
10/07/2025
🩺 “That's just how he is…” — or maybe not?
A few words about preventive health checks for dogs
I have a client. A Pekingese.
Small dog, big issues.
🐶 Barks at everything.
🐶 Bites his humans.
🐶 Demands food and steals clothes.
🐶 Guards stolen items aggressively.
🐶 Reacts poorly to other dogs.
At first glance — a “difficult behavioral case.”
But before we started behavioral therapy...
I asked the guardians to run a full medical check-up.
And guess what?
📋 Suspected hypothyroidism.
❗ A dog’s behavior isn’t always just “personality”
Sometimes it’s pain, discomfort, or an underlying medical condition.
And a dog — won’t tell you he’s in pain.
Instead, he may:
🚨 react aggressively,
🚨 defend himself,
🚨 lose patience,
🚨 or “act out” for no obvious reason.
That’s not stubbornness. It’s a signal.
🔬 Medical tests can save a dog from being unfairly labeled
Before calling a dog “aggressive,” “spoiled,” or “dominant”...
Make sure to run basic bloodwork, urinalysis, thyroid panels, ultrasounds, and orthopedic evaluations.
Especially if you notice:
– sudden behavioral changes
– touch sensitivity
– reactivity to motion/sound
– obsessive behaviors
– unprovoked aggression.
🧡 Behavioral therapy is not a replacement for diagnostics
Only when we understand what’s going on in the dog’s body,
can we truly work on their mind and emotions.
➡️ That’s why I always work alongside veterinarians.
➡️ That’s why I don’t “fix” behavior without checking the root cause.
➡️ And that’s why this little Pekingese now has a real chance
to live a calmer, happier life.
Take your dog for a full check-up.
It’s one of the greatest acts of love
you can offer — not just on special occasions. 🧡