Pet care: When dogs can't 'just beat it'
Polly and Holly, our canine pugilist protagonists, were first brought to me for help several years earlier. Their hostility had already become dangerous. Holly the victim was done quaking in her boots when Polly the bully came near. It was game-on at first sighting.
Most people are oblivious to the pecking order among their dogs. And that's fine. Members of this species communicate among themselves almost continually, nearly all of it with subtle body signals. Those with more stripes on their sleeves quietly require their underlings to step away from the food, toys, or leaders. Ego isn't part of it. Those on the lower rungs of the social ladder frequently remind their betters that they are in fact so low they have to look up to see down. With Polly's anxiety-driven aggression and Holly's fear of annihilation, none of this was happening anymore.
Holly badly needed a break. I advised her worried humans to separate their dogs with sheet-covered baby gates to prevent the swapping of threats and inappropriate gestures, not to mention the fisticuffs. They traded rooms often so they could enjoy their dogs without risk. But Polly was still highly anxious. She often paced and panted. Minor sounds caused her to startle with ears back, pupils dilated and the hair over her shoulders standing up. Holly was no longer a competitor but Polly was still a nervous wreck.
If Polly and Holly, well-loved but crowded in their human domicile, had instead been scratching out their survival in the unforgiving wilderness they would very likely have never locked horns. If one dog menaced and lunged, the other would be able to avoid or escape conflict. Without the contrivances of walls, doors and furniture Holly could, in the lyrics of Michael Jackson, "Just beat it." She could take flight; she would not have to fight.
Each of these dogs was well-loved; rehoming either of them was never a consideration. Keeping them apart was a challenge their people could accept but watching Polly struggle with nearly continual agitation was unbearable. Veterinarians take an oath to prevent and relieve animal suffering. Modern pharmaceuticals can be life savers. They should never be a last resort.
Next week: As Paul Harvey would say, "The rest of the story."
• For help with behavior problems, you can sign up for a Zoom group conference at drjeffnichol.com.
Dr. Jeff Nichol is a residency-trained veterinary behaviorist in Albuquerque. He provides consultations by Zoom group and individually/in-person. Sign up for his weekly blog or post questions (drjeffnichol.com) or mail to 4000 Montgomery NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87109.
