Homemade Frozen Dog Treats

By

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June 21, 2022

popsicles for dogs — For “pupsicles,” use an edible “stick” such as a slice of carrot. The downside of frozen treats is that they melt, and melting treats can be messy. If you’re feeding indoors, try serving frozen dog treats on a towel, mat, or other surface that protects furniture and flooring.

Our dogs are just as fond of ice cream, popsicles, and other frozen treats as we are. But frozen treats, including those sold for pets, can be high in sugar, difficult to digest, expensive, or contain artificial flavors, colors, and even potentially dangerous ingredients.

Fortunately, it’s easy to save money, add variety, improve the nutritional content of your dog’s treats, and help your hot dog cool down as temperatures climb with these homemade frozen dog treats.

How to Make The Best Frozen Dog Treats in Town

Ingredients: Avoid ingredients that are harmful to dogs, such as the sweetener xylitol, macadamia nuts, grapes, raisins, onions, and chocolate. Prevent unwanted weight gain by limiting fruits, fruit juices, and other sources of sugar, and feed all “extra” treats in moderation.

Many dogs are lactose-intolerant, which can make regular ice cream and frozen milk products indigestible. Substituting fermented dairy products like yogurt or kefir, or using unsweetened coconut milk, which is lactose-free, helps dogs avoid digestive problems.

Equipment: Recommended equipment includes a sharp knife and cutting board, blender or food processor, and something to hold and shape treats during freezing, such as simple ice cube trays, sturdy rubber chew toys, popsicle molds, paper cups, silicone molds, wooden strips, and edible sticks.

Storage: Once treats are frozen, place them in air-tight freezer containers or zip-lock bags for freezer storage. This prevents sublimation, during which frozen foods dehydrate, and it prevents the transmission of odors to and from other foods.

Frozen Dog Treat Disclaimer: If your dog loves to chew ice cubes, she’s not alone – but ice cubes are potentially hazardous. According to Tennessee pet dentist Barden Greenfield, DVM, “Dogs have a tendency to chew too hard and the force of breaking ice is substantial. This leads to a slab fracture (broken tooth) of the upper 4th premolar, which many times exposes the pulp, leading to tremendous oral pain and discomfort. Treatment options are root canal therapy or surgical removal.”

The risk of breaking a tooth increases with the size of frozen cubes, so avoid this problem by freezing small cubes, offer shaved ice instead of cubes, or add ingredients that produce softer cubes, such as those described here. Small amounts of honey, which can have health benefits for dogs, help prevent a “too hard” freeze.

Use whatever safe ingredients you have on hand, and experiment with quantities. There is no single “right” way to make a frozen treat that your dog will relish. An easy way to predict whether your dog will enjoy a frozen treat is to offer a taste (such as a teaspoon) before freezing. If your dog loves it, perfect. If not, add a more interesting bonus ingredient.

Simple Frozen Kong Ideas for Easy Frozen Dog Treats

Nothing could be easier than filling a sturdy dishwasher-safe, nontoxic, hollow, hard rubber toy such as a Classic Kong with any of the following ingredients before leaving it in the freezer. Block any extra holes to prevent leakage, leaving one large hole open for filling. Popular dog-safe ingredient options include:

Mashed ripe banana
Pureed soft fruit or vegetables (remove seeds or pits before blending)
Canned dog food
Nut butter (look for sugar-free peanut butter or other nut butters that do not contain xylitol)
Diced apple
Chopped or shredded carrots
Shredded unsweetened coconut
Plain unsweetened yogurt or kefir
Dog treats

Combine your dog’s favorite ingredients and fill the hollow toy. If desired, seal the top with a layer of peanut butter, squeeze cheese, or a dog treat paste such as Kong’s Stuffin’ Paste. Store the toy so its contents remain in place while freezing. For storage, keep frozen Kongs in a sealed freezer container or zip-lock bag.

Another simple summer treat is a few chunks of frozen dog-safe fruits or vegetables delivered by hand or in a small bowl, such as banana, apple, peach, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, or green beans.

frozen dog treats made some ice trays and popsicles for dogs — Dogs love frozen treats. Make them more fun with fancy ice cube trays, or make nutrient-filled popsicles for dogs.

Ice Cube Treats for Dogs

Any liquid that your dog enjoys will work well as a simple frozen ice cube. Follow these instructions to make a frozen dog treat in an ice cube tray:

Choose any of your dog’s favorite dog safe ingredients like bananas, apples, watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple, peaches, sugar-free (and xylitol-free) yogurt or kefir, coconut milk, cooked or baked sweet potato, cooked vegetables, peanut butter, and/or canned or cooked fish, meat, or poultry.
Using a blender or food processor, combine the ingredients to create a puree, one that’s thin enough to pour.
After freezing, remove the treats to zip-lock bags for freezer storage.

Adding a surprise to your frozen dog treats!

Adding a surprise in the middle turns ice into a fun game. Some of my dog’s favorite bases include:

Salt-free or low-salt bone broth
Water pureed with a small amount of cooked meat or fish
Broth or water mixed with unsweetened coconut milk

Fill your ice cube tray halfway and freeze. Then remove the tray from the freezer and add in the center of each cube a small treat such as:

Blueberries, cut strawberries, banana slices, or other cut fruit
A piece of cooked meat
A small training treat
A dollop of peanut butter

Fill the ice cube tray to the top with the same or a different base liquid and place it back in the freezer. After the cubes have frozen solid (usually within 4 hours), store them in zip-lock bags.

Make it fancy!

Silicone molds can turn any simple treat into something extra special. (Okay, the dogs won’t notice, but you and your human friends will be impressed!) Place your silicone molds on a cookie sheet and arrange enough freezer space to hold them flat during freezing.

Homemade Ice Cream for Dogs

Soft Serve for Dogs

Follow these instructions to create a soft, swirly frozen confection:

Cut ripe fruit such as watermelon or other melon (remove seeds as you go) into chunks and freeze them for at least 4 hours.
In a blender or food processor, combine 2 cups frozen fruit with 1/4 cup plain unsweetened yogurt, kefir, or coconut milk. Blend well to achieve a soft-serve consistency.
Serve in an ice cream cone, paper cup, or small bowl, place some in a hollow toy, or add it on top of your dog’s dinner.

Pupsicles – Popsicles for Dogs

It’s fun to serve a frozen fruit smoothie or another frozen treat on a stick to your best friend, and there are dozens of do-it-yourself popsicle molds to choose from. Take a look online for inspiration. For convenience, paper cups work just as well. Here’s how to make popsicles for your dog:

In your blender or food processor, combine dog safe ingredients such as frozen banana pieces, unsweetened nut butter, unsweetened yogurt or kefir, bacon bits, coconut milk, and/or meat, fish, or poultry.
Aim for the consistency of a thick milkshake.
Fill the popsicle molds and add an edible “stick” such as a dog biscuit, green bean, slice of carrot or parsnip, bully stick, or sturdy chew toy like a nylon bone.
To remove the pupsicles from their molds, leave them at room temperature for 2 to 3 minutes or run warm water over the outside of the mold.

Will the Rattlesnake Vaccine Protect My Dog?

By

CJ Puotinen

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June 21, 2022

1

rattlesnake vaccine for dogs — Most dogs who are bitten by rattlesnakes survive with treatment, whether or not they’ve been vaccinated with the Crotalus Atrox Toxoid (rattlesnake) vaccine. But when a vaccinated dog survives a rattlesnake bite, at least some credit generally is given to the vaccine, furthering the anecdotal evidence that the vaccine works. However, studies have not shown decreased morbidity (illness)or mortality in vaccinated vs. unvaccinated dogs following a rattlesnake bite. Photo Credits: Isselee / Dreamstime.com

Every year rattlesnakes bite more than 100,000 dogs in the United States, with an estimated 40% of bites resulting in severe reactions and fatal reactions in about 5% of bites. So why wouldn’t every owner in areas where rattlesnakes are common vaccinate their dogs against rattlesnake venom? In brief, because there isn’t any solid proof that the rattlesnake vaccine for dogs works as intended. There are no studies that demonstrate an increased survival rate or a reduced rate of severe reactions among vaccinated dogs.

RATTLESNAKE BITE DANGERS FOR DOGS

Rattlesnake venom causes severe swelling at the bite location (often on the face or paws), bleeding, a dangerous drop in blood pressure, shock, and eventual breathing paralysis. In addition, the venom contains components that can break down proteins, cell membranes, intercellular matrix and/or connective tissue, resulting in painful tissue damage at the site of the bite.

Veterinary clinics in high-risk areas carry antivenin (also known as antivenom), which helps neutralize the venom.

To make rattlesnake antivenin, either sheep or horses (depending on the manufacturer) are injected with small amounts of venom from a number of rattlesnake species. The immune systems of the sheep or horses respond by producing protective immunoglobulins that neutralize the specific toxic antigens in the snakes’ venom. Blood is collected from the animals and the hemoglobin is separated from the plasma; the plasma fraction containing the protective immunoglobulin is used to make the antivenin.

Antivenin is expensive – it costs $450 or more per vial – and sometimes, several vials are needed to counteract the bite’s venom. Dogs who are bitten by rattlesnakes are most likely to survive if they receive prompt treatment, which may include antivenin, fluids, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, antihistamines, hospitalization, and/or surgery.

RATTLESNAKE VACCINE FOR DOGS

Twenty years ago, Red Rock Biologics developed Crotalus Atrox Toxoid (CAT), a rattlesnake bite vaccine for dogs and horses. The inactivated venom used in its production came from western diamondback rattlesnakes; vaccination with CAT elicits production of immunoglobulins capable of binding to and neutralizing the major protein fractions of Crotalus atrox (western diamondback) venom.

The vaccine is labeled only “for protection against the venom of the western diamondback rattlesnake.” However, according to Red Rock Biologics, canine antibodies that develop in response to this vaccine may also recognize and bind proteins in other North American rattlesnake venoms.

The CAT vaccine is given in two doses, administered four weeks apart. It’s recommended to give an additional booster four weeks after the second vaccination for dogs who weigh more than 100 lbs. The vaccine can be given as early as 16 weeks of age, needs to be repeated annually, and should be given a month before snake season begins, as it takes the dog’s body about four weeks to produce peak levels of the antibodies needed for protection.

The vaccine does not offer immunity from the effects of a snake bite. Instead, says the manufacturer, because the dog’s antibodies have been available to neutralize venom components from shortly after the bite, far less tissue destruction should occur than in an unvaccinated animal, and better outcomes are expected.

How effective is the rattlesnake vaccine? That’s the key question. No clinical trials have proved that this vaccine actually works, and a peer-reviewed study published in 2014 found that it did not protect dogs requiring treatment with antivenin (“Effects of the canine rattlesnake vaccine in moderate to severe cases of canine crotalid envenomation,” Veterinary Medicine, October 2014). That study, which examined records of 82 Southern California dogs treated for naturally occurring rattlesnake bites, concluded, “No statistically significant difference in morbidity or mortality between vaccinated and unvaccinated dogs was found. The findings of this study did not identify a significantly protective effect of previous vaccination in the cases of moderate to severe rattlesnake envenomation that require treatment with antivenin.”

Snake Avoidance Training

To protect their dogs, some owners turn to rattlesnake avoidance training. Most avoidance training methods are made available to dog owners through an appointment with someone who is equipped with live rattlesnakes. The repeated presentation of a snake is paired with shocks from a shock collar, to teach the dog to be wary of and avoid snakes. Critics of this method point out that some dogs leave the workshops with newly established and crippling fear of not just snakes, but people who look like or wear the same cologne or hat as the person who was presenting the snake, or sprinklers that make tick-tick-tick sounds similar to rattlesnakes (to hear a recording of a rattlesnake’s rattling, go to californiaherps.com/sounds/rattles.mp3).

In contrast, force-free rattlesnake avoidance training uses relationship-building games, tricks, and rewards to strengthen the dog’s response to recall and “leave it” cues. We strongly recommend this type of training over the type that relies on negative reinforcement, which can have unexpected and problematic behavioral fallout. For more information about force-free snake avoidance training, see see “Snake Aversion without Shock,” WDJ May 2015.

You can make your yard less attractive to snakes by clearing debris and clutter, removing snake-friendly hiding places such as piles of leaves or wood, installing snake-proof fencing, and eliminating mice or other small animals that attract snakes. When walking where rattlesnakes are known to be, keep dogs on short leashes, avoid tall grass, pay attention to the trail, and be ready to walk your dogs away from rattlesnakes.

OPINIONS ON THE RATTLESNAKE VACCINE VARY, EVEN AMONG VETERINARIANS

Because of the vaccine’s questionable efficacy, and the fact that vaccinated and unvaccinated dogs must receive the same medical care when bitten by a snake, many veterinary hospitals, such as the University of California Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, do not recommend it for their canine patients.

Some veterinarians, however, believe that the vaccine might delay the venom’s effect so that the owner can reach a veterinarian in time to save the dog’s life or decrease the venom’s effects. For this reason, they recommend the vaccine for dogs at high risk in areas where immediate treatment is impossible.

“I’m a big believer in the rattlesnake bite vaccine,” says Lorrie Boldrick, DVM, in Orange, California (barefootveterinarian.com). “Any rattlesnake bite is a medical emergency, but the description that stays with me is that the whole point of the vaccine is to give you extra time, to make it more likely that you’ll be able to get to a veterinarian with a live dog.”

Dr. Boldrick explains that it’s impossible to know how severe a bite is when it happens, because a rattlesnake may release no venom at all when it bites (this is called a dry bite), a moderate, or a maximum amount. Rattlesnakes are able to control the release of venom; they use as much as they need to kill their prey. The amount they use when they bite a dog is highly variable. Because of this, every bite needs to be treated as promptly as possible.

At least six of Dr. Boldrick’s vaccinated patients have been bitten by rattlesnakes and all of them survived. “I believe that each of them received at least some venom,” she says, “and two of them got a lot, and they did fine. I know of so many vaccinated dogs who recovered with minimal care that I’m convinced the vaccine helped by reducing the venom’s effect and providing extra time to seek treatment.”

The vaccination is not expensive – about $30 to $40 for each vaccination at most veterinary clinics – but it’s not entirely benign, either. An estimated 5% of vaccinated dogs develop a reaction at the injection site, ranging from sensitivity to an abscess that requires veterinary treatment.

Should You Carry Benadryl On The Trail?

Benadryl is widely touted as an effective treatment for rattlesnake bites, but according to emergency physician and medical toxicologist Nick Brandehoff, M.D. (snakebitefoundation.org), Benadryl does nothing to prevent the swelling, redness, pain, and cell death caused by snake venom. “Benadryl,” he writes, “is ineffective for treating a venomous snakebite, even as a temporizing measure in the back country.”

TO VAX OR NOT TO VAX?

We recommend making an appointment with your veterinarian to discuss the CAT vaccine and your dog’s relative risk from the bite of a venomous snake. It’s not proven whether this vaccination can stimulate antibodies quickly enough to protect your dog from the venom in a snakebite, or whether the vaccination would offer protection from whatever species of rattlesnake your dog encountered. Keep in mind that your vet may have a bias for or against the vaccine, based on her experience in your area.

And, vaccine aside, consider that there are proven benefits to strengthening your dog’s response to your recall and “leave it” or “walk away” cues. If these behaviors are not reliable, keep your dog on a short leash, and keep your eyes wide open when you are walking with your dog in rattlesnake habitats.

Safe Stick Toys for Dogs

Lifestyle

By

Nancy Kerns

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June 21, 2022

0

safe stick toys — We tested these five artificial stick toys for more than a month. We threw and the dogs fetched, chewed, and played tug-of-war with them. They also got left outside in the sun a lot. After a month of this activity, both we and our dogs developed some favorites. From left to right, first to worst: 1. West Paw Zwig 2. RuffDawg Stick 3. Kong Safestix 4. Chuckit! Air Fetch Stick 5. Spunky Pup Fetch & Glow Stick

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Once upon a time, I owned a fetching fool of a Border Collie named Rupert. This dog lived for fetch, and he’d fetch anything; he wasn’t a flying disc specialist or a discriminating snob for a certain type of ball, like my current fetcher (Woody). There didn’t even have to be a toy! If no ball or Frisbee was at hand and someone seemed like a throwing candidate, Rupe would go looking for a stick. He’d grab any twig or branch he could find, drop it at the potential thrower’s feet, and do a little dance-step backward, staring at the stick, mouth open in anticipation. “Throw it! Throw it!” he’d be saying with every molecule in his body.

Again, this was well before WDJ, and I was young, dumb, and broke. I didn’t buy special toys for my fetch-obsessed, athletic dog in our first few years together; often I just threw the sticks that he found and brought to me. That is, until the accident happened.

My then-boyfriend and I had taken Rupie to the beach, and we were all having a blast. Rupert was deliriously happy with the quantity and variety of driftwood on the beach. He brought stick after stick to us to throw for him – until one stick hit the sand like an arrow might fall from the sky, lodging in the sand just a millisecond before a racing Rupert grabbed at it. He was going so fast, and the stick stopped so suddenly, that his teeth failed to close on the stick before the other end stabbed him in the back of the throat. He fell backward, gagging in pain, as blood dripped from his mouth.

Thank goodness, he survived. We rushed him to an emergency veterinary clinic, where they sedated him and examined his throat with an endoscope. His trachea was severely scraped, but not punctured. As you can imagine, that was the last time I ever threw a wooden stick for my dog.

SAFETY FIRST WHEN PICKING A STICK TOY

dogs playing tug of war with stick toy — My “test dogs” enjoyed playing tug with and mutually chewing on the Kong Safestix.

Throat-piercing isn’t the only potential hazard of playing with natural sticks. Dogs have been known to consume enough chewed-up wood and splinters to require emergency surgery; wood splinters can also get lodged between dogs’ teeth or in gums, starting painful dental conditions. Dogs who are playing tug-of-war with another dog using a branch can spin around and put out another dog’s eye.

Given my past experience with Rupert, more knowledge about the dangers of sticks – and enough income to afford to buy toys for my dogs now – today, I throw only rubbery, commercially manufactured sticks for my dogs. None of these products could possibly puncture a dog’s throat – or, for that matter, put out a dog’s eye or break a dog’s tooth.

dogs chewing on ruffdawg stick — My dogs seemed to particularly enjoy the mouth-feel of the Ruffdawg Stick.

These toy “sticks” are not only fun for throwing and fetching on land or in water (they all float), but also can be used in games of tug-of-war. And no one will get a splinter!

SUCCESSFUL STICK TOYS

The first toy stick for dogs I remember seeing for sale was the Kong Company’s Safestix. It may not have been the first toy stick for dogs on the market, but its resemblance to an, ahem, adult human toy makes it unforgettable (and a bit uncomfortable to throw for your dog in public!).

We like the fact that Safestix comes in three lengths, with the longest (27 inches!) being the best candidate among all the sticks for playing tug-of-war with larger dogs. But since safety is the whole reason we are looking at this category of dog toy, we have to downgrade the Safestix for Kong’s failure to disclose what the toy is made of, or whether it’s free of any chemicals (such as BPA, phthalates, or latex) that have been associated with health problems or allergies.

That’s why we gave our top rating to only two of the five products we tested. Only West Paw and RuffDawg manufacture their toys in the U.S. Also, both companies disclose the contents of their products – and both companies seem to do their homework about what dogs like, too: These continue to be the most popular toy sticks for unprompted play between our test dogs.

WDJ's Product Ratings

	The product has no redeeming value that we can appreciate.
	We are including the product only because of its potential for improvement.
	The product has some value, as well as some serious flaws. Some of its features may be useful in certain applications.
	A good product, with one or two significant flaws.
	As good as it gets. We strongly endorse the product.

Toy "Sticks" For Dogs, From First to Worst

Product Maker/Name Maker's Website	Price	Comments
West Paw Zwig	$20 (Amazon)	13 3/4”. Top-rack dishwasher safe. Free of BPA and latex, the Zwig is made in the U.S. with recyclable, zero-waste Zogoflex. The product looks solid, but is hollow and squishable – not super-squishy; it’s much more dense than foam, but not as dense as rubber. All three test dogs seemed to enjoy the “mouth feel” of this toy, so it had to be protected from unauthorized chewing. Because it’s a little lighter than its competitors, it’s harder to throw very far. Like all West Paw products, Zwig is covered by the company’s “love it guarantee”: If you are unhappy with the performance of a West Paw product, you may ask for a one-time refund or replacement, per toy design. And if the product gets chewed or torn, send it back to the company; it will be sanitized, ground up, and used in the manufacture of more Zogoflex toys. Comes in three colors.
RuffDawg Stick	$19 (Amazon)	12” (also comes in a 6” size for small dogs; the small version is called “Twig”). Made by Jefferson Rubber Works in Worcester, MA, with 100% rubber. Free of BPA, latex, or phthalate. The package calls it, “Rugged and stretchable, tear- and puncture-resistant.” That was our experience; the test dogs spontaneously chose this product over all the others for playing tug-of-war between themselves, and even so, it hasn’t shown any signs of rips or tears. It’s heaver than the Zwig and easier to throw. It’s also hollow and open at either end, so you can fill it with kibble or treats – or freeze it with canned food inside!
Kong Safestix	$10 - $20 (Chewy)	As far as we know, this was the first toy “stick” on the dog toy market, so kudos to Kong for a good idea. It’s also available in three sizes: small (111/2”), medium (20”), and large (27”); we especially appreciate the longest one for when we are playing tug-of-war with our dogs. It’s also the most dense, heaviest of the products, so it’s the easiest to throw far. However, there is no information offered anywhere on the Kong website or the product package about what the Safestix is made of; a “durable material” is the only clue. Also, it’s made in China; we strongly prefer products that are made in the U.S., particularly when it’s not clear what they are made of!
Chuckit! Air Fetch Stick	$9 - $12 (Amazon)	“Fetch hard, breathe easy” is the slogan on the package of this toy. The hollow, flexible design facilitates easy breathing and airflow while your dog carries the toy. That’s a cool concept, and particularly helpful for dogs who would be playing fetch in the water. Its light weight and flexibility make it difficult to throw very far; that’s maybe not an issue for some dog owners. However, like the Kong product, this is foreign-made (Vietnam) out of an unnamed material. Available in two sizes: small (7”) and large (12”).
Spunky Pup Fetch & Glow Stick	$7 (Amazon)	We will admit that we got excited about a glow-in-the-dark toy – but once it got here, we realized that it’s probably not a great idea to have dogs chew on an unidentified plastic-type of material that contains whatever makes it glow in the dark. This is a solid toy, more dense than its competitors, easy to throw but with an apparently less-appealing mouth-feel for the dogs (we never saw them pick it up on their own). 12”. Dishwasher safe. Made in China.

What To Expect From Your Dog’s Check Up at the Vet

Health

By

Dr. Eileen Fatcheric, DVM

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June 21, 2022

13

dog check up — Don't be afraid to ask your veterinarian questions or bring up concerns as she is examining your dog; your time together is limited, and most veterinarians are good multi-taskers.

How often your dog should be seen by your veterinarian, and what sort of routine screening diagnostics should be conducted, are highly dependent on your dog’s life stage and general health. That said, well-informed owners are in the best position to ensure that their dogs receive the optimum care and attention from their veterinarians.

WHAT’S NORMAL FOR EACH LIFE STAGE VET CHECK UP

For puppies, monthly exams are recommended for vaccinations as well as monitoring the pups’ growth, nutritional status, tooth alignment/development, and general health as the puppy grows and develops. Training and behavioral issues will be addressed as you roll along, and any necessary vaccines given at the appropriate intervals.

Regarding vaccinations, you and your veterinarian should do a personalized risk assessment, based on the lifestyle and environment you share with your dog, before determining which vaccines are right for your dog. Then, follow your veterinarian’s advice regarding boosting frequency and intervals.

During young to middle adulthood (1 to 6 years) annual exams are sufficient for healthy dogs with no medical issues. If your dog suffers from things like allergies, ear infections, gastrointestinal problems, or behavioral/anxiety issues, you will see your veterinarian more frequently, as needed.

The recommendation for healthy senior dogs (7+ years) is to have wellness exams twice a year. Time starts moving a little faster for these guys, bringing with it a higher likelihood of medical problems that may not be outwardly apparent to you, but may be picked up by your veterinarian with physical exam and diagnostics. The earlier an issue is identified, the better the chance of either resolving or successfully managing it. Examples include dental disease, oral tumors, ocular disease, kidney issues, abdominal masses, and anal gland tumors. Having your senior dog examined every six months means catching these things conceivably six months earlier than you would with annual exams.

A THOROUGH PHYSICAL EXAM FOR YOUR DOG

If you’ve ever wondered what your vet is doing while examining your dog, here’s a summary of a typical wellness visit for dogs:

Body Condition Score (BCS). Vet checks to determine if your dog is underweight, overweight, or at a healthy weight.
Muscle Condition Score (MCS). This is especially important in senior pets, a measure of general health, strength, and vitality.
Eye exam (with a light source). Vet checks vision and looks for any infection, inflammation, eyelid abnormalities, dry eye syndrome, or tumors.
Ear exam (with an otoscope). Vet looks for signs of infection or tumors/polyps.
Mouth. Vet checks tooth and gum health and hydration status, looks for signs of infection or tumors, and checks color of mucous membranes (pink = normal, pale = anemia, yellow = jaundice, blue/grey = hypoxia/low oxygen level).
Throat. Vet checks for collapsing trachea.
Peripheral lymph nodes. Vet palpates these, looking for signs of cancer or infection.
Skin. The quality of the dog’s coat can indicate problems with nutrition or endocrine disorders; vet also checks for infections, parasites, lumps and bumps, and the dog’s hydration status.
Abdomen. Vet palpates for signs of discomfort, fluid, organ enlargement, tumors, or bladder pain.
Rectal exam. Vet looks for signs of tumors, polyps, anal gland impaction/tumor, and checks the prostate in males.
Genitalia. Vet looks for any abnormal discharge or tumors.
Heart/pulses. Vet listens to heart for sounds that indicate murmurs or arrhythmia, and checks heart rate, pulse strength, and rhythm.
Lungs. Vet checks respiratory rate and listens to breath sounds throughout the lungs; do they sound normal or harsh or wheezy, are there quiet areas (indicating fluid or tumor).
Temperature. Taking the dog’s temperature is not generally necessary to check during a well visit. If you would like it checked, just ask!

As you can see, there is a ton of information to be had about your dog’s health with the physical exam. And don’t worry if we chat with you and ask questions about your dog while we perform our exam. We’ve done it a million times, our systematic exam is deeply ingrained, and we’re multi-taskers by nature.

Be sure and bring a list of any general questions you may have. Time in the exam room goes by quickly, and you don’t want to miss an opportunity to discuss your concerns face to face with your veterinarian.

Find The Right Veterinary Partner

Your relationship with your veterinarian is a partnership in every sense of the word. In a partnership, two entities come together, working toward and sharing the same goal. In this case, the goal is the health, happiness, and longevity of your dog. A successful partnership, especially in the veterinary setting, requires open, effective communication and mutual trust and respect. This relationship is a big component of your dog’s overall care, so if it doesn’t feel right, it’s well worth the time and effort to find a better fit for you and your dog. You want someone who is patient (with both you and your dog!), who listens and addresses all of your concerns, every time; who understands and respects your goals as well as your limitations; who offers you options (when there are options) and coaches you through the decision-making. The bottom line is, if your vet is someone your respect and trust, following his or her advice with confidence is much easier. It means you can relax and know that you are doing the absolute best that you can for your faithful companion.

DIAGNOSTIC TESTS

It’s a good idea to have a chemistry screen (chem) and complete blood count (CBC) done on your healthy young dog, to serve as a baseline for his future tests. For many dogs, this is accomplished with pre-anesthetic bloodwork at the time of spay/neuter surgery. If your dog is going to remain intact, consider chem and CBC tests at his first annual adult exam. This can be done at the same time as his recommended annual heartworm and tick blood test.

An annual fecal exam for parasites is recommended. This is important because of the zoonotic risk intestinal parasites pose for humans and because of recently emerging intestinal parasite resistance to monthly heartworm/parasite preventatives.

After this, until your dog becomes a senior, how often to repeat wellness chem/CBC screening is really up to you and your vet. It’s good practice to test annually, as information is power. Ask your veterinarian what seems most appropriate for you and your dog. If she tells you it’s not necessary, but you want to do it, just ask. Conversely, if your veterinarian recommends it and you don’t want to do it, ask what risks you may be taking by declining the recommended testing, then make an informed decision for your dog.

If there are medical issues common to your dog’s breed, bring a list of what you’ve found and ask your veterinarian about the clinical relevance and whether there are screening tests that might identify the problem early.

For example, Dobermans are prone to dilated cardiomyopathy, so if you own a Doberman or Doberman-mix, you might ask about an annual NT-proBNP (a blood test that suggests heart enlargement) and an echocardiogram (cardiac ultrasound).

In addition to twice-annual wellness checks for senior dogs, it’s a good idea to employ an increased number of screening diagnostics for them, too. A chem/CBC, urinalysis, and fecal should be considered at least annually. If your senior dog is on a chronic medication, whether it be for pain or anxiety or allergies, checking his blood chemistry twice a year is worth consideration. These are generally the screening diagnostics recommended along with the annual heartworm/tick-borne disease test.

Other diagnostic tests, like thyroid hormone, urine culture, blood pressure check, x-rays, and ultrasound are entertained on a case-by-case basis. Again, if there is a screening test you are interested in, just ask.

You Guessed It

Editorial

By

Nancy Kerns

-

June 20, 2022

1

Until now, in the 20 years I’ve been fostering dogs and puppies for my local shelters, I’ve kept only one. Six years ago, Woody was one of a litter of nine 3-week-old puppies that came into my local shelter with their mother. At about 5 weeks of age, Woody was the first pup to figure out that if he sat at my feet when I was getting food or medicine ready for the puppies, he’d get extra treats and attention. His attention span and focus was extraordinary for such a young puppy, and I fell hard for the solid, stoic chunk of a pup. The litter went back to the shelter for spay/neuter surgery and adoption in stages, and he happened to be among the last to go. When I told my husband that I had decided to keep the big brindle boy, he said, “I knew that weeks ago!”

Well, oops, I did it again. I’ve had a number of excuses for holding back this foster pup from returning to the shelter for adoption, but over the past few months, the excuses all ran out and he’s still here.

The clincher in this case was a camping trip into the mountains I made with my husband and a bunch of his friends. I sent my two adult dogs to their usual dog-sitting locations. When I travel, senior dog Otto stays with my sister and Woody stays with my friend Leonora. Both my sister and my friend were very busy, and I didn’t want to inflict dog-sitting a puppy on either of them. I spontaneously decided to bring the pup along.

He was a champion traveler, riding quietly in his harness and seat belt on the front seat of our truck for an almost four-hour drive. When we got to the campground, nearly empty save for our party, he went right up to all of my husband’s friends, wagging and friendly. He lay by the campfire that night, chewing a pizzle, unbothered by the smoke and sparks, and slept comfortably in our tent with us. My only complaint was that he snores!

The puppy and I were the first ones awake in the morning. I unzipped our tent and discovered an inch or so of snow blanketing the entire campground. We walked down to the lake and watched the sun come up. The pup sat for photos like a professional, and I thought, “What a boon this puppy is.” And so he is; welcome to the family, Boone.

Download The Full July 2022 Issue PDF

By

Nancy Kerns

-

June 20, 2022

10

Tell-Tail Signs
Healthy Diet Add-Ons
Vet Check-Ups Explained
Talk To Your Dogs
Safe Sticks
Rattlesnake-Bite Vaccine
Oh, Barf!
The Other Dry Foods
DIY Frozen Dog Treats

Leaving town? Make sure a “go bag” is available to your pets’ caretaker before you leave!

Blog

By

Nancy Kerns

-

June 14, 2022

4

smoke from wildfires — This is smoke from a past fire that was close to WDJ Editor Nancy Kerns' home. Being away from home (and her two adult dogs) during a recent local fire prompted this year's annual warning to be prepared to evacuate yourself and your pets! And make sure your pets' caretaker knows where your pets' "go bag" is in advance.

Last week I attended a conference out of town (it was put on by the Shelter Playgroup Alliance, very cool stuff). For several reasons, I brought Boone, the latest addition to our family (my husband is fine with taking care of our adult dogs, but he’s a little inattentive for the constant supervision required for destruction prevention by a five-month-old puppy, and also, because my go-to puppy-sitting friend attended the conference, too!). Boone handled himself like a champ and benefitted from a lot of terrific socialization opportunities from a very educated, dog-friendly group of people.

Here’s the one thing that stopped my heart for a minute: Receiving a text from a friend that said, “Doing ok? Fire.”

You’d have to be living under a rock to be unaware of the fact that the entire Western U.S. is experiencing a years-long drought, which has been contributing to longer and ever-more destructive wildland fires. Historically, the so-called “fire season” in California has been considered to be about July through October. But it seems to start earlier every year and last longer; the devastating Camp Fire of 2018 (located in my county) started on November 8! This is the fire that seared onto my brain the need for pet owners to prepare for emergencies (I wrote about my experiences helping evacuated animals here, here, and here.)

When I’m home, I monitor various new sources for any alerts about fires in my county, not only so that I can respond appropriately to a fire in our immediate area, but also so I can respond quickly to serve as a volunteer for the emergency animal response organization in our area (the North Valley Animal Disaster Group [NVADG]). I follow Cal Fire and several of its local sub-accounts on Twitter, starting with the one that serves my area, Cal Fire Butte Unit. There is also a Facebook page, Butte Wx Spotter, that quickly posts any sort of fire, flood, or another environment-based disaster in my area.

But when I’m at a conference, I don’t look at my phone nearly as often, so I didn’t see any of these pages lighting up with news about a fire that started less than 12 miles from my home. Ack! Twelve miles is nothing in a strong wind-driven fire. 2020’s North Complex fire traveled more than 20 miles in a few hours, prompting our evacuation at 11 pm.

Fortunately, because I do follow all of those sources, I was able to quickly ascertain that while the fire was relatively close to my home, Cal Fire responded quickly and forcefully enough to squash it within a few hours.

The event has put me on full alert for the rest of the summer – and hit me over the head with a reminder that I had not prepared a “go bag” that would have been accessible to my husband had he needed to evacuate from our property with our two adult dogs. I know from past experience, both as a person who has had to evacuate from our property in the middle of the night due to a fast-moving fire, and as someone who volunteers with NVADG caring for pets who were evacuated from other fires, that having a go-bag ready to grab at a moment’s notice can make a huge difference to one’s peace of mind in case of an evacuation. For example, if my husband had to evacuate with our dogs, but left Otto’s pain medications behind, our poor old guy would be in serious discomfort until we could get refills. If we had to board the dogs somewhere because our house burned down, or show proof of vaccination to stay in a shelter, and didn’t have the dogs’ vaccination records, we’d be stuck (especially if, as in the case of the Camp fire, many veterinary and doctor offices burned down, too, leaving people with NO health records at all!).

If I was home, I could have put the 2022 version of the go bag together in a few minutes – but explaining to my husband where everything was would have been ridiculously complicated. Lesson learned. Now that I’m safely home, I’ve put that together and showed my husband where it’s located.

What should be in your dog’s “go bag”? At a bare minimum, it should contain at least a few days’ supply of any medications he takes or might need in a high-stress situation, and copies of his vaccination records. If your dog becomes anxious in cars or in new situations, and you have a prescription for a sedative medication, I’d keep some of that medication in the go bag as well. You can also include extra collars, leashes, ID tags, and bowls, and perhaps a few cans of food (less perishable than dry food). The go bag is a great place to store your pet-first-aid kit and your dog’s muzzle if he’s a bite-risk in chaotic situations and you’ve already habituated him to wearing one.

Fires are the biggest threat in my part of the country, but floods and tornadoes are reasons for quick evacuations elsewhere. Consider this my annual reminder to GET READY!

For more information on emergency preparedness, see:

https://www.nvadg.org/how-to-be-ready-to-evacuate-with-pets/
https://www.readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/go-evacuation-guide/animal-evacuation/
https://www.aspcapro.org/resource/travel-bag-download-pet-evacuations-plus-disaster-shareables
https://www.americanhumane.org/blog/this-june-prepare-for-your-pets/

Can You Register Your Dog as a Service Dog?

Lifestyle

By

John Shewey

-

June 9, 2022

0

woman with her service dog — The Americans with Disisabilities Act does not require you to register your dog as a service dog. ©Mint Images/Getty Images

Calm, cool and collected; attentive and disciplined — surely those admirably trained service dogs who assist disabled people must complete a stringent certification and registration process, right? Actually, and perhaps surprisingly, no, service dogs don’t have to be certified or registered.

Service dog regulations are codified in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires no certification or registration of any kind. Sure, you can pay for a certificate or a registration — plenty of private online entities are happy to sell you that piece of paper — but it carries no weight, no legal standing. The ADA states, “These documents do not convey any rights under the ADA and the Department of Justice does not recognize them as proof that the dog is a service animal.”

In fact, the ADA defines a service dog simply as “a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability,” and the task (or tasks) must be directly related to the disability. Examples of service dog tasks are numerous, and a few are:

a dog taught to retrieve emergency medication to hand when her owner needs it
dog trained to guide a person safely across the street
a dog taught to alert a diabetic to dangerous blood sugar levels.

The ADA definition of a service dog is concise but highly inclusive. Let’s say you’re physically impaired from being able to pick up objects off the floor, so you’ve trained your dog to retrieve those objects for you. Provided she is perfectly behaved in public, you have yourself a service dog — congratulations!

There is no official list of qualifying disabilities for engaging the aid of a service dog, and dogs are trained to assist in an extensive range of physical and psychological challenges. And when it comes to that training, yes, service dogs require both exceptional training and superb aptitude, but the ADA mandates no specific training protocol. You or a family member or a friend can train your service dog, or you can pay a professional trainer (they are ubiquitous, but given the expense, vet trainers thoroughly).

The ADA service dog definition excludes emotional support dogs, therapy dogs and companion dogs because they have not been trained to perform a task specific to the owner’s disability.

Critically, the ADA provides the legal footing for service dogs accompanying their owners in virtually all public settings and venues. The only requirements are the service dog must be fully trained and under the complete control of its handler and the dog does not need any special form of identification, such as a service dog vest. The ADA also specifies that staff at public places can ask only two questions of a service dog’s handler:

“Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?”
“What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?”

Generally, a service dog can only be excluded from accompanying its human handler if the dog’s presence would “fundamentally alter the nature of a service or program provided to the public.” Some states and municipalities may allow in-training service dogs, or even emotional support dogs and therapy dogs similar leeway, so check local laws.

How Long Are Dogs Pregnant For?

Health

By

Will Hank

-

June 8, 2022

0

pregnant dog — Dogs are pregnant for about nine weeks or 63 days.

With the exception of dog breeders, many dog owners will have little experience with pregnancy in dogs. It may surprise you to learn that, while human pregnancies typically last around nine months, the dog gestation period is much shorter, averaging just nine weeks or 63 days. Since the pregnancy period is so short, each day matters that much more. Dog owners must be able to recognize the stages and signs of dog pregnancy to provide the best possible care for the expectant mother and pups along the way.

Signs of pregnancy in dogs

If your dog has been spayed, there is no chance she will become pregnant. However, intact female dogs typically go through heat around every six months during which they may become pregnant. When your dog will go through heat does vary with different breeds with some dog breeds only going through heat once a year. Check with your dog breeder or the dog breed national parent club to find when your dog is most likely to go into heat. There’s currently no instantaneous dog pregnancy test like humans have, but there are certain signs of which to be aware. Note that most dogs won’t show clinical symptoms during the first few weeks of the pregnancy (gestation) period.

Here are five signs of pregnancy in dogs:

Weight gain
Increase in appetite
Swollen belly
Enlarged nipples
Increased affection seeking

Once you suspect your dog may be pregnant, bring her to your veterinarian as soon as possible. There, a vet can perform diagnostics including palpation (feeling the abdomen for swelling), hormone tests, X-rays and ultrasounds to confirm a dog’s pregnancy.

Care during a dog’s gestation period

Since canine pregnancy lasts just nine weeks, it’s imperative to monitor your female dog closely during the dog gestation period. This will help you catch any irregularities or possible complications as early as possible. You should also consult with your vet early on and visit regularly as your dog’s pregnancy progresses. Having a plan in place for the birthing of puppies will help you be better prepared for the big moment.

Feed pregnant dogs a high-quality diet, with no changes to normal food intake during the first two-thirds of the gestation period. After six weeks of pregnancy, slowly increase food intake to keep up with the growing mother-to-be. Omega-3 fatty acids are vital to developing puppies, so consider a supplement if you think your dog’s diet could use a boost.

Lastly, prepare as best you can for puppies with a whelping box and any other necessities for a smooth birthing process. Dog pregnancies can be a whirlwind and nine weeks goes by fast. If you follow the right steps, your pregnant dog will soon be the proud parent of a litter of happy and healthy puppies.

Keeping the puppy: The new normal

Blog

By

Nancy Kerns

-

June 8, 2022

19

Failing to foster a dog and keeping the puppy is becoming the new normal. — People keep asking if Boone is related to Otto. Um, no; Otto was neutered 14 years ago! They are not related!

The news that I’m keeping my former foster puppy is leaking out. I loved him from the get-go, when I agreed to foster him for my local shelter, back at the beginning of March. The reason I didn’t just immediately decide to keep him was that I wanted to give my senior dog, Otto, extra consideration. No old dog should have to spend his or her last days being harassed by a rambunctious puppy – or perhaps a slightly disrespectful one.

But as it turns out, though 14 ½-year-old Otto doesn’t particularly like Boone (the new puppy’s name), he doesn’t seem to mind him, either. He mostly ignores most other dogs, just as he did with Woody, my six-year old dog, when he was a puppy. The difference is, Boone has another playmate: Woody! As much as Otto ignores Boone, Boone ignores Otto, and focuses all his love and mischievousness on the younger dog.

The one time Boone and Otto are ever proximate is when I work with Boone on good-manners behaviors. As soon as Otto sees someone getting treats for sits, downs, or stays, he comes a-running to get in on the fun. When he was younger, he’d be the first to hit the floor on the “sit” and “down” cues, like the smarty-pants kid, jumping out of his chair to raise his whole arm, frantic to let the teacher know he knows all the answers to all the questions the teacher asks the class. Today, he crashes our “classes” to demand treats – but often doesn’t even bother hitting the sits or downs! He’s playing the “senile old man” card a lot – and, because of his arthritis, I let him get away with it, most of the time. As long as he waits his turn and doesn’t interrupt the pup’s learning, he “earns” many treats for just being his usual handsome self.

As this spring warms into summer, Otto spends most of the day in his shady sandbox, which we keep nice and damp for him. He’s been insisting on spending a lot of his nights out there, too. I’m not crazy about him being out all night – especially since we have coyotes and even mountain lions in our neck of the edge-of-town woods, but if I’m to get any sleep whatsoever myself, I have to give in and let him go outdoors. Otherwise, starting uncannily close to 2 a.m. every night, he will pace and pant and escalate into whining and even barking, insisting to go outside. If I let him out and make him come right back inside after relieving his bladder, I will get maybe an hour’s peace before he starts with the pacing and panting all over again. This is torture for me; I start feeling crazy with lack of sleep myself! So I give in, and he gets to stay outside – usually until around five a.m., when he’ll bark to be let back in.

dog sleeping in sandbox — Otto snoozing in his sandbox. I rake and wet the sand daily, and he digs new holes daily, too.

I do have an outdoor pen that I could lock Otto in. He’d be outdoors, but protected from any potential predators. But no; that’s not his jam. I’ve tried it, and he just barks in protest. He knows how to accept being locked in the pen and wouldn’t dream of barking rudely during the day, but at night, he’s a different and fairly unreasonable old dog. He wants to be out patrolling the property (or surveilling from the sandbox). He’s going to make us all miserable if he doesn’t get what he wants at night. So he gets it, as scary as this is for me.

Boone and Woody sleep right through all of this letting Otto in and out. Thank goodness! If we had one more insomniac in the house, I don’t know what I’d do.

During much of the day, Boone shadows Woody, his idol. He sleeps with Woody (often, on Woody), and takes his cues about what to do when they see people passing our house from Woody (run to the fence, barking, and then run back to me, wherever I am, for treats!). He brings toys to Woody, inviting play, and when Woody isn’t interested in playing tug or chase games, he’ll kill time by laying on or near the big dog and chewing very gently on Woody’s ears! It’s the weirdest thing! Woody lets him do it; these days, his ears are almost always a little crunchy with dried Boone saliva.

Amusing himself by playing tug-of-war with a toy tied onto the bottom of the tree swing.

Boone does spend a little time on his own, exploring our property. He likes to play with a toy I’ve hung from the bottom of my grandson’s tree swing; he’ll grab the toy and run with it as far as the rope will go, and then turn and tug furiously, lifting his front feet off the ground, then dropping it and watching it swing away from him, chasing it, and starting all over again.

He also plays this game with the tree on our front lawn. My husband doesn’t like the willow-like hanging branches, so we allow him to go ahead and do a little trimming.

Here’s a video of Boone playing with the trees.

I make Boone spend a little time in the outdoor pen during the day. It’s where he gets to enjoy chewing on pizzles, licking toys stuffed with canned food and frozen or Lickimats slathered with peanut butter. He’s doing great with these short (maybe an hour-long), daily confinement/alone-time practice sessions.

It’s definitely harder to give each one of my three dogs individual attention, and I think maybe it’s Woody who is getting the short end of the stick. Because Boone adores him so much, he is forced to babysit, and while he clearly enjoys having someone to play with sometimes, at other times, he looks sort of glum. I imagine he’s saying, “When is this twerp leaving?” When that happens, I call my friend Leonora, to see if Woody can visit her and her little dog Samson, and enjoy some spoiling time free from puppy spit.

It seems to be working out.

Please, use pet-related social media for good, not blame and slander

Blog

By

Nancy Kerns

-

June 1, 2022

33

I follow three or four local “lost and found pet” groups on Facebook. These are places where people in the community can post photos of dogs they’ve lost or found, and where neighbors can come together in the comments to offer suggestions to both distraught owners of lost dogs or overwhelmed dog finders. These sites can be invaluable for reuniting pets and owners, as members tend to be the kind of people who pay attention and remember any stray or needy animals they’ve seen.

When I have found a stray dog, it’s helpful to already belong to these groups, so I can quickly submit a “found dog” post. Usually, nonmembers of these groups can’t post to them; generally, you have to wait for a moderator to approve of your membership in the group before you can post – and sometimes it takes a moderator a day or more to respond to your request to join the group! As an already-approved member of these groups, I’ve had responses that helped locate the owners of the dog or dogs I found within an hour!

That’s the good news. The bad news is that these groups can also be a place where people with animal-related problems blame others in the community for those problems, look for other people to solve their problems for them, and bash anyone in the helping professions who fail to help. Animal control officers who fail to materialize immediately, shelters that are overcrowded, and veterinarians who fail to go to any lengths to save the lives of injured stray animals often get singled out for shaming and blaming. I try hard not to read those posts – and have to try even harder, sometimes, to not to respond to them!

Well, I failed utterly the other day. Here was the post that caught my eye:

The post reads:

“I felt compelled to write this post and share something sad that happened this afternoon on XXXXX Road. My neighbor called me to say he found a chocolate lab in front of his house that had been hit by a car. I immediately rushed over and the owner was there. The dog was seriously injured but still alert. Both the front and back legs were broken. They had already called several places without success. No one was willing to come out and euthanize her (XXX).

“Most disturbing too (stet) me was discovering the XXXXXXX Veterinary Hospital (my neighbor had been taking their animals too (stet) for the past 30 years (not even a minute up the street) had refused to help. I decided to call the hospital myself hoping that a second house on their street would convince them of the urgency. This poor baby had been out there suffering for over an hour at this point. I was told everyone was with clients and they would call me back. I let them know this animal was a patient of theirs and in immediate need and I was certain their clients would be willing to wait 10 minutes if they knew it meant the end to an animals (stet) misery. Unfortunately this did not help. The animal had to be lifted into the back of a truck by the neighbors (stet) son. More pain and unnecessary suffering.

“The lack of care for the animals entrusted to them in their own community is appalling and unacceptable. I refuse to take my sweet girls XXXX and XXXX their (stet) in the future.

“My heart breaks for XXXXXX and her parents”

Within hours, there were more than 100 comments from people who were promising to never bring business to the named vet clinic and, what’s more, stating that they would be leaving the vet clinic a bad review.

I don’t know the veterinarian at that clinic personally, but I have a friend who takes all of her pets there – and my friend has encouraged me to bring my dogs there if my vets are ever unavailable, because even though this clinic is farther away than the clinics I currently patronize, my friend finds that the vet and support staff there to be uniquely kind and competent, and the wait times not bad. Through my friend (and a quick review of the clinic’s website to be certain), I’m aware that this clinic has one doctor working there. And now there are hundreds of people in our community being told that this doctor is heartless and inhumane, because she didn’t leave her patients on a moment’s notice in order to run down the street and euthanize a dog on the side of the road. Argh!

Social media can do so much good, especially when it’s bringing people together to accomplish something for those in need. Why do so many people insist on using it for negativity?

Don’t wait to teach your dog cooperative care procedures!

Blog

By

Nancy Kerns

-

May 25, 2022

2

dog resting chin on hand — Woody’s “chin rest” behavior is not just solid but adorable.

I’ve taught both of my grown-up dogs several positions where they will be rewarded for holding still while I – or, importantly, a stranger such as a vet or vet tech – examines them. They both will lay flat and hold still, or stand and do a “chin rest” (where they press their chin in my hand) and hold still. But the desired behavior is not just “remaining still no matter what”; the “cooperative care” piece of this behavior is a sort of deal: they hold still so that I (or someone else) can touch and examine them, but if they lift their heads, the touching and/or exam must stop immediately. It’s the “deal” you make with them, and what I – like most people who teach this behavior – have found, is that once they learn that they have control over the procedure – they can stop the exam at any moment by lifting their head – they feel more confident about going along with it.

We explained and showed you how to teach cooperative care behaviors in “Cooperative Care: Giving Your Dog Choice and Control” (WDJ February 2021).

However, I’ve been remiss in working with Boone, the name we’ve finally given to the “foster puppy” who has been here since early March. (I guess this is also an adoption announcement!) Something I’ve observed about him since he’s been here: He hates people looking at his teeth!

Checking a puppy’s teeth before he’s 6 months old is the best way to estimate his age, as the “puppy teeth” all start falling out when the pup is around 4 months old, are usually all gone by about 5 months, and have all newly erupted incisors (the little front teeth), canines (the “fangs”), and premolars (the ones just behind the canines) by about 7 months. (The molars generally take a little longer to erupt, but this varies a lot by the size of the dog.)

Ever since was brought into my local shelter as a “stray,” people have been lifting his lips and trying to figure out his age. He was a lot larger and bigger-boned than the litter of 11 puppies that were brought into the shelter on the same day; the staff judged him to be about 8 weeks old, just based on size, but his demeanor and lack of coordination made him seem much younger. To try to get a better read on his age, shelter staff members (and I!) kept trying to look at his teeth – and he’d struggle every time! And every time, I’d say, “Oy! I have to work on that behavior!”

Now I’m paying the price for having not yet taken the time to work on it.

scruffy faced dog sitting in grass — Boone’s darling facial fuzz could have been hiding anything from a bee sting to a snake bite.

Yesterday, while wrestling and playing tug-of-war with Boone and Woody on our trampoline (a favorite place for this), I heard Boone screech when he and Woody’s mouths bumped as they jostled for the same toy. The next time in the game when he came to sit in my lap, I tried to gently put my hands on Boone’s muzzle, so I could try to see if he had something wrong – a wood splinter or plastic chunk stuck in his teeth, or a foxtail jammed in his gums, perhaps. He could even have a snake bite or something else really serious hiding under that adorable beard! But as I went to lift his lips, he screeched again and dodged away from me. Uh oh; something definitely wrong going on in there. Now I have to look, and we have no agreement or understanding about how this is going to get done.

This is one of those times when it would be easy to permanently damage my relationship with the pup, or advance his reluctance to have his mouth examined into full-scale aggressive resistance.

Instead, I spent more than an hour, in five-minute sessions over the course of the evening and well into the night, working with Boone to teach him a chin rest (that went very quickly – he got it almost immediately) and to hold that chin rest while I touched his upper lip. That made him a little frustrated, because he is very food-motivated, but he also does not want to tolerate any pressure on his upper lips at all.

As we practiced, I was able to determine that he didn’t have any obvious bite marks or wounds on the outside of his face, and given his ability to take treats and chew his dinner kibble, I surmised that he didn’t have anything seriously wrong with his mouth. I suspected – from our previous estimates of his age – that he lost one of those canines; it might have even been torn out during his raucous games of tug with Woody. So I didn’t push for a more complete exam.

But this morning, we went back to the drawing board, and after another half-dozen, several-minute sessions, I was finally able to get Boone to stay still and allow me to lift his upper lip enough to confirm my suspicion: He has a (relatively) big gaping hole where his top left canine used to be. The other canines are all still firmly in place, so he likely lost that one a little prematurely, leaving the gum very sensitive.

I’m glad that’s all it is – but I’m definitely going to commit to daily sessions of the cooperative care “Bucket Game” from here on out. I don’t want the next medical crisis to precipitate a behavioral one.

Whole Dog Journal reviews dog food, dog toys, and dog health and care products, and also teaches positive dog training methods.

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Signs of pregnancy in dogs

Care during a dog’s gestation period