When we brought our rescue dog home, I fully expected to have problems. I was told she barked incessantly, chewed on everything, and wasn't potty trained. We brought her into the kitchen and there she sat, under the kitchen table, silently. She wouldn't come out from under the table to eat or drink.
Trixie, our precious rescue dog was behaving like any banished wolf would. If she stayed out of the way, maybe she wouldn't be banished from her new pack.
Wild canids, such as wolves, are highly social creatures. Some scientists believe the reason wolves domesticated man was because we shared so much in common. We live in close familial groups. Bad offspring are banished, good children are cherished and live long lives within their family. In Trixie's case, she was a banished pariah, chained outside in the snow of Utah, and then later
tied in a northern California barn, her only companion a horse. Her barking
was a byproduct of her lonely communication to attract the attention of the other dogs who were warmed by the fire and happily played inside... her pack only a short distance from her.
To be banished from a pack is almost certain death. In the wild when a wolf is banished from the pack, he howls the lonely howl and within about six months he is dead. Wolf packs hunt together, sleep together, eat together, and travel together. Is it any wonder then that dogs, genetically wolves, bark when their human companion leaves, or when they are sent out when visitors arrive?
Trixie sat under the kitchen table for more than an hour. Thomas, our male dog, smelled her and went to his food bowl and ate a little and returned to Trixie. Nothing, she remained under the table, her bowl of food awaiting her. Thomas returned to his food bowl and pulled a large chunk of pizza from his bowl and carefully carried it over to Trixie.1 He placed the pizza on the floor in front of Trixie's face (which was lying flat against the floor). Nothing. Trixie did not move. Thomas returned to his bowl to eat, glanced back at Trixie and went again to her. He pushed the pizza slice closer yet to her delicate nose and returned to his bowl. Hmmm, sharing?
Food sharing is common in canids. In wolves it is natural for an alpha to give food to an omega. This is precisely what Thomas did. If in a wolf pack one becomes injured or ill, the pack is weakened. The pack cannot function efficiently. Thomas was insuring the health of his pack. But what of Trixie's behavior, why wasn't she eating? In wild dog society, the omega (low ranking) dogs must wait until the alpha (top dog) and beta (second in command) dogs are done, only then is the omega allowed to eat. Trixie was so low that she waited until we left the room, she was not just an omega she was a pariah, an untouchable.
Trixie remained silent until she began to gain confidence. Each night for six days she slept in a crate next to our bed while we potty trained her. She still sleeps next to our bed, but no crate is needed. She has never chewed on anything, but she occasionally would take a smelly old sneaker from the closet with which to sleep. Why is it then that she was banished from her last pack because she chewed "everything?"
Chewing is a displacement behavior. She was trying to bring herself closer to the alpha of her last pack, the man of the house. She would take his things, he would yell, she would become anxious and chew on the item she brought for comfort. In wolves, bringing familiar smelly objects to dens and sleeping areas is very common. Sometimes the objects are shredded to layer the den. It is an honor to have my odors adorning her sleeping area. However, I did not want her to chew on my shoes if she should become anxious. I substituted my shoes with a stuffed toy I had placed under my pillow for several days. My sneakers no longer disappeared from the closet.
All of Trixie's transgressions were easily understood and corrected when viewed from an ethological perspective. She was behaving perfectly normal for a wolf. Our close canine companions are indeed wolves in dog's clothing. They share not only behavioral similarities but also genetic similarities to wolves. Dogs and wolves can reproduce together and have fertile offspring. Feral dogs "revert" to wolf pack hunting within a day of running together. Our devoted companions are devoted because of the very nature of wolves. It is this devotion to the pack that makes our wolves in dog's clothing so devoted to their human packs.
Each Thanksgiving day we will celebrate another year with Trixie. She has learned to play, to eat when we eat, not to run from the room when we enter, and that RIDE, WALK, and PLAY are words at which to become excited. She has learned we are her pack and that she is a full member of that pack. She is devoted and loyal to her pack.
New news on Trixie: Trixie has passed her Delta Society Pet Partner evaluation. Trixie can visit hospitals, convalescent hospitals, schools, and such to participate in pet assisted activities and therapies.
1 Many people have asked why I would be feeding pizza to my dog. Our dog, Thomas Jefferson (his namesake) had a very bad kidney disease. Getting Thomas to eat anything was a miracle. He selected pizza as his favorite food. Pizza is low in protein (sans the meat) and somewhat easy to digest.
Patricia Simonet is an applied animal behaviorist and cognitive ethologist. She has trained wild animals with the Zoological Society of San Diego. Her research interests are problem solving, learning, and communication in animals. She lives in Spokane, WA with her husband Bob, Trixie, Goodall, Foster (canine companions), Kimburu and Hodari (feline companions), and Max & Pierre (avian companions). You can reach Patricia at PeTalk.org or Trisha@petalk.org, for private consultation on companion animal behavior and problems.
Home - General Information
Your pet will thrive if you can provide him with a predictable, calm and safe home environment and schedule.
Pets like a predictable schedule. It is best for your pet if you can maintain the same schedule for their walks or exercise periods and meals. If you give them a treat after grooming them, they will expect this every time. The ability to predict these events lowers your pet’s stress.
Pets also have social needs. Dogs are pack animals, and many birds are pair-bonded or live in the wild in large flocks. Even a cat (who can be a bit of a loner) still needs regular attention from you. Part of creating a stress-free home environment includes addressing your animal’s social needs.
If you are
gone for long periods of time, your pet may become
lonely so pay attention to your animal when you are home. Sometimes this can be as simple as making space for them in
the rooms where you spend the most time. Put a dog bed down in
your family room. Encourage your cat to lie in your lap while you watch TV or read a book. Bring the bird cage into the room where you read your newspaper or chat with your family.
Consider how to prevent your pets from being lonely and to keep your pets stimulated while you are away. You may need to hire a pet sitter
or a dog walker,
buy a companion animal, buy special toys that make your pets play for food, or even leave out stuffed animals or a t-shirt that smells like you. It’s up t
o you to see that your pet remains stimulated but safe whenever you are away for more than a few hours at a time.
And finally, don’t forget, even you can be a source of stress in your animal at home. Animals can feel your stress and are more sensitive to your moods than you would think. If you are anxious or angry, your pet is going to notice.
You can learn more about how to create a predictable, calm and safe environment for your pet in the appropriate pages of this web site.
In wild dog society, the omega (low ranking) dogs must wait until the alpha (top dog) and beta (second in command) dogs are done, only then is the omega allowed to eat. Trixie was so low that she waited until we left the room, she was not just an omega she was a pariah, an untouchable.
