Pet Health Library
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Separation anxiety is a term used to describe a condition which afflicts dogs that are overly attached to or dependent on family members. They become extremely anxious and show distress behaviours like vocalisation, destruction, house-soiling or inactivity when separated from their owners.
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For dogs to remain behaviourally healthy it is important that we meet their needs for physical exercise and mental stimulation.
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The best approach to this problem is to change the dog's perception of the noises using the behavioural modification techniques of desensitisation and counter-conditioning.
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Systematic desensitisation is a behavioural modification method used to reduce an animal's emotional response to a given object or situation.
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The presence of unwanted and inappropriate barking is one of the most common complaints of dog owners and their neighbours! Up to a third of noise complaints to local Councils of some areas concern disturbances by dogs.
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It is a normal behaviour for puppies to investigate their environment by sniffing, mouthing and perhaps even chewing on objects throughout the home environment.
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Lack of early exposure to the sights, sounds or perhaps smells of a particular location, or one or more traumatic experiences associated with that location can lead to the development of avoidance behaviours.
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There are many reasons why dogs develop a fearful reaction to people and other animals. However, some dogs are born with a genetic predisposition to be more fearful or anxious than others.
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Don't just ignore the problem because it only happens a few times each year. You should instigate a desensitisation and counter conditioning programme.
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There are numerous reasons why a dog might soil the house with urine and/or faeces. Determining the specific reason is essential for developing an effective treatment programme.