Posted on Jul 04, 2009
Behavioral Modification, Dog Psychology, Dog Training, separation anxiety
Happy 4th of July!
This is the day when we celebrate by making a lot of noise! Dogs, on the other hand, may panic and do anything to try to escape our celebration. Remember to be extra mindful of your dog(s) and to bring them inside if possible. Also, leaving a TV or radio on for background noise can be beneficial. However, for some dogs, it’s the sound combined with the vibration of the fireworks, so a little background noise won’t come close to calming them.
We have a day off on July 4th, and July 5th is the busiest day of the year for animal control and shelters. Be safe, have fun, and keep your eye on Fido! I witnessed firsthand the tragedy of someone leaving their dog alone, outside on the 4th of July. It brings up the question – is a microchip enough?
Posted on Jul 02, 2009
Behavioral Modification, Dog Psychology, Dog Training, separation anxiety
Separation anxiety manifests itself in varying degrees. The symptoms can be very subtle and escalate quickly if not addressed. I do believe that some dogs suffer from post-traumatic stress as well. Combine the two, and you may come home to something like this. These photos show the pure panic of a dog who was lost after the passing of the other dog in the family.
Emotional instability in dogs is as real as it is in humans. They don’t have words for what they are feeling – nor do we. It’s important to understand their behavior from a dog’s perspective and to treat them accordingly. There is a trigger, a memory, a perceived fear, that can be extremely challenging to pinpoint (if we ever can).
Here’s a great article from the Humane Society regarding Separation Anxiety. If you have any questions or are concerned your dog is demonstrating symptoms of either separation anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder, please contact me for assistance.
