Exam 1 - Common Behavior Problems in Dogs Flashcards
what are the 3 main categories of why dogs bark?
normal behavior - threat, warning to pack members, & show solidarity of other dogs
boredom - higher likelihood in certain breeds (cairn terriers)
want attention/interaction - separation anxiety, confinement anxiety, & learned
when do we see barking become a problem for owners?
when the owner is home - owner is motivated to make a change, punishment to the pet may actually be a reward, & often is triggered by other factors
owner is not home & neighbor is bothered - owner has little motivation to change & wants a fast/easy solution
why avoid using verbal or physical punishment with operant conditioning with positive punishment when trying to modify behavior for too much barking?
doesn’t do anything for the dog - you’re unable to do it consistently
wait for extinction or distract the dog
what are some examples of remote punishment when using operant conditioning to modify behaviors of excessive barking?
no bark collars - citronella collars & noise/vibration collars (put them on all dogs in the house)
‘booby traps’
what is the benefit of using remote punishment for excessive barking?
advantage of consistency!!
what are some examples of management for excessive barking in dogs?
doggie day care, ignore or distract the dog
normal behaviors have an internal reward, so they are difficult to stop
how can you teach a dog to be less reactive in regards to excessive barking?
teach the dog ‘quiet’ - let them smell the treat
dog gets the treat as soon as they are quiet - repeat this often & gradually increase the length of ‘quiet’
what are some management techniques for dogs that are reactive at the door?
block off the problem entrance
find an alternative way for people to let you know they are coming
how can you use behavior modification for a dog that is reactive at the door?
teach the dog to heel at the door and sit on the mat - reward the correct, quiet behavior
have a friend ring the doorbell or knock - walk the dog on a leash to sit on the mat & don’t open the door!!!
reward the dog when it is quiet & continuously sitting
open the door & immediately shut it - reward appropriate behavior
gradual steps until the friend rings the doorbell & when the door opens, the friend rewards appropriate behavior
repeat with increasingly unfamiliar guests
what is destructive chewing associated with in puppies?
normal in puppies
what is destructive chewing associated with in older dogs?
lack of exercise - particularly in mouth-oriented breeds such as labs/goldens
boredom, separation anxiety, thunderphobia, lack of supervision (uncontrolled access to the wrong location)
how is destructive chewing managed in dogs?
limit their access to inappropriate locations/objects - crate training!!!!! don’t confine them without appropriately training the dog
provide 1-2 chew objects at a time that are unique to their environment that are readily available & rotate them frequently
avoiding emotional coming/going
why do we see destructive chewing with furniture?
hidden treats, they are teething, boredom, or stress
why do we see destructive chewing with trash?
smell attracts their attention - they get a food reward for getting into it
why do we see destructive chewing with items/objects belonging to one person?
changes in the pet’s schedule, inattention to dog by the person, & development of negative feelings toward the dog
how do we manage destructive chewing with items/objects belonging to one person?
tighten up the dog’s schedule & reinforce only positive things to break the negative cycle
why do we see counter surfing in dogs?
high value items (usually food) - behavior is rewarded & the dogs will get creative
how can we manage a dog that counter surfs environment to prevent the behavior?
prevent temptation - put the food away & keep the counters clean
how can you teach a dog to not counter surf?
use a video cam - confine the dog when not training
bait the counter & go out of sight, as soon as the dog jumps on the counter, reappear with a shaker can, repeat until the dog stops trying, & repeat lessons periodically
how can remote punishment be used to stop a dog from counter surfing?
scat mat or photoelectric sensor trigger - blast of air or a loud noise
what is pica?
eating of non-food items
is a dog eating grass considered pica?
no - normal behavior
what are some reasons why dogs may eat non-food items?
are they truly eating it or just destroying it, contaminated with food scents, teething, attention seeking (behavior rewarded in the past), moving objects, boredom, or suspect gi abnormalities
how can you manage a dog that eats non-food items?
prevent access to the types of objects eaten/discard them
may muzzle the dog if necessary
how can taste aversion be used to manage a dog with pica?
prime the dog or cat to have a particular taste - coat the object with the taste & refresh the object periodically
video cam & shaker can
why may a dog eat horse/cow feces?
predigested vegetable matter
why may a dog eat cat feces?
a large amount of protein remains
why may puppies eat other dog feces?
bitches lick puppies to keep the nest clean & puppies obtain their intestinal microbiota
why may older dogs eat dog feces?
medical issues (hydrocephalus, parasites, pancreatitis), boredom, or rewarded by owner
what are the top five breeds associated with coprophagy?
labs, golden retrievers, bassets, GSD, & shelties
60% female & 40% male
what oral products can be used for dogs with coprophagia?
high fiber diet - commercial foods or canned pumpkin, probiotics
forbid, potty mouth, etc
how can coprophagy be managed in dogs?
oral products, taste aversion, & prevent access (muzzle pet, leash them, pick up yard)
what is an example of dogs jumping on people as a natural behavior?
wolf cubs lick the faces of the dam as food begging - behavior is the dog’s attempt to get to the face
why is a dog jumping on people hard to manage with owners?
behavior is encouraged/rewarded
the behavior is acceptable sometimes but not others - owners have unrealistic expectations as the dog can’t differentiate between work clothes/home clothes
when managing a dog that jumps on people, is jumping allowed at all?
no - behavior is not tolerated at all for family or guests, all family members must participtae
why is it a bad idea to squeeze the foot of a dog & pretend to trim the nails when managing a dog that jumps on people? what are some other poor recommendations?
creates a different aversion to nail trimming!!
knee to the dog’s chest or stepping on their back feet
what are some better recommendations for managing a dog that jumps on people?
teach an alternative behavior - sit or lie down
stand & ignore the dog
walk into the dog
where is mounting behavior most commonly seen?
young, intact male dogs (40% of intact females will mount/10% of spayed females will mount)
may or may not include masturbation - more likely if mounting an inanimate object (soft/fuzzy)
what is vacuum activity in regards to mounting behavior in dogs?
innate behavior performed in the absence of an obvious stimulus (innate behavior with the lowest threshold of stimulation - behavior has not been recently triggered)
little to no contact with intact females - may relate to the odor of a nearby estrus female
what is displacement behavior in regards to mounting in dogs?
act that is irrelevant to the behavioral context - outlet for emotional arousal or anxiety
when is mounting seen in play behavior in dogs?
puppies & dogs with an already established relationship in play
how do you differentiate between hormonal mounting & social mounting?
social is primarily directed at the shoulder area
T/F: surgical castration reduces mounting behavior by 80%
true
how can environmental management help with preventing mounting behavior in dogs?
remove environmental triggers - discard inanimate objects
how can exercise help with preventing mounting behavior in dogs?
reduces energy available for other behaviors - do shortly before triggers occur
how can behavior modification help with preventing mounting behavior in dogs?
teach a different command - sit or lie down
T/F: the location of digging in dogs suggests the cause
true
if a dog is digging near the fence, what does it suggest as the cause?
nearby activities going on or the animal wants to escape
if a dog is digging near the house, what does it suggest as the cause?
drawn to the people inside
if a dog is digging near a gate, what does it suggest as the cause?
nearby activities going on or the animal wants to escape
if a dog is digging in a flower bed, what does it suggest as the cause?
cooling hole to lay in or there are people inside
if a dog is digging in the shade, what does it suggest as the cause?
cooling hole
if a dog is digging in the house, what does it suggest as the cause?
animal is too hot ot too cold
if a dog is digging in the middle of the yard, what does it suggest as the cause?
varmints nearby
how is digging managed in dogs?
eliminate the cause of the digging - let the dog out when there are no distractions (children not playing in the neighboring yard, no activity in the front of the house)
keep the dog cool or warm
human attention
exercise
what are some examples of ways escape can happen in dogs?
climbing under the fence, digging under a fence, squeezing through an existing hole, or bolting out a gate/door
what is the main concern of owners of dogs that show escape behaviors?
they are worried the dog will not come back when called
what are some potential causes of escape behaviors in dogs?
lack of exercise - high energy breeds that are hard to catch until their energy is used up
lack of mental stimulation - may just go to the front yard & watch
lack of social interaction - go where other people/dogs are
attracted to nearby activity - small critters or playing children
why does punishment not work for dogs with escape behaviors?
you’re punishing the dog for being caught - not for running away
must treat the ‘why’ to stop the problem - barrier change to the behavior to a new problem (the why is still present, so climbing a fences becomes digging underneath the fence)
what are some examples of addressing the stimulus for a dog showing escape behaviors?
runs for a long time/hard to catch - find ways to exert extra energy
sits in the front yard - add environmental enrichment
interacts with nearby humans/dogs - schedule interactions/take to dog park
teach not to bolt out the door/gates - desensitization/counterconditioning
