Subscribe

The best in health, wellness, and positive training from America’s leading dog experts

Home Blog Page 210

3 Steps For Solving Your Dog’s Overexcited Behavior at the Door

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
-
1
Training and reinforcement are how to stop a dog from darting out the door.

Doors are fascinating to dogs. Think about it: Doors are reliable predictors of all kinds of exciting stuff. People enter through doors – people you like and people you don’t like. People leave through doors – people you want to stay, and people you want to go. A door plus a leash equals a WALK! Or maybe a RIDE IN THE CAR! And when the magic door noise happens (whether it’s a doorbell or a knock), the humans often speed to the door and engage in an orgy of greeting rituals guaranteed to be arousing to a dog, including loud voices, handshaking, sometimes even hugging and back-slapping. Small wonder that a significant percentage of dogs develop undesirable door-related behaviors, including:

  • Overly excited greeting of arriving humans
  • Excessive arousal in anticipation of outings
  • Door darting/escaping
  • Aggression directed toward arriving humans
  • Aggression directed toward departing humans

If you are struggling with a dog who exhibits any of these challenging behaviors, take a deep breath and know that you can make it better. The three-step process that follows provides a simple framework to help you modify your dog’s inappropriate door-related behaviors. First we will explain the steps, then look at how to apply them to some of the unwanted behaviors listed above.

train dog to be calm at the door

Step #1: Visualize/Articulate the Behavior You Want

Old-fashioned training focuses on physically and/or verbally punishing the dog for unwanted behaviors in an attempt to suppress them. While this method can be successful, it carries with it a lot of baggage, including the potential for teaching your dog to fear you, to avoid offering behaviors in training sessions, and to become aggressive in response to the punishment. Obviously, we don’t recommend it.

Modern, positive-reinforcement-based training focuses on the behaviors you want your dog to do. In order to successfully modify an unwanted behavior, you need to start by identifying the desirable behavior(s) you would like your dog to do, instead.

Step #2: Manage the Environment to Prevent Reinforcing Your Dog’s Unwanted Behavior

Management is critical for successful behavior change. Every time your dog is reinforced in some way for an undesirable behavior, it increases the likelihood that he’ll repeat that behavior, and it will be harder to make that behavior go away. (Keep in mind that a “reinforcement” for your dog is not just a tasty treat or word of praise; if anything that your dog enjoys happens as a result of his behavior, – or anything he doesn’t like goes away – it’s a reinforcement. So, if he manages to dart out the door when you open it for someone, and he then gets to run around, or pee, or bark at the UPS truck, he will have been “reinforced” for the door-darting behavior.)

By implementing a well-thought-out management program, you will prevent reinforcement for the unwanted behavior while you install a new behavior in its place. Note that it’s not enough that you don’t reinforce the behavior. You also have to prevent the rest of the world from reinforcing the behavior if you want to change it.

Step #3: Generously Reinforce the Behavior You Do Want

This is where you replace the unwanted behavior with the desired behavior you identified in Step #1. Figure out how to create an environment in which your dog is able to offer the behavior you want so that you have ample opportunity to reward him for it. Behaviors that are consistently reinforced increase, while those that are not reinforced extinguish.

In time, along with the good management you’ve implemented in Step #2, your dog will choose to offer the desired behavior instead of the unwanted one.

Now let’s apply the three-step process to one of our inappropriate door-related behaviors:

EXCITED GREETING OF ARRIVING HUMANS

Step #1: Visualize/articulate the behavior you do want. Here are some possibilities:

  • I would like my dog to greet me, other family members, and any visitors at the door (and anywhere else!) by sitting politely in front of them.
  • I would like my dog to go lie down on his bed (or go get in his crate) when visitors come to the door.
  • I would like my dog to sit for a toy that the visitor holds up and then fetch it when the visitor tosses it.

Step #2: Prevent your dog from being reinforced for the behavior you don’t want.

So, consider the following:

  • Use tethers, leashes, crates, baby gates, etc. to restrain your dog and prevent him from happily jumping on people to greet them.
  • Instruct family members and visitors to turn away and step away if your dog tries to jump on them.
  • Put a note on your front door asking visitors to wait a moment while you put your dog away before answering the door.

Step #3: Generously reinforce the behavior you do want.

In this case, you could try:

  • Teach your dog to “Sit politely for greetings.” This is a good-manners behavior best taught to young puppies so they don’t have a strong reinforcement history for jumping up, but it’s never too late to begin.

You can practice polite greetings with your dog on a tether or leash. Step toward him when he’s restrained, and if he starts to jump up, step back. Pet or feed him a treat only if he stays in a polite sit. Don’t ask him to sit; you want him to figure it out himself – otherwise he will sit only when someone asks him to.

If you consistently reward your dog for sitting anywhere and everywhere, sit will become his “default” behavior – he’ll sit whenever he’s not sure what else to do. That’s a good thing!

If company is coming, tether your dog a safe distance from the door so you can greet your guests without worrying about him, and hand them each several treats. Tell them to walk over to greet your dog one at a time, and to pet or feed him only if he remains sitting.

When the initial excitement of the visitors’ arrival subsides, you can remove him from his tether. If necessary, keep him on leash for a bit so he can walk around to greet your guests but you can restrain him if you see him gathering himself to jump up.

When he is settled enough, take him off leash and let him interact freely. Remember to remind your guests to turn their backs if he jumps up!

  • Teach your dog to “Lie down on your bed (or go in your crate) when visitors are at the door.” You can teach your dog that the sound of the doorbell, or a knock at the door, is his cue to go lie down on his bed, or run and jump into his crate. Once there you can tether him at his bed or close the crate door, if necessary, to prevent him from running to greet your guests.

If you don’t already have a verbal cue for the behavior you want, begin by teaching him one. Stand two feet away from your dog’s designated spot. Say “Go to bed” (or “Crate” or whatever cue you want to use) and prompt him to go there by pointing and/or using a treat lure. When he gets there, mark the desired behavior with the click of a clicker or a verbal “Yes!” and give him a treat. When he starts heading for his bed or crate upon hearing the cue, fade the prompt/lure by waiting until he gets there, and then using the click and treat.

Gradually increase your starting distance until he will run to his bed/crate from across the room, and farther. When he will go there on just the verbal cue from anywhere in the house, you are ready to add the new cue – the knock and/or sound of the doorbell.

To install the new cue, start with your dog just a few feet from his crate or bed. Make a knocking sound or ring the bell and then give your dog the verbal cue to go to his bed/crate. If he seems confused, go ahead and prompt/lure as needed, until he’s no longer distracted by the knock or bell and begins to realize that it means the same thing as your verbal cue. When he will go to his designated spot consistently from just a few feet away at the sound of the knock or bell, gradually increase distance until he will run there from anywhere in the house at the sound.

Now do setups with people actually coming to the door. Be prepared to follow the knock or doorbell with your verbal cue until he can get past his excitement over someone being at the door and respond promptly and consistently to the cue.
Continue to practice with setups until he will run to his spot upon hearing the knock or bell, even with the exciting stimulus of a stranger at the door.

  • Teach your dog to “Sit for and fetch a toy.” This one is my favorite because it’s fun for dog and guests alike. Keep a basket of toys outside your front door, with clear and simple instructions for your visitor to:
dog greeting warning

1. Take a toy out of the basket before you enter.
2. Hold the toy at your chest and wait for your dog to sit.
3. When he sits, toss the toy 10-15 feet into the house.
4. If he brings it back and drops it or hands it to you, you can wait for him to sit and toss it again, if you want.

Of course, you will have practiced this with your dog ahead of time so you are confident that he knows how to play the game. You may also have to eventually put the toy up so he will stop pestering your guest to throw it again. Unless, of course, your guests are enjoying the game as much as your dog, in which case you can just sit back and let them exercise him for you!

EXCESSIVE AROUSAL IN ANTICIPATION OF AN OUTING

Okay, let’s apply the three-step process to another door-related behavior commonly displayed by dogs. This time, I’ll be brief, in order to streamline the logic of the three steps.

Let’s say your dog gets highly aroused, leaping into the air and bouncing off of you or the door, when you pick up the leash to take him out for a walk. Here’s what you do:

Step #1: Visualize/Articulate the behavior you do want: “I would like my dog to sit calmly and wait for me to attach the leash.”

Step #2: Prevent reinforcement for the behavior you don’t want: As soon as your dog starts acting silly, say, “Oops!” in a cheerful tone of voice and set the leash down. If necessary, turn your back or go sit down until he is calm. Then start the process again. Not only are you preventing reinforcement, you are also telling him that his wild behavior makes the opportunity for a walk go away.

Step #3: Generously reinforce the behavior you do want: When he stays calmly seated for you to attach the leash, reinforce the behavior by opening the door and taking him for that highly anticipated walk. You don’t even need treats to reinforce him for this one – although, of course, you always can reinforce with treats as well.

Your Turn

Now it’s your turn. If your dog has any other undesirable door-related behaviors, take the “three-step process for changing a behavior you don’t like” and give it a go.

But, heck, why limit it to door-related behaviors? You can try it out with any unwanted behaviors your dog exhibits. Try to commit the “three-step process for changing a behavior” to memory so you have it at your fingertips when you need it. Make a list of your dog’s unwanted behaviors in order of importance. Select one or two behaviors from your list and stat applying the “three-step process.” You will be amazed at how quickly those troublesome behaviors can just fly out the door, never to return!

A Healing Coat

By
Cindy Foley
-
0

Back on Track dog agility coat

Pulled muscles and joint inflammation are as much a part of your dog’s life as your own, and they increase with age and activity. The fact is, no matter which way you turn it, strains happen. Imagine how great it would be if there was a magic garment that could soothe those strains and restore your dog to fitness. Well, you don’t have to imagine it: There is such a garment.

For initial injuries and acute pain, a veterinary diagnosis is a necessity. Your dog may need an anti-inflammatory drug to rapidly get the pain and inflammation under control. For chronic stiffness due to geriatric arthritis, a therapeutic daily dose of glucosamine to help lubricate those joints may make a difference. It may even slow the onset of joint degeneration, making supplementing sooner rather than later a smart move. Other complementary therapies for chronic issues include laser therapy (see “Hire the Lasers,” WDJ August 2013) and acupuncture (“Needle Your Dog,” November 2013). That’s because, for chronic pain issues, keeping your dog on a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) isn’t optimal.

Many veterinarians will also suggest investing in a Back On Track coat, which sport-horse and performance-dog owners have long used for muscle strain from strenuous athletic activity, arthritis and muscle warm-up. These coats are so popular that if you attend a cool-weather, early-morning dog agility trial, you may think basic black is trendy in dog clothing.

In reality, the Back On Track products are established remedies for chronic inflammation and muscle health. Based on researched and documented Chinese medicine practices, these products use ceramic’s heat-reflective properties to increase circulation. The ceramic particles are infused into blanket material, which is warmed by the dog’s body heat. That heat then radiates back into the body.

This form of infrared heat radiation is proven to increase circulation, which naturally reduces inflammation, enhances healing, and relieves muscle tension.

Skeptical? Don’t be! A study from 2002 in Alternative Medicine Review looked at the ceramic-impregnated gloves for Raynaud’s syndrome in humans. People with Raynaud’s suffer from tightening of blood vessels, resulting in decreased circulation, usually in their fingers; it worsens in cold weather and can be painful. The study’s conclusions noted “significant improvement” in pain, temperature, grip, and dexterity, showing the ceramic increased circulation.

It’s actually the inside of the Back On Track blanket that contains the ceramic powder. The outer material is your choice: either a water-resistant breathable polyester or a lightweight, breathable mesh. The mesh is popular as it comfortably drapes over your dog and can be used in warmer weather and for more active dogs. Both blankets are machine washable, as the powder cannot be washed out (no dryers, though). We’ve seen dog coats in use for more than seven years.

Personal Experience with Dog Agility Problems

Draco is my 9-year-old Papillon and my first agility dog. We’ve been competing seven years and only need two qualifying scores to finish his last AKC Masters title, which is pretty good for a “first” dog. A couple of years ago, I noticed Draco was slowing down and less enthusiastic. He seemed excited at the start line, but slowed by the end of the course. In the second run of the day, he would start fast but slow down as he progressed through the course – and would even sometimes avoid obstacles.

I had my veterinarian examine him. She observed that, overall, his muscles felt tight. She mentioned that at his age we may be dealing with early arthritis, too. She said I could use pain medication to help him, but also suggested I spend more time warming him up and get a Back On Track coat first to see if it helped. I also decided to drop him to a lower jump height.

Huge improvement! Draco is back to running fast – sometimes too fast for me to control! When I get the coat out he puts his head right through the neck hole, as if he knows the coat makes him feel better. Once again, he is excited to be doing agility! In fact, last summer, I couldn’t hold him still at the start line!

Back and shoulder injuries are the most prevalent problems in agility dogs, and A-frames account for most injuries. Reluctance to tackle the A-frame is a pretty sure sign of a back problem, especially in a little dog.

When Raven, my younger Papillon, started to avoid obstacles, I had him examined, too. My vet readily detected the tight muscles in Raven’s back and showed me how to palpate them and recognize when they’re tight. I had no idea he was in so much pain, since he always gamely tried to do the courses. We used anti-inflammatory drugs to get Raven’s acute pain under control and I invested in a second Back On Track coat.

Back on Track dog agility coat

The difference in the tightness of his back muscles after wearing his coat was nothing short of amazing. I give him pain medication only for acute injuries. Although I decided to retire him from agility, as I didn’t want to risk further injury, I still have to watch him for back pain. However, with the Back On Track coat, I reach for the pain medication only for an acute episode – such as when he decided to race a visiting puppy all around our dog arena.

Using The Back on Track Blanket

Dogs do vary in their response to the blanket, and some take longer to achieve a noticeable effect than others. Nearly every dog owner reports at least a softening of tense muscles and less overall stiffness. You should gradually introduce the blanket, increasing from a couple of hours per day for several days up to overnight use. In addition, as counterintuitive as it seems, best results are found if you set up an on/off schedule for the product’s use, such as three weeks of therapy and one week off, or use it only when you notice increased stiffness or need to ensure proper warm up of your dog’s muscles for physical activity.

The blankets are available in an incredible number of sizes from toy to XXL, retailing from $79 to $109, depending on size. As is the case with any covering you place on your dog, you need to keep the ambient temperature and sun in mind when your dog is wearing the coat.

Take-Away Points

Back On Track products are no substitute for warm-up and cool-down periods or conditioning your dog for his level of work. And acute injuries can still occur and require your vet’s help. But for most chronic problems and overall muscle health, ceramic therapy is a valid choice, offering comfort to your arthritic friend and keeping your canine athlete at his peak. It’s important to know what issue your dog is battling before you invest, as Back On Track products are a bit pricey and most certainly not cure-alls. They do support muscle health and reduce pain and inflammation in the dog’s body.

Ceramic therapy’s use for chronic arthritis, circulation problems, and inflammatory muscle and bone issues is well documented. The company’s website (backontrackproducts.com) has convincing clinical studies, including images showing before/after inflammation in horses. We found several studies ourselves, including research published in February 2012 that concluded the biological effects of ceramic materials have “the potential therapeutic effects . . . may contribute to relieving inflammatory arthritis and maintaining bone health.” (You can read it for yourself at ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22242954.)

The company’s head office is in Sweden, and it manufactures these products for horses, dogs, and humans. The factories are in China, but the company states that an independent lab hired by the company measures each batch of ceramic textile to ensure its level of reflected heat.

Cynthia Foley is an experienced dog agility competitor. Also a lifelong horsewoman, she served as editor of Horse Journal from its inception in 1994 to 2014.

10 Steps to Healthy Skin and a Silky Coat for Your Dog

By
Cindy Foley
-
0
All dog lovers appreciate seeing a healthy, happy dog, running in the sun with a glistening coat.

Your dog’s skin is the largest organ in his body and is comprised of multiple layers. The inner layer protects the internal organs and blood vessels, while the outer layer sheds old cells and secretes oils into the hair follicles, providing shine and water resistance.

Although it sounds like a simple organ, it’s not. Tiny problems can get out of control, requiring long therapies to heal. And when skin problems arise, it can be difficult and time-consuming to determine exactly what caused the problem. It’s no wonder skin ailments are one of the most common reasons dogs are taken to their veterinarians.

Keeping your dog’s skin healthy is critical to his hair coat health, too. The initial symptom of many health issues is often a dull, flat coat. While this is sometimes a matter of poor grooming, it can also be caused by a health issue. A dog who constantly scratches may be battling parasites, food allergies/sensitivities, or adrenal problems, such as Cushing’s syndrome.

Dry skin is nothing to blow off. It’s not just a matter of comfort. If your dog’s skin isn’t moist and pliable, it can crack, providing an entry point for microorganisms like bacteria or fungi. Dry-skin solutions may be as simple as correcting a dietary imbalance or using a conditioner after a bath. But you need to be aware that it could also indicate a thyroid problem or a parasite infestation. A trip to the veterinarian is in order if your dog’s itching does not subside with simple topical treatments.

Fortunately, prevention goes a long way toward avoiding that vet call, so let’s move on to the 10 steps to ensure your dog’s coat is glossy, silky, and healthy:

1. Optimize Nutrition. Feeding a top-quality commercial dog food or well-formulated, home-prepared diet will ensure your dog receives the nutrients he needs. Avoid foods containing low-quality fat sources (such as plant-sourced oils or “animal fat”). If your dog is allergic to or intolerant of certain ingredients, check ingredient labels carefully each time you buy a commercial food; the manufacturer may have changed the formula and added the problematic (for your dog) ingredient.

2. Consider a Supplement – Your dog may need a little extra nutrition support in the form of the omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Adding a fish-oil supplement to your dog’s diet is the best way to provide these powerful anti-inflammatory nutrients. Only fresh oils should be used; never feed oils that smell rancid or “off.” All oils are fats and provide about 40 calories per teaspoon, so amounts should be limited, particularly in overweight dogs and those already eating a high-fat diet.

3. Establish a Regular Grooming Schedule. While long-haired dogs like Shetland Sheepdogs require more frequent brushing than short-haired Labradors, a weekly session is a good rule of thumb for most. Balance the frequency with the dog’s activity. Dogs who run through long grasses may get burrs that should be removed immediately (or he’ll chew them out!), and mud and dirt should be brushed out of their coats right away. City-dwelling dogs who walk through manicured parks usually need less attention, but watch for matting, especially in sensitive places, such as behind the ears and between the legs. Remember, too, that very young and very old dogs often do better with several shorter sessions a week rather than a single long one.

4. Choose the Right Grooming Tool.  You’ll find no shortage of dog-grooming tools on the market. Your choice depends upon your dog’s coat. A shedding tool is not the right choice for a silky-haired Yorkshire Terrier, but your German Shepherd Dog may think it’s awesome. Long coats need at least an initial comb-through to remove small tangles, but a bristle brush at the end will bring out the shine and stimulate the skin. Avoid overly soft and overly hard brushes. Soft ones won’t reach the skin, while hard ones may painfully rake the skin. Your dog can help you identify the grooming tools that work for her; if she leans into it or obviously enjoys being groomed with it, keep that brush or comb. But if she runs away from you every time she sees it, keep looking for an alternative.

5. Remove Tangles Immediately.  Tangled hair masses worsen with every shake of the tail. Most can be worked out with a human’s comb and a good detangling spray to soften the hair. Really bad mats must be cut out with scissors. Be extremely careful, as the skin tents up when you pull the mat and you can easily cut the skin, too. It can help to insert a comb between the mat and the skin, so you use the scissors only above the comb.

6. Bathe Your Dog.  Obviously, if your dog is filthy from running through mud or swimming in a pond, he needs a bath. Otherwise, a monthly bath keeps skin healthy; over-frequent bathing can dry the skin and strip oils from the coat (see “Waterworks,” November 2014). Select a shampoo that contains a moisturizer, or use a conditioner after bathing – and rinse well! Hypoallergenic products are good choices for dogs with sensitive skin. Thoroughly dry your dog (a shammy works great!) after the bath. Spray-on conditioners and detanglers can go a long way toward extending the benefits of the bath, as they help repel dirt and mats. Never spray these products on a dirty coat, as you’ll just trap the dirt in. And a little goes a long way; don’t overdo it.

7. Check for (and control) fleas.  Scrutinize your dog frequently for fleas, especially if you see him scratching or chewing himself. Swiping through his fur with a flea comb (an extremely fine-toothed comb that will trap fleas between the comb’s teeth) several times a week is a good surveillance method. Whenever your dog rolls over for tummy rubs, examine his skin for any of the jumping, biting pests. If you see a single flea, take immediate action to stop an infestation; there are sure to be more.

8. No Ring Around the Collar.  A dirty collar can rub off or shorten the hair around your dog’s neck. Clean leather collars with saddle soap, a glycerin bar, or Murphy’s Oil Soap, then wipe off the excess and let dry thoroughly. Use a terry towel to do a final polish before putting it back on your dog. Nylon and hemp collars can be cleaned using dishwashing detergent and an old toothbrush; alternatively, toss them in the washing machine with a load of sturdy clothing, such as towels or jeans. If your dog is a very low flight risk, remove his collar when he’s just hanging around inside your home, giving his fur some time without chafing.

9. Maintain a Clean Place to Sleep.  There is no sense in having your clean dog sleep on a dirty, greasy, and/or smelly bed. Wash your dog’s bed – or at least, the bed’s cover – at least a couple times a month. If his bed doesn’t have a removable cover, consider keeping the entire bed covered with sheets or blankets that you can wash frequently (or consider getting a new bed with a washable cover). Frequent washing will also help prevent fleas from gaining any sort of foothold (washing destroys flea eggs and flea larvae) in your home.

10. Keep Regular Vet Checks.  A “well visit” is important for your dog’s overall health, and your veterinarian is trained to catch skin problems at the earliest stages. If there was ever a dog-health area where prevention is worth a pound of cure, it’s your dog’s skin.

Cynthia Foley competes in dog agility with her two beautiful Papillons.

Next-Level Selection Criteria

By
Nancy Kerns
-
0

For some dog owners, a better dry dog food is just one more step on a journey to finding the healthiest diet in the world for their dogs. It’s generally accepted among dog owners that this means a home-prepared diet comprised mostly of meat. Beyond this broad description, there isn’t consensus. Opinions vary about the supremacy of raw vs. cooked, using raw bones or other sources of dietary calcium, what sort of fat source is ideal, whether it’s advisable to include any grains or not (and if so, what kind and in what amounts), whether organic is healthier or not . . . . Name any concept in nutrition; its value and application to dogs is being debated.

So it makes sense that even when one journeys from the lofty heights of home-prepared diets, back down to the kibbled valley floor, there is debate here, too. Keep in mind that (despite my tongue-in-cheek heights-and-valley metaphor) the vast majority of dogs in this country eat dry dog food, so there are even more opinions out there about kibble than any other type of dog food.

Now, stir in a lot of scientific data and medical opinions; there have been far more nutritional studies and feeding trials conducted on kibble than any other type of canine diet.

So, if you are one of the majority of dog owners who have chosen to feed kibble – but you are committed to finding and feeding the best possible kibble that exists – you will probably employ more than the basic selection criteria outlined on page 6. You may want to investigate some of the following aspects of dog-food formulation, ingredient sourcing, and manufacturing. Just keep in mind that the relative value of all of these lines of investigation, and anyone’s ability to confirm the veracity of a company’s answers, are debatable, as well.

In-depth questions for dog-food companies:

Where do your ingredients come from – are any of them sourced from outside of the U.S.? Which ones: animal proteins and fats, oils, carb sources, herbs or other botanicals, vitamins and minerals? Which ingredients do you use that are so-called “human grade” (the legal term is “edible”) before they arrive at your manufacturing facility? (Once an ingredient arrives at a pet-food plant, it can no longer be legally referred to as “edible” – which makes it difficult, if not impossible, to verify these claims.) Do you use any organic ingredients? What about genetically modified ingredients?

Where are your foods made? In your own plant, or are they made by a contract-manufacturer (also known as a co-packer)? What sort of certifications have been earned by the plant? If your products are co-packed, what sort of oversight does your company employ to ensure the ingredient sourcing and the manufacturing process are accomplished to your specifications?

What tests are employed in your manufacturing facility to ensure manufacturing accuracy and ingredient- and finished-product safety? Do you employ a “test and hold” system to prevent the release of products before test results have been returned? What tests are conducted, and how long are the products held before being released? If my dog has a health problem that my veterinarian thinks might be related to your food, or there is a recall of this food, who will I be able to speak to? What will your company do for me and my dog?

Be advised that some companies won’t even have a person who will answer your call, or return your emailed inquiry – and that is a valuable selection criterion in itself! To read the extensive list of approved dry dog food companies that meet all of the Whole Dog Journal’s selection criteria, look no further than the “Whole Dog Journal’s Approved Dry Dog Foods List 2015.“

About Dog Food Manufacturers and Co-Manufacturers

By
Nancy Kerns
-
0

Some companies own and operate their own manufacturing plants; some of these make only their own products, and others make their own and other companies’ foods, too. Still other companies, especially the smaller ones, use “contract manufacturers,” a.k.a., “co-packers,” to make their foods for them. There are benefits and challenges of both arrangements.

When a company owns and operates its own plant, it has full control of the entire food-making process: sourcing ingredients and managing their in-flow and storage; hiring, training, and managing workers; equipment maintenance and cleaning; product testing (requiring at least a minimal lab, and space and a system for retaining product samples); and so on. When things go wrong, there is no one to blame but themselves; they are in full control of the whole process. Many people feel it’s safest to buy products only from those companies that own and operate their own manufacturing facilities.

But owning and running a plant is unthinkably costly; few small companies can afford the expense, so they contract the services of a co-packer, and build as little or as much control or oversight of the manufacturing process into their contract as they like. Some companies “leave it to the experts,” taking a hands-off approach to the production of their products, while others insist on things like sourcing their own ingredients and having a company representative present for every run of their products, from start to finish.

When a food company hires a competent, ethical contract manufacturer and is educated enough to provide meaningful oversight of the services it hired, the relationship can work out well for all concerned, including you and your dogs.

Unfortunately, when something goes wrong – say, a recall and sick dogs – unscrupulous companies can be quick to point fingers at each other. The co-packer will say it was following the recipe and using the ingredients specified by the dog-food company. The company will say, “That’s not what we told them to use! They screwed up!” Lawsuits fly. Settlements happen. Consumers are none the wiser as to who actually messed up, and how. And our dogs pay the price.

Some Well-Known Dry Foods, Ranked from Worst To Best

By
Nancy Kerns
-
3

Worst (Top) to Best (Bottom)

Purina Beneful

Kibbles ‘n bits beef & chicken
corn
soybean meal
beef and bone meal
ground wheat
animal fat (BHA)
protein 19%, fat 8%

Pedigree Adult
ground whole grain corn
meat and bone meal
corn gluten meal
animal fat (BHA and citric acid)
soybean meal
protein 21%, fat 10%

Purina dog chow complete
whole grain corn
meat and bone meal
corn gluten meal
animal fat (mixed tocopherols)
soybean meal
protein 21%, fat 10%

Beneful original
ground yellow corn
chicken byproduct meal
corn gluten meal
whole wheat flour
animal fat (mixed tocopherols)
protein 25%, fat 10%

Hill’s ideal balance chicken & brown rice
chicken
brown rice
brewers rice
cracked pearled barley
chicken meal
protein 20%, fat 16%

Iams healthy naturals chicken & barley
chicken
ground whole grain sorghum
ground whole grain barley
chicken meal
brewers rice
protein 25%, fat 14%

Taste of the wild high prairie
bison
lamb meal
chicken meal
sweet potatoes
peas
protein 32%, fat 18%

Champion Pet Products Orijen adult dog
boneless chicken
chicken meal
chicken liver
whole herring
boneless turkey
protein 38%, fat 18%

Your Dog’s Diet: A Dry Food Discussion

By
Nancy Kerns
-
1

pet food aisle

© Murdock2013 | Dreamstime.com

You know the old expression, “It’s better to teach someone to fish than it is to give them a fish”? We’re ardent advocates of this approach. We would far rather teach a dog owner how to identify the good, better, and best dry dog foods available to her than to tell her which food is “best” for her dog. But there is one giant obstacle in the way of our teachin’ fishin’ mission.

The obstacle has to do with human nature: An awful lot of you would prefer for us to just give you a fish – that is, you’d rather we just told you which food you should buy for your dog.

It’s a compelling concept, but only if you don’t think about it very deeply. Consider this: Imagine that there was an entire grocery store that sold only dry cereal, canned stew, and frozen dinners, and each and every product in the store was a “complete and balanced” meal that contained at least the minimum amount (and perhaps a lot more) of protein, fat, carbs, vitamins, and minerals that a human needs each day. Cool, huh? Now, what if we told you that you and everyone you know – your elderly parents, your shellfish-allergic spouse, your toddler son, your lactose-intolerant daughter, your pregnant niece, your professional-athlete cousin, your obese uncle, your diabetic aunt, everyone – should eat nothing but the Wheaties, because honestly, we think it’s best. We eat Wheaties, and it’s complete and balanced, so you should, too.

That would be weird, right? But it’s the same as thinking we could tell anyone which specific food, or even which whole line of foods from any given manufacturer, is “best” for his or her dog.

Dogs are just as individual as humans. Some stay healthiest on a high-protein, lower-fat food. Some thrive on an Atkins-style, high-protein, high-fat diet. Some get the runs when they eat fish. Grain makes some of them extremely gassy. And so on.

Also, the food we like the best may not be available in your state, or in the store where it’s most convenient for you to shop. And you may not be able to afford a certain food. Not everyone can afford to pay for “the best” food on the market if there are several big dogs in their family.

So, instead of giving you fish – that is, telling you which company’s products or which specific food is “best” for your dog – we’re going to encourage you to try your hand at fishing, instead. We’re going to explain how you can tell which foods in your favorite pet-supply store, in your price range, are the products with the best potential for being good for your dog. Then we will tell you how to determine whether they are “working” for your dog. Okay? So let’s get started – to read the extensive list of approved dry dog food companies that meet all of the Whole Dog Journal’s selection criteria, look no further than the “Whole Dog Journal’s Approved Dry Dog Foods List 2015.“

Download The Full February 2015 Issue PDF

By
Nancy Kerns
-
0
…
To continue reading this article or issue you must be a paid subscriber. Sign in
If you are logged in but cannot access this content, a) your subscription may have expired; b) you may have duplicate accounts (emails) in our system. Please check your account status here or contact customer service.

Subscribe

Subscribe to Whole Dog Journal

With your Whole Dog Journal order you’ll get:

  • Immediate access to this article and 20+ years of archives.
  • Recommendations for the best dog food for your dog.
  • Dry food, homemade diets and recipes, dehydrated and raw options, canned food and more.
  • Brands, formulations and ingredients all searchable in an easy-to-use, searchable database.

Plus, you’ll receive training and care guidance to keep your dog healthy and happy. You’ll feed with less stress…train with greater success…and know you are giving your dog the care he deserves.

Subscribe now and save 72%! Its like getting 8 issues free!

Already Subscribed?

Click Here to Sign In | Forgot your password? | Activate Web Access

Bad Breath is Significant

By
Nancy Kerns
-
0

I met a small dog recently who had breath that could knock you over. Because I’ve had small dogs before, I knew enough to lift her lip and take a peek at her teeth. Even so, I was shocked, though not surprised, by the appearance of her teeth. That is, you could barely SEE white tooth material, for the accumulation of hard calculus ­ tartar ­ on her teeth. Her gums were inflamed and swollen, too.

It apparently didn’t occur to anyone who knew or handled the dog that her bad breath wasn’t some sort of character flaw, it was an actual health problem exacerbated by neglect. Rather, she was criticized as a “fussy eater.” I imagine I’d be a fussy eater, too, if I was in excruciating pain from infected gums.

Small dogs, especially the ones with crowded mouths (overlapping teeth) or underbites or overbites that keep the mouth partially open at all times, are prone to more dental disease and accelerated accumulation of dental plaque. Daily brushing is highly recommended ­ and annual exams and frequent veterinary cleaning is critical to prevent the relatively fast development of such a serious tartar build-up (the dog I’m describing is only four years old!).

She’s since had her teeth cleaned ­ and eight of them had to be extracted. She’ll receive pain meds for 4 days and antibiotics for 10. Her breath is now completely inoffensive, and she’s eating anything offered to her.

The experience made me check my own dogs’ mouths. Both of my dogs are 6 1/2 years old. Tito the Chihuahua has had one dental cleaning already, about two years ago. His breath is not at all bad, and his teeth look pretty good. I was surprised (when I took a whiff ) that my big dog’s breath is not as fresh as I expected it to be, and when I lifted his lips to examine his teeth, I saw no tartar at all . . . on ONE side of his mouth! On the other, I found a rather large chunk of tartar on one of his upper molars. I think of myself as being fairly aware of what’s going on with my dogs’ health, and completely missed this! He was examined by a veterinarian recently, too, for an annual health checkup, and she hasn’t spotted it, either. I’ll be taking him back in for a further exam – and likely, a cleaning — this week.

How often do you check your dog’s teeth? Make sure you look at the ones all the way in the back, too.

 

Training a New Dog is a Huge Challenge – Even for the Experienced

By
Nancy Kerns
-
0

The thing that always crosses my mind at some point during a fostering experience: “If I am having a difficult time coping with this behavior, how do people with little or no experience handle it?” And I conclude, “Well, I guess a lot of people don’t handle it; that’s why there are so many dogs in the shelter!”

Seriously, there is always a point at which I am exhausted with the project and wishing I hadn’t taken it on. With my first foster puppy, it was when his kennel cough turned into pneumonia and I found myself spending hundreds of dollars at a local emergency vet clinic on a Sunday morning to pull him through. With the next dog, it was when I realized that she actually had fairly significant separation anxiety – enough to keep her barking and freaking out in a crate every time I left the room. Oh, and then, she also appeared to have some resource-guarding issues. Yikes!

The dog I am currently fostering set off a flash-fire of marital discord this morning when I spaced out and left her unsupervised in the backyard for a half hour or so. (In retrospect, I should have been thinking, “It’s quiet . . . too quiet!”) When my husband and I stepped outside my office, we saw with dismay that about 10 feet of concrete pathway that leads to our home was absolutely buried in soil – really expensive soil that had been, just a few minutes before, a raised garden bed full of winter onions. “That’s it! This dog is out of here!” my husband roared (before he calmed down).

Every young dog or puppy has to be civilized and trained, and the process takes a long time! Behaviors and health problems emerge that are incredibly trying, no matter how much experience a person has, or how well-equipped they are. I have a friend whose foster Aussie, after a week of subdued behavior, revealed serious obsessive/compulsive behaviors (kind of made me wonder whether he had been on unreported medication previously). I have another friend whose previously healthy and attractive foster dog developed demodectic mange. It’s really difficult to find homes for dogs with either condition – and equally difficult to give up on them after investing a lot of time in them.

It’s incredibly rewarding to raise a dog well, to see him become well socialized and well behaved. But there are lots of low spots, too, when you despair of the destruction and the bad behavior and are tempted to think you got a dud who is never going to improve.

How do you encourage your friends with the new dog to keep going, to persevere in the face of the hard times?

Dog Boots for Cold Weather

By
Nancy Kerns
-
0

[Updated November 7, 2018]

ATTENTION: We HAVE recently reviewed not only the best dog boots for winter, but also the best dog winter coats for cold weather.

It’s one of those jobs you just don’t ask a native (and lifelong) Californian to do: review dog coats. The only time I tried it, I failed; I separated the products under consideration into two categories – rain coats and warm coats – and was taken to task, rightly, for not providing a choice for dogs who have to go out in freezing rains. Because… a freezing rain? I have never experienced such a thing, much less had to walk my dog in one.

I was reminded of this recently, when I flew into Edmonton, Alberta, in order to tour the Champion Pet Food manufacturing facility north of there. I have never, ever, been somewhere so cold before – and they were having a relatively warm week for that time of year. The whole time I was there, I kept thinking, how on earth can you walk your dog in this cold? How do their paws not freeze?

Well, I guess they do; at least, the only dog I saw being walked the whole time I was there (about 36 hours) was wearing boots. I’m sure that while coyotes and wolves and even feral dogs either adapt or die in such cold, dogs who live indoors most of the time do need boots to protect their feet when being walked. The ground was just solid ice, whether frozen snow, dirt, or concrete.

On WDJ’s Facebook page a month or so ago, I linked a humorous (at least to me) YouTube video of dogs who had just been fitted with boots and were walking in them for (apparently) the first time. SO MANY people commented how cruel it is to outfit the dogs so and them laugh at them, as if boots on dogs is some great cruelty. I’m telling you, cruelty would be walking an indoor dog without boots in an Edmonton winter. Or even in Boston, say, where dogs are commonly treated to frozen sidewalks and salty slush, the better to burn any cracked paw pads that inevitably develop in cold winters.

Hey! You readers who live in incredibly cold places! How do you help your dogs cope with the cold? We’d love for you to share your favorite tips and tools.

People Food?

By
Nancy Kerns
-
0

I don’t know why it always surprises me when someone refers proudly to their strict adherence to prohibiting their dog from getting any “people food.”

I understand they are proud because they believe they are doing the right thing – that they think “people food” is somehow bad for dogs and that they are keeping their dogs well (and well – behaved, even) by not “spoiling” them.

What I don’t understand is how people have come to regard what I’m going to call * real food * could be bad for dogs.

Of course, there are a few foods that shouldn’t be given to dogs, such as chocolate and macadamia nuts – both contain substances that are toxic to dogs. The list of prohibited foods gets much longer if you include foods that no one in their right mind would actually FEED to a dog, such as avocado pits, raw bread dough, and gum containing xylitol. And then there are foods that shouldn’t be given to dogs in large amounts, the absolute amount of which is dependent upon the dog’s weight: onions, raisins, grapes, and fatty trimmings from meat.

But generally, these individual items are not what people are talking about when they say they don’t give their dogs “people food.” What they really mean is, leftovers. And there is no good reason at all to NEVER give your dog leftovers from healthy foods you eat yourself. Healthy food is healthy!

The converse is also true: foods that are unhealthy for you (such as fast food burgers and fries, pizza, mashed potatoes loaded with butter and sour cream and fatty gravy) are no healthier for your dog. Moderation in all things! An occasional treat of a reasonable portion of one of these foods is fine; it’s not going to ruin your dog!

Common sense applies. I wouldn’t recommend sharing from your plate in response to whining or begging behaviors – unless you love those behaviors and never plan on eating with your dog in front of other people.  Reduce the total amount of food that a dog receives on the same day that he receives a lot of table scraps so you don’t make your dog fat. Don’t replace the majority of your dog’s “complete and balanced” diet with a nutritionally incomplete and wildly imbalanced diet. I mean, they could surely survive and even thrive on our scraps – and dogs do survive and thrive on nothing but table scraps all over the world, and have for millennia! – but for optimum health, you want to make sure they receive a full complement of the proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals that dogs need (human and canine requirements being different).

But do give your dog some “real food”! With the exceptions noted above, good food – fresh, home – prepared, heavy on the vegetables and whole grains and lean meats – is good for him, too.

1...209210211...390Page 210 of 390

Latest Blog

Gear that lasts and does its job is one of the best investments a dog owner can make.
Blog

A Thing for Gear

Nancy Kerns 5
It is wonderfully gratifying to have the exact piece of dog gear needed that fits a dog and does the job.
© Belvoir Media Group, LLC. All rights reserved.