What if it was a stereotype?
After ruling out any medical reasons with your veterinarian, it may be wise to consider what is called a stereotypy. This term designates a repetitive and invariable behavior, without apparent purpose for the animal. It is a symptom that can be found in different behavioral pathologies and which can manifest itself differently depending on the species and even on the dogs.
What are the possible causes of stereotypies?
Among the different causes of stereotypies, we can distinguish situations that cause anxiety, frustration for the dog or conflict. These situations are often the result of a change in the family situation of the dog:
- departure of a member or arrival of a new family member or animal,
- a lack of interaction between the dog and its owner,
- a problem in how to punish the dog when the situation requires it,
- or frightening situations for the animal.
For this kind of disorder, the cause is often multiple and it is not uncommon for the cause that gave rise to the stereotypical behavior to be different from that which maintains this behavior in the animal.
What type of treatment for dogs that stereotype?
In order to maximize the chances of eliminating stereotypy, the veterinarian will opt for a therapeutic protocol which will focus on a modification of the dog's behavior, the management of the environment by the owner and finally medication adapted to the disorder at the origin of stereotypy. We can remember that it is essential that the owner ignores the dog when it performs its stereotypical behavior because this could be interpreted as a reward and reinforce the behavior that we seek to eliminate.
Observe and identify sources of stress, and remove them from the dog's environment whenever possible.
If the stress is caused by the arrival of a newborn or by the adoption of a new companion, we will not seek to eliminate the source but rather to desensitize the dog so that the situation does not be more stressful for him. Desensitization is the fact of exposing your animal to the stimulus that provokes a negative reaction in it - here, the stereotypy - starting at a very low intensity, in order to progress until it no longer expresses a negative reaction when 'he is exposed to the same stimulus.
Besides anxiety issues, most dogs aren't stimulated enough and don't exert themselves enough physically, which often leads to behavioral issues. Think of new ways to increase your dog's physical activity! Walking around with it longer will make it happier.In addition, it will also benefit you because I remind you that the WHO recommends walking daily for thirty minutes in order to stay he althy.
Playing with your dog, providing him with smart toys (Kong, Busy Buddy) and changing them regularly, enrolling him in agility sessions, hanging out with other dogs are simple actions to implement that can limit or even eliminate the undesirable behavior of your companion.
An inappropriate punishment can also be a source of anxiety and reinforce the animal's disorder. During the first weeks of treatment, it is important to set up daily training sessions. It is based on the command-action-reward system, referring to commands that the dog already knows well, and providing the reward each time the dog responds correctly. If the dog does not respond as desired, it is simply deprived of the reward without punishment.These simple training sessions will reassure the animal in its interactions with its owner.
Finally, the veterinarian can also prescribe medication to reduce anxiety, mainly substances that act on the serotonergic system, emphasizing that the effects of drug treatment cannot be seen for 4 to 6 weeks of treatment. Doses will be reduced as symptoms subside.
In conclusion, in cases of canine stereotypy, the patience of the owner and the veterinarian as well as the correct identification of the causal factors are essential in the success of the treatment. The combination of behavioral therapy along with anti-anxiety medication is the most appropriate approach when treating this type of case.
Sources:
- DVM360, Help! My dog licks everything; Apr 01, 2008 By Valarie V. Tynes, DVM, DACVB
- https://www.animalhumanesociety.org/behavior/counter-conditioning-and-desensitization