I'm Officially a Grandma!

Yep, you read that right.  I am a proud Grandma to my first granddog, an almost 10 month old smooth collie named Westley.  He belongs to my daughter, Jessica, and is her first dog of her very own.  Exciting times!  Several people have asked me if there are things I tell my family members that I don't tell my clients with respect to behavior, training, etc. I always find that so funny! Like I'm keeping the "good stuff" for the folks I'm related to and keeping it from everyone else.  That's not me at all!  Jessica is getting the same advice, instruction, and guidance that I've provided to my clients with puppies over the years.  My hope is that she will find it all helpful and encouraging as she moves forward with her new dog and all of their new adventures. 

So, in lieu of an informational blog post this week, I'm just gonna spam everyone with cute pictures of my granddog.  Sorry not sorry ;)

Hot Diggity Dog!

Got a call today from a woman who was furious because her dog was digging so much that her backyard looked like the surface of the moon!  She'd never had a dog that dug before, so the first step was talking about why dogs dig.

All dogs have the potential to be diggers as digging can be quite adaptive.  If a dog is hot, for example, they may dig a hole in the cool dirt to lay in.  If a dog is cold, they may dig a hole to bury themselves in to retain heat.  If a dog has a prized resource such as a bone, and they want to save that treat for later, they may dig a hole to bury it.  And a lot of dogs dig because they see or hear something below the surface and want to get at it (moles, gophers, etc).

Of course, it goes without saying, that there are dogs that dig because they are bored.  Maybe they saw you digging and planting in an area so they figure that's what must be done there!  Maybe they could hear the neighbors next door in their yard, so they are digging under the fence to escape to the great beyond and greener pastures.

So, the first step then in dealing with a digging dog is to determine why they are digging.  In the case of the client mentioned above, she had a young male terrier.  Terriers definitely have a breed predisposition toward digging!  Add to it the fact that this dog owner has had an ongoing problem with burrowing pests in her yard, and now you know why her yard looks like a lunar landscape!  While she thought she'd taken care of the moles, her dog knew better.  I observed him cocking his head, staring at the ground, moving from spot to spot, and then digging. Just because the owner hadn't seen any telltale mounds of uprooted dirt in her yard of late didn't mean the pesky moles were gone.  Now, she needs to bring in a professional exterminator who uses deterrents that are safe in a yard with dogs.  I also suggested that she embrace who her dog truly is...an avid digger!

If you have a dog that likes to dig, let em dig!  You can't make them stop digging without creating undue anxiety. Instead, provide them with a digging area.  Choose a spot in your yard where it is okay to dig. Or build them a sandbox for digging.  Or, you can even use a plastic kids wading pool filled with dirt, sand, etc. Bury interesting items in this approved digging area; carrots, dog cookies, and bones will work.  Make sure your dog sees you burying those treasures.  Refresh the treasures regularly and make sure the substrate remains good for digging. So, if the dirt gets too hard to dig, add water or change the dirt.  You don't want your dog switching his digging from the approved area to your well-watered and tended garden!

You most certainly can put up barriers to your beloved gardens to keep your dogs from digging there. Just remember, however, that they still want to dig and need to dig, so give them an area where it is safe and okay to do so. If they get in your garden, redirect them to their own digging area.  And if you are using sand in your digging area, remember to cover it at night so the neighborhood cats don't use it as an outdoor litterbox!

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

Ozzie investigating a spot in our yard where moles have been digging...again!

If You Take a Dog to a Festival...

On Sunday, my son and I took the collies for a pet assisted therapy visit to a senior living facility.  The weekend before, I took Ozzie to a local kite festival.  I love taking my dogs with me whenever I can.  I think it's good for them to get out of their own backyard, and I think it's good for the public to see well-mannered dogs out and about.  I know I've talked about this more than once, but I feel compelled to talk about it yet again.

I would not take my dogs on these outings if I didn't think that they enjoyed them.  If either dog had not wanted to go on the therapy visit today, that dog could have stayed home.  As it was, they were both dancing around happily waiting for their special leashes they wear on their visits.  And last week at the kite festival, I watched Ozzie to see if he was getting tired, bored, or anxious.  He wasn't at all, so we stayed and watched the festivities.  It was interesting to note, however, that there were people at the festival whose dogs were clearly anxious about being there.  It's one thing to want to go to those types of events yourself, it's a whole other level of responsibility to take your dogs to them.  Dog owners need to make sure their dogs are ready for crowds, noise, strangers touching them uninvited, etc.  It's a fact that dogs who attend festivals will get approached and they will get touched whether you want that or not. If you don't want that, or your dog can't handle that, then don't bring them.  I KNOW people should ask if they can touch your dog, but frankly, they won't always do that and you need to be prepared.

Now, on a pet assisted therapy visit, it's expected that the pets attending like to be touched. A lot.  I find that while Ozzie has learned to enjoy these visits, he's game for about 30-45 minutes of this kind of intense attention from strangers and then he's ready to go, while Desi could stay much longer, especially if we are some place that is air conditioned!  I know my dogs. If a visit will run longer than 45 minutes, Ozzie and I just head out when he's done and he walks around outside sniffing until Desi is done with his visit.  I don't push my dogs, so they trust me.

It really was a pleasure doing that visit with both dogs and my son.  With Taylor being a senior now in high school, I know his free time is becoming less and less. Plus, I am certain there will come a time when he can think of better things to do than hang out with his mom.  However, he's always loved doing pet assisted therapy work and he does love his dogs, so I feel blessed. And I could see the pride in his face when people asked about the dogs and told him how beautiful they were, how soft, how well groomed and well-behaved, etc.  I always want my dogs to represent their breed well and be good ambassadors.  But, I know my dogs reflect back on me too as a dog owner and as an animal behaviorist.  Thus, I am cognizant of their likes and dislikes and I don't push them to perform.  I want them to enjoy our outings together.  Frankly, I think they like all of the extra attention. And I know they love going out to lunch afterward for a special treat.

With more and more businesses and venues allowing dogs on their premises, it falls to us dog owners to know our limitations and those of our dogs.  If your dog can't sit or lay quietly for an hour, don't take them to a busy restaurant.  If they pull on leash and jump on people, don't take them to a crowded street fair.  Be fair to the people around you. Don't let your dog block the sidewalk, push up against other people's tables, etc. I hate when people allow their children to disrupt other guests' experiences in restaurants, and it's just as annoying when it's their dogs that do it.  It doesn't have to be that way.  Practice makes perfect. Start out with short outings and quiet venues and build up to bigger things.  Take notes along the way of what your dog is good at and what needs work.  Finally, be honest with yourself. You can have a perfectly lovely dog that just isn't suitable for taking out in public and that's okay too.

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

Ozzie and Desi keeping an eye on things 

from our table in the shade at Mel's Diner in Walnut Creek,

 after our pet assisted therapy visit!

When Your Work Goes to the Dogs!

When you work from home, every day is “Bring Your Dog to Work Day!” My office décor includes two large, plush dog beds and a big container of treats for when my collies are quiet while I am on the phone. For the rest of the working population, however, June 21^st is National Bring Your Dog to Work Day. What began 20 years ago as a fun way for dog owning employees to celebrate their love for their dogs, has now become a much sought after workplace benefit for many potential employees, particularly among millennials joining the work force. It is indeed the case that many employers are considering allowing dogs in the workplace on a regular basis in order to improve company morale, reduce stress, and increase productivity. They may even use the fact that they have a dog friendly work environment as a hiring tactic!

For businesses, allowing employees to bring their dogs to work can result in less missed hours and days off for employees that must return home to feed/walk/toilet their dogs during the work day. Fewer absences and employees that are happy to stay and work longer hours are a bonus for employers. In addition, the presence of dogs in the workplace encourages interaction and engagement between employees who might not otherwise socialize; dogs are natural ice breakers, bringing people together from different departments. Dogs in the workplace can help reduce employee stress and provide needed relief during tense meetings or encounters. Right now, 8% of U.S. workplaces allow dogs. According to a 2017 study reported in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, the feeling of social support is key to whether people with serious mental illness return to work or remain employed. Some familiar companies that currently allow dogs in the work place are Amazon, Nestle-Purina, Google, WorkDay, Zynga, Zoosk, Etsy, Bissel, and Clif Bars, just to name a few.

But what is the potential downside to dogs in the workplace for employers? The biggest risk is legal or insurance issues surrounding aggressive incidents involving dogs on the work premises. An aggressive dog who hurts another dog, hurts another employee, or hurts a customer is a liability for the employer. Thus, most employers that allow their employees to bring dogs to work with them do have requirements that the dogs be free of issues in aggression or fear and any dog who does not behave appropriately must be removed and not return, for safety reasons.

Having dogs in the workplace certainly doesn't work for everyone. People who don't like dogs or are afraid of them will not want to work in that environment or patronize that business. Some employees may be allergic to dogs; it is estimated that 3 in 10 people are allergic to furred animals. While there are a few dog breeds that have hair rather than fur, the majority are furred thus creating an uncomfortable situation for allergy sufferers. Add in that dogs bark and said barking could occur when someone in the office is on an important phone call, and you have one more reason to reconsider dogs at work. While all dog-friendly employers require dogs to be house-trained before coming to work with their owners, occasional accidents may happen leading to property damage for employers. And, finally, it is often argued that the biggest benefit of dogs in the workplace is afforded to the dog owners themselves; everyone else may receive some benefit, but it will be minimal compared to the human attached to that dog.

Have I piqued your interest?  Want to learn more about how to train your dog to join you at work?  Or want help figuring out if the work place is a good environment for your dog? Join my upcoming two session seminar where we will look at what it takes to be a 9-5 workplace canine and how you can get your dog ready to celebrate "Take Your Dog to Work Day!" on Friday June 21st!  Here's the link to the class:

https://adobedogs.dogbizpro.com/Public/Registration/Index.aspx?schedule=636

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

When Dogs Growl

During a recent pet assisted therapy class, I had a new volunteer ask me what she should do when her dog occasionally growls at other dogs.  My immediate response was to say, "listen to your dog!"  Growling is just one of the many ways a dog can signal increasing discomfort.  Your response (or the other dog's response) to that growl will likely determine whether your dog feels the need to escalate their behavior at this point, or whether they can shake it off and move on.  What you don't want to do when your dog growls is admonish or punish them. If you punish away this signal, your dog may just snap or bite instead.  At least if you hear your dog growl, you have a chance to recognize their anxiety and potentially alter the situation to make them less stressed.  How about a couple of examples?

Let's say, as with the dog in class, that you have a small dog who growls when larger dogs get in his face when on leash. That same dog turns and moves away when off leash, but will growl and then snap if the big dog persists.  In this case, the growl is appropriate. The smaller dog is telling he bigger dog on leash,"Hey!  You're in my space and you're making me anxious! Back off!" The larger dog *should* respond by backing off in appeasement.  At the very least, the bigger dog's owner should apologize for the rude dog and move them away.

But what if that little dog is on the owner's lap and growls at a passing dog that doesn't even glance at the little guy? In this example, the little dog is guarding his owner's lap and should be placed on the floor when he growls.  He needs to understand that the human is not pleased with the guarding behavior and that such behavior will result in the dog not being allowed on the human's lap. By the same token, if your dog growls at YOU when you walk past him chewing on a bone, or eating from his bowl, or while laying on his bed, those are also examples of resource guarding that you need to address.  Again, you don't want to punish your dog for growling as that was a clear signal to you that you needed to hear. However, you don't have to just live with a dog who growls at you and guards resources.  Get the help you need!

And by all means remember that there are many different growls.  You can even hear dogs growl while they are playing with each other, playing with you, and while playing alone with their toys!  Not all growls are the same, nor do they all signal danger.  Remember, too, that while you know what your dog means with their growl, not everyone you meet will understand that.  So, in the example of a dog doing pet assisted therapy, those growls are risky.  A lot of the people we visit when doing pet therapy work don't have much dog experience, so any kind of growl is bad from their point of view. Thus, in that realm, I ask owners of dogs who growl to take note of the situation and make adjustments right then and there to ease tensions.  If a dog growls on the owner's lap, then they can't be on the owner's lap during visits. If they growl when rushed by other dogs, then the other dogs on the team need a lesson in polite social distances.  Again, I'm not telling the volunteers whose dogs growl that they need to punish their dogs or that they can't participate in pet assisted therapy. What I AM saying is that they need to listen to their dogs and adjust THEIR own behavior to help their dogs be more comfortable and not need to growl to make their discomfort known.  Oftentimes, owners inadvertently put their dogs into situations that lead to anxiety and growling.  We need to address that problem first and foremost to keep our pet assisted therapy visits safe.

Bottom line? Not all growls mean aggression.  Some growls can easily be extinguished with a few changes to the human handler's behavior. However, if you are dealing with escalating aggression, and your dog's growl quickly moves to a lunge/snap/or bite, seek help.  As always, you know where to find me.

Little dogs often feel threatened when bigger dogs

 get in their faces, particularly when on leash.

Make Your Summer Plans Now!

It always happens this time of year.  From now through September, I will receive endless queries about what to do with the family pets while the humans are on vacation. I always try to be helpful with my suggestions, but frankly, people who are leaving in a week for a month long trip and have yet to figure out what to do with their animals are very frustrating to me!  There are all sorts of options out there IF you plan ahead.  If you leave your decision to the last minute, you are likely to be out of luck, or to only find limited choices available. There also seems to be a great deal of negativity out there with regard to boarding facilities.  That is, many dog owners seem to think that traditional boarding situations are archaic and not appropriate for any dog, which simply isn't true.  So, with that in mind, here are my thoughts on your different options for your pet's care while you are away.

Boarding facilities come in many forms. There are facilities where the animals are housed in cages or runs for the duration of their stay. There are others where the dogs are taken out of their cages or runs for exercise in a fenced area alone or in small groups. There are others where dogs are grouped daily for exercise or interaction, much like doggie daycare. There are even facilities that allow multiple dogs to board in the same area, thus allowing dogs that live together at home to stay together while away from home.  Which of these scenarios would work best depends on the needs of your particular pet.  If your dog doesn't get along with other dogs, then boarding and exercise alone are a must, for example.  If your dog is a social butterfly, then boarding where there is an emphasis on group play with supervision is a better option. If your pet is aggressive toward people, then they may need to stay in an area with minimal interaction for their safety and the safety of their caregivers.  If you have a pet with medical needs, you can still choose to board them. You should plan, however, on additional fees being charged for that service.  And if your pet has a lot of medical concerns you may prefer to board them at your veterinarian's office, if that is an option available.

For some animals, the best option while you are away is a board and train type facility where they can receive additional training in problem areas while you are gone, in addition to having a place to stay.  Not all board and train facilities are created equal, however, so you will need to do your homework well in advance to insure that the choice you make is in your pet's best interest.

Many pet owners really want one-on-one care for their pets when they are away, but don't feel comfortable inviting a stranger into their home to house-sit.  If that is the case, there are certainly pet sitters out there who provide pet care in their own homes.  These sitters book up fast as they can only accommodate so many pet guests at any given time.  Expect to be interviewed and have your pets assessed for suitability in the homes of these pet sitters. It is likely that your pet will not be their only guest, however, so if your pet doesn't get along with others, then be sure to state that clearly so additional arrangements can be made.

If you feel comfortable having someone stay in your home to care for your pets, this is often a good choice from your pets' point of view. They get to stay in their own environment with all of their familiar things.  Be sure to leave the pet sitter specifics about your pet's daily life so that they can mirror those activities as closely as possible.  If your pet suffers from separation anxiety, be sure to let the sitter know this as you don't want them leaving your pet alone for extended periods of time thus increasing the stress.  If your pet gets nervous with strangers, however, then a pet sitter in your home might not be a good option unless you can choose a sitter that your pet already knows and is comfortable being with in your absence.

Multiple pets, any pets with special needs, geriatric pets, and those with behavior problems will require extra attention and that extra attention will come at an additional expense to you.  You have to plan for this and understand that not every boarding facility, pet sitter, or house sitter is equipped to deal with medical issues, behavior problems like aggression, or an elderly incontinent pet, for example.

It's my habit to plan out where my dogs will go FIRST, and then plan my vacation around that.  I have a select few people that I like to leave my dogs with and/or have in my home to care for them. It has been the case, more than once, that I've changed plans because I couldn't arrange for their care in a way I felt comfortable with.  That's just part of pet guardianship!  I was picky when it came to the babysitters/caregivers for my children. I am no less picky when it comes to my dogs.

Here's hoping that all of your summer vacation plans come together seamlessly!  As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

Understanding Your Dog

This morning, I was speaking with a new client and she said something that I found so insightful. I loved that she was able to see this so clearly and know it was a problem worth exploring with me.  Definitely a conversation worth sharing with all of you as well.

She has a young dog that she is showing in conformation.  At home, the dog is happy and content.  She feels the dog enjoys her daily walks and enjoys training.  However, when they get to a dog show, or anywhere really that isn't their home or neighborhood, the dog is anxious and sad. When she looks at video from the ring, all she sees is a very unhappy, often frightened, dog.  She has decided to quit showing this dog until we can help her "find her joy." And, yes, she has ruled out medical causes for her dog's behavior.  This dog is not in physical pain, nor is she physically ill. She is afraid and panics when in big, public places.  If she were a person we would say she has agoraphobia.  We might even label her expression as depressed. Because she is a dog, however, people seem to hesitate to use these these terms for fear of being told they are "anthropomorphizing" or "humanizing" an animal. Why is that?

Dogs are mammals.  We are mammals. To think that we are the only mammals in the animal kingdom to feel emotions like joy, happiness, depression, or fear is very narrow-minded.  In fact, there are studies which show that other animals besides mammals experience these emotions and more. Having an emotional life and emotional awareness helps individuals make connections with others necessary for their survival. If you want to get "science-y" about it, break it down this way.  Emotions are fueled by hormones and neurotransmitters, and those are not limited to humans, but found in all other vertebrates, and many invertebrates as well. While it may be difficult to test and prove that a dog feels guilt or that a rat enjoys being tickled, it does not mean that those emotions don't exist for those animals, nor does it make those emotions any less important to their well-being. Maybe the fault lies with our inability to accurately assess/measure those emotions in anyone but ourselves.

So, back to the dog.  We are going to treat the fear and depression using a combination of drug therapy and behavior modification.  We are going to help this dog overcome her fear of crowds and large spaces and see if she can ultimately enjoy being out in public. Her owner is less concerned with her returning to the show ring, and more concerned with her being a happy, well-rounded dog who can enjoy being out and about.  She doesn't want her dog to be anxious and afraid any more.  Neither do I.  The bottom line is this: we need to show some empathy and some compassion.  Understanding how much our animals are just like us is the first step.  Realizing how much we have in common with other animals keeps us humble and helps us stay connected to our world.

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

We have more in common with dogs than you might think!