Trouble in Paradise part 2

This is a continuation of last week’s post on same household dog fights.  As I mentioned on that post, having to manage and live with dogs that are injuring one another is not a picnic.  It can be very stressful for the dogs as well as the people. Also, depending on the severity and frequency of the fights, one needs to consider the imminent danger to people. I once consulted with a young couple that had a baby and two of their four dogs were getting into bad fights.  One of the things that made this case so complicated is that the husband did not want to do much in the way of managing the dogs or training and refused to let go of the dog that was causing the injuries.  The wife was mortified to learn that the chances of their child being in between two fighting dogs once he started crawling was definitively a possibility. Of course, this sounds like an extreme case when it comes to someone getting seriously hurt; not all cases are like this.

To begin with, I suggest that dogs are taught to be comfortable wearing basket muzzles so that when they are not being closely supervised and in proximity of each other at least they will not hurt one another.  The idea is to get the dog comfortable with wearing the muzzle, and not simply plop the muzzle on and be done with it. It goes without saying that people must be very diligent in making sure that the dogs are wearing the muzzles.  I know that it’s really hard to be on top of everything all the time, but the reality is that this is what it takes to have dogs that are fighting regain an ability to co-exist peacefully.

Both dogs need to also learn some basic obedience so that they can reliably go to their crate or a bed when asked to do so. They must also learn to take turns going in and out of any door or exiting the car. Since these are amongst the typical situations where dog fights take place.

If the fights have been a result of either one of the dogs guarding an object be it a toy, food, snack, they should not be allowed to have any of these items together.  If what they guard is a location such as a bed or a person, things change a bit here, but in essence the same rule applies.

Once these measures are put in place, dogs need to be taught that in fact, their nemesis actually produces really good stuff for them!  One can achieve this by the careful orchestration of presenting valuable resources only when the other dog is present.  Again, really careful management must be in place.  I would argue that while doable to do it with only one person, it is always best to have one handler per dog.

Now, if one of the dogs is the one that is constantly harassing the other, intimidating or controlling the other dog’s movements we must then also be super proactive in teaching the bully that any intimidation will result in social isolation. This protocol works wonders when again folks have been taught what to look for and are willing and able to follow up implementing the protocol every single time the dog engages in any intimidating behaviors towards the less fortunate dog.

Please forget the nonsense of “supporting the alpha” advice that is still given by many veterinarians and dog trainers that have not looked into the scientific literature regarding social dominance. Moreover, how does one know which one is the “alpha”?  As some of my clients have attested they are confused as to which dog is the alpha as they try to implement rules and protocols that require they support the alpha.  I cannot say this loud enough!  Not only will these measures not work, but most likely they will continue to make the life of one of the dogs (the one that folks consider the subordinate) a living hell.  How unfair is this?

When it comes to behavior we must think critically.  Rarely is behavior simple in its expression. Dogs are one of the most sophisticated species when it comes to their social relations. For us to imply that we can delve into the intricacies of their complex social relationships with simplistic advice- such as being the leader and supporting the alpha, is really a rotten proposition.

If you have dogs that are fighting in your home, consider carefully all your options. I disagree that love is all that dogs need in order to resolve this issues.  Sure, love is nice but they need understanding of who they are as a species and as individuals.  They need our care and for us to be true advocates so that they can remain safe and thrive in the household.

Re-homing is a good option when the family realizes they do not have what it takes to tackle all what it will take to make the dogs be in good terms again. And if an appropriate alternative is found - which is really not that easy.  On occasion euthanasia, might be a consideration. In my professional opinion, all possibilities need to be explored with good judgement as well as honesty as one- size- fits- all approach is not really a consideration.

Living In Harmony

I am meeting with first-time clients regarding inter-dog aggression in the home.

This is one of those instances where I brace myself for potentially delivering news that the owners most likely do not want to hear. As I read through their questionnaire, I realized that their situation is not an easy one and that a good outcome where all dogs remaining at home, while possible, does not seem very doable. But, I need to wait to meet everyone in person.

There are many factors to consider in order to ascertain the most likely outcome of inter-dog-dog aggression. Most people, while loving their dogs, really do not have the time and energy to intervene when their dogs are fighting.

On the other hand, years of experience in visiting with folks with dog & dog issues has also taught me to suspend all possible scenarios until I learn more about their specific situation.

Once at their home it is evident that the husband's experience with German Shepherds can really make a difference here.

The two females have had several altercations and it became obvious to me, once we did some work with the two of them, that there is clear animosity between them.

The family reports that even when the GSD joined the family as a puppy the other female never took to liking her. Now with the onset of adolescences for the GSD the intimidation has escalated.

So what are some of the conditions that allow for a good outcome in a case like this? The answer is not a straight -forward one. One has to consider the human element as well as the dogs involved.

Some of the things that I take into consideration while giving a  recommendation as to the future of the dogs is the family living situation. These are:

1. The time and energy the family has to work on managing the dogs so that they do not continue to fight.
2. Time to engage in a long training process.
3. Financial resources.
4. Demographics of the family: Are there small children in the household, elderly folks? Etc.
5. Willingness and the capacity to understand and carry through very precise directions during training as well as in their regular day-to-day life.
6. Making sure that all family members care enough for the dogs so that they will support each other’s efforts and equally important not to undermine any of the recommendations. They must work closely with me!
7. Having a “plan B” in place in the event a fight breaks out.
8. Lots and lots of patience since in most cases, when an owner calls a pro to come help, there has already been a history of fights or a breakup in the relationship between the dogs.

It goes without saying that it is really hard for families to re-home one of their dogs. However, at times re-homing is the right response from a family as the need for the safety for everyone in the home is also of paramount importance.

On the bright side, it is also not natural for dogs that are now sharing a household to always get along. Feral dogs often leave their group when conflict with another cannot be resolved and either remain as a solo individual or joins another group of dogs.

Are they playing or are they fighting?

This past Friday John and I along with our dogs Laika and Deuce went to the Santa Fe Animal Shelter to meet a potential doggy guest. I do pro bono work for the local shelters and bring dogs home that are either deteriorating at the shelter (who can blame them - shelters even the “nice” ones are really stressful for animals) or have behavioral problems that will make their adoption difficult.

I do not have many requirements when it comes to who is welcome into our household. However, I will not bring a dog that will not get along with mine. I really take to heart making sure that my dog’s lives are enriched by another guest dog in their space. For this reason, any potential foster must pass the Deuce & Laika test.

Typically, we meet the dog and give him/her a little time with John (if he came along) and me. Then I introduce the shelter dog to Deuce. I see how this interaction goes. So far, no flunkies. If the interaction with Deuce is positive, then the dog gets to meet Laika. Both Laika and Deuce are really social with most dogs. Dogs are very social animals almost to the point of compulsion. Now, just like people, they do not necessarily like all dogs or want to befriend all dogs. Even though they are both super friendly, Laika because of her age and being a female, is less interested in actual dog play but enjoys the company of dogs and loves to herd them- to the demise of the other dog and myself. Deuce, that boy Deuce …I have not yet met one dog that Deuce will not try to “charm” with his amazing social skills and play interest. So, what do I mean by dog play? How can one define it?

The reality is that we truly don’t have a scientific definition of play. Marc Bekoff PhD, one of the leading authorities in play, and author of the book The Emotional Lives of Animals dedicates a whole section to this activity and he says the following about play: "Social play is an excellent example of a behavior that both feels good and is important to survival. The shared joy experienced during play connects individuals and regulates interactions,” pg. 55-56. I think we can all agree that while not a strict definition of “play” it is something we can relate to. Now the question that for many years has intrigued behaviorists and ethologists alike is how does a dog (in our case a dog) know that the other dog is “just” playing since much of the body movements, postures and vocalizations that go on during play are also present in stacking behaviors (which are part of the food acquisition behaviors) and fighting?

We now know that there is very clear communication between dogs. They signal with their body language, actions and vocalization. During play these signals are called atmospheric cues or meta-signals. The best example of a meta-signal is a play bow. Almost everyone that has seen a playful interaction between dogs has witnessed it.

There are, of course, many meta-signals. Amongst them are:

1. Self-handicapping: here I come slamming into you ever so softly, or I am going to “bite” you but with no force at all, just the “looks” of a bite.

2. Happy face: you know it when you see it … My dog is smiling: a very relaxed, open mouth with a grin.

3. Role reversals: dogs taken turns changing activities such as: you chase me first I chase you next, so no one dog will feel like they are being the prey all of the time.

4. Bouncy exaggerated inefficient movements: now really, if you meant business and you were going to hurt another dog, would you leap in the air in joy a couple of inches or even feet? No! You would keep your body movement small – to conserve precious energy that you might need during the fight and targeted towards making the “kill”.

In our household it is Deuce that engages in play every opportunity he gets; with us, with all my client’s dogs that stay for board & train, and shelter dogs.

Now, here is something really fascinating about play; it will ONLY be present if the animal is relaxed. I.e.: a dog that is stressed or anxious will not play. Period. As the shelter-dog in turn begins to relax I begin to see more and more play. With more play, there is more relaxation. Renowned neurobiologist Jaak Panksepp discovered a close link between play in rats and an increase in opioids in their system. This increase of opioids may enhance the pleasure/reward system in the animal. By the way, even though his study was done on rats, the same has been found true for humans. I think (based on research and the opinion of scientists studying play) that is reasonable to assume that the same goes for dogs, cats or any other mammal when it comes to the neurochemistry in the body and play or another pleasurable activity.

Below is a video ( not the best quality as I was filming through a window because if I came out, Louie would immediately stop playing to come engage with me) of Deuce and Louie. See if you can identify some meta-signals. The play exhibited here is one of many styles of play between dogs: mouth-wrestling.