By Dr. Sonnya Crawford

Grays Harbor Veterinary Services

Myths about dog behavior are prevalent and frustrating for veterinarians. If some of them could be debunked, then we could make more progress on improving the animal-human bond. If the animal-human bond is fractured, euthanasia or rehoming is the inevitable outcome.

Unfortunately, social media and TV stars continue to propagate these misconceptions, turning them into popular myths that gain traction.

Myth 1: Aggressive pets are trying to dominate us.

Actually, all dog aggression is based in fear and anxiety. True aggression in dogs has nothing to do with domination. This theory is based on the wolf hierarchy model, which has been shown to be an inappropriate model for domestic canines. Dogs are not wolves, so trying to use punitive training techniques to gain dominance over an anxious dog will only lead to more stress — and, potentially, serious injuries to the owner and additional behavioral problems for the dog.

Myth 2: Abuse is the root cause of fear and aggression in pets.

I hear this all the time. Typically, the conversation involves a dog that the owners rescued or received after it was an adult. The timid, shy and sometimes aggressive behavior that is displayed is excused because the dog was “abused by the previous owner” or otherwise mistreated.

More often than not, the opposite is true: The dog was surrendered to a rescue group because he was timid or fearful and the owners didn’t know how to deal with it. They didn’t seek professional help, and the timidity progressed to aggression, so the dog was surrendered.

If the current pet owners continue with their belief of previous abuse being the root cause of the behavior problems, then they are prone to ignore or deny the possibility that the fear and aggression can be treated so the dog can go on to have a successful life. In other words, without intervention, the anxiety will progress and the patient will continue to deteriorate; but with intervention, the unwanted dog behavior can be managed.

Myth 3: Genetics do not play a role in behavior.

This one makes me sad. Pet owners are convinced that behavioral issues are based on how the pet was raised, and not on genetics. They erroneously blame themselves if their dog has anxiety issues. They become tense and nervous during the veterinary exam, convinced that they are going to get scolded if their dog is “bad.” They believe that, somehow, the dog’s behavior is a reflection on how well a job they did raising it.

Behavior is largely dependent on genetics. This doesn’t mean it isn’t important to socialize and train your dog, but you cannot change the dog’s basic personality. As a general rule, a hound is going to be stubborn and use its nose; a Chihuahua is going to be anxious; a Labrador retriever is going to be fun-loving and carefree; and an aggressive, fearful parent is going to have aggressive and fearful offspring. Aggression and anxiety can be bred out of a line, and it can be bred into a line. An excellent research article was written about selection of foxes for tame behavior: ansci.illinois.edu/labs/kukekova-lab/foxes.

Myth 4: Puppies should be fully vaccinated before being socialized.

Studies have demonstrated that the optimal time for socializing puppies is from seven to 20 weeks. They aren’t fully vaccinated until they are 16 weeks of age. Therefore, if you wait until the puppy is fully vaccinated to take your puppy to puppy kindergarten, you are missing out on the most critical socialization period. For your dog to be the best dog he can be, puppies should be socialized with others of their kind (puppies and adult dogs) in a structured setting as early as possible. The socialization should be done with members outside his pack (i.e., his family of people and pets that he will be living with for the next 12 years or more).

Myth 5: Medication will fix any behavioral issue.

There are many good medications available to assist with behavioral issues, but they are not the first line of defense — and drugs alone aren’t adequate. With proper behavior modification techniques under the supervision of a behaviorist, drugs are only needed for the short term or not at all. Habituation, desensitization, counter-conditioning and shaping are all techniques that can be used to help mold your dog’s behavior.

If you have questions about behavioral issues in your dog, contact your veterinarian or a certified pet dog trainer (CPDT-KA) in your area.

Sonnya Crawford, DVM, is a veterinarian at Grays Harbor Veterinary Services in Montesano. Her pets include two cats, numerous parrots, a giant bunny and saltwater fish. Her special interests are in avian medicine, veterinary dermatology and dentistry. Reach her at drsonnya@gmail.com.