In honor of memorial day, I thought I would highlight the role animals play in helping our veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Here in Arizona, the nonprofit organization Soldiers Best Friend matches dogs with soldiers who suffer from this debilitating problem. Once a soldier is accepted into the program, they are matched with a dog …
Monthly Archives: May 2012
Dogs are Chick Magnets
The first time I heard one of my clients refer to his dog as a ‘chick magnet’, it surprised me. But the more I thought about it, the more I agreed. When I am walking, I am naturally attracted to people with pets. The pet is an ice breaker, a conversation starter for people who …
Dominance Based Aggression in Dogs
Dominance based aggression which is also referred to as impulse control aggression or conflict aggression is the last type of canine aggression. Frankly, I don’t care too much which term is used as long as people understand how dangerous it is to interact with dogs with this kind of aggression. These dogs are bullies! They …
Resource Guarding Aggression in Dogs
Resource guarding is a common form of aggression in dogs. The dog protects valuable resources such as food, toys, treats, furniture, blankets, other dogs and even people. For this reason it is also known as possessive aggression. The dog protects its possessions with a growl or stare. If the warning is ignored, they may escalate to biting. Prevention …
Anxiety Based Aggression in Dogs
As discussed in my prior post, some dogs become aggressive due to fear. These animals live by the slogan, “The best defense is a great offense.” Some dogs become aggressive after a specific incident such as being attacked by another animal. The other common cause is anxiety. Anxiety causes fear in both humans and animals. …