What Is Your Most Burning Question?

Now that Karen London and I have been writing the Dog Behavior Blog for about one year, we wanted to ask our readers, What Is Your Most Burning Question?

Those of you who have regularly read our weekly or semi-weekly posts know that we have a mix of information about dog behavior problems, analysis of scientific articles about dog behavior, book reviews, and general information about dogs.

We would like to know what you, our readers, are interested in having us write about. What would you really like to know about dog behavior?  After all, through this blog, you have access to two experts who between them can answer your questions, or at least point you in the right direction.  While we cannot give advice about specific situations through this blog, we can answer your questions in a more general way, so that anyone who has that kind of situation can profit from the knowledge.

Karen London has been dealing with particularly difficult dog behavior problems for a number of years, and also writes a column for BARK magazine. I (Con Slobodchikoff) have been dealing with dog problems and dog training for many years through my company, Animal Communications, Ltd., and also teach animal behavior courses at the university level. Between the two of us, we have a lot of experience with dog behavior.

You can either send us your Most Burning Question through the Comments on this blog, or if you would like to do it more privately, you can send an e-mail to me at slobodchikoff@animalcommunications.com  We will compile these questions and try to answer as many of them as space permits, while not neglecting the science and the book reviews.

Send us your questions now. As I tell my students who are sometimes reluctant to raise their hand to ask a question (my animal behavior classes usually run at more than 100 students, so perhaps that can be intimidating), if you have a question, chances are, a lot of other people will have that same question, and will be grateful that you took the initiative to ask.

--Con Slobodchikoff

Comments

[Heather]

Everytime I pet my dog on the face, her jowel moves up in a twitch like motion. Trying to figure out if this is normal or not...

[D. Wilde]

My terrier mix (female) greets us at the door with a shoe. She doesn't seem to care who it belongs to. But, she always finds one. She does the same with socks, trash, and toys (never her own.) Try as hard as we can we can't seem to keep everything out of her grasp. She hides treasures away and then they appear when we walk in the door! We give her a lot of attention, affection, toys, and treats. Still, she only likes our stuff. What can we do?

[Maggie]

My 2 year old Golden Retriever-Aussie mix, Duncan, is a very affectionate dog. But he rarely gives me dog kisses (licks) - instead, he nibbles on my head! I've never experienced this before with other dogs. He will lick my husband for kisses but is stingy with the nibbles. He's a very gentle, sweet, happy dog. I know little about Aussies, but grew up with Goldens and he looks and acts like a goofy Golden through and through. What is this nibbling all about? Thanks!

[Lyse]

I live in Brazil and own 22 dogs, 5 of them are males - mostly pugs and schnauzer miniature. Recently, my parents moved in with me and brought their 6 dogs. Before that, dog fights were rare situations. Now, it happens almost everyday. These fights happen mostly amongst same sex dogs. It doesn´t seem to be hierarchy establishment because, when a fight starts, all dogs seem to join. My parents are old and can´t handle the situation. I fear leaving home and have the dogs hurting each other. Last weeks I was bit twice when trying to separate the dogs. Throwing water is not enough. They are trained, but the commands aren´t obbeyed. I don´t want to keep the dogs inside their houses the whole day, but more and more, they are kept there.
Also, barking has increased suddenly to a point that my neighbours are complaining.
I am getting very stressed with the whole situation.
Please help.
Any information, readings, cases, or sites would be extremely welcome.