Welcome to dog behaviour
Dog Attack Behaviour Article
This is a selection made from among articles on Dog Attack Behaviour. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for future reading, click here.
The Psychotic Dog
from:A psychosis is defined as a mental disturbance of such degree that there is personality disintegration and loss of contact with reality. The line between neurotic and psychotic behavior is not well defined, even by psychiatrists and psychologists. Two prevailing criteria can be added to the definition of a neurotic dog to describe, for this purpose, a psychotic behavior. These involve circumstances in which the dog's behavior is dangerous to himself or to the safety of others, and in which the dog appears to be unaware of the behavior during and/or very shortly thereafter his actions.
If only the first criterion were to be applied to biting or self-mutilating dogs, then they would incorrectly be considered psychotic. In fact, many people believe that any biting dog should be labeled as a "psycho" and destroyed immediately, regardless of the circumstances. On the other hand, if the second element applies, and the dog is unaware of his behavior, it would seem reasonable to apply the psychotic label. The dog that appears to have withdrawn from reality or suffers episodes of withdrawal could be either psychotic or physically ill. If the behavior fits the basic neurotic model and is also in some way harmful to life or well-being, then the animal may be psychotic, if otherwise healthy.
Dogs that are defined as psychotic have included the following symptoms: Dogs that suffer "avalanches" of rage for no clinical reasons and do not respond to external stimuli; manic-depressive animals that vacillate between depression and wild activity; and depressed dogs that fail to respond even to powerful stimuli, such as hunger, as when dogs starve to death in the presence of food. These cases have been seen in pet dogs as well as laboratory animals. The rage and manic-depressive states occur mainly in excitable types, whereas depression usually occurs in those with inhibitive tendencies. Some notable factors in the medical histories of apparently psychotic pet dogs are listed below.
* Early distemper (before 3 months of age).
* Serious parasitic infection (before 6 months of age).
* Severe beatings.
* Accidental injury, especially to the spine and/or head.
* Accidental drug overdose.
* Prolonged corticosteroid or other drug therapy.
* Diabetes
* Extreme psychic trauma.
The underlying physical problems are rarely, if ever, investigated with the same dedication applied to humans with similar conditions. As a result, the dogs are generally destroyed, which solves the owner's immediate problem, but offers no progress toward understanding of the problem's causes.
Dog Attack Behaviour Specific links
Dog Attack Behaviour
- Looking for Dog Attack Behaviour?
-- http://www.shopica.org/
Dog Attack Behaviour
- Symptoms, causes, treatments of Dog Attack Behaviour
-- http://www.myoptumhealth.com/
Searching For Dog or Cat Breeds?
- Find Every Dog & Cat Breed at Petside.com
-- http://www.petside.com/
Dog Attack Behaviour News
Vigilance the key to stopping dog attacks - Ballarat Courier
Vigilance the key to stopping dog attacks Ballarat Courier, Australia - Ultimately, it is dog owners who are responsible for their dogs' behaviour. An advertisement on television this week urged parents to watch their children ... |
No one to blame for deadly attack: family - The Canberra Times
 The Australian | No one to blame for deadly attack: family The Canberra Times, Australia - Kirsty Seskel, from the Sydney Animal Behaviour Centre, said euthanasia was not always the best solution for dog attacks. She said children younger than ... Father of Ruby-Lea Bourke says dog attack was accident |
Attack dogs shouldn't be euthanased - Sydney animal expert says - Melbourne Herald Sun
Attack dogs shouldn't be euthanased - Sydney animal expert says Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia - DOGS that attack people should not necessarily be euthanased, a Sydney animal behaviour expert says. Commenting on a dog attack that killed a young girl in ... |
Child mauled to death in Australia by pack of dogs - Examiner.com
 Examiner.com | Child mauled to death in Australia by pack of dogs Examiner.com - This can elicit an anxious dog to attack. Time for a refresher obedience course for your pet. Even though your dog may know the basics, a little refresher ... |
Dog owners need safety training - NEWS.com.au
Dog owners need safety training NEWS.com.au, Australia - "Adults must be there to interpret dogs' behaviour. Toddlers will not be able to do it for themselves." Mr Luxton also cites the board's "Delta Dog Safe" ... |