In dog training, we most frequently hear the term “poisoned” attached to the word “cue,” meaning a cue for a particular behavior has taken a negative association, either because the cue has become associated with deliberate punishment or because the cue was given at the same time as some unfortunate unexpected aversive event.
The cue for “come when called” frequently becomes poisoned when someone is foolish enough to punish their dog (for running away, as the most common example)after the dog finally comes back, or calling him and then doing something he doesn’t like, like giving him medication or crating him. The dog thinks bad things happen when he responds to the “Come” cue and is less likely to come the next time he is called.
A dog’s name can also be poisoned if his human makes the mistake of saying, “No, no, Rocky!! Bad dog, Rocky!”
An example of an “unfortunate aversive event” might be that your dog just happens to touch his nose to your horse’s pasture electric fence at the same time you give the “sit” cue, so your “sit” cue becomes poisoned. Your dog now thinks “Sit!” means he is about to get shocked.
Objects also can become poisoned when they are associated with an aversive event. Something your dog previously loved, such as his mat, can become aversive if it is repeatedly associated with something that he finds mildly to moderately stressful, such as frequent trips to the veterinary clinic, or even nail clipping or medical treatment procedures at home.
Once you have mat-trained your dog, recognize and protect the value of his positive association with his mat. Make sure that for every time you use it to help him with a mildly to moderately stressful situation that you follow it with many happy and fun “Place” repetitions. And don’t even try to use it for things that are extremely stressful for him – it won’t help, and you will likely poison the mat and lose your very valuable training and management tool.
When you start adding duration for “down on the mat,” increase the amount of time in small increments – just a few seconds at a time. Don’t get so caught up with your phone or reading that you push your dog past her ability to “stay.” If she gets up several times in a row, you have increased the duration too quickly.
Mat training – teaching your dog to go lie down on her mat on cue, and stay there – sounds pretty simple, and in fact, it is. Not only is it a simple behavior to teach, it’s incredibly useful for a variety of different training challenges. You can use it to teach your dog polite greetings, park her calmly in public or at your training class, increase her confidence in novel situations, send her to her mat in any room in the house, give yourself a break from attention-seeking behavior, defuse tension between two dogs, move her away from a guarded resource, and much more.
It’s a bit of a wonder, then, that more humans don’t teach their dogs this simple behavior. If we’ve grabbed your attention and interest, read on to find out how you can teach your dog.
12 Steps to a “Place” Mat
A place mat is any portable rug, bed, or blanket that you can easily take with you anywhere you go with your dog, and that you will teach your dog to lie down on, on cue. The more comfortable the mat, the easier your training task will be – she will want to lie down on it.
When teaching this behavior, it helps to use a brand-new bed, mat, or blanket. Make a big fuss over it; admire it with enthusiasm, until your dog feels compelled to check it out, too.
To train this behavior, it’s a good idea to start with a brand new rug, bed, or blanket – one your dog has never seen or used before. It’s not critical, but once she understands the exercise, she will recognize it as her special “go to your place” mat. Here’s how to train the behavior:
1. Hold your dog’s new mat and show great interest in it – examine it, exclaim over it, sniff it – until your dog shows interest in what you are doing.
2. Have a handy supply of medium-value treats and a supply of high-value treats ready. Be prepared to mark with a clicker or verbal marker. When your dog looks at, sniffs, or otherwise shows interest in the mat, use your marker (click! or “Yes!”) and place a medium-value treat on the mat for your dog.
“Shaping” encourages your dog to offer lots of different behaviors. You’re going to reinforce increasingly closer and closer approximations of the behavior you really want.
3. Continue to mark for any mat-related behaviors that your dog offers – except for grabbing it! – placing a medium-value treat on the mat each time you mark.
4. If you have used shaping in your training before and your dog is shaping-savvy, she is likely to quickly start offering a variety of behaviors. If she offers any on-the-mat behaviors (let’s call them OTMBs for short), use your marker and put a medium-value treat on the mat. But if she offers to lie down on the mat, use your marker and give her a high-value treat on the mat. Any other offered OTMBs continue to get medium-value treats.
At first, use a marker (such as the click of a clicker or a verbal “Yes!”) when your dog interacts with the mat in any way; then quickly deliver a medium-value treat on the mat.
5. If your dog is not savvy about shaping, continue to mark any OTMBs, but occasionally, randomly use your “Down” cue to ask her to lay down on the mat. When she does, mark and give her a high-value treat.
6. After you have given her a cue, marked it, and given her a treat for a half-dozen or so Downs interspersed with her other offered behaviors, pause for several seconds; see if she chooses to offer you a down when she doesn’t get marked for any other behavior. If she does, mark and feed her several high-value treats. Jackpot! If she doesn’t, go back to marking any OTMBs, interspersing random downs. Deliver a medium-treat for other behaviors and a high-value treats for downs.
At first, Minnie offered sit after sit; this is a behavior that dogs often use as a polite “default” – something to do when they don’t know what else to do. She’s a little stuck.
7. Repeat steps 6 and 7 until your dog begins offering downs during your pauses. Your dog is learning that any on-the-mat behavior is rewardable, but downs get the better rewards. She should soon begin offering only downs on the mat, even though other behaviors will still be getting medium rewards.
8. Now give your dog a release cue, move a few steps away from the mat, and invite your dog to follow you. When she does, stand quietly and ignore her – no marking, treating or praising. Most dogs will return to the mat to prompt you for more marks and treats. If your dog steps on to the mat, start marking and treating, again, using medium-value treats for any behavior and high-value treats for downs. Do not hold out for downs! At this juncture, you are reinforcing her for returning to the mat. Downs are great if they happen, but remember to reward any OTMBs.
Minnie eagerly complies with a verbal cue for “down.” Click and high-value treat! After a few cued downs and more high-value treats, Minnie gets it: “down” pays better!
9. Repeat step 8 numerous times. Each time you give a release cue and step away from the mat, go a step or two farther away. You are teaching your dog to go to her mat from greater distances. By now she is likely returning to the mat and immediately lying down. If she is not, go back to occasionally, randomly holding out for downs. Remember, only the downs get high-value treats.
10. When your dog is consistent about quickly returning and lying down on the mat each time, you can start adding duration for the down-on-mat behavior. Increase the amount of time in small increments – just a few seconds at a time.
If at any time your dog gets off the mat before you give your release cue, pick up the mat and ignore her for a minute, then place the mat down and try again. If she gets up several times in a row, you have increased duration too quickly – go back to a shorter duration and work your way up again. (For tips on increasing the duration of the “stay” behavior, see “Stay Happy,” WDJ November 2012.)
11. When your dog will go to her mat and lie quietly on it for an extended period of time, you can add your cue. Use whatever cue you like – perhaps just the word “Place!” Practice sending her to her “Place” from increasingly longer distances, and eventually from anywhere in the house.
Now, move farther from the mat and invite your dog to follow you. Then stand quietly and give no cues. Mark and reward your dog if she returns to the mat; don’t hold out for a down.
12. Finally, you need to add distractions and generalize the behavior. Practice sending your dog to her mat in the face of kindergarten-level distractions – jump once, jump twice, clap your hands…. Gradually work up to college level, where you can send her to her mat even with kids running through the house or while food is being prepared in the kitchen.
Eventually, if you keep practicing, she should be able to go to her mat on cue at the Ph.D. level – when the doorbell rings, visitors enter, or during any other exciting situation.
Depending on your dog and her level of training, you might accomplish your mat training project in just a few sessions. If your dog is still working on basic good manners or has difficulty with impulse control, it could take longer. In any case, it’s well worth the effort.
What’s your place?
You can see that there are lots of valuable applications for this simple behavior. I’m willing to bet that many of you WDJ readers have already found good uses for mat training. We’d love to see yours on our Facebook page, and maybe we’ll even print a few in a future issue. Ready, set, place!
If there is one thing that drives us crazy, it’s spending our hard-earned money on something that looks useful for our dogs – but breaks within just a few uses, or fails to deliver anything special. The items here, in contrast, are all tested and true. This is stuff that’s worth the time, cost, and trouble.
We were bowled over by the simplicity and effectiveness of this product when we first spotted it at a pet products trade show – a sheet of durable plastic that hangs from the doorknob on the inside of your door and covers both your door and the door frame, preventing your dog from scratching the door or frame. Brilliant!
Clawguard is meant to hang on the inside of doors; this assumes a dog who is inside the house and scratching to get out. As such, it doesn’t interfere with the opening of a door inward. But if you were looking for a solution to protect the outside of a door that swings inward (as in the case of a dog who was locked outside and was trying to get in), you’d have to take the Clawguard off the door before opening it.
One side of the Clawguard sheet is smooth and the other has little ridges. Turn it whichever way you prefer: When a dog scratches on the side with the ridges, his claws make a loud “scritch!” sounds that is enough to dissuade many dogs from scratching again. If you are more averse to the noise than your dog, just turn the Clawguard around.
Clawguard comes in two weights (thicknesses): regular and heavy duty. Doors would be well-protected by the regular Clawguard from smaller dogs and dogs who aren’t strongly invested in scratching, but the heavy-duty would be recommended for dogs with separation anxiety or who have a well-established habit of door-destruction.
The company includes a piece of adhesive-backed hook-and-loop fastener that can be used to secure the bottom of the sheet if needed; in reviews, we’ve seen some buyers mention that they needed to buy more strips of similar material to hold the sheet really firmly in place – a small price to pay to protect your home.
Clawguard can be purchased directly from the company, or for a bit less from online retailers such as Chewy.com and Amazon.com. The company does not take phone orders but is responsive via email.
Reducing plastic consumption is an ongoing goal for many of us, but when it comes to poop bags, it’s where may owners draw the line. Biodegradeable bags improved matters somewhat, but still contained plastic – an imperfect solution.
Here’s the first product we’ve found that works well for picking up and disposing dog poop that contains no plastic whatsoever. Pooch Paper a large sheet (about 12 x 12 inches) of recycled, non-chlorine-bleached, coated paper – sort of like wax paper. It’s strong enough to grab even large or squishy piles of poop without breaking or leaking through, and once you have it contained, you just twist up the edges and carry it by the top of the bundle until you find an appropriate place to dispose it. And it’s really, truly, fully biodegradable and compostable.
Folks who are accustomed to picking up and then carrying dog waste for some distance will undoubtedly miss the handles of their environmentally unfriendly plastic bags. But if the poop you have to pick up doesn’t have to be carried far, you’ll find this paper more than adequate for keeping your hands and the earth equally clean.
Pooch Paper comes in a box of 50 folded sheets for $12 for most consumers; dog daycare or shelters might be interested in a box of 4,000 flat sheets for $450. Purchase online from the manufacturer’s Etsy store (Etsy.com/shop/littlebooandyou)
“Raising the worst dog ever” $20
GO TO: “Raising the Worst Dog Ever” DDTA Publishing, 2019
Books that are written to inform do this best when they have a story to tell. Dog trainer Dale M. Ward’s new book Raising the Worst Dog Ever: A Survival Guide (DDTA Publishing, 2019) exemplifies this notion. This book is first a thorough, interesting, and progressively minded puppy-raising guide, written for owners who wish to “do things right” with their new family member. Second, it is a personal and touching memoir of Ward’s life with dogs in general, and with one dog in particular, her Labrador Retriever, Wylie (aka “The Best/Worst Dog Ever”).
The book begins with the author’s relocation to a remote area in Wisconsin’s Northwoods region with her new husband. Isolated and often alone in an unfamiliar community, Ward decides to bring a new dog into her life – enter puppy Wylie. Ward tells the story of Wylie’s journey interwoven into her own personal story, using a series of events and adventures that they encounter together during Wylie’s life. This engaging approach is riveting and entertaining – and an incredibly helpful teaching tool. Each vignette includes a section at the end that provides pertinent dog-raising advice. Ward not only delivers excellent dog training information (and the science that supports it), but also includes reams of information regarding dog behavior, the importance of daily routines, dogs’ exercise and enrichment needs, safety and responsible dog ownership, and health – all things that new owners need to know and can benefit from.
While Ward directs her advice to new puppy owners, the breadth and depth of dog training and behavior information in this book will be helpful to everyone from seasoned dog owners to professional trainers. Ward’s and Wylie’s personal stories are poignant and endearing, and the author’s message is uplifting. I found myself falling in love with sweet Wylie and revisiting many of my own cherished dogs from years past. This is a book for curling up next to your dogs, hugging them close, and following the journey of Wylie and Dale’s life together.
The added benefit is that you will also learn a lot about reward-based and dog-centered training methods along the way. Ward is the owner of Dale’s Dog Training Academy, LLC, located in northeast North Carolina. Dale is a certified Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Trainer (VSPDT), a Fear Free Certified Professional Dog Trainer, and a licensed Family Paws Parent Educator. Readers will benefit from Ward’s dog training experience and knowledge – and be entertained and moved by her stories of life with Wylie. – Linda P. Case
“Canine Enrichment for the Real World” $20
GO TO: “Canine Enrichment for the Real World” Dogwise Publishing, 2019
I’m a huge fan of making dogs’ lives as enriched as possible, full of opportunities for them to engage in very doggy activities, exercise for their bodies and brains, and challenges that are within their abilities to solve (but not too easy). But even so, I wondered how someone could think of enough enriching activities and toys to fill a small book, much less a 230-page book!
Silly me; that’s far from all the book discusses; it’s not just a list of games and food puzzles that your dog might enjoy. The authors explain that enrichment is not just giving our dogs things to do or creating an environment that looks good to us. Rather, they say, “Enrichment is learning what our dogs needs really are and then structuring an environment for them that allows them, as much as feasible, to meet those needs.”
They add: “If we don’t understand who dogs are as a species or what their needs actually are, the enrichment process will not get very far. If we rely on myths, misunderstandings, and romanticized notions abut dogs, we are bound to miss the mark when trying to enrich them. For this reason, this book covers a much broader range of topics than most people might expect from a book about enrichment. This isn’t just about toys and play. It’s about who dogs are, the entire spectrum of their physical, behavioral, and instinctual needs, and how we can meet those needs as a part of our daily routine.”
The authors have completely and engagingly succeeded in describing what dogs need in order to be behaviorally, mentally, and emotionally healthy and how, in practical and readily achievable ways, we can provide those things to the companions we love so much.
The authors are highly educated animal behavior consultants (they each have CDBC, CPDT-KA, and SBA certifications) who work with all companion animal species and have extensive dog training résumés. They make the behavioral science that underpins their recommendations accessible to even novice owners and fascinating to even very experienced trainers. I’ll be sending copies of this book home with every foster dog or puppy I place from now on. – Nancy Kerns
BreezeGuards $260 pair
GO TO: Mutt Managers Woodinville, WA (866)653-5631 breezeguard.com
Any of you ever bring your dog with you in the car? Of course! Don’t we all? But it’s gotten more and more worrisome, especially if we park the car and leave our dogs inside for even the quickest errand. When we leave the windows cracked only a bit, we run the risk of either our dogs being too warm or people thinking (erroneously) that our dogs are too warm – and if we lower the windows too much, we run the risk that someone might reach inside and steal our dog, or that our dog jumps out!
Enter BreezeGuards: custom-made welded steel wire mesh cage panels or “screens” that fit your car’s window opening. They are sold in sets of two, to ensure a cross-breeze in your car, and install from the inside of the vehicle to allow for free movement of the window glass, so you can leave them in place when you get back in the car, turn on the air conditioning, and close the windows.
They are also strong enough to contain even a large dog who is motivated to escape your car. If you have concerns about this, watch the installation instruction video on the manufacturer’s website; you’ll see how these are not just mounted by the pressure of the window, like the low-cost plastic screens sold elsewhere. BreezeGuards are custom-made for your exact vehicle model (so they fit the window opening fully and precisely) and have anchors that slide down into the door, between the window glass and the door frame. You can leave them in place and drive with the window open or closed, and open and close the car door normally.
BreezeGuards are made in Washington state and will arrive about three weeks after ordering. Everyone we know who already has them says they will never have another car without them.
Ventlock $20 – $36
Want to increase the airflow in your parked car even more – again, without allowing someone to reach in and steal your safely crated dog or other belongings? Then you might be interested in this ingenious little product, which allows you to prop open your car’s tailgate, rear hatch, or even a side door, while simultaneously preventing the locked door from being opened enough for anyone to reach inside and take things.
The Ventlock is a steel rod that connects to both ends of the locking mechanisms that latch and lock your car hatch or door. It comes in lengths ranging from four inches (for use with uncrated dogs in cooler weather) to 24 inches (for dogs in large crates only, because otherwise they could escape, and small crates could be stolen).
GO TO: Clean Run South Hadley, MA (800)311-6503 cleanrun.com
There are photos on the Clean Run website that show the Ventlock being used in many different ways, with many different types of cars and trucks. Watch the demonstration video, too, so you can see how the tool is used, and how easy it is to put on and take off (as long as you have the keys to the car!).
If you used an appropriately sized Ventlock on a car’s rear hatch in combination with BreezeGuards, you’d have as much air coming through the car as possible, with as much security for your dog as possible. Sounds like a great tactic for anyone who travels a lot with a dog.
PetAmI waterproof dog blanket $21
When you have dogs, having a few waterproof blankets around is handy, especially in the winter. Waterproof blankets can keep your car seats dry and clean, even when your dog decides to lay down in that huge puddle right before leaving the dog park. They can help your dog get warm and dry after coming back inside from going potty – without making your sofa smell like damp dog. And if you have an older dog with occasional urinary incontinence or one who leaks urine while sleeping, water-resistant blankets are a godsend, preventing the need to launder bulky dog beds or your own bed comforter – just pop the blanket in the washer.
But when a friend recommended this blanket to us as a potential Gear of the Year entry, we were frankly dubious. One side of the blanket is fleecy; the other is smooth. It just doesn’t look like the sort of blanket that would be waterproof. Most of the water-resistant bed covers and blankets we’ve seen were not very inviting fabrics; they mostly seemed sort of canvas-like. This blanket looks fluffy and soft!
We expressed our skepticism – to which our friend responded with a video she made, where she poured a glass of water over the blanket so we could see the water pool on the top, and then run right off when she held the blanket upright. Well, all right!
Our friend has a 70-pound dog who sometimes experiences urinary incontinence while asleep, and this blanket, our friend says, has contained the whole, um, issue on more than one occasion. In the nine months our friend has owned it, she has washed the blanket a number of times and says it’s still repelling the occasional accident – and demonstration!
Available in at least a dozen colors and patterns. Our only bone to pick: The PetAmi Waterproof blanket is only 30 by 40 inches.
Zee.Bed $90 – $120
Have you ever bought one of those space-age mattresses that comes tightly wrapped – a heavy, dense roll of compressed foam that expands to several times its size when cut free of the wrapping? If so, and if you love sleeping in that bed – well, you just might love this similar bed for your dog, too.
The core of the Zee.Bed is a “viscoelastic foam” – a type of memory foam that breathes and molds itself to your dog, no matter his resting posture. It’s molded in a rectangle, with a raised edge that serves as a pillow for dogs with a sprawled sleeping style or gently contains dogs who sleep curled in a ball. The bed’s base features anti-slip rubber nubs that keep the bed in place, and its cover has an all-the-way-round zipper that allows for ridiculously easy removal and replacement after washing. The Zee Bed comes in two sizes: the Small is 22 x 25 inches; the Large is 28 x 32.
Zee.Dog says it takes about three hours for the bed’s foam, maximally compressed for shipping, to puff up to its ultimate, cushiony thickness. Less than an hour into the expansion process, our test dog checked out the bed. After a few exploratory sniffs and circles, he deemed it better than all the other beds scattered around our office, and wouldn’t get off until dinnertime.
Zee.Dog offers a $40 to $60 “Watershield” bed cover as an accessory. It’s a thin synthetic ripstop fabric that’s meant to be used to cover the foam core of the bed, under the Zee.Bed’s microfiber cover, preventing any liquid from reaching the foam (the memory foam, like your own memory foam mattress, is not intended to be washed).
The company does not take phone orders but is responsive via email.
Lakse Kronch Pocket trainers $6
Look, we know that treats that consist solely of fresh roasted meat or fragrant cheese are what dog trainers mean when they suggest using high-value treats. But sometimes, you need a treat that’s smells super interesting to your dog but that you can carry in the pocket of your jeans or skirt – a dry treat that is nevertheless of sufficiently high-value for training in even a very distracting environment. That’s where Lakse Kronch Pocket Trainers excel!
GO TO: Kronch USA Sanford, NC (866)457-6624 kronchusa.com
These treats are made with salmon (76%) and potato meal (24%) – that’s all. The maker calls them “pocket treats” because many dog owners enjoy putting the dried treats in their pockets for dog walks without having to worry about the smell of salmon being left on their clothing. But believe us: Dogs can smell the deliciousness.
Kronch USA says the salmon in the treats is fresh, never frozen, Norwegian salmon that is processed within 24 hours of being caught. The treats contain no ethoxyquin or other preservatives and are made in Denmark. They make terrific, behavior-building treats or very healthy supplements for your dog.
The Lotus Ball is not really a ball – it’s so light-weight that you can’t throw it very far; it’s more of a treat-dispensing toy.
But it’s not the type of food-puzzle that you give to your dog to occupy his time while you are engaged in something else.
The Lotus Ball (and the Treat Hugger) belong to a category of their own: toys that hold food but are used for training lures and/or rewards. The toy aspect is most reinforcing to some dogs – and when they discover that there are delicious treats inside, it makes the toy even more rewarding. Food-motivated dogs will be drawn to the aroma of the treats you stash inside, but will have to work for a moment to get at the treats – and most behavior experts agree that the anticipation of the treat is almost more reinforcing than the treat itself!
An added bonus is that you can throw these treat-laden toys, helping to deliver a reward to your dog at a distance from yourself – very useful for sports training!
The Lotus Ball is designed a bit like a flower, with three stuffed mesh “petals” that connect along their edges with a hook-and-loop (Velcro-like) fastener. The mesh makes the aroma of the treats inside very accessible, tantalizing your dog and motivating him to use his paws and mouth to open the toy to reach them.
The Lotus Ball is available in three sizes: Mini, Small, and Medium. Clean Run also sells a Lotus Ball Braided Fleece Tug ($15) – a fleece Lotus Ball with an 18-inch fleece-braided “tail.”
GO TO: Clean Run South Hadley, MA (800) 311-6503 cleanrun.com
The Treat Hugger operates in the same way, but has no hook-and-loop fastener to slow down the dog who has earned the treat. Instead the treat is held in a crevice in the center of the toy; it’s much easier to get it out, making this toy more appropriate for puppies or dogs who don’t have strong foraging skills. Also, some dogs are averse to the “ripping” sound that hook-and-loop fasteners make when torn apart; the Treat Hugger has no Velcro-like fasteners, making it more ideal for these sound-sensitive dogs. It also contains more stuffing than the Lotus Ball and so appeals more to dogs who especially like stuffed toys.
If your dog gets quickly bored of the same old treats or toys, or gets distracted easily, these toys might be just the ticket. They are great tools for helping you keep your dog keen and focused – eyes on the prize(s)!
In November, I went to a seminar about dog behavior and training and, for the first time in my life, brought a dog so I could participate in a “working dog” spot (take a turn having the instructor teach us something). The experience entailed two full days in the car and five nights in a hotel.
I have previously taken 4-year-old Woody for long road trips, camping trips, and to stay at friends’ houses. But he’s never stayed at a hotel before, and it presented him with a few new experiences. By and large, he was terrific: He was never tempted to pee on anything, he didn’t chew anything up or eat out of the trash, and he was happy to meet people who greeted him and calm about walking past people who didn’t. The most challenging thing for him at the hotel was hearing people walk down the hall past our room at night and not growling or barking; he seemed to be anxious about the strangers he could hear and smell but not see.
To make sure my large, block-headed dog felt as relaxed and happy as possible about the whole experience – so that he looked obviously friendly – I had a treat pouch with me at all times, so I could mark and reinforce all of his good behavior. I also looked for spots in the hotel where we could get a little distance from the things that made him nervous and deliver enough treats to help change how he regarded the stimuli. At one point, for example, I wedged our hotel room door open, so he could see people walk by the open door; every time we heard a person coming or saw people walk by, I started delivering treats; when the people were out of view (or earshot), the treats stopped. After only a few passersby, he was looking to me eagerly when he heard or saw someone.
Anyway, I was thinking about the work I did with Woody when I was recently at an airport for holiday travel. I stepped out of a long line for coffee because I was actually afraid of a dog who was accompanying a man in line in front of me – a big, muscular, intact male dog with “fighting cropped” ears and wearing a choke chain. The dog looked uneasy and overstimulated (tightly tucked tail, panting, ears pinned back) and his owner was not only oblivious to the dog’s discomfort, he also was completely distracted with his coffee order and seemed unconcerned about the apprehensive looks that people near him were casting at him and his anxious dog. In my opinion, subjecting an unhabituated dog to such stress is not fair to your fellow travellers – and certainly not fair to the dog.
It’s a lot of work to habituate your dog to new experiences, but it is a critical responsibility if you are going to subject other people to them; no one should have to be afraid of your dog in public.
I’ll never forget my first wintertime visit to the
northeastern U.S. As a native of northern California, the coldest place I had
visited previously was either Lake Tahoe or Crested Butte, Colorado – both of
which are ski towns. When you go somewhere that’s 10 feet deep in snow, you
walk carefully, knowing that the ground is icy and slippery. But on that visit
to Boston 20 years ago, it was about 20°F. with no snow in
sight – no visual reminder to this California girl that the sidewalks were,
nevertheless, icy and slippery.
So, in the middle of the afternoon, when I casually but
ebulliently hopped over what appeared to be a puddle of water onto what
appeared to be dry sidewalk on the other side, the foot I landed on slid wildly
on ice and after a few seconds with
embarrassing windmilling of limbs, I ended up on the ground with my jeans torn
at one knee, raw palms, and a skinned, bloody knee. The pain of that bloody
knee exposed to the brutally cold wind for the rest of the afternoon’s walk was
like daggers; I am shuddering now at
the memory of it. How, I thought at the time, do people LIVE with icy
sidewalks?
Ice Is Dangerous – But Ice-Melts May Be, Too
Well, it turns out that an awful lot of people (and
businesses) use commercial ice-melting products – and while these products can
make walking around much safer for humans, some of them are hazardous to the
dogs that accompany their humans on these frigid winter walks.
There are a couple of ways that humans need to protect their
dogs from ice-melting products.
2 Steps to Keeping Your Dogs Safe
First, you have to be aware that some dogs will try to
ingest (or at least lick and taste) any sort of pellets or granules they
encounter on a sidewalk, or that has been tracked into your house on your
shoes. Some ice melting products work by heating up (a chemical reaction) when
they come into contact with the water present in ice – or on your pup’s tongue
or wet feet. Chemical burns can result.
The Mudbuster
Dogs may also ingest these chemicals when they lick their feet after coming into the house following a walk. Whenever you walk your dog on roads or sidewalks that have been treated with ice-melting chemicals, you should rinse and dry your dog’s feet after you come inside. (The Mudbuster is a great tool for this purpose; see our review here.)
Ice-melting product makers are not required to list their
ingredients on the label of products you might consider buying for use on your
own property – and you have no idea what sort of products are being used in
public. Rinse and dry those paws! Or, habituate your dog to wearing protective
boots when ice-melting products are in use in your neighborhood.
A Pet-Safe Pre-Treatment to Prevent Ice From Forming
We’ve had a number of communications from the maker of one ice-control product, PlaySafe Iceblocker. PlaySafe is a liquid product that is directed for use as a preventative rather than as something that you use to melt ice that has already formed; you spray it on your sidewalks and decks when snow is expected and it prevents fallen snow from freezing and turning into ice. Its maker says the product is safer than any pelleted ice-melting products because, applied as a light spray, it can’t be ingested as readily as stray pellets.
PlaySafe also discloses its ingredients on its label, unlike many of its competitors. The maker says, “A dog on the label triples the price of most ice melting products, but it does not make them safe. Some products claim to be safe and they’re not, others claim to be effective and they’re not. All of them prey on the instincts of responsible pet owners. The industry is unregulated, and retailers don’t vet these products. What’s worse is parents believe these products are safe, so they don’t take the appropriate precautions” (such as applying protective boots or assiduously rinsing and drying your dog’s feet every time you come back into the house).
Those of you in frozen lands: How do you deal with icy sidewalks and protect your dogs?
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These two darling little dogs are most likely brothers. In the shelter, they appeared to be super energetic and barky - which is probably why, six weeks later, one of them is still looking for a home.
My young adult son lives in the San Francisco Bay area with
his girlfriend, a couple of roommates, and his all-black Black and Tan
Coonhound, Cole. Cole is sweet, friendly, calm, and well-behaved, so anyone in
the household who walks Cole is constantly fielding compliments on the handsome
dog, and asked “Where did you get your dog?”
My son always tells people, “My mom volunteers at a shelter
north of Sacramento, and she finds great dogs there.” He’s repeated this so
many times that several of his friends have asked if I could help them find a
dog, too!
It’s actually one of my favorite things to do – to help
people and families find appropriate pets – and I’m pleased to say I’ve had a
few terrific successes at this job. At one point, my son was working in a
dog-friendly office where two of his co-workers had dogs they had gotten from
my shelter with my help, giving the office a total of three dogs from my little local rural shelter.
Looking for two perfect dogs
At this moment, I’m keeping my eyes peeled for four more of
my son’s friends in the form of two different young couples.
One couple is actually looking for a second dog to join their family; the young man adopted a dog – his
first! – from my shelter in 2015. Because he had never before owned a dog, I
was looking for an “easy” dog for him: a calm, adult dog with as few behavior
issues as possible. I found a beautiful brindle female who looked like she was
possibly a Greyhound-mix, who got along well with other dogs and didn’t seem to
have any issues that a novice dog owner wouldn’t be able to handle. Though she
didn’t seem to know any cues
whatsoever (not even the basics of “sit,” “down,” “come,” etc.), she was very
affectionate and loved being petted – perhaps to a fault. Demanding affection
and attention by pawing at people may have been her biggest behavior “problem.”
I fostered her for a week, gave her some basic training, and then the young man
drove three hours to adopt her, as it turned out, on February 14. Inspired by
the date, he named her Valentine.
I fostered this beautiful dog for a week before my son’s friend drove three hours to adopt her and name her Valentine.
At some point, he and Val were joined by a human female – and
the three of them pursued training so that Val could do work as a therapy dog!
I recently got an email from them with this report: “Val is living her
best life. She still comes with me to work. She also now volunteers as an
Animal Assisted Therapy dog with the SF-SPCA. She visits an emergency
shelter for domestic violence survivors where she gets petted by a bunch
of kids and their moms. I think Val gets more enjoyment out of her visits than
the kids!” I cried when I received that note! A job where she can be
petted and petted is absolutely what that dog wanted and deserved.
But the real reason that Val’s family wrote to me: Today,
they are looking for another, smaller female dog to join their family, one who
must absolutely get along with the older, very submissive, sweet Val, but who
might also be a jogging companion for the active couple.
The other
couple/friends of my son are looking for a very
small breed puppy; they’d prefer a female who will mature to about 10 pounds,
so they can take her on their travels in a small bag, but who will be athletic
enough to join them on hikes. (My son is an athlete, and so are most of his
friends!) There is a darling litter of Chihuahua/Dachshund-type pups at my
shelter that will be ready for adoption soon, and I’m hoping that one of them
will fit the bill.
Consider Likes AND Dislikes
When I agree to look for a dog for someone I know, I always
ask them for information about what they really
want and need in a dog as well as what they absolutely do not want, and I try to stick to that criteria, and encourage them
to do so, too. I beg people not to get into a rush and bend too far from what
they know they need, but to take
their time and get the dog who will fit most seamlessly into their lives and
homes and hearts. After all, there are more than enough dogs who need homes!
The right dog is out there, as long as people take their time and don’t take
home a dog they have misgivings about because they are in a rush to adopt on a
certain timetable. It can be devastating for some dogs to get adopted and
returned a number of times (note that other dogs may be happier to take breaks
from their shelter stays and don’t show signs of increased stress or “shutting
down” after failed adoptions).
Some people don’t care much about sex or breed or coat, but
the dog’s size is an issue – especially in urban areas where people may live in
housing with maximum-size rules for pets. I have known several people who are
allergic to dogs, but who are able to deal with the symptoms presented by
smaller dogs with very short, thin coats. Some people are willing and able to
deal with any sort of behavior issue that might arise; for others, a
dog-aggressive dog or one with serious separation anxiety might be beyond their
ability to address. And, of course, I always keep in mind that young couples,
in particular, should be looking for dogs who love kids.
Here’s the hardest part of going to the shelter to look for dogs that meet a potential adopter’s checklist of “wants” and “don’t wants”: Finding dogs that I adore but that don’t meet my potential adopters’ selection criteria. Take, for example, the little guy who caught my eye more than six weeks ago, when I started my on-and-off-again search for these two couples. There were actually two dogs I liked – obvious littermates, an estimated two or three years old – and I spent about an hour with the energetic little guys, teaching them to sit for treats (instead of jumping all over me) – but they didn’t appeal to either one of my adopting couples. Val’s family really would prefer a female, and the other needs a smaller dog; these boys were 15 and 20 pounds and too tall to travel in an under-the-seat bag on an airplane. I wasn’t worried, though; the boys were so cute, and I thought they would get snapped up in a hot minute.
Taking a break from the search
I have had this guy at my house for less than 24 hours and I’m already convinced what a great little dog he is. If he has flaws, I haven’t seen them yet.
I had to take a few weeks off from my search. I was on
deadline, we sold a property and there was lots of last-minute moving and
cleaning to do, and then we took a week off to travel to the East Coast for Thanksgiving
and family visits. So when I went to the shelter yesterday, I was really surprised to see the larger of
the two brother dogs still there! No takers after six weeks! It’s true that he
barks and jumps in his kennel – but when I gave him a treat through the cage bars,
he quickly remembered me and sat in order to get me to give him some more
treats, just like that. Super smart! And
so cute!
Dang it! I had no choice but to bring him home for
fostering; perhaps with some training and decompressing out of the shelter, I
can find him a home while continuing my search for a different dog for my son’s
friends. Or, breaking all my own rules about selection criteria, perhaps I can
see if Val’s family would consider a male dog after all. To me, gender seems
like the least important criteria of all – what about you? Maybe it’s more
important to other people than it is to me.
These dogs balked because they wanted to roll on the grass a bit longer. The owner could make it worth their while to continue with treats.
I was just driving down the street and my eye, as always, was drawn to a dog – a Golden Retriever puppy, I saw as I got closer – being walked by an older woman (sheesh, probably my age!) But just as I passed, I saw something that I always hate to see: for whatever reason, the puppy suddenly put on the brakes, refusing to go forward, and the woman, exasperated, just started dragging the pup by the collar along the sidewalk. Noooooo!
I have heard this complaint from puppy owners before:
“He only will go about a half a block from our home, and
then he will just sit down and go no farther!”
“Whenever she feels like it, she will just lay down and
refuse to go!”
“I know he still has energy, because as soon as we get home
he runs all over the house! He’s just stubborn!”
Pulling Your Dog Is Not the Solution
First, please, I beg of you: Don’t pull your puppies!
Pulling and dragging a pup can not only injure their necks and dislocate knees
and elbows that are still rubbery (and with growth plates still not closed),
but also give them a highly negative, unhappy association with you, the leash,
and going on walks. Dragging and using force can only make matters worse!
So what should you
do instead?
I would both respect the puppy’s strong aversion – and look
for ways to change his mind about going along with you. In fact, I’d try to
make going with you irresistible.
Examine what might be bothering him
But first, as a matter of respect for his wishes, I would
examine the possibility that there was something that was aversive to the pup
that he is trying to avoid. In this case, I was in the frigid northwest, and
the sidewalks are both icy and freezing and there has been a liberal use of
salt and other chemical icemelts, which can burn a puppy’s tender feet. (Drag
him just a few steps, and now he has raw, scraped feet, which will burn even more!)
In other places, the concrete might be too hot or rough. Pay attention to his
preferences: Does he walk off of the sidewalk and onto the grass at every
opportunity? Is he avoiding certain types of surfaces?
It may be that he’s experiencing another painful stimuli, or
once was subjected to painful stimuli on the route that he thinks you are
taking. The traffic may be extra loud – or even, perhaps it was once very loud on that street, as when a
fire truck once went by with its siren blaring, and the pup associates that
painful noise with that street. Does the pup not want to go at all, or just not
that way? If you turn around and go home, will he happily set off with you in
another direction, or does he just want to get home? If you can be flexible enough
to let him pick the direction, does he choose another route? Pay attention to
these subtleties and see if you can determine what, specifically, he is having
a hard time with.
Could your dog’s gear be the problem?
Next, I’d consider your walking gear. If his collar sometimes delivers a painful tightening sensation, or his harness has gotten too tight because he’s gone through a growth spurt (or was poorly fit to begin with and is rubbing him or jamming him in the elbow with every stride), he’s not going to be having a purely fun experience walking with you. Get a well-fitting flat collar or a harness that’s more comfortable and fits better. If he goes more willingly with different gear on, you have at least one answer.
Next, I’d work on trying to increase his enjoyment of
walking places with you. You can start this at home! See if you can “take him
for a walk” around your house and/or yard without
a leash. That’s right – just by using your cheerful voice, treats, a toy,
and/or a playful demeanor. If you can’t be interesting or exciting or reinforcing
enough to keep him with you on your own property, what is going to make him
want to accompany you out in a much more distracting world – one that might be
full of scary or aversive distractions or one that is rife with distractions
that are more interesting or fun than a distracted, morose, punitive, or
demanding human?
Make outings with you irresistible
If he puts on the brakes at home, or veers away from you in favor of something else, see if you can up the ante – make being with you far more attractive by grabbing a toy and tossing it around in an inviting way, or dashing off to hide and calling him in a super excited voice (perhaps even leaving a trail of treats behind you as you look for a place to hide that is not too hard but not too easy). Be unpredictable! As you trot together down a hall, suddenly turn into a bedroom and fling yourself onto a bed; when he comes back to see where you went, let out a squeal of happiness and praise him! Once he’s gained interest in being with you at home, take the games out onto walks, too. Make yourself more interesting, fun, and reinforcing than anything else out there and he will want to be with you, even through various physical discomforts like freezing sidewalks.
Yes, there are times when you might have to pick up your puppy and carry him home – just as every parent has at some point had to pick up a tired, scared, or hungry toddler, calling it a day. This is a far better alternative than imposing physical force on his tender psyche and joints. I can’t help but think, every time I see one of these recalcitrant pups putting on the brakes out in the world that I will be seeing that puppy again shortly, either in my local training center (ideally) or in one of my local shelter pens, given up as “stubborn” or “stupid” – when in fact, it was strictly due to the owner’s use of force on the canine equivalent of a toddler.
This photo is the author's dog, Duncan, fully anesthetized, intubated, and prepped for a dosage of palliative radiation therapy intended to reduce the size of his nasal carcinoma. It looks brutal, and yet, hours later, he'd be fully recovered and asking to play a game of catch with his favorite ball.
For each of the past six months, I’ve written an article for WDJ about the cancers that most commonly afflict dogs. It’s my sincere hope the articles will help any dog owners who find themselves in a fight for their own dogs’ lives understand what they are up against, learn about treatment protocols and median survival times, and where to find clinical trials for and cutting-edge research on the various cancers.
Gathering the information for the series took a huge amount of time and work, but it’s been a labor of love – a way of paying back the many dedicated, knowledgeable veterinary professionals who helped me get through the illnesses of my two previous dogs.
Unfortunately, both of my beloved dogs ultimately succumbed to their diseases. But we enjoyed many wonderful days together while we lived with cancer.
IT’S A PERSONAL FIGHT
My Border Collie, Daisy, was diagnosed in 2010 with transitional cell carcinoma, a rare form of cancer, accounting for about 2% of cancers that occur in dogs. I threw myself into researching the disease and treatments and was fortunate to have a group of amazing veterinary specialists on her team.
I was petrified prior to Daisy’s first treatment, but her primary veterinarian, Dr. Jeffrey Bryan, assured me that severe reactions were rare and this treatment would provide the best opportunity for an extended life span with good quality. My trust in her good doctors was not misplaced; Daisy lived with great quality of life for 2½ years after diagnosis, undergoing chemotherapy during most of that time (see “Chemotherapy Can Be Kind,” WDJ October 2011), even playing with a flying disc after every treatment.
Then, in 2015, my other Border Collie, Duncan, was diagnosed with nasal carcinoma – another rare form of cancer in dogs, accounting for about 1% of all canine neoplasia. It was inoperable, but radiation therapy provided the best chance at reducing the tumor size and providing an extending survival time.
Even after the experience with Daisy, radiation therapy frightened me: my 14-year-old dog had to be fully anesthetized every day for five days in a row to receive a therapeutic dose of radiation to his head. Duncan was a very sensitive soul; I worried about how these all-day experiences would affect him, not to mention the risks of all that anesthesia.
To my surprise and delight, Duncan enthusiastically embraced the daily road trips of two hours each way and adored his veterinary technician. He happily left me in the waiting room to go with her for treatment. I’d wait for hours in a bookstore, buying way too many books and drinking way too much tea.
At the end of the day I would pick him up and we would journey home. By the time we arrived home, he had completely recovered and was ready to play ball for hours (in his heaven, balls rain from the sky). He felt better after those radiation treatments than he had in the weeks prior. There is something to be said for the pain-relieving properties of radiation therapy.
We had hoped for a good year. We got a great month. Yes, I would do it again in a heartbeat.
NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART
I have to admit that the research for this series left me discouraged; 50 years of scientific investigation into cancer has resulted in only moderately improved treatments – options that, sometimes, extend patients’ lives for just a few months at sometimes incredible cost (physical, emotional, financial).
For perspective, I turned to someone who has been studying, researching, and treating canine cancer for more than 15 years, Jeffrey Bryan, DVM, PhD, DACVIM Oncology – yes, the same person I was lucky to have as my dogs’ first vet. Dr. Bryan is no longer in private practice, having long since decamped for research and academia. He is now a professor of oncology at the University of Missouri’s College of Veterinary Medicine, and director for the school’s Comparative Oncology and Epigenetics Laboratory. When I first met Dr. Bryan, he was working in a veterinary practice in San Francisco. He impressed me with his warmth and knowledge way back when, and he’s only gotten warmer and more knowledgeable with time in this challenging field.
I asked Dr. Bryan whether he still feels hopeful about treating canine cancer, and he said he absolutely does. “What gives me hope is the fact that we make progress every year,” he told me. “I watch brilliant young clinicians and researchers become attracted to oncology every year, making me optimistic for creative new solutions. Companies come along with new approaches to treating cancer all the time. Some of these work very well.”
Dr. Jeffrey Bryan in 2000, when he was still in a general practice veterinarian in San Francisco. Coincidently, he’s examining a patient he had been treating for mammary cancer
Dr. Bryan reminded me, however, that it’s fruitless to hope for the “end” of cancer. “Cancer will always be with us, I’m afraid,” he says. “It’s an evolutionary disease. We need to continue to get better at recognizing it early, addressing it comfortably, and fitting the most effective treatment to each patient.”
Dr. Bryan’s observations reflect some of the newest approaches to cancer treatment, whether it be for humans or canines. Some researchers are moving toward reframing cancer as a chronic illness, one where patients can coexist with cancer cells (as long as the cancer is prevented from growing unchecked). It is hoped that new diagnostics can be developed to provide the earliest identification possible and then eradicate cancerous cells at inception, thereby preventing them from developing into an untreatable malignancy.
As depressed as I am about the prevalence of canine cancer, I do find hope in the work of Dr. Bryan and all of his colleagues working in the specialty of veterinary oncology. Remarkable advances have been made in treating our canine companions, supported by the developments in affiliated fields such as imaging, rehabilitation, pain management, and pharmacology. Advances in the fields of palliative care and immunotherapy have grown exponentially; the latter is especially promising.
A FEW MORE CANINE RESOURCES
In my five previous articles, I described the latest diagnostic tools and treatments for the most common canine cancers: mast cell tumors (July 2019), osteosarcoma (August), lymphoma (September), melanoma (October), and hemangiosarcoma (November).
There are myriad resources available to learn more about canine cancer – the above-mentioned types and others that we have not written about – and this information, like the disease itself, is constantly changing.
If your dog (like my two Border Collies) is diagnosed with an uncommon type, an internet search will bring up a multitude of results; do research but be discerning in your approach. Look for reputable sources and scientific support for any claims. Many veterinary colleges and specialty clinics have websites with sections for pet owners to learn more about various diseases and treatments; these are credible sources for information. Below, you’ll find some more starting points for reliable information.
Veterinary oncology specialists. While an experienced general veterinary practitioner who has a special interest in canine cancer will be a huge asset to you, I can’t recommend it strongly enough that you seek out help from a board-certified veterinary oncologist.
These specialists have received extensive oncology training after veterinary school, passed examinations, and completed publication requirements to receive certification by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM). When they become certified in oncology by the ACVIM, they will add the letters DACVIM after their names (the “D” is for Diplomate).
You can use a feature on the ACVIM website to search for board-certified veterinary specialists (find.vetspecialists.com). If there are no oncology specialists in your area, your veterinarian should be able to consult with specialists located farther afield to develop an appropriate treatment plan for your dog.
Clinical Trials. In order to improve detection and treatment of disease, the most promising experimental or investigational therapies need to be tested in clinical trials. The safety and efficacy of these therapies and procedures have often been evaluated first in laboratory animals and the therapy is considered to be of potential benefit to the patient. Your dog may or may not benefit from participation in a clinical trial, but these studies advance veterinary science and have the potential to improve the outcomes of future generations of dogs.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) maintains the AVMA Animal Health Studies Database, which provides information on veterinary clinical trials reported by researchers. Searches for relevant studies can be done using the parameters of diagnosis, location, species, and field of veterinary medicine (such as oncology). See ebusiness.avma.org/aahsd/study_search.aspx.
In addition, the Veterinary Cancer Society website maintains a page with links to many of the organizations that offer veterinary clinical trials. See vetcancersociety.org/pet-owners/clinical-trials/.
Books. There are a number of books that are very helpful for advancing your understanding of canine cancer. My favorites are:
The Dog Cancer Survival Guide, by Demian Dressler, DVM, with Susan Ettinger, DVM, DACVIM Oncology (Maui Media, 2011). A comprehensive guide for practical, evidence-based approaches to canine cancers, including conventional, integrative, and alternative treatment options, supportive care, financial considerations, and resources to help owners optimize lifespan and quality of life.
Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life, by Nancy Kay, DVM (Trafalgar Square Books, 2008). An invaluable resource for pet owners to help navigate veterinary care and decisions.
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer, by Siddhartha Mukherjee (Scribner, 2010). The quintessential book about cancer – its history, discoveries, setbacks, treatments, and hopes for the future.
The First Cell and the Human Costs of Pursuing Cancer to the Last, by Azra Raza (Hatchette Book Group, 2019). An exploration of the cancer “industry” and a call for change in research and treatment.
Websites. There is no shortage of sites with information about canine cancer. The list of sites with up-to-date, credible, understandable information is shorter. These are a few of my recommended sources of information for pet owners.
drsuecancervet.com and facebook.com/DrSueCancerVet. Dr. Sue Ettinger is a practicing veterinarian and board-certified cancer specialist, international speaker, book author, and vlogger (video blogger). Her information is up-to-date and extremely accessible.
dogcancerblog.com. A great resource covering everything from the latest in cancer news to resources to comprehensive articles, featuring Dr. Demian Dressler and Dr. Susan Ettinger, authors of The Dog Cancer Survival Guide.
morrisanimalfoundation.org. The Morris Animal Foundation bridges science and resources to advance the health of animals. The foundation is at the forefront of funding cancer studies in dogs, including the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study, one of the largest, most comprehensive prospective canine health studies in the United States. The study’s purpose is to identify the nutritional, environmental, lifestyle, and genetic risk factors for cancer and other diseases in dogs.
ccr.cancer.gov/Comparative-Oncology-Program. The Center for Cancer Research is a division of the National Cancer Institute under the National Institutes of Health. In 2003, the Comparative Oncology Program was launched to aid research in furthering the understanding of cancer and improving the assessment of treatments for humans by treating companion animals. Comparative oncology is the study of naturally developing cancers in animals as models for human disease. Through these trials, pets gain access to cutting edge research and therapeutics; the results then support the further development of human clinical trials. The site also provides disease information, links to clinical trials, news, and publications.
wearethecure.org/tag/pet-cancer/. This site has a “Canine Cancer Library” that provides detailed information on an ever-expanding list of types of cancers. The Foundation’s blog presents latest canine cancer news and related stories.
scholar.google.com. An easy-to-use free search engine that accesses the full text or metadata of scholarly literature across an array of publishing formats and disciplines; a great resource to look for published research on canine cancers.
HOLISTIC (INTEGRATIVE) VETERINARY CARE
In all the articles about canine cancer published here, I never had an opportunity to discuss holistic care for dogs undergoing treatment for cancer. It’s a huge topic, and one I hope to write about in a future issue.
The author’s Border Collie, Daisy, asking to play Frisbee immediately after one of her chemotherapy treatment.
Holistic veterinarians embrace a broad approach to care, not only examining the patient, but also the patient’s environment, behavior, relationships, and disease patterns. Veterinarians who self-identify as holistic, integrative, or complementary may have a variety of educational experiences and training; they may augment their conventional veterinary medicine with chiropractic, acupuncture, herbs, and/or other modalities. Their treatment protocols, then, will depend on their education, training, and experience.
Note: Veterinarians who identify as offering “alternative” medicine might not use conventional veterinary medicine or collaborate with conventional veterinary practitioners. Make sure you are clear about what they do and don’t offer.
My primary veterinarian is a holistic practitioner and was a valuable member of Daisy’s team. Throughout Daisy’s illness, he supported her with acupuncture, low level light therapy, nutrition, and medicinal herbs. He worked closely with her oncologist to ensure safe and beneficial integrative care. Complementary therapies can be of great benefit to pets with cancer, and holistic veterinarians can help create these personalized support plans.
To locate a holistic veterinarian near you, visit the website of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, a group of member veterinarians and allies who are elevating the veterinary profession through innovation, education, and advocacy of integrative medicine. Go to ahvma.org/find-a-holistic-veterinarian.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
One last resource – an important one. Most cancer treatments for dogs are expensive, as are the diagnostics and supportive care. I was fortunate; at the time when my dogs were stricken, I had the funds to treat both of my dogs. I don’t have those financial resources now, but I do have pet insurance for my current dogs.
If you have neither the funds nor pet insurance, there are a number of financial resources available for dogs with cancer; the Humane Society of the United States keeps a current list of national and state-specific pet financial aid organizations at the following page: humanesociety.org/resources/are-you-having-trouble-affording-your-pet.
AGAIN: IT’S PERSONAL
The decision to treat (or not treat) a pet for cancer is a personal decision; there is no right or wrong approach. Cancers are a group of very complicated and diverse diseases with each oncology case being medically unique. I opted to treat both of my dogs and I was fortunate to have gained more time with them. More time to eat ice cream together. To play ball and Frisbee. To cuddle on the sofa. To share synchronized breathing while falling asleep together. To dream together. Every moment is a gift.
It’s fairly common for dogs to decide that it’s just not worth the trouble of dealing with rain, snow, or freezing temperatures in order to relieve themselves in the winter; they’d prefer to relieve themselves indoors, thanks very much! Of course, that’s just not acceptable to most of us! Here are some suggestions to help your reluctant canine pal maintain proper toilet etiquette in bad weather:
Create an outdoor sheltered bathroom area – a shed with a dirt floor, a lean-to, a tent – some space that you keep cleared of snow and that is sheltered from blowing snow and rain.
Keep a path shoveled to the above-mentioned sheltered bathroom area so your dog can access it easily.
Initially go out with your dog to the sheltered area on a regular bathroom routine until he learns to go there on his own, just as you initially would with a pup when first housetraining.
If your dog has a short coat or gets cold easily, consider a jacket and boots. Remember to spend some time conditioning him to them so he loves them.
Alternatively, you can create an indoor bathroom for your dog. We tend to think of litter boxes as a cat-thing, but it really might be the right answer for some dogs as well. There are some well-constructed commercial canine litter boxes – I personally prefer the ones with artificial turf to the ones with real grass (it’s easier to keep the artificial grass clean than it is to keep replacing the turf) and I’m not a fan of the basic pee pad. It may be difficult to convince your well-house-trained adult dog to use an indoor litter box; you might start by getting him to use the litter box outdoors and then bring it inside.
One might think that growing up in Illinois, Ohio, and Wisconsin would have inured me to the effects of bitter cold, hip-deep snow drifts, and blinding blizzards, but I think it did the opposite and sensitized me to those frigid conditions, instead. I freely admit I am not fond of winter. My aversion to winter is not without just cause. Here is a partial list of cold-weather dangers:
Hypothermia and frostbite. These are very real concerns in frigid climes. Signs of frostbite include discoloration of the affected area of skin (this discoloration is often pale, gray, or bluish); coldness and/or brittleness of the area when touched; pain when you touch the body part(s); swelling of the affected area(s); blisters or skin ulcers; areas of blackened or dead skin. Severe cases of frostbite can result in permanent disfiguration or alteration of the affected tissues, or worse, amputation or surgical removal of the necrotic (dead) tissues.
Signs of hypothermia can include strong shivering and trembling followed by no shivering; acting sleepy, lethargic, or weak; fur and skin are cold to the touch; body temperature is below 95° F; decreased heart rate; dilated pupils (the black inner circle of the eye appears larger); gums and inner eyelids are pale or blue; trouble walking; difficulty breathing; stupor, unconsciousness, or coma.
Antifreeze poisoning. Spilled antifreeze presents a serious danger to your dog. Dogs are attracted to antifreeze because of its sweet taste, but just a lick or two can be deadly. There are antifreeze formulations that contain a bitter substance intended to deter ingestion, but they are still toxic if consumed.
Antifreeze poisoning happens in two stages. In the first, which happens three to six hours after ingestion, your dog appears drunk – staggering, vomiting, falling down, and peeing a lot. Then your dog may appear normal, until the second stage begins, when the body starts to break down the ethylene glycol into other chemicals such as aldehyde, glycolic acid, and oxalate. This stage is dangerous because it can cause severe to fatal damage to the kidneys. If you suspect your dog has ingested antifreeze, get her to a veterinarian immediately.
Ice-melting chemicals. The calcium and sodium chloride in rock salt that is used to treat roads and sidewalks is toxic to your dog. Dogs get the salt on their paws and fur, and lick it off to clean themselves. Signs of salt toxicity include extremes in water consumption (your dog may either drink excessively or stop drinking altogether); vomiting; diarrhea; lethargic or “drunk” behavior; seizures.
While “pet-safe” salt is safer than regular rock salt, like “pet-safe” antifreeze, it is still not completely safe. Take precautions to avoid ingestion, and contact your veterinarian if you think your dog might have salt toxicity.
Falling through ice. Every winter brings tragic stories of dogs falling through pond or river ice, and drowning or freezing to death. Sometimes the tragedy is compounded by the death of the human who tried to save the beloved dog. If your dog doesn’t have a rock-solid recall, keep her safely on leash when you are around frozen water. If she does fall through, call 9-1-1 rather than trying to rescue her yourself. If you must rescue her, study up on ice-rescue safety precautions well in advance, and be very careful!
Heaters. A chilly dog can become a heat-seeking missile and may try to cozy up to the heaters in your home. Caution: She can burn herself on a wall heater or wood-burning stove, or knock over a space heater and start a fire. If your dog is prone to trying to get as close as possible to the source of your home’s heat, use management tools to prevent her access to any heat source that might be dangerous. Provide her with a pet-safe heating pad; these products have chew-resistant cords, and heat up only to a pet’s internal body temperature. Alternatively, give her a cozy den with plenty of warm blankets she can burrow under.
Active beagle dog running in deep snow. Winter walks with pets concept image.
It can be very challenging to keep your canine family members happy during the ravages of winter. Even those who live in the warmer southern states may face long stretches of forced idleness from winter rains. Without ample enrichment activities, weeks and months of short, dark days can turn even a calm canine into a hyper hound.
Fortunately, the ever-creative modern dog training world has come up with countless ways to keep our dogs happy in inclement weather, so that dogs and humans can spend more time snuggled together in front of the warm fireplace and less time worrying about frostbite or drowning (see “Winter Warnings,” next page).
KEEPING ACTIVE IN THE WINTER
One of the best ways to stave off your dog’s winter crazies is to provide her with a wide variety of enrichment activities. Some are easy and can be implemented immediately, while some take a little more investment in time and resources. Let’s start with easy:
Indoor Fetch. If there’s only one of you and your dog will fetch, you can stand at the top of the stairs and toss her ball or toy to the bottom, have her run down to get it, run back up to you. If she will chase it but not bring it back, have a laundry basket full of toys or balls, call her back, and just keep throwing new ones. When you have thrown them all, go down the stairs, collect them, and bring them back up. If you don’t have stairs (or she can’t do stairs) use a long hallway. Get added benefit by putting barriers across the hall for her to jump over as she runs back and forth.
Jump the Jumps. When I was a wee child, I used to take broomsticks and mop handles and lay them across chairs all around the house, and then run with my Rough Collie, Squire, as he sailed over my makeshift jumps. You can do the same! If you prefer, you can get sections of PVC pipe at a hardware store. Start with the poles on the ground and use a treat to get your dog to walk over them, then trot over them.
When she is ready for more, use poles to make low X-shaped jumps before you use straight poles to make higher jumps. (Note: Young puppies shouldn’t jump until they are old enough not to be harmed by the repeated impacts. Check with your vet to make sure jumping is a safe activity for your pup.)
Round Robin Recall. You need at least two humans and a dog who loves to come when she’s called for this game. The larger your house and the more humans (within reason!), the better.
Put Billy (B) on the third floor, Janey (J) on the second, Mom (M) on the ground floor, and Dad (D) in the basement. (If stairs are not safely carpeted or dog has trouble with stairs, put all humans in different rooms on the same floor.) Each human has yummy treats and a toy that the dog likes for reinforcement when the dog arrives. Write up a random calling order and give each person a copy to ensure two humans aren’t calling her at the same time, and let the fun begin.
Be sure each person has a fun party with the dog when she gets there! This not only burns off dog energy, it gives the kids something to do, and it helps improve your dog’s recall.
Ball Pit. For this one you need a kiddie wading pool and a generous supply of non-toxic, sturdy ball-pit balls. Put a towel down to cover the bottom of the pool (so the sound doesn’t startle your dog), fill the pool with balls (no water!), and let the fun begin! If your dog doesn’t take to it immediately, toss treats and favorite toys into the pool and let her – or help her – dig for them.
Snuffle Mat (and other food toys). Interactive food-dispensing toys are a simple solution to many dogs’ winter blues. We particularly like “snuffle mats,” where you bury treats in the cloth fingers of a textured mat and let your dog go to it. If you have a dog who wants to eat the mat or, in contrast, just isn’t interested, there are many other options, including treat-dispensing toys your dog pushes around, and puzzle toys she has to solve to get the treats. (See “Play with Your Food,” WDJ April 2019).
Flirt Pole. This is simply a sturdy pole with a rope fastened to one end and a toy fastened to the rope. You can make one or buy one. To play, stand in one place and swing the toy around for your dog to chase. (You can also practice “Trade” to get the toy back once your dog has grabbed it; see “Trade Agreements,” WDJ February 2017).
Woody chases the Tail Teaser with typical intensity. Be careful about baiting your dog into too many tight turns with these toys if she has knee or other joint issues.
If your dog tends to bodyslam you (or your kids) while playing this game, stand inside an exercise pen for protection while your dog chases the toy around the outside of the pen.
These toys are available in better pet supply stores and from online sources such as Chewy.com and Amazon.com. Outward Hound makes one called the “Tail Teaser” and sells it with an extra replacement toy for about $13; Chewy.com also sells one called the Pet Fit for Life Plush Wand Teaser Dog Toy for $11.
Nose Games. Scent work is surprisingly tiring, and because most dogs love to sniff, it’s also very satisfying for them. It’s also usually an easy game to teach. Have your dog sit and wait (or have someone hold her collar). Hold up a treat, walk six feet away, and place it on the floor. Return to your dog, pause, and then say “Search!” Encourage her to run out and eat the treat.
After a few repetitions, let her watch you “hide” the treat in an easy spot (on the floor behind a chair leg, etc.). Return and tell her “Search!” Gradually hide the treat in harder places, then multiple treats, and eventually have her in another room while you hide treats. This should keep her quite busy and tire her out nicely. (For much more information, see “How to Teach Your Dog to Play Nose Games,” WDJ September 2019.)
Treadmill. Now we’re getting into activities that require more investments in time and resources. First, of course, you need a treadmill. Be sure to get one that is safe to use with dogs. Dog-specific treadmills generally are smaller than human products (some are made just for small dogs!) and have appropriately sized siderails (for safety, to keep the dog from falling off on the sides).
You will need to do a very gradual introduction, associating the machine with treats and toys until your dog is very comfortable being near it, and then on it, before you even think of turning it on. Be sure not to overdo the exercise; check with your veterinarian about how much exercise is appropriate for your dog to start with and how you should increase the time (gradually!).
Cognition Training. Those winter shut-in months are a perfect time to experiment with cognition training for your dog. You don’t need a lot of room, and this brain exercise is surprisingly tiring. You can teach your dog to imitate your specific behaviors (see “Copy That,” October 2013); explore choice (see “Pro-Choice,” November 2016); learn to demonstrate object, shape, and color discrimination and even read! (see “Are Canines Cognitive?” October 2017), and much more.
Indoor Parkour. If you really want to get creative, you can set up an indoor parkour course for your dog, made out of household items. After you’ve taught your dog each of the various obstacles, put them all together into a complete course. Here are some suggestions for obstacles that you can train your dog to navigate:
Laundry Leap: Get a laundry basket that’s an appropriate size for your dog, and teach him to jump into and out of it.
Hoop-De-Do: Best use of a hula hoop ever! Hold it up for your dog to jump through, or wedge it between a chair and a wall for a fixed jump.
Sweet Roll: Roll up a carpet runner and let your dog unroll it with her nose. (Teach this one by placing treats inside the rug as you roll it so she finds them as she unrolls it.) This would be especially fun if you had a red carpet that your dog could unroll for special guests!
That Was Easy: A smack of the paw lets your dog share her editorial opinion. These buttons are available from Staples stores and its website – or you can find a variety of wonderful talking buttons at this online site: speaktomecatalog.com (select “buttons”).
Go ’Round: A simple orange traffic cone makes a perfect loop-stacle to send your dog around the bend in a different direction.
Walk the Plank: Place an eight-foot long 2×8 board across two low stools and let your dog walk the plank! Increase the level of difficulty with narrower planks.
Tunnel o’ Chairs: If you have a smaller dog, start by teaching her to crawl under one folding chair, then add a second chair, then a third, eventually making your crawl tunnel as long as you want it to be!
Whatever your fancy, there should be some activities here that you and your dog can enjoy together when the weather outside is frightful. Stay warm, stay safe, and have fun!
I recently fostered a dog who first greeted me at the shelter that I sprung her from by jumping up on me. I spent the first two days with her almost exclusively working on preventing her from jumping. When I introduced her to a friend, my friend immediately held her arms out and greeted the dog’s enthusiastic jump up with a big hug, petting, and cooing
