Recently, an acquaintance posted some pictures of her dog on Facebook. The dog is super cute, but I couldn’t help but notice that something was wrong: the little dog’s hair was completely absent from his chest, neck, top of his head, and paws. “Hey, what’s up with Charlie?” I asked her in a private message. “What happened to his coat?” She responded that it happens to him periodically – and did I think it could have anything to do with the food she had recently switched him to?
Well, yes, I know for a fact that Charlie’s hair loss (and, no doubt, a torment of itching and scratching) absolutely could have been caused by his diet. And since its onset was so close to the time that she switched his food, I’m certain that it can be cured by another change in diet (only, it’s going to take a bit of detective work to identify the problematic factor in the food).
My previous dog, a Border Collie named Rupert, was horribly allergic to flea bites. Whenever he would start itching and scratching (and chewing and rubbing himself on anything handy), I would go into a fit of cleaning and searching for fleas, which, half the time, I couldn’t find any sign of. It turned out (after many years of fighting phantom flea infestations and misguided trips to the vet for steroids), that he was also horribly allergic to chicken, as well.
Diet affects more than the skin and coat, however. Over time, it can affect everything having to do with your dog’s health, especially his digestion. (Digestion is a huge category. Is he always hungry? Never hungry? Often gassy? Frequently constipated? Have loose stools? Go too frequently? The possibilities for problems are endless.)
We talked for a while, and I made some suggestions for keeping track of what Charlie was eating, and for some foods that my friend might want to switch him to as soon as possible (such as something with a novel protein and a carbohydrate that he hasn’t encountered in his diet so far – the start of an allergy elimination trial).
All of that said, a trip to a veterinarian is in order for Charlie, too. While a change in diet certainly could have been the trigger for the skin and coat problems he currently suffers from, it could also be that he has another serious health problem brewing; perhaps the dietary change was the final insult, and his already stressed and overburdened body just couldn’t cope with it.
As for what specific food my friend should feed her dog? What do I recommend? That’s easy: I suggested she check out this issue, which contains our annual dry dog food review.
Correction: In an article entitled, “Toss Those Cookies” in the January 2014 issue, we reported an incorrect dosage of hydrogen peroxide to administer to a dog if and when you were trying to make him vomit (in case of an accidental poisoning). The correct dose is 1 teaspoon per 5 lbs of the dog’s body weight, with a maximum of 3 tablespoons. There are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon, so the maximum dose for dogs who weigh more than 45 lbs is 3 tablespoons per dose. Our veterinary emergency care expert assures us that even at the incorrect dosage stated, if the maximum amount that we correctly reported (3 tablespoons per dose) were abided by, no harm should come to a dog of any size; the dosage we originally reported is just more than needed for very small dogs. We regret the error.
The vast majority of dog owners feed dry dog food to their dogs – and quite a few of them select and store the bags of food in a way that turns a wholesome food into a health hazard for their beloved companions. Are you handling your dog’s food in a safe manner? Or do you regularly make the following mistakes?
1. Grabbing and buying the first/top bag on the shelf.
Always check the date/code on the bag, and buy the bag with a “best by” date that is as far in the future as you can find. And don’t buy bags that are within a few months or closer to their “best by” date.
Most foods that are made with natural preservatives are intended to be consumed within 12 months of manufacture, although companies extend this to as much as 18 months. But dry food is far less nutritious (oxidation slowly decreases the vitamin activity), and has far more potential to be rancid, the more time passes post-manufacture. (Note that foods that are packed in vacuum-sealed bags and flushed with nitrogen keep fresh longer.)
So, for example, if its February 2014, a bags that was just manufactured and placed on the shelf should have a “best by” date of February 2015 – buying that bag would be ideal. In contrast, avoid the bag with a “best buy” date that indicates the food should be consumed within the next few months.
2. Buying giant bags for your small or medium dog.
It’s fine to buy the biggest bag if you have several large dogs, but the point is, you should be buying bags in sizes that are small enough so that the food is entirely consumed within two to three weeks, no more.
The longer the food is exposed to oxygen once the bag is open, the faster it oxidizes. While buying very large bags makes the most economic sense (the price per pound is always less if you buy in large bags), it may not make the most sense for your dog’s health. Many dogs start turning up their noses at a food by the time you reach the bottom of the bag, because by that time (especially if you have a small dog!), the fats in the food may be quite rancid – and dogs’ noses are far more sensitive to the odor of rancid fats than our noses are. Veterinarians have a phrase for what happens when dogs are not fussy and eat rancid food, suffering digestive upset after meals: “bottom of the bag syndrome.”
3. Storing the food in a warm or damp place.
Read the label; it will almost always suggest storing the food in a cool, dry place. Again, this is to preserve the wholesomeness of the food and to retard the process of oxidation. Look for a cool, low cupboard or shelf in the pantry.
4. Dumping the food into another container.
I know, I know, it’s far easier to scoop food out of a plastic bin than it is to scoop it out of the bag. But there are several problems with bins. First, many are not made with “food-safe” plastic – material that is resistant to degradation caused by contact with fat (keep in mind that dog food is a relatively high-fat food). Fat can cause the type of plastic used in things like plastic garbage cans and totes to accelerate the rate at which BPA and other plasticizers leach out of the container and into the dog food.
Second, if you don’t completely empty and clean out the bin in between each bag of food you dump into it, you are effectively “seeding” each new batch of food with rancid fats that are in the old food in the bottom of the tub and the fat that covers the container. It’s far safer to keep the food in the bag, and keep the bag in a container.
The practice of dumping the food into another container leads to the next mistake you should avoid . . .
5. Throwing away the bag before your dog has finished all the food.
If your dog becomes ill, the type of food and its date/code number will be critical information to have on hand. Your vet will want to know what exact food you fed the dog. If it develops that the food causes a serious illness or death, the manufacturer and the FDA will need the information to conclusively tie the food (and the specific lot of food) to the problem. If you are not absolutely certain and/or can’t prove what variety of food you fed to your sick dog, it’s will be very difficult to make the company take responsibility for the problem.
What do you want, you crazy dog?” Jennifer Wade said with a smile to her diabetic alert dog, Raven. Wade, 30, had just eaten a meal at an office luncheon, so she knew her blood glucose level (blood sugar) had to be okay. But Raven persisted, tugging her, and getting in her face. She guessed that the food-crazy dog just wanted an apple from the party, and her co-workers encouraged her to allow the persistent black Labrador Retriever to have a bite. Wade relented, but the chow hound declined the offer. In a hurry to get back to work, Wade exclaimed, “Now what?! You’re not going to eat? What is wrong with you?”
www.leahvalentine.comService Dog of Virginia
Raven tugged at Wade’s wrist strap, jumped up on her, and eventually sat and stared at her with big, sad, brown puppy eyes and began whining. “Okay, if it will make you happy, I’ll check my blood sugar, you silly dog.” Sure enough, her blood sugar level was low. She gave Raven the signal to let him know he was correct, and he lit up, dancing around with excitement . . . and ate the apple.
I know my blood sugar is dropping when I start to feel cranky or fatigued. Fortunately, I can ride out my discomfort until I have a moment to grab a snack. But imagine you have no indication that your blood sugar is dropping. For diabetics who have “hypoglycemia unawareness” – a condition in which a person with Type I diabetes doesn’t experience the usual warning symptoms of hypoglycemia – the consequences of not acting immediately on a fast-dropping blood sugar level can be fatal.
Cue Raven, who entered Jennifer Wade’s life in July 2011, nine years after her diagnosis with diabetes – after struggling for nine long years to maintain appropriate blood sugar levels. A Type I diabetic, Wade found herself falling asleep at night, but not waking in the morning due to precipitously low blood sugar levels. As a single mother of a five-year-old boy, Wade (who has since married), was distressed that the burden to be sure that Mom was okay – including summoning 911 emergency assistance – might fall to her young son. Diagnosed as having hypoglycemic unawareness, she stopped going out in public unless accompanied by another adult.
A Dog’s Nose Knows
Trained by Service Dogs of Virginia (SDV), a 501(c)(3) non-profit service dog organization, Raven signals Wade when her blood sugar is on its way down or low, presumably based on a scent that diabetics emit when blood sugar levels begin to drop. Raven’s alert is to tug on an elastic band that Wade wears on her left wrist.
Peggy Law, founder and director of SDV, says that while diabetic alert dog programs are in their infancy, dogs have always smelled low blood sugar. “We don’t teach them to smell anything – we teach them to tell us when they smell it. The dogs just didn’t know we cared!”
Law trains and places diabetic alert dogs only for clients diagnosed with hypoglycemic unawareness – folks who have a greater than usual challenge in managing this tricky disease. She explains that dogs seem to notice when a human’s blood sugar drops rapidly, “even if the client’s level isn’t yet low.” When the dog alerts repeatedly as the level continues to drop, the client can immediately take action (eat, drink) to prevent a drop to an unsafe range.
When the client’s blood sugar decline is very gradual, dogs tend not to notice until the level is low. Given this, says Law, SDV’s goal is to train the dogs to alert when the client’s blood glucose level is at 70 mg/dl or below, but before the point of no return when the person can’t think clearly enough to eat or drink on her own. “We want the dog to alert while the person is still functioning so she can fix the situation.”
Before Raven was placed with her, Wade had been employing a risky strategy in managing her blood sugar levels. “When I started having episodes, I was afraid to keep my sugar at normal levels; I was so afraid that’d I’d pass out [if her blood sugar got low], so I kept it high,” Wade describes. While the outcome of high blood sugar in the short term is not as deadly as a precipitously low level, consistently abnormally high blood sugar causes long term damage that can lead to outcomes such as amputations and blindness. But now that Wade has an emergency backup indicator in Raven, she feels safer with lower average blood sugar levels than before. “Having Raven and knowing that he does his job well gives me confidence to keep my sugars where they should be. Since getting him, my average blood sugar (A1C) has been the lowest [most normal] that it’s ever been.”
The Magic of Positive Training
When Wade first brought Raven home, the dog was legitimately alerting Wade four to five times a week. Now, with her blood sugar under better control, she’s down to two to three alerts per week.
When Raven alerts, she’ll tell him, “OK, let me check my sugar.” The Lab knows the routine: he lies down, stares at her, and waits. If she’s low or on a downward trend, she praises him with a “Good dog! Let’s get a treat!” while she gets him a treat and grabs some juice for herself. His response? “He thinks he’s the cat’s pajamas! He’s all excited and thinks he’s the best dog in the whole wide world,” Wade laughs.
A diabetic alert dog’s road to reach that point is long. Raven came to SDV from a breeder at eight weeks of age and lived with a volunteer puppy raiser for his first year of life. During that year, SDV’s goals are to ensure the dog is comfortable in public, and to work on basic good manners behaviors, in order to establish groundwork for advanced behaviors. Then the dogs come back to live with an SDV trainer to embark upon advanced training for another year.
SDV utilizes positive training methods and clicker trains most behaviors, including alert training. Law and Wade appreciate the engagement, motivation, focus, and “think on your feet” attitude this method of training cultivates in dogs – an attitude that might mean the difference between life and death.
For example, one day Raven found Wade on the floor beside her bed, “sleeping.” Raven was in SDV’s second class of diabetic alert dogs and had not been formally trained to get help if Wade didn’t respond to his alerts. (This behavior has since been included in the program.) Wade vaguely recalls the dog repeatedly tugging on her wrist strap – and pushing him away. Frustrated and determined, the dog left the room and alerted Wade’s husband, who called paramedics.
SDV takes a slow approach to alert training that calls upon the dog’s strong clicker-based foundation. Alert training starts by “charging” the scent, rewarding the dog whenever the scent is presented to him in order to make it significant to him, and then teaching him to perform a specific behavior when the scent is presented. Eventually, he learns he will be rewarded for performing that behavior (now called an alert behavior) whenever he detects the scent.
The tasks increase in difficulty, with the scent being presented randomly, in all sorts of different situations and environments. Through months and months of repetition, working through false alerts and a gradual increase in the difficulty of the “game,” the dogs understand that being right leads to a party: big rewards (SDV uses food rewards) and lots of praise.
Relationship is Key to Training Dogs
SDV spends close to two weeks working with clients to “transfer” the dogs to their people. Law describes it as learning to dance with a partner. “The dog knows how to do the dance, but they can’t lead. The person has to learn to lead the dance, but they have to learn the steps first.” The client gets instruction on lots of dog training basics, and, at the same time, the relationship starts to build. “The dog is hanging out with them during training, and therefore has the opportunity to alert. The first few times it happens, the client is shocked,” Law explains.
Part of client orientation includes imparting an understanding that the dog is not an alert machine. Law says, “When you have a dog with you at work, the grocery store, and everywhere you go, you develop a deep knowledge of one another if you listen to and observe your dog. That can only help strengthen the dog’s persistence and determination when needed. The bond is a two way street: many people want a dog just to work, but forget that the dog has to be provided for physically and emotionally.”
And she stresses that, “Any time you’re training service dogs, it’s not just about the task (the alert); it’s about the dogs being very comfortable in public. There’s no way they can do this job if they’re not comfortable being out there. You also can’t expect them to work 24 hours a day. They’ve got to be able to have some down time.”
Positive Training Works
We still don’t know exactly what chemicals these dogs detect in order to be able to accurately alert to a low blood sugar level. Despite the fact that there is proof in her numbers, validated by her endocrinologist (who is a big supporter of diabetic alert dogs), Wade has been confronted by skeptics who assert that the dog is just guessing and happens, on occasion, to be right. Wade’s response? “My sugars have been the best they have ever been, my numbers reflect that, and I’m more confident than ever before. If it’s all in my head, so be it, because not only are my levels a lot better, my life is a lot better, too!”
We’ve reviewed dog foods annually for 17 years now, and we try, every year, to tell you something new about the food you feed (or should be feeding!) your dog, something you may not have known before. We also tell you how we define and identify good-quality foods, and how to tell them apart from the products of lesser quality. And finally, we give you a list of foods that meet all of our selection criteria and meet our approval. We’re doing all that again this year, but in a slightly different format.
There are a lot of different factors that should be considered when selecting the right food for your dog. The most important ones, in our opinion, are the ingredients in the food themselves, which is why we spend so much time through the course of the year and space in the magazine talking about dog food ingredients. On the facing page, we have again listed the “things to look for” (desirable traits) on a dog food ingredients list, as well as “things to look out for” (undesirable traits). This really is the most important information to know about choosing good (healthy) dog foods.
If a food doesn’t have good ingredients, there is no point in talking about where it’s made, where you have to go to buy it, whether it is grain-free or not, how much fat is in it, whether the company that makes it has ever had a recall, or how much it costs. Learning to look at the ingredients panel before you buy is half the battle; the other half is identifying good ingredients (so you can buy that food) and bad ingredients (so you can avoid buying that food).
For some of you, this will be brand-new information. If you’ve never before looked past the pretty pictures on the label of your dog’s food – the juicy steaks, glistening cubes of pink chicken breast, dewy carrots, steaming bowls of rice, and so on – to look at the extremely fine print of the actual ingredients list, you may be shocked to see that what’s actually in the bag is mostly corn, with steak flavor, chicken by-product meal, carrot powder, and brewers rice.
Those of you veteran label readers, we salute you! Your reward is a lot of new information about the foods you should (if you don’t already) love, buy, and feed your dog (shouldn’t all of those always be the same thing?).
The Whole Dog Journal Approved Dry Dog Food Chart Explained
So, trying to mix things up and add to your store of knowledge about the products on our list of “Approved Dry Dog Foods for 2014,” we’ve put together a table of new information about these foods. Let’s walk through the information that is included on the table, so we can explain what we’ve added and why.
Dog Food Company Info
The foods that we like and that meet our selection criteria appear on the chart under their maker’s name. These companies are listed alphabetically. So, for example, please don’t freak out when you don’t see Orijen under the O’s; it’s listed under the name of the company that owns it: Champion Pet Foods.
Dog Food Manufacturing: Self or Co-pack?
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. Other companies, especially the smaller ones, use “contract manufacturers,” a.k.a., “co-packers,” to make their foods for them. As we have observed many times, 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 yourself; on the other hand, if you are in full control of the whole process, and you know what you are doing, theoretically, you should be able to prevent things from going wrong.
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.
When a pet food company does this, it can build as little or as much control or oversight of the manufacturing process into its contract as it likes. Some companies “leave it to the experts,” taking a hands-off approach to the production of its products, while others insist on things like sourcing its own ingredients and having a company representative present for every run of its 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.
When we started our annual dry dog food reviews (some 17 years ago), pet food companies would not, did not, disclose where their products were made. “Proprietary information” was the perennial excuse – which made us crazy, because we suspected, and later learned we were correct, that all the companies absolutely knew where their competitors’ products were made; it was just us, the consumers, who weren’t supposed to know. But why? It never made sense to us. If you were proud of your manufacturer, why not tell the world?
This argument worked with some of the companies whose foods we admired – and we admired them even more for disclosing the information to us and consumers everywhere.
We had several reasons for wanting companies to disclose this. First, we wanted to see if there was a pattern; did all the best foods come from certain co-packers? Did the ones that were recalled originate from certain others?
We also hated the helpless feeling we had in 2007, when company after company announced that their products, too, were apparently adulterated with a substance that could sicken and kill dogs – and the companies whose names were on the label of the foods we were feeding our dogs wouldn’t tell us whether their products were manufactured in the same place as the location where all those first deadly foods were produced. That’s when we decided to draw a line in the sand and insist that if a company wouldn’t tell its consumers where its products were made, we wouldn’t include them on our “approved lists.”
The companies that already disclosed their manufacturing sites were thrilled; they hoped to see many of their competitors fall off our lists. But after coping with the outrage of the pet-owning public in the wake of the 2007 melamine disaster, few companies wanted to be called out for nondisclosure anymore, and almost every company on our previous “approved foods” lists disclosed their manufacturing sites then and has done so ever since.
There have been a couple of curious hold-outs – curious because in every other way, their products met all of our other selection criteria as quality foods: Halo and Newman’s Own. Both companies sell great products, interesting foods, and both have an impeccable record so far – no recalls for anything, ever. Why won’t they tell?
We don’t know. Ask them. We’ve gotten tired of explaining why these products, which so obviously meet all of our (other) selection criteria, are not on our lists. And so, this year, we didn’t ask each of the 57 companies with products on our “approved list” to tell us where all of their products are made (some of the larger companies might use half a dozen co-packers!). You ask them, when you call their toll-free number to ask for a free sample and get more information about their products. See what they tell you and how you feel about it.
(By the way, when you call these and every other company whose products you are interested in, or whose products you feed to your dog now, note whether you got an answering machine and no call back, or a real person. Did the company have accessible and knowledgeable customer service people? As you put this to the test, think about how you would feel about the company’s accessibility if you just heard that a recall of its products had been announced and that’s what you were feeding your dog.)
Quality Dog Food Sales Locations
Many of the companies that make the kind of foods we like are small, and may have only a regional sales presence. Even some of the larger companies’ products may be difficult to find, especially for those of you who are unused to shopping at independent pet supply stores, or even national pet specialty chains like Petco, Petsmart, and Pet Supplies Plus.
All credit to developing this “natural/holistic” or “super-premium” market should go to the independent pet supply stores; it’s at this level where educated, passionate salespeople can educate dog owners, one at a time, about the many health benefits of better-quality foods. (That’s why independent store operators get really mad when a company whose food they have been promoting for years succeeds to the point where it inks a distribution deal with a national chain – whose sales volume can empower the chain to undercut the price that the indie was charging by a lot, killing sales at the indie’s store.)
We strongly suggest shopping at independent pet supply stores if you are lucky enough to have one nearby. The salespeople (who are often the owners) will be a wealth of information about the best foods for your dog that are in your price range. Those of you who don’t have a good indie close by, or those who struggle to afford better-quality foods, the pet specialty chains and online sources are your next-best bets. Also, some of the companies have direct-shipping options that might work for you.
Dog Food Varieties, Grain-Free Dog Food?
We listed the number of varieties of food offered by each company, and, further, broke down these offerings into separate lines when said lines have been formulated with a unifying approach or purpose. We’ve also noted the number of grain-free varieties offered within the total – not because we think every dog should be on grain-free (it’s not right for all dogs) – but just to help those of you who do want a grain-free food to see which makers have them.
Meat, Meat Meal, or Both?
When we say “meat,” rest assured that what we are talking about is a named species (beef, chicken, whitefish, etc.) of fresh or frozen animal flesh. If you are confused, read that list of selection criteria again. If a dog food ingredients list on the label says “meat,” it indicates any type of meat from any species of animal – you don’t and can’t know what they mean. But on our table, “meat” is the clean flesh derived from (named, specific) slaughtered animals, with or without the accompanying fat and portions of the skin, sinew, nerves, and blood vessels that normally accompany the flesh (that’s a slightly edited version of the legal definition of meat).
When we say “meal,” we mean rendered meat – meat that meets the above definition, but has been cooked and then dried to a granular powdered form. This is very different from dehydrated or freeze-dried meat; don’t let any pet food company try to convince you otherwise. Rendering is a drastic process; it alters the nutrient content of the food. Fat is boiled off; so is bacteria. But most importantly, the ground-up result is made unidentifiable and uniform. You don’t know what tissues, in what relative amounts, went into it. However, because the water has been mostly removed (to about 10% moisture), protein is concentrated in the finished product. Meat meal can bring the protein content of a food to a nice high level that can’t be reached with meat alone.
When used in a dry food formula, meat offers a less-processed ingredient, and a taste and odor that dogs uniformly prefer. But meat meal is key to a high-protein food that most dogs thrive on, so many manufacturers use both.
We’ve noted the few instances when a company uses genuinely dehydrated or freeze-dried meats. These unprocessed ingredients add both concentrated protein and taste to a finished product, but are wickedly expensive, so they aren’t often used in dry food.
Best Protein and Fat Ranges for Dogs
In this column, we listed the lowest and highest percentage of protein found in any of the company’s foods, followed on the next line by the lowest and highest percentage of fat found in the company’s foods. If you are looking for a food for your dog that has protein or fat in a certain range, you can easily see whether that company makes a variety that might meet your dog’s needs.
Dog Food Recalls
The FDA has a site where all the pet food recalls since 2008 are listed. We’ve indicated which products on our list have had a recall since 2008, what it was for, and when it happened.
Keep in mind that we are not terribly concerned about recalls for Salmonella in dry dog food. (See “Do You Recall,” WDJ April 2013, and “Why Are There So Many Recalls?” October 2013.)
Dog Food Prices
This is a bit of a sticky wicket, since the price of any particular bag of food varies so much based on geography and sales site. We gathered prices from a variety of retailers – brick-and-mortar and online. We also checked prices on each variety, in large bags and small bags; the price per pound is much less in large bags than small bags, but not everybody buys (or should buy) large bags. We averaged these prices per pound and came up with these categories:
$ – Food is less than $2.50/lb.
$$ – Food is $2.50 to $3.50/lb.
$$$ – Food is more than $3.50/lb.
Because of the number of variables, it may not be accurate for all foods in all places, but rather a rough guide to help some of you identify which foods may or may not be in your budget. Just remember: to some extent, price does equal quality. While it’s highly possible to pay a lot for a mediocre food, you cannot buy a great food for less than the cost of the superior ingredients that are needed to make it.
The good news: you can give your dog a thorough brush job in just two minutes a day. The bad news: few dogs fancy having their teeth brushed, and there ain’t no Holy Grail of Canine Tooth Brushing, despite my attempts to extract one from Angela Mees, DVM, who owns a practice limited to veterinary dentistry in suburban Atlanta.
I’m guilty of not brushing my dog Atle’s teeth. But after talking with Dr. Mees, who is working toward becoming a fellow in the Academy of Veterinary Dentistry, I’ve reconsidered my sloth.
Ounce of Prevention Against Bacteria
Brushing removes plaque, the sticky, colorless film that forms on teeth. Bacteria live in plaque and secrete acids that cause tooth decay and irritate gum tissue, leading to gingivitis (gum disease) and periodontal disease. Plaque begins to calcify after 48 hours so, while daily brushing is best, brushing your dog’s teeth every other day is still very useful.
The only way to remove tartar (calculus) is with a cleaning by a veterinarian; brushing buys you extra time between professional cleanings. Dr. Mees explains, “If you go a year with just professional cleaning and no brushing, you’re more likely to see periodontal disease. I tell people to think about their own mouths – we brush twice a day, we floss daily, and most people get cleanings twice a year.”
Some dogs are more prone to periodontal disease – including Greyhounds, small breeds, and brachycephalic breeds – but, just as with humans, some dogs naturally have better oral health than others, even within the same breed and family.
Keeping plaque and tartar at bay to ward off oral disease is just the tip of the iceberg; your dog’s liver, kidney, heart, and overall immune system are affected by the condition of her teeth and gums. Brushing is some of the best preventive, holistic “medicine” we can employ to maintain the health of our dog.
Best Tools for Canine Tooth-Brushing
Dr. Mees is a fan of simplicity; her tool of choice is a children’s soft tooth brush. If you have a very large dog, she recommends an adult extra soft brush, explaining, “People mistakenly think the heftier the bristle, the better the job. You want something very soft because the gingiva (gums) are very sensitive.”
If your dog is worried about the brush, start with just your finger then move to a brush. While finger brush products aren’t bad, they have thick bristles that make it difficult to get under the gum line. Some of Dr. Mees’ clients have reported success with an electric toothbrush, but in her experience, that sort of horsepower tends to scare most dogs.
As for toothpaste? Simply wet the toothbrush with water and forego the paste. Many dogs try to eat paste by chewing the toothbrush, making the brushing job a whole lot harder for us. Dr. Mees says toothpaste is a major reason why people often unknowingly struggle and give up on brushing; we think we have to use it – and we don’t! Want the benefit of the enzymes in canine toothpaste? Try using it as a treat after you brush your dog’s teeth. (Note: Be sure to use a product formulated for dogs, not humans.)
How to Start a Dental Routine
If your dog has signs of gum disease – puffy, red, or bleeding gums – wait to introduce a brushing routine until after you’ve taken your dog to a veterinarian for a professional cleaning. If her gums are painful and you brush, the dog may develop a negative association with the whole process and you’ll fail. Get more guidance on how to go about cleaning your dog’s teeth here.
The Mechanics of Brushing a Dog’s Teeth
Start by figuring out what position will be most comfortable for both you and your dog. For Dr. Mees and her Greyhound, that’s standing. This lets Dr. Mees reach around from behind the dog, and works well for them. Smaller dogs might be happy to sit in your lap. For Atle, I’ve found that having him lie on his side works best.
Where to start? Dr. Mees advises that one approach is to divide the dog’s mouth into four quadrants, tackling one at a time. She begins with her dog’s front teeth because they’re easiest to reach. Wherever you choose to begin, start with a wet brush, and gently work each area as follows, with pressure light enough that the bristles barely bend:
– To brush the front teeth, gently pull back the dog’s lips.
– For the upper back teeth, put the brush in the dog’s cheek, and, gently holding her muzzle, close her mouth and brush. Closing the mouth controls the dog’s tongue, reducing any struggle with brushing.
– For the lower back teeth, release your hold on the muzzle a bit, slightly open the dog’s mouth, and brush the bottom back teeth.
Dr. Mees admits that getting the insides of the teeth is difficult, so don’t get discouraged if you can’t (the dog’s tongue tends to keep the inner sides of the teeth clean). And don’t be concerned about brushing your dog’s tongue and roof of her mouth.
In what direction should you brush? Dr. Mees explains, “We’re taught circular motions, but I think if you try circular motions in a moving animal, you’re going to get frustrated! So I usually recommend side to side.”
In a perfect world, you’ll gradually work up to brushing each quadrant for about 30 seconds. Nonetheless, Dr. Mees acknowledges that you might not achieve that. She gets about five to ten seconds per quadrant on her own dog, so she brushes once quickly, then tries to repeat one or two more times.
Any amount of brushing is better than none; you will see better results in your dog’s oral health, even with a dog who won’t tolerate a total of more than 20 to 40 seconds, than if you never brushed. Do as much as he will handle to start, then gradually see if you can do a little more. I’m at day five with Atle, and I’ve been able to begin brushing his back upper and lower teeth. We’re still just talking a matter of seconds, and he’s not entirely thrilled, but that’s OK. I’m not in a hurry, and he’s getting lots of treats and praise for what he gives me.
After brushing, thoroughly rinse the brush and let it air dry. It’s a good idea to replace your dog’s toothbrush every three to six months, and use a separate toothbrush for each of your dogs to prevent the spread of germs.
Signs of Gum Trouble
If your dog has pain during brushing or you see blood, stop. It could be gingivitis, which is reversible with a professional cleaning and brushing. But if the problem is periodontal disease, advanced professional veterinary dental care is in order.
Overzealous brushing or brushing multiple times a day can cause gum erosion. More is not better!
If your dog gets aggressive or tries to bite you when you introduce brushing, Dr. Mees does not recommend pushing through. Your route, instead, may be more frequent professional cleanings, and the use of other products such as water additives and chew toys.
However, if your dog unhappily tolerates the process, keep it up (and try to reward him more richly for his cooperation). In most cases, Dr. Mees says that people struggle with, then give up on, brushing their dog’s teeth too soon. The misconception is that because their dog doesn’t like it, they should quit. “We tend to baby our animals; if we perceive that the animal is not enjoying it, we’re not going to do it. But, then people get to my office, we have to pull teeth, and they’re mad. I explain that you can’t have it both ways; we’ve got to use a little bit of tough love with our dogs sometimes.” Their health depends on it!
Lisa Rodier lives in Georgia with her husband and Atle the Bouvier, and volunteers with the American Bouvier Rescue League.
Not to be outdone by the veterinary profession (See “How to Decipher Veterinary Code,” WDJ October 2013) or even dogs themselves (“Dog Certifications and Titles,” January 2014), the dog training and behavior profession also boasts a mind-boggling array of letters that may appear at the end of a trainer’s name. In some cases, the initials identify a person with considerable education and experience with canine behavior, but others indicate little more than membership in a dog-training organization, so it pays to know what those letters mean!
You may be surprised to discover that there are no educational, experience, training, skill, certification, or licensing requirements for anyone to call themselves a dog trainer or behaviorist in the United States. None. Zip. Zero. Nada. Your plumber could decide to hang out a shingle and start training dogs tomorrow, even if he or she has never touched or even seen a dog in his or her entire life.
Fortunately, there are scores of excellent educational opportunities for animal training and behavior professionals to increase their skills and knowledge, and many do, in fact, attend courses and seek various kinds of certification in the field. In fact, the number of qualified, well-educated training and behavior professionals has increased dramatically since the 1990s.
True Animal Behaviorists
While the media tends to refer to anyone who will comment on any animal’s behavior as an “animal behaviorist,” there is growing agreement among ethical behavior and training professionals that the term “behaviorist” should be reserved for those in the field who have advanced degrees in behavior and/or veterinary medicine and behavior. Those who don’t have such degrees and who wish to show respect to degreed behaviorists use terms like “behavior consultant,” “behavior counselor,” and “behavior professional” to describe what they do. That said, plenty of people who offer services in training and behavior disregard that courtesy.
DACVB: At the top of the behaviorist food chain is the “veterinary behaviorist” – a veterinarian who meets the rigorous qualifications set by the American College of Veterinary Behavior (ACVB) and passes the two-day veterinary board exam in behavior. These board-certified specialists are known as diplomates; a diplomate of the ACVB = DACVB. One who calls himself a veterinary behaviorist without this credential is practicing veterinary behavioral medicine without a license and is subject to prosecution.
In addition to passing the board exam, the requirements include the equivalent of an internship; a conforming residency at an approved university program, or a non-conforming training program which was mentored and approved by ACVB; a supervised behavioral caseload (the first 25 clinical cases are seen with the mentor present, 25 of the next 50 cases are seen under the supervision of the mentor, close supervision is required for the first 200 cases); authoring a scientific paper published in a peer-reviewed journal based on the candidate’s own research; and writing three peer-reviewed case reports.
Given the requirements, it’s understandable that there are fewer than 100 DACVBs in the world, most in the United States and a handful in Canada.
CAAB: Next in line is the Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB). In order to become a CAAB, one must meet the qualifications set by the Animal Behavior Society (ABS).
There are two different possible paths to acquisition of this title. The first requires a Phd (doctoral degree) in a biological or behavioral science with an emphasis on animal behavior, and five years of professional experience.
The second path requires a doctorate in veterinary medicine plus two years in a university-approved residency in animal behavior and three additional years of professional experience in applied animal behavior.
Other requirements of this second path include: demonstrating a thorough knowledge of the literature, scientific principles, and principles of animal behavior; submitting original contributions or original interpretations of animal behavior information; showing evidence of significant experience working interactively with a particular species as a researcher, research assistant, or intern with a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist prior to working independently with the species in a clinical animal behavior setting; attending and presenting a contributed talk or poster at an ABS Annual meeting prior to applying for certification; and meeting all the requirements for an Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (see next).
ACAAB: The Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist is the next rung down the ladder. Don’t let the “Associate” fool you; the requirements for this level of certification are still stringent: First, the applicant must obtain a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in a biological or behavioral science with an emphasis in animal behavior. The degree should include a research-based thesis. Coursework must include 30 semester credits in behavioral science courses, including 9 semester credits in ethology, animal behavior, and/or comparative psychology; and 9 semester credits in animal learning, conditioning, and/or animal psychology.
Next, the candidate must provide evidence of a minimum of two years of professional experience in applied animal behavior; show evidence of significant experience working interactively with a particular species (such as a researcher, research assistant, or intern working with a certified applied animal behaviorist) prior to working independently with the species in a clinical animal behavior setting; attend and present a contributed talk or poster at an ABS annual meeting prior to applying for certification; and must also provide a minimum of three letters of recommendation, one from a Certified ABS member and one from a regular ABS member affirming the applicant’s professional experience in the areas listed above. There are about 50 CAABs and ACAABs combined.
With fewer than 100 certified behaviorists in the entire United States (many of whom do not work with companion animals), the dog population would be seriously underserved if there were not other qualified behavior and training professionals to be found. Fortunately, a number of organizations created to further the education of dog trainers have emerged in the past few decades.
APDT: Recognizing the need for professionalism in the dog training field, in 1991 British veterinary behaviorist Ian Dunbar founded the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, intended as a forum for trainers to network with each other and provide educational opportunities. APDT, which was recently renamed the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, held its first annual educational conference in Orlando, Florida, in 1993.
The annual conference continues to this day, joined by frequent webinar offerings. While the APDT itself does not certify trainers nor are its members necessarily committed to force-free training, this organization did launch the CCPDT in 2001 (see below), which has certified more than 2,000 training and behavior professionals worldwide. With more than 5,000 members, APDT is the largest dog training membership organization in the world.
AVSAB: The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) is a group of veterinarians and research professionals who share an interest in understanding behavior in animals. Founded in 1976, AVSAB is committed to improving the quality of life of all animals and strengthening the bond between animals and their owners. Membership in this organization is open to all veterinarians, veterinary students, and non-veterinarians who have a Phd in animal behavior or a closely related field.
Membership in AVSAB is not a certification, and so is not a statement of member skills or qualifications in behavior work.
CCPDT: The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers was the first national certification body for dog trainers. Until the creation of the CCPDT in 2001, there was no nationally available certification process for dog trainers in this country. Unlike many other certifications, CCPDT tests are monitored, and the testing processes are standardized. The CCPDT administered its first test September 28, 2001, during the APDT educational conference in New York.
CCPDT is not a membership organization; you do not join in order to become a certificant. CCPDT requires its certificants to abide by a Code of Ethics and adhere to a humane hierarchy in their behavior and training practices. There are currently more than 2,500 certificants in one of the three existing certifications (a fourth certification is in the development stage):
CPDT-KA: The Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Knowledge-Assessed, must pass a comprehensive written exam; submit confirmation of at least 300 hours experience in dog training within the past five years; have a high school diploma or GED equivalent; and submit three references (from a veterinarian, a dog training client, and a colleague in the behavior and training profession). There are currently more than 2,400 CPDT-KAs.
CPDT-KSA: The Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Knowledge and Skills Assessed, must hold a CPDT-KA credential and, additionally, pass a video skills examination of him or herself training four different skills as designated by the CCPDT, one skill each to four different dogs not living with or previously trained by the candidate. There are about 120 CPDT-KSAs.
CBCC-KA: The Certified Behavior Consultant, Canine, Knowledge Assessed, must pass a comprehensive written exam; submit records of 500 hours in canine behavior consulting on fear, phobias, compulsive behaviors, anxiety, and aggression within the previous five years; or hold a Master’s Degree or Doctorate in psychology, social work, a biological sciences field, or a life sciences field with 300 hours in canine behavior consulting on fear, phobias, compulsive behaviors, anxiety, and aggression within the previous three years; and submit five references. There are about 75 CBCC-KAs.
IAABC: The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants was founded in 2004 in recognition that the practice of assisting the public with companion animal behavior problems was a growing field that encompassed many different professionals: veterinarians, animal trainers, animal shelter employees, and academics, as well as practicing consultants who didn’t always fit neatly into one of the aforementioned categories.
The goal of the IAABC is to standardize and support the practice of companion animal behavior consulting, while providing resources for pet owners needing advice. The organization has nearly 400 members throughout the world (not all members are dog behavior consultants). IAABC members work to minimize the use of aversive stimuli and maximize the effective use of reinforcers to modify animal behavior. The LIMA (least intrusive and minimally aversive) principle is used as a general rule. You must be a member of IAABC to be certified. There are about 375 Certified and Associate Certified members on the IAABC rosters.
CDBC: The IAACP offers certifications for professionals who do behavior work with a variety of different species. The Certified Dog Behavior Consultant must: document a minimum of three years and 500 hours experience in animal behavior consulting with client present; complete 400 hours minimum of relevant coursework, seminars, and mentorship; submit three written case studies; submit written discussion of four case scenarios; answer questions regarding terminology, techniques, behavior assessment, and history taking; and posses a minimum educational level of high school diploma or GED. Veterinary Behaviorists, ACAABs, and CAABs are granted membership with the submission of three applicable case studies and the application fee.
IACP: The International Association of Canine Professionals was founded in 1999 to develop and promote the highest standards of professional and business practice among canine professionals. IACP offers three different certifications; you must be a member of IACP to be certified. The IACP has about 65 certified members (not all IACP members are certified).
CDT: Professional members of the IACP and Associate members who have been members for six months and have at least two years’ experience as a professional trainer can take the Certified Dog Trainer exam. The CDT exam is intended to test an applicant’s basic level of skills to provide the general public with a standard of expectation for what constitutes a “basic level” of expertise. Candidates must submit three evaluation forms filled out by past clients; three letters of reference; copies of handouts used in training, sample intake/registration forms; and three case studies.
CDTA: The intent of the Certified Dog Trainer – Advanced (CDTA) exam is to verify a high level of competence on the part of the candidate. The CDTA must have held the CDT title for at least one year and have a minimum of five years experience training professionally. The CDTA candidate must either train three dogs in front of an IACP-CDTA Evaluator (and also make provisions to have the training videotaped to a DVD), or present a video of himself training three dogs without an evaluator present and submit the DVD to IACP for evaluation.
PDTI: A candidate for Professional Dog Training Instructor (PDTI) must have held the CDT title for one year, and have a minimum of 250 hours of instruction as head or lead dog trainer for group or private classes within the past five years. The exam tests the applicant’s knowledge, experience, and instructing skills relevant to teaching people to train their dogs. The candidate must also submit three letters of reference; forms, handouts, workbooks, homework sheets, and reading lists used in training; videos of the candidate instructing clients; and answers to 12 essay questions.
NADOI: The National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors was founded in 1965 when a small group of highly experienced dog trainers gathered together and resolved to promote modern, humane training methods, and at the same time elevate the standards of the dog obedience instructing profession. To accomplish these goals, it was decided that members of the organization should be designated as having attained certain skills and knowledge of dog training and obedience instructing.
NADOI Certified membership requirements include: at least five years’ experience in dog obedience training; at least two years as a full-charge instructor; past experience working with a minimum of 100 different dogs; submission of training hours (group instructors must have taught at least 104 class hours; private instructors 288 hours). Also, each applicant must submit a written essay that enables evaluation of his knowledge of general dog behavior, ability to deal with specific training problems, knowledge and use of training methods, and teaching and training skills.
PPG: The Pet Professional Guild is a membership business league for individuals and professional pet industry businesses with the common goal of furthering the public’s education and awareness of force-free dog training and pet care methods, techniques, and state of research in dog training and pet care, and promoting the common interest of spreading force-free dog training and pet care methods to the pet industry.
The PPG provides professional registry, representation, and education to force-free pet care providers and the public, with an emphasis on building collaboration among force-free pet trainers and professional pet care providers, thereby improving the business conditions and promoting the common interests of force-free professionals. The PPG does not offer certifications.
TDF: The Truly Dog Friendly group is an online list of more than 350 training and behavior professionals who are committed to using dog-friendly methods. TDF defines dog-friendly methods as reward-based rather than force-based. Dog-friendly trainers do not use shock collars (e-collars), nor do they use coercion, intimidation, or pain. Instead, they teach with a gentle, fair approach so that dogs truly will enjoy learning and form a trusting bond with their owners. TDF does not certify trainers.
There are many training schools that offer certificate courses. While a student who completes one or more courses from these schools may be granted a “certification” title, this type of certification means only that the student passed the course. While some of the courses are very comprehensive, true professional certification tests a broad body of knowledge, not just the knowledge taught in a specific course.
ADT: Jean Donaldson’s Academy for Dog Trainers aims to further aversive-free, science-based dog training by making an academically rigorous program available to anyone, no matter where they live, at an affordable cost. This is a comprehensive on-line program that can typically be completed in one to two years.
CASI: The Companion Animal Sciences Institute provides advanced, science-based professional development education in the animal behavior, training, behavior change programming, fitness, and nutrition in an online format. It is the position of CASI that animal friendly, positive reinforcement-based methods are the most efficient and effective, and least intrusive and risk-laden methods to use in animal training and behavior, and most conducive to facilitating the human-animal bond. Certificate credentials offered by CASI include:
Cert. PDTST: The Certificate of Professional Dog Training Science and Technology program is a rigorous program that helps students upgrade and develop skills for a career in dog training. Coursework covers the principles of learning and technology of dog training, with hands-on skill practice.
Cert. SRW: The Diploma of Shelter and Rescue Work certificate program addresses many aspects of working in the dog sheltering and rescue environment. Coursework explores the principles of behavior, behavioral assessment strategies within the shelter environment, training and behavior modification techniques for shelter and rescue environments, disease risk management, environmental enrichment and emotional health management of dogs in shelters, the adoption process itself, and shelter and rescue organization operation.
Dip. ABST: The Diploma of Animal Behavior Science and Technology program addresses key topics in behavior modification and management protocols, including the principles of behavior; tactics, strategies, and procedures in non-coercive animal training; functional assessment; behavior modification protocols; professional activities; and professional ethics. Students carry out hands-on training with their own companion animal and engage in a problem behavior resolution project.
KPACTP: The Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) Dog Trainer Professional program takes an innovative approach to developing and supporting outstanding positive reinforcement trainers who teach the general public. Graduates of the academy are Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partners (KPACTP). The six-month course combines online learning with hands-on teaching from experienced teachers in the field.
NK9SDT: In 1981 the National K-9 Learning Center established its School for Dog Trainers (NK9SDT), with the mission of offering interested individuals the skills and knowledge to pursue careers within the field of professional dog training. The school uses what it calls a “balanced” approach to training, meaning that the tools and methods used are not necessarily based in positive reinforcement.
CPT: Certified Professional Trainers are graduates of the NK9SDT’s six-week Master Trainer course.
PPAWS: Peaceable Paws (PPAWS), launched in 1996, is my own training business and trainer academy, with a mission to foster harmony between the human and non-human animals of our world. PPaws Academies are intensive, hands-on, six-day courses; graduates of multiple academies are PMCTs (Pat Miller Certified Trainers). The Peaceable Paws Academy has graduated more than 300 trainers since its inception. All PMCTs commit to using force-free methods. There are three levels of certification: PMCT1 through PMCT3.
TRS: The Tom Rose School, in business for 40 years, offers intensive residential programs and course certifications that cover everything from basic obedience to canine competition, guard dog, and service dog training. The school uses a “balanced” approach to training, meaning the tools and methods used are not restricted to those based in positive reinforcement. TRS offers several courses with certifications for graduates: a 16-week Associate Dog Trainer (ADT) course; Professional Dog Trainer (PDT) program, which has the same length and content as the ADT, but with standards set higher; a 12-week Master Dog Trainer (MDT); and Advanced Master Dog Trainer (AMDT) course, which is available by invitation only.
VSPDT: Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Training is a network of professional dog trainers committed to promoting positive reinforcement methodologies. VSPDT doesn’t currently offer a dog trainer school, but has a licensing process for currently practicing professional dog trainers who meet certain criteria and qualifications, including employing only positive reinforcement dog training; avoiding dominance-based alpha-hierarchy methodologies; and undergoing a dog training evaluation by Victoria and her team.
Far More Dog Professions Out There
This is by no means a complete list of the alphabet jungle that comprises the world of dog behavior and training; there are undoubtedly more organizations that offer education and/or credentialing for trainers. Just keep in mind that, as in any line of work, not every graduate of a particular program is equally skilled. The letters they choose to put behind their name can give you a rough idea of how much and what kind of education they’ve had, that’s all.
If you are looking for a training or behavior consultant to help you with your dog, you still have to use due diligence: watch the person work with dogs and teach classes, ask for references, etc., the way you would research anyone who you will allow to work with your dog, whether she bears an impressive set of letters behind her name or not.
Please Note: Whole Dog Journal supports training and behavior modification methods that follow science-based positive reinforcement protocols. Not all of the programs discussed in this article meet that standard.
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, is WDJ’s Training Editor. She lives in Fairplay, Maryland, site of her Peaceable Paws training center, where she offers dog training classes and courses for trainers. Pat is also author of many books on positive training, including How to Foster Dogs; From Homeless to Homeward Bound.
We’ve reviewed dog foods annually for 17 years now, and we try, every year, to tell you something new about the food you feed (or should be feeding!) your dog, something you may not have known before. We also tell you how we define and identify good-quality foods, and how to tell them apart from the products of lesser quality. And finally, we give you a list of foods that meet all of our selection criteria and meet our approval. We’re doing all that again this year, but in a slightly different format.
There are a lot of different factors that should be considered when selecting the right food for your dog. The most important ones, in our opinion, are the ingredients in the food themselves, which is why we spend so much time through the course of the year and space in the magazine talking about dog food ingredients. On the facing page, we have again listed the “things to look for” (desirable traits) on a dog food ingredients list, as well as “things to look out for” (undesirable traits). This really is the most important information to know about choosing good (healthy) dog foods.
If a food doesn’t have good ingredients, there is no point in talking about where it’s made, where you have to go to buy it, whether it is grain-free or not, how much fat is in it, whether the company that makes it has ever had a recall, or how much it costs. Learning to look at the ingredients panel before you buy is half the battle; the other half is identifying good ingredients (so you can buy that food) and bad ingredients (so you can avoid buying that food).
For some of you, this will be brand-new information. If you’ve never before looked past the pretty pictures on the label of your dog’s food – the juicy steaks, glistening cubes of pink chicken breast, dewy carrots, steaming bowls of rice, and so on – to look at the extremely fine print of the actual ingredients list, you may be shocked to see that what’s actually in the bag is mostly corn, with steak flavor, chicken by-product meal, carrot powder, and brewers rice.
Those of you veteran label readers, we salute you! Your reward is a lot of new information about the foods you should (if you don’t already) love, buy, and feed your dog (shouldn’t all of those always be the same thing?).
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The Arctic weather plaguing much of the country wreaks havoc with our dogs, too. Paws get frozen quickly in temperatures like these. Snow between your dog’s foot pads can cause frostbite and lameness, and crusted snow and ice can easily cut his feet. Trim the excess hair from the footpads and toes of longhaired dogs; this will make it easier to remove ice and snow.
Better yet, use booties for the best foot protection. Don’t be disappointed if your dog high-steps around in protest when you put them on; most dogs resist booties at first, but they typically quickly desensitize to the footwear when a fun outing is on the horizon. A variety of windproof and waterproof coats for your dog are available on the market and worth looking into if your dog has a very short coat, doesn’t do well in cold temperatures, or you plan on making frequent stops during your outing.
Your local pet supply store may have cold-weather gear for dogs – and if they have good stuff, bless their hearts. It’s far more common to see “dress up” booties that are supposed to be cute but are useless in real world conditions. Active canine winter gear found on skijoring or mushing websites or outlets that specialize in equipment for human-canine athletic teams who participate in winter sports is the best bet. Their equipment is usually field-tested in severe conditions – a good testimony to the durability and function of the products.
Due to the fringe nature of most of these sports, most companies that sell such specialized equipment are small businesses owned and operated by enthusiasts of these sports; these folks tend to welcome interest in the products they offer and will be incredibly helpful in guiding you to what you need. A few good sites to explore include:
Various companies gauge their boot sizes differently. Some measure from the heel of the pad to the tip of the toe, others include the toenail length in the size (probably a more appropriate measure, since not accounting for the nail could put excess pressure on the toes). A few brands measure size by the dog’s weight – in our opinion, an inaccurate system of measurement, since a dog’s weight can vary although his foot size does not.
Anyone who has ever struggled to put shoes on a baby (it’s pointless, but fashionable!) will immediately understand the challenge inherent in putting boots on dogs: They don’t have a clue that a little pushing down movement with their feet would make your job a million times easier. Fortunately, with a little practice, you get better at getting the boots on quickly. Just watch out for those dewclaws, if your dog has them.
Dogs are unaccustomed to having something attached to their feet, so don’t be alarmed if your canine pal acts like his legs are broken when you first try his boots on him. It can be amusing to watch your dog try to walk without putting his feet down. One of our dogs tried to take several steps while holding both hind legs off the ground. (It didn’t work.)
Your dog should quickly adapt to the strangeness of shoes on his feet and begin to walk normally again. Be sure to administer plenty of treats when you put boots on paws so your dog learns to happily anticipate their application. If he always wears his boots when he goes for a hike, they will become a reliable predictor of great times, and he will get as excited about seeing them in your hand as he does his leash.
When you first go out with boots on your dog, keep him with you on leash. You may have to readjust the boot straps a couple of times until you get them snug enough to stay on. If Ranger loses a boot when he is deep in the woods you’re not likely to find it again!
Note: Dogs cool themselves by perspiring through their pads. If you are using boots in warm weather, be sure to take breaks and remove the boots from time to time to prevent overheating.
Every dog owner knows that getting rid of fleas can be one of the biggest challenges of dog-keeping. Few people know, however, that the process can also be the most damaging to their dog’s health. Specifically, the use of insecticides on the dog and all around the dog’s environment can cause nerve and liver damage, impair the immune system, and even cause cancer. And you have to wonder – if these effects have been noted in dogs, what effects do all these toxins have on the people who live with the dogs?
It’s a real problem, because if you have fleas in your home, you have to do something. They can make your dog (and you and your family) miserable through their tiny but painful bites, as well as the allergic reactions that many people and dogs develop to flea saliva. They are prolific, producing thousands of eggs during their three- to four-month life span. In ideal conditions the cycle takes just two weeks, from egg-laying to larvae to pupae to hatched fleas capable of laying eggs of their own.
The chemical approach to flea control can involve use of a panoply of toxic powders, shampoos, sprays, bombs, dips, and collars. Not incidentally, it’s probably the casual use and mixing of several of these products that can pose the biggest challenge to the dog’s health, as his body strives to deal with his exposure to several different types of toxins.
You have adopted your Do-Over Dog, brought him home, helped him adjust to the new changes in his world, instituted necessary management procedures, and started on an appropriate training program. In the best of all worlds, that would be all you’d need. But most Do-Over Dogs were in shelters for a reason. There are often behavior challenges that go beyond the simple need for basic good manners training.
Pre-owned dogs are more often than not surrendered to or left unclaimed at shelters and rescue facilities because of one or more difficult behaviors that the prior owner wouldn’t, or couldn’t, manage or modify. Even when the reason for surrender is “moving” or “landlord issues,” there is often some underlying behavior challenge that prompted the owner to give his dog up rather than make the effort to find new living arrangements that could include the dog.
Some of the problem behaviors are “minor,” relatively insignificant, easy to manage or modify, and/or not even a problem at all for you. People have different tolerance levels for different dog behaviors and what may seem perfectly normal and acceptable to you may have been a deal-breaker for the prior owner. Some behaviors are major, requiring a long-term strong commitment to management and/or modification. Perhaps you were informed about difficult behaviors before you made the decision to adopt – and perhaps you’ve discovered one or more behavior challenges after the fact. Perhaps you’re still discovering.
I cannot give you a timetable or predict how long it will take for you to resolve your dog’s problem behaviors. There are many variables that enter into the equation, including your dog’s past history (which you may have little or no knowledge of), what his behavior issues are, how strong the genetic influence, how long he’s been practicing inappropriate behaviors, and how successful they’ve been for him, as well as your own skill and commitment to applying management and modification protocols and the resources you have at your disposal. Many canine behavior problems are related at least in part to stress – the more stress, the greater the likelihood of significant problems. Most Do-Over Dogs have had more than their share of stress in their lives, and behaviors that may have been mildly inappropriate at one time may have intensified with several rehomings or in a stressful shelter/kennel environment.
I have fostered a lot of adolescent dogs for my local shelter, dogs who are really sweet individuals who have been in the shelter for months and months without getting adopted. Usually they are the ones who have personality quirks (and sometimes, quirky looks) that make it difficult for them to get adopted. And their behavior, especially after months in the shelter, is almost always rather unacceptable – to people and to other dogs. While shelter volunteers may have been working with them to learn to offer a calm sit, the shelter has few enough experienced volunteers to also work with them on more advanced behaviors, such as leash manners. They often don’t know anything about living with humans in homes; they can’t get that from the time in the shelter kennels, and few seem to have prior experience in homes from their pre-shelter lives. And as far as their dog-dog interpersonal skills — many shelter dogs seem to develop a sort of frantic, “close talker” personality from living in such close, loud quarters at the shelter. They often need some time – months, even — with normal dogs, in a more normal setting, to re-learn normal canine communication protocols.
My dogs, 70-pound mixed-breed Otto and 10-pound Chihuahua-mix Tito, bear the brunt of these fostering efforts. They often function as grumpy uncles, correcting these wayward adolescent dogs at every turn: NO, you don’t run right up into my face; NO, you cannot just bash into me; NO, you are not allowed to take just any bowl or any toy, you have to ask permission. I can count on both of my dogs to make appropriate corrections without hurting the foster dogs; both have excellent bite inhibition, so even a growl and snap that looks dramatic never breaks the skin, and of course dogs have better timing than we do at meting out an appropriate correction at the exact moment of the infraction. All of this is really good training for frantic, blundering dogs who need to learn to slow down, be calm, and mind their manners.
But right now I am fostering a puppy! This pup, Cole, has been selected by my son, and he’s getting a one-month head start in training before my son takes custody and continues his education.
I almost never foster puppies. They find their way out of the shelter with nobody’s help. They are the equivalent of the new iPads – stand back and watch them fly off the shelves. (Of course, we will be seeing quite a few of them again in six or nine months, when all those people who wanted a puppy but didn’t take the time or learn anything about raising puppies correctly end up with an untrained, unsocialized adolescent. Then I see them back at the shelter.)
Cole is darling, sweet, smart – and for a puppy (he’s 4 or 5 months old), extremely well-mannered with humans and dogs alike. But my “grumpy uncles” cannot seem to get out of “here we go, training another jerk” mindset and loosen up and just play with poor Cole. The hapless puppy is trying in every conceivable way to get some games going, but they want him to just lie on his dog bed and chew his chewie. Ha! Not what puppies are all about.
I’ve been taking him out for long walks daily, and sometimes I meet one or another friend and her dogs, so he’s had 5 different canine trail-walking partners. None of them want to play, either! I don’t get it; he’s giving very respectful, very appropriate play signals. And while all of these adult dogs are nice to him, none of the adults want to play; they want to take their hike.
I appreciate my dogs giving poor Cole some manners training, but I realized how much he’s missing out on when I took him to visit some friends over the Christmas break. At one home: a one-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer; at another home, a two-year-old Chihuahua/Fox Terrier/who know-mix (one of my former fosters, actually). Both dogs wanted to play with Cole, and he played with them until he literally dropped: bite-face, wrestling, I’ll-chase-you-then-you-chase-me, tug of war, and more bite-face. He had a blast. And then came home to being a social leper again.
The experience reminded me (I haven’t had a puppy in so long!) that it’s not enough to socialize a pup to adults; it’s also important to socialize them with other pups and friendly young dogs, so they will keep honing their play skills and communication abilities with other playful dogs. If they grow up with no opportunities to play, and they meet a dog who does want to play, they may not know how to act and behave defensively. I need to get him out to play with more playful dogs and puppies. Fortunately, there is an excellent trainer nearby who has a weekly puppy social; I need to get him over there.
The experience also made me realize that Otto used to play with my foster dogs (after a few days of manners training), and for whatever reason, he doesn’t want to anymore. Is he getting too old? (Six years… that seems too young to me to not want to play.) Is he sore or hurting somewhere? (He still runs and jumps and climbs on off-leash walks; I don’t think it is a physical problem.) Or is he just tired of fostering? It’s possible, and something I’ll need to think about more.
I’ve had a number of older owners book lessons with me lately—more than half a dozen individuals and couples in their 70s and even 80s, all wanting some training help with their new dogs or puppies.
