Scout, 16 Month Fox Red Lab

Scout is a fox red Labrador I recently worked with in Quedgely in Gloucestershire. Scout is a rescue who was given up by his previous owners due to his constant fear based barking and separation anxiety.

Behavioural problems attached to fear and anxiety need careful management as it can easily be made worse without a clear understanding of the phycology of the dog in question. Some of the main pointers that need to be taken into account are, breeding, meaning if a dog is poorly bred it can lead to traits being passed on to the litters. Breed type, when a dog that was bred for a specific purpose that is unable to engage in that purpose which can lead to frustration in other areas. Finally, environment, this is things owners can do on a day to day basis that with the best intentions can lead to the development of behaviours we do not want.

As soon as I entered the owners house, Scout went into flight mode meaning he can run away, bark, and keep everything he finds stressful at a safe distance from him. Sometimes it is necessary for me to put a dog on a lead to block this response and allow me to help the dog understand that the thing they are most scared of is actually not that bad. This is a technique called exposure and needs correct management if it is to be used, otherwise the results can be more damaging for the dog.

For whatever reason, Scout has lost confidence in the home environment (he is fine outside) and needs this replacing. Additionally, he has very bad separation anxiety. These two behaviours need to be addressed separately, but in combination which means helping Scout to understand that being on his own can be a positive thing. Too much dependency on humans can in some situations be unhealthy for dogs. With the little that is known of his previous home, it became apparent that his negative mind set had accidentally been reinforced.

The attached video shows Scout’s initial panic, and then him being able to relax. This is in no way him fixed, but it allows the owners to see that what they want to achieve is entirely possible. Over the coming months there is a lot of work to be done but I am confident that with consistency Scout can become a much calmer dog.