Welcoming a cat or dog into your family can be an incredibly fulfilling experience. However, just as we all have our own personality quirks and challenges, so too do our beloved pets. From barking and separation anxiety to pulling on the lead, here are some of the most common behavioural challenges faced by cats and dogs and what we can do to help overcome them.
With enormous thanks to expert animal behaviourist, Taryn Blyth, for her contribution in putting this article together.
DOGS
Reactivity
'Reactivity' refers to dogs lunging, barking or snapping at other dogs or people. Steps can be taken to avoid this from developing in the first place, which involves proper socialisation in the first 14 weeks of life and appropriate training. This early socialisation and training helps a dog develop problem-solving skills, emotional self-control and confidence.
If ‘reactivity’ is already a problem for you and your dog, there are ways to ‘manage’ this – what are the situations in which this lunging, barking or snapping occurs? How can you avoid putting your dog in situations that trigger the anxious or frustrated feelings that are at the root of any aggressive behaviour?
To crack this challenge, working with a qualified behaviourist or trainer is highly recommended. With their expertise, he/she can work to gradually desensitize your dog to triggers and create new positive associations with any situation (counter-conditioning).
Reactivity is a common problem (especially amongst dogs who have not had the best start in life) but with a lot of love, patience and help from experts, you will gain a much better understanding.
Pulling on the lead & jumping up
According to Taryn, pulling on the lead & jumping up at people and not coming when called are typical training issues that many people experience with their dogs, particularly during your pet’s adolescence phase. Taryn believes in a more positive approach to these behaviours and that punishing is not the answer.
“The best way to address these problems is through positive reinforcement training that focuses on building a strong bond between dog and owner and helping the dog to see that being with their human 'mom' or 'dad' and responding to cues, is more fun than anything else.”
“These behaviours can often develop because, from a dog’s point of view, they work and achieve the result they are looking for. For example, jumping up results in getting attention (even if it is someone saying 'off') and pulling on the lead allows a dog to keep moving forward. The key is to teach your dog that different behaviours that we prefer get better results. So, for example, jumping up results in us withdrawing all attention and sitting, or all four paws on the ground results in us saying hello and interacting.”
Speak to a recommended animal behaviourist. They may also advise you on how best to use healthy treats in your training and whether you need a different collar, harness or lead.
Resource guarding
This refers to when dogs don’t want people or other pets to come anywhere near their food, bed or toys. To humans it appears as if they are being territorial. As Taryn points out, this is essentially a normal behaviour in dogs. Dogs are naturally scavengers and they need to be able to keep whatever food they find from other dogs, in order to live.
“Resource guarding is easily prevented by teaching puppies that good stuff happens when people come near their food or toys i.e. we don't take their food or toys away, we actually give them more! Adding more food to the bowl while a puppy is eating or swapping a toy for a treat and then giving the toy back again, is the best way to help dogs get comfortable with us being around their stuff.”
Separation related distress (SRD)
Some dogs panic when they are left alone. This can be common when puppies are taken to their new homes but are then left for long periods of time, when prior to this they had the company of litter mates and their 'mom'.
As Taryn explains:
“A dog that suffers from separation distress is in excruciating psychological pain. They may howl, bark or scream; they may destroy things, they may lose their normal house-training. This condition is very different to a dog that is bored when left alone and barks or digs to find something to amuse himself. Only a proper assessment (usually through video footage of the dog when left alone) where the dog's emotional state can be evaluated, can give guidance on whether the dog is suffering from true SRD or is merely bored.”
"SRD usually requires collaboration between the dog's vet and behaviourist, as both medication and a thorough behaviour modification plan is then often needed. SRD can be prevented with careful and gradual exposure to being left alone (first at the breeder, before the pup is five weeks of age, when they do not yet have the emotional capacity to panic) and careful exposure to alone-time once the puppy is in its new home (leaving for just a minute at a time and leaving the pup with so many tasty chews that he does not even notice the owner's absence).”
In some mild cases of SRD, products such as Calmeze, Happy Cat and Happy Hound can be helpful, but for severe cases prescription medication may be required.
Boredom
Boredom is very different to separation related distress but it can be an underlying reason for many behavioural issues. Are you spending enough time with your pet? Are they getting enough exercise, regularly? Here are some of our favourite products to help entertain your dog.
CATS
Spraying or inappropriate toilet habits
Spraying or inappropriate toileting is probably the most common complaint amongst cat owners. However, the two things are actually quite different.
According to Taryn: “true spraying is due to stress and does not mean that a cat is not house-trained. Spraying, and being able to smell their own scent, helps anxious or stressed cats to feel better. Common causes of spraying are over-crowding (too many cats) and a lack of resources. When cats are in a confined space and resources like feeding bowls, litter trays and sleeping spots are limited, cats become very stressed.”
Toilet training problems tend to be a result of bad associations with the litter tray, such as litter that is too big or rough on a cat's paws, litter trays that are dirty or in an inappropriate place.
To find what you need for your cat, view our range of cat hygiene products here.
Cystitis is also a common cause of loss of house training in cats and so a vet check-up is always a good idea.
Aggression towards people
According to Taryn, aggression towards people is on the increase with cats being kept indoors more often. Cats need opportunities to rehearse hunting behaviour (even if they don't catch anything) and cats that live indoors don't get to lie-in-wait, stalk, chase and pounce on insects, like butterflies, just as outdoor cats do.
"The resulting frustration can lead to them either becoming irritable and taking it out on those who live with them or trying to practise hunting behaviours on their owner’s feet and hands! Where it is appropriate and relatively safe, access to outdoors is preferable. If a cat is limited to indoors, we suggest a cat gym or cat furniture with climbing and scratching areas; and plenty of play time with their owners using feathers and other cat toys that simulate hunting activities."
Boredom
As touched on above, there are many great products on the market that can help stimulate and entertain your cat. Here are some of our favourites:
Special thanks and appreciation to Taryn Blyth for sharing her expertise with us.
Whatever challenge you and your pet are facing, there are some brilliant products on the market that may be able to help, and of course some excellent animal behaviourists you can consult with.
Happy and Healthy
The Absolute Pets team