AUGUST 2009: FEARS AND PHOBIAS IN PETS
“Dogs are, after all, man's best friend. The least we can do
is try to understand them a little better.” ~ Nicholas Dodman ~
In oder to prevent future fears and phobias, it’s important
to socialize our pets by exposing them to a variety of new and different
experiences as often as possible. (One of the most common fears, separation
anxiety, is the focus of our March 2008 newsletter, http://canine-clippers.com/newsletters/march2008.htm
.)
If, when encountering new experiences, people and animals, a
pet is raised in an environment of security and confidence building, she will
grow up with few stress disorders, fears or phobias. If a pet is suddenly
exposed to unfamiliar situations or environments without confidence and
encouragement, it is more likely that she will develop a fear, which can then
become a phobia. And, though a new owner may not know the history, adopted pets
can bring many clues of their past treatment and upbringing through how they’re
currently triggered.
If a dog was abused, he may become fearful when triggered by
sensory reminders like raised voices, a particular perfume or cologne,
uniforms, men wearing certain kinds of hats, etc. If he was hit with a stick,
he may flinch or cower when a broom is picked up. (If your dog flinches every
time you reach out your hand, do so slowly and gently with encouraging words. If
your new pet is overly fearful, remember to approach him from the front, with
your hand held out, palm open, and let him come to you.) A pet may also be
triggered by certain voice tones, tools and noisy implements such as hair
dryers, vacuum cleaners, or lawn mowers.
A frequent source of fear is a trip to the vet’s office. If
you are protective and/or anxious, your
pet can pick up on your stress and the two of you, owner and pet, may quickly
establish a loop of feeding fear to one another. In that case, it may be best
for you not to be present during exams and treatment, as long as your pet is
comfortable with being left with the staff. If not, and an anxious dog growls
or shows any aggressive behavior towards a care-giver, never baby him, as this
will only encourage fearful and aggressive behavior. Instead address him with
whatever measures you’ve established to correct him.
Many veterinarians
encourage ‘happy visits’; short non-medical no-charge drop-ins (maybe
just a weighing), where your dog can enjoy a treat and affectionate greetings
by the staff. These are encouraged because it’s ‘win-win’ for everyone.(Since
done without an appointment, be sure to check with the staff about their least
busy times.)
Another frequent phobia is thunderstorms. A dog’s senses are
challanged in at least three ways; she will pick on changes in the atmosphere
such as barometric pressures and humidity. Birds stop singing with an
approaching storm. The sky will gradually darken, lightening erratically
strikes and a dog’s hearing is assaulted by violent thunder, often accompanied
by rain and hail. Many dogs become desparate and will seek any possible, though
often inappropriate, relief. In extreme cases, a sedative can be prescribed.
There are many alternative and holistic therapies available
for treatment, but it’s probably better to treat fear disorders with
consistant, systematic counter-conditioning and desensitization.
Following are some tips to lower your pet’s threshold to
anxiety-producing stimulous.
There are a variety of tape recodings, such as thunder
storms, children playing, city noises, sirens, etc., available from music
retailers (you can also record your own), to use as tools. Following are some
tips in desensitizig:
v Don’t baby or
coddle your pet when he’s exhibiting fear;
babying and over attentiveness will only encourage fearfullness. Instead,
you can show strong leadership by acting confidently and assuringly around
whatever threatens him.
v If your pet
shows anxiety when being left with a groomer or other care-giver, give her a
cheerful pat on the head and leave.
v If your pet is
afraid of certain objects, let her see you walk up to them with confidence, pat
them, talk to them happily and encourage (not force) her over.
v In order to
desensitize your dog, you can play tapes of sounds that may trigger fear. Start
with the volume very low, encourage her to play and offer treats (a frightened
dog almost always refuses food) as distractions. Praise her if she cooperates. It’s
important to do this slowly and in steps. Very gradually increase the volume
during these sessions only when your dog is comfortable enough to eat the
treats and join in play. Pre-recorded tapes are available at www.soundtherapy4pets.com/
Along with the pets we protect and nurture, we humans are
also likely to suffer and to develop deeply ingrained fears when faced with
hardship or trauma without loving care or support. Parents and children, living
in Coeburn, VA, are enduring extreme poverty and need assistance. Craig's
Baptist Church, in Spotsylvania, is sponsoring a coat drive for the residents
of this small coal mining town, located in Southern Virginia. If you can donate
warm winter coats and jackets for men, women and children of all ages, please
contribute by dropping them off, before September 1, at any of our three
locations in Dumfries, Sterling and Chantilly (see addresses below). If you
have any questions, please contact Angela Salive, manager of our Sterling shop,
at 703-430-0414. Craig’s Church, Linda Law, and the staff at Canine Clippers
and Featherle, greatly appreciate any warm contributions you can make to this
drive!
Please hold Linda in your thoughts and prayers as she
recovers from a fall on July 27. Don’t hesitate to contact me at
nilsonowensrebecca@gmail.com, or 540-923-4989.
~ Written by Rebecca Nilson-Owens ~
703-378-9500; featherlepetcarechantilly@verizon.net, 13881-A
Metrotech Dr.
703-430-0414; featherlepetcaresterling@verizon.net, 113-B
Edds Lane
703-221-3647; canineclipperschool@verizon.net