What do you tell people when they insist their dog was abused, when likely its problems are genetic?
A friend of mine is living with a dog who she swears was abused because he’s so skittish. She drops a something loud and he bolts. He’s loving with the family, and “really sweet once he trusts you.” This doesn’t sound like abuse to me- it sounds like a weak genetic temperament. They've had the dog for over 4 years, and it's still skittish. Either way, what would you say to someone with a dog like this? Would you keep your mouth shut, or say something?
Also, do you think it does any good for the owners or the dog to believe the dog was abused? What if it really was abused, does the owner need to acknowledge that and use it to explain the dog's issues?
2010-07-07T12:22:46Z
Whoah! I wasn't criticizing anyone here! I'm not saying dogs don't get abused. Obviously they do. The intention of my question was, wouldn't it be better if the family could say "maybe, maybe not, but it doesn't really matter anyway?"
I'm not pretending to be an expert. I got nothing against people who own behaviorally effed up dogs, regardless of what's wrong with them.
Yikes, apparently I hit a soft spot here!
2010-07-07T12:29:16Z
?? "I guess people who have bipolar and severe depression as a result of genetics or "effed up" in their heads too."
Since when are dogs in any way comparable to mental illness in humans? I was borrowing that language from another posted, btw.
2010-07-07T12:31:20Z
If we want to go there, it's pretty clear that bipolar is genetic. Still not sure how that relates to dogs, though.
I have had some effed up pets, too. Love them, but I'm honest about them.
2010-07-07T12:42:52Z
"Yeah, I'm always honest about my dog. I'll happily explain why she is so fearful. It's not because of abuse. It's because of genetics."
Then that's exactly what I'm asking- should we tell people in this situation that there might be other causes for their dog's behavior?
dobiz_rule2010-07-08T16:42:38Z
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what happened during imprinting period in dogs puppy hood will often have life long effects on the dogs temperament. That is not to say that the dog was for sure abused or not, but there is NO way to know either way. I would keep my mouth shot. What will it accomplish if you say oh the dog wasn't abused he is just genetically that way? it won't change a thing for the dog but will make you look like a snobby d** bag.
The dog is either genetically unstable or the owners are unknowingly comforting the dogs skittish behaviors thinking they are helping the dog when in all reality they are just making the dog worse so therefore the dog lives that way everyday instead of being able to move forward & just be a normal dog regardless of it's past. There's many things that could have gone wrong, the dog probably didn't have very many good experiences before he finally found a permanent home. Although you also have to look at it in another light as well-a stable dog can handle most situations, they show curiosity not fear.
Saying something would depend on what I thought was the cause of the dogs behaviors-the dog or the owner. I am a firm believer that dogs do NOT dwell on the past, they aren't human.
In my opinion, the likely cause of the dogs behaviors is the owners lack of education on how to try & help the dog, but in all reality I have no idea that's just my guess.
Skittish isn't something I would full on label as fear, it could just mean the dog wasn't properly socialized as others have said.
I have a 2 1/2 year old Aussie-Ibizan Hound - Belgian Malinois - Mix. She is a rescue from Greece (I live in Germany) and she was abused there too. She was found seriously ill wandering the streets when she was only about 4 months old. My guess is that someone got her as a puppy as toy for the kids and when she got distemper due to the fact that she was not vaccinated, she got thrown out. (Very common thing to happen there.) And what a dog that young experienced in that early stage of live it will never completely overcome. She is very shy around strangers (mostly men) and when she sees a man holding something that looks anything like a broom she only tries to get away.
So as no one seems to know exactly what the dog you are talking about experienced in the past you have no clue what causes her being skittish. As I said it might be genetics, it might be abuse or any combination of the two. Of course you could tell them that there can be other explanations for their dogs behavior - but what would that change? Even if it is caused by a weak genetic temperament there is no cure to that.
LOL! Yeah, in our vet clinic we get a lot of dogs that are submissive in temperament and the owner swears he was abused before they got him...just like any dog that has sudden onset of ANY illness must have been poisoned by the neighbors! I guess people just like to think the worst of other people. Its either that, or that the news is full of so much horrible crap that people only see these worst case scenarios and just don't realize that there are less dramatic causes for the behaviors that their pets are exhibiting. I bet before there was TV fewer people suspected the neighbors of foul play with their pets...or with their kids, for that matter. The percentage of dogs that are abused is probably about the same of kids that are abused....its just that abused ones get all the limelight so we think they are all over the place. In answer to your question, what do we say? Nothing. You can't convince the owner otherwise, and what difference would it make anyway? The dog is going to behave that way regardless. So it really is moot. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, no matter how mistaken they may be.
Dogs have LONG memories, especially of tramatic events. My dog was sent around from abusive family to abusive family (she got too big) and she still gets nervous and nerotic everytime she sees us get into the car without her (she tires to come too). Clearly, on some level she is just a nerotic dog and crazy and would probably be at least somewhat like this without a history of abandonment. However, since over the years it has gotten better, on another level is is the result of her past. I think a lot of these things are a combonation