By Kevin Simpson, WHS Director of Animal Behavior and Training
I recently met a dog owner for a private consultation whose dog was showing symptoms of separation anxiety. The person stated that when he would come home, he would find various household items that had been removed from the counter tops, and damage done to his window sills, bed frame, and other wooden fixtures – all caused by chewing. Since this began shortly after moving into a new home, he felt his dog’s behavior was based more on anxiety rather than adolescent chewing. However, the approach he was using to try and fix the problem was proving ineffective, and his two year old “termite” was eating him out of house and home! He needed an immediate intervention to keep his dog safe and his home intact.
After meeting we were able to piece together multiple problem sources, aside from moving, that were causing his dog’s newly formed habits. The destructive behavior was actually a manifestation of various contributing factors that each required individualized attention to ultimately correct the signs of anxiety.
We actually see a good number of dogs with complexities surrounding what is a seemingly one problem = one solution scenario. These cases remind me of the idiom people use – “a perfect storm” – referring to the often many components that add to a disaster.
Since an apparent lack of confidence was one underlying cause to the issues we discussed that day, we started the dog’s rehabilitation program by teaching him, and his owner, how to play various “confidence building games”. One example of a confidence building game is the old fashioned tug ‘o war with a rope activity. Although it’s not for every dog, when done properly, it can begin to make the dog perceive him/herself more positively.
From there we moved on to working on trust building exercises, communal activities, and finished our 90-minute consultation giving our new friends as many suggestions as we could. The owner has since followed up with us stating that they are making great progress, but his work isn’t finished. Rehabilitating any dog, just like people, takes time. But this person is on the right path, and his dog will be just fine.
For the month of May - the WHS Behavior & Learning Center (BLC) is offering a 50% discount off the price of a 90-minute Behavior Consultation. For more information or to schedule a behavior consultation, email the BLC at AsktheTrainer@washhumane.org or call us at (202) 723-5730 ext. 122
Don’t forget to ask about our upcoming seminar, “What is My Dog Saying?” – scheduled for Sunday, May 22nd, from 10am – 12noon.
$15.00 & Pre-registration is required.
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