Canine Phobias
by Dr. Dave Erlewein
Magic is a 90-pound male German shorthair who will fearlessly plunge into icy waters to retrieve a downed duck without a second thought. He rules his backyard as a benevolent dictator and checks all visitors with a bark and a sniff before allowing them admittance. In short, he is in total control of his environment and a fearless protector of his human staff.
Unless, of course, some thoughtless incompetent brings out a vacuum cleaner. Then, Magic is reduced to a quivering, wary coward, circling the vile machine at a hopefully safe distance, a prisoner to his fears and no longer in control.
Anxiety, fearfulness, and phobias are not uncommon in our domestic pets, and behavior resulting from these conditions may threaten humans, other dogs, and even the life of the affected dog, as dogs exhibiting fear aggression, i.e. the fear biter, are often euthanized. Such behaviors may result from a genetic predisposition, poor socialization, or environmental conditioning. Not surprisingly, canine fear reactions are similar to our own. Recall one of your own heart-stopping, adrenalin-surging experiences, and you can easily identify with a dog trembling in the presence of a fear-inducing stimulus.
Some definitions are in order. Anxiety is the distress or uneasy feeling induced by anticipation of pending danger or discomfort. Anxious dogs appear tense or “jumpy,” ready to fight or flee in an instant. Separation anxiety is the most commonly observed canine anxiety-related behavior. Anxieties are often related to an unpleasant experience. An example would be a dog involved in an accident while riding in a car may be in constant stress in future car rides.
Fears are associated with the presence or closeness of a particular person, object, or social situation. Fear can be a very valuable emotion. It’s good for a chihuahua to be afraid of an aggressive rottweiler or a passing car. An overly fearful dog, however, may bite when confronted with the awkward movements of a small child or when petted by a stranger. Overly fearful dogs often have a reduced quality of life and induce additional stress in their owners’ lives. Boarding kennels, groomers, and veterinarians are frequent fear-inducers.
Phobias are extreme, inappropriate reactions totally out of proportion to the level or type of threat presented. Phobias are very difficult to control and resistant to behavioral modification. Common canine phobias include extreme reactions to thunderstorms and other loud noises and fear of new people or places.
While nearly everyone recognizes a dog immersed in total abject fear–trembling, shaking, crouched low with the tail tucked between the legs and possibly urinating–the early subtle signs of fear are often missed. Missing the early fear signals is frequently the reason a dog assumed to be “good with kids” suddenly bites a child. Early recognition of fearful behavior provides an opportunity to ease or eliminate the behavior before it reaches the phobia stage.
Watch for the following signs of anxious or fearful behavior: running away from a situation, hiding behind the owner or other person or object; averting the eyes; panting and restlessness; refusal or reluctance to accept a treat; ducking of the head; blinking; yawning; and compulsive licking.
So, what can be done about fearful behaviors and phobias? Let’s start with puppies. Socialization is the most important factor in the development of a confident, non-fearful pet. Socialization means giving your puppy as many positive experiences as possible during the period from four weeks to four months of life. Lots of contact with people of various ages and lots of contact with varying environments is the best way to prevent the development of fearful, biting adult dogs. Positive experiences are the most important. Do not expose the pup to loud, scary noises or let children tease or roughly handle the pup. Instead, let the kids feed tasty treats in response to a polite sit. Give lots of treats for trips to the groomer, veterinarian, and kennel. Have friends, relatives, and acquaintances give the treats. For noises, at the first exposure to thunderstorms, give a particularly tasty treat. Do this every time and the first clap of thunder will signal that life is about to get better for your pup!
With the adult dog, controlling fears and phobias is more difficult. Counter-conditioning involves changing your pet’s reaction to the fear-inducing event from negative to positive. One of the easiest and most helpful techniques is distraction. Try a special toy that is only used during thunderstorms. If that doesn’t help, give a highly valued treat that is only given during storms. The same thing can be done for the dog that is aggressive toward a single individual. Have a treat that the dog highly values at the ready whenever that person appears. If it is safe to do so, have that person give the treat.
If distraction is not helping, try to maintain a calm, relaxed demeanor. Dogs are pack animals, and it is important for the dog to view you as the “fearless leader.” Do not give undue or attention to the dog, as your comforting words and gestures will likely be interpreted as reinforcement that the dog has good reason to be fearful. Do not punish the dog. Do not drag the dog to a fear-inducing stimulus.
Avoidance is another common technique for treatment of fearful behaviors. Obviously, this will not work for fear-inducing stimuli like thunderstorms, airplanes, parades, fire works, etc. Avoidance can, however, be very effective for dealing with inappropriate reactions to places or individuals. Putting the dog in a kennel is often very effective in dealing with fearful responses to children, such as visits from the grandkids.
This little column is not intended to be a comprehensive treatment of therapy for fearful canine behavior. I hope, however, that I conveyed the importance of recognizing fearful behavior and addressing it as rapidly and thoroughly as possible. Please do not let it deteriorate to the point where euthanasia or relocation of the pet seems to be the only answer.
There are many competent trainers who can help you correct and control your pet’s reaction to fearful stimuli, and sometimes simple obedience training will suffice. There are several drugs available through your veterinarian for controlling canine anxiety and phobias. While I personally favor behavior therapy whenever possible, sometimes drug therapy is the only effective treatment. Your veterinarian can help.
