Post by Brooke on Mar 28, 2004 23:03:23 GMT -5
Deborah Wood
Patience, understanding restore dog's confidence
The cycle of fear and aggression after an attack by another dog can be neutralized
03/23/04
Joan Armstrong didn't even see the coyote coming. She was walking her Australian shepherd, Nick, on a sunny Sunday morning in a field in Battle Ground, Wash. Suddenly, the coyote sprang out from dense woods near the field and attacked Nick.
The coyote left Nick with serious puncture wounds, including one within a half inch of his eye. Those wounds healed. But the emotional scars left from the attack will be with Nick for the rest of his life. "He'd always been very relaxed around other dogs. We'd be at agility matches, and he'd just look at me," says Armstrong. After the attack, Nick became dog-aggressive. "He'll never be the same," says Armstrong.
The attack doesn't have to be from something as scary as a coyote or even draw blood to create a problem. In mid-March, Kathy Stump of Portland was training her toy fox terrier, Arthur, when a large, playful dog pounced at him. Arthur's back was injured. "People say, 'My dog's friendly!' but my dog gets hurt," says Stump. Arthur's likely to experience fear long after the pain in his back is gone.
"A lot of dogs panic. They become extremely aggressive, and bark up a storm. They feel safer if they're aggressive first," says Tanya Roberts, director of behavior and training at the Oregon Humane Society.
That cycle of fear and aggression -- or sometimes panicked flight -- is a sad way for a dog to live. With patience, understanding and time, you can help your frightened dog gain back much of his old confidence.
Keep calm: If you've seen your dog attacked, it's normal to find yourself afraid every time a strange dog comes near. As hard as it may be to do, it's important to let go of your fear.
"Owners need to work on calming themselves down. Our dogs are so aware of our emotional state, we transmit our anxiety and tension," says Lisa Plymale, an owner of Happy-Go-Lucky Dog Training & Playcare in Portland.
Remember to breathe. Be careful not to tighten your dog's leash when another dog comes along; a tight leash communicates your fear to your dog.
Desensitize your dog: "If you've ever been in a car accident, that's the sort of anxiety your dog may be feeling," says Roberts. "Every time you see another car coming at you, you think, 'Oh, there it comes again.' It takes time to build back trust."
Think about what triggers your dog's fear. It might be an environment that reminds him of where he was attacked. It might be breeds of dogs that look like his attacker. It may be the gender or coloring of another dog.
Find a distance where he feels safe from the fear trigger, and build his confidence. Give him treats. Play with him. Practice his "sit" and "heel" and give him lots of rewards so he learns to think about something else.
If he shows fear, you're going too fast. Back up, and gradually over time get closer and closer to the triggers.
Expose your dog to friendly dogs: "It's not healthy to completely isolate your dog at this point," says Roberts. The key is to let your dog spend time with safe, friendly, socially adept dogs who will rebuild your dog's trust in other dogs.
If you have a friend with a gentle dog, go on walks together (both dogs on leash and not touching). If your dog wants to play with this canine buddy, let them interact in a fenced yard where they won't be interrupted by other dogs.
Obedience, agility and other dog sports can be great confidence-builders, as long as the class is well-organized and doesn't allow other dogs to come in contact with yours without your permission. "Select a trainer that doesn't use punishment-based methods, because that will exacerbate the problem," says Plymale.
It's been about three years since Nick was attacked. That awful day will always be part of Nick, but it no longer defines his life. Playing with Armstrong's other dogs and activities that are fun, including agility, tracking and obedience, have built his confidence.
Armstrong smiles at her dog with obvious love and says, "He's just a great dog."
Deborah Wood: TaoBowwow@aol.com
Patience, understanding restore dog's confidence
The cycle of fear and aggression after an attack by another dog can be neutralized
03/23/04
Joan Armstrong didn't even see the coyote coming. She was walking her Australian shepherd, Nick, on a sunny Sunday morning in a field in Battle Ground, Wash. Suddenly, the coyote sprang out from dense woods near the field and attacked Nick.
The coyote left Nick with serious puncture wounds, including one within a half inch of his eye. Those wounds healed. But the emotional scars left from the attack will be with Nick for the rest of his life. "He'd always been very relaxed around other dogs. We'd be at agility matches, and he'd just look at me," says Armstrong. After the attack, Nick became dog-aggressive. "He'll never be the same," says Armstrong.
The attack doesn't have to be from something as scary as a coyote or even draw blood to create a problem. In mid-March, Kathy Stump of Portland was training her toy fox terrier, Arthur, when a large, playful dog pounced at him. Arthur's back was injured. "People say, 'My dog's friendly!' but my dog gets hurt," says Stump. Arthur's likely to experience fear long after the pain in his back is gone.
"A lot of dogs panic. They become extremely aggressive, and bark up a storm. They feel safer if they're aggressive first," says Tanya Roberts, director of behavior and training at the Oregon Humane Society.
That cycle of fear and aggression -- or sometimes panicked flight -- is a sad way for a dog to live. With patience, understanding and time, you can help your frightened dog gain back much of his old confidence.
Keep calm: If you've seen your dog attacked, it's normal to find yourself afraid every time a strange dog comes near. As hard as it may be to do, it's important to let go of your fear.
"Owners need to work on calming themselves down. Our dogs are so aware of our emotional state, we transmit our anxiety and tension," says Lisa Plymale, an owner of Happy-Go-Lucky Dog Training & Playcare in Portland.
Remember to breathe. Be careful not to tighten your dog's leash when another dog comes along; a tight leash communicates your fear to your dog.
Desensitize your dog: "If you've ever been in a car accident, that's the sort of anxiety your dog may be feeling," says Roberts. "Every time you see another car coming at you, you think, 'Oh, there it comes again.' It takes time to build back trust."
Think about what triggers your dog's fear. It might be an environment that reminds him of where he was attacked. It might be breeds of dogs that look like his attacker. It may be the gender or coloring of another dog.
Find a distance where he feels safe from the fear trigger, and build his confidence. Give him treats. Play with him. Practice his "sit" and "heel" and give him lots of rewards so he learns to think about something else.
If he shows fear, you're going too fast. Back up, and gradually over time get closer and closer to the triggers.
Expose your dog to friendly dogs: "It's not healthy to completely isolate your dog at this point," says Roberts. The key is to let your dog spend time with safe, friendly, socially adept dogs who will rebuild your dog's trust in other dogs.
If you have a friend with a gentle dog, go on walks together (both dogs on leash and not touching). If your dog wants to play with this canine buddy, let them interact in a fenced yard where they won't be interrupted by other dogs.
Obedience, agility and other dog sports can be great confidence-builders, as long as the class is well-organized and doesn't allow other dogs to come in contact with yours without your permission. "Select a trainer that doesn't use punishment-based methods, because that will exacerbate the problem," says Plymale.
It's been about three years since Nick was attacked. That awful day will always be part of Nick, but it no longer defines his life. Playing with Armstrong's other dogs and activities that are fun, including agility, tracking and obedience, have built his confidence.
Armstrong smiles at her dog with obvious love and says, "He's just a great dog."
Deborah Wood: TaoBowwow@aol.com