Holiday Stress Can Affect Your Pets

Written by Sam Kabbell, CPDT-KA, President, Pet Behavior Solutions

Office: (602) 324-8948, e-mail: sam@petbehaviorsolutions.com

Pet Behavior Solutions receives many calls between Thanksgiving and the New Year about stressed out families with stressed out pets. The holiday season is supposed to be a joyous time to celebrate with family and friends. There is lots of food, fun, family, friends, and festivities. Along with all that joy comes the stress in planning, preparing, and accommodating all the guests. Experiencing stress is not uniquely human.. Our feline and canine companions can struggle right alongside us. Stress in pets manifests in many ways such as housetraining accidents (also known as “watering” the Christmas tree), chewing (also known as premature unwrapping of Christmas presents left under the tree), becoming short tempered (just like mom and dad), fights with their pet siblings, aggression toward guests, changes in appetite, hiding, vocalizing, etc, When pets become stressed, their owners become more stressed because now they have something else to worry about!

Here are a few things to do in order to make this wonderful time of year a little less stressful and a little more joyous:

· Keep your pets on a schedule. Ensure that walks, trips to the park, playtime and other activities still take place. Just like children, pets need to have a consistent routine that they can count on.

· For stressed kitties, provide a quiet room for them away from the chaos. Place their food and water on the opposite side of the room as the litter box. Open blinds or curtains to provide some “enrichment” looking out the window. Some cats like to hide and others like to go up high. Provide safe hiding places like cat tents, under the bed, a clothes hamper, etc. Move a cat tree into the room to allow kitties to climb on appropriate things.

· For stressed doggies, try to set the tone for your dog by taking a deep breath and focusing on the positive things. Dogs take cues from their humans so if we are stressed, it is likely they will be, too. If we are calm, then they should be, too.

o Often, the dog is overlooked during the festivities and then given attention when it is all over. This teaches dogs that better things happen when everyone has finally left and it is all over. Instead, ensure that your dog is included and gets more attention and good things when the festivities are going on and then become a little more aloof toward him/her when the guests leave. This will help him/her to find that better things happen when the guests are around and the party is going.

o If your dog is aggressive toward guests, safety is a must. Acclimate him/her to a kennel or confinement in a quiet room until everyone leaves.

· As always, please contact us or your veterinarian for help with specific problems. Knowing what to do to alleviate these problems can make the holidays even more enjoyable.

With a little forethought and planning, you can reduce your stress as well as your pet’s stress during this holiday season!

Weathering the Economic Storm with Pets

Written by: Sam Kabbel, CPDT-KA, President, Pet Behavior Solutions

www.petbehaviorsolutions.com - 602-324-8948

I have been asked to speak for several groups lately regarding the impact the economy has had on our pets. It is such a complex issue that I thought I would blog about it.

Animal shelters are busier than ever with over a 100% increase in animal intakes over last year. Veterinarians, trainers, and behavior consultants are slower than ever with individual pet clients! Shelters are euthanizing more dogs and cats as one might expect, but it is disheartening to hear that veterinarians are also faced with euthanizing more pets than ever before. Trainers and behavior consultants hear the emotional stories of the problems people are having with their pets only to hear that caring owners are unable to afford the training protocols necessary to resolve the issues. Dogs and cats are being euthanized for treatable behavior and training issues as well as treatable medical issues.

Families are now concerned about how they are going to pay their bills, if they are going to keep their jobs, if they can maintain their residence, etc. Pets are becoming a lower priority. This is the most difficult thing to deal with as a professional in the pet industry. We dedicated our professional lives (and personal lives for most of us!) to resolving problems and working to strengthen the bond between pets and their people. With the change in priority for the average American, at times, we as professionals can feel disempowered in our ability to help.

Animal shelters are also feeling the negative effects of the economy. Donations are down. This is a huge challenge for them with over a 100% increase in animal intakes. Shelters are forced to trim down their staffing and that is affecting the animals. Administrative positions are often the first to feel the effects of downsizing. This presents a problem because those positions are responsible for coordinating volunteers, donor relations, fund development, marketing, public relations, etc. Administrative positions are essential when trying to grow available resources and networking with the community to meet the needs of the animals. Shelter administrators are forced to triage based on immediate needs instead of focusing on long term planning. There are fewer resources available for the animals as behavior and enrichment programs are considered less critical than food and medical care. Education and training programs for staff and volunteers have been either restricted or cut entirely. The staff and volunteers are stretched to their limits doing several jobs and having to deal with the stressed public who need to surrender their animals. It is an amazingly challenging time.

What can be done to weather this storm? Members of the community need to get involved. Most importantly, when anyone mentions problems they are having with their pet, recommend that they call for help. There are often lower cost options available for people to get the help they need. As pet professionals, our first goal is to keep the pets from entering the animal shelters in the first place. There are many options for behavior and training help: group training classes, private training programs, home consultations, office consultations, phone consultations, e-mail and chat consultations, etc. The important thing is for people to call to find out what their options are.

The next thing you can do is look to your local animal shelter or rescue to obtain a pet and encourage others to do the same. Shelters are bursting at the seams with wonderful dogs and cats that are waiting for their permanent homes. If adoptions increase, then euthanasias will decrease. This sounds so simple and I suppose it really is – but we need to talk about it with friends, family, and coworkers so it is at the forefront of people’s minds.

Another thing you can do is to contact your local animal shelter to see how you can help. Donations are critical in these tough times. Think big on this one: that means monetary donations, donations of your time in terms of volunteering, and donations of items. Most shelters have a wish list of items that they either need but can’t afford or items that they need on a consistent basis.

Finally, don’t underestimate the power of your voice; encourage people to get help for their pets, encourage people to consider adoption first, and encourage people to help at local animal shelters. If everyone becomes an advocate for the animals by networking and being vocal about it – we can help the dogs and cats to weather this economic storm.

Using Punishments in Dog Behavior Modification

Written by Sam Kabbel, CPDT-KA, President, Pet Behavior Solutions

What is punishment?

The word punishment evokes all kinds of emotions and opinions. There are a variety of techniques and “schools of thought” with regard to the use of punishment in resolving behavior problems in dogs. This article is not meant to address techniques or methodology, but rather to address punishment as a scientific term and its use in behavior modification. Punishment is defined as a consequence that when applied following a behavior, reduces that behavior. There are two “types” of punishment – one where something bad happens and one where something good stops. Both of these types of punishment are aimed at reducing an unwanted behavior. The thing we struggle with the most is the type and intensity of the punishment needed to affect behavior.

As seen on TV

Television programs offer much information to the dog owning public about how to resolve problems. We see everything from using treats and toys to scruffing and pinning a dog. The problem is that these programs rarely show what doesn’t work, nor do they show the potential side effects of the various techniques that arise following the taping of the show. When seeing follow up cases, we only see the successful cases. We never see what to do if the suggested technique doesn’t work. Finally, these shows are abbreviated versions of systematic protocols which should be tailored specifically to each case and modified as necessary as the situation evolves.

One size does not fit all

I think we could all agree that repeatedly punching a dog for reacting inappropriately toward a guest or another dog would be an abusive method of attempting to modify behavior. Further, gently scolding the dog in a sing-song voice is unlikely to be effective for most dogs. My point is that there are so many ways to handle things that we need to go back to basics. I always think about the child’s story, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, when referring to the intensity of punishment. The porridge cannot be too hot or too cold – it must be just right. The punishment cannot be too harsh or too mild – it must be just right. But who determines if a punishment is too harsh or too mild? The trainer or behavior expert, the owner, the television show or book, etc.? None of these! The determination needs to be according to the dog with which we are working. For some dogs a stern yell would be devastating where another dog could interpret a swat on the hindquarters as affection. Unfortunately, I see pet owners trying to follow the advice they receive from their friends, family, television shows, and books. More often than not, these techniques are inappropriate for their situation. Further, pet owners are not trained in how to evaluate the effectiveness of these techniques nor are they trained in the proper administration of these techniques. This often leaves me, as a practitioner, with a dog that has either become sensitized or desensitized to consequences. That makes the issue far more challenging to resolve.

Why is the behavior occurring?

Generally, pet owners either fail to look at the motivation of the behavior before reacting to it or they make erroneous assumptions about the motivation of the behavior. Let’s make it even simpler – instead of trying to come up with a motivation – let’s look at what makes the behavior work or continue. Here is a simple example: Let’s imagine a dog that as a 6-month-old used to tuck his tail and hide behind his owner when people or other dogs would approach. Now he is 18 months old and he isn’t tucking his tail anymore. Now he is growling as they approach and lunging as they pass. If you just met the dog without knowing the history – you may not be able to tell that the motivation of the behavior is still fear. On the surface, it may look like a dog trying to be “dominant” by aggressing. Regardless of the motivation – what makes the lunging persist? What is the dog trying to accomplish by lunging? Think simply -- space and distance from the target! From the dog’s perspective the behavior works because people and their dogs don’t stick around after the growl and lunge. Either the dogs and people keep walking farther away or the lunging dog is taken away as quickly as possible. Either way the dog gets what he wants – space! In order to change the behavior we have to make that not work for the dog by changing the outcome when the dog engages in that behavior. (This is known as operant conditioning.) The dog would need to find that he isn’t able to chase people away and that his behavior doesn’t give him the distance he wants most. If he is not getting the outcome he is expecting, then the inappropriate behavior is no longer reinforcing for the dog. That paves the way for new, more appropriate sequences to teach the dog!

Feedback to the dog

It is said that dogs like to please their owners. This is because dogs love the feedback that they receive from their owners when their owners are happy. Dogs tend to do more of whatever earns our affection. (In terms of learning theory, affection acts as a reinforcement.) In contrast, punishments don’t make dogs happy. Generally dogs don’t want to be at odds with us since that interrupts the symbiosis of the bonded, social relationship.

Emotional stress: anger and frustration

Most punishments are all too often merely an expression of our own anger and frustration with the situation. We react emotionally instead of remaining emotionally detached and responding decisively. The last thing the dog needs is to have us respond to an already emotional situation for them with more strong emotion! Yelling, yanking, pinning, and other related techniques generally cause stress and anxiety for both the dog and the owner. Increasing a dog’s emotional stress never helps. Like people, dogs don’t think rationally when they are stressed and emotional. We have to help them to be less emotional and to weigh out their options with our guidance. Often we should choose a consequence that is more frustrating than harsh. Appropriately created frustration of an appropriate intensity brings about problem solving and creative thinking. Here is an example to which we can all relate: When we are faced with a road closure on our route to work – we have to find a way around it and will be likely to choose that route for as long as the road is blocked. The road closure creates frustration, but creative thinking and problem solving reduce that frustration because we have found another route that works better. Dogs need to learn that their current (inappropriate) way of reacting no longer works. This will require owners to have patience, consistency, repeated practice, and guidance for a more appropriate behavior (i.e., a new route to work). Dogs need to rule out their existing behavior and find a new way to respond.

Superstitions

Another consideration is the creation of superstitions, which occurs when a dog learns the wrong aspect of what we are trying to teach them. If the fearful dog described above is scruffed and pinned to the ground for growling and lunging at approaching people and dogs – what sort of superstition could be created? From the dog’s perspective, bad things happen or mom/dad is really upset when people and/or dogs approach, so the need to create distance increases!! The dog may learn that the approach predicts even worse things so create distance sooner and with more intensity.

Suppression or resolution?

Finally, harsh punishment may cause an immediate cessation of a behavior. Often times, this immediate cessation is merely a temporary suppression of that behavior. It is like getting a speeding ticket. There is nothing like a $150 fine to temporarily reform a speeder, but after a few weeks he/she is right back to speeding again. With dog behavior modification – we need to address the whole picture – what is the dog getting from the current behavior and what do we want him to do instead? Without both aspects of behavior modification – we rarely obtain a long term solution. The dog needs to rethink the entire scenario with our guidance and become practiced in the new sequence so that becomes his new default or automatic response.

Measuring success

Finally, effectiveness must be measured in terms of the frequency, duration, and/or intensity of the behavior we are trying to change. We need to see that we are getting progressively less of that behavior now as well as in the future. We also need to ensure that we have yielded a calmer, more confident dog that is no longer emotional or stressed in those situations.

There is so much to consider when using punishment that it is critical to seek the help of a professional who possesses the education and experience to consider all possible outcomes and create an effective protocol for a long term solution. A credentialed professional should be able to advise you as to a proper protocol with consequences that are appropriate for your dog, the situation, and your family. Please contact us for more information:

info@petbehaviorsolutions.com or 602-324-8948.

Introducing a New Cat to Existing Cats

Written by Sam Kabbel, CPDT-KA, President

Cats vary widely in accepting other cats into their household. Some cats are extremely social, gladly accepting their new roommates while others prefer to be the reigning king or queen of the cat household. Of course, finding the right blend of personalities is always essential. Unfortunately, cats don’t do as well as dogs at meeting and “interviewing” potential housemates! So what is a cat owner to do when wanting to integrate a new cat into the household?

First, before deciding to get another cat, you should ask yourself a few questions. Are you looking for a cat to be a companion to your existing cat? If so, does your cat really want a companion? Has your cat ever lived with another cat? If so, did the cats timeshare their existence or play together and mutually groom each other? If not, how has your cat reacted when he has seen other cats? While cats are definitely social animals, many can be perfectly happy living without other cats. This does not mean that they cannot enjoy sharing their home with another cat. In deciding to adopt another cat, you and your cat should both be looking for another companion. Be prepared for anything from close bonding to mutual avoidance or possibly even conflict between the cats. There are several specific steps you can take to ensure the most successful integration possible.

There are several goals in the process of integration. The first is to keep any negative reactions to a minimum. The second is to go exclusively at the cats’ pace. The third is to be sure that the cats associate good things with each other’s presence.

· Set up food, water and a litter box for the new cat in a separate room. The cats should not see each other when the new cat is first brought into the home. This adjustment is very stressful for both the new cat as well as the existing cat. They should only be permitted to hear and smell each other through the door.

· Be sure that the new cat has adjusted to the new room before progressing to the next step. This can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days depending on the cat’s reaction.

· Swap the new cat and the resident cat. Put the resident cat in the new cat’s room and allow the new cat to explore the rest of the house. This will help the cats to become familiar with each other’s scent.

· Try to encourage the cats to play “footsy” under the door by passing a toy under the door for both to play with.

· Once the cats are playing “footsy” under the door or are curious of each other, prop the door open an inch or so and allow the cats to see each other, but not to gain access to each other.

· If the interactions are inquisitive and friendly, you can progress to the next step. Double stack baby gates in the doorway and allow the cats to see each other. Be sure to supervise the cats so no one climbs up and over the gate. You can feed each cat tasty food treats at this stage. The cats should learn that good things happen when they are together.

· Do not progress beyond this step if you observe hissing, growling, or hair bristling. Repeat the above steps more gradually if you notice any of these behaviors.

· Open the door without the gates up and allow the cats to have access to each other. Do this for very short sessions and keep things calm and positive, ensuring that good things happen when they are together.

· Should either of the cats hiss or growl, calmly distract the cats with a toy or a food treat. If this doesn’t work or continues to occur frequently, repeat several previous steps and progress more slowly. Do not punish either cat for these behaviors. Punishment will make them more uncomfortable with each other.

· Do not allow the cats alone together until they have been friendly toward each other for approximately a week or neutral toward each other for several weeks.

Many cats can be successfully integrated with a slow, methodical introduction. By following this process, you will be reducing the stress associated with bringing a new cat into your household. If you are still having problems integrating cats after following this process, please contact us for further assistance.

Introducing a New Baby to an Existing Pet

The birth of a baby or adoption of a new child is associated with a great deal of anxiety, excitement, stress and change not only for the human members of the family, but also the family pet. Some dogs and cats can have a difficult time adjusting to a new child, but preparation and planning will help your pet cope with the changes.

How is my pet likely to respond to the new baby?
There are so many different variables that contribute to any pet’s reaction to a new child that it is impossible to accurately predict the way that any pet will respond. However, there are some considerations that might give some insight into your pet’s most likely reaction.

The first of these considerations is how much exposure to children your pet has previously had, and his reaction to those children. The most serious concern, of course, is if the pet has previously behaved aggressively or fearfully around children. If there have been previous problems, you should consult with a behaviorist to determine the situations that have previously led to aggression, and the safest way, if any, to make the transition. If the pet’s previous problems were with a specific child, a specific age group or under specific circumstances, it may be possible to design a program so that the previous situations which resulted in aggression can be treated and resolved prior to the arrival of your new child.

The next most serious concern is the pet that has had little or no exposure to young children or babies. A lack of early socialization to children may lead to some initial anxiety or fear associated with the sights, sounds and odors of the new child. If there are no unpleasant experiences when the child first arrives, and the first few introductions are made positive, there may be no problems. Even if a pet has shown no previous problems when interacting with children, keeping all introductions positive will help to get the relationship between your pet and your new child off to a good start.

One final concern is your pet’s behavior and temperament in general. Behavior issues that don’t come into play with an infant may become more problematic with the growth and development of your child. Some pets that were ok with a child that was carried everywhere may have trouble adapting to the same child learning to crawl, walk, and play more interactively. Fear, dominance challenges, possessive displays, and even some rambunctious playful behaviors can result in aggression toward the child. Anxiety or fear can also lead to anorexia, compulsive disorders, or destructiveness (e.g. house-soiling, marking, chewing, digging).

What can we do to prepare for the arrival of our baby?
Behavior problems (destructiveness, house-soiling, compulsive disorders, increased demands for attention, generalized anxiety) may not develop directly from the arrival of the child, but rather from the changes in the household routine associated with the new arrival. With nine months or more to prepare for a baby’s arrival, the best way to minimize problems and help the pet to cope is to make changes gradually so that they have been completed prior to the arrival of the child. Consider any changes that you may need to make in the pet’s schedule, housing, play, exercise, or attention, so that adjustments can begin to be made well before the baby’s arrival. Set up the nursery in advance and if the pet is to be kept out of the room, access should be denied before the child’s arrival. If your intention is to allow your pet to continue to enter the room when supervised, begin to accompany your pet into the nursery so that it can adapt to the new odors and new setup. The dog should be allowed to investigate the baby’s room, blankets, and new furniture, and praised or given a small food treat so that it can develop a positive association with each of these new cues.

For dogs, reviewing or upgrading obedience skills is essential so that you can safely and effectively control your dog in all situations. Obedience training should be reviewed every day, in a variety of locations and circumstances. Practice each command in different rooms of the home, in the yard, while out on walks, and when visitors come to the home. Concentrate on those commands that are presently the least successful, using prompts and rewards to achieve success and then gradually shaping the response so that the pet stays for progressively longer times, comes from greater distances and will heel and follow even when there are distractions. Any existing behavior problems should be resolved before the arrival of your baby.

Some pets might become anxious or fearful of any of the new and different stimuli associated with the sights, sounds, or odors of the new child. New activities associated with childcare can be practiced in front of pets so that they can become familiar with them. Tape recordings or videos of babies crying, holding a doll wrapped in a blanket, taking your dog for a walk beside a stroller or baby carriage, or even going through the motions of changing a diaper and applying baby powder will simulate some of the experiences to which your pet will soon be exposed. If there is any sign of anxiety associated with any of these situations, then more formal reward-based training should be practiced and repeated until the pet exhibits no problems in the presence of the stimuli. By providing a favored chew toy, giving a food reward, or providing extra affection during these activities, your pet may actually learn to enjoy these new stimuli.

Once your pet shows little or no fear or anxiety in these situations, you may want to enlist the help of some friends or relatives with young children. Dogs can be taken for a walk while the child is rolled in the stroller or carriage. A baby can be carried around the home or nursed in the presence of the dog and children should be encouraged to play at the opposite end of a room or yard from where the dog is situated. The dog must be well controlled, preferably with a leash and head halter, and given food rewards and/or play to keep the association positive. A Gentle Leader Head collar could also be worn to ensure additional safety, especially when being exposed to new situations. By the end of the visit it may even be possible to let the dog interact with the child but only if it remains friendly and shows no fear or anxiety.

For cats, the most important adaptation is to any changes that will be needed in the cat’s home. Although fear and anxiety to the sights and sounds of a new baby are possible, adapting to changes in the household are often the most trying for cats. For example, obtaining new furniture, altering the cat’s feeding, sleeping, elimination or play areas, and trying to keep the cat out of certain locations such as the crib, should all be considered before the arrival of the baby. To reduce the chances of the cat marking new furniture, the first few introductions to the new areas should be well supervised. Once your cat has investigated and rubbed against the new furniture, spraying is far less likely. Similarly, when the crib or cradle is first set up, the cat may wish to mark the area, or investigate, or even to sleep in the crib.

Remember, each of these techniques are intended to help the pet adapt to changes in the household or lifestyle before the arrival of the baby. Once the baby arrives, there will be far less time to deal with the needs of the pet, and there will be additional variables to which your pet will need to adapt. Even if your pet does begin to exhibit fear or anxiety, during this pre-arrival training, such anxiety will not be associated with the presence of the child. The cat will have no reason to develop animosity to the new child.

What should be done when the baby arrives?
Progress gradually, avoid any situations that might lead to fear, anxiety or discomfort in the baby’s presence and make all associations and experiences in the baby’s presence positive. Maintain or even increase the amount and type of training, exercise, and play.

Even a curious and affectionate pet may have some problems adjusting to the new arrival. Jumping up to greet when the baby is being carried, barking during the baby’s sleep or nap times, raiding the diaper pail, licking the baby’s face, or cuddling up to sleep against an infant who is still unable to shift position are just a few of the concerns and potential problems that pet owners may need to deal with. Keep your pet’s nails well trimmed. Supervise all interactions between the pet and baby. Keep the pet out of the baby’s room during nap and sleeping times. Ensure that your dog is well controlled and responsive to obedience training commands. For some dogs, leaving a leash attached (preferably to a head collar) is a useful way to ensure additional control. (Make sure the dog is never unsupervised while wearing a leash or head collar.)

The most important aspect of retraining is to reward the pet for obedient and relaxed behavior in the presence of the child. In many households there will be less time and energy available for the pet. While focused on the child, or attending to the chores associated with parenthood, the pet may be ignored, disciplined for approaching too close, or confined to a different area of the home. Your pet may still receive its play, exercise, affection, food and attention, but often not until the baby is finally asleep or is under the care of some other family member. Many pets soon learn that the presence of the baby is a time for inattention, confinement, or even punishment, while the absence of the baby is a cue for “good things” to happen. This must be reversed. Every effort should be made to allow the pet into the room for food, play or affection when the baby is present. Feed the pet when the baby is being fed, or have another family member give affection to the pet, play with the pet, or do some reward training (tricks or other obedience training) when the child is in the room. Take your dog outdoors for play or a walk when you are taking the child out. The goal is to teach the pet that positives or “good things” are most likely to happen in the presence of the child.

What should be done if aggression arises?
Such behavior is very upsetting, regardless of its reasons. An immediate decision on whether to keep and work with the pet or remove it from the home must be made. Dogs targeting children may be motivated by fear, dominance, possessive, redirected, playful or predatory aggression. Such aggression may arise immediately when the child is brought into the home, or may begin as the child becomes more mobile or when the child grows a little older and begins to interact with the dog. Cat aggression toward children can be fear-induced, redirected, territorial, or play/predatory. For most aggression cases, especially those directed toward children, call us in order to evaluate the situation, determine a prognosis, and create an effective treatment program if it is safe to do so. Although some cases may be treated quickly and safely, most cases require extensive precautions to prevent injuries and a great deal of time, effort and commitment. Regardless of reason for aggression, biting dogs should be leashed (attached to the owner) preferably with a head collar and closely supervised or crated in the presence of small children. Aggressive cats should be confined away from small children except when they are in a carrier, on a leash and harness, or well supervised and either calm or otherwise occupied with food or toys.

© 2002 Pet Behavior Solutions
All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced in any material form without the written permission of PBS

Professional Help with Behavior and Training Problems

There are several categories of issues that people can have with their pet. We will be discussing three main categories of training to deal with these issues – obedience training, behavior training, and temperament training. Obedience training issues are some of the easiest to work with. Often, people obedience train their dogs in order to establish control over their dog’s behavior. With obedience training, we can teach a dog to get into a position, have him hold that position, run back to us when we ask, and walk next to us when on a leash. Dogs easily learn to do what we want because it gets them what they want faster! With obedience training, dogs and people pretty much train each other.

Behavior training issues represents a huge number of Pet Behavior Solutions’ cases. Behavior training is about establishing order, rules, and boundaries in the household. Some examples of behavior that falls into this category are dogs that are destructive, not housetrained, and generally unruly. This is the second easiest type of training. Dogs are great problem solvers and they readily learn how to navigate our rules and boundaries. They learn these things because it works better for them to do it our way. The catch is that we have to have a very clear and consistent set of rules and expectations and the dogs must clearly understand the consequences, both good and bad, of following or not following those rules. We have to be patient when working to resolve these issues. This type of training takes time because we are establishing new routines to replace the old routines. Change takes time. With a little patience and consistency order can be restored!

Temperament training involves working with emotions. When bad behavior stems from emotions it is very challenging for everyone involved. Behaviors such as aggression, anxiety, fears, phobias, nervous behaviors, reactivity, etc. fall into this category. Emotions are at the core of the animal’s behavior. When working with pets with these problems, the motivation of the behavior must be addressed. Almost all cases stem from some sort of anxiety – even with aggression. People often think that aggressive dogs are just being dominant but that is rarely true. Truly dominant dogs tend to be confident, have an authoritative attitude, and provide appropriate social consequences. We rarely have problems with truly dominant dogs. Conversely, aggressive dogs tend to be insecure, have a domineering attitude, are socially incompetent, irritable, frustrated, and angry. It is this inner conflict that we have to address in order to change the behavior.

Working with emotions is rewarding and challenging. The reward is when the pet stabilizes and things starts to improve. The challenge is that it can take a long time and a lot of patience as there is no quick fix. Working with emotions requires a lot of understanding, management, and dedication to the treatment protocol. In cases involving aggression, often the safety and liability risks are very high and that necessitates a lifelong commitment to behavior modification and management. Finally, protocols must have steps that build on each other. Behavior modification is a process.

Emotionally motivated behavior can be worked with successfully! The biggest barrier we see is (understandably so) impatience and frustration on the part of the owner. This leads to a breakdown in the consistency of the treatment protocol and more confusion and anxiety for the dog.

I encourage each of you to ask about help for any issues you may be having with your pet. There are so many things that can be done to work with your pet and life is just too short and too chaotic to live with behavior problems. Let us help you get the balance back in your life!

Incorporating Children in the Care of Pets

Along with the happiness and fun pets bring to our lives comes the responsibility of providing a lifetime of care and well-being. Caring for a family pet should be a family job! Children can and should participate in the care of a family pet. Helping with the routine care of a family pet can enable children to become self-reliant and learn about responsibility. One way to make pet care an educational and fun family project is to set up a token economy. This can also help children learn to count, add, subtract, and the basics of making a budget.

The first step is to establish the minimum care needs of the pet. Children can help identify these basic needs, which include food, water, "poop patrol" and litter box or cage cleaning. After you've determined the pet's minimum needs, brainstorm a little more. Create a second list of the extra tasks that can be done to assist in the care of the pet (e.g., brushing, bathing, training, exercise).

Once you have determined the tasks required for the pet’s care, you can set up your token economy. First, select some type of token (e.g., checkers, marbles, stickers). Children will earn tokens by participating in the pet's care. Parents and children should work together to assign a value to each task. Token values may be determined by the difficulty of the task or the time it takes to complete it. Changing the pet's water may be worth one token, but bathing the pet may be worth three.

Providing for basic needs (those tasks on the first list you created) is a responsibility that comes with owning a pet. This responsibility is the price of all the pleasure that the pet provides. Children should not earn tokens for providing basic care. Instead, they may earn tokens for tasks that go above and beyond basic care (the tasks from the second list). Occasionally we all slack in our duties. We may decide to play hooky from work to enjoy a day at the lake. However, we do this with the knowledge that we are making a choice and will have to deal with the consequence. Children need to learn this as well. If a child slacks off on "poop patrol" one day, she is fined the value of that task.

A weekly chart showing everyone's jobs can be hung on the refrigerator. This chart can be used to track completed jobs, as well as tokens earned or lost. Children should be in charge of keeping their own tokens. Lost tokens should not be replaced. On a specified day (e.g., once a month) children will use their tokens to "buy" privileges.

Privileges can include an extra half-hour before bedtime, extra TV or game time or anything that the child finds motivating. Each privilege should be assigned a value that fits its desirability. A day at the water park should cost considerably more than candy. Children can also be given the option of skipping a scheduled cash-in day in order to buy a bigger, less common privilege later.

Owning a pet is a joy, but it is also hard work. Children can derive self-worth and confidence from successfully caring for their pet, while learning about the responsibility involved in pet ownership. This benefits the entire family, including the pet!