Holiday Mayhem

We have officially entered the holiday triad; you know, the time between Halloween, Thanksgiving, and all of the December holidays?  It's a time of chaos with kids ramped up on sugar, over-stimulated pets, and parents and grandparents spread thin. Yee haw.  Really makes you look forward to this time of year, right?

I'm already seeing my social media feeds filled with holiday posts.  I've seen pets in spooky costumes, people feeding their pets festive treats, right alongside pets dressed as pilgrims and Native Americans, and folks already adding Mariah Carey's voice to their early Christmas posts of pets preparing for Santa to arrive.  Hey folks, it's only October 30, I'm not ready for Mariah Carey just yet.  Can we all just slow down for a moment?  What's the rush?

Lest you think I'm just on a rant, there's a really good reason I'm bringing this up now.  You see, all of those social media posts have one thing in common: Perfectly posed pets, seemingly enjoying all of the holiday chaos.  But here's the thing:  Most pets don't enjoy that stuff at all.  And more importantly, a lot of pets find costumes on kids, costumes on themselves, sitting in front of a table of food they can't touch, sparkling/flashing decor, animatronic skeletons, ghosts, santas, etc. quite anxiety-provoking.  There's a problem with social media influencers inundating their followers with this content; they are normalizing this behavior at the expense of their pets and the pets of their followers in the name of entertainment, views, and followers.

You know what I'd like to see normalized?  Pets allowed to be themselves.  Rather than dressing up your anxious dog and forcing him to repeatedly greet strange children at the front door, how about you give him a yummy bone, lick mat filled with goodies, or a frozen Kong and put him in another room with a white noise machine or music blotting out that chaos? Same goes for Thanksgiving: If your pet doesn't like visitors in the house, or can't be trusted around all the food, don't make them do it!  Sure, you can leash your pet to keep them from accosting visitors or wolfing down cocktail onions, but why put them through it in the first place? I know you consider them family and want them to be included, but do they REALLY want to be included, or would they prefer their crate and an interactive toy in a quiet room away from all of that? And your dog who is terrified of new people and doesn't like being in public spaces doesn't need to go to the mall and sit on Santa's lap; you can tell Santa what he wants for Christmas all on your own!

Seriously, folks.  Let's normalize doing right by our pets.  Let's normalize protecting them from what fills them with anxiety and stress.  And if you do have a pet who enjoys the chaos of the holiday season, well, that's great.  Let them enjoy themselves.  But remember: Even the most social, outgoing, life-of-the-party dog will need down time.  Be sure you schedule that for them as well.

Clearly, I'm far from ready for the holidays.  While I do have Halloween candy for the neighborhood kids and I've made rough plans for Thanksgiving, I'm panicking about holiday cards and afraid December will get here before I'm mentally ready for it.  Luckily, I have dogs who enjoy family and friends in our house, don't mess with the holiday decor, and have been trained not to touch food that isn't expressly theirs.  I do, however, make sure they have an exit at all times; crates are always available and I make sure Ozzie, especially, has a quiet place to go when he's had enough hugs and booty scratches and wants to just rest by himself. At my house, we normalize taking a break whether you are a dog or a person.  I hope your pets will be afforded those same opportunities to get away from it all if they need to.

And, as always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

While unhappy, as we all were, that the San Francisco Giants didn't make it to the World Series this year, the smoothies were still happy to wear their Giants retro shirts in defiance of the Dodgers and Yankees making it there instead!

Why Is My Dog Such a Hater?

I get asked some version of this question all the time:  Why doesn't my dog like other dogs?  When I tell dog owners that it isn't a requirement that their dog actually like other dogs, they often act surprised.  I mean, aren't dogs supposed to socialize with other dogs and enjoy those experiences?  And the answer is no, not necessarily.  Just like some people are more sociable than others, the same goes for dogs.  But let's explore why that's the case, just a little bit deeper.

Ever notice that dogs, in general, seem to get along best with other dogs that look like them?  There's a reason for this.  Boxers like playing with other Boxers, Pit Bulls like playing with other Bully breeds, and Collies do indeed enjoy other Collies.  After spending several hours watching 65 collies run, play, and enjoy each other's company at a recent collie fun day event, I can certainly attest to that! The reason for this affiliation is simple: Familiar body language.  All dogs communicate using primarily body language and dogs who share similar morphologies (body shapes) have similar body language.  Thus, a Boxer with it's smushy face, short tail, and bouncy nature will best be understood by other Boxers who also have smushy faces, short tails, and bouncy dispositions.  Conversely, other dog breeds often find Boxers difficult to read; their smushy faces don't have as much expression, and those short tails also don't give as much information.  And for dogs who don't enjoy boisterous, bouncy play, a Boxer won't be an ideal companion.  Collies and other herding dogs like a good game of chase and use the ear position, tail carriage, and gait of their compatriots to determine who will be the chaser and who will be chased in their interactions.

And, yes, it is certainly true that in addition to body language, body size plays an important part in all of this.  It is often the case that little dogs, though playful, do not enjoy the same kind of rough and tumble play as a bully breed, or a game of chase like an Australian Shepherd, for example.  So, while a Pomeranian might want to play with a Toy Poodle, it's less likely to want to play with that Boxer or the German Shepherd. This doesn't mean your little dog can't be introduced to big dogs (and vice versa), it just means they are unlikely to be ideal playmates without a lot of supervision and management on your part.

So, what does this mean for your dog?  First and foremost take your cues from your dog.  Do they appear interested in other dogs?  Okay, then maybe they do want to socialize and now it's up to you to find appropriate playmates based on what I outlined above; look at their morphology, play style, and size to gauge who might be a good candidate for a playdate.  If your dog is uninterested in other dogs, OR appears fearful, aggressive, agitated, or overstimulated, they heed those cues and don't force interactions.  Dogs don't need to play with other dogs in order to be well-rounded, content canine companions. They do, however, need to be able to walk past other dogs without issue if you intend to walk them in areas populated by other dogs and their owners.

If you are having trouble walking your dog because they are fearful, aggressive, or overstimulated, take a minute to look at what triggers them.  Is it dogs bigger than them?  Smaller than them?  Dogs that stare or posture in a provoking way?  Dogs that bark or whine?  Dogs who are boisterous?  Once you know what triggers your individual dog, you'll have a better idea of how to avoid them. I've had clients tell me that their dogs are set off by every other dog, but that simply wasn't true.  What I observed were dogs triggered by specific body language cues and morphologies of other dogs.  The reason it seemed that their dogs were triggered by everything is that their owners kept exposing them repeatedly to triggers resulting in a situation where their dogs were so overwhelmed that the only way out of the situation was to behave in an over-the-top manner so that their owners would take them home.

If you know your dog is triggered by all that unsupervised, boisterous play at the dog park, then don't take them there.  In fact, time your walks in that area for when there are fewer dogs using the dog park, or even better, walk them somewhere else for a while.  The same goes for walking a different route if there are dogs behind fences who bark, posture, or stare at your dog when you walk by, and that's what triggers your dog. Walking at off peak times and off peak places can really help lessen your dog's anxiety about other dogs AND help them to reset, allowing you to work on strategies for making walking past other dogs on future walks a more attainable goal. 

If you need an easy refresher on dog body language, please revisit my blog on the subject.  For convenience, here's the link:

https://juliebondanimalbehaviorist.blogspot.com/2021/08/canine-body-language-part-1-basics.html

And if you'd like to pick up a great book on the subject, take a look at "Doggie Language: A Dog Lover's Guide to Understanding Your Best Friend," by Lili Chin.  It's a fabulous little book with wonderful, clear drawings and explanations on canine body language.

As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

Just a gaggle of floofs (the smooths were all running the fence line when I took this photo!) enjoying each other's company.  Lots of good body language cues to look at here!

*Burp*

I had a friend over to visit yesterday evening.  Ozzie and Henley were super excited to see him, jumping and bouncing around, bringing him toys, etc.  When he leaned down to ruffle Ozzie's neck floof, Ozzie raised his face, appearing to be going in for a smooch, and promptly burped right in my friend's face!  Even Henley dropped his toy with a horrified look on his face!  Luckily, we just burst out laughing and Ozzie shook it off and moved on.  Why in the world would a dog burp in someone's face?

Dogs burp for the same reasons we do: eating too fast, drinking too quickly, dietary/digestive issues, and excitement or anxiety.  In Ozzie's case, that burp was due to excitement, but he's also been known to burp if he eats too quickly, and Henley burps when he drinks too fast, often spitting out water all over the floor when he does so. Is burping ever a concern?  Well, sure, if it's happening all the time, is associated with coughing or vomiting, or is part of a bigger issue like recurrent diarrhea and a loss of appetite. Otherwise, it's probably not that big of a deal.  If your dog is otherwise healthy, but does burp frequently, there are things you can do to decrease the frequency of those gassy outbursts.

Slow feeder bowls, snuffle mats, and even just spreading the food out on a flat surface will slow down how quickly your dog eats, thus he will capture less air due to gulping.  Smaller, more frequent meals can also mean less air swallowed. It's also true that giving high fat diets or treats, and those that are harder to digest like popcorn, for example, can lead to burping more frequently. Focus on giving a high quality diet, with a good balance of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, and limit the fatty snacks and popcorn. And for those excited or anxious burping dogs, try to keep the environment calm, particularly at mealtimes.  You can keep them on leash for greetings to control jumping, spinning, and bouncing.  Teach them to sit in place and wait for guests to greet them instead. And if their anxiety is overwhelming, try crating them when people arrive and then letting them out, on leash, after the initial excitement settles.  And if their anxiety is strictly about excitement and enthusiasm, and not about aggression or fear, you might even be able to give them something like CBD oil to help calm their nerves and control those nervous burps.

I'm pretty sure Ozzie would be mortified if he knew I'd told the world he burped in someone's face.  He's been working so hard to fill Desi's shoes and be a good pet assisted therapy dog, and burping in faces isn't high on the list of behaviors for pet therapy animals!  Luckily, Ozzie is mostly calm on his visits, not anxious or overly excited, so he's unlikely to burp in those situations.  He is a collie, however, so burps could still happen.  Every collie we've ever had was a burper, versus our Labrador who could clear a room with her flatulence.  But that's a different story all together.

As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

Mr. Burps himself.  But don't tell him I told you!

Thinking Outside of the Box

I had a wonderful conversation with a client after her appointment was done. She actually called me from her car on her way home because she wanted to share her thoughts while they were fresh in her mind.  So, why did she call?  Because she appreciated my "outside of the box" approach.  I laughed and thanked her for making my day, but it really got me thinking.  Are my techniques, recommendations, and treatment plans really that "outside the box?"  I guess for some people, they really are, while for others my approach aligns with either their own personal views or validates what their veterinarian or trusted dog trainer told them, and that works too.

I like to think of myself as progressive in my approach to animal behavior. I certainly remember what I learned in college and graduate school, but I think what I've learned on the job all these years has influenced my approach more than anything else.  Knowing that what works for one animal might not work for another, meaning you can't just apply the same techniques to every anxious dog, for example, and expect the same outcome.  Every animal is unique and while they may present as anxious, how they got there in the first place is their own journey and what I'm left to figure out in order to help them AND help their human caretaker.

As the years have gone by, I've really begun to dread the misinformation spread on the internet and through social media.  While this misinformation certainly extends beyond the realm of animals and their behavior, I'm going to limit my comments to that.  Whether you are searching for answers, help, or validation, know the sources you are using.  Asking your veterinarian beats Google every time.  And asking a behaviorist is better than Reddit, hands down.

And if you want to know where I go to continue my educational journey, I read.  I read A LOT.  I'm currently reading Zazie Todd's newest book, "Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful or Reactive Dog." It's terrific and will be one I recommend to dog owners just starting their journey with an anxious or fearful dog. And for those of you who have been managing your fearful, anxious, or reactive dog for years, you'll still enjoy this book as it will validate that you've been doing all of the right things to enhance your dog's quality of life.

So, I'm going to continue thinking "outside of the box" for a few more years, at least.  I'll eventually retire, probably devoting more of my time to writing, gardening, and everything collie. But in the meantime, my quest for new ways to help you help your pets remains my purpose.

And, as always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

So, Henley has skin problems as most of you know.  He gets twice weekly baths and in between baths, he gets a mousse applied to any skin irritations to keep him from drawing attention to those spots and licking or scratching them. The problem?  He wants to lick the mousse as soon as it's applied!  My (maybe?) outside the box solution? Get him working on tasks until the mousse soaks in and he no longer wants to lick it! We worked on tap today, one of his favorites.  Basically, I move my feet and sort of dance with him and he has to tap the tops of my feet as they move. He loves this game so much, that even when I stop, he often tries to get me to play more by doing what you see in this picture.  The good thing is, he's not licking the mousse or himself.  The badish thing?  I can't move my foot now.

The Magic Pill!

It's happened too many times to count.  A client reaches out for help with their pet, asking for a recommendation to a medication that will "make the situation better," "cure the aggression," or "make their dog like other dogs/people."  I always refer to this as the "magic pill." A lot of people look for magic pills for themselves (to help with weight loss, increase their energy, etc.) and they definitely look for them for their beloved pets.  The problem, however, is the same; there are no magic pills, at least none that I've found yet.  While cannabinoids (CBD) help some pets (and people), others remained unaffected by them.  And while it's certainly true that anxiolytic medications like Prozac, for example, can be helpful for some people and pets, it isn't a miracle cure.  Work still needs to be done on behavior modification, including counterconditioning, increasing mental stimulation, and avoiding the triggers that lead to the anxiety and aggression. Oftentimes, pet owners don't really want to put in the work that is necessary to make drug therapy an effective, adjunct means of helping their pet overcome their anxiety; they just want the pet to "be better" or "do better."  And sometimes they want their pet to be something that it really isn't: sociable, approachable, friendly with everyone, and normal, whatever normal really is.

We've talked about this before: you have to love the dog you're with, not the dog you thought you were getting.  Every dog has a unique personality as a result of their genetics, early environmental factors, and socialization experiences. No single factor creates an anxious dog; for most dogs with anxiety, there was a genetic predisposition and then repeated exposure to triggers exacerbated the problem.  For example, that shy puppy you picked from the litter because he was calm and quiet?  Remember when you took him to puppy class and he freaked out, squealing if anyone walked toward him?  Remember when he hid during class and wouldn't let the instructor or anyone else touch him? And then when you took him to the vet, he tried to hide again and snapped when he was pulled out from under the bench? Well, that puppy was always going to be an anxious dog.  He was oddly reserved at 8 weeks old when he was chosen, he was painfully introverted and fearful around other dogs and people at class, and he displayed fear aggression with the vet. No amount of socializing is going to make this dog into something he's not.  And giving him Prozac alone, without adding in mental stimulation and appropriate physical exercise, isn't going to solve the problem either.  This puppy will need life-long management, and drug therapy more than likely, to have a good quality of life. His owners will need to protect him from his triggers as best as they can, not push him when he's uncomfortable, and keep guests in their home safe. He isn't going to be a park dog, beach dog, or out for lunch companion. He will likely need to learn cooperative care and be muzzle trained for safety at the groomer and at the vet's office. 

For me, I like to think of the magic in these situations as coming from the owners themselves.  Some pet owners just get it; maybe they too, have anxiety, or they have a family member with anxiety.  They know what it will take to make that pet feel safe, loved, and comfortable; they also know what will trigger their pets and they avoid those triggers as best as they can.  They don't ask for a magic pill to make it all better; they ask if there is something they can give their pet that will help with their quality of life. They are willing and able to put in the work and admit that while this isn't the dog they signed up for, they love him nonetheless.

As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

Anxiety can present in many ways. Take my granddog, Westley, for example. He is very noise sensitive when it comes to garbage trucks and squeaky hydraulic brakes on buses and heavy construction equipment.  But fireworks? He could care less. Screaming children?  He loves them.  Aggressive dogs?  He ignores them.  So what do we do? We protect him from what triggers him, using white noise machines and fans, and his crate is his safe space.  Westley is thriving despite his anxiety!