February 22, 2022

Difficult Dogs Part 2, Shelter Stress, and More with Ursa Acree

1 hour 20 minutes

In this episode of K9 Conservationists, Kayla is back with a bonus part two episode about difficult dogs in conservation work. She is joined by Ursa Acree, previous co-host on the retired podcast Canine Conversations!

What are some environmental factors in the shelter or in the home that can make behavior problems worse?Change in environment is stressful, especially when going to a shelter

Shelters are usually loud, stinky, and have a lack of enrichment

The same can happen in the home if there is a lot of overstimulation but no adequate outlets for the dog

Lack of exercise can be a factor, but adding exercise is not a magic fix. Generally speaking, exercise is not enough to fix behavior issues.

Some dogs may have a future in detection work but no other working field. This is because depending on the behavioral issue and the context in which it appears, conservation work may be completely suitable

Some conservation dogs may have behavioral difficulties such as:Noise phobia

Handling sensitivities

Dog-dog reactivity or aggression

Car reactivity

Stranger danger

Separation anxiety

Many organizations look for dogs with drive and simply manage the rest

Some Conservation Detection Dog organization do behavior modification training for those kinds of behaviors, but many do not

Many, but not all, behavior issues stem from unmet exercise/enrichment needs that may be satiated by this job.

It is also difficult to “fix” these behavior issues if the dog’s needs aren’t being met

Fears, phobias, anxieties, and aggression may also reduce due to increased behavioral wellness, management, and a change in environment

Why are these behavioral difficulties improved?Reduction in triggers (reduce stress, lowers ability to “practice,” fewer opportunities for mistakes)

Out of the shelter/stressful home environment

Often away from city life

Careful management from skilled handlers: crate-and-rotate, leash skills, even fully kenneling dogs

Increased exercise and enrichment

Many arousal/frustration behaviors improve with this alone

Other troublesome behaviors, like dumpster diving, pulling on leash, jumping on guests, barking, etc, might simply not be an issue for your average conservation detection dog

Some minor behavior problems do not need to be addressed, but if they do, it’s important to modify the issues in a way that will be beneficial to the dog using modern science-based methods. Often times, older out-dated punishment based methods lead to worsening the behavior or creating new problem behaviors

Sometimes management isn’t enough; both for the welfare of the dog and the risk of your business

...more

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By Kayla Fratt

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