Every next person I hear about seems to have a behaviourist for their dog. Is it just a fashionable thing to do (like people in the US always seem to have therapists :)) or are our dogs so much more stressed out than they used to be in the past?

I don't remember behaviourists even being around 10/15 years ago, although I'm sure there were a few.

Were people just more sensible and dog aware in the past or have temperaments of the dogs deteriorated?

never had one for  my dogs but can think of a few kids where i live that need one alright :-)

>Were people just more sensible and dog aware in the past or have temperaments of the dogs deteriorated?

Partly your first suggestion, and partly that the world has changed and become less tlerant and in tune with nature. Dog behaviour hasn't changed, but people now expect dogs to behave like people, not dogs, without allowing them to experience all that people do. Of course this is incredibly unfair to dogs, who are now forbidden to go in many places where humans go because they don't behave 'properly' - they don't behave 'properly' there because they're not usually allowed there and they're alive and reactive so it's all exciting so they don't act like stuffed robotic toys. It's a vicious circle.

never had one for  my dogs but can think of a few kids where i live that need one alright

Could not agree more - could think of something else to -----May be another member of this fourm (sorry) could not resist

> people now expect dogs to behave like people, not dogs

Isn't that the truth!

Years ago, or even not so long ago.. our dogs accompanied us wherever we went.. dogs were accepted in shops, banks, post office..(in small towns like mine, they still are :-) ) .. so they were very much more socialised, and it was an ongoing training adventure.. I think puppies were trained quicker because of the social aspect.. and the behaviour was not of excitement because they met someone, or some dog once a week, and went overboard with unnacceptable behaviour.. dogs played in the park with children and with each other, because we took them everyday.. parents took their children to the park,, and we chatted.. we passed the time of day with people.. not scurrying past. 

Now.. we rarely see children playing the in the parks.. dogs are not able to socialise, we are very restricted on where we are allowed to take them..

Behaviour has not changed.. how we percieve them and how we react to them .. has..

15years ago.. not everyone was a 2 car family.. so we didnt drive the dogs to the country, we began the walk at the front door,

While we all bang on about early socialisation in puppies, we tend to forget that being sociable is an ongoing thing.. and after a few weeks of being 'countrified', we wonder why the dogs get all excited and go on a 'whooopppeee' mission when they meet another human being or dog..

Although I have to admit that not only does Ollie (AKA Spawn of Satan) need a behaviouritst.. he also needs a phsycologist, phsychiatrist, straightjacket and rubber mallet :-)

I think one of the biggest changes is lifestyle in the sense that often now 2 people go out to work and the dog is left alone for many hours.
This can cause problem behaviours in cluding separation related problems (this is in fact a natural behaviour if you look at it from an ethological perspective) and attention seeking when tired owners do finally get home, and so on.

Also people often expect a lot of their dogs, more than they would people.

Lindsay
x

ok  I put my hands up I am one of those that has used a behaviourist !. No idea why this time was different  with my dog. As some will know this is my 3rd dog or 4th if you count my daughters pom/chi who I also have and the first that I just have not been able to sort out myself. Dont think i am doing much different to before, I may be more sensitive to his behaviour because as the years have gone by I think people's expectations of what is acceptable is possibly different and also people are maybe more wary of dogs now and in particular some breeds my gsd being one of them. 
Any problems I may have had with my other dogs I sorted or built stratergies to manage didn't even think further than training classes. Didin't even know that behaviourists existed
 

I also think that tolerance levels have decreased.  If you go onto many other dog or pet forums, they will be filled with indignant posts about "ignorant owners" and "ill-mannered dogs" and stupid, irresponsible people.

I would hate to be labelled as one of those people.  I mentioned on a different forum that a year or so ago - when my dog was 99% reliable with other dogs, sadly she isn't anymore - she spent much of her time off-lead.  She had a good recall and wasn't aggressive (at that time), and if another walker had their dog on a lead, then I would put mine on hers.  But I was blasted for being irresponsible, because she was only 99% and not 100%.

I got involved in a heated debate about the difference between people who train their dogs for competition obedience, and average family dog-owners who just wanted to walk their dogs without having to sign up a solicitor in case anything happened.  A dog is a dog is a dog, right, you can't expect 100% perfection 100% of the time, otherwise none of us would ever go out for heavens sake.

I got on the wrong side of a few poeple then, I can tell you.  I suggested that they were being intolerant, unreasonable "dog snobs".  Anyway, the point of all this is to say that, I believe part of the reason we turn to classes and trainers is that is considered more socially acceptable to have a well-mannered, well trained dog, than to fly by the seat of your pants and hope for the best, in the knowledge that dogs are dogs, people are people, and occasionally things don't go to plan.

There is also far more media coverage about Dangerous Dogs, and more publicity about staying in control and being responsible - because if trusty Fido growls a bit when playing with a tug toy, he is only a step away from tearing a child to shreds.  Hence we all need trainers.........

You've all come up with such a vast array of reasons - I agree with them all.  We need to make sure we take time to 'Smell the roses' and let our dogs, and kids, do the same.  I also think that the Health and Safety madness has taken over so that we are constantly on the defensive rather than trying to sort things out between ourselves and accept that none of us is perfect - and neither are our dogs [except mine of course LOL]