat the training enough for your pet to learn what you want, and don’t exhaust him with long sessions.

Changing the Environment
Altering your pet’s surroundings can be an effective tool for preventing unwanted behavior. For example, if your dog likes to drink from the toilet, leave the toilet lid down or close the bathroom door to resolve the problem. If your cat jumps on the kitchen counters, put down tinfoil or double-sided tape; cats hate stepping on either of those.

Provide Other Outlets for Natural Urges
Some behaviors are natural for dogs and cats. You might not be able to change them, and trying could take far more time and energy than you want to spend. Dogs and cats both like to chew. Cats scratch furniture and climb curtains, while dogs chew your shoes and run circles around your house. Rather than trying to change the animal's behavior, find other ways to satisfy these natural urges. Take your dog on on daily jogs or to the dog park so she gets exercise. Give your cat a scratching post to sharpen his claws and a cat tree he can climb.

Other Options
If nothing else works in changing your pet's behavior, you might need to consult a professional behaviorist. Your vet should be able to suggest someone reputable in your city or area. Make sure this person has the appropriate training—he should be either a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB or ACAAB) or a veterinary behaviorist (Dip ACVB). Another option your vet might suggest is medication. Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications can help control symptoms, such as nervousness and agitation, that could be preventing your pet from responding to behavior-modification training.

I am interested in any experiences you may have had with training and modifying your pets negative behavior.  What worked for you and your dog?  What didn't?  Please share your pet's behavior problem and how you modified it.  Did you work it out on your own, with a vet, behavioral specialist or a trainer?  Please share your experiences.

Thanks for your friendship and support!

Warmly,

Paul

Paul F. Flotron
Creature Comforts Great & Small, LLC
"Giving your creatures the comfort they deserve"
www.CreatureComfortsGreatnSmall.com

314-200-8561
Cell:  314-775-7107

Socializing Multiple Pets In Your Home

Hi Friends!

In 1992, I rescued a beautiful Yellow-Nape Amazon Parrot named Dudley.  For many years after first welcoming Dudley into my home, I thought how nice it would be for Dudley to have a companion.  Much to my delight, while living in Southern California, I was able to add a sweet, loving Umbrella Cockatoo into the Flotron Feathered Family.  I anticipating for a match made in heaven and that Dudley and Sing-Sing would quickly become best of friends.  Fast forward to present day, I am more realistic and happy knowing that Dudley and sing-Sing merely tolerate one another.  Perhaps there is an occasional sign of mutual respect and appreciation.

Resulting from my experience with introducing a new pet, I decided to conduct research into how to create positive relationships among pets.  My experience along with my research findings make it clear.  Just as there may exist issues between human siblings, difficulties in relationships can easily occur in animals as well.

Like siblings, sometimes pets in the same family don’t get along. But this shouldn’t discourage you from opening your home to various pets. There are many ways to mesh different breeds and species.  It’s really about having ground rules and being consistent with them.  Pets need to know that you’re the one who makes the decisions. They don’t have to be best friends, but they need to learn to coexist peacefully.

To help keep your pets — and you — happy, take a look at these common challenges associated with housing multiple pets. The solutions should help fuse both canine and feline kinfolk.

Challenge: Adding a pet to the family

Solution: When you bring home a new pet, dogs and cats usually go through three levels of acceptance.  First, the original pet will be hostile toward the new pet. Then, in the second level, the original pet will be tolerant, changing to an ‘I won’t kill you, but don’t get in my way’ attitude.  And the third level is, hopefully, bonding. Some pets go through this in an hour; some never get all the way through the process.

To help smooth this progression, start by making a proper introduction. Let your pets look at and sniff each other, but don’t allow them to have physical contact. For example, keep the new pet in a crate while the other household pets get used to the unfamiliar smell. When not crated, keep the new pet in a closed-off room, such as a utility room. Allow supervised interaction only after you think the behavior on all sides seems calm and friendly. Keep favorite toys out of the area to avoid spats, and make sure pets have access to a safe retreat, such as a pet bed or open crate.

Depending on how your pets react, you might need to monitor short meetings for some time before giving the pet full access to the house. Also, consult your veterinarian about introduction tips specific for your pets and family.

Challenge: Different dietary needs

Solution: Pets need to stay out of each other's food bowls for various reasons. First and foremost, pets of varying ages and breeds often require different nutrition.  If your dog gets into the cat food or vice versa, serious health problems could result. Sometimes veterinarians prescribe special food for certain pets. For example, pets with chronic systemic diseases might require special diets, as would overweight pets.

The key to ensuring dogs and cats eat only the food intended for them is to feed all your pets at the same time in separate areas.  Feed one in the kitchen, one in the laundry room, et cetera, and then put away the remaining food.  Given the feline propensity for high places, another solution is to place the cat’s food on a counter or other lofty location out of your dog’s reach.

Challenge: Disparate veterinary care

Solution: You may find your senior dog has you at the veterinarian for various ailments and checkups several times a year, but you can’t remember the last time you took your cat to the doctor. Even though making multiple trips to the veterinarian can be time consuming, every cat and dog should visit at least once a year. Many problems go undetected.  Seeing pets for an annual exam allows veterinarians to find these problems early and keep pets healthy.

One way to ensure all your pets get this vital preventive care is to schedule all their wellness appointments in the same month.  This way you’re reminded that every pet needs to see the veterinarian in April, for example.

Another idea is to ask your veterinary practice about the possibility of scheduling appointments for multiple pets at the same time. Your veterinarian might limit the number of pets seen during a single visit. Keep in mind that the purpose of wellness appointments is to provide you with a chance to discuss changes to your pets’ health and for your veterinarian to conduct a thorough examination. This can be difficult if you’re juggling more than one pet, so opt for this strategy only if it seems realistic for you.

Challenge: Cats and dogs that bicker

Solution: While your cat and dog may never snuggle together, you can ensure they don’t hurt each other.  Cats usually know enough to stay away, but we have to work on training the dog to stay away from the cat, especially the hunting breeds, like Terriers or Retrievers.  I recommend starting the learning process by doing what I call training an incompatible behavior.  Here’s an explanation: Teach the dog what ‘go lie down’ means. If the dog gets up to chase the cat, tell the dog to ‘go lie down.’  If he lies down, he won’t be able to give chase, and maybe he’ll get a treat.

Even pets of the same species tangle over toys, food and your attention. If these scuffles are happening, try adding more toys to the mix so pets don’t have to share.  Also try coaxing each pet into its own space. To separate cats, place each cat’s food, litterbox, scratching post and bed in a different area of the house. Give dogs quiet spaces of their own, such as a bed or crate where they can escape from the other household animals. You may need to completely separate dogs at meal times to avoid conflict.  Consistent training and enforcement of the house rules will keep you in charge of the pack.

Challenge: One pet dominates your attention

Solution: Whether because of its personality or needs, you may find yourself doting on one pet. For example, a new puppy may absorb your time with veterinary visits, obedience class and potty training.  Or your cat might not interact with you as much as your dog.  Cats aren’t gushy with their affection the way dogs are.  But they still want and need affection.

Remember that all your pets require daily exercise and mental stimulation to stay happy, healthy and well behaved. Some pets even develop undesirable behaviors if they feel bored or lonely. Spread your love around — and keep your pets out of trouble — by taking all your dogs for a walk every day and spending quality time with each cat.  Soon your harmonious household will be the envy of families everywhere.

If you are considering adding new pets to your household, please contact me so that I may be able to assist in the socialization process.

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays!

Warmly,

Paul

Paul F. Flotron

Creature Comforts Great & Small, LLC

"Giving your creatures the comfort they deserve"

www.CreatureComfortsGreatnSmall.com

314-200-8561

Cell:  314-775-7107

Thankful For You - Thankful For Dudley & Sing-Sing - Happy Thanksgiving!

“What Are You Thankful For?  - Gratitude Is My Attitude Because of What I Learned From Dudley & Sing-Sing”

Hi Friends & Family!

This is the time of year that I usually like to speak to the virtues of gratitude and recognition of the things that mean most to us in life.  Some families have a Thanksgiving tradition of going around the table and each person sharing what they are thankful for.  I was wondering what would happen if the family pet was included in that

family custom; if for just a moment we could talk and listen to our animal family members.  What would they be thankful for?  Since my parrots Dudley and Sing-Sing do talk, they have shared with me laughter and uttered the word "fun" while playing with their many toys surrounding their cages and parrot play gyms.  But, I wonder what else?  I am curious about the areas the many animal friends I care for are thankful for -- your beloved animal companions.
People of course feel thankful for valuable life commodities like health, family, a home and successful careers.  But our pets I suspect have a different take on things.  Just the other day I saw Sing-Sing dancing on her manzanita perch stand and parrot play gym.  She was singing to her heart's content and I could virtually see her smiling.  I couldn’t resist the temptation to go over and pet Sing-Sing.  She was so full of joy and looked so satisfied.  For her, at that moment, everything was right in the world.  I thought how much I would like to have half as much joie de vivre as Sing-Sing in that moment of singing and dancing.  Why was I unable to share in such enthusiasm demonstrated by Sing-Sing as she acted upon the immortal words of Ray Charles "Shake Your Tail Feather?"  .

Later the same day I walked into the room and heard my 33 year-old Yellow-Nape Amazon parrot  “Dudley” whistling and expressing himself in the manner of a town crier so that the world could hear.  As I approached and opened his cage he happily climbed onto my finger and seemed ever so content with just being there.   Just having a few minutes of my undivided attention seemed to make Dudley's day.  Especially making Dudley's day was when I pulled out some of his favorite toys such as a rope toy, a sheet and Dudley began to laugh as he was swinging from these great sources of pleasure.

As I was caring for the many furry best friends of mine, we enjoyed God's amazing creation as we walked, jogged and ran throughout the colorful trees in beautiful parks in the area.  Being fortunate to observe dogs running around the many nature trails of Laumeier, Babler, Creve Coeur, and Tilles while frolicking in the leaves gives me so much joy.
There’s no doubt that if animals could weigh in on the question of “what are you thankful for?” I suspect they would stick to the simple things in life like the warmth of the sun or the satisfied feeling of a full stomach. They would likely go on and on about the how special it is to just “be” with someone who cares for you, and how the opportunity to be physically active is something you should never pass up.  I have told many people over the years that I truly believe that we can learn so much from animals.  Patience, respect, nonjudgmental and unconditional love and loyalty toward others are attributes any person would do well to acquire.   But thisThanksgiving season maybe we can learn one more lesson from our beloved pets. Maybe we can learn that no matter what hand we are dealt in life, no matter what trails and tribulations we face every day, no matter how many bad choices we’ve made, or how unlucky we’ve been in the past, we can always be thankful for those little things, that even if just for a
moment or two, seem to make the world right.  So the next time you see your pet taking utter joy in some simple, basic things in life, go over and join him.  It will do you both good.

This Thanksgiving, I thank God for You and I thank God for being surrounded by many loving animals.

A Very Happy Thanksgiving!

Warmly,

Paul

Paul F. Flotron
Creature Comforts Great & Small, LLC
"Giving your creatures the comfort they deserve"
www.CreatureComfortsGreatnSmall.com
314-200-8561
Cell:  314-775-7107

Pet Dogs Are Part of The Family Yet Not Human - How Do You Treat Your Dog?

Hi Friends!

I am French and German.  At the risk of resorting to stereotypes, I believe that there are some moments I am more French (romantic, loving) and other times in which I am German (stoic, rigid and strong).  In my work with animals, I am so focused on the relationship through showing love and affection.  I also place importance on developing mutual respect with animals.

The biggest mistake dog owners can make with their dogs is to treat them like humans. The human race is such a kind, compassionate species that we tend to look at our canine companions as little humans, when in reality, they are canines and have a very different thought process. This is what differentiates mankind from other species in pack societies; there must be a specific order, from the leader on down to the last follower. Everyone has a place. The leaders are the strength of the pack, while the followers need the leader to guide them. Dogs have an instinct to constantly test the being above them and an instinct to know they will always be tested by the being below them. Instinct tells them that if there is not a strong being in charge, their life and the lives of the rest of their pack are at stake. This primal instinct keeps the pack secure and happy.

Dogs instinctively crave rules to follow, and limits as to what they are allowed to do. When dogs live with humans, the humans become the dog's pack. For the relationship to succeed, humans must become the dog's pack leader. The mistake is made when the humans in the pack only give the dog love, and overlook the other needs of the dog. To a dog, constant affection without rules and limits goes against every grain in its instinct. While dogs enjoy being given affection, it does not satisfy the animal and it is not what makes them well balanced, stable minded, secure and happy. Dogs love affection, however that alone does not make a dog happy, satisfying its instincts do. You need to provide proper emotional stability in order to achieve this, and showing you have an orderly pack with rules to follow is what the dog needs. Giving your dog affection is important for the human, and enjoyed by the dog, but must be done at the correct times.

A dog is an animal and does not possess the same reasoning skills as a human. Dogs do have emotions, but their emotions are different than those of humans. They are simple creatures with instincts, and their emotions lack complex thought process. They feel joy when they know you are pleased, they feel sad when someone dies. However, they do not premeditate or plan ahead, and do not dwell in the past or future. They live for whatever is happening at the moment.

Let’s say that you are upset over something that has happened in your life, for example, your girlfriend or boyfriend just broke up with you. Your dog will know you are upset, but it will not know why. Your dog is unable to reason out in its head that you have just been broken up with. Its interpretation of you will be that you have unstable energy and it will see you as weak.

Similarly, when a human shares its affection with a dog that is in any other state of mind but a calm, submissive one (for example, aggressive, obsessive, shy, skittish, fear or hyperactivity, etc.) and you give it a hug or pat it on the head and tell it all is OK, it is comforting to the human, but intensifies the dog’s current state of mind. You are telling the dog it is OK to feel that way. While a human feels they are comforting the dog, the dog sees it as a weakness, as you are not providing strong energy from which the dog can feed. If your dog has a traumatic experience and you show it affection during that time by trying to comfort it, rather than letting it work through the situation in its own mind and being a strong leader it can feed from, you leave it stuck in that state of mind. Later when your dog faces this traumatic situation again, when you comfort the dog, this intensifies the situation even more. You are creating the problem. Dogs do not see comfort and affection in the same way we humans see it. Dogs are always looking for a strong stable being to feed from.

On the same note: when a dog is constantly leaning on you, putting his paw on you, using his nose to make you pet him, and always feeling the need to be touching you in some way, this is not your dog loving you, it is your dog displaying dominant behaviors. In the dog world, space is respect. A dog that is constantly nudging you and leaning on you, is not only disrespecting you, it is being the alpha dog.

If a dog has an operation and you feel sorry for the dog—at a time in the dog's life when it needs a strong pack leader more than ever to feed from—you instead become weaker in the dog’s mind.

If you show weakness to your dog, the dog instinctively takes over the role of leader whether he wants to or not, because there must be a strong leader and an order in a dog's pack. If the dog does not feel he is strong enough to handle the role of leader it can be very stressful, and even terrifying, for the dog to have such a heavy weight on its shoulders, as it tries to look after all of the humans around it. Humans often give the dog mixed leadership signals, which throw the dog off balance, confusing his psyche, and causing many of the psychological/behavioral problems we see in dogs today. Mental tension and energy build up within the dog, which lead to many common canine behavior issues: eliminating in the house, obsessive behaviors, neurotic behaviors, chewing on themselves, being overly excited, barking excessively, whining, not following their owner’s commands, not coming when called, running off, getting into the trash, destroying things in the house, obsessively digging, chewing the furniture, tail-chasing, scratching, aggression toward other dogs, animals, or humans, snapping, biting, growling, and becoming just plain old uncontrollable (just to name a few). Whatever the problem is, it is more likely than not, traceable back to the way you treat your dog. In some cases it may appear the dog is just nuts, or psycho, and there is nothing one can do about it.

This is also the number one cause of separation anxiety. In a pack, the leader is allowed to leave; however, the followers never leave the leader. If your dog is instinctively seeing you as its follower and you leave it, the dog can be so mentally anguished that it will often take its frustration out on your house or itself.

I would appreciate assisting you with establishing greater respect and you as "leader of the pack, please contact me at anytime.

Thanks so much!

Paul

Paul F. Flotron
Creature Comforts Great & Small, LLC
"Giving your creatures the comfort they deserve"
www.CreatureComfortsGreatnSmall.com
314-200-8561
Cell:  314-775-7107

Holiday Giving Pets - Happy Holidays!

Hi Friends!

My two favorite seasons being Fall and Spring.  Fall offers an array of beautiful colors and relief from the sweltering heat.  Spring offers a rebirth of flora and fauna after a long dormant Winter.  I must confess that the older I become the more I find myself complaining about the weather.  November is a month clearly revealing to us that the  frigid cold Winter season is lurking right around the corner.

Every minute we are able to take a breath is a moment to give thanks.  November is a month set aside as a reminder to appreciate the many blessings we are given.  As I am a sentimental man, I treat my relationships as sacred and consider far more important than anything else.  For example, I view Dudley, my Yellow-Nape Amazon Parrot as a gift from above.  I welcomed Dudley into my home on November 3, 1992.  It was a day I will never forget.  Not just because it happened to be our National Election Day.  That particular day was all about Dudley and that day was Thanksgiving Day as far as I am concerned.

This year, Nov. 28 is Thanksgiving and the first full day of the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, which begins at sundown the previous night.

For many Jewish Americans, this is no trivial convergence, but a once-in-an-eternity opportunity to simultaneously celebrate two favorite holidays, one quintessentially American, the other quintessentially Jewish.

Regardless of your faith or religion, Christian, Jewish or other, families throughout the country are preparing for a special time of year.  For me, it is reflecting on a childhood always anxiously anticipating opening up gifts, the beautifully decorated Christmas tree and most importantly being with family.

In my family we celebrated baby Jesus in a manger.  For now, I want to set everything aside to share with you the gifting of animals during Christmas and the Holiday Season.  Without question, there are not a lot of things cuter than a baby puppy or kitten, except for maybe a tiny furball leaping after wrapping paper on Christmas morning as the children squeal and clap with delight at their new living present. That’s right -- a puppy for Christmas!

Last year, a good friend of mine gave her teenage son a sweet little pug puppy for Christmas.  The photos on Instagram and Facebook were completely precious, and it’s obvious the entire family is in love with this ridiculously adorable little girl. 

But isn’t gifting animals for holidays a bad idea? How many abandoned chicks and bunnies at Easter, black cats at Halloween, and puppies at Christmas do we have to hear about before people will stop doing this?

Before we jump all over someone’s case for buying their kid a pet for Christmas -- let’s remember that every situation is unique, and sometimes a puppy as a present is a great idea. It all comes down to the motivation.

It is never ok to buy a pet on a whim.  Ok, maybe a beta fish. But that’s it! Then you find yourself walking by the pet store in the mall while you’re Christmas shopping, the sweetest set of brown eyes accompanied with the most adorable little pink tongue catches your eye. It looks so cooped up there in that pet shop kennel … couldn’t we just take him home? We’d be rescuing him, and the kids will love him, and it’s Christmas! Try to remember that by buying from a pet store, you’re probably helping to fund cruel puppy mills. Then keep walking.

Unless you’ve worked it out in advance with the parents after careful consideration and planning, never ever buy a pet as a gift for another family. Beta fish included. And even then, this scenario might only be appropriate if you’re a relative or very close family friend that a) breeds dogs responsibly yourself, and you’re gifting one of the litter, or b) have bonded with the children over your own dog, and now with mom and dad’s permission, are presenting them with their very own snuggle puppy. Otherwise -- just no.

The only time puppies or other pets make wonderful, perfect Christmas gifts is when you’ve already made the big decision to adopt a pet, and Christmas provides the opportunity to make it a ‘present.’ That’s what happened in my friends’ case. They had a pug they loved that died of old age last year after a long, happy life. The decision to add to the family again was made carefully, and it just happens that they decided to wait until Christmas to make it happen.

That’s responsible pet parenting.

Have you ever given or been given a live gift?

Please feel free to share your experiences.  I always welcome your input and feedback is always appreciated.

Wishing you and your families a blessed Thanksgiving and Holiday Season!

Warmly,

Paul

Paul F. Flotron

Creature Comforts Great & Small, LLC

"Giving your creatures the comfort they deserve"

www.CreatureComfortsGreatnSmall.com

314-200-8561

Cell:  314-775-7107

SEEKING A PET CARE ASSOCIATE - PET CARE PROFESSIONALS

SEEKING PET CARE PROFESSIONALS

In my pet care business Creature Comforts Great & Small, I am becoming involved in a variety of niche areas.  For instance, ensuring that a family's animal companions receive the best of TLC and eliminate any possibility of anxiety, I am providing pet care for those animal lovers relocating. Also, I have existing clients and new clients with second homes and condos outside of St. Louis. Clients wanting to take their beloved pets with them while they enjoy an extended stay in warmer pastures. I have one client I just met with who wants to take her 2 cats to stay at her condo in Florida for a couple of months. I will be providing pet care to her cats while helping her drive and/or fly (airline restrictions for 1 cat per passenger). To consistently guarantee superior quality pet care services to my clients are maintained during my absence, I am seeking trustworthy, reliable and experienced pet care professionals. If you or anyone you know are interested in earning a supplemental income while doing what you love (loving on animals), please contact me at 314-200-8561. I am passionate about this business -- I am passionate about animals -- and would love to talk to you about our shared love for animals -- and how that translates into providing the BEST TLC for family pets. Thank you!

With kind regards,

Paul

Paul F. Flotron
Creature Comforts Great & Small, LLC
"Giving your creatures the comfort they deserve"
www.CreatureComfortsGreatnSmall.com

314-200-8561

How To Handle Dog Aggression Behavior In Dogs

Hi Friends!

I am increasingly becoming more involved with my clients to assist in socializing and correcting negative behaviors. Over the past few years, I am helping more clients having dogs with fear aggression issues. Because I am so passionate about ensuring that animals are able to enjoy the most fulfilling lives possible, I am providing tips and information I hope you will find to be beneficial. I am encountering more dogs with fear aggression issues. As a result, I would like to be able to create awareness and inform so that you will be able to correct and manage any possible fear aggression behavior that may arise.

A fearful dog may appear generally insecure and give off signals like cowering, shaking, or averting is eyes. Owners may describe their dog as “skittish,” “nervous,” or “snapping at people.” Not all fearful dogs are aggressive. There are different thresholds for when a dog will become aggressive towards different stimuli. For some fearful dogs, avoidance and ‘shutting down’ is their response when afraid. Others may become defensive: growling, snarling, lunging, or biting. Fear-aggressive dogs may appear worse when they are confined, such as in a crate, in their home, or on a leash. When a dog is confined by a leash, his option to flee is limited, so he may become defensive out of fear- towards other dogs or towards people. To work with a fearful animal, a trainer must be very skilled at reading the dogs body language and signals. Causes of fear aggression can include genetics (one or both parents may have been fearful dogs), experiences in early puppyhood, and lack of socialization and training. If you have a fearful dog, realize that it may be strongly genetic, as fear is a hardwired response in animals.

TREATMENT FOR FEAR AGGRESSION: A fearful dog does the best with a patient and confident trainer who can make them feel safe and give them guidance. We want to teach the dog to defer back to us for guidance in situations where he is unsure. As dog trainers, we don’t want to associate punishment with something the dog is already afraid of, example “I am already scared of dogs, and now every time a dog comes around I get punished.” We want to make a good association of “Every time a dog comes around, good things happen!” This is “counter-conditioning.” You play a big part in your dogs behavior and training. It is important to not reinforce your dogs fear through trying to comfort them when they are displaying aggression (growling, snapping, lunging), which can be taken as praise for that behavior. To counter-condition, praise and reward must come before the dog shows aggression, and the training plan should use a desensitizing technique along with counter-conditioning. First and foremost, you will need a strong and reliable foundation of obedience so you can have control, including sit, down, sit-stays and down-stays. Obedience gives your dog something else to focus on. Your dog should be getting about 30 minutes of exercise per day along with his obedience lessons. Anxiety medication may also be recommended through your veterinarian, such as fluoxetine (Prozac), amitriptyline, or clomipramine .Many times the dog is simply interpreting a human's behavior as threatening. Lack of socialization is one of the main culprits. It is key to expose your dog to as many animals and people as possible before it reaches fourteen weeks. Another factor is abuse: A dog that has been mistreated by humans will naturally be distrusting of them. Thankfully, there are a number of basic steps that you can take to alleviate this potentially dangerous situation

1. Break down the triggers for your dog's aggression. Socialize your dog if it acts aggressively toward strangers. Display alpha male behavior if it is aggressive toward members of your family. Quickly correct these tendencies by using leash restraint. Slowly introduce your dog to more people, both children and adults, preferably before 12 to 14 weeks of age. Be careful not to crowd your pet as this can trigger fear.

2. Manage your dog's environment. If the animal is nervous around children, keep your pet on a leash at all times until it is accustomed to them. Dogs can sense fear, and this makes them skittish. Avoid shouting and hitting your dog if it displays aggression. This will only increase your pet's fear and consequent aggression.

3. Use different, real-life situations, like allowing your dog to greet someone at the front door. Take it to bustling places that have the potential to trigger fear and aggressive behavior. Be sure to keep your pet on a leash at all times until the animal is desensitized to this environment. Erect a fence around your house to prevent the dog from roaming at will.

4. Keep obedience training lessons for your dog short and consistent. Give your pet a treat for a reward as well as positive verbal reinforcement when it obeys your commands. Isolate the animal when it misbehaves.

5. Contact a professional animal behaviorist as soon as possible if your dog continues to display aggressive behavior toward people. If you leave such behavior unchecked, one savage attack or bite can lead to untold problems.

Over the past year, I have been expanding my pet care business to include more training, socializing, enrichment, and exercise programs for my clients' dogs. I am committing myself to be a resource of information and to help equip others in providing the best of care for their pets. I am always here for you and will always go the extra mile to ensure that your animal companions are happy and healthy.

Please contact me anytime to schedule an initial consultation for socialization, enrichment, exercise and training.

Thank you for your friendship and support!

Warmly,

Paul

Paul F. Flotron
Creature Comforts Great & Small, LLC
"Giving your creatures the comfort they deserve"
www.CreatureComfortsGreatnSmall.com
314-200-8561