the good alpha. responsible dog ownership
DESCRIPTION
Lecture presented at the "Global Forum on Canine Welfare Responsability" 29th November 2009, Tianjin (P.R.China)TRANSCRIPT
The Good Alpha:
Responsible Dog Ownership
Dr. Sara Platto HUMAN ANIMAL INTERACTION SERVICE
Human Caninezation
Asiatic wolf (Canis lupus paillipes)
135.000 – 110.000 yrs Caninesation
12.000 yrs Domestication Human-Dog Co-evolution
Modern Breeds develops within last 150 yrs
Behavioural differences from wolf to dog Excessive barking response
Sequences of the hunting and predation have been truncated
Bite Killing Inhibition
Bloodhound: tracking, trailing.Sheepdog: eyeing, stalking, chasing.Setter, pointer: stalking, killing.Boarhound: attacking, killing.Retriever: retrieving (cubs, mates).Protecting dogs: inhibited biting and holding.
Perpetuation of infantile behaviour
Analogies between Human and Dog Society
-extended family groups-extensive parental care -share care of young with both related and non related group members- give birth young that require large amounts of early care and sustained amounts of later social interaction- nurse for an extended period before weaning to semisolid food (dogs do this by regurgitation, human use baby food, but the concept is the same)-have extensive vocal and non vocal communication-sexual maturity that precedes social maturity. -Fluid hierarchical system
-based on ability, age, or both,
-grounded in the context of deference.
-reciprocal social group integration
Dr. Sara Platto Veterinary & Animal Behavioural Medicine Consultant
Dog in the Rural Society Reactive-Instrumental position
Dog in the Urban Society Projective-Surrogate position Limitation to the Dog Integration
Banalization
Pietism
Iconomorphism
ZooanthropolgyStudy of the Dynamics of the
Human Animal Relation
Responsibility
Balance
Awareness
Congruity
Integration of the Dog in the Human Family
Human-Dog Interaction
Evaluation of animal potentialities
Relational
Referential
Four Parameters of Adequacy
Representative for the Relation in front of the External world
Development of all Dimensions of the Relation
Development of Healthy Relation
Needs of the Dog’s Breed
Dr. Sara Platto Veterinary & Animal Behavioural Medicine Consultant
The Good Leader Dog who administers, controls and leads the behaviours of others conspecifics (David Mech).
“ Human being have the tendency to treat a dog as a human but dogs treat us as dog “
If the dog believes you are a leader, than you must lead the pack, so the dog who is subordinate must follow the pack.
Dominant Subordinate
Man as a Good Leader
PROTECT → to avoid error → to give to him trust, assurance
and emotional bond
BE RESPONSIBLE→ Guarantee to the dog a good life
care→ To understand the behaviours of
your dog
GUIDE → enable the dog to integrate with the family life → guarantee a good socialization through his life
When a dog “decide” to be the leader it is becouse there is a lack of a secure guide.
Dr. Sara Platto Veterinary & Animal Behavioural Medicine Consultant
The Puppy: learning to be a good dog family
Puppy Neurological Development From birth to 2 weeks
2 to 3 weeks of age,
3 to 8 weeks of age dogs do well learning how to interact with other dogs
5 -7 to 10 weeks dogs to best learning how to interact with people
between 10 to 20 weeks
SOCIALIZATION PERIOD
Earliest sensibilization to people Puppy can be exposed to people at 3 weeks of age.
The lack of human contact between 3 and 12 ± 2 weeks fosters the development of fear/wariness towards humans (feral dog).
Dr. Sara Platto Veterinary & Animal Behavioural Medicine Consultant
When should a Puppy be adopted ? 7-8 weeks of age
During the spontaneous learning there are three important Behavioural Categories :
1- Elimination It is a reflex present at birth and becomes spontaneous at 2-3 weeks of age.
From 3 weeks the elimination reflex disappears and the puppy tends to leave its bedding to eliminate.
By 8 and half weeks of age puppy develops a substrate preference.
Puppy at 8 weeks of age can urinate hourly while awake (and once or twice during the night when young) and defecate 4 times a day.
Dr. Sara Platto Veterinary & Animal Behavioural Medicine Consultant
By the time of 6 months of age they usually defecate once or twice a day and urinate 3 or 4 times a day.
1- show a disregard for the substrate
2- prefer the substrate of their puppy hood
3- prefer a substrate may have learned to like because it is where they had a lot of eliminations and is now impregnated with an stimulating scent.
Dogs that are not Housebroken fall into three main categories
6- Praise the dog as soon as it squats.
General Rules for Good Housebreaking
1- take the dog out frequently.
2- dog should eliminate first and after play and socialize.
3- Choose a few restricted area at first and return to those.
4- Encourage walking in small area to mimic elimination behaviour.
5- Permit caution sniffing.
7- Do not punish the dog if eliminates in undesirable.
8- Praise the dog when eliminates in the appropriate places
9- Remember that female puppy needs more time to housebreak and may need to go out more often.
10- If the pup have to go down stairs to eliminate carry him.
11- Be patient, consistent and use good odour eliminator
Dr. Sara Platto Veterinary & Animal Behavioural Medicine Consultant
2- Vocalization Distress barking when left alone in an unknown place increases from 3 to 6-8 weeks of age (maximum) then decreases until 12 weeks.
3- Play Fighting and Bite Control -Play Fight starts at three weeks of age
- Bitten puppy whimpers or squeals.
- Empathetic link between the opponent's squeal and the pain invoked.
-Reciprocal biting negatively reinforces its intensity.
-Biting is thus stopped, inhibited and controlled.
From 11 to 15 weeks play-fighting recedes
1- Puppy’s hierarchical dominance
5- The presence of the mother is important till 8 weeks of age to learn bite inhibition.
4- Failure to develop a dog's general motor control.
3- Encouraging to pull at objects dog holds in its jaws reinforces the biting reaction
2- Serious (wounding) biting in minor confrontations
Failures in Bite Inhibition
Dr. Sara Platto Veterinary & Animal Behavioural Medicine Consultant
Owner Mistakes to Raise a Puppy 1- Unable to properly wean the puppy.
2- An increase of puppy’s social dominance.
3- Delay in puppy’s training towards adulthood at 5-10 months.
4- Lack of rituals that leads to their malfunction .
5- Dog’s cynomorphic approach to human-dog relation.
These risks are avoided when dog owners behave in a way that can be assimilated to the
parent-dog relationship
Dog Training
Puppy Class
- The dog starts this discipline around the 6 months of age (this discipline should be sequential of the puppy class).
- To educate the dog for a good assimilation in the family life.
- Learning a clear and honest communication.
- Learn how to be a leader.
- Learn how to cooperate.
Dr. Sara Platto Veterinary & Animal Behavioural Medicine Consultant
- Real School for the team puppy-owner.
- The puppy learns how to live with the human family.
- The owner learns how to think as a dog
- Exposure to different kind of stimuli between 8 weeks to 6 months of age.
Obedience Class
Role for Dog and Owner in the Daily Life
Dominant Animal eats always first
Before to give your dog the food, ask him to sit
Before to give anything the dog wants, ask him to sit
Only dominant individuals have access to the best places of the house.
The leader passes first through any entrances or exits.
The dog does not have to have access to sofa or other furniture that make him high. Highness is a sign of dominance.
When your dog does something wrong do not shout at him. Use the TIME OUT, like the leader does.
Give the chance to make exercise at least one hour a day, and you exercise with him.
The leader has to initiate the play time, not the dog.
Dr. Sara Platto Veterinary & Animal Behavioural Medicine Consultant
When the dog comes asking for interaction, before you ask him to sit and after you give what he wants.
When you walk the dog use always the leash. When strangers approach, tell them first how to approach your dog..
Do not let your dog to lean on you
Do not let your dog to put a paw on your lap
Do not let your dog to push on you when he pass close by you.
Do not let your dog to put the paws on your shoulder
When you play tag-of-war you have always to win!
When you roll on the floor with your dog, do not let him to end on top of you!
The leader has to initiate cuddle or petting.
Dr. Sara Platto Veterinary & Animal Behavioural Medicine Consultant
Veterinary Check-Up
Vaccination in the Puppy
6-9 weeks of age Distemper Virus, Parvovirus, CAV-2, CAV-1 (only if necessary)
Time 0 Distemper Virus, Parvovirus, CAV-2, Leptospirosis, CAV-1 (only if necessary)
14-16 weeks of age Distemper Virus, Parvovirus, CAV-2, Leptospirosis
After 1 year Distemper Virus, Parvovirus, CAV-2, Leptospirosis, Rabies, CAV-1 (only if necessary)
Every Year Leptospirosis, Rabies
Every 3 years Distemper Virus, Parvovirus, CAV-2, CAV-1 (only if necessary)
Adult Dog Vaccinated First Time
10-12 weeks of age Distemper Virus, Parvovirus, CAV-2, Leptospirosis, Rabies, CAV-1 (only if necessary)
After 3 weeks Distemper Virus, Parvovirus, CAV-2, Leptospirosis, Rabies, CAV-1 (only if necessary)
Dr. Sara Platto Veterinary & Animal Behavioural Medicine Consultant
Neutering and Spaying
Neutering and Spaying refer to the surgical procedure that renders a male or female pet incapable of reproducing.
Benefit for the Pet
Curbing aggression
Safety
Cancer prevention
Sterilization does not change the pet's personality
Dr. Sara Platto Veterinary & Animal Behavioural Medicine Consultant
Benefit for the Community
Saving tax dollars.
Bettering the community.
Improving society
Percentage of euthanized dogs dropped by 30 to 60 percent.
When to Neuter or Spay the Dog? Sexual maturity at 6 months of age, so it is important to spay and neuter pets by that age.
Grooming
Dog grooming is one of your dog's basic need and an important part of dog ownership.
Hair Brush
-Long-haired dogs usually require daily brushing to prevent matting and tangling of hair.
-Medium-haired dogs may be prone to matting and tangles and should be brushed at least weekly.
-Short-haired dogs can typically go up to a month in-between brushing.
Nail Trimming
-Most dogs need monthly nail trim.
-It depends on the rate of growth.
-It depends on the kind of ground the dog uses to walk on.
Bathing
-It depends on the condition of your dog’s skin and coat.-Your veterinarian may recommend a specific shampoo. -A monthly both can be considered sufficient.
Dr. Sara Platto Veterinary & Animal Behavioural Medicine Consultant
Ear Care
-Your dog’s ears can be a haven for bacteria and yeast if not kept clean.
-Dogs with floppy ears (Cocker Spaniels and Basset Hounds) or hairy inner ear flaps (Miniature
Poodles and Schnauzers) are predisposed to ear problems.
-A weekly ear cleaning with a veterinarian-recommended ear cleansing solution can minimize or
prevent infections.
Signs of ear infection includes:
Odor Scratching or rubbing of ears and head Discharge in the ears Redness or swelling of the ear flap or canal Shaking of the head or tilting it to one side Pain around the ears Changes in behavior such as depression or irritability
Hair Cut Dogs with continuously growing hair, such as the Poodle or Shih Tzu, typically need their hair cut every 2-4 weeks depending on the breed of the dog and the style of the cut.
Dr. Sara Platto Veterinary & Animal Behavioural Medicine Consultant
Nutrition
Protein and Aminoacids Dietary protein contains 10 specific amino acids that dogs cannot make on their own.
Fat and Fatty Acids Dietary fats, mainly derived from animal fats and the seed oils of various plants, provide the most concentrated source of energy in the diet.
Dr. Sara Platto Veterinary & Animal Behavioural Medicine Consultant
Dr. Sara Platto Veterinary & Animal Behavioural Medicine Consultant
Energy Needs for Puppy
-The growing puppy needs twice as many
calories per pound of body weight than an
adult dog of the same breed.
-Owners should start feeding puppies food
at approximately 4 weeks of age.
Energy Needs for Old Dog -They need 20% fewer total calories than
do middle-aged adult dogs. -they tend to become overweight.
Energy Needs for Lactating Dog -The mother’s need for calories increase
with the number of puppies and the week of
lactation.
-Giant breeds may need to start feeding
puppies supplemental food at an early age.
Dr. Sara Platto Veterinary & Animal Behavioural Medicine Consultant
Dr. Sara Platto Veterinary & Animal Behavioural Medicine Consultant
Minerals -Twelve minerals are known to be essential nutrients for dogs.
-Calcium and phosphorus are crucial to strong bones and teeth.
-Magnesium, potassium, and sodium for nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and cell signalling.
-A deficiency of dietary calcium causes secondary hyperparathyroidism.
-dogs fed meals consisting mainly of meat results in major bone loss, skeletal abnormalities, and pathological fractures.
-An excess of calcium, on the other hand, may also cause skeletal abnormalities, especially in growing large-breed puppies.
Dr. Sara Platto Veterinary & Animal Behavioural Medicine Consultant
CHOOSE THE DOG BREED THAT IT IS MOST ADAPT TO YOUR LIFE ACTIVITY
AND YOUR CHARACTER
Dr. Sara Platto Veterinary & Animal Behavioural Medicine Consultant