Persistent Stress-Related Behavior in Dogs
admin January 14th, 2012
I sometimes get asked how long a client’s dog will need to remain on a flower essence formula. Sometimes they’re asking proactively, other times the question comes up because when the client has either run out of their formula, or tried to wean off it, the dog has regressed. Normally, flower essences can be thought of as a short-term therapy. Bach remedies and other flower essences rebalance emotional states that have gotten “out of synch”, and once the balancing is accomplished, and the dog has had a chance to live a new set of behaviors that go along with his improved emotional outlook, flower remedies can typically be discontinued. How long it may take for the dog to form new behavior pathways will certainly vary – that part may take days, weeks, or months, depending on how long-standing and habitual the behavior is. But the answer to “how long?” really shouldn’t be “forever”.
What types of behavior are we talking about here? I almost entitled this article “Persistent Fearful Canine Behavior”, since I deal with so much of that in my flower essence consults. But, of course, virtually any emotional state can become unbalanced, given the right stressors for that individual, and can become resistant to improvement. Like people, dogs respond in their own unique ways to short-term, long-term, and repeated stress, and they may respond differently to different kinds of stress. For example, the same dog that resorts to bullying in uncertain social situations may run in panic when the garbage truck lumbers by noisily. Depending on the dog and the circumstances, you may see fearful behavior, clingy attention-seeking, bullying, domineering behavior, excessive jealousy and/or resource guarding, destructiveness brought on by panic (or tantrum)…. The actual in-the-moment response to stress depends on your dog’s temperament, early upbringing, training, socialization, breed tendencies, and even his relationship with his family.
So, what can cause the persistence of unhealthy, out-of-balance emotional states in our dogs? That is, why do some dogs regress when flower essences are no longer given? Finding that your dog needs long-term Bach Flower therapy to maintain an even keel can be a strong indication of external factors continually pushing your dog out of balance. With that in mind, let’s look at a few of what I’ve found to be some common contributors to persistent unhealthy emotions in our canine companions.
• Diet. When behavior is truly out of balance, one of the very first things I look at is diet. Now, I do not mean whether the dog is on a diet that is currently fashionable. My concern is whether the food this dog is eating is conducive to not only physical, but emotional, health. Like us, dogs can have food sensitivities (intolerances or flat out allergies), and also like us, those sensitivities can wreak havoc with emotions and behavior – even when there are no obvious, outward signs of ill health, such as unhealthy coat, itchy skin or ears, runny eyes, or digestive problems (although those may certainly be present). Food allergies and intolerances can be to any foods! Don’t be over-concerned about what the most common allergens are – while interesting, it doesn’t matter when it comes to your dog. What matters is what your individual dog is sensitive to! Mental/emotional reactions to problem foods can include increased reactivity, heightened aggressiveness, short temper, anxiety, mental fog, extreme energy/mood swings, shyness ….. So, even if your dog is on a diet of high quality, highly digestible ingredients, if you are seeing persistent negative behaviors, try switching your dog’s diet (including any snacks or treats!) to something novel for him (ingredients he has not been exposed to before), and easily digested. I have found that, if food sensitivities are involved, behavior should start to level out within 2 weeks, often sooner.
• Pain Issues. Any acute or chronic pain or discomfort can lead to uncharacteristic behavior and over the top responses to stress. Hip dysplasia, spondylosis, arthritis and/or skeletal misalignment related to accidents, injury, or overwork/play, ear infections, abscessed or infected teeth/gums, discomfort due to obesity – these and other common conditions can cause enough pain to affect your dog’s emotional state, and therefore, behavior. It is never reasonable or humane to expect a dog to behave with poise and aplomb when there are unresolved pain issues. Yes, some do it, to be sure. But pain tolerance varies from dog to dog, and what affects one may not affect another. Also consider that dogs with high pain tolerance may show little or no physical signs of discomfort, only a change in attitude and ability to handle stress. So, if your dog is showing persistent fear, anxiety, withdrawal, reactivity, grumpiness, and/or inability to handle stress, and flower essence (or other) therapy is giving only temporary relief, please consider having your dog thoroughly checked over by a qualified animal health professional experienced in identifying such issues.
• Thyroid. Hypothyroidism (“low thyroid”) is the term for the thyroid gland producing an insufficient quantity of thyroid hormone. The shortage of this hormone in the body can lead to an array of physical and/or mental and/or emotional symptoms. Please note the “and/or”! Not all dogs will show the physical signs associated with hypothyroidism, such as overweight, heat-seeking, poor haircoat, etc. In my experience as a dog trainer and behaviorist – but not a vet – I have observed that many dogs will first show mental/emotional symptoms, even with thyroid levels only slightly below normal (or in some cases, at the low end of the normal range). These symptoms can include reduced mental clarity, slow learning, and quality and level of response out of line with the situation (basically “over-reaction”). Many dog behaviorists, trainers, and veterinarians now recognize the frequent connection between low thyroid and aggression. However, this condition can cause extreme reactions in general. Dogs, like people, will respond to the feeling of being overwhelmed by stress individually - according to their nature, their experience (training, early upbringing, socialization, and relationships). What is considered stressful will vary dog to dog. The common factors with low thyroid is that the threshold for reacting to stress becomes lower, and the reaction will be out of proportion to what the situation calls for. So, depending on the dog, you may see increased fearfulness, either in general or with specific triggers (e.g. thunder, gunshots). Another dog may become withdrawn and less interested in activities once enjoyed. Yet another will become less tolerant of what used to be only minor aggravations, easily ignored. While we think of older dogs as most prone to a drop in thyroid production, often triggering behavior changes (noise phobia is common) around 7 years of age, dogs of any age can be subject to under-active thyroid, and its emotional, behavioral effects. Fortunately, this condition is easily treated, and a simple blood test is all it takes to have your dog’s thyroid evaluated. See the labs at Michigan State University or Dr Jean Dodd’s HemoPet labs for more information and forms your vet may need to submit for this testing.
• Environment Not Conducive to Emotional Wellness. This category, even more than the previous ones, is ripe for expansion and elaboration and, frankly, could fill a good-sized chapter in a book on canine behavior. There are many ways in which the dog’s world, lifestyle, and/or relationships can hamper a dog’s ability to be open to behavioral change. In some cases, this environmental influence will be enough to perpetuate (even possibly cause) persistent, unbalanced emotions. Here I will touch fairly briefly on a few ideas that (who knows?) may serve to inspire some thoughts on the confluence of expectation and responsibility.
o Inadequate mental exercise. Dogs, given half a chance, not only enjoy rich emotional lives, but are highly intelligent, thinking animals. The vast majority of dogs enjoy and appreciate an intellectual challenge. For working breeds, selectively bred to work in partnership with a human toward a common goal, this is actually a need. (It can be argued that the need may be stronger in those dogs with recent ancestors selected for actual work, but I believe the need is there, even in dogs that have not been actively selected for work in recent generations, i.e. strictly show or pet lines). Left unfulfilled, this need will manifest as a buildup of stress and tension in the dog. It may end up being harmless enough – excess energy and playfulness, maybe a chewed rug or remote control now and again. And it may not build up at all – some dogs find their own work to do within the family. But for some dogs, the unfilled need will go deep, affecting emotional balance. Chronic unsatisfied working drive is, in my opinion, a significant source of emotional, behavioral unwellness in dogs.
o Overly challenging environment. For some dogs, their living circumstances are so continually challenging that it is nearly impossible for the dog to improve behaviorally at a normal rate. There is a constant drag on the behavior improvement process, as if the dog is “swimming upstream”. Of course, no one environment will be challenging or all dogs; what is challenging is very dependent on base temperament, health, etc. But, some examples might be for your consideration might be……. A severely under-socialized dog now living where she must be walked daily past yards of barking, charging dogs and playing (running – screaming - unpredictable!) children.…….. A naturally reserved, quiet-loving dog whose owner has opened a busy child daycare in her home…… A highly empathetic or emotionally sensitive dog living with an owner subject to strong mood swings or rollercoaster emotions. Special allowances need to be made to give such a dog a break from the stresses in its environment. Even with that, progress should be expected to be more gradual than usual.
o Inadvertent reinforcement of negative behavior. While I won’t say it happens all the time, it does occur often enough, and can be enough of a problem, that I feel it’s worth mentioning. Essentially, what I’m referring to here is when the owner’s temperament or learned responses are such that they unintentionally strengthen the very emotional response in the dog that they are working to repair. An obvious example would be the dog owner who reacts in kind to the dog’s emotional reaction (or even anticipates it) – aggression reinforcing aggression, fear reinforcing fear, neediness and clingy behavior being reciprocated and reinforcing accordingly. In these types of cases, about the best thing that can happen is for the owner to take the dog’s flower essence formula, as the same essences that apply to the dog will likely apply to the owner. Doing this can greatly speed the balancing process along, and lead to lasting, satisfying changes.
Another example of would be when the owner and dog are temperamentally at odds. Such as a gruff, loud, “forthright” owner paired with a sensitive, gentle soul of a dog that thrives on patience and positive reinforcement. Or a dog that finds security in clear, consistent rules and structure paired with a free and easy, “structure imprisons the spirit” kind of owner. Neither type of dog or owner is wrong or “bad” – they are simply not a human-canine “marriage made in heaven”. While the human perspective tends to be that is up to the dog to change and accommodate, this may not always be the most realistic (or emotionally healthy) solution. Again, taking the flower essence formula appropriate for the dog can be a wonderful way for to gain perspective on the dog’s point of view. And isn’t that something we could all use these days – a little practice understanding the worldview of others?
I hope this discussion has provoked some thought as to why negative behaviors in dogs might persist despite our sincere efforts at training and behavior modification, with or without the use of alternative therapies like Bach and other flower essences. I also hope you will persist with your dog (or your client’s). In my experience, it is never too late to turn the behavioral corner into wellness.
Best,
julie
www.aldaronessences.com
www.k9behaviorservices.com
