Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats (36 page)

A barking dog is one of the most common neighbor complaints. Just as a considerate person will not play music at full volume or subject the sensitive ears of a pet to loud noise, a pet should not be allowed to make noise that bothers people. Constant barking can drive anyone mad.

If a dog is not well-trained and is barking from aggression or anxiety, it’s hard to get
him to stop. It’s even more difficult as the intensity and emotion of the barking escalates. Remember, yelling at a barking dog is like barking back at him. You may stop him that way for the moment by intimidating him, but the barking problem will persist.

Many people have found that a loud but
different
sound will stop dogs from barking. Examples are rattling a can with small stones or marbles in it, or shaking a ring of keys or throwing it on the floor. The shock of this different sound will stop the dog, breaking his concentration. It is a good training aid. Once he is quiet, reward the dog with praise.

You probably want your dog to bark when visitors or possible intruders arrive on your property, and then to stop barking when assured that things are fine. Dogs can learn to do this, but you’ll need to start the training for this early. When unusual noises occur or when strangers approach the house, you can praise your dog for giving two or three warning barks. However, he will also need to know a command like “Quiet,” so when you tell him to stop barking, he understands what you expect. You can’t wait until the problem situation arises to work on this if you expect results. You must lay the groundwork by setting up situations that allow your dog to learn “Bark” and “Quiet” under relaxed circumstances, not under pressure when a real visitor arrives. If your dog is accustomed to learning from you, this is not difficult. Even if he has already learned to bark nonstop, you can teach him to replace it with something better by commanding, “Chew on your bone” or, “Go find your toy.” Only when he knows you’re in charge is he likely to let you handle the situation. If he’s barking because he thinks that’s what you want, and he has learned a command for “that’s enough,” then he’ll probably stop when you tell him to be quiet.

It is an important point to make that some people actually approve of their dogs barking at
anyone
coming near—this reflects their own insecurity. Do you think your dog would know this? You bet he does. I can see, from my experience and hearing clients talk, that this is an aspect perhaps not adequately appreciated. There is no way that your dog is going to stop barking if you, internally, really approve of it. If you are having a lot of trouble getting your dog to stop barking, it is worth a little introspection to see if you
really
want this to stop. A change at this level may be needed.

A
RE
Y
OU
THE
B
ARKEE
?

What if you are the victim of a barker? It does happen that you may have a neighbor that simply doesn’t care, sad to say. If you can’t work out this problem, one solution is an electronic device that is used to control the barking of a nuisance dog. They work like this: the sound of the dog bark triggers a loud ultrasonic sound back, loud enough to be uncomfortable to the dog but inaudible to human beings. They can be set to go off after a certain number of barks, so if your limit is 4 barks, then you set it that way and mount it on your home or fence in the
direction of the barker. It doesn’t take long for the dog to get tired of being out-shouted.

It’s too bad we have to do things like this, but living close together brings these problems, when they occur, to the forefront of neighbor disagreements.

PREVENTING DOG BITES

Dog bites can be serious business. Every year a handful of Americans, mostly small children, are killed by family pets or neighbors’ dogs. United States medical personnel treat at least a million dog bite cases annually, ranging from nips on the ankle to mutilation requiring stitches or reconstructive surgery. It’s true that vicious bites come mostly from guard dogs and roaming dog packs; the majority of dog bites, however, come from animals known to their victims, dogs that have a reputation for being “nice.” Your own child could be the victim of such a dog, perhaps even your own pet.

In my first year of practice, two of my patients were the cause of a child being killed. We knew these dogs to be trouble because of their behavior in our clinic, usually biting whoever would hold them, but the client did not take any action that we knew of to control her dogs. One morning, while she was babysitting and carrying someone else’s child, she went out to stop her dogs from digging holes in the back yard. I will spare you the details, but it was unfortunate that she was carrying the child in her arms when she went out. It was a shock to all of us and brought home to me the real dangers of the uncontrolled aggressive animal.

There are many causes of canine aggression. Problems can often be traced to an inconsistent leadership or an overly emotional home. Other factors that can lead a dog to bite are: too little exercise, violent treatment, teasing, failure to correct dogs that nip you in play, too much confinement, physical discomfort from aging or injury, poor breeding, and minimal human contact during puppyhood (more likely for dogs from “puppy mills”).

T
HE
V
ACCINE
F
ACTOR

Chronic encephalitis underlies many canine behavior problems, including aggression. This condition is an inflammation of the brain and central nervous system in reaction to vaccines or due to an auto-immune disease (see
Vaccinations
). Over the years, I began to associate some of this aggressive behavior with bad results from rabies vaccinations, specifically. Dogs that were formerly pleasant would become suspicious, aggressive, impulsive, and destructive, often breaking out of their yards to wander—in a word, dangerous animals. These are symptoms of rabies disease, and though these dogs did not have rabies, it did appear that the vaccine had set off some of the same behaviors as the disease. I always cautioned people with dogs like this not to vaccinate them again, but the legal requirement for rabies can make this a difficult accomplishment. Many veterinarians now offer to take a
blood sample to test for immunity to rabies (rabies titer), but not all counties will recognize this as legitimate.

P
REVENTING
A
GGRESSION

You should prevent your dog from endangering strangers by keeping him inside or secured behind a fence, or else under your control on a leash. If your dog is left alone in a yard with a fence that a neighbor child can reach through, talk to local parents, urging them to make sure their children understand possible dangers. (If necessary, put up a Beware of Dog sign.)

Watch for subtle warning signs of a problem and take them very seriously. Many people mistakenly deny that their dog poses a potential danger, either because they see it as an insult to the dog or themselves or because they don’t know how to solve the problem. Their dog might have actually snarled or bit at someone, but they make excuses—he was startled or had his tail stepped on, for example. Such aggressive reactions tend to get worse, not better, especially in older pets. Take my word for it and correct this now before it causes some real harm. Think how you’d feel if you ignored the problem and a child was bitten.

Play it safe. The guidelines that follow should reduce the risk of dog bites from your own dog, as well as someone else’s. Make sure your children understand and follow them.

First, learn these tips on how to avoid provoking a dog:

Don’t disturb a dog while it’s eating or
sleeping.
If your leadership with your own dog is clear, you should be able to take his food. But if there is any doubt, don’t try.

Do not intrude upon the private territory
of a restrained or confined dog.
Neutral territory, like a park, is usually much safer for any interaction.

Never tease a dog by dangling food or
toys over its head.
A playful nip can easily get out of control.

Stop hugging or holding a pet that wants
to be free.
He may feel he has to fight (bite) to get away.

Teach children to avoid stray dogs completely.
Also, it’s dangerous to pet a strange dog on a leash unless you ask if it’s safe. The dog might be a watchdog trained to attack—or just in a bad mood.

Do not scream and wave your hands
around dogs.
Children who do this when scared or excited can unintentionally provoke aggressive dogs.

Once you know how to avoid provoking a dog, it’s also helpful to know how to mollify a dog that approaches you in a threatening manner. You can tell from a dog’s body language whether he means serious business or just wants to engage in some rough-and-tumble play.

A friendly dog avoids direct eye contact, looks to the side, perhaps exposes his throat and even grins. He keeps his ears flat, tail tucked down, and body low. If his head is lower than his tail (think of bowing), but he is crouching, pouncing, or thrusting about, he’s probably just playing and is not a threat.

Be on the lookout for these signs of a potentially dangerous dog: ears raised up and forward, teeth bared in a snarl, and hair raised on the shoulders and rump. Even more threatening signs: becoming stiff-legged, raising a front leg, urinating, growling, staring you in the eye, and slowly waving a high, arched tail. An animal that bites out of fear may send mixed messages, so read the whole animal carefully and avoid threatening any dog that acts wary of you. Unfortunately, some dogs attack without any of these warning signs. Some Shar-Peis, pit bulls, and Chows are especially notorious in this way, endangering even experienced animal handlers.

If a dog runs at you, stay calm. Turn partially sideways and speak in a soothing voice. Keep your head slightly lowered and your hands down. This conveys peaceable intentions. Do not face the dog head-on or stare it in the eye. Do not turn and run unless you are certain of reaching safety. The dog tends to see a running creature as escaping prey. Some veterinarians and animal handlers confound threatening animals they must approach by whistling softly (while turned away) or calling in a friendly tone.

If a dog chases you on your bike, slow down and speak soothingly. Get off your bike if you can, on the side away from the dog. Walk at an unhurried pace, without turning your back to the dog.

If a dog should bite you, stay calm. A scream may provoke the attacker further. Try to put an object (like a purse, newspaper, book, or jacket) near his mouth to give him something besides you to bite. Wash the wound with soap and water. Call your doctor for advice. Report the incident right away to the public health department and establish the dog’s identity if you can.

When two dogs fight, get out of the way. I have seen many clients receive terrible injuries from trying to intervene in a dog fight. If you feel safe at a distance or behind a barrier, the best way to break up a fight is to turn a hose on both dogs.

“CONTROLLING” CATS

There’s general agreement that dogs should not be allowed to wander (it’s the law in many cities). But the attitude toward cats is somewhat different, leading some people to keep their cats indoors and others to let them out. Here are some of the main things to consider in making your decision.

Cats cause less harm to people or property
outdoors.
They mostly endanger themselves, each other (from accidents, dogs, cat fights, transmission of feline leukemia virus), and small wildlife. Most people welcome their natural tendency to kill mice, rats, and gophers.

If allowed outdoors, cats can’t be confined
by a fence and most cannot be walked
on a leash.
Unlike dogs, cats resist training. They come “as is.” Their natural behavior is pretty much what you get.

They use gardens and children’s sandboxes
as litter boxes.
This can be a considerable nuisance and even a public health
problem. A cat afflicted with toxoplasmosis can pose a risk to a gardener who is pregnant and who could become infected with the organism via buried feces (see below).

Indoor life generally suits cats better than
dogs.
That’s because cats are less active, less social, normally sleep more, and take readily to using a litter box. Some cats actually seem to prefer living indoors.

Many people who live in apartments, in congested urban areas, near busy roads, or in areas frequented by packs of dogs or coyotes keep their cats inside as a safety measure. With proper care, many cats live indoors contentedly, especially the more home-loving breeds—Korats, Persians, Bombays, Angoras, and Ragdolls. Be sure to offer an indoor cat plenty of attention, toys, and a nice shelf by a sunny, screened window. If you’re away a lot, consider getting a second cat as company for the first. Persians, Himalayans, and Kashmirs tend to be most sociable and are least apt to fight with other cats.

Some cats have an instinctive love of the outdoors. As a group, outdoor cats are hardier, better hunters, and more active. These include shorthairs, Abyssinians, Somalis, and Maine Coon cats. While they can adapt to indoor life, especially with a good window spot or screened porch, they really prefer an occasional romp in a garden. If you live in a fairly safe neighborhood (low traffic, no aggressive animals on the loose, no neighboring houses full of sickly cats), I feel it’s often wise to allow a cat some freedom. This choice may mean a shorter life (there is always the risk of injuries from traffic or from other animals), but it may be a more satisfying one for the cat.