Survival of the Friendliest

Have you all watched the Netflix documentary, "Inside the Mind of a Dog?" If you haven't, you really should.  It's quite entertaining and a great way to see what goes into the raising and training of service dogs, among other noteworthy things.

For me, I thought the best takeaway was this idea of "survival of the friendliest" rather than just thinking about the success of dogs in terms of "survival of the fittest," a concept first presented by the English philosopher and sociologist, Herbert Spencer, before it was popularized and often attributed to Charles Darwin.  Survival of the fittest refers to natural selection and a way of explaining how organisms that are best adapted to their environments are more likely to survive and reproduce. Survival of the friendliest is an even more straightforward way of thinking about the success of dogs.  Those early canids that bravely followed humans, eating what we left behind, alerting us to predators, helping us hunt for food, and keeping us warm and entertained? They were adaptable and they were clearly friendly, or at least open to a symbiotic relationship.  Those early canids who weren't interested or friendly? In a nutshell, they remained wolves.

But survival of the friendliest applies well beyond natural selection.  The friendliest dogs are (hopefully) the ones humans, even now, are encouraging to reproduce. By encouraging friendly dogs to reproduce, we are ensuring that future human generations will enjoy the companionship of behaviorally reliable dogs.  And at least as far as this documentary is concerned, who in the dog population could be considered more friendly or reliable than a service dog?

Truthfully, I'd have to agree.  Service dogs are carefully bred over generations to have temperaments suitable to the jobs that they will one day master.  Some are good at picking up dropped items or flipping switches, others are good at guiding people in public spaces, while others are good at reducing anxiety.  There are service dogs whose noses are so gifted that they can detect drugs or firearms and even dogs that can identify cancer, alert to diabetic events, and predict seizures before they happen. These are all very helpful behaviors that dogs can provide and at the heart of all of these behaviors are dogs who are friendly in nature.  So, yes, we can select for friendly and perpetuate that for the future.

Now, obviously, I realize that there are dogs out there breeding on their own without much thought given to the idea of friendliness.  But  here's the thing.  We, as humans and their caretakers, do have a role to play there as well. Clearly, we should spay/neuter dogs whose temperaments shouldn't be perpetuated, much as we should spay/neuter dogs who have inherited genetic illnesses that will shorten their lives or cause them undue pain and suffering.  

As our faithful, trusted companions, I feel like we owe dogs that:  We have the ability to help them become the very best that they can be.  And just as every puppy born to be a service dog doesn't make that final cut and go on to a service job, they all go on to be well-loved, devoted companions, whose friendly disposition is cherished.  Survival of the friendliest indeed.

So, go take your dog for a stroll, hand them a cookie, show them some love, or all of the above.  They deserve it.

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

Here's Westley, my daughter's ESA, emotional support animal, laying across her body to comfort her and help her relax for bed.  And he's doing it with collie style; notice those crossed paws!

Kids & Dogs: More Thoughts On Them Both!

I was talking with a new client via Zoom over the weekend who was considering a dog for her kids (two boys ages 4 and 7) as a Hanukkah gift.  While I appreciated that she thought her boys were ready for this commitment, I don't think the holidays are the optimal time to gift a pet of any kind to anyone, let alone young children.  Too much chaos, too much excitement, and too many chances for the gift to be more than anyone can handle this time of year.  But beyond that, I had to find a nice way to tell her that I didn't think her boys were ready for a dog yet. I was able to see her boys and interact with them during our video consultation and I just don't think they are ready for what living with a dog entails. After our appointment was done, I asked if I could share her story as long as no names were used and she gave a definitive yes as she felt like I'd helped her "dodge a bullet" with my advice.

These two boys were like most of the little boys I meet; they were running around the house, playing with plastic light sabers first and then a nerf ball.  They never walked anywhere, not once!  Every time they moved they either sprinted, skipped, or vaulted off of a piece of furniture!  When they finally settled down, I saw them lying on the floor, game controllers in hand, and popcorn in a big bowl set between them. All I could picture was a puppy chasing these kids, grabbing light sabers and clothing, tackling kids on the floor, and then eating an entire bowl of popcorn! And, yes, I've seen it before.  More than once.

While I love watching kids and dogs play together, and I do believe that having any pet increases a child's empathy for others, there is no set age when getting your child a dog (or a cat, rabbit, or guinea pig) is the right thing to do. In fact, I've been in homes where toddlers are doing really well with the family dog or cat, and I've also been in homes where the teens weren't appropriate with the pets. So, you see, it isn't the age of your kids that determines if they are ready for a family pet; it's the personalities of the kids, their temperaments, and how their activity level will be impacted by the addition of a pet.  

I know I spend a lot of time talking about being careful to select a dog whose temperament, exercise requirements, etc. suits your lifestyle, but it's equally important to make sure your lifestyle, and the fact that you have kids or grandkids in your home, fits the dog's needs as well.  And, yes, after 30,000 years of co-evolution with dogs we've selected for dogs with temperaments that are suited to family life, that doesn't mean that EVERY dog is suited to family life.  For example, it might seem that a little dog like a teacup poodle or chihuahua might be a good choice for kids because they can dress the dog up, push it around in a stroller, and carry it everywhere, but here's the thing.  Many of those tiny breed dogs don't actually like being dressed up or picked up all the time.  They might tolerate an adult who feeds them doing it, but they might snap at or bite a child for doing the same thing. Those little dogs have a bit less patience with rude human behavior than their larger counterparts.  That isn't to say that a Bernese Mountain Dog doesn't have limits with the amount of bad human behavior they are willing to put up with, because I'm certain they do.  It's just that that Berner is going to be a bit more forgiving.  But a bite is a bite is a bite; if your kids aren't able to respect a dog or cat's boundaries and heed those obvious body language cues, then you aren't ready for a dog or cat in your home, no matter how much everyone says they want one.

Please keep in mind too that options for dogs and cats are limited once they've bitten someone, even if that bite was an accident or the result of getting overstimulated or from inappropriate handling by your kids. Dogs and cats who bite are a liability and hard to re-home, so don't set those pets up to fail from the get-go.  Work with your kids to understand all that goes into having a family pet.  Take classes even before you get a puppy or dog.  Introduce your kids to books on canine or feline body language and make a game out of reading what dogs and cats you see in your neighborhood are "saying."  Here are my two favorite books, both by the same author, on body language in cats and dogs:

"Doggie Language: A Dog Lover's Guide to Understanding Your Best Friend, " by Lili Chin

"Kitty Language: An Illustrated Guide to Understanding Your Cat," by Lili Chin

Even if your child is a pre-reader, the illustrations in these books are entertaining and clear, allowing you to explain what they are seeing and talk about what those behaviors mean. 

Finally, if your kids ARE ready for a pet, the holidays is definitely not the time to do it.  There is just too much going on this time of year; getting a pet will add to your stress and that's the last thing you want to do to a brand new feline or canine family member. And, yes, I realize the kids are home with time on their hands to (hopefully) bond with a new pet and establish a routine, but, again, the holidays are chaotic in most homes and not ideal for introducing a new pet to your family.  Doors get left open and pets escape; food is out on low tables, tempting those new pets; Christmas trees have yummy smelling (toxic) water under them; there are ornaments, tinsel, Poinsettia, mistletoe, etc. that are hazardous.  And the list goes on and on. If you want to get a pet when your kids are off from school, wait until spring break or the summer to get a pet. Truly, though, a random week in January or February still beats December, even if your kids are gone to school most of the day.  That gives you time to set up the ground rules for that new pet and we all know the adults do the bulk of the work when it comes to pets anyway!

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

This is 7 year old me and my 6 week old West Highland White Terrier puppy, Tosh. I had been wanting a dog since I could speak, but my parents waited until I was old enough to help care for the dog.  And care for him I did; I was the one who fed him, walked him, cleaned up behind him, and trained him.  My dad always liked to say he covered the dog's expenses and that was enough!

Guilty As Charged!

I met with a new client this week whose initial email message was filled with guilt and regret.  Guilt over getting a dog during the pandemic, only to return to working in the office full-time this year, and leaving him home alone five days a week.  She regrets getting a dog because now he is having all sorts of behavior problems related to separation anxiety.  Her remorse over getting this dog, a dog that she clearly loves deeply, is ultimately leading to issues in anxiety and depression for her as well.

Her feelings are not unique. Many dog owners felt guilty returning to their offices post-pandemic. And a couple of recent studies have shown that pet owner guilt over returning to the workplace closely resembles the guilt felt by parents of young children trying to balance work and home life. Given that 85% of dog owners and 75% of cat owners in the U.S. consider their pets to be family members, this isn't all that surprising.

Here's a quick summary of what dog owners in these two studies felt guilty about: Being away from home/having to go to work; not enough time in the day to pay attention to their dogs; neglecting their dog's physical health (missed walks, trips to the park, etc.); and leaving their dogs alone. Interestingly enough, the two populations in the study who felt the most conflicted with the demands of their jobs versus the demands of dog ownership were men and dog owners younger than 50 years of age. So, how do people compensate for this guilt?  Almost half of the study participants skipped out on social events to avoid leaving their dogs home alone and a third of the participants admitted (guiltily!) that they spend time with their dogs at the expense of other, human, family members. While overall the participants tried to remind themselves that their dogs had good lives and that helped them process their guilt better, 40% just felt defeated, and resigned themselves to feeling guilty about having a dog in the first place.

The worst part about all of this is the fact that dog owners with the highest guilt about owning dogs were also the ones with the highest scores for anxiety and depression for themselves. My new client was clearly one of these unfortunate people. Just reminding her that all of her overwhelming anxiety was going to make things worse for her dog, who clearly felt her emotions, reflecting them back to her, was not going to help.  We needed an action plan, some things she could easily do to decrease the pressure she felt to be "the perfect dog mom."

I began by telling her that she wasn't alone and giving her those stats I summarized for you up above.  I followed this with a few suggestions designed to give her some immediate relief.  I helped her reach out to five of her dog-loving friends to form a dog-sitting collective.  Two of the women in this collective didn't own dogs themselves because they lived in apartments that didn't allow pets, but they loved dogs and missed the companionship, so we included them. A schedule was devised for the month of December which allowed all of the participants to attend holiday parties, festive events with family and other friends, run errands, and even work outside the home.  We couldn't cover every person's workday, but for three of the participants working from home, adding a second dog (all of the dogs in this group were sociable!) wasn't a problem for their workday AND was something they thought their singleton dogs would look forward to...a playmate for the day! For the remaining workdays for my client whose dog was suffering from separation anxiety, we resolved to send her dog to daycare on those days. Just knowing that her friends were in this with her, willing to help, AND giving her an opportunity to help each of them as well, brought immediate relief and a feeling of accomplishment; they could take care of each other and their dogs.

I'm greatly looking forward to this group's progress report at the end of the month.  While I know my client will continue to see her own healthcare professionals to treat her anxiety and depression, my hope is that I at least played a small role in reducing her guilt and helping her dog with his separation anxiety. Her dog is lucky to have an owner who loves and cares about him so profoundly.  And she's lucky too as he clearly adores her.

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

They try to make me feel guilty about not sharing my snacks with them, but otherwise are supportive and very good boys whether I am home with them or not.

Happy Thanksgiving, Paw-Friends!

My dogs love sweet potatoes and I roast them for myself all the time, sharing a few bites with them before I add the oil and spices for roasting.  Lucky for them, I always buy extra potatoes so I can make them one of their favorite, low calorie dog treats.  These treats are easy to make, though they do take time in your oven, so make them in advance of the holidays, and store in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to three weeks. That way, you'll have a nutritious treat to give your dogs all through the holiday season.  And the best part?  These are Ozzie, Henley and Westley approved!

Sweet Potato Bites

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper

Wash two medium or one large sweet potato

Use a sharp knife or a mandoline slicer to slice your potatoes into 1/4 inch thick, round slices

Arrange on the baking sheets so the slices don't touch

Bake 2.5 to 3 hours, flipping the slices halfway through

Slices should appear dried out with crispy edges and chewy centers,

 so adjust your bake time accordingly

Allow to cool completely before storing

I hope your dogs enjoy these as much as mine do and they are a much safer option for treating your dogs than many of the other offerings at your holiday table.

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

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Learning to Entertain Themselves

When my daughter was born years ago, one piece of advice I received time and again from veteran parents was this: Don't spend all of your time entertaining your kids; they need to be able to keep themselves occupied without constant parental engagement. My daughter didn't always make it easy to keep her occupied on her own, but I persevered and then did the same thing with my son. Interestingly enough, that same advice really should be given to every prospective dog owner when they acquire their first dog. While it became a huge problem following COVID lock-down when everyone was no longer stuck inside for days and weeks on end, the problem of over-indulgent dog owners, unwilling or unable to get their dogs to entertain themselves, has persisted. Right now, I average three calls a week from dog owners who are at their wit's end with puppies or dogs who simply cannot entertain themselves.  So, what's going on here?

When you bring home a puppy, you need to get them onto a schedule as quickly as you can. That schedule should include non-negotiable naps, in a crate, in a room, away from you. Not only does this encourage quality naps, it also teaches your puppy that it's okay to be away from you.  Puppies who take naps alone learn to soothe themselves and also entertain themselves if they wake up before you are there to let them out. If, instead, you let your puppy nap wherever they happen to be, or in a pen in the room where you are, you are not teaching them to be independent; on the contrary, you are teaching them to be wholly dependent on you for even the most basic thing, falling asleep!

Beyond nap time, puppies should spend alone time in an exercise pen or playpen with toys, puzzles, and activities to keep them occupied and mentally stimulated. You should not have to train, play, or entertain your puppy constantly while they are awake. Again, they need to understand that having 100% of their humans' attention isn't a sustainable option.  If your puppy fusses in the pen, ignoring those toys and puzzles, move away and out of sight and see if they'll occupy themselves then.  Many of them do once they realize the humans aren't going to scoop them up immediately.  If your pup continues to fuss in the pen or escalates to barking, pawing at the pen, or trying to climb out, scoop them up, take them outside to toilet and sniff, and then bring them right back to the pen. That way, they learn that fussing doesn't get them anything more than a bathroom break. Schedule one-on-one play time, training time, and leash walks the same way you plan those naps. In between times, your puppies should be entertaining themselves.

For adolescent and adult dogs who don't require enforced naps and playpens, you will still want to encourage and reward them for occupying themselves.  Use bones, stuffed Kong toys, lick mats, puzzles, etc. daily to keep them entertained.  If they start whining for your attention, shoving on you with their nose or jumping into your lap uninvited, slough them off and ignore them for a minute.  Follow that up by redirecting to the activity you gave them to do.  You decide when the walks, play time, and adventures happen, not your dog.  If you allow your dog to dictate how you spend your day, you will quickly discover that you have no time for yourself and are literally spending your whole day entertaining your canine companion.

I've had a lot of folks try to do what I've outlined above and then come back frustrated saying, "He's just so high energy!  He needs me to throw the ball constantly or he'll be tearing up my house!" Now, this is a separate, but related, issue.  Dogs need an appropriate balance of physical and mental exercise.  Those dogs who are bouncing off of the walls are often the ones not getting enough of either.  Train yourself to walk your dog twice a day for at least 45 minutes each walk, focusing on letting them sniff and explore.  If they like to play fetch, that's fine, schedule a session of fetch, but not at the expense of a walk.  Then, change up the way you feed your dog, opting out of bowl feeding and choosing instead to feed your dog using puzzles or games that make them think before they eat.  Dogs are foragers by nature; feeding them in bowls, even slow feeder bowls, isn't much of a challenge.  Throwing a cup of kibble out on the grass for them to forage and find their meal? Now, that's a challenge! Don't have a lawn? Fine, just bury the food in a sturdy snuffle mat or snuffle ball to encourage independent foraging. 

Finally, it's also often the case that these dogs who can't entertain themselves are also dogs with rather poor manners.  This means that your training sessions should focus on more than just sits and downs, but with an eye toward more important life skills like go to your bed/mat; stay; off; and go play, which is basically just a directional command to go entertain themselves.  If your dog is having trouble or you are finding it hard to motivate to teach them these manners, sign up for a class!  There are some great basic manners and holiday manners classes out there at your disposal.  Classes are great for accountability for you AND for your dog.

As I am writing this, Ozzie is sound asleep on the bed in the corner of my office, while Henley is in the window seat, chewing on a bone he found, on his own, at the bottom of his toy basket.  He is very good at entertaining himself and you know what? I take full credit for that!  I learned what to do (and what not to do!) 25 years ago when my daughter was born!

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

Henley dropped the bone off the bench where he'd been chewing on it, followed by a dramatic yawn meant to get my attention. You already know I did not pick up that bone and hand it to him!  He can do that all on his own. Which he promptly did after posing for this picture.

It's a Matter of Timing

Everything is a matter of timing, right?  Researching a new canine or feline family member, locating them, getting on waiting lists, etc., it's all about timing.  Everyone wants to get it "just right," which I understand, I really do.  And while I do think it's important not to rush to get a new pet as often that means settling for one you might not ordinarily choose, and I also think getting pets during the holidays is a terrible idea, beyond that, I don't really think timing is as big of an issue when it comes to acquiring a new pet.  You want to know where I do think timing is a big issue?  When offering reinforcement to your pets, whether that reinforcement is positive, negative, or just plain inadvertent, I think timing is everything.  Here's why.

We are all products of reinforcement.  We're told we'll get a pay bump if we finish a project, add an account, or work more overtime.  That pay bump is reinforcement and even though it may not be immediate, we do what it takes to reach that goal. I believe that while humans can perform reasonably well with delayed reinforcement, we, too, prefer quicker payoffs.  For our pets, quicker payoffs is always their goal.  To tell a dog, "Hey, if you keep performing well in this six week class, I'll take you to the store and let you pick a toy on the last day!" isn't going to guarantee that they do that.  In fact, if you don't offer intermittent rewards along the way, in each of those classes, you are likely to lose their attention, and the trust of your canine companion.  Timing is everything in this case.  Whether you are training a new behavior, perfecting a known behavior, or extinguishing a behavior you don't like, you need to offer your reinforcement, whatever that may be, within seconds of your pet doing the behavior. If you have to go to the kitchen, cut up some cheese, and come back to reward your dog, the moment is lost and you'll likely just be rewarding them for following you to the kitchen!  This is why I truly believe and encourage everyone I know, dog and cat owners alike, to keep treats in their pocket at all times.  This means tangible reinforcement can be offered at any time, allowing you to capture and mark behaviors "in real time" versus just during training exercises.  Yes, it's true, you could simply tell your pet that they did a great job, or give them a pat on the head or booty scratch, we know for a fact that pets prefer edible rewards to just verbal or physical rewards.  We also know, for a fact, that they learn faster and retain more when there are food rewards.  But, again, timing is everything.

Sometimes it just isn't feasible to reinforce within seconds of a behavior, so do you just throw up your hands and say, "Oh, well?"  No, of course not. Instead, layer your reinforcement.  Tell your pet "Yes!" to mark the behavior as something you liked or "No!" for something you didn't.  Then, move toward them and either get them to repeat the behavior OR redirect them to the appropriate behavior, and hopefully by this point you are able to dig a treat out of your pocket and apply that important reinforcer, the tangible one that they will actually remember.

For those of you with anxious pets, offering food rewards is often harder than it is for your friends with their non-anxious companions.  Anxiety creates a situation inside of us and our pets where eating isn't priority, survival is.  You will need to get a handle on your pet's anxiety first, that way they can relax and focus on what you are teaching them, and be able to take those treats that are going to reinforce those new, less anxiety-provoking behaviors.  Once again, timing is key.  If your pet is anxious and you are trying to bribe or distract them with food, this isn't going to work, and in fact, it's going to slow everything down and make you seem less trustworthy.  If instead you work through that anxious moment, trying redirection, moving away, or simply just being supportive until the moment passes, and then ask for a simple behavior that allows your pet to focus and reset, followed by offering a treat, you are on the right track, and your timing was perfect.

I was working with a client yesterday who was amazed by my ability to get her dog focused and redirected out in public when normally he is so distracted, pulling on the leash, darting around, and snuffling everything on the ground.  It wasn't magic, folks. I simply had treats ready in my pocket, and two at the ready between my own front teeth, so that when I got her dog redirected and focused on me rather than the ground, other dogs, etc., I had the reward out of my mouth and into that dog's mouth within a couple of seconds. Timing is everything. And not being grossed out by having dog treats in your own mouth!

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

Henley is a ready pupil, eyes on me, focused and ready to work.  He makes training easy because he's not anxious and almost always ridiculously joyful. That doesn't mean I don't still need to be good about my timing of reinforcement for him, it just means I have a bit more wiggle room.

The Benefits of Pet Ownership Revisited

There have been quite a few scientific studies of late looking at the health benefits (or lack thereof) to pet ownership and humans interacting with animals in general. For years, I've been referencing research done in the 80's that demonstrated that petting and interacting with animals lowered heart rates and respiratory rates, helped build confidence in young readers, and led to feelings of belonging and acceptance.  Now, however, new studies are coming out, and being replicated, which show with statistical significance that there are no marked benefits to pet ownership or interacting with animals. This blows my mind every single time I read one of these studies. How can that even be possible?!

You guys know me. I'm a scientist at heart.  I trust well thought out and executed studies with large sample sizes and replicable results.  But this current vein of research is really leaving me adrift. I keep returning to a 2022 survey done by HABRI, the Human Animal Relations Research Institute in Washington D.C. that found that 74% of pet owners said owning a pet improved their mental health. In fact, 67% said their pets make them feel happy; 51% said their pets comfort them when they feel sad; 48% said their pets make them feel less lonely; 43% said their pets gave them a sense of purpose; 36% said their pets kept them more active; and 17% said their pets helped them make community connections. This was a global study reaching statistical significance due to the large sample size.  But this new research seems to be pointing out that while people may feel or believe pets benefit them in this way, there is no proof in terms of health markers for any of these HABRI study results.

So, why am I telling you this?  Well, I've come to a new conclusion, at least for myself. I don't really care what the new research shows! I firmly believe that having pets and interacting with animals improves the lives of humans. I've seen it with my own two eyes and experienced it myself.  I don't need to have it proven in a study or in a controlled laboratory setting. I just know it in my heart.  And, more importantly, I hope you know it too.  Our pets are making a difference in our lives and the lives of others in our communities every single day.  Whether those differences are quantifiable isn't really important.  What's important is that we believe it. I will continue to do pet therapy visits and promote pet assisted therapy work with the assumption that interacting with animals on those visits improves the quality of life and health and well-being of the folks we serve in our communities. And, I will continue to have pets in my home as I find their presence comforting and supportive.  I'm still a believer.

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

Here's my sweet Desi, the consummate pet therapy dog, working his magic on a young girl, and on me, simultaneously. He was just that good.

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!

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.

Here's Loki, post-roll, getting his scritches in!

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.

My daughter met a lot of like minded dog owners hiking in Los Angeles County when she lived there.  Ozzie and I often joined her and Westley on their hikes which were quite enjoyable, except for the mud.  Rough collies definitely get dirtier than smooths as this photo aptly proves!

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.

I simply could not resist sharing this picture of my granddog, Westley!  

My daughter taught him to do "junkyard dog face!" This trick is hysterical.  When I've tried it with Henley, he just ends up yawning or sneezing!

An Ode To Those Gutted Stuffy-Fluffies!

I know Henley is not the only dog out there who can gut a toy in two minutes flat. I mean completely wreck it, stuffing all over the place and giant holes where those cute stuffed limbs used to be.  Even toys labeled "indestructible" are no match for Henley; they will have a chunk taken out of them in seconds. He is a dog with a singular purpose, gut the toy and call it a win.  I just roll my eyes, pick up the pieces and move on, but I've started thinking about this a bit differently recently, mostly because he's the first dog I've ever had (and I've had a LOT of dogs) who was this single-minded with toys.

How about if we look at this as a necessary behavior?  Dogs are animals and animals, by their very nature, must hunt and kill to survive.  Now, dogs have been domesticated for over 30,000 years, but who's to say that predatory drive isn't still there?  Maybe it's just the case that some of our dogs have more of a predatory drive than others, and while they may exercise that drive by chasing squirrels, birds, and neighborhood cats (Henley does that too!), some also direct that prey drive at their toys.

If you watch a dog taking apart a toy, and believe you me, I've had a lot of opportunities to do so with Henley, there is a method to his destruction.  He is focused, toy poised between his front paws, or pinned to the floor with one paw, as he snaps at it, shakes it, and rips his first hole. Once that first hole is made, he often moves to a new place, laying down to get a better angle, as he starts pulling out the stuffing, literally dissecting it. Now, fortunately for me, he's never eaten any stuffing, squeakers, etc.  He just leaves those spoils for me to clean up, which I do promptly.  Once a toy is gutted, he's done with it.  He might return to it later to see if he can pull it apart some more, but for the most part, once it's gutted, he just carries around the empty carcass until something new catches his eye. Or he nods off.

I'm now starting to think of Henley as a captive animal, not just my beloved pet dog.  I wouldn't give a second thought to a captive wolf tearing apart a carcass!  But Henley is stuck in my house with me (and Ozzie), and his toys are his outlet for this very natural, normal behavior. He is genetically wired for this, as he's been doing it since we brought him home.  What does it mean for me long term? It means I buy a lot of toys for Henley, varying the texture, durability (I hope), and size to keep his interest.  If a toy is able to be repaired, I re-stuff it, sew it up, and put it back into the rotation. If it's beyond repair, I toss it.  And the best part of all of this is that this dog has NEVER chewed up anything that wasn't one of his toys; he's never touched a blanket, pillow, cushion, chair, etc.  Not once.  All of his predatory drive and chewing behavior has been directly appropriately to the toys that are his.  I'm actually quite proud of him for that, and frankly relieved, as were he chewing my stuff, it would be a lot more expensive to replace!

So, if you, too, have a dog who likes to dissect toys, try thinking of it as a natural part of the predatory sequence and part of life as a captive animal. It's our responsibility to keep our dogs entertained with appropriate outlets for their mental and physical exercise.  Finally, if any of you have durable toy recommendations, Henley and I are all ears.  Well, he's all ears, but I'm listening too!

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

I also buy Henley lots of hard, ridged, flavored, bone-type toys to chew on.  He loves these and I find them in every room, especially when I step on them in the middle of the night!

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.

Here's my sweet granddog, Westley.  Westley doesn't like the sounds made by garbage trucks, city buses, and street sweepers.  Does this make him reactive?  Well, yes, he's reacting to a stimulus and responding with fear.  Is he anxious?  Absolutely, but we've worked hard with him to understand the safe spaces in our home, and he now goes there when he hears a triggering noise.  He is less anxious overall as he's in control of the outcome.  That's the key with treating anxiety.

The Dog Who Didn't Like Hugs

Not the hugs you are thinking of though.  This is a dog who doesn't like it when the humans hug, and more specifically doesn't like it when anyone hugs mom.  The owners thought it was kind of cute, at first.  But then, they noticed that it wasn't really all that funny when the dog started jumping up, interrupting hugs, and shoving people apart.  It became especially concerning when he escalated to nipping anyone who tried to shove him away.  The final straw?  Mom was sitting on the couch with the dog laying next to her.  One of the kids came up behind her and leaned over the couch to hug her and the dog jumped up and bit the child in the face, necessitating a trip to the emergency room and a handful of stitches.  Such a desperately sad situation for this family, but one that really should have been dealt with long before the dog chose to bite to make his point.  Whether you want to say that this dog suffers from resource guarding aggression with mom being the resource, or you choose to label him as a protective aggressor, it doesn't really matter.  The bottom line is that he's now bitten a child, a child who he's lived with his whole life and who walks him every day, plays ball with him, and even gives him treats. This dog had given this family many warnings that a bite *could* happen and they ignored those warnings thinking he'd never actually bite anyone.  They still believed this to be the case right up until the bite to their son.

Their veterinarian, and a friend of the family, had recommended me to this family more than once.  Apparently, the dog didn't like the vet hugging mom when she brought him into the clinic for a vaccine. When the vet saw this, she knew what she was seeing, but her recommendations were downplayed and she stopped hugging her friend when she saw her.  After the bite, however, she couldn't keep quiet anymore, asking them why they hadn't reached out to me for guidance as she'd strongly suggested?

While it may be hard to admit that  your dog has a behavior problem, ignoring the problem will not make it go away.  More importantly, when you are dealing with issues in aggression, burying your head in the sand or making excuses for your dog puts others at risk.  In this case, a child. So, here were my recommendations to this family:

At this point, the dog is a proven biter.  He has demonstrated that he is willing to escalate to a serious bite if someone touches his female owner in his presence.  Going forward, this dog must be confined when people arrive and go through the hugging rituals of human greetings.  When guests are in the house, he must be on leash and tethered in place on his dog bed; he cannot be allowed on furniture or at his female owner's feet any more.  The owners will need to muzzle train him so that when he can't be confined or tethered for some reason, he'll be prohibited from biting.  And yes, HE WILL BITE AGAIN if they don't complete all of these steps.  The bottom line, however, is that I don't think that this dog is a good fit for this family any longer.  He should be in a home with a single human or couple who will enforce boundaries and keep him under threshold for his guarding behavior.  Given that their veterinarian had recommended euthanizing the dog, my treatment plan though difficult, seemed like something they were willing to try.  The kids love this dog, even the child who was bitten thought it was his fault for "surprising the dog when I hugged mom."

I really hope this family heeds all of my warnings and boundaries are rigorously enforced with this dog.  He actually is a pretty nice dog overall, a bit pushy, but not bad, as long as you don't try to hug his female owner, so we'll see how it goes.  The liability is still there and that's never going away.

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

Here's Henley, asleep in the crook of my legs on the couch.  Anyone can sit on the couch next to us, or hug me when he's there.  He just figures one more person available for him to cuddle with and love on.  He does try to block Ozzie from getting attention, but it doesn't come from a place of guarding, he's just competitive and Ozzie always lets him know where he stands in the pecking order.

If You Take a Dog to a Party...

They should be a well-behaved guest! Being able to take your dogs with you when you are out and about is a privilege, not a right, for those of us with pet/companion dogs; only service dogs are afforded rights to be in public spaces with their handlers, unrestricted.  For the rest of us, we really need to take an honest look at our dogs, how they behave (or don't!), what they enjoy doing (and don't!), and what our plan is if we are out in public and our dog has a meltdown.  As any parent of a toddler will tell you, you have to have a plan for those untimely meltdowns!

I do try to take my dogs with me whenever I can; I think it's good for them to get out and see new places and meet new people, and have novel experiences. It's mentally stimulating for them and good practice for me to see where they are with their distractions training, for example.  Ozzie has gotten to be an old pro at this, having stepped into Desi's rather large pet assisted therapy dog shoes.  Ozzie does one pet therapy visit each month, and I also try to take him to coffee or lunch with me once a month as well, just so we can have one-on-one time and he can get a break from Henley.  Henley isn't ready for pet therapy visits yet as he still can be a little bouncy with new people.  I take him out, however, as I like to walk him around populated malls and busy stores as I want him to continue to improve.  For his recent stage presentations, he had to walk through a parking garage, board an elevator, go through automated doors, greet new people, greet new dogs, pose for pictures AND perform alongside me onstage.  He did great, but he was still bouncy in a few of his greetings, so we'll keep working on that.  You might be thinking, "Well why didn't you take Ozzie for those presentations?" Well, the answer is that I didn't take Ozzie because he'd have hated doing that!  Ozzie knows a lot of tricks, can do elevators, etc., but having screaming kids running at and around him isn't his cup of tea. In fact, screaming kids make him anxious, so I avoid taking him places where that's likely to occur.  Now, he's certainly heard/seen screaming kids when we've been in restaurants, and while he'll alert to the sounds, he doesn't get anxious as he's pretty sure those screaming kids are going to stay at their table and not encroach on his space. Henley, on the other hand, loves kids, screaming or not.  He figures screaming kids need a collie to hug and that's his approach.

So, why am I telling you this?  Every single one of us needs to know our own dog and be mindful of the situations we put them into.  While there are certainly steps you can take with your training to prepare your dog for being in public spaces more often, you do need to keep their personality/temperatment in mind always.  If your dog is a total introvert for whom loud noises, screaming kids, and random approaches from strangers might trigger anxiety, don't force them to do it.  Instead, choose hikes or park excursions for that dog, at off peak times, so that they can experience working with you away from home, but not be forced to deal with situations and people who create anxiety.  Yes, you can certainly still take your introvert with you to busy malls, events, etc., just remember that doing so is stressful for them.  Weigh your options: Is taking them with you in their best interest, or is it that you just want to do so? And if your dog doesn't like being approached or petted by strangers, please don't take them with you as it puts you and your dog at risk.  People are going to approach you and many will try to pet your dog without asking. I know, I know. They should ask, but frankly they often don't and you don't want to put someone, or your dog, at risk.

Training your dog in public access skills is a worthwhile endeavor and a good way to mentally stimulate any dog.  Start with simple outings such as walking to the post office or bank, sitting quietly next to you while you drop mail in the box or use the ATM machine.  Work up to taking your dog into dog-friendly stores and walking them around the displays.  Have your dog sit each time you stop walking.  Do not allow extensive sniffing, rubbing on displays, etc. Brief sniffs are fine. Find stores with stairs and elevators so that you can practice both.  Stairs come in all forms, some you can see between the stairs, others are solid, some are made of wood, and others are slippery or covered in carpeting that can retain odors.  Practice all of those different kinds of stairs, encouraging your dog to go slowly, stopping at the top and sitting before descending. Do not allow your dog to linger or sniff excessively on the stairs. On the elevator, you can start with having your dog stand next to you, but work up to having them sit next to you or between your legs so that they don't take up too much space or block someone else's access to that elevator.

When you are working on taking your dog to eating establishments, do take it slow. If your dog is still surfing counters at home, you'll want to have that issue addressed before you try to walk through a restaurant where people have food on their tables as you pass by!  Start simple with a coffee shop, yogurt shop, or smoothie place.  Sit at a table with your dog and offer them treats for sitting calmly at your side or laying at your feet. Don't bribe them to behave, instead reward them when they do. If they can't focus or are fidgety, just pick up your coffee/yogurt/smoothie and move on; you can try again another day.  Once your dog is good at those coffee shops, you can move on to a casual restaurant, just remember that a busy restaurant on a weekend may be more than your dog can handle that first time out in public.  Maybe try that restaurant on a weekday and work up to a busy weekend. Dog friendly restaurants are terrific, but they get busy and if there are a lot of dogs there, that may be too much your first few trips out together.  Don't push it.  You want your dog to enjoy going out to restaurants with you, not dread them.  And take some advice from those toddler parents and walk your dogs outside the restaurant if they become fidgety, bored, or start acting up.  Don't allow your dog (or your kids!) to impinge upon the dining experiences of others.  Nothing gives kids or dogs a worse rep than when they are ill-behaved in public and their parents/owners do nothing about it.  Consequences are important! We need to be fair to the other diners around us and keep our dogs away from their tables.  And by the same token, those parents need to keep their kids at their own table as well.  And remember not to allow your dog to block the path for the servers just trying to do their jobs. If you have a big dog, ask for a table in a corner where you can keep your dog closer to the wall and not block pathways.

Just as those toddler parents have baby bags filled with what they need to survive out in public, so should dog owners!  Carry your own water, water bowl, treats, a mat/towel for your dog to lay on, and of course poop bags.  You can even bring a bone or other busy toy for your dog to chew on, just make sure the toy you've brought isn't messy or noisy. When Henley was a young puppy, I used to always bring a bone and a bullystick with me, allowing him to chew on one for a bit, and then switching it up.  It took most of his first year practicing for him to get to the point where he can now go to a busy restaurant and hang out with me for an hour.  He's not ready yet for much longer than that, but he'll get there.  For now, I don't push him and we keep practicing! He's been the most challenging collie I've ever owned from the standpoint of teaching calm behaviors. Henley is super-smart, loves to problem solve, is bold and fearless, and is only now understanding the pleasure that comes from sitting still and observing the world.  Calm was not in Henley's vocabulary for much of his first year.  Now, at almost 18 months, he's beginning to see how fun it is to be out in public, calmly accepting attention from new people, and being able to further explore the world as he becomes more proficient at handling what busy public spaces have to offer. Slow and steady wins the race, and if he had never really gotten it, that would have been fine too. It just would have meant less time out in public and more time working at home. He'd still be a great dog, but now that he's gotten a little older, he can go more places and I trust him to make better choices when we're there.  And if he's having an off day, I don't push him. Just as I've cut pet therapy visits short for Ozzie because I could see he was done, I don't push Henley to remain out in public longer than he's able.  If he gets fussy or fidgety, we're out of there.

I hope that gives you a training path to pursue more time out in public spaces with your dogs.  If you still have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

Here's Henley just calmly watching the people go by at our Golden State Warriors event in San Francisco.  He's in a sit/stay, dropped leash just loose on the ground.  Six months ago, I wouldn't have dropped his leash like that and walked away for a photo; he'd have wanted to get to the other dogs and people going by. Now, he's able to do this, no problem.  Henley is maturing, clearly loving his time out in public and teaching people all about smooth collies!