Miscellaneous Interests
Articles courtesy of The Whole Dog Journal
Tips on Stopping a Loose Dog from Approaching You
5 things to do if you encounter an off-leash or stray dog when walking your own dog on a leash.
It’s the stuff of nightmares: You and your dog are enjoying a walk through the neighborhood when all of a sudden, you spot an unaccompanied canine rounding the corner and heading your way. It can turn into a bad scene even if you and your dog are both young, healthy, and your dog is confident and well socialized. But what if your or your dog is frail or fearful? What if you’ve spent months trying to rehabilitate a dog whose is extremely reactive to other dogs?
Being approached by loose dogs, especially when my dogs are on leash, is my least-favorite experience as a dog owner. When we’re walking in a public place, such as a beach or park, I can usually identify the owner and ask that he please wrangle his dog. Of course, this request may be met with varying responses, ranging from appropriately apologetic for their dog having invaded our space, to accusatory, suggesting I am the problem for not allowing my dogs to roam free and socialize. But as uncomfortable as it may be to deal with unpleasant dog owners, it can be even worse to deal with a loose dog whose owner is nowhere in sight!
While every situation is different, conducting an on-the-spot risk assessment and having a mental list of possible tactics can boost your confidence and help you make clear-headed decisions when every second counts...Read More...
-By Stephanie Colman
It’s the stuff of nightmares: You and your dog are enjoying a walk through the neighborhood when all of a sudden, you spot an unaccompanied canine rounding the corner and heading your way. It can turn into a bad scene even if you and your dog are both young, healthy, and your dog is confident and well socialized. But what if your or your dog is frail or fearful? What if you’ve spent months trying to rehabilitate a dog whose is extremely reactive to other dogs?
Being approached by loose dogs, especially when my dogs are on leash, is my least-favorite experience as a dog owner. When we’re walking in a public place, such as a beach or park, I can usually identify the owner and ask that he please wrangle his dog. Of course, this request may be met with varying responses, ranging from appropriately apologetic for their dog having invaded our space, to accusatory, suggesting I am the problem for not allowing my dogs to roam free and socialize. But as uncomfortable as it may be to deal with unpleasant dog owners, it can be even worse to deal with a loose dog whose owner is nowhere in sight!
While every situation is different, conducting an on-the-spot risk assessment and having a mental list of possible tactics can boost your confidence and help you make clear-headed decisions when every second counts...Read More...
-By Stephanie Colman
Ready to Adopt? But Do You Know Which Dog is Best?
You've determined the source from which you want to acquire your next dog, or at least identified which sources are the most likely candidates for you. The next question is how. How do you decide which dog is the right one?
Let's assume the family has come to agreement about breed, or at least variables like size and type. If you're purchasing a pup from a responsible breeder, she will guide you in selecting the best pup for your circumstances and dog-owning goals. If you want to show or compete, she'll have a good idea which of her pups are best suited for that. If you want a family companion, she'll identify which pups in the litter are best suited for that role.
On the other hand, if she thinks your situation is totally unsuited for her breed - an active Border Collie or vocal Sheltie in a small apartment - she'll tell you that too, and then decline to sell you a puppy. Take her advice to heart, rethink your adoption choice, and don't just go get a puppy of the same breed from a less responsible source.
If you're adopting from a good shelter or rescue, they will already have performed behavior assessments on your pool of prospective adoption choices, and will help you make an educated selection. If you're doing a private adoption or looking to a group that doesn't assess, you'll want to do your own assessment to explore a few behaviors before you adopt. Ideally, you will share your home with your new dog for the next 10 or more years, so make sure he's the dog you really, really want, not one you just felt really sorry for at the shelter.
If you are a novice dog owner, we recommend taking along a more knowledgeable friend, or a behavior/training professional who offers pet selection services, to help you with your decision. If you are reasonably knowledgeable about dogs and dog behavior, you should be able to determine at least some basic important qualities about your prospective adoptee on your own.
Things to look for include:
- Does the dog happily approach to greet you? A fearful dog is probably not well-socialized, and it will take a lot of work (behavior modification) to help him become "normal." Love is not enough! Unless you are very skilled in training and behavior and ready to commit to a significant behavior modification program, we suggest you resist the temptation to rescue a shy dog, and instead adopt a friendly one. Friendly dogs need homes, too!
- Does the dog play well? He may or may not play with toys (some dogs need to be taught how to play with toys), but will he follow you and romp a little with you? Does he get too aroused while playing, mouthing you, jumping on you, and unwilling to calm down when you're ready to stop? Does he have a playful world view, or does he seem very serious? Again, a playful dog will be easier to train and bond with; a serious one may be more challenging to motivate and interact with.
- Is he easily aroused? Most pups bite some, as they explore their world with their mouths. But adolescent dogs and adults should have learned that putting teeth on humans isn't acceptable behavior. If the dog in question gets over-aroused easily, to the point of hard biting, non-stop biting, biting clothes, or growling, snapping, and snarling, he's a good one to avoid.
- If the dog will take treats, can you get him to sit? Put the treat right at the end of his nose, and slowly move it back over his head. If he jumps up to get it, whisk it out of sight for a second, then try again. When he sits, say "Yes!" and feed him a bit of the treat, then try again. If he starts offering sits for your treat after a few repetitions, you have a solid-gold winner. If it's difficult to get him to sit, and/or he doesn't seem to get the idea after several repetitions, he'll be a more challenging dog to train.
- Try holding him close and looking at his teeth a few times in a row, then (carefully!) hugging him. If he resists restraint and becomes aroused, pulling away from you, perhaps even using his teeth, he probably won't be a warm, cuddly dog - which is fine if that's not what you want. Probably not a good choice for kids, though, who tend to want a lot of physical contact with their canine pals.
- Speaking of kids, the dog will need to meet any human youngsters in your immediate family, and should absolutely adore them. Any reluctance on the dog's part to engage with the kids should rule him out as an adoption prospect. Dogs who live with kids need to love them, not just tolerate them. You should also introduce your adoption prospect to any dogs you currently own before making a final commitment to adopt. Again, ideally you'll see joyful acceptance on both sides of the canine equation. Anything less is a sign that behavior work might be necessary to keep peace in the pack.
Let's assume the family has come to agreement about breed, or at least variables like size and type. If you're purchasing a pup from a responsible breeder, she will guide you in selecting the best pup for your circumstances and dog-owning goals. If you want to show or compete, she'll have a good idea which of her pups are best suited for that. If you want a family companion, she'll identify which pups in the litter are best suited for that role.
On the other hand, if she thinks your situation is totally unsuited for her breed - an active Border Collie or vocal Sheltie in a small apartment - she'll tell you that too, and then decline to sell you a puppy. Take her advice to heart, rethink your adoption choice, and don't just go get a puppy of the same breed from a less responsible source.
If you're adopting from a good shelter or rescue, they will already have performed behavior assessments on your pool of prospective adoption choices, and will help you make an educated selection. If you're doing a private adoption or looking to a group that doesn't assess, you'll want to do your own assessment to explore a few behaviors before you adopt. Ideally, you will share your home with your new dog for the next 10 or more years, so make sure he's the dog you really, really want, not one you just felt really sorry for at the shelter.
If you are a novice dog owner, we recommend taking along a more knowledgeable friend, or a behavior/training professional who offers pet selection services, to help you with your decision. If you are reasonably knowledgeable about dogs and dog behavior, you should be able to determine at least some basic important qualities about your prospective adoptee on your own.
Things to look for include:
- Does the dog happily approach to greet you? A fearful dog is probably not well-socialized, and it will take a lot of work (behavior modification) to help him become "normal." Love is not enough! Unless you are very skilled in training and behavior and ready to commit to a significant behavior modification program, we suggest you resist the temptation to rescue a shy dog, and instead adopt a friendly one. Friendly dogs need homes, too!
- Does the dog play well? He may or may not play with toys (some dogs need to be taught how to play with toys), but will he follow you and romp a little with you? Does he get too aroused while playing, mouthing you, jumping on you, and unwilling to calm down when you're ready to stop? Does he have a playful world view, or does he seem very serious? Again, a playful dog will be easier to train and bond with; a serious one may be more challenging to motivate and interact with.
- Is he easily aroused? Most pups bite some, as they explore their world with their mouths. But adolescent dogs and adults should have learned that putting teeth on humans isn't acceptable behavior. If the dog in question gets over-aroused easily, to the point of hard biting, non-stop biting, biting clothes, or growling, snapping, and snarling, he's a good one to avoid.
- If the dog will take treats, can you get him to sit? Put the treat right at the end of his nose, and slowly move it back over his head. If he jumps up to get it, whisk it out of sight for a second, then try again. When he sits, say "Yes!" and feed him a bit of the treat, then try again. If he starts offering sits for your treat after a few repetitions, you have a solid-gold winner. If it's difficult to get him to sit, and/or he doesn't seem to get the idea after several repetitions, he'll be a more challenging dog to train.
- Try holding him close and looking at his teeth a few times in a row, then (carefully!) hugging him. If he resists restraint and becomes aroused, pulling away from you, perhaps even using his teeth, he probably won't be a warm, cuddly dog - which is fine if that's not what you want. Probably not a good choice for kids, though, who tend to want a lot of physical contact with their canine pals.
- Speaking of kids, the dog will need to meet any human youngsters in your immediate family, and should absolutely adore them. Any reluctance on the dog's part to engage with the kids should rule him out as an adoption prospect. Dogs who live with kids need to love them, not just tolerate them. You should also introduce your adoption prospect to any dogs you currently own before making a final commitment to adopt. Again, ideally you'll see joyful acceptance on both sides of the canine equation. Anything less is a sign that behavior work might be necessary to keep peace in the pack.
When a Beloved Pet Dies
There’s no getting over Rover.
Losing a pet is devastating – our beloved Mugsy was euthanized a month ago. We cried like babies, overwhelmed with grief, despondent that our 12-year-old red poodle wasn’t coming home ever again.
Mugsy wasn’t your ordinary dog, and our hearts are broken. Other pet owners can empathize –“your own pet is never ‘just a dog,’” says Dr. Frank McAndrew, psychology professor at Knox College and blogger in pyschologytoday.com. He had his dog Murphy put down in January.
Our affections are never objective when it comes to pets. Losing a dog can be harder than losing a relative or friend. “We have more contact with our pets than with most other human and our relationships with dogs can be even more satisfying than our human relationships,” says McAndrew. “They are a companion who does not judge us as well as an integral part of our daily routine.”
We’re lost without them and grieve the end of the unconditional positive feedback, the emotional comfort. There’s little in terms of societal rituals to help get us through the grief. “Recognize that your feelings are normal and that there is nothing to be embarrassed about,” adds McAndrew ...Read More...
- JOANNE RICHARD, SPECIAL TO POSTMEDIA NETWORK, Aug 10, 2017
Losing a pet is devastating – our beloved Mugsy was euthanized a month ago. We cried like babies, overwhelmed with grief, despondent that our 12-year-old red poodle wasn’t coming home ever again.
Mugsy wasn’t your ordinary dog, and our hearts are broken. Other pet owners can empathize –“your own pet is never ‘just a dog,’” says Dr. Frank McAndrew, psychology professor at Knox College and blogger in pyschologytoday.com. He had his dog Murphy put down in January.
Our affections are never objective when it comes to pets. Losing a dog can be harder than losing a relative or friend. “We have more contact with our pets than with most other human and our relationships with dogs can be even more satisfying than our human relationships,” says McAndrew. “They are a companion who does not judge us as well as an integral part of our daily routine.”
We’re lost without them and grieve the end of the unconditional positive feedback, the emotional comfort. There’s little in terms of societal rituals to help get us through the grief. “Recognize that your feelings are normal and that there is nothing to be embarrassed about,” adds McAndrew ...Read More...
- JOANNE RICHARD, SPECIAL TO POSTMEDIA NETWORK, Aug 10, 2017
Breaking Up Dog Fights
There is no golden standard for breaking up a dogfight, but there are as many opinions as there are dog owners. My recommendation is to try a sudden aversive, such as a loud noise near the combatants as a first line of defense. Bang pots and pans or steel water dishes together while yelling. Cease the instant the dogs disengage.
If this doesn't work (try for two or three seconds, then move on), the two most experienced people, wearing the animal control gloves, will each pull one dog off as follows:
If this doesn't work, use citronella and, if that doesn't work, pepper spray. Other people present should be securing all dogs not involved in the fight.
The very last resort to consider is pulling dogs out by their collars or necks. This is because of the significant risk of an accidental or re-directed bite. This risk is even greater if you are without gloves, which offer some protection. Many of the worst bites are sustained putting hands into fights.
- Excerpted from Jean Donaldson's book Fight!
If this doesn't work (try for two or three seconds, then move on), the two most experienced people, wearing the animal control gloves, will each pull one dog off as follows:
- Grip the base of the tail where it joins the body
- Pull both dogs simultaneously quickly out and up, raising the rear quarters off the ground
If this doesn't work, use citronella and, if that doesn't work, pepper spray. Other people present should be securing all dogs not involved in the fight.
The very last resort to consider is pulling dogs out by their collars or necks. This is because of the significant risk of an accidental or re-directed bite. This risk is even greater if you are without gloves, which offer some protection. Many of the worst bites are sustained putting hands into fights.
- Excerpted from Jean Donaldson's book Fight!
5 Things to do When You Find a Stray Dog
There is nothing like the moment when a microchip ID is located in a dog.
Stay calm and use this checklist to properly deal with a stray pet.
I don’t know a single dog owner who hasn’t, at some point (or quite frequently), spent an inordinate amount of time trying to capture a stray or lost dog. I know I’ve caught more than my share in the small town, or its rural surroundings, where I’ve lived for the past five years. I’ve caught burr-covered, obviously lost hunting dogs; dogs whose injuries suggested they’d tumbled from the back of a truck; as well as some fluffy little lap-escapees who looked like they were just out for an adventure.
If the dog is wearing a collar and tags with current contact information for his owner, you’re in luck – and the rest of the information in this article isn’t relevant. But out of maybe 20 dogs I’ve scooped up in the past five years, exactly one was wearing a collar and current ID tag. It certainly seems like the people who keep collars and tags on their dogs at all times are also the ones who manage to keep them safely contained – but accidents can happen to any owner. Here’s what you should do with an unidentified dog.
1) Take him to your local shelter. Don’t panic; you don’t have to leave him there if you are concerned that your local shelter is unsafe, unclean, or poorly managed. But there are a few things you should do at the shelter (see # 2 and # 3).
If the dog has an owner who is actually trying to find the dog, the owner will most likely come to the shelter to look for the dog. Few people, except the most dedicated owners, think to read the ads in the classified section or on craigslist ...Read More...
- By Nancy Kerns
I don’t know a single dog owner who hasn’t, at some point (or quite frequently), spent an inordinate amount of time trying to capture a stray or lost dog. I know I’ve caught more than my share in the small town, or its rural surroundings, where I’ve lived for the past five years. I’ve caught burr-covered, obviously lost hunting dogs; dogs whose injuries suggested they’d tumbled from the back of a truck; as well as some fluffy little lap-escapees who looked like they were just out for an adventure.
If the dog is wearing a collar and tags with current contact information for his owner, you’re in luck – and the rest of the information in this article isn’t relevant. But out of maybe 20 dogs I’ve scooped up in the past five years, exactly one was wearing a collar and current ID tag. It certainly seems like the people who keep collars and tags on their dogs at all times are also the ones who manage to keep them safely contained – but accidents can happen to any owner. Here’s what you should do with an unidentified dog.
1) Take him to your local shelter. Don’t panic; you don’t have to leave him there if you are concerned that your local shelter is unsafe, unclean, or poorly managed. But there are a few things you should do at the shelter (see # 2 and # 3).
If the dog has an owner who is actually trying to find the dog, the owner will most likely come to the shelter to look for the dog. Few people, except the most dedicated owners, think to read the ads in the classified section or on craigslist ...Read More...
- By Nancy Kerns
Nonverbal Cues Can Easily Be Recognized by Your Dog
If humans are understandably a bit slow at responding to the visual signals that our dogs are sending, we are downright dense about the signals that we generate ourselves. Your dog, however, is a pro: he or she notices just about every move that you make. Here's an experiment that you can try, focusing on the signals that you give to your dog, whether you mean to or not. This one is really easy, because now you're the actor, and your dog is the observer. Your job is to identify the visual signals to which your dog has learned to respond.
Take yourself and your dog to a quiet place, away from the hubbub of the rest of the family and other dogs. Stand relaxed but immobile and ask your dog to "sit" without moving anything but your lips. The first thing I notice when I do it is how hard it is to keep from moving. Did your head go down just a tiny bit when the dog approached? Did you raise your eyebrows a millimeter? All of those movements are easily seen by your dog and could possibly act as cues. Now sit down on the floor, stop moving as best you can, and ask the dog to sit. Now leave the room and ask the dog to sit when she can't see you (peek or ask a friend to see what she does).
Now ask you dog to sit in the way you normally do. Allow yourself to move freely; let your body do what it normally does. There's little doubt that you're going to move somehow. While you're playing this game, don't worry whether your dog sits or not, because I want you to pay attention to your behavior. Did you raise your hand or your finger? Did you step forward a bit? Tilt your head? After you've observed your own behavior, see if you can find a pattern to what movements your dog sits to and what he doesn't (beyond Fido's getting sick of your asking for a "sit" over and over!). Experiment with different movements and you'll probably discover that your dog is keyed in to specific actions, just as much as, or more than your voice.
Take yourself and your dog to a quiet place, away from the hubbub of the rest of the family and other dogs. Stand relaxed but immobile and ask your dog to "sit" without moving anything but your lips. The first thing I notice when I do it is how hard it is to keep from moving. Did your head go down just a tiny bit when the dog approached? Did you raise your eyebrows a millimeter? All of those movements are easily seen by your dog and could possibly act as cues. Now sit down on the floor, stop moving as best you can, and ask the dog to sit. Now leave the room and ask the dog to sit when she can't see you (peek or ask a friend to see what she does).
Now ask you dog to sit in the way you normally do. Allow yourself to move freely; let your body do what it normally does. There's little doubt that you're going to move somehow. While you're playing this game, don't worry whether your dog sits or not, because I want you to pay attention to your behavior. Did you raise your hand or your finger? Did you step forward a bit? Tilt your head? After you've observed your own behavior, see if you can find a pattern to what movements your dog sits to and what he doesn't (beyond Fido's getting sick of your asking for a "sit" over and over!). Experiment with different movements and you'll probably discover that your dog is keyed in to specific actions, just as much as, or more than your voice.
Would You Leave Your Dog in the Car?
Are you comfortable leaving a dog in your car - weather permitting?
Yesterday, I met a friend in a town about halfway between her house and my house, which are about three hours apart. We both had things to do/people to visit in that midway city, and then she – and her darling, 30-pound moppish-mixed breed dog – were going to follow me home and spend a few days visiting. We met outside a Whole Foods store/restaurant, and I proposed we go in and eat lunch before driving the rest of the way to my house. My friend said, “Can we take turns going in and selecting our food? I don’t leave my dog in the car.”
My mind boggled. If it was hot (or even warm) or freezing out, I would immediately understand, but it was about 50 degrees – a pretty much perfect dog-in-the-car temperature, in my view. So I had to ask, what’s up with that? I had a foster dog chew through the front seatbelts in my car once; was it about separation anxiety, or something?
My friend’s answer had more to do with concerns about the behavior of others in the San Francisco Bay area. People have become so incredibly sensitized about seeing a dog in a car, she said, that even if the temperature is no threat whatsoever (like right now in northern California), you just can’t predict the behavior of people who might be concerned about your dog! And, actually, once she mentioned this, I remembered hearing a horror story from another trainer friend about a dog being stolen out of a car, with a note left behind indicating that the person didn’t deserve to have a dog if they were going to leave it in the car!
My friend also said, “People are just so bizarre. You also hear about dogs being teased and worked up into a frenzy. I just don’t want to leave my dog in such a vulnerable place, even just for a few minutes.”
So, I get it – even if I can’t imagine being unable to run into a place to pick up take-out food, or some other quick errand. When the weather does not permit, the dogs stay home – that's all there is to that. But at this time of year, if I’m running errands, I often take my adolescent dog, Woody, into the types of places where dogs are welcome: Home Depot, Tractor Supply, and so on. It’s a great opportunity to continue his good manners training. If I have to run into Staples, or want to join someone for lunch, he stays in the car, no problem. But in my small, rural town, neither the issue of self-appointed dog police or people who tease dogs in a car have appeared to be a problem.
As it was, my friend and I were together, so we took turns going in and ordering our burritos, and then we ate outdoors, with the little mop-dog cleaning up our last bites.
- By Nancy Kerns
Yesterday, I met a friend in a town about halfway between her house and my house, which are about three hours apart. We both had things to do/people to visit in that midway city, and then she – and her darling, 30-pound moppish-mixed breed dog – were going to follow me home and spend a few days visiting. We met outside a Whole Foods store/restaurant, and I proposed we go in and eat lunch before driving the rest of the way to my house. My friend said, “Can we take turns going in and selecting our food? I don’t leave my dog in the car.”
My mind boggled. If it was hot (or even warm) or freezing out, I would immediately understand, but it was about 50 degrees – a pretty much perfect dog-in-the-car temperature, in my view. So I had to ask, what’s up with that? I had a foster dog chew through the front seatbelts in my car once; was it about separation anxiety, or something?
My friend’s answer had more to do with concerns about the behavior of others in the San Francisco Bay area. People have become so incredibly sensitized about seeing a dog in a car, she said, that even if the temperature is no threat whatsoever (like right now in northern California), you just can’t predict the behavior of people who might be concerned about your dog! And, actually, once she mentioned this, I remembered hearing a horror story from another trainer friend about a dog being stolen out of a car, with a note left behind indicating that the person didn’t deserve to have a dog if they were going to leave it in the car!
My friend also said, “People are just so bizarre. You also hear about dogs being teased and worked up into a frenzy. I just don’t want to leave my dog in such a vulnerable place, even just for a few minutes.”
So, I get it – even if I can’t imagine being unable to run into a place to pick up take-out food, or some other quick errand. When the weather does not permit, the dogs stay home – that's all there is to that. But at this time of year, if I’m running errands, I often take my adolescent dog, Woody, into the types of places where dogs are welcome: Home Depot, Tractor Supply, and so on. It’s a great opportunity to continue his good manners training. If I have to run into Staples, or want to join someone for lunch, he stays in the car, no problem. But in my small, rural town, neither the issue of self-appointed dog police or people who tease dogs in a car have appeared to be a problem.
As it was, my friend and I were together, so we took turns going in and ordering our burritos, and then we ate outdoors, with the little mop-dog cleaning up our last bites.
- By Nancy Kerns
Can a Collar Damage a Dog's Thyroid?
In a July 2015 blog post on peterdobias.com, Peter Dobias, DVM, notes the high rate of thyroid disease among large breeds of dogs who often pull strongly when on-leash. “It seems obvious that the collar actually pushes on the throat exactly in the area of the thyroid gland,” he says. He postulates that the trauma created by the pulling can inflame the thyroid, triggering an aggressive immune response when the body tries to remove the inflamed thyroid cells.
In a January 2013 issue of Dr. Jean Dodds’ Pet Health Resource Blog, she addressed the issue via a reader-submitted question about collars and thyroid health. She said, based on the location at the front of the neck, the thyroid gland and neighboring salivary glands “can be easily injured by trauma and sudden pressure forces, like could occur from the slip ring and chain of a metal collar, and a metal prong or hard braided leather collar,” recommending harnesses or head halters for strong-pulling dogs.
Additionally, in 2011, Anders Hallgren studied the connection between problem behavior and back problems in dogs. In looking at 400 dogs, Hallgren found dogs who were strong pullers, or who were exposed to collar corrections, were most likely to display cervical injuries. In discussing the findings in his book Back Problems in Dogs: Underlying Causes for Behavior Problems, Hallgren notes, “The soft tissue at the front of the throat could also be injured, depending on how you handle the leash.”
Pulling on leash is problematic for many reasons. It’s likely uncomfortable for the dog (even when the desired forward motion trumps the discomfort); it’s uncomfortable for the human handling the dog; and it skews natural dog body language, potentially contributing to conflicts between dogs.
We’d say the additional potential for contributing to the development of thyroid disease, particularly in breeds known to be genetically predisposed, makes using a well-fitted front-clip harness a wise choice.
- By Stephanie Colman
In a January 2013 issue of Dr. Jean Dodds’ Pet Health Resource Blog, she addressed the issue via a reader-submitted question about collars and thyroid health. She said, based on the location at the front of the neck, the thyroid gland and neighboring salivary glands “can be easily injured by trauma and sudden pressure forces, like could occur from the slip ring and chain of a metal collar, and a metal prong or hard braided leather collar,” recommending harnesses or head halters for strong-pulling dogs.
Additionally, in 2011, Anders Hallgren studied the connection between problem behavior and back problems in dogs. In looking at 400 dogs, Hallgren found dogs who were strong pullers, or who were exposed to collar corrections, were most likely to display cervical injuries. In discussing the findings in his book Back Problems in Dogs: Underlying Causes for Behavior Problems, Hallgren notes, “The soft tissue at the front of the throat could also be injured, depending on how you handle the leash.”
Pulling on leash is problematic for many reasons. It’s likely uncomfortable for the dog (even when the desired forward motion trumps the discomfort); it’s uncomfortable for the human handling the dog; and it skews natural dog body language, potentially contributing to conflicts between dogs.
We’d say the additional potential for contributing to the development of thyroid disease, particularly in breeds known to be genetically predisposed, makes using a well-fitted front-clip harness a wise choice.
- By Stephanie Colman
Dogs Really Can Sniff Out Cancer
Recently, a trainer friend asked me if I would be interested in volunteering my adolescent dog, Woody, to be a participant in some sort of nose work workshop. My friend was asking on behalf of another trainer she knew, and she vouched for her friend, saying that Woody would have a good time and that she thought it would be interesting for me. I didn't have time to get the details on what the workshop was, but quickly I agreed to the date - a week away, on a day when I would have ample time.
It could not have been more fascinating.
I attended just a few hours that one day, which was part of a six-day certification program for people who were learning how to teach dogs to detect cancer in noninvasive medical samples: blood, urine, and breath.
...Read More...
-by Nancy Kerns - Blog
It could not have been more fascinating.
I attended just a few hours that one day, which was part of a six-day certification program for people who were learning how to teach dogs to detect cancer in noninvasive medical samples: blood, urine, and breath.
...Read More...
-by Nancy Kerns - Blog
How to React When a Neighbour Complains About Your Dog - Don't Get Defensive!
Five things to do when your neighbor complains about your dog.
The natural thing to do when someone complains about your dog is to get defensive. “My dog? Causing a problem? How dare you?!”
Don’t go there. Defensiveness exacerbates hostilities, escalates tension, and encourages your neighbor to make a mountain out of what you perceive to be a molehill. Remember, it’s all about perception, and your neighbor’s perception is his reality. Instead of being defensive, try these things:
1. Listen
Unless one of you plans to move, defusing the situation beats all-out war. Set defensiveness aside, and listen to what your neighbor says. Assume there’s some nugget of truth to his complaint. You need to find it, so you can figure out what to do with it. He says your dog barks all the time, underneath his bedroom window, and wakes him up. That may be an exaggeration, but chances are your dog is barking some of the time, especially if you leave her out in the yard, or if she has free backyard access through a doggie-door.
2. Empathize and Apologize
Without admitting guilt, empathize with your complainer. “It must be frustrating to have to listen to barking dogs when you’re trying to sleep.” Be sincere. Tell him you’re sorry he’s being disturbed by barking. Reassure him that you don’t want your dog to be a nuisance, and you want to help find a solution to his concerns. Ask him to bear with you while you work on the problem. Bake him chocolate chip cookies.
...read more...
-By Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
The natural thing to do when someone complains about your dog is to get defensive. “My dog? Causing a problem? How dare you?!”
Don’t go there. Defensiveness exacerbates hostilities, escalates tension, and encourages your neighbor to make a mountain out of what you perceive to be a molehill. Remember, it’s all about perception, and your neighbor’s perception is his reality. Instead of being defensive, try these things:
1. Listen
Unless one of you plans to move, defusing the situation beats all-out war. Set defensiveness aside, and listen to what your neighbor says. Assume there’s some nugget of truth to his complaint. You need to find it, so you can figure out what to do with it. He says your dog barks all the time, underneath his bedroom window, and wakes him up. That may be an exaggeration, but chances are your dog is barking some of the time, especially if you leave her out in the yard, or if she has free backyard access through a doggie-door.
2. Empathize and Apologize
Without admitting guilt, empathize with your complainer. “It must be frustrating to have to listen to barking dogs when you’re trying to sleep.” Be sincere. Tell him you’re sorry he’s being disturbed by barking. Reassure him that you don’t want your dog to be a nuisance, and you want to help find a solution to his concerns. Ask him to bear with you while you work on the problem. Bake him chocolate chip cookies.
...read more...
-By Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
Playing Hide & Seek with Dogs-Everybody Does it, Right?
This is going to sound a little bananas. I think you guys can take it, however.
The most fun thing I’ve been doing lately with my dogs is playing hide and go seek. I’m a behavior geek anyway – I love watching dogs (and other animals) work and play and interact – but I can’t tell you how entertaining it is for me to watch my adolescent dog learning how the game works, and try to anticipate my hiding strategies.
The house that I use as an office has three bedrooms upstairs. Sometimes, my husband and I rent them to students who attend a local trade school. In the past couple of years, though, we’ve had various relatives staying in the house on and off. At the moment, no one is living here, so I have both three rooms to hide in upstairs and no one to watch me at this ridiculous game! (Lest this sound rich – my second house! – let me assure you that the area where I live is so economically depressed, that the mortgage on this house costs us less than rent on office spaces in town.)
...read more...
-by Nancy Kerns
The most fun thing I’ve been doing lately with my dogs is playing hide and go seek. I’m a behavior geek anyway – I love watching dogs (and other animals) work and play and interact – but I can’t tell you how entertaining it is for me to watch my adolescent dog learning how the game works, and try to anticipate my hiding strategies.
The house that I use as an office has three bedrooms upstairs. Sometimes, my husband and I rent them to students who attend a local trade school. In the past couple of years, though, we’ve had various relatives staying in the house on and off. At the moment, no one is living here, so I have both three rooms to hide in upstairs and no one to watch me at this ridiculous game! (Lest this sound rich – my second house! – let me assure you that the area where I live is so economically depressed, that the mortgage on this house costs us less than rent on office spaces in town.)
...read more...
-by Nancy Kerns
Here's What Your Dog is Really Thinking When You Pet and Praise Them
Visual though primates may be, we humans often miss the signals that our dogs are sending us. For example, in my seminars I do a demonstration in which I pet and praise my Border Collie Pip for giving me a ball back. Pip is my sleeper Border Collie, who looks a bit like a goofy Labrador cross when in fact she's from pristine sheepdog lineage. But she loves balls like life itself, so to reward her for giving me the ball back, I coo to her and lavishly stroke her head. People watching respond to my efforts to praise Pip and seem to feel really good when I'm done. They feel so good that they give me an A+ when I ask them to grade my efforts to make Pip glad that she gave me the ball.
But I give myself a D, because although the audience enjoyed hearing my praise and seeing me pet her, Pip just wanted the ball. I repeat the exercise, this time telling the audience to pay careful attention to Pip's face. Her reaction is obvious once you focus your attention on her. She ignores my sweet words, squints her eyes, ducks her head away from my hand, and presses forward, staring like a laser at the ball. Pip is no different from most of our dogs, who love petting and praise in some contexts but not others.
After all, even if you adore a good massage, do you want one in the middle of an important meeting or a close tennis match? Why on earth would a dog, even one who lives to be stroked, want petting in every possible context in her life? We wouldn't, no matter how much we love a good rubdown.
-Excerpted from Patricia B. McConnell's The Other End of the Leash
But I give myself a D, because although the audience enjoyed hearing my praise and seeing me pet her, Pip just wanted the ball. I repeat the exercise, this time telling the audience to pay careful attention to Pip's face. Her reaction is obvious once you focus your attention on her. She ignores my sweet words, squints her eyes, ducks her head away from my hand, and presses forward, staring like a laser at the ball. Pip is no different from most of our dogs, who love petting and praise in some contexts but not others.
After all, even if you adore a good massage, do you want one in the middle of an important meeting or a close tennis match? Why on earth would a dog, even one who lives to be stroked, want petting in every possible context in her life? We wouldn't, no matter how much we love a good rubdown.
-Excerpted from Patricia B. McConnell's The Other End of the Leash
And Then There Were Two (or Three, or Four...)
Living with multiple dogs brings a whole new set of challenges. Adding a second (or third, or fourth) dog means more fun, more love, more joy and more wonderful doggy companionship. But it also means much more from you: more time, more money, more energy, and more working through problems.
Here are a few tips to help make the addition as smooth as possible:
1. When choosing a new dog, if possible, have the dogs meet each other in a neutral location before making a decision. Pay attention to how they respond to each other. If your instincts tell you it isn't a good match - no matter how much you adore the potential new dog - keep looking.
2. If the introductions go well and you bring your new dog home, you can continue to help the dogs get along by providing strong leadership. If you are clearly in charge from the start, then your dogs won't have to compete for leadership. By simply controlling resources (such as food, access to the outdoors, toys, and attention from people), you can establish yourself as the leader. Insist that the dogs are polite - with you and with each other - in order to gain access to those resources.
3. Set your dogs up for success. Respect their differences and their individual needs and make sure you spend time with each separately where they can have your undivided attention.
Here are a few tips to help make the addition as smooth as possible:
1. When choosing a new dog, if possible, have the dogs meet each other in a neutral location before making a decision. Pay attention to how they respond to each other. If your instincts tell you it isn't a good match - no matter how much you adore the potential new dog - keep looking.
2. If the introductions go well and you bring your new dog home, you can continue to help the dogs get along by providing strong leadership. If you are clearly in charge from the start, then your dogs won't have to compete for leadership. By simply controlling resources (such as food, access to the outdoors, toys, and attention from people), you can establish yourself as the leader. Insist that the dogs are polite - with you and with each other - in order to gain access to those resources.
3. Set your dogs up for success. Respect their differences and their individual needs and make sure you spend time with each separately where they can have your undivided attention.
If Your Dog Bites Someone, Take Immediate Action
Biting dogs need attention, and it's up to you to correct the behaviour. Our experts have all kinds of advice to send you (and your dog) in the right direction.There are few things quite as disconcerting as having your own dog bite you. I can recall with crystal clarity the time our Scottie nailed me in a classic case of redirected aggression. He had taken an intense dislike to a Labrador Retriever who had entered the room, and when I touched him on his back to try to distract him, he whirled around and redirected his aroused state, and his substantial Scottish Terrier teeth, at my hand.
Despite the horror stories of free-roaming Pitbulls mauling children as they walk to school, the majority of bites occur in the owner’s home. The majority of bite victims are friends or members of the owner’s family. Sixty-one percent of dog bites occur in the home or a familiar place, and 77 percent of bite victims are family members or friends, according to a Web site run by attorney Kenneth Phillips, who specializes in dog bite cases (www.dogbitelaw.com). A relatively small percentage of bites are inflicted by errant stray dogs. This means that most bites leave a shocked owner feeling betrayed by his loyal canine, and wondering whether he can ever trust his four-footed friend again.
...Read More...
Despite the horror stories of free-roaming Pitbulls mauling children as they walk to school, the majority of bites occur in the owner’s home. The majority of bite victims are friends or members of the owner’s family. Sixty-one percent of dog bites occur in the home or a familiar place, and 77 percent of bite victims are family members or friends, according to a Web site run by attorney Kenneth Phillips, who specializes in dog bite cases (www.dogbitelaw.com). A relatively small percentage of bites are inflicted by errant stray dogs. This means that most bites leave a shocked owner feeling betrayed by his loyal canine, and wondering whether he can ever trust his four-footed friend again.
...Read More...
Don't Swallow That Dog Toy!
I’m afraid I have “one of those dogs” – the ones that swallow things. The ones that inspired the annual x-ray contest among veterinarians, x-rays of dogs with things that are stuck in their digestive tracts. No, Woody hasn’t had an x-ray yet, but unless I get a grip on this behavior, he’s going to be in the contest one of these days.
This little colorful trifle is a toy for tiny puppies. It was the first toy my sister bought for her young Jack Russell-mix when she first adopted her from a Jack Russell rescue group three years ago. Daisy loves the little toy, which has a fabric-covered squeaker in both ends, which are held together by a strip of what used to be colorful ribbon.
Woody first found the trifle at my sister’s house about three months ago, picking it out of a basket of bigger toys and tossing it in the air repeatedly. My sister and I were talking and he was enjoying himself. The next day, in the middle of the work day, with all three of my dogs lying quietly around my office, Woody started making the noise that signals an impending vomit. I leaped up, rushed him outside, and he promptly vomited up this toy, intact (though gooey).
Horrified, I called my sister and told her what just came out of Woody. She said, “Oh shoot, no wonder Daisy kept looking through all her toys last night! She knew it was missing!” I rinsed it off and tossed it in a pile of puppy laundry in the laundry room (I was fostering a litter of puppies at the time). It came out of the washer looking brand-new – and with the squeakers still squeaking! – so I gave it back to my sister.
A couple of weeks ago now, I brought Woody with me on a visit to the San Francisco Bay area, and he spent one night at my son’s house. He went counter-surfing there, and the next day, vomited up a candy wrapper and, uh oh, another squeaker. This time, one that he had chewed out of one of my son’s dog’s toys. It was sewn into a fabric pouch, and the whole thing was intact (and still capable of squeaking). My son and I shook our heads, and I resolved to make sure that Woody doesn’t have access to any more squeaky toys without supervision.
Last weekend, my husband and I went camping, and my sister volunteered to dog-sit Woody (my other dogs stayed home with my son-in-law in charge). She prepared for his arrival by putting all of her dogs’ most vulnerable toys, and the ones with squeakers, up in a cabinet where Woody couldn’t get them. Woody had a great time there, where Auntie Pam allows all sorts of things that aren’t allowed at home, like running full speed down the hall (she has carpet, I don’t) and leaping over the back of the couch, back and forth, with toys. (My husband would have a stroke.) And it seems the only thing he wrecked was the screen door he didn’t see closed and ran into at top speed, which promptly folded in two and bounced backward, along with Woody, out of the frame. (I’ve ordered her one of the curtain-type screen doors, which she had been saying she wanted to get anyway. Sorry!)
But a day after we returned, with me sitting at my laptop working at home, Woody started making that noise again. I rushed him outside, where he promptly vomited up Daisy’s trifle again! And a hunk of some other toy.
I called my sister. “Has Daisy been looking for something?” I asked.
“Um, maybe . . . she has been looking around a little, but I haven’t noticed anything missing!”
I told her that Woody just barfed up the trifle toy, and she was properly horrified. I hosed it off for the photo, but while we agreed that while it looks to be in renewable condition, we also agreed that it needs to be thrown away. Hopefully, Daisy will forget about it soon.
I’m grateful that for now, Woody’s digestive tract is doing the right thing in rejecting non-edible items that end up in there. But joking aside, I (and my sister) will be keeping a closer eye on what that dog has in his mouth (or is on the floor and under the beds), lest we have an entry into that contest.
Here’s a link to the 2015 edition; hoping not to be in the 2016!
This little colorful trifle is a toy for tiny puppies. It was the first toy my sister bought for her young Jack Russell-mix when she first adopted her from a Jack Russell rescue group three years ago. Daisy loves the little toy, which has a fabric-covered squeaker in both ends, which are held together by a strip of what used to be colorful ribbon.
Woody first found the trifle at my sister’s house about three months ago, picking it out of a basket of bigger toys and tossing it in the air repeatedly. My sister and I were talking and he was enjoying himself. The next day, in the middle of the work day, with all three of my dogs lying quietly around my office, Woody started making the noise that signals an impending vomit. I leaped up, rushed him outside, and he promptly vomited up this toy, intact (though gooey).
Horrified, I called my sister and told her what just came out of Woody. She said, “Oh shoot, no wonder Daisy kept looking through all her toys last night! She knew it was missing!” I rinsed it off and tossed it in a pile of puppy laundry in the laundry room (I was fostering a litter of puppies at the time). It came out of the washer looking brand-new – and with the squeakers still squeaking! – so I gave it back to my sister.
A couple of weeks ago now, I brought Woody with me on a visit to the San Francisco Bay area, and he spent one night at my son’s house. He went counter-surfing there, and the next day, vomited up a candy wrapper and, uh oh, another squeaker. This time, one that he had chewed out of one of my son’s dog’s toys. It was sewn into a fabric pouch, and the whole thing was intact (and still capable of squeaking). My son and I shook our heads, and I resolved to make sure that Woody doesn’t have access to any more squeaky toys without supervision.
Last weekend, my husband and I went camping, and my sister volunteered to dog-sit Woody (my other dogs stayed home with my son-in-law in charge). She prepared for his arrival by putting all of her dogs’ most vulnerable toys, and the ones with squeakers, up in a cabinet where Woody couldn’t get them. Woody had a great time there, where Auntie Pam allows all sorts of things that aren’t allowed at home, like running full speed down the hall (she has carpet, I don’t) and leaping over the back of the couch, back and forth, with toys. (My husband would have a stroke.) And it seems the only thing he wrecked was the screen door he didn’t see closed and ran into at top speed, which promptly folded in two and bounced backward, along with Woody, out of the frame. (I’ve ordered her one of the curtain-type screen doors, which she had been saying she wanted to get anyway. Sorry!)
But a day after we returned, with me sitting at my laptop working at home, Woody started making that noise again. I rushed him outside, where he promptly vomited up Daisy’s trifle again! And a hunk of some other toy.
I called my sister. “Has Daisy been looking for something?” I asked.
“Um, maybe . . . she has been looking around a little, but I haven’t noticed anything missing!”
I told her that Woody just barfed up the trifle toy, and she was properly horrified. I hosed it off for the photo, but while we agreed that while it looks to be in renewable condition, we also agreed that it needs to be thrown away. Hopefully, Daisy will forget about it soon.
I’m grateful that for now, Woody’s digestive tract is doing the right thing in rejecting non-edible items that end up in there. But joking aside, I (and my sister) will be keeping a closer eye on what that dog has in his mouth (or is on the floor and under the beds), lest we have an entry into that contest.
Here’s a link to the 2015 edition; hoping not to be in the 2016!
Speed Eaters Anonymous
"I feed my two dogs together, and the smaller one seems to gobble her food without chewing it and then throws it back up a few minutes later. Why does she do this?"
She may be worried that if she doesn't wolf down her food, your other dog will get some of it. This is a rational fear, but her coping strategy isn't ideal. How about feeding your dogs in separate rooms so the little one feels less pressured by the presence of the bigger dog? If she still eats so fast that she vomits even when she eats in private, then spread out her food over a large surface (such as a cookie sheet) or in several small bowls in different parts of the room so she can't hoover up her entire meal in one breath. And if you now feed your dogs only once a day, divide the food into two or three smaller meals per day instead. Knowing that her next meal is just around the corner may help your gobbler to relax and enjoy her food less anxiously.
If these measures don't work and the vomiting continues, make an appointment with your vet to check into the possibility that she's regurgitation rather than vomiting.
She may be worried that if she doesn't wolf down her food, your other dog will get some of it. This is a rational fear, but her coping strategy isn't ideal. How about feeding your dogs in separate rooms so the little one feels less pressured by the presence of the bigger dog? If she still eats so fast that she vomits even when she eats in private, then spread out her food over a large surface (such as a cookie sheet) or in several small bowls in different parts of the room so she can't hoover up her entire meal in one breath. And if you now feed your dogs only once a day, divide the food into two or three smaller meals per day instead. Knowing that her next meal is just around the corner may help your gobbler to relax and enjoy her food less anxiously.
If these measures don't work and the vomiting continues, make an appointment with your vet to check into the possibility that she's regurgitation rather than vomiting.
Breaking Up Dog Fights
There is no golden standard for breaking up a dogfight, but there are as many opinions as there are dog owners. My recommendation is to try a sudden aversive, such as a loud noise near the combatants as a first line of defense. Bang pots and pans or steel water dishes together while yelling. Cease the instant the dogs disengage.
If this doesn't work (try for two or three seconds, then move on), the two most experienced people, wearing the animal control gloves, will each pull one dog off as follows:
1. Grip the base of the tail where it joins the body
2. Pull both dogs simultaneously quickly out and up, raising the rear quarters off the ground
3. Secure both dogs with leashes and assess for damage.
If this doesn't work, use citronella and, if that doesn't work, pepper spray. Other people present should be securing all dogs not involved in the fight.
The very last resort to consider is pulling dogs out by their collars or necks. This is because of the significant risk of an accidental or re-directed bite. This risk is even greater if you are without gloves, which offer some protection. Many of the worst bites are sustained putting hands into fights.
- Information excerpted from Jean Donaldson's Fight! A Practical Guide to the Treatment of Dog-Dog-Aggression
If this doesn't work (try for two or three seconds, then move on), the two most experienced people, wearing the animal control gloves, will each pull one dog off as follows:
1. Grip the base of the tail where it joins the body
2. Pull both dogs simultaneously quickly out and up, raising the rear quarters off the ground
3. Secure both dogs with leashes and assess for damage.
If this doesn't work, use citronella and, if that doesn't work, pepper spray. Other people present should be securing all dogs not involved in the fight.
The very last resort to consider is pulling dogs out by their collars or necks. This is because of the significant risk of an accidental or re-directed bite. This risk is even greater if you are without gloves, which offer some protection. Many of the worst bites are sustained putting hands into fights.
- Information excerpted from Jean Donaldson's Fight! A Practical Guide to the Treatment of Dog-Dog-Aggression
Here's How to Introduce a New Dog to Your Home
Living with multiple dogs brings a whole new set of challenges. Adding a second (or third, or fourth) dog means more fun, more love, more joy and more wonderful doggy companionship. But it also means much more from you: more time, more money, more energy, and more working through problems.
When choosing a new dog, if possible, have the dogs meet each other in a neutral location before making a decision. Pay attention to how they respond to each other. If your instincts tell you it isn't a good match - no matter how much you adore the potential new dog - keep looking.
If the introductions go well and you bring your new dog home, you can continue to help the dogs get along by providing strong leadership. If you are clearly in charge from the start, then your dogs won't have to compete for leadership. By simply controlling resources (such as food, access to the outdoors, toys, and attention from people), you can establish yourself as the leader. Insist that the dogs are polite - with you and with each other - in order to gain access to those resources.
Set your dogs up for success. Respect their differences and their individual needs and make sure you spend time with each separately where they can have your undivided attention.
When choosing a new dog, if possible, have the dogs meet each other in a neutral location before making a decision. Pay attention to how they respond to each other. If your instincts tell you it isn't a good match - no matter how much you adore the potential new dog - keep looking.
If the introductions go well and you bring your new dog home, you can continue to help the dogs get along by providing strong leadership. If you are clearly in charge from the start, then your dogs won't have to compete for leadership. By simply controlling resources (such as food, access to the outdoors, toys, and attention from people), you can establish yourself as the leader. Insist that the dogs are polite - with you and with each other - in order to gain access to those resources.
Set your dogs up for success. Respect their differences and their individual needs and make sure you spend time with each separately where they can have your undivided attention.
Weather the Storm
If possible, make sure your thunder-phobic dog has easy access to whatever “safe place” he’s found to hide in when storms are raging nearby. Keeping him from his sanctuary may cause even greater problems and increase his anxiety.
How to help thunder-phobic dogs.
Apologies to that rockabilly Eddie Rabbitt, but not everyone loves a rainy night. Especially if there’s thunder and lightning. Fear of thunderstorms – formally called astraphobia – is surprisingly common in dogs; some experts estimate that up to 30 percent are affected with it to some degree or another. (Most cats, apparently, couldn’t care less.) The most severely thunderstorm-phobic dogs can become intensely fearful and panicked, to the point where they become a hazard to themselves.
“I’ve seen them go right through windows, and chew through doors, drywall, even chain-link fences, breaking off their teeth and nails,” says holistic veterinarian Stephen Blake of San Diego. “They get into such a level of panic that they just aren’t thinking.”
In some cases, owners are able to trace a dog’s fear to an identifiable trigger. “Some dogs definitely have experienced something bad that makes them afraid of thunder,” says Nancy A. Dreschel, DVM, PhD, who has studied and written about thunderstorm phobia. As part of her research, Dr. Dreschel, an instructor of companion-animal science at Penn State University in University Park, Pennsylvania, met a dog who slept happily in the family room of his house – until a wood stove in the same room got struck by lightning. He was afraid of storms ever since. And can you blame him?
...Read More...
- By Denise Flaim
Apologies to that rockabilly Eddie Rabbitt, but not everyone loves a rainy night. Especially if there’s thunder and lightning. Fear of thunderstorms – formally called astraphobia – is surprisingly common in dogs; some experts estimate that up to 30 percent are affected with it to some degree or another. (Most cats, apparently, couldn’t care less.) The most severely thunderstorm-phobic dogs can become intensely fearful and panicked, to the point where they become a hazard to themselves.
“I’ve seen them go right through windows, and chew through doors, drywall, even chain-link fences, breaking off their teeth and nails,” says holistic veterinarian Stephen Blake of San Diego. “They get into such a level of panic that they just aren’t thinking.”
In some cases, owners are able to trace a dog’s fear to an identifiable trigger. “Some dogs definitely have experienced something bad that makes them afraid of thunder,” says Nancy A. Dreschel, DVM, PhD, who has studied and written about thunderstorm phobia. As part of her research, Dr. Dreschel, an instructor of companion-animal science at Penn State University in University Park, Pennsylvania, met a dog who slept happily in the family room of his house – until a wood stove in the same room got struck by lightning. He was afraid of storms ever since. And can you blame him?
...Read More...
- By Denise Flaim
Family Interaction
Everyone in the family, including children, should play with their dogs. Even young children can be suitable playmates for many dogs, with some important caveats. Assuming your dog likes to play, the more humans she gets to play with, the more humans she'll think are wonderful because they make good stuff happen, and the better socialized she'll be. Dogs who are well-socialized are far less likely to bite or otherwise engage in behaviors that are likely to get them into serious trouble.
In addition, the more that each family member has fun interacting with the dog, the more likely it is that the dog will stay in that home for her entire life. Play helps build strong bonds, and relationships that support lifelong loving homes for canine family members.
- Pat Miller
In addition, the more that each family member has fun interacting with the dog, the more likely it is that the dog will stay in that home for her entire life. Play helps build strong bonds, and relationships that support lifelong loving homes for canine family members.
- Pat Miller
My Dog Wakes Up Too Early!
Five things to do when your dog wakes you up too early – every day!
Those last few minutes of sleep before the alarm goes off are a treasured sanctuary where we hide in dreams before the reality of the world intrudes. Few dog owners appreciate their canine pals robbing them of those golden moments. But some dogs seem to have an uncanny knack for anticipating the alarm by 15 or 20 minutes, and manage to routinely do just that.
Is your dog a “morning person” – and you wish she were not? Make sure you don’t inadvertently reinforce her early morning activity by feeding or playing with her until you are ready to get up.
Of course, puppy owners expect to be awakened by their baby dogs – or they should. It’s unreasonable to think a young puppy can make it through the night without a potty break. Crated or otherwise appropriately confined, even an eight-week-old puppy will normally cry when his bowels and bladder need emptying, rather than soil his own bed. When this happens you must get up and take your pup out to poop and pee, and then immediately return him to his crate so he doesn’t learn to wake you up for a wee-hours play or cuddle session.
Adult dogs, however, barring a health problem, should wait for you to get up rather than pushing back your wake-up time in eager anticipation of breakfast, or other morning activities. If your grown-up dog has made it his mission to make sure you’re never late for work (or breakfast) by waking you up every morning before your alarm does, try this:
1.) Rule out medical conditions. Make sure your dog doesn’t have a legitimate reason for getting up early. If he has a urinary tract infection or digestive upset, or some other medical issue that affects his elimination habits or otherwise makes him uncomfortable, he may have to go out 30 minutes before you normally get up to let him out.
2.)Tire him out the night before. A tired dog is a well-behaved happy dog, and a late sleeper. Exercise uses up much of the energy that he presently can’t wait to wake you up with – and also releases endorphins, which regulate mood, producing a feeling of well-being. Tiredness promotes sleeping in, and endorphins help reduce anxieties that may play a role in his early-bird activities.
3.)Feed him earlier/ better; make “last call” later. Increase the time between your dog’s last meal and his last bathroom opportunity to minimize the chance that he’s waking you up because he really has to go. It only takes a few “I really have to go” mornings to set an early-riser routine, especially when rising is reinforced with, “Well, we’re up now, no point in going back to bed . . . here’s your breakfast!” Don’t forget that high-quality diets are more digestible, which reduces fecal output, which reduces early-morning urgency.
4.)Reduce stimuli in the bedroom. The less there is to awaken your dog, the less likely he is to awaken you. Close the drapes. Turn off the television. Turn on a white noise machine or soft classical music. Cover his crate. He is crated, isn’t he? If not, restricting his movement is a simple way of preventing him from pouncing on you at 5:30 am. If he doesn’t crate well, perhaps you can use a baby gate to keep him in the bathroom off your bedroom.
5.)Train him to sleep in. If these management solutions alone don’t work, you may be able to train him to sleep later. If your normal wake up time is 6:30 am and he consistently wakes you at 6:15, for one week set your alarm for 6:05. For the second week, set it for 6:10. Do not get up before the alarm goes off (unless you’re pretty sure he has an urgency problem)! This will condition him to the sound of the alarm as his cue to wake up.
Each week set the alarm forward five more minutes, until you’re at your desired wake-up time. It might take you a few weeks to get there, but it’s gloriously simple, and it works. Unless you have young children who starting running through the house at 5:00 am, or garbage trucks start rumbling and banging down your street every morning at 5:30 – in which case all bets are off!
By - Pat Miller, CPDT, is WDJ’s Training Editor
Those last few minutes of sleep before the alarm goes off are a treasured sanctuary where we hide in dreams before the reality of the world intrudes. Few dog owners appreciate their canine pals robbing them of those golden moments. But some dogs seem to have an uncanny knack for anticipating the alarm by 15 or 20 minutes, and manage to routinely do just that.
Is your dog a “morning person” – and you wish she were not? Make sure you don’t inadvertently reinforce her early morning activity by feeding or playing with her until you are ready to get up.
Of course, puppy owners expect to be awakened by their baby dogs – or they should. It’s unreasonable to think a young puppy can make it through the night without a potty break. Crated or otherwise appropriately confined, even an eight-week-old puppy will normally cry when his bowels and bladder need emptying, rather than soil his own bed. When this happens you must get up and take your pup out to poop and pee, and then immediately return him to his crate so he doesn’t learn to wake you up for a wee-hours play or cuddle session.
Adult dogs, however, barring a health problem, should wait for you to get up rather than pushing back your wake-up time in eager anticipation of breakfast, or other morning activities. If your grown-up dog has made it his mission to make sure you’re never late for work (or breakfast) by waking you up every morning before your alarm does, try this:
1.) Rule out medical conditions. Make sure your dog doesn’t have a legitimate reason for getting up early. If he has a urinary tract infection or digestive upset, or some other medical issue that affects his elimination habits or otherwise makes him uncomfortable, he may have to go out 30 minutes before you normally get up to let him out.
2.)Tire him out the night before. A tired dog is a well-behaved happy dog, and a late sleeper. Exercise uses up much of the energy that he presently can’t wait to wake you up with – and also releases endorphins, which regulate mood, producing a feeling of well-being. Tiredness promotes sleeping in, and endorphins help reduce anxieties that may play a role in his early-bird activities.
3.)Feed him earlier/ better; make “last call” later. Increase the time between your dog’s last meal and his last bathroom opportunity to minimize the chance that he’s waking you up because he really has to go. It only takes a few “I really have to go” mornings to set an early-riser routine, especially when rising is reinforced with, “Well, we’re up now, no point in going back to bed . . . here’s your breakfast!” Don’t forget that high-quality diets are more digestible, which reduces fecal output, which reduces early-morning urgency.
4.)Reduce stimuli in the bedroom. The less there is to awaken your dog, the less likely he is to awaken you. Close the drapes. Turn off the television. Turn on a white noise machine or soft classical music. Cover his crate. He is crated, isn’t he? If not, restricting his movement is a simple way of preventing him from pouncing on you at 5:30 am. If he doesn’t crate well, perhaps you can use a baby gate to keep him in the bathroom off your bedroom.
5.)Train him to sleep in. If these management solutions alone don’t work, you may be able to train him to sleep later. If your normal wake up time is 6:30 am and he consistently wakes you at 6:15, for one week set your alarm for 6:05. For the second week, set it for 6:10. Do not get up before the alarm goes off (unless you’re pretty sure he has an urgency problem)! This will condition him to the sound of the alarm as his cue to wake up.
Each week set the alarm forward five more minutes, until you’re at your desired wake-up time. It might take you a few weeks to get there, but it’s gloriously simple, and it works. Unless you have young children who starting running through the house at 5:00 am, or garbage trucks start rumbling and banging down your street every morning at 5:30 – in which case all bets are off!
By - Pat Miller, CPDT, is WDJ’s Training Editor
Canine Play Styles
Your best option for finding compatible playmates for your dog is to identify your dog’s play style and select dogs of similar size, energy level, and play style preference.
Size matters. No doubt there are dogs of significant size disparity who can play well together, but as a general rule, it’s wise to keep the difference in the realm of 25 pounds or less. A playful dog can easily injure a little dog, even without intent to do harm, simply by running over or jumping on the smaller dog. Of even greater concern is a phenomenon known as predatory drift in which something from a dog’s evolutionary past triggers the larger dog's brain to perceive the smaller dog as a prey object - a bunny or squirrel - instead of the canine pal he's played happily with for months or years. Often the trigger is the smaller dog running, yelping, or squealing. The bigger dog gives chase, and tragedy ensues.
- Pat Miller
Size matters. No doubt there are dogs of significant size disparity who can play well together, but as a general rule, it’s wise to keep the difference in the realm of 25 pounds or less. A playful dog can easily injure a little dog, even without intent to do harm, simply by running over or jumping on the smaller dog. Of even greater concern is a phenomenon known as predatory drift in which something from a dog’s evolutionary past triggers the larger dog's brain to perceive the smaller dog as a prey object - a bunny or squirrel - instead of the canine pal he's played happily with for months or years. Often the trigger is the smaller dog running, yelping, or squealing. The bigger dog gives chase, and tragedy ensues.
- Pat Miller
Understand and Use Your Dog's Calming Signals
dogbreedinfo.com
Turning the side or back to someone is very calming. When dogs play together rather wildly, some of them will start turning their side or back to the others in between playing, to make things calm down a little.
Your dog may use this signal when another dog growls or behaves threateningly towards him in some way, such as running up to him too quickly. He may also use it if you speak in a very cross voice or go up to him when he feels that you are angry. When young dogs pester older ones, the older often turns his back to make them calm down. When you jerk at the leash your dog may turn away from you, maybe pulling even more.
You can use this signal yourself when a dog shows signs of nervousness or aggression towards you. If he jumps up at you, turn away, and more often than not he will stop.
Your dog may use this signal when another dog growls or behaves threateningly towards him in some way, such as running up to him too quickly. He may also use it if you speak in a very cross voice or go up to him when he feels that you are angry. When young dogs pester older ones, the older often turns his back to make them calm down. When you jerk at the leash your dog may turn away from you, maybe pulling even more.
You can use this signal yourself when a dog shows signs of nervousness or aggression towards you. If he jumps up at you, turn away, and more often than not he will stop.
Without Provocation
Almost every "Dog Mauls Toddler" headline is followed by an article that includes, among other things, these two phrases:
1."The dog was always good with children," and,
2."The bite was unprovoked."
Both statements make me cringe. Most people who think their dogs are "good with children" don't realize that many dogs only tolerate children - the dogs are actually stressed in the presence of children, at least to some degree. These dogs usually show low level signs of stress that would warn an observant owner that they really don't think little humans are all that great after all. Dogs who are truly "good with children" adore them; they don't just tolerate them. They are delighted to see children, and, with wriggling body, wagging tail and squinty eyes, can't wait to go see them. Anything less than this joyful response is mere tolerance.
With the very rare exception of idiopathic aggression - aggression for which there is no discernible cause - every bite is provoked from the dog's perspective. We, as humans, may feel the bite wasn't justified or appropriate, but rest assured the dog felt justified in biting. In many cases the provocation is pretty apparent from the news article: the dog was kept on a chain; the dog had a litter of puppies; the toddler was left outside in the back yard with a dog who had just been fed. In each case, the dog was stressed beyond his or her ability to control his bite.
Raise your stress awareness. Examine news reports about dog attacks to see if you can identify the possible stressors and provocation in each incident. Then be sure to protect your own dog from those potential bite-causing circumstances.
- Pat Miller
1."The dog was always good with children," and,
2."The bite was unprovoked."
Both statements make me cringe. Most people who think their dogs are "good with children" don't realize that many dogs only tolerate children - the dogs are actually stressed in the presence of children, at least to some degree. These dogs usually show low level signs of stress that would warn an observant owner that they really don't think little humans are all that great after all. Dogs who are truly "good with children" adore them; they don't just tolerate them. They are delighted to see children, and, with wriggling body, wagging tail and squinty eyes, can't wait to go see them. Anything less than this joyful response is mere tolerance.
With the very rare exception of idiopathic aggression - aggression for which there is no discernible cause - every bite is provoked from the dog's perspective. We, as humans, may feel the bite wasn't justified or appropriate, but rest assured the dog felt justified in biting. In many cases the provocation is pretty apparent from the news article: the dog was kept on a chain; the dog had a litter of puppies; the toddler was left outside in the back yard with a dog who had just been fed. In each case, the dog was stressed beyond his or her ability to control his bite.
Raise your stress awareness. Examine news reports about dog attacks to see if you can identify the possible stressors and provocation in each incident. Then be sure to protect your own dog from those potential bite-causing circumstances.
- Pat Miller
The Dominance Panacea
One model that has been put forth as a quasi-justification for the use of aversives in training is pack theory. Ever since the linear hierarchy was postulated in wolves, dog people have gone cuckoo in their efforts to explain every conceivable dog behavior and human - dog interaction in terms of "dominance." We really latched onto that one. It is a great example of a successful meme. Dogs misbehave or are disobedient because they haven't been shown who's boss. You must be the "alpha" in your "pack." Aside from amounting to yet another justification for aversives - oriented training methods - the dog is supposedly staying up nights thinking up ways to stage a coup so you'd better keep him in his pace with plenty of coercion - dominance has provided a panacea - like explanation for dog - behaviors.
For the owner, this simple explanation makes unnecessary the work of boning up on a myriad of other topics, like how animals learn. Notions like dogs rushing through doors ahead of their owners or pulling on a leash to exert dominance over their owners are too stupid for words. Some poor people have it so backwards that they view appeasement behaviors such as jumping up to lick or pawing as dominance displays and thus fair game for aversive training. The dominance panacea is, once again, a case of leaping to a conclusion before ruling out more obvious explanations. Dogs chew furniture because what else could furniture possibly be for? They are disobedient because they have no idea what is being asked of them, are under-motivated to comply, or something else has won the behavioural gambit at that moment in time, like a fleeing squirrel. Rank is not likely on their minds.
- Information excerpted from an article by Jean Donaldson
For the owner, this simple explanation makes unnecessary the work of boning up on a myriad of other topics, like how animals learn. Notions like dogs rushing through doors ahead of their owners or pulling on a leash to exert dominance over their owners are too stupid for words. Some poor people have it so backwards that they view appeasement behaviors such as jumping up to lick or pawing as dominance displays and thus fair game for aversive training. The dominance panacea is, once again, a case of leaping to a conclusion before ruling out more obvious explanations. Dogs chew furniture because what else could furniture possibly be for? They are disobedient because they have no idea what is being asked of them, are under-motivated to comply, or something else has won the behavioural gambit at that moment in time, like a fleeing squirrel. Rank is not likely on their minds.
- Information excerpted from an article by Jean Donaldson
Are Your Dogs Ready for Halloween?
Whole Dog Journal's Blog
Every year for the past seven years, I’ve experienced a Halloween preview that used to be more stressful for my pets than Halloween itself. I live across the street from a tiny YMCA; the facility is just one small building with a fenced play yard smaller than my own front yard. But every year on the weekend before Halloween, the YMCA hosts a huge haunted house in its building and yard. The event, a major fundraiser for the organization, draws hundreds and hundreds of adults, teenagers, and children, who will walk, intermittently screaming, through a winding path of scary sights and sounds.
This town is small, and nighttime family entertainment is scarce, and by the end of the weekend, I feel certain that every resident has been through the “spook house” at least once, and maybe twice. Which means they have also circled the block looking for parking – my street is usually deserted at night – and then walked by the front gate, lined up outside the Y, gone through the event (screaming), and then discussed it animatedly for a while outside. Which means every dog for blocks and blocks barks for hours those two nights, and every cat for blocks and blocks goes into hiding.
The preparations have been going on every night for a week already. The volunteers who put the event together first attach plywood and cardboard to all the playground fences, blocking the by passers’ view of the interior of the “set.” Every evening for a week, there are building crews and crews of volunteer actors inside the now-shrouded yard (but still outdoors), rehearsing their zombie walks, startling screams, and – get this – because we live in a rural area, menacing chainsaw action!
This has turned into a terrific annual opportunity for my dogs to practice quietly observing mayhem and odd human behavior, and to come inside and sit with me calmly when they are too overwhelmed to watch the action outdoors. Sitting on my desk, I have a bowl of kibble with some high-value treats (cubes of Natural Balance roll) mixed in; I intermittently reward them with a tossed treat when I hear an especially loud noise outside and see them sitting or lying down on my office floor.
But this year, Otto’s sixth witnessing this event and Tito’s third, I think I’m more agitated about the hubbub than they are! Which I’m going to take to mean that I ‘m a better dog trainer than I am a calm, patient person. The Halloween practice nights this year have me jumping up to close my office door (which goes out to the deck that overlooks the YMCA, and which I usually leave open as late into the evening as the temperature permit) and turning up my Internet radio to block the random screams of excitement and “spook practice.”
Well, all of this is also good practice for the actual Halloween event itself. I think we’ll all be exhausted by the time it gets here.
Speaking of getting ready for the big night itself: Here are some good ideas about Halloween safety for your pets.
Every year for the past seven years, I’ve experienced a Halloween preview that used to be more stressful for my pets than Halloween itself. I live across the street from a tiny YMCA; the facility is just one small building with a fenced play yard smaller than my own front yard. But every year on the weekend before Halloween, the YMCA hosts a huge haunted house in its building and yard. The event, a major fundraiser for the organization, draws hundreds and hundreds of adults, teenagers, and children, who will walk, intermittently screaming, through a winding path of scary sights and sounds.
This town is small, and nighttime family entertainment is scarce, and by the end of the weekend, I feel certain that every resident has been through the “spook house” at least once, and maybe twice. Which means they have also circled the block looking for parking – my street is usually deserted at night – and then walked by the front gate, lined up outside the Y, gone through the event (screaming), and then discussed it animatedly for a while outside. Which means every dog for blocks and blocks barks for hours those two nights, and every cat for blocks and blocks goes into hiding.
The preparations have been going on every night for a week already. The volunteers who put the event together first attach plywood and cardboard to all the playground fences, blocking the by passers’ view of the interior of the “set.” Every evening for a week, there are building crews and crews of volunteer actors inside the now-shrouded yard (but still outdoors), rehearsing their zombie walks, startling screams, and – get this – because we live in a rural area, menacing chainsaw action!
This has turned into a terrific annual opportunity for my dogs to practice quietly observing mayhem and odd human behavior, and to come inside and sit with me calmly when they are too overwhelmed to watch the action outdoors. Sitting on my desk, I have a bowl of kibble with some high-value treats (cubes of Natural Balance roll) mixed in; I intermittently reward them with a tossed treat when I hear an especially loud noise outside and see them sitting or lying down on my office floor.
But this year, Otto’s sixth witnessing this event and Tito’s third, I think I’m more agitated about the hubbub than they are! Which I’m going to take to mean that I ‘m a better dog trainer than I am a calm, patient person. The Halloween practice nights this year have me jumping up to close my office door (which goes out to the deck that overlooks the YMCA, and which I usually leave open as late into the evening as the temperature permit) and turning up my Internet radio to block the random screams of excitement and “spook practice.”
Well, all of this is also good practice for the actual Halloween event itself. I think we’ll all be exhausted by the time it gets here.
Speaking of getting ready for the big night itself: Here are some good ideas about Halloween safety for your pets.
What Your Dog Remembers
It never fails to surprise and amaze me: we were hiking recently along on a trail where we haven’t been for months and months and Otto stopped suddenly and started scanning a certain tree. The other dogs paused for a second, too, taking their cues from Otto, as if to say, “What’s up, guy?” And then, just as quickly, they moved on, even as Otto stood transfixed, sniffing the air and scrutinizing that tree – the one where he came closer than he did before or has since to catching a squirrel. Obviously, that close call with the squirrel was not as significant for me as it was for Otto, but when he stops and clearly remembers that place and looks for signs of other potentially catchable squirrels, of course, then I remember, too.
And it’s obvious to me that he does remember that moment, because clearly he’s seen squirrels in countless places, and chased them in dozens of places. But only in that one place did he catch a squirrel so unaware, running up so swiftly behind it, that it caught a glimpse of Otto and sprang for the tree with only inches to spare. Otto could practically feel the squirrel’s tail hair on his nose. And then, of course, it clung to the tree above him, chattering and chirping with alarm and, perhaps, squirrel verbal abuse, and knocking bits of bark down around him. A dog remembers that sort of stuff; I don’t, until Otto stops and stares at the tree where it all happened one day, at least three years ago.
Read More...
- Whole Dog Journal Blog August 18, 2014
And it’s obvious to me that he does remember that moment, because clearly he’s seen squirrels in countless places, and chased them in dozens of places. But only in that one place did he catch a squirrel so unaware, running up so swiftly behind it, that it caught a glimpse of Otto and sprang for the tree with only inches to spare. Otto could practically feel the squirrel’s tail hair on his nose. And then, of course, it clung to the tree above him, chattering and chirping with alarm and, perhaps, squirrel verbal abuse, and knocking bits of bark down around him. A dog remembers that sort of stuff; I don’t, until Otto stops and stares at the tree where it all happened one day, at least three years ago.
Read More...
- Whole Dog Journal Blog August 18, 2014
How to Teach Children to Get Along with Dogs from an Early Age
How to raise kids who get along well with dogs and dogs who love kids in return.
I’ve had my share of litters – and not just canine ones. You see, I’m the mother of triplets. When Stephen, Allie, and Krista came into my life – in that order, a couple of minutes apart – I had two middle-aged Rhodesian Ridgebacks. Blitz and Diva had certainly met children before, and didn't mind them, but the arrival of the babies rocked their world.
Pre-kids, when my husband Fred and I went to work, the dogs lazed around our suburban Victorian, maybe getting exorcised over the occasional oil delivery or Fed Ex dropoff. But post-kids, there was a literal village tromping through the house – grandmothers, babysitters, visiting aunts – and these . . . creatures.
Diva, an old hand at motherhood herself, decided avoidance was the best option. Anytime I sat down next to her with a baby in my arms, and a tightly balled fist or bootied foot grazed her, she got up without so much as a sidelong glance and, well, left. It was as if she had concluded that I didn't appreciate her messing with my litter any more than she would appreciate me messing with hers.
Read more...
- By Denise Flaim
I’ve had my share of litters – and not just canine ones. You see, I’m the mother of triplets. When Stephen, Allie, and Krista came into my life – in that order, a couple of minutes apart – I had two middle-aged Rhodesian Ridgebacks. Blitz and Diva had certainly met children before, and didn't mind them, but the arrival of the babies rocked their world.
Pre-kids, when my husband Fred and I went to work, the dogs lazed around our suburban Victorian, maybe getting exorcised over the occasional oil delivery or Fed Ex dropoff. But post-kids, there was a literal village tromping through the house – grandmothers, babysitters, visiting aunts – and these . . . creatures.
Diva, an old hand at motherhood herself, decided avoidance was the best option. Anytime I sat down next to her with a baby in my arms, and a tightly balled fist or bootied foot grazed her, she got up without so much as a sidelong glance and, well, left. It was as if she had concluded that I didn't appreciate her messing with my litter any more than she would appreciate me messing with hers.
Read more...
- By Denise Flaim
Observing Your Dog's Body Language to Learn How They Communicate
Your dog is trying to communicate with you! Learn to understand his language.
How many times have I heard a dog owner say, “If only they could speak!” And how many times have I bitten back my first retort: “But they can speak! You’re just not listening!”
Relaxed, open mouth; half-closed eyes, and ears partway to the side tell us that all is good with Otto’s world.
We humans are a verbal species. We long for our beloved canine companions to speak to us in words we can easily understand. While they have some capacity for vocal communication, they’ll never be able to deliver a soliloquy, or carry on long meaningful conversations with their humans. English is a second language...
...read more...
-By PAT MILLER, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, CDBC
How many times have I heard a dog owner say, “If only they could speak!” And how many times have I bitten back my first retort: “But they can speak! You’re just not listening!”
Relaxed, open mouth; half-closed eyes, and ears partway to the side tell us that all is good with Otto’s world.
We humans are a verbal species. We long for our beloved canine companions to speak to us in words we can easily understand. While they have some capacity for vocal communication, they’ll never be able to deliver a soliloquy, or carry on long meaningful conversations with their humans. English is a second language...
...read more...
-By PAT MILLER, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, CDBC
Maintaining Healthy Physical Contact with Your Dog
Ensure that your dog feels good about physical contact with you.
Have you ever stopped to think about how many times a day you do something to your dog that involves physical contact? I’m not talking about petting him when he nudges up against your leg; I’m talking about grasping his collar, putting his leash on, picking him up, wiping debris from the corners of his eyes, wiping the mud off his paws, trimming fur somewhere on his body, and many more “husbandry” procedures that require various degrees of restraint and touch. Chances are you really only think about it when your dog protests, but chances are he thinks about it every time you reach for him.
“Um, hello? My fourth leg is tangled in my jacket. Good thing I like being dressed – or I’d be snapping, instead of just looking annoyed at my owner’s fumbling.”
If you’re lucky, he’s thinking good thoughts. This happens when he has a generally positive association with the outcome of your touch. These are the procedures he loves. Good associations can happen incidentally (Leash = going for a walk – Yay!) and you can create them deliberately (Touch collar, feed a treat; collar = treats – Yay!). If you’re not so fortunate or proactive, your dog may have negative associations with some of your procedures. These are the ones he avoids or actively resists.
Read more...
- by Pat Miller, CPDT-KA, CDBC
Have you ever stopped to think about how many times a day you do something to your dog that involves physical contact? I’m not talking about petting him when he nudges up against your leg; I’m talking about grasping his collar, putting his leash on, picking him up, wiping debris from the corners of his eyes, wiping the mud off his paws, trimming fur somewhere on his body, and many more “husbandry” procedures that require various degrees of restraint and touch. Chances are you really only think about it when your dog protests, but chances are he thinks about it every time you reach for him.
“Um, hello? My fourth leg is tangled in my jacket. Good thing I like being dressed – or I’d be snapping, instead of just looking annoyed at my owner’s fumbling.”
If you’re lucky, he’s thinking good thoughts. This happens when he has a generally positive association with the outcome of your touch. These are the procedures he loves. Good associations can happen incidentally (Leash = going for a walk – Yay!) and you can create them deliberately (Touch collar, feed a treat; collar = treats – Yay!). If you’re not so fortunate or proactive, your dog may have negative associations with some of your procedures. These are the ones he avoids or actively resists.
Read more...
- by Pat Miller, CPDT-KA, CDBC
Why Adopting an Adult Dog Has its Advantages
But no dog is perfect from Day 1 forward! Here’s how to help your newly adopted dog fit into your family fast!
So, you've recently adopted an adolescent or adult dog, or you’re planning to adopt one from a rescue group or shelter in the near future. Good for you! It generally takes adult dogs a lot longer to get adopted than those irresistible, pudgy puppies – even when they are calmer, better-socialized, house-trained, and past the “chew everything in sight” stage. Shelter staffers often shake their heads as families pass up ideal, kid-friendly adult dogs in favor of pups of some highly inappropriate breed or type, just because they are puppies.
There are a multitude of benefits when you bring an adult dog into your family. You don’t have to deal with those nasty-sharp puppy teeth. And because your dog has her adult teeth, she is less likely to chew ...
Read More...
- By Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, CDBC
So, you've recently adopted an adolescent or adult dog, or you’re planning to adopt one from a rescue group or shelter in the near future. Good for you! It generally takes adult dogs a lot longer to get adopted than those irresistible, pudgy puppies – even when they are calmer, better-socialized, house-trained, and past the “chew everything in sight” stage. Shelter staffers often shake their heads as families pass up ideal, kid-friendly adult dogs in favor of pups of some highly inappropriate breed or type, just because they are puppies.
There are a multitude of benefits when you bring an adult dog into your family. You don’t have to deal with those nasty-sharp puppy teeth. And because your dog has her adult teeth, she is less likely to chew ...
Read More...
- By Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, CDBC
Dogs Living with Humans 101
Ten things every dog should know (for your happiness, and his survival).
There are certain basic behaviors that all dogs need to know if they are going to survive in human society. Generally, the only ones who are likely to live happily ever after in their original homes are those dogs who are regarded as “good” by their owners.
The definition of a “good dog” depends on the defining party. If you could ask a dog, he may say something like, “Oh that Jake! He’s a darned good dog! He can knock over any garbage can or jump on any counter for food, he trees cats with ease, he can chase most cars until they stop, and he can hear strangers coming from miles away and bark until they are gone! What a great dog!”
But if you asked a human to describe a “good dog,” chances are they would not mention any of the life skills that a real dog’s dog might display, such as an ability to scavenge for food or hunt and kill small animals. Rather, most people tend to regard good dogs as those who have learned to trade (or at least modify) many of their natural canine behaviors in favor of those that are acceptable to the human members of their families.
Read more...
-by Pat Miller
There are certain basic behaviors that all dogs need to know if they are going to survive in human society. Generally, the only ones who are likely to live happily ever after in their original homes are those dogs who are regarded as “good” by their owners.
The definition of a “good dog” depends on the defining party. If you could ask a dog, he may say something like, “Oh that Jake! He’s a darned good dog! He can knock over any garbage can or jump on any counter for food, he trees cats with ease, he can chase most cars until they stop, and he can hear strangers coming from miles away and bark until they are gone! What a great dog!”
But if you asked a human to describe a “good dog,” chances are they would not mention any of the life skills that a real dog’s dog might display, such as an ability to scavenge for food or hunt and kill small animals. Rather, most people tend to regard good dogs as those who have learned to trade (or at least modify) many of their natural canine behaviors in favor of those that are acceptable to the human members of their families.
Read more...
-by Pat Miller
Play With Your Dog
Everyone in the family, including children, should play with their dogs. Even young children can be suitable playmates for many dogs, with some important caveats. Assuming your dog likes to play, the more humans she gets to play with, the more humans she’ll think are wonderful because they make good stuff happen, and the better socialized she’ll be. Dogs who are well socialized are far less likely to bite or otherwise engage in behaviors that are likely to get them into serious trouble.In addition, the more that each family member has fun interacting with the dog, the more likely it is that the dog will stay in that home for her entire life. Play helps build strong bonds and relationships that support lifelong loving homes for canine family members.
- Pat Miller
- Pat Miller
Adopting Two Dogs at the Same Time
Living with multiple dogs brings a whole new set of challenges. Adding a second (or third, or fourth) dog means more fun, more love, more joy and more wonderful doggy companionship. But it also means much more from you: more time, more money, more energy, and more working through problems.
Adopting two dogs (or worse, two puppies) at the same time is simply asking for several years of chaos. It may be fun. It may even be worth it. But it will for sure be chaotic. The dogs will likely develop a stronger bond with each other than with you, making for a longer, more difficult road when it comes to training and socializing. You can, of course, counter that tendency by keeping the dogs separate, working with each individually, and establishing your relationship first – though this may not be a realistic option in an average home. The amount of work, energy, and effort is much more than simply having two dogs.
Adopting two dogs (or worse, two puppies) at the same time is simply asking for several years of chaos. It may be fun. It may even be worth it. But it will for sure be chaotic. The dogs will likely develop a stronger bond with each other than with you, making for a longer, more difficult road when it comes to training and socializing. You can, of course, counter that tendency by keeping the dogs separate, working with each individually, and establishing your relationship first – though this may not be a realistic option in an average home. The amount of work, energy, and effort is much more than simply having two dogs.