Canine obsessive compulsive disorder how to spot it and how to treat it
Does your dog exhibit repetitive and quirky behaviour such
as chasing it's tail, biting the air, or licking parts of
it's body constantly? If the answer is yes, then your dogs
behaviour may be a result of an anxiety condition known as
Canine Compulsive Disorder. This article looks at the
condition known as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in
relation to dogs, how to detect it and, how best to help
your dog overcome this potentially debilitating behaviour.
It is estimated that around 2% of the American dog
population are living with Canine Compulsive Disorder. The
root cause for this condition will vary with each
individual dog, however, boredom , stress and anxiety are
the usual factors associated with OCD. Dogs that have
developed phobias, or who experience separation anxiety for
example, can often divert their stressful feelings by
behaving in ways that can become repetitive. If left
unchecked, these repetitive behaviours can become more deep
rooted and, could eventually lead to the dog developing a
'true' obsessive compulsive condition.
Not all dogs develop OCD due to boredom or stress however,
it has been found that some breeds are more predisposed to
developing compulsive behaviours due to their genetic make
up; in fact, many researches suggest that irresponsible
breeding is a primary cause of the condition in some pure
bred dogs. Dobermans, German Shepherds, Dalmations, and
some Bull Terrier breeds are a few examples. Obsessive
behaviours which seem to be common within each of these
breeds are tail chasing or spinning in German Shepherds and
Bull Terriers, and obsessive licking in Dobermans.
Obsessive behaviours that are typical of this condition in
dogs include the following:
Spinning in circles Tail chasing Snapping at the air
Constant licking of various parts of the body Obsessively
mouthing toys Freezing Incessant or rhythmic barking Self
mutilation
Not all obsessive behaviours are easy to detect for
example, a dog harmlessly chewing a toy for long peiods of
time may seem normal enough and no cause for concern,
however, the behaviour may have an underlying stress
related cause.
Treatment for this condition should begin with a thorough
examination of the dog, so as to rule out any possible
medical cause. This type of examination is best carried out
by a veternarian who specialises in diagnosing and
treating this kind of behavioural problem, if possible.
Once it has been established that OCD is the cause of the
dogs obsessive behaviour, appropriate treatment can begin.
The usual method of treatment involves combining drug and
behavioural therapy. The types of drugs used to treat
Canine Compulsive Disorder, are similar to those used in
the treatment of OCD in humans. Behavioural therapies
include reward based training used to reinforce more
desirable behaviours, desensitisation techniques designed
to gradually decrease the the dogs state of arousal in
stressful situations, and techniques that involve creating
an alternative and stimulating routine for the dog to
follow.
As with all behavioural problems it is important to treat
causes rather than symptoms, therefore, understanding and
patience will be called for, as you learn more about your
pets problem and it's cause. It is important to understand
that punishment is not only an inappropriate way to deal
with a dog who has little or no control over it's
behaviour, moreover, punishment in many cases will have the
effect of making the problem worse.
About the Author:
I have had a keen interest in canine behaviour and training
since the late 1980's. I have studied successfully for
several qualifications relating to canine psychology, care
and behaviour, up to degree level. I now live in France
with my French Bulldog Hilton. Please visit my blog for
more free information. http://www.toptrain
Monday, June 08, 2009
Canine obsessive compulsive disorder how to spot it and how to treat it
Overview of Washington State's Dog Bite Laws - Part #2
Overview of Washington State's Dog Bite Laws - Part #2
Liability Imposed Against the Dog's "Owner"
Washington's dog bite statute only imposes liability
against the "owner" of the dog. So occasionally a dispute
arises about who actually owns the dog. For instance, if
the person who harbors and takes care of the dog is not the
true legal owner of the animal, can this person still be
liable for the injuries inflicted by the dog? The answer
is usually yes. Although the dog bite statute refers to
liability of the dog "owner," there are court decisions
that broadly define the owner to include one who possesses
and/or cares for the dog.
In one case that occurred back in 1988, the dog was
purchased and "owned" by a young woman. But the woman kept
her dog at her grandmother'
with and cared for the dog during a three-year period
before the dog bit and injured another person. The
question was whether the grandmother could be held liable
for the injuries when she was not necessarily the true
owner of the dog. A Washington State court answered yes.
The grandmother'
dog over a three-year period was sufficient conduct to make
her an "owner" of the dog for purposes of imposing
liability under the statute. The court seemed to focus on
the fact that the grandmother acted like the owner of the
dog over a long period of time. Perhaps this case sends
the message that if you act like the dog's owner, or if you
hold yourself out to others as the owner of the dog, you
may be responsible for any injuries or damages that dog
inflicts upon others.
Furthermore, there may be various local regulations and
ordinances that also broadly define the owner of a dog. In
King County a dog owner is broadly defined as "any person
having an interest in or right of possession to the animal,
or any person having control, custody, or possession of an
animal...or by reason of the animal being seen residing
consistently at a location, to an extent such that the
person could be presumed to be the owner." This
definition is broad enough to include any person who
harbors or keeps the dog for a period of time that is
sufficient to cause one to believe that the person may be
the true or legal owner, even if that person is not.
The question may arise: what period of time is sufficient
to cause one to believe that one who harbors the dog is the
true or legal owner of that dog? This is a factual
question that may need to be resolved by a jury.
Certainly, the longer a person acts like the dog's owner,
or engages in conduct similar to the owner, means the
greater likelihood that this person may also be legally
responsible for the dog's dangerous or vicious propensities
toward other human beings.
Although the dog's "owner" may be defined quite broadly,
there are certain limitations that exist. For instance,
the question has been raised whether a landlord can be
considered an "owner" of the dog for purposes of subjecting
the landlord to liability under the dog bite statute.
Washington courts have clearly stated no. A landlord will
usually not be considered the dog's owner just based on
that person's status as a landlord. Thus, if the dog
owner is a renter or if the dog attack occurred on property
that was being leased, the victim cannot rely on the dog
bite statute to attempt to impose liability on the person
who either owns or controls the property, unless that
person also shares the responsibility of keeping, feeding
and harboring the dog - tasks usually performed by the
dog's true owner.
About the Author:
Christopher M. Davis is a Seattle attorney focusing on
personal injury cases. He is also known as a dog bite and
animal attack lawyer and has written the book 'When The Dog
Bites' as a legal resource for dog bite victims. For more
information about Washington State dog bite law visit:
http://www.injurytr
imal-attacks.
