4 ms·

I call BS on that "diagnosis" (and I'm a Veterinarian btw). That being said, there is such a thing as a dog whose behavioral problems are insurmountable. I just

I call BS on that "diagnosis" (and I'm a Veterinarian btw). That being said, there is such a thing as a dog whose behavioral problems are insurmountable. I just don't want to ascribe it to genetics or anything else specific in any individual dog. If training doesn't seem to work, the only option is medication. Especially if fear is supposed to be a factor. I don't know what you tried and I don't want to judge because I believe every owner loves their animals, no matter what.

sandworm101 8y ago
>> I believe every owner loves their animals, no matter what. I have run into a couple situations where this was not the case. We had an incident in Vancouver with a dogsled company (Whistler, post-olympics). Dogs owned for commercial purposes are often not "loved". Similarly, fighting dogs. There are many people in this world for whom dogs are not pets but a source of revenue, status, or fashion.
- bayesian_horse 8y ago
  Even those people tend to love their animals more often than not. I've seen farmers being affectionate to their cows or their pigs. I knew a poultry professor who kills chicken all the time but seems to cuddle them when people aren't looking. My presumption has proven relatively useful in dealing with owners. Even loving an animal doesn't preclude abuse, though.
durandal1 8y ago
I agree that knowing the accuracy of the diagnosis is hard - it was established by the Behavior Service at the Veterinary Hospital of UC Davis by small animal behavior specialists. Our dog is on medication now (SSRI), and I would say the primary help is not a direct effect on behavior, but improved results of the behavior modification (presumably due to lower stress levels). In the end, we're fighting behavior that does not seem rooted in any specific experience or medical condition, so genetics does not seem far fetched. Please feel free to chime in if you have ideas.

sandworm101 8y ago

>> I believe every owner loves their animals, no matter what. I have run into a couple situations where this was not the case. We had an incident in Vancouver with a dogsled company (Whistler, post-olympics). Dogs owned for commercial purposes are often not "loved". Similarly, fighting dogs. There are many people in this world for whom dogs are not pets but a source of revenue, status, or fashion.

bayesian_horse 8y ago
Even those people tend to love their animals more often than not. I've seen farmers being affectionate to their cows or their pigs. I knew a poultry professor who kills chicken all the time but seems to cuddle them when people aren't looking. My presumption has proven relatively useful in dealing with owners. Even loving an animal doesn't preclude abuse, though.

durandal1 8y ago

I agree that knowing the accuracy of the diagnosis is hard - it was established by the Behavior Service at the Veterinary Hospital of UC Davis by small animal behavior specialists. Our dog is on medication now (SSRI), and I would say the primary help is not a direct effect on behavior, but improved results of the behavior modification (presumably due to lower stress levels). In the end, we're fighting behavior that does not seem rooted in any specific experience or medical condition, so genetics does not seem far fetched. Please feel free to chime in if you have ideas.