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Extreme Anxiety in Dogs

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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6
anxiety in dogs
It's fairly common for dogs to become anxious when they hear gunshots, an engine backfiring, or fireworks, but a normal dog will recover from their fright fairly quickly. In contrast, it might take hours for the pathologically anxious dog to regain her normal demeanor. She may forevermore exhibit fear when taken to the location where she heard the scary sound. These dogs need our empathy and help. Photo Credit: Brad Myrick/ Dreamstime.com

Most of us have had moments of anxiety in our lives, and while it’s not fun, most of us survive those moments and get over it. Similarly, most dogs also have those moments and can recover and carry on. It’s not so simple, however, with pathological anxiety.

Anxiety is a feeling of fear, dread, and uneasiness; having a sense of impending danger, panic, or doom. Anxiety gets categorized as pathological (extreme in a way that is not normal, but rather, characteristic of an illness or mental problem) when it continues or grows without environmental conditions justifying it. Pathological anxiety is uncontrollable by the dog. 

Perhaps your dog is somewhat anxious about being walked near passing vehicles. You take care to walk her in low-traffic areas, but occasionally a car goes by. She spooks, jumps, looks worried for a moment or two, and then carries on with your walk. The pathologically anxious dog is a different story. She’s tense just going for a walk, in anticipation of the appearance of a dreaded vehicle. When one does appear, she may behave as if she thinks she is literally about to die. She panics, flails madly at the end of her leash (“freaks out” is how many owners describe this), and the walk is now spoiled for her. Trembling, she huddles in a pathetic puddle on the sidewalk. She can’t recover quickly; you may as well turn around and go home – if she can even walk. You may end up carrying her. 

As frustrating and sometimes embarrassing as this may be for you, it’s much worse for her. It’s important to remember that your dog isn’t being “bad.” She is truly having a major panic attack and she cannot control her behavior. She needs empathy and the implementation of a behavior management and modification program to help her be able to better deal with her world. 

COMMON MANIFESTATIONS OF ANXIETY IN DOGS

While any odd or random stimulus can be anxiety-producing for an individual dog, there are several circumstances that commonly trigger canine anxiety, which may range from a mild distress response in the presence of the stimulus to a full-blown panic attack. It is the panic-attack end of the range that is appropriately labeled “anxiety.” Here are some of the more common ones:

  •  Separation anxiety. This is probably the one we hear about most often – the dog who cannot tolerate being left alone. Extreme vocalization, house soiling, destructive behavior, and desperate attempts to escape are typical signs of separation anxiety.
  •  Noise anxiety. This is most noticeable in the dog who suffers greatly during thunderstorms and firework displays, but a sound-anxious dog can also panic at the sound of pans dropping on the floor, a far-off gunshot, a low-battery “chirp” from a smoke detector, or any other noise with which she has had a very negative experience (such as the warning beep of a shock collar). These dogs may panic and run away (hence the overcrowding in most shelter kennels on July 5th) or they may just shut down, panting and trembling violently.
anxiety in dogs when riding in car
Their first ride in a car can be traumatic for sensitive pups, especially if it’s also their first experience away from their mother and littermates, and they may exhibit anxiety the next few times they are put into a car. With time, most dogs learn to associate the car with fun (going to Grandma’s house or to the park), but for others, the car becomes a trigger for what resembles a human’s panic attack.
  • Car-ride anxiety. Often a result of the association with carsickness as well as the stress of the first ride and first separation from a pup’s family, car-ride anxiety often manifests as a dog’s increasing unwillingness to even approach the car, followed by constant panting and pacing once the ride starts.
  •  Specific-stimulus anxiety. Dogs can have a pathological anxiety response to any stimulus with which they have had a very significant negative past experience. Again, the dog’s behavior may range from a violent, panicked attempt to escape, to constant panting and pacing, or severe trembling and shutting down.
  •  Generalized anxiety. With generalized anxiety, the dog shows constant reactivity, restlessness, nervousness, trembling, and tension that interferes with a normal social interaction, often in the complete absence of any noticeable triggering stimulus. These dogs are in a constant state of anxiety, as opposed to specific-trigger anxiety.

LIVING WITH AND HELPING AN ANXIOUS DOG

walking an anxious dog
This little dog suffers from chronic anxiety. She shows signs of anxiety in every situation – even on walks in nature or on car-less streets, and even at home. Her posture is always low, tense, and backward-leaning, and she nearly always has a lowered or tucked tail, pulled-back ears, and constantly flicking tongue. Can you imagine feeling this scared all the time? She would benefit from medication

The good news is that there are a number of things you can do to help reduce your dog’s anxiety and help her get through those difficult times:

1. Medication. First and foremost, a truly anxious dog needs pharmaceutical help – and, sooner rather than later. This is a quality-of-life issue, and the sooner you see your veterinarian about appropriate medication, the happier you and your dog will both be. 

If your veterinarian is not behaviorally knowledgeable (it’s a complex field!), she can schedule a phone consult with a veterinary behaviorist for guidance on appropriate medications for your dog. If your vet does not already have a relationship with one, there is a complete list of veterinary behaviorists here: dacvb.org/about/member-directory

2. Comforting. There is absolutely nothing wrong with comforting your anxious or frightened dog. You are not at risk of “reinforcing the unwanted behavior” (as some people used to believe); you can’t reinforce emotion. Think how soothing it is for you to have someone comfort you when you are stressed. Then go and comfort your stressed dog!

3. Managing. We can’t say this frequently enough: The better you are at managing your dog’s environment to prevent her exposure to the conditions that cause her anxiety, the better life will be for her (and for you!). As you work to modify her anxiety, keeping her below her anxiety threshold as much as possible will help your modification efforts go more smoothly as well.

4. Products. There is an ever-growing list of products on the market designed to help your dog through episodes of anxiety. Many of them can be helpful, and it’s often a very individualized response – what helps one dog may be totally useless for the next. I put them in the “can’t hurt, might help” category and encourage my clients to try as many as possible to see what might work. (See “Products to Help Ease Your Dog’s Anxiety”)

5. Modification. All the above, by themselves, won’t “fix” your dog’s anxiety. You will also need to work to help her understand that she doesn’t need to panic about whatever it is that is triggering her extreme emotional response. 

Carried out carefully, a program of habituation can help. This means just exposing your dog to the trigger stimulus at a very low intensity – a level at which she shows awareness but no distress whatsoever – and keeping it there until she doesn’t even notice it at all – then very gradually increasing the intensity, waiting for her to “not care” at each new level before increasing intensity again. (This can be impossibly hard to do with things like thunderstorms and fireworks!) 

When you add treat-feeding to habituation you get counter-conditioning and desensitization – the mainstay of emotion-changing behavior modification. 

Anxieties don’t get fixed quickly or easily, but with your loving attention to your dog’s emotional needs you can do a lot to help her have a better life. 

Products That Can Help Ease Your Dog's Anxiety
thundershirt for dogs with anxiety to noise
ThunderShirt is the original anxiety-reducing garment

It never hurts to supplement your management and modification with products that are known to aid in reducing your dog’s stress. Here are some:

Calming Shirts. Calming coats and snug t-shirts apply mild, constant pressure to a dog’s torso, surrounding a dog much like a swaddling cloth on a baby. Depending on the size of your dog, there are several brands and models to choose from. The original product on the market that addressed this was the ThunderShirt anxiety jacket; today the company makes a number of designs (see them at thundershirt.com). There are any number of imitators, too. You can do an internet search for “dog anxiety apparel” and find many to choose from. 

Supplements. There are dog treats and over-the-counter products that contain supplements that have been proven to help anxiety. Typically, they will contain melatonin, thiamin, chamomile, L-theanine, and/or L-tryptophan. Some also contain ginger, which can help with sensitive stomachs. Note: If you use over-the-counter products sold for human use, check to be sure they don’t contain xylitol! Ask your veterinarian which ones she might recommend and would be comfortable with you giving to your dog.

Adaptil. This product is a synthetic substance that is meant to mimic the pheromones emitted by mother dogs when they are nursing their puppies. The natural pheromone is thought to help keep puppies calm; Adaptil purports to do the same for adult dogs. It’s easy to use; just plug the diffuser in an outlet in the room where your dog spends the most time. The diffuser releases “dog-appeasing” pheromones, an odorless scent particular to dogs. (It also comes as a spray that you can apply to a scarf when you take your dog out for walks or in the car and a collar your dog can wear.) Adaptil is available from your veterinarian and in most pet supply stores.

ZenCrate. The ZenCrate was designed to help dogs with a variety of anxiety factors and serves as an escape pod for your canine companion. It’s similar to a standard crate but it provides vibration isolation, noise cancellation (through sound insulation), reduced light, as well as comfort and security. A motion-activated sensor turns on a gentle fan when your dog enters, which helps block noise and provides a steady stream of fresh air. You can pre-program the crate with music. It comes with a removable door, so your dog can self-comfort and enter at any time. See zendogcrate.com for more information.

Calming Sounds. The time-proven iCalmDog music can be useful to help soothe anxious dogs. Originally known as “Through a Dog’s Ear,” this music is “psychoacoustically designed” to trigger relaxation (for more information about how this is accomplished, see icalmpet.com/about/music/). The products are available as downloadable sound files or on CDs or microSD cards, or can be streamed through major streaming platforms. Check out the company’s complete offerings at icalmpet.com.

Who We Are

By
Nancy Kerns
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4
Whole Dog Journal Editor-In-Chief Nancy Kerns

I didn’t mention it last month, but this is the start of WDJ’s 25th year of publication. These milestone anniversaries call for a bit of reflection. 

There may be some subscribers among you who have been here for a good part of the past 24 years. I hear from these long-time readers from time to time – people who remember Rupert, the Border Collie who appeared with me in this space from the first issue, and some who remember the joyous occasion when Otto’s fuzzy face first appeared here in 2008. I so appreciate these readers! I’m glad that I’m not the only one who remembers how few good dog foods there were on the market in 1998 and how force-free, dog-friendly training was considered new and unusual. Happily for dogs everywhere, both of those things are mainstream today! 

From the first issue, it’s been our goal to bring a reasoned approach to evaluating the tools and techniques needed to live with and care for our dogs. Whether we are reviewing harnesses, flea preventatives, a technique for teaching a solid “stay,” or dog food, we base our recommendations on the factors that can result in the best outcome for your dogs with the fewest adverse effects.

As time passes, we learn more and our opinions shift – but our central philosophy does not; protecting the dog’s physical, mental, and emotional condition, and a convivial and trusting dog/human relationship is what we are all about. This drug that seemed like a godsend? Too many side effects. That training tool that appeared to be a gentler alternative to pain-producing collars? Still too aversive for many dogs.  The widely touted homeopathic remedy? A waste of time and hope. The most effective way to teach a dog to “leave it”? We found one that dogs seem to learn faster.

There are publications out there that take an anti-vaccine, anti-pharmaceutical stance. There are others that recommend the year-round, monthly administration of pesticides and medications for internal and external parasites, whether your dog lives a sheltered life on the 32nd floor of a New York apartment building or is exposed to every pathogen imaginable as a search-and-rescue dog. Some maintain that giving kibble to dogs is tantamount to poisoning them (despite widespread evidence to the contrary); others warn against killing your dog with raw diets.

We don’t embrace any of these all-or-nothing extremes. We strive to give you the evidence-based information you need to make choices that will build and maintain your dog’s vibrant good health and behavior. Our job is to point you toward what works best with the least harm. And that won’t change, even in another quarter century!

Why is My Dog’s Nose Dry?

By
Dr. Eileen Fatcheric, DVM
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0
why is my dog's nose dry
Many Boxers, Pugs, Bulldogs, and other brachycephalic (flat faced) dogs can't moisten their noses with their tongues (their tongues won't reach!) and experience an accumulation of crusty, dried tissue on their noses as a result. In this case (one of the more benign cases of a chronically dy nose), regular use of a dog-safe moisturizer will help prevent this unsightly(and likely uncomfortable) dry build-up.

Most of the time, if your dog’s nose seems a bit dry, it’s not a big deal. The wetness of a canine nose is a dynamic situation, constantly changing in response to the dog’s hydration and exercise status and the environmental temperature and humidity. Dogs’ noses are always drier when first waking from a nap. Some of the brachycephalic breeds, like Pugs and Shih Tzus, can’t lick their noses very effectively, which means they are always a little on the dry side.

So when should you be concerned about a dry nose? If the appearance of your dog’s nose changes, if your dog seems at all uncomfortable, or if there is nasal discharge. These are all signs that something else may be going on and it’s time to see the vet.

A DRY NOSE IS RELATIVELY BENIGN

Two of the least worrisome conditions that can cause a dry nose are hyperkeratosis and blocked tear ducts. 

Hyperkeratosis is a pretty common condition in aging dogs. Keratin is a protein found in hair, skin, and nails. Dog noses contain lots of it. With age, the dog’s normal cell turnover slows and keratin builds up. This results in those crusty, craggy, not-so-pretty noses you sometimes see on geriatric dogs. 

While benign, hyperkeratosis can be uncomfortable, so keeping the nose as moisturized as possible is recommended. (See “Effective Moisturizers for Persistently Dry Noses” on the next page for moisturizing product recommendations.)

In some cases, if the buildup gets excessive, your veterinarian may be able to trim back some of the hardened tissue, which will allow your moisturizing agents to work better.

If your dog’s nose is dry and his eyes are watering excessively, he may have blocked tear (nasolacrimal) ducts. This can happen on one side or both. Sometimes mucous can block the inside of an otherwise healthy tear duct. Swelling from surrounding inflammation or infection can occlude a tear duct from the outside. Your veterinarian can confirm tear-duct obstruction by putting a fluorescent stain in the eyes and looking to see if any fluorescence appears at the nostrils. If not, the duct is occluded. 

One can aggressively treat this condition by  flushing the tear ducts under general anesthesia. Often, because this condition is not harmful and general anesthesia is not without risk, this option is not pursued. However, if your dog has to be anesthetized for something else (such as a dental procedure), consider having the ducts flushed. 

Sometimes you can dislodge a mucous plug with repeated, gentle, circular massage under the inside corner of your dog’s eyes. 

Your veterinarian may have you try antibiotic ophthalmic steroid drops if infection or swelling is suspected as the underlying cause for the tear-duct obstruction.

Effective Moisturizers for Persistently Dry Noses
  • Snout Soother by American Dog Co.
  • Solva-ker gel by VetriMax (contains salicylic acid, which is keratolytic)
  • Dermoscent BIO BALM
  • Musher’s Secret 
  • Coconut oil

DRY NOSE REASONS OF GREATER CONCERN

More serious causes of a dry nose include infection, dry eye syndrome, autoimmune disease, cancer, and chronic ear infections.

  • Infection of the nose or nostrils, called nasal pyoderma or mucocutaneous pyoderma,. can cause dryness, cracking, discomfort, and nasal discharge. It may involve one nostril or both. Treatment is usually oral antibiotics, as it’s tough to effectively treat a nose infection topically due to the dog’s frequent licking. If topical antibiotics are tried, mupiricin is considered the antibiotic of choice. 
  • If your dog’s nose is dry and he has irritated, dry-looking eyes with excessive, thick mucous discharge, he may have dry eye syndrome (also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca or KCS). Inadequate tear production due to KCS results in decreased moisture flowing to the nose. There is a simple test for this condition that can be performed right in the exam room. If KCS is confirmed and treated, the dry nose will resolve.
  • Pemphigus and discoid lupus erythematous  are immune-mediated diseases that can result in a dog’s dry, crusting, cracked, painful nose. Other mucocutaneous junctions on the dog (i.e., eyes, lips, genitals) may also be affected. Diagnosis requires a biopsy. Treatment involves long-term steroids or other immune-suppressive therapies.
  •  Nasal cancers, like squamous cell carcinoma, will frequently start out looking like a dry, crusty nose. If the nose changes you are seeing get progressively worse, see your veterinarian right away. 
  •  If your dog suffers from chronic ear infections and a dry nose, there could be a connection. Dryness of the nasal mucosa, called xeromycteria, can result from injury to the parasympathetic nerves that innervate the nasal mucosal glands. Because these nerves travel close to the middle ear, inflammation associated with infection of the middle ear (otitis media) can damage these nerves. Otitis media is usually caused by chronic, unresolved external ear infections. To avoid these serious complications, be sure to work with your veterinarian until full resolution of any ear infection is confirmed.
  •  Allergies sometimes get blamed for causing dry noses in dogs. I don’t know if they do or not, but if they do, successful treatment of the underlying allergy should resolve the problem.

THE BOTTOM LINE ON A DOG WITH DRY NOSE

If your dog develops a dry nose, it’s okay to try things like increasing the humidity in your home and applying a topical moisturizer. But if that dry nose persists, or gets worse, see your veterinarian. Sometimes a dry nose is more than just a dry nose. 

Otto Is Showing Age-Related Dementia Symptoms Often Seen in Dogs

By
Nancy Kerns
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44
otto dog at sunset

My 14-year-old dog Otto is starting to show signs of age-related dementia. While there are all kinds of ways dementia in dogs can manifest, his symptoms are most similar to what’s often called “sundowning” – where elderly humans seem pretty much okay in the early part of the day, but show increasing confusion, anxiety, and/or restlessness in the later afternoon and evening. It’s not been fun, but my husband and I are trying to adapt and accommodate his need for attention and comfort – but also meet our own needs for sleep! 

It started in early November. A couple nights in a row, Otto woke me up in the middle of the night by coming into my bedroom (he and my 6-year-old dog Woody usually rotate between sleeping on the giant dog bed and the couches in the living room). On those nights, Otto approached my bed, panting loudly and clearly in distress. He’s done this dozens of times before, but always for one of a few reasons:

  • He heard a car backfire or gunshot or firework and he got scared.
  • His digestion was upset and he needed to go outside to relieve himself.
  • He heard cats screaming, or people walking on our rural road (odd in the middle of the night), or smelled deer walking around; he urgently wanted to go outside to sound the alarm and investigate.

But in the case of these nights in early November, he wasn’t trembling in fear, the way he does if he hears fireworks or other loud BANGs, and when I got up to let him outside, he didn’t run off to relieve himself OR go charging off into the night barking, as he would have if had detected suspected intruders on or near our property. He just went outside and stood there, looking around, and then came back inside. And then just stood there, looking at me intently. When I told him to “Go to bed! Go lie down!” he did, but a few minutes later was back in my bedroom, panting loudly in my face, wanting … something! But what? Not food, not water, not to go outside. It seemed like he just wanted attention.

To allow my husband (at least) to get some sleep, I took a blanket to the couch and encouraged Otto to lie down next to the couch (he doesn’t like being on the couch as the same time as anyone else, human or canine). He would be calm as long as I was petting him and rubbing his neck and especially behind his ears (his long-time favorite spot), but if my hand would stop moving as I was falling back asleep, he’d loudly start panting and/or get up and start pacing around the house again.

That happened two nights in a row, and then for several nights, Otto was quiet all night. Then I left town for a few days, and on the last night I was gone, Otto’s nighttime restlessness returned. This time, my husband had to deal with it all alone. He, too, resorted to sleeping on the couch with one hand on Otto, but didn’t get much sleep. We discussed it when I returned the next day, and I called around to see if I could get Otto seen, soon, by any one of the three veterinarians I am currently using (last week, I described my three-vet regimen here).

The first vet who could see Otto suggested we run tests on his blood and urine, to look for clues of anything physical that might be amiss. Only one thing was out of whack, and it was a head-scratcher: Otto had a urinary tract infection (UTI). While these are common in older female dogs, it’s a bit unusual in male dogs. We added a urine culture test, to determine which specific bacteria was in Otto’s urine, and, while waiting for those results (which take a few days), we started him on a course of plain-Jane antibiotics.

The veterinarian also thought it was possible that the non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that Otto receives wasn’t doing enough to relieve his arthritis pain, so we added gabapentin to his medication list.

When the urine culture came back, it showed that the bacteria in Otto’s urine was e. Coli – the most common culprit in canine UTIs, but again, much more common in females than males. He finished his antibiotic– unfortunately, without any appreciable change in his anxious nighttime behavior. We waited a week after that, and then I took him back to the vet to have his urine tested again. He still had bacteria in his urine! So we started him on another, more aggressive antibiotic,and the vet suggested I make an appointment with our vet who is board-certified in internal medicine, and perhaps do an ultrasound on his abdomen and particularly his prostate. Apparently, bacteria that gets into the prostate of older male dogs can be difficult to budge, and if this was the case, Otto’s prostate would have been inflamed and enlarged.

Nope, the ultrasound found nothing unusual. As before, he finished the prescription, we waited another week, and tested his urine yet again. Thankfully, this time, the infection was gone – but his nighttime restlessness was still present, even with the addition of gabapentin (and an increased dose).

It was then that I remembered I had a copy of a great book about canine cognitive dysfunction. Remember Me?: Loving and Caring for a Dog with Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (2016, Bright Friends Productions), was written by Eileen Anderson, an award-winning dog blogger who writes about canine behavior and learning theory (and a contributor to WDJ). I pulled the book off of my shelves and read the book cover to cover. It helped me realize a few key things:

While Otto is certainly showing some symptoms of this disorder, and while his frequent nighttime perambulations are disruptive, these behaviors are not as severe as they can become. As Anderson describes in the book:

The types of problems associated with canine cognitive dysfunction are often represented clinically by the acronym DISHA. DISHA stands for:

dog accupuncture
Otto being a very good boy during an acupuncture appointment.

Disorientation

Interactions with people and other pets that have changed

Sleep-wake alterations

House soiling

Activity-level alterations

Anderson included a link to a website she maintains for sharing information about canine dementia. On the site is a long checklist of symptoms that dogs with dementia can display; visitors to the website can print out the list and check the symptoms their dogs are having. This can help the dog’s veterinarian understand the full array of behaviors a dog is exhibiting.

As yet, Otto is exhibiting only a few of these behaviors, and only at night – and none of the ones that seem like they would be making him suffer (such as getting “lost” in our home, “stuck” in corners, being unable to eat or drink, or falling off of things). I’m talking to my veterinary team about what sort of enrichment, foods, supplements, and/or medications we can try to preserve his brain function, and have taken him to see our  third veterinarian for some acupuncture.

If your dog is elderly and exhibiting signs of dementia, I’d strongly recommend Remember Me? as an information resource.

Great Expectations: What to Expect When Adopting a New Dog

By
Kathy Callahan, CPDT-KA, FDM
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11
Maybe you got a doodle because you loved the idea of a fluffy coat that wouldn't make a mess in your house. But you ended up with a dog whose idea of heaven is a muddy romp with her BFF next door. You could stick to your vision and keep that coat clean, avoiding play and putting up with the whining at the window. Or take the happier path: Embrace this unexpectedly easy way to meet your dog's needs for exercise and stimulation.

Some of the happiest dog people I know never even meant to get a dog. Their stories run the gamut – from a stray who showed up on a vacation to a pup inherited from the too-spontaneous college kid – but they all have one key thing in common: the lack of expectation. 

Often, when I meet these dogs, I notice a little list of behaviors I myself would work on – until the owner busts into a big grin and says, “Isn’t she just great? Can’t believe how this worked out.” 

Ha! Awesome. Never mind! I’m here if they ever need me.

In contrast, one of the sadder things I see is the much-anticipated pup – long planned for, much-researched – who is a continual source of frustration. From the level of owner emotion on display before our first training consultation, I expect to encounter a very challenging dog. Instead, I meet a regular dog, who just doesn’t happen to match up with a very precise, idealized picture. 

Oh, how I hate the extra burden of expectation these dogs carry. The biggest favor you can do your dog is to lose the vision – and meet the unique spirit in front of you. 

THE TRAP OF UNMET EXPECTATIONS

There are different versions of the trap of unmet expectations. One of the most common is what I call the legacy of the ghost dog. This is the previous dog who has passed on, either recently or decades ago. I hear about how these dogs were “perfect” and they never (insert undesired behavior here). The thing is, this assertion usually breaks down under a gentle query or two:

  • “Gosh, he was immediately housebroken?” (Well, it turns out they got him as an adult, not a puppy.)
  • “Wow, you never had to replace anything chewed?” (Well, it turns out that this owner was 10 years old at the time and likely mom was the one noticing and replacing.) 
  • “She was never jumpy and always just lay at your feet?” (Well, it turns out that was absolutely true – in years 11 through 16!)

Generally, we savor our sweetest memories of our dear departed dogs and remember them at their very finest hour. That’s mostly a lovely thing, but it’s ever-so damaging to the dogs who come next. 

Do yourself and your new pup a favor: Try to avoid comparisons. But if you can’t do that, be sure to take off the rose-colored glasses. They are blocking you from seeing the fresh new possibilities in front of you. 

Sometimes it’s not a departed dog but a fictional one that gets in the way. Some folks have richly imagined visions of what their life with a dog will look like, and when the reality doesn’t – and can’t – match up, it becomes a giant problem. Here are some typical ways the real live dog comes up short: 

  • The non-dog-park dog. That local dog park sometimes looks so fun from the outside that folks end up considering a dog just to be a part of it. They love to think about trotting their happy dog to its favorite place, where, coincidentally, the owner will get to enjoy that easy human socializing. When it turns out their actual dog (like so many dogs) is not cut out for the dog park scene, the sense of dismay – even betrayal! – is overwhelming. “But this is why I got a dog!” 
  • The non-snuggler. At the root of many a dog acquisition is the vision of never again Netflixing alone. Would-be dog owners picture that couch as a nightly snuggle-fest. How bitter the realization, then, when the new dog clearly demonstrates that she’d rather lay on the nice cool tile floor than the cozy sofa – or, if she does lay on the couch, gets up to move if you try to sit close to her. Talk about adding insult to injury! “But I got a dog to have somebody to snuggle with!”
  • The dog who loves the wrong person. Sometimes a household decides that one member “needs” to have a special friend. Maybe one dog already loves the hubby so the wife needs “hers.” Or maybe a son really wants his “own” dog. This vision delights everyone involved, so they pick a dog. But three weeks later, that dog is glued to the wrong person! 

STACKING THE DECK

In a perfect world, prospective dog owners would ask trainers for help in finding and choosing a dog who could easily deliver the owner’s most-wanted traits – or at least, rule out candidates who are unlikely to be capable of delivering those traits. That would help stack the deck in favor of the human/dog relationship. 

More commonly, though, folks come to training classes or phone consultations with a trainer with a dog already acquired and a small list of grievances already started. If we’re consulted early enough, even about a dog who isn’t a perfect fit, trainers can often help move the needle toward the owner’s vision of a great dog in those first days, weeks, and months. Here’s how we’d do that in the cases of the previously mentioned “disappointments”:

  • To help create a dog park dog, we’d be carefully exposing the pup to all sorts of safe-and-fun doggy friends, helping her to have a great time and build her skills. If there’s happy body language telling us the pup is all in at each stage, we’d gradually move from one-on-one play to neighborhood group play, to the dog park when it’s empty, etc. We’d be watching like a hawk to make sure we quit while we were ahead, and keeping our distance from trouble.

Frustrated that your dog doesn’t cuddle? You might have to accept that, but first try this: Let her always be the one to choose. If there’s no pressure, she’s more likely to settle in.

  • To help create a snuggler, we’d first tire out that pup. (Nobody snuggles when they’re bursting with too much energy.) Then we’d make sure the humans show restraint in their search for the cuddle. With a dog who’s a tentative snuggler, we’d teach the humans to cherish the simple head on the lap without immediately moving in for the whole-body hug-and-massage. 
  • To guide the dog toward loving the one he’s “assigned” to love, we’d advise the family to make sure that human is the primary giver of all good things at first: food, play, walks. 
  • You get my drift. There are always some things trainers can do – if we’re consulted!

BE OPEN TO NEW EXPERIENCES

That said, there are no guarantees. We can’t change who a dog essentially is. Sometimes, our real goal in these training sessions is to get owners to delight in the dog in front of them, and to be open to the idea that this dog – this exact dog, without the changes the owners want to impose – may open an unexpected world for them. 

If this is you – and you’re feeling let down by the reality of your new dog – here’s my advice: Rather than working really hard (often against nature) to force a new dog into a specific vision, try being open to the experience this real live dog is just waiting there to give you.

If he’s terrified at the dog park, maybe that means the two of you could take amazing hikes instead. Maybe this will give you the chance to find trails in your area you’ve never seen before and spend more time more bonding with your dog.

Yeah, it’s a bummer that she won’t cuddle. But maybe she’ll draw you to the dog park – the last place you ever would have gone – where you’ll run into your future husband. (After all, I did! Seriously. True story!)

LOVE THE ONE YOU HAVE

Sometimes I think about how we dog people usually have a few dogs in our lifetime. But our dogs only have us. They live their whole lives just with us. This is it. It would be a shame to keep wishing they were somebody else and letting that hard-headed outlook block us from discovering who they really could be. And who we could be together. 

Download The Full February 2022 Issue PDF

By
Nancy Kerns
-
12
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Building a Veterinary Healthcare Team

By
Nancy Kerns
-
18
healthy dog with great vet team
Otto in all his glory.

In the past few months, I’ve been trying to get to the bottom of some distressing symptoms exhibited by my 14-year-old dog Otto, by using every one of the three veterinarians that make up our veterinary healthcare team.

Yes, three. Following the precepts described 20 years ago by one of our long-time contributors in “Finding a Balance Between Conventional and Holistic Dog Care,” I have assembled a team to meet all my dogs’ veterinary needs. It’s the only way I’ve been able to access the totality of the care I feel like my dog needs!

Our most local vet is more or less Otto’s primary care doctor. Her clinic is located less than two miles from my home, making it most convenient for picking up Otto’s prescriptions and for routine visits. She’s terrific and her clinic is well-equipped. I can usually get an appointment within about two weeks there. But until recently (and this might be changing as we speak), once the pandemic started, she would see patients only in her clinic without the owners present. Having a conversation about your dog over the phone is better than not having a vet to talk to at all, but it’s not always ideal, so if I feel it’s important to be able to see the doctor examine my dog and be able to point out things and discuss things she observes in that moment, I sometimes use veterinarian number two:

This veterinarian practices in a rural clinic, where in this day of COVID she is happy to see patients with their owners outdoors (weather permitting, and in our climate, this is almost always viable). This vet also offers acupuncture, which we’re using in an effort to reduce some of Otto’s arthritis pain. The down side is that she’s farther away and a little less up-to-speed with the latest diagnostic tools. When my dogs need advanced diagnostics, I go to veterinarian number three:

This veterinarian is board-certified in internal medicine (a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine or DACVIM), and practices at the gigantic 24-hour clinic about a half-hour’s drive from here. She has good lines of communication with our primary-care doctor, and they share tests results quickly and easily so they both know what the other doctor is thinking. This practice has almost all the bells and whistles, and while care at this clinic is expensive, the insurance provider I use has never balked at any of the bills.

These are our three go-to providers, but we’ve used other specialists, too:

I took Otto to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the University of California (Davis) for a dental procedure some years ago. Radiographs taken during a routine dental cleaning found that Otto had two cracked teeth, and the local vet thought they might be candidates for crowns, rather than extractions. Given our good health insurance, I opted for this additional visit to the dental experts at UCD, hoping we could save two of his teeth. Alas, the much more powerful imaging equipment at the university hospital were able to reveal that the damage to the teeth was deeper than previously seen, and the teeth had to be extracted after all.

This experience has led me to conclude that, at least for older dogs with more complicated dental histories, it’s likely best to go to a bigger, better-equipped hospital for even routine dental exams and cleaning; we could have saved Otto from one of those two general anesthesia events had I taken him to UCD for the first of those two exams.

dog recovering from surgery

Otto also had surgery at a specialty veterinary hospital for a lesion found on his liver.

I’ve known so many friends whose big dogs died from hemangiosarcoma (a disease that has a decent prognosis only if detected super early), that I have asked for Otto to receive an abdominal ultrasound examination as part of his annual well-dog visit. About six years ago, while conducting the ultrasound, our DACVIM observed a lesion on Otto’s liver, making these annual ultrasound examinations not just a matter of reducing my paranoia, but medically necessary. About three years ago, with the lesion growing, our vet recommended that Otto receive either exploratory surgery or a CT scan to better visualize the lesion, followed by (if at all possible) immediate surgery to remove it if indicated. She referred us to a specialty clinic about 90 minutes away, where we were able to schedule the CT scan and, potentially, time with a surgeon, in the same time slot, so Otto wouldn’t have to undergo general anesthesia twice again.

As it turned out, the CT scan showed that the lesion was quite possibly problematic, so Otto went right into surgery after the imaging. Fortunately, after the mass was sent out to a pathologist, we learned that it was not malignant. We keep his liver under observation, however, as it’s shown signs of further (though thankfully still minor) abnormalities.

The surgeon at that practice – and really, the whole staff – was amazing. Otto had to spend the night before the surgery at the practice, so, on the day he was admitted, I brought along copies of WDJ and a WDJ calendar to show the staff, so they knew they were caring for a celebrity. When I got to visit him post-operatively, I was thrilled to see that they had hung the magazines and calendar on his kennel door, so every person walking by him could see what a superstar he is. If Otto ever needs surgery again, that’s where we’ll go.

I know I’m incredibly lucky to live in an area where I have access to all these gifted professionals. Otto has a better healthcare team than my husband and I do! But I have to say that it’s largely the fortunate choice I made for Otto’s health insurance (discussed recently here*) that has made it possible for me to provide this level of healthcare for Otto.

* Otto is covered by a plan from Nationwide. This is not a blanket recommendation for that company, though it’s been very beneficial for me. For more information about choosing pet health insurance, see this article.

Often, Rehoming a Dog Gives the Best Home

By
Nancy Kerns
-
22
She spent a windy weekend with me – and even got to go for an off-leash hike with some of my other pointy-eared friends. (In this wind, Woody *wishes* he had pointy ears!)

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to make matches between the right humans and the right dog. When a friend asks for help finding a dog, I’ll scour my local shelter, peruse the web pages of my favorite Northern California rescue groups, and pay special attention when I see a post from acquaintances or trainer friends who are trying to help find a home for a certain dog. I love the challenge of making a good match – and the prospect of getting one out of a shelter!

At the same time, I will tell my dog-hungry friend to BE PATIENT, because it’s been my experience that once people make the decision to get a dog, they are often over-eager to bring one home, even when the dog doesn’t feel like the best fit. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen this scenario: A friend asks for help finding a dog. A week later, I get an email from that friend saying “Never mind! I found one!” and photos of their new dog. And then, a day or two later, I get a phone call from the same friend, saying, “Oh my gosh! I need help! This dog is a lot more than what I was expecting!”

Sometimes, it’s a matter of a fairly good match; it’s just that the person sort of forgot what it was like to have a young untrained dog or puppy (maybe they recently lost an older dog, so it’s been a decade or more since they’ve had to deal with a dog who hasn’t been taught any sort of house rules yet). But more often, I find, the people who adopt quickly, tend to adopt a dog who doesn’t even slightly resemble the criteria for their dream dog that they gave me!

If they are really out of their element or feel a deep mismatch with the dog, I would so much rather that they realize their mistake and return the dog than to keep him or her for months (or even years) – and THEN decide they can’t keep the dog. The older a dog gets, the more difficult it is to find him or her a new home, particularly if he’s not trained. Let him be rehomed while he’s still familiar to the staff of the shelter or rescue who placed him! Give them honest and open feedback about what didn’t work for you, what behaviors you found difficult, so they can try to find him a more suitable placement next time!

Even though I think it’s better to return a mismatched dog sooner than later, even if it takes months (or years, though I hope not!), I think it’s better to try to find a happy home for a dog than to keep one that you don’t enjoy or who doesn’t enjoy you. Spending an unhappy, ill-matched lifetime together doesn’t do the dog or the dog owner any favors. To me, it’s the saddest thing ever to witness a dog who was relegated to a 24/7 outdoor life (or life in a garage, which I’ve seen, too!) because someone – years earlier – couldn’t manage to housetrain them or teach them indoor manners such as refraining from counter-surfing or not jumping all over the furniture.

There is so much stigma about rehoming! People often feel like failures to “give up” on a dog, or to admit they are afraid of the dog, or just don’t feel comfortable with him or her. Others worry that the dog’s prospects will be reduced (or ended) by being returned or rehomed. But if I were a dog, I wouldn’t want to be unloved or untrusted for the rest of my life! I’d rather take my chances of finding an owner who knows more about dogs like me!

If you are in Northern California and are interested in this dog, please see https://www.facebook.com/ChicoCanineConnection.

One of my trainer friends is trying to find a perfect home for one of her clients’ dogs right now – an adorable little dog who has proven to be a bit reactive when on-leash and beyond the ability of her family to handle appropriately. My friend has fostered the little dog for a few days, to get a complete picture of her leash-reactive behavior, and says the behavior will be easy to modify in the right hands and home; now we just have to find that home.

I was prompted to write this post because I JUST experienced a scenario like the one I described at the beginning. I was keeping my eye peeled for a dog for a friend; she wanted a dog around 25-30 pounds, adult, and calm. Two weeks into her search, she announced she had adopted a 40-pound, 6-month-old, Cattle dog-mix. YIKES! I have to say, the dog was one of the calmest 6-month-old Cattle Dog-mixes who just spent a month in a shelter that I have EVER met (which is what fooled my friend into thinking it might work out) – but she is still an adolescent herding breed.

herding breed foster dog
She’s one of the cutest, calmest adolescent herding-breed dog’s I’ve met, and super affectionate. But still not a great fit for my friend who *really* wants a calmer, older, smaller dog.

Within 24 hours, the dog had terrorized my friend’s cat, refused to pee outside, sneaked a few pee puddles inside, and is showing no signs of having to poop, EVER (so we knew it would come sometime, likely in the night, lol). She chewed some things, knocked over things, and generally acted like who she is. And my friend, who only recently lost a well-behaved 13-year-old dog, was in shock – but fortunately, she realized her mistake quickly and asked me for help. She wanted to know whether the dog’s prospects would be harmed by going back to the shelter (nope!) and whether I thought that was the right decision (yes!).

But coincidentally, I knew a trainer who had recently lost her older dog and was maybe casting about for a new companion. I asked the shelter if I could foster the dog for a few days and make the introduction – and when I did, sparks flew. This beauty is now living her best life in a home of a trainer who recognizes and appreciates her super smarts, joy of learning, and playful zoomies and isn’t put off by her adolescent chewing and digging.

Yay! One dog out of the shelter and into a PERFECT home, and one friend educated about the importance of being patient and waiting for just the right dog to come along. Now if we can just find a spot for the cute little reactive dog…

Making a Year-End Contribution to an Animal-Related Charity? Read This

By
Nancy Kerns
-
5
animal shelter volunteer with dog

Many of us animal lovers contribute in some way to animal charities. I donate (admittedly) small amounts of money to my local animal disaster relief organization (the North Valley Animal Disaster Group, which rescues animals from floods and fires and operates emergency shelters for animals who are displaced from these disasters) and to my local animal shelter, the Northwest SPCA. I’m able to contribute more as a volunteer than as a donor, I think – though I do end up spending a not-insignificant amount of money on dog food, toys, chews, and other equipment for the litters of puppies and the occasional adolescent dog that I foster for the shelter.

I also help my local shelter by editing and laying out their newsletter, which they mail out at least once a year (sometimes more). In the newsletters are stories about the shelter’s major accomplishments in the previous year and some of the animals they have helped, as well as requests for donations, both monetary and in the form of dog and cat food, kitty litter, used towels and blankets, and so on. The newsletter gets mailed to all of the shelter’s past donors and to everyone who has ever adopted an animal from the shelter (at least, for those whose addresses are still valid); the response to the newsletter and the self-addressed, stamped envelope tucked inside it is one of the shelter’s most important fund-raising tools.

But not everyone has the time or space or dog-care and -training experience to raise litters of puppies or improve the behavior of an energetic young dog who has never learned to live politely with humans – or to edit newsletters, for that matter. For many people, making a financial contribution to an animal-related charity is a more practical way to make a difference to those charities, and thus, to needy animals somewhere. (And even if everyone had the time to volunteer, animal charities would still need financial donations!)

If you’re interested in making a year-end contribution to an animal-related group, please click this link, which leads to an article we published in the December 2012 issue of WDJ. “Giving to Animal Charities” offers the best information I’ve ever seen about how to make sure your donation dollars are being spent in a manner that will achieve your charitable goals. Do you want your money to help tighten national or state laws about animal cruelty and abuse? Provide animal disaster relief? Support spay/neuter programs? Operate local shelters? Author Barbara Dobbins explains how to determine what your intended charity actually does with contributions; it’s not always what you think it is.

And, if I may, I’d like to share with you the most memorable thing I ever learned in college. In September 1985, there was a massive earthquake centered in Mexico City that caused billions of dollars worth of damage and killed thousands of people. One of my professors was collecting contributions to a disaster-relief organization and he made a short speech about this before our class began. He said, “I know many of you are financially challenged. College is expensive, and many of you work in addition to going to school. But if you have bought a cup of coffee even once this month, you could afford to donate a dollar – and if every one of my students this week did that, we’d collectively be sending more than $1,000 to help people whose homes and livelihoods have been completely destroyed.”

He went on: “I’m putting a donation box in the department office; I won’t know if you make a donation or not. And if you can’t, you can’t. But here is something I have learned: There are always reasons why we don’t feel we have enough money to make charitable contributions. Right now, it’s the cost of your education. When you graduate, you’ll be broke for a while as you get on your feet in a career. Next, you might have a wedding to pay for, or a mortgage, or just car payments that are tough to make. Pretty soon, it might be your own kids you have to help through college. If you don’t get into the habit of helping NOW – even just the tiniest amount – you may grow up to be one of those people who never does help. And that would be sad!”

I’ve thought about that speech many, many times since then. And if San Francisco State University professor Max Kirkeberg is still alive, I’d love for him to know that his speech made a lifelong giver out of me. Even if it’s just a dollar!

Daily Practice Makes for Perfect Dog Recall Training

By
Stephanie Colman
-
11
dog recall training
If playing with a toy is just as rewarding (or even more so!) than food for your dog, then by all means use playing with a toy as a reward! Nyx wasn't very interested in playing with a ball; it's not a good reinforcer for her.

Coming when called – a “recall” as it’s often known in dog-training circles – is arguably the most important behavior you can teach your dog. It can literally save his life. Imagine your dog gets loose and is heading for danger. When you call him, you want him to turn on a dime and race back to you so fast that it looks like his rear end is on fire and you have the only hose in town!

The trick to teaching a reliable recall is to set up your dog to successfully practice getting it right over and over again. Repetition rules in recall training. Your goal is to create so many successful training repetitions that turning and racing toward you becomes more like a reflex: When he hears the recall word, his body automatically turns toward you and he happily races back to you.

Think about when you first learned to drive a car. In the beginning, you had to concentrate on each individual behavior. Seatbelt on. Foot on the brake, start the car and put it in gear. Check the mirrors. Ease off the clutch or brake and onto the gas, and so on. But today, you probably drive without thinking about each adjustment you make to the pedals or steering wheel. 

Similarly, it takes hundreds of successful repetitions to make coming when called a reflexive action for your dog, but don’t worry. Accomplishing that much training is easier than you think. 

DOG RECALL TRAINING TECHNIQUES

training dog to come with treats
Step 1: Hold treats within your dog’s smelling/licking range. Give your recall cue and back up as your dog moves toward you to get the treats.

Before you begin, pick a word to be your special dog recall word or cue. If you’ve been using “Come!” with mixed results, start fresh with a new word like, “Here!” or “Quick!” – and once you’ve chosen a cue, consider it sacred during the early months of your training program. Use this cue only when you are training, not for casual moments around the house. 

The first step is designed to be simple for the dog, and to introduce the pattern of behavior into your dog’s mind. I do this by enthusiastically luring my dog toward me while quickly backing up about five or six steps and saying his name and special recall word. (“Saber, here!”) With your dog on a regular four- to six-foot leash, move backward as swiftly as your dog will follow, keeping your treats within licking distance. 

step 2 of teaching your dog to come when called
Step 2: After about five days of practicing Step 1 (at least three to four times a day), continue in the same way, but with the treats behind your back. Practice this daily for at least three weeks before introducing distractions.

Another fun way to do this (and if backing up is unsafe or difficult for you), is to turn and quickly run several steps away, and have a happy party as you feed him treats when he gets to you. 

After five or six steps, stop and reward generously. Use lots of tiny treats paired with praise and petting (in a way you know your dog enjoys) for 15 to 20 seconds. Repeat this process five times in a row at least three or four times per day. Five repetitions in a row over three or four short training sessions per day gives you 15 to 20 reps per day. And each session takes fewer than five minutes!

After about five days of diligent practice, keep all the steps the same except the part where you hold the treat within licking distance of your dog. We don’t want him to think he has to see the treat in order for the recall word to be rewarding. Conceal the treats in your pocket or treat pouch, but be sure to reward just as generously. 

Remember: this is supposed to look and feel easy. Avoid the temptation to try and make it harder for your dog at this early stage. We’re building a strong foundation. Just as a house falls apart without a solid foundation, a recall falls apart in the face of distractions when it lacks a solid foundation. 

One of the biggest mistakes people make when training the recall is to practice a handful of times at home and then expect the behavior to hold up away from home and in the face of distractions. We want to adequately train the behavior before we start testing it out!

Recall is a relationship-based behavior

dog with perfect recall

It bears repeating: Recall is a relationship-based behavior. Your dog’s willingness to do it depends entirely on how much he trusts that returning to you will be worth his while. If your dog is ambivalent about his relationship with you, his response to a recall cue is likely to be ambivalent, too. If you are not in the habit of reinforcing your dog for the behaviors you’ve asked him for (or, worse, if you’ve meted out some aversive consequences to him), he may choose to ignore your cues, avoid you, or just take time after hearing your cue to “read the room” – to try to gauge whether you are likely to administer an aversive or a reinforcement. 

This isn’t a judgment on any dog who does this; the fact is, it’s natural and normal for dogs to consider the consequences of any options in front of them and to choose whichever option is the most enjoyable (a.k.a., the least aversive). It’s poetic to think our dogs live to please us, but that’s just not true; they consider “What’s in it for me right now?” and do what works best for them. The sooner we accept this fact – and use our intelligence to set up training sessions so that our dog’s most enjoyable choice is to do what we want him to do, the sooner we become good dog trainers!

If you’re having trouble with recall, I urge you to think about your relationship and training style with your dog. The more enjoyable and interesting you are to your dog – and the more you’ve shown him that you can be counted on to provide good things, the more motivated your dog will be to come to you when you call him. In contrast, if you’ve been physically or verbally harsh or scary with him, he’s naturally going to think twice before coming to you. But in any sort of emergency, you don’t want your dog to hesitate to come to you; you want him to know, instantly and unequivocally, that racing to you immediately will result in all the things he likes best: food, fun, praise, attention, and affection. 

TAKE IT ON THE ROAD

As your dog starts responding confidently to his recall word at home, practice the behavior while on your daily neighborhood walk. You can back up to step one and have treats at his nose-level for the first few days, especially if he’s distracted by the environment. 

If he’s too distracted to focus on your treats, try experimenting with higher-value treats or toys if your dog prefers games like tug. Use very high-value treats – cooked meat, cheese, freeze dried liver, etc. And cut the treats into small pieces, so you can feed a lot of them! 

Don’t get too concerned if your dog is so distracted by away-from-home environments that not even high-value treats hold his attention. Some dogs need to take in the environment before working. Maybe they’re genuinely curious, or maybe they’re a little nervous and need to make sure it’s safe. Giving dogs permission to check out their environment – without asking, nagging, or begging them to pay attention – while generously rewarding their choice to interact with us, can help prepare them for whatever training we have in mind. Continue to practice at home – and consider setting up acclimation trials in new locations. 

ACCLIMATION TRIAL

To do this, pick a novel location, plant your feet, and let your dog explore to his heart’s content – but only as far as he can reach via the fixed radius of the leash. Don’t pull or tug on the leash; if he’s pulling, just pretend you are a post and simply resist his pulling. And don’t ask your dog for attention; this is his time. However, if he turns and looks at you, as if to say, “Um, are we going to do something?” offer copious praise and feed him a number of tiny, delicious treats, one at a time, so long as you hold his attention. 

If you lose his attention, go back to ignoring him as you stand your ground. Relax and commit to standing there for as long as it takes for him to get bored with looking or sniffing within the length of his leash. If after 10 minutes or so, if he’s still fixated on everything/anything other than you, you may need to choose a slightly less fascinating novel location – for example, a big empty parking lot rather than a forested park. Meanwhile, continue your recall training at home and in other areas where your dog can successfully focus on you and your treats.

If you keep his attention, ask for a simple behavior such as “sit” or “down” and reward with a treat. If he stays focused on you, try practicing the the recall exercise.

ADD DISTRACTIONS TO YOUR DOG RECALL TRAINING

low level distraction when teaching a dog recall
Jessie tied a furry tug toy to a post and let Nyx approach and investigate the toy. Nyx is not particularly interested in playing with toys, so this makes a good low-level distraction.

After about three weeks of regular, on-leash foundation training (and remembering not to use the special recall cue outside of these training scenarios), you’ll likely find that your dog is happily running toward you as you call him and move away. Congratulations! You’re building a solid foundation! Keep doing what you’re doing, but now we’re ready to introduce the concept of purposefully turning away from a distraction.

A dog’s ability to turn away from distractions (in favor of running back to you) will make or break the recall. When a dog is off-leash, it’s especially easy to become distracted. We need to teach the dog that coming when called – leaving really interesting stuff behind – is still worth it. 

dog coming when called
When Jessie brightly and cheerfully uses her recall cue (“Nyx, now!”), Nyx immediately turns and trots toward Jessie (who backs up a few steps before delivering several treats).

If you’ve been diligent with your early recall homework for just three weeks, your dog has already been generously rewarded for quickly running toward you close to 300 times. That gives him a great head start on this next step. To be fair to the dog, please don’t attempt this step before completing three weeks of the early foundation training. 

With your dog on a leash, walk him up to a low-level distraction like a familiar bush or tree. Allow him to investigate and as he does, step behind him and go to the end of your leash, keeping it loose. Be ready with treats hidden in your hand behind your back. Happily call his name and his recall word. Be ready for one of two things to happen:

  • He eagerly whips his head around, leaving the distraction and runs toward you. As this happens, remember to move away from him, giving him the opportunity to chase you for a few steps. Party like a rock star with praise, petting, treats, and general merriment lasting 15 to 20 seconds.

OR . . .

  • Your dog ignores the recall word and continues investigating the distraction. If this happens, one of two things have probably gone wrong: Either you didn’t practice the earlier steps enough, or you’ve picked a distraction that’s far too distracting! 

In this case, use a small squeaky toy (keep a “naked” squeaker in your pocket for this occasion) or make some other unusual or exciting noise (such as a whistle or a verbal squeak) to get your dog’s attention. If he turns back to you, mark the physical action of having turned away from the distraction (with the click of a clicker or a verbal “Yes!” or “Good!”), repeat the recall word and back or run away, getting him to chase you and rewarding him generously after several steps.

However, if he ignores your exciting noise, or you have to make several noises, your training is going off course. You need more repetitions, better rewards, and/or a lower-level distraction. 

Revisit Steps 1 and 2, practicing in your house and yard, with at least five repetitions at least three times a day. Practice these distraction set-ups with your dog on-leash (a regular 6-foot leash is best), and be generous with your rewards until your dog is happily and reliably doing a whiplash-type turn in your direction every time you use your recall cue at home.

MAKE YOUR RECALL TRAINING AN EVERYDAY ROUTINE

Dog recall training should be part of your daily routine with your dog. In working with my own dogs, I make a point to call them away from minor distractions at least a few times during every walk. 

In addition, I use my dog recall word every time I set down a bowl of food, and any time I find leftover treats in one of my pockets (“Saber, here!) for some simple classical conditioning/pairings of the recall word with wonderful things. He may be right next to me, but when he hears his special word, food magically appears! 

Also, in any off-leash situation we’re in, I make a point to call my dog to me several times, just so I can generously reward him and then release him back to his freedom. That way, he’s less likely to think being called means it’s time to leash-up and go home, thus ending the off-leash fun.

Rules of Recall Training

Train with a leash! Set your dog up for success both when training and in life. And if you don’t trust his recall, or local ordinances require it, keep your dog on leash. The best-trained dogs can be led astray by the scent of a critter, many of which are most active at dawn and dusk.

Never call your dog to you for something unpleasant. If you need to do something your dog may consider unpleasant, calmly walk up to him, ask him to sit, feed a treat, attach the leash, feed another treat, and walk him wherever you need to go.

Reward generously. Convince your dog that hearing his recall word is like winning the doggy lottery. Use small, soft, high-value treats that can be broken into many small pieces. A piece of cheese the size of a game die can be pinched into 10 or more small treats. Ten small treats, clearly fed one at a time while you lavish praise and petting in ways your dog enjoys, are better than one large treat. It’s dog math!

Don’t overuse the recall word. My recall word (“Here!”) is reserved for situations where there’s more at risk, either because my dog is off leash, or because there is a situation that might go sideways. If I’m casually walking down the hall and want my dog to follow me, or I’m trying to call him inside, I use a more casual phrase such as, “C’mon… let’s go…” or “C’mon … inside.”

Avoid static recalls. Dogs love to chase stuff. Rather than stand still as you call your dog, scamper away so he gets to chase you. 

It’s okay to always use food! For the life of my dog, especially when I choose to let him off-leash somewhere (thus upping his access to distractions), I will always bring treats and reward heavily. This does not mean he’s not well trained; it means I understand I’m asking him to do something challenging and I’m willing to pay well for this, and to maintain the behavior. He doesn’t need to come when called “because I said so.” Try to keep ego out of your training!

LEARN FROM MISTAKES

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you’ll call your dog and his response will look more like “Hold on a sec. I’m busy,” than “Woohoo! That’s the party word! I’m on my way!” 

You might be tempted to repeat your recall word, perhaps with an edge of “authority” in your voice – but don’t do it! Instead, try using whatever phrase you use casually around the house (such as “C’mon… let’s go!”) as you clap your hands and run away from your dog, encouraging him to chase you – and, despite the fact that he didn’t come immediately, reward him generously.

Now, think about what was holding his attention – and think about what type of distractions often seem to present the biggest challenge for your dog. His “mistakes” are giving you valuable information! Once you identify what situation, sights, or smells make it difficult for him to “hear” your cues, you can set up training trials to address them. 

For example, if squirrels are the Achilles’ heel of your dog’s recall, ask your dog for recalls only when your dog is on leash and first notices the squirrel; if he’s already in full lock-and-load mode, you are setting him up to fail. If scavenging for food is a pastime that challenges his ability to come when called, safely enclose a low-level food item in a secure, vented container so your dog can’t get to it, and practice calling your dog away. Whatever the scenario, make it easy for your dog to be correct and work your way up to more challenging variations only as he demonstrates proficiency in the easier step – meaning, he can successfully recall away from the distraction without needing an additional prompt.

TRAINING VS TESTING

Always remember: Training happens when your dog is on leash. If your dog is off-leash, you’re testing what he knows, not training. The more you train, the better prepared you’ll both be to ace the next test! 

Frozen Raw Dog Food

By
Nancy Kerns
-
30
frozen raw dog food
Have you seen freezers like this in your local pet supply store and wondered what the deal is with all that frozen food? Has a salesperson tried to convert you to a raw, frozen diet for your dog? If you've answered "yes" to either question, there are things you should know about this diet category so you can choose wisely.

We’ve got some good news and some bad news for dog owners who are interested in feeding raw diets. First, the good news: Some dogs thrive on these diets. Today, there are many companies offering frozen raw dog food – some with many different formulations. The diets have long been available via direct-shipping but are increasingly available in pet supply stores, too. 

The bad news: In addition to having the potential to deliver bacterial pathogens to your dog (and household), this segment of the pet food industry seems particularly prone to sloppy nutritional formulation. As a category, the diets tend to be extremely high in fat – high enough to pose a significant danger to dogs with a high risk of pancreatitis. 

While many owners credit raw-food diets for their dogs’ vibrant good health, there are specific things you should look for (and look out for) when choosing one of these diets for your dog. 

Before we get into specific purchasing recommendations, let’s talk about why people might want to feed a raw diet in the first place.

Common Traits of Frozen Raw Dog Food

Everyone should be clear about the fact that canines evolved eating diets comprised mostly of raw meat (and raw bones, organs, and other tissues from dead animals; wild canids and feral dogs still do). 

The credit for popularizing an “evolutionary-style” diet to dogs in recent decades is usually given to Australian veterinarian Dr. Ian Billinghurst. His 1993 book, Give Your Dog a Bone, made a compelling case for the benefits of home-prepared diets for dogs – and specifically, diets that were comprised mostly of raw, meaty bones, supplemented by smaller amounts of organ meat, vegetables, eggs, and so on. Many people who followed his diet-formulation guidelines saw significant and almost immediate improvements in their dogs’ health – and a revolution was underway. Commercial manufacturers of these diets appeared practically overnight.

But every type of food for dogs that’s ever appeared on the market has won a certain number of fans and foes. No matter what type of diet being discussed, divisions develop and owners argue about “what’s best” for dogs. 

You’d think that raw-diet advocates might hang together as allies; you’d be wrong. Raw feeders argue about the pros and cons of “whole prey” diets (those that attempt to mimic the proportions of meat, bone, and organs consumed by wolves), grain-containing and grain-free diets, diets that include whole raw bones and those that grind the bones, and diets containing synthetic vitamin and/or mineral sources and those that contain none. 

Given these diverging opinions, today, about all that commercial raw, frozen diets tend to have in common is a preponderance of raw meat. If other ingredients are used, they tend to be whole, raw or very lightly processed foods. Certified organic, grass-fed, locally sourced, and/or humanely raised ingredients are more commonly found in this diet category than more conventional segments of the market.

The Truth About Frozen Raw Dog Food

What’s often lost in the arguments among raw-food fans is that no diet works well for all dogs. Just like humans (whose foods dogs have been sharing for quite some time now), what some dogs thrive on makes some dogs decline, and vice versa.

Theoretically, all dogs are equipped to eat like their wild forebears: a partly hunted, partly scavenged diet comprised largely of raw meat and other parts from dead animals. But as a point of realistic fact, raw diets don’t suit all dogs. Some dogs turn up their noses at raw; others are unable to digest uncooked ingredients well. Others may lack the immune-system rigor to defend themselves from chronic exposure to the pathogenic bacteria that’s present in much of the raw meat in the food supply (at least, the raw meat that doesn’t undergo a “kill step” – more about that in a minute).

Nevertheless, products based on some version of an evolutionary-type raw diet are very popular among some dog owners. Those who are committed to feeding a raw diet often cite a long list of benefits of these diets for dogs: better overall health and vigor, fewer allergies and digestive problems, cleaner teeth and fresher breath, nicer coats, improved reproduction in breeding dogs, and greater longevity and soundness. 

This is anecdotal evidence, of course; sound, validated, generational studies comparing the health of raw-fed dogs to a population of kibble-fed dogs don’t exist. But it’s undeniable that some dogs do great on these diets! Many raw-food diet proponents stumbled upon this style of feeding their dogs after years of struggling with a dog who failed to thrive on every other type of diet – and there is no convert as dedicated as someone whose dog was sickly and is now well on a new diet.

Bacterial Concerns of Frozen Raw Foods and Solutions

Raw-food diets also have detractors, primarily for one overwhelming reason: the potential for pathogenic organisms in raw animal-source proteins to cause illness in animals and the humans in their household.

There are a number of pathogens that can be present in and/or on meat, including Salmonella spp, Campylobacter spp, Clostridium spp, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus. In more conventional types of pet food, these pathogens are rendered harmless through cooking – unless the heat-based process, whether it be extrusion, baking, or retort (canning) is inadequate. But there are also newer technologies being developed and implemented that can kill pathogens in raw foods without cooking.

Most of the largest, most successful raw-diet companies use one of these cooking-alternative, bacteria “kill-step” technologies, such as irradiation or high-pressure processing (HPP). (For more information about this, see “High Pressure Processing in Raw Dog Food,” WDJ April 2015.) 

But a few companies are raw-diet purists; they often explain that they rely on superior sources of animal proteins, strict adherence to good manufacturing practices, and product testing to ensure that their products contain no pathogens. 

We’ve seen credible evidence that dogs can (and often do) consume the most commonly found pathogenic bacteria in our meat and poultry supply (Salmonella) without developing illness. But given the state of the nation’s commercial food-processing oversight (not good), and reports of increasing populations and virulence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, our own bias in raw-diet selection would mirror that of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA): We recommend buying only those raw-diet products that have been subjected to pasteurization of some kind. This type of food is safely treated with HPP. 

Claims of Frozen Raw Food Nutritional Adequacy

Although the popularity of dog food “mixers and toppers” has been increasing, most of these are clearly labeled as just that – “toppers” – a savory topping (some promising nutritional benefits) to add to your dog’s food. With the exception of these clearly identified topper products, in the kibble or canned food aisles, it’s uncommon to find products that are not labeled as “complete and balanced diets.” 

However, this is not the case with raw frozen dog food. There are more producers of “intermittent and supplemental” diets in this pet-food category than any other. Nutritionally incomplete products are intended to provide some of the dog’s required nutrition, with the added benefit of proteins, enzymes, and vitamins that have not been reduced or altered by the heat of cooking. Some of these incomplete diets are prominently identified as such, but the labeling on others might be small (or covered with freezer frost!). 

Because the incomplete diets may contain nutrients in levels that depart significantly from those required for a “complete and balanced diet,” we recommend avoiding those indicated for “intermittent and supplemental use.” Look for a nutritional completeness claim on each label – even if you plan to feed the product as just part of your dog’s diet. Also, you must make sure that it’s appropriate for your dog’s life stage. 

“Adult maintenance” is the least complicated claim. Pay much closer attention if you are feeding a puppy or young (under a year old) dog. The nutrient requirements for “growth” or “all life stages” are one and the same, but be aware that these products must also specify whether they are formulated to meet the nutritional requirements for growth/all life stages including the growth of large-size dogs (expected to be 70 lbs. or larger as an adult) or except for the growth of large-size dogs. Large-breed puppies should be fed diets with less calcium; these would carry the claim, “(This product) has been formulated to meet the nutritional requirements for growth/all life stages including the growth of large-size dogs.” 

Proof of Nutritional Adequacy Claims

frozen raw dog food nutrient analysis
Look for products from companies that post complete nutrient analyses on their website

By law, the only nutrient levels that are required to appear on a pet food label are its minimum levels of protein and fat and maximum levels of fiber and moisture. These are provided on all food labels in the “guaranteed analysis.” 

But “complete and balanced” dog diets must also contain minimum amounts of specific amino acids, linoleic and linolenic fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, and have calcium and phosphorus levels within a certain ratio to each other. Though these nutrient levels are not required to appear on product labels, we recommend that dog owners ascertain that pet food makers are able to produce analyses that confirm the products meet the required nutritional levels established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). 

At a bare minimum, every pet food maker should be able to send you a complete “typical” nutrient analysis for all of their products. More often than not, the analyses provided show the expected levels of nutrients based on a computer analysis of the product’s formula. Preferably, these are posted on their company websites. 

We have a strong preference for foods that have been subjected to laboratory analysis to confirm that their formulations deliver nutrient levels that meet the AAFCO guidelines. This is a significant expense for pet food makers – but it’s also of significant importance for dogs.

Watch Out for High Fat Levels in Frozen Raw Dog Food

We’re not sure why this is so, but the makers of frozen raw dog foods tend to formulate them with excessive amounts of fat. This attribute is not nearly as common with the makers of cooked frozen dog foods, so we’re at a loss to explain it. These diets don’t have to be high-fat.

Here’s a wrench in the works for conscientious dog owners who check the product labels, looking for high fat levels: Remember that the guaranteed analysis on the product label lists the minimum amounts of protein and fat. The product may actually contain much higher levels than what’s listed there. Argh! This is one of the reasons why we insist that you ask companies for their complete nutrient analyses; these should list percentages that are closer to the actual amounts in the product. 

At the very least, pay attention to the caloric density of the food – the number of calories per ounce or kilogram – in the products you’re considering. In general, the higher the number, the more fat in the product. 

What to Look for in a Raw, Frozen Diet

When selecting a raw, frozen diet for your dog, we suggest that you look for products that have these attributes:

  • Treatment with a pasteurization or bacterial ”kill step” such as high-pressure processing (preferably) or irradiation.
  • A nutritional adequacy claim confirming that the product is a complete and balanced diet for dogs. For example, “This product was formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages including growth of large size dogs (70 lbs. or more as an adult).” To reiterate, we do not recommend diets that are intended only for “intermittent or supplemental use.”
  • Complete nutrient analyses for each product. Ideally, it’s clear that the reports are the results of laboratory analysis of the products, rather than the nutrient levels expected from a software analysis of the product formula.
  • Fat levels that are not excessive. We recommend products with protein levels that are about twice the levels of fat for most dogs. Foods that contain more fat than protein should be avoided – especially for individuals and breeds that are subject to pancreatitis (for more about this risk, see “Signs of Pancreatitis in Dogs,” July 2021).

Devoted to Raw Dog Food?

If this type of diet has proven to really suit your dog – perhaps he’s had some health issues that have resolved on a raw dog food diet – we’d suggest reading another article with even more details and cautions. See “The State of the Commercial Raw Diet Industry,” WDJ September 2015, for even more in-depth recommendations. 

If you’re just trying products from this category – perhaps in an effort to resolve some ongoing health issue for your dog – or using them as part of your dog’s rotational diet, these tips should help ensure you are buying the better products in the category.

As with every change of diet, start slowly and convert your dog to his new diet gradually, watching carefully for any signs of digestive distress (such as vomiting, diarrhea, blood in the stool, or lack of appetite). Use particular caution with dogs who are prone to pancreatitis – and retreat to your dog’s former diet if you observe any  of the above-listed signs of dietary intolerance. 

Dog Barking: What You Can Do

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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14
dog barking
Some dogs like to fetch - and some like to run along barking at the fetcher. This kind of loud canine cheerleading can irritate the barkers' companions, as well as your neighbors. It might be fun for a few minutes, but to be considerate - and to prevent your dog from practicing this annoying barking - it might be best to let the fetcher exercise separately without his bark companion. Photo Credit: Suzanne Marcoux / Dreamstime.com

Whole Dog Journal is reader-supported. If you purchase through links on our site we may earn a commission. Whole Dog Journal does not accept money for its food and product reviews.

Dogs bark for lots of different reasons. Dog barking may be triggered by strong emotional responses such as fear, reactivity, and aggression. These behaviors require significant attention to and modification for the underlying emotions that drive these behaviors. 

But one of the most common types of barking happens just because the dog is excited and expresses her excitement in part through excessive vocalization. With these dogs, we can often go straight to working with the barking without having to spend lots of time and effort modifying an underlying behavior.

Why’s My Dog Barking A Lot – All The Excitement?

If your dog’s annoying, excessive barking stems from excitement, I can relate. Sunny, our Pomeranian/Eskimo-mix, is one of these. We had his voice pretty well under control until the arrival of our newest dog, KC, another Australian Kelpie (we already had one, Kai). KC’s energy has rejuvenated Sunny’s barking – and then some. 

The first task is to determine what sets off the excitement barking and figure out how to manage the trigger – at least to the best of your ability. While it’s usually fairly simple to identify the trigger (or triggers), the second part – managing your dog’s exposure to the stimuli that make her bark – can be difficult. 

Dog Barking Management Options

One stratagem is to simply remove your barky dog from the exciting environment. 

When KC and Kai play chase and tackle in the backyard, Sunny runs after them at full speed, barking shrilly. I don’t want to take away all of Sunny’s fun, so I let him chase and bark for a minute or two, then put him in the house so the other two can play in peace. 

If your dog gets excited and barks when your kids are playing on the swing set, or friends hollering at the TV during football games, put her elsewhere during those events and let her come out again when the activity subsides.

Another option is to manage the trigger (rather than the barker). If I want Sunny to stay in the backyard, I can otherwise engage KC in playing with a Frisbee, which doesn’t incite Sunny to chase and bark. Similarly, you could take the kids to swing at the park or at their friend’s house, or ask someone else to host football parties, at least until you have modified your dog’s barking behavior. 

It can also be helpful to increase your excited dog’s mental and physical exercise, to increase calm and decrease the amount of energy she has available to devote to barking. Structured physical exercise can serve to help improve your dog’s impulse control and is preferred over all-out random crazy exercise. (See “Impulse Control Exercises for High-Energy Dogs,” September 2017 and “Are Canines Cognitive?” October 2017.)

Finally, you may be able to manage in the moment by just feeding your dog very-high-value treats as you move her away from the excitement-causing stimulus. This is not likely to change her behavior in the long run but might get you out of an embarrassing situation. 

Please note that “very high value” may vary from one dog to the next, but usually means something moist and meaty or cheesy. My favorite brand of packaged, non-perishable, non-greasy, easy-to-break-into-small-pieces treats are from the Real Meat Treat Company. “Very high value” for most dogs is definitely not some boring, dry, kibble-type treat.

Behavior Modification for Barky Dogs

dog barking at triggers
Once you have identified your dog’s triggers, you can work to desensitive her to them, and to counter-condition her response to them, so that she gradually develops less reactive behavior and more calm feelings about them. Arm yourself with extra-high-value treats and start this work at a great-enough distance to keep her “under threshold”. If she gets aroused, like the dog in this photo, you’ve pushed her too far, too fast.
Photo Credit: Sue Feldberg/ Dreamstime.com

There’s nothing wrong with good management; in fact, I have no problem with a dog’s family choosing to manage barking behavior for the dog’s lifetime. It might, however, be nice to not have to manage the barking always and forever. If you are motivated and willing to make the effort, there are some effective ways to modify barking behavior: 

  • Reinforce an alternative behavior. This suggestion entails giving the dog something to do – as opposed to just telling her to not do something else – and when she does the thing we’ve asked, we can give her reinforcement for the new, preferable behavior. Some suggestions for behaviors that make particularly good alternatives to barking include:
    • Find it. Say, “Find it!” brightly, and toss treats at your feet. This helps your dog shift her focus from “out there” and whatever she was barking at to you and the area near you. 
    • Search. Just like “find it,” but you toss the treats away from you into the grass for your dog to find. 
    • “Go to Your Mat.” Some people may train their dogs to “station” themselves on a mat, bed, or cot, and remain there in any position (stand, sit, or down) until given a cue to move about freely again; others want this behavior to include lying down and relaxing. You can include whatever criteria you want, but the main thing is to give the dog a designated place to go to and await further instructions. (See “Mat Training Tips,” January 2020.)
    • Settle. This behavior is more than a “down,” though we might start shaping it from that posture. The finished behavior should resemble a calm, completely relaxed dog, one who projects, “I’m going to be here for a while, so I may as well take a short nap,” rather than, “I’m holding a ‘stay,’ but at any moment I’m going to get a release cue and leap to my feet!” When she’s on the mat, reinforce her trained “Settle” behavior to help her learn to remain calm and stay on the mat even when exciting things are happening. (See “Teach Your Dog to Settle Down,” September 2015.) 
    • Touch. This cue asks your dog to touch her nose, a paw, or other body part to a target (such as your outstretched palm, a ball on the end of a pointer, or the lid of a plastic container taped to the wall). Use “Touch” to draw her attention away from whatever she’s barking at, and then engage her in some of her other favorite behaviors. (See “On Target Training,” September 2021.)
    • Teach a “Quiet” cue. Also known as a “positive interrupt,” your cheerful “Quiet” cue simply invites your dog to cease barking in anticipation of receiving a reinforcer. If you have trained it well, it can work like a charm! (See “Punishment vs. Interruption,” February 2021.)Teaching a “Quiet” cue is simple: Start by reinforcing a very short bit of quiet – “short” as in one second! – and very gradually increase the amount of time you wait before giving your dog another reinforcer. It might help to count to yourself, “One one-thousand, two one-thousand…” If your dog barks as you are working on this, you are increasing the duration of her “quiet” behavior too quickly.This exercise has helped me with the resurgence of barking from our small dog, Sunny, prompted by the addition of another dog to our family. It requires a high rate of reinforcement, but I expect to eventually be able to decrease the rate of treat delivery as we had successfully done in the past to reduce his excitement barking.
    • Ignore the bark and reinforce quiet. If you are in a situation where you can control the bark-eliciting stimulus, try ignoring your dog’s barking and reinforcing her when she is quiet. Sunny gets excited-barky when we are headed to the back door for a romp in the yard. When he barks, I stop my progress toward the door and turn around. When he stops barking, I say “Quiet, yes!” and drop a treat on the floor, then continue toward the door. If he barks again, we stop again. This, too, was working well for us – until KC arrived on the scene. This protocol does not work well if you aren’t in control of the bark-causing stimulus (say, a neighbor’s dog who won’t stop barking) or if you live in an apartment where your neighbors are likely to complain about any degree of ongoing barking.
    • Invite your dog away from the trigger. “Walk away” is one of my favorite behaviors to teach. It means to quickly turn away from an object of focus for your dog and move away from it with you. Your dog is probably intensely focused on the stimulus that is inciting her excitement. Your well-trained, happy “walk away” cue will prompt her to do a 180-degree spin away from the stimulus and quickly move away from it with you. (See “How to Teach Your Dog to Just Walk Away,” September 2018.) You can then cue an alternative behavior (such as “Go to Mat,” above) so she doesn’t just return and resume barking. 

Counter-conditioning and desensitization (CC&D)

This technique is used to change your dog’s association with a stimulus. While we are usually trying to change a dog’s negative association with a stimulus (whether it’s hat-wearing men, passing skateboards, small children, or anything else) to a positive one, we can also change a very high-excitement positive association to a still-positive but much calmer association. We start CC&D work with the dog’s stimulus at a low intensity (meaning it’s maintained at a distance or held to a low level of movement, for example, asking a friend to stand on a skateboard and move it just a little) and gradually increase the intensity (move the stimulus closer, allow the skateboarder to move a little more) until the dog has the new association with full-intensity presentation of the stimulus. 

For the dog who barks non-stop at the child on the swing, you would start your CC&D with no one on the swing, at whatever distance is necessary for the dog to be able to remain calm in the presence of the swing. It’s important to start with the arousal-causing stimulus at a great enough distance from the dog so that she notices it but is not extremely aroused (this is called the threshold distance). As soon as the dog notices the swing, feed a few tiny bits of high-value treats. Pause the treat feeding, let her look at the swing again, and feed again.

This process is repeated until the presence of the swing consistently prompts your dog to look at you with a happy smile and a “Yay! Where’s my treat?” expression. This is a conditioned emotional response (CER) – your dog’s association with swings now means “Yay, treats!” instead of “Get excited!” Take care to keep your dog “under threshold” – happy and calm, and never pushed to the point of excited barking. Next you will gradually add increasing movement of the swing, eventually with a person on it.

Now you get to figure out how to apply the CC&D protocol in other bark-eliciting situations. Far from the pool, feed treats while people swim, then play gently, then do rowdy pool play. In another room, feed treats while friends converse while watching the football game, then get slightly excited, then more excited, and finally engage in Super Bowl-level excitement. You get the idea. And remember – you still have the option of putting your dog back in the house or in another room after you do a round of CC&D so your kids and/or friends can play/roughhouse/be rowdy to their hearts’ content. 

How to Stop Your Dog From Barking is Your Choice

You know your dog best, so you choose! You can skillfully manage your dog’s environment to minimize or even eliminate her excitement barking, and/or you can invest in a program of modification along with your management. Either way, eventually, your dog can learn that silence truly is chicken (golden) and peace can be restored to your household. 

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