• Animal Rescue Live
• News
• 17 July 2007

Ask the Experts: Naughty Pets

Extra questions on how to keep your pet in line.

The main topic on the agenda on the second show was naughty pets. Here Kiran Sareen answers some extra questions that you posed by phone or by email.

Reece in Wallsall asks:
I have a Border Collie, he is 10 months old, I've worked with him lots but he has one problem - when he see's a caravan he will run round in circles on his lead, bark at it and try to run towards it. I feel it's dangerous for him, he seems scared of the cars and is trying to warn them off - is there any advice you could give me?

Kiran replies:
Dogs can develop problem behaviours around traffic for a number of reasons including being frightened, and some dogs even find the behaviour enjoyable and rewarding. It is very important to discover why your dog is doing this before attempting to work on the problem. To help with this, it would be a good idea to consult a behaviourist who will be able to come out on walks with you and observe your dog's behaviour.

If you need to walk around traffic, ensure that you have a well-fitted collar and lead – you may find that a harness helps you to keep control. Try not to become animated yourself or tell your dog off – this may make things worse as if your dog is frightened you will scare him further and if he is excited he will think that you are joining in the fun!

David and Roxy from Cornwall ask:
We have an 18-month-old Husky and she is very aggressive towards other dogs, large and small. Is there anything we can do to stop this behaviour?

Kiran replies:
Any form of aggression, whether it's directed towards people or other dogs, should always be addressed with the help of a qualified behaviourist or trainer as the number of causes are huge and the wrong advice can make the problem much worse.

Daniel Wilmor from Stoke on Trent asks:
Our collie dog spins around and jumps up all day, we took it to the vet - is there anything we can do?

Kiran replies:
This behaviour could be as a result of boredom; collies are a highly intelligent breed type who need plenty of physical and mental stimulation. Ensure that he is being walked regularly and vary the way that he is fed to keep his brain busy.

Try hiding food or toys in the garden for him to find and look into food toys such as kongs which can keep dogs occupied for hours. Make sure that you give him plenty of quiet praise when he is doing the right thing and is calm and settled.

Try not to become animated yourself or start telling him off as this may excite him further and also make the behavior more rewarding for him as he has become the centre of attention.

It may also be worth having a chat to your vet about diets. Some dogs, just like children, can become hyperactive if fed certain additives and preservatives. There are many good, natural diets on the market that may be of benefit to such a hyperactive dog.

Paula from East London asks:
My King Charles spaniel steals things and then guards them aggressively, what advice can you give?

Kiran replies:
As there is aggression involved, the best idea would be to consult a behaviourist who will be able to observe your dog's behaviour and suggest a course of action.

For now, if he steals something, where possible try to ignore him until he has lost interest, moved away and you are able to retrieve the object. If what he has stolen is too valuable to ignore or puts him at risk, try to encourage him to exchange the object for one of his own toys. Try to avoid confrontational situations where you are challenging him over what he has stolen as the aggression could escalate.