Animal Behaviour and Welfare: Dogs

Man's best friend and early domestication.

Readers are reminded to review the first chapter in this series on the basic principles of animal behaviour and welfare in conjunction with this article.

The dog's ancestors evolved 35 million years ago and the modern dog has been traced using DNA in hair samples to a small group of female wolves living in East Asia some 15,000 years ago.  Humans developed much later - some 3.5 million years ago and the dog was first on the domestication list. 

Dogs and wolves diverged over 100,000 years ago and there were four separate occasions when animals that became dogs became distinct from wolves. This has led to more genetic differences within dogs that if there had been only one separation.

A recent hypothesis is that humans and dogs evolved together for long periods with man losing his sense of smell as he relied more on the dog.

The wolf is a pack animal living in stable groups of up to 15 animals.  They hunt and live communally and have a very clear social hierarchy which is very similar to the human family. So wolves easily slotted into the early human family lifestyle.

Wolves are better problem solvers than dogs. They only bred once a year and the most dominant bitch bred the pups. The wolf pack is led by an alpha male and alpha female (order can reverse) and there are constant challenges going on in the pack:

• Young males are always fancying the top job.
• Young males start to work their way up the order to the top.
• Young males dominate young females.
• Changes in order when new adolescents come into family/
• Changes when old members leave (die).
• Females protecting their young.
• Females keeping the top male to herself

It's easy to imagine a stray wolf cub brought home and becoming family pet followed by breeding and selection for traits useful to man.

• The wolf would provide companionship & entertainment - a play mate for the children.
• Protection - it would warn of strangers.  Selection for barking would take place.
• Hunting - the wolf would assist in the chase, especially appreciated by older humans as their speed was reduced by infirmity.
• The wolf would provide warmth at nights - Eskimos talk of a 2- of 3-dog night.
• Work and power - dogs are willing workers and can carry and pull loads.
• Effluent disposal - the early dog would also keep the house area clean, and eat human effluent.
• The early dog would then provide meat and skins.

 

Breeding and selection

 Some recognisable dog breeds originated 3000-4000 years ago while others date back to the Middle Ages. Many other breeds are very recent and new breeds are still being “designed”.

Consider today’s dog - over 30 breeds ranging in weight from less than 1kg to about 100kg.  The question to consider is - have we've made genetic progress as perhaps some of these dogs (which some consider have genetic defects) should have been euthanased and not saved to form a new breed?

There is big money to be made if you breed a new genotype - and you have exclusive rights to it.  You can use cloning to multiply it so it's maybe time to ask "should there be laws against further genetic change in a "wrong" direction?  Who's opinions do we accept and who needs to take control over what is done.

How dogs help people

 This list seems to get longer each year as people find new challenges for dogs and train them to achieve amazing feats well beyond the ability of man.  Here are some examples:

• Farm working dogs handling livestock of a wide range of species.  Without them, much land could not be farmed - e.g. New Zealand hill country.
• Used by conservationists to find pest species and feral animals.  They can be trained to be very host specific so can find the species being protected for monitoring.
• Trained to locate game, and retrieve it when shot.
• Trained as guards to live with livestock and protect them from predators and thieves.
• Trained as "seeing-eye" dogs for the blind.
• Dogs guarding property that they see as their territory.
• Search and rescue dogs to find people in avalanches and earthquakes.
• To help people with impaired hearing.
• Helping the disabled by pulling wheelchairs and doing simple chores.
• Police dogs used to search for drugs and to find, attack and hold offenders.
• To find people on land and across water –e.g.  the Bloodhound and Newfoundland respectively.
• Customs and Biosecurity dogs used to find drugs, fruit, etc.
• Used to find truffles buried under the ground in orchards - traditionally done by pigs.
• Trained to find the sites of old chemical dumps.
• Military dogs to locate landmines and explosives as well as the enemy and snipers.
• Trained to use their acute sense of smell to detect cancer cells and chemicals (ketones) from the nose of patients pre-siezure.

The dog in modern society - "human" problems they cause

After seeing the good things dogs do for man, it's important to consider the "problems" they cause in our sophisticated modern (urban) society.  But if you ask an Animal Control Officer about "dog problems" they'll remind you that they rarely see dog problems, - they deal instead with "people problems" as dog owners are the cause. Here are some examples:
 

• Dogs frightening people -rushing at people and biting them.
• Damage to property when their owners are out at work.
• Barking and annoying neighbours when their owners are away. 
• Wandering.  Dogs that run away and cause annoyance as they move around.
• Feral dogs living in town and country and threatening people, their pets and livestock.
• Harassing, mauling and killing livestock.
• Reproduction. Producing endless unwanted puppies that are dumped or handed to SPCAs to dispose of.
• Obesity. Grossly overfat dogs and dogs with other dietary problems. 
• Confusion. Dogs are confused by their owners. It appears as if the dogs think they are human and the humans think they are dogs!
• Hierarchy confusion.  The dog is confused about where it stands in the household as the rules are not consistent.
• Faeces in public places which other dogs then add to.
• Territorial aggression - where dogs attack to protect their home range.
• Genetic aggression - dogs bred for aggression that when stimulated savage anything they see as a threat - people, other dogs and livestock.
• Over-stimulated scatty dogs that annoy owners and visitors and can become aggressive.
• Mutilation required by breed standards e.g. tail and ear docking.  Also "debarking" dogs by veterinarians for owners who cannot find another solution to their persistent barking dog.
• Problems caused by breed standards that require veterinary treatment - jaws, teeth and birth problems.
• Sexual habits - leg mounting and sniffing people.
• Dogs in the human pack
• Dogs are pack animals and they prefer to live with dogs which is often a surprise to humans!  Here are some important points to remember:
• Dogs like clear simple rules that are consistent.
• Dogs understand dogs!  Humans can be very confusing.
• Dogs interpret human behaviour in a canine way and humans interpret dog behaviour in a human way
• See the human pack from a dog's viewpoint:

• Humans change clothes every day.
• Humans are not consistent in the way they smell.
• Humans have different moods.
• Humans are inconsistent in what they do each day.

• Different members of the human pack often have different rules.
• Humans love you one moment and then go away and leave you.
• When human shows inconsistency, then a confused dog is tempted to take the lead to sort things out and regain consistency.
• Death, divorce and moving house are the three greatest man-dog bond-breakers.

Active and passive dominance

• "Active Dominance" is when the dog takes control by barking, rushing and biting if the owner or the pack fails to obey the rules.
• "Passive Dominance" is where the dog gets the humans to do things without them realizing it.  It's done with gentle persistence that the human doesn't object to.  Humans actually give the dog authority to lead in a doggy way!
• Studies show that breeds differ in their dominance over owners. In declining order of dominance are Fox terriers, Siberian Huskies, Afghans, Miniature Schnauzers, Chows and Scottish terriers.
• Sex differences in behaviour
• Studies have shown that behaviour is affected by the sex of the dog and the sex of the owner. In kennel situations, female dogs show no sex preferences but male dogs were most likely to avoid body contact with men.
• Studies showed that male dogs were more active and more aggressive when with other dogs, and they were more dominant over their owners and showed more territorial defence than females.
• Males showed more aggression than neutered dogs with females showing least aggression. Males were most likely to show destructive behaviour and separation anxiety.

The dog's senses

Vision

• The position of a dog's eyes on its head varies and this has important implications for its visual perception of things in its environment:
• Generally dogs have 70% more peripheral and 20% narrower binocular vision than humans.
• Hence dogs are more aware of movement at the side of their heads and they need to move their heads more in order to focus.
• Dogs have an ability to see movement 10 times better than humans.  We use this in training with hand signals to reinforce voice commands.
• Slight movement of your hand or body can over stimulate a dog - so watch for raised arm that the dog may see as threat.
• Visual discrimination of detail and silhouette is not as good as the human.
• Dogs have poor colour reception and inferior awareness of detail.
• Dogs can clearly differentiate between levels of brightness.

 Hearing

• Hearing ranges from 20,000 to 50,000 cycles per second (cps).  Humans peaks at 20,000 cps.  So dogs can hear ultrasound. 
• As a general rule, dogs' hearing is about four times better than humans so a dog can hear sounds at 25m that man can only hear at 6m. 
• There are silent dog whistles used by some handlers.  We hear this sound they make as a low hiss.
• Visual clues are useful to indicate to the dog where a sound came from.
• Dogs don't understand English -they hear sounds.  So vary the sounds you use to command a dog.
• There is no need to shout at a dog!  Use loud sounds for reprimands and soft for approval.
• Dogs respond to a "happy voice" when given with other positive signals.
• Keep auditory signals simple.

 

Smell

• The dog has a highly developed sense of smell - 1000 times better than humans.
• Dogs can smell a fingerprint on glass up to 6 weeks after placement.
• Dogs have a Vomeronasal Organ (VNO) near the hard palate that provides a third chemical sense so it's almost tasting a smell as well as smelling it. 
• The dog does not show a Flehmen response like the cat.
• The dogs acute sense of smell is a major cause of "human" problems:
• Smelling bitches on heat at long distances.
• Finding carrion to eat and roll in.
• Smelling strangers as a threat and biting.
• A new theory says the dog's great ability to smell was a reason for "joint evolution".  Man lost his sense of smell because the dog as part of his tribe, did the smelling for him.
• Smell is a vitally important part of dog communication when meeting.  Dogs greet each other first nose-to-nose (naso-naso).
• Remember the importance of smell when dogs meet humans - hold the back of your hand out to a strange dog to smell.
• The dog's anal glands hold its complete CV.  So after the naso-naso greeting, dogs proceed to smell each other's anal region (naso-ano).

 

Touch

• The early life of a dog is one of touch and smell as it is born blind and with poor hearing.  .
• Hence touch is an enormous bonding feature among dogs and is one of the highest rewards you can give a dog.
• It is the key to bonding with humans during training and you see it with huntaways at dog trials - leaning on their handler for reassurance waiting the start.
• Farm dog trainers don't need a pocket full of treats - they use touch and voice tone to communicate their messages.
• But where you touch the dog is important so if it's not familiar to you:

• Don't grab the scruff
• Don't pat the top of its head
• Don't pat its shoulders.
• Don't touch its tail
• Pat its chest and under it's jaw
• Avoid eye contact at the same time.

• The top of the dog are dominating areas - head, scruff, back and tail.  It's where other dogs grab in fights.  Until you know the dog, go low down and pat the chest.

 

Diet

• Dogs eat only during the day unlike cats that eat both day and night.
• In operant research when dogs were given a free choice of diet, they preferred warm sweet sloppy foods, which is not surprising because after a kill, the wild dog first eats the guts and stomach contents.
• Wild dogs also prefer variety in their diet and are omnivores (eating both animal and plant foods).
• Wild dogs will usually eat every second day so why do many pet dogs eat every time the owner eats leading to obesity?  It seems very hard for them to refuse feeding a begging dog.
• What do we give our dogs?  We feed dry biscuits from the bag and cold dog roll from the fridge. 
• But we must realise that humans purchase dog diets.  Research shows we use human standards about what we think will taste nice and be wholesome for the dog 
• Farm dogs have been underfed for generations on frozen mutton and scraps which are deficient in some important B complex vitamins.
• Biscuits are widely promoted for their convenience as a feed and as "complete diet".
• Working dogs are athletes and need high energy diets.  Pet dogs do little and many really need starving - but don't suggest that to the owner of an obese pet!
• The principles of nutrition are simple - you feed the dog to meet its nutritional needs.
• Note the difference between "wants and needs", as dogs will only stop eating when they are full.  They don't know when their nutritional needs have been met.

Dog communication

• Being a pack animal, communication is vital for survival and dogs use a very wide range of body and verbal signals to communicate.
• Examples are body posture/tail/eyes/hair/teeth/yawn/trembling
• You will recognise the welcome "smile" when a low ranking dog meets greets you.  They turn their upper lip up to expose their teeth.
• The wagging tail is not always a sign of happiness - it shows that the dog is prepared to interact with the stimulus - good or bad.
• Eye contact is important to show dominance.  Don't eyeball an aggressive dog.
• Dogs need their tails to give a wide range of signals.  So why are some breeds docked and are the human reasons justified? 
• The Kennel Club approves the docking of 45 breeds of purebred dogs that are customarily docked.
• Smell is vitally important to dogs.  But sniffing can get out of hand and become a problem for humans.
• Dogs love rolling in carrion and faeces to send messages to other dogs - and the dogs think their owners as pack members will appreciate it too!
• Remember the importance of the anal gland in indicating the dog's status.
• Territorial scent marking is vitally important in dogs, especially in males to denote territory and warn off strangers.

 

Reproduction

Bitches reach puberty from 6-9 months old.

• Mature bitches have two heat periods a year.
• A bitch has a lengthy period of pro-oestrus (before her heat).  It's a useful warning to owners as it triggers the attention of males from miles around, living in hope.
• "Standing heat" when she will stand to be mated lasts 5-12 days.
• After a failed mating, a bitch can have a false pregnancy and not show heat for 3-4 months.  This can be very confusing for the owner.  She gets fat, shows nesting behaviour and produces milk for up to 60 days.  But there are no pups born!
• Signs of oestrus in bitch - there are many:

• Males sniffing her vulva and rear end.
• She may urinate in presence of a male.
• She may urinate by leg cocking like a male.
• Males show excitement, especially if many are present.
• Vulva is red and swollen - sticky mucous and blood may be seen
• She may stand and then race round in a play mood.
• She may mount the male with pelvic thrusts
• When on standing heat she will stand with back curved and tail on the side - called "presenting".

 

Males reach puberty at about 6-9 months old.

• They do a lot of mounting in play when pups.
• It's best to bring bitch to the dog's environment to save his time investigating and scent marking the strange environment. 
• Owners of stud dogs generally like the bitch to be right at standing heat so the job gets over and done with in as short a time as possible.  Otherwise the bitch has to be brought back again.
• Some bitches just don't like certain dogs, and vice versa and you end up with a big fight instead of a mating.
• Entry occurs with trial and error and during thrusting; the dog stands on alternate back legs in a paddling action.  This is when ejaculation occurs.
• The bulbous structure on penis locks him inside the bitch for 10-30 minutes.  During this locking, secondary ejaculation may occur when most of the ejaculatory fluid is expelled.
• The dog may turn round in locked position.  It's no good throwing a bucket of water over locked dogs as so many people believe.  You just have to wait.

Desexing - castration and spaying

• There are many reasons for desexing:
• To prevent breeding
• Stop wandering
• Reduce aggression
• Reduce urine scent marking
• Stop mounting other dogs or people

• Studies show that it successfully does all these, so why then are there people who don't bother?
• There's a huge human psychology problem, especially with large human males with large dogs - they seem to imagine their masculinity will go with the dog's!
• Desexing can be done as soon as 8 moths of age.
• It's not true that a bitch needs to have a litter before spaying.
• Desexing does not make dogs less-loving of their owners.
• Desexed working dogs will still work effectively.
• It's not true that desexed dogs will become obese.  Like any other dog, they will if the diet is in excess of their needs - not their wants.  

Birth

• Labour can last from 2 to 12 hours.  Seek vet advice after a few hours if you suspect problems.
• The bitch lies on her side showing rapid and deep breathing.
•  After each pup is born, she licks it, chews at the birth sack and may eat it.
• She is constantly checking her vulva and licking it, watching for the arrival of each pup.
• She rests between deliveries and my ago to eat and drink.
• Disturbance during whelping will delay the whole birth process.
• Pups are born with poor hearing and blind, and remain so till about 3 weeks old.
• Pups seek the teats by touch and smell.
• If they get lost, the bitch directs them back to her by licking.
• She responds quickly to pups giving panic squeaks, so be careful if you pick one up.
• The bitch tends dead pups like live ones and it may be days before she ignores them.
• The bitch spends a lot of her time keeping the nest area clean and pups learn this habit early in life.
• The bitch ingests the pups' faeces and urine
• Don't go near a whelping bitch without the owner being present, and let the owner puck up the pups for inspection.

 

Early life of Puppies

• Pups are unable to walk at birth but they soon learn to crawl around the nest and show side-to-side head movements.  This behaviour is to find warm bare skin and hopefully teats.
• The bitch encourages her pups to move back to her teats by licking them.
• If they find a cold surface they retreat and if held in space they squeal, so keep pups in contact with you.  It's called "contact comfort".
• The pup's first vocalisations are squeaks and grunts used to express discomfort and hunger.  Barking can start as early as 18 days when they start to bark as part of early play.
• Teat seeking is accompanied by low grunting noises.
• Pups always live with the danger of being crushed.  When a good mothering bitch lies down she may ignore short squeaks but will investigate more persistent ones. 
• About 4 weeks old pups start interacting with litter mates and their mother and they start barking and tail wagging at this age.

 

Puppy Socialisation

• The period 4-12 weeks is the critical socialising period for a pup.
• Neglect of this leads to many problems when dogs get older.
• Pup should meet as many "environmental experiences" as possible at this time and you cannot overdo this socialising experience.
• Examples are:  other people, other dogs, children, noise, vehicles, - everything you can think of!.
• During this exposure the pup must be kept safe and secure - and constantly reassured by owner.
• Playing with children will not spoil young working dog pups as some old shepherds believed
• Up to 5 weeks old pups readily approach strangers. After this they show avoidance behaviour until about 8 weeks.  This is nature's way of protecting them from predators by an "anxiety period" which lasts up to about 12 weeks.
• The best time to take a pup as a pet is from 6-10 weeks, so it's had time to socialise with its own kind and can then develop a good social bond with humans.
• Hierarchy starts to develop during suckling when big pups compete for the best front teats.  Litter runts have problems as they inevitably end up sucking the hind teats with the least milk supply.
• Once the bitch discourages suckling, emphasis moves from teats to muzzle.  Pups lick their mother's muzzle while adopting a crouching posture.
• This is to encourage regurgitation of food as seen in wild dog behaviour.  It's the reason your dog licks your face when you come home - it wants to you regurgitate your lunch!
• The leader-follower bond in a successful pack is not based on fear.  Low order members seek out top order members for regular body contact.  That's why a dog will beg to come back to you for a pat after a reprimand.

 

Some useful puppy socialising tips

• You need to dominate your pup and this is best done as part of the socialisation period. 
• Using non-verbal physical handling can be used using these methods:
• Elevate - hold the pup up at eye level
• Invert - hold it upside down at eye level
• Straddle - hold it between your legs
• Prone - lay it on the ground and gently hold it down

• In all the above actions, when the pup shows panic, reassure it with gentle patting and low voice tones.
• When it struggles, shake it by the scruff and growl like its mother would do.   Then provide reassurance.
• Discipline must be immediate - a delay of a few seconds is too long, as the pup will not associate the punishment with the crime.
• Do you want your dog only to accept food from you?  This needs to be taught in this early socialisation period.
• If you feed the pup yourself it will associate you with control of its food supply.  This is also a good idea these days to stop your dog being doped or poisoned.
• Interrupt the pup during feeding.  Take the food away, then replace the food and give it plenty of praise.
• Don't call a dog to you to administer discipline.  Discipline must be instantaneous.
• Don't change the rules or let anyone else change them and make sure the rules are applied similarly by everyone in the family.

Greeting you should receive from a well-socialised dog

• A vigorous welcome.
• Ears held back.
• Head and body in slightly lowered position.
• Tail held down but wagging.
• Mouth open and lips drawn back in a grin.
• Licking your hands and face.
• Some dogs will even lie on their backs and urinate.

Faeces and urine

• This is a major reason for man's love/hate relationship with the dog.  We love dogs but don't like their faeces on our shoes!
• Well-adjusted dogs are taught by their mother not to foul their nest and home territory, so that's why they go next door to eliminate!
• Females from pups to adults squat to urinate and they do the same to defaecate.
• In males urinating and defaecating are also part of scent marking.
• Only after 5 weeks do male pups learn to cock their legs.
• Bottles filled with water do not put dogs off fouling your front lawn.
• Dogs can easily be taught to defaecate on a specific area of their territory, and even to defaecate on command.

 

"Man-Dog" Problems

• Dog property laws (from Pet NZ, Issue 21, Dec-Feb 2002-2003)
• Consider these points to see life as a dogs may see it:

• If I like it, it's mine
• If it's in my mouth- it's mine.
• If I can't take it from you, it's still mine.
• If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.
• If it's mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.
• If I'm chewing something up - all the pieces are mine.
• If it looks like mine, it's mine.
• If I saw it first, it's mine.
• If you are playing with something and put it down, it automatically becomes mine.
• If it's broken - it's yours.

 

Separation anxiety

• As pack animals, dogs need company and they need a clear hierarchy with strict rules.  In this they feel safe and contented.
• Separation anxiety is a massive problem as more people have dogs for a multitude of reasons including security, and then have to leave them and go out to work.
• One third of all households have a dog, and 1 in 4 marriages end in divorce.  There are probably as many splits in de-facto relationships so dogs becomes traumatised by all this human behaviour.
• Death of partners, separation and divorce are now major threats to a happy man/dog relationship.
• Humans make it worse by feeling guilty and showing this to the dog by making a fuss on leaving and when arriving home. 
• The dog becomes totally neurotic, and totally bored so starts to wreck the place.  This is where you see the dog start:

• Digging in pot plants
• Digging in the garden and burying toys
• Chewing furniture
• Barking, barking and barking

Possible cures/prevention?

• Ignore the dog when leaving.
• Don't make a fuss when coming home.
• Get everyone else to stick to these rules.
• Get the dog used to being in a room on its own.
• Employ a dog walker to take the dog out for you.
• Get another dog as company - but this may double the problem!
• Try an electric collar or spray - but NOT surgical debarking!

 

Dog Phobias

• Dogs can easily develop a wide range of phobias or fears.
• Examples of causes are thunder (very common), gunshots, people, other dogs, other species like cats, polished floors, hot air balloons, fireworks.
• Phobias are generally a "conditioned emotional response" and the challenge is to re-programme it.
• Phobias can be hard to get rid of and may take a lot of work to re-build the bond with owner.

 

Possible cures/prevention?

• Go back to basics and re-socialise the dog.
• Try "habituation" - expose dog to the phobia so often (with reassurance) that it gets used to it.
• Try to "desensitise" the dog from the fear by repeated exposure and then "counter-condition" it as something new.
• Try "flooding" - giving the dog so much of the stimulus that it gives up exhausted and realises it has survived and is OK.
• Your veterinarian may prescribe drugs to reduce anxiety.

Aggression towards people

• Sadly this is an increasing problem these days with crime increasing. It has legal consequences as you are responsible for your dog's actions under the Dog Control Act (DCA).
• Under the DCA a dog is only considered dangerous if:

• There is evidence of an attack
• There is sworn evidence of aggressive behaviour
• The dog owner admits their dog poses a threat

• The DCA says that dangerous dogs must be:
• Securely fenced
• Muzzled in public
• Desexed and the owner has to pay a higher fee.

• BUT at present there no specific legislation to control them
• Aggressive training may have been deliberate for guard dogs.
• Aggression is a very nasty problem as it is often unpredictable.
• Poor socialisation of pups is the most likely cause of aggression.
• Most often aggression to humans is territorial within the property.
• From four studies, the English Springer Spaniel was the most frequent breed to show dominance aggression, followed by the Cocker Spaniel, German Shepherd, English Springer Spaniel, Doberman, Golden Retriever and Dachshund.
• Outside the property aggressive dogs are usually confused about their boundary
• Dogs can often start biting after successfully attending puppy training, where food rewards and lavish praise are used.  They expect (demand) this all the time which leads to aggression towards the owner. (See later).
• Dogs may clearly discriminate who they bite in the family - caused by varying rules by different members.
• Aggression to humans is often hard to fix.  You will need to re-socialise the dog which may not be possible.
• Police dogs may start to enjoy aggression and get out of control.  The need to be re-schooled for the handler to regain dominance.
• An aggressive dog will always be a risk and should be muzzled in public.
• Euthanasia an option but this depends on owner who is usually the cause of the problem!

 

Possible cures/prevention? (Dominance aggression)

• Determine the cause of the aggression - and fix it.
• Vets say 30% of cases have a medical cause.
• Punishment will only make things worse.
• Get the cooperation of everyone involved with the dog.
• Re-establish yourself as the absolute pack leader.
• You may have to walk away - avoid the confrontation and find another way.
• Check the dog is not being teased.  Some people think they are training and in fact they are teasing the dog.
• Keep doing this at every opportunity - feeding, play etc.
• Ignore the dog when it seeks attention - YOU decide this.
• Use frequent grooming to add dominance.
• Prepare the dog's food but don't let it eat.
• Let it eat in sight of you eating, but make it wait.
• Make it last to leave a room behind you.

 

Possible cures/prevention? (Fear aggression)

• You‘ll see it in a dog which is very timid and scared of strangers.
• May be fear of men or a different race of people.
• The dog may have been beaten so watch rapid arm movements to avoid attack.
• You will need to start and re-socialise the dog to others - could be a long slow process.
• You may need help from a stranger.  Get them to walk past, then feed the dog but with no eye contact.
• Work on this till dog can face a full frontal eye meeting with the stranger without being aggressive.

 

Aggression towards other dogs

• This is often seen in very dominant dogs when they are on their home territory or away from it and they'll defend their territory or property.
• It's not just large dogs - small dogs can be equally aggressive.
• Studies have shown that the worst dog breeds in order of declining aggression are Scottish terrier, Miniature Schnauzer, West Highland terrier, Chow and Fox terrier.
• Usually found with male-male or female-female combinations, but some dogs will be aggressive against any dog.
• Usually found with male-male or female-female combinations, but some dogs will be aggressive against any dog.
• Caused by poor socialisation of pups and these days it may have been done deliberately.
• It's dangerous as it's often unpredictable and may take the dog's owner by surprise.
• Keeping dog on short lead and choking it can make it worse, as it interprets discomfort or pain as being the other dog's fault.
• Humans can get injured sorting things out and large vet bills and legal costs can result.
• You'll need to try to re-socialise the dog to other dogs and this may need specialist help and considerable time.
• If all else fails, euthanasia may be the only solution for very aggressive dogs.

Possible cures/prevention?

• Get back to basics to re-socialise the dog to other dogs.
• Get your dog under better control on the "come" and "stay" command.
• Try to deflect the dog's attention when potential trouble approaches.
• Always keep your dog on a lead, but don't choke it on a short lead.
• Don't hit it when facing up to another dog - it will blame the dog.
• Recognise dogs that will never agree to get on so avoid contact between them.
• Recognise breed differences and the importance of genetics and environment.
• Neuter aggressive males.
• Discuss drug therapy with a veterinarian.
• Get the dog used to wearing a muzzle - this will take time.
• Euthanasia may be the only solution for very aggressive dogs if you realise your legal responsibilities to victim.

Fear of other dogs

• It's mainly a problem of poor early socialisation.
• Pup may have been kept isolated with little handling until completing their vaccinations usually at 16 weeks of age.  This is too late. 
• Dog may have been mauled when growing up.
• Caused by owners preventing their dogs having social contact with another dog.  For example owners of small dogs lift them up when they meet large dogs suspecting danger.
• It may be a breed or strain problem.

 

Possible cures/prevention

• Proper socialisation of the pup
• Take to dog obedience training to meet other dogs
• Use a friendly dog to meet and build confidence during a walk.
• Keep them walking and active
• Feed dogs together from separate bowls at end of walk
• As you progress, bring bowls closer together at end of walks.
• Include more dogs in the next walk.

 

Fear of humans

The cause of this is poor socialisation when a puppy.

Possible cures/prevention

• Use food to make contact with the dog when it's hungry.
• Put the dog on a light lead.
• Get stranger to walk ahead of dog holding out food but not to face the dog.
• Let the dog get closer to the stranger who keeps walking.
• Then get stranger to offer food face on with your assurance.
• Build up positive bond with stranger and dog.
• Test dog with other strangers - don't trust the dog.

Chewing furniture and fittings

• These dogs chew house furniture and car interiors and it can be very expensive.
• The cause is generally boredom and separation anxiety.
• It may also be caused by severe stress and an attempt to escape - e.g. a dog locked in a hot car.

Possible Cures/ Prevention

• Don't give a pup or dog old clothes or shoes to play with.  Teach it to play only with its own toys you have given it. Dogs can't discriminate between new and old.
• Provide company or challenging toys for the dog in the owner's absence.
• Teach the dog to accept that special toys belong to the owner - take them off the dog and show that it's in a bag or box
• Don't make a fuss of the dog when you leave it on its own, or when you return.
• If you have two dogs, don't let them have a tug-o-war over items - they may start this when you are out.

Wandering Dogs

• This is usually seen in males looking for sex.
• It's also seen in dogs looking for company.
• It may be a dog looking for food such as an underfed lactating bitch that is hungry.
• The dog may be wandering off to worry stock.

 

Possible cures/prevention

• Find the cause and work out a strategy.  Think like dog!
• Castrate males leaving home regularly to look for sex.
• Keep dogs in secure areas so they cannot wander off, dig their way out or jump the fence.
• Use an electric fence or electric collar for a while where they are escaping.

 

Stock worrying

Some valuable research was done by Dr Garth Jennens from Murdoch University in Perth, WA.  Here are the key findings:
 

• Any dog is capable of killing sheep, and the fact that it's back home in the morning is no proof of innocence. 
• Attacks can happen anytime but 80% are between 5am and 7am.  You cannot breed this killing instinct out of the species.  If you did they wouldn't be dogs!
• The image of killer dogs going around in packs is a myth.  Ninety percent of dogs that kill sheep are pets, working on their own or with another dog and they come in all sizes and breeds.
• You can't predict which dogs will turn out to be killers.   They can be pets for years or your top working dogs, and then all of a sudden something triggers off a desire to be a dog and go out and hunt to kill. 
• One common factor to all sheep killers though is that they are wanderers.  So if you have wandering dogs near stock, you can very easily have a killing problem.  Wandering dogs are the key.
• Most dogs that kill sheep don't have a mark on them.  This is because after their bit of fun, they regularly go and have a swim and cool off.  Check the collar (if they have one - most don't), as blood stains can be seen in the leather.
• Killer dogs have a set pattern.  They enter and leave properties by a set route, and have usually been around the area they kill in for a few visits before they get to work. 
• These dogs are predictable and stick to their pattern.   They like to travel near water or up valleys where scent is funnelled down to them.
• The cold of winter and the heat of summer are the off season for sheep killing.  It's more comfortable at home!  But the cool of the Autumn or the freshness of Spring get them going.  They like the damp spell after rain and the full moon for their sport.
• You can predict the breed and size of dog from the kill pattern such as where the sheep is attacked.  Experienced dogs will actually kill a few sheep and not maim many. 
• Learners will maim a great number but not be able to kill any.   Dogs have got to learn to kill sheep - and they do some awful damage while they are learning.  If it's a food kill, only one sheep will be killed.  Generally it's all a big game of chase and catch for the dog or dogs.
• A dangerous combination is a large and small dog.  The big dog heads and catches and the little fella goes in for the kill.  Heading dogs and terrier combinations are lethal.  They can be very cunning too and quick.  Many of them can disappear and kill a sheep or two in no time and nobody notices them disappear.
• The real long-term answer is to start and educate children about how dogs behave and their responsibilities as owners of animals.  It's no good trying to educate those with closed minds. 

Possible cures/prevention?

• Know exactly where your dog is at all times.
• If you live in a rural area - be particularly vigilant
• "Stock proof" your dog when a pup - i.e. train it to leave stock alone.
• Use an electric collar or electric fence to stop wandering.
• Castrate male dogs.
• Once dogs  have killed stock - they are never safe.  Euthanase them.

 

Catching stray dogs

Having to catch a stray dog is not easy, but it's a very basic part of an Animal Control Officer's job.  Here are some points from a Dog Control officer's experience:

• Dogs you see running around the streets are generally of two kinds.
• Dogs that are just having a quiet wander out of boredom.
• Dogs that are running away
• They need to be treated differently.
• The quiet wanderers are not stressed - they're having fun.  They see the street as their extended territory, especially if they have scent marked all along it on previous visits. 
• Their dog territory ends at their last scent mark - not at the human territory of the garden gate!
• Dogs running away are usually more stressed as they realise they're off their territory and could run into threats such as other dogs or humans.
• Being chased can be seen by friendly dogs as a game - so use it to catch them.  Run after them and then turn round and run in the opposite direction.
• For dogs that appear to be under threat, reduce the threat to the dog. Try this:
• Crouch down to their eye level
• Get down even lower - lie on the ground
• Talk to the dog in "happy" tones
• Regular wanderers are very "street wise" and they recognise a uniform and a truck, as the last time they saw and smelled one, they had an experience they didn't like.

• Smell.  Dogs have long memories, particularly of smells and their associations.
• The person trying to make friends may not smell to their liking, and will be different to their owner's smell.  The human's breath and crutch smell will certainly be different - and the dog will pick up strong messages from both areas.
• So don't wear strong deodorant.
• Dogs that are a big threat are generally too cunning to be approached so have to be cornered and caught with a pole which requires considerable experience.
• Totally feral dogs or town dogs that are hard to find need to be caught in traps.
• Dogs worrying stock can  be shot, but study the details in the Dog Control Act.

 

Scent marking

• This is usually a problem with male dogs on leads that want to stop at every upright structure.
• They urinate as high as possible to leave a "large" dog impression.
• Scent marking is often associated with turning round and scratching backwards.
• Urinating is a means of defining territory which is a strong male innate trait.
• Scent marking is seen regularly when a dog is anxious or threatened - before a fight or with strangers in the house. 

 

Possible cures/prevention?

• Increase dog's activity and extend its territory. This may include visitors so the dog does not see them as novel or different.
• Reassure the dog inside the house to remove anxiety and perceived threats.
• Try to remove threats from territory outside the house.
• Try immediate reprimands when seen - but they must be immediate.  
• Use an electric dog collar.
• Use an electric fence to protect areas used by visiting dogs.

 

Defaecating

Dogs don't naturally foul their den area and pups learn this early in life. In the first stages the bitch encourages the pups to eliminate by licking their genital area and ingesting any faeces and urine. Then the pups wander outside the den and eliminate there. The have this reinforced by their mother and they use smell to direct them to the toilet area.

Possible cures/prevention?

• Take the pup outside frequently to a designated area with plenty of toilet smells, especially after meals and sleeps.
• Restrict the pup's area so it has a clearly defined "den" area and a "toilet" area.  Even in high-rise apartments, the principles are the same - teach the dog to find the designated toilet area.
• With an adult dog, keep reinforcing the toilet spot by restricting the other areas of the garden - the dog is either in its extended "den" or the "toilet" area until it re-learns the rules.
• The problem of dogs fouling the neighbour's garden is simply a natural tendency - the garden is just a nice distance from its own territory.  Plastic water bottles don't work but an electric fence does!

 

Jumping up

• This is most often an enthusiastic greeting that gets out of hand.
• The dog enjoys you patting its head so much it jumps up for more.
• It also jumps up to greet your face and lick it.
• It can be dangerous as their claws can scratch and they will bowl over children.

 

Possible cures/prevention?

• Go back to basics and reinforce the sit and stay command.
• Reward the dog for obedience but NOT by stroking its head, nose or scruff.
• Turn your back on the dog when it tries to jump up.
• Leave its leash on the ground and stand on it when it jumps.
• Keep a water pistol handy and squirt it in the face when it jumps.
• Totally ignore the dog on greeting, and don't touch it anywhere.
• Keep your hands and arms out of the way and stick you knee out firmly towards the dog's chest when it jumps up.
• Stand on the dogs back toes when it jumps up but this is hard to do and may end up with you being bitten.
• Put the dog on a leash before opening the door to strangers to prevent the dog's over-active greeting.
• Get your visitors to offer a reward if the dog sits but this is not very convenient.

 

Sniffing people

•  This is often a part of the jumping up problem above.
• It's seen mainly in large dogs with a nose at human crutch height.
• Visitors are of special interest as they carry new smells.
• Smaller dogs jump up to do it but they are not such a threat.

Possible cures/prevention?

• Avoid over excitement of the dog on greeting.
• Don't pat the dog's head as it will see this as a compliment and continue with greater enthusiasm.
• Reprimand the dog at the puppy stage as soon as you see it start.
• Reprimands must be instant.

 

Leg mounting

• This is a problem of male dogs that have not had companions so see their owners as substitutes.
• It's usually most common in smaller dogs such as terriers.
• They can be very determined and develop clasping skills so as not to fall off - even when kicked!  The more you kick the harder they hang on.
• It starts with puppy play and develops from there.
• Visitors are often caught by surprise as they don't expect it and the dog sees them as fair game.
• The habit seems to start with pups as part of play and they'll often mount other objects like rugs or stools.

Possible cures/prevention?

• Remove the temptation.
• Distract the dog's attention when it starts - noise or water spray.
• Give an instant reprimand from the first time you see it happen.
• Put the dog on a lead and shut it away.

Car sickness

• This can be very stressful for both owner and dog.
• It's true motion sickness and the animals needs to get used to it just as in humans.

 

Possible cures/prevention?

• Start off when dog is a pup by making short journeys
• Let the dog out for fresh air and exercise often.
• Let the dog think the car is part of its home.  Give it feed and water in the vehicle.
• Get someone to sit with it for security to discourage whining or barking.
• Spray the upholstery to prevent stress digging.
• Put the dog in a cage or crate inside the car or use a car box outside the vehicle.
• Use dog seatbelts, especially for large animals

 

Chasing vehicles

• This is a very frustrating problem and can be hard to cure once established.
• It's part of the chase and kill instinct.  Border collies are the worst (or best)!
• Dogs get very smart and you cannot bump them as a possible cure!
• The faster you go to get away - the more the dog likes it.
• They also try to bite tyres which is especially dangerous for cyclists.

 

Possible cures/prevention?

• Come down hard with discipline as soon as you see the problem starting in puppies.  Pups will soon learn from an older dog.
• Don't leave dogs loose around vehicles.  Tie them up.
• Get help to give dog a disincentive when it takes off in the chase.
• The best solution is the electric collar and one or two are usually all that’s needed.
• Other diversions like water pistol, toy, food, choke-chain can be used but they are too easily associated with the handler. With the collar the dog thinks the shock has come from the vehicle so it remembers very quickly.
• If it’s too late to cure a dog, euthanasia may be the only option to prevent a serious accident to both dog and humans.

 

Pulling on the lead and walking to heel

• Here dogs won't walk to heel for more than a few seconds and then take off and drag the owner along.  It's a very common sight - a dog taking its owner for a walk.
• The problem is that dogs love to pull - it seems to be an innate trait and has been used for man's benefit - sledge dogs and dogs for disabled.
• When you pull back, the dog pulls forward using the strongest part of its body -the neck and shoulders.
• When the dog pulls, it changes its stance and posture which is unhealthy for it.
• It can be very frustrating for owners and dangerous if dog is large

 

Possible cures/prevention?

• The dog needs to be taught a reason for walking at heel. And this reason must be that YOU are the pack leader and set the walking rules. So the way you stand (our posture), walk and look are important for the dog to see. The dog must be in no doubt that you are the pack leader.
• Go back to basics and teach the heel, sit and stay commands.
• If you can trust the dog not to run away, make it walk at heel without a lead and use treats if necessary.
• Then put the lead on - keeping it loose.
• If you cannot trust it, keep it on a very short choke chain and walk very slowly then at different speeds so the dog must learn to keep pace with you at all times.  Hopefully it will get tired of being choked and learn to walk beside you.  This may not work with a large strong dog.
• Choke chains can be abused and you need to use them pulling forwards not backwards.
• Use a "halter" on the animal's head to give more leverage to hold it back.  Make sure the halter fits correctly or the dog will hate its eyes being touched and will rub its head along the ground all the time.

Obsessive compulsive behaviour

• This is also called “stereotypic compulsive behaviour” or “repetitive non-functional behaviour”. To humans it doesn’t seem to serve any purpose in the dog’s life, and is very distressing to watch and hard to cure.
• There are some classical breed differences. Circling or chasing their tails is seen in Bull terriers and German Shepherds, digging as if for vermin in Rottweilers, annals checking in Schnauzers and flank sucking in Dobermans.

Possible cures/prevention?

• It’s very important to check this behaviour as soon as it starts with short sharp treatment, even resorting to the electric collar as once well established it’s very hard to cure and you’ll need veterinary help.
• Before purchase check the genetic background of the dog for any record of these behaviours.
• Diversion will help in the early stages but it means constant vigilance of the dog.

Dog training - some basic principles

• Readers should consider the knol written on Working Pup Training - available here.
• Socialise the pup properly.
• Teach the pup a name, and the "come" command when feeding it.
• Play with the pup to build a strong bond.
• But do NOT over stimulate it during this play.
• Using "treats" may make training easier but they are not essential.
• Teach the pup to walk on lead, and "sit".
• Then teach "stay".  Place the pup off ground for this - use a stool.
• Then when it's ready - start your full programme.
• Use short lessons 2-3 times a day.  Don't tire the dog.
• Give plenty of reward - touch and voice praise.  Avoid food rewards if possible.
• Do NOT go overboard with this "food reward and lavish praise technique."
• Use "shake and growl" for discipline.  Never hit the dog.
• Lay the pup prone and reassure if you need to dominate it further.
• Dogs love to learn - keep your young dog interested.
• If the dog gets bored then go back to the start and strengthen the bond.
• Dogs love to learn - so keep on teaching them things.

 

Intelligence and trainability

Studies in the USA from a survey or obedience groups showed clear breed difference in intelligence or training ability. The top breed was the Border Collie, followed by the Poodle, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Doberman and surprisingly the Australian Cattle dog was tenth in the list. Experience would show that they are a tough but headstrong breed that have minds of their own!

Recommended reading

Bridwell, J. (2007)
The everything dog book
Adams Media. ISBN 10: 1-59869-257-7

Haupt, K.A.& Willis, M.B. (2001)
Genetics of behaviour.
Chap 13 in The Genetics of the Dog. Ed. Rwinsky & Sampson (2001) CABI Publishing.
ISBN 0-85199-520-9

Reid, P., J. (1996)
Excel-erated learning.  Explaining how dogs learn and how best to teach them
James and Kenneth.  ISBN 1-888047-07-0

Askew, H. R. (2003)
Treatment of behaviour problems in dogs and cats. A guide for the small animal veterinarian.
Blackwell Publishing.  ISBN 3-8263-3429-9.

D Weston & R Ross (1992)
Dog problems -the gentle modern cure.
Hyland house. ISBN 0-947062-95-5

Code of recommendations and minimal standards for the welfare of dogs.  No 20.
Ministry of Agriculture, PO Box 2526, Wellington.  Price $5.   ISBN 0-478-07459-X

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