It’s amazing what us humans come up with to deal with or correct problem behaviour with our dogs. How in the world did we ever manage without the tools and technology of today? Or, is it the tools and technology of today that is making our problems worse? Hmmm… I think I know what I might pick.

Problem behaviour in dogs is getting worse in North America, but it’s not because our dogs are changing. They are still just being dogs… just as they have always been for the past 14+ thousand years. Their genetic make-up has not changed and their DNA is still 99.8% the same as a wolf’s. What is changing is our perception of dogs and how we treat them. Looking back only 70 years ago, things were very different, but it is durring this last 70 years that the shift started to happen. This is the time that kibble (and other convenient ways to feed dogs) was introduced into the market. It was also the time that the second world war was ending. So, among other things, this is what took place….

Dogs, from the time they were domesticated, served a purpose in our human world. When they lived with humans they had a job to do. There was no such thing as acquiring a dog because they are so cute, or because we want something to curl up with, or because we just want one. Some of their jobs, depending on the size and strength of the dog, would include turning wheels on roasting spits, water pumps or butter churns, pulling carts to deliver goods like milk and eggs, hunting, herding livestock, guarding livestock, tracking, vermin control, assisting the disabled, protection of property, territory or individuals, and many other things. These working dogs were treated like dogs… not like humans. They had a job to do and they loved to do that job. Dog’s slept outside and scavenged or hunted for food.

There were over 20,000 dogs serving in the canine core military service in WW2. Dogs hauled supplies, served as scouts, warned troops of incoming threats, caught spies, and visited injured soldiers. They have been credited by helping cut human casualty rates dramatically. Dogs were a natural choice for this job as they are territorial animals, have possessive and guarding traits, and are loyal companions. During WW2 many soldiers became very attached to these dogs and upon returning home from the war, many men took these dogs home with them. A dramatic shift happened… most of these dogs were brought into the family home and were pampered, fed on a regular basis and were no longer required to do the jobs they had before. The family ‘pet’ was introduced verses acquiring a dog for working needs. For many of these dogs, working for simple things like food and water was no longer required.

Now this might seem like a great thing for the dog because as a human, this is what we would enjoy, cherish and be grateful for. However, the dog is still the dog he or she was before this special treatment and by no longer having to do the jobs that they were bred to do meant that these dogs needed to find something else to channel their energy.

Today we offer pampering to our dogs on an even greater scale. We have bags to carry our dogs so they don’t have to walk, we have shops to take them to so they can be bathed, brushed and have little ribbons put into their hair, there are clothes we can buy to keep them warm and stylish, there are thousands of treats we can buy to say I love you, there are Louis Vuitton or Burberry collars and leashes we can accessorize them in, we buy them special beds to lift them off the floor, we give them their very own couch or furniture to get comfy on, we create a special seat for them so they can look out the window, we search for special bowls, we take them to chiropractors, massage therapists, or even psychics, we throw birthday parties and make them a special meat or biscuit cake, we wrap up Christmas presents and put them under the tree, we put costumes on them for Halloween, we take them on doggie play dates, and so many more things. Now granted, I do enjoy some of these things or even find things like Chiropractic care necessary for my own dogs, but what has ended up happening is our dogs are being treated dramatically different from the way they were treated only 50 to 70 years ago!! All of a sudden, our dogs are being treated not like dogs at all, but like little human babies with four legs and fur.

The reason people choose the dogs they choose has also changed. I ask my clients, “Why did you choose this specific dog or breed?” and the answers vary from, “Because I have always loved and wanted this breed”, “I had one growing up and it was a great dog”, “I wanted a non-shedding dog”, “I like the size of the dog”, “I saw it in the window and I wanted to rescue it”, “It’s the most beautiful breed I’ve ever seen”, “My kids picked it”, and on and on. My point is, our dogs were originally bred to do a very specific job and that very specific job is almost never the reason people acquire dogs today. We bring home hunting dogs and never ask them to hunt, or herding dogs and never ask them to move livestock, or scent dogs and never ask them to track. What often us humans fail to realize is that it’s okay not to have our herding dogs move livestock, for example, but we do need to fill that void with movement and exercise to expel that natural energy.

Majority of excessive, destructive, or annoying behaviour in dogs is related to a lack of leadership, exercise, and/or rules. Dogs need to have leadership from a confident, calm and consistent individual, they need to be exercised for at least an hour every single day, and they need to have rules, structure and limitations so they know what is expected of them within the pack. This must come above all other things, including love and affection!

In our current human society we tend to always look towards instant gratification. When we don’t see the reward immediately, often we move on to something else. This is the case with our own diets, exercise, careers, books we read, etc. When it comes to our dogs, instead of putting in the work, often we are looking for a magic wand or something easy that we can do to fix a problem. This leads me to what I read in the newspaper today…

DVD’s for dogs have been created to treat separation anxiety, loneliness and boredom that lead to problems such as whining, barking and destruction. The series offers a virtual car ride in the country, interactions with various animals from peacocks to horses, and a virtual rabbit chase! These DVD’s have a desensitization feature which claims to be scientifically formulated to soothe your pet and reduce hypersensitivity.

What??!?!?!!

Granted, I have not tried these DVD’s, but come-on… really?!

I have worked with dogs who literally attack the TV when other dogs or animals appear, when a doorbell sounds, or other triggers. Gee… I wonder what these DVD’s might provoke in some dogs?

Understanding your dog for who they are and doing the work to fulfill your pet not only rids your dog of annoying behaviours but it also creates a balanced dog who is happy and feels loved. There is no such thing as a quick fix. As with many things in life, short cuts do not work and magic wands don’t really exist. If you are having issues or challenges with your dog, the first question you must ask yourself is are you fulfilling your dogs needs, as a dog (not as a human)? That means offering leadership, exercise and having rules that your dog understands. If you are uncertain, find a professional who can help you understand your dog and why they are doing what they are doing.

At Clever Canines we don’t cover up problems, we fix them.

So… there’s my rant… all stemmed from one article in the newspaper…

Tracie