IF Your Dog Is Aggressive-See A Dog Whisperer
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#chicagodogwhisperer
Political pet-spotters have had their eyes trained on Portuguese water dog Bo Obama as he adjusts to life as the First Dog of the United States. But across the pond, former French president Jacques Chirac's miniature Maltese, Sumo, has had a rough transition out of the presidential palace.
After a series of increasingly violent attacks on the former president, the pooch has been banished to a home in the French countryside, the Guardian reports.
The troubled lap dog first garnered headlines in January, when Sumo bit 76-year-old Chirac, causing him to seek outpatient treatment at a Paris hospital, the Daily Mail reported at the time. The dog was being treated for depression, but according to BBC News, the attacks had worsened in recent days. In the latest scuffle, Sumo was reportedly lying quietly on the floor when President Chirac walked into the room and the dog flew into a rage. He bit the statesman on the stomach, drawing blood, BBC News reports.
Chirac's wife, Bernadette, told the press that the little white dog had been "down in the dumps" since leaving the Elysée, where he once played in the presidential gardens with his best canine pal, a golden retriever named Scott, reports the Guardian.
Dogs can certainly suffer depression from a change in surroundings, Dr. Daniel Q. Estep, a certified animal behaviorist with Animal Behavior Associates in Littleton, CO, tells Paw Nation. But depressed dogs are much more likely to be lethargic or anxious rather than aggressive, he says. And, he added, attacks usually follow a specific trigger -- a frightened dog might snap if you reach down to grab his collar, for instance.
"A scenario where the president of France is sitting in his easy chair minding his own business, and the dog runs up and bites him because he's upset about having moved? That's not likely," Estep tells Paw Nation. "My bet is that something else motivated that aggressive response."
According to Estep, owners of aggressive dogs do have options besides banishing their pet. (Besides, he adds, good luck finding a farm willing to take a snarling pooch off your hands. "What farmer wants to have a dog who's biting people or chasing the other animals?" he asks.)
If you have a Sumo-esque biter on your hands, Estep suggests talking to a professional such as a vet, an applied animal behaviorist, or a trainer who has experience working with aggressive dogs. In many cases, he says, "there are behavior modification plans that the expert can put the dog through."
At least Sumo's story seems to have a happy ending. The dog is reportedly happy in his new home, and he hasn't unleashed his teeth since the move, reports BBC News. Still, we doubt any ex-presidents will be lining up to visit him on the farm.
