Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Why Is My Dog Such a Hater?
Wednesday, October 16, 2024
*Burp*
Wednesday, October 9, 2024
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.
Wednesday, October 2, 2024
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.
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Why Did He Do That?!
I was out with my buddy, Loki, last Saturday. It was a beautiful morning, actually on the cooler side which was a nice change from the crazy hot weather we've been having. At one point Loki sniffed the air, then he dropped and began rolling around on the wet grass, smiling ear to ear, and really enjoying himself. A woman pushing a stroller walked by us and then stopped, apparently because she couldn't figure out why I was letting Loki just roll around. She actually asked me, "Why in the world is your dog rolling around like that?! Is he okay?!" Clearly not a dog owner, amiright? She asked if he was having a seizure! That quite literally cracked me up. No, I told her. He's not having a seizure. He's having a moment of joy! The grass is wet and it feels good to roll around. Plus, Loki knows if he grins my direction while rolling, I'll lean down and scratch his tummy and armpits, his favorite thing in the world. She still looked perplexed as she walked away, shaking her head, but that's okay. Dogs aren't for everybody! And here's the truth of the matter: Dogs roll around for many reasons beyond the joy of wet grass.
Dogs roll on the ground because their world is based in scents. A dog who's just been bathed/groomed will roll around (if allowed to) drying himself off in the process. Some dogs roll around post grooming, even if they are dry, as they are trying to get rid of the "clean dog smell" in favor of something more earthy and "normal," or familiar, from their perspective. Dogs will roll in mud or damp leaves to cool off. They'll roll in smelly things like seaweed, horse manure, and cow patties for the joy of smelling like those delightfully stinky things. They may also be doing so to disguise their own scent. So, rolling dries them, cools them, gets rid of a smell, adds a new smell, and of course, brings them joy.
And then, there are the dogs like Henley. Henley rolls on his back to scratch. He has a lot of allergies (it's why I bathe him twice a week!), but rolling on his back allows him to scratch spots he can't reach. And Ozzie? He rolls around, mostly rubbing his face, as he likes to clean up his mouth post water or food that way. So my two dogs are rolling around as some kind of individualized grooming ritual. It's interesting to me that after Ozzie has done this face cleaning, or Henley has scratched his back by rolling on the rug, each of them will go to that spot, drop down for a deep sniff, and often paw that spot. Clearly, rolling around like that has left the other dog's scent behind and they know it!
I really do enjoy watching dogs do, well, just what dogs do. And it is kind of fun when you meet someone who isn't a dog person as their perception of what us dog owners see everyday is quite different. Just for fun, share why your dogs roll around or if they even might be the ones sleeping on their backs, all four feet up in the air!
And as always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.
Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Why Can't We Be Friends?
I just met yesterday with a lovely young couple who recently moved to San Francisco from the Midwest. They had chosen San Francisco because they had read online about it being one of the most dog-friendly cities in California and they were eager to be able to take their adolescent Boston Terrier more places with them. They were also hoping that they'd be able to find him a few playmates, whose owners they might like too, since they don't really know many people here yet other than their coworkers, and those are all virtual! So far, however, it's been a total bust; either their dog didn't like the other dogs they've met, or my clients didn't like the dogs' humans! They'd met with their new veterinarian to update their dog's vaccines and that's how they'd heard about me and reached out for help.
This was such an interesting appointment! I wasn't there because their dog had any specific behavioral issues; he didn't even really have any training issues. I was there to help this couple and their dog find some social opportunities here in the Bay Area that would get them off to a great start.
We took their dog for a walk so I could observe him (and them) out in public. I made suggestions about where to walk and explore, including places other clients regularly use and love like Fort Funston, Strawberry Hill, the Presidio, and Dolores Park. I did tell them that they would need to visit these places several times, and on different days, to get a feel for the areas and the dog owners that use them. While Fort Funston is an off leash dog haven, dogs are primarily on leash at Strawberry Hill and Dolores Park. I told them that they should really think about their ultimate goal; was it truly to find their dog a dog friend, or was it for them to find like-minded, dog-owning humans to hang out with? These are not necessarily the same thing. They could send their dog to doggie daycare to make friends and socialize with other dogs, BUT if they really wanted to make friends themselves, then they were going to have to get out a lot more than they've been doing. On a recommendation from my daughter, I even suggested that they try online groups like MeetUp and Bumble BFF to find couple friends with similar interests. They'd never even thought of that!
I agree that it can be harder to make new friends when you first move to a new area, but while it may seem overwhelming, it's really not. You just have to put yourself out there and be okay with not every connection working out. Finally, I suggested they consider volunteering with Furry Friends, the pet assisted therapy group I work with, given that they are both very interested in volunteerism AND their dog loves meeting new people. Through an organization like Furry Friends, I know this couple will definitely connect with other like-minded dog owners, including many who live outside of San Francisco, thus expanding where they cast their net for new friends and new connections.
We can't make our dogs like certain other dogs, or even certain people. And our dogs may like people or other dogs that we ourselves don't. That's just how it works! You can't force a dog to like who you like, though you can hedge your bets by including good treats and a lot of positive reinforcement on those first meetings in the hopes of making a great first impression.
As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.
Wednesday, September 11, 2024
If You Just Need a Plan!
I worked with a wonderful client over the weekend who told me that she just needed a training plan for her new dog. She likened it to the workout program her personal trainer gave her for getting back into shape. She said what she really wanted, and hoped I could provide, was a simple outline of what she should be doing everyday with her dog to make sure he was headed in the right direction. She indicated, too, that she'd tried to find simple guidelines like this online, but ended up down a rabbit hole of suggestions and exercises, some of which she was pretty sure weren't good for her dog! So, when I told her she really just needed to put in about 5-10 minutes a day to reach her goals for her dog, she was ecstatic! This was something she could commit to and she took out a notebook to write down the plan. Here's what I told her:
1. Work everyday on the important behaviors you need your dog to reliably do. Run through them quickly and efficiently, kind of like stretching before you go for a run. Then spend the remainder of your training with your dog working on a new/fun skill/behavior.
2. The basic behaviors I think every dog should be able to do reliably: sit, down, stay, stand, come, drop it, leave it, and walk nicely on leash. My client's dog had reliable sits and downs, but that was about it. So, we worked together on luring him into the other behaviors. I showed her how to turn leave it and drop it into a game so her dog would be more likely to comply rather than resist giving up treasured things he finds. And for the loose leash walking, I told her to work indoors, sans leash, luring her dog using treats and her voice FIRST, before moving outdoors with a leash and trying the same techniques.
3. The list of behaviors I gave her for adding in fun/new skills: touch, bow, turn, through, back it up, sit up, dance, spin, speak, whisper, flop, and roll over. I then had Henley demonstrate each of those skills for her! He did each skill twice, once for her to observe, and once for her to see how I got the behavior in the first place.
4. Don't get frustrated! Rome wasn't built in a day, as my grandmother used to say. It might take her dog weeks to get through just the basics and that's absolutely okay! But, even if he's still struggling with the basics, she should introduce something new and fun every day to try, learning how to keep his brain engaged and keep herself motivated.
5. Always end on a positive note. Regardless of how that 5-10 minute session went, always end the session with something easy or fun that your dog will be 100% successful doing, even if it's "just a sit." Because, you know what? A dog who can sit still, even for just a few seconds, has potential and that should be rewarded and celebrated!
We will be meeting again in two weeks to check her progress. She referred to that as accountability for herself! In the meantime, she's going to send me video progress reports which should be fun for us both.
As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.
Wednesday, September 4, 2024
An Ode To Those Gutted Stuffy-Fluffies!
Wednesday, August 28, 2024
A Bit More on Reactivity
I have had so many new clients approach me for help with their "reactive" dogs. I find this interesting because using that terminology to describe a dog's behavior really wasn't a thing until just a few years ago. Now, however, I hear it batted around and used quite frequently to describe dogs who do everything from bark at the TV to biting the neighbor! It seems that many owners with aggressive dogs prefer to use the term reactive, thinking that this will make the problem seem less serious. This is troubling because an aggressive dog has a very different problem than a dog whose barking has become an issue.
By definition, reactive just means responding to a stimulus or acting in response to a situation. Well, you know what? We all do that. The doorbell rings and you jump up and answer the door. Are you reactive? Yes, because you acted upon a stimulus you received. Now, I'm not trying to be difficult here; I simply want everyone, dog owners included, to think about the words they use to describe behavior. If your dog is afraid of sounds, then he's noise sensitive. If your dog barks at the neighbor's dog at their shared fence line, then he's territorial. If your dog charges at guests, biting at their pants leg, then your dog is aggressive. And yet, all three of the dogs I just described came to me with the label "reactive." I do want to help all three of these dogs, but helping them means helping you, and you can help me by telling me what's really going on. I'm not going to judge your dog parenting skills, I just need to know exactly what's happening. Was is really a nip? Or was it a bite? Is the barking just at the fence, or is your dog barking at the TV, your kids running in the yard, and on walks? And those noises that set your dog off; are they barking dogs on the TV screen, the garbage trucks in your neighborhood, or the sound of your ice maker? All of these details are important for diagnosis and treatment, and way more important that any labels.
So, while I agree that noise sensitive dogs, barking dogs, and aggressive dogs are all anxious dogs at the heart of the matter, I don't think calling them reactive helps at all. All of these dogs have the capacity to learn a different behavioral response to their triggers. Getting frustrated and labeling them disobedient or stubborn won't help either. What they are is anxious and their anxiety is keeping them from hearing you.
OK. Hopping down off of my soap box now and calling back that dog owner that left me a message this morning about their reactive dog. I know one thing for sure, their dog is anxious. Now, I just need to figure out if he's afraid, obsessive, lacking physical or mental exercise, or aggressive. Or some combination of all of those things. But, you know me. I'm on it!
As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.
Wednesday, August 21, 2024
The Dog Who Didn't Like Hugs
Wednesday, August 14, 2024
If You Take a Dog to a Party...
Wednesday, August 7, 2024
How Often Should You Take Classes With Your Dog?
After I posted last week's blog about my upcoming therapy pets training class, I had several clients reach out and ask how often they should be taking classes with their dogs and what kind of classes they should be taking. I love that each and every one of them who asked me this had their dog's best interests in mind when they asked! Obviously, they were concerned that they might not be doing enough, or doing the right things, to ensure their dogs are living mentally and physically stimulating lives. So, here are my thoughts:
There is no set number or timing of classes for your dogs, though I will say that doing at least one round of puppy classes between the ages of 3 months and 9 months of age is a must, in my opinion. Ideally, puppy owners will start with a basics/socialization class and then move on to an adolescent manners class of some kind. Whether those puppies go on to do more obedience classes, or specialized classes, is really up to their guardians and what those individual dogs might need.
You see, some humans enjoy taking classes because the classes are structured, are a set number of hours of instruction, and occur in a controlled environment. By the same token, some humans don't like classes BECAUSE they are structured and limited to the time frame set by the instructor. Those humans might prefer to schedule private lessons, so to speak, for their dogs. And then there are a lot of humans who prefer to do their dog's training on their own, when it suits them. There is nothing wrong with any of these approaches to dog training, as long as, you are committing yourself to doing the work one way or the other.
You don't need to take classes every day, every week, or even every month, though I certainly know dog owners who do all of those things. What I usually suggest is committing to 5-10 minutes of training every single day; maybe you get more than that because you take your dog to an hour class, or you get less than than because your work schedule keeps you busy. It's an average: If every day you focus on your dog's behavior for 5-10 minutes, you will have a reasonably well behaved companion dog. You can spread out the 10 minutes, focusing on things like sitting and waiting to go through doorways every time you do so, for example, or maybe you are working on stay in place on a dog bed. Don't spend an hour doing either, just incorporate a few minutes here and there throughout the day, when the situations arise naturally. Just remember to have those treats in your pocket to pay the appropriate behaviors when they happen!
I think most dogs enjoy learning tricks and most humans enjoy teaching them, so I like to incorporate tricks training into almost every treatment plan I devise for my clients' dogs. For dogs who need more action than that, I like to send them to learn agility, parkour, or even herding. For dogs who have some good basic obedience skills, I think a rally class is a great idea. But, again, you can teach your dog agility, parkour, and rally on your own, in your own yard, at your own pace, you just need the equipment to do so.
So, I guess my answer to the original question is take classes as often as you want to, if your dog enjoys them, but don't force yourself to continually enroll in classes if you find they aren't working for you or they are causing additional anxiety for your dog. If that's the case, opt instead to do the training on your own, or one-on-one with a trainer, at a pace that works for you and for your dog. Less anxiety all around.
And as always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.
Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Does Your Dog Have What It Takes To Be A Therapy Dog?
As most of you already know, I've been involved in pet assisted therapy work since the late 1990's, though I did some research on the subject and piloted a program on the UC Davis campus back in the late 1980's as well. I've seen the obvious benefits of pet therapy for patients many times (reduced heart rate, slowed breathing, increased sociability, etc.) as well as some of the less obvious ones which include the benefits to the volunteers and their pets participating themselves in pet assisted therapy programs.
As I have in previous years, I will be teaching a three session series on pet assisted therapy for Molly's AdobeDogs Dog Training in Los Altos. The course begins on Saturday, August 17, at 11 a.m. The first class will cover what is involved in pet therapy work, the logistics of preparing yourself and your pet to participate, and an overview of the types of visits that you can do. The second class will cover other, more advanced forms of pet therapy including reading visits with children, off leash visits with at-risk or incarcerated youth, and animal assisted services, a specialized form of pet therapy where animals serve a direct role in the rehabilitation process, or within a clinical setting, for the patients they serve. The final class will cover the different pet therapy organizations you can join, including national groups, as well as local groups here in the San Francisco Bay Area. During the final class I will also do mock evaluations of the pets attending this class to give their owners a better idea of their pets' readiness to participate as pet assisted therapy animals.
In the past, this course has been limited, obviously, to pet owners local enough to Los Altos to be able to attend class three Saturday mornings in a row. This time around, I am hoping to open this class up to anyone interested in it by creating a virtual classroom on Zoom so that others across the country, and maybe even around the world, can attend. For those of you who are local and want to attend, here is the link to sign up: https://adobedogs.dogbizpro.com/public/registration/index.aspx?schedule=1266
For those of you out of the area who would like more information on attending the classes via Zoom, please email me or send me a message through Facebook, Instagram, Threads, etc. and I will get that information to you. You would still need to be able to view the class when it is “live,” so 11 a.m. PST on August 17. I will have someone monitor the Zoom classroom space for questions from those participants who are not present in the actual classroom, so everyone's questions can be heard and addressed in real time.
I'm very much looking forward to teaching this class as I've not taught it in over a year and I've not had the opportunity to offer any classes via Zoom as yet, so this trial run will allow me to determine the feasibility of other Zoom classes with me in the future.
As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.