You've Got A Friend

Once a week, I stop by my post office box to pick up my mail.  This week, there was a lovely purple envelope in my box.  All I can say is that it was a good idea I didn't open that envelope until I got home.  Crying in the parking lot of the post office is probably frowned upon by somebody! 

The envelope contained a card from a woman I've never met.  She is the daughter of someone I've spoken to a number of times over the last year.  I keep a phone log of everyone I talk to, along with a summary of what we discuss so that if they call again, I'll know what we covered in our previous conversation. I've had many conversations with pet owners over the years that rarely turned into anything beyond just that...a conversation.  This woman's mother had written down her conversations with me in her journal.  You see, what I didn't know was that she had terminal cancer.  Thanks to COVID-19, she'd been basically living alone with her elderly dog, having supplies delivered, and visiting virtually with her daughter who lived out of state.  I knew about the elderly dog and the daughter out of state, and we'd talked about keeping her elderly dog active and engaged when they couldn't leave their house.  We'd talked about how she could keep busy as well.  At some point, we even talked about my grandmother as that was written in her journal, though I hadn't noted it in my own call summary! I had never charged this woman for my time as it always felt different talking to her.  She sounded lonely to me and I really wanted both her and her elderly dog to know that there were people out there willing to listen and help.  Turns out, I was one of the few people this woman trusted and her conversations with me were cherished.  I truly had no idea.  So, why am I telling you this?

I'm telling you this so you'll stop for just a moment today and reach out to someone you know. Maybe they live alone, maybe their kids live far away, or maybe they are just someone you know casually from Facebook, church, school, etc. I'm asking you to reach out because you don't know what that person is going through.  Maybe they need to hear a friendly voice, a funny story, or share something that their dog or cat did that made them smile.  We have to be here for one another, now more than ever.  If there is one thing that this pandemic has taught me it's that we need to be here for each other.  We may not be able to hug one another, but we can sure as heck take the time to listen.  Taking the time to listen to this woman had made all the difference in the world to her quality of life.  Those aren't my words, those are the words her daughter wrote in her note to me. She said each of the journal entries following my calls with her mother said how much her mother appreciated my kindness, taking time out of my busy day to listen to a "rambling old lady," and how I'd made her smile and laugh as she learned something about elderly dogs and their behavior.

I've updated my phone log summary to reflect the fact that this owner has passed away.  Her elderly dog will be going to live with the daughter for whatever time they have left together.  She says she knows what to do for the dog since it's all outlined in the journal with comments like "Julie said..." right next to them.  That made me smile.  Her mother had listened to me too. She had validated what I do.  She had reinforced that I help people just as much as I help their pets. 

I'm going to keep this card as a reminder of why it's important to make my call backs every single day, even when *I* don't really feel like talking.  Because now I know, the person I am calling may be waiting on me to do so and I may be the only person they hear from on that day.

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

One of the conversations she'd noted in her journal was one where I'd talked about how set in his ways Desi has become as he's gotten older.  Dogs love routine, and old dogs love that predictability even more so.

For Peep's Sake: Easter Safety Tips for your Pets!

When my kids were little, Easter was one of their favorite holidays, right after Christmas and Halloween.  They loved hunting for eggs in the yard, and the older they got, the more competitive they got in the process of finding those candy-filled eggs! Our dogs always loved being part of the process too.  They helped the Easter Bunny hide all of those eggs, and then ran around helping the kids find them as well.  It was pretty amusing to watch and definitely on my list of favorite memories.  We were lucky, however, that our dogs never tried to eat any of those plastic or hardboiled eggs themselves; they saved those for the kids.  It probably helped that the dogs had their own Easter baskets, but I digress.  My point in telling you all of this is to remind you of a few Easter hazards for pets that you may not even be aware of.  So, for safety sake, here is my short list of things to watch out for:

1. Chocolate:  Yes, I know, there is a lot of chocolate available on other holidays as well, but not in the form of chocolate bunnies, ducks, and chicks.  Those bigger-sized, fun-shaped chocolates found in Easter baskets are deadly.  Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, two methylxanthines. Both are in higher concentrations in dark chocolate, for example, but a big, milk chocolate bunny is still a gastrointestinal risk for your dog.

2.  Easter Grass:  If you think tinsel is attractive to dogs and cats, you can't imagine how exciting it is for them to spot loads of colored tinsel (aka Easter basket grass) readily available in those cute Easter baskets sitting out for the kids.  Easter grass can cause bowel obstructions, stomach irritation, and is a choking hazard. If you are doing an Easter basket for your pets as well, stick to shredded paper or hay for their "grass."

3. Plastic Eggs & Small Toys: Those cute, colored plastic eggs whether filled with candy or small toys, are a choking hazard for your pets.  Again, if swallowed, they can cause bowel obstructions and stomach irritation as well.

4. Eggs:  While hard-boiled eggs can be a healthy treat for your pet, the dye used to color the eggs may not be.  Make sure that the dye you use is non-toxic, as a bit of dye always permeates the egg shell leaving the egg inside with a slight tint.  Again, watch how many eggs your pet consumes.  While one egg is fine, if they find and consume more eggs than your kids/grandkids do, you've got a potential problem!

5.  Jellybeans:  While jellybeans in an of themselves might seem low risk, they can be deadly if the brand chosen contains xylitol as the sweetener.  Xylitol poisoning leads to liver failure and death.

6.  Easter Ham & Lamb:  While a bite of ham or lamb may be low risk, these higher fat foods, along with the higher fat side dishes we often serve on this holiday as well, are a risk for pancreatitis, abdominal pain, bloat, vomiting, etc.

7.  Easter Lilies: Several varieties of lilies are toxic to cats and many are toxic to dogs as well, leading to kidney failure and death if any part of the plant is ingested. Lilies are messy plants, dropping petals and pollen in their water and on the surfaces where displayed.  Your pets may ingest those fallen leaves or petals, or walk through the pollen and then lick their feet.  The risk is so high, I recommend not bringing lilies into homes with pets at all.

8.  Marshmallow Peeps: while these cute little holiday traditions make it into many an Easter basket, they are loaded with sugar in several forms making them a gastrointestinal risk for pets who consume these colorful little treats in excess. 

Keeping your dogs on leash during the Easter egg hunt in your yard, placing Easter baskets up out of their reach, crating or confining those that surf counters are all good ways to protect your dogs on Easter Sunday.  Encourage well-meaning friends and family to bring other bright, cheerful flowers and plants and stay away from lilies and daffodils.  Have them bring tulips instead since the riskiest part of the tulip is the bulb making those beautiful, fresh cut tulips very low risk.

I realize Easter isn't until April 4th this year, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared, particularly for those of you with new puppies/dogs acquired during the pandemic lockdown, who've not had as many opportunities to work on leave it and drop it when it comes to holiday treats.

Hopefully, you won't need it, but if you do, here is the phone number for the pet poison hotline, (855) 764-7661.

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

What's Wrong With Me?

 That was the question my client asked right at the beginning of our appointment. And right before she burst into tears.  I felt bad for her, even more so now with COVID restrictions in place keeping me 6 feet away from her.  I really wanted to give her a hug, but realized even more than a hug, she needed to get some peace of mind.  And she needed it quick!

The reason for the appointment laid about 8 feet away from her.  He's a beautiful puppy, a little fluffball with soulful eyes and huge paws! My client and her new puppy just weren't making a "love connection." While they'd only been together a week, my client was fraught with concern over this puppy.  He won't nap, he hates his crate, he won't come when she calls, he doesn't like to cuddle, and the worst thing of all...he seems to love everyone else more than her.  Those were her words exactly.  I have to admit, while his avoidance of his owner was clear to me (he stayed at a distance from her, but chose repeatedly to come solicit attention from me), the reasons for his behavior were more complex and worth exploring.  A little background at this point will help.

My client lives alone.  Up until a month ago, she shared her home with an elderly dog that she'd had since he was a puppy.  He'd been with her through her divorce, her beloved sister's death,  and through her own cancer diagnosis and recovery.  He was her rock, her constant.  She always said that he was the reason she got up every day and the reason she looked forward to doing so.  She took his death hard, but at 15 years of age, his passing was not unexpected. What had surprised me the most was that rather than allowing herself time to grieve, she had turned around and immediately acquired a new dog, and a puppy no less.

I reminded my client that it's been 14 years since she had a puppy and the last time she did, she was married and still had one child at home to help with his care. Raising a puppy alone is a lot of work.  I also reminded her (gently) that she was, understandably, still grieving the loss of her long-term companion dog.  It's hard to open your heart to a puppy (and all of their needs!) when you are still in the grief process. Plus, she'd gotten a puppy of the same breed AND a male again.  This meant that she was constantly comparing this new puppy to her previous dog and the puppy was coming up short.

While getting a puppy of the same breed does mean that there will be some breed characteristics and traits in common between her beloved dog and the new pup, they aren't going to be exactly the same.  I could already tell that this new puppy was more introspective and quiet, not the uber-social, gadabout her previous dog had been.  That difference doesn't make her new puppy bad, it just means he's different and she's going to need to recognize those differences and change her perspective IF she intends to keep him. If she really feels that she can't bond with this new puppy, then it's truly in her best interest, and his, that she return him to his breeder sooner rather than later.

At this point, I felt like it was important to show her all of the great things about her puppy.  I put him on leash, taught him a few fun behaviors, and got him to play with a flirt-pole.  He was wagging his tail, offering play bows, and climbing in my lap for puppy kisses by the time we were done.  So, why wasn't he behaving this way with his owner?

Her overwhelming sadness and frustration were palpable and making it difficult for this puppy to connect with her.  He was in a new situation, away from his dam and siblings, and sleeping alone in a crate in her kitchen.  I suggested we move the crate to her bedroom and set up some sleep rituals for the two of them to enhance their bonding. We talked about doing short training sessions during the day when she felt the best; when she was feeling particularly down, she should focus on quiet interaction with her puppy and gentle handling exercises, or simply let him be and give him a bone or toy to play with in his x-pen.  While it is certainly okay for her puppy to see her sad, he also needed to see her happy and know that that happiness was being directed at him.

She heard everything I had said and really wanted to try to make this work, but where to begin?  I held him on my lap, gave him treats, and did some basic t-touch.  I then handed him to the owner and asked her to do the same.  She hesitated at first and I saw the puppy shrink and try to move away.  I encouraged her to love on him and talk to him and give him a few treats.  Lo and behold, he stayed on her lap and took an interest in her.  I told her to keep talking to him and try rubbing his chin which he seemed to love.  He would glance over at me periodically and I just kept telling him what a good boy he was.  Suddenly, my client started to see that he really WAS a good boy, just a different boy, from her previous dog.

Before I left, we devised a game plan for the week so that we could get this puppy onto a schedule and relieve some of the pressure my client was feeling.  I agreed to come back and work with him again and help her gain confidence in her new relationship with him.  We also agreed that if this didn't seem to be working, it would be okay to return the dog to the breeder. This would not mean that she was a failure or that this wasn't a "good puppy." It would simply mean she wasn't ready for a new relationship and/or this puppy wasn't a good match for her.  

I truly hope this works out.  He's a delightful little guy, full of potential.  I think his quieter demeanor means he will be more of a rock-steady companion for my client. I also think he'll make a great pet assisted therapy dog some day, especially if his mellow disposition continues to be the case.  At this point, I've done what I can to help make this a love connection.  Now it's up to my client and her puppy to try to make it work for them both.

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

I love this photo of my daughter's smooth collie, Westley. It was taken about 10 minutes after he was unloaded from the transport that brought him to our home, and  his first experience away from his breeder's home.  In this picture, I see an adolescent dog, full of potential and ready to interact with his new humans and my two resident collies.  While my daughter was overwhelmed at first with all that goes into caring for a young dog on her own, she too could see everything this young dog could be. Westley is pure joy, all packaged into 40 lbs of collie mischief and we wouldn't have it any other way.

Look What the Cat Dragged In!

One of my clients has two cats and she just got an Italian Greyhound puppy.  She's been busily teaching the puppy not to chase the cats and rewarding the cats for not swatting out one of the puppy's eyes when they correct him.  What she didn't plan on was the cats teaching the puppy to kill lizards in her yard.  You see, her cats are the consummate predators.  Both of them have numerous kills on record, having brought down everything from birds and mice to lizards and snakes.  Her cats often eat at least part of what they catch before bringing the rest indoors.  Occasionally, however, they bring their entire prize inside, causing my client an inordinate amount of anxiety.  Yesterday, she saw one cat catch a bird and stun it, taking it back to the other cat and the puppy.  Her precious puppy got in on the action, catching the bird as it tried to flap away.  She was horrified.  I was actually pleased to hear this. It means the cats are accepting that puppy as their own.  My client indicated I had some explaining to do and that I should do so while she found a cold compress for her head and a cocktail for her hand.  So, if you, too, live with predators in your own home, here's what's happening.

Cats are hunters.  While we may like to think of  cats as being domesticated, they really aren't that far removed from wild cat species.  It is instinctual to hunt, capture, and kill prey for nourishment and enjoyment. Cats hunt for themselves and they hunt for their kittens, or sometimes for other close family members, including you, their beloved human. Whether your cat is bringing you these prey items to share, to thank you for your love (and the easily gotten food you provide), or simply to get your attention since you freak out when they do, is all within the realm of possibility.  I'm a firm believer that cats put the half-eaten goodies they find on your bed as a reminder of their prowess and because they want to finish what they killed in a comfy spot.  One client even told me that she trades her cat a treat or a toy if he'll give up whatever he's caught before he kills it.  That cat has it made! He can hunt to his heart's content and his owner will reward him for doing so!  

If you really don't want your cat killing prey in your yard or their neighborhood, then don't let them out unattended.  Watch your cat in your yard and/or walk them on a leash.  If your cat loves being outdoors, provide them with a safe enclosure in your yard to hang out in.  Outfit the enclosure with perches and things to do, but keeping your cat enclosed, even when outside, means they won't be able to hunt anything other that unsuspecting insects that fly into that enclosure. Personally, I feel like those bugs are on their own.  Keep indoor cats busy with puzzle feeder toys, fishing pole lure/wand toys to chase, and remote control bugs to chase and "kill." And, yes, they do need an outlet for their natural, hunting behavior.

Dogs can be predatory too, with some breeds being much more into the hunt than others.  It's why you shouldn't keep bunnies or guinea pigs if you also own whippets or greyhounds!  Siberian Huskies can be quite predatory as well.  But even Ozzie loves to chase squirrels, birds, and the occasional rat that runs through our yard.  It's in his nature, as it is with every dog, to chase after things that move.  I honestly don't know what Ozzie would do if he caught something he was chasing, but I do know what Cinderella, our Labrador did.  She caught everything from quail to snakes, and grabbed the tail feathers right off of a pheasant as it tried to take off quickly to get away from her.  Cinderella loved the hunt and the kill, but whatever she killed she left for me to clean up. Sometimes with a shovel and often with a hose.  

So what about my client's Italian Greyhound puppy?  Well puppies (and dogs) are observational learners.  Her puppy, who by the way is already breed predisposed to wanting to chase after moving prey, will definitely be taking notes on hunting strategies from her cats, particularly since her cats are clearly including him in these lessons. Rather than making herself anxious and her pets neurotic, better to embrace the little hunters she shares her home with.  While I did suggest she get rid of the bird feeder in her back yard as that seemed unfair, I think that anything else that wanders into her yard is fair game. She can add an outdoor enclosure for her cats, but her dog will still be out there using the yard and chasing birds, bugs, lizards etc.  She certainly will not be able to curb or suppress her dog's natural instincts anyway, so why bother? It may just be me, but I feel like in this case, we just need to let cats (and dogs) be themselves.  Unless it's a skunk in the yard and then that's off limits. And a story for another time.

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

The mighty hunter with her kill!

Snacks, Rewards, and Other Food for Thought

 I was the 5th "dog specialist" my new client had worked with.  Three of the previous specialists were "known for working with her dog's breed" and one had been recommended by her neighbors.  Three of the four told my client that she should absolutely never use treats to train her dog or her dog would end up being dependent on food in order to do anything.  The other trainer she'd seen told her that she could use treats, but they had to be "derived from organ meat" in order to be valuable for training purposes.  It could just be that I was tired by the time I met with this client, but this nonsense really ticked me off.  I wasn't aggravated with the client, but with the uneducated and misinformed "advice" she was getting.  This is a bright, well-spoken woman.  She's had dogs before.  When I asked her if she really believed that giving treats to her dog would actually result in the dog blackmailing her for more food, she giggled.  C'mon folks.  We all like to get paid for our work.  What makes anyone think that dogs are any different? Treats are a commodity and dogs are willing to work for tangible rewards just like anybody else.

While it is true that not all treats are created equal, making a bold statement that only organ meats make suitable rewards is ridiculous.  The value of a treat is determined by the dog.  Some dogs love cheerios.  Others love lettuce.  Westley loves carrots, while Ozzie and Desi love strawberries. All of these food items are rewarding for the dogs who enjoy them.  Giving lettuce to Desi will not be considered a reward and will quite frankly leave him disgruntled that you thought it would be valuable for some reason.  The bottom line is this: just because I like something, or I've bought something that I think my dogs will love doesn't guarantee that they will. Just because you purchased expensive, freeze-dried, organ meat for your dog doesn't mean they will like it or eat it.  Maybe they prefer goldfish crackers! I'm teaching a puppy class right now and two of the dogs in that class happily work for their kibble. Go figure. Plus, there are dogs who will work for kibble at home, but need something higher value out in public, and that's fine too.  Their preferred currency can change based on the circumstances they find themselves in.

So what about dogs who won't take treats out in public?  Those dogs, by and large, are anxious.  Anxious dogs aren't hungry; they are distracted and overwhelmed by whatever is causing their anxiety.  I saw a client yesterday who said her pup has never taken a treat in public because she is so anxious.  We worked together for an hour to reduce the dog's anxiety and she was then happily taking treats I'd brought with me.  Not fancy, freeze-dried organ meat; simple training treats that smell like bacon. What's the point of telling you this?  If your dog "isn't interested in eating," then figure out what's making them so anxious.  All animals need to eat in order to sustain themselves.  It could even be the case that what you are giving them is making them feel sick.  Changing treats, trying limited ingredient treats, etc. is one way to begin figuring out what works to motivate and reinforce your dog without making them feel ill.

And for those three specialists my client saw who told her that treats are "verboten" during training; there's plenty of research which clearly proves otherwise.  In one study published in the Journal of Veterinary Medical Science, researchers examined whether dogs' interest level in food affected their ability to be trained.  Dogs were divided into groups depending on whether they were fast eaters, slow eaters, or dogs who left food behind in their bowls. For one test, dogs were asked to sit and given food as a reward.  For another test, dogs were asked to sit and instead of giving them food, they received praise and pats. All of the dogs, whether slow eaters, fast eaters, or picky eaters, responded better when food was used as a reward compared to receiving praise and petting.  So while this study showed that there were clearly individual differences in how dogs responded to receiving food during training, ALL of the dogs were motivated by food. This is just one of many studies that have been conducted on this topic and all of this research is readily available to read online.  Why trainers are still telling dog owners that treats spoil the dog, make the dog engage in blackmail, etc. is beyond me.  It simply isn't true.

I will agree that you have to keep an eye on the number of treats your dog is receiving.  Dogs have daily caloric needs based on their age, level of exercise, and body conformation.  While a puppy may burn off those extra calories very quickly, a senior dog may not.  Dogs who are running agility may need extra calories compared to dogs who take a leisurely stroll twice a day with their owners.  Don't hesitate to use treats as rewards, to redirect your dog, and to make those interactive puzzle feeder toys more enjoyable. Just be aware of the calories your dog receives in those treats and adjust their meal ration (or increase their exercise) accordingly. 

There is nothing wrong with sharing food with your dogs.  Eating is a pleasurable activity and one which is all the more enjoyable if you have others there with you. So, go ahead and share your banana with your dog.  Definitely ask them to sit, or touch, or turn, or bow first, just for fun.  We all like to get paid for a job well done. Dogs don't mind working.  They just prefer not to work for free.

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

Westley finds cookies made with my homemade dog cookie recipe to be quite rewarding.

When Your Dog Chases Cars

 I belong to several dog groups across social media platforms and many of those groups have members with collies or other herding dog breeds.  At least once a week, someone posts a story of their dog chasing cars, motorcycles, bicycles, skateboards, or joggers. Chasing cars and motorcycles is dangerous not just for dogs, but for drivers swerving to miss those dogs.  And dogs who chase bicycles, scooters, and runners are not just a nuisance; they are risky to those who are simply trying to go about their business. Over the 30 years I've been in practice, I've had more than one client whose dog was struck by a moving car when the dog went to chase after it (happened with dogs both on and off leash), and multiple clients whose dogs have knocked people off of their bikes and skateboards, and a few who've bitten runners and cyclists as well. Throwing up your hands and saying that nothing can be done because they are herding dogs and that's just what they do is not acceptable, nor safe.  Plus, this isn't just a "herding dog problem."  Lots of dogs chase things they shouldn't, posing a danger to themselves, their owners, and the public at large.

Dogs, by design, chase moving targets.  Their ancestors were alert to movement in the environment as that movement could mean potential prey for them to catch and eat, or that they could be prey for another animal! Just because chasing something that moves IS a dog thing, doesn't mean that you can't redirect that natural behavior to more appropriate outlets.  Dogs who love to chase birds, squirrels, and bunnies will likely enjoy chasing games with a flirt pole.  I've had a couple of clients scoff at this suggestion saying that playing with a flirt pole with their dog will just make their dogs more efficient chasers and that's just rubbish.  Dogs are going to chase moving targets regardless of whether you address the behavior or not.  Better that you acknowledge that drive and give them an outlet for it so that when you do have to correct and redirect them away from inappropriate chasing, they'll not become overly frustrated. This applies to herding dogs too.  Giving them an outlet for their natural inclinations is good for them; learning to herd chickens, goats, sheep, etc. is challenging for their minds and bodies and isn't just about chasing moving targets.  It's about learning to use their bodies and the amount of pressure they apply by how close they are to those other animals, to get them to move in a certain direction.  Learning to herd is a thinking dog's sport and one which requires practice for the handler as well as the dog.  Ozzie is a much better herding dog than I am a herding dog handler!  

Okay, so you've given your dog an outlet for their enthusiasm for the chase.  Now, how do you get them to stop chasing everything else?  First off, if you have a dog who chases cars, don't let them off leash in an area that isn't fenced and where they can take off after a vehicle.  I know that seems obvious, but the number of times someone has told me their dog chases cars only to follow up with the fact that the dog is regularly off leash where there are cars, is mind-boggling. Second, begin working with them at home and in your yard where you are able to control what they see and hear.  Depending on how good your dog is at "leave it," you may need to do this exercise with them on leash first.  Get their attention and toss something away from you.  When they begin to move to go get it, tell them "leave it," and hold your hand out with an obvious treat.  If they are on leash, you can put a small amount of pressure on the leash when you say "leave it," to ensure that they turn toward you and away from the object.  You will want to use really desirable rewards for this exercise so that your dog, even if he loves fetch, is more interested in listening to you than picking up the object.  Once you are able to toss any object and call your dog away from pursuing it, you are ready to work out in the real world.

Regardless of what your dog chases, you are likely to see or hear those things in a busy park setting.  Start on a day, or time of day, when the park is less populated (or when there are likely to be fewer cars going by, for example) and at a fair distance from the road.  For most chasers, if you are 30 feet or more away, they are alert, but less likely to bolt off.  Work with your leashed dog on some very basic commands like sit, down, touch, look at me, and go sniff.  When they alert to a car/bike/scooter, say "leave it," and put a little pressure on their leash as you say their name.  When they glance your way, happily say "YES!" and give them that high value treat you gave them at home when you taught this behavior.  Remain at that distance for several training sessions until your dog is relaxed about cars/bikes/scooters going by, and perhaps even ignores them in favor of sniffing or working with you on other behaviors.  Over a period of sessions, you will move closer and closer to the street/sidewalk where the objects your dog chases can be found.  Don't move closer too quickly or your dog will simply bolt before you can redirect them.  And don't make the mistake of pushing them too hard or too long in a single session.  Keep your training sessions short and frequent (10 minutes a day is a great way to start).  Do try to do a session with your dog every day; doing this reinforces all of those attentive basic behaviors as well as working on the problem of chasing inappropriate objects. 

If your dog chases bikes, scooters, skateboards, or runners, you can enlist the help of friends to work on this problem.  Again, working at a safe distance, have your friend bike/skate/jog by you and your dog, ignoring you both. Gradually over time, work closer and closer to your friend's location.  You may need to reward your helpful friends for these sessions as well!

Finally, if your dog resists all of this and is unable in real world situations to be redirected from inappropriate chasing, then it is up to you to protect them from those situations that can trigger the behavior. This means keeping them on leash and walking them at off peak times and in off peak locations where they are least likely to encounter whatever it is that they like to chase.  You will want to continue to practice the above outlined exercises as your dog's behavior can still improve over time with persistence and patience on your part.  You just don't want the behavior to continue without addressing it as it will not get better on it's own, nor is it safe to just ignore a dog who chases inappropriate objects.

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

Westley loved his first herding lesson and is much looking forward to doing it again once this pandemic is over with.  He's good about not chasing things he shouldn't, but that doesn't make it any less important to give him an outlet for his natural herding instinct.

The Truth About Leashes

 I have recently started another round of outdoor, socially distanced, puppy classes.  I enjoy teaching these classes because I love working with puppies and their owners, helping them to get off to a great start.  I always ask people at the first class meeting what they most hope to learn in the class as that gives me a better idea of how I want to focus each of the hours we spend together.  For this group, more than half of the class had issues/questions/concerns/frustrations around leash walking and on-leash behavior.  This post is for them, and for any of you with similar concerns.

First off, walking nicely on leash does not necessarily come easily to most dogs.  While most dog owners have this preconceived, pie-in-the-sky notion of blissfully walking their dog, side-by-side, in reality this is rarely how it goes.  Puppies do not come pre-programmed to love wearing a leash and collar.  Most scratch and fuss with their collar and resist putting the leash on.  Once the leash is on, many fight it, digging in, dragging their feet, trying to bite the leash. Or just sitting down and refusing to move.  This is all normal behavior.  The whole point of using a leash is to keep your dog safe.  You know that, and I know that.  But dogs think you are trying to control them and keep them away from fun things. And for many dogs, leash walking is a total nightmare as the dog is pulling constantly and racing back and forth trying to sniff everything while the human is vigorously trying to shorten the leash, reel the dog in, and keep them from sniffing all of the time.  It looks like a battle of the wills!  In order to (eventually) have a pleasant, well-behaved walking companion, you have to begin with that puppy you just put a collar and leash on, desensitizing her to wearing both.  Break out the treats and reward NOT scratching at the collar and being able walk around, dragging the leash behind her.  Don't pick up the leash and try to hold it until your puppy can successfully navigate dragging the leash around without fussing. Once you do pick up the leash, just follow your puppy around with it on, saying their name and giving them treats for glancing your way when they hear their name.  Walk your puppies indoors before moving outdoors where there are lots of distractions. A young puppy truly can get all of the walking exercise they need walking around on a leash indoors and in their backyard!

When you do move on to walking your puppy outside in your neighborhood, don't set them up to fail.  You still need to carry treats with you and you don't want to set a time or distance goal for your walks.  Better to have walked one block nicely than 10 blocks miserably.  The focus of your walks should be on exploring and safe sniffing, not on a rigorous heel.  I'm not suggesting that you let your pup drag you from one sniff spot to another. On the contrary, moving from one sniff to the next should be joyfully controlled, that is at a speed that suits you and your puppy.  Don't let them drag you; change direction, stop and ask them to sit, etc. until they can pay attention, then resume walking briskly to the next sniff spot.  And for those puppies who spend the majority of their walk sitting or standing and just assessing their surroundings, that's okay too.  Don't drag them along and try to force them to walk.  Let them be; some puppies need to assess their surroundings quite a bit before they feel comfortable dropping their heads down and their attention away from what is going on around them. 

Yes, I know puppies like to sniff and then pick up and potentially eat some of the stuff they find on their walks.  This is why you bring treats with you for trading/distraction AND why you should be working daily on drop it/leave it at home (see last week's blog post for details). For those puppies who simply cannot walk without picking up everything they find, go back to walking them in your house and yard where you can better control what they find on the ground AND you can work on leave it/drop it in the context of on-leash walking there.

Another leash issue that came up in class was wanting to know what to do about the social butterfly puppy, you know, the one who wants to race up and greet every other dog on walks.  I'm definitely a party-pooper about on leash greetings. I just don't think it's a good idea to let dogs on leash greet one another.  And if you start when your puppy is young and first on leash, never letting them socialize while leashed, they may show interest in other dogs, but they won't be over the top every time they see one as they've never had success meeting other dogs that way.  Even in pre-COVID classes, I never let the puppies interact on leash, keeping owners apart, standing on their puppy's leash.  The puppies did all their interacting unencumbered by leashes. Dogs greeting each other on leash appear strained.  Their faces are distorted, they are pulling on leash, often gasping for air, and dragging their owners behind them.  When they get to one another, it is face-to-face, not face to butt as normal dog greetings would be if there weren't leashes involved. Those face-to-face strained greetings can often result in dogs tangling themselves up in the leashes and then panicking when they are all caught up.  When you drop the leashes to untangle them, you have now put your dog at risk for taking off, dragging the leash behind them.  Better to just acknowledge those other folks out walking their dogs with a friendly "Hello!" and move on with your walk.  That way, your puppy sees you being friendly, but learns that you aren't stopping for more than that.  And definitely walk away from those people hollering "My dog is friendly!" as more often than not, that isn't the case and your puppy doesn't need to have that fear-inducing memory burned into her consciousness and associated with on-leash walking.

Finally, there are a couple of older puppies in the class who are very anxious on leash already.  One had a bad experience with an on-leash greeting and the other is rather timid and fearful naturally.  The pup who had the bad experience barks ferociously at any dog passing by her when on leash; off leash, she plays quite appropriately.  The timid puppy is timid off leash as well, but does pick and choose who to interact with based on their energy level.  When she's on leash, however, any passing dog is assumed to be an enemy and she will growl and snap.  Thankfully, when we walk on leash in class, social distancing is in place and no dog/dog greetings happen.  Hopefully through repeated exposures to this type of on leash walking will help these two pups to relax, focus more on sniffing at the treats dropped by their owners, and respond favorably to the loosened leashes and less anxious owners they call their own. Interestingly enough, when I took each of these puppy's leashes and walked them myself, I saw much less of the anxious behavior.  Why?  Because I wasn't cuing the them to react by shortening their leash, talking in an anxious voice, etc. Instead, I put the focus on me and the treats in my hand pointing out great sniffs to be had and other things to look at in the environment.  The puppies were still alert and were definitely still anxious, but much less so with that on-leash experience than with what they were used to doing with their owners.  We definitely have a lot more work to do on leash in class for everyone to feel confident and successful!

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

Jessica loose leash walking Westley on a trail when he was just 9 months old!