THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, September 19, 1995 TAG: 9509190047
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM HOLDEN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Long : 128 lines
P.J. Reilly remembers the dog well because she has seen many others just like it.
At first, the cocker spaniel stood over his dog dish but stared at the owners. Within two weeks, the dog was not only staring at the owners, he would occasionally growl at them.
``The owners would rationalize this behavior, saying to the dog, `Oh, that's OK. We're not going to take away your food,' '' said Reilly, the co-owner of Canine Training Unlimited and one of the region's premier dog trainers.
Then the cocker spaniel began growling whenever the owners watched it play with certain toys. By then it was only several days before the dog claimed a living room chair as its own.
Finally, the animal took over the family bedroom and kept the couple out of it for three days.
Only then did they seek professional help through an animal trainer. But they should have acted sooner, Reilly said.
Four days after a Virginia Beach family's pet turned vicious and bit three people, seriously mauling two children, Reilly found herself answering a question commonly asked by many anxious parents: What pet is the right one to place in a home with children?
While certain breeds are considered a bad family pet, the broad answer may be impossible to give, Reilly said, because the behavior of dogs is often difficult to predict.
The Humane Society of the United States estimates that 2 million to 3 million dog bites are reported annually; millions more go unreported. Sixty percent of all dog bite victims are children, and the elderly, delivery persons and letter carriers are also affected in large numbers. Last year, more than 2,700 letter carriers were bitten while on the job.
Unsterilized dogs are up to three times more likely to bite than dogs that are spayed or neutered, according to a study released last year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In addition, dogs that lack proper training and socialization or are forced to spend long hours chained in the back yard are much more likely to develop behavior problems such as aggression.
Whatever the factors, some issues are clear.
``Unless a dog is hurt, there is never, never a reason that a dog should bite an owner,'' Reilly said. ``A lot of people come in here and say, `Our dog has bitten before, but he's never broken the skin.' Or sometimes we hear this, `Our dog bit our child, but it's the first time and the child was trying to take away the dog's bone.' ''
The problem is that few dogs start out biting. Usually, she said, that's the most dramatic demonstration by the dog of a growing inclination to assert dominance over the owner.
It may start with the staring, as in the case of the cocker spaniel, and may escalate to growling, showing teeth, or, as in the case of animals generally older than 6 months, marking territory by urinating or defecating in a house. Some demonstrate a growing assertiveness by chewing on new objects brought into a home, as if to claim them for their own, or by ``mounting'' other animals or small children even though they have been spayed or neutered.
All of these are warning signs that should be addressed immediately, she said.
``People make excuses for their dogs all the time,'' said Reilly, who has trained dogs for 30 years and was only the second person in the United States - the first in Great Britain - to train hearing dogs for the deaf or hearing impaired.
Dogs generally do not understand the ``gray areas'' of behavior. A dog will not understand that it's OK to jump up when you come home from work but not on your neighbor who comes by for a visit, she said.
Dogs are pack animals. They respond to strong leaders - in this case, humans - and unless they understand who is in charge, they can begin to assert their natural tendency to claim the top spot.
Even dogs that have been trained must be watched carefully to ensure they do not revert to old ways, she said. The clearest sign they are testing you is when they disobey commands.
At Canine Training International, Reilly and her staff oversee about 750 dogs a week. Some have minor behavioral problems and some are biters. No matter what the issue, each is treated the same way: with consistent discipline.
A well-trained dog should allow an owner to take food from it and obey basic commands.
``A dog should not bring stress into your life,'' she said. ``They're supposed to relieve stress.''
Sharon Q. Adams, executive director of the Virginia Beach SPCA, said Reilly is one of the region's most respected trainers, because she pays close attention to how the owners interact with their dogs.
The owners are ``taught to read the animal and look for particular signs of behavior, what the animal does when frightened, when angry,'' Adams said. ``This forces the owner to understand the animal better so the owner is smarter.
``It's awfully sad when we hear about incidents like the one in Virginia Beach,'' she said. ``But there are far more wonderful dogs living with families than bad dogs, and they give a lot of love to that family.
``These are living creatures. There are no guarantees with them. That's why you need to prepare yourself before inviting them into your home.'' ILLUSTRATION: HELP WITH SPAYING, NEUTERING
Has your animal been spayed or neutered? Unsterilized dogs are up
to three times more likely to bite than dogs that are spayed or
neutered.
Call a veterinarian or any of the following chapters of the
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. They'll assist
you.
SPCA of Norfolk: 622-3319
SPCA of Virginia Beach: 427-0070
SPCA of Suffolk: 934-6860
Portsmouth Humane Society: 397-6004
Chesapeake Humane Society: 490-4357
THIS MEANS TROUBLE
Warning signs that your dog may be trying to get the upper hand:
Does it show teeth in a threatening manner?
Does it growl at you or your children? Does it growl at the
neighbor's children?
Is it provoked easily?
Has it ever snapped at you, your children or your neighbors?
Has it ever bitten anyone?
Does it make prolonged eye contact with you or people who visit
in your home?
Does it ``mark'' territory in your home by urinating or
defecating after it is 6 months old?
When a collar is placed around its neck, does the animal arch its
neck and lower its head? That's an act of defiance.
by CNB