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Dog Bites: What To Do If a Dog Bites You

By
Lisa Rodier
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3
dog bite on hand - what to do when a dog bites you
Veterinarian Amy Shumaker's hand bite, courtesy of a 30-lb-Beagle-mix, required an ER visit for flushing of the wound, radiographs due to the depth of the bite, a tetanus booster, and antibiotics. Photo Credit: Amy Shumaker, DVM,DACVD

When he got bitten by a dog who had jumped out of a car in a shopping plaza parking lot, at least family medicine physician David Wolpaw didn’t have to go to a hospital for treatment. After calling the police so they could locate the owner and take a report, Dr. Wolpaw tended to the bite himself at his office in Manchester, Connecticut. 

Few of us are lucky or confident enough to be able to provide our own emergency medical care in the case of a serious dog bite. But thanks to his education and experience treating other dog-bite victims, Dr. Wolpaw knew what to do – and not just in regard to the wound itself. He knew it was also important to report the bite to the proper authorities.

WHAT TO DO IMMEDIATELY AFTER A DOG BITE

There are two things to do right away should you get bitten by a dog: contact the proper authorities and get medical attention for the bite. Dog bites can cause a puncture, scratch, or laceration. In addition, there may be bruising from the force of the bite.

With any luck, the dog’s owner is present and cooperative. In the best of worlds, you will be able to get the dog owner’s name, address, phone number, information about the dog (name, age, breed or breed-mix, and veterinarian’s name). If the dog happens to be wearing a license and/or rabies tag, you can photograph these for a quick way to get this information. 

However, you may have to be quick. It’s all too common today for people to try to avoid responsibility or consequences in the case of a mishap. Though you are likely to be shocked and upset in the aftermath of a bite, if it looks like the dog’s owner might try to flee with the dog, be ready to take photos or video of the dog, the owner, any of the owner’s companions who were present, and the owner’s car. If it’s possible, ask your companion or any willing bystanders if they can call the police while you are taking pictures or vice versa.

There are several reasons you need information about the dog and owner. The first has to do with rabies. 

In the United States, it’s very unlikely for a dog to transmit rabies to a human, but there are mandatory reporting and quarantine requirements for dog bites in most jurisdictions. These public-health laws trace back to a time when rabies vaccination was less common; if an unvaccinated dog (or a stray dog without identification) bit someone, and the dog showed signs of illness during a quarantine period, the person would be advised to receive post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) – injections of human rabies immune globulin and rabies vaccine. 

If the dog’s vaccination can be verified and he displays no sign of illness during his quarantine, the bite victim won’t need PEP. 

 If the owner is being antagonistic, don’t hesitate to call police and/or animal control for assistance. Public safety officers will also be needed if the dog who bit you seemed to be a stray, with no owner in sight. Do not try to chase or capture the dog, but photograph the dog if you possibly can; photos can help animal-control officers identify the dog.

SEE: WHAT TO DO IF YOUR DOG BITES SOMEONE

Dog Bites Are Very Common - and Can Be Costly

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are about 4.5 million dog bites in the U.S. per year, with about 18% (800,000) of those serious enough to require medical attention. 

Children are the most common victim of dog bites and are more likely than adults to be severely injured by a bite. Bites to the head, neck, or face represent about half of the cases that require medical intervention. 

Benjamin Phillips, MD, MPH, of Wakefield, Rhode Island, a board-certified plastic surgeon with a sub-specialization in hand and peripheral nerve surgery, describes this statistic as simply a function of proximity of the child’s head to a dog’s face: A child is the “right height,” and they tend to do things like put their faces up close to dogs, hug or try to kiss dogs, or approach dogs as they are eating or are near their food bowls. 

In contrast, adults most frequently suffer bites to the body – particularly on the hands or arms – from breaking up dog fights, or simply acting to defend themselves from a dog attack, which children are less able to do.

Dog bites are not just traumatic, their treatment is costly. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, insurance companies paid out $854 million in liability claims related to dog bites and dog-related injuries in 2020 alone. And the average cost of a dog-bite insurance claim in 2020 was $50,245. 

WHAT TO DO WHEN A DOG BITES YOU: SEEKING MEDICAL ATTENTION

Though it may sound a little mercenary, before the wound is cleaned or treated, take pictures of your injuries. Continue to document the bite wound and any other bruises or abrasions you may have received. This evidence might be needed in case of any litigation – or to help prove the extent of the injury to the dog owner’s insurance company. 

Assuming you’re not in need of an ambulance, the next step is deciding whether you are capable of dealing with the wound yourself or if you need to get to an emergency room. 

Facial wounds require immediate emergency medical treatment for both cosmetic reasons and high risk of infection. For other wounds, both Drs. Phillips and Wolpaw advocate cleansing the wound with warm, soapy water for 10 to 15 minutes thoroughly to flush out any debris or foreign bacteria. If the wound is bleeding, Dr. Phillips advises elevation first – particularly if the bite is to a hand or arm – and applying pressure to the area for 15 minutes, then washing with warm, soapy water. If the wound continues to bleed, seek professional medical care right away.

If the wound stops bleeding, and you opt not to seek professional medical care, Dr. Phillips advises watching for redness around the wound, especially if the bite is on your hand. If an infection sets in, you may see red streaks running toward your forearm, you may develop a fever, or your hand or fingers may feel numb. All these signs necessitate medical intervention as soon as possible.

Once cleaned, the wound can be covered with a loose bandage, changed multiple times a day as needed. Fluids should be allowed to seep out of the wound. Dr. Phillips is not a proponent of topical ointments because patients tend to overdo it, and the ointment sometimes acts as a stopper, leading to an infection. 

For bites other than facial wounds, both doctors agree that it is never a bad idea to be seen by a medical professional right away, or, at most, within 24 hours of the bite. This goes double for people with diabetes or compromised immune systems. Tetanus is a consideration, and while not all dog bites require antibiotics, oral antibiotics may be indicated, or prescribed prophylactically. 

Also, if the wound is significant and legal action ensues, you will want to have a record that you sought care. Dr. Wolpaw notes that in case of a lawsuit over the costs of treating the bite, if the victim failed to get immediate medical attention, the defense attorney will surely seek to mitigate her client’s responsibility and suggest that the victim is partly responsible for failing to get prompt care. 

Reluctant to Report?

There are a number of reasons that some people might be reluctant to report a dog bite. 

Some people might be fearful of the potential consequences for the dog. This reluctance might be understandable, especially if the bite was the result of bad timing and/or unlucky circumstances, rather than an owner’s clearly negligent management of a dangerous dog or willful disregard for the safety of others. But as long as the dog had no former bite record, in most cases, the worst thing that the dog might suffer is a quarantine in strict confinement for 10 days, often at home; the dog’s owner may have to pay fines (for an unlicensed dog, a dog at large, or any other applicable violations). 

Dogs with more than one public-safety offense may be required to be registered as a “dangerous dog.” Dogs who have been designated as “dangerous” may be allowed in public only when wearing a muzzle, or subjected to other restrictions. 

If it turns out that the dog has a history of several previous bites and insufficient management, in our opinion, the report and any potential consequences for the repeat offense are especially necessary. A dog with several serious bites to his credit, in the hands of a person who is incapable or unwilling to provide adequate management and control of the dog, is a deadly threat to the public. 

What if the dog who bit you or someone in your family was a friend’s dog? Admittedly, this is a sticky situation. If your relationship is strong and the friend agrees to and is able to take financial responsibility for your medical treatment, you may decide to decline to report the bite – especially if you feel reasonably confident that the dog is not a threat to other people. Understand, though, that this is taking a risk. For example, a dog bite to the hand that gets infected can cause nerve damage that would preclude a person from being able to use that hand for certain tasks (playing guitar, say) or occupations. Lacking any official report or record of the bite, it’s unlikely you could get your friend’s insurance company to cover your extensive medical costs.

However, you may not have a choice in the matter, since in most states, medical providers are required by law to report dog bites to local animal-control officials. Their mandatory reporting may save you from having to make a socially uncomfortable choice.

UNSEEN WOUNDS WHEN A DOG BITES YOU

person standing with dog
Don’t discount the effects of emotional trauma after being bitten. The author’s sister was bitten by a dog while out on a walk many years ago, yet is still anxious around dogs, save for the author’s own Bouvier!

Dr. Phillips says he has seen some “gruesome stuff,” but he is quick to acknowledge that the emotional component associated with dog bites is sometimes worse than the physical ones – at least the physical wounds usually heal more quickly than the emotional ones. It may take some time before the victim realizes that they experienced a traumatic event. Dr. Phillips says he has had patients develop crippling anxiety after being bitten – severe-enough anxiety that they required a referral to a mental-health provider. 

My own sister was bitten by a dog while on a walk, and years later, still feels highly anxious when approached by off-leash dogs. Fortunately, she is comfortable with my dog, and she has learned to “be a tree” and avoid eye contact if an unfamiliar dog approaches her during beach walks.

Dr. Wolpaw believes that emotional fallout is another reason to seek medical care right away. He has seen cases of people dealing with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that required treatment; credible medical documentation is helpful should liability issues arise.

His final advice: Keep good records and take care of your medical issues, especially if the dog is not known to you. “You shouldn’t minimize the situation because there could be problems down the road. Better safe than sorry,” he says. 

Consider Getting a Canine Liability Policy

According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), a homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy will typically cover dog-bite-liability expenses, unless the claim exceeds the policy’s liability limits (usually $100,000 to $300,000) – or unless you’re one of the unlucky ones whose insurance company doesn’t cover dog-bite claims.

It pays to know what you have for coverage. Los Angeles-based attorney Kenneth M. Phillips, owner of DogBiteLaw.com, recommends that dog owners have coverage of at least $100,000 for liability plus $1,000 for no-fault medical payments, although he prefers at least $300,000 plus $5,000. Getting this coverage may require a primary policy (homeowner’s, renter’s, or a specific canine liability policy), and a secondary policy (umbrella or excess policy).

A “canine liability policy” is an option if you’re unable to get a homeowner’s or renter’s policy because you have a dog or a certain breed of dog, your insurer doesn’t cover dog bites, or if your umbrella policy doesn’t cover dog bites. At least two states (Pennsylvania and Michigan) have laws prohibiting insurers from canceling or denying coverage to the owners of certain breeds of dogs, while some states allow coverage exclusions after a dog bites.

Phillips recommends that you speak with your agent about what your policy specifically covers and what it excludes. He also advises that you review the language in your policy to understand whether dog bites are excluded; look for the “Personal Liability” section and review the policy exclusions. The declarations section will show the limit of the policy. 

Pay attention to updates and notices from your insurance company – “riders” or policy amendments – as they may declare coverage changes. 

State legislation varies widely in terms of liability if your dog causes injury – whether from a bite or other incident (i.e., knocking down an elderly person, chasing someone into traffic). According to the III, as of March 2021, 29 states have strict liability dog-bite statutes in which the dog owner is held liable for any injury or property damage that the dog causes, although some states have exceptions, such as if the dog was provoked or the victim was trespassing. In 17 states and the District of Columbia, the III states, “Liability is not automatically granted but attacks are classified as misdemeanors or, in extreme cases, as felonies, with fines,” and four states have no dog-bite laws. On top of that, local ordinances can add another layer of complexity. 

New Solutions

By
Nancy Kerns
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0
Whole Dog Journal Editor-In-Chief Nancy Kerns

After 23 years of editing this publication, there are some topics I could speak knowledgeably about for hours to any random crowd of dog owners. Crate-training, house-training, heartworm disease, nail-trimming, vaccination – these topics are throughly in my wheelhouse, and when I read the articles on these topics that are submitted by my expert contributors, I rarely learn facts that are brand new to me (though they will be super useful to people with less dog-owning experience). 

But I am also happy to report that, pretty much every month, at least one (and usually more) of the articles that are submitted to me contains completely novel information and time/money/heartache-saving advice I’ve never read elsewhere. 

The first article appearing in the July 2021 issue is one such piece. In the process of researching advice for people who had been bitten by someone else’s dog, author Lisa Rodier not only answered the question of what dog-bite victims should do, but also what most dog owners should do to protect themselves in case their dogs should bite someone. A lifelong dog owner, I never knew there was such a thing as dog-bite liability insurance or that I should confirm whether my homeowner’s insurance would adequately protect me if one of my dogs bit someone (as unlikely as I hope that would be!). 

It may not be easy to discover this information. When, to take this advice myself, I asked our insurance agent these questions, he referred me to our carrier’s underwriting department – he couldn’t tell me whether we were covered if one of our dogs bit someone! It took some time to reach a human in the underwriting department – and then more time to thoroughly convince that person that neither of my dogs had bitten anyone, that I was just trying to get information! – before I was able to ascertain that, yes, our umbrella policy would protect us if one of our dogs bit someone. Sheesh!

But it’s our goal to bring value and an effective and uniquely dog-friendly approach to all of our articles, even those that discuss topics that you may be very familiar with yourself. Take, for example, the article by trainer Kathy Callahan, discussing whether it’s a good idea to allow your new puppy to sleep in bed with you. Search that topic online and you will find a wealth of articles saying, “Don’t do it! Crate that puppy! Close your ears to the crying and stiffen your resolve!” But that’s outdated advice. Today’s educated trainers like Callahan understand that such a rigid recommendation is as likely to trigger a young puppy’s separation anxiety as it is to work out without any further drama. Count on WDJ to bring you an effective, modern look at perennial problems. 

If your dog gets distressed by fireworks, take action now!

By
Nancy Kerns
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2

For the first 8 or so years of his life, my senior dog, Otto, was not bothered by fireworks. Honestly, he couldn’t care less, even though our town is the only one in our county that allows people to set off their own fireworks in the city limits. Every night for a week before Independence Day, people all over town are lighting firecrackers and fireworks – and on the big day itself, it seriously sounds like a war is going on. Every big parking lot in town gets PACKED with people who come here from all over the county to play with their fireworks, and watch those being set off by other people. Otto used to sleep through it all.

But around age 9 or 10, Otto started forming a different opinion about all the sounds that fireworks made, from the crackling and sizzling sounds to the pops and booms, and his fear has gotten worse every year. We’ve gone from simple steps like closing the house up tight, turning on fans, putting on loud TV shows, and dosing him with a calming cannabis product for dogs, to making darn sure that I have prescriptions for both Trazodone and Sileo to give him.

Trazodone is a serotonin 2A antagonist and reuptake inhibitor that has been used in human medicine as a prescription therapy for depression, aggression, sleeplessness, and anxiety since the early 1980s. In 2008, a study reported that Trazodone could be used successfully in dogs with good therapeutic benefit and minimal adverse effects. Since then, it has gotten increasingly popular as a prescribed drug to reduce anxiety and increase calm behavior in dogs who are recovering from surgery or injuries. It works particularly well in many dogs in combination with Sileo.

Sileo (dexmedetomidine oromucosal gel) was approved by the FDA in 2016 for specific use as a treatment for noise aversion. It helps calm dogs without any sedating effects, so they can continue to be fully functional.

Many veterinarians still prescribe the tranquilizer Acepromazine for dogs who panic during fireworks displays. Unfortunately, “Ace” (as it is commonly called) works in a very different way than both Trazodone and Sileo. Acepromazine is often referred to as a “chemical straitjacket” because it typically immobilizes the dog but they are still fully aware of everything going on around them, and may, in fact, be terrified but unable to show this. How do we know this? Because some dogs who have been given Acepromazine become more and more sensitized to the sounds each time they have been “Aced” for fireworks.

Last year, Trazodone and Sileo worked great

We moved a few years ago out of town into a more rural area where fireworks are strictly forbidden by law. We can no longer hear any crackling sounds of small fireworks, but there are definitely still idiots within a half mile or so who set off big booming things that sound like cannon fire. Trazodone helps Otto calm down and stop shaking and panting after he hears one of these booms, and helps him go to sleep. But the year before last, even with the Trazodone and everything else we did to try to keep the noise of the peak July 4th fireworks from reaching his ears, he kept us up almost all night, whining, panting, and shaking. He wanted to get in bed with me (which he never does normally) but he wouldn’t stay for more than a minute. His responses were slowed by the Trazodone, but not eliminated.

So last year, at the beginning of June, I called my veterinarian and asked if I could get a prescription for Sileo, which I had heard great things about. Long story short, even starting a month early, it took three weeks to get the drug. Because my vet doesn’t carry it, I had to mail a paper prescription to an online pharmacy, and their stock was backordered…. I finally received the medication three weeks after I saw the vet!

It made all the difference in the world. On the night of the 4th, I gave Otto one tablet of the Trazodone around 7 p.m.; it seems to take about an hour to start having a visible effect on Otto, making him sleepy. It’s not really dark until about 9 p.m., but the directions for the Sileo say to give an initial dose about 30 to 60 minutes before the concerning noises begin. I gave Otto a dose at about 8 p.m., and by the time all the big firework noises began, the meds had definitely kicked in. He might raise his head and look a little wide-eyed at the loudest booms, but would immediately put his head down and close his eyes again afterward.

A little after 10:00 p.m., he started getting up and pacing a bit when he heard a big boom. You can give additional doses of the Sileo in as little as two to three hours after the first dose. I gave Otto one more dose at 10:30 p.m., and by 11, he was out for the rest of the night, thank goodness! So you can believe me that I started early again this year, getting another prescription for Trazodone and Sileo.

There are many other over-the-counter products that help dogs with the noise of fireworks: ThunderShirts or other products that tightly wrap the dog’s body, which seems to have a calming effect on them; Adaptil, a synthetic pheromone product that seems to have an anxiety-reducing effect on some dogs; and a wide variety of supplements that are supposed to help calm dogs. These products can readily be tested on dogs who have phobias to more common noises or events such as thunderstorms, but when it’s critical to have reliable help on the BIG night, for my dog, I want the proven efficacy of the big prescription drugs.

How about you? If you have a fireworks-phobic dog, are you ready with tools to help him or her cope? What do you use?

Pitfalls of Retractable Leashes

By
Nancy Kerns
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93
photo credit: © Hafakot | Dreamstime.com

I know it’s low-hanging fruit to criticize people for misuse of retractable leashes – but there are an awful lot of first-time dog owners out there who may have been tempted by the highly convenient devices and who don’t know their pitfalls. And because I’m traveling at the moment and just saw a near-disaster out my hotel window involving one of these products, allow me to explain. And then, for those of you who have been around a while, why don’t you tell us your favorite “Never use a retractable leash!” story in the comments?

I heard some hubbub and glanced out the window to see what was up. There was a moving van towing a trailer with a car on it, and an SUV towing a trailer with a small  car on that, and a group of people all getting ready to hit the road for another fun day of (apparently) moving their household in the summer heat. A number of adults were milling around, putting their bags in the various vehicles. The fact that they had dogs held my eye: A pretty Golden Retriever and a tall and young-looking Great Dane who was wearing a harness, both attached to young women who were holding retractable leashes. As I watched, another person came out of the hotel with two metal bowls full of water and offered them to the dogs: drink up, dogs, it’s your last chance for a bit!

I was just about to leave the window when the action of one of the young women held my eye: She put the handle of the leash that was attached to the Great Dane on the fender of the trailer, and walked around the moving van to do something else. Oh no! I said helplessly from my third-floor window, and sure enough, it happened. The dog turned her head, which pulled the handle of the leash off the fender so that it fell toward the dog’s head, spooking her and making her bolt.

HOW MANY TIMES have I seen a dog running in a panic, being “chased” by a rattling plastic retractable leash handle that was bouncing along the ground and bumping the dog’s heels? (Answer: Too many to count.)

Thank dog, the Dane only ran backward a few feet before the other young woman yelled and the dog stopped, shaking with fright. Thank dog again, because this hotel is within a few hundred yards of a busy intersection and a highway.

I get that these devices are great for what we like to call “sniff walks,” where you allow the dog to stop and start and wander at will. But most trainers hate them because they also condition a dog to pull against the pressure of the spring-loaded leash to reach what they want to smell or see. When the holy grail for most dog walkers is walking with a dog who doesn’t pull and drag you around, this is counter-productive.

Also, if the dog suddenly pulls toward something, unless the owner is paying absolute attention, is ready with the button that operates the brake, and the brake actually works (the “bargain” models tend to break down), the dog can bolt into the street (we’ve heard stories of dogs getting hit and killed by a car while on  one of these leashes), bolt toward a frightened person or a person with a fearful dog (starting a dog fight, making a person fall, etc.), or “clothesline” a person who might be jogging, skateboarding, or riding a bike.

The biggest problem is that there is not a good way to reel the dog back in, if he’s already out at the end of the leash. The models that have a cord inside can get wrapped around dog or people legs and can cut deeply; if you grab one, trying to control the dog, the cord can slice your hand open. The ones with a “tape” or flat line inside are safer, but there is still no good way to shorten the leash quickly if the dog is pulling away, only if he comes back toward you or if you can catch quickly up to him.

And, of course, if someone lets go of the handle, an inexperienced dog tends to panic and run blindly with the leash handle chasing it.

Some of you may defend them. I must say I find them to be very helpful for walking smallish dogs out in the areas where my dogs can safely walk off-leash (no other people, no roads nearby, they have great recall). But, in my opinion, they should never be used with a big dog (they don’t give you enough control), and never never never around other dog walkers, pedestrians, cyclists, etc. They are just an accident waiting to happen in crowded environments.

What’s your favorite cautionary tale about these leashes? What circumstances do you think they are perfect for?

Keep Emergency Contact Numbers On Your Dog’s Tags or Collars Up-To-Date

By
Nancy Kerns
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22
I order these personalized collars, which all guest and foster dogs wear while staying with me, from snazzyfido.com. The price varies throughout the year but I wait until they are on sale. I’ve paid as little as $6 apiece for them and at most $10. They get shipped from China so it’s not quick.

Hello! Here’s a reminder to update your contact information on your dog’s tags or collars – and with your dog’s microchip registry. Have you moved? Changed phone numbers? Is there a number that you could add to the registry as a backup?

Two stories from this week have inspired this reminder:

I took a siesta the other day (that sounds cooler than a nap, right?). When I woke up, I looked at my phone and saw six missed calls from one out-of-the-area area code and three missed calls from another number in that same area code. As I mulled over that information, the phone started flashing (I had the ringer off) with an incoming call from one of those numbers. Shoot! What is happening? I answered with trepidation.

A very upset-sounding person responded, “I have your dog here, and it was in a fight, and it may have taken the other dog’s EYE out!”

I jumped out of bed and dashed into the living room. Both of my dogs looked up from their respective couches, where THEY were having a siesta. Whew!

I said, “I live in Oroville, and both of my dogs are with me. But I work with several rescues and I often send dogs that I fostered to their new homes with collars that have my number stitched on them… Does this dog have a collar with my phone number?”

Long story short, that was exactly the case. As the person described the dog, I remembered what dog they were describing. I was able to pull up that dog’s owner’s information and send them HIS number. It turned out that he had left the dog with his parents, the dog had escaped their yard and wandered into some other dog’s yard, and a fight ensued. Thank goodness, as it turned out, the dog who had been injured just had sand in his eye. Both dogs were ok, and the dog who was wearing the collar with my number on it was returned to his owner’s parents.

I suggested to his owner, “Hey, it’s been about 18 months… maybe you should get your dog a collar with YOUR number on it? And if your dog stays with your parents regularly, maybe get him a tag with THEIR number on it, for him to wear when he’s there?”

Make sure you check your dog’s tags to make sure they are still current AND legible. Engraved numbers rub off after a few years.

Backup or alternative contact numbers are critical. I just read an account of a young man who left his service dog in his car at a gas station, with the car and the air conditioning turned on. Someone jumped into the car and drove away, stealing the young man’s car and dog. The dog was turned loose many miles away and was picked up by a shelter; shelter staffers called the number on the dog’s tags, but alas, the owner couldn’t get those calls for a few panicky days, because his cell phone was also stolen.

Fortunately, he finally was able to get the messages and the dog was returned, but what if it had been in an area where the dogs don’t have much time in a shelter before the unthinkable? So scary to contemplate.

MANY of us need to put a tag with a backup number on our dog’s collar. It occurred to me one day as I was driving with my dogs: If we got into an accident and I was killed and my dogs survived, who would the first responders call? Only MY number is on my dogs’ collars! Though I’m not a fan of tags (hence my large collection of collars with my number stitched into them), I’m having some tags made with my husband’s and my son’s number engraved on them, to use when I am driving with my dogs. Just in case!

Tempting Treats

By
Nancy Kerns
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1

A couple of months ago, I was in the house, gathering stuff to take with me and the dogs on a hike: Bait bag for training treats, the treats themselves, collars and leashes, and poop bags. Oh, and sunglasses for me. One of my friends was on her way to my house; we were going to meet and put all our dogs in one of our cars and drive to one of our favorite trails. I was still looking for my sunglasses when I heard barking outside and thought to myself, “Shoot! Is she here already?” 

I looked out the window and saw my dogs – senior Otto, middle-aged Woody, and my young foster dog du jour – running along the fence, barking at a man who was walking with two dogs on leashes. The dogs were pulling and jumping and giving the man a bit of a hard time. I opened a window and yelled at my dogs, “Hey! What are you guys doing?” All three dogs looked over their shoulders at me, but instead of running back to me as they usually would, they returned to their own yelling. Their eyes were not fixed on the man with the dogs, but on something else. Something unusual was going on out there. 

I went outside to see what was up. There was a loose dog on the other side of the fence, standing in the middle of the country road. It looked like maybe he had been following the dog-walking guy when he got distracted by my dogs, but was too intimidated by all the barking to approach the fence. When he saw me, he took off running in the direction of the dog-walking guy, who had turned onto the busier of the two roads my house is situated on. Well, I had leashes in my hand and was wearing a treat pouch full of treats. Let’s go catch that dog, I thought! 

All three of my dogs were leaping about in excitement. That wasn’t going to help me catch the dog, so I opened my car door and told them all to load up, and they all leaped in, clearly convinced we were going to have a car chase. And so we were; by this time, the dog-walker and the loose dog were well out of sight. So I opened the gate and drove out of my driveway and down the busy road, passing the dog-walker and the loose dog, and parking in a driveway ahead of them. 

Long story short: Thanks to the treats I had loaded in my bait bag, I caught the dog, asked the dog-walker if he knew where the dog belonged (he didn’t), called the shelter to see if anyone had reported losing a dog of this description (no one had), and called my friend to ask her to come to this address instead of mine, since I couldn’t convince this dog to get into my already dog-infested car. By the time I got all of my dogs put away (our hike was now canceled) and my friend and I were just leaving to take the stray to the shelter, some people drove by looking for their escaped dog. The moral of my story? Always have leashes and dog treats on hand! Check out our article fordog treat suggestions.

By Nancy Kerns 

Can Dogs Eat Strawberries?

By
Beth Ann Mayer
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0
can dogs eat strawberries
Can dogs eat strawberries? Photo: Fertnig/Getty Images

Strawberry season will soon be here again. Fresh, sweet and juicy, the berries are perfect plain, in pies, smoothies and homemade ice creams. They’re loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that give your immune system a boost, hydrate your skin, and contribute to good gut health.  But can dogs eat strawberries? Should you be concerned if you drop one on the floor and Fido grabs it before you do?

Can dogs eat strawberries?

Though it’s always good to check with your vet before feeding your dog something new, strawberries aren’t harmful to dogs.

“Strawberries in their whole, natural, off-the-stem version are safe,” says Antoinette Martin, DVM, head veterinarian at Hello Ralphie, a Telehealth company that connects dog owners to licensed veterinarians. 

Dr. Martin spills on some sweet benefits your dog might get from eating strawberries as well as some red flags to watch out for.

can dogs eat strawberries?
Though it’s always good to check with your vet before feeding your dog something new, strawberries aren’t harmful to dogs. Photo: SolStock/Getty Images

Benefits of strawberries for dogs

Strawberries boast many of the same benefits for dogs as they do for humans.

“There’s fiber in them and Vitamin C,” Dr. Martin says.

In other words, strawberries can aid in digestion and immune health.

Are strawberries ever harmful to dogs?

While the answer to, “can dogs eat strawberries?,” is yes, it’s not a free-for-all. Fresh or defrosted berries are fine, but Dr. Martin advises pup parents to steer clear of anything canned or in syrups. 

“It may have xylitol and other sweeteners that aren’t safe for dogs,” she says.

Chocolate-covered strawberries are also a no-no for dogs.

How to introduce strawberries

First, you’ll want to get clearance from your vet before intentionally letting your dog eat strawberries. 

“Some dogs are just more likely to have issues with certain dietary things,” Dr. Martin says. “It’s always a good idea to make sure that any specific disease your dog might have or be predisposed to that you don’t risk setting it off by feeding them something different.”

After getting the vet’s okay, start small. “Small” will be relative to your dog’s breed. 

“Somewhere between a small piece and a whole strawberry,” Dr. Martin says.

If your dog does not have an adverse reaction to the strawberry, you can give more the next day — just don’t overdo it.

“Anything you choose to add to the diet should only make up a maximum of 10 percent of their total daily food intake,” Dr. Martin says.

For small breeds, always cut the strawberries before feeding.

“They can be choking hazards,” Dr. Martin says.

Are strawberries bad for dogs?

Though dogs can eat strawberries, not all pups should. The biggest drawback of feeding your dog strawberries is the potential for a stomach ache.

“Symptoms include diarrhea or loose stool,” Dr. Martin says, adding these issues will usually present within 24 hours. “Also, any time you introduce anything new, there’s a small possibility of an allergic reaction.”

If you notice your dog having issues, call the vet.

Depending on the severity, it might be as simple as monitoring and making sure they get enough fluids for a couple of days, or they might ask you to bring the dog in for a closer look,” Dr. Martin says.

Read Next: Can Dogs Eat Pineapple?

5 Tips for Introducing a New Puppy to your Dog

By
Kathy Callahan, CPDT-KA, FDM
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3
Every now and then, it's magic right from the start. Prime example: Big brother Captain and little sis Mavis. They have been inseparable since the first moment. It's adorable when it happens - but don't count on it.

“Sheesh, I thought my dog would love having a new friend, but he is being so mean to the new little puppy!”

I hear this all the time from shocked owners. But what’s surprising to me is not the resident dog’s behavior. It is the fact that the humans in question had an expectation of immediate bliss. 

Sure, this can happen sometimes – particularly if the current dog is very young and absolutely lives for playdates with his neighborhood friends. Then the arrival of a new puppy might elicit one of those “You complete me!” moments worthy of TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. 

 But that instant-friend scenario should not be any dog owner’s going-in assumption. To understand why, let’s try a little thought experiment: How would you feel if your parents decided that you needed a new best friend? And then … 

• Brought a stranger home to live with you, 24/7.

• By the way, it turns out their idea of a great friend for you is a toddler! What the heck?! This isn’t play, it’s babysitting. And it’s exhausting and boring at the same time.

• Plus, the best parts of your day have disappeared because your parents are so absorbed with the new kid.

• Furthermore, you’re apparently supposed to allow the weird toddler to climb all over you until you’re bruised and to let him take your stuff until it’s ruined.

• The heartbreaking final straw: When you accept the babysitting situation and actually try to teach the toddler good manners, your parents are mad at you all the time, saying, “Don’t be so mean!”

See? We should not be amazed when our dog is not immediately thrilled with the new puppy. 

SMOOTHING THE WAY

Typically, on the day a new puppy is brought home, resident dogs are anywhere from a little unsure to definitely not in favor. Don’t worry yet! There will likely be incremental progress every day. While there are some sad cases where an adult dog cannot accept a puppy even when you’re doing everything right, in my experience, most of the time, by Week 3 things have settled nicely.

This is not to say that I agree with the advice, commonly given to folks whose older dog is not enjoying the new puppy, to “just let them work it out.” Ugh. When there are half a dozen easy things we can do to smooth the beginning of that hoped-for friendship, why in the world would we subject our two supposedly beloved dogs to the fear, sadness, and frustration of working it out themselves? 

Here’s how you can ease the transition for your older dog, create a safer, more developmentally positive scenario for your puppy, and increase the odds that the two will very quickly become real friends.

Dawson, was a little too excited about his new title sister Ginger at first. Having a spot to retreat to under the couch (too small for big brother to fit) allowed Ginger to take a break when sh needed one. Soon enough, though they learned how to play well together, and the rest is history. Follow their ridiculously gorgeous friendship @Dawsonlovesginger!

1. Manage the environment so that puppy contact is always optional. An older dog should never be forced to hang out with a puppy. Use gates, crates, benches, and whatever else you have to create a situation where your older dog can always escape and head to a peaceful “adult swim” scenario elsewhere in the house. 

Puppies can be rude. For your dog, playing with a puppy is not the same as playing with a fun adult dog. While some dogs are incredibly tolerant of all of the mouthing and jumping – and even seem to relish the babysitting job – others are understandably horrified at first. If you trap your adult dog with the puppy, you are asking too much. Your dog will be stressed and sad, and your puppy may end up hurt. 

Note that some of the most puppy-friendly adult dogs can be a little overwhelming to new puppies, so the “no forcing” advice goes both ways. Make sure a little puppy has a few easy retreats – perhaps under couches and chairs – so that the puppy also has a chance to opt in or out depending on comfort level. Let them both choose all of this at their own pace. (Note that it may not be your preferred pace!)

Don’t strip your older dog’s ability to teach the puppy how to be polite! Here Eli is giving a little growl to an overly bold foster pup who’s treating him like a jungle gym. At any time Eli could choose to be in a puppy-free part of the house, but he is choosing to be involved – and he needs to be able to communicate.

2. Let your adult dog growl. I cringe when I hear people instructing their older dog, “Shadow, be nice!” in a threatening tone. Shadow is being nice by agreeing to hang out with this toddler! The least you can do is give him the tools he needs to teach the puppy some important lessons. 

The fastest way to convince an older dog that this puppy really is an awful turn of events is to pair the puppy’s presence with the feeling that he is constantly on the verge of being in trouble: “Whenever I interact with that puppy, Mom gets mad at me.” 

If you have, ill-advisedly, trapped your older dog with the puppy, then the resulting growls and snaps could, in fact, be dangerous. However, if you have made interacting optional, then you know that Shadow has actually chosen to be with the puppy. In that case, his growl, and that scary-looking little snap/snarl, are part of healthy boundary-setting. It may look worrisome to you, but Shadow’s good-manners lessons will end up keeping the puppy safer with other dogs in the long run.

So here’s what to say instead of threatening your dog to “Be nice!” when you hear him growl. How about saying, “Good job, Shadow! Thank you.” When your adult dog feels your support, he’s going to be even more solid in his interactions with this pup. 

3. Don’t change your dog’s best stuff. When people adopt a new puppy (or for that matter, welcome a new baby into the home), they know that it’s going to be a week or two of total disruption. They are sure that eventually normalcy will return. 

You know who doesn’t know that? The resident dog. So the very kindest thing you can do is to identify your dog’s top three things in life and make sure they are undisturbed by the arrival of the interloper. Is it the morning walk with Dad? The after-work game of fetch with Mom? The daily playdate with Rover across the street? Whatever your dog loves best, leave those cornerstones of a happy life in place when the puppy arrives. If the puppy is paired with Shadow’s loss of his very favorite things, how do you think he’ll feel about the puppy? Giving your dog stability will help him be at his generous best with the new puppy.

4. Exhaust your puppy elsewhere. Most of the time, the new puppy’s very favorite thing will be the resident dog. As flattering as that may look, it is very hard to be the constant recipient of that much enthusiastically rendered physical love all day long. 

Do your dog a favor and find some other friends for your puppy to adore. Ideally, there is another puppy right up the street, and a few times a week you can take all of those sharp teeth and the wild jumping and pair it with a like-minded buddy. If you’ve planned ahead, you may have already reserved space in your local force-free trainer’s puppy kindergarten classes or puppy socials. You know what happens next? You get to bring home a very chill puppy, who might suddenly strike your older dog as kind of a nice kid. 

5. Two dogs = Duck! Fish! Feta! Finally, start to create some fun new experiences for your dog that only happen near the puppy. Find a treat that you’ve never given to your dog before. Maybe it’s those dried fish cubes at the pet store. Maybe it’s the feta cheese in your fridge. Whatever it is, bring it out a few times a day and give it to both dogs only when they’re together. Voilà! Even if your dog isn’t yet actually enjoying the company of the puppy, at least here’s a reason to want to be near the toddler every now and then. 

TWO IS A MAGIC NUMBER

Little Loop and big sister Sequoia, sitting for treats their very first week together. Find something positively delicious that your older dog has never had before and offer it only when the puppy is around. Suddenly, there’s an upside to this new toddler friend!

Most of the time, two dogs really are more fun than one. Folks who’ve lived amid a doggy friendship witness so much mutual joy that it’s hard for them to imagine having one dog at a time. The thing is, we humans have a tendency to jump ahead. We get that puppy and immediately envision the end game – forgetting to focus on how to get there. As a result, our trusted old friend and our brand new one have to go through a rocky first phase. The whole house is stressed. 

It doesn’t have to be that way. Just a little empathy combined with a solid initial plan can create a beautifully calm on-ramp to what may well be that dream friendship.

How To Make the Most of COVID-Restricted Vet Visits

By
Stephanie Colman
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0
The new normal - not going into the clinic to talk to the vet face-to-face. It's not ideal, but there are ways to make it work better for you, your dog, and the doctor, too.

More than a year into living under the cloud of a worldwide pandemic, we’re all still dealing with lifestyle changes to stay safe. For most people, this includes not being able to accompany pets into the vet’s office as practices continue curbside service. Some dogs (and some owners!) are handling this reality better than others. 

While COVID statistics in many states are finally trending in a better direction, it’s impossible to know exactly what the future holds or when veterinary practices will begin allowing clients back inside. The following tips will help you make the most of a challenging situation.

* Ask yourself: Is the visit absolutely necessary? At the height of the pandemic, many practices were limiting non-essential procedures, including spay/neuter surgery. While we’d never recommend denying care, if you’re comfortable, consider a watch-and-wait approach for minor issues.  

Similarly, take extra caution to avoid accidents that would require veterinary care.

* Pass notes. Write down the information you’d like the vet to know about your dog’s current situation. Be concise! In many practices, a veterinary assistant will come out to your car and ask you some initial questions about your dog and his issues, before taking your dog inside for the vet to examine. Send your notes in with your dog. Then, the vet can read the notes before her examination, and discuss them with you when she calls or comes out to talk to you.

If you can’t be with your dog, at least send him inside with some of his favorite treats!

 

* Up your treat game. We may not be able to go inside to make sure our dog doesn’t get stressed or frightened, but we can at least send in something to try to make him feel better: High-value treats! The last time my dog needed a blood draw prior to a medication refill, I filled a plastic bag with cooked morsels of meat. I wrote, “Please be generous!” on the baggie, and handed it to the assistant as he trotted my dog inside. It must have helped, because Saber came out happy and licking his lips!

* Ask questions. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. It won’t hurt to ask if the vet would be comfortable examining your dog outside, or if you can walk your dog to the door before handing him off. Advocate for your dog, but understand sometimes the answer is “No” – and be respectful. Practices are trying to keep everyone safe. When staff calls out sick with COVID, it can devastate a practice – especially a smaller one. 

* Consider a mobile vet. In the case of gut-wrenching end-of-life decisions, ask your vet if she can refer you to a mobile practitioner who can safely assist you and your dog at home. This event is already difficult emotionally, but not being present with your dog for euthanasia may be even more traumatic.

* Practice and be prepared. For some dogs, vet visits are stressful under the best circumstances. Training cooperative care skills at home can alleviate some of the anxiety during vet visits. Fenzi Dog Sports Academy (fenzidogsportsacademy.com) offers excellent online courses for cooperative canine care. (Also, see “Cooperative Care: Giving Your Dog Choice and Control” WDJ February 2021.) If your dog is extremely anxious and considered a bite risk, train him to happily wear a muzzle that you apply before sending him inside. (See “Mellow Muzzling,” page 4.)

It’s easy to become frustrated by COVID-era rules. Take a breath and practice patience and kindness – not just with your dog, but also in your interactions with your highly valued veterinary health care team. 

Are You Wasting Money at the Vet?

By
Kathy Callahan, CPDT-KA, FDM
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8
To get the most out of your dog's veterinary visits, come to the appointment prepared, and strive to give the vet as much information about your dog that's relevant - and try to resist the temptation to tell her lots of information that's not relevant to your dog's case. © Lightfieldstudiosprod | Dreamstime.com

Veterinary care sure is expensive, isn’t it? And it’s even more so when we sabotage our own pet’s care. 

Think that sounds crazy? You figure nobody would undermine the very approach they’d just paid top dollar for? Well . . . Have you ever:

* Been told to give your dog crate rest, but then you gave in and let her out because she barked all the time?

* Told the vet there have been absolutely zero dietary changes – but forget that the new Bark Box just came on Tuesday filled with new treats the dog gobbled up?

* Decide not to use that ointment the vet gave you because your dog kept licking it off? 

* Cut the number of ear cleanings in half because your dog hated it so much?

Owners often spend considerable time researching veterinarians to be sure they are seeing the best practitioners, to be certain they’re doing right by their dogs. It’s a shame when the same owners fail to recognize that the success of that veterinary work is sometimes in their very own hands! Even the best veterinarian in the world can’t help a dog whose owner didn’t didn’t give the vet the full picture, didn’t quite understand the vet’s instructions, or altered the treatment plan at home.

As ridiculous as this photo may seem, many veterinarians will tell you that they have been in appointments like this! An adult owner should be present, and if children must come along, they should be instructed to remain at a distance. © Albertshakirov | Dreamstime.com

In contrast, being an incredibly prepared, attentive, and conscientious client can help you get much better value out of any vet trip. Here’s how:

* FIRST, GET YOUR STORY STRAIGHT. There is a lot of hemming and hawing at the vet. “Um, let’s see, maybe it was last Thursday when I first felt that lump because I remember Aunt Sally was visiting – no, wait, that was the kitty’s lump…” That uncertainty leads to a more tangled (and expensive) path to diagnosis. 

Before you head to the vet, take out a pen and a pad of paper. Ask yourself all of the questions you know full well the vet is going to ask you, such as:

• What happened? 

• When exactly did it start? Since onset, has it gotten better or worse?

• Has it ever happened before? 

• Could he have gotten into something?

• Any other changes? 

• How’s his behavior otherwise? 

• Anything new in your routine? 

• Any travel? 

• Any new foods? This includes not just the main diet but any treats or foods snuck to the dog by family members. 

• Any other pets at home showing similar signs? 

• And so on. 

If you’re heading to an emergency clinic, and will be seeing a vet who’s not familiar with your dog’s history, write down the exact name of any current medications, because “Well, it’s an oval and I’m supposed to give it twice a day” is not super helpful. Or, bring the bottle with you!

In the heat of the moment, when pressed for answers, it’s easy to forget things. That’s okay! Just plan ahead; before the appointment, write down the important stuff. Bring your notes, and use them to give the vet a clear, concise picture of what’s happening. 

* LISTEN TO THAT EXPENSIVE ADVICE. Once you’ve given that overview to the vet, it’s time for you to stop talking and listen. In fact, listen hard. A heck of a lot of trouble arises because people find they get home from the vet and think, “Wait, what did she say?” Then they guess. 

Sometimes your head is spinning with worry at the vet, so it’s hard to take in information. Still, you typically have three shots at it: The first is when the vet talks to you; the second is when the discharge nurse goes over the instructions; and the third is when you look over what’s written on the paperwork. Oddly enough, people often space out during all three of those opportunities, even when this is exactly what they are paying so handsomely for. 

Don’t do that. Even if you are stressed out about your dog, this is the time to focus.

* CALL BACK IF YOU’RE CONFUSED. I’m in a bunch of dog-related Facebook groups, which is why I can report to you that it is a very common thing to post something like this: “I went to the vet and they suggested X, Y, and Z. That seems wrong to me. What do you all think?” A cascade of advice follows from strangers on the internet, often contradicting the plan given by an actual veterinary professional who’s examined the dog and taken a detailed history.

If you’re confused by something the vet said, or if you actually disagree and are planning on not following the advice, just tell the vet right then and there! That way she has a chance to either convince you or come up with an alternate plan. 

Perhaps you didn’t think of things you wanted to ask until you were on your way home, or after you got home. No worries! Call the veterinary hospital and ask for some clarification. A good vet will much prefer having that conversation rather than having the dog she sent off with a great treatment plan get nowhere near what he needs. Just keep in mind that your vet will likely not be available when you call, so just leave a detailed message up front so she can call you back with an answer.

* DO NOT IMPROVISE. The vet does not give you extra instructions just for the fun of it. If he says to give the meds on an empty stomach, don’t decide it’s fine to do it at mealtime because that’s when it’s convenient for you. Yes, that steroid dosage chart sure is complicated – three, then two, then one, then every other day – but don’t decide “nobody could keep up with that” and come up with your own easier system. And don’t be me, 15 years ago, making your dog’s slight fracture take four months to heal instead of six weeks because it seemed impossible to keep her from playing with the rest of the pack. 

I know this stuff is hard, and you don’t have time for all of this extra, unpleasant dog stuff. Plus the dog hates it all, which makes it worse. It feels better to skip it, I know. Don’t!

HELP YOUR VET HELP YOUR DOG

Instructions matter. These details may not seem important to you, but I have a tiny little reminder for you: You don’t know enough to know why they are important. The vet does, and that’s why you pay her.

Of course, there will always be frustrating expenses – like diagnostic tests that reveal no answer or treatments that don’t help. You can’t do anything about that, but being a great client can help you get the most out of every dollar spent, and help your dog get better faster.  

“Teenage” Dogs Can Be Difficult

By
Nancy Kerns
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13
If you do your homework when they are adolescents, adult dogs are so lovely and easy.

Dog trainers are most likely to hear from new prospective clients when the clients’ dogs are in the throes of adolescence – and it’s easy to see why. Puppies are adorable, fun, and easy! They get tired quickly and even if they are not taking well to a forced nap in a safely confined area, their unhappy reaction never lasts long. Many puppies are so darn cute and easy to manage, that they never receive formal training beyond the very common “Sit! Sit! SIT!” (and push the puppy’s bottom to the floor)-style of training that people who don’t know better invariably put their puppies through.

Then those sweet, tractable puppies enter adolescence. They don’t get tired so easily. They learn to be more persistent about airing their grievances when confined or restrained. They develop “object permanence,” whereby they totally remember where you put that thing that you took away from them, and they work to get it back, instead of forgetting it exists, like they might have when they were toddlers. They develop opinions and interests: “Oh my dog, I LOVE squirrels! I want to go see that squirrel RIGHT NOW! Squirrels are the BEST!” They need more physical exercise and more mental stimulation and more information about what they ought to be doing with their time; lacking these things, they become inventive about entertaining themselves.

And their owners tend to freak out at these developments – as if they weren’t natural and normal!

At this point, unprepared and irresponsible (or just wildly overwhelmed) owners tend to bring those pups to a shelter, or try to rehome them on Craigslist. More responsible owners will call a trainer – although they might freak out even more when they find out that the “teen dog” training classes have been booked months in advance.

Before I went on a several-year jag of fostering large litters of puppies for my local shelter, I used to foster adolescent dogs for them. My husband and I sold the house where I used to have my office – and where I used to foster all those puppies – and our new house is nowhere near as well set up for fostering puppies; there isn’t a good place (yet) for setting up a safe, foxtail-free play yard or a place where moms and tiny puppies can be comfortable in all weather (cool in our brutally hot summers, warm in our coldish winters). So it looks like I’m back to taking on adolescent foster dogs, rather than raising puppies.

The dog I was calling Kiki was my last foster. She was the typical adolescent shelter owner-surrender: relentlessly active, curious, and smart. She had picked up a few good-manners behaviors while staying in her second adoptive home, but was too pesty to get along with the adult dog there, and got returned again. Besides the things she learned in that home, she didn’t know much; she clearly hadn’t been taught anything by the people in her first home. So, while she spent a good part of any free time she had picking up items that belong to humans and putting them in other places – such as, taking the gardening gloves off the table on the back deck, and placing one next to the fence at the back of our two acres and the other next to my car in the carport – and driving my dog Woody to near-depression with her unending pestering, she was also quite interested in working with people and learned things very quickly. Within weeks, I could take the funny little mixed-breed dog with gigantic ears on off-leash hikes and mountain bike rides, for rides in the car (she rode and waited in the car with impeccable calm), and to friends’ homes. This took a lot of work and attention, however. If we failed to get out for a fair bit of exercise each day, she’d start looking for things to occupy her time – not good things, either. She was a classic “teenager” – but I’m confident she’s going to be a terrific adult.

Kiki got placed in a great home about 8 weeks ago – and then, just two weeks later, we had a death in the family (my brother-in-law). The disruption in my schedule and tasks that I’ve taken on to help my sister have been taking up all my spare time, and I haven’t yet contacted the shelter to see if there is another dog that needs foster care and training. So it’s been about 8 weeks with only my two adult dogs here, and I have to say . . . it’s heaven. They are such an easy pleasure to be around.

I adopted Otto from my local shelter in June 2008, when he was about 7 or 8 months old, right at the beginning of his adolescence. Chewing, digging, and barking at every leaf that fell at night were our biggest challenges during that time — but they are distant, fuzzy memories now!

Folks, it might take a year or two, but I assure you: If you stick with them, keep up the training and the exercise and the good, solid management, your crazy, impulsive, naughty adolescent dog is going to mature into the best dog ever, and the memory of those endless days of finding holes in the lawn and chewed-up shoes and gloves all over the property will fade, I promise. If I read the articles I wrote about my 13 ½-year-old dog Otto when he was an adolescent, why, I would barely recognize the issues we were dealing with then. And the worrisome behaviors that 5 ½-year-old Woody exhibited during his adolescence (namely, he went through a period of about a year where the well-socialized, formerly friendly, confident puppy turned into a fearful, growly adolescent when meeting strangers), have completely disappeared. As he matured, with a lot of counter-conditioning and desensitization, he outgrew those fears and regained his former happy, goofy confidence.

Personally, I think every puppy should come with a disclaimer: “There is likely to be a period, about six to eight months from now and lasting as long as a year or more, when you will seriously consider giving this puppy away. Please get ready and do your homework now, even when it seems completely unnecessary because this is such a good little puppy, and you will get through the puppy’s “teenage phase” with your relationship, family, and home intact.”

Otto helped shape Woody into the genial, deferent adult he still is today. Otto brooked no foolishness from his younger “brother.”

For more information, see these articles on teen dogs (note that the titles of the articles may be different in the print version of the magazine and the online version):

“Teen Angel,” November 2014

“Social Studies,” October 2015

“The Puppy Raising Challenge,” November 2017

“Smells Like Teen Spirit,” March 2018

“Time Flies When You Get a Puppy,” March 2017

“Fear Not!” December 2018

Did you have problems with your dog when she or he was an adolescent? How did you get through that period?

Dog Training Treats

By
Nancy Kerns
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4
dog training treats
Every trainer has heard clients say "But my dog is not food-motivated". While it's absolutely true that many dogs won't take any sort of treat when they are experiencing anxiety or are in an overstimulating environment, the goal is to try lots of foods to find some that are so delicious they can help keep the dog's focus on his handler.

Whole Dog Journal is known for its in-depth, frank annual reviews of dry and wet dog food – but we rarely review dog treats. This would seem to fly in the face of the fact that we also constantly recommend giving food treats to your dogs for training and classical conditioning. There is probably not a single issue in our 23-year history that doesn’t mention the importance and value of feeding treats. So what gives?

Here’s the scoop: We are strong proponents of using real food for treats. In our opinion, commercial dog treats are often adulterated with ingredients that are included in the formula for the purpose of extending the product’s shelf life, appearance, texture, and/or palatability. We think that ingredients should be included only for their nutrition and appeal – and, I guess I should emphasize, I mean their appeal to dogs. The use of colors – and especially artificial colors – to make dog treats look appealing to humans is absolutely ridiculous and unhealthy.

But there are a number of reasons that people like to buy commercial dog treats. Some people appreciate the convenience of the extended shelf life of store-bought dog treats. People who don’t like cooking or cutting food into tiny bits may appreciate that this work has been done for them by treat manufacturers; in fact, I have vegetarian friends who don’t mind buying biologically appropriate meaty foods for their dogs, but who don’t like buying, cooking, and cutting up meats to use for dog treats. 

Most adorably, some owners find that their dogs really enjoy being taken to a pet supply store and shopping for treats that the dogs know are just for them! And they get really excited every time they hear the treat package crinkle. 

So, let’s do this: Let’s talk about healthy and appealing treats for dogs – both home-prepared and commercial. I’ll tell you what I and many dog trainers most strongly recommend using for training treats and what to look for (and look out for) in a commercial treat. Best of both worlds? That’s our goal. 

REAL-FOOD FAVORITES

Every dog trainer I know uses and promotes the use of foods like chicken, roast beef, ham, cheese, and so on for dog training. But I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard a new dog owner exclaim, “Wait! I thought we aren’t supposed to give human foods to our dogs!” 

Pardon me; I’m going to have a brief tantrum. Where the Xoloitzcuintli did this myth get started? Who is still spreading this misinformation to innocent dog owners? Bring them to me!

Folks: There is no such thing as “human food.” Food is food! Dog food is made of food – although there are ingredients in some dog foods we don’t usually eat ourselves (but we could if we were starving). The fact that dog food and dog treats are manufactured with ingredients that are processed with generally lower quality-control standards than human foods does not invalidate them as foods.

When teaching new behaviors to dogs – or asking them for behaviors that are really challenging for them – trainers almost universally recommend using rewards that are of “high value.” (Note: Some trainers eschew the use of food treats, and use high-value toys as reinforcers. This article is not for them.) 

What constitutes a high-value food treat varies from dog to dog, and trainers encourage their students to try lots of different foods in order to find a variety of things that their dogs find irresistible. But some traits are desirable to most dogs:

* Meatiness. Name a meat – chances are your dog will like it. We’ll put fish into this category, too; it has the added appeal of a strong smell. Eggs are not technically considered meat, but they contain a similar level of protein and fat, and most dogs are just as attracted to eggs as meat. 

* Fattiness. Offer a high-fat food and a lower-fat version to the same dog, and he will almost always choose the higher-fat version.

* Sweetness. Dogs take after humans in this regard; they like sweet foods. (Did you know that cats, in contrast, don’t have taste-bud receptors for sweetness?)

* Saltiness. Dogs also like the taste of salt, though they usually tap out at lower amounts of salt than humans. 

* Novelty. It’s a minority of dogs who will always choose the same treat over a “trail mix” of treats that are of the same approximate value. Dogs like variety!

You can test this with your own dog. Gather three or four different treats, including what you think of as your dog’s favorite. Put that suspected favorite in one closed hand and a different one of similar value in the other hand (also closed). Allow him to sniff each hand, then open both hands simultaneously. 

Repeat as many times as you like, always putting the same “favorite” treat in the same hand and varying the type of treat in the other hand. We’ll bet you that he chooses the “new” treat more often than chance.

Cautions

Despite our earlier tantrum about the misconception that human food is bad for dogs, there are a small number of foods and ingredients that dogs shouldn’t eat. This may because the foods can be toxic to dogs if consumed in sufficient amounts to dogs (such as onions, chocolate, grapes and raisins, and anything containing xylitol) or because they are no better for dogs than they are for humans, such as highly processed, additive-laden junk food. 

Also, if your dog has food allergies or is intolerant of certain foods, by all means, don’t include foods that you know will make him feel unwell. 

But understand that if your dog eats the same food every single day (and has for months or even years) – you’ve been feeding him this way because you thought you were supposed to – he may suffer an upset stomach when you introduce new foods. If he’s been on a highly restricted diet, his digestive tract will take a little time to adjust to anything new. Start out with small amounts, and increase only if his digestion stays consistent (no diarrhea, constipation, or vomiting).

HEALTHY TREATS FROM YOUR KITCHEN

Whether you are looking for treats to use for training, classical conditioning (to change a dog’s association with a stimulus from negative to positive), or just because you enjoy doling out treats to your canine companion, you can consider just about any “real food” in your kitchen (save those mentioned in the “Cautions” sidebar below). Offer your dog a small sample of any single-ingredient, unadulterated food and see what he likes! Here are some great candidates:

• Any sort of cooked meat. We like to use chicken: boiled, broiled, canned, frozen/thawed strips, or sliced. Inexpensive lunch meat and hot dogs are okay, but be aware that these are usually full of unhealthy additives and high in fat and salt.

• Eggs. Chunks of scrambled or hard-boiled eggs work well.

• Fish. Pieces of canned tuna or sardines, or pieces of cooked or dried fish.

• Cheese. Some dogs can handle any amount of cheese without digestive consequences; others immediately react with gas and diarrhea. Start with tiny, pea-sized amounts and experiment. Cheeses like feta and Parmesan offer taste and extra aroma.

• Fruit. Some dogs love fresh fruit such as bananas, watermelon, peaches, pears, and strawberries, or dried or dehydrated fruit.

• Vegetables. Fewer dogs like veggies, but there are canine fans of carrots, zucchini, sweet potatoes, green beans, broccoli, and more. Most dogs consider these as lower value than meaty or sweet foods, but even lower-value treats have a place in training.

Low-Fat Treats

Did you know that 1 gram of carbohydrates contains the same number of calories as 1 gram of protein? It’s true: Both protein and carbs contain 4 calories per gram. Want to know how many calories are in 1 gram of fat? One gram of fat contains a whopping 9 calories – more than twice that of protein or carbs.

Fat is highly appealing to dogs – but it’s not the only thing that dogs like. Whether you are buying or making treats for an overweight dog or one who is prone to pancreatitis, look for products that contain lower amounts of fat. Always check the amount of fat and calories on the label, and compare the amounts to other treats you are considering.

Here’s a tip: Include a few high-fat treats in a mix of low-fat treats in your “bait bag” (whether that’s a wearable pouch or a bowl of treats on your kitchen counter). This keeps your dog interested, much like a gambler playing a slot machine that offers variable rewards (and a jackpot every so often) or a kid collecting Halloween candy (just one of those full-size candy bars gives a kid the motivation to walk another few blocks). Add some of your dog’s regular kibble, too; the lower-value treats make the higher-value ones stand out!

WHAT ABOUT STORE-BOUGHT DOG TREATS

When I have a new, untrained foster dog staying with me, I load up at the grocery store with real food to use daily as training and conditioning treats. But when only our two well-trained adult dogs are at home, I generally keep only a bag of commercial treats handy. I grab a handful every so often (perhaps as little as once every few days) to use as surprise reinforcements for behaviors I expect of them and no longer reinforce each time – things like coming when I call them away from barking at people walking by our property, or refraining from jumping up to greet visiting friends.

Just as with “real food” treats, we look for products that contain lots of what dogs like (and is healthy for them) and few or no unnecessary ingredients. Here’s what to look for in a commercial treat:

• Named Meats. It should go without saying that the ingredient label should specify what species of animal the meat came from (i.e., beef, chicken, lamb, etc.). Muscle meat is lower in fat than organ meats, but dogs love organ meat even more, probably because of its high-fat content. (We think of hearts as organs, and dogs like heart as much as liver, kidney, and spleen, but they are made of muscle.) Treats that contain muscle and organ meat tend to be very appealing to most dogs.

• Few Ingredients. The longer the list of ingredients, the more likely it is that the product contains low-cost fillers and artificial additives. The lowest-cost treats usually have the longest list of ingredients. Don’t buy these!

• Ingredients That Are Readily Identified And Only Lightly Processed. Avoid by-products. Everyone knows what wheat or corn is – but would you know what “brewers dried grains” has been through or how corn gluten meal is made? No? Then don’t buy treats that contain ingredients like this.

• Only Natural Preservatives, Or None At All. Avoid products with artificial preservatives such as BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin. “Mixed tocopherols” (vitamin E) is an acceptable natural preservative. Meats that have been freeze-dried or dehydrated by some other method don’t require preservatives.

• “Best By” Dates And/Or Date Of Manufacture. Look for these dates, and try to buy the freshest product available.

• Premium Ingredients. We like to support companies that use ingredients that are certified organic, grass-fed, humanely raised/slaughtered, and/or sustainably fished.

SO MANY CHOICES, BUT FEW GREAT ONES

Be advised that the dog-treat industry is absolutely enormous; the dog-treat aisles at most chain pet-supply stores are absurdly long. Commercial treats are also pretty much unnecessary. As we stated earlier, there are plenty of foods in your kitchen right now that your dog will be even more willing to work for than most commercial treats. 

That said, there are times that the convenience of store-bought treats will win the day. Just make sure they are not full of unhealthy ingredients, have been made domestically and recently (check those date codes!), and break them into small pieces, so you can feed more of them in a session. 

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