160 Bear Christiana Rd
Bear, De 19701
302-322-6488
Dr. Jim Berg
|
Dog Questions
Dear Dr. Berg,
My husband and I adopted an English Pointer in April, who is now a year old. He spent the first years of his life
mostly in a kennel, and since he wouldn't learn to point, his owner didn't want him anymore. When he came in our
house, it was the first time that he had been inside in his life, and he didn't really know what to do. Previously
he had been underfed, never petted, and severly disciplined because his owner thought of him as a "working
dog".
At this point, he seems like a very NEEDY dog. He is starving for love and attention. Unfortunately, we cannot
leave him alone in the house, as he will tear up the furniture or carpet. We have tried the separation anxiety
medicine as prescribed by our veterinarian, but so far, nothing seems to work.
We keep him in the basement when we are not home, but he tends to have "accidents" when we are not there.
I don't scold him for them because I wonder if he gets an upset stomach since we're not home.
We don't want to give him tranquillizers every day in order to keep him from chewing our furniture. This dogs loves
us SO MUCH, and we love him too. Any ideas to help?
Thanks.
NS, internet (UofDel)
Dear N.S.,
My heart goes out to all those "working dogs" that are kept in outdoor kennels, fed and cared for poorly,
and who rarely get adequate human attention. Dogs that "do work" for you ought to be treated with utmost
respect and thanked on a daily basis by loving care of their physical as well as emotional needs. When I see documentaries
on the dogs that run the Iditerod race in Alaska, those dogs work very very hard for their owners, but they are
treated with dignity and respect for the job that they do.
You went into greater detail about the "punishment" that this poor dog received, which I have chosen
not to print. It will take a long time for the emotional and physical abuse that this dog has suffered to be corrected.
Just imagine how you would feel if you were kept outside all the time, never talked to, poorly fed, and physically
assaulted. Wouldn't you expect the world around you to be a cold and cruel place.
I am not an animal behaviorist, but the best way that I know of to get around months of physical abuse is by providing
constant, gentle loving treatment, and giving the dog time to change. It takes a long time to "unlearn"
how rough life can be, and to again trust the people and things around them. Please do your best to provide a quite
and safe environment in your house where your dog may learn again how to feel safe. This means talking with all
members of the family (especially children who may want to play with the dog in loud and physical ways), and to
consult with your veterinarian.
I would suggest keeping the dog in a kennel during the day. This may sound cruel, but it really isn't. Dogs are
'denning' animals by nature, and feel safest in closed spaces much like a den. I used to have a cocker spaniel
that would crawl under one of our end tables as his "den", and who would lift up the table (and tip over
the lamp) when he hurried to greet someone at the door. There were lots of other places to lie, but he liked lying
under that end table the best.
Provide your dog with a comfortable wire crate with a bed and bowel of water. It should be big enough that he can
stand up and turn in a circle, but not much bigger. The problem with putting him in the basement, is that he probably
sleeps in one corner of the basement (which he considers his "bed") and does his business in one or two
other places in the basement (which he has assigned to be his "bathrooms"). By confining him to his new
"bed" (his crate), he will try very hard not to mess in it. He knows it's not a good idea to go in his
bed, but when he's in the basement, it's perfectly fine to go in the spots that he considers his bathroom. You
are right to not scold him for the messes, unless you catch him in the act. Should you be fortunate enough to see
him begin to go, stomp the floor and yell "NO!", then take him quickly outside and be just a quick to
praise him for being a "GREAT DOG!" when he does go outside. He will get the idea of what you like and
don't like, and he really wants to please you. Your praise to him means the world.
His body will adjust to your schedule (are dogs wonderful…their body even wants to please us!) when you confine
him to the kennel. He'll usually develop a real pattern to his bathroom habits that an astute owner can pick up
and use to their advantage. Once he is pretty regular about going outside when you let him out of the kennel, try
leaving him home for very short periods, then returning to immediately tell him how happy you are with him and
take him right outside. When he goes then, WOW WOW WOW is HE A GOOD DOG!!!!.
If you have not already taken your dog through obedience school, please do so. This will show your dog through
training and by observing the other dogs, what appropriate pack behavior should be. It will also firmly establish
the pecking order in your pack which will, in turn, allow you to have greater control over your dog when you need
to. At times when I write this column, I feel like the prescription for many behavioral problems is obedience,
and, in truth, it is often the place to start.
Try to be realistic about expectations. Behavioral problems in adult dogs may take many months to make progress
with, and you are bound to have periods of "set back". And also realize that when a puppy is 14 months
old, he looks like a big dog, but is still just a kid inside. Aren't we all….
Back to the Dog Page
<
>
Home Page | About Us | Our Facility | Dog Info | Cat Info
Our Clients | Ask the Pet Dr. | Dr. Berg | Kids Page
This site built and maintained by
Bob Hairgrove / Budget
Web Design - Delaware
Revised 7/27/2000
Copyright ANIMAL VETERINARY CENTER, INC.
2000
|