MOST COMMON BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS

This book is a practical help guide, in which solutions can be found for the most common behavioural problems in animals in order to improve their coexistence with and adaptation to the world around them (other animals, babies, children, their owners, their environment, etc.). However, it should never replace the work of vets, canine trainers, or behaviourists.

When an animal presents a behavioural problem, we must first take it to the vet in order to rule out the possibility that its behavioural changes may be rooted in a physical problem. In any therapy aimed to treat behavioural problems, we must always consider to what extent the owner or the environment is responsible for the animal’s anomalous behaviour. In this respect, guidelines from an behaviourist or canine trainer are essential for teaching owners not to humanize their animals’ feelings and to distinguish when the behaviour, although disturbing, is part of their intrinsic nature and when it is pathological. Therefore, close collaboration between vets, canine trainers and Bach Flower Therapists is essential to ensure that the correct solution to the animal’s behavioural problem is found.

In the following cases of aggressiveness, if the animal doesn’t show any sign of improvement after two to three weeks of treating it with a Flower formula at a minimum frequency of five times per day, I recommend adding Chestnut Bud (if it wasn’t included before) in order to boost the animal’s learning capacity and response towards the situation which causes the anomalous behaviour. If the frequency of the treatment is fewer than five times per day, you will need to be more patient and wait for longer before changing the composition of the formula. Another option, again if it wasn’t included in the formula, is to add Rock Water, the remedy responsible for making the subject overcome its resistance to change. Both Chestnut Bud and Rock Water could be added at the same time, depending on the therapist’s criteria.

An obstacle often encountered by a Flower Therapist when treating problematic behaviours in animals is the difficulty of administering the remedies at the right frequency. Many people who administer the remedy to their animals don’t have enough free time to comply with the recommended frequency for the treatment (i.e. a minimum of 4 drops, four times a day). Others forget a dose. This is the reason why we often recommend a frequency of four to five times per day, despite the fact that the problem to be treated requires a higher frequency – 4 drops, seven or eight times a day – especially at the beginning of the treatment. Even then, a frequency of four to five times per day may be difficult to keep to, as the majority of owners do not have enough free time. This means that sometimes the treatment takes longer to accomplish the desired results, whereas a higher frequency would solve the problem sooner. It is important to warn whoever is in charge of administering the treatment of this in advance, in order to avoid him or her abandoning it prematurely.

When facing a problem of aggressiveness, it is first advisable to go to a specialized professional (veterinarian, dog trainer, behaviourist) who will diagnose what type of aggressiveness the animal presents and the possible causes. Aggressiveness is a very complex behavioural problem that may have many different causes, and each one of them requires a different treatment.

The following are the most common types of aggressiveness that I have treated with Bach Flower Remedies.

5.1.1 Fear-induced aggressiveness

Fear-induced aggressiveness is usually directed towards any stimulus that creates fear or mistrust, including people, dogs, cats, other animals, and even objects. This uncomfortable situation, and not being able to escape from it, makes the animal react aggressively in order to defend itself and, depending on the dog, it may even bite, potentially causing serious injuries. The only thing the animal intends to do is ward off the fear-producing stimulus.

A dog that feels threatened will probably try to escape and, if unable to do so, will attack. Something similar may happen in the case of a frightened cat, but thanks to its agility and size the animal may be able to escape and not generate aggression, thus avoiding confrontation with the person or animal that has caused its fear. The situation becomes dangerous if the cat does not find a way out; pain and fear are very strong and important stimuli in triggering feline aggressiveness. This type of aggressiveness is the most common cause of bites and scratches from cats.

This formula should be administered at a rate of 4 drops, four to six or more times per day, depending on the level of aggressiveness of the animal, in direct application whenever possible.

5.1.2 Maternal aggressiveness

Female dogs develop this aggressiveness towards people and/or animals that get close to their puppies when they are a few days old. In general, this behaviour disappears one month after giving birth.

For this type of aggressiveness, a preventive treatment with Bach Flowers from approximately one month before to one month after delivery is recommended to regulate the hormone influence characteristic of this maternal period.

Any female who has just given birth protects her young. It is part of her maternal instinct. The problem arises when the female becomes afraid and overly mistrustful, not trusting those who approach what she feels is her own private property. She usually rejects visitors by establishing boundaries with signals of aggressiveness, and in some cases attacks them due to an out-of-control impulse that has the protection of her young as its main objective.

The following Bach Flowers should be considered for maternal aggressiveness:

Beech (intolerance and rejection) + Cherry Plum (lack of control, hysteria) + Chicory (possessiveness) + Holly (mistrust) + Rock Rose (panic) + Walnut (adaptation).

This formula should be administered at a rate of 4 drops, four to six or more times per day depending on the level of aggressiveness in the animal, in direct application whenever possible.

Territorial aggressiveness occurs when an intruder (human or animal) appears in the territory (house, garden, car, etc.) that the dog considers its own.

Cats also defend their territory. This behaviour is normal but becomes a behavioural problem when two or more cats live in the same house and direct the aggression at each other.

Possessive aggressiveness is induced when an animal tries to defend its food, toys or any other valuable objects (resource guarding), or tries to protect a person.

5.1.4 Secondary aggressiveness

This type of aggressiveness is a response to pain or illness. It usually occurs when we touch an area where the animal feels pain. For example, a dog with acute otitis may show aggressive behaviour if you touch its ear when you stroke its head.

Since this is a sporadic aggressive situation, it is important to treat the animal with Rescue Remedy as that will stabilize it rapidly in any specific stressful situation (e.g. treating and dressing wounds that cause the animal pain). It may also be helpful to add Cherry Plum and Star of Bethlehem, despite these already being included in the Rescue Remedy formula, because this aggressiveness stems from a physical traumatism and the animal usually responds in an uncontrolled manner to pain that is sensitive to touch.

The following Bach Flowers should be selected for secondary aggressiveness:

Rescue Remedy (emergency) + Cherry Plum (lack of control, hysteria) + Elm (pain sensitive to touch) + Star of Bethlehem (shock).

If the animal is of a fearful nature or it is scared as a result of the physical trauma it has experienced (e.g. being run over, a contusion, a bite from another animal, etc.), add Rock Rose (panic) to the formula above.

This formula should be administered at a rate of 4 drops, four to six or more times per day depending on the level of aggressiveness of the animal, in direct application whenever possible.

Feline social aggression is the type of aggressiveness that an adult cat directs towards a kitten that has recently joined its home. This behaviour originates from the fact that two felines don’t feel they belong to the same species if they are not in the same stage of development. This is what happens between a kitten and an adult, and this is a major problem if the two have to coexist in the same space.

A kitten has a gregarious social behaviour pattern until it reaches 8–12 months – the age at which kittens usually leave their mother to find their own territory and adopt the unsocial behaviour typical of adult male cats. When a kitten approaches an adult cat, the latter may attack the kitten because, according to the adult’s point of view, the kitten did not respect the basic feline laws of social, personal and critical distances.

Beech is the typological Bach Flower for cats and is also common to certain types of aggressiveness. It is important that the adult cat’s intolerance and rejection towards kittens be managed with Beech, and its aggressiveness due to jealousy towards kittens with Holly.

Cats have difficulty tolerating changes. Walnut and Rock Water can help a cat deal with the introduction of a kitten. Remember too that Chestnut Bud will help the cat to assimilate better the information from the other remedies contained in the formula.

The following Bach Flowers are used for treating feline social aggression:

Beech (intolerance) + Holly (jealousy) + Chestnut Bud (learning process) + Rock Water (resistance to change) + Walnut (adaptation).

This formula should be administered at a rate of 4 drops, four to six or more times per day depending on the level of aggressiveness of the animal, in direct application whenever possible.

5.2 Separation anxiety

This is a behavioural disorder characterized by signs of distress that occur when the dog is alone or separated from its owner. The signs to be observed include destruction of furniture, clothes, walls, doors and household items (destructive behaviour); neverending barking; inappropriate excretion (anxiety encourages the sphincters to open); and recurrent whining.

The animal’s behaviour is often different when it is accompanied from when it is alone. This behavioural problem, together with aggressiveness, is one of the main causes of animal abandonment.

The factors that trigger this type of anxiety are diverse. The most important ones include:

• Animals that are very affectionate and dependent on the owner. Often this behaviour is induced by the owner’s emotional needs.
  
• The type of bond between the dog and its owner.
  
• Returning to a state of solitude after a long period of coexistence with the owner, such as a weekend, trip, summer holiday, and so on.
  
• Recent adoptions. When moving from a shelter to a home, some animals experience anxiety for a few days. In the shelter they coexist with other animals and are never alone, whereas at home they are not always accompanied.

It is also necessary to treat the dogs, and if possible their owners, with Flower Remedies, thus reinforcing the work done by the canine education professional.

Bach Flowers selected to treat separation anxiety

The main aims of the Flower formula that treats separation anxiety are to lower the anxiety and stress level that the animal suffers when feeling lonely and deal with the physical manifestations that arise from this, such as hyperventilation, accelerating heartbeat, and so on. It is also necessary to regulate their need to be always in someone’s company and their excessive demands for attention.

My experience in treating separation anxiety has led me to include a remedy to treat phobia in the formula. Behind the anxiety lies an important component of phobia (fear) that is not always covered by the other remedies.

Agrimony (anxiety) + Impatiens (acceleration) + Sweet Chestnut (extreme anguish) + Vervain (over excitation, hyperactivity) + White Chestnut (repetition) + Chicory (possessiveness) + Heather (demanding attention) + Rock Rose (panic).

The canine trainer and Flower Therapist Antonio Paramio discovered that there are certain unbalanced behaviours in animals and the humans who live with them that are not the result of an adaptation problem (Walnut). Rather, these are problems of resistance to change (Rock Water) that stem from well-established behavioural patterns due to the age and experience of the animal. As Antonio Paramio (2009) says himself, if we add to this the fact that dogs are quite obsessive-compulsive in their behaviours and routines, the need to include this remedy is clear. All treatment is aimed at achieving behavioural change and, to accomplish this, it is necessary to eliminate the resistance to change.

In a talk he gave at the Active Fridays, one of the free activities organized by SEDIBAC (Society for the Study and Promotion of Bach Flower Remedies in Catalonia), Ricardo Orozco (2007) suggested the idea of administering Centaury (subjugation and dependency) to treat this type of conduct. Some people adopt a dog into their home to fulfil their own emotional needs, inducing in the animal an absolute dependence on them. Over time, this excessive dependence can become a behavioural problem. At present, Centaury is a remedy that is still under study in the treatment of this disorder.

5.3 Jealousy: A baby’s arrival

The owner’s pregnancy

If the animal has a behavioural problem before its owner’s pregnancy it must be corrected with the help of a professional (canine trainer or behaviourist). Any problem, however small it may seem, could get worse after the baby’s birth.

The Bach Flower Remedy treatment has to help the animal cope with jealousy, rejection and adaptation to the situation that is to come and foster the animal’s learning ability and assimilation of its new situation.

The following remedies should be considered when preparing an animal for the arrival of a baby:

Beech (intolerance, rejection) + Chicory (possessiveness) + Heather (demanding attention) + Holly (jealousy) + Vine (territoriality) + Chestnut Bud (learning process) + Rock Water (resistance to change) + Walnut (adaptation).

This formula should be administered at a rate of 4 drops, four to six or more times per day, in direct application whenever possible. It is advisable to continue with the treatment after the baby is born in order to help the animal to deal better with living with it.

The arrival of a baby

Add Willow to the formula instead of Chicory for a cat. Cats are likely to express dissatisfaction with the arrival of a new animal or baby in the family. Remember that they find it hard to adapt to change.

As time goes by, and when the baby grows and becomes a child, it will seek contact with the animal in order to play with it. The purpose and responsibility of parents is to teach their children that animals are not toys and that when they pull its ears, fur or tail the animal feels pain or stress and may respond with aggressiveness against these entirely negative stimuli. An animal will react much more positively to calm approaches and stroking.

5.4 Coprophagia

Coprophagia involves the ingestion of faeces by the animal, either its own or those of other animals or people. It is common in dogs and rarely occurs in cats.

In many cases this is due to a normal behaviour in the canine species. For example, female dogs eat faeces and urine from their puppies. There are adult dogs that eat the faeces of people or other animal species because of the high concentration of undigested proteins they contain. Thus coprophagia is not always a pathological behaviour, but rather a normal and ecological use of a food resource that is rich in protein and micronutrients, or it may simply reflect a vestigial instinct. However, some animals seek nutrients or micronutrients in the stools because they are lacking in vitamins and minerals, and this must be treated by a vet.

Sometimes an animal’s coprophagia may have to do with the number of times it is fed each day; if it is fed only once, it is possible that it will spend the rest of the day trying to make up for the absence of food through this unpleasant behaviour. The problem may be solved by feeding it twice a day.

There are three kinds of coprophagia. Autocoprophagia occurs when the animal eats its own excrement; intraspecific coprophagia occurs when the animal ingests the faecal material of an animal that belongs to the same species; and interspecific coprophagia happens when the animal eats the faeces of an animal belonging to another species.

An animal that eats its own faeces will not normally cause itself any physical harm, but if it eats the faeces of other animals it could catch intestinal parasites or a viral disease such as hepatitis and parvovirus, or even toxoplasmosis if the faeces come from a cat infected with the Toxoplasma gondii parasite.

An animal may behave in this way due to boredom or having learned it from another animal close to it. Sometimes this behaviour begins when the animal sees its owner pick up stools every time it goes for a walk and the dog imitates this by picking one up with its mouth and eating it. A dog that starts a coprophagic behaviour may discover that it likes the taste, especially if the faeces are from a cat.

The Flower procedure for treating coprophagia essentially has to cover aspects of anxiety, boredom and attention seeking. The following Bach Flowers should be considered for dealing with this behavioural disorder:

Agrimony (anxiety) + Heather (demanding attention) + Impatiens (anxiety) + Rescue Remedy (calming effect).

This formula should be administered at a rate of 4 drops, four to six or more times per day depending on the level of anxiety of the animal, in direct application whenever possible.

An animal’s sadness may be caused by a recent traumatic experience (e.g. the death of its owner or another animal that lived with it, being abandoned, etc.). Depression, however, is often related to a problem in its familiar environment. Often its owners do not pay it enough attention, they exclude it from family activities or it is left alone for long periods. This can cause boredom and apathy. Moreover, depression is caused by a lack of external stimuli such as games, petting and company, and in some cases by stress.

The Bach Flower Therapy treatment must address some of the various manifestations of a depressive syndrome (apathy, sadness, melancholy, etc.) depending in each case on what is being expressed by the animal that has to be treated. It is also important to consider and treat the cause that has led the animal to fall into a depression/depressive state.

Mustard (sadness), Honeysuckle (melancholy), Star of Bethlehem (trauma), Walnut (adaptation) and Gorse (giving up) are the remedies used to treat a dog that is sad because its owner has died. Some dogs spend long periods of time lying on the floor by the front door of the house, waiting for their owner to return. In rural areas there have been cases where the dog has spent hours lying in the entrance to the cemetery or place its owner was buried, without showing any interest in moving from the spot. These five remedies are also suitable for treating an animal that expresses sadness at the temporary or permanent absence of another animal that lived with it. If the animal also manifests a lack of energy, consider adding Olive (exhaustion) to the remedies mentioned above.

Gorse (giving up) + Mustard (sadness) + Star of Bethlehem (shock) + Walnut (adaptation) + remedies that consider the cause of its sadness (fear, death of a loved one, abandonment, etc.) + remedies to deal with other manifestations of its depressive state (apathy, exhaustion, melancholy).

This formula should be administered at a rate of 4 drops, four to six or more times per day depending on the case to be treated, in direct application whenever possible.

5.6 Defecation and urination in inappropriate places

Excretion in inappropriate places by both dogs and cats is a common reason for consultation. This disorder could be the result of some very different causes.

First, inappropriate excretion by felines and canines may be the manifestation of an organic disease, such as cystitis due to urinary crystals, stress or infection; joint pain (osteoarthritis or arthritis); or neurological deficiencies.

Second, in felines it can be caused by problems as simple as not having the litter box clean or having it in a place that the cat does not like, for example beside its food or water bowl or near to noisy household electrical appliances. Another cause can be that they are marking out their territory, in which case castration is often the solution. In 80–90 per cent of cases, inappropriate excretion is solved in this way, although there are some exceptional cases of cats that take months to correct this disorder.

Third, inappropriate excretion may the animal’s way of manifesting that there is a stressful situation in its environment.

Finally, if there is neither an organic nor a domestic cause to explain the inappropriate excretion, we recommend treating it with Bach Flowers.

Cats have a hard time tolerating changes. They may urinate on their owner’s bed or clothes when there is a house move or a change in partner, or simply when visitors prevent their owner from paying them enough attention. Beech (intolerance), Heather (demanding attention), Rock Water (resistance to change) and Walnut (adaptation) will be of great help in such situations. If the cat is of a possessive nature, also consider Chicory. If it is very territorial, consider Vine.

If the inappropriate excretion behaviour is due to the owner’s pregnancy (some cats hiss as well as urinating on clothes) or due to the arrival of a new animal to the house, add Holly (jealousy). It is advisable to continue treatment after the owner gives birth so that the animal can deal better with the arrival of the baby.

A cat may also excrete in inappropriate places when it spends many hours alone at home. In this case the same remedies as in the previous cases should be considered.

In many cats that I have treated with this behavioural problem, their disorder has not been fully resolved until the remedy Willow (resentment) was added to the formula, as the cat may be using this inappropriate behaviour to express resentment at a change in its environment.

It has been proved that certain medications, including anxiolytics, reduce this type of behaviour, which suggests that they must be influenced by states of anxiety or stress.

To treat inappropriate excretion behaviour you should consider the following Bach Flowers:

Beech (intolerance) + Chicory (possessiveness) + Heather (demanding attention) + Holly (anger) + Willow (resentment) + Walnut (adaptation).

5.8 Stress

Acute stress is an animal’s response to danger. In this situation, the brain triggers the secretion of a series of steroid hormones such as adrenalin and cortisol, which prepare a dog’s muscles to act vigorously, lower its reaction threshold and inhibit its rational functions. Thus the animal’s body prepares to flee or fight. This reaction is essential in threatening situations, but is a problem if repeated on a daily basis. Chronic stress occurs when an animal experiences a threatening situation continuously and the substances involved in the body’s response to that danger, by acting continuously, cause side effects in the animal due to excess cortisol in its organism. Consequently, the animal’s body is motionless and it experiences a low resistance to pain and a state of lethargy. Canine depressions are frequently associated with chronic stress.

The Flower treatment for an animal that has experienced a specific situation of acute stress (e.g. being run over by a car without significant physical consequences, a fight with another animal, a fall or a contusion, a loud noise, etc.) should include those remedies that help the animal deal with the post-traumatic panic after effects, and those that regulate its level of excitement.

It is very important, and I would say essential, to treat every animal that has suffered a specific stressful situation with Flower Remedies. This is not because they are unable to restore their internal balance by themselves – only two or three days are needed – but because usually when an animal suffers an external stress-triggering stimulus (an attack by another dog, a contusion, etc.) before it can recover calmly by itself, it receives a second external stimulus: its owners will usually go running to its aid to console it, thereby sending out a vibration of worry and sometimes fear that the animal interprets as ‘I am still in danger.’ The animal continues expressing fear (howling, running away, etc.) way beyond the incident and suffers an emotional breakdown. So, what could have been a minor incident becomes a Rock Rose + Star of Bethlehem trauma. In some cases, an untreated animal will find it hard to recover from the trauma if its owners take it for walks, as it will be frightened and alert to the possibility of another attack by another dog. These animals are very likely to suffer from chronic stress.

The treatment of an animal with this type of stress should last at least three months at a rate of 4 drops, four to six or more times per day, depending on the animal’s stress level.

5.9 Canine hyperactivity disorder

Canine hyperactivity disorder can be observed in the early stages of the dog’s development. This is the case of the puppy that, having an ‘unlimited curiosity’, investigates and chews everything within its reach. In short, it is discovering the world (smells, tastes, textures) and plays, runs, etc. Animals whose owners do not always use the same commands or do not use positive reinforcement, as well as those animals that exercise excessively, such as running and chasing the ball too much, are also at risk of suffering from canine hyperactivity.

The manifestations most commonly observed in acute canine hyperactivity disorder are: excessive nervous energy, fast heartbeat, increased breathing rate, attention deficit, salivation, constant movements and relentless barking. All these manifestations are symptoms associated with stress.

The high levels of overexcitement involved in canine hyperactivity can be treated with Vervain (overexcitement) and White Chestnut (accelerated repetition). The acceleration and anxiety present in most cases are treated with Impatiens (acceleration) and Agrimony (anxiety). In the most severe cases it is also recommended that Rescue Remedy (emergency) be added to the formula in order to stabilize the animal more quickly.

The Bach Flowers that must be considered in the treatment of canine hyperactivity disorder are as follows:

This formula will be administered at a rate of 4 drops, four to six or more times per day depending on the case to be treated, in direct application whenever possible.

It is not easy to administer the remedies directly into the mouth of some hyperactive animals; they move around a lot and some may even respond aggressively. In these cases you should administer the formula indirectly, despite the fact that this is not as effective as direct application.

5.10 Canine and feline filial imprinting

Imprinting is a biological learning process through which the offspring identify themselves with the adults of their own species. Observing and imitating the adults, they learn the various methods of survival, such as finding food and shelter, and models of defence, attack (learnt through play), coexistence, mating, and so on. In dogs and cats this process occurs in a period ranging from birth to three months of age.

A young animal that does not receive this essential imprinting will not learn from its mother the codes and signs it will need as an adult to interpret correctly the language and movements of other animals of the same species. This inability to interpret another animal of the same species correctly may lead to a negative reaction, including even aggressiveness or fear.

Whenever possible it is of the utmost importance to keep the young animal with its mother for at least the first four months of its life.

5.11.1 Noise-induced: parties and fireworks, storms, etc.

This is the fear and/or traumatic panic experienced by an animal as a result of an external loud noise that causes it great stress. The panic is repeated each time the animal is subject to the same or a similar noise. It is therefore recommended, and I would say essential, that the animal that has suffered this type of shocktrauma should receive preventive treatment whenever there is a celebration accompanied by fireworks in the town or city where it lives. It is enough to begin treatment a week in advance at a rate of 4 drops, four to six times per day. During the day before and the day of the celebration the formula should be administered at high frequency, every five minutes if the animal needs it and the owner’s timetable allows it. Finally, the treatment should be maintained for two to three days after the stressful situation has come to an end.

The following Bach Flowers treat noise-induced fear and traumatic panic:

Rock Rose (panic) + Star of Bethlehem (trauma, shock) + Sweet Chestnut (extreme anguish) + Rescue Remedy (emergency).

Administer the formula in direct application.

There are animals which, when confronted with a loud noise, and in addition to expressing a phobia (approaching the owner seeking protection, not wanting to go outside, etc.), start to get very nervous and anxious, experiencing a significant stress level. In these cases Vervain (overexcitement) and/or White Chestnut (repetition) and/or Impatiens (acceleration) should be added to its formula; choose one or more of these remedies depending on the animal’s stress level.

It is believed that cats with idiopathic cystitis may have a lower quantity of glycosaminoglycans in their bladder mucosa, a situation that predisposes them to be irritated by the action of the substances that are dissolved in the urine. In addition, it appears that any stress cats suffer, which may be caused by any change in their familiar environment, also increases the risk of a stress-related condition, such as a urine infection.

These animals, once adopted, continue to live in panic, even if they have a home and a family that cares for them. Moreover, if they are not treated they have a hard time trusting people; even when a familiar person approaches to pet them, they hide, seeking protection, or adopt a posture that indicates fear.

It is recommended that the animal that has been mistreated and/or abandoned be treated with the following Bach Flowers:

Rock Rose (panic) + Star of Bethlehem (shock, trauma) + Sweet Chestnut (extreme anguish) + Gorse (giving up) + Olive (exhaustion) + Walnut (adaptation).

This formula should be administered at first at a rate of 4 drops, four to six times a day in direct application for at least one month. The rate should then be 4 drops, four times a day for at least five more months.

In cases of this problem that have been treated, it has been proved that animals most often need a minimum of six months’ treatment to begin to trust the people around them again. After being treated for two to three weeks with the above formula, many of the animals that initially manifested fear began to express their true nature or way of being that was concealed under the layer of traumatic panic. Some turned out to be possessive, and so Chicory needed to be added to the formula. Others were very attention-seeking, so Heather was added. Others were very territorial and required the Vine remedy. Others showed signs of aggressiveness, so Holly, Beech and Cherry Plum were added. Finally, others showed that beneath the panic resulting from mistreatment and/or abandonment, they already had a fearful nature. In all of these cases the formula mentioned above (plus the remedies required in each case) was administered for at least six months.

Rock Rose is the main remedy used to treat an animal of a fearful nature. There are dogs of a Rock Rose nature that approach or hide behind their owner for protection even though they are not experiencing an imminent danger. Find out whether these animals were found on the street and may have experienced a situation of mistreatment before being abandoned.

In animals of this character type that have experienced situations of sustained stress, it is recommended that the action of Rock Rose be reinforced with the Star of Bethlehem remedy. It is also advised that Olive be administered in order to treat the exhaustion that the chronic stress has caused.

The Bach Flowers selected for this type of animal are as follows:

Rock Rose (panic) + Olive (exhaustion) + Star of Bethlehem (if the animal has been mistreated, abandoned or run over).

This formula should be administered in direct application at a rate of 4 drops, four times per day for a three to six-month period.

Animals that show no signs of improvement after a month of treatment with the formula mentioned above will also need Chestnut Bud (learning process) and Rock Water (resistance to change) in their formula.

5.11.5 The preoperative and postoperative periods/visits to the veterinarian

Some animals get stressed when they have to go to the vet. Some even show signs of stress every time they pass near the door of the vet’s surgery.

To help an animal that gets stressed in this situation, we recommend treating it with Flower Remedies one week before its visit to the vet. The same applies when the animal has to undergo surgery and during the postoperative period.

The Bach Flowers that should be selected in these situations are as follows:

Rescue Remedy (emergency) + Rock Rose (panic) + Star of Bethlehem (shock, trauma) + Sweet Chestnut (extreme anguish) + Walnut (adaptation).

This formula should be administered at a rate of 4 drops, four times per day in direct application, five days before the visit to the vet or an operation. The day before the stressful situation, add Olive to the formula, at a rate of 4 drops, eight to ten times per day. On the day of the vet visit or operation, apply the formula at a high frequency, 4 drops every half hour, and maintain this treatment for three more days at a frequency of four times per day.

People who do not have the complete set of Bach Flowers with which to develop their own formulas, and therefore must buy them at a pharmacy or a specialized store, can initially buy a formula that includes the above remedies plus Olive.

5.11.6 Travel

It is advisable to get a dog used to travelling by car from when it is a puppy. However, if the dog is already an adult and is stressed by travelling, we recommend treating it with Flower Remedies. Most animals affected by travelling hyperventilate and some even vomit.

If the journey is short (no longer than an hour), prepare the animal by administering 4 drops every 15 minutes for an hour before leaving home, 4 drops just before getting into the car or other means of transport, and 4 drops at the end of the journey.

The Bach Flower formula recommended in these cases is the same as for visits to the vet and pre- and postoperative periods:

Rescue Remedy (emergency) + Rock Rose (panic) + Star of Bethlehem (shock, trauma) + Sweet Chestnut (extreme anguish) + Olive (exhaustion) + Walnut (adaptation).

For animals that feel sick and vomit when they travel by car or other means of transport, add Scleranthus (instability) and Cherry Plum (lack of control) to the above formula instead of Rock Rose and Star of Bethlehem.

5.12 Pseudocyesis (psychological pregnancy)

This behaviour only occurs in female dogs and is a consequence of the type of evolution that the canine species has experienced. The dog is a descendant of the wolf and has inherited behaviours that have been passed on genetically. The wolf lives in herds composed of several females and one dominant male. The male is responsible for hunting and propagating the species by mating with the females of the group, while the females alternate hunting with taking care of their cubs.

Nature has provided the females of the canine species with the capacity to undergo pseudopregnancies, because when they go to find their own food, they delegate the nursing of their own young to other females of the same herd and this generates fictitious pregnancies in some of them.

A female dog with pseudopregnancy is hypersensitive, nervous and manifests changes in her appetite. It is usual for her to adopt a toy, pillow or shoe as a puppy. She may even imitate giving it food and warmth and become aggressive if an attempt is made to take it away.

Normally the pseudopregnancy occurs within two months after the female is in heat. As a preventive measure, the dog should be treated with the formula quoted below for approximately ten days after she is in heat, at a rate of 4 drops, four times per day.

The Bach Flowers recommended in the treatment of pseudocyesis are:

Chestnut Bud (learning process) + Chicory (possessiveness of space, owner, objects, etc.) + Heather (demanding attention) + Red Chestnut (detachment) + Walnut (adaptation) + Rescue Remedy (if the dog is very restless) + Holly (if she shows signs of aggressiveness).

Depending on the case being treated, this formula should be administered at a rate of 4 drops, four to six or more times per day, in direct application whenever possible.

5.13 Socialization

5.13.1 Canine socialization

The socialization period comes approximately between the fourth and sixteenth week of an animal’s life and is of vital importance, marking how it interacts with other animals and people for the rest of its life.

During this period the puppy shows an exceptional predisposition to learn and assimilate everything that happens around it. Between the sixth and eighth week of life the patterns that generate fear start, which the animal can perceive in a positive, negative or neutral way.

Bach Flowers can help the animal that hasn’t gone through the socialization process and complement the work of the professional who will teach it those socialization guidelines.

In order to treat these cases we need to consider the remedies that relate to learning issues. The actions of Chestnut Bud (learning process), Rock Water (resistance to change) and Walnut (adaptation) are essential tools for the canine trainer, behaviourist and Bach Flower Therapist. These remedies allow the animal to register new behavioural guidelines more quickly and assimilate the information received from the rest of the Flower formula’s components more easily. An animal that is unable to socialize properly should also be administered Vervain, a remedy which will enhance its exploratory capabilities. These four remedies should be administered along with those that deal with the negative responses or anomalous behavioural patterns that the animal manifests towards another animal or human. Remember that to enhance learning capabilities we can also consider Cerato (trust and self-confidence), Clematis (facilitates attention) and Larch (disability).

The following Bach Flowers are recommended for treating canine lack of socialization:

Chestnut Bud (learning process) + Rock Water (resistance to change) + Walnut (adaptation) + Vervain (exploratory capacity) + remedies that deal with the symptoms of lack of socialization.

Depending on the animal this formula should be administered at a rate of 4 drops, four to six times per day, for at least one month, in direct application if the animal shows no signs of aggressiveness.

As in the case of dogs, it is also very important for cats to experience a proper socialization period in order to prevent possible behavioural problems as adults. During the first months of life, the cat develops and establishes its character and learns the behavioural patterns that will be necessary for it to establish peaceful relationships with other animals and humans.

Studies on feline behaviour show that a part of the psychomotor development of a cat begins before birth and has a strong genetic component, especially with regard to socialization with humans. Despite this, it is essential to educate it during the first six months of life. Educating an adult animal is possible but is more difficult and the success of the learning process would depend on its temperament and the teaching skills of the person in charge of educating it. Therefore, it is recommended that you seek the advice, assistance or services of a vet or feline behaviourist and treat the cat with a formula of Flower Remedies that work in synergy with the new guidelines it will receive.

To treat a cat’s lack of socialization it is recommended that you use the formula that treats a dog’s lack of socialization plus Beech, a remedy common to many cats, especially if the cat has to live with children or other animals.

A cat will often see a child as different from an adult. A child makes much more noise, treats the cat roughly and sometimes bothers it instead of playing. This obviously does not help the coexistence between the two of them.

The following Bach Flowers are recommended for treating feline lack of socialization:

Beech (intolerance) + Chestnut Bud (learning process) + Rock Water (resistance to change) + Walnut (adaptation) + Vervain (exploratory capacity) + remedies that consider the cat’s character + remedies that treat the negative symptoms of lack of socialization at an early age.