Just like humans, dogs can indeed suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after experiencing a shocking event. But how can you identify PTSD in dogs? What are the causes? And most importantly, what are the treatment options for PTSD in dogs? Let’s find out.

Causes of PTSD in Dogs

The causes of PTSD in dogs are quite similar to the ones found in humans suffering from this condition. They mostly include traumatic experiences that are easily recognizable. You would definitely know if your dog has gone through any of these situations:

Military or police work: dogs that work for the military or the police can develop PTSD. Detecting bombs, tracking down criminals, and sniffing out missing persons can be triggers for this condition in dogs. Of course, experiencing traumatizing events such as bombings, shootings or losing a partner are major triggers too. Just like with humans, military and police work are one of the main causes of PTSD.

Physical or emotional abuse: PTSD can also develop in a dog that is constantly suffering from physical or emotional abuse. This mainly refers to being severely mistreated and neglected by humans. For example, being hit by their family or being forced to live in a backyard with terrible conditions.

Accidents: traumatizing events such as car accidents can also result in PTSD in dogs.

Natural disasters: experiencing a natural disaster such as hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes and floods can trigger PTSD in dogs. This can happen as a result of the disaster they experienced or because they were stranded or separated from their family.

Loss: experiencing the loss of a loved one is one of the most known causes of PTSD both for dogs and humans. When a dog loses their pet parent or someone they truly love from their family, they can develop PTSD as a result.

Abandonment: as sad as it sounds, dog abandonment happens more often than we wish it would, and it is one of the causes of PTSD in dogs. This condition can also develop after the dog is forced to live as a stray.

Animal attack: if a dog suffers from an attack by either another dog or a different animal, this can lead to PTSD. That’s right, being bitten by another dog can have severe emotional and psychological effects on your pup.

Being raised in a puppy mill: puppy mills are a huge problem to our society nowadays for multiple reasons, one of them being the trauma it can cause both for the newborns and the exploited mothers.

Lack of socialization as a juvenile: dogs who didn’t learn how to socialize with other dogs or people when they were puppies can develop symptoms similar to the PTSD experienced in humans when exposed to these situations. Dr. Liz Stelow, chief of service of Clinical Animal Behavior Service at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the University of California, Davis, claims that many dogs who have never experienced any of the PTSD causes mentioned before, can still develop anxiety and phobias due to the lack of juvenile socialization.

Signs of PTSD in Dogs

The problem with PTSD symptoms in dogs is that most of the symptoms can also be associated with other conditions such as stress or separation anxiety. The best way to clearly identify if these signs are caused by PTSD is to combine them with their causes and have your dog seen by an animal behaviorist.

But we’ll get to treatment and diagnosis when the time’s right. First, let’s review the most common signs of PTSD in dogs:

Aggressive behavior: dogs who suffer from PTSD can display aggressive behavior in multiple situations, such as being frightened due to a trigger that reminds them of their traumatic experience. For example: being forced out of their comfort zone or interaction with other dogs or humans.

Flee: dogs with PTSD can run off whenever they feel uncomfortable in a certain space or around certain people. This sign is extremely dangerous because your dog won’t think before fleeing, they will simply run away without considering that they might get hit by a car or get lost from their home.

Hyper-vigilance: dogs who are hypervigilant are always on alert. They never seem to relax and be fully calm. This can happen all the time or just when you take them out of their comfort zone, or take them somewhere that might remind them of their traumatic experience.

Sleep disruption: just as it can happen to humans, dogs who suffer from PTSD can have trouble falling and staying asleep.

Decreased interest: another sign of dogs with PTSD is a decreased interest in activities, toys, foods, or places they used to love. If your dog used to have a great time at the park, and now they seem uncomfortable and just want to go home, it might be a sign of PTSD.

Hiding: dogs with PTSD tend to have a hiding spot they run off to whenever they are triggered and start to feel anxious. This can be under your bed, behind a piece of furniture, or under a table.

Avoidance behavior: when a dog with PTSD is feeling uncomfortable, they might show avoidance behaviors that mean they want to leave, such as hiding, staying still, or jumping up and pawing their pet parent.

Physical signs: PTSD in dogs can also manifest as physical signs that can easily be confused as symptoms from another anxiety condition, such as urinating and defecating inside the house, howling, shaking, pacing, panting, barking, whining, tucked tail and/or pinned back ears.

Treatment of PTSD in Dogs

Treatment of PTSD in dogs typically includes a combination of both medical and behavioral treatment options.

The main behavioral treatment used for dogs suffering from PTSD is called desensitization. This therapy consists of exposing the dog to a low level of the feared stimulus in a controlled and safe environment. As time passes by, the level of stress the dog is safely exposed to starts to increase. The goal of this therapy is to help the dog build tolerance for the trigger that makes them feel that way. The pup will hopefully learn that the presence of that stimulus will not be followed by an unpleasant or dangerous situation.

Desensitization therapy is also commonly accompanied by counter-conditioning. This process will change the bad perception the dog has of a stimulus or situation into a good one. This can be accomplished by including the presence of objects the dog actually likes, such as toys, treats, play and/or praise.

The best treats to use for PTSD treatment for dogs are calming chews for dogs. You can use them for counter-conditioning and positive reinforcement training, while also supplying your pet with the benefit they provide: naturally calming them down.

Both of these PTSD treatment techniques should be supported by mental stimulation, playtime with well-socialized dogs, daily exercise, and positive reinforcement training.

The medical treatment for dogs with PTSD will depend on the intensity of the symptoms. The most common drugs prescribed for dogs with PTSD are anti-depressants and sedative drugs. But you should never provide any of these medications to your dog by yourself, you should only do so under vet recommendation since they may have serious side effects.

One last but truly important factor in the treatment of PTSD in dogs is patience. Your dog won’t get better overnight. This is a process, and it should be accompanied by love and patience.

Have you decided to add a Boerboel pup to your family? Many families choose these puppies as a new addition to their household communities owing to their loyalty, intelligence, obedience, and playfulness.

The search for the right pup should start by asking for breeder recommendations, conducting research on breeders, and inspecting the physical appearance of these canines.

The tips below will assist you in finding one for sale.

Ask around

The primary tip to follow when looking for a Boerboel puppy is to ask around. If you know anyone that already owns such a pup, you should definitely get in touch with that person and openly discuss your intentions of adopting one. Boerboel owners can not only offer some tips to you on how to raise and look after such a dog, but they will also provide you with suggestions when it comes to breeders.

The actual goal of your conversations would be to figure out where these individuals got their Boerboel puppies in the first place, and to check if they were satisfied with the overall experience of cooperating with a certain breeder. Make sure you click here to learn more about the journey of adopting a Boerboel puppy. During your conversations, remember to ask whether some breeders are worth avoiding.

Conduct research on breeders

Apart from getting in touch with some Boerboel owners, you should conduct your own research on breeders. This research will provide you with a better idea about different breeders and their policies regarding the care of these animals during the period they are still in their possession. Reputable breeders don’t leave the pups in a kennel until they are eventually adopted by someone, but instead they have dedicated trainers that educate the puppies during the waiting period.

Moreover, checking the prices charged for Boerboel puppies should be another task on your to-do list in order for you to set your budget expectations. Purchases should be made only from a reputable and registered breeder who can provide a guarantee on the pups for sale. The breeder’s premises are supposed to be humane, clean and free of unpleasant odors.

Boerboel puppies should be kept clean and well-fed. The breeder is expected to provide proof of the health screenings of each canine, along with proper documentation of its pedigree. Visit this site, https://dogs.lovetoknow.com/exploring-dog-breeds/what-is-dogs-pedigree, to learn what a dog’s pedigree is. A reliable breeder would be more than willing to answer all the questions you have to ask.

Inspect the puppy

Prior to adopting your Boerboel puppy, you should inspect its coat, pigmentation, ears, teeth, muscles, forequarter angulations, hindquarter angulations, and tail. Start by inspecting the canine’s coat, which should be short, smooth, and dense. These coat characteristics ensure the proper prevention of flies, ticks, and sunburn. Remember that the official breed standards don’t allow these canines to have longish hair, especially around the back of their legs.

When searching for a purebred Boerboel, you should consider the pup’s color. In accordance with the standards for this breed, the accepted colors include brindle or brown, as well as different shades of red. These standards specify that there should also be some pigmentation, such as black lips, nose, and toenails.

The ears should be inspected as well to see whether or not the pup’s earflaps hang by the side of its head. Upright and half-upright earflaps are thought to be undesirable. Make sure the ears aren’t too close to each other. The next body part to inspect is the teeth, which you want to make sure are healthy. They should have a scissor bite, referring to the contact of the upper jaw’s incisors with the bottom jaw in the form of a slight overlap.

Furthermore, the bottom lip should not stick out of the upper lip at a young age, as the puppy might experience teeth misalignment when fully grown. The puppy should also have a good balance and fairly strong muscles. Forequarter and hindquarter angulations are important aspects to check. The angle between the shoulder blade and upper arm should be 120 degrees, while the hind legs are not supposed to be straight.

To sum up

Adopting the right Boerboel puppy is a process that requires devotion and plenty of attention on the part of future pet owners!

Owning a pet and taking care of it is not at all easy. It involves a lot of responsibilities, just like raising a child. You need to be very careful about what to feed them, when to feed them, what is good for their health, how to train them, and so much more.

There are a lot of things that one needs to know about pet care in order to become the best pet owner. Though it is not that easy, when you follow the few tips below, it is not as hard as you might think. Let’s check out the tips and tricks that can make you the best pet owner ever before you buy your furry friend from Pet Lovers Arena.

1. You need to treat your pet as a member of the family. You should always make it a point to give love that they need because they deserve it. Try to keep your dog indoors with your family members as much as possible as they need companionship the most. Right attention will always keep them happy and healthy.

2. Be sure to check whether or not there is anything at your place which can hurt your pet. If there is, then you need to remove those things as soon as possible or keep them in a place that is out of reach for your pet. This makes your home pet-friendly, which is a major requirement.

3. The health and fitness of your pet is as important as any other family member, and the same goes for the grooming. To be a responsible pet owner, timely visits to the vet and a groomer are really very important. This is crucial to ensure the good health of your pet and also to maintain hygiene.

4. Pets are really very sensitive, but because they cannot speak, it can be very difficult to track them in case they are lost or stolen. Hence, it is always recommended to tie an ID card or tag to your pet’s collar around his or her neck, especially if you are taking them outside for a walk or for some other reason. This is certainly an important step to ensure their safety and security.

5. Train your pet, and do it the way you want. You need to train them with positive reinforcement so that they at least understand your instructions. Always keep your focus on training them to understand the communication from your end. Teach them least the basics so that when you ask them to sit, stand or walk, they know to follow the instructions.

6. Make your pet exercise daily. Just like any human being, pets also need to do regular exercise. This is important and helps them to stay fit and healthy. Be it an everyday walk or some other exercise, it is the responsibility of the owner to take care of the exercise schedule of their pet. If your pet exercises daily, there is a better chance of them staying fit and healthy for a longer time.

7. Diet is another important part of pet care. You need to be aware of what kind of nutrition is required for your pet depending on the breed. Also, you need to know how much and when you need to feed your pet. In case your pet is gaining weight, it is your duty to control their portions in order to manage their weight.

8. Socializing with your pet helps them gain more confidence. There are many pets who are not comfortable with strangers. In fact, they do not allow strangers or your guests to comfortably be at your home. To make them more confident and outgoing, it is important to take them out for vacations or getaways along with you.

9. Love your pet as much as possible. They always crave your love and care, and nothing can keep them happier than giving them your loving attention.

To Wrap Up

Becoming the best pet owner is not at all rocket-science. You just need to follow the above-listed tips to embark on the journey to be a good pet owner. By following all the above tips, you are surely going to be the best pet owner ever, and your pet is going to love you like nobody else. Do follow all the tips and keep searching for more to become even better every passing day. After all, only you can give the love and care to your pet that it deserves.

Dogs are really wonderful creatures that make their owners’ lives better. In fact, some people are so attached to them that they consider these animals family members. So they pamper them… a lot. Regardless of all the love you give and receive, you should introduce order and discipline into their behavior.

Training may seem like a long-term process intended exclusively for pure breeds, but that’s not true. Every pup should learn some manners and tricks starting at puppy age. And that’s impossible without an owner who will equally work on the dog’s body and mind. For more on the importance of early training and socialization, read here.

Whether your pup is a pampered diva or a destructive scavenger, brain training will improve their behavior. Of course, no miracle will happen if you just stand on the sidelines and do nothing. But if you get involved, both you and your furry buddy will enjoy the benefits of brain training.

Mental Stimulation

Dogs are very active animals, but it often seems that they only use their bodies as they are constantly running, jumping, or chasing something. But their mind is the engine, and it requires constant stimulation. Otherwise it fails, creating the basis for developing a number of mental issues in your furry friend.

This program can help your dog understand and remember new words and phrases. It’s not like this training makes these animals smarter, but it forces them to “use” their brains. That way, a mentally-stimulated pup is more eager to learn and remember new things.

Boosting Your Pup’s Creativity

Anxiety and behavioral disorders in dogs most often occur due to loneliness and boredom. Suppose these animals have nothing or no one to play with. In this case, they will start destroying your stuff, self-injuring, urinating everywhere, etc. Luckily, this behavior can be prevented or put under control with mental stimulation.

Brain training won’t only stimulate your pet to play with you but also encourage him or her to be more confident and creative when alone. This program combines games and mental challenges to keep your pup busy and engaged, even when you’re not around.

As seen on braintrainingfordogs.promo, the process of learning will be more efficient if you use positive reinforcements, such as praise and treats. Dogs get a variety of rewards when they do an assignment alone. That will increase their confidence and make the experience fun. It will be a rewarding experience for your pups to boost their confidence and happiness.

Train Obedience

Brain training for dogs is also a great way to strengthen your bond with your four-legged friend. As a result, your pet will be much more obedient and confident. Also, this program teaches you how to control your pet’s behavior and deal with different situations.

The courses cover various types of training, including basic obedience. Also, they can help your pet to learn more tricks. This program adheres to positive reward-based methods that encourage your dog to follow commands, so your furry buddy will learn some new tricks and solve behavioral problems at the same time.

Preserving Brain Health

When you play brain games with your dog, you will help develop their mental skills. But preserving your pet’s cognitive ability is another benefit of this program. It will bring long-term results, as mentally-stimulated pups keep their brains active even in old age. It also builds a mental bond between you and your pets and helps control their behavior.

Most training centers offer downloadable video modules and simple, clear instructions you can apply at home. Also, many good courses are available on the internet, so you can shop around for the one that suits you and your pup best. They are designed to work on both your dog’s mind and body. They are both fun and easy to follow, plus you can begin by using this training program as an incentive to get your dog motivated.

Brain Training for dogs is a force-free learning system that employs fun games to prevent and eliminate behavioral problems. It can also improve your pets’ general health and lifelong well-being by stimulating their bodies and minds. It will also boost your relationship with your pets and help them overcome any fear or anxiety issues.