The high prevalence of euthanasia is the visible tip of a much larger iceberg of issues around problematic dog behavior. These statistics are undeniably disturbing, but euthanasia is only one possible endpoint for dogs with behavior problems, and it usually only applies to the most seriously affected. Owners may also choose to rehome or treat affected dogs, or adapt their lifestyle to accommodate behavioral problems, but all these options represent an emotional, financial or time burden on pet-owning families.
Problem behavior is widely accepted as a major cause for relinquishment, as reported in many studies and in the annual statistics from rehoming and welfare organizations. This also has a high cost in terms of public funds and animal welfare. Treatment is an option, but uptake and success depend on people being highly motivated, well-informed and guided toward effective sources of help. Unfortunately, the Australian study 2 found that for 82.8% of the fatalities reported, no other intervention was recorded and the mean age of the dog when the first signs of the behavioral cause of death appeared was approximately 11 months of age. This indicates that significant opportunities to remedy behavior problems were commonly being missed. With the shelter system perennially overloaded, and owners not getting the support that they need, many people simply continue to live with dogs that are problematic. This puts people at risk, damages the human-animal bond and all the physical and mental health benefits that flow from it, and impairs the quality of life for both families and dogs.
Given how much we know about the effects of problem behavior on people and pets, why do we continue to fail to get a grip on this problem? The main reason is probably that we do not pay enough attention to prevention. On the breeders’ side this means correctly selecting dogs to breed from and providing a good environment that supports maternal care and early socialization and habituation. On the pet-owners’ side this means knowing what to look for when choosing a puppy, and then putting a lot of time and energy into continuing socialization and habituation; this involves understanding the emotional states and motivations of puppies, providing them with a good quality of life, and training them properly.
On our side as veterinarians, it means proactively working with breeders to achieve good selection and rearing practices and early vaccination, providing owners with the best sources of information, and understanding the interaction between disease prevention and behavioral development in puppies. Lack of space precludes coverage of all of these matters, so this article will focus on the things that I believe are good starting points, because they can make the most difference. It is firstly helpful to review the stages of puppy development, and how they relate to breeding and homing practices.
Stages of development
Figure 2 shows a timeline of the stages and timepoints that are of practical importance in puppy development. Before 3 weeks of age, puppies lack mobility, and the main sensory inputs to which they respond are touch and olfaction. Beyond this point puppies become more active as their sensory and locomotor systems develop. This is referred to as the “sensitive period” of development, although it is often informally called the “socialization period”. During this time they become increasingly independent of their attachment figures (such as their mother and the people they feel safe with), and become more inquisitive and exploratory. Although the sensitive period may extend up to 12-14 weeks of age, for practical purposes of socialization and habituation it is best to assume that the endpoint is 12 weeks.