Problem Dogs

Since our domestic animals are usually confined or restrained, they are susceptible to abnormal behavior. And the dog is no exception. We've taken the dog and forced him to live under all kinds of unnatural conditions. Many of these conditions lead to abnormal behavior or neuroses. You have learned in the early chapters the importance of environment in the early development of the puppy. Environment is also a vital factor in the mature dog's behavior.

While it may not have been difficult for you to provide the puppy with the proper socialization and environment, you may find when he's grown older that the situation and en­vironment have changed. You now notice that your dog is developing certain unfavorable tendencies. He is showing signs of abnormal behavior and will, unless curbed, develop into a problem dog.

CAUSES OF ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR

Let us delve lightly into the background of abnormal be­havior. It may be functional or organic. A dog that is con­fined all day to a small apartment and seeks release from his stored-up energy by chewing the rugs or furniture is show­ing signs of functional abnormal behavior. When a rabid dog runs through the streets, snapping at people and animals in his path, he is suffering from a disease that affects his behavior. This would be organic abnormal behavior. In many cases, the trend of functional abnormal behavior can be altered. Functional abnormal behavior can also be prevented. But the outcome of organic abnormal behavior depends on the prognosis of the disease. In the case of rabies, there is no cure and the abnormal behavior ends with the death of the dog.

Dr. J. P. Scott, who has been responsible for shedding con­siderable light on the abnormal behavior of dogs, points out that there are four factors that produce abnormal behavior in the dog. These are over excitement, lack of escape, lack of adaptation, and genetic susceptibility. All four of these fac­tors must be present at one time. The presence of one or two will not produce prolonged or harmful effects.

Overexcitement

Any situation or stimulus that tends to overexcite the dog will contribute toward abnormal behavior. For example, the ringing of a doorbell or telephone may overexcite the dog.

Lack of escape

When the dog cannot escape from the situation or stimulus that is causing his overexcitement, he takes another step to­ward abnormal behavior. Let us go back to the dog in the apartment who hears the doorbell or telephone ringing. Since he is confined, he cannot escape from the sound of the bells. Lacking a means of escape, the dog may bark, scratch at the door or howl.

Lack of adaptation

If the doorbell and telephone rang continuously, the dog would more than likely adapt to them. But these are sporadic stimuli and the dog cannot or will not adapt to them. In some situations, the dog has no opportunity to adapt. In others, the opportunity may be present, and the dog fails to adapt and resorts to abnormal behavior.

Genetic susceptibility

You will remember that dogs are sensitive to sounds and touch. Some of them are oversensitive and may be said to have a genetic susceptibility. This susceptibility is usually re­lated to a metabolic disturbance in the dog's nervous system. This is the one factor contributing to abnormal behavior that cannot be controlled. You can do something about the other three.

It should be pointed out here that we are not trying to make a "dog psychologist" out of you, if there is such a pro­fession. Rather, our intention is to acquaint you with the causes of abnormal behavior and what—if anything—can be done about it. Diagnosing the exact cause of your dog's ab­normal behavior may often be beyond your abilities. But by knowing what contributes toward abnormal behavior and some of its examples, you can take steps to prevent it. Or you can at least see to it that your dog is not placed in a situation or environment that will ultimately lead to abnormal be­havior.

Fortunately, you can do quite a bit about most cases of abnormal behavior. You have control of the dog's environ­ment and may often be in the position of rearranging it if it is contributing to your dog's abnormal behavior. In many cases, you can provide a means of escape from the stimuli that are causing overexcitement. For instance, if the telephone overexcites the dog, you can tone down the bell or change over to a signal light while you are away from home. In general, you can work toward decreasing or eliminating over-excitement, providing a means of escape and offering sub­stitutes, whenever possible.

Now, let us examine some of the types of abnormal be­havior that may occur under city, suburban and country conditions.

THE CHRONIC BARKER OR HOWLER

It's normal for your dog to bark a warning or greeting. It's abnormal for him to keep on barking long after the reason has ceased to exist. Yet many dogs do just this. In the chapter on raising a dog in the city, we gave some instructions on how to teach your dog not to bark after he's alerted you. Per­haps, despite your efforts, your dog still keeps up an abnor­mal barking after he should have stopped. Or, what is worse, he barks continuously when you are away from home (which you learn from angry neighbors when you come home).

If we apply the social psychologist's yardstick to the chronic barker, we have all four of the factors needed to produce ab­normal behavior. The door and telephone bells, knocks on the door, loud voices in the hall and other noises are all over-excitement factors. Since the dog is confined in the house or apartment, he cannot escape. He can't or will not adapt to the sounds and noises, and he doubtless has a genetic suscepti­bility. The result of all of this is abnormal barking.

Or look at it this way. The dog hears a noise in the hall or the doorbell rings. It strikes the dog's ears the wrong way and overexcites him. He'd like to get at whatever is causing the noise, but he can't. So he does the next best thing, he barks. He can't get used to the noises, since they are infre­quent or sporadic. And because his nervous system is on the minus side, he develops abnormal behavior and keeps barking long after the noise has stopped.

We should make it clear that you are not out to make your dog a barkless dog. You want him to bark an alert, even when you are not at home. But you want him to quiet down after his warning has been acknowledged or the cause of the warn­ing has gone away.

As for therapy for the chronic barker, you will have to provide some form of escape. You can't very well stop people from coming to the door or noises in the hall. And unless you decide to move to the country, you can't take the dog out of the offending environment. But you can try to substitute some action that will take his mind off the noises.

In an actual case of this type, one owner found a novel solution to his barking dog problem. He was obliged to leave the apartment all day. While he was out, his dog barked whenever anyone walked past the apartment door. This was normal, since the dog was barking a warning. But he kept it up long after the person had moved on and no noise existed. Neighbors complained and the harassed dog owner tried all the standard remedies, without success. Faced with the pos­sibility of having to give up his dog, he sought professional advice. The problem was discussed and a possible solution suggested. It was this: teach the dog to go fetch something from another room whenever he heard a noise. In a short time, the dog was trained to bark a warning, then go to the shelf, take a book and disappear into the room with his bed. Ridiculous? Maybe. But it solved the problem for this dog owner.
There is, however, a tale of how a dog owner contributed to his dog's abnormal behavior. This owner was more con­cerned about his dog getting enough exercise than in keeping the dog out of trouble. Dog and owner lived in a city apart­ment. The owner worked all day and became worried about his dog getting enough exercise. He hit upon what he thought was a brilliant idea to get the dog exercising while he, the owner, was at work. It was simple. He knew the dog barked and ran around the apartment whenever the telephone rang. So the owner merely rang his own number three or four times a day, thereby getting the dog to race around the apartment. The finale to this little tour-de-force is not difficult to imag­ine. Both dog and owner were evicted.

What about the dog that howls when you are not at home? He is definitely a problem. He howls because he is confined and lonely. You can try to cure him by teaching him to stay alone without making a noise. (See Chapter 7) Or, if this fails, have someone come in and take the dog out for a walk several times a day. There is a third possibility: give the dog some company by adding a kitten to the ménage. Another dog would be just the company he would want, but you might find yourself with a howling duet, instead of a solo!

The suburban dog that barks indiscriminately at friend and stranger is well on his way to becoming a problem. While a barking dog does not necessarily mean a biting dog, there's always the possibility that the barker will follow up his noise with a bite. Milkmen, mailmen, newsboys and utility service­men are the frequent targets of the barker (and biter).

Barking at people who come into the yard or house, espe­cially servicemen, usually starts from the dog's protective instinct. He barks a warning. But it can go beyond the mere warning for various reasons, among them being a fear of the mailman's bag, the clattering of the milk bottles, a rolled-up newspaper tossed onto the porch or into the yard by the news­boy, the uniforms of the servicemen and others. Regardless of the cause, you will have to take measures to break the dog of this overzealous barking. Later, he may take to biting and you will then have a more serious problem on your hands.

There is no single step in breaking the dog of the barking habit. Your main course of action is to make a "formal" in­troduction between the dog and servicemen. To do this, you will have to get the cooperation of the servicemen. When one of them arrives, ask him to stand still and not move his arms, bottles or bag. Have the dog on the leash and make him heel as you walk out to meet, the serviceman. Remind the man to stand still, speaking to him in friendly tones. The dog will probably bristle and bark. Cut him short with a stern repri­mand. Then let him smell the man. Remember, it is with his nose that a dog identifies a person or object; he never will accept the mailman or anyone else unless he can satisfy his nose. Keep reassuring the dog (and maybe the man). Don't, under any circumstances, let the man hand you a letter or bottle of milk. The dog may misinterpret this as an attack on you. Just let the dog see that nobody is going to harm him or you. Later you can pick up the mail or bring in the milk. You'll have to go through more than one of these sessions, but it will be worth it. Once the dog gets used to the service­men, he will accept them.

The matter of the newsboy flinging a rolled-up newspaper is somewhat different and requires special handling. First of all, there are two factors that cause the dog to get overexcited: the newsboy on his bicycle (the bicycle excites the dog), and the boy's act of throwing the newspaper (which the dog inter­prets as being thrown at him). This means that you have two hurdles to overcome; three, if the newsboy is a lad who takes great delight in throwing the paper and watching the dog go berserk. But overcome them you must, if you want to avoid having the dog turn into a biter.

You can try introducing the dog to the newsboy, but this involves risk. The newsboy is one person the dog would like to grab, since the boy makes a threatening gesture to the dog when he throws the newspaper. If he hits the dog, there is all the more reason for wanting to get at him. Your safest pro­cedure is to have the boy park his bicycle away from the house (the bicycle is part of the problem) and put the newspaper into a special container outside the fence. You can also keep the dog indoors at the time when the newsboy makes his daily delivery. As a last resort, cancel your newspaper delivery and pick up the paper at the store.

THE BITING DOG

When a dog wants to show his displeasure, he'll growl, snarl or bite. He will also bite from fear and in self-defense. These are natural reactions and normal behavior. But from our standpoint, any of these traits constitute undesirable be­havior. It makes no difference if psychologists and animal behaviorists state that from the dog's viewpoint there is just provocation for him to bite—a biting dog is proscribed.

It is estimated that 600,000 people are bitten by dogs every year in the United States. The U. S. Post Office Department reported an average of 6,000 mailmen bitten each year. Fur­thermore, more than 76% of the dogs involved in these bites had owners.

The dog bite situation as a national problem rarely gets the attention it deserves. Dog food companies, breeders and others engaged in selling or promoting dogs and dog prod­ucts are reluctant to bring up the problem. In fact, it's con­sidered bad publicity for dogs. Consequently, the subject is ignored, glossed over or pigeonholed. Nevertheless, dogs do bite, and an ostrich-like attitude will not help reduce the number of bites.

The number of dog bites can be reduced. But only when dog owners train their dogs and keep them under control, and the public learns more about dogs and their habits and how to act around a strange dog. The two go hand-in-hand; advising the dog owner to control his dog without instructing the public in how to meet a dog will never ease the situation. It is at best a half measure.

You, as an intelligent dog owner, will teach your dog basic obedience. As we have pointed out several times before, basic obedience is a fine control measure when you are present. When you are not, your dog is under no obligation to be­have. Some dog authorities stoutly maintain that an obedient dog is rarely, if ever, a biter. Of course not, if you are around to stop him. Many dogs involved in bite cases have had obedi­ence training. In fact, dog show judges are occasionally bitten by dogs that are supposed to have had the ultimate in training and handling.

Maybe your dog has never bitten anyone, maybe he never will. If you've given him obedience training and discouraged nipping and biting when he was a pup, you will probably avoid a chronic biter. But as far as we're concerned, nobody can say with certainty that his dog will never bite. When forced into a situation where he is overexcited and provoked, any dog will bite.

Chronic biters more or less fall into five classifications: shy dogs, resentful dogs, vicious dogs, overly protective dogs and "unbalanced" or mentally ill dogs. You will no doubt recog­nize that the first three dogs are probably the result of poor handling during the early socialization period of puppyhood. The overly protective dog is the result of genetic suscepti­bility and the mentally ill dog may be the result of genetic susceptibility, disease or injury.

All of the above groups of dogs are potential chronic biters. When provoked, they can usually be relied upon to retaliate by snapping or biting. Now, let's see what provocation will trigger these biters into action. (We're excluding dogfights) Here are some of the common triggering devices of dog bites:

Keeping dogs on chains, ropes, cables or in close confine­ment. When kept this way, the dogs become overly aggressive and when teased or merely approached, they bite. Fastening a dog on a short chain and teasing him was one of the meth­ods using to make military dogs "vicious."

Sudden movements and wrong way of approaching dogs by strangers. The dog may be downwind from the person, he may be sensitive to touch, or be suddenly awakened out of a sleep by the approach of a person—all of which cause him to snap or bite.

Teasing or rough handling by children or thoughtless adults. The dog may get overexcited or be oversensitive to touch.

Irrespective of what is triggering your dog into biting, the fact is you will have to do something about it. The practical approach would be to remove those factors causing the dog to get overexcited and bite. Or to provide him with a means of escape. You can't very well eliminate the servicemen. Al­though, if you don't restrain your dog, these men will remove themselves.

The Post Office Department has been searching for ways to solve the dog bite problem among its employees. So far, the Department hasn't come up with any method to make dogs stop biting the mailman or a device to prevent the men from being bitten. (They have tried metal trousers, handouts of dog candy, etc.) The Department also has what it calls the "anti-dog bite policy," which requires the local postmaster to send a letter to the offending dog's owner, advising him that his dog is interfering with the delivery of the mail. The letter goes on to state that the dog owner is requested to take steps to control his dog by leashing or penning the animal.

This rule looked good in writing, but was difficult to put into practice. The main objection is that the letter of com­plaint has to be delivered to the dog owner's mailbox. Thus, the mailman must run the gantlet of hostile dogs once more. Now the Post Office Department is considering the idea of having the local postmaster telephone the dog owner and issue the ultimatum: keep your dog away from the mailman or face discontinuance of mail. But there's one big snag: not all dog owners with offending dogs have telephones!

All levity aside, the dog bite problem is a serious one. In the suburbs where dogs are roaming loose, it becomes more than just the problem of the individual dog owner. It is a community problem. You and every other dog owner should make every effort to reduce the number of dog bites, even though your dog, as yet, is not an offender.

If you know that your dog bites, try to eliminate any fac­tors causing overexcitement and look for ways to help him escape or adapt. Talk to the servicemen, solicit their cooper­ation and introduce them to the dog while you have him on the leash. Instead of keeping your dog on a chain or rope, where he will build up energy and possibly release it by at­tacking the first person or animal that comes near him, put a fence around the yard. Or, if this is not practical, at least make a kennel.

Should your dog be shy or sensitive to touch, let this fact be known to all who come to your house. Make it very clear to children that they must not touch or tease the dog. Some dogs, especially older dogs raised in homes where there are no children, are often resentful of youngsters and will snap at them. In brief, take every possible step to control your dog and alert people to the problem. This is not to advocate your keeping a vicious dog that is a menace to all who come near him. Such a dog will keep all people away from your home, and this is not what you want with a house pet.

While this is a book on the care and training of your dog, we do not think it amiss to set down some rules for meeting another dog. You may be out for a walk and encounter a strange dog. Or your neighbor may own a problem dog that bites. By knowing how to act and what to do when you meet a strange dog, you will be able to prevent what otherwise may be a very unpleasant or dangerous experience.

HOW TO MEET A STRANGE DOG

For the sake of simplicity, we'll divide dogs into friendly and unfriendly dogs. You can usually tell the friendly dog by the way he approaches you. He'll come up to you openly, his nose sniffing for your scent, his tail wagging and held high, and he may give out with a friendly bark. His whole approach is, you might say, aboveboard.

Most of us would say that any dog that bars our path with a growl or show of teeth is an unfriendly one. This may be an injustice to the dog, since he may merely be guarding his master or property. But until you know he is just being pro­tective and is a friendly dog when "off duty," treat him as an unfriendly dog. And consider unfriendly dogs as unsafe.

Recognizing the unsafe dog

Proceed with caution if you meet a dog that fits any of the following qualifications:

Standing with body rigid, tail stiff and held at "half-mast."
Barking shrilly or hysterically.
Going into a slink or crouch, with his body and tail rigid, teeth bared.
Coming at you with head lowered, nose held close to the ground.
Standing with a staring expression, ears laid flat. Attempting to circle and get behind you.

Safety rules for meeting a strange dog

When a strange dog approaches you, stop.
Stand still and do not move your hands or body.
Speak softly. Always speak to any dog that has not seen you approach. Make sure the dog knows you are around.
Wait to see what the dog is going to do. Look for signs of an unsafe dog.
If the dog tries to circle and get behind you, pivot slowly, so that you are always facing him. Do not move your arms, legs (except to pivot) or make any threatening gesture.

Never turn your back on a dog that is moving toward you. Do not panic and run. Admittedly, it takes courage to stand still, but it is your best defense tactic. Wait until the dog stops moving before you move, and then move slowly. Stop when he moves again.

Never touch any strange dog. And never strike or kick at any dog.
Do not hand a person a package or shake hands when that person's dog is close by. The dog may misinterpret your move as an attack on his master.

Finally, never accept a dog owner's suggestion that you "make friends" with his dog by touching or feeding the animal. Remember, the dog should make the first overture of friendship, not you. And he will not do this until he smells you.

What to do if attacked by a dog

The safety rules will help you to avoid being bitten in most situations. Study and remember them. Pass them along to your family and neighbors. However, there may come a time when it is too late to apply the safety rules. This will be when you've reached the point of no return. For example, you might stumble over a dog asleep in the bushes, or a dog suddenly leaps at you before you can stop or back away. These are serious situations and the most you can do is to protect yourself from being severely bitten.

If a large dog attacks you

Quickly fold your arms and hold them across your face. Twist your body to the right or left (depending from which direction the dog leaps) as the dog jumps at you. The upper arm or shoulder should strike the dog and knock him off balance. Repeat this maneuver if he attacks again. Call for help. If the dog tries to get behind you, pivot with him. Stand still when he stops attacking and move only when he has retreated to a safe distance. You may get bitten, but your defensive tactics will reduce the severity of the attack and save your life.

If a small dog attacks

Lift one knee as the dog leaps. The knee will perform the same function as the arm and shoulder block on the big dog. Lift your knee straight up, not forward and up. If properly executed, the lifted knee will knock the small dog off balance. Repeat if he tries to attack again. Call for help. Pivot with the dog if he tries to circle and get behind you. Stand still when he stops attacking and move only when he's gone off.

Some common sense

In any meeting with a strange or hostile dog, remember that dogs instinctively chase motion. Stand still. Don't turn and run, although your knees are shaking and you want to get away fast. Your entire plan of defense against a pos­sibly dangerous dog is to eliminate motion until the dog wanders off.

There are some situations in which no safety rules or de­fensive tactics will work. These are usually the result of ignorance of the nature of dogs and the dangers involved. For example, many people do not know that dogs are very protective about their food. Many dogs will snap or attack anyone trying to take away their food. Yet people still try to do this and are severely bitten. Children should be warned not to touch a strange dog's food or try to offer him any. Very often, a child will hold out a piece of candy and when the dog moves to take it, the child pulls back. This is ex­tremely dangerous.

THE CAR CHASER

The car-chasing dog is a real problem. He's both a nuisance and a potential cause of an accident, since many drivers in­stinctively swerve away from the dog. This may be all right when the road is clear. When it isn't, the swerving driver may strike another car or a pedestrian.

One of the theories advanced as to why dogs chase cars is their instinctive reaction to motion. You will recall the dog is an animal of the chase, a running hunter, and chasing a car is an extension of the hunting instinct. But there are other factors contributing to car chasing. The pup may have been badly frightened by a car and his reaction is to get back at it (he can't tell one car from another, so he chases any car). He may also have had an experience where some people drove past in a car and threw something at him or made loud noises. Or perhaps a passing car contained another dog that barked out of the window. And finally, certain car motors and exhausts make a noise that strikes the dog's ears the wrong way.

The writer has observed an example of this reaction of a dog to motor and exhaust noises. While commuting to New York City, two cars were used alternately. The writer owned an American car with the motor up front. A neighbor had a foreign car with the motor in the rear.

Along the route to the city was a house with a male Springer Spaniel. The house had no yard or fence and the dog usually stayed on the porch. When we drove past in the American car, he paid no attention and went on with his scratching or napping. But when we drove by in the foreign car, the dog went berserk. He dashed down off the porch, raced after us and snapped at the rear tires, gradually giving up as we sped away.

Now, it might be argued at this point that the dog had some grudge against a foreign car, other than its noise. But we varied the experiment. We pushed the car fast enough to make it coast down the hill past the dog. While the motor was off, the dog took no notice of the car and went on with his nap. But when we started the motor, he came tearing down off the porch and took up the chase. We were satisfied that it was the noise of the motor or exhaust that irked the dog.

Despite careful training and restraint, dogs do develop the car-chasing habit. This is especially true if, when they are turned out of doors, they join a gang of canine delinquents. Once your dog has the car-chasing habit, you will have to take drastic steps to break it. Keep him in a yard or kennel, take him outside only on the leash, and reprimand him severely if he so much as takes a step toward a moving car. If he races along the inside of the fence as a car goes by, take him to task for this too.

Several techniques for breaking dogs of the car-chasing habit have been developed by trainers. None of them are guaranteed. Car chasing is a tough problem. There have been cases where dogs were struck and severely injured, only to resume their old habit upon recovery. While being struck by a car may cure some dogs, it only seems to aggravate the habit in others. They now have a stronger reason to chase a car.

Even though the car-chasing deterrents are not guaranteed, they are worth a trial. One of the techniques is a variation of the old saw, "Give him enough rope and he'll hang himself." We're not interested in hanging the dog, just in stopping him from chasing cars. Put him on a long rope, about twenty feet long, and take him out on the street or highway. When he bolts for a car, give him plenty of rope, brace yourself, and when he gets to the end of the line—dump him hard. Don't be afraid to upset him. The jolt you give him will be nothing compared to what he'll get if hit by a fast-moving car. After a few of these sessions, the dog will think twice about taking off after a car.

Another method is to fling a heavy chain at the dog's feet when he chases a car. This flung chain works similar to the South American gaucho's bola which he hurls at an animal to entangle it. Have someone drive past in a car and hold the chain ready. When the dog sails after the car, throw the chain at his feet. If your aim is good, the chain will tangle around his feet and either throw or stop him. A chain with links the size of snow chains will be satisfactory. Don't try to break the dog's legs; the entanglement plus the surprise will usually do the trick. If this seems like harsh treatment, consider what may happen to him and the occupants of a car that may strike him or crash trying to avoid him.

There are some other methods aimed at breaking the car-chasing habit. One is the water pistol treatment. This con­sists of having two people drive past the dog, one of them armed with a water pistol loaded with an ammonia-and-water solution. The "ammunition" should not be too strong, just powerful enough to make the dog's eyes water when hit. The trouble with this method is that you have to be a marksman. Some dogs are wily enough to dodge the spray. The other method is to hang a lead or steel pipe from the dog's harness or collar, so that it dangles across his front legs. When he runs, the pipe bangs against his legs, impeding his progress or at least discouraging him. This trick has worked, but again, some smart dogs simply take the pipe in their teeth and go after the car. But, as we said before, try anything to break the car-chasing habit.

If you are bothered by dogs chasing your car, here's a tip that will help. When a dog charges out to chase your car, simply stop (but make sure that you signal your intention to stop to any cars behind). Since the dog is chasing motion, your stopping will eliminate the motive for the chase. Dogs rarely attack a standing car. You merely have to stop the car and wait a few minutes. No need for shouts, oaths or insults. Once you stop the car the dog will either stand barking at you or will walk away, confused or baffled. But if he happens to be a confirmed car-chasing addict, he'll probably resume the chase when you start up again. But keep repeating the process and even the most dedicated car chaser will give up. Also, when driving along and a dog suddenly races out to give chase, don't swerve. Keep a straight course. The dog knows enough to stay clear and will run along the side or to the rear of the car.

THE TRAMP DOG

Some dogs, particularly males, get the wanderlust and are gone from home for days. Others will go off for short periods, either to explore the neighborhood or try their luck with a female in heat. But the true tramp dog is the one that takes off and is gone for a long time, returning home only to eat and rest his sore feet. He finds no affection or security at home and he seeks it elsewhere. Or he just happens to be a "lone wolf."

If we were able to psychoanalyze the tramp dog, we would probably discover some deep-rooted cause for his wanderlust. And the cause would no doubt extend away back to the dog's puppy days. Some of the causes of wanderlust are lack of attachment to human beings during the important socializa­tion period, rivalry between children and the dog, and rejec­tion when the dog grows up. On the other hand, the tramp dog may be the kind of dog that can get along without human companionship. Let's call him a semi-tame dog, a throwback to the wolf.

The tramp dog that heads for the open road because he isn't getting enough attention at home can usually be reha­bilitated. You'll have to make him feel that he belongs. Spend more time with him, take him out for long walks and play games with him. Let him see that you care about him and that he's not just something to keep fenced in or chained up all day. When possible, take the dog with you on car trips. And if you are working around the house or yard, let him tag along. In short, show him that he's wanted.

The "lone wolf" is something else again. He can take you or leave you, and it's doubtful if he can be rehabilitated. Penning him up will do no good; on the contrary, it will make matters worse. The dog will wait and when he gets the chance, he'll be gone. If you've got such a dog, you might as well resign yourself to his wanderings. Or get another dog.

THE 'TIDDLER" OR WETTING DOG

Some dogs will frequently urinate from fear, excitement, and disease or injury to the kidneys and bladder. The very shy or timid dog often wets when scolded or spoken to in a harsh voice. Urinating is also an act of submission to author­ity. For example, a puppy will urinate when an older male dog exerts his authority. When an older male meets a young male puppy, certain preliminaries take place. The dogs sniff each other, determine the sex of each and then the older dog exerts his authority. There is a brief scuffle, usually ending with the pup upside down on his back. While in this posi­tion, he will urinate. He thus acknowledges the superiority of the older male.

In a sense, this behavior is carried on when you scold or speak harshly to a pup or timid dog. You are the symbol of authority and the dog submits by urinating. The timid dog takes it to extremes, of course, and never quite outgrows this juvenile trait.

If your dog is a piddler, he should first be examined for any disease or injury involving his kidneys or bladder. If he is free from disease or injury, then the problem is a behav­ioral one. Speak gently to the timid dog that piddles, and avoid sudden movements or threatening gestures. Pass the word along to the family and visitors. You may not be able to eliminate the tendency to urinate, but you will be able to reduce the frequency.

THE SEXUALLY FRUSTRATED DOG

The sexually frustrated dog is a common problem in the city and suburbs, especially in areas where the dog popula­tion is predominantly male. This sexual segregation leads to abnormal behavior, such as aggressiveness and homosex­uality (or its canine equivalent). Also, dogs reared from puppyhood, with close attachment to human beings, will often respond to human attachment with sexual overtures. Housedogs are the group most affected by this behavior.

Most of the time it is the male dog that is sexually frus­trated, although females are affected (but for shorter periods of time on account of their regulated heat periods). Males that are sexually frustrated will mount the leg of a child or adult and go through the sexual-act motions. Such behavior may be embarrassing and dangerous. An overly aggressive and sexually frustrated male can cause both physical and mental harm to a child. A sexual attack by an otherwise friendly dog may leave a child emotionally shocked and bewildered.

There are those who say that dogs don't have to be mated to be content. Nonsense! The world is full of sexually frustrated dogs and people. And it is the rare housedog that hasn't at one time or other grabbed hold of someone's leg and simulated the sex act. The sexual urge is a powerful drive in man and beast.

Discourage your dog from mounting. This will not elim­inate the sexual urge, of course, but it will save some embar­rassment and avoid possible injury. A sexually frustrated Great Dane, for example, could inflict some harm just from his weight alone. Mate the dog if possible. Plenty of exercise will help to release some of the energy, and will at least re­duce some of the aggressiveness. Hormones and surgery help many cases, but are not 100% sure.

TRANQUILIZERS

What about using tranquilizers to help problem dogs? There's no doubt about it, tranquilizers are useful in easing fear and excitement in dogs. But they are not cure-alls and should not be used as substitutes for training. Nor should they be expected to atone for a faulty environment.

The tranquilizers are, you might say, a last resource. There is no sense in keeping a dog that has to be narcotized or tranquilized to make life bearable for him and his master. You'll be better off getting another and more stable dog.

However, there is no harm in an occasional use of tran­quilizers. They will be helpful when you ship the dog in a crate, when he has to be quieted down because small children are coming to the house, or when riding in a car. Tran­quilizers are also valuable for minor surgery and postopera­tive care. When you want to use tranquilizers, have your veterinarian prescribe the proper kind and dosage. Don't use human tranquilizers.

REHABILITATING PROBLEM DOGS

It should be apparent by now that prevention is your best defense against abnormal behavior in your dog. And that prevention includes early socialization, training and compatible environment. However, despite your efforts to prevent abnormal behavior, it may occur. In many instances, you will be able to rehabilitate your dog. In others, the problem may be too much for you and you will want to seek professional advice. A word about professional advice: so far, there are no objective tests that allow for a differential diagnosis of the dog's neuroses. Each case must be evaluated on an indi­vidual basis. It isn't possible to reach the dog by psycho­analysis. The best that can be done is to review the problem and try to work out a rehabilitation program that fits the case.

Professional dog trainers, handlers and some veterinarians are expert in handling and rehabilitating problem dogs. They can take a problem dog to their kennel and work wonders with him. They can work their magic because they take the dog out of the environment or away from the stimuli that cause his abnormal behavior. In other words, they provide the escape factor. But when the' dog returns home to the same environment and stimuli, he may regress. Therefore, you will have a better chance of rehabilitating your dog if the work is done at home.

There have been cases where dogs have regressed when brought home from a kennel. For example, a childless couple with a small Scottish Terrier lived next door to a family with four children. The dog was confined to a yard and the house. Every day, as the children went past the yard on their way to school, one or more of them teased the Scotty by rubbing a stick along the fence. This infuriated the dog and he snarled, barked and raced along the fence. One day he got out and nipped one of the children. Later, he became suspi­cious of all people and the owners became worried that he would bite someone again.

They tried various methods to discourage the dog and they scolded the children. The chil­dren still teased the dog and the dog still tried to get at the children. Finally, in desperation, the owners sent the dog off to be rehabilitated. At the trainer's kennel, the Scotty quieted down and became very docile. There were no children at the kennel and the dog had no problem. But when he came back to the yard and the children, he started all over again.

Eventually a do-it-yourself rehabilitation program was worked out and the problem resolved. This is what the owners did: they supplied the children with candy for them­selves and with dog candy for the dog. Instead of rubbing a stick and watching the Scotty run amok, the children tossed him dog candy while they munched on theirs. It took several sessions before the Scotty calmed down and realized that the children were not going to get him stirred up. But he soon stopped his tantrums and learned to sit up for his candy.

We do not mean to disparage the work of the trainers and handlers. What we are saying is that you—and we said this before—are the expert on your dog. You should do the reha­bilitating, under the supervision of an expert if you wish. By all means, seek professional help. The trainers and han­dlers know a great deal about dogs and can offer practical help. But they can't change the dog's environment; you can. In the final analysis, your degree of success in rehabilitating your dog depends on your removing the offending factors and offering him a means of escape.

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