Old School

Recently, I had a wonderful visit with a new puppy owner.  They have had a puppy before, but it's been almost 15 years, so they wanted to meet to get a better understanding of the puppy they have now.  It is such a privilege to be asked to guide a new puppy owner, whether it's their first puppy or their fifth or more!

As I was reviewing house training, the subject came up of taking the puppy over to any accidents and putting his nose in it to teach him not to toilet in the house there again.  It took me a second to realize that this was still a thing that someone might do!  I honestly thought this "technique" went the way of the dodo bird.  Same thing with grabbing a puppy's mouth and closing it tightly to discourage barking or biting.  Is this even still a thing? At this point I realized that while I may have thought that these techniques were archaic and outdated, some people are still doing them.  I know it's hard to break old habits, particularly if you felt they were (somewhat) successful.  However, with all that we know about dog behavior, the benefits of positive reinforcement, etc. I feel like it is time to put these old school methods away and embrace the new.

So, if your puppy has an accident in the house, roll up that newspaper and smack yourself with it. You must not have been watching them closely enough.  Establish regular feeding times, tether your puppy to you so you know where they are (or put them in their crate), and get them outside every 30-45 minutes.  If you do find they've toileted in the house, put them in their crate or pen and go back and clean it up using an enzymatic-based product.  They don't need to see the mistake, nor do they need to be with you when you clean it up. And if you have a puppy who is biting you relentlessly, ask yourself what your puppy is missing. Is he sleep deprived?  Puppies need a lot of sleep and if they don't get it, they are nuts. Are you providing a variety of chewing options for your puppy and rotating those options daily to maintain their interest?  Finally, if your puppy is barking, don't try to hold his mouth closed.  Put something in it!  Redirect him to a toy or a game. If that doesn't work, maybe it's time for a bathroom break/change of scenery and then a nap.

While some old school methods did and probably do still work for some puppies/dogs, the bottom line is that we now know that many of those methods worked simply because it made our dogs afraid to cross us.  These methods often created dogs who did what they were told out of fear, not joy.  And they created a generation of dogs who rarely came when they were called because when they did, something icky happened.

As always, if you have a new puppy, and you'd like some help, don't hesitate to let me know. Puppy 101 is, by far, one of my favorite in-home visits to do!

Here is my buddy, Freddie, who is learning about his world "new school" style. 

He is the picture of confidence and wanting to please!

Random Vacation Thoughts

We just got back from a short trip up the California coast.  I could spend all day every day at the beach.  Watching the waves, hiking on the cliffs, watching the birds.  Heaven for me.  Some of the beaches we walked on allowed dogs, others did not.  Everything was clearly posted, so that made it easy for dog owners to know where they could be and where they couldn't.  We even stayed at a lovely inn where dogs were allowed.  Funniest thing about all of this? We made this trip without our dogs.  That's right.  A real vacation without dogs! While we do enjoy traveling with our dogs (they did a week long trip this summer to Oregon and had a ball), it is often nice to leave them home where they can stay in their normal routine.  Plus, leaving them behind means being able to observe other people and their dogs. Another of my favorite pastimes!  Here are a few things I noticed:

Some people blatantly ignore posted signs.  Oddly enough, there were rangers on the beaches and they ticketed people who brought their dogs onto beaches where they weren't allowed.  No sense in arguing with them either given the amazing signage everywhere which said no dogs allowed.

People letting their dogs chase birds.  This one doesn't bother me too much given that I know the birds can get away before the dogs get to them. But I have often wondered what a rush it must be for those unsuspecting birds!

Unleashed dogs on beaches and walkways where leashes are required.  This is a pet peeve. If it says leashes, please use them. And not those infernal retractable leashes either.  Use a real leash. And if you want your dog to have some distance from you, you can use a long lunge line to do so.  Unleashed dogs are unpleasant for people trying to enjoy the beach who don't like or are afraid of dogs.  Sandy, wet, unleashed dogs who jump up on unsuspecting walkers are also a pet peeve. If you can't control your dog, they really do need to be on leash.

Bringing your pet dog inside the restaurant.  It's not a service dog, therefore this violates California health codes.  So many restaurants have patios dog owners can use. Why make other guests and the wait staff in the restaurant uncomfortable?

Pretending you don't see that your dog just pooped on the sidewalk/beach/boardwalk/trail.  Yes, we are all outside, but that doesn't mean you don't have to pick up behind your dog.  Come on...just because it's a trail off of the beaten path doesn't mean you don't have to pick up behind your pooch.

Nuisance barking.  While many hotels accommodate guests with dogs, they do expect that said dogs will be well-behaved and not bark incessantly.  If you know your dog will bark if you leave them alone in your room, then don't leave them alone.

Two of my favorite new canine friends were Lucy, the pint sized Poodle greeter at the inn where we stayed and a social butterfly of a wirehaired fox terrier we met on the beach.  Definitely got my dog fix.

Do you take your dogs with you on weekend getaways?  Where do you like to go? Any pet peeves?

Ozzie and Desi visiting the Prehistoric Gardens outside Port Orford, Oregon. 

A local attraction that is dog friendly for canines on leash!

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

OK...so maybe it's a little early to be singing holiday songs given that it is only the first week of September.  It's not too early, however, to start thinking about the behavior of your dogs as it relates to the holidays.  Does your dog charge the front door? Bark at guests? Jump up for attention? Sniff crotches? Invite themselves into people's backpacks and bags? Surf the counters and tables? Beg for food? Behave nervously with guests or unfamiliar people? Afraid of kids in Halloween costumes?

If any of these scenarios (or more than one!) sound familiar, then it's time to get started so that your dogs will be under your control and better behaved when the holidays arrive.  Too many dog owners wait until the holidays and holiday stress are upon them to try to get a handle on nuisance behaviors.  Sure, if your dog is crate trained, you can simply put him in his crate when you have guests or parties.  This doesn't, however, address the underlying issues that are leading you to take the path of least resistance.  Instead, teach your dog the way you want him to behave now so that he will understand what you want him to do.  Just as you've taught your dog to sit, stay, come, etc., you must teach him to not jump, stay back from counters and tables, and refrain from nosing into people's personal spaces. Obviously, if your dog is afraid of kids in costumes, then crating them with something fun to chew on is much preferred to trying to desensitize them to unsuspecting children on Halloween.  However, for most of the other issues listed above, a ready solution is at hand.

For example, if your dog jumps up on people for attention.  Stop giving them attention for jumping up.  Period.  Don't admonish them.  Don't try to correct them verbally, because you've done that before. Instead, block them with your knee, turn around, and walk away. Remove yourself completely.  Same goes for dogs that paw for attention or nudge hard, possibly knocking food or beverages out of people's hands.  When they paw or nudge, get up and walk away.  They WANT your attention, so if you remove yourself, they aren't getting what they wanted.  The moment the light bulb goes on above their furry little heads and they sit instead of jumping up, pawing, or nudging, then acknowledge them for a job well done.

So what behaviors do you need to fix before the holidays?  Let me know if you need help making your pet's behavior shine this holiday season!

Desi showing off his attentive sit for a holiday cookie!

A Spoonful of Sugar!

I met with a new client this week who told me that I was "magical."  Because I could tell that she had a sense of humor (and she had kids!), I said why, yes. I'm a regular Mary Poppins for dogs!  We both laughed, but it got me to thinking about Mary Poppins...and dogs...and learning.

"In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and SNAP. The job's a game." Mary Poppins

I couldn't agree more.  The reason the client felt today's session was so magical is because I try to make learning fun. Fun for the humans and for their pets, whenever possible. I still have a job to do, and I want my clients and their pets to be successful, but that doesn't mean they can't enjoy doing it.

"And every task you undertake, becomes a piece of cake. A lark. A spree. It's very clear to see."
Mary Poppins

The more we played games that helped solidify the basic commands we were working on with her puppy, the more fun the puppy had showing what he'd learned. I worked with him for a full hour, which is a long time to hold the attention span of a 13 week old puppy, and he did it.  For him, it wasn't work, it was fun. Learning can be fun.

"A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down." Mary Poppins

Work can be fun.  That's true for humans and for their pets.  Turning the mastering of basic commands like sit, down, stand, stay, come, etc. into a game makes it fun for everyone.  An upbeat tone of voice, clear hand signals, and yummy rewards make those rote behaviors easy to learn. Happy puppies make for happy owners.  And happy owners and well-behaved pets make for happy animal behaviorists.

So, what do you think?  Should my next box of business cards say "canine life coach" on them?  Or how about "Mary Poppins for dogs?"  Those are some mighty pointy shoes to fill.  But, I am up to the challenge. And I do speak dog too.

To Come Or Not To Come...That's Your Dog's Question!

We are coming up on week 3 of puppy class and already I am seeing puppies who don't show much interest in coming when they are called.  I know this is frustrating for their owners, but coming when called isn't as much of a "no brainer" as many people might think.  Teaching your dog to come reliably when called is a skill and one that must be worked on from the start.

Young puppies want to please you, so bending down, patting your legs or clapping your hands, and making kissy sounds will likely have a puppy running in your direction.  Add in some love and a couple of treats and you are off to a good start.  Make it fun to come when called by hiding from your puppy and letting them find you.  Or you can toss treats their way and as they scamper off to get the treat, wait for their head to come up.  Then say their name and as they come back your way, toss another treat out for them to get. Be sure to use their name and the word "come!" in an upbeat, positive tone and ONLY WHEN YOU INTEND TO CALL YOUR PUPPY OR DOG FOR SOMETHING THEY WILL CONSIDER POSITIVE.  Thus, don't use the word "come" when you intend to bring your dog indoors when they've been enjoying the outside; when you need to give them a bath or clip their nails; when it's time to go to the vet; or when you are gathering them up to leave the park. Using the command "come" when the outcome for your dog is negative, only serves to make your dog NOT want to come when called!  Instead, just go collect your dog.  Don't waste the value of that "come" command.

And for those of you who take your dogs to off leash parks and areas, please don't let them off those leashes until their recall is foolproof.  If your dog still has a tendency to ignore you in favor of other dogs, other people, or other things, then keep them on leash until they learn the value of coming when called. You can use a long, lunge line (basically an extra long leash) to let them explore safely as you know you can always reel your dog back in if you have to.

Finally, if your dog has made negative associations with the word "come," then change the command you plan to use and teach them the behavior all over again, but this time as a positive. Never get frustrated or angry with a dog who is slow to come to you. Rather, get excited when they do and offer them payment for a job (sort of) well done. They will be much more likely to come the next time you call. And if you are still having trouble, let me know. I can teach you some games and give you some other tools to help get your dog back on track and happily coming when you call.

Ozzie and Desi like to play the "Pied Piper" game, one of many that improves recall!

Puppies, Classes, & Vaccines...Oh My!

I started a new round of puppy classes last week.  Before the class even began, I received more than one text and/or email from a new puppy owner saying that they wanted to take my class, but they couldn't because their puppy wasn't fully vaccinated yet. I had to count to ten before I could respond to these messages as I, quite frankly, thought we dog owners were past this. I find it incredibly frustrating that this issue seems to persist.  Why are new puppy owners still thinking that they have to wait until their puppies are 4 months old (or older if they have some of the immune compromised breeds like Rottweilers, for example) to start puppy classes? 

In an effort to calm myself, and provide these well-meaning new puppy owners with solid information, I did some more research on the topic of puppies, vaccines, and puppy socialization classes.  The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) has published on this topic several times. Their membership is comprised of veterinarians who specialize in or have a unique interest in animal behavior.  Because they are veterinarians, they can speak knowledgeably and with authority on issues regarding vaccines.  As such, their official position is that it is important for puppies to attend puppy training and socialization classes BEFORE 12 weeks of age, and preferably as soon as they take up residence in their new homes, thus at 8-10 weeks of age. Yes, this means that puppies attending puppy classes will not be fully vaccinated; all attendees will have roughly the same vaccine history when they begin their classes.

Here are what veterinarians in the AVSAB are saying:

"Well-run puppy classes undoubtedly provide the basis for happy, healthy dogs and happy owners. The risks of a puppy's exposure to infectious agents always need to be considered, but the risk of being euthanized or surrendered is much greater in unsocialized, untrained dogs than the risk of dying from infectious diseases." Kersti Seksel, DVM

"For puppies, the single most important part of a behavioral wellness program is proper socialization during their critical developmental period, which ends by 16 weeks. Owners must begin socialization the day they bring their new puppies home, and the clock is ticking."  Brenda Griffin, DVM

"The risks associated with attending puppy classes are minimal to nonexistent and the benefits are positively huge: Puppies learn 1) bite inhibition through puppy play and 2) proper interaction with people during off-leash play and while being handled by strangers. And owners learn to train their puppies in a controlled setting in which training is integrated with play. In this setting, a puppy's reward for training is play with other dogs." Ian Dunbar, DVM

"Relatively few risks and enormous benefits exist in allowing puppies to interact in a well-run puppy class before they've completed their vaccination series. Canine parvovirus transmission is the main risk, as the other infectious agents we vaccinate against are either comparatively rare in prevalence and the vaccines are highly effective, or the agents cause relatively minor illness in otherwise healthy puppies. The risk is relatively small, but it can't be ignored, and it must be balanced against the serious behavioral risks of holding puppies back from class until they are fully vaccinated. Specifically, poorly socialized puppies are at greater risk of behavior problems." Jennifer Messer, DVM

I am hoping that this post generates some good discussion among the behaviorists, dog trainers, and veterinarians that I know.  I wholeheartedly believe that puppy classes, held in a safe, clean, controlled, well-maintained environment for puppies 8 weeks of age and up are incredibly important and should be available to every new puppy owner so that they can know that they are doing what is best for their family's newest addition. No guilt. No fear.  Just good science.

Ozzie had the hardest time staying awake for all of puppy class!

Your Dog's Pearly Whites!

Recently, I posted a picture on Facebook of a dog having his teeth brushed.  What spurred me to make that post was the fact that I had just brushed teeth for three dogs, my two collies, and a visiting Cavalier!  While all three dogs are pretty good about having their teeth brushed (they are not afraid, they don't try to escape, bite, or clench so hard that you can't actually brush their teeth), I wouldn't say that it is their favorite thing.  I have met dogs who love having their teeth brushed. Years ago, I house-sat for a client whose Golden Retriever would run to the bathroom and grab his toothbrush off the counter and wait for you to brush his teeth when you did your own! His owner had made it fun as a puppy by brushing her teeth and his at the same time of day. I have to say, her dog had the best teeth I've ever seen; brushing twice a day really works!  For my dogs, brushing their teeth is hit or miss. Meaning, if I remember to do it, it gets done. If I forget, it won't happen. And I know that there are plenty of dogs out there who hate having their teeth brushed, some going so far as to bite their owners if they even try it.  I am always asked if there are viable alternatives to brushing.  There are indeed, but how you use these products makes all the difference in the world with regard to how successful they will be in maintaining your dog's oral health.  The take home message is this: Anything you do to help prevent plaque and tartar accumulating on your dog's teeth is beneficial. The key factor is doing whatever it is that you do consistently and daily to reap those long term benefits.  And combining more than one method will help you to get the best results.

According to the American Veterinary Dental College, brushing your dog's teeth with toothpaste formulated specifically for dogs is the single best way to maintain your dog's oral health.  This does make sense even in humans; when you brush your teeth, the scrubbing action in combination with the abrasive texture of the toothpaste helps to knock tartar off of teeth and cut through plaque on the surface. The key is to brush the teeth daily, ideally twice daily, following meals. For dogs, there are multiple styles of toothbrush available, most are slanted so that you can reach a dog's back teeth.  However, there are also finger brushes that you can slide on one of your fingers to reach into a smaller mouth.  It is also fine to use a pediatric tooth brush.  Just remember you need to use dog toothpaste. Human toothpaste isn't designed to be swallowed and is therefore dangerous to dogs. If you have never brushed your dog's teeth before, or you are teaching your puppy, take it slow.  Let them sniff the wet brush.  Add the toothpaste and let them simply lick it off. Begin tipping the brush sideways and try to gently rub those front teeth (incisors).  If they are accepting of this, begin working on the cheek teeth.  Once you can do this, you are ready to open your dog's mouth so you can get to the inside surfaces of their teeth closest to their tongue. Take it slow.  Benefits can even be gained by using a finger to rub dog toothpaste on the tooth surfaces you can easily reach. While I know that dogs can be trained to allow you to use an electric toothbrush on their teeth, this isn't where you start the process!  Take it easy and build up to being more invasive in your cleaning.

For dogs who just won't let you use a brush, think about trying dental wipes, dental gels, or oral rinses. These products usually contain something called "Chlorhexidine"which is an effective anti-plaque antiseptic.  It tastes icky, however, so you will want to choose a product that is flavored to mask that bitter taste. Dental wipes and dental gels are pretty self explanatory; you rub them on the teeth, hoping to reach them all.  The oral rinses come in two types, one that you squeeze into your pet's mouth and it will get swished around and then drooled out or swallowed (definitely do this outside!) or a type that can be added to their water bowl.  If your dog is picky about his water bowl, however, don't use the type that is added to water as you would never want to discourage your dog from drinking water regularly. These products, except for the water additive, require that you be able to get into your dog's mouth successfully. What can you use if you can't get your dog to let you into his mouth?

There are several dental diets on the market. Some have the food shaped to help provide an abrasive surface on the teeth while others are diets coated in cleaning agents to scrub your dog's teeth as they eat.  There are also quite a few different types of chews out there that also combine an odd surface and treated coating to tackle plaque on the teeth. I have always been a fan of real bones too, but many veterinary dentists discourage the use of real bones as they can chip or fracture teeth.  Any chew or bone given to your dogs should be given when you can observe them to keep things safe.

It can be difficult, however, to decide which of these products will really do what they claim to do.  Your best bet is to choose products with the "VOHC Accepted Product" label.  The VOHC is the Veterinary Oral Health Counsel. Basically, the equivalent of the "American Dental Association" for our pets.  You can visit their website at www.VOHC.org and click on the link for accepted products for dogs. They also have a list of accepted products for cats. This list also provides you with information on where the product can be purchased as some are only available through your veterinarian. Here is the direct link to that list:

http://www.vohc.org/VOHCAcceptedProductsTable_Dogs.pdf

Finally, some of you asked what I give to my dogs since, obviously, I am not brushing their teeth every day. I don't give real bones any more as they aren't good for Desi who has some teeth issues. I do give the collies Nutri Dent Dental Chew Treats daily.  These look like "Greenies," but I've found they don't upset my dogs' stomachs like Greenies do and they only contain 8 ingredients total. Ozzie and Desi like the filet mignon flavor, in case you were wondering!  Nutri dent chews come in several sizes so there is one for ever sized dog. My dogs also enjoy CET Chews from the Virbac company.  CET chews come in several varieties including flips, sticks, and rawhide-like chews. These products are all coated in Chlorhexidine, so they provide an enzymatic cleaning action.

Finally, regularly playing with hard-surfaced toys like Nylabones or ones made of braided rope ("flossies") *may* help with oral health maintenance. However, your dogs need to play with these toys regularly and vigorously to gain any traction with plaque and tartar build up. And some dogs have been known to lose teeth playing with these toys, or chip teeth, so you will still need to supervise them.