Dr. Cynthia Maro
Many pet owners complain of behavior problems in their pet dogs and cats, but often either accept them as a necessary evil or just let them go on when their attempts to correct the animals are not effective.
Instead of giving up, owners need to learn the why’s and how’s of effective animal communication AND be consistent with retraining. Most behavioral problems can be improved or completely resolved.
Hitting, yelling and repeatedly telling your pets to stop doing something doesn’t work. Spraying your pets with water may interrupt or startle your pets, but it is not an effective long-term training tool.
Some behaviors have underlying medical problems associated with their onset, while other negative patterns have been inadvertently reinforced (by owners who haven’t understood their pet’s communications). Like the parent who gives her toddler a cookie every time she is on the phone and the child starts crying, pets learn how to manipulate to get attention, treats and food.
If your pet has an annoying behavioral problem, such as house soiling, be sure you make your vet aware of it. When you visit the veterinarian, come prepared with your list of all health concerns, behavioral changes, and negative behaviors you’ve observed. Many behaviors are clues about health problems and possible nutritional imbalances.
For example, aging pets that begin vocalizing and wandering the house at night often have undiagnosed medical disorders, such as hyperthyroidism in cats and cognitive disorders in dogs, secondary to untreated Cushing’s disease or diabetes mellitus.
For many of the pets I treat, owners believe their pets’ urinary or bowel movement accidents are “just because he’s getting old” or “she’s mad at us because we went on vacation.” My experience is that most of those cases have an underlying very real health problem that isn’t being treated, such as a bladder infection, bladder stones, diabetes and or spinal arthritis (cats may have difficulty getting in and out of the litter box, while dogs may not make it to the door in time to ask to go outside). In one case, I surgically removed a bladder stone that was 4 inches in diameter. The pet had been urinating in the house for two years, and the owners never mentioned it to me. At the end of the pet’s visit for a rabies vaccine, the dog urinated on the exam room floor. I asked the owner to allow me to do a urinalysis and found microscopic blood in the urine, and that led to X-rays and surgery. The house soiling stopped after the stone was removed.
Before diagnosing a true behavioral problem, your veterinarian should rule out medical issues through blood work, urine testing and X-rays. Once any underlying health problems are treated, if there are still negative signs from the pet, behavioral modification training can begin. Your vet may recommend some reliable behavioral trainers.
For owners who can’t budget for a consultation with a behaviorist, I recommend books by Dr. Ian Dunbar, a leading veterinary behaviorist. He and many other behaviorists also offer training websites and videos to aid pet owners.
In dogs, the most frequent problems I observe in daily practice include:
- Separation Anxiety
- Noise Phobia
- Resource Guarding
- Poor socialization leading to aggression or fear biting of strangers/other animals
- Reactive dog behaviors
- Digging, chewing, jumping, barking
In cats, frequent behavioral complaints surround:
- Elimination disorders (not using the litter box for urine and or bowel movements)
- Scratching/destroying furniture
- Overgrooming
- Sleep disruptive nocturnal activity (crying and running around at night)
- Aggression, scratching, and or biting people or other household cats
Regardless of the specific problem behavior, veterinarians and behaviorists agree that their job involves reading both the owner and the pet for clues about what the animal is communicating and why it is behaving the way it is.
Many dogs that become destructive when their owners leave for work are afraid to be left alone; the pack leader who created security during the pandemic is now leaving the dog alone for longer periods. Vets will never expect you to stay home all the time with your pet (that’s what caused the problem to begin with). These cases may require the use of calming herbs and possibly prescription medications, while a behaviorist helps the owner teach independence.
Many pets with negative behaviors need different kinds of play and stimulation in addition to twice-daily walks.
Herding dogs truly desire work herding and nipping at the heels of farm animals. When none are around, they may start chasing the neighborhood kids, who can become frightened when a dog starts grabbing at the backs of their shoes.
Many cats have high prey drives. When kept in the house all day, some cats will start destroying furniture and urinating out of the litter box. For cats with these problems, an outdoor enclosure may be helpful for “hunting” in the yard. When that’s not possible, instituting indoor “brain games” for pets can help them feel more relaxed and less destructive.
My advice for all pet owners who are frustrated, with negative patterns in their pups and kitties, is to seek veterinary advice as soon as the behavior starts because it is much easier to retrain. Be ready to hear that you may be part of the problem. Accept that there may be recommended medical testing and be sure to follow through with referrals to a behaviorist.
You and your pet can benefit greatly when your companion feels secure, understands your communications, knows their boundaries and respects your leadership.
Dr. Cynthia Maro is a veterinarian at the Ellwood Animal Hospital in Ellwood City and the Chippewa Animal Hospital in Chippewa Township. She writes a biweekly column on pet care and health issues. If you have a topic you’d like to have addressed, email [email protected]
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