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2013年9月27日星期五

canine mental illness | No Dog About It Blog



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Posts Tagged ‘canine mental illness’


Is your dog mentally ill? Maybe.


August 21, 2012 10 comments





Dog Health



My friend Hilary shared this link a while back (The Signs of Mental Illness in Dogs) and I thought it was worth sharing. It’s a piece highlighting a new textbook on canine mental illness and some of the mental illnesses being found in our furry friends.


Reports like these always interest me because they provide insight into a dog’s mind and behavior. They also allow me to be more aware and better educated about dogs in general.


As dog owners, I think we most often attribute dog behavior to the dog or the owner (i.e.,  “bad dog” or “bad owner”), but as this piece demonstrates, sometimes the behavior can be mental illness. I have known some dogs who have suffered a mental illness, I just never realized that so many different types exist.


Among the many illnesses described by the author, Diane Garrod, are:



Schizophrenia


Depression


Unprovoked acts of aggression


Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)


Separation Anxiety or Panic Disorder


Extreme fear


Neurological diseases and disorders



Symptoms vary, but among the ones mentioned are:



Appetite suppression


Aggressive behavior


Increase or decrease in water intake


Stress Hair loss


Fatigue


Obsession


Accelerated hyperactivity



Garrod also references a new textbook by Dr. Franklin D. McMillan (the Director of Well-Being Studies at Best Friends Animal Society), titled “Mental Health and Well-being in Animals”. Although textbooks aren’t usually my favorite reading material, I have to admit that this one sounded interesting.


One of the statements on the publishing site caught my eye: “Recent research shows convincingly that an animal’s physical health and immune system function are strongly influenced by its mental state.” It makes sense doesn’t it? A dog that is mentally stressed is likely to show it in their physical being as well. A dog that is balanced and happy is less likely to show symptoms, but not always.


Understanding how a dog’s mental health can impact behavior is just as important as understanding how their physical health can impact behavior. I am so glad that now veterinarians and animal behaviorists will have one comprehensive place to find this information. In the end, it benefits us and our dogs.











March | 2009 | Canine Angel"s Blog


People Training For Dogs..The Canine Angel Way





People Training For Dogs – The Canine Angel Way


NEW one day course for the dog owner and not their dogs!


 


An introduction to Dog Psychology – What will you learn on this course?


Dog Whispering– how to talk to your dog without using your voice


How to become an assertive pack leader –overcome all behavioral problems simply, effectively and see instant results!


Feeding your dog the correct diet and nutrition – how this can solve behavioral problems and save you many trips to the vet.


Alternative Therapy – How massage, chiropractic treatments and herbal products can help heal your pets health issues the natural way.


Pet Portraits with Top Photographer – How to capture the perfect picture of your dog that you can treasure always.


 


 


Dates & Venues:   WedMay 20th 6pm – 9.30pm - The Centre Aum, 834 Yardley Wood Road, Bilsley, B13 0JE


Sun May 24th 11.30am – 4.30pm – The Equinox Healing Centre, High Street , Wolverhampton, WV1 3PJ


 


SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY PRICE FOR A LIMITED PERIOD ONLY


£299down to£149!         Bring a friend and they pay £99!


And that’s not all… You will receive a Canine Angel Doggy Bagto take home with you, with the following goodies in.  


Over £100 of vouchers when booking in with any of the services featured in this course.


FREE Work Wonders Book -The natural diet for your carnivore pet by Vet Tom Lonsdale Worth £9.99



Please Note: Do not bring your pet dog along to this course, Nikki will bring along one dog for demonstration purposes. £50 Cash or Cheque deposit required at time of booking. In order to keep costs to a minimal please bring your own packed lunch, light refreshments will be served. One doggy bag per booking. Subject to availability


Contact Nikki today on 0121 4212026 or 0781 4500291 for more details or to book your place on this special course…. http://www.canineangel.co.uk




Canine Angel Tames The Beast!!!




Taming the Beast within..

Taming the Beast within..



Canine Angel is a culmination of a life long passion for animal welfare, by fanatical founder Nikki Brown. Qualified in both human a dog psychology, Nikki is truly a fountain of knowledge when it comes to analysing and overcoming the problems and heart aches shared by Dogs and their owners. Nikki has spent a life time gathering experience in Canine behaviour and body language and has an astounding ability to truly understand the mind of a dog. This has provided her with an invaluable insight into how they communicate with those around them.



We often hear shocking and upsetting stories in the news about how dogs can attack children and even kill babies.


Nikki says “It is a very serious matter that needs to be addressed at the source which starts with the owners”.  


Nikki also adds, “I often get asked what’s the difference between a dog psychologist and a dog trainer?” Her answer is simple, “A dog trainer will train the dog to behave in a certain way for rewards, whereas a dog psychologist will train the owners to understand why their dog is behaving in a certain way and address the problem head on.”


Nikki quoted “The work of Canine Angel is extremely important and life saving. When your dog attacks something or someone it usually means a lot of upset in the family and the dog is ordered to be re homed or destroyed. Families can never really get over this experience and yet it could be prevented if they treat the problem earlier enough and get some professional help. “


Having worked with many dog aggression cases, Nikki states that the dogs often become aggressive as a reaction to our behaviour. It’s their way of communicating something is wrong in their pack environment. 


They can t say “hey look I’m having a bad day” so the only way they can tell us something is wrong is to get aggressive and give a warning to bite or actually go ahead and attack.


Nikki says “A dog who bites believes they are the leader of the pack and are trying to control their pack by getting aggressive.  Many owners treat their dogs as human and not as dog , this is when the problems begin.


It is humans that gives their dogs names, personalities and even the breed, where as all a dog knows and cares about is “Am I the leader or am I the follower “


Nikki teaches dog owners how to communicate with their dogs through body language and signals


In workshops within the Birmingham and Bromsgrove area.


The “People Training for Dogs” workshops, where the owners  attend the class not the dogs, Its one day course and It covers everything that a dog owner need’s to know about how to have safe, happy and healthy relationship with mans best friend.


She also teaches how diet can play a huge part in the dog’s behaviour.  


If you would like more information about Canine Angels workshops,  1-2-1 home consultations or  how to become the leader of the pack and communicate with your best friend, then contact The Canine Angel on 0781 4500291 or visit http://www. canineangel.co.uk. 




Meet the Dog Psychologist


Canis lupus familiaris. The Latin name hides so much of our faithful companions and much professed ‘man’s best friend’, otherwise known as ‘dog’. As any dog owner can tell you, sharing our lives with our canine companions does not always go smoothly. From chewing your footwear and socks, scratching walls and carpets, to chasing the postman and other passing dogs, there are many habits that we would prefer our dogs would not have, despite our best efforts.


It is at times like these that we are reminded that, unlike the fabled Dr Doolittle, we cannot talk to the animals. Despite the long time mankind and dogs have spent together (with the first domestication of dogs being thought to have occurred at least around 17,000BC, if not much earlier), we are as different now as we have always been. In spite all of the ‘tricks’ we can teach our dogs, and any shared empathy or understanding we seem to have, dogs cannot speak English (or any other human language for matter), and never will.
It is with this realisation that we are reminded that our only option is for us to learn how to ‘speak dog’. Enter the wondrous world of the dog behaviour professional, those wonderful people who have dedicated great time and effort into studying the body language of dogs and how they ‘think’, in an attempt to help the rest of us to understand our canine other-halves. With an estimated 7.3 million dogs in the UK alone, there is a lot work to do.


It is worth noting at this point the difference between a dog trainer, and a dog psychologist. A dog trainer is an accomplished and skilled person who uses his or her skill to train a dog to comply to standard commands, like ‘sit’, ‘stay’,’ lie down’ etc. At the same time, a trainer seeks to teach the dog’s owner how to control the dog, and above all to do what the owner wants.
By contrast, a dog psychologist uses similar skills, as well as a greater degree of intuition and study of animal body language, to interpret a dog’s behaviour. Through careful handling of both the dog and its owner, this insight is used to teach the owner to both understand and improve the dog’s behaviour.
Many dog trainers and psychologists have earned great respect in the community. Some, like Cesar Millan (who prefers the moniker ‘The Dog Whisperer’) have gained notoriety and fame through working with celebrity dog problems across in the USA, including appearing in his own television series. He is just one of many dog psychologists who attempt to further the better control and care of animals, though compassion and understanding.


Following much of the same philosophy, west midlands-based Nikki Louise Brown, also known as ‘The Canine Angel’, is indeed often considered an angel by those she helps with their dog problems. Although a slender 5’7” thirty –something, she has accumulated a vast understanding of dogs, their behaviour and how to correct undesirable habits. Using body language to determine what your dog is really trying to communicate and feeling, she has an almost uncanny grasp of what your pooch is thinking. Nikki points out the distinction between a dog trainer and a psychologist like herself. “A dog psychologist differs from a dog trainer because dog trainers teach dogs to behave in a certain way. A dog psychologist will try to teach the owners WHY a dog is behaving in a certain way and get the owners to change their behaviour, so the dog in turn changes itself. “


“Nikki became interested in really studying what makes dogs ‘tick’ after a personal tragedy, when she lost her own pet dog Jake, after he ran away and was hit by a car. Her loss was the inspiration she needed to start her on a path she is on today, as a full time dog behaviour advisor – she is on a mission “to help other dog owners understand the mind and the needs of their dogs, so I can help build better relationships with people , their animals and ultimately save more lives.”
After completing a course in dog psychology at the Cumbria-based Canine Behaviour Centre, several years volunteer work in animal rescue homes, and a lifetime’s study of animals and Dogs in particular, she became a full time dog psychologist in 2008.
Nikki is a firm believer in a more modern and compassionate way of training dogs, a far cry from the all the shouting, discipline, and reward and punishment orientated training methods of the past. The popular thinking in dog training circles now is that positive behaviour should be rewarded, and negative behaviour should, where possible, be ignored – or at least corrected with the minimum amount of force and attention. This leads to a faster shaping of a dogs habits, based upon positive experiences, and without any fear or discomfort on the dogs part. By working with animals ‘in their own world’, that is, with body language and using actions that the dog immediately understands, a new level of trust and understanding can be formed with your pet.


Nikki is also a strong adherent in the belief that the energy inside all of us (and in animals like our canine family members) can be manipulated and improved, through what is commonly known as Energy Healing techniques. Nikki explains this concept of healing and helping her canine subjects. “Energy healing therapy is about the transferral of energy from one living species to another. If a dogs energy is unbalanced then it will have health and behavioural issues going on”. A belief in different regions, or ‘chakras’, within the human body and their manipulation is not new, going back at to early Hindu and Buddhist cultures in India, or even earlier. But applying these techniques to animals is comparatively new.


For example, Nikki explains how she uses the technique to help aggressive dogs. “Aggressive dogs usually have an imbalance in the solar plexus energy centre, as this is where fear and fire energy comes from. You may find yourself, that when you are angry or upset, your stomach is usually affected. I use my energy to transform calm energy into the animal, relaxing it and rebalancing their chakras – there are 9 major chakras and hundreds on minor energy points within the body, be that animal or human. Calming positive thought creates positive energy and by laying your hands over the affected or unbalanced animal you can transfer your calm energy to that animal and healing takes place”. Nikki has found that energy healing can help with a number of psychological and physical symptoms in her subjects.


So when might you need the services of a dog psychologist?. Signs that your dog sees itself as the ‘pack leader’ vary, from walking through doors before you, pulling when on the lead, to demanding or stealing food. More extreme behaviours might be fear or aggression around other dogs, people or both. Typically, it usually takes 2- 3 weeks of consistent training to break old habits and form new ones, It can then in my opinion take 4-12 months to really establish a set routine and work through any behavioural issues the dog might have.
Above all, it is important to treat your dog like a dog, as Nikki explains. “The single most important thing to remember is to always remain calm and assertive around your dog. This is how the pack leader would behave naturally. If you are upset, tense or of low or negative energy then you dog will pick this up and respond with different behaviours.”
Most successful communication with dogs occurs through subtle body language, and this is the most important form of communication we have, much more than anything else we can say or do. Following this and other simple rules can lead to a happy and respectful relationship between you and your dog, for years to come.


Nikki teaches dog owners how to communicate with their dogs through body language and signals
In workshops within the Birmingham and Bromsgrove area.


The “People Training for Dogs” workshops, where the owners attend the class not the dogs. The full day course covers everything that a dog owner need’s to know about how to have safe, happy and healthy relationship with mans best friend.
She also teaches how diet can play a huge part in the dog’s behaviour.


If you would like more information about Canine Angels workshops, 1-2-1 home consultations or how to become the leader of the pack and communicate with your best friend, then contact The Canine Angel on 0781 4500291 or visit www. canineangel.co.uk.


2013年9月25日星期三

August | 2013 | Blog by Barking Up the Right Tree

This summer has been the rainiest in Atlanta history in a long time.  The benefits of the rain include lower temperatures and great looking lawns.  However, dogs often have to be forced outside on rainy days.


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Dogs once lived in the wild.  However, many modern day breeds were never wild dogs but have always been human companions.  We often think that its a dog and he should be able to go out to do his business on a rainy day.


Just as humans do not want to get wet neither do dogs.  We do not like the pelting rain or the soaking feeling.  Some dogs would rather hold it than go out and do their business.


For many dogs going out in the rain is not about getting wet.  Dogs have more sensitive ears and hearing than people.  The sound of the rain is amplified in dogs ears.  As humans, many of us love the sound of rain.  Rain sounds like nails on a chalkboard to a dog.  One of the reasons a dog hesitates and starts to back up when faced with rain is the sound alone.


When rain moves through it is using part of a frontal system.  These weather systems are often accompanied by changing barometric pressure.  Changing barometric pressure also affects a dog’s ears by making them feel like they need to pop.  Humans experience a similar situation during air travel or when driving through mountains.  Our homes are pressurized to a certain degree and the changes in pressurization adds to the feeling of fullness in the dog’s ears.


Some dogs have a thunder phobia.  This fear not only has a psychological element but dogs experience the physical symptoms related to amplified to hearing and changes in barometric pressure.  Thunder phobia may require a conservation with your vet or pet trainer.


On rainy days, it is best to plan in advance.  Try to take your dog out for exercise before the rain starts.  Consider activities you can play with your dog inside.  Also, if one of the entrances to your home is covered consider letting your dog out that entrance on a rainy day.


In order to help relieve your dog’s discomfort during rainy and stormy days, stock up on a few items from your pet supply store.  In order to relieve the pressure in dogs’ ears they need to chew on something for an extended period of time.  Try a long lasting chew or bully stick.  Figure out what your dog enjoys the most BEFORE the rain and keep a few on hand.


Many dog trainers and pet care professionals recommend tranquility blends and thunder shirts for your dog.  As pet sitters, we always recommend consulting with your veterinarian if your pet has thunder phobia or other forms of separation anxiety.  However, convey your vet’s instructions to your pet sitter so that treatment remains consistent.


Just like us, dogs do not want wet feet and to be soaked to the bone.  Remember that rain also causes uncomfortable physiological symptoms in dogs.  If your dog has to go out in the rain, then make sure to towel him off and give him an extra treat.

2013年9月18日星期三

Nothing found for Blog 2010 12 28 Is-your-dogs-bad-behavior-caused-by-a-health-problem


jan100x100Hi! I’m Jan Rasmusen, national award-winning author of Scared Poopless: The Straight Scoop on Dog Care and consumer advocate for dog lovers. Don’t miss our articles on vaccinating dogs and check out our holistic dog care website. Follow K9Author on Twitter.
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2013年9月17日星期二

Dog Separation Anxiety Symptoms | Dog Training Blog




How to Spot Symptoms of Separation Anxiety in Dogs




November 27, 2011 by Venice Marriott  
Filed under Pets






While as much as 50% of dogs appear to be exhibiting signs of separation anxiety according to a recent survey, few dog owners are aware of what the symptoms of separation anxiety in dogs are, let alone how to spot them early on.


Of the many forms that dog anxiety can take, the hardest symptoms to miss are the extreme ones such as your dog being destructive while you’re out. If they’ve chewed up your furniture or scratched your paintwork to pieces, its difficult to miss! Yet more subtle symptoms, such as your dog following you around the house all day like your permanent shadow may go unnoticed.


Don’t Dismiss Symptoms of Separation Anxiety As Bad Dog Behaviour


Lots of dogs suffering from separation anxiety are just labelled as badly behaved by their owners who aren’t aware of how many different ways that anxiety can show itself in dogs.


A dog that chews up the owners belongings, or pees or poops in the house is often thought to be doing it deliberately so that the owners will think twice before leaving them home alone again. This results in them being thought of as badly behaved dogs rather than dogs suffering from separation anxiety.


With the root cause of anxiety undiagnosed, dog owners are unlike to approach the behaviour problems in the right way and could easily end up making the situation worse.


Desperate dog owners, unable to solve their dogs behaviour problems are increasingly handing their dogs in to rescue centres because they cannot work out how to bring the situation under control.


Don’t Confuse Your Dogs Attention Seeking Behavior with Anxiety


One of the problems that owners face when trying to identify symptoms of dog anxiety arises from the fact that the dogs attention seeking behaviour can look identical to separation anxiety behaviour. The differences are very subtle.


For instance, a dog urinating in the house could mean one of 3 things:


*A clear sign of anxiety


*Attention seeking bit of behaviour


*A direct challenge to your leadership and status with the dog


The clue here is whether the dog does this behaviour while you’re in the house, or out. If the dog is peeing in the house while the owner is around, it is most likely to be attention seeking, or a gesture of dominance. However if it only does it while you’re out and is clean while you’re in, you’re looking at a symptom of anxiety.


All dogs are different, which means the kind of behaviour they show will differ too, so the only way to correctly identify anxiety is to watch your dog carefully for a while. For example, notice whether they are chewing your favourite shoes while you’re around and can see them, or only when you’ve left them alone. Remember that even negative attention like you being cross is still attention to your dog.


Symptoms to watch out for include excessive barking, whining or howling while you’re out, destructive behaviour such as scratching at doors and furniture, chewing everything in sight, or peeing and pooping in the house.


Arm Yourself with the Correct Information About Dog Anxiety and Make A Big Difference to Your Dog


Don’t stop here. Learn more about the most widely recognised symptoms of separation anxiety in dogs, and understand why your dog is behaving as he does and what the behaviour means, then you’ll be able to start sorting out this problem – and your dogs behaviour – from a firm basis.


Unfortunately, dog separation anxiety is not a problem that will disappear on its own, even if you give it plenty of time, so you need to take action now. The encouraging news is that with the right training this problem is not a difficult one to solve.


Tony Knight has been training dogs for over 10 years and has used his recogniseing of achievements helping many dogs and their owners, to create a free report to help you recognise dog anxiety symptoms. Get your copy by visiting his blog which is all about Dog Anxiety


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