DAVID DUFFIELD - PAWS Chicago

WHEN
TRAINING
ISN’T ENOUGH
Your pup needs more than basic obedience.
By Joan Harris
Bringing home your new dog from the Adoption Center is an
exciting day! Getting to know your new pet’s habits, likes
and dislikes is a fun adventure. Just like people, dogs
have their own unique personalities and sometimes
there are a few bumps in the road.
knowledgeable in psychopharmacology
and may incorporate medication in
certain cases. They use techniques that
are used in psychiatry and psychology
including behavior modification and
life style changes.
Many times your veterinarian or
veterinarian behaviorist may include an
experienced trainer to help implement
their training plan. In this situation, it is
important that the veterinarian, trainer
and client all work together and keep
the lines of communication open. The
most important thing to remember is
that there are qualified professionals
out there to help. Seek help from these
professionals before the frustration
of dealing with a behavior problem
becomes overwhelming. You and your
dog will both be happy that you did!
Joan Harris is a
regular contributor
to PAWS Chicago
magazine. She serves
as Head Trainer at K9
University and PAWS
Chicago.
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When they first arrive in their new
homes, some dogs may feel as if they
are in a foreign country where they
don’t speak the language. They are
introduced to their new family and they
are unaccustomed to the rules of their
new household. This can be frightening
or overwhelming and contacting an
experienced dog trainer may be helpful.
Training can help your dog overcome
the language barrier and help teach
appropriate behaviors.
A dog cannot be expected to have
good manners without learning basic
obedience skills. These skills include
basic leash behavior, greetings, coming
when called, sitting, lying down and
staying. Sometimes dogs may have a
little trouble with exercises that require
a degree of impulse control due to their
age or stage of development. These
problems can usually be rectified with
additional training, patience and work.
Many house training problems
also fall into this category. Sometimes
puppies are not given proper guidance
and they grow into adult dogs who
still have accidents in the house. Crate
training and supervision can usually get
the dog back on track. Many problems
can be managed by simply providing
structure or by giving the dog more
Consult your veterinarian
or a veterinary behaviorist
if your dog exhibits:
• Aggression toward people,
including children
• Aggressive conflicts
between housemates
• Anxiety, Fears and Phobias
• Separation Anxiety Syndrome
• Compulsive behaviors
• House training problems
that don’t improve
• Aggression toward other
dogs or extreme reactivity
while walking on leash
exercise and enrichment.
But sometimes this isn’t the case.
Dogs, like people, can develop fears and
phobias from traumatic experiences
or neglect. These anxieties can prevent
a dog from learning or developing
any degree of emotional stability.
Behavioral problems are mental or
emotional disorders that are not related
to training. Although training may
help, it doesn’t solve the problem. Some
behavioral problems may also have an
underlying medical issue.
In this case, it is important to contact
your veterinarian for a medical or
behavioral diagnosis. Your veterinarian
can then determine the next step. Your
veterinarian may give you a treatment
plan or refer you to a veterinary
behaviorist. A veterinary behaviorist
must complete a two-year residency
under the guidance of a board-certified
veterinarian. They are professionally
certified as Diplomates of the American
College of Veterinarian Behaviorists
(ACVB). Veterinary behaviorists are
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