Treating canine and feline behaviour problems and advising clients

APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE

ELSEVIER

Applied Animal Behaviour

Science 52 (1997) 199-204

Treating canine and feline behaviour problems and advising clients Dennis C. Turner Institutefor applied Ethology and Animal Psychology Hirzel, Switzerland

Abstract In this introductory paper, the young and growing field of pet behaviour counselling and therapy is considered. A case is made for cooperation between veterinarians and trained pet behaviour advisors and for qualification of professionals working in the field. The general causes of behaviour problems, as well as general principles of treatment, are considered. The importance of careful examination of the case in order to arrive at a differential diagnosis of the problem is illustrated by two examples: urine marking vs. undesirable elimination in cats; and destructiveness related to separation anxiety vs. boredom in dogs. Behaviour towards the client is also considered. Keywords: Dog; Cat; Behaviour

problems;

Diagnosis;

Treatment;

Pet behaviour

counsellors

1. Introduction The number of books and articles purporting to cover (and offer solutions to) pet behaviour problems has increased steadily in recent years, as has the pet population (see e.g. Beaver, 1994; Brunner, 1976; Brunner, 1989; Feddersen-Petersen, 1986; Hallgren, 1993; Hart and Hart, 1985; McHattie, 1987; Mugford, 1991; Neville, 1990; Neville, 1991; O’Farrell, 1991; Pryor, 1984; Siegal and Margolis, 1986; Tortora, 1977; Turner, 1991a; Turner, 1995; Turner, 1996; Voith and Borchelt, 1982; Wilboum, 1988). Many are authored by trained animal behaviourists and experienced animal psychologists and are to be taken seriously. Others offer tips by cynologists (including dog trainers) and cat friends with years of private experience, but less formal training. A number of publications offer ‘cookbook-style’ recipes to solve pet behaviour problems without giving proper attention to avoiding the problems in the first place (prophylaxis) or to the intricacies of differential diagnosis of those problems. Some provide ‘case studies’ which are classic in nature, but do not take into account the great individual variation between animals, owners and situations. A number of books, usually authored by 0168.1591/97/$17.00 0 1997 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII SO168-1591(96)01122-7

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veterinarians, place emphasis on the treatment of problems with medication - with or without follow-up behaviour therapy or restructuring of the animals’ environment to eliminate the stimuli eliciting the behaviour problem. Others, usually authored by non-veterinarians, completely ignore the fact that some pet behaviour problems have organic causes that require veterinary attention. One point that many authors as well as owners tend to forget is that the problem behaviour may in fact be a perfectly natural behaviour pattern of the animal, which the owner does not accept (‘undesirable behaviour’); or the animal simply exhibits the behaviour in an unnatural place, e.g. urine marking by cats in the core area of their home ranges, i.e. in the household (Turner, 1995). Another example would be dominance aggression by dogs toward their owners. As O’Farrell (1991) pointed out, one does not ‘cure’ dominance aggression, which is a most important aspect in the dog’s social life; but rather, one changes the dominance relationship between the owner and the dog so that the former assumes the alpha position in the social ‘pack’ and the latter accepts a subordinate position. On the other hand, true behavioural disturbances do exist, e.g. cat aversion to the litter tray or fears and phobias in dogs, many of which can be corrected by trained advisers and pet behaviour therapists.

2. Qualification of advisors and pet behaviour therapists Just as there are differences in the quality of books and articles on pet behaviour problems, there are also differences in the training and quality of advisors and pet behaviour therapists. It is sometimes difficult for the lay public to decide whom to seek out for advice. Obviously, the local veterinarian should be consulted first to eliminate organic reasons for any behavioural anomaly. Some vets have received special training in animal behaviour and are certainly qualified to treat behaviour problems. However, pet behaviour programmes are relatively young in the few veterinary schools that offer them, and some are not taught by trained ethologists, the true specialists in animal behaviour. On the other hand, many ethologists have received proper theoretical training and had courses in observing behaviour and behavioural research, yet lack experience in applied ethology or with domestic animals. As in any new field of endeavour, there is a jostling for acknowledgement (and clients!) and this ‘territorial behaviour’ benefits neither the patients, nor the clients. The present author has always advocated that the two ‘camps’ work together, rather than against each other (Turner, 1991b). This teamwork should at least be on an informal basis (with informal discussions between the vet and non-vet counsellor and reciprocal referral of patients), if not on a formal basis, where the two professionals share the same facilities. Still, the lay public must be able to decide which pet behaviour advisors and therapists have had formal training and to this end, a number of professional organisations have been founded in recent years. To name a few examples: The U.S. Animal Behavior Society has a Board of Professional Certification, which offers the titles ‘Applied Animal Behaviorist’ and ‘Associate Applied Animal Behaviorist’ to qualified specialists. Members of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC), based in

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London, are required to work on a referral basis with veterinary practices. In Switzerland there are two professional organisations: V.I.E.T.A. is open to former graduates of the Institute for applied Ethology and Animal Psychology; and VHVTS includes ethologists who have practices for pet behaviour therapy or consultancies. In several countries, veterinarians have also formed sections within their own professional societies to further continuing education in this field and the treatment of behaviour problems. Persons seeking advice and/or treatment of pet behaviour problems should ensure that the advisers/therapists they consult are members of a local professional organisation. This does not guarantee success, but rather, increases its probability and ensures seriousness on the part of the counsellor (Turner, 1991b; Turner, 1995). A further activity of several of these professional societies is the collection and dissemination of data on specific problems and treatment outcomes (see e.g. the APBC Newsletter). Individual members also publish basic research results on pet behaviour in Animal Welfare, established journals such as the present one, Animal Behaviour, Anthrozoiis, Behaviour, Ethology and others.

3. Causes of bebaviour

problems

Organic disturbances and maladies (e.g. cystitis, epilepsy, nutrient deficiencies, parasites, pain) should always have been eliminated as potential reasons for behaviour problems by veterinary examination before going any further. Both Turner (1995) and O’Farrell (1991) have considered other, (usually) non-organic causes of behaviour problems in companion animals. The former listed three categories, namely: (1) disregard (or lack of knowledge) of the biological and socio-psychological needs of the animals; (2) false expectations of the owners projected onto the animals - either at the species, or the individual level; and (3) incorrect interactive behaviour with the pet. Turner (1990; Turner, 199 1b; Turner, 1996) has also emphasised the role learning often plays in maintaining an undesirable behaviour pattern in the animal, as well as the fact that companion animals may also be conditioning our responses to their behaviour. O’Farrell (op cit.) separates ‘interpretation’ of the problem behaviour from its potential ‘causes’, although some mixing of the two categories is probable. Under interpretation she includes the questions: Which aspects are instinctive, which are learnt and, do fear or over-excitement play a role? To determine potential causes she asks: Are hormonal factors playing a role? Are genetic, morphological or early environmental influences involved? What are the stimuli eliciting the behaviour? How does the problem behaviour fit into the picture of the rest of the animal’s behaviour? Does the attitude of the owner further the problem?

4. Treatment

of behaviour

problems:

general principles

A considerable amount of detective work is needed to determine the proximate causes of a behaviour problem and the factors maintaining its expression (O’Farrell, 1991). This cannot be accomplished in 5 min during a veterinary consultation for other

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purposes, and the time required should also be remunerated. Many cases require ‘on-site’ inspection and observation of the behaviour in the situation in which it occurs. When dogs are involved, this is often followed by demonstration of the therapy technique and proper handling of the animal (shaping the dog’s or the owner’s behaviour). In cases involving improper housing conditions that do not take into account the biological and socio-psychological needs of the animals (particularly frequent in cats), a structured interview by an experienced counsellor lasting about 15 min is usually sufficient to determine the cause(s) of the problem. For both the on-site inspection/demonstration and the indirect interview approach, a follow-up control is required. Measuring treatment success rates is important to improve therapy techniques, but not without problems: If measured too early, the permanency of an early success will not be accessed; if measured too late, other, even new factors may come into play, which could affect the success of the treatment in either direction. Two options for treatment are available only to veterinarians, namely surgery, e.g. spaying and neutering, and drug administration, e.g. of tranquillizers or hormone treatments (O’Farrell, 1991; Brunner, 1976; Brunner, 1989). Nevertheless, some medical treatments only alleviate symptoms for as long as the treatment is continued and some veterinarians do (or can) not take the time to search for and eliminate non-organic causes of behaviour problems or the stimuli maintaining that behaviour. On the other hand, non-vet behaviour counsellors are trained to do just that and take the time to do it (Turner, 1991b; Turner, 1995). Nevertheless, some of their therapeutic methods would often work better, or faster, if their patients were simultaneously under controlled drug treatment. Again, one sees advantages for both professional groups of working together. The behaviour therapist has a number of options available for treating pet behaviour problems which include: changing the environment to meet the biological and socio-psychological needs of the animal; changing the environment to eliminate specific stimuli eliciting the behaviour problem (or restoring the environment to its pre-problem status); conditioning and counter-conditioning of the animal’s behaviour (which includes changing the time point of rewards of O’Farrell(l991)); especially in cases involving fear and phobias, systematic desensitisation of the animal towards the stimuli eliciting the behavioural response; and last but not least, changing the attitude and/or behaviour of the owner towards the pet. For detailed descriptions see especially Hart and Hart (1985) O’Farrell’s (op cit.) and Turner (1995).

5. Differential diagnosis of behaviour problems Two examples serve to illustrate how important careful (and time-consuming) assessment of the situation is to differentially diagnose problem behaviour. 5.1. Urine marking us. undesirable

(urine) elimination in cats

Turner (1991b; Turner, 1995) has listed the diagnostic traits and the known environmental causes for urine marking within the household and of undesirable elimination in cats. Sprayed urine on a vertical surface, regardless of sex of the cat or reproductive

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status, as well as urination on new or newly placed objects (e.g. clothes on the floor) is certainly urine marking behaviour. Small amounts of urine deposited on horizontal surfaces can indicate either urine marking OR undesirable urination. Urine marking, especially during the first weeks after it begins, is restricted to just a few predictable places within the household and the cat continues to use the litter tray for elimination as frequently as in the past. In cases of undesirable elimination of urine and/or faeces, use of the litter tray is markedly reduced and the urine (or faeces) is frequently deposited in many unpredictable places. These points are critical to making the correct diagnosis between the two problems. All too often owners (and some ‘advisors’) lump the two and corrective measures are quite different (see Turner, 1995). Only in about 2% of the cases presented to the author at the university veterinary clinic of Zurich were both problems involved. 5.2. Destructiveness

related to separation

anxiety us. boredom

in dogs

Chewing up clothes, other materials, furniture etc. is a common symptom in both separation anxiety and destructiveness related to boredom in dogs, as well as in some other problem situations (Hart and Hart, 1985; O’Farrell, 1991). However, it is incorrect to assume that just because the destructive behaviour occurs during the owner’s absence, it is related to separation anxiety! Clients of a number of ‘advisors’ (both veterinarians and pet behaviour counsellors), who recontacted the author at the animal behaviour clinic in Zurich for further help, had received an improper diagnosis of separation anxiety, and therefore, false treatment instructions. Crucial to a differential diagnosis is the time point of the destructive activities within the owner’s absence and other behavioural patterns immediately prior to departure and upon return. When due to separation anxiety, as opposed to boredom, the destruction takes place soon after departure. Additionally, the dog usually shows signs of nervousness before departure and overly intensive greeting behaviour upon return. Again the treatment to be recommended is problem-specific.

6. Behaviour towards clients Both veterinarians and pet behaviour counsellors must be able to assess and understand the situation of the patient, but also be empathetic to the situation of the client (Turner, 1995). Ignorance of the needs of the animals and false interpretations of behaviour by the client exist, but must be eliminated by careful explanation, and not by criticism (O’Farrell, 1991; Turner, 1991b). Careful instructions should be provided, if necessary in writing, and when called for, demonstrated to the client in the problem situation with the patient. It is important to explain to the client that the more carefully instructions are followed (by all family members), the greater the chances of success (Turner, 1991b). It is equally important to the profession to state that success cannot be guaranteed, but is probable - if instructions are followed.

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7. Future outlook Pet behaviour counselling is a relatively young field carried out by both veterinarians and other trained specialists. As such and given the increasing popularity of companion animals, it is destined to grow. Treatments will be improved with continued publication and dissemination of basic and applied research results on pet behaviour. Nevertheless, it is to be hoped that additional emphasis will be placed upon education of future pet owners about the normal behaviour and needs of the species to reduce the relative number of cases with problem behaviour. This will benefit both the owners and the animals involved.

References Beaver, B., 1994. The Veterinarian’s Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior. Iowa State University Press, Ames, IO. Brunner, F., 1976. Der unverstandene Hund. Neumann-Neudamm, Melsungen. Brunner, F., 1989. Die unverstandene Katze. Neumann-Neudamm, Melsungen. Feddersen-Petersen, D., 1986. Hundepsychologie: Wesen und Sozialverhalten. Franckh’sche Verlagshandlung. Stuttgart. Hal&en, A., 1993. Hundeprohleme, Problemhunde. Verlagshaus Reutlingen. Oertel and Spoerer, Reutlingen. Hart, B. and Hart, L., 1985. Canine and Feline Behavioral Therapy. Lea and Febiger, Philadelphia, PA. McHattie, G., 1987. Problem Puss. Methuen, London. Mugford, R., 1991. Hunde auf der Couch. Verhaltenstherapie bei Hunden. Kynos Verlag, Mlrlenbach. Neville, P., 1990. Do cats need shrinks? Sidgwick and Jackson, London. Neville, P., 1991. Do dogs need shrinks? Sidgwick and Jackson, London. O’Farrell, V., 1991. Verhaltensstorungen beim Hund. Verlag M. and H. Schaper, Alfeld. Pryor, K., 1984. Don’t Shoot the Dog. Bantam Books, NY. Siegal, M. and Margolis, M., 1986. When Good Dogs Do Bad Things. Little, Brown and Co., Boston, MA. Tortora, D., 1977. Help! This Animal is Driving me Crazy! Playboy Press, Chicago, IL. Turner, D.C., 1990. Owner assessment and the ethology of human-cat relationships. In: I. Burger (Editor). Pets, Benefits and Practice. Br. Vet. Assoc. Pub., pp. 25-30. Turner, D.C., 1991a. The ethology of the human-cat relationship. Schweiz. Arch. Tierheilk., 133: 63-70. Wo sich Verhaltensforschung und 1991b. Heimtierethologie und Tierpsychologie. Turner, DC., Veterin’armedizin berhhren. Swiss Vet., 8 (10): 23-28. Turner, DC., 1995. Die Mensch-Katze-Beziehung. Ethologische

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Verlag, Vet special Reihe, Jena. Turner, D.C., 1996. Katzen lieben und verstehen. Fran&h-Kosmos Verlag, Stuttgart. Voith, V. and Borchelt, P. 1982. Symposium on Animal Behaviour. Vet. Clin. North Am. Small Anim. Pratt., 12 (4): 563-713. Wilboum, C., 1988. Cats on the Couch. Humane Society of New York, NY.