Do Dogs Enjoy Heavy Metal Music?

That was the question posed to me by the teenage son of one of my friends.  You see, my friend loves heavy metal music and always has. If you ride in the car with her, be prepared to listen to Metallica, Black Sabbath, and Iron Maiden. So why was her son asking me about dogs and music?  My friend leaves music on for their Labrador Retriever when she's at work and her son is at school. More specifically, she leaves on heavy metal music for the dog when they are gone.  I asked her son if he'd like to conduct a mini-experiment to determine the answer to that question and he was game, so here's what we did.

We set up a camera in the main room of their house where the music is played for the dog via an Alexa style home audio system.  Their dog has full access to the house, but this is the room where the family spends most of their time when they are home.  Their dog has several dog beds, one in each of the bedrooms, a mat in their kitchen, and a dog bed in this room where the speaker is located.  When the family is home, he tends to be where at least one family member is located, rather than being off by himself.  While I've never thought of him as being clinically anxious, he is a bit attention seeky in general and he does get a little whiny right before they leave the house, hence my friend leaving music on for him to "keep him company."  For the record, he's never been destructive in their absence, never had any house-soiling issues, isn't barking unnecessarily, and isn't covered in drool when they get home, just a few of the classic signs of what would be considered separation anxiety.

My friend and her son left the house together and headed for a local restaurant for lunch, where I met up with them.  We brought up the camera's feed on her son's phone so we could observe what we were now referring to as "the music room." I should note that this room is no where near the door they enter and exit their house.  Here's what we found: When they left the house, he wasn't in the music room, but within a few minutes of their departure, he was not only in the music room, he was laying on his bed, chewing on a bone (he has toys and bones all over their house). We brought up the sound on the video and could clearly hear a song by Judas Priest playing as the dog chewed on his bone.  He laid there chewing on that bone through three more songs (one by Metallica, one by Slayer, and one by Black Sabbath).  When a song by Iron Maiden came on, the dog got up, stretched, and left the room.  Did that mean he didn't like that band?  Not necessarily, though that certainly could be. It could also be the case that he needed to get up and get a drink of water or go out the dog door to relieve himself.  We'd have to set up additional cameras to determine where he went.  He didn't return to the room at all during the time we were at lunch.  When we were in the parking lot saying goodbyes, we noticed he'd returned to the music room and was now sleeping on the dog bed.  The music playing?  Rage Against the Machine!

So, what does this all mean?  I think the most likely explanation is the simplest one.  This dog has been listening to heavy metal music in the background of his daily life since he came to live with my friend as an 8 week old puppy.  He associates that genre of music with his people and thus having it playing in the background while perhaps not necessarily soothing, it is familiar. Would we observe the same behaviors if classical music was played or 80's pop?  Who knows.  My friend's son may want to experiment further with other musical genres if he can get his mother to agree to a few new playlists.

There have actually been a couple of research studies done on music and dog behavior, specifically looking at the behavior of dogs in traditional kennel-type living situations.  The first study found that playing classical music to 117 kenneled dogs made them sleep more and bark less.  When heavy metal music was played for these same dogs, it resulted in more body shaking.  In a second study, they played five genres of music to 38 dogs, measuring the dogs' heart rate.  Soft rock and reggae music were the two genres that resulted in the most significant decrease in the dogs' heart rate. This second study also found that any music played help the dogs to be more relaxed in general, meaning the dogs were laying down more when music was played; when the music stopped, they barked more. And for anyone thinking that classical music is the way to go in general if you are looking for relaxation long term in your dog, that's where you'd be wrong.  A study done in 2015 found that the calming effects of classical music faded after a couple of days as the dogs habituated to the sounds.  So, if the goal is to use music to calm kenneled dogs, varying the playlists, or setting the CD player on shuffle is the key.  But how does this all relate to your dogs at home?

Well, the researchers by and large believed that pet dogs likely had their own musical tastes shaped by what their owners listened to. Meaning, if you like jazz music and play that a lot when you are home, it's likely your dog is a jazz enthusiast too. Which would explain why my friend's dog spends quite a bit of his day lounging around in the room where the speakers are playing heavy metal music.  Though, he does appear to have something against Iron Maiden as my friend's son has started noting what song is on when the dog leaves the room and he's never stayed when it was Iron Maiden.  I find that very entertaining, though I don't think it will cause my friend to remove that band from her playlists.

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

I have music playing in the background most of the time when I'm home.  I've got eclectic tastes so my dogs are exposed to all kinds of genres, depending on my mood or who's home with me.  Here's Henley chilling on one of the dog beds while Melissa Etheridge is playing on vinyl in the background. Yes, I still own vinyl and prefer it.  Hey, does that mean my dogs prefer vinyl too?

When Your Dog Thinks He Works For The FBI

I nearly spit out my coffee when she said it.  The new client calling wanted to know why her dog thinks he works for the FBI.  Once I choked down my laugh and the sip of coffee, I asked her to give me a few more details so I could determine how best to help her.  She shared that she is recently divorced, no kids, just her and her four year old, male, shepherd mix.  According to her, the dog was always suspicious of her husband of two years; she indicated he was right to be and she should have listened to the dog sooner. This woman had me hooked.  There was no way I wasn't going to work with her:  A sense of humor AND an amazing dog?  My ideal client for sure. Here's why she was reaching out for help.

No matter who comes to visit, this dog stands in the doorway and gives them a full visual inspection.  She can easily call him back from the door, which he will do, and then follow that by promptly sticking his nose in the person's crotch or goose them from behind as they walk past him. As if that wasn't bad enough, she said, he'll position himself in such a way that he appears to be eavesdropping on every conversation, "in a very judgy way." Plus, he follows guests to the bathroom and then walks them back out. She said that while most of her friends and family were used to her dog doing these things and simply refer to him as "quirky," she was worried about new people she'd like to date and how they would perceive him. 

As I told her, there's been so much great research on how dogs perceive the people they encounter around their owners.  One of my most favorite studies looked at how dogs treat people they perceive as unreliable or not nice.  For the study, they had dogs present while their owners struggled with a basic task like opening a jar.  There was a second person present who did not engage the dog, nor help the struggling owner in any way.  When these same dogs were offered food by the person who had not helped their owner with the task, they didn't take the food.  In a second study, test subject dogs observed a person (not their owner) pointing at different containers; some contained food, others did not.  While the dogs all followed the pointed finger initially, those dogs who were deceived by the person to approach an empty container, stopped trusting those people and their finger points. The dogs felt betrayed and the people betraying them were not considered trustworthy. The moral of these stories:  Your dog knows the people in your life worth trusting.  When I shared this research with the client, she started laughing because it turns out her ex-husband used to laugh at her when she struggled to open one of their kitchen drawers that was perennially getting jammed. And you know what else he did?  He used to pretend to throw the dog's ball and then laughed when the dog ran off, unable to find it.  Her dog had been conducting his own experiments and this man epically failed the trust tests!

For the owners of those dogs conducting the front door sniff test, this isn't a bad thing.  Dogs are quickly grabbing (no pun intended) as much information as they can on the person entering their home.  They are gaining information on the person from a health perspective, as well as taking notes on where they've been and who they've been with.  This is why many dogs more readily trust someone entering their home who smells like other dogs.  Clearly if other dogs like this person and remained in close proximity to this person, they must be trustworthy.

We've talked about it before, but it bears repeating.  Dogs and humans have been co-evolving for over 30,000 years.  They've been at our sides that entire time, keeping our campsites and homes safe, identifying threats, showing us who to trust and who to avoid.  All we need to do is listen to them.  Maybe the FBI could take a few lessons from dogs.  Just sayin'.

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

I've described Ozzie as choosy more than once.  He likes who he likes and is indifferent to most everyone else.  He'll give everyone who enters my house a sniff, he'll accept a quick pat from most, and that's about it.  When Ozzie decides he really likes someone new, it's worth noting.  When a new friend came to dinner and Ozzie chose to hop up on the couch with him, with that same grin on his face you see in the photo above, I knew that person was trustworthy.  Ozzie has never steered me wrong. Ozzie is clearly a senior agent with the FBI.

Attachment Theory: The Canine Edition

Since the 1930's, researchers have been actively studying and quantifying attachment in children.  Since the late 1980's, those studies have tended to focus more on how those early childhood bonds shape lifelong behavior patterns and overall health and well-being, with an emphasis on secure attachment versus insecure attachment.  Beginning in the 1960's, researchers began to take a bigger interest in attachment theory as it relates to our canine companions.  Studying attachment in dogs really took off in the last twenty years and continues to be explored as humans build more complex relationships with their dogs, often with those dogs serving as child-substitutes for folks not pursuing traditional parental roles.  

Let's begin with one of the early studies.  In 1998, a group of researchers in Budapest looked at 51 dogs and their owners, putting them through the paces of a test normally run on parents and babies.  Basically, there are three individuals in the testing room, the dog, the dog's owner, and a stranger.  Researchers measured what happened when the owner left the room and the stranger stayed. Did you guess that the dogs behaved just as the babies had in the human studies? If you did, you'd be correct! All of the dogs, regardless of breed, age, or sex, showed distress when their humans left them behind and anxiety about being alone in a strange environment.  They all sought comfort from the stranger as well in the absence of their owner.

Fast forward to 2015 and a study in Japan.  Researchers measured oxytocin levels in dogs and their owners after they looked at each other for varying lengths of time. For reference, oxytocin is often referred to as the love hormone because it increases with social bonding and emotional attachment. What did the researchers find?  They found that mutual eye contact between dogs and their owners triggers an increase in oxytocin in both the dogs and their people.  This mirrors the research done on mothers and infants showing a surge in oxytocin when they gazed at each other. By comparison, hand-raised wolves in the study did not show this same boost in oxytocin from the mutual gaze, leading the researchers to conclude that dogs developed this trait through the domestication process and their co-evolution with humans.

Beginning in 2012, and continuing on through today, Gregory Berns at Emory University, has been studying dog brains using MRI technology.  So much great research has come out of his work including the study that found that when dogs were exposed to five different smells on a piece of gauze while in the scanner (their own scent, the scent of another dog in their household, an unfamiliar dog, an unfamiliar human, and a familiar human from their household), all the smells lit up the dog's olfactory bulb equally, but the brain's pleasure and rewards center (the caudate nucleus) lit up the most when the dog was exposed to the smell of the familiar human. This once again demonstrates that strong attachment and emotional bond between dogs and their people even at the level of the brain. 

Finally, in 2024, a research team in Finland found that dogs and their humans mirrored each other's heart rate variability when at rest.  Most interesting was the fact that the longer the dogs and people had lived together, the stronger was their physiological bond.  And for those owners who reported being anxious or worried in general, their dogs had a greater heart rate variability, just like their people did.

Clearly the results are in:  We are incredibly attached to our dogs and they are just as attached to us, as if you dog lovers didn't know that already, right? But now, you can prove it to those naysayers telling you "it's just a dog."  Nope, our dogs are family.

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

The expression of a dog who is thoroughly attached to her owner.  Zelly and my daughter are incredibly attached to one another, and it shows.  Their bond is unbreakable and unmistakable.  

There were no treats involved, just an owner looking into the eyes of her dog.  

And that dog looking right back into her soul.

We All Love Rave Reviews

Did you love the Scholastic Book Fair when you were a kid?  It was absolutely one of my favorite things every Fall when I was in elementary school.  My kids loved the book fair too, so I always volunteered to work several shifts during the week the Scholastic Book Fair was on their school campus.  I also was a library volunteer at their elementary school and I did so many library reading buddies visits with both Cooper and Desi.  I used to bring a couple of my favorite picture books with me on every library visit we did. Can you tell I love books and reading?  My love of picture books is one of the reasons I chose to write my first children's book, "The Dog Who Loved Eggplant" . Well, that and my love of collies, of course.

Years ago, the most common way a newly published book got promoted was by having a publisher push them out in front of booksellers at bookseller events and through trade publications, read mostly again by booksellers. With the explosion of social media platforms, it has become much more commonplace for authors to self-promote their books straight to consumers.  Sure, we still solicit help from booksellers to get our books into the hands of the appropriate audience, but for the most part, authors do the promotion on their own.  Social media is such a great way to exercise your creativity and explore how you want people to see you and your creations.  We've heard from so many of you regarding how much you love the videos, photos, and behind the scenes footage Jenny Cabriales (the amazing illustrator for our book) and I have spread out across many social media platforms.  You'll continue to see fun, engaging, and rewarding posts from us promoting our book as we approach the holiday season.  Which brings me to a really important piece of the process, and a part that requires your help!

Several of you have sent me notes telling me that your book arrived and you love it!  This makes my heart soar!  What would make me even more delighted would be if you could share a photo of yourself, your dogs, your kids, or even your grandkids enjoying the book.  Just remember to tag both Jenny and me in your photos when you post them.  One more favor to ask as well:  Can you take a moment to go to the book's page on Barnes & Noble online and leave a review?  If you scroll down past the book information, you'll see where you can leave a quick review.  These reviews help to push Henley's literary debut up in the algorithm, helping more people find our whimsical book.

Jenny and I are working hard to get those bookplates so we can sign your books.  Several of you asked for Henley's signature as well, so he's working on perfecting his pawprint. Of course, we'd love to see you at the book signing events we do, but we realize not everyone can make it to those, so the bookplates will be the way to make sure your copy of the book gets that extra touch.  You can message us through social media or you can send me an email with your mailing address, k9freud@gmail.com, and I'll make sure you get a bookplate when they are signed and ready to go out.

We've got some other fun surprises in store for you as well, so be sure you are following Jenny and me on your favorite social media platforms.  You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and even BlueSky.  Just search for JennyCabCreates (Jenny Cabriales) or K9Freud (Julie Bond) and you'll find us.  And we'll be waiting for those photos and reviews!

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

Henley has begun practicing his pawprint on paper 

so he'll be ready to sign books and bookplates soon!

Henley Has Big News!

Last week, I posted a teaser on social media about my first children's book, "The Dog Who Loved Eggplant." I'm excited to announce that it's now available to purchase! The book is the first of many (I hope!) featuring Henley and his escapades.  Anyone who knows him, knows what a character he is:  Smart as a whip, loves to turn on the charm, and delights in an audience.  He's had so many health struggles in his three short years of life, that I'm delighted and relieved that he's still here to worm his way into the hearts of even more dog lovers.

Any of you that are owned by smooth collies know how unique they truly are.  They are lovable and biddable, just like their rough counterparts, but they are, well, different.  I love that we get stopped on the street and people want to know what breed of dog he is, as they tell him how beautiful he is.  The best part?  Henley always sits and stares at the person asking, without being asked, ever hopeful that they may want to pet him as well.  Told you, he's charming!

For this first book, I really wanted to introduce him to the world as he was when he was an adolescent:  A curious and bold young dog, who enjoyed no place more so than my garden where he hunted squirrels, chased bugs, and snacked his way through my home-grown vegetables. The story practically wrote itself!  I knew the tough part was going to be finding the perfect illustrator to bring the book to life.  Enter Jenny Cabriales.

I had known Jenny for a couple of years since discovering her on Instagram. I loved her artwork, her sense of humor, and her adorable rough collie, Nigel, the inspiration for much of her early art.  When she opened her shop on Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/JennyCabCo?ref=shop_sugg_market), I was a frequent buyer, decorating my office with her art, wearing her designs, and sending her adorable coffee mugs to all my collie-loving friends.  I figured she was too busy to illustrate my book, but it was worth asking her.  As my dad used to say, "The answer is always a no if you are too chicken to ask in the first place."  So, I asked, and she said yes!  I had my illustrator, and someone who knows collies and loves them the way I do.  What happened next was nothing short of magical.

Jenny began working on the illustrations for the book, and when I saw them, I couldn't believe my eyes.  She had not only captured the story I was trying to convey, but she had captured Henley.  His lanky build, long legs and tiny feet, pricked ears, and derpy grin were all looking back at me through her drawings.  It was like she'd been right there as I wrote the book.  When I asked her how she'd been able to do that, she told me, rather matter-of-factly, that she felt like she knew him from my photos and videos on Instagram.  This made me even happier!  Henley was making friends coast to coast!

Because Jenny is on the east coast and I'm here in California, it's unlikely that we'll be able to do book signing and reading events together, but we'll sure try.  Our hope is to divide and conquer, so to speak, with each of us helping to share the book with our favorite booksellers, librarians, teachers, parents, friends, and collie lovers in our respective areas.  We both hope to travel and promote the book as well, so if your library, school, or indie bookstore would like to host an event, please let us know.  You can visit the book's official website, https://thedogwholovedeggplant.com/, and let us know who you are, where you are, and what type of visit you'd like. If you are in the Washington DC area near Jenny or close to me here in the San Francisco Bay Area, we'd love to hear from you. Depending on the location, Nigel or Henley might be able to join us!  Both Henley and Nigel intend to sign books too, so do keep that in mind. Of course, Jenny and I will sign books as well, but pretty sure folks just want collie signatures and that's a-ok with us.  As anyone who lives with a collie will tell you, it's all about them anyway!

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

"The Dog Who Loved Eggplant" is now available to order from Barnes & Noble online. Here's the link

We can't wait for you to meet Henley on the page!

Ozzie is clearly excited about his little brother's book debut too!

Raising & Encouraging Optimistic Dogs

You all already know how much I love sniffaris, those walks where dogs are just allowed to sniff and explore, stopping at every bush, tree, lamp post, and rock to check their pee mail.  The olfactory area of their brains is roughly forty times larger than ours, allowing them to dissect and categorize every smell they encounter, much like us keeping up with a complicated family group chat on our phone.  Even if you walk the same route every day, the smells change; they change with who else has visited that path, but the smells also change with the weather and the season.  And while, yes, dogs are rapid sniffers, able to sniff about five times per second, and even smell with each nostril separately, it still takes time to stop and evaluate every one of those scents they encounter on their walks, so please, don't rush them.  A dog has roughly 300 million scent receptors in their nose, while humans have only about six million. Hurrying a dog along while they are sniffing is depriving them of important information about their environment. But you already knew all of this already, right?  Here's the part you may not know.  There are sniffari benefits to be had in other places besides those walks. 

In 2019,  two canine cognition researchers, Charlotte Duranton and Alexandra Horowitz, published their findings in "Applied Animal Behaviour Science."  The paper titled, "Let me sniff! Nose-work induces positive judgment bias in pet dogs," found that dogs who engage in regular sniffing or nose-work games had a statistically significant increase in a marker they referred to as optimism. Here's a quick summary of the study:  Twenty adult dogs over the age of one year of various breeds were divided into two groups, one doing scent detection training and the other practicing standard heel work while walking.  The researchers used what is called a cognitive bias test, what they referred to as an "optimism test" in order to quantify how quickly the dogs approached "an ambiguous, empty bowl in a middle location" once they'd learned that one location always had a piece of chicken in a bowl while another never had anything in the bowl. Faster movements indicated the dogs had more positive judgment bias, that is were more optimistic. They concluded that the dogs who had participated in scent work displayed a higher judgment bias/were more optimistic, approaching search targets faster, indicating that they had an "improved emotional state and heightened initiative independent of the physical exercise."

If you want to read the full research paper yourself, you'll find it here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159118304325?via%3Dihub

So what does this all mean for your dogs? It means that allowing them to sniff, a natural, normal dog behavior, will result in dogs who generally behave in ways that show their ability to actively make choices on their own, thus enhancing their overall welfare and well-being. Providing dogs with more exploratory, foraging time results in them being less anxious and more optimistic overall. So, it's not just using their noses that's important. It's that they have a choice in how to spend their time using their noses. Scent based games like food puzzles, snuffle mats, and traditional nose-work classes and activities allow dogs to use their natural foraging behaviors and make independent choices on how to solve the problems presented thus improving their overall mental health and well-being. What this means is that sniffing on their walks is great, but you can increase their overall optimism by creating other opportunities to use their noses.  So, break out those food puzzles, sign up for the nose-work classes, and get to work!  Your dog will thank you as soon as they're done checking that pee mail.

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

Here's a photo of my sweet granddog, Westley, putting in the effort and doing 

some nose-work to solve this puzzle box.

When Is It Time To Say Goodbye?

None of us ever really wants to talk about it, but we all know it's coming.  The time when we'll have to say goodbye to a beloved pet.  Their lives are never long enough and we often begin worrying even before the end is truly near.  Some folks don't begin worrying until their pet's age hits double digits.  For others, it's when they find themselves holding their breath during vet visits with a senior pet, hoping that routine blood work doesn't show anything out of the ordinary. For others the sadness begins when they watch a beloved pet begin to sleep more, have trouble getting up, or no longer hear or respond to knocks on the door or the doorbell. I've had many a client tell me that they pray that their pet will pass in their sleep so that they won't have to make that decision for them.  Having had a dog pass in his sleep, I can tell you firsthand, it doesn't make it any easier at all.  In fact, I think it's a bit harder as you didn't have the chance to tell them goodbye or remind them just how much you loved them.  Nonetheless, those final vet appointments to help your pet cross the rainbow bridge aren't easy either.  They are gut-wrenching in fact, but still a necessary part of pet ownership.

I've sat on the floor of veterinary hospitals with my own pets and with client's pets.  I've participated in at home euthanasias for my own pets and those belonging to long time clients and friends.  For myself, I now prefer at home euthanasias for my pets.  I know being in their own home, on their own bed, or in their favorite spot in the garden, is the right choice for my own dogs.  Nonetheless, I also know that may not be possible if there is an emergency trip to a veterinary hospital and we end up making that hard decision while we are there.  I take solace in the fact that my veterinarian is also my friend, so she will sit with me and be just as devastated about the passing of one of my beloved collies.  And, I have already chosen an in home veterinarian who specializes in end of life care for when that time comes.

And some days, I feel like that time is just getting closer and closer with sweet Ozzie.  He'll be 12 years old in January and has become quite frail.  It's hard most days for him to get around, though he still rallies.  He doesn't hear the knocks, and often doesn't hear me calling him for meals.  He sleeps most of the time.  But then there are days when he trots around, barking at Henley and Zelly, nosing me for treats and attention, and strolling around the yard, giving the squirrels a piece of his mind.  I live for those days!  Those days remind me of who Ozzie has always been, a true character, proud and opinionated.  I'm truly delighted when he wants to do a pet therapy visit with me as I've always given him a choice.  For the last few months, he's been choosing yes.  When he sees me put on my pet therapy shirt and badge, he follows me around, making sure I put the therapy dog leash on him and not Henley.  I do know those therapy visits are good for him, stimulating his brain and body.  He does sleep like a rock, however, the moment we get home, and usually for much of the next day, and that's honestly okay.

He's an old dog.  I get it.  I'm just not ready for him to go quite yet and luckily, he's not ready yet either.  But I know that day will come and I'll have to face the reality of letting him go.  I want him to have dignity; I won't keep him alive just to keep me from having to say goodbye.  If he's uncomfortable, can no longer get around, or isn't enjoying life, then I will make that hard decision and let him go.  Just grateful that day isn't today as I watch him laying in the sunshine in my garden, taking deep breaths, soundly asleep.  I hope he's dreaming about chasing squirrels and running on the beach.  When it's time for his afternoon bone, I'll send Zelly out to get him.  She's great at this task and clearly loves having the job.  I say, "Zelly!  Go tell Uncle Ozzie it's snack time!" and she'll run out and find him, give him a sharp bark, and wait to see if he gets up. If he doesn't, it's cute, she'll nose him and bark again as if to say, "Come on, Uncle Ozzie!  No one gets a snack until you get yours!"  The joys of a having a young dog around; she provides the balance and levity while Henley waits patiently for his old friend to get up and move along.

None of us are getting any younger.  Today is the youngest Ozzie will be from now on.  So, here's our plan: He's on his tPEMF therapy mat right now, and when that session is done, he'll have his afternoon bone, and then I'll let him outside so he can go and nap in his little shady spot at the back of my garden. Henley will go in and out, checking on him, but never disturbing him. Then,  I'll send Zelly out for him at dinner time.  It's a dog's life.

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

Ozzie, my sweet senior garden gnome.

Some Supervision Required

I started working with a new client last week.  She's always rescued adult dogs and this is her first puppy.  She brought the puppy home and was working on house training by ringing a bell on her backdoor and then letting him outside to relieve himself.  She made one mistake, however, and that was walking away to find her phone.  While she was looking for her phone inside the house, he managed to find a small hole in her fence and make a break for it into her next door neighbor's backyard!  That might not seem like that big of a deal but her neighbor has a dog who is very territorial and doesn't like other dogs at all.  Fortunately for my new client, the neighbor's dog was inside when the puppy entered the yard, but he was barking like crazy from inside his house, alerting his owners to the little interloper.  Needless to say, my client raced over, apologized profusely, and found a board to fix the fence.  She honestly could not believe how quickly this puppy found that fence hole; it was behind a bunch of bushes, in a spot where she hadn't even thought to check because her previous dogs never went back there.  Leave it to a puppy to find a previously undetected escape route!  Luckily, the neighbors with the territorial dog were also my clients and recommended me to this new puppy owner for a bit of help.

When I arrived at this client's house, we headed straight for the backyard.  I found several places where a puppy his size could escape the yard, including under the gate that led right out to the front of her house and the street beyond.  Besides the potential escape routes, she had two oak trees which means acorns on the ground in the Fall; acorns are potentially toxic to dogs when eaten.  She also had a smallish oleander and several hydrangea, both of which are hazards to dogs.  Then there were the palm-sized stones in her succulent garden and the water fountain feature in one corner of the yard.  All I could see in this yard were invisible flashing hazard signs!  After scoping out the yard, we headed inside to talk about yard safety for puppies.

She hadn't even thought about her yard being hazardous, though she had addressed potential hazards indoors by covering electrical cords, putting remotes out of reach, and raising her indoor potted plants up off of the floor. She had baby gates to block off rooms and plenty of toys and chews available to redirect her puppy to should he try to chew on something indoors that he shouldn't.  She was crate training him and had a pen for him when she couldn't watch him inside the house.

There are a lot of potential hazards outdoors, and not just on walks.  Whether it's your front yard, back yard, or a side yard, you need to get down at a puppy's eye level and think about the space from their point of view.  If you have hazardous plants in your yard, you have two options.  You can remove or replant the plants in another area where your dog won't have access to them, or you can fence the area off so your dog can't get into them.  For big hazards like an oak tree dropping acorns, you'll need to be diligent during the fall about picking up those fallen acorns before letting your puppy in the yard, or, again, fencing off the area where the trees are dropping their nuts to the ground.  If you have rocks small enough to be picked up (or worse yet, swallowed) by a puppy, consider changing out this garden feature for something else, or again, fencing off that area.  Puppies will definitely pick up bark, twigs, and leaves, but these items are less of a risk overall.  If you begin teaching your puppy "leave it" and "drop it" early on, you can actually have them pretty consistently trading you their found items for a tasty, more appropriately edible item.  And water features are lovely as long as your puppy can't get into them.  Water features that contain even just a few inches of water are a dog drowning risk.

My client was frustrated because her yard had all of the features I just mentioned, plus the fence holes and the spot at the gate.  She wondered aloud if she was going to have to fence off her entire yard to make a safe zone for her new puppy.  I told her that she was on the right track, but it didn't have to be as horrible as she was thinking.  Rather than fencing off portions of her yard, instead, she could put a large x-pen out there and simply make sure the area inside the x-pen was free of acorns, rocks, etc.  When taking her puppy out to toilet, she could place him in his x-pen and know he was safe.  If she needed to walk away, even for a moment, she'd know exactly where he was and what he'd be doing.  I told her doing the x-pen in the yard method had the added benefit of teaching her puppy where she wanted him to toilet long term.  When he was older, she could remove the pen and he'd go to that area when she sent him outside to relieve himself.  Because she also had a side yard, there was the additional option of building an outdoor kennel or run in that area to serve not only as a safe yard and toilet area, but a place to kennel her puppy outdoors when he was older.  

The real take home message here is this:  Prepare your yard in advance as best you can.  Never leave a puppy unsupervised in a yard, even for a moment, that hasn't been puppy-proofed.  Better yet, never allow your puppy to use your yard without being with you on a leash or long line, or in a pen.  Once your dog is a year to 18 months of age, you can likely expand their yard usage safely.  However, if they are still thinking like an escape artist, that outdoor kennel mentioned above may be your best option to safely confine your dog and allow them to have outside time without 100% supervision.  And it goes without saying that if you bring home a new dog, even one who isn't a puppy, you should still supervise them in your yard until you figure out what type of a yard dog they are.  Do they try to climb the fence or dig under it?  Do they eat plants?  Are they picking up rocks or getting into your water feature?  If the answer is no, they just go out, relieve themselves and then walk around the yard enjoying their outside time, then your yard is probably safe for them and from them.

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

Here are Henley and Zelly, when she was a puppy, in my back garden.  I have bark everywhere, a few large stones, and a couple of hydrangea.  I also have edible fruit and veggies that I always hope to harvest before the dogs do. Zelly was supervised in my yard until she was over a year of age because she loved tearing up my drip system.  Now she can be trusted to be out there by herself with Henley and Ozzie.  The biggest "risk" now are those strawberries!  I've gotten exactly two this entire summer, the rest have been eaten by the collies.

Two Dogs, Same Issue, Different Solutions

If you've ever worked with me one-on-one, you know I treat every client and their pet as an individual, meaning I don't use a cookie cutter approach to the treatment of animal behavior problems.  Each of your pets is one-of-a-kind and while they may have a common problem like anxiety, fear, or even aggression, the reasons they are having those issues are unique to them.  Thus, your dog might be experiencing separation anxiety just like your friend's dog did, but the treatment plan I devise for your dog will be different than theirs because your dog's history is different.  

A few months ago, I met with two fearful and anxious little dogs.  Both were male poodle mixes, one rescued from out of state and one picked up as a stray here in the Bay Area. Both dogs were adopted by older couples and both dogs were tightly bonded to the female owners, but fearful of the male owners.  For one dog, having the male owner begin preparing and feeding all meals, take for walks and adventures one-on-one, and lots of high value treats for being in proximity to him without barking, created a situation where the dog still preferred the female owner, but was warming up to the male owner.  When they did their final follow up appointment last week, this little dog was actually quite fond of the male owner, seeking him out for playtime and even games of chase.  Both of the dog's owners were so pleased that this little dog was able to learn that his needs could be met by both of the humans and that both humans could be trusted to provide for him.  He is no longer fearful.

Now, on to the other little poodle mix.  For this dog, no amount of treats, walks, mealtimes, etc. was changing the way he felt about the male owner.  He continued to bark anytime the man walked into or out of the room, up and down the stairs, or even spoke out loud.  Not only was the dog still fearful, but the fear seemed to be getting worse, not better.  The more this man cared for this dog, the more edgy the dog became.  Unless the female owner was home, this dog hid until she returned, only eating and relieving himself in her presence.  This was obviously upsetting for both owners, but none more so than the male owner who absolutely loves dogs and has never had a dog not like him!  Obviously, what had worked for the other little poodle mix in the previous paragraph wasn't going to work for this dog.  Time to think outside of the box.  Can you guess what I suggested?

I had this second couple foster another little dog.  I had them do a foster as I wanted to make sure that this second little dog would get along with the first one, and their cat, and most importantly, that this second dog would bond more strongly with the male owner than with mom.  We found the perfect little foster dog who got along with everybody and she really adores the male owner.  She sits on his lap, loves going everywhere with him, and takes treats very joyfully.  They worked with the rescue group to formally adopt this sweet little girl and make her their own.  Once the pressure was off of the first dog, a funny thing happened.  He was less anxious overall; the male owner was devoting his time and attention to the other dog, allowing the first dog to just exist.  Then the first dog started watching the behavior of the new dog and started acting similarly, meaning when the new dog got excited when she saw dad, the first dog started trotting toward him too, not as joyfully, but in a sort of curious way.  The male owner continued to ignore him and focus on the new dog.  One of the primary ways dogs learn is through observational learning of each other.  This is why it is important to make sure your dogs are learning good things from each other, and not behaviors you'd just as soon they'd extinguish.  It now appears that the addition of this second dog is serving as sort of a therapy dog for the first one; her presence is calming and her enthusiasm for the male owner is helping to make living together a lot more feasible.  Now, the male owner can enter and exit the room, go up and down stairs, etc. and the original dog doesn't bark at him.  He walks the two dogs together and even feeds them together.  The big difference is that he now has a dog of his own who thinks the sun rises and sets on him; this means that first dog can just attach himself to mom as there is another dog picking up the slack, so to speak.  Harmony accomplished, no drugs needed, no re-homing, and no hurt feelings.

Fear is always a complicated problem to treat.  There are many reasons a dog may be fearful, everything from being genetically predisposed, to being under-socialized or poorly socialized, or simply having an introverted personality.  Because fear is functional, serving to protect the animal from situations or people that increase their anxiety, it is hard to get rid of quickly.  Each of these dogs took a few months to overcome their fear, but both are thriving now.  Mission accomplished, files closed.

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

Fearful poodles aren't uncommon. Finding the right solution to relieve the fear often 

takes some creativity and patience, but it's worth it.

How Your Dog Really Feels

I had a video consultation last week with a client to discuss her dog.  We'd talked about him many times before, but this time was different; this time she was calling because he'd bitten her.  Being bitten by your own dog feels like such a breach of trust, leaving you to try to figure out the why of it all.  For this particular client, the bite was even more of a surprise because she's very good at reading his body language and signals, both the things he says and the things left unsaid.  As someone who didn't grow up with dogs, she feels like she's always learning with this guy, her first dog as an adult. Nonetheless, she's heartbroken as she's not sure where she went wrong and where to go from here.

I know we've talked about consent before, but I'd really like to address it again from the standpoint of helping anyone out there avoid getting bitten by a dog.  While it's certainly possible for a dog to bite someone "out of the blue," it really is unlikely.  Generally speaking, dogs bite for a reason.  While biting someone is a choice not every dog is willing to make, the fact that some dogs do make that choice is important and why we all need to think about what consent means for each dog, the dogs who bite and the ones who'd never make that choice, both deserve to be heard.

First off, if you always make it a habit of only engaging a dog that engages you first, you automatically reduce your risk.  Waiting for a dog to approach you means they've chosen to initiate contact.  Now, whether that contact will go much beyond a perfunctory sniff is up to the dog.  Let the dog approach you.  Let them sniff, if they remain near you, bow, nudge you, or bring you a toy, they want to interact.  If they approach, sniff, and then walk away, don't pursue them and don't try to reengage.  They've already told you they aren't interested.  

Now, if the dog has engaged you, remember that not all human touch feels good to them.  Dogs have preferences and while some of those preferences seem universal, some are very specific to the individual dog you are interacting with.  Thus, most dogs enjoy chest rubs and scratches and dislike head pats and tail touches.  A lot of dogs hate having their feet touched, but are fine with a leg rub.  If you observe dogs being engaged by strangers, you'll see some commonalities:  Most dogs are okay with chest rubs, shoulder strokes, and a light touch to the side of their neck.  Extended touch, rubbing fur the wrong way, fast motions, etc. are often met with lip licks, gaze aversion, and the dog moving or leaning away.  And if that person tries to bend down to kiss the dog, squat to hug them, etc., you'll often see a flurry of activity by the dog to get away from that contact.  Sure, there are dogs who put up with the unsolicited hovering and looming of people, but for many this is very anxiety-provoking. While that same dog may be fine with their owner hovering and looming, or offering that hug, those kinds of invasive behaviors are less likely to be tolerated when they come from strangers.

How do you know if a dog is enjoying the attention you are giving them?  That's easy.  Did they solicit more?  Did they stay in proximity to you?  Did they lean into you or nudge you for more?  Does their body appear loose with a soft gaze and maybe a lazy tail wag?  These are all signs a dog is enjoying the attention they are receiving from you.  A stiff body, turned away, with lip licks, yawning, frozen in place or moving away with ears lowered or back means you need to stop engaging the dog and allow them to decompress. When you are assessing your own dog, you'll often be given more leeway by the dog because they know you and trust you.  Just because your dog lets you "do anything you want to him" doesn't mean he'll be equally as tolerant of other people doing those same things.

Whether it's your own dog or someone else's, here are some generally good rules of thumb:  Let them come to you; let them sniff you; let them choose to stay; if they solicit attention, give it to them; pet them for a couple of seconds and then stop; wait to see if they solicit more or move away. Doing it this way will keep you from getting bitten by that dog. My client knew all of this, so what happened with her dog?

This dog also suffers from resource guarding aggression.  Regardless of how calm or relaxed he seems, if he's sitting or lying down in a spot, he may claim ownership of that area and snarl, growl, or snap if you try to displace him from his spot.  He's gotten much better about moving out of the way, when asked.  Once he's moving, he's no longer resource guarding.  This time, however, there was one difference.  He started to move and as he did, she reached out to pet his head.  That's when the bite happened.  Did you figure out why?  He hadn't solicited her attention and never solicits head petting.  Her absentmindedly doing so resulted in him lashing out. Now, I agree, this was overkill. He could have simply growled, snapped, or even whirled toward her and this would have resulted in the end of the interaction.  Why did he choose to bite her?  Only he knows why, but now the risk of him biting again is much greater than it was before.  Now, she needs to be much more thoughtful about how she approaches her own dog and how she allows others to approach him. The risk is simply too high for her not to do so.

It's important to remember that any dog can bite; actually, anything that has teeth can bite. Whether a dog bites you or not has more to do with your behavior than you think.  Be smart.  Be thoughtful and intentional in your interactions and listen to what their body language and behavior are telling you.  When in doubt, err on the side of caution and don't engage the dog at all.  If they really want your attention, believe me, they'll solicit it and there will be no doubt in your mind what they are looking for.

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

Zelly is very clearly soliciting attention here.  She approached my daughter, parked herself at my daughter's feet, facing her.  Zelly's gaze is soft and her body relaxed.  When my daughter lowered her hand, Zelly placed her face in that outstretched hand. I think you can tell from her expression how Zelly truly feels about this interaction!

Little Changes, Big Rewards

A lot of people I know talk themselves out of changing their routines or behavior, thinking erroneously that it takes big changes and big commitments to achieve noteworthy results.  This couldn't be further from the truth.  Little steps, made in the right direction, add up to big changes in the long run.  So, even if you know you can't run for even five minutes without passing out, for example, that's okay.  Just walk, every single day, picking up the pace as you become more limber.  One day, start to jog a bit, and then slow it back down to a walk.  Over time, you'll find yourself jogging more than walking, and that's terrific!  At that point you might be ready to try a slow run, or not.  Even jogging and walking is better than never starting that new exercise plan at all.  Small steps, big payoffs.  The same is true when it comes to our dogs.  We don't have to do it all, nor do we need to do it all at once.  Small changes will make a world of difference to your dog.  Here are some examples:

Stop feeding them in a bowl.  Now, I realize that it takes more time, and more pre-planning, and some additional cleanup as well, to feed your dog from something besides a traditional dog bowl.  Feeding them in other ways, whether that's in a feeder ball, snuffle mat, bob-a-lot toy, box, or just kibble scattered in your backyard, serves as mental stimulation.  Wild canids don't eat in bowls; they forage and hunt for their meals.  Feeding dogs in more creative ways is good for their brains and their bodies as it slows down their consumption process, leading to more efficient digestion of nutrients.  Even if you just feed one of their meals outside of a bowl everyday, every other day, or even just once a week if that's all you have time for, your dog will reap the benefits.

Let them sniff on their walks.  I know it's frustratingly slow to walk a dog, letting them sniff as much as they want, but it's important to try to let them sniff for at least a portion of every walk.  Start small.  Maybe let them sniff for the first five minutes, and then walk faster, encouraging them to trot along rather than stop and sniff constantly.  Build from there, allowing them to sniff for five minutes, trot for five minutes, and then sniff again for five minutes.  Try to make your goal be that half their walk was sniffing and the other half devoted to some exercise and fresh air.  And if you have the time to let them wander, please do it.  Put them on a long line and let them sniff and wander around to their heart's content.  Enjoy watching them!  And then, put them back on that shorter, walking leash, and get them some physical exercise too.

Rotate their toys.  While toy rotation is critical for puppies, it's still important for adult dogs too.  Toy rotation stimulates their brain to solve problems; it changes up their chewing options; and it allows them to blow of steam in different ways.  Toy rotation can be as simple as dumping the toys out of their box or basket once a week and changing which toys are on the top.  Or, maybe move the toy bin to a closet and every time you pass that closet, put a toy away and grab something different for them in exchange.  I have one client with a lot of toys (and she jokes, a lot of spare time on her hands!) who sorts the toys by style, sometimes giving he dog just rolling/round/ball type toys one day, and then only stuffed toys the next.  I appreciate her enthusiasm for toy rotation ingenuity, but I did encourage her to make sure her dog always had a readily available chewing option, regardless of how she'd sorted the day's toys.  Dogs need chewing options every single day.

Change up the treats.  You should always have treats in your pocket, or at least readily available, to reinforce your dogs for a job well-done.  While varying their daily diet isn't highly recommended as it can lead to digestive upset, varying their treats is a different story.  Even for dogs with food allergies, varying their treats is valuable for stimulating interest and enthusiasm with tasks, you just need to (obviously) avoid treats that contain those ingredients they aren't allowed to have.  Henley is allergic to so many things, including anything with chicken, turkey, or duck in it. Consequently, I choose treats for him that are 100%  rabbit or any kind of fish.  I don't give him the same rabbit treats or fish treats though every time; sometimes he gets salmon, sometimes it's salmon skin.  He may get cod or cod skin, or even pollock or smelt.  Just varying the kind of fish treat he receives, gets him excited!  This means that even for a dog with a limited ingredient diet, I can still provide some variety.  And for those of you with dogs who can eat anything, why are you always buying the same treats?  Change it up!

Never stop training your dog.  It doesn't have to be weekly classes and regular trips to specialized training facilities.  Just work with your dog every day for a few minutes.  Those minutes don't even have to be consecutive!  It could be one minute in the morning, two minutes before a walk, and then a couple of minutes at bedtime.  Start with just five minutes a day and see how that looks for your dog.  If you're both having fun, increase your training time, but I wouldn't push past about 10-15 minutes.  Shorter, more frequent training sessions are more valuable than those longer ones.  And for puppies, keep it to five minutes or shorter, multiple times a day.  You can work on behaviors your dog knows already, and then segue into learning new behaviors or tricks.  This is where the internet can be your friend!  Watch some of those fun dog videos, showing tricks and behaviors that any dog can do (honest!) with a bit of training.  Break down those videos into smaller pieces and teach your dog to do them.  Even if they don't end up doing it as well as the dog in the video, they still had a good time learning.  Besides, do you want to know how long it took to teach that dog in the video? A lot longer than that finished reel you watched for sure!  And that video? It was edited too.  Your dog is learning and doing it in real time!

So, what's the take home message?  Just making small changes can have big, positive consequences for you and for your canine companions. "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"--Lao Tzu

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

Zelly with her chewing option du jour: An antler from Woof!

Am I Really Being Selfish?

That was the question posed to me by a woman at a recent, private book signing event.  First off, a big thank you to all of you who attended that event!  I can't believe folks are still reading my memoir, wanting to meet me, and get their copies signed.  Makes me giddy every time I think about it.  Anyway, I always do questions and answers during these events and most people come with great behavior questions or anecdotes to share about their pets.  This woman, however, hesitated to even raise her hand and ask her question.  She told me after the event that it was okay to share her story as she intended to send it to her family as proof that she had sought advice. So, here goes!

This woman has not had a dog in almost 20 years.  She had dogs before she got married, but her husband was allergic to dogs (or so he said), so they didn't have any dogs while they were raising their two kids. She's recently divorced and her kids are off at college, so she was feeling like this would be a great time to get a dog for herself.  She said she was looking for "the unconditional love and companionship that only a dog can provide."  When she told her family about her plan to get a dog, they told her she was being selfish to even consider it!  They said she would be limiting herself and her ability to travel, visit her kids at school, or attend family events and social occasions. I'm pretty sure you all already know what I told her, and any of you with dogs in your life are probably bristling at those comments from her family.

I told her that making the decision to open her home and heart to a dog was a noble one.  Dogs absolutely provide love and companionship to their caretakers. They keep us to a schedule, make sure we get our step count in every day, and remind us to stop and smell the flowers.  And the trees. And the bushes.  And where that other dog peed.  They keep us company while we read, watch TV, or prepare meals.  If allowed, they will share our couch and our bed.  They love to learn new things and be challenged appropriately.  That means that a well-trained dog can go most places their owner goes, as long as that place allows dogs.  Meaning, well-trained dogs can vacation with you, visit college towns, and stay in hotels, Airbnb's, and your friends' homes.  To tell this woman that she was selfish couldn't have been further from the truth. She had, in fact, been agonizing over this decision for months.  Her family relies on her to step up and take care of aging family members, and be available at a moment's notice, something she may be less able to do if she can't, in fact, bring her dog with her.  But here's the thing:  Should she really be the only person in her extended family taking care of these responsibilities?  Shouldn't she be allowed to find some joy for herself? I don't see that as selfish (or foolish) at all. She deserves happiness too and if a dog helps her feel fulfilled and happy, they let's find her a canine companion!

We talked for quite a bit after the event was over.  She said she felt very supported by the group at the event as a whole.  There were some pretty vocal supporters there and they make me smile even now just thinking about them.  They basically told her that her family would learn to embrace her as a dog lover again, or they'd need to find someone else to do all those extra tasks for themselves!  Dog lovers really are there for one another and I think this woman made some new friends as well.

I'm looking forward to working with her and her new dog once she decides whether to get a puppy, or look for a young adult dog, or even a sweet senior to segue back into the world of dog ownership.  Her kids sound pretty supportive which I think will help a lot.  And honestly, who can't help but fall in love with the dog who helped someone step back into their life?  Dogs are a priceless gift we give ourselves and they ask for very little in return.  Maybe that is selfish, but I don't think our dogs would have it any other way.

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

Get you a dog that looks at you the way Zelly looks at my daughter!

Near Or Far, Wherever You Are!

I started working with a new client who lives in Illinois.  She found me through one of my blog posts on Instagram and started following me as she was getting ready to bring home her first dog, one she had engaged with many times as a work friend had fostered him for a rescue group in their area.  She wanted to do "everything right" for this new dog, so she scheduled a video appointment with me to go over what she needed to do to get him off to a great start.  When we finished the appointment she said, "Gosh, I wish you were here in Chicago!  There are so many dog owners at my office who could use your help!"  That's when I told her that there was an easy way for us all to still work together, even though I'm in California.  

During the pandemic, I began using Zoom fairly regularly. I'd initially resisted video platforms as I wasn't sure my methodology would convert well over video and because I talk so fast, I was worried it would make it even harder for pet owners to understand what they needed to do if I wasn't standing right in front of them. I couldn't have been more wrong.  Being forced to think outside of the box, slow down my talking speed, and find ways to demonstrate techniques using a video platform, allowed me to reach every new client I worked with during the COVID-19 shutdown, keeping my business afloat.  One pandemic client worked for Google and asked if it would be possible to work with a group of his colleagues who were all bringing their dogs to work with them before the pandemic, and were having trouble working from home with those same dogs. From that request was born an idea: A way to use a video platform to offer virtual classes and seminars to groups of pet owners.

Since that first group appointment with the Google folks, I've taught many a virtual class and seminar. Here's how it works:  One person organizes the group for the class or seminar, gathering people with similar questions/problems. It might be a "Puppy 101" seminar for new puppy owners, or it could be a discussion on how to treat separation anxiety.  I've done single topic seminars, question and answer sessions with breed clubs and veterinary offices, and even an online puppy class!  That one really stretched my abilities, I have to say.  I'd always taught puppy classes in person, emphasizing puppy socialization, and building camaraderie among the participants so they'd support each other.  With the virtual puppy class, the participants already knew one another from an in-person puppy socialization group and were looking to work on skills they could do outside that classroom setting.  They actually gathered at the organizer's house, using her yard for the virtual class.  We had such a blast!  Henley was a puppy then and he participated too, acting as a "demo dog" for many of the exercises.  To this day, he still tries to insert himself in my video appointments; I think he's hoping that he'll be involved again too.

So, back to my client in Chicago.  She's currently organizing a group of her colleagues for an evening presentation on dog body language and communication.  She's asking the rescue group where many of them got their dogs, to host the event.  I'm excited already and planning out some fun activities to do during the meeting to help everyone gain a better understanding of how to apply what they'll learn to what they actually observe when they are with their dogs, out on walks, and at the dog park. It's going to be so much fun!

If any of you are interested in setting up a group appointment or seminar on a topic in animal behavior, just let me know, and I'll send you details.  In the meantime, please continue to send your questions and pet observations my way.  Maybe you'll see your topic turn up on the blog too.

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

We did "class pictures" at the end of that virtual puppy class. Here was Henley's photo!

Dogs As Individuals

We all do it at one time or another. We compare our kids, our spouses, and yes, even our pets.  Sometimes, we're just doing it in good fun, but many times we do it out of frustration.  We might wonder why one of our kids does so well in school while another is more sports-minded.  If we keep this question to ourselves, that's one thing; but if we air it out loud, we run the risk of hurting our relationship with our kids, pigeon-holing them into one lane (scholastic) or the other (sports).  The same is true when we compare our pets.  Whether we are comparing the dog we have now to one we had before, or we are comparing the breed of dog we have now with a previous member of that same breed, we are doing those dogs a disservice by not allowing them to simply be who they are, individuals with their own brains, genetics, and environmental influences.  Just because I've had collies for over 20 years doesn't mean that I expect the ones I have now to be anything like that first collie I owned. Or like Lassie, for that matter.  So, why is that even important?

Your relationship with your dog is a relatively short one, unfortunately.  They just don't live as long as we do.  It's really their only shortcoming, but all the more reason to enjoy the individual animal in front of you for who they are, not who they should have been/could have been/might have been.  If you treat your dog as a unique individual, you'll find yourself asking better questions:  What do they need to be happy?  What can I do to keep their brain active?  How much exercise works best for them?  What is their favorite treat?  Do they even like the beach, or are they just going because I enjoy it?  Answering those questions honestly will not only help you be a better pet parent, they'll help you better understand your dog.

Understanding your dog as an individual means being a better observer in order to answer those questions effectively.  Watch their behavior; learn to read their body language; wait for those cues to come from your dog instead of filling in the blanks yourself.  For example:  Instead of just handing your dog the treat you think they'll like, have one in each hand.  Ask them to sit and then let them sniff each hand closed around the treat.  Let them choose the one they want.  Trust me, you'll know when they paw or nudge the hand with the treat they've chosen.  Sure, they might like both treats, but that's not the question we asked!  We asked which one, between these two choices, is your favorite today?  Notice I said today.  You could do the same exercise tomorrow, with those same two treats, and they might pick something different and that's the whole point.  Most of us do the same thing!  We might like tortilla chips with our sandwich one day, but prefer Cheetos the next.  

Many of you that follow me on Facebook, know about my dog buddy, Loki.  We spend many a Saturday morning together, exploring, climbing, sniffing, and wandering.  I always let him choose.  When I get him out of the car, I'll ask him where he wants to go. If he doesn't immediately head in one direction, I'll start heading one way myself, and he'll often put on the brakes, and change our course.  He had a destination in mind, it just took him a minute to decide.  I can then tell by the direction he's chosen, what activity he's in the mood for.  And yes, we do this every Saturday that we are together.  It's why, I believe, he enjoys spending time with me.  I treat him as an individual who can make choices about what he does, and doesn't, want to do with our mornings together.

If you've ever been unsure as to whether your dog enjoys trips to the beach, or a particular hiking route, take a moment and recall what their body language and behavior was like the last time you were there together.  Did they get antsy in the car, realizing where they were going?  Did they eagerly hop out of the car, ready to get started?  Did they seem to never want the day to end?  If the answers are no, then that outing isn't a favorite for them, even if it's a favorite for you. Maybe the car ride is too long and they get a bit nauseous.  Or maybe, the last time they were there with you they were too warm, or there were other dogs there that made them anxious.  Whatever the case may be, you've noted their preferences.  Once again, just because your previous dog loved the beach, doesn't mean your current one necessarily does and that's okay.  They are different individuals.  You can still go to the beach, obviously, but maybe you don't take them with you every time, or you find a way to make it more fun for them. If they are social, maybe meeting a friend and their dog at the beach is a better idea.  If they just aren't a fan of the water or sand, stay up on the bluff.  If they tire easily, bring a picnic blanket or beach towel big enough to share and a few snacks to make the stops more enjoyable.  It's called compromise and it's what makes any relationship successful, even the one you have with your dog.

Henley and I ran together early this morning before it got too warm outside.  We don't run fast, and we mix in some spots to walk, and for him to sniff, and relieve himself.  We do this a couple times a week because it's an activity we both enjoy.  He's the second dog I've had who enjoyed running with me; Ozzie loved it too, but is now too old and frail for the activity, so we do other stuff together.  Desi?  Desi hated to run; he didn't even like a brisk walk.  He always preferred a slow amble, and never very far.  Trips to the beach with Desi always meant a lot of breaks to bird watch, and that was fine by me.  The beach can be enjoyed by runners and amblers alike.

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

One of my favorite photos of Ozzie and Desi on a beach day.  Yes, it was really windy and yes, they actually thought that it was perfect collie weather!

Your Report Card

Have you ever thought about how your dog might grade your work as their caretaker? Would you receive that coveted A+ for being the owner that remembers all of the big and little things?  Or are you more of a solid C+, remembering the basics like mealtimes and walks, but not always thinking much beyond that? While I believe most dog owners would give themselves high marks, their canine companions might be a little less likely to hand out those easy A's. Just for fun, let's take a look at the subjects on which our dogs might rate our efforts:

 First Period: Cooking & Food Service

Your dog would like to know why you feel the need to measure their food with an actual measuring cup rather than simply measuring with your heart?  They also want to know how you thought they wouldn't see you dividing treats in half and eating cheese without sharing.

In all seriousness:  While food should be measured to accurately assess the daily calories your dog is consuming, how they receive those calories should vary.  Don't just feed your dog in a bowl.  Instead, choose slow feeder bowls, lick mats, puzzle balls, snuffle mats, and food puzzles, rotating them regularly. And remember, dogs have been joining us for our meals for over 30,000 years, so go ahead and reward that steadfast devotion with a small token of your appreciation, meaning a small bite of that cheese.

Second Period: Language Arts

Your dog would like you to know he's not barking incessantly, nor without reason.  There is a squirrel on the fence, a cat in the yard, a neighbor kid going by on a bike, and an Amazon delivery truck across the street.  You need to know about these things and since you clearly aren't getting it at one bark, several are needed to make the point.  Things are happening, people.  Keep up!

In all seriousness:  Most dogs bark for a reason.  Whether that reason is important to you or not, acknowledge them.  Tell them you saw it (or heard it) and then ask them to be quiet and redirect them to another task.  

Third Period:  History

Your dog would like you to know that while it is true that you've always come back every time you've left the house, SOMETIMES you are gone longer than expected and that can be quite upsetting. 

In all seriousness:  Dogs live in the here and now and celebrating the return of a pack member is a joyous occasion.  Relish in the fact that you were missed, you are loved, and your absence was truly noted. Just because you only went to the mailbox doesn't matter to your dog.  They love that you are back and want to make sure you know.

Fourth Period:  Science

Your dog would like you to know that while they enjoy the sound of your voice, a good belly rub or butt scratch, and a game of fetch or tug-of-war, science shows that the real way to their heart is through a good snack.  Don't skimp on the treats!

In all seriousness:  It really has been studied.  If you are teaching your dog a new behavior, or reinforcing an existing behavior, giving them a treat increases learning.  Sure, they love being told they did a good job and receiving a physical reward from you (a pat on the head, for example), but the real, tangible reward for them is that food/treat.  Keep treats on you at all times!

Fifth Period:  P.E.

Your dog would like you to know that you've been hurrying them along on their walks, skipping all the good sniffs.  In addition, you've cut their walks short more than once, and rarely changed the route or destination.  This is the area where they feel you need the most work.

In all seriousness:  Don't yank your dog along on their walks; they need to sniff. Sniffing reduces anxiety, helps them to blow off steam, allows them to assess what's happening in their neighborhood, and serves as a form of mental stimulation.  You know that phrase, "Take the time to stop and smell the roses?"  Your dog considers that their credo.  So, while you are stopping and letting them sniff, change up your walking routes, or add in a fun hike or new destination.  This will help to keep you, the person on the end of the leash, more entertained, and ultimately provide your dog with a plethora of new smells to explore.

Sixth Period:  Social Studies

Your dog would like you to know that while some dogs enjoy frolicking with other dogs off leash, such activities are not for *every* dog.  

In all seriousness:  Sociability is on a continuum from social butterfly to total introvert.  While most puppies enjoy socializing with other dogs, particularly other puppies, even some puppies prefer the company of humans to other dogs and that's absolutely okay.  Most adult dogs prefer to play with their humans than other dogs, and those that do enjoy playtime with other dogs, do so for much shorter bursts of time, preferring to just "hang out together" without an agenda.  Dog parks are for young, healthy, social butterfly dogs.  Leave the older dogs, the introverts, and the impressionable puppies at home.

So, what's your grade point average now that you know what classes you've been taking?  Are you still an A+ or are you relieved to have earned a solid B? Did you figure out where you have room for improvement?  Maybe you can ask your dog for some extra credit points by taking them on a hike this weekend with friends, allowing a lot of time to sniff and explore, with a bag of treats in your pocket, just because?  Hey, it could work!

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

This is one of my favorite old photographs.  This is my daughter with Westley back in 2019 right after she adopted him. They were headed out on a hike, an easy trail walk that was new to her and new to him.  The road was wide open and the possibilities seemed endless.

The Importance of Good Balance & Core Strength in Dogs

So, how many of you have done the SRT test (the Sitting-Rising Test) for yourself?  You begin with ten points and your overall score decreases with each assist you need to sit down on the floor or get back up once seated. It's a test that doctors, physical therapists, etc. use to assess mobility and longevity in people, particularly older people.  While there isn't the exact same test for older dogs, most veterinarians do some similar measures on senior dogs during their wellness exams to assess balance and core strength and get ahead of any mobility challenges.  There's so much more we can do for our dogs beyond daily walks to help them build and maintain their core strength and continue to have good balance as they get older. If you start with these exercises for your young adult dog, that is a dog who is out of puppyhood with full bone development, it means you will have measurements of their mobility to compare to as they age.  A lot of these exercises can be done using things you find in nature or at the park, but you can also use your own gym equipment at home for many of them.  Here are some examples:

For Good Balance and Core Strength:  Begin by having your dog walk along a curb on leash. You can use a treat to keep your dog walking in a straight line, eyes on the treat at nose level, not looking down at their feet.  If they can do this easily, repeat the exercise having them walk on a plank on the ground.  If this is easy, lift the plank up off the ground, supported by cement blocks and have them walk across again, keeping their head up, following the treat.  We aren't looking for speed here but a steady, confident pace, no jumping off the plank.  You can also observe them walking across one of those moving bridges on a kids' playground or jumping from rock to rock as they move along on a hike. Next, position your dog at the start of a hallway.  Standing in front of your dog, step toward them slowly so that they take a step backwards.  Use a treat so that they stay focused on you as they back up, versus turning away from you and moving away facing forward. Do they back up in a straight line or do they veer to one side or the other?  If you have a BOSU balance trainer in your home gym, that works really well too.  Place the BOSU trainer with the flat base down and have your dog step up onto it with their front feet and stay in place.  Use a treat as a lure and hold onto the treat until you let them back off the dome.  Work up to all four feet on the dome, and then have them back up so that just their rear feet are on the dome.  Once they can do this with the flat side down, flip the BOSU over so it wobbles and try the exercises again.  If you have yoga blocks, you can also do balance exercises using those, you just won't be able to do the wobble version. 

Stretching and Mobility Assessment: Have your dog sit in front of you on a non-slippery surface. Step away from your dog backwards and lure them into a standing position, noting how difficult it is for them to rise from a sit to a stand.  Many senior dogs have difficulty with this exercise and it takes a couple of tries, and a bit of scooting, before they can get enough momentum going to rise up from the sit.  You can also have them lay in the down position and measure the effort needed to come up to a sit and then to a standing position.  With your dog standing at your side, use a treat to slowly have them stretch their neck to reach the treat, not moving their feet.  Next, slowly move the treat downward, encouraging them to follow the treat down, again stretching their neck, without laying down. Move the treat slowly toward one side so your dog keeps their neck level and brings their head around following that treat.  Move the treat back to center and then around to the other side slowly.  You are measuring how much flexibility they have in their neck with this exercise. Use a treat to lure your dog to turn in a circle, first one direction and then the other way. It's perfectly normal for an adult dog to only be able to easily turn one direction, but they should be able to turn a tight circle without tipping, tripping over their feet, or flopping into a down.

Finally, if you have access to a pool, you can help your dog gain mobility and core strength with swimming.  Be sure to use a dog life vest on them regardless of their swimming abilities.  That vest will help you to guide your dog along using the handle on their back.  You will want to hold them in place so that they are paddling but not moving anywhere, helping to create resistance. Next, hold that handle and let them paddle forward and then guide them to paddle in a circular motion.  If you have long enough stairs in your pool, you can have your dog walk back and forth, slowly, following a treat, so that they are moving through the water, creating resistance and building their muscle tone.

So, why am I suggesting you do this now with your young, spry, healthy dogs?  Because some day, they will be senior dogs and you want them to have the best chance at a comfortable and safe life as they navigate the aging process. Helping them with their mobility strength now means a stronger core and better mobility later in life.  

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

While mental exercise is important too for all ages of dogs, none more so than our senior dogs.  Here's Ozzie resting on his puzzle after solving it.  At 11.5 years old, Ozzie has slowed down quite a bit.  He has arthritis and spondylosis, two conditions that have led me to use a PEMF mat for him three times a day, helping reduce inflammation in his body. He also completes the exercises outlined above to the best of his abilities, though we don't have a pool, so no swimming for this sweet, old guy.