Stress and Your Dog

A common theme of the conference I recently attended was stress.  We heard about stress in the shelter environment, stress in the home, and even stress in utero; that is puppies born to stressed mothers are inherently different than those whose mothers aren't subjected to stress. Stress can be good, it can be tolerable, and it can be toxic.  We need to understand the differences between these three types of stress and their effects on the bodies and the brains of our beloved companion dogs.

Good stress is basically just a challenging experience that is rewarding for your dog in the long run.  So, if your dog competes in agility or dock diving, for example, they are under stress while competing, but if they get a rush from that challenge, then that ultimately is good stress.

Tolerable stress is a negative experience that your dog is able to adjust to and move beyond with the aid of social support. Events that result in tolerable stress are still inherently distressing, but the effects are transient. Thus, for most of our dogs, a trip to the vet falls in the category of tolerable stress.

Toxic stress is also a negative experience, but it is one from which an animal is unable to escape or cope. It isn't the stressor itself necessarily that matters here, it is the animal's inability to cope with that stressor that is the crux of the matter.  For many shelter dogs, confined to cement cages and subjected to constant noise and tension is a form of toxic stress.While acute stress can be beneficial to an animal and help them learn to cope, chronic or toxic stress can have a serious negative impact on health and well-being.  Toxic stress leads to physiological changes and changes in the brain in ways that are long-lasting.

Puppies born to stressed mothers grow up to be dogs who are hyper-responsive to stress, with increased anxiety and a higher incidence of depression.  Their negative reactions last longer meaning they lack the coping mechanisms to move through their stress. Literally, these puppies are sensitized to stress having long-term repercussions making them vulnerable to anxiety based issues as adolescents and in adulthood.  And these changes can last forever.

Many of my clients share their homes with rescue dogs.  Often these dogs have poor coping strategies and suffer from a variety of behavioral problems rooted in anxiety.  It is likely that many of them had stressed mothers.  Others were raised as singleton puppies and/or in shelter environments will little enrichment or opportunity to gain the social experiences necessary to develop coping strategies and build resilience. By the time these puppies and dogs find their way to my clients' homes, they are already behind the eight ball, so to speak. Their brains and bodies are different and accommodations will need to be made in order to help them succeed and thrive to the best of their abilities.

While this all may seem quite depressing, it is just an overview or foundation from which we can build our strategy for helping these dogs who suffer from toxic stress.  I definitely have some ideas on that front!

For now, if your pet is experiencing a behavior problem, you know where to find me.

This sweet little one was raised by her mother and with all of her siblings in a rich social environment filled with the sights and sounds of normal family life. She is well-adjusted and displays appropriate coping mechanisms in response to transient stressors in her environment such as strange noises...and the occasional correction of the resident adult female dog in her new home!

What is ASMR ?

So the internet is abuzz and the topic is ASMR, or Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.  Basically, this is a tingling feeling someone might get that is triggered  by a certain sound they find soothing, relaxing, or appealing. There are literally videos going viral for their ASMR properties for large populations of people.  My daughter told me that I'm kind of a weirdo because for me, the sound of her puppy chewing his veggies makes me tingly-happy.  That "crunch crunch crunch" to me is soothing.  Go figure.  So what did she do?  She sent me a half dozen videos of her puppy catching (and not catching!) baby carrots and apple pieces and crunch crunch crunching them on camera for me.  I am literally blissed out.  But you know me.  I'm a dog nut.

This got me to thinking about dogs, however, and the sounds that trigger them. The good sounds, not the ones that trigger them in a negative way. And wondering if there are certain sounds that give them an ASMR reaction too? And could supplying these "good" sound triggers purposefully for your dog elicit a reduction in their anxiety?  The short answer is YES! The long answer is that a lot more research is needed, but you can start your own research now.

First, you need to figure out what sounds your dog finds relaxing.  These are the sounds that elicit stretching, bowing, happy lip-licking, and for some dogs a little moaning and groaning or happy chomping sounds right before they nod off.  For most dogs, the sound of a plastic bag opening, the refrigerator door opening, the rustle of a food wrapper, etc. elicits a happy response, but they are alert, not necessarily relaxed.  For others, even the sound of a knife slicing something on a cutting board will get that happy response.  Others show these responses to music, white noise, fans, etc.  That is they are happily alert to the sound and then wind down and relax in its presence. Basically, trying to find your dog's ASMR means being a good observer and watching their responses to different sounds and stimuli.

We know that for people, watching and listening to these ASMR videos can reduce their anxiety and help treat their depression.  I find that hopeful as finding creative ways to reduce anxiety in dogs is part of my job.  So, if you find a piece of music, or a certain sound that induces relaxation in your pet, calming and soothing them, maybe even making them happily nod off, please share it with me.

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

One of the videos of my daughter's puppy, Westley, eating his veggies. 

 ASMR for me all the way!

When Your Dog Gets Carsick

I received an email from a client whose adolescent dog is still getting carsick, even on very short car rides.  She is starting to get quite concerned that the dog won't grow out of this behavior and she'll spend her life dreading car rides.  For my client, the amount of drool this dog can generate, plus the vomit, makes for a very unpleasant and stressful experience for everyone involved.

Car sickness is just one type of motion sickness.  While many puppies and young dogs suffer to some extent from car sickness, most will outgrow it by their first birthday when the area of their inner ear associated with balance is fully developed.  Some dogs, however, don't outgrow it until closer to their second birthday, and then there are some dogs, who like some people, just get sick every time they ride in the car. There are things you can do to try to ease their discomfort, but not every technique works for every dog/situation.

Start by having your dog only ride in the car with an empty stomach.  Only drive a short distance and build up to longer rides.  Don't use the A/C, instead roll down the windows.  Make sure your dog is facing forward, either in a crate or using a dog safety harness. Stop frequently and let your dog walk around; this helps them get their "sea legs," so to speak. If your dog begins drooling even before getting in the car because they are anticipating getting sick, try just getting into the car, rolling down the windows, etc. but not going anywhere.  Once they can sit in the car without anxiety, build up to turning the car on, and then going a short distance such as just around the block.

If you must take your carsick dog a long distance, being prepared will help.  Benadryl works for some dogs to make them drowsy and thus calmer, sleeping off their nausea. For other dogs, Benadryl won't work, but CBD oil or CBD treats will, so that's worth a try.  For example, when Ozzie was a puppy and got sick in the car, I discovered that giving him a couple ginger snaps cookies about 30 minutes before a car ride (the Nabisco ones you find at the grocery store!) was sufficient to control his nausea.

Finally, having to bathe your dog after every car ride is no fun.  You can try putting a bib on them to soak up the drool. There are even plastic bibs that come with a "spill pocket" on the front that can work to catch drool and vomit (Ozzie had one of those!).  Some people just put a t-shirt on their dogs to soak up the saliva.  There are carseat covers that are easy to clean and are actually made to cover the seats and protect them from kids that get carsick!

Because dogs that get carsick begin to associate car rides with feeling crappy, you will have to put in some time desensitizing your dog to the car in order to eventually make car rides less of a stressor.  For Ozzie, short car rides facing forward with walks built in, ginger snaps, a plastic bib, and time to outgrow his motion sickness, were what it took.  Now, he loves car rides and can go any distance without an issue.

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

Ozzie loves a good car adventure now, but got very carsick as a puppy.

Who You Gonna Call?!

Did I just make you start singing the "Ghostbusters" theme song?! And why am I even asking you this question?

Earlier this week, I spoke with a client that I have known for close to 15 years.  She and her partner and their pets have worked with me several times during the years I have had the pleasure of their acquaintance.  When something weird/bad/strange happens with their pets, they know who to call. They call me.  We laughed about how some folks might consult the internet (Doctor Google!), or rely on the information they saw on TV, but these folks go to "a trusted source" for their animal behavior questions.  And I so appreciate that they do!

Whether your question is about your own health and well-being, or that of your beloved pets, consulting the internet may not be the best strategy. Oftentimes the answers you find there may be too simplistic at best, and dangerous at worst.  Sometimes the answers you find will be misleading or seem counter-intuitive.  And sometimes the answers you get may seem utterly ridiculous!  I've often joked that I never want to google any of my aches or pains because I'm sure I'll discover that I have some exotic disease for which there is no known cure, rather than simply realizing that my current pain is probably the result of lifting two chunky collie dogs up and down off of the grooming table.

While I love the internet as much as the next person, and I definitely use it to locate resources for myself and my clients, I don't rely on it for diagnostics.  Knowing when you need assistance is the first step, finding out who can help you best is the next one.  And if you are in doubt about what your pet might need, ask your veterinarian first.  You always want to rule out medical causes for changes in behavior first anyway.  Once you've done that, however, you are ready to move forward and consult with an animal behavior specialist.  Plus, your vet can help you decide who it is that you might need. Do you need a veterinary behaviorist?  A certified animal behaviorist like myself? Or does your pet need a really competent dog trainer?  The internet can't help you make those fine-tuning decisions; it can, however, help you locate someone in your area once you know who you are really looking for to help your pet.

I love being a resource for my clients.  I've had clients move out of the area (and out of the country!) who said I would be one of the people they missed the most.  While I am flattered and pleased to be on that list of folks they will miss, I also remind them that a move out of the area doesn't mean we can't still consult, if needed. I happily provide email, phone, and video consults all around the world!  And if the problem is something that can't be addressed other than in person, I am happy to help my clients find the right resource wherever they are located.  Peace of mind from a trusted source and no need to dive too deep into the unknown on the internet!

As always, if you are having a problem with your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.  And now you know that we can "talk" in many different ways no matter where you are located!

My office assistant, Desi, and I are just a phone call or email away!
And he loves being available on the video consultations too!

Thoughts on Misbehavior

I spoke earlier this week with a woman who is very frustrated with her dog.  He pees AND poops in her house!  According to her, this happens all the time and may just be the end of her marriage as her husband has had it with the dog's misbehavior.  She thinks the dog is mad at her and this is how he shows his displeasure. She did take the dog to the vet's office for a check up; nothing medical going on and that's where she got my contact information.

Come to find out that this dog is new to this home; he's been there just two months, and this is his fourth home.  This new home environment is huge (more than 7000 square feet) and also has a toddler in residence.  During my phone conversation with the owner,we were interrupted by said toddler a half dozen times!  When I asked where the dog was while we were talking on the phone and her toddler was running in and out of the room, and the owner didn't know.  So, why am I telling you all of this?  Oh, yeah, misbehavior.

Misbehavior, by definition, means bad behavior.  Toileting is obviously in and of itself not bad behavior. Toileting in this house MIGHT BE, depending on the house.  If this dog had been taught in one of its previous homes to toilet inside on pee pads,for example, then the fact that he toilets now indoors isn't all that surprising, nor is it misbehavior. If we think about the large home space available now, add in the lack of supervision, and a toddler who by all accounts terrorizes the dog, then we have a recipe for disaster.  And a dog who toilets inappropriately.We need to address the underlying reason this dog is toileting in the house, not just talk about the behavior itself.

I suggested treating the dog as if he were a new puppy. By keeping the dog on leash, in his crate, or in an x-pen, she will know where the dog is and she can listen for cues that he has to use the bathroom. If she feeds him two meals a day rather than free-feeding him, she will have a better idea of when he needs to go to the bathroom. Keeping him on leash, in a crate, or in an x-pen also means that she will know when her toddler isn't treating the dog properly and that can be corrected. Obviously, we also discussed how to go about cleaning up all of those previous messes and what to tell her husband we are doing to take action on this issue.

The bottom line:  this example of "misbehavior," isn't really about misbehavior at all. The inappropriate toileting was just a symptom of a much bigger issue.  My hope is that this owner will do all of the things we discussed, even though she is a bit overwhelmed caring for a dog and a toddler.  I did tell her that this dog will need some retraining if he was indeed taught previously to toilet indoors.  We will cross that bridge the next time we talk.  In the meantime, I am crossing my fingers that this all works out. I'd hate to see this nice dog get moved to a fifth new home.

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

Westley loves his crate and crating him certainly 

helped with his house training as a puppy.

Exciting News!

I had the opportunity this morning to be interviewed for a podcast called, "Play With Fire." While I have known Ashly McHatton, the host, for several years, being asked to share my story and my passion for animals with her audience is really exciting.  I've done all sorts of interviews over the years, but this was one I was really looking forward to doing.  As many of you know, I'm in the process of writing a book about my life as an animal behaviorist. I was thrilled to be able to talk about some of these stories and the path I took to get here. I'll let everyone know when my interview goes live, but for now I encourage you to check out the other interviews that are available to listen to on Apple podcasts and Spotify.  All of the interviewees have interesting stories; they will inspire you, make you think, and help you find what fires your passion professionally, personally, or both. Whether you are a creative type, an entrepreneur, an athlete, or none of the above, there is something in this podcast for everyone.

Here are the links:

https://open.spotify.com/show/5Z6iHMK6WM5no7Dtx3rnHr

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/play-with-fire/id1480248726

For the Love of Dogs

I just got back from spending a week in Irvine helping my daughter, Jessica, move into her new apartment.  Among the myriad things she took with her to college, she took her one year old smooth collie, Westley. Those of you who follow me on Instagram, or follow Desi on Facebook, know that Westley has been a breath of fresh air around here for the last three months.  He immediately learned the routine, and provided Ozzie with a much needed playmate.  Don't get me wrong...Desi is a doll, he just doesn't want to play all the time like Ozzie does.  Ozzie and Westley played together, slept near one another, etc.  Ozzie missed Westley (and vice versa) when Jessica would take Westley to visit her dad for just a few days over the summer. Now that Westley is gone for good until the Christmas holidays, Ozzie is downright depressed.  He misses his buddy and I'm pretty sure his little buddy misses him too.

Jessica is doing her part to make sure Westley still sees other dogs.  She is walking him twice daily, taking him to the park and to the beach, and letting him meet nice dogs that live in their apartment complex. She's even reached out to a So Cal group of collie owners and found someone with two rough collies that Westley can play with. Plus, she found a neighbor whose daughter has a smooth collie for Westley to meet soon!

This is all good for Westley, but what am I supposed to do for Ozzie?  I most certainly am not getting a third dog.  I'm pretty sure my spouse would draw the line in the sand if I did that. But Ozzie does need someone to play with.  Looks like I am going to have to start having play dates again at my house for him.  I may even start taking him more places with me just so he can get out and about more as he loves going anywhere I go.  He's such a sweet, sensitive dog, I worry that he will miss Westley too much and then be a total lunatic when Jess brings him back over the holidays. I guess we will just have to play that by ear.  In the meantime, Ozzie will be camped out under my chair and underfoot.  Hoping this bout of depression passes quickly as he's too big to be a lap dog. Although he'd probably be willing to argue otherwise.

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

Westley looks pretty content.  Hoping he's dreaming about his buddy, Ozzie, 

and the mischief they can get into over the holidays!