Dog Behaviourist and Dog trainer

Why Dogs Develop anxieties, problematic behaviours and obsessions.

Dog Behaviourist, Dog Training, Dog Trainer,  Dog Obedience Training, Canberra.

Reasons for obsessions, anxiety and  their treatment.

Spotting Obsessive Behaviour display in Your Dog.

Most of us have probably heard a dog owner say, “My dog is obsessed with tennis balls?” However, there is a difference between a ball-motivated, or even a ball-fixated dog, and a dog with a true compulsion (obsession).

“Compulsive behaviours are abnormal because they are displayed out of context and are often repetitive, exaggerated, or continuous.” And if your dog gets excited about the tennis ball at the park but can chill out when you place it back in your pocket, he’s probably okay.

But if he lives, breathes, and eats tennis ball to an alarming degree, and becomes difficult to distract when the fuzzy yellow beast is out, it is very likely to be an obsession. Dog Training, Dog Trainer, Puppy School, Dog Obedience Training, Sydney

The most common obsessive behaviours in dogs include:

Spinning and tail chasing. Dogs will get in a loop of spinning in place or chasing their own tail around in circles, and it can be hard to get them out of it.

Constant barking. Dogs might bark nonstop for no obvious reason, or seem unable to stop barking after a reasonable amount of time following the trigger.

Toy fixation. Like the tennis ball, dogs with obsessive toy fixations may chew, throw, or guard a favourite toy to excess, or be difficult to distract when the toy is out.

Pacing. Anxious dogs will sometimes walk in a fixed Patten over and over again or run in circles over and over.

Air licking and air biting. The dog may walk around licking the air or biting at it or at “invisible objects.”

Surface licking. Here’s one with which I am intimately familiar: When Radar is stressed out, he will obsessively lick the ground.

Pica – (Eating Disorder). The dog will pickup and chews or eats non-food objects.

Shadow and light chasing. This obsessive behaviour is common in high-intelligence herding breeds who become fixated to changes in light or people teasing their dogs with a laser beam, or chasing their own or your shadow.

Self-licking. Scratching and chewing their own body parts. Dogs may obsess over a part of their own body and keep licking or biting it.

What Causes Obsessive Behaviour

Obsessive dog behaviours generally arise out of anxiety or discomfort, and smart, high- energy dogs tend to develop compulsive behaviours most often as a result of boredom and lack of mental stimuli.

Compulsions are typically related to one of the following causes:

As a result of physical injury, discomfort or boredom.

Environmental stressors. Dogs who are under stimulated, poorly socialised, under- exercised, mistreated at home and left alone for many hours of the day can develop compulsions.

Imbalances in the brain. Or by cognitive dysfunction brought on by age or other genetic disorder. It can be harder to solve obsessions caused by a chemical or medical reason, which is why it’s vital to consult your Dog Behaviourist or accredited Dog Trainer if your dog displays compulsive behaviour.

One thing most obsessive dogs have in common is Stress. Repetitive, and unwanted behaviour results from a dog in distress, so the best way to treat them, or stop them before they start, is to ensure your dog has a calm environment with limited stressors and the appropriate interaction with them.

If left untreated, compulsive behaviour in dogs can lead to lasting emotional, physical and behavioural issues. Fortunately, once you identified your dog’s obsession, there are many things you can do to assist.

Dog Training, Dog Trainer, Dog Obedience Training, Sydney can help.

Call our Dog Behaviourist.  If your dog is exhibiting any of the above- mentioned obsessive behaviours, you should consult your Dog Behaviourist or Accredited Dog Trainer just in case there is a physical issue. So you can be referred to a specialised veterinarian that can help identify the root of the physical problem, and in extreme cases, they may prescribe an anti-anxiety medication. Which I do not recommend. And Ill explain why further down in this article.

Keep your dog calm at all times, and away from what triggers they’re high excitability. This may mean no more tennis balls in the house or the park or creating your dog when you leave to give them a safe, and quiet “den” to relax in while you’re away.

Keep them active. Obsessive dogs have busy brains that need something to do. Give your dog at least half an hour of hard exercise every day, and throw in a couple 5-10- minute training sessions throughout the day to keep their body in shape and their mind stimulated.

Consult our Dog Behaviourist/Dog Trainer for more help. There’s no shame in seeking outside help to treat a dog with obsessive behaviour, and learning new tricks to help you both react appropriately to stress.

In my 39 years experience, the most frustrating obsessive behaviours can be treated with time, consistent training, mental stimulation exercises and proper attention, like medication, should be avoided.

Dog Behavioural Correction, Dog Training, Dog Trainer, Dog Obedience Training, ACT Canberra.

Why should medication be avoided? In their natural habitat, dogs are free to roam at will, as their primal nomadic behaviour patterns and instincts have dictated and embedded these behaviours in them for hundreds of thousands of years before us humans arrived on these earth.

Dog Behavioural Modification, Dog Training, Dog Trainer, Dog Obedience Training, ACT Canberra.

When they enter our human environment they are mostly confined and in many cases locked up for most of the day in the house or a back yard. Dogs that live freely are not affected as commonly with obsessions the way dogs that live in our homes.

These types of confinements and lack of freedom or exercise are a major contributor to many obsessions that dogs living with humans can develop.

Dog Behaviourist and Dog trainer

Why dogs living with humans are more susceptible to develop anxieties than their wild free cousins?

The answer is simple; many studies and years of research including my own 39 years of hands-on and continual involvement in research in the “Canis Lupus Familiarise” (our domesticated dogs) field of animal behaviour science patterns, have shown that dogs that live in the wild have less mental issues than dogs living with humans.

When I say dogs living in the wild, I am referring to “Canis lupus familiaris”, the wolves on the other hand who are the closest ancestral cousin of our domesticated dogs, the coyote, the wild African dog, the wild Asian dog or the dogs who were ones domesticated and have been lost or let go.

I refer to hundreds of thousands of dogs that have been once domesticated and lived with humans and now live freely in their natural habitat resulting in dumping or runaways, in the areas of South America, China, Africa, the United States and other part of the world, and even in Australia.

The reasons for mental disorders in our domesticated dog are many and the subject is complex, diverse, and there are many variables.

Dog Behaviourist and Dog trainer

I will touch base on the most important issues.

The way most people interact with their dogs are not understood by our furry beloved friends, as dogs are still communicating in primal way that we need to understand, we communicate in very different ways to them or to their’e understanding, we humanise them and apply human emotions to the way we interact with them, and it’s not understood and confusing to them. 

Dogs behave in unwanted ways because they learn them from us, which later becomes A “leant Behaviour”.  These are just some of the starting problems. It is very easy to do the right thing and have them understand us and provide them with their natural and proper requirements once you understand the appropriate way to bring your dog up balanced, happy and without confusion in the way we communicate with them and the signals we unconsciously transfer to them with our interaction. 

For the best results of training your dog and understanding responsible ownership and the correct ways to interact and communicate with them, Cause for Paws can help you and your dog achieving the most desired respect and behaviour from your dog by training it the way they understand and which is natural to them.  So in other words, we need to learn to underrated them and be more aware of their needs, requirement and theire choices made.

in the past many years we have been working with dogs we rehabilitated thousands of dogs from the most traumatic or stressful situations, so if you need any help we are here to assist you better understand your dog and have a normal balanced and behaved dog without any anxieties or unwanted behaviours.  for more details and to have a one on one FREE chat with Our Master Dog Behaviourist on O447 37 67 64

Dog Behaviourist, Dog Training, Dog Trainer,  Dog Obedience Training, ACT – Canberra and Snowy Monaro Region.

What We Do:

Dog behavioural modification and re-training in Canberra, the entire ACT and Snowy Monaro Region!

We have a driving passion to care for and provide the best possible life for both owners and their canine friends. After all, dogs and humans have been good friends and working partners for thousands of years. They give us their unconditional love and depend on us for every aspect of their lives: food, exercise, love, respect and cuddlesome attention. A happy dog will bring joy and happiness to everyone around them and our dog training classes ACT Canberra provide just the right balance for pet and owner.

Cause for Paws provides all levels of Dog Training, at your home or workplace: training in the dog’s “home” environment can be crucial in certain aspects. For example, when teaching a puppy where their sleeping place is, their eating place or toilet, it is so much easier, quicker and mush more effective to do this where they live … And the family can join in and learn as well. We provide programmes for puppies, partly or fully trained older dogs that might just need a bit of extra help, as well as specialised training for working dogs.

Dog Behaviour modification and Dog training.

We firmly believe that there is an advantage to training your dog in their home, especially when training a dog to overcome more difficult problems like aggression, rehabilitation (of mistreated dogs), growling and snarling, incessant barking, crotch sniffing, jumping up at people or difficult behaviour with other dogs.

Cause for Paws also realises the critically important aspect of educating the Dogs Owners, the owner (and their family), in all aspects of successfully living with your “best friend”, whether this is basic puppy training, obedience training or the more advanced K9 programme. We therefore provide what is recognised as a very useful and appreciated support advice service for owners by email or ‘phone: another reason why we believe we are first in dog training school Canberra.

Our dog training courses are the result of 39 years spent owning, training, studying and working with dogs. The owner of Cause For Paws has enhanced his huge hands-on experience by formal study coupled with continuing reviews of scientific expert research.  His qualifications include: Cert IV in companion animal service, UW – BBeSt – Companion Animal Behaviour, Re-Production Technology And Wildlife Science, US – MRes – Wildlife Animal  Behaviour , Linköping University – MSc – Applied Ethology,  MSc – Animal Biology

Ron approaches each training requirement professionally and knowledgeably, complemented by a respectful and loving attitude.

With Ron leading the way, Cause for Paws is lucky to have the best dog trainer NSW and Canberra has to offer.

Dog Training in Canberra and the entire ACT and Snowy Monaro region.

Cause for Paws offers all types and levels of canine training, including:

• Dog Training
• Behaviour Modification Training
• Obedience
• Dog Rehabilitation
• Owner Education
• Health and Diet
• Gaining Your Dogs Respect

There is an ongoing debate amongst professional dog trainers about the two main forms of training used in the business, Reward Based, also known as Positive Reinforcement, or Respect Based training. Cause for Paws use both methods as is appropriate for the dog and the training objective. Both methods have their strong points but one method definitely does not fully meet every type of training requirement. Indeed, one method may be effective for certain breeds of dog, while the other my not produce equally satisfactory results.

Respect Based Training

Respect Based Training conforms to the behaviour a dog will develop in the wild as part of a pack. The leader of the pack does not reward other pack members for doing something well. The other dogs in the pack respect and trust the leader because he provides for them, keeps them safe and looks after the wellbeing of the pack as a whole. This is the same as how a dog owner should behave in relation to their dog. Never forget that a dog will always consider themselves part of a “pack”, whether they are living with a family or are out in the wild. As mentioned earlier, dogs are pack animals and when they come into your home they will be looking to see who the “pack leader” is and will need to learn where their “place” is.

This all-important “respect” is based on mutual respect, which is two-way communication. Shouting and hitting a dog will not earn its respect. Probably the most important realization that must be made when dealing with respect is that it must be earned by both sides.

Rewards Based Training

Rewards based training, while it can produce good results, tends to be used in more specialised training situations, such as trick performing dogs or substance detecting dogs. It is definitely useful for initial starter training, but with both an owner and their dog earning each other’s mutual respect, the results will be more effective and long lasting.

Advanced Dog Training Program

A quick word about the Advanced Dog Training Program. This is a program used most often by police, customs and other government agencies to professional train a dog to search.  For example: search for explosives, drugs and other illicit or illegal substances.  Obviously, this form of training goes beyond what is required by families and typical dog owners and is highly specialised.

The owner of Cause for Paws has specific real-life experience of both training and using K9 trained dogs and he is therefore excellently placed to provide this service. Another reason why he is considered one of the best dog trainer Sydney has available. Our K9 Dog Training Sydney programme has proved highly successful and we welcome enquiries from appropriate organizations who will benefit from this programme.

Choosing a “Best Friend” for You and Your Family

Everyone has heard the old adage, “a dog is for life”. We all know it because it is true. The life in question is usually the dog’s life because we humans live much longer than dogs, which often do not live more than twelve to fifteen years; which is still a long time. Choosing a dog, therefore, requires some practical thinking before you engage in this hugely rewarding experience.

Do you want a large or small dog? Will you be getting a puppy or a rescued dog? Is your home suitable for the dog? Can you provide enough exercise and attention? Do you have, or plan to have children? Do you already own a dog? The list of questions, while vast for all situations, can be brought down to a few key issues, and Cause for Paws will be very pleased to guide you and help you make these important decisions.

A dog left all day on their own while their owners are busy working, and then receive little or no attention from a tired owner can develop problems. These problems can make life very difficult indeed for both owners and dogs: incessant barking and complaining neighbours, dog messes around the house plus more difficult problems can develop. Get things right from the start and you can look forward to many years of good friendship and love with your “best friend”, and, of course, children tend to love their pets and become the very, very best of friends. A delight for the whole family.

Some basic considerations when buying a puppy: please go to a reputable and registered breeder. This will ensure you receive a healthy, correctly vaccinated puppy which will save you from problems and possibly even some hefty veterinarian bills later on. A good breeder will also be able to advise you which breed would be best for you and your family. Never accept a puppy that is taken away from their mother less than eight weeks after birth; this can adversely affect their development and often leads to difficult problems later in the dog’s life.

Research different breeds. Elderly couples will not necessarily want a dog that requires a lot of daily exercises. People living in small apartments should not be thinking of getting a Great Dane. Do you have a large garden? These are ideal for the larger breeds. Dogs from a “working” breed will need more exercise than the smaller “lap-dog” breeds, although this is not a hard and fast rule: some types of Terriers go like mad lightning all day!

Some breeds require specific caring regimes, Poodles, for example, while other breeds develop known physical problems: Dachshunds (also known as “Sausage Dogs”) may develop back problems and always need to be picked up carefully; Boxers are known for developing heart problems. Be aware that there may be extra costs and effort required with certain breeds.

Abandoned or mistreated dogs can be difficult to integrate into your family and may not be the best choice for first-time owners.

Time spent carefully considering your abilities and home environment and the dog’s needs can prevent much heartache and expense in the future.

Getting Out and About

Taking your “best friend” down to the beach or park is a great time for both you and them and Sydney provides some great places for a happy walk. And remember, the exercise is just as good for you as it is for your four-legged friend!

Taking your children to a park or beach, especially pre-teen and teen, is a great way to let everyone, including your furry friend, have some good fun and will tire them out and give everyone an excellent appetite.

And please remember that your dog, of whatever size, will always protect the people they trust and feel are part of their “pack”. So while your children are running around having fun, they will also have a good, trustworthy guardian with them at all time. It has often been noted that dogs have a “sixth sense” and can sense danger, especially in new, unknown people. They will show their doubts in various ways, perhaps even growling at a stranger with bad intent. Pay attention to your dog and trust their instinct: they regard it as their job to protect you, even fighting to the death to protect you in really bad situations.

When you have a well-trained dog, you are adding to your family’s own personal safety and security. Just one of the many bonuses of having a happy, well-balanced four-footed member of the family.

Cause for Paws can rightly claim to lead the field in Australia.