Imagine being transported and dropped into a new country. You don’t understand the language and you break rules you didn’t even know rules are and you offend people without intending to. Image being yelled at for things you didn’t know you were doing wrong. Then you meet one person who speaks your language and they explain everything to you. Now you can follow the rules willing. You’re happier, now that you know what is expected of you. You’re garnering accolades instead of consequences for behavior. This is what goes through the minds of dogs when they come into our homes. We yell at them but they just don’t understand what we want.
Natural Canine Rehab teaches the dogs in their own language what we expect. When a dog comes into a home and barks out the window at people outside, the owners yell at or pet the dog and tell it that everything is fine, they’re teaching their dogs that that behavior is ok because they’re getting rewarded.
One of the most common reasons for surrendering a pet is behavioral issues. While it is always a good idea to socialize your puppy or new dog until it is at least 2-3 years of age, it takes approximately two months from the time you adopt or purchase a pet until you see the true measure of behavioral or temperament issues. Dogs are typically on their best behavior for the first two months, which we call the “honeymoon period”. Dogs will often observe you and your family before they determine if you are the one in charge or if they should be. The vast majority of behavioral issues can be helped by contacting a trained and certified animal behaviorist (link to UKP site) or potentially a veterinary behaviorist.
The main difference is that a UKP behaviorist will not rely on medications, including Prozac, to fix those issues while a veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist will use medication as a first line of treatment. Many of the medications used for dog’s can change your dog’s entire personality and even create aggression in some dogs. Many owners report that their dog’s behavior was exacerbated or completely changed by medications. This does not mean that a good veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist should not be consulted, but we never want to start out with that option. Rather begin by actually treating the dogs behavioral issues with behavior modifications.
