Friday, December 16, 2005

"Storm-phobic" Canines

Penn State University researchers have determined pet owners can`t resolve storm phobia in their dogs, but having a multi-dog home may reduce stress. The study is among the first to measure, non-invasively, the production of a specific stress hormone produced by both dogs and humans.

Funny that it took a study to find this out. Any good dog trainer or breeder knows this. But, all the academic Pointy Heads don’t typically consult dog trainers or breeders.

There are drugs and behavior modification techniques for this disorder, some successful and some not. But it is really an issue of breeding and genetics. Some dogs can be counter-conditioned, some can’t. Even though a new drug treatment might result from this study, it still will only be a "Band-Aid", and won't cure the problem.

If you can breed a dog that isn’t freaked out by gunfire, you can breed a dog that isn’t freaked out by thunderstorms.

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