Monthly Archives: October 2021

Dog Parks: What to know before bringing your dog to one.

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Dog parks can be a great place for well-socialized dogs to play and have “doggy-time”.

Dog parks are a place where dogs and their owners can spend time outdoors and off the leash, doing “dog things” with other dogs.   They have become very common in our urban and suburban landscapes, and are places where owners can take their dogs to play, have some enrichment and get some exercise.   In an environment where dogs (and their owners) are increasingly isolated, they are a place to socialize and have some time in the fresh air and sunshine.  They can be either publicly owned and maintained, or can be managed and funded privately.  Some are even private membership-based clubs for dog-owners.  They are very popular and surveys have shown that the majority of Americans consider them to be a benefit to neighborhoods.  The New York Times reports that dog parks are among the fastest-growing social amenity in the United States.[i]

There are varying opinions about dog parks, based on peoples’ experiences in them.  The internet is full of emotionally-charged articles about dog parks, many of them highly negative and verging on hyperbole, including claims that “Dogs die violently at dog parks all the time.” [ii]  A simple Google search of “Dog Park Horror Stories” will provide endless accounts of dogs being brutalized by other dogs or people at these parks.  In reviewing a sampling of these anecdotal and unverified accounts, I found that they were all related to dogs being over-aroused and stressed, and/or their owners behaving irresponsibly.

There are very few quality studies of dog-to-dog behavior in dog parks.  However, the consensus among them is that actual dog-to-dog aggression in these parks is very rare and very seldom result in injuries.  In fact, a 2018 study by Howse, Anderson and Walsh found that “there was little to no evidence of dog-dog aggression, with the possible exception of “lunge approach”, which occurred infrequently. This finding is consistent with two other published studies… which reported low prevalence of aggressive behaviours in two different dog parks, and no incidents leading to injury. Thus, overt aggression is rare in direct observational research despite apparent widespread concerns among trainers of high risk for conspecific aggression at dog parks.”[iii]   An earlier study cited differences in dog’s interactions based on individual personalities but found that all the dogs were in a highly excited and/or stressed state while in the park.[iv]

Based on the available behavioral studies and on reputable newspaper or internet articles, we can conclude that dog parks can be a pleasant environment that allows well-socialized and extroverted companion dogs with a means of exercising, playing with other dogs and getting some enrichment in the terms of new experiences.  But this all depends on several factors:  The dogs’ personalities, the health of other dogs in the park and the knowledge and attention of the dogs’ owners.

There are some simple facts about dogs and dog parks that many owners fail to understand:

First, all dogs are not the same.  They have varied personalities and experiences and have different preferences.  For instance, I’ve had three smooth collies in my adult life.  And I’ve had each of them in safe well-run dog parks.  The first one was overjoyed by the park.  She was the queen of whatever group of dogs she socialized with and always managed to get a pack of dogs to join her in a “chase me” game using every square inch of the fenced area.  She also made sure that she met every owner and invited new dogs to socialize.  We were frequent visitors and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. My second collie hated being in the dog park.  He was socialized with other dogs and wasn’t fearful of them, but he was completely overwhelmed by the experience of being in the park.  He spent the entire time trotting around the fence perimeter, looking for a way out.  After that one experience, we never took him back.  The third collie is socialized with other dogs and meets them politely but is completely indifferent to them.  She loves to play with her human family and the people she knows, and she loves to go for walks in her neighborhood or on the local beach but has no interest in other dogs.  We’ve taken her to a dog park, and she spent her time exploring and investigating new smells, much as she would in her own yard, but didn’t spend a single minute socializing or playing with other dogs.    The point I’m making is that some dogs just won’t like being in a dog park and some are just not interested in other dogs.  There’s nothing wrong with that, its just the way they are.

Second, a dog park is not a place to get to train your dog, or to help them get socialized.  You can safely take a dog to the park after they are well socialized and after you are confident in their training.  For example, I once worked with a shelter dog a shelter dog whom I spent month working with, rehabilitating her, and socializing her with humans.  Over time she progressed from being fearful of people to accepting and bonding with me, after which I got her to accept new people, play nicely and interact well with people and other dogs.  She was adopted out to a man (I had a bad feeling about this guy, but it wasn’t my decision) who was given all the usual instructions to take things slow, let her get used to him and his home, gradually introduce new experiences, etc.  But… The day after her adoption, I found her back in the intake section of the shelter.  I found out that less than six hours after adopting her, he brought her to a crowded dog park and let her off leash.  So, naturally, there was a complete meltdown.  Rather than learning from his error, he blamed the dog and returned her that day.  The good news is that, once we got her settled down, she was adopted out to a nice young couple and that last I heard she was living a great life in a loft in Boston.

Third, the dog park is an unfamiliar place full of new smells, new and excited dogs, new people, etc.  This is a stressful situation for dogs to be in.  Ottenheimer et al, found that dogs in these parks are generally stressed state, regardless of their outward behavior.  And not all dogs handle stress well, many have limited communications skills.

Fourth, a lot of dog owners are clueless about their pets’ behaviors.  Some of them are too busy chatting or flirting to pay attention to what’s happening around them, and some of them are just jerks.  They will not always pay attention to their dogs, won’t understand that their dogs are becoming overstressed or over-excited, and may not intervene when their dogs act inappropriately.

Fifth, dog parks are not for puppies.  Although a puppy can safely interact with other dogs once they’ve had all of their vaccinations, when they’re about 17 weeks old, they are still forming their personalities and can be very negatively impacted by any negative experiences.  They should be socialized with people and other age-appropriate dogs in positive and controlled settings.  Any negative experiences, such as overly rough play by other dogs, bullying, or anything that is intimidating or frightening that a puppy experiences can adversely affect his still-developing social skills.  Many experts recommend against taking dogs to a park if they are under six months of age, or even less than a year old, depending on the dog.[v]  My own recommendation is to hold off on bringing a puppy to a dog park until he is well past his second fear impact period,  which will fall between five and twelve months of age Developmental-Stages-of-a-Dog.pdf (animalnerd.com).  between A supervised puppy playgroup is a much better option for pups who are still developing social skills.

Sixth, and very importantly, do not bring a dog to a park who has not been spayed or neutered.  The presence of a female dog in heat will cause unnecessary drama among the other dogs, particularly among any intact males.  In many cases, dog parks specifically prohibit any male or female dogs who have not been spayed or neutered.[vi]

So:  Should you take your dog to a dog park?  Sure.  Absolutely.  That is, if, and only if, you do the following things:

Get to know your dog.  Does he really like to play with other dogs?  Is he nervous around them or avoid any dogs at all?  Does he try to engage with them and invite them to play?   Also, how to they react around him?  You need to determine whether he has good manners and doesn’t play too roughly or overwhelm other dogs?  If you have any doubts about this, don’t take him to the park.  Find other ways to socialize and exercise him.  If your dog mature enough to be there, and are his social skills sufficiently developed?

Next, check out the park you’re thinking about using.  Visit it during the time of day that you are most likely to bring your dog.  Get to know the other owners and watch them with their dogs?  Do they keep an eye on their dogs and act responsibly?  Do they pick up after their dogs?  Are they people that you want to hang around with?  How are their dogs acting?  Is the play too rough for your dog to be part of, and do the other owners intervene?  Trust your gut on this.  Is everyone there a dog owner, or do dog walkers show up with a bunch of dogs and turn them loose inside?  (Yes, this happens.)

What about the park?  Is it securely fenced?  Is there a double gate at the entrance to prevent dogs from escaping?   Is there fresh water inside?  Is it maintained in a clean and safe manner? Who is responsible for the park?  Is it privately funded or is it a municipal park?  Also, are there separate areas for large and small dogs?

Once you’ve checked all these boxes, there are a few other things you need to do:

Make sure that your dog is completely vaccinated and is protected against parasitic diseases.  Talk to your vet about his heartworm preventative and make sure that it includes protection against intestinal parasites.  In addition to his rabies vaccination, your dog should also be immunized against parvo, distemper, Bordetella, canine influenza and leptospirosis.[vii]  The simple fact is that dogs relieve themselves in these parks, and they are frequented by nocturnal wildlife, making them playgrounds for parasites, bacteria and communicable viruses; some of them transmissible to humans.  And many of the parks have communal water bowls that are shared among the dogs, which provides another route for sharing diseases and parasites.  Make sure that your pet is protected.[viii]  Also, wash your hands thoroughly when you leave the dog park.

I strongly recommend that you do not bring small children to a dog park and, if there are small children present, do not bring your dog inside.  Aside from the health issues mentioned above, this is not a childrens’ playground and it is not safe for them.  Having little kids excitedly running around among a group of excited off-leash dogs is never a good idea, particularly if the particular dogs from the childrens’ family tend to be protective of them.

I recommend that you do not bring any food or dog treats to the park.  The dogs are already in an excited state, and you have no idea how they will react to the presence of food or of other dogs receiving treats.  There is a strong potential that this may result in dogs either aggressively guarding the food or becoming overly excited.

If you bring any toys to the park, be prepared to go home without them.  Once you throw a ball in a dog park, it can become the property of any dog that wants it.  Also, you risk the possibility of a dog deciding that the ball is a resource to be guarded, resulting in a fight.  If you do bring a toy and manage to leave the park with it, completely disinfect it right away.

Be a good citizen.  Familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations that are posted at the park, and abide by them.   Bring waste bags and promptly clean up your dog’s poop and dispose of it properly.  Bring hand sanitizer and share it with other dog owners.

The bottom line is that dog parks are a great place for some dogs and some people to enjoy off-leash time, socialize, exercise and have some fun.  But they are not for everybody.  Your dog may be much happier just going for a walk, playing with known human or dog friends, or just hanging out with you.

 

[i] Lowery, S.  (February 6, 2020).  The Dog Park is Bad, Actually.  New York Times.  Retrieved from www.nytimes.com/2020/02/06/smarter-living/the-dog-park-is-bad-actually.html

[ii] Retrieved from Dog Parks Are the WORST. – Overdale Kennel

[iii] Howse, M. S., Anderson, R. E. and Walsh, C. J. (2018).  Social Behaviour of Domestic Dogs (Canis Familiaris) in a Public Off-Leash Dog Park.  Behavioural Processes 197 (2018) 691-171

[iv] Ottemheimer Carrier, L., Cyr, A., Anderson, R. E. and Walsh, C. J. (2013).  Exploring the Dog Park:  Relationships Between Social Behaviours, Personality and Cortisol in Companion Dogs.  Applied Animal Behaviour Science 146 (2013), 96-106

[v] Anderson, T. (October 5, 2018).  Why Puppies and Dog Parks Don’t Mix.  Modern Dog.  Retrieved from moderndogmagazine.com/articles/why-puppies-and-dog-parks-don-t-mix/101482

[vi] Brent, L. (April 28, 2019). How to Avoid Aggression (and other problems) at the Dog Park. Parsemus Foundation News.  Retrieved from www.parsemus.org/2019/04/how-to-avoid-aggression-and-other-problems-at-the-dog-park/

[vii] Nicholas, J. (June 24, 2021). What You Should Know Before Taking Your Puppy to the Dog Park.  Preventive Vet.  Retrieved from www.preventivevet.com/dogs/what-you-should-know-before-taking-your-puppy-to-the-dog-park

[viii] Nelson, S.  (May 16, 2013).  Dog parks offer fun, but veterinarian says a few precautions can make visits even better.  K-State News.  Retrieved from Dog parks offer fun, but veterinarian says a few precautions can make visits even better | Kansas State University | News and Communications Services (k-state.edu)

 

Coyote Encounters

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In a previous post ( Eastern Coyote Myths and Reality | The Animal Nerd ), I discussed eastern coyotes and their habits – and tried to dispel a few misconceptions about them.  Since then, I have spoken with a number of people who have encountered coyotes in suburban communities and are somewhat apprehensive about their proximity to their small children and pets.  Based on these concerns, I would like to offer some guidance on how to manage interactions with coyotes and how to discourage them from approaching people or residences.

A few facts about urban coyotes:

First, they are predators and opportunistic feeders.  And they’re omnivores.  They will hunt and forage either in small family groups or as individuals.  As individuals, they will hunt small animals or forage for fruit and tasty vegetables, and will scavenge human food sources.  If you leave food out for neighborhood cats or desirable local wildlife, you can expect to get a visit from a coyote.  They will also prey on any small feral or domestic animals that they can catch, including small dogs and housecats.   Individual coyotes do not chase or try to catch deer, but will do so in family groups.

Second, although they are semi-social animals, they do not form “packs”.  Coyotes live as individuals or in small family groups consisting of a breeding pair and their pups, possibly including young coyotes from a previous litter or a bachelor that they allow in their group.  Large packs of coyotes are simply not a thing.  And they do not always stick together in groups, when you see an individual on his own, he could simply be doing his coyote business away from his family and will return to them later.

Third, they are vocal.  When you hear an individual coyote howling, he is generally trying to get a response from his pack/family in order to have them join him, or to establish a territory for himself.  When you hear a group howling together, it is generally a greeting behavior.  People generally wildly overestimate the number of coyotes involved in a group howling session, three or four of them can sound like eight or ten.  What they do NOT do is howl during hunting or to “celebrate” a kill.  They have no wish to warn prey that they are in the area or to attract other predators to any animals that they have successfully hunted.[i]

Fourth, eastern coyotes are genetically distinct from the ones found in western states, particularly so in the northeast states.  While their population expanded eastward from the upper mid-western states, they intermingled with a hybrid wolf population in Ontario and picked up from grey wolf and dog DNA along the way.  This does not mean that they are “coy-wolves” or “wolf-hybrids” or any such scary mutation.  They are about ninety percent coyote and have not become a new species.  They are, however, slightly larger and have more variation in their coats.  The coyotes in the southeast

If a coyote appears to be watching you, or seems to be following you, he is not hunting.  He’s either curious or is worried because you are near his den.

states did not expand through areas where they could pick up any wolf DNA, however that population did pick up a very small amount of dog genetic material.  They are not interbreeding with domestic dogs –  there is no need for them to do so as their population isn’t under any pressure.[ii]

Fifth, they are becoming more common.  Over the past several decades, coyotes have established themselves along the east coast and in the New England states.  Urban and suburban areas have abundant food sources for them and they are thriving in our neighborhoods.  They have established themselves as apex predators, filling the niche that we created when we humans exterminated other predator species in the east.  They have become part of our urban landscape, much like deer, foxes and other native species.  Over the years of human contact they have become a primarily nocturnal predator, although they are also commonly seen during daylight hours. [iii]

Which brings us to the topic at hand:  As they become more common, people are encountering them more often in locations that coyotes were not expected to be found.  And, being humans, we often respond to unexpected events with alarm or by behaving inappropriately.  So, I’d like to offer some advice and guidance on how to act in the presence of coyotes and how to be a good neighbor to them.

First and above all:  We want them to be shy and wary of us.  They are not tame or backyard animals and, for their own benefit, coyotes should be fearful of humans.    They are wild animals and we need to keep them wild.

Second, if you see a coyote at a distance, going about its business, there is no reason to do anything except say “Huh, a coyote.” and go back to what you were doing.  if you find that a coyote is watching you or even appears to be following you at a distance, there is no cause for alarm, and you don’t need to do anything.  He isn’t stalking you, he’s just wary and curious.   In fact, if one is “following” you, it may be that you have wandered closer to his den and pups that he would like, and he is escorting you from the vicinity.[iv]

However, if one is closer to you or your home than you would like and does not seem to be avoiding contact with you; you can engage in “coyote hazing” to discourage him from human contact.

Note:  Before engaging in any hazing, take a minute and think.  Are you possibly near his den?  Is it possible that there are pups nearby?  Coyotes have one breeding season, in late winter, and pups are born in the spring, maturing over the next several months[v].  You don’t want to engage in any threatening behavior to any animal that is protecting its young.  Second, take a minute to observe the coyote.  Does it appear to be generally healthy and alert or is it acting as if it is ill or suffering.  If so, just leave the area and notify local wildlife authorities.[vi]

If the coyote appears to be healthy and you are in an open area where dens are unlikely to be located, you can discourage him by hazing.  This consists of making yourself threatening to the coyote, taking advantage of their natural fear of humans.  Make yourself big, wave your arms and shout at it.  Take a couple of threatening steps towards the coyote while you’re doing this.  Noisemakers such as whistles or shaker cans, or bright flashlights are also helpful.   Hazing generally works, but might not be effective if the coyote is already habituated to human presence.[vii]  If it doesn’t cause him to flee, then you should simply leave the area.  Remember, the point is to keep him wary of humans and help prevent him from becoming accustomed to being around people.[viii]

In addition, you should discourage them from being near human homes.  There are several simple steps you can take to accomplish this:

First, do not put out feeding stations for any wildlife, including feral cats.  They are prey animals and their presence will attract coyotes to you home.  It is never a good idea to feed wild animals, regardless of how cute they are.[ix]

Second, if you have bird feeders, regularly clean the area around them to discourage any rodents from feeding on fallen birdseed.  They are also prey for coyotes and will encourage them to hunt in your yard.

Third, if you have a cat do not let them roam outside.  They are prey for coyotes, hawks, large owls and other urban predators.  In addition, they are active predators of desirable wildlife, including songbirds. [x]

Fourth, if you do not have a securely fenced yard, don’t put your dog outside without y

ou being present and in control of his movements, even if he is on a tether – particularly if your dog is not spayed or neutered.  And if you have an invisible fence, remember that it will keep your trained dog in your yard, but does nothing to prevent predators from entering.[xi]   Also, do not allow your dog to interact with coyotes during walks, and keep your dog leashed if you are in areas where coyotes tend to be found.[xii]

Summing it all up:  Coyotes are here and they’re here to stay.  They are adjusting to our environment and are thriving, and its up to us to live alongside them and to act responsibly.  We can do this by limiting our interactions with them, discourage them from getting accustomed to us and helping them to stay wild.

_____________________________________________________________

[i] Fergus, C. (January 15, 2017).  Probing Question:  Why do Coyotes Howl?  Penn State News.  Retrieved from Probing Question: Why do coyotes howl? | Penn State University (psu.edu)

[ii] Nagy, C.,  (2017)  New York’s Newest Immigrants:  Coyotes in the City.  Anthrozoology Graduate Program, Canisius College

[iii] Coyotes 101.  Coyote Smarts.  Retrieved from Coyotes 101 – CoyoteSmart (coyotesmarts.org)

[iv] What to Expect During Coyote Pup Season.  March 22, 2021.  Wolf Conservation Center.  Retrieved from What to Expect During Coyote Pup Season | Wolf Conservation Center (nywolf.org)

[v] Bradford, A. and Pester, P.  April 02, 2021.  Coyotes:  Facts About the Wily Members of the Canidae Family.  LiveScience.  Retrieved from Coyotes: Facts about the wily members of the Canidae family | Live Science

[vi] Coyote Hazing Field Guide. Project Coyote.  Retrieved from CoyoteHazingBrochureFieldGuide.pdf (projectcoyote.org)

[vii] Bonnell, M. A & Breck, S. W.  (2017).  Using Resident-Based Hazing Programs to Reduce Human-Coyote Conflicts in Urban Environments.  Human Wildlife Interactions 11 (2).

[viii] Coyote Hazing:  Guidelines for Discouraging Neighborhood Coyotes.  The Humane Society of the United States.  Retrieved from Coyote hazing: Guidelines for discouraging neighborhood coyotes | The Humane Society of the United States

[ix] How to Avoid Conflicts with Coyotes.  Urban Coyote Research Project.  Retrieved from How to Avoid Conflicts with Coyotes | Urban Coyote Research

[x] The Case for Indoor Cats.  The Wildlife Center of Virginia.  Retrieved from The Case for Indoor Cats | The Wildlife Center of Virginia

[xi] Derrick (March 9, 2021). Coyote Behavior –  Fascinating Facts About Coyotes.  Wandering Outdoors.  Retrieved from Coyote Behavior – Fascinating Facts About Coyotes (wanderingoutdoors.com)

[xii] Dogs and Coyotes.  Project Coyote.  Retrieved from Dogs_Coyotes.pdf (projectcoyote.org

 

Dog-to-Dog Reactivity

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Many of the dogs that I encounter at the shelter are overly stressed and somewhat frightened.  And they sometimes come to us with, and because of, behavioral issues that their owners were unable to manage or live with.  Reactivity is one of the more serious of these issues that we encounter.

“Reactive” is a poorly defined term that is commonly used in describing dog behavior.  I tend to use Dr. Karen Overall’s definition of a reactive animal as one who responds to a normal stimulus with a higher-than-normal level of intensity.  This can be based in a strong emotional response to that stimulus, such as fear, over-excitement, or simple frustration.  Putting it another way, reactive behavior is a severe, undesirable response to anything that causes the dog to feel fear, anxiety or an abundance of stress.  If the intensity of the response reaches the level that the dog is unable to control his actions, this becomes a problem for most owners.

Reactivity is very common among the dogs that you will encounter in shelters.  Shelter dogs are under a great deal of stress under the best of circumstances and may be prone to having exaggerated reactions to the presence of certain stimuli – most often other dogs.  Their level of stress may be such that the sight of another dog, or any other stimulus that triggers a strong emotional response, is all it takes to put them over a behavioral threshold into a state in which they become aggressive.  This may be due to a number of reasons:

  • They may be experiencing barrier frustration, due to being restrained by either a handler’s leash or by the walls and door of their run.
  • It may be that the dog is fearful of other dogs, based on some prior negative experiences.
  • The dog may be poorly socialized.
  • The dog may never had been trained to exercise self-control.
  • It could also be that the dog has a genetic predisposition that against tolerating other dogs.

This dog is reacting to the barrier frustration of being restrained by a leash.

Note that I have not used the word “aggression”.  Reactivity and aggression are two entirely different things.  A reactive dog is over-reacting to a particular situation – he may simply overly eager to meet and greet another other dog or a person.  However, the amount of frustration that he experiences during this excited state can reach the point at which he behaves aggressively, or even redirects his over excitement and potential aggression to the person that is handling him. (Rakosky, 2020).

Please also note that, although the presence of other dogs is a very common reason, a dog can be reactive to almost anything that causes an emotional response.  Men wearing hats, children, cars, or anything else that induces fear or excitement can cause a dog to become over-excited and react.  The reaction can be based in fear, over-eagerness, or any other strong emotion.  And this behavior can become reinforced over time:  If your dog sees a person or another dog outside your window his territorial instincts may go into overdrive, causing him to go ballistic.  When the trespasser eventually goes on his way, your dog will interpret that as the result of his over-the-top performance and will reinforce and encourage that behavior (Miller, 2003).

Which brings us to a dog that I’ve been working with at the shelter.  She is a one-year old Akita, very pretty and well-socialized with people, who was presented with a history of strong reactivity to other dogs.  In reviewing her history, I found that she had initially been transported in from another state with very little background or information, and then was adopted out to a local home after a relatively short stay in the shelter (this is not surprising, pure-bred dogs do not tend to have lengthy stays in shelters).  Her adopters lived in a townhouse with a small, fenced back yard, and she had been “aggressive” with the neighbor’s dog through that fence.

I began working with her by taking her on walks around the shelter grounds, avoiding interactions and keeping to quiet areas with trees and benches.  She was extremely anxious the first couple of times I had her outside her run:  She was on high alert and was vocalizing with whines and whimpers, with her Akita tail held down and refusing treats.  That said, she never displayed any anxiety about being handled or being fitted with a harness.  It took three outings on consecutive days before she relaxed and began to enjoy being outdoors with me.  She eventually relaxed, interacted with her environment and me in normal, curious manner and carried her tail in the distinctive Akita curl.  Once I had gotten her accustomed to the shelter grounds and a low level of activity, I worked on determining the level of her reactivity.

Given that she was a large and powerful dog, for safety’s sake I tested her reactivity by having her harnessed and on leash while an assistant leash walked a life-like dummy dog near her and we both watched her closely while this stimulus was present.  She became agitated when the target (dummy) dog was being walked (pacing and whining), but she could be easily distracted from it and never lost her leash manners or responses to my instructions.  However, when I had my assistant position the dummy so that it was facing her – apparently standing still and “staring” at her – her response intensified, and she began aggressively barking and lunging.    However, she never became so aroused that she ignored her handler or redirected her “aggression” to any persons or objects.  Throughout this exercise she was relatively easy to distract and move away from the dummy.

I reported to shelter management that I thought her reactivity was at a low level and was manageable.  From what I observed, she was uncomfortable with other dogs and tried to avoid interacting with them.  When confronted with the dummy, she had engaged in distance-increasing behaviors and tried to move away from it; and it was only when we increased the level of engagement with the dummy that she increased her distancing behaviors and put on a threatening display (Farricelli, 2021).  I informed the shelter staff that, although I hadn’t observed her in her adoptive home, I considered it possible that her yard had been too small to give her a chance to escape the neighbor’s dog even though they had been separated by a fence.  I also offered the possibility that she engages in trigger stacking and that the intensity of her reaction to the dummy had been increased by the “background” stress of being in a shelter.

This illustrates the need to closely define the exact stimulus that triggers the over-the-top emotional response in a reactive dog.  It could be a person walking by the house, or just a person walking another dog.  It could be anyone who comes to the door, or just a deliveryman in a uniform.  It could be the presence of one dog, a particular behavior by that dog, or a group of dogs playing.   Before diving into a treatment, you must first diagnose the specific stimulus that is sending the dog over his behavioral threshold.  It’s not enough to say that he’s reacting to other dogs, you must fine-tune that statement as much as possible.  For example, does he react to the sight of all other dogs everywhere he encounters them, or is it only under certain circumstances?  Is it all other dogs, or just dogs of certain sizes?  What are the dogs doing that sends him over the threshold of his self-control?  Are they excited, playing, roughhousing? running?

And it illustrates the need to closely observe the dog in situations where the reactivity occurs.   Ideally, you will observe the dog with its owners in the home environment in which the behavior occurs.   You must identify how the dog behaves from the moment that he first encounters the stimulus that causes his reactive behavior.  Does he try to distance himself from it?  How is he communicating his anxiety?  And at what point does he reach a behavioral threshold?

Its only after going through this process that you can determine how to manage or treat the dog’s reactivity.  There is no one-size-fits-all solution, and it requires the owners to either commit to avoiding or managing situations in which the reactivity can be triggered, or take part in course of systematic desensitization.

I’m happy to report that my akita friend was adopted last week.  The shelter staff took care to place her with experienced adopters who had more space and were committed to engaging a behaviorist/trainer to help socialize and desensitize her.

 

References

Farricelli, A. (2021, April 12). Distance Increasing and Decreasing Signals in Dogs. PetHelpful.  Retrieved from pethelpful.com/dogs/-Distance-Increasing-and-Distance-Decreasing-Signals-in-Dogs

Miller, P. (2003, October 10).  Causes of Reactive Dog Behavior and How to Train Accordingly.  Whole Dog Journal.  Retrieved from www.whole-dog-journal.com/behavior/causes-of-reactive-dog-behavior-and-how-to-train-accordingly/

Overall, K. (1997).  Clinical Behavioral Medicine For Small Animals, 1st Edition, Maryland Heights, MO, Mosby.

Rakosky, E.  (2020, August 19).  What is Aggression?  Dog Reactivity vs. Dog Aggression.  Retrieved from www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/reactivity-vs-aggression/