Is There a Class I Should Take?

I love taking classes and learning new things. Even more, I love teaching classes and seminars that help pet owners learn new things. Unfortunately, however, classes aren't the right place to address every issue you might be having with your dog. I was thinking it might be helpful to go over some of the issues that really lend themselves to a classroom environment, and which ones don't. Those issues that can't be safely or easily addressed in a classroom environment will require you seeking out one-on-one assistance. Whether that one-on-one will be with a qualified dog trainer, or whether that will be with a certified animal behaviorist like myself will depend on the specifics of the problem(s) you are having. So, let's go over some issues that cross my desk every day so I can show you which ones I point toward classes, which ones I direct to dog trainers I know and trust, and which ones I highly advise working with me to find long term solutions and relief.

Let's address the easy stuff first. If you just picked up a puppy, yes, you should take puppy classes. Even I took Henley to puppy classes when he was a baby! So, regardless of your own dog experience, puppy classes are a valuable tool for exposing your puppy to other puppies their own age, teaching them to be able to work in a novel environment and with lots of distractions, and of course, work on the basics under the watchful eye of a qualified professional trainer. I think smaller classes are better and I love mixed classes where puppies meet other puppies, some big, some small, some barky, some quiet, some playful, and some not so much. If you just got an older puppy, puppy socialization classes won't be appropriate per se, but an older puppies class or adolescent dogs class surely will be. In these classes, the pace is faster with a larger focus on leash work and distractions, the primary issues facing dog owners with adolescent dogs!

If you've just adopted a young adult dog, classes may still be a good idea IF your new dog isn't experiencing fear, reactivity, or aggression. If your new dog shows signs of being fearful or aggressive on leash during walks, for example, then a classroom setting where they will be in close proximity to other dogs on leash will only be anxiety-provoking, not productive, and can potentially make the issues you are having even worse. Instead, seek help from a qualified dog trainer to determine if your dog's issues are rooted in lack of positive on-leash experiences, or if their issues run deeper, related to poor, inadequate, or inappropriate socialization, or related to a genetic predisposition for the behavior. If it's about lack of good experiences, then that dog trainer is going to be very helpful, supporting you and your dog as you find the right equipment and tools to help your dog gain confidence. If instead those issues are about your dog's previous environment being impoverished, or about the role genetics plays in behavior (when aggressive dogs breed, they perpetuate aggression in future generations), then we will need to work together. Aggression is not a curable problem, but a question of good management. Some dogs have obvious triggers that we can learn to control while others, unfortunately, do not.

If you've adopted an adult dog without issues in fear, reactivity, or aggression, they, too, can benefit from classes, as classes are a terrific way to develop a bond and rapport with a new dog.  My first choice would be that you choose a class where the focus is on tricks because tricks training is fun!  For most adult dogs any class that's fun and fast paced is a win.  You could try something new together like rally, or even agility, depending on the breed, temperament, and physical abilities of your new adult dog. If that new dog lacks basic obedience skills, then by all means sign up for a refresher course in the basics, just make sure you sign up for a class for adult dogs, and not one of those obedience classes for puppies!

Dog class offerings have really expanded in recent years. Even ten or fifteen years ago, classes offered to dog owners were primarily those in obedience, or skills classes for dog sports.  Now when you look at classes offered in your area you are likely to find ones devoted to tricks training, cooperative care, leash walking in public spaces, scent work, and prep classes for therapy dogs, to name a few. While there is nothing wrong with classes focused on obedience, I love when my dog trainer friends expand their curriculum to fun and enriching challenge classes for dog owners.

I recently finished up a three session therapy dog prep class and it was so much fun!  Every dog in the class was unique and well-suited to the job and I was happy to point them and their owners to the right therapy environment where they can do their best work. 

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

Here I am teaching the recent therapy dogs prep class.  That's my buddy, Leo, listening attentively to the descriptions of the different types of visits he might do.  He's a natural. I mean, honestly, who wouldn't want to hug a 160 lb Bullmastiff? Photo courtesy of his mom, Kristin Garvin.

New Beginnings

I've had a handful of clients over the last two weeks who are approaching the end of summer with a bit of excitement, combined with a heaping helping of apprehension, as their searches for puppies are coming to fruition. I work with a lot of puppy owners, so this combo isn't anything new, really. What makes it worth blogging about is the fact that all of these families already have resident dogs who are well into their retirement years, so to speak; that is, dogs who are celebrating double digit birthdays. While I've blogged about adding a puppy to an established dog home before, as well as on the topic of when it's a good time (if ever!) to add in a second (or third) dog, I haven't specifically looked at how the addition of a puppy or adolescent dog to your home affects your senior dog.  So, let's tackle that topic this week, just in case you find yourself in this position as well.

Oftentimes for multi-dog families, owners find themselves in the position of adding a new dog into the mix as they are coming to terms with the twilight years of their senior dog's life.  And if they've had a couple of seniors, raised together since puppyhood, losing one of the dogs isn't just hard on the human family members, it can also be devastating for the surviving senior dog.  Dogs can absolutely experience depression over the loss of a companion, whether that's a dog or a cat. Many were already slowing down and now don't really want to do anything at all except eat and sleep.  To see your senior dog no longer enjoying walks, play time, or cuddle time as a result of the loss of one of your other pets is heartbreaking; you're already devastated about losing a family member and now you're worried about your remaining dog as well! 

While you never want to add another dog, let alone puppy, just because you are worried about being dog-less, or worried about your remaining dog fading away due to a broken heart, it is something that will cross your mind.  There is never a right time or wrong time following a pet's death to add a new pet, you just want to do so with a clear picture of what that entails.  Raising a puppy is hard work even under the best of conditions.  Adolescents aren't a walk in the park either, pun intended.  All dogs require boundaries, consistent consequences, routine, and structure. Puppies and adolescent dogs, even more so in order to get off on the right foot.  If you haven't had a puppy or adolescent dog in a while, you might be amazed at how much work is involved!  Definitely a lot more work than what is involved with maintaining a senior dog for sure.  Still, there are so many reasons you should consider doing it anyway.

Adding a puppy or adolescent dog will often perk up a senior dog.  Even those seniors who seem a bit begrudging about the new addition will still find some joy in bossing the new kid around.  Some will actually enjoy showing them the ropes.  There will even be some seniors who go all in, playing with the puppy, guiding them on walks, and allowing cuddles and sharing toys.  Desi was that kind of a senior dog.  He raised Ozzie, helped raise Westley, and was a benign presence in Henley's early puppyhood.  Desi wasn't much for running around by the time Henley came along, but he enjoyed watching Henley's antics and he definitely hopped in line for the extra treats.  When Henley would lay near Desi, he seemed quite content. Ozzie is a bit more of a curmudgeon when it comes to raising puppies.  Zelly likes to bug him which I find really funny, Ozzie much less so. She'll lick his face or cut him off going out the door, things that really get under his skin.  He'll "grr" in correction and she just blows him off.  If she's really bugging him, Henley will step in and redirect her.  Fascinating to watch and I definitely think Zelly's presence a couple of days a week is keeping Ozzie's brain active and engaged. And he, too, likes the extra training sessions and treats.

Adding a puppy or adolescent dog means your senior dog, if they are willing, can help you raise them.  They already know the rules, the boundaries, and the consequences.  They can help you reinforce those with your puppy.  Ozzie is all about the rules.  When Henley stepped out of line as a puppy, he was right there to say, "Nope. That's now how you do it." Desi, rest his soul, was way more lenient.  He was the pushover and Ozzie was the enforcer. They made a good team.

Adding a puppy or adolescent dog means YOU, the human, will have a dog you can walk further, take on longer hikes, etc. when your senior dog's walks have become slower, shorter, and only on flat surfaces. You're still going to walk your senior dog though.  I always suggest two walks a day for both the younger dog and the older dog, it's just that the younger dog gets one walk that's longer and by themselves which is good for training and bonding.  Then, they get a second walk that is shorter and more about exploring and sniffing in the company of your senior dog.  And then there is a third walk for you that is just for your senior dog to meander and show you why slowing down is good for the soul. So, yes, this means you need enough time in your day for three walks.  You'll get your step count in for sure!

Remember, you'll want to give your senior dog breaks away from the new puppy or adolescent dog.  This will happen when your puppy is taking those required naps in their crate, when your puppy is on their solo training walk, and when your puppy is off at class.  But, you will need to build in other quiet time for your senior dog as well and that's most easily and efficiently done with an x-pen.  An x-pen set up in your common space means you have a place to put the puppy or your senior dog, rotating whose in the pen and whose got privileges outside of it. This allows your new pup and your senior dog to safely share space without your senior dog becoming overwhelmed and it reinforces the boundaries you are trying to establish.

Finally, adding that puppy or adolescent dog means you'll have company and support when your senior dog does cross the rainbow bridge. And if your senior dog has helped you raise that younger one, it means that dog will have some skills when it comes time to get your next dog.  See how that works?  A nice, big circle of canine companions in your life sharing their knowledge.  Paradise on earth.

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

One of my favorite pictures as it really captures what raising Henley looked like.  Desi is there, but he's clearly asleep, close enough to Ozzie to know if he'll need to get up and get out of the way of a zooming puppy. Henley is right there between Ozzie and Westley.  Westley did most of the heavy lifting, so to speak, when it came to raising Henley.  Westley knew all about boundaries and rules and was less likely to get frustrated with puppy antics than Ozzie.  But they all did really well together and I think that Henley helped keep Desi entertained and agile. And now, Henley cares for Zelly as Westley did for him. Full circle indeed.

The Whole Body Approach to Behavior

I'm a proud University of California, Davis grad, two times over. I have kept in touch with a handful of my classmates, one of whom stayed in Davis and is working for the university as a small animal dietitian and researcher.  She was teasing me about a few of my recent blog posts that looked at what we feed our pets, whether it's their actual diet, or the treats and goodies we share with them. She joked that I had "veered into her lane," by taking a deeper look at food and our pets. I reminded her that my published research on cheetahs actually looked at how and what we fed those captive animals affected their health and well being, and most importantly, their ability to reproduce. If anything, I'm now veering back into that lane and wanting everyone to focus on how they nourish the bodies of their own animals.

When I was a kid, my mom was one of those body-conscious 70's women.  Food was fuel and she only allowed "healthy choices" in our house. This meant no cookies, candy, chips, ice cream, or sugar-laden breakfast cereals.  Of course, we also had diet soda laced with saccharine and other artificial sweeteners, but that's another story. Anyway, I never agreed with her approach, feeling that my grandmother's approach was a bit more even-keeled.  She believed that there weren't any "bad foods," just food.  Some, you should eat in moderation, some were treats for special occasions, and all were best enjoyed with friends and family.  So, by the time I had my kids, I allowed all foods in the house, and my kids learned to regulate themselves.  If they wanted cookies, we baked together.  If they wanted a sugary breakfast cereal, that was fine, as long as they also had fruit and protein (usually in the form of yogurt) along with it. It was all about balance.  My kids seem to be continuing with this mindset as they navigate adulthood and stock their own pantries and refrigerators. So, why am I telling you all this?

Just as it was with the cheetahs I studied, the food you put into your body affects your behavior and your well being, and the same goes for your pets.  Pregnant female dogs should be fed a diet rich in proteins and fats, with essential minerals like phosphorus and calcium, as doing so will result in a mother who is prepared to give birth and nurse her puppies.  That diet will also help her body to nurture those puppies in utero.  Healthy moms produce healthy puppies.  Happy moms produce happy puppies. Once those puppies start on solid foods, your focus is on growth and development, not just of their bodies, but of their brains.  This is why puppy food is rich in DHA, a type of omega-3 fatty acid that is vital to brain development.  Puppies raised by moms with a sound temperament and healthy body, are much more likely to be puppies who are also physically healthy and mentally sound. And, of course, if you add in an early puppyhood program like Puppy Culture to your puppy raising activities, you are again increasing the odds that those puppies are going to be well-rounded, well-socialized, and adept at tackling obstacles before they go to their new homes.  But it all started with the diet that you fed their mom!  Puppies born to mothers who didn't get enough food, didn't get the right food, and weren't nurtured themselves, produce stress hormones during pregnancy that directly affect the litter in utero, resulting in brain changes that they will carry with them all their lives. 

So, when you get a puppy, find out how its mother was fed and cared for.  Meet her too. Look at what the puppy has been fed and how its been raised before becoming ready to move on to a new life with you.  Feed your puppy puppy food!  Feeding them adult dog food regularly will result in puppies who don't receive all of the crucial nutrients they need to develop properly, resulting in puppies whose brains aren't being nurtured.  Why is this important? If your puppy's brain isn't get the fuel it needs to grow, then your puppy is going to be ripe for anxiety and behavior problems. No, I'm not saying that every behavior problem is related to a poor or inappropriate diet; clearly, genetics and environment also affect behavior. What I am saying is that diet plays an important role and we need to take it just as seriously. 

Anyway, my dietitian friend and I rounded out our conversation by sharing treat recipes with each other that our dogs love, lol.  And if you'd like to see my published research on cheetahs, just for fun, you can find it here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/016815919090036D

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

Zelly loves to share cooked broccoli and that's awesome!  Broccoli is rich in vitamins and antioxidants, as well as being a good source of fiber. She's an adventurous eater and I love her all the more for it. Plus, the fact that she's eating broccoli means my daughter is eating broccoli, and that  makes this mom very happy and proud!

Dogs & Cats Are Animals After All!

Remember a couple of weeks ago when I posted a blog about sharing your food with your dog? I mentioned giving my own dogs fruits and vegetables.  Anyway, someone reached out after they'd read that blog post and asked why in the world would I feed my dogs fruit and veggies when dogs are carnivores and should just be fed protein! At first, I thought this person was joking, but then I realized they were serious when they shared with me what they feed their own dog (organ meats like beef heart, kidneys, and liver, raw eggs, chicken with the bones in it, and ground beef). Wow! That's a protein-rich diet for sure.  But here's the thing. Dogs aren't carnivores, they are omnivores, meaning their optimal diet include plant and animal sources. While wolves are carnivores, dogs have been subjected to the process of domestication over thousands of years, resulting in the animal we share our homes with today, an animal who has the ability to digest carbohydrates and grains. I should also point out that while wolves may be carnivores, they are opportunists who will eat plants to supplement their diet too.  

It's also important to point out that cats actually ARE carnivores; more specifically, they are obligate carnivores meaning they must eat meat because they lack the ability to synthesize certain nutrients from plants.  Taurine, for example, is an essential amino acid and one which cats cannot synthesize on their own.  They have to get it through their diet which must be rich in animal-based proteins. Years ago, I had a new kitten client who was herself a vegetarian.  She had designed a diet for her kitten, but noticed that he wasn't thriving.  She'd taken him to see the vet and he had told her that she was quite literally starving her kitten to death.  She didn't believe him and reached out to me for behavioral changes she could make to help him thrive.  I reiterated what her vet had told her; no amount of behavioral modification was going to help this kitten.  He needed a diet rich in animal-based proteins if he was going to survive.  I told her that while I understood her personal decision to not eat meat, she couldn't restrict her cat from doing so. I also told her that she didn't need to create a raw meat diet for her cat (something she found personally repugnant), she could simply feed him commercially prepared kitten food that had all of the essential nutrients in it already, perfectly formulated to help his brain and body thrive and survive.  This kitten's life was literally saved with a bag of Purina Kitten Chow!

Here's the thing:  Just because you may not be able to eat grains due to a gluten sensitivity, wheat allergy, or celiac disease, for example, that doesn't mean your dog doesn't benefit from those same grains.  Yes, there are some dogs who are allergic to certain grains, but it isn't true that ALL dogs are allergic to grains.  In fact, grain-free diets have been linked to serious health issues such as dilated cardiomyopathy (a heart condition) in some breeds of dogs. So, unless your veterinarian has diagnosed your dog with a specific grain allergy or sensitivity, including healthy grains in your dog's food provides them with a balanced and nutritious diet. I know that all of the major pet food manufacturers have gotten onto the "grain-free" bandwagon, but that doesn't mean that's a healthy choice for all dogs.  Those diets are there for the dogs who do have grain sensitivities first and foremost, but the bottom line is that many of those diets are marketed and sold to pet owners who think that grains are bad for them so therefore they must be bad for their dogs too. And all of this circles back to that fallacy that dogs are carnivores.

I have a lot of clients who feed their dogs homemade diets. I also have quite a few clients who tell me that they feel guilty because they don't make their pets' food!  Truly there is no right or wrong way to feed your dogs.  If you are making them a homemade diet focused on the appropriate ratio of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, including grains, vegetables and fruits, as well as protein, then that's great.  For me, that seems like a lot of extra work when there are commercial diets out there that have done all of that work for you, and you shouldn't be made to feel guilty for choosing one of those for your dog. And if you are like me, you're feeding your dog a commercial dog food and adding a few things to it to spice it up, so to speak.  Why?  Because we like to share what we eat with our dogs and they appreciate that we do.

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

Here's Ozzie getting the last bits of the yummy chicken breast and rice

 that I had added to his kibble and pumpkin!