Behavioral Euthanasia

Off-Leash Etiquette

Ideas for maintaining privileges, peace, and safety.

Last month, I talked about handling dogs on-leash in public and how our artificial, designedfor-humans-only environment of sidewalks and cities can be rather dog-unfriendly. I explored the significance of “personal space” and how this single consideration lies at the core of interactions.

Personal Space: “the physical space immediately surrounding someone, into which any encroachment feels threatening to or uncomfortable for them.” (Oxford Languages)

Our privileges to access off-leash destinations are eroding, little by little, due in part to the fact that we don’t always follow leash laws. We all travel together in the same Dog Owner Ship, and we share the same ultimate goal: to provide our dogs with an enriching, satisfying, healthy life in which they feel safe both physically and emotionally.

There is nothing more beautiful than seeing our dogs fly, chase, and revel in the freedom of being offleash. I fully embrace the idea that dogs need regular, aerobic off-leash exercise in order to achieve ideal health. It’s not always possible, of course, but we can try our best.

When our dogs are with us in leashed-only areas, it’s fairly easy to maintain our own personal space and respect that of others’. The length of the leash and the way in which the human manages it dictate how much space is being “claimed,” so to speak, and we can navigate our way accordingly.

The Rules of Etiquette as described for leashed-only locations don’t work as well in off-leash areas, but the Personal Space Rule still applies, and we should do our best to follow it.

Please “DO”

• Carry a leash with you, one per dog. • Take treats! Your dog will be in training, whether or not you intend to train. • Leash your dog in areas where

there is a requirement to do so. • Leash your dog if you see someone with a dog on-leash and keep your dog from approaching them. The human who has leashed his dog is saying, “we prefer you stay out of our space.” It’s not a personal statement about anybody. • Leash or restrain your dog when you see other dogs or humans. It’s just good manners to keep your dog with you unless the others give permission to be approached.

A dog cannot cause physical harm to somebody he can’t touch. • If someone asks you to leash your dog while they pass with his or her dog, please do so. Remember, it’s about mutually cooperative respect; it's not a question of your dog's temperament.

Please Do Not:

• Take it personally if someone asks you to leash your dog. It isn’t about “you”. • Run towards your dog to try to catch him as he’s running towards someone. This may work with some dogs, but if you don’t have your special flying shoes on, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to catch up to your running dog. Instead, try running in the opposite direction - if you have a good connection with your dog, he may decide he’d rather be with you. Granted, this all depends on the individual dog. • Assume every dog should want to be friends with your dog • Say, “my dog is friendly.” Lucky you if this is true! It is irrelevant, however, when we are referring to someone else’s personal space. • Say, “but… my dog just wants to ‘say hi.’" Ditto. It doesn’t matter. It’s not about your dog. • Allow your dog to charge other dogs or people. This is not a friendly way to start a conversation; in fact, it can incite an aggressive response.

Charging eliminates the target audience's opportunity to give consent.

Training to the Rescue! Skills to train before you take your dog off-leash:

• Recall • Eye Contact/Attention with

Distractions • Leash skills

A note about Dog Parks

It is expected that dogs will be off-leash at dog parks, and in general the rules are more relaxed and the human audience more forgiving. For these reasons, dogs can pick up some pretty bad habits! It’s still good practice to apply the rules anyway.

"Under Voice Control"

It’s unreasonable to expect a dog or any other being to be 100% responsive to all requests, but it is reasonable to do our best to train our dogs to be good canine citizens wherever they go.

Happy Training!

Basic Training Tips

by Diana Logan

Diana Logan, CPDT-KA Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Knowledge-Assessed Pet Connection Dog Training, North Yarmouth, Maine | www.dianalogan.com | 207-252-9352

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Making the decision to euthanize your pet can be one of the hardest decisions you will ever have to make in your life. This decision becomes even harder when your pet is physically healthy, young, and active. However, it is important to remember that behavior problems can result in emotional suffering and mental well-being is just as important as physical health.

If you are considering euthanasia for behavior reasons, there may be alternative options to consider first:

1. Have your taken your pet to

the veterinarian? Many behavior problems have underlying medical conditions that contribute to behavior.

Conditions such as ear infections, dental disease, arthritis, and even skin allergies can cause pain and irritability increasing your pet’s anxiety levels or resulting in a bite when stressed. Scheduling a checkup with your veterinarian should be first on your list with any noted behavioral change, especially if this change is recent or your pet is older.

2. Have you sought out

professional help? A boardcertified veterinary behaviorist is a licensed veterinarian with advanced training in animal behavior for all types of behaviors. Applied Animal

Behaviorists also have advanced academic training although these professionals do not need to be licensed veterinarians. Medications may be helpful in treating your pet’s aggression or anxiety problems, but only a licensed veterinarian can prescribe medications for your pet. Another option for help, would be to hire a qualified dog trainer. These professionals can help you implement a management, training, and behavior modification plan often prescribed by your veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist.

Unfortunately, experience levels, education, and training methods are not standardized among dog training professionals; therefore, it is important for you to do your homework before hiring a trainer. Understanding that some training methods can do more harm than good is important. You should seek out a trainer who utilizes positive reinforcement methods and avoid punishment-based and balanced trainers. Punishmentbased training techniques (shock collars, e-collars, stim collars, prong collars, and choke collars) have all been scientifically proven to increase fear, anxiety, and aggressive behavior in dogs and therefore are never appropriate for behavior modification or the treatment of behavior problems. Positive reinforcement is the preferred method when treating behavior problems of all types including aggression.

3. Did you consider rehoming?

This may not be the solution for all pets, but some behavior problems can be managed well in a different environment.

Fighting dogs and cats may do better when separated and away from the common stressors in their lives. The same for dogs with a bite history towards kids.

Sometimes a home without kids is just what your pet needs to feel safe. Not all pets benefit from or should be rehomed.

In general, finding a new and safe home for your pet can be difficult. Animals with behavior problems are often at greater risk for abuse and neglect in new environments because in these situations, they may not have as close of a relationship with the new owners as they did with you.

What are some criteria to consider when making the decision to euthanize your pet? 1. Current living situation If there are young children or elderly relatives in the home, they are often at a higher risk for injuries related to bites and scratches. Also, behavior modification can be difficult or impossible for some depending on the living situation and commitment made to the pet.

Liability is always a concern along with safety for you, your family, and other pets in the home.

2. Rehoming is not an option.

Some animals are not safe in any home. Most shelters will not adopt out animals with

a bite history or a history of aggression towards other animals. Cats that eliminate outside the litterbox can also be harder to place. Transparency in shelter adoptions is important from both a legal and ethical standpoint.

3. Emotional well-being and

suffering Mental suffering may not be as visible to us as physical pain and disease, but this suffering can significantly affect your pet’s quality of life and therefore, yours. When making euthanasia decisions, it is important to consider your pet’s overall emotional state and well-being. We need to make sure that we are making decisions that are in the best interests of both ourselves and our pet.

4. Severity and progression

of disease If left untreated, behavior problems tend to get worse over time. As your pet matures, aggression may become more severe or with fewer warning signs while anxiety generalizes and becomes more difficult to manage. It is not uncommon for pets to have more than one behavior problem which can sometimes make it difficult to effectively treat and manage them all.

Remember, behavioral euthanasia is a hard decision. Make sure you have all the information before scheduling. There is never a wrong answer, but if you make this decision, it is important to know you are not alone and will always be supported.

Christine D. Calder, DVM, DACVB Calder Veterinary Behavior Services, www.caldervbs.com

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