Animal Behavior Consultants of Michigan

18/12/2024

Do you know your dog breeds?
It was in Europe during the 1850s, that first attempts were made to standardize dogs breeds. Developed from old shepherd and farm dogs, the German shepherd dogs were first introduced in Germany in 1899, when Capt. Max von Stephanitz founded the breed. During World Wars I and II, the word "German" was dropped and the breed was referred to as the shepherd dog or Alsatian (a name that is still often used in Europe). As shepherding became less common, these beautiful dogs became use more for military and guard work.
One of the most famous shepherds was Rin Tin Tin who was 'adopted' by Lee Duncan, a soldier from Southern California stationed in Europe who found the puppy as German soldiers evacuated. Lee took him home, and as they say the rest is history!

13/12/2024

It's Scary!!
Living with a reactive dog is very hard if you live in an apartment, condo, busy suburban neighborhood with close human and dogs neighbors. This study found that living in an apartment/condo as opposed to a (sub)urban house or farm/house in the countryside, was associated with increased reactivity in dogs. Continuous exposure to scary triggers (people, dogs, noises) escalates the problem. One of the most impactful things you can do to reduce reactivity for your dog is to NOT expose your dog to their triggers everyday - this can be as simple as finding an apartment on the ground floor, with an exit to a wooded lot/ open space. Reducing exposure to triggers has a huge impact on behaviors!
Ref: Meyer, et al. J Vet Behavior, 2023
Do you have a fearful dog and need help? Find us at www.animalbehaviormi.com

11/12/2024

Any who says that cats are not affectionate??
Darwin's Ark a research group that engages citizen scientists/ pet owners in their research work recently reported on the level of affection and companionship dog and cat families experience from their pets ... and the winner is ... drum roll please ... cats and dogs are pretty darn similar!

07/12/2024

How well can children interpret a dog's body language?
Turns out, not very well. Children are at a particularly high risk for dog bites from familiar dogs. Researchers evaluated children from 3-5 years old for how well they could read a dog's intention from body language - actually NOT very well. As it turns out their parents weren't much better :( The good news is that after children and parents were coached on reading dog body language (parents described it as 'eye opening') - everyone did significantly better! With the holidays coming up - be safe and monitor dog/ child interactions.
Ref: Meints, et al 2018

Our goal is to prevent, treat and effectively manage behavior problems in companion animals to enhance and strengthen the human-animal bond. If you have any questions about your pet’s behavior please contact us.

04/12/2024

It's National Cookie Day - and who said our dogs shouldn't enjoy the holiday as well? This is a super flexible, tasty and easy recipe. You can substitute or mix the flour type - whole grain, spelt, or oat. You can roll balls and press them on a cookie sheet - or roll them out and use a cutter.
Share with us your pup's favorite holiday cookie!

04/12/2024

Too Rough to Handle!
Dog can appear to play rough and be having fun. Have you ever wondered if your dog is playing too hard, or if all the chasing and face biting is a sign of a fight about to start? Safe play doesn’t have winners or losers - make sure that you are seeing role reversals and self-handicapping (I chase you and then let you chase me).
Things to watch out for -
-One dog is doing all the chasing while the other dog is always running away
-Intense and aggressive play, pummel, including grab and shake components
-One of the dogs has her hackles up, which is often a sign of fear or anxiety
-One dog disengages while the other isn’t.

If you see any of the above signs, interrupt the dogs and give them a break!

28/11/2024

Happy Thanksgiving!
A little preplanning can help make guest arrivals with pets less stressful. Tasty long lasting treats can be prepped and frozen and ready for your dog in their safe space. Mashed potatoes make a great frozen Kong treat!

27/11/2024

Does neutering reduce behavior problems?

Neutering is often recommended to treat behavior problems, but the data is not so clear. This research study evaluated behavior change in 96 dogs - 48 gonadectomized (15 males and 33 females) and 48 entire (17 males and 31 females).
RESULTS - for both groups of dogs, NO behavior changes occurred after neutering for - eating and drinking, sleeping, exploration, grooming, chewing objects, destruction, play, pica, coprophagia, repetitive behaviors, thunderstorm and noise phobia, and aggression towards strangers. Owner-directed aggression showed a tendency to decrease (from 53.3% to 26.7%) in the neutered group, while in control dogs, it did not change.
There are lot of good reasons to neuter a dog - but don't expect most problematic behaviors to change as they are not hormonally responsive.
Ref: Palestrini, 2021

20/11/2024

Ouch! That hurt.
The beauty of long, thick and curly fur is often matched with the challenge of keeping it free of mats and snaggles. Many of my patients struggle with grooming appointments - loud noises, new people or dogs and the discomfort of having matted fur pulled. I am not sure I could put up with a hairdresser the same way we expect our dogs to handle grooming appointments! Did you know that there are experienced groomers that incorporate science-based positive training into their work? Ask your groomer if they use positive, reward-based training as part of an emotionally protective approach to pet grooming before booking an appointment.

08/11/2024

Dog Breeds Did You Know ... ?
In the early 1900s, the Pit Bull was one of the most popular breeds in the U.S.; they were considered THE All American Family Dog. They were used in posters to recruit soldiers and sell war bonds, Petey was popular pup on the show Our Gang, and a Pit Bull mix named Sgt. Stubby (in photo) was the first dog to be awarded Army medals- he survived being wounded twice in combat and saved his entire platoon by warning them of a poison gas attack. Pit Bulls continue to be brave and loving family dogs today.

07/11/2024

For everyone who needs a good laugh today 😉 I do sometimes wonder when just about every dog I know saw this movie!

30/10/2024

Family Dog Fights Hurt!
Fights between family dogs can be extremely serious, difficult to manage and devastating to the human and canine family. Called Inter-dog Aggression, fights among family dogs are a common reason families come to see me and other veterinary behaviorists. This excellent study confirms that resource guarding and high emotional arousal are the most common triggers. Identifying and eliminating the set up for triggers is essential for eliminating future fights.
Do you need help with your family dog? Find us at www.animalbehaviormi.com
Ref: Feltes, et al JAVMA, 2020

Our goal is to prevent, treat and effectively manage behavior problems in companion animals to enhance and strengthen the human-animal bond. If you have any questions about your pet’s behavior please contact us.

30/10/2024

National Cat Day is a day meant to help bring awareness of homeless cats, and encourage all cat lovers to spread the word about these wonderful expressive creatures.

25/10/2024

Are you an expert at reading dog body language?
Maybe not today, but with a little practice I am sure you can be!
Can you identify the fearful, anxious, stressed body signals the dog in this photos is showing? Here are just a few ... head lowered, tail tucked, no eye contact, ears back, lip licking, stress yawn ... is this a dog you have seen on a walk, at the dog park or maybe in your house? Most lunges, snarls and snaps occur immediately after a dog exhibits signs of anxiety and stress - being a good detective prevents bites.

Photo source - ASPCA

18/10/2024

Halloween is just around the corner! Many dogs are uncomfortable meeting new people especially at the door! Try handing out treats at the end of your driveway as an alternative to knocks on the door! Boo!

Our goal is to prevent, treat and effectively manage behavior problems in companion animals to enhance and strengthen the human-animal bond. If you have any questions about your pet’s behavior please contact us.

17/10/2024

We have lost some of our longest and dearest dog friends this fall. Our heart goes out to their families - we know that there is a huge empty place in their home and in their heart. We can only hope that this definition of heaven comes true.

16/10/2024

Did you know that dogs (and cats and horses too!) have a 'dominant' right or left 'handedness'?
Check out your dog and let us know which paw they prefer to use!

05/10/2024

Who's your Daddy? (or Momma?)

We all have fun trying to figure out what breeds make up our mix breed dogs! How accurate do you think most dog people are at correctly guessing the breeds in a mixed breed dog?
Not too good the evidence shows.
Over 900 people viewed one-minute, color video-clips of 20 dogs of unknown parentage and were asked to identify the dogs’ predominant breeds. For 14 out of 20 dogs, fewer than 50% visually identified breeds of dogs that matched DNA. This also has implications for breed 'profiling' laws based on visual assessment.
Here are answers below for the ones in the photo.
Ref: Voith, Am J of Soc Res. 2013

Row 1- #1- AmStaff/ St Bernard; #2 Am Eskimo/ Golden;
Row 2 - #6 Chow/ Dach; #7 Am Water Spaniel/Pom/ Shih Tzu;
Row 3- #11 AmStaff / GSD; #12 Australian Shepherd Dog; Boxer; Dachshund; Dalmatian; Glen of Imaal Terrier