Grazing problems with cows’ teeth

By Dr Clive Dalton

Looking at a cow’s teeth

When buying or selling sheep, farmers and stock agents always inspect the animals’ front teeth (incisors) to make sure they can eat pasture effectively.  It’s called ‘mouthing’ and standard practice is that sale ewes are ‘guaranteed in mouth and udder’ before the hammer falls.

Why don’t we take the same approach with cattle, as their teeth are equally as important?  The answer is simple; it’s too difficult, as wrestling with a cow to open her mouth to inspect teeth needs strong arms, and can be dangerous, even with her head locked in a headbail. 

You need to get her nose in a half-Nelson wrestling hold, while leaning back against the headbail gate with feet well planted, and even then her head can still move quickly and hit you in the ribs.  Horns are an added hazard.

You then have to force the cow to open her mouth, which is best done by grabbing the side of her lip with your closed fingers, on the opposite side from where you are standing. 

There’s a small gap between a cow’s front incisors and her back molars where there is only gum.  You can poke your fingers in there for leverage to open her mouth while pulling her whole head upwards, but care is needed!  If she opens her mouth quickly and your fingers slip back between her molars, they’ll be neatly guillotined off, and you won’t see them again to get them sewn on again!

To get a good front view of a cow’s incisors, you need to hold their lips open (which they don’t like) to check for teeth numbers, missing teeth, gaps, to check the gums around the teeth, the state of wear and especially to see how well the incisors meet the gum.  To do all of this at once, you need three hands or a strong assistant.

Harvesting pasture

 
 The cow has a long ‘prehensile’ (gripping) tongue which is designed to sweep the grass into its mouth, where it’s immediately grabbed by the front incisors and held against the top hard dental pad before being ripped off by movement of the head.  A dairy cow can easily make up to 36,000 bites per day when in full lactation and being fully fed. So the state of her front incisors is critical to doing all this work.

Digestion

Reticulum or honey-comb bag

 After biting off the pasture, it is mixed with saliva (100L/day for a dairy cow) and masticated (chewed) by the back molars before being swallowed into the rumen (the largest of the four stomach compartments) for the first time. 

After bacterial fermentation in the rumen, the grass is regurgitated back into the mouth in round boluses to be chewed for a second time by the molars and swallowed back via the reticulum (honey comb bag used for tripe) into the omasum with many leaves for finer grinding (called the Bible). Then it passes in finely ground form into the abomasum or fourth stomach for final acid digestion before it’s voyage down the digestive tract into the small and then large intestine.

  

Eating short pasture
 So the first harvesting stage by the incisors is easiest when pasture is long – at least 2500kg DM/ha. So for a cow to eat say 13kg of DM/day for its maintenance and production needs, it has to harvest 90-100kg of wet herbage from the paddock.

It cannot do this effectively when grass is short (below 1100kg DM/ha), and when forced to nibble like a horse.  Horses have both upper and lower incisors so can easily graze down to soil level.  If cattle are forced to eat down to soil level, it’s a major challenge and results in severe damage to their incisors.

Teeth damage in winter

How much soil and teeth wear in this mob?

This incisor damage happens too often during winter when cows are held at very high stocking rates to build up pasture for spring.  These conditions also force cows to eat large amounts of soil, which is not good for their digestion.  On pumice soils, the risk of incisor damage is even greater due to the extra abrasion of the teeth dentine from the pumice.

Teeth damage in drought

Incisor damage also increases in extended summer dry spells and severe droughts when there is little green feed available, and most of what is on offer is very short, dry and wiry dead stems which are tough to tear off even when they can be held by the incisors.

Damage when changing teeth

Cattle are born with 8 temporary milk incisors which are then replaced in pairs from the middle pair outwards at an average of 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 years of age. After about 5 years of age (called full mouth), you cannot tell the age of a beast by its incisors and can only guess based on wear.  Very old cows will have very worn teeth and may have none (called gummies) – but this is prone to great variation and error.

Note that these ages are general averages, and there’s enormous variation between individuals.  As the new teeth push the old ones out and this can pose problems when aging, so beware of this when mouthing a cow.

Gaps between teeth

A good set of incisors has no gaps between the teeth, as when gaps develop, grass gets down between the teeth and the biting action causes it to act as an abrasive – eventually making the gap wider and the teeth forced further apart.

 As the teeth get more spaced out, they are then more prone to becoming loose and being pulled out completely.

Eating supplements

Cows with worn, damaged or missing teeth usually have no problems eating roughages like hay or silage, as there is little initial biting to be done. Similarly they can eat dry concentrates with ease.

Buying beef cattle

Beef cattle are not the problem that dairy cattle are, as beef animals are not kept at high stocking rates and hence forced to graze down so low to the ground.  Even in droughts’ beef cattle can usually find enough long roughage so don’t have to eat down to ground level.

Buying dairy cattle

The big concern is with dairy cows when people may have to pay up to $3000 for top genetics.  At these prices, you don’t want a cow with broken or missing teeth, especially if you are a sharemilker depending on money from the bank to buy the herd.

So the message is if you have to buy a good cow (beef or dairy) to be a foundation cow for the future of the herd, it would be a very good idea to insist that she is guaranteed to have a ‘correct mouth’. 

If you cannot get this guarantee or don’t trust the vendor, then insist that you have permission to mouth all the animals on offer before purchase, as a beast that cannot harvest pasture effectively will have her production compromised.  A sound mouth on a cow is as important as a sound udder and teats, and cows are always sold with these guarantees by all reputable stock companies.

Buying cattle on line

When buying stock on line, especially older animals, it’s equally important to check teeth before purchase, as there is no guarantee, as when buying through a stock firm, that your money and the stock will be protected during the transaction.

Dairy industry changes

Dairy herds have increased rapidly in size over the last decade, and so has the change from herringbone milking sheds to large rotaries with in-line medication systems, so farm staff don’t see the condition of cows’ teeth each day as when orally drenching in the herringbone.

So the chances of cows in the herd with defective incisors will be much less likely to be noted.

Genetics

In sheep it’s well recognised that the shape and closing (occlusion) of the incisors against the dental pad has a genetic component, and rams are regularly inspected and culled for any defects, or with undershot or overshot jaws which are considered to be very serious inherited traits.

It’s highly likely that a similar situation occurs in cattle but it has never been investigated.  When bulls can now have thousands of daughters in herds all over the country, it would seem to be a good idea to give some attention to their teeth, especially when modern dairy husbandry systems at times of the year force cows to eat hard dry herbage very close to the ground.

Examples of teeth

Cows  using their tongues to sweep grass into their mouths

Full mouth of fairly good set of teeth

Cow in serous trouble for grazing.  Missing teeth and remainder worn away

Another cow in serious trouble with critical middle teeth missing

All teeth present but large gaps between teeth for grass to get stuck and increase wear

Full mouth but large gap showing

Four tooth cow with gaps starting to develop

Four tooth cow showing grass stuck between teeth

Good full mouth but top of teeth unevenly worn

Full mouth with grass stuck between teeth

Six tooth mouth with temporary tooth still in gum on right

Full mouth of badly worn teeth

Full mouth of evenly worn teeth

Full mouth of evenly worn teeth

Animal behaviour and welfare: General

ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR AND WELFARE: PART 3

Learning: Teaching: Pain & suffering: Problem analysis: Human-animal relations

By Dr Clive Dalton

Learning and teaching
There's plenty of evidence that animals can learn from simple to complex routines and it's clearly easier for them to learn things related to the innate behaviour of their species.

When we want to teach animals routines or change their behaviour, then a number of standard methods can be used:

• Classical conditioning by repeat presentation of a "conditioned stimulus" with an "unconditioned stimulus".
• Operant or instrumental conditioning by offering constant reinforcing stimuli with a reward.
  
• Habituation by learning not to respond to repeated stimuli. There is lack of reinforcement following the response, e.g. so the animal will eventually ignore the stimulus.
• Latent learning by using curiosity and exploration. It's learning without a clear reward. The learned behaviour is not expressed but lies latent.
• Insight learning by the animal seeing a solution immediately. For example the chimp that got the bananas by using a short stick to reach long stick to reach the banana.
• Imprinting. The classical work here is Lorenz and his geese. Birds follow the first thing they see after hatching and it was Lorenz on whom they were imprinted for the rest of their lives
  

More comment - Classical Conditioning (CC)
This is one of the main ways we teach animals, and it's the basis of a lot of animal retraining or correction. It was made famous by Pavlov and his dog experiments. Here is what he did:

• Dogs salivate when they see food and it's an easy visual response which is an innate behaviour of dogs.
• Pavlov rang a bell when the dog was fed.
• Eventually the dog would salivate for the bell anticipating the arrival of food.
• When not fed, the dog eventually stopped salivating for the bell.
• This is called "extinction" of a learned response.
• Fed again with the bell and the stimulus was reversed back to the food.
  

• A period of "association" is built between the two stimuli (old and new) for long enough so the new one becomes learned and appears to be instinctive.
• Before the animal shows an extinction behaviour, it may increase it's response to test if it will be rewarded before giving up. This is called an "extinction burst" and can be serious, e.g. cat pushing ornaments off to get attention.
• Many classical conditioning responses are complex and hence difficult to solve. This is where there is more than one stimulus involved - some of which you may not be aware of.
• In academic terms CC uses the relationship between a "response" and a "conditioned stimulus" (CS).
• The response works because it is caused by an "unconditioned stimulus" (UCS) - such as something that is innate.
• You then use the CS to trigger the UCS.
• A very important point is that you do NOT use "rewards" given by the handler to get a response.
  

More comment - Operant Conditioning (OC)

• This was made famous by a researcher called Skinner who used the "Skinner box" where rats were trained by a mild electric shock. When they failed to respond they got a shock and when successful they got a feed.
  
• Electric shocks were not essential which he demonstrated in other experiments with pigeons. When faced with two choices they got grain for a positive response and no grain for a negative one.
• Many other experiments have been carried out with poultry to select different kinds of cage environments and with large farm animals where they have been trained to press nose pads to make choices between feeds.
• Note that Operant Conditioning works using rewards. These can range from food, fussing, patting, play, voice tone, access to favourite areas, being allowed to explore or mix with mates, and many more.
• Rewards must be given at the same time as the response to be learned or within seconds afterwards. Similarly reprimands must be instant, and preferably not associated by the animal to the owner.
• Only when the response is well learned can the frequency of rewards be gradually reduced. You need to keep an occasional reward going to maintain anticipation and interest.
• A good example of this is the use of a "clicker" for training animals. The animal is trained with food rewards along with a click, and then the click on it's own will get the response. The association between food and click can be reinforced at required intervals if the response drops off. Clicker training is used for dogs and horses.
  

Pain and suffering

• This is a very important area of animal behaviour and welfare and has huge legal implications when prosecutions have to be made under the law. For further information see the MAF Code of Welfare No. 17. Care and use of animals for scientific purposes - p. 38.
  

Fears and phobias

Some fears are essential for survival but when extreme become phobias. When threatened mammals have four major defence responses:

• Flight - withdraw from the threat.
• Immobility - crouch and lies still to avoid detection.
• Deflection/appeasement - actively submit to the attacker.
• Fight - defensive aggression to attacker Some phobias seem to be partly caused by innate sensitivity e.g. animals with snakes. But many phobias contain a learned component. It can be a "conditioned reaction" to a fearful experience.
• Phobias cannot be cured by repeated exposure to the full stimulus. They can however be "unlearned" by "systematic desensitisation using very mild exposures to the cause so as not to create anxiety. This is gradually increased until the full stimulus can be accepted.

Growth and Development

• Growth, development and age have an important effect on animal behaviour and welfare so it's important to realise how animals grow.
  
• Growth takes the form of an S-shaped curve starting at conception, moving slowly to birth and then rapidly up through puberty to slow down at maturity.
• After conception the brain and central nervous system (CNS) have first call on nutrients provided by the mother. In the last weeks of pregnancy the foetus increases in weight.
• From birth through puberty to maturity tissues grow in order of bone, muscle then finally fat. But this can vary with feed supply as fat can be laid down in young animals if fed on a very high plane of nutrition. During this growth body proportions change.
  

Birth
This is a critical phase and can be traumatic for both dam and offspring.

Dam problems

• Paralysis
• Retained foetal membranes (RFM)
• Delayed return to normal breeding - anoestrus
• Bonding
• Uterine infections
• Teat and udder problems
  

Offspring problems:

• Hypothermia (37C drop to zero)
• Exposure/Starvation
• Dystocia
• Teat seeking problems
• Bonding
• Mismothering and neglect
  

Puberty

• This is the age of sexual maturity and when sexual behaviour starts.
  
• The animal has innate mating instincts but it still has to learn and practice to be effective.
• Puberty is dictated more by live weight than age.
• Genetics are involved as animals have been selected by farmers for early or late sexual maturity.
• Territorial issues start to be seen.
• Hierarchy issues start to apply.
  

Maturity

• Here animals reach mature weight expressing their genetic potential.
• If of large size and weight, this may pose mating problems.
• There are many diseases of old age:
• Arthritis
• Cancer
• Kidney failure
• Feet
• Teeth
• Obesity
• Failing sight
• Low appetite
• Low libido and mating problems
• There are people problems, e.g. aging pets, death and dignified disposal.
• There are marketing issues, e.g. deciding on slaughter weights to fit market needs.

Analysing a behaviour problem

• When faced with an animal behaviour "problem", there are many aspects to be examined before a conclusion can be drawn and a solution formulated. Here are some things that must be done first:
• Interview the person who has the "animal problem" and take detailed notes. Listen to what they see as the problem. List what they have tried, how they did it and what happened.
• Was the problem obvious?
• Did it appear to be simple or complex? Observe the situation in detail with an open mind.
  
• Make detailed record or what the animal does and what happens in the environment. This is called an "ethogram".
• Form a hypothesis - what you think is the problem, and then try to test this to confirm that your conclusions were correct.

Check list
The human (companion animal owner)

• What basic knowledge do they have about the animal?
• What is their age and how active are they?
• Their sex?
• Marital status – its stability and length of relationship?
• The people in the client's hierarchy?
• Has this changed recently?
• Who in the household has most interaction with the animal?
• Is this the truth – e.g. Is someone else quietly feeding it?
• Children - the number, their ages and sex?
• How do these kids get on with each other? Is there an aggressive hierarchy among the kids?
• House - the size and the area the animal may be allowed in and who sets these rules?
• Garden - the size and how important it is to the owner, and any restrictions for the animal?
• The general "lifestyle" of the family and the part the animal plays in this?
  

The human (farm animal owner)

• Who is “the farmer”?
• Who says they are the farmer but who is making the decisions?
• Their sex? e.g. Is it Mum or Dad, or the sons/daughters who are in control of stock management?
• What is the general attitude to animals on the farm?
• What is the state of the property e.g. general tidiness?
• What is the current feed status and are there any feed reserves?
• Are there plans for an emergency e.g. Floods or snow storms?
• What is the economic status of the business?
• What’s the owner’s attitude to “regulations and authorities”?
• What’s their attitude to their veterinarian?
• How stressed does the owner(s) appear?
• How well cared for are the family pets?
  

The animal

• What species - keeping in mind species-specific behaviour and innate ability.
• Breed - its importance in size, tractability and living space needed.
• Age - young an active or geriatric and sedentary.
• Sex- entire or desexed and at what age was it done?
• Hierarchy - where does the animal appear to fit in the family, flock or herd?
• Diet- what is the diet or feed supply and have there been changes?
• Are there sources of feed for emergencies?
• Exercise - how much exercise is allowed?
• Territory- what is the size of the "home range"?
• What information do you need to collect to solve the problem? (An ethogram)
  

Animal behaviour and welfare: Cats Part 3

CAT BEHAVIOUR BASICS: PART 3

Cat-human relationships: Behaviour problems

By Dr Clive Dalton


Cat-human bond

• Strength of the bond depends on good early socialisation of the cat by a human.
• This is then transferable to a new human with time.
• A cat may be more bonded to the home and its smells rather than the person - hence the problem of cats going back to an old home. The cat needs time to readjust to new environmental smells so keep it shut in for at least a week.
• Cats will go for walks with owners and hunt. This is easier in rural areas.
• Owners soon learn to interpret certain calls and cat seems to know this.
• It is said that there is a stronger interaction between female humans than males with a cat.
• It is also said that there is stronger interaction between a cat and an adult than with children.
• These interactions are probably just based on food and who in the family feeds the cat regularly.
  

Cat's interaction with humans

• Head butting
• Rubbing cheeks on person
• Kneading or paddling with feet and claws
• Purring
• Snuggling under armpit
• Enjoying their noses and eyes covered by your cupped hand
• If there are a number of cats in the house they need vertical space for a good human/cat relationship and will time-share these areas to avoid conflict..
  

Cat Behaviour "Problems"
Like dogs- cats don't have problems, as they are behaving like cats.

It's the humans who have problems because they forget the domestic contract and the five freedoms, and expect their cats to adapt to what they want. This may not be possible or will take some time to achieve.

1. Poor human-cat bond

• A strong bond is very important to both human and cat partners.
• The bond is formed by good early socialisation and needs constant reinforcing.
• Death, divorce and moving house are the three greatest bond breakers.
• Surveys show that 50% of humans suffer stress on moving and 50% of cats must do also.
• Most upset is resolved in 1-2 weeks but some lasts for 3-4 months.
• Many people have unrealistic expectations of their cat and they have probably have the wrong species as a pet.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Socialise all kittens before they are 2-6 weeks old.
• Keep reinforcing the bond by regular interaction with the cat.
• Rehome the cat with someone with skills to resocialise it, in a different environment.
  

2. Poor socialisation.

• "Nasty cats" (wild, unfriendly and unreliable) for whatever reason have probably not been properly socialised to humans.
• Always start here to work out a cat behaviour problem.
• What happens in the early weeks can have a lifelong effect.
• You can fix some problems later, but it will take you time and it will cost the client money.
• Some humans are better at taming wild cats than others showing a greater empathy and skill.

Possible cures/prevention

• Socialise all kittens before they are 2-6 weeks old.
• Keep reinforcing the bond by regular interaction with the cat.
• Rehome the cat with someone with skills to resocialise it, in a different environment.

3. Infanticide

• This is seen in lions when new males oust old ones and they kill all the cubs to bring females on heat quickly and remove all previous males' genetics at the same time.
• It is known to happen in domestic cats and feral cats where Toms will kill young kittens on their rounds if not protected by the mother or owner.
• Preventing this is a good reason for desexing non-breeding males, and trapping and euthanasing all stray Toms.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Desex all males not needed for breeding.
• Try to trap and euthanase all stray and feral Toms.
  

4. Spraying

• Cats spray to mark their territory, their home range and any new area.
• Once they feel safe, they don't spray.
• They are very sensitive to a "general safe smell" of their environment.
• It's when their lair is under threat that they may start again.
• It happens in both sexed or desexed cats.
  

Possible reasons?

• New adult cat or kitten in the house.
• Change of status in group.
• Visiting Tom cats staking out territory (doormats and car wheels).
• New baby in the house.
• Neighbours have got new cats.
• Bereavement in the house - cat's neglected.
• Redecorate and new smells.
• Plastic bags from outside with alien smells brought indoors.
• Doormat with new footwear smells.
• Installation of cat door - outside becomes inside.
• Visitors car (with open windows).
• Protest spraying - to inform owner cat is unhappy.
• Genetics - oriental breeds.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Find the cause of the anxiety - try to remove it.
• Something needs to change - and you need to find out.
  
• Don't punish the cat - or don't be caught doing it.(Try a water pistol).
• Confine cat to safe home area - and slowly expand it.
• Feed it near where it sprays.
• If "protest spray" - rebuild the bond with the cat.
• Drugs from vet
• Rehome the cat with someone in a different environment.

5. Defaecating

• Cats normally bury their faeces. When they don't it's generally deliberate and is called "maddening".
• It's another way for cats to mark territory.
• It happens when cats are in panic mode - e.g. if locked in the house or may do it on the bed when owners are on holiday.
• Kittens that have been poorly trained by the mother in the nest may develop the habit.
• Punishment is not very effective and it must be instantaneous and from afar, so the cat doesn't associate it with you.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Find the cause of the problem and remove it.
• Never rub the cat's nose in the mess. It achieves nothing.
• Build up animal's self esteem.
• Go back to principles of toilet training.
• Feed the cat where it has defaecated
• Rehome the cat with someone in a different environment.

6. Toilet training

• Kittens are taught by their mothers not to soil their den, so use this principle.
• Take the kitten outside on to soil or litter after feeding to encourage elimination.
• Put newspaper down where you feed the kitten and gradually extend this "feeding territory" so it will not eliminate there.
• Shut off areas where it has started soiling and confine it to approved areas.
• Feed the cat where it has eliminated.
• Never rub its nose in the mess.
• Scratching furniture.
• This is partly claw care and has a trimming action.
• It's also scent marking from glands in paws.
• Used to mark territory.
• Done as a dominance gesture, often in presence of other cats.
• Cats get cunning and will do it on the beds to avoid reprimand.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Always be on the watch - think like a cat.
• Keep cats out when you are out.
• Provide a scratching post in house.
• Put it in front of the damaged object.
• Use a reprimand. It must be instant and from a distance (eg water pistol).
• Hitting the cat won't work - don't try it.
  
• Some smell deterrents may work.
  

7. Attacking other cats

• Can vary from the occasional scrap between cats in a household, to serious attacks on all cats on sight - indoors or outdoors.
• This is a natural way to sort out hierarchy and territory.
• May be caused by poor social contact between cats when young
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Keep aggressive cats inside at night.(This will also benefit wildlife).
• Reintroduce new cats into group gradually in protected cage.
• Distraction - bring new cats together at feeding time.
• Neuter all Toms.
• Your vet may recommend hormone treatment for the aggressor.
• Euthanasia could be a final option in New Zealand, but take veterinary advice on this. You may be legally liable for any damage your cat causes.
• Rehome the cat with someone with cat skills, in a different environment.

9. Attacking people

• This is a nasty habit and can be scary and dangerous for the uwary (visitors and kids).
  
• This is usually "play aggression" that gets out of hand.
• "Defensive aggression" is caused by poor socialisation.
• It may be encouraged by some family members and then others suffer.
• It may be "fear aggression" so ignore the cat and allow it escape routes.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Know the cat's likes and dislikes - and warn guests.
• Provide toys and encourage the cat to play with them.
• Provide another cat or kitten for it to play with.
• Ignore the cat and don't play with it. Tell others of the plan.
• Experiment with changing diets.
• Don't provide catnip.
• Rehome the cat with someone with cat skills, in a different environment.
• Euthanasia may be considered necessary in New Zealand, as you are legally liable for damage. But talk to your veterinarian first.
  

10. Petting and biting syndrome

• It's where the cat allows so many strokes then gives a controlled bite or nip.
• Three strokes then a bite are typical, or not allowing certain body parts to be touched.
• It is often tolerated by the owner so is not cured.
• May get worse with age - could be physical problems.
• Certain parts of the body are more sensitive than others - the back end.
• It often happens in older cats and gets worse with age.
• Some cats will tolerate adults but not children stroking them.
• Can't do much. Leave the cat alone and warn others, especially children.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Recognise the habit and avoid triggering it.
• Warn guests or remove cat when they arrive.
• But it may make the cat more cunning when biting.
• Talk to vet about drugs.
• Rehome the cat with someone with cat skills, in a different environment.

11.Over-grooming and self mutilation

• Cats regularly groom their flanks or backs when they are confused, or when upset after a threat.
• It seems a displacement behaviour resulting from anxiety or stress.
• It can get out of hand and is difficult to stop.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Check for any problems of the skin.
• Protect the affected skin area - cat will probably shift attention to another.
• Check for diet allergies.
• Find the cause of the distress and remove it.
• Provide toys for stimulation.
• Reduce the number of cats in the house.
• Don't punish the cat for other offences - fix those problems first.
• Treat with drugs for anxiety.
• There may be no cure if it becomes serious, but take veterinary advice before considering euthanasia.
• Rehome the cat with someone with cat skills, in a different environment.

12. Hair ball

• This is a problem of long-haired breeds that are not regularly groomed.
• This is a very common feature of cats.
• It's not a problem until they come into the house from the garden to be sick.
• Thought to be a means of assisting digestion.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Make sure grooming is adequate and the animal is kept clean.

13.Pica

• This is the eating or sucking of a wide range of non-nutritional items and can cause health problems.
• Sucking and kneading wool items is most common.
• It's thought to be need for dietary fibre, a depraved maternal behaviour snuggling up to dam's belly or natural trait of prey catching/eating.
• It often occurs in cats weaned too young.
• Severe stress can trigger it.
• Poor early socialisation is a likely cause.
• Some breeds are worse than others, eg Siamese.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Provide toys to increase stimulation.
• Check diet for fibre.
• Try aversion tactics - water pistol, or noise.
• Provide favourite fabrics to save others.
• Rehome the cat with someone with cat skills, in a different environment.

14. Eating plants

• Thought to be a nutritional deficiency.
• The cat often knocks the plant over and breaks the pot in the process, adding to the problem.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Remove the problem materials from cat's environment.
• Try different diets
• Rehome the cat with someone with cat skills, in a different environment.

15. Thieving

• Cats have an inquisitive nature so this habit can be a self gratifying experience.
• It can be part of pica syndrome - stealing favourite items to eat.
• It's part of the behaviour of bringing kill back to the den for the tribe.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• There is little point in chasing it to get it back - you add to the fun.
• Try to remove the opportunity for the cat to steal things.
• Completely ignore it when it brings items home
• Rehome the cat with someone with cat skills, in a different environment.

Cats in modern society - the 5th freedom

• Changes are coming in man's relationship with the domestic cat in New Zealand.
• We have a love/hate relationship with cats as we do with dogs, but cats are inherent hunters and it's now being realised the effect their hunting as on our endangered native wildlife - as it has done in Australia.
• The average age of a cat in modern society is 3.5 years. Euthanasia is the main cause of death. Thousands of kittens are euthanased each year.
• Just about every family in NZ has a pet dog or cat and many have both. Cats are more popular than dogs and are easier to get and dispose of (legally or illegally).
• Hundreds of thousands of cats are euthanased each year and Christmas is the peak time for this being the peak kitten season.
• The SPCA struggle to get the message across about desexing and "pets are not just for Christmas".
• There are now plenty of data now to show how much wildlife the average domestic "moggy" cleans up in a year. It is in the region of 20 birds/year.
• DOC in New Zealand are having a big campaign against the cat.
• Some people are very upset about this, blaming owners for irresponsible cat care.
• There is no welfare code for cats but this will be done sometime.
• Australia has brought in rules against cats in some areas where they must now be confined.
  
• "Keep your cat inside at night" will have to be the catch cry for future.
• New Zealand will have to face this in future as public concern and sympathy changes towards our native fauna - the impact of TV is massive. There are changes ahead for the Kiwi moggy with cat-free areas being accepted.
• Desexing feral cats releasing them back into the environment is a crazy idea.
  

Animal behaviour and welfare: Dogs Part 4

DOG BEHAVIOUR BASICS: PART 4

Man-dog problems

By Dr Clive Dalton

Dogs want to be dogs!
There are no such things as “dog problems” –humans are giving the dogs grief, not letting them behave as dogs! This then disrupts the human’s life – which they see as a dog problem.

So dogs see life differently to humans and these “dog property laws” (From Pet NZ, Issue 21, Dec-Feb 2002-2003) are a great way to start thinking about this.

Laws for smart dogs:

• If I like it, it's mine.
• If it's in my mouth- it's mine.
• If I can't take it from you, it's still mine.
• If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.
• If it's mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.
• If I'm chewing something up - all the pieces are mine.
• If it looks like mine, it's mine.
• If I saw it first, it's mine.
• If you are playing with something and put it down, it automatically becomes mine.
• If it's broken - it's yours.
  

1. Separation anxiety

• As pack animals, dogs need company and they need a clear hierarchy with strict rules. In this they feel safe and contented.
• Separation anxiety is a massive problem as more people have dogs for a multitude of reasons including security, and then have to leave them and go out to work.
• One third of all households have a dog, and 1 in 4 marriages end in divorce. There are probably as many splits in de-facto relationships so dogs becomes traumatised by all this human behaviour.
• Death of partners, separation and divorce are now major threats to a happy man/dog relationship.
• Humans make it worse by feeling guilty and showing this to the dog by making a fuss on leaving and when arriving home.
  
• The dog becomes totally neurotic, and totally bored so starts to wreck the place.
• The trick is to get the dog to realise you will return, and to just go away and relax till that happens - that's the theory! It's not always easy to achieve.
  

What anxious dogs do

• Dig in pot plants.
• Dig in the garden and bury toys.
• Chew furniture.
• Chew the car interior
  
• Barking, barking and more barking
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Ignore the dog when leaving.
• Start by standing up dressed for work, rattling keys etc.
• Then go out the door and come back in again without fussing the dog.
• Repeat this at a longer interval - coming back in without fussing the dog.
  
• Never make a big fuss of your dog when coming home.
• Get everyone else to stick to these rules.
• Get the dog used to being in a room on its own.
• Employ a dog walker to take the dog out for you.
• Get another dog as company - but this may double the problem!
• Try an electric collar or spray.
  
• Never use surgical debarking!
  

2. Phobias

• Dogs can easily develop a wide range of phobias or fears.
• Examples of causes are thunder (very common), gunshots, people, other dogs, other species like cats, polished floors, hot air balloons, fireworks.
• Phobias are generally a "conditioned emotional response" and the challenge is to re-programme it.
• Phobias can be hard to get rid of and may take a lot of work to re-build the bond with owner.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Go back to basics and re-socialise the dog.
• Try "habituation" - expose dog to the phobia so often (with reassurance) that it gets used to it.
• Try to "desensitise" the dog from the fear by repeated exposure and then "counter-condition" it as something new.
• Try "flooding" - giving the dog so much of the stimulus that it gives up exhausted and realises it has survived and is OK.
• Your veterinarian may prescribe drugs to reduce anxiety.
  

3. Aggression towards people

• Sadly this is an increasing problem these days with crime increasing.
• It has legal consequences as you are responsible for your dog's actions under the Dog Control Act.

Under the NZ Dog Control Act a dog is only considered dangerous if:

• There is evidence of an attack
• There is sworn evidence of aggressive behaviour
• The dog owner admits their dog poses a threat
• The DCA says that dangerous dogs must be:
• Securely fenced
• Muzzled in public
• Desexed and the owner has to pay a higher fee.
• BUT at present there no specific legislation to control them.
• Aggressive training may have been deliberate for guard dogs.
• Aggression is a very nasty problem as it is often unpredictable.
• Poor socialisation of pups is the most likely cause of aggression.
• Most often aggression to humans is territorial:
  
• Within the property
• Outside the property - dog confused about its boundary.
• Dogs can often start biting after successfully attending puppy training, where food rewards and lavish praise are used. They expect (demand) this all the time which leads to aggression towards the owner.
• Dogs may clearly discriminate who they bite in the family - caused by varying rules by different members.
• Aggression to humans is often hard to fix. You will need to re-socialise the dog which may not be possible.
• Police dogs may start to enjoy aggression and get out of control. The need to be re-schooled for the handler to regain dominance.
• An aggressive dog will always be a risk and should be muzzled in public.
• Euthanasia an option but this depends on owner who is usually the cause of the problem!
  

Possible cures/prevention (Dominance aggression)

• Determine the cause of the aggression - and fix it.
• Vets say 30% of cases have a medical cause.
• Punishment will only make things worse.
• Get the cooperation of everyone involved with the dog.
• Re-establish yourself as the absolute pack leader.
• You may have to walk away - avoid the confrontation and find another way.
• Check the dog is not being teased. Some people think they are training and in fact they are teasing the dog.
• Keep doing this at every opportunity - feeding, play etc.
• Ignore the dog when it seeks attention - YOU decide this.
• Use frequent grooming to add dominance.
• Prepare the dog's food but don't let it eat.
• Let it eat in sight of you eating, but make it wait.
• Make it last to leave a room behind you.
  

Possible cures/prevention (Fear aggression)

• You‘ll see it in a dog which is very timid and scared of strangers.
• May be fear of men or a different race of people.
• The dog may have been beaten so watch rapid arm movements to avoid attack.
• You will need to start and re-socialise the dog to others - could be a long slow process.
• You may need help from a stranger. Get them to walk past, then feed the dog but with no eye contact.
• Work on this till dog can face a full frontal eye meeting with the stranger without being aggressive.

4. Aggression towards other dogs

• This is often seen in very dominant dogs when they are on their home territory or away from it and they'll defend their territory or property.
• It's not just large dogs - small dogs can be equally aggressive.
• Usually found with male-male or female-female combinations, but some dogs will be aggressive against any dog.
• Usually found with male-male or female-female combinations, but some dogs will be aggressive against any dog.
• Caused by poor socialisation of pups and these days it may have been done deliberately.
• It's dangerous as it's often unpredictable and may take the dog's owner by surprise.
• Keeping dog on short lead and choking it can make it worse, as it interprets discomfort or pain as being the other dog's fault.
• Humans can get injured sorting things out and large vet bills and legal costs can result.
• You'll need to try to re-socialise the dog to other dogs and this may need specialist help and considerable time.
• If all else fails, euthanasia may be the only solution for very aggressive dogs.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Get back to basics to re-socialise the dog to other dogs.
• Get your dog under better control on the "come" and "stay" command.
• Try to deflect the dog's attention when potential trouble approaches.
• Always keep your dog on a lead, but don't choke it on a short lead.
• Don't hit it when facing up to another dog - it will blame the dog
• Recognise dogs that will never agree to get on so avoid contact between them.
• Recognise breed differences and the importance of genetics and environment.
• Neuter aggressive males.
• Discuss drug therapy with a veterinarian.
• Get the dog used to wearing a muzzle - this will take time.
• Euthanasia may be the only solution for very aggressive dogs if you realise your legal responsibilities to victim.
  

5. Fear of other dogs

• It's mainly a problem of poor early socialisation.
• Pup may have been kept isolated with little handling until completing their vaccinations usually at 16 weeks of age. This is too late.
• Dog may have been mauled when growing up.
• Caused by owners preventing their dogs having social contact with another dog. For example owners of small dogs lift them up when they meet large dogs suspecting danger.
• It may be a breed or strain problem.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Proper socialisation of the pup.
• Take to dog obedience training to meet other dogs.
• Use a friendly dog to meet and build confidence during a walk.
• Keep them walking and active.
• Feed dogs together from separate bowls at end of walk.
• As you progress, bring bowls closer together at end of walks.
• Include more dogs in the next walk.
  

6. Fear of humans
The cause of this is poor socialisation when a puppy.

Possible cures/prevention

• Use food to make contact with the dog when it's hungry.
• Put the dog on a light lead.
• Get stranger to walk ahead of dog holding out food but not to face the dog.
• Let the dog get closer to the stranger who keeps walking.
• Then get stranger to offer food face on with your assurance.
• Build up positive bond with stranger and dog.
• Test dog with other strangers - don't trust the dog.
• Chewing furniture and fittings.
• These dogs chew house furniture and car interiors and it can be very expensive.
• The cause is generally boredom and separation anxiety.
• It may also be caused by severe stress and an attempt to escape - e.g. a dog locked in a hot car.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Don't give a pup or dog old clothes or shoes to play with. Teach it to play only with its own toys you have given it.
• Dogs can't discriminate between new and old.
• Provide company or challenging toys for the dog in the owner's absence.
• Teach the dog to accept that special toys belong to the owner - take them off the dog and show that it's in a bag or box.
• Don't make a fuss of the dog when you leave it on its own, or when you return.
• If you have two dogs, don't let them have a tug-o-war over items - they may start this when you are out.
  

7. Wandering (roaming)

• This is usually seen in males looking for sex.
• It's also seen in dogs looking for company.
• It may be a dog looking for food such as an underfed lactating bitch that is hungry.
• The dog may be wandering off to worry stock.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Find the cause and work out a strategy. Think like dog!
• Castrate males leaving home regularly to look for sex.
• Keep dogs in secure areas so they cannot wander off, dig their way out or jump the fence.
• Use an electric fence or electric collar for a while where they are escaping.
  

8. Stock worrying
Some valuable research was done by Dr Garth Jennens from Murdoch University in Perth, WA. Here are the key findings:

• Any dog is capable of killing sheep, and the fact that it's back home in the morning is no proof of innocence.
  
• Attacks can happen anytime but 80% are between 5am and 7am. You cannot breed this killing instinct out of the species. If you did they wouldn't be dogs!
• The image of killer dogs going around in packs is a myth. Ninety percent of dogs that kill sheep are pets, working on their own or with another dog and they come in all sizes and breeds.
• You can't predict which dogs will turn out to be killers. They can be pets for years or your top working dogs, and then all of a sudden something triggers off a desire to be a dog and go out and hunt to kill.
• One common factor to all sheep killers though is that they are wanderers. So if you have wandering dogs near stock, you can very easily have a killing problem. Wandering dogs are the key.
• Most dogs that kill sheep don't have a mark on them. This is because after their bit of fun, they regularly go and have a swim and cool off. Check the collar (if they have one - most don't), as blood stains can be seen in the leather.
• Killer dogs have a set pattern. They enter and leave properties by a set route, and have usually been around the area they kill in for a few visits before they get to work.
• These dogs are predictable and stick to their pattern. They like to travel near water or up valleys where scent is funneled down to them.
• The cold of winter and the heat of summer are the off season for sheep killing. It's more comfortable at home! But the cool of the Autumn or the freshness of Spring get them going. They like the damp spell after rain and the full moon for their sport.
• You can predict the breed and size of dog from the kill pattern such as where the sheep is attacked. Experienced dogs will actually kill a few sheep and not maim many.
• Learners will maim a great number but not be able to kill any. Dogs have got to learn to kill sheep - and they do some awful damage while they are learning. If it's a food kill, only one sheep will be killed. Generally it's all a big game of chase and catch for the dog or dogs.
• A dangerous combination is a large and small dog. The big dog heads and catches and the little fella goes in for the kill. Heading dogs and terrier combinations are lethal. They can be very cunning too and quick. Many of them can disappear and kill a sheep or two in no time and nobody notices them disappear.
• The real long-term answer is to start and educate children about how dogs behave and their responsibilities as owners of animals. It's no good trying to educate those with closed minds.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Know exactly where your dog is at all times.
• If you live in a rural area - be particularly vigilant.
• "Stock proof" your dog when a pup - i.e. train it to leave stock alone.
• Use an electric collar or electric fence to stop wandering.
• Castrate male dogs.
• Once dogs have killed stock - they are never safe. Euthanase them.
  

9. Catching stray dogs
Having to catch a stray dog is not easy, but it's a very basic part of an Animal Control Officer's job. Here are some points from a New Zealand Dog Control officer's experience:

• Dogs you see running around the streets are generally of two kinds.
• They are dogs that are just having a quiet wander out of boredom.
• They are dogs that are running away.
• It's important to realise that they need to be treated differently.
• The quiet wanderers are not stressed - they're having fun. They see the street as their extended territory, especially if they have scent marked all along it on previous visits.
• Their dog territory ends at their last scent mark - not at the human territory of the garden gate!
• Dogs running away are usually more stressed as they realise they're off their territory and could run into threats such as other dogs or humans.
• Being chased can be seen by friendly dogs as a game - so use it to catch them. Run after them and then turn round and run in the opposite direction.
• For dogs that appear to be under threat, reduce the threat to the dog.
  

Try this to get them to come up to you without fear:

• Crouch down to their eye level.
• Get down even lower - even lie on the ground if not responding to your crouching.
• Talk to the dog in "happy" tones.
• Regular wanderers are very "street wise" and they recognise a uniform and a truck, as the last time they saw and smelled one, they had an experience they didn't like.
• Smell. Dogs have long memories, particularly of smells and their associations.
• The person trying to make friends may not smell to their liking, and will be different to their owner's smell. The human's breath and crutch smell will certainly be different - and the dog will pick up strong messages from both areas.
• So don't wear strong deodorant.
• Dogs that are a big threat are generally too cunning to be approached so have to be cornered and caught with a pole which requires considerable experience.
• Totally feral dogs or town dogs that are hard to find need to be caught in traps.
• Dogs worrying stock can be shot, but study the details in the Dog Control Act.
  

10. Scent marking

• This is usually a problem with male dogs on leads that want to stop at every upright structure.
• They urinate as high as possible to leave a "large" dog impression.
• Scent marking is often associated with turning round and scratching backwards.
• Urinating is a means of defining territory which is a strong male innate trait.
• Scent marking is seen regularly when a dog is anxious or threatened - before a fight or with strangers in the house.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Increase dog's activity and extend its territory. This may include visitors so the dog does not see them as novel or different.
• Reassure the dog inside the house to remove anxiety and perceived threats.
• Try to remove threats from territory outside the house.
• Try immediate reprimands when seen - but they must be immediate.
  
• Use an electric dog collar.
• Use an electric fence to protect areas used by visiting dogs.
  

11. Defaecating

• Dogs don't naturally foul their den area and pups learn this early in life.
  
• In the first stages the bitch encourages the pups to eliminate by licking their genital area and ingesting any faeces and urine.
  
• Then the pups wander outside the den and eliminate there. The have this reinforced by their mother and they use smell to direct them to the toilet area.

Possible cures/prevention

• Take the pup outside frequently to a designated area with plenty of toilet smells, especially after meals and sleeps.
• Restrict the pup's area so it has a clearly defined "den" area and a "toilet" area. Even in high-rise apartments, the principles are the same - teach the dog to find the designated toilet area.
• With an adult dog, keep reinforcing the toilet spot by restricting the other areas of the garden - the dog is either in its extended "den" or the "toilet" area until it re-learns the rules.
• The problem of dogs fouling the neighbour's garden is simply a natural tendency - the garden is just a nice distance from its own territory. Plastic water bottles don't work but an electric fence does!
  

12. Jumping up

• This is a really annoying habit which too many owners happily accept.
  
• Jumping up is an enthusiastic greeting that gets out of hand.
• The dog enjoys you patting its head, so much it jumps up for more.
• It also jumps up to greet your face and lick it.
• Responding to the greeting reinforces the dog’s actions and its energy– the dog takes it as your enthusiastic approval so gets even more excited and jumps up more.
• It can be dangerous as their claws can scratch and damage skin and clothing, and they can easily knock over children and scare them off dogs for ever.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Go back to basics and reinforce the sit and stay command.
• When greeted, totally ignore the dog, and don't touch it anywhere – give it negative signals.
• Turn your back on the dog when it tries to jump up and walk away.
• Don’t acknowledge the dog.
  
• Reward it for obedience by NOT stroking its head, nose, scruff, shoulders or back.
• Leave its leash on the ground and stand on it when it jumps.
• Keep a water pistol handy and squirt it in the face when it jumps.
• Keep your hands and arms out of the way and stick you knee out firmly towards the dog's chest when it jumps up.
• Put the dog on a leash before opening the door to strangers to prevent the dog's over-active greeting. Make it sit well back from the door and until the visitor is inside.
  

13. Sniffing people

• This is often a part of the jumping up problem above.
• It's seen mainly in large dogs with a nose at human crutch height.
• Visitors are of special interest as they carry new and interesting smells.
• Women’s smells are of special interest to male dogs.
• Smaller dogs jump up, but they are not such a threat.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Avoid over excitement of the dog on greeting.
• Don't pat the dog's head as it will see this as a compliment and continue with greater enthusiasm.
• Reprimand the dog at the puppy stage as soon as you see it start.
• Reprimands must be instant.
  

14. Leg mounting

• This is a problem of male dogs that have not had companions so see their owners as substitutes.
• It's usually most common in smaller dogs such as terriers.
• They can be very determined and develop clasping skills so as not to fall off - even when kicked! The more you kick the harder they hang on.
• It starts with puppy play and develops from there.
• Visitors are often caught by surprise as they don't expect it and the dog sees them as fair game.
• The habit seems to start with pups as part of play and they'll often mount other objects like rugs or stools.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Remove the temptation.
• Distract the dog's attention when it starts - noise or water spray.
• Give an instant reprimand from the first time you see it happen.
• Put the dog on a lead and shut it away.
  

15. Car sickness

• This can be very stressful for both owner and dog.
• It's true motion sickness and the animals needs to get used to it just as in humans.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Start off when dog is a pup by making short journeys.
• Let the dog out for fresh air and exercise often.
• Let the dog think the car is part of its home. Give it feed and water in the vehicle.
• Get someone to sit with it for security to discourage whining or barking.
• Spray the upholstery to prevent stress digging.
• Put the dog in a cage or crate inside the car or use a car box outside the vehicle.
• Use dog seat belts, especially for large animals
  

16. Chasing vehicles

• This is a very frustrating problem and can be hard to cure once established.
• It's part of the chase and kill instinct. Border collies are the worst (or best)!
• Dogs get very smart and you cannot bump them as a possible cure!
• The faster you go to get away - the more the dog likes it.
• They also try to bite tyres which is especially dangerous for cyclists.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Come down hard with discipline as soon as you see the problem starting in puppies. Pups will soon learn from an older dog.
• Don't leave dogs loose around vehicles. Tie them up.
• Get help to give dog a disincentive when it takes off in the chase.
• Water pistol, toy, food, choke chain, electric collar.
• It may be too hard and too late to cure a dog, so euthanasia may be the only option to prevent a serious accident to both dog and humans.
  

17. Pulling on the lead and not walking to heel

• Here dogs won't walk to heel for more than a few seconds, and then take off and drag the owner along. It's a very common sight - dogs taking their owners for a walk!
• Dogs like to work. They love to pull and it seems to be an innate trait and has been used throughout history for man's benefit - sledge dogs and dogs for disabled.
• What happens is that when you pull back, the dog pulls forward, using the strongest part of its body -the neck and shoulders.
• When the dog pulls, it changes its stance and posture, which is unhealthy for it.
• It can be very frustrating for owners and dangerous if dog is large
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Go back to basics and teach the heel, sit and stay commands.
• Never let it go through a doorway or gate infront of you. Make it sit until you go through and then call it to sit again and wait.
  
• Never let the dog go silly, jump up on you before going for a walk. Make going out a serious business of the dog obeying pack rules.
  
• You need to use a positive stance all the time- giving the dog the message that YOU are the pack leader and will lead the pack.
  
• You'll need to do this on the lead first, so the dog learns why you expect that behaviour.
• If you cannot trust it, keep it on a very short choke chain and walk very slowly then at different speeds so the dog must learn to keep pace with you at all times. Hopefully it will get tired of being choked and learn to walk beside you. This may not work with a large strong dog.
• Choke chains can be abused and you need to use them pulling forwards not backwards.
• If you can trust the dog not to run away, make it walk at heel without a lead and use treats if necessary. But using treats can be a nuisance - it should learn without them.
  
• Then put the lead on - keeping it loose.
• Use a "halter" on the animal's head to give more leverage to hold it back. Make sure the halter fits correctly or the dog will hate its eyes being touched and will rub its head along the ground all the time.

18. Excessive barking

• There's nothing more disrupting to good neighbour relations than dogs that bark all day - and often all night too.
  
• It seems as if the owners of barking dogs never hear them! It's becoming a greater issue as people who go out to work all day seem to think that a dog, or dogs will keep their property safe in their absence.
• An Australian study has found three main causes:
• First. Breed:Herding and working dogs (e.g. Border Collies) are worst as they have huge amounts of frustrated energy which they express in continual energy.
• Second: Young dogs (under one year old) are more likely to keep on barking than older dogs. The younger dogs are more attention seeking from their owners and bark to get this.
• Third. Dogs kept with another dog are more likely to bark than a dog on its own.
  

Possible cures/prevention

• Chose the right kind of dog - take veterinary advice.
• Recognise what a major problem 'separation anxiety' is if you go out working all day.
• Take professional advice on how to train your dogs to deal with this anxiety.
  
• Check regularly with your neighbours if your dogs bark during the day and are a nuisance.
• Teach you dogs to stop barking on command when you home.
• It is illegal in New Zealand to have dogs surgically de-barked.
  

Welfare of racing dogs

• People are not as concerned about the fact that dogs like Greyhounds genetically bred for racing would prefer not to run fast. They were bred to hunt, which is a natural trait in any dog, and using them for racing over short distances is not seen as a welfare problem.
• The same would apply to foxhounds, deerhounds, otterhounds and beagles. The welfare of their pray is another issue that must also be considered under the law.
  
• Attitudes to racing dogs is very different to that of racing horses.
  
• The problem: The Greyhound racing industry's concern is what breeders do with dogs retired from racing, that still have many years of a healthy life left.
• The ideal is to find good caring homes for them, but even if you like Greyhounds which make good companions and have a large house and area to keep them, there are always more dogs than homes.
• So a large number of healthy dogs have to be euthanased, and this is seen as a welfare problem.
• The same applies to hounds, and apart from carers needing large premises, the bark of a hound is not something neighbours enjoy at all hours of the day and night.
  

Dog training - some basic principles

• Socialise the pup properly.
• Teach the pup a name, and the "come" command when feeding it.
• Play with the pup to build a strong bond.
• But do NOT over stimulate it during this play.
• Using "treats" may make training easier but they are not essential.
• Teach the pup to walk on lead, and "sit".
• Then teach "stay". Place the pup off ground for this - use a stool.
• Then when it's ready - start your full programme.
• Use short lessons 2-3 times a day. Don't tire the dog.
• Give plenty of reward - touch and voice praise. Avoid food rewards if possible.
• Do NOT go overboard with this "food reward and lavish praise technique."
• Use "shake and growl" for discipline. Never hit the dog.
• Lay the pup prone and reassure if you need to dominate it further.
• If the dog gets bored then go back to the start and strengthen the bond.
• Dogs love to learn at all ages - so keep on teaching them things.