Pet care: Unseen aggression between family dogs

First in a series.

Behavioral research shows that 75% of dogs are anxious in veterinary clinics. We’re ethically bound not to make it harder for them. I quietly opened the door into reception and spied my clients. Jerry Cline was seated next to his wife, Charlene. Izzy, parked between them, was a 48-pound spotted mix of some kind but rather a pretty girl dog. She sat evenly on both hips, head up but a little back. Her ears were also back, but not pinned to the sides of her head. Her tail was tucked around her rear end, its tip not visible. Her mouth was closed, her pupils mildly dilated. I pegged her anxiety as moderate. Izzy’s two housemates, Willa and Rosie, were much smaller dogs. They appeared as bored as a couple of school kids missing their smartphones. I invited this crowd into my exam room.

Jerry, a beefy fellow in his mid-60s, sat with his shoulders and back slumped. His head was bowed, his fingertips steepled, as he sized me up. He did his best to project skepticism, while making no attempt to hide his affection for his pets.

I shook hands with Jerry and Charlene, introducing myself as Jeff. An informal start helps most people relax. Not Jerry. He was so tightly wound, I worried he might slough his stomach lining. I considered offering the poor guy a nip of Maalox.

The brain is considered the most complex organ in the body. There’s a lot of circuitry and neurochemistry connecting those 86 billion neurons. To unravel the mysteries, we veterinary behaviorists carefully observe our patients while listening to their people. Jerry was cagey. Charlene was alert and attentive. Izzy wanted to be anywhere but the doctor’s office.

Izzy had a history of minimal interaction with Willa and Rosie when the human leaders were home, but she left evidence of aggression toward her pint-sized companions when they were away. On three occasions, scrapes had been found on Rosie’s earflaps. The room had been tossed, clear evidence of a canine kerfuffle.

Next week: Unsupervised dangers

For help with behavior problems, you can sign up for a Zoom group conference at drjeffnichol.com

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