Don't Blame The Breed

Betty is sweet, cuddly, and happy, until someone picks up a towel, broom, vacuum, or laundry basket. In this episode of Better Human Better Dog, everything changes. Her eyes lock in, her body stiffens, and she goes into a dangerous fixation that Will and Steven cannot interrupt. They thought Betty was only attacking objects, not people. But when a dog bites the object in your hand, the risk is still real. When I meet Betty, I see that this is not just a strange cleaning problem. Her pet parents are unknowingly building the behavior. Excited greetings put Betty into a heightened state of mind. Then, when the broom or towel appears, they pull it away, create a tug-of-war, and comfort her afterward. Without realizing it, they are rewarding the fixation they want to stop. Betty's brother Bruno shows the difference. He is also a pit mix, but he is more balanced. When Betty becomes fixated, Bruno tries to interrupt her instinctively. But Betty is too deep in the trance to receive his correction.