Why seek advice for your dog’s behaviour
Canine behaviour problems often progress. Strange, difficult or worrying behaviours can become a severe problem for your dog as well as for you.
If your pet is showing behavioural responses to situations that you feel are too intense for the situation or that your dog is not able to learn new and more useful behaviours as expected, that can be a “red flag” that the behaviour problem needs professional help.
Not only do behaviour problems indicate a dog may need help, behaviour problems can progress to become a more severe form of the behaviour seen or another behaviour that is more difficult to manage. If seen early, you and your pet can get the help and support you need before the problem progresses to significantly impact your dog’s quality of life. In some cases owner quality of life is severely impaired due to their pet’s problem and early intervention is recommended to give you the support you need and potentially limit the risk of such progression.
Examples of behaviour problems that commonly have owners seek veterinary behaviour consultation include:
- Destructive behaviours
- Defaecating and urinating indoors
- Compulsive behaviours
- Aggression that becomes explosive and unpredictable
- Severe anxiety and inability to engage in social contact
- Excessive vocalisation
Depending on the individual, behaviour problems can develop and progress rapidly, or they may have a slower onset. For some individuals, their behaviour problem does not manifest overtly to their owner until the patient reaches social maturity.
Clinical behaviour problems are not training issues. These behaviours relate to the emotional state of the animal at times when the behaviour is seen. Seeking a training solution for a dog with a clinical behaviour problem delays treatment and runs the risk of subjecting the dog to inappropriate interventions that can reduce welfare and progress the problem. Good dog trainers understand their limitations and can recognise emotional learning and the different role it plays with behaviour. Such trainers will refer you to a behaviour veterinarian and then work under the guidance of the behaviour veterinarian’s management plan so that the dog has a consistent and compassionate approach. Because the dog training industry is not a regulated body, always ask a dog trainer whether they are a member of a group that accredits an audits members, such as Delta Society or Pet Professional’s Guild of Australia.