1. Assuming a shy dog was abused
Dogs, like humans are born with their inherent personalities. That personality is Nature’s “stamp” and like us, a dog is stuck with the personality they’re born with. A confident, willful puppy (barring trauma in a critical period of early development) will be a confident dog just like that kid voted most popular in high school will probably have no problem making friends throughout life. A shy, nervous dog, just as the insecure human struggles their whole life with underlying self-confidence issues.
Many rescue dogs enter their new families displaying shyness or even fear. This is NOT necessarily caused by “abuse”, as is routinely assumed. Many times, shy or fearful behaviors are simply manifestations of that particular dog’s personality – he’s just a shy guy. His recent life upheavals of suddenly being taken away from his previous home, finding himself in a noisy kennel and then another change of routine as he was moved again into his “new” home has exacerbated his insecure personality.
Have some rescue dogs been abused? Sure. But odds are the rescue dog showing suspect signs of abuse was already a shy guy before he was harshly treated. The abuse simply found a ripe target. I say this because when confident, happy dogs endure the same sorts of harsh treatment, they typically bounce back with little or no emotional damage. In fact, they often come back to kiss and lick the hand that beat them, not to bite it.
2. Feeling sorry for the dog instead of leading him
Rescue dogs have been through a lot. They’ve lost their family, their home and their familiar routine, whatever it was. It’s natural for us to feel sorry for them. Even the term “rescue dog” is emotionally charged to imply that the new owners is “saving” this dog from an environment that was somehow horrible or dangerous. While this may be true, just as many dogs in rescue came from normal families that simply could not care for the dog properly, or for whom the dog was simply an inappropriate match.
It’s normal to feel sorry for the new rescue dog. But when that pity manifests itself in giving that dog too much freedom and not enough rules, or backing off on discipline because the new owner doesn’t want to put “too much pressure” on the dog – those good intentions can backfire. The dog can get even more neurotic or may start acting out fearful responses because he has no strong leader to provide the security he yearns for. There is no structure to anchor him or anyone to watch his back. Examined
What a new rescue dog needs is MORE rules, not fewer. MORE structure, not less. They need a new predictable routine and organizational clarity. To feel secure, what a dog needs to know is who’s driving the bus and what his seat assignment is!
3. Making excuses for the dog’s behavior
A carry-over from this feeling sorry for the rescue dog is the tendency to make excuses for his behavior. Excusing a dog that jumps up (he’s just starved for attention), ignores you (he’s just busy exploring his new yard) or failing to take seriously the dog that barks at a family member who enters his room (he’s just jumpy from all he’s been through) or growls at the husband that tries to join his wife and the dog on the sofa (he’s just protecting me) does nothing to help the dog. In fact, it can prolong a rescue dog’s sense of confusion, mask real issues that are surfacing or worse – give the dog an inflated sense of importance that can have disastrous consequences down the road.
The first few days of the rescue dog’s new life are crucial. He is looking for the answer to his first and most burning life question: Who’s in charge here, and where do I fit in? If the new owner does not answer clearly by leading at this important juncture and immediately setting and enforcing rules in their household, the dog will deduce that they are not in charge…so he must be. If he is by nature a nervous dog or shy dog, the owner will have promoted him over his pay grade and increase his stress instead of diminishing it. If he is a confident personality, the owner may have fulfilled his delusions of grandeur and created a tyrant. A bad deal either way.
4. Thinking love and socialization will cure everything.
A family rescues a dog with aggression issues, thinking the aggression is caused by a lack of socialization and that they will “cure” the dog by socializing him more and loving him through it. If love and socialization could solve every dog problem – trainers like me would be out of business. Instead, we’re busier than ever.
Remember Mistake #1? Dogs are who they were born to be. All the love in the universe and all the socialization in the world cannot change the instinctive personality of a dog. That said, love from you and socialization with other dogs can be a really good thing – until or unless it isn’t. IF a dog was born with a tolerant personality but lacks experience with other dogs, socialization can help that personality blossom. If, on the other hand, a dog is born with an instinct to be defensive and aggressive when worried or threatened, socialization won’t change that instinct! In fact, forced socialization may get him hurt. While more positive social situations may raise the dog’s threshold for worry and therefore the frequency of his aggression, he will likely still be defensive when the new threshold is crossed. A dog that has bitten is a dog that may bite again. A dog that has fought in a dog park is a dog that may fight again. Instead of forcing socialization down the throat of the worried or defensive rescue dog, owners can keep their dog happy and calm with traditional activities like walks in the park and fetch in the back yard. Defensive, reactive dogs don’t want activities that make them nervous. They would much rather hang with their family. However, it is possible over time, with proper training, trust and leadership that fear and aggression can diminish greatly.
5. Picking the wrong dog
Picking a dog is like picking a spouse. There are a lot of great candidates out there, but a successful relationship depends on choosing the one that’s right for you.
The family with children or visiting grandkids should not take a dog that has been fear-aggressive with people. Instead, a better choice would be a rescue dog that is tolerant, but whose wild behavior can be tamed with training. The active, fit single with a strong and confident personality and willingness to commit to a “project”, on the other hand, could take on that rescue dog with personality issues or that needs extensive rehabilitation and training. IT’s all in the match.
There’s a special place in Heaven for rescue dog owners. Avoid these five mistakes so life with them doesn’t become a living Hell.
Recognizing Behavior Patterns Key to Understanding and Solving Aggressive Dog Issues
Dogs aren’t born aggressive—but when aggression occurs, especially toward humans, the problem must be dealt with firmly. For both safety and liability reasons, aggression is among the most serious issues dog training professionals are asked to address.
Nationwide statistics underscore the potential danger of dog bites. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly five million Americans suffer from dog bites each year. On average, 800,000 people are injured seriously enough each year to require medical attention. Sixty-one percent of dog bites occur within pet owners’ homes and 43 percent of all dog bites involve children bitten by the family dog. These numbers are both staggering and alarming, highlighting the need for public awareness and education.
Dog aggression is a behavioral pattern, not a personality type. This means one breed is not necessarily more aggressive than any other. By and large, aggression is situational, and more than 90 percent of the time dog aggression is a reaction based on fear. I have treated all breeds of dogs for aggression and found that the diminutive Chihuahua can be just as aggressive as the much larger Rottweiler or German shepherd. Clearly, the larger dogs can instill more fear and potentially cause more harm because of their size and strength. But the root causes of the behavior are the same—and nearly all can be addressed with proper training.
Unfortunately, many dogs are euthanized for behavior problems that could have been corrected. Dogs may bite for many reasons—most bite out of fear, but there are other types of aggression. Whether a dog has bitten a family member or a stranger out of fear or to show dominance, the problem is serious. If your dog displays any of the following behavioral patterns, seek the advice of a professional immediately.
Fear-based aggression is the most common form of aggression. Typically this will happen when a dog misunderstands a threat in its environment. This triggers his “fight or flight” instinct. Dogs that bite and growl out of fear tend to be under-socialized, or have had bad experiences and negative memories. These canines feel uneasy when approached by strangers or when little children run up to them. Although they’d prefer to run away, they may feel cornered—and that’s when bites may occur. Also, people who try to break up fights between dogs are often the victims of misdirected aggression. This is a common situation, resulting in accidental bites from dogs that are otherwise wonderful, loving pets.
A dog exhibiting dominance aggression is most likely to direct his inappropriate behavior to his family members. A dominant canine thinks he is the head of the household. To show this, he may refuse to get off the couch or bed. Should you attempt to remove him, he will growl and bite.
Does your dog growl or snap if you get too close during feeding or when he’s playing with his favorite toy? If so, he is displaying possession aggression. Canines exhibiting this behavioral problem do not trust anyone with, or even near, their favorite toy, food or person. A dog that does not allow you near him while he is eating must be corrected. If a dog is overly possessive of a person, that person must be the one to correct the dog.
Predatory aggression, often seen in herding breeds, stems from an instinct to chase prey and bring it down. Some dogs may go after cats, squirrels, or livestock—especially if these animals are on the move. In worst cases, dogs exhibiting predatory aggression may go after small children. Be aware if your dog routinely becomes intensely fixated on an object as fixating can result in a chase or attack.
Any dog can exhibit pain-induced aggression. Some dogs that experience chronic pain from a number of medical or physical conditions can develop aggressive tendencies as a way to protect themselves from the pain caused by handling. Be aware if your dog displays any kind of physical discomfort. Dogs suffering from trauma may also bite their owners. If your usually mild-mannered dog has been in an accident, do not trust that he won’t bite.
A dog that growls, barks and bites at joggers or cyclists near his home is exhibiting territorial aggression. This behavior can also be directed at anyone new to the house, such as mail carriers or guests. These canines are fine once the potential threat has left their territory, but they can be especially tough on visitors. Typically a dog will bark to warn of an intruder, but if a dog continues to feel threatened, he is more likely to attack to defend himself.
If your dog has a problem with aggression, call a professional trainer or animal behaviorist. I also recommend enrolling your puppy in obedience class or bringing him to visit My Little Pack of Dog Trainers for aplay session. This will expose your dog to other people and other dogs. And, most importantly, he will learn to follow the commands of his pack leader—you.
Wendy Blanch is the owner and dog behavior therapist and trainer with Leader of the Pack Home Dog Training. 951-339-1040. [email protected]
Recently, I have seen an increased number of people either looking for their lost pets or lost dogs looking for their owners posted on Facebook. Obviously, the very best ways to retrieve your pet is collar tags, but most importantly by microchipping your pet. The likely-hood of finding your pet can be greatly increased with proper identification. Tags are important to keep on your pets collar, but they can be damaged and lost. A microchip stays with your dog forever. It is heartbreaking to loose a pet. The avenues that you must investigate can be exhausting. Newspaper ads for lost pets, searching the neighborhood, posting flyers, visiting the numerous shelters and fosters nearby. Many times your dog might be just a step behind you when visiting the shelters. Sometimes dogs are shipped to other shelters that have more room and the chances of you finding them at that point is unlikely.Without proper identification the chances of finding a lost pet are as low as one in five. In a recent study involving over 7,700 stray pets, the number of non-microchipped dogs that were safely returned to their owners was just under 22%.For about a one-time cost of $45 at your local veterinarian, a microchip can be injected into the dog. The chip will last for over 25 years, which is well beyond the lifespan of all but the most exceptional hounds.
YOU MUST REGISTER THE CHIP WITH THE MICROCHIP COMPANY!
The chances of finding your pet increase by nearly 30%: The same study of 7,700 stray pets revealed that dogs with implanted microchips have a 51.2% chance of being reunited with their owners, a near 30% increase over those without. How the Microchips Work: The brilliance of a microchip implant is its simplicity. No bigger than a grain of rice, a pet microchip is a radio-frequency identification transponder made up of just a few components encased within a slender capsule of bioglass, which is used extensively for implants in both humans and animals. Some microchips have anti-migration features to ensure capsules stay in place by bonding with the tissue under the animal’s skin.A microchip’s sole function is to store a unique ID number that is used to retrieve a pet parent’s contact information—it differs from a Global Positioning System, which is used for tracking, and requires a power source such as a battery.When a microchip scanner is passed over the skin of a microchipped pet, the implanted microchip emits an RF (radio frequency) signal. The scanner reads the microchip’s unique ID code. The microchip registry is called, and the registry company uses the ID number to retrieve the pet parent’s contact information from the pet recovery database.Most animal shelters and veterinary hospitals in the U.S. have global scanners that read pet microchips from most manufacturers. Once the shelter or veterinarian scan the dog, they will retrieve the identification information and the owners will be contacted!Remember too, if you find a stray dog or cat, take it to your nearest veterinarian or animal shelter and ask them to scan the animal for identification.
PLEASE … make a plan for your precious pets and avoid a potential calamity!