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!

How Long Is Too Long?

I have just started working with a client who has multiple dogs.  She's been experiencing aggression among the dogs on and off for over a year.  One dog has resource guarding aggression, one is aggressive toward the cat, and all three have gotten into it with each other more than once.  I finally got her to admit that one of the dogs (the cat chaser) has actually bitten her as well. When I asked her why she had waited this long to reach out for help, her answer really floored me.

She figured with enough love, the problems would resolve on their own.

I was rendered speechless (for anyone that knows me, you know that's hard to do!).  I asked her if she'd at least consulted with her veterinarian about the problems.  She said no, that she'd just now approached her vet who quickly handed her my card and sent her my way. At this point, she was obviously embarrassed that she had waited so long to seek help.  I know how hard it is to admit that you have a problem with one or more of your beloved furred or feathered family members. The longer you wait to get help, however, the worse the situation can become. If dogs cannot resolve their issues that are resulting in aggression quickly on their own, then you definitely need help. While it is certainly the case that dogs in multi-dog households will get into it with each other on occasion, these occurrences are rare and sorted out quickly without bloodshed or lasting drama.  Sometimes though the problems are bigger; two dogs who are equally matched, both resource conscious, and neither willing to capitulate, for example. And the dog who constantly harasses the cat isn't just going to stop on its own.  Even dogs who get swatted by the cat may continue to chase and grab the cat, causing injury. In some households, separate territories must be established to get some peace among the animal inhabitants. For others, however, even separate territories causes anxiety for the animals and the humans. When that's the case, it is often best to think about the greater good and consider re- homing one or more of the animals involved.  And, unfortunately, the longer you wait to sort it all out, the more likely you will have to make those hard choices in the end.

As for my client, we have set up separate territories for now.  The dog who starts most of the fights and chases the cat is by himself. The other two dogs and the cat are in a different part of the house.  I have a feeling, based on my observations, that removing the cat chaser from the dynamic will be all it takes to get some peace among the remaining two dogs and the cat, but only time will tell. If that is indeed the case, then my client will have a tough decision to make. She will need to decide whether to keep him separate from the others long term, or whether to re-home him.

As always, if you need help with your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

These goofballs get along amazingly well.  Three male collies, all under one roof...mine!

Why Did My Dog Eat the Couch?!

This was the question a client asked me recently.  Apparently, her new dog had not only taken up residence on the couch, but he was methodically tearing a hole in one of the cushions.  Another client complained that her dog got into every wastebasket in the house that he could find, eating whatever (gross) thing he could find there.  He'd already been to the vet's office once to get his stomach pumped.  Both owners made sure I knew that their dogs had plenty of toys to chew on.  So, why were they getting into trouble?

First off, you can have all the toys in the world, and your dogs will still get into trouble.  Dogs are terminal toddlers.  They bore easily and if left unsupervised will eat your couch and surf the trash.  I'm not saying you have to live with a couch eater/trash panda, I'm just saying that I understand why those dogs do it.  So, what's my solution to this dilemma?  It's actually quite simple.

First of all, pick up all of those toys and put them in a box in the closet.  Every day, bring out a few toys for your dog to play with. This maintains their interest in the toys because they seem new or novel.  You should only have about 5-6 toys out at a time, cycling through the toys every day.  Second, any time you aren't there to supervise your dog, they should be either confined in their crate or x-pen, out in the yard if that's a safe space, or on leash, resting quietly at your side.  Dogs who are in their crates or tethered to their owners get into a lot less trouble. And those young dogs really need that enforced crate time to rest and nap so that they don't engage in the witching hour zoomies every evening! Third, any dog who gets onto a piece of furniture and immediately starts chewing on it should have their furniture privileges revoked until further notice.  It's not safe for them to be up there, and couches aren't easily replaced if this is a persistent problem. Instead, teach them to lay quietly on a dog bed and chew on a toy or bone. Definitely go for one of the tough beds that are a bit more indestructible, but you still need to watch them there as well.

Many destructive dogs aren't just bored, they are anxious.  You need to figure out why they are anxious.  Are they not getting enough mental and physical exercise?  If so, interactive toys at mealtimes and adding in an another walk (or two) with a dog walker or doggie daycare may be in order. If the chewing dog is new to your home, it may be the case that the newness of the situation is the root cause of the anxiety.  Recent rescues need structure, rules, and a schedule that they can predict and understand in order to be less anxious and therefore less destructive.

My client is ordering a new couch for her living room. I'm hoping she takes my advice to heart before it arrives!  As always, if your pet is experiencing a behavior problem, you know where to find me.

Westley loves laying on the couch. And rearranging the pillows to suit himself.