Step 1

What is a Prognosis?

A dog behavior prognosis is an analysis of a behavior issue (s)-including but not limited to aggression, anxiety disorders, and other problematic behaviors. Developing a prognosis includes providing an outlook (likely course of the behavior or illness in the future) with an appropriate treatment plan. The ability to provide an accurate prognosis is one of the most critical skills for a dog behavior professional to have, to help dogs find appropriate treatment, heal, and live in peace with their humans.

How to Develop an Accurate Prognosis For Dog-To-Dog Aggression.

  1. If it is a biting or aggressive dog, the First Step is to do a Wound Pathology to determine and measure the capacity of the dog to do harm. The wound pathology is the same for dog-to-human aggression as it is for dog-to-dog aggression with some additions to the bite scale.

  2. The first detail which is different for a dog-to-dog wound pathology is to figure out the fight to bite ratio. e.g., If the number of bites is 0-1, but the number of fights high, this dog is not dangerous to other dogs. The trainer should then work with the handlers/pet parents to set up the “dog meet” environment differently, so this fighting behavior does not escalate.

  3. Other details to consider:

    • One of the details to consider when assessing a dog-to-dog incident is where did the dog bite the other dog?

    • Any bites neck and up are considered “Clean bites”, meaning the dog intentionally steered clear of major organs and arteries, where severe damage can be done with teeth e.g., stomach, kidneys, liver, ect.

    • The only place on a dog’s head where a lot of bleeding occurs are the ears, and ear bites are not fatal. Bites to the face, cheek, head, ears, muzzle, are not fatal. A bite to a veiny leg or major organ is extremely fatal. Dogs know the difference.

    • A major factor which can change the bite scale, is a multi-dog family situation, especially where there are a mix of small and large dogs. Large dogs can do major damage to little dogs without intending to do so. Many small dogs are the size of a large dogs jaws, so please err on the side of caution (be conservative) when it comes to giving a prognosis, when it is a mix of smaller and bigger dogs.

    • Keep in mind that there are many emotions and human constructs which can be obstacles to dogs being able to get better (avoid conflict with other dogs). Humans believe that it is of the utmost importance that their dog be social and be able to play with other dogs, especially between the ages of 8 weeks and 5 years of age. So much of the Trainer’s/Dog Behavior Consultant’s role is to guide and teach the parents/handlers in the most effective way to understand that dogs can live fulfilling lives without meeting new dogs. Good results are heavily based on bringing the number of confrontations down to zero.

Step 2

Gather the bite history of the dog and your fight/bite ratio. Schedule a separate consult time for information gathering, before starting any training programs. The average time for this consult is 60 minutes and can be done in person or remotely. The average price for a consult for prognosis is $100-150 for the hr. For an Applied Animal Behaviorist or Veterinary Behaviorist, the average is $500 and up for the hr.

  • In very great detail, ask about every bite incident the dog has had with other dogs. Record the sessions on zoom or on your phone. Have client sign a waiver when signing up for the consult.

  • The important detail in bite history is the fight/bite ratio and the level of damage (at times no damage), the dog has shown capacity for in each incident. Use Dr. Ian Dunbar’s Bite Scale Chart to measure the bite level for wound pathology.

 

Step 3: Developing a Program

Week 3 Module

Questions to answer and discuss Thursday January 27th:

  • If normally a biting dog is diagnosed as a level 2, but it lives with several other dogs, some being much smaller and has resource guarding with food/bones/resting spaces, how would you modify your wound pathology and prognosis?

  • What are the most important questions to ask the pet parent when gathering a bite history of a dog aggressive dog?

  • How can you create a model of guidance which helps pet parents understand the true social needs of a dog? (It is not meeting strange dogs, it’s feeling safe and having welcomed companionship).

  • Why do most dogs get into fights during adolescence? And how does one socialize an adolescent dog to new dogs?