Today’s society is complex, and people seek counselors and psychiatrists with all kinds of problems. Don’t look now, but dogs can experience mental illness too. Dogs with problems are lucky if their owners seek advice on how to treat the dog.
Karen Overall, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania who specializes in animal behavior, has a wide variety of animals as her patients. Her research focuses on the development of animal models of human mental illness.
She published many discoveries. I found an article in DVM Magazine where she reported on a case of a puppy whose hysterical reaction to a collar was a behavioral problem.
Question: How did my puppy react to the collar?
Answer: The 3-month-old puppy was active, intelligent, and healthy until his owner put a collar around his neck. Then the puppy panicked and cried. If I left the collar on, the puppy would hide or fall to the floor in complete despair.
When the owner removed the collar, the puppy was happy again. One time, the owner left the dog’s collar on all day, and the dog stuck its head in the corner of the basement and wouldn’t come out.
Question: What are your suggestions for curing this puppy’s panic attacks?
Answer: First, owners need to find a quiet place to teach their dog to relax and sit on command. Owners are expected to gain the puppy’s trust by using massages and treats.
The owner starts with a few small treats and asks the dog to “sit.” Your dog will do this by accident at first, so you should immediately reward him with a small treat. Do not push or force your dog. This workout should be done 8 times a day for 5 minutes each time. Once your dog has mastered the “sit” command, teach him the “sit” and “roll over” commands in the same way.
