Disruptive Crying, Whining and Barking in Dogs

 

Excessive vocalization refers to uncontrollable, excessive barking, whining or crying, often occurring at inappropriate times of the night or day. Such vocalization can be due to pain, illness, cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS), or may be related to a decline in hearing in senior pets.

 

CDS is often associated with night waking, during which excessive vocalization occurs. Dogs that are bred for work and high energy activities may be prone to excess barking.

 

Excessive barking may also be related to behavioral conditions, which may be controlled by behavior modification training. There are also some breeds that are better known for excessive and inappropriate barking. Many breeds of terrier, such as the Yorkshire, Cairn, Fox, West Highland White, and Silky terriers, are prone to barking without cause and may benefit from behavioral modification training. Other breeds include toy and miniature poodles, chihuahuas, and Pekingese.

 

Symptoms and Types

 

• Night vocalizations in senior age dogs
• Excessive barking in working-breed dogs
• Excessive barking in high energy, nervous dogs
• Vocalization caused by pain or illness
• Vocalization disruptive to owners or others (e.g., neighbors)

 

Causes

 

• Medical: disease, pain, CDS
• Anxiety or conflict
• Alarm barking – in response to novel stimuli
• Territorial – warning or guarding response to sounds from outdoors
• Social or attention-seeking behavior that is reinforced by verbal commands or return of owner to room
• Distress vocalization (e.g. howling or whining) – often due to separation from mother, family, social group or owner
• Growling may be associated with antagonistic displays
• Stereotypical behaviors or compulsive disorders
• Breed – genetic characteristics

 

Diagnosis

 

If your dog’s increased vocalization is out of the ordinary, you will want to have health problems ruled out before considering behavior modification. Your veterinarian can perform a full medical work-up, including a chemical blood profile, complete blood count (CBC), urinalysis and electrolyte panel, along with a complete physical exam. Possible incidents that might have led to this condition will also be considered, and a thorough history of your dog’s behavioral health leading up to the symptoms will be taken into account.

 

It is critical to rule out a non-behavioral, physical cause of the vocalization first. Imaging can be helpful for ruling out medical/neurological disorders. BAER (brainstem auditory evoked response) testing can be done if auditory decline is suspected.

 

 

Jumping, Digging, Chasing, and Stealing Behaviors in Dogs

 

All of these actions are within the range of normal dog behaviors. However, a dog that is not kept active enough may behave excessively in one or more of these ways. This can be especially true of dogs that are normally high energy by genetic disposition or character. 

 

 

Jumping up excessively as part of a greeting, for example, can be associated with separation anxiety and the excitement of having the human companion return home. Digging can often be associated with other behavioral disorders, neurologic disorders, or abdominal pain.

 

Symptoms and Types

 

• Jumping on people
  • During arrivals, departures or greetings
  • Exploring the contents of countertops
• Digging
  • Along a fence line
  • In areas of recent gardening
  • At rodent holes
  • On interior flooring
  • Worn claws (nails)
• Stealing
  • Items displaced, hidden
  • Food items missing from surfaces (i.e., tables)

          

Causes

 

• Jumping
  • Excitement, encouragement of excited behavior
  • Separation anxiety
• Digging
  • Following scent of rodents
  • Anxiety
  • Regulation of body temperature
  • Boredom or lack of adequate exercise
  • Hunting behaviors (food catching or retrieval)
  • Escape from confinement
  • Pain
  • Separation anxiety
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
  • Neurologic disease
• Stealing
  • May be attempt to get your attention
  • Desire for a food item, lack of internal discipline
• Chasing
  • Herding instinct
  • Hunting
  • Play
  • Defense

 

 

Pediatric Behavior Problems in Dogs

 

Undesirable behavior exhibited by dogs between puppyhood and adolescence, such as destructive chewing, jumping on people, and play biting, is medically referred to as pediatric behavior problems. Though these behaviors may be perceived as a “normal” trait of a puppy, it is often not acceptable behavior for a pet. It is important to address this as early as possible with behavioral modification therapies while the puppy is still impressionable.

 

Genetics do play an important role and behavior of young pups is likely to be similar to those of their parents. Certain breeds inherit certain problems like unruly, activity problems in working breeds of dog. However, such behavioral problems have been found to be more common in urban areas where opportunities for exercise and play are limited.

 

Symptoms and Types

 

Destructive Chewing

Initially, the pup may chew and damage furniture and/or other household items in the presence of family member, but after being caught and punished, he may continue be destructive when no family member is around.

 

Playbiting

Play fighting may be started by a family member initially, but can further escalate or become spontaneous afterward. This is a problem because the deciduous teeth of puppies are still sharp and can cause injury if it bites the hands, legs, and/or clothing of family members. Growling and barking may also develop, but usually differ from the acts associated with fear or justified aggression.

 

Jumping on People

Jumping on people and placing paws on visitors and/or family members typically occurs during greetings and when she is excited, but may occur when the pup wants attention or something in the person’s hand.

 

Getting on Counters/Furniture

The pup may get on the counters or furniture to grab an object to chew or eat. He or she may also jump on furniture during play, to get attention, or to rest.

 

Causes

 

While many behavior problems in puppies are species-typical, there are some causes that can worsen behavioral issues — many of which are related to inadequate supervision, control, training, exercise, and/or the pup’s general environment. Specific factors that may lead to the categories listed above include:

 

Destructive chewing

• Poor nutrition or inadequate food provisions
• Presence of mice or other small mammals in the walls or flooring
• Spilled food on carpet or furniture
• Insufficient or uninteresting toys
• Escape behavior

 

Play biting

• Teasing and rough play (i.e., encouraging pup to bite)
• Long confinement periods, especially in small enclosures
• Excited greetings by visitors or family members

 

Getting on Counters/Furniture

• Insufficient or uninteresting toys
• Desired foods or objects left on furniture
• Uncomfortable floor surfaces or inadequate sleeping areas

 

Diagnosis

 

You will need to give the veterinarian a thorough history of your dog’s health, including the onset and nature of the symptoms. The questions will particularly focus on the pup’s environment, new additions to the family (including other animals), and other related topics. Laboratory tests, meanwhile, are often not conducted unless a concurrent disease or condition is present.

 

 

Mismothering in Female Dogs

 

Maternal behavioral problems are classified as either excessive maternal behavior in the absence of newborn pups or the lack of maternal behavior when dealing with the mother’s own young. (Other types of maternal behavior problem also exist, but they are still poorly defined.)

 

Though no genetic component has yet been attributed to these behavioral problems,the fact that Jack Russell terriers seem to be predisposed to the behavior indicate the possibility of a genetic component.

 

Symptoms and Types

 

Inadequate Maternal Behavior 

• Abandons her own newborn pups (most common after caesarean section)
• Does not allow her offspring to nurse
• Insufficient cleaning of the young
• Inadequate retrieval of the young
• Failure to stimulate elimination
• Attacking and/or killing some or all of the newborn, especially if it has a different odor or appearance
• If disturbed by people or other animals, may redirect her aggression to her young

 

Excessive Maternal Behavior 

• Un-bred mother may attempt to nurse unfamiliar pups
• Guarding of inanimate objects such as stuffed animals
• An increase in the size of mammary glands

 

Causes

 

The lack of maternal behavior shown by mothers with newborn pups, especially after caesarean section, has been attributed to gradual decrease in oxytocin, which is important during the sensitive period of acceptance of dam’s own neonates. Conversely, when there is an absence of newborns, excessive maternal behavior is due to the increased progesterone levels resulting from estrus in un-bred bitches, followed by an immediate and sharp decline in the progesterone levels.

 

Diagnosis

 

You will need to give a thorough history of your dog’s health, including the onset and nature of the symptoms, to the veterinarian. He or she will then perform a complete physical examination as well as a biochemistry profile, urinalysis, and complete blood count — though the results are usually normal unless a disease is present.