We’ve spent the last year discussing various behavioral issues and why they might arise. We have discussed various viewpoints concerning these behaviors (the dog, the owner, etc.) so we can understand the situations more fully. We’ve discussed safety protocols for many of these behaviors. We’ve also discussed many different solutions, but not all behavioral issues are cut and dried. Sometimes there are other aspects to consider.

I once trained a small chihuahua, and if you know chihuahuas, aggression isn’t all that uncommon. I started my training like I do with any other dog, just simply getting to know the dog and letting him get to know me. He growled here and there and would lunge any time I reached for him.

Again, with the dogs I deal with, this was not out of the norm and no real cause for concern, but something seemed odd. He wouldn’t let me reach for him, but he let me attach a leash to his collar. The behaviors seem like they go hand-in-hand, but in one scenario I was reaching for his body, and in the other, I was reaching for his head.

Again, I didn’t think too much of it. I continued to speak with the owner, and they told me the aggression was a new development, and that the dog was actually pretty nice before. I asked how long the aggression had been going on, and they said it had been about three weeks to a month. They didn’t notice any other issues. The dog had gotten his foot pinched in the door about a month prior, and they thought the dog had developed fear aggression after that.

Long story short, the dog was suffering from bladder stones. The dog had become somewhat distant, and the owners thought he was avoiding the doorways or was scared to go through them. They knew something was off, but they just didn’t know what, and they called a canine behavioral expert to find out. We cracked the case pretty quickly, and once the dog was better, he was back to his normal self. And they were right, he was a pretty nice guy.

When dealing with any behavioral issue, we should always take into consideration the health of the dog. Regular veterinary care, healthy diet, and exercise are incredibly important for a multitude of reasons, but they can also help you avoid some of these out of the norm behavioral issues.

It’s best to develop a relationship with your veterinarian of choice and remain consistent with routine check-ups (My vet recently found a small tumor on my dog’s mammary gland. Had I not brought her in for her yearly check-up, I don’t know how long it would have been before we noticed it.)

We are lucky to have phenomenal vets in our area. Don’t miss out!