The role of paradoxical interspecific
communication in the development of family-pack hierarchical instabilities (abstract)
© Dr. Joël Dehasse, behaviorist veterinarian, Brussels, Belgium
Proceedings of the First International Conference on Veterinary Behavioural Medicine,
ESVCE & CABTSG, Birmingham, UK, April 1 & 2, 1997, pp. 52-57
This version loaded 20 April 1997 (modified 25 Dec. 2001)
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©Dr Joël Dehasse
3 avenue du Cosmonaute,
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Full text
A hierarchical instability in a
family-pack with the production of canine competitive,
irritation and territorial aggression and the dog having
access to dominance privileges has been called in France and
French-speaking Belgium a "sociopathy". This is a
pathology of the communications inside an interspecific
system consisting of the family members and the dog (hence
the name family-pack).
The paradoxical communication (double
bind) is emitted by the owners. The paradox resides in the
opposition of cognitive and affective communications, for
example an order to be obeyed asked with an expression of
fear (like the upper part of the body bending slightly
backward). The two communications are expressed in the
verbal conditioning queries and the affective involuntary
paraverbal attitudes in the same person. The communication
is losing sense. The dog is more sensitive to analogical
communication and is not fooled by the verbal orders. The
communication is not or badly ritualised and causes anxiety.
The double-bind may also be triggered by a
false belief or a misunderstanding of the communication
proposal by the dog: a lying-down-on-the-back posture to ask
for caresses is misunderstood for submission when the dog is
expressing a dominant behaviour; if still caressed after a
misunderstood demand to stop the contact (tense posture) the
dog may express irritation aggression that is once again
misunderstood as unpredictable voluntary hostile behaviour.
The double bind may be emitted by the same
person or by two separate owners (split up double bind). The
double bind is causing intermittent anxiety. The tolerance
for the dog having dominant privileges may lead to partial
unstable dominance. The continual challenge of the dog's
dominant privileges may lead to aggression. The rewarding
effects of aggression may lead to hyperaggression.
The treatment is global (systemic):
clarification and ritualisation of the communications -
suppression of the access to dominant privileges - use of
drugs able to alleviate anxiety, reduce aggression and
facilitate learning: mood regulatory drugs like selegiline
or carbamazepine, anti-anxiety drugs like clomipramine,
anti-aggressive drugs like risperidone.
Dr Joël Dehasse
Behaviorist veterinarian
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