Senior Humans Make Awesome Pet Owners!

I've had a lot of older clients over the years, especially since I moved back to the east bay area where we have several large, vibrant, retirement communities populated by conscientious pet owners.  That's one of the attributes I love most about senior pet owners, they are conscientious to a fault. They take notes during our appointments, they always schedule their follow up before I leave that first appointment, and they ask great questions, actually listening to my answers.  It's not that younger pet owners don't listen, it's just that many of them are in such a hurry to get to "the punchline," that they miss all of the steps needed to help their pet actually get there safely.

Here's something I find really frustrating though.  Many of my senior clients had a terrible time acquiring their new pets.  Why, you might ask?  Well, because many rescue groups and shelters actually discriminate against older pet owners!  I understand that rescues and shelters don't want to place an animal that they see as too rambunctious, too powerful, etc. with a senior pet owner, but many seniors don't need those well-meaning rescue folks and shelter staff to tell them what they can and cannot handle. They've lived fulfilling lives and know their limits, trust me on that.  And if the hesitation with placing pets with seniors comes from a place of concern about their longevity, keep in mind that research supports that seniors live longer, happier, healthier lives when they have a support network, which can (and should) include pets.

I'd much rather see these rescue groups and shelters think more about what makes a good companion for a senior pet owner, looking at that specific senior in front of them applying for a pet, not what their own bias tells them a senior pet owner needs.  Better questionnaires about what specific behaviors/personalities senior pet owners are looking for, plus their experience, the home environment they'll be providing, etc. should all be a bigger part of matching a senior with a pet than just "Oh, this is an older pet owner.  They have to be paired with a senior animal."  I agree that senior pet owners often make lovely home environments for senior pets, but I know a lot of senior humans who want a pet who is more active and engaging than that feline or canine who is nearer the end of its life than the beginning or middle, particularly if they are seeking out a new pet after having just lost their most recent companion animal to old age. 

As a behaviorist, you know I'm way more interested in the behavior of animals than what they look like or how old they are per se. I like to help my senior clients find the right pet for their circumstances.  If they live in an apartment in a senior community, for example, then a German Shepherd won't be a good match, even if the senior human has had German Shepherds before.  But you know what, if what they liked about their German Shepherds was their brains, activity level, and watchdog abilities, why not go for a Havanese instead? They are smaller so better suited to apartment life; they are smart and agile, so they'll get you out for walks and trips to the park; they'll bark when people knock on your dog, so you'll feel safe; and best of all? They are incredibly social, increasing your sociability among your peers. Again, I'm just using these two breeds as an example to make my point.  Matching seniors with pets should be about more than their age.  Prior experience and current goals for that pet are huge factors to be considered more seriously!

Another pet peeve I have is the hesitancy to even place cats with seniors.  Again, why?  They are stable home environments where people are around a lot, having ample time to spend enriching those cats' lives. In fact, go ahead and place two cats with a senior so the cats have each other for company as well.  

It's interesting.  I find that breeders are often less reluctant to place a dog with a senior human than the rescues and shelters. Now, before you jump in and say well that's because breeders are in it for the money, let me just stop you right there.  First off, shelters and rescues charge a fee for their placed pets too.  Nothing is free.  Second, breeders have invested a lot of time and money in the dogs they produce so they actually do a lot to research prospective buyers, older, younger, families, whatever, and try to make a match (if they have one!) based on that. I know breeders who won't necessarily place an 8 week old puppy with a senior, but to be fair, they also don't want to place that same 8 week old puppy in a home with toddlers either!  And there are a lot of breeders who are looking to place young adult or middle aged dogs they have that they are no longer breeding or showing.  Wonderful dogs for almost any home environment, but none more so than a senior human experienced with that particular breed.

I feel like I'm going round and round here, so I'll leave you with this final thought. If you are someone working in a shelter or with a rescue group, don't discount those senior pet owners as potential adopters.  A lot of them have the time, money, and experience for a pet.  And I can tell you first hand, they invest in their pets' mental health and well-being too. 

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

Older pet owners have a lot to offer the pets in their care, including an investment in quality time.

In Defense of Dogs as Child Substitutes

I was at the tail end of a discussion with a client, a woman my own age, who has an adult son living with his girlfriend. My client was being a bit dismissive about the dog her son and his girlfriend were fostering and hoping to adopt.  Basically, she made a comment about this dog being nothing more than "a child substitute" for her son, an "experiment to see if they can parent together." The part I found most fascinating about this conversation was the fact that this client herself has a little dog she absolutely dotes on.  This dog wears clothing, rides in a stroller, and goes everywhere with her. I wanted to ask her if she could see the irony in her statements about her son and his new dog? You see, from my point of view, her little dog could be viewed as a grandchild substitute!  But really, is any of that wrong anyway? Not at all.

Dogs and humans have been coevolving for over 30,000 years.  Dogs have served many roles during that time, everything from guardian to caretaker to assistant.  And, yes, child substitute.  We care for dogs, just as we care for other family members.  Their health, happiness, and success depends on us.  Most parents of young children would tell you the same applies to their little kids. Whether a person decides to have children or not is a personal decision, just as pet ownership is.  And whether a person gets a dog to serve the purpose or fill the role that a child/grandchild would in that person's life is again a personal choice.  It is not up to us to judge them, make fun of them, or deride them for their choices.

I've known many young couples who adopt a dog together and then go on to have children together too. I've also known couples who just keep adding dogs, never opting for two-legged progeny.  It's none of my business why those couples chose either route.  It's simply my job to help them with those dogs, guiding them to see the most scientifically proven, effective ways to ensure that their dogs lead healthy, happy, productive dog lives.  If your dog is your baby, that's great!  If your dog is your companion, that's great too.  How ever the relationship works for you and your dog is completely legitimate, no judgment from me. 

Now, I know there are people out there rolling their eyes when they see dogs in strollers, wearing sweaters on Fall days, or raincoats when it's raining.  I get that for some people, these dog owner behaviors seem foreign or frivolous.  But here's the thing.  Some dogs get cold on cold days and/or don't like to get wet.  Sure, they are dogs, but they are dogs far removed from those ancestors living in human camps and dealing with the elements as they arose.  You know what?  We are ourselves far removed from that as well.  

So, please don't be quick to judge that dog in a stroller (he has legs, why isn't he walking like a normal dog?!) or that dog in a coat as being an over-indulged, pampered, child substitute.  While it very well may be, it can also simply be a senior dog who can't walk long distances any more and who doesn't thermoregulate as well as he used to. His owner is compassionate and caring and trying to make sure he is comfortable while still making sure he gets out and mentally stimulated in public settings.  And please don't assume that every couple with a dog and no kids is "using" that dog as a starter "kid," waiting to see if they can hack parenthood.  That's just ridiculous.  As any parent will tell you, parenthood is hard whether you had a dog first or not!

Dogs are many things to many people.  I like to think of mine as treasured family members.  Their lives are short and I intend to make sure that they enjoy themselves. 

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

Here are Desi and Ozzie wearing their raincoats on a rainy day. Now, you could argue that rough collies have coats that are heavy enough to keep them comfortable in the rain, and while that's true, I'm the one that had to dry them off when they got home and I didn't want to dry off any more dog than I had to.  Wearing those raincoats meant I had less to dry off, plain and simple.  And did the dogs care about the coats? Absolutely not.  They wore their raincoats, went for their walks, and everyone was content. Were my dogs child substitutes? No, I don't think so, but if you do, I'm okay with that!

You Are Not Alone

I met with a new client last week who gave me a big hug at the end of our appointment as she told me, "Thank you for helping us.  I feel so much better knowing we aren't the only family having these problems with our dog." Her comment really struck me as she truly felt like they must be the only ones. When she looked at the other dogs in her neighborhood, all she saw were "perfect" dogs and "happy" owners, she didn't feel like she should be taking her dog outside of her house and subject herself (and her dog) to their scrutiny. The funniest/not really funny part of all of this is the fact that she got my contact information from one of her neighbors.  She didn't think to ask why that neighbor had met with me! If she had, she'd have found out that it took a lot of work to get that neighbor's dog to the point where she could walk with him in public spaces without him barking, twirling, and grabbing her arm when he panicks!  I've actually worked with three dog owners in that same neighborhood, so I know that while those other dogs appear "perfect" and the owners appear "happy," there was a great deal of work that went into getting there. I couldn't, of course, tell my new client these things, but, what I could tell her is this:

You are definitely not alone.  Research published back in late 2023 found that 1/3 of the dogs in the study had behavior problems, as reported by the owners, and this was not at all representative of what was found in the veterinary records for those same dogs.  The bottom line:  there were a lot of dogs with behavior problems (the most common being noise sensitivities and fear and not listening to the owners) and those problems were not being shared with the pets' veterinarians.  Yes, pet owners should report behavior problems to their veterinarians as that's your first step in getting the right help for your pet.  But even more importantly, does your veterinarian show an interest in your pet's behavior, outside of what they see during your veterinary visits?  Do they ask you questions about your pet's behavior?  If they don't, they really should, as there needs to be less stigma associated with reporting behavior problems AND veterinarians need to provide a safe space to discuss those issues in behavior that effect that pet's quality of life and that of their owners.  There IS a strong connection between physical and mental health that needs to be recognized across the board.

A pet's behavior problems, regardless of their severity, should never deter an owner from seeking help and guidance.  For many of my clients, there is (unwarranted) guilt about the problems they are experiencing, leading them to seek answers in less reputable, but nonetheless anonymous, places on the internet.  While the world wide web can be amazingly helpful in many cases, treating behavior problems in pets using the internet is a black hole of misinformation.  There are great places to find reliable information on animal behavior, but those sites seem to be underutilized, with dog owners, in particular, gravitating toward the loudest voices claiming quick fixes and guaranteed results.  This mindset leads to disappointment at best, and to detrimental methodologies being foisted on dogs at worst. I realize it's human nature to seek out a "quick solution," otherwise why would there be all those ads on social media for losing weight, making money from home, and getting in shape without working out?  But quick solutions aren't always the best ones, that is the ones that result in real changes in your pet's behavior and their mindset, without damaging their relationship with you.

Here's the way I look at it:  It doesn't matter if your dog "just jumps on people," "just barks at the window," "just pulls on leash," OR "doesn't come when called," "won't drop things when asked," etc.  Those are all issues in behavior that a qualified professional can help you with!  Start with your veterinarian as they can help guide you to the right professional for the job.  A qualified dog trainer may be recommended, or someone like me, a true, certified animal behaviorist.  Either way, your vet is in the loop on the issues that you are having, and they are guiding you directly, no need to do an internet search and get lost in that black hole of dog behavior.  One of the main reasons I started writing this weekly blog was so pet owners would have a reputable online resource they could use when trying to figure out what to do for their pets.  And if they needed more help beyond the blog, they'd know who to ask.  There are even pet owners following my blog who don't have current issues with their pets and credit ideas they picked up from my blog for helping their pets stay mentally happy and healthy, and I love that!

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

This is my dog friend, Millie. We've worked together since she was a pup, and we are all grateful for those lessons as she is now just under 130 lbs and many issues commonly faced by dog owners (pulling on leash, jumping up, etc.) would be just that much more risky when you are talking about a large breed dog like Miss Mille.  And, yes, she's a Newfoundland!

Too Hot to Handle!

Across the country, soaring temperatures and high humidity are making this a summer to remember, and not in a good way.  These dangerously high temperatures aren't good for anyone, least of all for our pets.  I just wanted to review some things you can do to make sure your pets are comfortable as those thermometers ascend into the triple digits.

Walk your dogs early in the morning and/or late in the evening.  I know this sounds obvious, but the number of people I see out walking their dogs when temperatures are already in the 80's and beyond amazes me. Sidewalk and asphalt temperatures can reach 125 to 140 degrees when the air temperature is 75-85 degrees.  Even grass gets hot!  If the air temperature is 95 degrees, for example, the grass is 10-15 degrees warmer than that!  For those of you walking your reactive dogs at off peak hours and off peak places to avoid running into others, you will definitely be encountering a lot more dog owners out walking at those times too.  Keep that in mind as you decide on what route to take for your training walks. 

Remember, though, that you don't "have to" walk your dog. There are lots of other ways to get your dog exercise.  Everything from tossing a ball down a hallway, to setting up an indoor agility course around your furniture will do. It's also the case that providing your dogs with interactive toys and puzzles will stimulate and exercise their brains enough that they don't need a walk on a really hot day. 

Even dogs who don't like to swim can enjoy a kid's plastic wading pool. Put a couple of inches of cool water in the pool, add in some ice cubes to chase or floating toys, and sit back with a cool drink in the shade to keep an eye on them.  I like to make fun ice cubes and ice licks for my dogs using metal mixing bowls and ice cube trays.  I float cut fruit or veggies (berries, zucchini, carrots, apples) in either the mixing bowl or the ice cube trays and then freeze them. The ice cubes will pop right out into your wading pool, but you may need to run water over your metal mixing bowl sized ice lick to get it to come out! These colorful ice floats make getting into the wading pool that much more fun.

Plus, the quickest way to cool a dog (or yourself) is by getting your feet wet! Soaking your feet cools you off quickly, as does water on your head. For your dogs, wet a cloth and stroke their heads, or pour a small amount of cool (not cold) water on their heads. Some dogs like to lay down in water to cool off, but there are exceptions to the "just let them lay in the cool water" rule.

If your dog has overheated, don't pour cold water on them or immerse them in cold water. Doing so causes blood vessels to constrict which just keeps the warmth inside them. Opt for cool water on their heads, armpits and groin with a cloth, and on their feet if they can't stand up in a pool of cool water. Give them cool or tepid water to drink from a squirt bottle, or in very small amounts in a bowl. Don't let them gulp water and don't give them water that's too cold. You can also feed them frozen treats like pupsicles and doggie ice cream to cool them down. 

Create cooler spaces for your dogs. Use fans, cooling pads, cooling vests, and air-conditioning where available to keep everyone comfortable on hot days.  Close those blinds and limit your exercise and that of your dog to help everyone stay cool. Be mindful that puppies and senior dogs can overheat (and get cold!) faster than younger dogs.  Watch for signs of heat stress.

Panting on a hot day is normal. But if the tongue is lolling all the way out, looks larger and redder than normal and is accompanied by heavy panting and/or labored breathing/inability to catch their breath, your dog is experiencing heat stress. Get them indoors where it is cooler and cool them off slowly as outlined above. If you notice them drooling excessively, having pale gums, stumbling around/ataxic, having seizures, etc., though, take them to the vet immediately.

Move those outdoor water bowls, crates, dog houses, and raised beds to shadier locations through out the day. Any water bowl can get hot, but metal water bowls outside can burn a dog on a hot day.  Water left outside should be located in a shady area, along with those beds, dog houses, etc. If you don't have a shady area to place your dog's things AND they need to be left outside during the heat of the day, invest in an awning to put their necessary  things underneath, or, better yet, leave them indoors in their crates and hire a dog walker to come let them out to relieve themselves, and bring them back indoors to play before going back into their crates until you return home.

I realize a lot of this may seem like common sense to you, but if me saying it again saves one dog's life, then it was well worth repeating.

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

Here are Ozzie and Desi, 4th of July, 2016.  Desi didn't care for the wading pool, Ozzie, on the other hand, thought the ice cubes were delicious right before he laid down in the cool inch of water.

Musings on Multi-Dog Households

While I've been a "two dog household" for many years, I have, on occasion, been a three and four dog household.  Now, with my daughter and her dog, Westley, home for the summer, we are a three dog household once again.  This is an interesting situation for me from the standpoint of being a behavioral observer by trade; I watch these dogs and I've come to some interesting conclusions that I think are worth sharing, particularly for those of you considering adding a second (or third or fourth!) dog to your own household. 

First and foremost, keep in mind what I've said previously about the happiest dogs being those who live alone with their owners.  Despite dogs being "pack animals," they don't need other dogs to be happy.  In fact, most are happiest just living with their favored person.  No competition!  Beyond that basic concept, though, there are nuances to the relationships among dogs and their people.

Here at my house, Ozzie and Westley had an established relationship pre-Henley.  In fact, Ozzie and Westley have always been close from the time we adopted Westley into our family.  Desi wasn't one to play with Ozzie, even when Ozzie was a puppy and Desi was a young adult dog.  When Westley joined us, he was a 9 month old adolescent and Ozzie adored him.  They would run, wrestle, play tug-of-war, and sleep near each other.  It was so fun to watch Ozzie find a new best friend.  And you know what?  Desi didn't care one bit. It took the pressure off of him; he really didn't want to play beyond an occasional spin with a tug toy, and then he was back to his nap.

When we went to pick up Henley last Spring, we took Ozzie and Westley with us.  They were a bit overwhelmed by Henley as a puppy, but then again, so were we!  He was a whirling dervish of puppy energy.  Ozzie didn't really like that at all. But Westley?  Westley stepped in and started teaching Henley boundaries and played with him as a reward for respecting those boundaries.  So, Westley and Henley became friends.  Then the summer ended and Westley went back to school with my daughter, and Henley had to figure out how to develop a relationship with Ozzie if he was going to have any chance of playing with another dog in our home. Desi was a senior by that point with no interest whatsoever in Henley. Henley was respectful with Desi, licking his face and trying to cuddle with him, but there wasn't going to be any play as part of their interactions.

So, over time, Henley started working on Ozzie. He'd run past him with a toy which often stimulated Ozzie to chase. He'd drop toys in front of Ozzie to see if he could spark interest. His record was four toys dropped one after the other, until finally Ozzie liked one of the offerings.  Henley would let Ozzie chase him, something Ozzie loves to do.  A tentative friendship was born.  Ozzie and Henley play together a couple of times a day now, usually a game of chase and a game of tug-of-war.  And then Westley came back home for the summer and things changed once again.

Now, there is an interesting dynamic going on.  Henley currently has two established relationships, based in play, that he can engage in.  The problem?  Ozzie and Westley still have their friendship which is now based mostly in resting near one another and eating side by side.  It's the way of a senior dog (Ozzie) and a dog on chemotherapy (Westley).  So, what does Henley do to get someone to play with him?  He's smart.  He goes for one of the humans.  The instant he does, the older dogs jump up and let him know the humans are theirs first, at which point Henley runs to get a toy, and Ozzie chases him, or he shoves that toy at Westley and Westley feels obligated to play for a few minutes.  Henley gets what he wants and the older dogs, I'm certain, feel like they were in control of the course of events.  What I find the most interesting is that Henley does solicit play from us humans, but it's always at a time of day when he knows Ozzie and Westley are uninterested in his shenanigans.  He's learned that if he shoves on Westley with a toy or tries to get Ozzie to chase first thing in the morning, there will be consequences he does not enjoy.  Ozzie will indeed snap at him and Westley will growl.  If he persists, Ozzie will remove himself and Westley will step it up and pin Henley, despite Henley outweighing him by 20 lbs!  And Henley respects the older dogs, and has now learned to temper his morning antics and find a human to play with instead.

Which brings me to my final point and observation.  You might ask why don't we step in when Ozzie is growling or when Westley has snapped and pinned Henley and the answer can be summed up like this:  Not my monkey, not my circus.  Stepping in would tell the older dogs that something they'd done was wrong (when it wasn't) and potentially make Henley feel like he could challenge the older dogs willy-nilly when he really shouldn't.  My dogs aren't fighting, no blood is being drawn, and no dog is afraid of any other dog.  In fact, letting them sort out their own issues, saves anyone having hurt feelings.  Research shows that when it comes to inter-dog dynamics, you don't want to step in unless there is a bullying situation occurring, someone is afraid/avoidant, or if issues don't seem to be resolving naturally as outlined above.  If any of those situations are occurring, please do step in, and if you are unsure how to do that safely, just let me know.

Because, as always, you know where to find me. I'll be over here watching my collies learn how to be a three dog household again, at least for the summer.

In case you were wondering, I said "cookie."

Thinking About Off Days

When I say "off days," what's the first thing that pops into your head?  Is it a day off from work and responsibilities, so potentially something fun, or does it trigger the opposite response and make you think of a day when you didn't quite feel like yourself, a time when you just felt "off?" Both are important and worth talking about with respect to our canine companions.

Just as humans need to take breaks in order to reduce stress and prevent mental and physical fatigue, so do dogs.  And it's not just working dogs (police and military dogs, search and rescue dogs, contraband sniffing dogs at the airport, herding dogs, etc.) that need those breaks, your pet dogs need breaks too.  A break for a pet dog could be something as simple as an uniterrupted nap each day.  Or, it could mean a trip to the park to run around, or a sniff-centered walk with no particular destination.  What your dog considers "time off" is really up to them.  For my own dogs, nap time and time spent parked on the couch while I read a book (my off time!) is how they use their "time off." 

But what about the other kind of "off days?"  You know, those days when you feel blah, not really like yourself.  You're not sick, but you don't feel awesome either.  You just feel out of sync.  Well, dogs have those days too!  It's interesting to me that most of the time when there has been an incident on a pet therapy visit for the group I've been working with for years, the volunteers tell me after the incident that their dog was "acting weird,"  "wasn't himself,"  or "seemed off."  To which my response is always, "Then why did you do your pet therapy visit with a dog who was clearly not themselves?!"  You see, when a pet isn't 100%, that's when things like an uncharacteristic growl, snap, or bite might occur. For people doing pet therapy visits, I always tell them to err on the side of caution and skip visits on days when their pet seems "off," behaviorally speaking.  For the rest of us not doing pet therapy, recognizing that your dog is having an off day, is still important.  

If your dog is having an off day, don't immediately assume that they are ill.  Observe them for other signs of illness such as not eating or drinking, drinking a lot of water, vomiting, persistent diarrhea, or  lethargy for more than just a day. If your pet doesn't want to eat a meal, preferring to go off by themselves and rest, just let them.  If they seem uncomfortable or unable to get comfortable, watch to see if this is something serious like bloat, or simply more about muscle pain or soreness keeping them from getting comfortable.  Go ahead and skip your training exercises with your dog if they are having an off day, and maybe cut your walk a little shorter, if need be. And, quite frankly, there is no reason to assume that dogs don't just get into a mood sometimes where they are a bit melancholy, no pun intended. Give your dog some space, but do watch them. No need to panic as, again, we all have off days.  Given that they are dogs, it's more than likely that tomorrow they will be back to their usual, joyful, happy-go-lucky selves.  And that truly is one of the best things about dogs!

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

Henley is usually full of joy, enthusiasm, and mischief, but recently he seemed out of sorts.  At first, I thought he must be sick as he's never spent an entire day in a clingy mood and/or trying to get comfortable moving from couch, to dog bed, to another dog bed.  I watched him and gave him space, and I watched the other dogs give him space too.  But the next morning?  He was perfectly fine, back to his usual self.  He never vomited, had diarrhea, or missed his meals.  He was just having an "off day."  And you know what?  He's entitled to it and we all respected that, giving him the space he needed to recharge his internal battery.

What's Your Frequency?

No, I'm not referring to the 1994 song from the band, R.E.M. What I'm referring to is the frequency of common appliances used in your house, or those used outdoors by your neighbors. There is some fascinating research that's been coming out over the last couple of years, including a really good study conducted by researchers at my alma mater, U.C. Davis.  Here are the important details for the dog owners reading this:

First and foremost, many dog owners are not recognizing the stress they are causing their dogs who are repeatedly exposed to what are to us, common household noises. While most of us understand that things like backfiring cars or fireworks are anxiety triggers for dogs, we often overlook more common and daily occurrences like beeping smoke detectors, the sound of the microwave, the baseline sound emitted by the Alexa home assistant, or other smart appliances like thermostats and security devices. While we might think the vacuum cleaner is driving our dogs nuts, truth be told, that's less stressful than the nice, new thermostat you bought for the sake of energy efficiency. And if your neighbors are using ultrasonic frequency devices to control or deter pests in their yard, or to deter your barking dog, they are actually making the situation must worse. 

High frequency, intermittent noises are more likely to cause anxiety and stress than lower frequency, continuous noise; so a beeping smoke detector causes more stress than your vacuum cleaner. While dog owners in the study were able to recognize their dog leaving the room or avoiding contact as a sign of discomfort, they actually missed a lot of the other cues that their dogs were stressed. Behavioral signs such as being very clingy, lip licking, looking away, tail tucking, and panting actually got missed. While most dog owners knew that a dog was stressed when they tremble, shake, or howl, many missed the more subtle, but nonetheless significant, signs of anxiety. 

In the recent study, researchers found that high frequency, intermittent sounds (think smoke detector beeping) resulted in dogs showing intense signs of fear and anxiety like trembling and shaking. Conversely, low frequency constant sounds (think vacuum cleaner) resulted in behaviors associated with agitation, reactivity, and even aggression.  There are certainly dogs who display fear in the form of lip licking and tail tucking with sounds like vacuum cleaning, but these behaviors are even more prevalent with the high frequency intermittent sounds.

Dogs who are stressed have both physiological and behavioral responses to their fear.  When those sounds are high frequency and intermittent, for example from the pest deterrent devices or anti-bark devices, a dog processes those sounds as being unpredictable and outside their control, thus creating undue stress. This is also why a baby crying can be very distressing to a dog.  That's a high frequency sound that they can't control and they hope we can!  Because dogs naturally have better hearing than us, particularly in the 1000-8000 Hz range, this means they will be more sensitive to these types of sounds than humans are in general, and even more so if the dog's owner is an older person with hearing deficits associated with the aging process. 

The bottom line is this:  All dog owners need to better understand dog body language so as not to misinterpret that clingy behavior, for example, as something cute or happy, but rather as a sign of stress and anxiety.  Eliminating pest deterrent devices, not using anti-bark devices, being aware of the low battery in a smoke detector, and continuing to use fewer "smart home" devices means less baseline anxiety and stress for dogs in those homes period.  And if your neighbor is using pest deterrent devices on wild animals in their yard, or against your barking dog, have a frank conversation with your neighbor.  There are better ways to discourage pests AND you can correct your dog's barking yourself (I've blogged solutions for barking many times here!), no need for those high frequency devices. Those high frequency devices are causing both physical and psychological distress and that's something we can get better at controlling and managing.

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

Westley is noise-sensitive, particularly to sounds like garbage trucks and buses.  He has no problem with fireworks, interestingly enough.  He is definitely sensitive to the smoke detector beeps, as are my other collies.  Always important to know your own dog, watch for the signs, and find ways to relieve the stress they feel, and the potential pain to their more sensitive ears.

Stay the Course!

With summer nearly upon us, there will be a lot more folks out and about with their dogs in tow.  While we all encounter dogs "in the wild," so to speak, on a daily basis, you will start seeing more and more of them out with their families over the summer months.  I mention this only as a reminder to those taking their dogs everywhere with them that you've made sure your dogs are ready for that kind of stimulation.  You see, dogs who spend most of the year in their homes and yards, venturing out for neighborhood walks on a somewhat regular basis, aren't necessarily ready for an arduous hike, trip to the beach, street fair, or concert on the green. While you may think that your dog will be happiest being included in these new adventures, that isn't always the case.  Let's, once again, look at this from your dog's point of view.

If your dog isn't used to going everywhere with you, just a simple ride in the car can be anything but simple to them.  Even if they don't get carsick, a lot of dogs get anxious in the car, pacing back and forth, panting and often barking at things as they go by. While you can control the pacing by harnessing your dog in place with a car safety harness system, they may still pant and bark. Prepare your dog in advance for longer car rides, or more frequent car rides, by taking them in the car for shorter distances, spending time in the car in your driveway, or driving around the block, reinforcing calm, quiet behavior. And it goes without saying that if your dog starts barking frantically when you get to your destination, don't take them out of the car until they calm down.  Otherwise, you are just rewarding that frenetic behavior!

Once your dog gets to your destination with you, keep them under your control.  If you are visiting an off leash area, don't immediately let them off leash!  Keep them on leash or switch to a long line and work with them for at least a few minutes on their recall in this new place. Do not assume that just because your dog has good recall at the dog park, they'll have good recall at the beach or on an off leash trail.  There will be different triggers in these new spaces and your off leash dog could be caught unawares if you haven't warmed them up to this new environment.  And as I pointed out last week, dogs at the beach or lake should be wearing a life vest and dogs on hiking trails need to be taught to avoid snakes.  Keeping your dog on a long line will keep them at a safe distance from the water if you don't have that life vest on and, hopefully, will allow you to call them away from that "nope rope," aka a snake, before they try to pick it up!

While I understand that you and your family are on vacation, so are other people.  As dog owners we need to be respectful and mindful of the fact that other people have the right to be at that off leash trail, beach, or outdoor venue even without dogs.  And many people use those spaces who don't like dogs or are afraid of dogs.  Don't reinforce their belief that dogs are menaces by letting your off leash (or on leash) dog approach random people you encounter.  Pleasantly greet them for sure, but keep your dog with you unless someone indicates a desire to interact with your dog.  And don't assume that people will have control over their children in these places. If you think off leash dogs are out of control, just picture off leash kids...lol.  Kids running around on trails, in parks, and at beaches can be a trigger for many dogs to bark and chase.  Don't let your dogs do it and don't blame the kids for running around.  It's your job as a dog owner to control your dog. Yes, parents should supervise their kids, but kids have a right to run around without fear of being pursued by a dog, even a friendly dog.

If you are going to have time off, now is a good time to take that obedience class refresher course, sign up for an introduction to agility or another dog-centered sport, etc.  These classes will give you the opportunity to get out with your dog in a novel situation and work on their skills.  Those skills can only help when you present them with more challenges like family adventures on summer break. And don't feel bad if your dog isn't cut out for family vacations, car travel, and trips to the beach. Despite what the social media influencers are trying to tell you, not every dog is made for that kind of exposure.  In fact, even a lot of those social media influencers have trouble with their dogs on those adventures, you just don't see it in their highly curated, online content. Social media is not reality and we all should remember that. Don't put your dog into a risky or frightening situation just for the photo op.

All behavior has consequences. As dog owners, we need to make sure that the consequences of our actions and the actions of our dogs don't negatively impact the experiences of others.  And this is no more true that during summer break when we are all headed to the beach, the trails, and the parks.

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

Ozzie and I both love the beach and he's been going to the beach since he was a carsick puppy.  He doesn't get carsick anymore, which is great and makes trips to the beach more enjoyable for everyone!

Planning Ahead for the Summer: Five Things to Keep in Mind!

Hard to believe, but summer is on the way and with it, warmer weather. Warmer temperatures often mean trips to the beach, more hiking and other travel adventures, and a lot of family time with the kids out of school. Seems like a good time to go over a few tips to make your pet's summer safer and happier overall. Let's start with these five:

1.  Water Safety: Even if your dog is a good swimmer, I believe a life vest is a must.  Currents and tides can change quickly, exhausting and disorienting even the most accomplished swimmers. Plus, a vest will make it easier for you or a lifeguard to pull your dog to safety. If your dog loves to dig in the sand, or loves chasing a ball that gets coated with sand after each throw, take care to make sure that they aren't ingesting large quantities of sand which can lead to a condition called "sand impaction." Rinse off that sand covered ball between throws and consider using a basket muzzle on your digging dog to prevent the ingestion of excess sand. And most importantly, watch your dog closely for water intoxication during water play and other water-centered activities.  Water intoxication is a risk for any dog, including dogs who just like to attack the sprinklers with wild abandon,  but none more so than dogs who routinely ingest water while retrieving toys or swimming in any body of water. Watch your dogs for signs of water intoxication (loss of coordination, lethargy, bloating, vomiting, glazed eyes, excessive salivation, difficulty breathing, and seizures) and get veterinary care immediately if you suspect they've taken in too much water.  Insist on breaks for any dog who spends time in and around water.

2.  Hikes & Outdoor Exploration: If you and your dog are planning any hikes or extended walking adventures this summer, it's good to begin training ahead of time.  Start by extending the length of your walks now, and include inclines and descents to get your dog (and yourself!) ready for those terrain variations.  Remember you will need a water bottle for yourself, as well as one for your dog, so you both have adequate water to stay hydrated. If you will be walking on rough or uneven surfaces that could damage your dog's foot pads, consider training them to wear booties designed for climbing, or at a minimum, add something like foot wax to their foot pads to increase traction and provide some protection from hot, uneven surfaces.  Training your dog to wear a backpack can also be helpful so that they can carry their own supplies. You will need to have them acclimate to wearing the pack, however, so start with an empty pack on your daily walks, gradually filling it with the supplies they will need when you start hiking with them regularly.  I love the booties, backpacks, hiking harnesses, and life vests available from www.ruffwear.com.  And, no, I'm not getting any kickback for recommending them, but I have used their products for years with my own dogs and their stuff is durable and well-made.  Please make sure your dogs are up to date on their vaccines, as well as their flea and tick preventatives. You will still want to check your dogs for ticks post-hiking, as well as yourself!  Finally, rattlesnakes and other venomous snakes may be found in the areas where you hike.  I've put my own dogs through rattlesnake avoidance training and can't recommend it enough. If you live anywhere within driving distance of the San Francisco Bay area and want information on rattlesnake avoidance training in this area, message me for details on an upcoming clinic I know and trust.  I'm planning on enrolling Henley this time around and Ozzie is a past graduate of this clinic and the best rattlesnake spotter of any dog I've ever had the pleasure of hiking with.

3.  Car travel:  If you will be traveling with your dogs by car or motor home, it's a good idea to be prepared for that as well.  Even if you don't crate your dogs in the car normally, bringing along collapsible/folding crates when you travel is a good idea.  If you have to make unplanned stops, having those crates can be a godsend. I recommended this to a client one time and she thought it was overkill until her car died on the side of the road and it took forever to find a tow truck that would allow her dog to ride along as well.  And then the rental car company didn't want an uncrated dog in any of their vehicles!  She now carries a collapsible crate in her car at all times. She learned her lesson!  Always carry water for your dog on car trips, and snacks if they will be in your car for longer than a 6-8 hour stretch without meal breaks. If your dog gets carsick, or you think they might get carsick on a windy road portion of your trip, remember to bring something with you to prevent nausea.  I like Nabisco Ginger Snaps Cookies as they work for nausea in people and dogs. If you need something stronger than that, consider CBD oil made for dogs, giving them a dose 30 minutes in advance.  And if that still isn't enough, talk to your veterinarian well ahead of your vacation about other alternatives such as Cerenia or Ondansetron.

4. More time with children:  Even if your dog loves your kids or grandkids, a lot of extra time spent with children can be exhausting. Make sure your pets have safe spaces to escape (crates or doghouses for dogs, perches and hiding spaces for cats) and remind those kids to leave dogs and cats who are resting alone.  Encourage your pets to seek out those spaces if they seem overwhelmed and enforce time alone, especially for puppies who need those daily naps in order to behave appropriately. Finally, while it's nice that kids like to share snacks with the pets, make sure those snacks are healthy and safe for your pets. Encourage kids to share healthy snacks like carrots, apples, and zucchini with your pets rather than popsicles, chips, or cheese. 

5.  Fireworks:  The 4th of July will be here before you know it, and most pets would prefer that they didn't have to deal with fireworks every single year.  While there are certainly some pets that seem to ignore fireworks, most are sensitive to them at best, and terrified of them at worst.  If your pet is terrified of fireworks, it may be best to take them somewhere that fireworks are illegal or an area that is so far off the grid that fireworks are a non-issue.  If you plan to be gone on the 4th, but will be leaving your pet home alone, make sure they are indoors and safely confined, before you leave the house.  You don't want them jumping through a window or digging through a door to escape.  Leave music or the TV on, with fans and white noise machines, to blot out some of the sounds, and pull curtains or window blinds to block flashes of light.  If you plan to stay home with your pets, you can still use music, TV, white noise, and fans, but encourage your pets to seek refuge in your bathroom.  Bathrooms are the most soundproof spaces in our homes, particularly inside shower stalls or bathtubs.  These spaces are also cooler and darker and less likely to experience those flashes of light.  Encourage your pets to sit or lay in the tub or shower, or even between the toilet and tub, for best sound and vibration protection from those fireworks.  Check on your pets in the bathroom frequently to make sure that they are okay.  If your pet is mildly disturbed by fireworks, you might be able to get by with CBD oil given throughout the day on the 4th.  If that isn't enough, however, or if your pet is profoundly anxious, talk to your veterinarian about more serious alternatives like Trazodone or Xanax. 

Hopefully, this gives you a head start on making this summer the best one yet for you and your pets. As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

Ozzie and Westley love a good hike and both are good at signaling when they see snakes on or off the trail. In this photo, Westley is showing off his hiking pack.  His pack was empty on this hike as he'd just gotten it and we were training him to acclimate to wearing it before adding in any weight. He now carries his own water, snacks, poop bags, and first aid kit!

My Pupsicle Recipe!

A dear friend reached out and asked if I would share my pupsicle recipes again.  She knows I make pupsicles (dog-friendly hot weather treats) for my dogs every summer, and given the hot weather we're starting to have here in the San Francisco Bay Area, she wanted to get a jump on making some for her sweet dogs.  Pupsicles are refreshing for your dog, as well as being mentally stimulating.  With healthy ingredients, these can be given to your dogs frequently without feeling guilty. 

You will want to start with basic popsicle molds.  You can purchase silicon molds, if you like, then you won't need edible "handles" for your frozen dog treats.  I myself have the old-fashioned popsicle molds from when my kids were little, so I just use those! If you have those style too, you will be substituting a piece of bully stick or jerky for the popsicle stick handle making it dog friendly AND easier to get out of the molds.  Pour liquid yogurt or kefir into the molds and add frozen blueberries, strawberries or bananas for texture.  Carefully insert the bully stick or jerky into the filled molds and then put the molds into your freezer to harden.  For a savory pupsicle, use bone broth or low sodium chicken broth, adding diced carrots or zucchini for texture.  Don't forget to add those bully sticks or jerky sticks so you'll be able to get the pupsicles out once they've frozen! Both versions are definitely treats for your dogs to consume outdoors as they are messy, but worth it.

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

Ozzie enjoying a sweet pupsicle, made with liquid strawberry yogurt, 

blueberries and, his favorite, fresh strawberries!

Some More Thoughts on Walking Your Dog

Any time I do a group presentation, it seems like I receive a lot of questions regarding taking dogs for a walk.  Everything from how far, how often, what leash to use, what collar, and whether to use treats or not.  I know I've talked about walking dogs many times, but I thought it might be valuable to revisit this topic from a slightly different point of view.  That is, the point of view of your dog.

While most dogs enjoy being outdoors, leashes aren't their first choice for how they like to explore their world.  For many dogs, being on leash is very stressful.  When a dog is on leash, they are obviously tethered, hindered not only from doing what they want, but kept from being able to adequately protect themselves, and you.  This is why keeping the leash loose when walking helps to reduce the pressure your dog feels on those leashed walks.  Make sure your dog has enough leash to explore and sniff without feeling tension and pulling at their neck, back, or shoulders. And please don't make the mistake of thinking that a retractable leash will make your dog happier because it won't.  Retractable leashes are dangerous for dogs and for their people.  If you want your dog on a longer leash, but with even more room to explore safely, put them on a long line. You can get them in any length from 10 feet right on up.

Dogs who are anxious on leash don't need 5 mile walks or hour long strolls, they need short walks, at off peak times and off peak places, that build their confidence without adding to their stress.  While the average healthy adult dog needs two 30-45 minute walks each day, that's not a hard and fast rule for every dog.  Some dogs do just fine with one walk a day.  Others, it's two walks, but both for just 15-20 minutes each.  And there are also dogs who do quite well with any length/distance walk, as long as they receive ample play time at home with their humans.  And if you have an aggressive dog, that is one who behaves in a reactive manner toward other  dogs, other people, or both, you will want to be very cautious about when, where, and how often you walk your dog.  Yes, you do indeed have the right to walk your dog, but you do need to make sure that doing so doesn't put anyone else at risk.  This might mean walking very early in the morning, late at night, with your dog wearing a muzzle, or all of the above. Just remember that you will want to train your dog to wear a flexible basket-style muzzle for walking which will allow them to pant, bark, sniff, drink water, and take treats.  All you want the muzzle to restrict is their ability to bite someone or another dog.  Plus, dogs who are walked wearing muzzles are automatically given more space by others walking their dogs and that's exactly what your anxiously aggressive dog was looking for.  Remember, too, that you can and should exercise your dog at home, whether that's with yard-approved agility equipment, a chuck-it, a flirt pole, or a swimming pool.  While most dogs won't utilize any of those things on their own, they will be more than happy to run around with you, chasing a ball, following the flirt pole, or maneuvering around agility equipment. 

As to what kind of collar or harness to use, that depends on your dog, their age/life stage, whether they pull or not, and whether they have issues in reactivity.  Seek out and utilize the collar or harness that is the most comfortable for your dog while still doing the job you intended it to do. Right now, for example, I am walking Henley on a Gentle Leader Head Halter.  This has been a game changer for his on-leash pulling and really made maneuvering around the ill-mannered dogs in my neighborhood that much easier. And as far as treats go, everyone should carry treats in their pocket and not just for reinforcing or redirecting your own dog, but to throw by the handful in an emergency situation where you need to distract that off leash dog who just bum-rushed you! Just remember that whether a treat is high value or low value is determined by your dog, not you.  While most might consider their kibble to be low value, I've met dogs who thought kibble was the best thing ever and the owners used chopped up zucchini for their low value treat.  For Henley, it would be just the opposite; kibble would be low value, and he loves zucchini!

I have a copy of a dog training book from the 1970's where they basically said "walk your dog twice a day" without giving any information on what that walk should look like.  We've made so much progress since those days of chain leashes and choke collars.  We now have many more options to choose from and a better idea of what a dog considers a successful, rewarding walk.  I am grateful for those choices.

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

Here's Henley on a walk without his head halter, enjoying an amazing stick 

he discovered in the neighborhood.

Just A Funny Story!

So, a client called me over the weekend to thank me for helping her with her puppy several months back. I thought it was nice of her to follow up and let me know they were doing well together. I love when clients do their follow up as with those who don't, I'm left to wonder...did everything work out?  Did they get frustrated and give up?  Is their pet running the house now and restricting their access to the phone and computer?!  Just kidding.  

Anyway, she somewhat sheepishly told me that they'd really done very little that I had suggested beyond one thing.  They made that puppy take naps four times a day, in her crate, no exceptions.  I laughed because this isn't the first time I've had a puppy client tell me that those enforced naps were a game-changer. But the ONLY thing that I told them that they actually followed through with and did?  Mind boggling!  She said those daily naps basically solved the problems they were having with mouthing, self-control issues, etc.  Well, I'll be darned.  That was easy!

See, here's the thing.  None of us do very well when we are sleep deprived.  While humans vary in the amount of sleep each person needs, dogs are pretty straightforward.  Adult dogs sleep 12-14 hours a day, with elderly or ill dogs needing more sleep. And puppies need 18-20 hours of sleep each day for proper growth and brain development.  Adult dogs will just nod off wherever they are, or will take themselves to another room to rest when they need to.  Puppies, on the other hand, need to be taken to their napping area and confined there for best results.  While a puppy might fall asleep at your feet, on your lap, or on the couch, none of these "catnaps," so to speak, will replace an actual nap in their crate, in a room, alone.  You want them to get deep sleep and REM sleep (the time when dreams occur) and that won't happen when you or other pets are around.  Just like toddlers resist naps, so will your puppies, but you still make them do it for their own good...and your peace of mind and sanity!

So, while I always hope pet owners will follow all of my advice, I guess it's good to know that they follow at least some of it and definitely take to heart the important stuff like sleep for a puppy.  Though now it's got me thinking I need to bullet point what really is critical when I'm working with clients, just in case they aren't going to do it all!

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

Now that Henley is no longer a puppy, I don't have to worry about enforcing his naps, he just takes them on his own.  Though he usually takes a toy with him.

When Your Dog Is Not A Fan

I worked with a client last week who asked that I share her story as she thinks others might benefit (and she loves my blog!), but she did ask that I change a lot of the details to protect the parties involved.  Happy to oblige given that her situation isn't the first (nor the worst!) I've seen in my 33 years in business.  So, here's the situation:

The client reached out because she's a widow and she's recently started dating again.  She's taking it slow, but has finally met someone she's interested enough in to have them over for dinner at her house.  The problem is that dinner was a disaster!  Her dog was openly hostile to this man from the moment he stepped into her house, something he's never done with anyone before.  I've known this owner and this dog for about 5 years, and I knew her husband as well as they both attended puppy class with the dog.  He's a well-socialized, friendly, though sometimes exuberant greeter.  We've worked on that though and he now doesn't try to jump up and lick every visitor, which is why when she said her dog froze, growled, and stared at this new man in her life, I was quite frankly shocked.  I went through the obvious things first:  Does this man like dogs?  Does he have dogs?  Did he act afraid?  Did he try to hug you or touch you when he walked in?  Turns out the man says he loves dogs, has an elderly dog at home, and wasn't a bit afraid. He knew not to touch my client when he came in and he even brought treats for the dog from a local bakery.  Her dog was not having any of it.  He sat down and blocked the guy from coming in AND he ignored the treats.  This dog LOVES treats, so the fact that he ignored them had me utterly gobsmacked. At this point my client was flustered, so she decided to put her dog in his crate and suggested they go out to eat instead, which they did.  When she got home, she emailed me.  

Generally speaking, I listen to dogs.  If one of my dogs had this reaction to someone, I, quite honestly, would try to figure out what it is I missed.  They are very good judges of character and like everyone, though Ozzie can be aloof at times.  If he was openly hostile to someone, that would be a red flag for me, not about him, but about the person!  In my client's case, however, I just couldn't figure out what he was seeing in this man that my client wasn't.  We decided it would be valuable to have me there for the next introduction.  I suggested we meet up with this man at a local park and the three of us walk with her dog together and see how he was off of home turf.  Again, this is a happy, non-aggressive, sociable dog.  We met at the park about 30 minutes before her date was to arrive.  Her dog greeted me, as he always does, with two feet up on me and kisses galore.  We walked around a bit and he let kids pet him, he approached a man on crutches to sniff and say hi, and he wagged his tail at a man who jogged by and told him "Hey there cutie!" So, nothing untoward with strangers at the park.  When her date arrived, he started walking toward us.  His body language was open and he was careful to give the dog space.  I swear, I watched that dog completely change before my eyes.  Gone was the loose body language and lolling tongue. In its place was stiff body language, a lowered head, and a direct stare.  Just in case my client's nerves were triggering her dog, I walked away with the dog and then walked back and he still wasn't having any interaction with this man.  I asked my client to walk the dog for a few minutes while I talked to her date.  We talked about dogs, dating, his elderly dog, etc.  I started to get the feeling that while he loves his dog, his relationship with the dog is very different from my client's relationship with her dog.  And when I commented on the treats he brought to the house for the dog he said, "I knew she'd like that, so that's why I picked them up."  Hmm.  OK.  That was interesting. I asked what he thought about why the dog was acting so weird with him.  His response?  "The dog doesn't like competition from another alpha male."  Sigh. Another red flag.  The concept of alpha male is so outdated in the realm of animal behavior to be laughable.  However, I certainly know there are people who like to think of themselves using that term, and this man was one of them.

I shook his hand and thanked him for coming and told my client we should get back to work, so she said goodbye to her date and that she'd call him later.  He seemed bewildered, but he walked off.  She said to me after he walked away, "I thought we were going to work together with him on this!"  At this point, I told her what I really thought was going on.  Her dog likes men just fine, he just doesn't like this man.  

As I said earlier, this is not the first time I've met a dog with clear preferences.  I've been to many homes where the dog prefers the wife or prefers the husband, listening to one more than the other, openly shunning one in favor of the other.  Often this behavior is based on experience; dogs love the people who feed, walk and play with them, but quite frankly, they also love the people who let them get away with stuff. Dogs, like toddlers, can be manipulative. In homes with two dog guardians, one who is preferred and one who's being snubbed, I advise putting the one who is being snubbed into control over all things the dog loves and relegating the favored person to more menial and less desirable (from the dog's point of view) tasks.  Usually, if the favored person takes a step back, the dog will (sometimes begrudgingly) take a bigger interest in the other human.  Sometimes all it takes is the less favored human creating a situation for the dog that is special and desired and thus creates a new bond; a trip to the beach, a trip to get a pup cup, allowing them to pick a toy at the pet store, etc.  And sometimes it's as simple as personality.  A dog just clicks with one person more than another.  But in some homes, as it was with the client and her new date, it's actually not that simple. 

Dogs are emotional, sentient creatures capable of empathy.  If they sense discord, disharmony, or unrest, they respond.  I've known dogs who, quite literally, choose sides in a divorce. I know, because I've been there to mediate a few divorces and custody battles over the pets. It's also true that dogs can smell fear and anxiety AND they know a belligerent drinker or a bully when they smell one. I think my client's new dating interest is a closet bully.  She hasn't seen his manipulative, controlling side yet as they've only been dating a few weeks, but her dog did, and I glimpsed it as well.  It was time for her to listen to her dog.  There was nothing I could do, nor that I wanted to do, to make this work.  This man wasn't a good match for my client and her dog, plain and simple.  She had chosen to date him because he was very different from her husband, but in choosing someone vastly different, she'd also chosen someone who was not going to be good for her long term.

I tried to lighten the mood by telling her that she now knew she could have her dog be the judge of her dates rather than her friends going forward. It will save her a lot of time! I know she will find someone truly worthy of her time and attention AND someone who her dog will like as well.  He loved chasing the ball and running alongside her husband's bike.  He is sweet and friendly to random male strangers he meets on the street and during pet therapy visits.  There will be someone he loves for his owner as well.  

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

Some dogs are choosier than others, but with very good reason.

Your Dog & Your Garden

I am an avid gardener, spending hours working in my two gardens.  My collies often join me, hanging out in the shade to keep a watchful eye over my progress.  None of my current dogs are diggers, so I never worry about them digging up anything I've planted.  The only plants I have to watch are my strawberries as they all love strawberries and will pick the fruit before I ever get a chance!  And Henley did seem to enjoy the eggplant last summer, so I've not planted it again this year, opting for more tomatoes instead. 

If you do, however, have a dog who likes to dig, you will want to keep them indoors when you garden and here's why:  If you keep them with you when you are digging, you are basically showing them the best places to dig, and they will return there, often digging up what you just planted.  Dogs who love to dig will not be deterred, so providing them with an appropriate spot for digging is a must. You can cordon off an area of your garden just for them, or use a sandbox for that purpose.  Fill your dog's digging area with their favorite substrate (fresh dirt, sand, or even rocks) and then bury things there for them to dig up and eat like carrots, zucchini, chunks of apple, or dry cookies/dog biscuits and bones. If you catch your dog digging where they shouldn't, take them immediately over to their own digging area and show them why that's a better spot.  You can use fencing around or netting over your own garden beds to discourage digging there.  Water witches, basically motion-activated sprinklers, can also help to deter your dog (and neighborhood cats, squirrels, etc.) from entering your garden area.  Just remember if you do use a sandbox for your dogs to dig, you will want to cover it when not in use to discourage roaming neighborhood cats from using it as a litter box!

Digging is obviously a normal dog behavior, so it can't, nor shouldn't, be discouraged or punished. All dogs have the potential to be diggers and the behavior is quite adaptive as well. On a warm day, a dog may dig a hold in the cool dirt to lay in.  And if they are cold, they may bury themselves in a hole they've dug to retain heat. Many dogs with a prized resource like a bone, will want to save the treat for later and will cache the bone in a hole they've dug for that purpose. Finally, a lot of dogs dig because they see or hear moles, gophers, or other digging rodents just below the surface and they want to get at them!

So, embrace the digging by providing an appropriate outlet for the behavior AND reinforce and encourage your dogs to use the digging space you've created. While it is certainly true that some dogs can be encouraged to dig while on walks or at the beach, for example, this won't be enough of an outlet for the behavior.  You truly need a space appropriate for digging on their home turf. 

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

One of my gardening assistants on a break!

Getting What You Paid For

I got a call from a new client wanting to set up an appointment for her almost 6 month old puppy.  She'd gotten her puppy from a breeder that had been recommended to her by a close friend. She indicated that the puppy's behavior was not only causing her frustration at every turn, she was also on the outs with her friend as she feels like her friend "duped" her with regard to this breeder.  I agreed to meet with her and the puppy in person to see if we could sort this all out before she gave up on the puppy AND her 15 year friendship.

The puppy in question is a Maltipoo.  Right away I can hear some of you saying, well that's a mixed breed dog, so what do you mean by "this dog came from a breeder."  Well, this puppy is a purposefully bred dog, the product of a breeding between the breeder's two existing Maltipoos (Maltese x Teacup Poodle).  Yes, I know, Teacup Poodles are not a recognized size for Poodles as Toy is considered the smallest within the breed standard, but nonetheless, there are people out there breeding even smaller poodles, and thus smaller mixes. This client has had small breed dogs before, though none with an adult size as small as this puppy will be. She was frustrated because the puppy seems impossible to housetrain, won't come when called, hasn't even learned to sit or lay down, and nips at her hands and ankles relentlessly, leaving marks on her skin and clothing. When I gently asked her what her expectations were when she chose this puppy, I found out that she didn't, in fact, choose this particular puppy; the breeder chose for her.  And when I asked why she was so upset with her friend, she stated that her friend knows the breeder and should have made sure the breeder picked the "best puppy for her." I was starting to get the picture. This was a case of buyer's remorse, so to speak.  

It was clearly time for a reality check.  Puppies are a lot of work, regardless of breed or temperament.  These super small breed puppies are notoriously difficult to housetrain for everyone who owns one.  The rule of thumb seems to be, the smaller the dog the more difficult to housetrain completely. I've known many a Yorkie, Morkie, Maltese, Maltipoo, and Chihuahua that were never completely housetrained. Why?  It isn't just that their bladders are small, for example.  Actually it's about something called "neoteny," which is the retention of juvenile characteristics into adulthood. In the effort to breed these small, cute, puppy-like little dogs with their big eyes and even bigger foreheads, we're also breeding in puppy-like characteristics like lack of self control, housetraining mishaps, mouthy behavior, etc. Basically, a Labrador puppy will grow up and become a Labrador dog.  A Maltipoo puppy will grow older, but they will always be puppy-like in their behavior. To be fair, that's why many of my clients who've chosen these little dogs made that choice.  They like that puppy attitude and are willing to put up with the housetraining mishaps.

So, while I do blame the breeder for not making all of this clearer to my client/her puppy buyer, I also know that breeders are in the business of selling dogs.  She probably figured that this client understood what she was getting into, particularly since they share that friend in common.  But you see, a Pug (what she had before) is very different from a Maltipoo.  Pugs are relatively easy to housetrain and mature into dogs with a low exercise requirement.  Good thing, too, given their breathing issues, but that's a separate issue altogether!  

I reviewed with the client a fairly rigorous schedule to help with the housetraining and suggested she crate or pen the pup when she couldn't watch him to limit where the accidents occur.  I also suggested consequences for the mouthy behavior that a puppy can understand, along with handling exercises to get him better and more patient with the things that were making him mouthy in the first place.  As far as training obedience skills goes, she needs to set realistic expectations. I taught the puppy to sit and come when called, using high value treats, clicking fingers, and a high pitched voice.  While her Pug was able to learn fetch and a handful of tricks, I told her she needed to remember that this new dog was a Maltipoo.  We can teach some tricks, but these dogs aren't bred for their obedience skills or their intellectual prowess.  They're bred to be constant companions and lapdogs. Period.  I don't think her friend steered her wrong, I just think there was some miscommunication.  When my client indicated she wanted another small dog, and couldn't bring herself to get another Pug, her friend suggested a happy-go-lucky Maltipoo pup to cheer her up and that's exactly what she got.  A happy-go-lucky, the world-is-my-oyster little ball of floof that likes sitting on laps, will love riding in a stroller, and will likely never be fully housetrained. I told her that if that's a dealbreaker for her, she should return the dog to the breeder to give him an opportunity to find an owner who is a better fit for him.  And, of course, we can find a dog that's a better fit for her too.

I appreciated that this client was okay with me sharing her story.  She'd never heard of neoteny or the pitfalls of owning a pup this small, and she felt others could benefit from her story.  She's not decided yet whether she will keep this puppy, but she is more patient with him now that she understands him better. I think he could end up being a nice companion for her IF she's willing to keep to that strict schedule with respect to housetraining.

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

This little guy will probably be about 10-12 lbs. when he's full grown. 

 I think Henley's head weighs that much!

An Open Letter to Dog Owners

Hi, I'm your neighbor. You know, the one you see walking every day with my dogs on leash.  While I occasionally deal with them trying to sniff your free-roaming cats or chase a squirrel, they are under my control and we stick to the sidewalks as well as the trails of our local park.

I feel the need to write you this letter because I'm concerned and frankly a bit frustrated.  You see, despite the fact that our city and county have leash laws regarding dogs in public spaces, you are still allowing your dogs to charge off of your property and onto the sidewalk where we are walking.  Your dogs running at me with my leashed dogs is anxiety-provoking.  The fact that you can't get your dogs to come back to you when you call them, makes me even more concerned for my safety, the safety of my leashed dogs, and the safety of your dogs as well.

And when you say, "Don't worry, he's friendly!" that doesn't make it any better.  How do you know my dogs are friendly?  How do you know my dogs won't protect me?  In fact, how do you know I'm friendly? Just kidding! Sort of.  Anyway, your dog being friendly doesn't excuse the inappropriate behavior.  Your dog should not be outside of your house without a leash or tether.  Having them off leash in your garage or on your driveway or in your non-fenced front yard when you know they are territorial AND you know they won't come when you call them away from the city streets and sidewalks is not just un-neighborly, it's against the law.

I, like you, love our neighborhood park.  It's so beautiful, lots of green grass and open space to enjoy.  When you let your dogs run off leash, however, you are making use of that park restricted for the rest of us. See that family with the young kids?  They wanted to throw the ball around but they can't as your dog is running around on that grassy field off leash trying to take their ball, despite the signs that say all dogs must be on leash.  Also, I hate to mention it, but your dogs have now pooped twice while they were running around and you were looking at your phone.  Maybe you missed it? But you need to pick up behind them as that's the law too and those little kids shouldn't have to try to play around the poop on their playground area.

Did I mention that I like to run every day to clear my head?  That's a problem too, I guess, as your off leash dogs have chased me more than once and one of them even bit me.  I know you said you're sorry and that it has never happened before, but I'm still going to carry pepper spray with me from now on.  Next time, I will spray your dogs if they charge at me.  I can't afford to miss work again for a dog bite.

I feel bad that I had to write you this letter, but I felt like it was the neighborly thing to do.  I don't want to have to contact Animal Control about your lack of respect for the law, but I will if it means one more runner isn't chased, one more dog isn't attacked, and one more child isn't bitten.  You are giving dog owners a bad name and making our neighborhood unsafe.

Signed,

Your neighbor

P.S.  I really do love dogs.  They are my life and my livelihood.  I've spent the last 30 years helping pet owners.  So, if you are having a problem with your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

These two good boys are always on leash and they are friendly with dogs, cats and people,

but they don't appreciate being bum-rushed and they get scared when your off leash dogs 

body slam them to the ground.  Collies are gentle spirits, but their owner (me)

 is not going to be gentle when this happens to them again.

Pats, Strokes, Cuddles, & Nudges!

I received a call last weekend from a client who was interested in pet assisted therapy for her puppy.  I let her know that while most pet assisted therapy organizations require a dog to be over a year of age to begin volunteering, she can certainly begin training her puppy now with that as a long term goal.  She wants to work together to get her puppy ready as he will be the first dog she's ever had with a temperament for the job!  I can appreciate her desire to "do this the right way" as after years of educating new volunteers in pet therapy, and evaluating animals for the job, I can tell you I've met numerous dogs who weren't ready, as well as many who would never be ready for the job, and tons who just needed direction to be really good pet therapists. 

One of the very basic things I look for is a dog who doesn't shy away from new humans approaching them and petting them on the head.  See, here's the thing:  I KNOW dogs absolutely don't like being patted/petted on the head, however, I also know that that's the first thing a person will do when meeting a new dog, particularly within the realm of pet assisted therapy. People who don't know dogs always reach for their head, nose, ears, etc.  Even people who profess to knowing about dogs will reach for their heads, ears, etc.  which is frustrating as well.  I know we've talked about dog body language many times here before, but I want to specifically address head pats today.

Dogs do not inherently enjoy being patted on the head.  Looming over them, hands coming at their faces, accompanied by direct eye contact are all threatening behaviors in a dog's world.  Among dogs, coming over the head or neck of another dog, direct eye contact, etc. are all provocative behaviors that may lead to aggression. For dogs, unfamiliar humans doing these behaviors is anxiety-provoking.  You will see dogs widen their eyes, turn their gaze away, lick their lips, dip their heads away from those hands, and physically try to turn away. If their humans force them into the interaction, you may even see them stiffen, yawn, and pull away the first chance they get.  While your dog may be fully accepting of you petting them on the head, ruffling their ears, and hugging them, there's no reason to believe that they will accept such invasive behaviors from someone they've just met, and you shouldn't force them into accepting these things either.  And, do you REALLY think your dog enjoys it when you do them? Yes, I know there are some dogs who do seem to enjoy this type of attention, but I've certainly encountered enough dogs over the years who don't enjoy it all and are merely tolerating their owners doing it because it makes the people happy when they do.

I'm a firm believer in teaching every dog to accept brief contact with a new human that involves a head pat/stroke and ears being touched, I'm also a firm believer in teaching people the right way to engage a dog they've just met.  In pet therapy in particular, I try to train the new volunteers to make the greetings work for their dogs.  By bringing your dog toward a new person, telling them to say hi, for example, allowing a brief head pat and then turning them sideways or with their bottom toward that new person, thus diffusing any tension and encouraging the new person to scratch that bottom, stroke that side, etc. If your dog is good with face to to face approaches, then you can instruct those new people to pet your dog under their chin, across their chest, etc.  Those are non-confrontational face-to-face greetings that can be done with less looming and direct eye contact, so more acceptable to dogs.  And, again, dogs approach each other sideways, and tuck under each other's chins when behaving in a more affiliative manner.

It's also important to remember that people are less trainable than dogs...LOL.  You can tell people that your dog likes being petted under his chin, loves bootie scratches, and will shake a hand on command, yet they will, by and large, still reach over your dog's head, ruffle their ears, pet their face, and if they are really over the top, try to kiss or hug your dog! This is particularly true in the realm of pet assisted therapy, making it all that more important that your dog be accepting of poor human behavior if you are going to try to participate in this type of work together.  So, how can you prepare your dog?

As with so many behaviors, especially those in cooperative care, it's all about desensitization and counter-conditioning. You have to desensitize your dog to head pats, ear ruffles, eye contact, and looming and counter-condition them using high value rewards to view these human behaviors as desirable, or at a minimum, something they can tolerate without feeling anxious or overwhelmed.  You can even shape behaviors in your dog that encourage the people greeting them to do so in a more respectful way. For example, teaching your dog to put their head in someone's hand or on someone's lap or bed, allows you to position your dog in a way that gives them a choice.  They can choose to put their head in that position or not; if they choose not to, then you, as their handler, can move them into a position that they prefer, such as sideways, and have the person pet them there. If your dog will put their chin in someone's hand or on their lap, remind the person petting them to "go with the grain," that is, don't push their hair/fur or ears the wrong way.  Ruffling a dog's ears or fur often leads to excitement or them becoming over-stimulated, while petting them with the grain is more soothing and less stimulating. 

With my client's puppy, we are going to start with the basics.  We're going to work on sitting or standing calmly when people approach.  We're going to work on not pulling on the leash while walking in buildings and down hallways.  We are going to work on moving around in small spaces because this dog, when fully grown, will be about 90 lbs!  We will also work on shaping the head in a hand behavior and desensitizing her puppy to head pats, hugs, and kisses as this client really wants to work with children and teens on her pet therapy visits.  We will also be working on other cooperative care behaviors as this will ultimately be a big dog and we want trips to the veterinarian and groomer to go successfully as well. 

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

Here's Henley!  He and I have big plans for him to be my next pet assisted therapy dog. He's not even close to ready yet, even though he's a year old now. He's still too bouncy and jumpy, but we're working on it every day.  My guess is he'll be ready to work by the time he's 2 years old.  I'll keep you posted!