Animal behaviour

[Jennifer]

I was just posting the current position statements for my animal behaviour students and it occurred to me that some people here might appreciate it too.

http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabonline/ ... Itemid=366

So many people have outdated ideas about dominance behaviours and punishment and this is exacerbated by viewing TV "behaviourists" that are giving out all the wrong advice. The information at the link above represents the views of the formost veterinary behaviourists and behaviour researchers in the world.

I genuinely hope this helps.

[stillnzcookie]

Thanks jenniferh - this looks like interesting reading. I have only skimmed through it so far, but it looks like we are basically on the right track with our dog (and we are generally happy with her behaviour!)

However, there are two things I would like to point out. About 2 years ago, we were at our wit's end with our border terrier. After countless trips to the vet, the only possible problem they could find was that she may have had epilepsy, or some neurological problem that was causing her anxiety problems. Her behaviour was so extreme that we even considered the possibility of having her put down.

We contacted BarkBusters, which does subscribe to the dog-needs-to-be-lowest-in-the-pack theory, and although we didn't use all their (non-physical) punishment methods, by subtly changing our behaviour (by acting more assertively), we were able to start correcting some of her behaviour. The other thing they suggested was that we try her on a raw foods diet, which went directly against our vet's advice (who gave us all the horror stories about dogs and bones, and told us she would not be able to get all the nutrients she needed on raw foods alone). Well, we persisted with the vet's advice for another year before finally making the change to an all raw foods diet (K9 Natural and raw bones), and we now have a completely different dog!

I have always been slightly skeptical of there being a causative link between diet and behaviour, but our experience has shown this to be true in our dog's case - quite literally, after less than a month on raw food, with no other changes, we saw almost all the undesirable aspects of our dog's behaviour disappear, and many physical improvements as well.

The point I would like to make is that, yes, you should listen to your vet's advice in the first instance, as their advice should follow the most recent scientific thinking. However, there are other options if you are having problems that your vet seems unable to help with, and although some of these may go directly against your vet's advice, they may still be worth considering. If we had only followed our vet's suggestions, our lovely, amazing dog would have been put down almost a year ago.

[Jennifer]

I agree, it is always a good idea to get a second oppinion rather than take one person's word as gospel - especially if they aren't an expert in the field. Also, medicine is not an exact science, we must always remember that each individual is different and what works for some may not work for others.

[livingart]

yes there as many methods as there are experts

every dog is individual iin its requirements, the modern dog is very far removed from the wolf

we need to learn to speak animal to the animals

[Insect Direct]

I do.....woof woof :oops: :lol:

Looks good from what i skimmed over last night, thanks Jennferh.

Bit like children I dont see the any benefit from using force/dominance. More emphasis on positive praise goes a very long way to gaining control and respect.

[Carlos & Siran]

I've had a few trouble cows over the last few months,507 and 500, they booted the living custard out of me in the bails, earlier on when things were full on I was more inclined to just get angry and give em a whack, but you know, it really makes matters far far worse. So I just started going out in the yard, really calm cause they can sense when you're stressed, and pat them, or just lay a hand on them. During cupping I'd do the same, and now I barely notice them, they can still be anxious at times when I take the cups off but generally they're different cows. I've talked to vets about it all and they say that almost all behavioral problems are caused by the farmers and the way they treat their animals.

[livingart]

nothing worse than getting kicked in the bails

[Carlos & Siran]

Reckon

[stillnzcookie]

Bit like children I dont see the any benefit from using force/dominance. More emphasis on positive praise goes a very long way to gaining control and respect

I agree... up to a point. I think a lot of us struggle to find the right balance of showing authority, and making it clear who is in charge, without becoming domineering, or conversely being too soft. I think both pets and children feel more secure when they know someone else is in control, but that you don't necessarily need to use force or punishment to show that you are the boss.

I think of the difference between teachers who used punishment/ humiliation etc to get children to obey them, the wishy-washy teachers who just let kids run riot around them ("oh I don't think you should be doing that, dear"), and those amazing teachers who were just calm and in control, who you just naturally respected and obeyed, but who quickly took charge if there was a problem.

Similarly, I know some people who just seem to have a way with animals - everything about their behaviour and body-language seems to say "I'm in control and you can trust me".

As a parent and a pet-owner, I know what I'm trying to do, but I certainly don't always get it right!

[livingart]

i have raised, trained and handled big cats, baboons and elephants it is a balance of showing authority in the way that suits the personality of the animal you are working with

you can have a respectful relationship with any animal, humans included if you understand the nuances of the psyches involved