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5 Ways Teaching Your Dog to Do Tricks Can Improve Training

By
Mardi Richmond, CPDT-KA
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High-five. Fetch. Jump through a hoop. Spin, twirl, and take a bow. There is no doubt that tricks are fun to train, and even more fun to show off to friends and family. But they are so much more than just a good time! Here are five things tricks can do for you, your dog, and your training.

dog trick training

1. Tricks build relationships.

When we sit on the floor and teach our pups to chase after a toy and bring it back, we are training a fun and useful trick. Perhaps more importantly, we are also engaging in one of the prime human-dog bonding behaviors—play! When we have fun with our dogs, our bond grows.

Certain tricks can also help you and your dog feel more comfortable with each other. Tricks where dogs interact with our bodies, such as leg weaves, help them learn to watch for our feet (especially good for smaller dogs), and to tolerate things people do to invade dogs’ “space,” such as stepping over them.

2. Teaching tricks lets the trainer hone her skills.

Teaching tricks helps people practice important training skills with less stress. It’s easy to forgive errors when you are teaching a just-for-fun trick, such as roll over or play possum. You can learn from your mistakes, and then apply what you’ve learned to other behaviors that may be more critical in day-to-day life.

Training with tricks also gives you the opportunity to try different techniques. Because it’s easier to teach some tricks through “shaping,” and to teach others with a lure of a treat or toy, and still others with gentle prompts, training tricks can help you experiment with a variety of ways to jump-start behaviors.

3. Tricks are a great way to help a dog learn the training game.

Training is essentially a game we play with our dogs. The end result of the game is to help them learn to respond to certain cues. Like any game, training has its own set of rules. Some of those rules are fairly obvious: The dog needs to pay attention; the person needs to keep the dog’s attention; a click or yes means a treat is coming. But some are a little more subtle: when the handler is “shaping,” the dog gets to try out different things; when the handler plays the lure and reward game, the dog’s nose should follow the treat.

Training tricks can also help a dog to learn an individual handler’s communication style and signals. Since we all have different ways of communicating – we use different tones, words, body language, and expressions – “just for fun” trick training builds the dog’s familiarity with the handler’s nuances. It may also help the handler learn to communicat more clearly with her dog.

4. Tricks can signal the dog that it’s time to relax and have fun.

For dogs, trick training is often enjoyable and even relaxing. Just the act of doing tricks can shift a dog’s emotional state from tense to relaxed. You can use the emotions created by tricks in a variety of situations. For example, if you have a dog who is nervous about vet visits, you can practice tricks while you wait in the reception area and exam room as a way to help your dog remain calm and happy.

Specific tricks can also be a helpful way to encourage a specific mental state. For example, take a dog who is uncomfortable with other dogs. If the dog knows a play bow, you can ask the dog to do that trick in the presence of other dogs, say at a dog class (where everyone is on leash and at a safe distance). Your dog may relax a little more because he is doing a trick. Other dogs may view the play bow as a friendly gesture and may respond accordingly. As the other dogs respond in a friendly manner, your dog may relax even more, similar to how a smile begets a smile in other humans.

5. Tricks can be used to build important skills.

Tricks can be the foundation for other behaviors. For example, once your dog knows that hand targeting (bumping his nose into your hand) is fun and earns rewards, you can use that trick to prompt other behaviors such as return to heel and to stand from a down.

Tricks can also help a dog learn to accept things she is not always happy about. Paw tricks like “shake” can help a dog become accustomed to paw handling. This may help a dog learn to accept checking between toes for foxtails or even nail clipping.

Some tricks have their own very practical applications. For example retrieves can be channeled into a dog fetching the newspaper in the morning or bringing your slippers in the evening.

Tricks can also be an outlet for exuberant dogs. High energy or over-excited dogs are often required to be calm and contain themselves. Tricks, such as skipping, spinning, and jumping can give active dogs an energy release and a structured way to be a little wild and expressive, without getting into trouble.

Trick training offers both the dog and handler a lot more than just fun. Of course, entertainment value alone is enough for tricks; they really are just a great way to spend time, have fun and play with your dog!

Mardi Richmond, MA, CPDT-KA, writer, dog enthusiast, and trainer, lives in Santa Cruz, CA, with her partner and a wonderful heeler-mix named Chance.

Looking for a Fun Trick to Teach to your Dog?

By
Nancy Kerns
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[Updated February 6, 2019]

The trick “Take a Bow!” is basically an exaggerated play bow, put on cue. The first part of training any trick is figuring out how to get the dog to do the behavior. A bow is a great example of how different methods can be effective with different dogs. You can teach a bow by capturing, shaping, or luring. My favorite method for this particular trick involves a physical prompt (a tummy tickle) and a lure (to bring the nose to the ground) and shaping (using approximations to get to the final behavior). Here’s how:

teach take a bow to dogs

– Start with your dog standing in front of you, his body perpendicular to yours, with his head facing to your right (you can be kneeling or standing, depending on the size of your dog).

– Gently place your left hand under your dog’s belly for a light tummy tickle (this is just to help your dog keep his rear in the air and not lie down).

teach take a bow to dogs

– With a treat in your right hand, lure your dog’s head slightly down and toward his front feet. Click (or use a verbal marker, such as the word “Yes!”) and reward your dog for any body movement that is back and toward the ground, gradually encouraging your dog into the bow. Take this step slowly so you don’t accidentally lure your dog into a down.

– Once your dog has the general idea, remove your hand from under her belly. When you remove your hand, you may need to go back a step or two and reward the approximations.

– Gradually fade the treat lure at this stage, moving from a lure to a hand signal or verbal cue.

teach take a bow to dogs

– The location where you give your dog the treat is always important in training. For this behavior, try giving your dog the treat slightly up from the position at first (so that you do not draw her into a down while treating). At this stage, it is OK if she does a quick bow, then moves up for her treat.

– Once she happily offers a quick bow and bounces up for the treat, you can begin pausing a moment before “marking” the behavior (with a click or “Yes!”) so that she learns to stay in the position a moment longer. You can gradually extend the bow to a few seconds or until you offer a release such as “free” or “OK.”

Tip: The bow can be a physically stressful position for some dogs. Practice this trick in short 2 to 3 repetition sessions rather than a prolonged training session. Keep your dog wanting more!

Complete and Balanced Dehydrated Dog Foods

By
Nancy Kerns
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Dehydrated dog foods are increasingly popular.

[Updated March 22, 2018]

We haven’t reviewed dehydrated diets for quite some time – long enough that there have been quite a few additions to the pool of companies who make and sell this type of dog food. It’s increasingly popular, for a lot of reasons.

For one thing, “raw diets” are increasingly popular, too, and most of the products in this category incorporate raw animal proteins in their formulations. People who believe in the superiority of canine diets that include raw meat (often referred to as biologically appropriate or evolutionary diets) can use a dehydrated or freeze-dried food as a convenient replacement for their dogs’ fresh, home-prepared or commercial frozen raw diet. This is especially helpful when traveling with a raw-fed dog, or when the dog is left with a sitter who doesn’t want to deal with raw meat in its wet, bloody form. (One maker of dehydrated diets, ZiwiPeak, describes its products as “raw without the thaw.”)

When it’s dehydrated or freeze-dried, raw meat doesn’t seem so, well, raw. Most of us don’t think of beef jerky as raw meat, either, but it actually is. The drying process (and, in jerky, the use of salt and nitrates) “cures” the meat, altering its appearance and texture and concentrating its flavor – and, significantly, halting the biological action (decay) in the food – with less damage to the meat’s natural enzymes or vitamins than cooking temperatures would cause.

All the ingredients in canned food are cooked in the can. Some ingredients in kibble are actually cooked twice; meat “meals,” for example, are first subjected to rendering (essentially boiling, drying, and then grinding) and then extrusion (pushed through a tube under high pressure and subjected to a short blast of high-temperature steam) and drying. Plainly, the proteins in the meat ingredients are still nutritious after being extruded, but, raw food proponents allege, not nearly as healthful for canines as they were in their raw form.

Most of the other ingredients in freeze-dried or dehydrated foods are raw, too. Plus, they are very lightly processed, in comparison to the ingredients in other types of dog foods.

Raw diets aren’t for every dog or owner. Cooked foods may be safer for immune-compromised individuals. Some dogs digest cooked foods better.

Note: At least one maker of dehydrated foods (NRG USA) uses cooked meats in some of its products.

Benefits of Feeding Dehydrated Dog Food

In addition to being raw and lightly processed, dehydrated diets offer a number of other benefits to dogs – and their owners.

1. Dehydrated dog food won’t go bad (for a while).

Very low-moisture foods can be stored longer at room temperature (in unopened packages) without spoiling or rancidity than conventional kibble. Most dehydrated diets contain less moisture than conventional kibble, which generally contains about 10 percent moisture. The less moisture there is in a food, the less biological activity can occur.

2. Dehydrated food is lighter and more portable.

Dehydrated foods weigh less and are more compact than foods containing more moisture. This makes them especially well suited for travel. It also means they cost less to ship!

3. Raw dehydrated/freeze-dried food tastes amazing to dogs.

When rehydrated, these foods are highly palatable to most dogs. It may be due to the concentration of flavor in dehydrated food ingredients or their light processing. Dogs with poor appetites (like very senior or chronically ill dogs) may accept these foods when nothing else appeals.

4. Top-quality ingredients are the rule, not the exception, in dehydrated dog food.

As a generalization, the makers of these products are targeting the top end of the market, and have an extraordinary commitment to sourcing top-quality ingredients; in some cases, “human-quality” (“edible”) ingredients are used (though this claim can be made and verified by only one dehydrated dog food manufacturer: The Honest Kitchen).

The Different Categories of Dehydrated Dog Food

The dehydrated foods on the market are diverse in content, appearance, and form. Some contain grains and some don’t. Some are very high in protein and fat, and some compare in these respects to conventional kibble. Always check the “guaranteed analysis” when switching to a product in this category; they are so nutrient-dense that you may have to significantly reduce the volume of food that you feed your dog.

Most of these products are meant to be rehydrated with water before serving, although one (ZiwiPeak) contains a higher amount of moisture than kibble, and is fed without rehydration. One (DNA) comes in a cubed form, and reabsorbs a relatively small amount of water. Some are very powdery, which makes them turn into a sort of mush (or gruel, depending on how much water you add) when rehydrated. Some are powdery with large chunks of identifiable dehydrated meats, fruit, and/or vegetables – either an advantage (if your dog enjoys the contrast in taste and mouth-feel) or a disadvantage (if your dog seeks out only the chunks or mush and eschews the other). The products that come in dried “burger” or “medallion” form reconstitute in a form that most resembles an actual ground meat patty.

If you read the descriptions of each product, note that some contain “air-dried” or “dehydrated” (same thing) or freeze-dried ingredients. The difference in nutritional content of foods processed in either manner is negligible. However, dehydration alters the cellular structure of meats, fruits, and vegetables  more radically altering their appearance and taste than freeze-drying. Rehydrated, freeze-dried ingredients taste remarkably similar to their fresh, moist counterparts. Does this matter to your dog? You’d have to try different products to find out. Note that the freeze-drying process requires higher-tech, more expensive machines, making the cost of foods that contain freeze-dried ingredients quite a bit higher.

Because the cost of these products is so high, we’d imagine that few people feed them full-time, especially if their dog or dogs are large. I calculated the cost of feeding some of these products to my 70-pound, active dog at more than $200 a month – more than what it would cost to feed a home-prepared diet. Personally, I’d most likely use them only for a small dog, or on a short-term basis while traveling, as a special treat, to jump-start a sick dog’s recovery, or to extend the life of a chronically ill dog.

“Human-Quality” Dog Food Ingredients

As we’ve discussed many times in WDJ, there is only one way that a company can legally claim that its dog food contains ingredients that are “human quality” (the legal term is “edible,” though of course regulators mean only “human edible” in this context): If it is made in a manufacturing facility that contains only edible ingredients. The presence of a single “inedible” ingredient in a manufacturing facility, by law, would re-classify every ingredient and product present at that location as “pet food.” By law, you can take a refrigerated truckload of the world’s finest, freshest, cleanest filet mignon to a facility that makes pet food, but the second the truck drives onto the facility’s property (or the moment the truck’s door is opened, accounts vary), none of that meat can be called edible or human-quality again.

This is frustrating to the pet food makers who genuinely use ingredients of that quality, and to consumers who want proof – a certain way to verify – the true quality and provenance of the ingredients in their dog’s very expensive food. But unless a food company wants to use only edible ingredients, and have its products made in a facility that uses only edible ingredients, jump through a million bureaucratic hoops to demonstrate completion of these requirements to the regulators in every single state – and price its products accordingly – it can’t say it uses “human-quality” ingredients. Only one company that we know of (the Honest Kitchen) can make this legal claim for its products, which are made in a human food manufacturing facility in Illinois (which also makes human soup mixes and other human foods that contain dehydrated human food ingredients).

Pet food makers who do use “edible” meats and other ingredients in their products sometimes resort to using code words to give consumers a hint about their ingredient quality. They have to be subtle, though, because if they are too overt, state feed control officials can hit them with a warning, fine, and/or stop-sale order.

Here’s the problem with that approach: Because it’s illegal, it’s not verifiable! And because it can’t be confirmed (say, by checking the manufacturer’s registration as a human food manufacturing facility), any company can slyly hint about their alleged “human-quality” ingredients, whether they really use them or not.

If ingredient quality is critical to you – if you insist on and are willing to pay for foods that contain only “edible” ingredients, your only sure options are to home-prepare your dog’s food with ingredients you buy from human food sources, or to buy products from The Honest Kitchen.

Alternatively, you can engage in conversation with representatives of pet food companies who make what appear to be (based on their ingredients lists) very high-quality foods, and ask them about the provenance of their ingredients. If they claim (or hint) that some of their ingredients are “human-grade,” “just like the ones you buy in the supermarket,” “USDA,” or some other code-phrase, ask them to discuss this further – and do a gut-check on their reply. It’s all you’ll really have to go on.

Nancy Kerns is Editor of WDJ.

Incomparable

By
Nancy Kerns
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My mom met her best friend when she was in high school, and they remained close friends until my mom’s death in 2002. They met their husbands-to-be at about the same time, married within a year of each other, had a similar number of kids. They arranged for their two families to spend a lot of time together, and all of us kids became friends, too. As we matured, we grew closer to our moms’ best friends than we were to our genetic aunts.

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It wasn’t until I was a young adult, however, that I noticed an interesting thing about the relationship between my mom and her best friend: As much as the two women took an interest in and genuinely loved each other’s kids, they were sometimes rather critical of the other’s offspring, and competitive (in a deceptively subtle way) about their own kids’ accomplishments. For example, my brother was wild in his youth (drugs, booze, motorcycles, trouble in school) – and so was my mother’s friend’s son. But my mom overlooked the varied hijinks of her own delinquent boy, even as she tsk- tsked her friend’s equally errant kid. And her friend was very forthcoming with criticism of my brother, but appeared to be perfectly proud of her own wayward son. It was odd – the only fly in the ointment of their close relationship; their kids were the only thing they ever snarked at each other about, the only thing they had to agree not to discuss at times.

I have my own kid (well, he’s an adult now) and my own close friends, and many of them have children, too. Any time I have felt the slightest bit critical of a friend’s kid, I’ve been immediately reminded of the occasional tension and unhappiness between my mom and her friend because of some harsh remark about one of us kids, and I’ve quite deliberately zipped my lips. What’s the point of saying anything? In the long run, my siblings and I turned out fine, and so did my mom’s friend’s kids. My friends’ kids – even the spoiled rotten ones! – are probably going to turn out fine, too.

Given all this background, you’d think I would know better than to say anything critical about my friends’ dogs. But no – I’m an idiot. Albeit an penitent one.

I once greeted a friend I hadn’t seen for months with, “Oh my goodness, Carly (her dog) is FAT! What happened?!” It took me a few weeks to realize that my friend hadn’t been returning my calls or e-mails since that visit. When I called to ask her if anything was wrong, she admitted her feelings had been hurt by my bald comment about Carly’s condition. I had to reflect. Why had I felt free to say something like that about her dog? I never would have made a similar remark about her weight, or one of her children!

I apologized – and then I did it again. Two summers ago, I helped one of my cousins adopt a Labradoodle from my local shelter. I frequently see photos and videos of the dog on Facebook and in texts, but hadn’t seen the dog for a year or so. When I visited that cousin recently, and she answered the door with the dog at her side, I did it again! “Oh Bev, she’s so FAT!” I blurted without thinking. 

I won’t even mention how I couldn’t help but make helpful (but unsolicited) comments about how another friend could train her dog to stop humping every other dog he meets, or how my sister could reduce her dog’s yapping at the door. Forehead smack! And apologies!

For penance, I’m reading (and re-reading) Denise Flaim’s excellent article in this issue (“My Dog, Myself,”), about being a better dog person. I strongly (but tactfully) recommend it.

Download the Full June 2013 Issue PDF

By
Nancy Kerns
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It’s already time to plan for your dog’s vacation!

By
Nancy Kerns
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Lots of dog owners I know are making plans for summer travel – and negotiating with friends to dog-sit.

I had agreed to care for a lovely young Border Collie for a friend’s parents while they traveled to their native Germany for a month, but they’ve decided to “award” her custody to their next-door neighbor, who owns her favorite playmate, a young Boxer. I’m hideously disappointed; I have a crush on that dog! But maybe it’s for the best. I don’t know if Otto could handle my ardor for the BC, or a month of playing patient Uncle Otto to a pushy canine “teenage” girl.

And as it turns out, I know another family who is traveling to Germany for a month the following month, and their regular dog-sitter is unavailable. So their sweet, middle-aged Papillon-mix will come stay with me for a few weeks – until a few days before I take a week to go see my son play in an international tournament in Toronto. Then she’ll go to another family, and my dogs will be looked after by Christine, the receptionist at my local shelter – my current favorite dog-sitter.

Of course, there are reciprocal understandings. Anyone who sits my pets has a standing offer for my services when they need them.

Professional pet sitters have their place, but personally, I feel a lot better swapping care with people I know well and trust – especially people who have similar styles of caring for and adoring their pets like I do. Even if I’m just out of town for a day, Christine emails me photos of my dogs (and cats) snoozing and playing and looking cute – and texts me mini reports like, “They were so glad to see me and Brandi (her dog) when we got here after work! Otto woo-woo-wooed for a whole minute!” and  “Tito has been guarding his empty bowl for about an hour. I finally had to throw his ball so that I could pick it up and he could relax.” She GETS my dogs!

The only trick to all of this is early scheduling. I can’t believe I am making plans now for late July, but thank goodness I am, because my friends are, too, and we need to coordinate these trips. Otherwise, especially after a bad experience with a marginal sitter last summer, I just wouldn’t go anywhere.

(Canine Allergies tip #1) Canine Allergies

By
Nancy Kerns
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Over a lifetime, chronic allergies can leave dogs depleted and irritable, with low-level infections constantly breaking out on their skin, feet, and in their ears; worn front teeth (from chewing themselves); and smelly, sparse coats that neither protect them well from the elements nor invite much petting and affection from their owners. Chronic allergies can also deplete an owner’s time and financial resources – especially if the owner fails to take the most effective path to helping her dog.

Unfortunately, most dog owners rely solely on their veterinarians to take care of the problem with a shot or a prescription or a special food; they are unaware that they are in the best position to help their dog in a significant way. While veterinary diagnostic and treatment skills will be important in the battle, it’s the owner’s dedication to his dog, acute observation skills, and meticulous home care that will ultimately win the war against allergies.

For more information on diagnosing and treating allergies in your dog, purchase and download Whole Dog Journal’s ebook, Canine Allergies.

 

A Look into One States’s Dangerous Dog Laws

By
Nancy Kerns
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California has a well-written, fair and comprehensive dangerous dog law. Some of most notable provisions are below (with my comments added). The law can be found in its entirety here: http://animallaw.info/statutes/stuscafoodagcode31601.htm

§ 31601. Legislative declarations and findings

The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) Potentially dangerous and vicious dogs have become a serious and widespread threat to the safety and welfare of citizens of this state. In recent years, they have assaulted without provocation and seriously injured numerous individuals, particularly children, and have killed numerous dogs. Many of these attacks have occurred in public places.

(b) The number and severity of these attacks are attributable to the failure of owners to register, confine, and properly control vicious and potentially dangerous dogs.

(c) The necessity for the regulation and control of vicious and potentially dangerous dogs is a statewide problem, requiring statewide regulation, and existing laws are inadequate to deal with the threat to public health and safety posed by vicious and potentially dangerous dogs.

Comment: It is common for legislatures to write a brief statement justifying the need for the law that follows. This can help you understand what they were thinking when they passed the law.

§ 31602. Potentially dangerous dog defined

“Potentially dangerous dog” means any of the following:

(a) Any dog which, when unprovoked, on two separate occasions within the prior 36-month period, engages in any behavior that requires a defensive action by any person to prevent bodily injury when the person and the dog are off the property of the owner or keeper of the dog.

(b) Any dog which, when unprovoked, bites a person causing a less severe injury than as defined in Section 31604.

(c) Any dog which, when unprovoked, on two separate occasions within the prior 36- month period, has killed, seriously bitten, inflicted injury, or otherwise caused injury attacking a domestic animal off the property of the owner or keeper of the dog.

Comment: These definitions are critically important to understanding and enforcement of the law. If, for example, a law includes the term “provoked,” then provocation should be clearly explained within the language, in order to avoid large loopholes. A behavior professional could argue that a dog doesn’t bite unless provoked, therefore all bites are provoked. The law can and should be clear about what constitutes provocation for the purposes of this specific statute. The California law is a good example of a two-tiered system as mentioned in the article on the previous pages.

§ 31603. Vicious dog defined

“Vicious dog” means any of the following:

(a) Any dog seized under Section 599aa of the Penal Code and upon the sustaining of a conviction of the owner or keeper under subdivision (a) of Section 597.5 of the Penal Code.

Comment: This section (a) pertains to dogfighting.

(b) Any dog which, when unprovoked, in an aggressive manner, inflicts severe injury on or kills a human being.

(c) Any dog previously determined to be and currently listed as a potentially dangerous dog which, after its owner or keeper has been notified of this determination, continues the behavior described in Section 31602 or is maintained in violation of Section 31641, 31642, or 31643.

§ 31604. Severe injury defined

“Severe injury” means any physical injury to a human being that results in muscle tears or disfiguring lacerations or requires multiple sutures or corrective or cosmetic surgery.

§ 31605. Enclosure defined

“Enclosure” means a fence or structure suitable to prevent the entry of young children, and which is suitable to confine a vicious dog in conjunction with other measures which may be taken by the owner or keeper of the dog. The enclosure shall be designed in order to prevent the animal from escaping. The animal shall be housed pursuant to Section 597t of the Penal Code.

§ 31621. Hearing on declaration of dog as potentially dangerous or vicious

If an animal control officer or a law enforcement officer has investigated and determined that there exists probable cause to believe that a dog is potentially dangerous or vicious the chief officer of the public pound or animal control department or his or her immediate supervisor or the head of the local law enforcement agency, or his or her designee, shall petition the superior court of the county wherein the dog is owned or kept for a hearing for the purpose of determining whether or not the dog in question should be declared potentially dangerous or vicious…

…The chief officer of the public pound or animal control department or head of the local law enforcement agency shall notify the owner or keeper of the dog that a hearing will be held by the superior court or the hearing entity, as the case may be, at which time he or she may present evidence as to why the dog should not be declared potentially dangerous or vicious. The owner or keeper of the dog shall be served with notice of the hearing and a copy of the petition, either personally or by first-class mail with return receipt requested. The hearing shall be held promptly within no less than five working days nor more than 10 working days after service of notice upon the owner or keeper of the dog. The hearing shall be open to the public…

…The court may find, upon a preponderance of the evidence, that the dog is potentially dangerous or vicious and make other orders authorized by this chapter.

Comment: This is not the entire section regarding the notice and scheduling of a hearing. The important point is that law enforcement must give you “due process” before depriving you of your “property” – in this case, your dog. This is where you need a good attorney. A well-written law requires that hearing to be held promptly, so that you are not deprived of your dog indefinitely.

§ 31622. Determination & orders; notice; compliance; appeal

(a) After the hearing conducted pursuant to Section 31621, the owner or keeper of the dog shall be notified in writing of the determination and orders issued, either personally or by first-class mail postage prepaid by the court or hearing entity. If a determination is made that the dog is potentially dangerous or vicious, the owner or keeper shall comply with Article 3 (commencing with Section 31641) in accordance with a time schedule established by the chief officer of the public pound or animal control department or the head of the local law enforcement agency, but in no case more than 30 days after the date of the determination or 35 days if notice of the determination is mailed to the owner or keeper of the dog. If the petitioner or the owner or keeper of the dog contests the determination, he or she may, within five days of the receipt of the notice of determination, appeal the decision of the court or hearing entity of original jurisdiction…

Comment: Again, this is not the entire section. The important point is that there should be some avenue for appeal – the law cannot take your dog away from you without due process. A good attorney will serve you well here, too.

§ 31623. Failure of owner or keeper to appear; decision

§ 31625. Seizure and impoundment pending hearing

(a) If upon investigation it is determined by the animal control officer or law enforcement officer that probable cause exists to believe the dog in question poses an immediate threat to public safety, then the animal control officer or law enforcement officer may seize and impound the dog pending the hearings to be held pursuant to this article. The owner or keeper of the dog shall be liable to the city or county where the dog is impounded for the costs and expenses of keeping the dog, if the dog is later adjudicated potentially dangerous or vicious.

(b) When a dog has been impounded pursuant to subdivision (a) and it is not contrary to public safety, the chief animal control officer shall permit the animal to be confined at the owner’s expense in a department approved kennel or veterinary facility.

Comment: This is the very scary part. Yes, they can come and demand that you turn your dog over to them. You can insist they wait while you get your attorney on the phone.

§ 31626. Circumstances under which dogs may not be declared potentially dangerous or vicious

(a) No dog may be declared potentially dangerous or vicious if any injury or damage is sustained by a person who, at the time the injury or damage was sustained, was committing a willful trespass or other tort upon premises occupied by the owner or keeper of the dog, or was teasing, tormenting, abusing, or assaulting the dog, or was committing or attempting to commit a crime. No dog may be declared potentially dangerous or vicious if the dog was protecting or defending a person within the immediate vicinity of the dog from an unjustified attack or assault. No dog may be declared potentially dangerous or vicious if an injury or damage was sustained by a domestic animal which at the time the injury or damage was sustained was teasing, tormenting, abusing, or assaulting the dog.

Comment: This is the language in this statute that clarifies what the court would consider “provocation.”

§ 31642. Keeping, controlling potentially dangerous dogs

A potentially dangerous dog, while on the owner’s property, shall, at all times, be kept indoors, or in a securely fenced yard from which the dog cannot escape, and into which children cannot trespass. A potentially dangerous animal may be off the owner’s premises only if it is restrained by a substantial leash, of appropriate length, and if it is under the control of a responsible adult.

Comment: Pay attention to the sanctions placed on your dog. Failure to do so can result in further legal action against you, including seizure and, worst case scenario, euthanasia of the dog.

§ 31644. Removal from list of potentially dangerous dogs

If there are no additional instances of the behavior described in Section 31602 within a 36-month period from the date of designation as a potentially dangerous dog, the dog shall be removed from the list of potentially dangerous dogs. The dog may, but is not required to be, removed from the list of potentially dangerous dogs prior to the expiration of the 36-month period if the owner or keeper of the dog demonstrates to the animal control department that changes in circumstances or measures taken by the owner or keeper, such as training of the dog, have mitigated the risk to the public safety.

Comment: Here’s that valuable rehabilitation component discussed in the accompanying article.

Your Local Laws
There is much more to the California statute, but of more relevance to you and your dog are the dangerous dog designations in your own jurisdiction. You may think your dog will never be the subject of such an action. But, just in case, it’s a good idea to research the laws that pertain to you, and do everything you can to make sure your dog never enters the dangerous dog law spotlight. It’s also a good idea to identify attorneys in your area who, like Heidi Meinzer, dedicate their careers to animal law. Ask for their thoughts on your local dangerous dog laws. If they are poorly written you can be part of the force for changing them to ensure better protection for the dogs in your community as well as the humans.

Dog-walking snob?

By
Nancy Kerns
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Almost all of my friends have dogs. And I like almost every one of those dogs — but that doesn’t mean I want to walk with all of them. I actually really enjoy walking with just a few of them.

One reason has more to do with our walking styles. I really like to walk fast.  Most dogs I know like to get out and really cover some miles, too. (The one exception to this was a female dog I knew who was the most persistent urine-marker I’ve ever known. Fun for her was stopping every five feet to mark the territory. I dog-sat her from time to time and it was torture for both of us: I made her walk faster and mark less than she wanted to, and she forced me to stop way more times than I liked.) 

I also like to walk on trails, in places where well-behaved dogs can go off-leash. I am lucky enough to have miles and miles of trails and open space quite close to my house, making this experience a daily possibility.

However, at risk of sounding snobby, I just can’t feel comfortable walking with someone whose dog is poorly trained or who has bad canine social skills. It makes me so tense that I just can’t enjoy the company, the exercise, or even my own dog. 

One friend’s dog tries to hump many of the dogs we pass on the trail. It’s not sexual, it’s just canine rudeness. He’s a young adult male, neutered, and I think he’s just bored and looking for a little excitement — which he certainly gets, because at least half of the dogs he tries to hump naturally take exception to this behavior from an absolute stranger, and they respond with some aggressive behavior: a snarl, snap, whirling about, growling, or an outburst of barking. When this happens, my friend’s dog whirls away gaily, like he was just given a prize. Other dogs just stand there, afraid or uncaring, and in this case, it’s always the owners who react. My friend yells ineffectively at her dog, and the other owner may yell, too. Either way, the humper  doesn’t quit until someone is proximate enough to attempt to drag him off the other dog, at which point he dances joyously away again. Such a jerk!

The same dog also makes it a habit to cross the trail directly in front of anyone coming in the opposite direction, whether it’s a jogger, bicyclist, or another walker. This behavior isn’t just rude, it’s potentially dangerous for him and the other trail users. 

My friend doesn’t seem to notice how obnoxious her dog’s behaviors are to other people.  But my discomfort about these encounters definitely diminishes her enjoyment of our time together. I try to stifle my own response — it’s not my dog and for sure not my responsibility to address these issues. And I hate it when people offer unsolicited advice about other people’s dogs or children. But it’s difficult enough that I’d prefer to just not repeat the experience.

I know other people who frequently badger their dogs on the trail, calling them back (from puddles or poison oak or areas that appear to contain stickers) so frequently that the dogs just tune out and disregard the calls 90 percent of the time. 

I don’t know anyone who yanks on her dog’s collar all the time, but that would be a deal-breaker for me, too. 

Fortunately, I have a few friends who have a similar comfort level with letting their dogs enjoy themselves on the trail — without endangering or aggravating any other dogs, people, or wildlife. We allow our dogs to run ahead or fall behind as much as a hundred yards without yelling at them, approach and even sniff at the very edge of the cliff above the railroad tracks without freaking out, drink out of mud puddles (yes, even though giardiasis and other perils lurk in some dirty water), and even to roll in cow poop. Our poopy, stickery dogs may not contribute to a pleasant ride home in the car, but I am certain that no one else in town will ever feature one of our dogs in a story about the dog that made them fall on the trail or that made their dog so mad it started a dog fight.

I do sound like a snob. 

What about you? Do you have friends with dogs you don’t want to walk with?

(WD Ticks tip #1) Treating tick bites

By
Nancy Kerns
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A dog in the wrong place at the wrong time can be bit by dozens or even hundreds of ticks. Deer ticks go through three stages of life (larva, nymph, and adult), and feed only once in each of these stages; a blood meal ends each stage.

Larval ticks dine on mice and other small rodents, but nymphs and adults are a threat to dogs.

Because they are small and their bites don’t itch, ticks are easily overlooked, especially adult deer ticks and the nymphs of any species. Ticks prefer warm, moist conditions, so double-check under collars and around ears. If you aren’t sure what a lump or bump is, inspect it with a magnifying glass. Warts, similar skin growths, and nipples can feel like feeding ticks.

Be careful when removing a tick to grasp it with tweezers firmly at the head, as close to the dog’s skin as possible, and slowly pull straight back. Never twist, press, burn, or apply irritating substances like kerosene to an attached tick because doing so can cause the parasite to expel the contents of its digestive tract, creating an unwanted hypodermic effect.

Three-percent hydrogen peroxide, the common disinfectant, is recommended for tick bites because the oxygen it contains destroys the Lyme disease bacteria. Hydrogen peroxide can be liberally poured over bites on light-haired dogs (keep away from eyes and apply directly to the skin) but because it’s a bleach, this method is not recommended for black or dark-haired dogs.

Using an eyedropper to apply hydrogen peroxide directly to the bite helps prevent unwanted bleaching.

For more advice on ways to avoid and deal with ticks, purchase and download the ebook from The Whole Dog Journal, Ticks and Canine Lyme Disease.

Download the Full May 2013 Issue PDF

By
Nancy Kerns
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Especially Embarrassing When Your Good Dog Is Bad

By
Nancy Kerns
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I think of my dog Otto as a really well-behaved dog. And he is, mostly. But no dog is perfect. And he definitely has some flaws.

One is that, if an unnamed husband leaves one of the gates on the side of our house open, or even just unlatched, Otto will wander out to the front yard, and eventually, if he’s left out there unsupervised long enough, he’ll do something naughty.

There are two gates in our front yard: a wide one crossing the driveway, and a narrow one at our front steps. Our yard is about two feet above the sidewalk, so if the gates are closed (as they always should be) then the “naughty” thing Otto does is run along the fence (at waist to shoulder height to most people) and bark ferociously at anyone walking by. It’s scary, even if he can’t get out. I hate it when other people’s dogs do this to me when I’m walking down a sidewalk, and I hate it when Otto does it, too. If I hear him barking, and yell for him, he’ll come immediately and sheepishly. He knows I’ll be mad at him I catch him doing this. Of course, I’m even more angry at whomever happened to leave the side gate open!

The worst thing he will do can only happen if a side gate AND one of the front gates are open. Then he may well go out onto the sidewalk and bark at people. Super bad dog! Super-duper bad dog owners!

This doesn’t happen very often; I usually monitor the gates carefully, or take the dogs to work with me, and my husband is usually well-trained. But of course it just happened this morning, as I was just getting out of the shower. My husband has been doing a lot of yard work, and has been going through all the gates so many times that he’s been getting sloppy. I heard Otto barking out front, and someone yelling, “Hey! Go home!”

I don’t want to repeat what I thought, but I was furious with my husband, immediately. I yelled for Otto out the bathroom window, grabbed a towel and ran to the back door, still yelling his name. Otto was already slinking through the side gate back into the back yard. I looked out toward the street, and there was a guy I often see bicycling with his dog. He was just getting back onto his bike; he had obviously had to dismount to deal with Otto. When he saw me in my bath towel, though, fortunately, he laughed. “I’m soo sorry!” I yelled. “I’m going to KILL whomever left the gate open!” “No harm done,” he yelled back.

I turned around and saw my husband looking out the door of his office, which is in an outbuilding in the backyard. He looked as crestfallen as Otto. “Ah shoot,” he said. “Did I leave the gate open?”

I’ve owned dogs with serious behavior problems in the past. One of my childhood dogs was seriously dog-aggressive, and had to be managed assiduously. It was always upsetting if management failed and he did something awful (like attacking a visiting neighbor’s dog) – but I have to say that it’s almost more upsetting when my nearly perfect dog does something bad. Otto has never bitten anyone, but he certainly has had the opportunity to do so, and this makes me feel terrible.

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A dock diving dog leaps off the edge of a dock into the water.
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