Care Dog Training

How does a dog become over-dependent, how do we avoid nurturing the problem and how do we socialize such a dog? Two basic histories dominate in this problem.

1. The dog has had an intensive relationship during the critical socialization period, (3-14 wks.). It usually continued into the juvenile period. In family situations this may develop into the “Beta dog syndrome”, where the dog is even hostile to other family members and/or outsiders. In other cases the dog may respond mildly, even super-submissively (but not affectionately) to other people, while accepting direction and handling only from ‘its’ person.

2. The other history involves a dog, which formed its single-person relationship later but was usually socially deprived of meaningful human contacts. These include many dogs from puppy mills, pet shops, pounds etc., some of which have been rejected, dumped or lost.

All dogs with these backgrounds don’t necessarily become hooked on only one person. The deciding factor in the equation is the owner. For these people, the dog is extremely important for one of several reasons.

For example, a recent widow brought a 4 yr. old intact male German Shepherd for help with increasing over-protectiveness and aggressive behavior with visiting family and friends. When her husband was alive, the dog was super friendly with everyone, even strangers.

Another example: A breeder raised her prize bitch, applying her usual socialization methods, but she did all the actual training herself. The bitch carried the foundation of her hopes for her line. But when it came for others to handle the dog, it panicked hysterically.

A third, more typical example involves owners who-because of naiveté or a problem in expressing their own affections-stroke their dogs in ways which stimulate them sexually. Not all these dogs display open sexual responses to such stimulation. In fact, most of them merely appear frustrated, start whining and nudge continually for more of that ‘wonderful stuff’-i.e. non-stop petting. Many of these dogs become downright vicious toward anyone who interferes with their person.

We must discuss the force that is at work in these situations. “Concentration of emotion and mental energy on an idea, person (other animal) or experience” is psychology’s definition of cathexis. Dogs are very tuned in to human emotion. When it becomes excessive, sensitive dogs tend to return it with increased intensity. Enough of this, especially at critical ages or in critical situations for the dog, creates an obsessive emotional attachment to a person. It has been seen as the most common factor in canine over-dependency. Understand that some degree of emotional cathexis is absolutely necessary for a healthy human/dog relationship. The problem lies is excessive emotional overloading of the dog by its human.

O-D is behind much problem behavior-from destructiveness when left alone (social isolation anxiety) to outright over-protective viciousness in the presence of its ‘person’. To fix it we must recognize that it generally involves dogs that are emotionally immature. They have not been allowed enough social exposure as they were growing up or their owners have inadvertently maintained their immaturity by their day-to-day interactions with the dog. Another cause may be some strong fear-producing experience that applied the brakes to emotional maturation. The following guidelines can minimize the chances of raising an over-dependent dog.

1. Avoid getting any puppy that has been socially deprived between 5-16 wks. of age.

2. Even with a well-socialized puppy, be sure to continue to broaden its socialization.

3. Avoid excessive emotional responses (Anger, fear, commiseration, worry etc.) during impressionable experiences. Examples:

¨ Overly joyous & emotional greetings after a period of isolation when you return

Instead behave in a way that sets an ‘emotional example’ for your dog to follow. Admittedly, it’s not easy to skip happily around the kitchen when you’ve just accidentally stepped on its paw, or to sing a cheerful tune through a thunderstorm, but it will set the dog’s response to difficult situations and help it to adapt to the events of life.

4. Have everyone that lives with the pup practice simple obedience commands a few minutes a day. Have the pup respond to a command for its praise and petting, especially when it seeks affection. (You know, the nudge under the elbow trick.) Be sure to release the pup from the command after it is praised.

5, Play ball with the puppy daily. Toss the ball. If the pup won’t give it up, have a few handy and toss another rather than pry the first one out of its jaws.

6. Avoid ‘Tug of War’ and other practices, which tend to teach the dog to express aggressive-emotional behavior. We don’t want it to think it has the right to contest people with its mouth.

7. Family members old enough to carry them out should practice formal obedience training exercises. This helps to avoid the ‘Beta-dog syndrome’.

This program of conditioned broad socialization, avoidance of over-emotionality, earning their praise, daily play activity and formal training, can succeed even with a socially deprived pup obtained after 14 weeks. Progress is slower and often difficult for an older dog with a longstanding problem. It takes a great deal of patience and persistence.

Such a wide range of problems springs from over-dependency, we don’t have room here to address each one. Actual plans to deal with such problems as over-protectiveness and destructiveness are addressed in the class and also found in the books cited later.[i]

Whatever the behavior problem, one-person dog owners must do some soul-searching regarding their feelings about their dog.

¨ They must get rid of the thought or a solution will be impossible. Dogs are sensitive to the feelings of being unwanted. The basis for a solution is commitment.

¨ The owner (particularly the one-person owner) must examine why they got the dog. What did they want the dog to give them emotionally?
How did they picture the dog’s adult behavior when they got it?
How is the dog measuring up to those expectations? The answer is generally 'pretty poorly". Then the next question must be WHY?.

The answer to these lies in the nature of each person’s past and present relationship with the type of dog involved.
Has the owner set behavioral or emotional goals that are unrealistic for his dog? (Most of us do.) Does the owner understand the basic social needs of the dog? (Most of us don’t.)

The dog owner needs to get educated in order to select and carry out a program of re-socialization and problem correction. A few days spent reading the Fuller book provides an excellent foundation. After that, realistic behavioral objectives can be set, the emotionally immature dog can be helped to grow up, and a specific, corrective behavior program can be started .

Since the basis for problems arising from over-dependency is an arrest in the maturation process, it follows that re-socializing the dog had best start where this process left off. (See points 1-7 under avoiding over-dependency). Then, for specific problem-corrections involving chewing, over-protectiveness, etc., the Koehler text and the works cited below give details of successful programs. Ask your instructor for information.

It is satisfying to see a nasty, over-protective two year old dog (emotional age three months) finally start to grow up, enter its juvenile stage, begin to relax as it responds to its owner’s leadership, learn to play cooperatively, and finally, take the cues for its emotional attitudes an behavior about other people from its owner rather than from its former self-centered perspective. It can take six months or longer with dogs older than nine months, but owners who succeed say it is one of life’s most rewarding experiences.

[i] Dog Behavior: The Genetic Basis, J.P. Scott & J.L. Fuller

Behavioral Problems in Dogs William E. Campbell