3-DOG-DAY: LEASH REACTIVE/FEAR REACTIVE/ANXIETY
No – not all three behavior challenges in one dog, thank goodness; this was three consults all in one day – something I try to avoid doing because I find them exhausting. And then I have to write three consultations reports within the next 24 hours. But sometimes you do what you gotta do!
Our three clients on Friday of last week were:
· Viktor, the Australian Cattle Dog with leash reactive/squirrel chasing and mouthing behaviors
· Luna, the Husky mix with fear-related reactive behaviors
· Ivy, the German Shepherd with anxiety-related behaviors
Let’s take a closer look…
VIKTOR, 2-YEAR-OLD NEUTERED MALE AUSTRALIAN CATTLE DOG
Viktor has been with his new humans for about eight weeks now. His presenting complaint was: “Reactive barking to dogs, human walkers and moving vehicles; predatory behavior with squirrels; occasional mouthing of humans.”
He had spent a difficult 17 weeks at the shelter from which he was adopted – that housed him in the “not for adoption” section because of his excessive barking at the other dogs, and because there was less stimulation there, and hopefully therefore less arousal. They also had a force-free trainer working with him, and he had learned some solid operant behaviors, including “Sit” and Shake.”
Viktor entered the training center and explored the room with confidence. He approached me to check me out but was not affiliative – he did not invite interaction. I discussed a number of topics with his human, and emphasized the importance of management, as well as eliminating the verbal and leash corrections he had been doing when Viktor would bark.
We did 15 minutes of counter conditioning and desensitization (CC&D) with Viktor, starting with my dog Kai at a distance of 70 feet, his human feeding chicken every time Viktor looked at Kai. Viktor did exceptionally well. He was near threshold at first (tense, hard staring, small bark), but de-escalated quickly, and we were able to decrease distance fairly rapidly, adding movement toward the end, with Kai leaping 6 feet into the air about 15 feet away with no reaction from Viktor.
We also practiced some operant protocols. These can be used to engage the dog in the presence of his arousal-causing stimuli, and move his brain from worried/excited to happy/engaged. They can also be good (tiring!) enrichment, especially the Nose Games.
We practiced and agreed on commitments for:
1. Find It/Search: This can work well to bring his focus back to you (Treats at your feet for “Fin dit!”) and can also be used for exercise: Say “Search!” and toss a treat one direction, then “Search!” and toss it the opposite direction. Viktor performed this game easily. At least 5 time per week, 20 minutes or more per session.
2. Pattern Games: The predictability of the Pattern Games provides for behavioral stability – the dog knows what to expect, and that decreases stress and arousal. (You can find information on Leslie McDevitt’s Pattern Games here: https://www.dogcrazylady.com/post/pattern-games ) My favorite is 1-2-3, we practiced that and Viktor was very focused on his human. At least 3 times per week, 5 minutes or more
3. Walk Away: This is an emergency escape behavior. Taught as a very fun party game, it works because when the dog hears the “Walk Away” cue his brain switches to “Yay, fun game!” and it takes his mind off his concern, moves his brain to happy, and at the same time allows the handler to increase distance from the stimulus (other dog, etc.). At least 3 times per week, 5 minutes or more
4. Nose Games: This is an excellent enrichment activity. Dogs generally love to use their noses, and it’s fun for canine and human, especially as you get to the more advanced steps. It is also very tiring for your dog – although they are great at using their noses, it is a brain-tiring activity. At least 3 times per week, 5 minutes or more
I will post my Nose Games protocol in another blog. Soon. Promise.
I’ve already gotten this lovely follow-up from Viktor’s human:
“Viktor is already making progress. I have used the find/search, 1-2-3, and walk away games to great effect to get him past school busses and children waiting for the bus. The counter conditioning we did with Kai has been a good tool. I have used it with a well-behaved neighbor dog behind an e-fence. I used it again on Monday when we got barked at by the big dog that lives behind us. I brought Viktor to about 60 feet within the fence. All Viktor cared about was the food in my hand. Even when a second dog joined the first one. I wasn't using chicken, just his regular mix of treats.”
YAY!!!
LUNA, 2.5-YEAR-OLD SPAYED FEMALE HUSKY MIX
Luna has been in her current home since she was three months old. Her people’s main concerns are: barks at people and other dogs, jumps on people. I was seated when she entered the room with her humans. She appeared confident and friendly – she greeted me, put her paws on my lap and licked my face. She continued to be affiliative/friendly with me throughout the session.
I do make it a point to be seated when all my clients enter the training center with their dogs – it makes a monumental difference in the dogs’ acceptance of me as a non-threatening human. Indeed, when we had Lucy come into the training center halfway through the session, Luna did considerable reactive barking at her at first. We immediately decreased intensity of stimulus to get her below threshold, and did CC&D.
Here are Luna’s protocols:
1. CC&D for barking: At least 3 times per week, 20 minutes or more per session
2. Polite Greeting: At least 1 time per week, 5 minutes or more – with people she knows and is happy excited, not worried-barking.
3. Mat: At least 5 times per week, 5 minutes or more (more is better!) – practice indoors at first, then generalized to real-world when she is ready.
4. Find it/Search: At least 5 times per week, 5 minutes or more (more is better!) –indoors at first, then generalized to real-world when she is ready.
5. Walk Away: At least 5 times per week, 5 minutes or more (more is better!) –indoors at first, then generalized to real-world when she is ready.
6. 1-2-3 (and/or other Pattern Games): At least 5 times per week, 5 minutes or more (more is better!) –indoors at first, then generalized to real-world when she is ready.
I have no updates yet on Luna – but she did very well here, and I am optimistic.
IVY, 3-YEAR-OLD SPAYED FEMALE GERMAN SHEPHERD
Ivy was purchased from a breeder at the age of eight weeks. Her humans’ main concern is her anxiety – they say she is always on edge: “We can't even get up from the couch without her springing up and barking. She also aggressively goes after our other dog Xander during moments like this or when we let them out. It's like she doesn't know where to channel her energy and does so through barking and going after Xander.”
Ivy was friendly with both Lucy and me – and was also clearly an anxious dog. Her constant nervous-energy activity, and especially her frantic jumping on and hugging Lucy, were indications of this. Lucy kept Ivy occupied with toys, play and Frozen Kongs the entire session in order to keep the active girl out of trouble. And yes, Ivy would erupt into bouts of extended barking with very little stimulus. I could see why her humans were seeking help!
Ivy had been on Fluoxetine (Reconcile) but when that didn’t appear to make a difference in her behavior. They actually felt it had made her behavior worse – more barking, and an increase in aggressive behavior toward their other dog. Xander was slightly injured (tear to tan eyelid) in their last altercation.
These medications can sometimes have a “paradoxical” or disinhibiting effect. With their vet’s guidance they gradually weaned Ivy off the Fluoxetine and started her on Trazadone, which they said seems to be helping. I told her that the veterinary behaviorists I work with will often use a “cocktail,” combining various medications for the best effect. And that it is often a process of trial and error to find the best combination for a particular dog. I suggested that if her vet isn’t “behaviorally knowledgeable” she could ask them to do a phone consult with a veterinary behaviorist for guidance on appropriate medication cocktails.
The did say that Ivy's behavior had significantly improved since taking her off the Reconcile, so some of the behaviors that were problematic when they scheduled their appointment had noticeably improved - but they were still happy for the consultation and additional suggestions. And yes, I had some. Of course.<G>
This was one of those cases where the wife shared that Ivy behaves better for her husband than she does for her. Upon further exploration I found that yes, the husband uses aversive corrections. It is not uncommon that it’s more often the husband who is using aversives to try to stop an unwanted behavior. Because the dog does appear to behave better for the aversive partner, they usually try to convince the other partner that they should be using them too. I explained that when one partner uses aversives they can often succeed in shutting down the dog’s behavior in the moment. In fact, however, the dog fears the potential application of aversives and is therefore more shut down in the presence of that partner. This does not, however, change the underlying motivation for the behavior, and so the behavior often returns in the absence of the aversive partner. Aversives also add stress to the dog’s world, which is very counterproductive, as the vast majority of behaviors we work to modify in clients’ dogs are stress-related, and we are trying to reduce stress, not increase it.
Ivy's humans agreed they didn't want a relationship based on fear.
Instead, I suggested we use a combination of management, CC&D and operant protocols to manage and change Ivy’s behavior. Because Ivy and Xander get along well together much of the time and enjoy playing togethr, we don’t want to eliminate all dog-dog interaction. We identified the arousal of running out the door to the backyard as a primary flashpoint for Ivy to turn on Xander, so I recommended taking both dogs out into the yard on leash, walking them until they have gotten over the initial “wheeeeeeeeeeeee, outside!!!!! excitement, and then letting them off leash to play. I also urged them to use a more neutral sound interrupter like a whistle (not an angry voice!) when they observed tension being telegraphed from Ivy toward Xander, as using an angry voice for intervention can actually trigger aggression.
Finally, we agreed on these commitments:
1. Going Outside: Daily – every time both dogs go out; have dogs on leashes, walk them outside calmly until they are settled, then let them off leash to play.
2. Getting Up: CC&D several times per week, 5-10 minutes per session, rising and feeding: with both of seated, one holding Ivy’s leash and a supply of chicken. The other rises slightly, and as soon as Ivy notices, the seated person feeds a bit of chicken. Repeat over and over until Ivy looks for chicken when the riser starts to move. Gradually increase the amount of rising, until the person can stand and walk away without Ivy getting excited.
3. Leash Management: Daily – manage with Ivy on leash as much as possible to prevent her from practicing her arousal behavior.
3. Mat and Touch: 5 minutes or more per session, at least 5 days per week (more is fine!) practice these behaviors to fluency (first in the home, then in the real world) so you can use them to manage Ivy’s behavior as needed.
I am optimistic about Ivy too… as long as Dad hops on board and stops using aversives. No reports back yet – I usually ask them to send a report in two weeks, and it hasn’t been that yet. We shall see…
FOR NEXT TIME
So that was my 3-Dog-Day… one I hope not to replicate too often. Right now we’re in the middle of a 2-day “Beyond Sit And Down” Workshop, introducing a variety of advanced training protocols, including Hand Signals, Nose Games, Behavior Chains, Reading, Premack and Imitation. Fun!!! And much less stressful for all concerned than those Academies!!!
Until next time…
Veteran’s Day November 11 – Thanks to all who served…
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
