CAT AND DOG BEHAVIOUR HANDLING PETS AND HANDLING PET MOODS DR CAM DAY BVSC MACVS (ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR) Objective:- Content

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AU Objective:- To show why understanding moods, and mood

things is important to vets and students starting in behaviour

1 CAT AND DOG BEHAVIOUR HANDLING PETS AND HANDLING PET MOODS DR CAM DAY BVSC MACVS (ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR) Objective:- To show why understanding moods, and mood disorders, of pets is important for humane animal handling and staff safety. Content Why understanding moods is vital Why considering just 4 things is important to vets and students starting in behaviour How punishment and reinforcement relate to animal moods Why dominance is wrong for pet animals Implements and articles used to humanely manage pets 1

2 Problem Behaviours A focus question what moods are these dogs showing and how will you handle them? Is the animal calm or chaotic? Behaviour 101 Why understanding moods is vital 2

MOODS AND MOOD DISORDERS OF PETS Behaviours that happened in vet

flow of stress-related hormones occurs Flight-fight response Gazelle and

Anxiety is the prediction of a doomful event, location, object or

3 MOODS AND MOOD DISORDERS OF PETS Behaviours that happened in vet clinics:- Fears Anxieties Phobias Panic Disorders Post traumatic stress disorders 7 WHAT IS FEAR? Fear and anxiety are confusing terms and they are often used synonymously. Fear is a body s normal response to an unexpected stressful event huge flow of stress-related hormones occurs Flight-fight response Gazelle and lion Escaping is an autonomic response and is innate WHAT IS ANXIETY? Anxiety is the prediction of a doomful event, location, object or situation. We have spiders in our shed! Doomful events pets may predict? Owners leaving Other dogs/cats approaching Thunder/noises approaching Visitors arriving Visiting the V-E-T! BUT an anxiety is normal 9 3

A FEAR-INDUCING EVENT TEACHES A PET TO BECOME ANXIOUS BUT.. THAT S NOT A PROBLEM IF a Vet can quickly get the pet over it HOW? WHAT IS AN ANXIETY DISORDER?

4 A FEAR-INDUCING EVENT TEACHES A PET TO BECOME ANXIOUS BUT.. THAT S NOT A PROBLEM IF a Vet can quickly get the pet over it HOW? WHAT IS AN ANXIETY DISORDER? So an anxiety is a normal and useful reaction to perceived dangers But - an Anxiety Disorder is when the anxiety is abnormal or inappropriate. Anxiety Disorder is :- where the reaction is out of proportion to the stimulus that has occurred. 12 4

PANIC DISORDER AN EXTREME LEVEL OF ANXIETY In humans:- Sudden attacks of intense fear or anxiety, usually associated with numerous physical symptoms heart palpitations rapid breathing or

heart palpitations rapid breathing shortness of breath blurred vision, dizziness and racing thoughts AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR 14 How to recognise Anxiety and Panic?

5 PANIC DISORDER AN EXTREME LEVEL OF ANXIETY In humans:- Sudden attacks of intense fear or anxiety, usually associated with numerous physical symptoms heart palpitations rapid breathing or shortness of breath blurred vision, dizziness and racing thoughts 13 PANIC DISORDER In pets:- Sudden attacks of intense fear or anxiety, certainly occur especially in Veterinary surgeries heart palpitations rapid breathing shortness of breath blurred vision, dizziness and racing thoughts AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR 14 How to recognise Anxiety and Panic? Signs to look for are:- Licking of lips and yawing Increased respiration rate Trembling/shaking Hyper-vigilance and Hyperactivity Flight/fight/freeze/fiddle Anal glands evacuation Defaecation/urination Aggression 5

POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) PTSD is the ugly relative of an Anxiety Disorder Follows a traumatic event where that event

It s often a perceived life threatening event 16 POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) In humans re-experience the trauma through

6 POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) PTSD is the ugly relative of an Anxiety Disorder Follows a traumatic event where that event causes intense fear and/or helplessness. It s often a perceived life threatening event 16 POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) In humans re-experience the trauma through nightmares obsessive thoughts and flashbacks Avoidance component - individual avoids situations, people, and/or objects which remind them about the traumatic event (e.g., a person experiencing PTSD after a serious car accident might avoid driving or being a passenger in a car) 17 POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) In pets :- Dogs experiencing a dog fight Being abused cruelly by humans Being hurt in a veterinary surgery particularly if made helpless by being physically restrained, and muzzled 6

Why considering just 4 things is important to vets and students starting in behaviour What

Is it medical? 2. Can the animal learn to be good? 3.

7 Why considering just 4 things is important to vets and students starting in behaviour What does behaviour therapy entail? Just ask four questions to make behaviour improve 1. Is it medical? 2. Can the animal learn to be good? 3. How will the behaviour be managed to create a solution 4. Will medication be needed? Nature or Nurture? The behaviour of animals is determined by their genetic profile (Nature) and by life s experiences after birth (Nurture). Genetic influences (Nature) Life s Experiences (Nurture) Innate B s Breed Influences Environment Learning 7

Nurture This is as good as each dog can be How Animals Learn and

8 Which has the biggest effect on your dogs behaviour? 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Dog 1 Dog 2 Nature Nurture Which has the biggest effect on your dogs behaviour? This is as good as each dog can be How Animals Learn and how that relates to animal moods 24 8

9 How Animals Learn and how that relates to animal moods What are the important principles of learning? Reinforcement Punishment Strengthens a Behaviour Weakens a behaviour Reinforcement The more often a behaviour is reinforced, the more likely that behaviour will occur again. But animals can reinforce unwanted behaviours There are two types of reinforcement Positive Reinforcement Negative Reinforcement Punishment The more often a behaviour is punished, the less likely that behaviour will occur again. There are two types of punishment Positive Punishment Negative Punishment 9

10 Let s Look at How You Drive! Positive punishment of driving over speed limit Negative Reinforcement of driving under speed limit Both Positive and Negative Punishment of driving over speed limit and Negative Reinforcement of driving over the speed limit So what s a pet learning in a veterinary clinic? Let s punish a vulnerable puppy! Not really! 10

role is to motivate them to rehearse (what we would

11 Rehearsal and Motivators Pets are motivated to rehearse unwanted behaviours for many reasons But our role is to motivate them to rehearse (what we would define as) more appropriate behaviours Demonstration Videos 11

12 Converting chaos to calm 12

13 Teaching your dog to be wellbehaved IF your dog can learn.. Your GOAL is to teach your dogs to be wellbehaved in situations where the unwanted is likely to occur and to reward the wanted behaviour when you get it Let the weed of bad behaviour wilt And fertilise the seed of the Oak Tree For that, you could use the Stepping Stone principle The Stepping Stone principle The Stepping Stone principle is a progressive system of cognitive therapy It is often combined with the Laser Lock YOU focus All of this is achieved using the Circle of Commands The Stepping Stone principle e.g. For aggression in the vet surgery Stepping Stone 1 Teach your dog the Circle of Commands in your lounge-room Stepping Stone 2 If successful, progress to your back yard Stepping Stone 3 Then to your front yard Stepping Stone 4 Then to car park of the surgery Stepping Stone 5 Then the clinic waiting-room Stepping Stone 6 Then in the consulting room 13

14 Summary of the Stepping Stone Principle Determine if your dog can learn and IQ test him or her Establish the Motivators of Goodness Use these motivators to establish a rewarding routine that fits your last Stepping Stone But work the first Stepping Stone where the rewards are easy to achieve The Laser Lock YOU focus is totally measurable and can be used as a marker of achievement or lack thereof. Why dominance is the wrong principle for pet animals Veterinary Behaviorists Question Dominance Theory in Dogs VIN News Service 2009 Why dominance is the wrong principle for pet animals Dominance is an outdated theory based on observations of captive (no free-roaming wolves) Dominance is based on the notion that an alpha wolf exists and rules over all others in a pack. That s not so. Wolves exist in family groups. A lead male does not fight for dominance it just reproduces and exists. 14

15 Why dominance is the wrong principle for pet animal The notion of dominance is based on antagonistic encounters between two individuals One needs to punish the other If this happens with free-ranging animals, the victim has the opportunity of moving away spatially That s not possible with dogs in homes. Dominance reduces welfare through repeated punishment-based interactions Implements and articles used to humanely manage pets Implements and articles used to humanely manage pets Tethering (eye plate) brackets Muzzles Gentle leaders Catching poles Medications 15

16 Implements and articles used to humanely manage pets Tethering (eye plate) brackets Implements and articles used to humanely manage pets Tethering (eye plate) brackets Muzzles We find basket muzzles are better than nylon muzzles Fully enclose teeth Allow for panting And for reward-based training using treats Implements and articles used to humanely manage pets Tethering (eye plate) brackets Muzzles Gentle leaders 16

Implements and articles used to humanely manage pets Tethering (eye plate) brackets Muzzles Gentle leaders Catching poles Implements and articles used to humanely manage pets Tethering (eye plate)

17 Implements and articles used to humanely manage pets Tethering (eye plate) brackets Muzzles Gentle leaders Catching poles Implements and articles used to humanely manage pets Tethering (eye plate) brackets Muzzles Gentle leaders Catching poles Medications Intra-muscular anaesthetics are useful Create amnesia of the event! Recap Why understanding moods is vital Animal handling requires stress minimisation particularly for pet animals which need to live with humans Why considering just 4 things is important to vets and students starting in behaviour Medical issues Training to be good Management of a behaviour to avoid the problem Using calmatives 17

18 Recap How punishment and reinforcement relate to animal moods Positive punishment should be avoided Negative punishment can create a calmer state Negative reinforcement is difficult to use Positive reinforcement is repeatable and creates calmness Recap Why dominance is wrong for pet animals It applies to free-ranging animals not pets Based on antagonistic encounters and punishment Pets can use spatial separation to avoid the aggression Implements and articles used to humanely manage pets Tethering (eye plate) brackets Muzzles Gentle leaders Catching poles Medications 18

WORD WALL. Write 3-5 sentences using as many words as you can from the list below.

WORD WALL. Write 3-5 sentences using as many words as you can from the list below. WORD WALL Write 3-5 sentences using as many words as you can from the list below. Suicide Phobia Bipolar Obsessive compulsive disorder(ocd) Anxiety Depression Mood Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)