Name
What is "Trauma" to Dogs? A Case-Based Approach to Identifying the Role of Human Behaviour in the Psychopathy of Dogs
Date & Time
Tuesday, April 6, 2021, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Karen Overall
Description

Behavioural, emotional and cognitive pathology (psychopathology) is now well recognized in dogs. Emphasis has largely been placed on identifying relevant diagnoses (and in some cases, defining diagnostic criteria) so that a coordinated treatment approach involving pharmacological, behavioural and environmental intervention can be implemented. Because we lack detailed studies of age-specific normal behaviour and neurodevelopment in dogs, and population-based clinical studies, we have largely ignored how human behaviour affects dogs across a range of contexts and canine behavioural response surfaces. Trauma and stressor related disorders are recognized as diagnostic entities in humans, but we largely fail to recognize such patterns in dogs instead considering afflicted dogs as exceptional. This talk will feature a case-series of dogs of different risk profiles that have suffered trauma – from their perspective – at different stages of their lives and/or in different contexts. All cases have known outcomes, allowing for a discussion of factors affecting recovery and resilience. The emergent patterns reveal a framework for understanding human contributions to trauma-related behavioural disorders and for treating and preventing these disorders. The patterns elucidated make apparent concerns for how we breed, raise, and shelter dogs, and where we must direct future research. An algorithm for defining risk and choosing interventions will be presented.

Key Learnings :

1. Trauma is seldom defined from the viewpoint of the dog.
2. Different genetic backrgounds, early developmental experiences, and later effects of environment and behavioural experience contribute to how dogs will experience trauma and how resilient they might be.
3. Because we know so little about canine behavioural development and responses surfaces driving it, too many human behaviours that we consider as normal or routine can cause trauma for dogs.
 

Session Type
Presentation
Stage
Stage 2 LIVE