You & Your Pet by Dr. Wise

Rhode Island Veterinary Medical Association 11 South Angell Street #347 · Providence, RI 02906 (877) 521-0103 (866) 277-0238 Toll-Free ·Fax

Dear Readers:  I am often asked questions about dog behavior.  This article will provide answers to some of the most popular dog behavior questions.

Choosing the dog breed that meshes with your family and lifestyle is incredibly important.   You must be realistic about your ability to interact with the pet.  A small breed may require less exercise, buy may be intolerant of small children.  A large breed (such as a Golden Retriever) requires a much greater investment of time for walking, but may be better mannered with a young and active family.  Buying a dog breed impulsively can be a serious mistake with potentially devastating consequences.   Behavior problems are the number one reason adult pets are turned in to animal shelters and many of these problems result from the owner's lack of understanding of their particular dog's needs.

To effectively train your dog, it's important to understand how reinforcements works.   Positive reinforcement, or praise, will result in the behavior being increased, whereas negative reinforcement, or punishment, will tend to decrease a behavior.  A third type of interaction, omission, occurs when the dog's behavior results in something pleasurable being removed.  An example of this is a dog who growls while eating if you pet him.  By removing the food, the pleasant act of eating has been stopped, and the dog will learn from this that growling results in a loss of something he wants.  It is vital that training be firm and consistent.  A well-mannered pet can provide many happy  years of companionship.  We must be certain to reinforce only the behaviors we want and to remember that the fastest way to train a dog is by positive reinforcement.

A growling dog is a potential danger and a biting one is a real risk.  There are legal and ethical issues involved with keeping a dangerous pet.  If you decide to keep your dog, make sure he's neutered.  This can be extremely helpful in stopping biting behavior.  A very common reason we see puppies and adults growling is fear.  It's important to remember to reinforce only happy, non-fearful behaviors, and not comfort or otherwise reinforce the fearful growling.  Try to socialize your dog by slowly and positively exposing him to more varied situations.

Crate training can be an effective training tool, particularly with a young puppy.   A crate should always be used in a positive manner, not as punishment.  It can be used as a housetraining aid for persons who are gone all day and it can be used to confine an unsupervised puppy.  You should never overuse a crate, and make sure that puppies get outside to exercise and urinate and defecate.

This information, prepared as a public service by the Rhode Island Veterinary Medical Association, answers problems Rhode Island veterinarians currently are seeing in their practices, as well as new developments in animal care.