Dog Training & Behavior Tips
Helping Reactive Dogs: When Emotional Arousal Is Linked to Pain
This blog post explores how emotional arousal, commonly referred to as "reactivity," in dogs can often be linked to underlying pain or discomfort. Emotional arousal is characterized by heightened responses to stimuli, such as excessive barking, lunging, or hypervigilance, which can interfere with a dog’s ability to calm down…
When Thunderstorms Hurt: Understanding the Link Between Pain and Phobia in Dogs
This blog post explores the connection between discospondylitis, a painful spinal condition in dogs, and the sudden development of thunderstorm phobia in three case studies, including my own dog, Oakley. Diagnostic challenges, including the limitations of X-rays, are discussed. Treatment, involving antibiotics, pain management, and reduced activity, led to behavioral improvements in all three dogs, though recovery timelines varied.
Can Dogs with Chronic Pain Experience the “October Slide”?
This blog post explores the concept of the "October Slide" and its impact on dogs with chronic pain conditions. The "October Slide" refers to the worsening of chronic pain symptoms during colder months, often starting in October, due to environmental factors such as cooler temperatures, damp weather, and reduced daylight. These changes can lead to increased pain sensitivity, decreased activity levels, and behavioral shifts like irritability or avoidance.
When Dog Training Isn’t Enough - a Dynamic Dog Case Study
The case study of A, a 2.5-year-old Feist mix, illustrates how persistent behavior issues often have deeper, underlying causes. Despite extensive training, A continued to struggle with aggression, pulling on walks, and inconsistent eating. A key observation of A's unusual hind-leg skipping led to further investigation. This was when a Dynamic Dog Assessment, an approach that considers the whole dog's physical health, behavior, and environment, revealed subtle discomfort signals that changed A’s life.