The Dog Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [58]
Despite of his aggressive displays, Cosmo would sometimes roll over and release a small amount of urine when he was excited or feeling submissive. This behavior is not uncommon among cocker spaniels. On the positive side, Cosmo was not aggressive around other dogs, while he ate, or when resting inside his crate. The couple could easily take his dish or toys away from him.
My diagnosis was that Cosmo suffered from moderate dominance aggression, social status aggression, anxiety, and submissive/excited urination. No medical condition was found, but his front right footpad never grew completely, which may explain why he was hypersensitive to having his nails trimmed. Instead of trying to clip all his nails at once, I advised Gaby and Tony to clip one nail at a time and reward him after each one with a high-value treat, to develop a positive association with grooming. I suggested that they immediately replace the choke collar they were using with a halter-type collar. In Cosmo’s case, the use of the choker only fueled his aggression.
Addressing this dog’s undesirable behavior took patience and time. Cosmo was placed on an antianxiety medication, which helped him become calmer, especially when awakening. The owners took some basic safety precautions, including not permitting him to sleep on their bed any longer. Instead of leaning over a sleeping Cosmo to wake him, I encouraged them to stand at a safe distance and call out Cosmo’s name to wake him. The goal was to try as much as possible not to set Cosmo up for failure by trying to force him off a bed or startling him from a deep sleep.
Cosmo had never received any formal dog training, so we worked on teaching reliable compliance with basic behaviors: sit, down, stay, come, and quiet. If Cosmo displayed aggression, he was placed in a closed bathroom for a short duration. On a positive note, we tapped Cosmo’s favorite activity, playing fetch, and had him earn playtime.
After just a month of behavior modification and medication, Cosmo’s behavior improved. He stopped growling when being groomed or told to move. He listens to Gaby and Tony and appears to be a more contented cocker spaniel.
Contributed by Patrick Melese, DVM
Go-Go-Go Lab
Q Tasha, my black Labrador retriever, never seems to tire out. I can play fetch with her for over an hour and she still wants to play. I take her to a doggy day care three times a week, and the manager tells me that she romps all day with the other dogs. Yet when I come to pick her up, she has energy to burn. She is almost two years old. Will she ever tone down her activity level? I love her but wish there were times where she was quiet and calm.
A Some dogs do seem to behave like furry wind-up toys that never wind down. These overactive dogs do everything at top speed and rarely seem to nap or relax. When not playing, high-energy dogs may pace, yap nonstop, or display an unquenchable desire for attention. In Tasha’s case, her breed is well known for having plenty of energy and for maturing late, but even the most rollicking retriever should settle down sometimes. It is possible that her behavior is caused by an underlying health problem. Though rare, dogs can be diagnosed with hyperkinesis, the canine equivalent of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Always in a hurry, and sometimes frantically active, dogs with this medical condition possess rapid heart rates and won’t stop until they are completely exhausted. Book an appointment with your veterinarian to give Tasha a complete physical exam to rule out any medical causes and review any medication that she may be taking, because certain medications can trigger anxiety and hyperactivity as side effects.
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