Helping Fearful Dogs Telecourse Outline

Transcription

1 1 Helping Fearful Dogs Telecourse Outline June, Suzanne Hetts, Ph.D. and Daniel Estep, Ph.D. Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists Animal Behavior Associates, Inc. Session 1 I. The Nature of Fear A. Elements of Fear 1. Physiological 2. Behavioral 3. Emotional B. Phobias C. Anxiety II. Causes of Fear A. Genetic Predispositions B. Inadequate Early Socialization C. Specific Frightening Experiences III. IV. Taking a Behavioral History and Identifying Fears Recognizing the Signs of Fear A. Behavioral signs in Dogs B. Behavioral signs in Cats Session 2 V. Managing and Treating Fearful Behavior A. Techniques for Managing Fears and Phobias B. Habituation C. Desensitization and Counter Conditioning D. Flooding E. Response Prevention F. Punishment G. Medical Approaches H. What NOT to Do VI. Difficulties Implementing Management and Treatment VII. Case Examples VIII. Questions and Discussion

2 2 Helping Fearful Dogs Telecourse Lecture Notes June, Suzanne Hetts, Ph.D., CAAB Dan Estep, Ph.D., CAAB Session 1 Definitions, Causes and Identifying Fears, Phobias and Anxiety Introduction Fears of people, places, things, sounds and being left alone are among the most common behavior problems reported by pet owners. In some cases these fears of people, places or things can lead to aggressive behavior that is injurious to people or other animals. In some cases, owners or pet professionals may not recognize fear or mis-identify it ( My dog is just being stubborn, He s just fine/ok, He ll tolerate XYZ ). Management of and behavior modification for fears, phobias and anxiety are often inadequate or incorrect. Incorrect implementation can make the fear worse or create other problems such as aggression. The Nature of Fear Fear A state with behavioral, physiological and emotional components in response to a perceived threat. Behavioral components include flight, immobility and/or threats and aggression. Physiological changes include sympathetic nervous system arousal, including changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and endocrine activity. The subjective experience of fear is not directly observable in others but is assumed to be there. The term fear has been used to describe a behavior, an emotion and a motivational state. Authors frequently jump back and forth between these usages creating confusion. Try to keep clear what the author, colleague or client is trying to talk about. Fear is normal and adaptive. It becomes a problem when it is excessive or occurs in inappropriate situations. Phobia A maladaptive fear that is out of proportion to the actual threat. Common fears or phobias in dogs are of being separated from people or other animals (separation anxiety), fears of loud noises such as thunderstorms or fireworks, fears of people other animals, fears of being crated and fears of places or situations that have been associated with pain in the past (veterinary hospital, groomer). Cats don t often show separation anxiety or fears of loud noises or if they do, the symptoms are rarely a bother to the owners. Cats can show fears of people, animals, places and things (their cat carrier, car rides).

3 3 Anxiety A state similar to fear but with no specific perceived threat. Fear, phobia and anxiety are sometimes used synonymously generating even more confusion. For example there is some debate whether or not separation anxiety is really an anxiety or a phobia. True anxiety in dogs and cats is not common. The Causes of Fear Fears, phobias and anxious states can be influenced by genetic predispositions, early experiences, especially during the sensitive period for socialization, and by later experiences. Dogs have been selected for fearfulness of people, suggesting a genetic influence. Limited exposure to people during the sensitive period for socialization tends to produce dogs that are fearful of people even into adulthood. The association of previously neutral stimuli (such as a man wearing a baseball cap) with those that trigger fear or pain can lead to conditioned fear of the neutral stimulus. The precise way in which these genetic and environmental influences interact to produce fearful behavior is poorly understood. If two dogs are exposed to the same thunderstorm, one may become fearful and the other may not. Taking a History, Observing the Behavior, Examining the Results To treat or manage a fear problem a good behavioral history has to be taken. This is accomplished by interviewing the animal owner, watching videos of the animal, making direct observations or looking at the results of the behavior. A good history should ask Who, What, When, Where and How the behavior occurs. You should ask the owner these questions: Who How do you know it s your pet? Which one of your pets is doing it? What Exactly what is your pet doing? Describe the behavior ( He s lying under the table in the basement shaking and salivating ) not the owner s interpretation ( He goes nuts when there s a thunderstorm ). When Does it only occur when you are gone? Does it only occur when it thunders, the other dog is around, someone tries to pet him, etc.? Does it occur every time or just some of the time? How often does it occur? Are their times when it doesn t occur? When did it start? Where Where does it occur? Does it occur other places away from home? How If the dog is escaping, fleeing or hiding, how does he do it ( Jumps over the fence in the back yard )? Get details of at least three different episodes of the behavior from the client. Ask about the dog s and family s normal routines feeding, exercise, play, social time with people and other animals. Ask about other medical and behavior problems. Ask about recent changes in family or pet composition. Ask what has been done thus far to manage the problem. Observe the behavior directly yourself or have the owner (or a neighbor) videotape and/or audiotape the behavior for you to review. Examine the results of the behavior holes that were dug, objects that were chewed, soiled areas of carpet, fences that were scratched.

4 4 Differential Analysis The family veterinarian should rule out or treat any medical conditions. Responses to pain can be very similar to the behavioral response of fear. Then, based on history and observations, identify potential causes. Note that there may be more than one problem going on at one time and therefore more than one cause to be identified. If you or the owner has not actually seen the behavior of the animal but only it s consequences (dog digging out of the yard, dog escaping a crate, cat hiding in the closet), there could be other causes for the problem besides fear. It could be boredom, offensively motivated aggression, or other cause. Recognize that some fear problems will manifest some but not all the behavioral characteristics. If the owner or others cannot give you the information you need to identify the cause or causes or if you are not sure of the cause of the problem, consider referring the case to a more experienced behavior consultant. Characteristics of Fearful or Phobic Reactions to People, Places, Things or Sounds dog barks, whines, whimpers, yelps, screams or growls; cat meows, howls or screams; animal urinates or defecates, is destructive, pawing or chewing in apparent attempts to escape the fearful thing or situation is accompanied by other fearful behavior such as hiding, avoidance and fearful or submissive body postures problem behavior occurs in the presence of a fear producing stimulus (at least initially) occurs anytime, anywhere and is not dependent on family s absence, that is, signs of the fear are seen even when owner is with the animal; many pets react more intensely to the feared stimulus when alone and show more intense problem behaviors dogs closely confined as in a crate or small room often become more fearful and destructive in attempts to escape; may injure themselves repeatedly if fear has generalized, such as cat becoming fearful of the car because riding in the car predicts a bad experience at the groomers, his fears and problem behaviors can occur even in the absence of the original frightening stimulus, that is a car ride that doesn t end at the groomers. Characteristics of Separation Anxiety dog barks, whines, whimpers; cat meows, howls or screams; animal house soils, destructively chews, digs and/or attempts to escape occurs only when dog is separated from owner or others to whom she is attached occurs when dog is inside the house, outside in the yard, or less commonly when left alone in a vehicle or in another location; in cats seen mostly when cat is left in the house occurs consistently when alone, or with a particular pattern of absences, such as occurring only when owner leaves in the evenings usually begins within the first 30 minutes after departure

5 5 dog or cat displays fearful or anxious body postures dog or cat may not be barking or making other sounds at anything, or may appear to be directed toward doors, windows, gates; destructiveness is usually directed at windows, doors, fences or anything else that confines the animal; destructiveness may be directed at things that have owner s scent on them such as clothes, chairs, books or papers; dog may attempt to escape the house, yard or anywhere else she isn t with owner dogs closely confined as in a crate or small room often become more fearful and destructive in attempts to escape; may injure themselves repeatedly pet may follow excessively, shows distressed departure reactions, and/or show frantic greetings Behavioral Signs of Fear and Anxiety in Dogs and Cats Dogs and cats reveal their motivations, emotions and intentions in their body language. Key features to focus on include general body position, piloerection, and orientation of the animal to you, others or other objects. Observe tail position, ear position, the showing of teeth, facial muscle contraction around the mouth, opening of the eyes and dilation of pupils, and orientation of the eyes. Listen for vocalizations. The different motivations, such as offensiveness and defensiveness, can often be discriminated by differences in body language. No one feature or cue is a reliable indicator of the animal s motivation or intentions. Observe the whole complex of the animal s features. Body postures and motivations are dynamic and can change quickly. You should continuously monitor the animal you are working with for sudden changes in behavior. For more detailed descriptions with video, see the DVD Canine Body Postures available from or Fearful Dogs May Show One or More of the Following Behavioral Changes: Crouched body posture or lying down Ears layed back Eyes open wide to expose the sclera Avoidance of direct eye contact Tail down and tucked between the legs Whining, whimpering, howling or screaming Inappropriate elimination Attempts to move away from the feared object or situation Freezing or immobility Defensive threats or aggression Panting Pacing Hyperventilation

6 6 Fearful Cats May Show One or More of the Following Behavioral Changes: Crouched body posture or lying down Ears laid back Avoidance of direct eye contact Tail down or tucked between the legs Meowing, howling or screaming Inappropriate elimination Attempts to move away from the situation or feared object Freezing or immobility Defensive threats or aggression Panting Pacing Hyperventilation Dogs and Cats That Are in Conflict Situations and Distressed (Which May Verge on Mild Fear) May Show One or More of the Following Displacement Behaviors: Yawning (dogs) Lip-licking (dogs) Excessive and out of context grooming (dogs and cats) Out of context sleep (dogs and cats) Thought Questions 1. Why is fear of thunderstorms considered a phobia? 2. What mechanism is responsible for a fear of noises becoming a fear of lightening? 3. What value is looking for signs of displacement behavior in an animal? Session 2 Managing, Resolving and Preventing Fear Problems Visit for an overview of fear related problems and current products relevant to resolving and managing fearful behavior problems. Techniques for Managing Fears and Phobias Identify the trigger(s) for the fearful behavior Remove the animal from the fear-provoking stimuli or situation Remove the fearful stimuli from the animal Mask the fear-provoking stimuli Techniques for Resolving Fears, Phobias and Anxieties Habituation Repeated exposure to the fear-provoking stimuli

7 7 Desensitization and counter conditioning Gradual exposure to the fearprovoking stimuli so as not to trigger a fearful response while creating an emotional state in the animal that is incompatible with fear, phobia or anxiety Flooding Exposure to intense levels of the fear-provoking stimuli without allowing the animal to avoid them. Exposure continues until the animal shows no fearful responses at all. Response prevention The animal is presented with the fear-provoking stimuli but the animal is prevented from showing some or all of the fearful responses. Punishment An aversive consequence follows the occurrence of a fearful behavior. Medical approaches Use of anti-anxiety medications or sedatives to manage or treat the problem What NOT to Do Any sort of punishment including anti-bark collars, electronic containment systems and remote training collars is NOT appropriate for fear-motivated problems. Doing so will only make the animal more fearful and/or aggressive. Crating or confinement in small areas to prevent destructive behavior, house soiling or escape that is associated with fear and anxiety is NOT appropriate. Doing so can either make the animal more fearful or cause her to hurt herself in attempts to break out of the confinement. Difficulties Implementing Management and Treatment Fear-provoking stimuli cannot be identified Fear-provoking stimuli cannot be avoided Fear-provoking stimuli cannot be manipulated or simulated in a controlled fashion Behavior of the animal cannot be controlled or an incompatible emotional state cannot be created Inadequate or incomplete implementation of treatment procedures Thought Questions 1. Can medications by themselves resolve fear and phobia problems? 2. If a fear-provoking stimulus cannot be identified, what can be done to manage or resolve the problem? 3. What is the difference between flooding and response prevention?

8 8 Helping Fearful Dogs Telecourse References Hetts, S Pet Behavior Protocols: What to Say, What to Do, When to Refer. Lakewood, CO: AAHA Press, Chapt. 11, pp ; Chapt. 16, pp Landsberg, G., Hunthausen, W. & Ackerman, L Handbook of Behavior Problems of the Dog and Cat. 2 nd Ed. New York, NY: Saunders Publ. Chapter 11, Fears and Phobias, pp Marder, A. & Posage, J.M Treatment of emotional distress and disorders Pharmacologic methods. In McMillan, F.D. (Ed.) Mental Health and Well-Being in Animals. Ames, IA: Blackwell Publ., pp McCrave, E.L Diagnostic criteria for separation anxiety in the dog. In Marder, A.R. & Voith, V.L. (eds.) Veterinary Clinics of North America, Small Animal Practice: Advances in Companion Animal Behavior, Vol. 21, #2, March 1991, pp Shull-Selcer, E.A. & Stagg, W Advances in the understanding and treatment of noise phobias. In Marder, A.R. & Voith, V.L. (eds.) Veterinary Clinics of North America, Small Animal Practice: Advances in Companion Animal Behavior, Vol. 21, #2, March 1991, pp Tuber, D.S., Hothersall, D. & Peters, M.F Treatment of fears and phobias in dogs. In Voith, V.L. & Borchelt, P.L. (eds.) Veterinary Clinics of North America, Small Animal Practice: Symposium on Animal Behavior, Vol. 12, #4, November, 1982, pp Voith, V.L. & Borchelt, P.L Separation anxiety in dogs. In Voith, V.L. & Borchelt, P.L. (eds.) Readings in Companion Animal Behavior. Trenton, NJ: Veterinary Learning Systems, pp Voith, V.L. & Borchelt, P.L Fears and phobias in companion animals. In Voith, V.L. & Borchelt, P.L. (eds.) Readings in Companion Animal Behavior. Trenton, NJ: Veterinary Learning Systems, pp Wright, J.C., Reid, P.J. & Rozier, Z Treatment of emotional distress and disorders Non-pharmacologic methods. In McMillan, F.D. (Ed.) Mental Health and Well- Being in Animals. Ames, IA: Blackwell Publ. pp