Ages ago, I edited a horse magazine, and for a time, published a column written by the noted animal communicator Penelope Smith. I really enjoyed the opportunity to talk to Smith each month, and as we discussed the column, we’d sometimes veer off into a talk about a general topic having to do with animals and our relationships with them. Despite my preconceptions of someone who purports to “talk to the animals” as being nutty, I found Smith to be incredibly insightful, wise, and humorous. She was empathetic and yet practical. I bought several of her books on “interspecies communication” and was fascinated by her accounts of experiences with hundreds of animals.
At some point, I asked Smith that if she was able to telepathically communicate with animals at pretty much any distance, was she ever troubled by the plight of, say, animals locked in a shelter somewhere?
As usual, her answer surprised me. I’m paraphrasing a conversation that took place 20 years ago, but my memory was that she took the position that while it’s indeed sad for us to see any animal in pain or distress or at risk of being killed, that the animals themselves had to take some amount of responsibility for their unfortunate situations. Her belief was that all beings choose their lives and bodies – and that, in the case of (as one example) a dog in a shelter, that individual makes choices every day that could lead him out of a shelter or cause him to be euthanized.
I’ve thought about that conversation countless times over the years – and in the majority of cases, I’ve thought about it in relation to the plight of animals in shelters or in the homes of abusers or hoarders. Aren’t they completely at the mercy of humans, for better or worse? Or are they there as a result of their own actions or inactions?
I think about this when, in the kennels of my local shelter, I come across a super smart, friendly, well-mannered dog who practically grabs me by the lapels and seems to say, “I need help to get out of here. I’ll be a good dog and I want a nice family. Help?” Some dogs seem to inspire, if not demand, that the shelter staff and volunteers put their maximum efforts into finding a good home on their behalf.
But I also think about the concept of “personal responsibility” and free will as they relate to animals, when I come across a dog who is doing nothing whatsoever to help himself get adopted – the one who won’t engage with visitors to the kennels, or who acts like a crazed jack-in-the-box in the “get acquainted” room, or attacks an adopter’s dog or cat within minutes of arriving at a potentially good home. Of course, it makes just as much sense to explain these things as a lack of exposure to humans, a lack of training, and a lack of proper socialization. And while as a volunteer at the shelter, I certainly try to give all the dogs some positive exposure to humans, training, and social opportunities, I sometimes find myself saying to a dog, “Hey, do yourself a favor and behave yourself in front of these nice people who are looking for a family pet, will ya?”
If a dog behaves aggressively toward humans and is euthanized – was this partly his own fault, for failing to control his desire or instinct to bite? Or was it entirely a man-made tragedy, because he wasn’t properly socialized, trained, and managed?
What do you think? Do you think dogs are completely at our mercy in this world for their fate, or do you think they are somewhat (or largely) responsible for their own fates?
Volunteering at my local shelter this past weekend, I was photographing a cute senior Chihuahua (in an effort to better represent him on the shelter website) when I noticed something on his tummy. At first I thought it was discolored for a health reason. But when another volunteer and I rolled him over for a closer look, I could see that he was tattooed. As we stretched him in such a way to reveal the whole tattoo, I was in the process of telling my fellow volunteer that this was once a common practice – that before identification microchips became common, dogs were sometimes tattooed with the owner’s driver’s license number or phone number.
288
But then we decoded the message. It looked like this:
S O
THE R
U L
D CA
N
D
Or, in other words,
THE STUD
ORLAND, CA
Just in case you were wondering, the dog was neutered – NOT a stud. I’m guessing it’s the name of a bar or something, although I was not able to find a listing for a business by that name in Orland, California, which is about 50 miles from this shelter. The dog was surrendered by someone who said she inherited the dog from a friend who passed away. She had the dog for about a year before deciding she couldn’t keep him. She did not mention anything about the dog having a tattoo.
What the heck? Is our society so tattoo-crazy that our dogs are now fair game for skin art? I can see putting a dog through the discomfort of a tattoo for identification purposes, but no other reason.
(For what it’s worth, in this case, though, I can honestly say the tattoo may well have played a role in getting the dog adopted. The first couple I showed him to adopted him. They did ask to meet him before they knew there was a tattoo, but they clearly thought the tattoo was an interesting novelty, too.)
What do you think? Have you seen other tattooed dogs? We dock tails and drastically change the appearance of many breeds’ ears — is it okay to practice other body modification “art” on our dogs?
Because the diagnosis and treatment of Cushing’s disease can be confusing, expensive, and fraught with adverse side effects, many caregivers turn to alternative or complementary therapies.
For those who prefer treatments that have been proven in double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials, unconventional therapies are themselves fraught with peril. Product testimonials and anecdotal reports don’t prove anything, and by turning first to an herbal preparation or glandular extract, one might deny the patient an opportunity for effective treatment. Online reviews of nutritional supplements or herbal preparations range from reports about dogs that appear to be cured to heartbreaking stories of dogs whose condition deteriorated rapidly.
Success stories are often not documented by laboratory test results, leaving readers to wonder whether the dogs that improved so dramatically actually had Cushing’s.
At the same time, the cost of veterinary tests, surgery, or prescription drugs for a dog is sometimes simply prohibitive. Because drugs can only relieve symptoms and cannot cure Cushing’s disease or slow its progression, there is little harm in trying alternatives if your dog’s quality of life is not impacted.
For some, the decision to pursue nutritional and alternative treatments is philosophical. Holistic veterinarians look at Cushing’s disease and every other canine illness from a different perspective than do conventionally trained veterinarians. They are likely to try holistic or natural treatments first and turn to symptom-suppressing conventional therapies later instead of the other way around.
For more detailed information on the diagnosis and treatment of Cushing’s Disease, purchase Whole Dog Journal’s downloadable ebook Cushing’s Disease.
In the editorial of the August issue (now online and in your mailboxes soon), I updated the story of Mickey, an-odd-but-cute looking, high-energy dog who had somehow spent almost a year at my local shelter without finding a permanent home. (He was adopted once, for a little more than two months, but was returned because the family’s original dog was picking on him unmercifully.)
I first wrote about Mickey in this space in May, when I started working with him prior to an all-weekend Adopt-A-Thon. I taught him to sit – and in that one simple process, he learned to pay attention to humans, control his own behavior, and offer that “good manners” basic whenever someone paid attention to him. Unfortunately, he didn’t get adopted that weekend…or for the next two months.
In the August editorial, I wrote how I had taken Mickey home and then on a road trip to see some long-time friends in the Bay Area, to try to increase his exposure to more prospective homes. One of my friends, a mom with a daughter in college, a son in high school, and a teacher husband, was looking for a second dog to be a companion to the family’s 10-year-old Lab-mix, and she fell in love with Mickey at first sight. I fostered Mick for an additional week while the family finished with some home renovation tasks and got prepared for dog #2. As I wrote the editorial, I was hopeful that this would be Mickey’s forever home.
Ah, it was not to be. THIS family’s first dog also took a strong dislike to Mickey, and after the big dog made one fairly serious attack on Mickey a couple of hours into our introductory session, the family decided on the spot that the senior dog is going to his grave (we hope not for a long time!) without a second dog in the home. Everyone was shook up – even the usually buoyant Mickey.
Well, I had several backup ideas. I showed Mick to another friend. She wanted him – but her husband was not ready for a dog to replace the dog they lost a couple of years ago. “It takes a village!” I said, as an introduction was set up between Mickey and my son’s girlfriend’s aunt, who also really liked Mickey, but was concerned that his energy level would be too much for her 92-year-old mother-in-law, who lived with her and her husband.
This whole time, I was staying with my friend Maureen and her husband Dan. They were not looking for another dog. They are absolutely devoted to their 12-year-old mixed-breed, Carly. But they both enjoyed watching and interacting with Mickey in between my arranged appointments with other prospective owners, and every time I got ready to take Mickey to another one, the goodbyes got longer . . .
After Mick’s final failed appointment, Maureen could take it no longer. “We want Mickey,” she said, even though Dan looked dubious. “He’s so sweet, and smart, and cute! I think he’ll fit right in.” “He’ll be your dog,” Dan responded – but when I came back to visit the family two weeks later, Dan answered the door with Mickey in his arms, and Maureen confided, “Dan loves that little dog . . . we’re teasing him about his ‘bromance’ with Mickey; they spend a lot of time together.”
And what about Mickey’s past downfall – the “original” dog in the family, who resents his presence? It’s not happening with Carly; ever the food-motivated opportunist, she quickly realized that the little dog seemed to need training, which means treats, and she runs to volunteer as a training partner and mentor. Mickey’s training sessions spell treats for Carly, which is helping cement his place in her affections, too.
The happiest outcome of all! A home for Mickey where I can visit frequently!
The game of Tug has an undeserved bad rap in some training circles, while others, most notably the Agility world, have fully embraced it as an excellent activity to create focus and high arousal. Those two extremes aside, it’s a great game just because it’s fun, many dogs adore it, it’s the perfect play activity for human family members who might otherwise want to get in appropriately physical with the dog and it’s a terrific energy-burner.
One of the most commonly-heard myths about playing Tug is that it makes the dog “dominant.” There’s so much misinformation passed around about hierarchy in dogs – this is just another log on the fire. If you are concerned about what Tug might do to your relationship with your dog, just remember that the definition of leader is “the one who controls the good stuff,” and orchestrate your Tug-play accordingly.
I’m solidly in the pro-Tug camp. I strongly recommend setting rules for canine and human players of the game to protect against the possibility of reinforcing unwanted behaviors, but with those in place, you and your dog can Tug to your hearts’ content. The rules are general guidelines for making Tug a positive training/relationship experience. The calmer and better-behaved your dog is, the less necessary it is to follow them strictly. The more rowdy and out of control your dog, the more closely you will want to adhere to them. By the way, don’t be alarmed by your dog’s growls during tug – it’s all part of the game. As long as his other behaviors are appropriate, let him growl his heart out!
For more ideas and advice on the best ways to play with your dog and the benefits to both you and your dog, purchase Pat Miller’s book, Play With Your Dog.
Otto has to coexist peacefully with chickens, foster dogs, and even adolescent CATS. You can tell from his expression he’s not always thrilled about the terms, but he honors the contract nonetheless.
To continue reading this article or issue you must be a paid subscriber. Sign in
If you are logged in but cannot access this content, a) your subscription may have expired; b) you may have duplicate accounts (emails) in our system. Please check your account status hereorcontact customer service.
Immediate access to this article and 20+ years of archives.
Recommendations for the best dog food for your dog.
Dry food, homemade diets and recipes, dehydrated and raw options, canned food and more.
Brands, formulations and ingredients all searchable in an easy-to-use, searchable database.
Plus, you’ll receive training and care guidance to keep your dog healthy and happy. You’ll feed with less stress…train with greater success…and know you are giving your dog the care he deserves.
Subscribenow and save 72%! Its like getting 8 issues free!
Back in May, I wrote a blog post on Whole Dog Journal’s website (wholedogjournal.com/blog) about a little dog named Mickey. He was surrendered to the shelter where I volunteer in June 2011; his age was estimated at 5 months. He’s a strange-looking, high-energy mixed breed dog with a docked tail and floppy ears; at admission, the shelter staff guessed he was a Pug/Chihuahua-mix, but as Mickey matured, his legs grew and grew. Today my guess would be a Chihuahua/Fox Terrier-mix. He’s so unusual-looking, and so bouncy, that it took a full six months to find someone to adopt the little guy – and the adoption lasted just three months. To the dismay of the shelter staff, he was returned to the shelter at the end of March; the stated reason was that the owner’s original dog was picking on Mickey unmercifully.
288
In early May, my shelter participated in an Adopt-a-Thon, with extended hours and lowered adoption fees. I decided to make a mission out of getting Mickey adopted that weekend. I went to the shelter every day for a week, and worked with Mickey on one thing: sit. He’s so frenetic that it puts people off. Few people are willing to look past that bouncy desperation in the shelter kennels and take him outdoors to the exercise yards, where they can get a better idea of what he’s really like. I thought that if I could teach him to offer a sit behind the kennel gate instead, maybe someone would give him a second look.
It didn’t work. I mean, I succeeded in teaching him to offer a sit when you looked at him – which impressed the shelter staff, who regarded him as a short-attention-span-nutjob – but nobody took the bait.
May and June were busy for me, and I wasn’t able to get to the shelter much. In late June, however, I organized an orientation for prospective shelter volunteers, and made several visits to the shelter to prepare. As it happened, I walked through the adoption kennels and chanced to see Mickey. I hadn’t seen him since the Adopt-a-Thon two months prior, and was saddened to see him still in the shelter. But he wasn’t sad to see me! He leaped about barking for a moment, as he always has, but suddenly he recognized me – and he sat. And held that sit, wiggling but solid.
I practically burst into tears. What a good dog! What a smart boy! What self-control! I had to make finding a home for Mickey my mission again.
A couple days later, I was making a planned trip to the Bay Area, and spontaneously decided to bring Mickey with me. I figured I would to introduce him to anyone and everyone I knew in my former home town, in hopes of finding someone who might be looking for an odd-looking, high-energy, but whip-smart little dog. Happily, one of my friends and her family fell in love with Mickey. They needed some time to prepare their home for the arrival of a second dog, so I brought Mickey home with me for a week or so, until I could deliver him to them again.
It’s hard to imagine why this dog has been up for adoption for almost a year when he’s so sweet, smart, and quick to learn. He’s been a good guest, and has learned all sorts of good manners behaviors (waiting at doors, not jumping on laps unless invited, no barking at passers-by). He’s added “down” to his repertoire of offered behaviors. But I’m overjoyed to see him go to a great home – and determined not to (somehow) let any other shelter ward languish in those kennels so long. Best of luck, Mickey!
I used to live with a Frisbee-addicted dog (a Border Collie named Rupert), and a disc-addicted son, who is now off at college (and still addicted). So how is it that Whole Dog Journal has never before reviewed flying disc toys for dogs?
There is a wide variety of flying toys made for dogs, with different key features for different applications. The overarching concept is to create a disc that flies well enough to inspire a dog to chase it, catch it, and return with it uninjured. Most of us owners want a toy that won’t be ruined within three catches between a dog’s teeth, but you don’t want it to be so tough that it can hurt a dog’s teeth or mouth if he doesn’t catch it perfectly.
We enlisted three types of product testing “dogs” to help with the review. The first are disc-throwing experts, including my son; he’s co-captain of a college Ultimate team called (get this) the (University of California) Davis Dogs. He enlisted some of his teammates to test-throw a number of dog discs and report on the products’ flying abilities. The second set of reviewers are professional disc dog competitors (canine/human teams). Our third set of reviewers are backyard dogs who love fetching flying things.
Frisbee Throwability vs. Safety
Engaging the services of an Ultimate team to test flying discs for dogs is not as bizarre as it sounds. This spring, the Davis Dogs were one of 20 teams nationally that qualified for and competed in the USA Ultimate (USAU) College National Championships (for the first time in the Dogs’ 31-year history!).
A special disc is used in the game of Ultimate – and even though the sport is often informally called “Ultimate Frisbee,” discs made by Frisbee haven’t been used in the game for more than 20 years. Discraft is maker of the official disc of USAU, the sport’s governing body in this country, and its 175-gram “Ultrastar” is the only disc used in official tournaments of all levels. It’s far heavier than grocery-store Frisbees, with a thick, weighty rim that helps it fly farther than a lighter disc – and that can bruise your knuckles and crush your fingernails if you don’t catch it just so.
Discs made for playing with dogs are usually much lighter than the discs made for Ultimate. It’s one thing when an Ultimate player hurts his or her hand (or accidentally takes a disc in the face when trying to block a competitor’s throw) in their favorite game, but it’s unconscionable to ask your dog to play a game that can hurt him (even if it’s his favorite, too). If a disc gets blown by the wind or a dog slips as he is leaping for the disc, or he simply miss-times his jump, a heavy or too-rigid disc can break a tooth, or knock him in the gums, jaw, or head hard enough to really hurt. So, most discs for dogs are either very light or made out of a soft material.
That’s great for safety, but discs made of light weight or soft materials don’t fly nearly as far as harder, heavier discs – and gummy discs are really difficult to throw accurately. This isn’t a problem if you’re playing in the middle of a great big field, but if you are trying to throw the disc in competition so that your dog catches it in a certain spot, accuracy is important. And if you use fetch games as a primary method for tiring (or conditioning) your dog, you want a disc that can be thrown as far as possible. Also, if you’re like me, with a compromised shoulder that limits how far I can throw anything, you appreciate a disc that can be flung a long distance with a minimum of effort.
In the Davis Dogs’ throwing tests, they found that the ability to fly far was almost always paired with an increased potential to hurt dogs. And, in general, the discs that flew poorly are the soft or floppy ones made with safety for dogs foremost in mind. Fortunately, we found a happy medium.
What Are the Best Frisbee Disc for Dogs?
I was lucky in having the Davis Dogs nearby to test-throw discs; I was even luckier in having disc dog expert Steve Teer nearby, to offer his feedback on various discs. Steve and his wife, Jill, live in Vacaville, California. Steve has been a disc dog fanatic ever since he first saw a disc dog competition on TV in 1998. “I was hooked,” says Steve. “I had an Australian Shepherd, Guinness, who was about 18 months at the time. I decided to see if I could teach him some of the tricks I saw on TV.” Steve found a disc dog club in his area and entered his first competition with Guinness the following month.
Since then, Steve has won numerous championships in every type of disc dog competition with his dogs, starting with Guinness (who passed away in 2011), continuing through Irish (born in 2004 and recently retired from competition), and including Steve’s newest Aussie superstar, Whiskey. His youngest dog, Whiskey recently qualified for the 2012 Ashley Whippet Invitational World Championships at the tender age of 22 months old (the competition will be held in September in St. Louis). Whisky also won the Freestyle Flying Disc competition at the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge in Del Mar, California, in June.
Further, Steve is just a hell of a nice guy, welcoming to newcomers and longtime disc dog enthusiasts alike, and generous with his time and expertise. He seems to get a special enjoyment from introducing newbies to the sport; it’s a good way to share some of his dog-friendly training tips and philosophy, and his passion for keeping his dogs safe and happy. “These dogs sleep with me and my wife every night; they are our family members,” he told me. “I would never do anything to hurt or scare my dogs, and if they ever show me that they are not having fun, we stop what we’re doing.”
Teer starts his disc dogs as puppies on floppy fabric flying discs, which can be thrown for short distances and safely used as tug toys. Short sessions of tug-of-war increase a dog’s interest in and enthusiasm for discs, so he keeps some of the floppy discs around for tug and for novelty, but graduates a pup to very lightweight plastic flying discs. Like the Davis Dogs, Teer is not a big fan of the floppy rubberized discs often sold in chain pet supply stores; while they have a low potential for hurting a dog, they don’t fly far or accurately. Once a pup or young dog shows enthusiasm for flying discs, Teer introduces them to very lightweight but rigid discs, which are easy to throw accurately and have a low potential for hitting a dog hard enough to hurt him or make him lose interest in the game.
These lightweight, rigid discs are particularly susceptible to being punctured by enthusiastic dog teeth, however – and once a disc has been punctured, it has great potential for cutting a dog’s mouth and a thrower’s hand. You definitely don’t want your dog to catch rigid plastic discs that have been badly chewed – and they are not much fun to throw, either. When a dog bites a rigid disc – especially one of the lightweight discs – it punches raised, sharp cones of plastic on one side of the disc. Catching a spinning disc covered with these sharp projections is like trying to clasp a thorn-covered rose stem; it’s almost impossible to make a secure catch without getting hurt.
When a disc gets too chewed or pierced to work with safely, Teer discards it. That’s why, like many disc dog devotees, Teer buys the lightweight (105 or 110 grams) discs in bulk; he goes through about 500 a year! (Plus, the companies that make discs for disc-dogs events offer custom imprinting, so when Teer places those orders, the discs arrive with his “team” logo, “Flyin’ Irish.”)
There are alternatives in the form of slightly softer (though still rigid), bite-resistant discs. Companies that specialize in products especially for dog sports have developed some discs that are, in our opinion, juuuust right for the average dog owner with a moderately disc-obsessed dog. The rubberized discs resist punctures, but are rigid enough to fly well and light enough to reduce hard knocks.
Of course, dog owners can be fussy and opinionated about gear for their preferred sports, and disc dog people are no different. Some competitors prefer the rigid discs, even if they have to go through a lot of them. Some want to use only the discs used in competition, so both they (the thrower) and their dogs have a consistent experience with the discs. For his part, Teer worries that it’s harder on the dogs’ jaws to repeatedly bite a resistant material. “This is my own theory, and it’s not at all scientific: I just worry where all that biting and chewing energy goes. I’m concerned that the dog’s jaws end up absorbing a lot of the energy of the bite, potentially harming the dog’s teeth and the muscles in the jaw,” he explains. He also hastens to explain that he has no data to support his concerns; it’s pure speculation on his part.
Then again, his dogs chomp on discs every single day. For the average backyard disc chaser, the more durable discs are a blessing, since they last a long time without sprouting the sharp plastic “thorns” caused by canine punctures.
Whole Dog Journal‘s Favorite Frisbee
So, while we recognize that some of these discs excel in certain applications (noted in the individual disc reviews, below), our top pick in flying discs for a puncture-resistant, excellent-flying disc that will best serve to thoroughly exercise a dog without knocking out his teeth or consciousness, is the 145-gram, bite-resistant Jawz disc made by Hyperflite, a company that specializes in equipment for disc dog sports. You won’t find them in grocery stores or even pet supply discount chains, but they can be found in select independent pet supply stores and online retailers of disc dog equipment, such as skyhoundz.com.
The Jawz disc is heavier than the most popular disc dog discs, but lighter by far and more rigid than most of the discs meant for casual dog play and designed to prevent injuries to the dog. Of course – surprise! – it costs a lot more than the lightweight (practically disposable) discs made by the same company. We paid $16.95 for a Jawz disc, whereas the Hyperflite “Competition Standard” model was just $3.58 from skyhoundz.com. But then, we expect to be able to use it for a long, long time.
Prices for the “amateur” flying toys varied quite a bit, too. We paid from $9 to $25 for the various toys and discs we found in retail pet supply stores, but didn’t find any that really suited either our dogs or the Davis Dogs.
One final note: None of these flying fetch toys are meant to resist a serious chewing session; do not leave your dog unsupervised with any of them.
According to trainer M. Shirley Chong, the easiest way to trim a dog’s nails is to have dogs trim their own nails. Chong says, “It’s easy! Find a board about 8-12 inches wide (the wider the dog, the wider the nail file needs to be) and about 24-36 inches long. At a hardware store, get some of the stick-on tape that is used on wooden steps to make them slip-proof. It’s rough, like extremely coarse sandpaper, and the adhesive lasts through anything. Cover the board with the slip-proof tape. You could also use sandpaper. The most important thing is to make sure the edges of the sandpaper are firmly glued down because otherwise the dog will peel it up. The adhesive used on the slip-proof tape won’t budge for anything. You now have a giant nail file for dogs!
Gina Burger is attempting to teach Bonnie to scrape her hind feet on the canine emery boards through “shaping.”
“Teach the dog to paw the board with his front feet. If you can get a paw touch and then deliberately delay the click, you’re almost certain to get a raking motion. Once the dog starts pawing, he usually gets enthusiastic about it! Some dogs alternate feet as if they were digging, but it’s not difficult to get a dog who uses only one foot to alternate.
“Some dogs prefer the board propped at an angle, other dogs prefer it flat on the floor. You can put a foot on one end of the board to keep it from slipping around.
“So far, it’s been a cinch for everyone who has tried it to get a dog to paw the board with his front feet. Capturing the hind leg kick that many dogs perform after pooping and then transferring it to the board is reportedly not difficult either. The only caution I have is to put the board away where the dog can’t reach it when not in use; some dogs who are left alone with the board quick their own nails and then get blood everywhere. And oddly enough, dogs do not seem to mind quicking their own nails on the board! My theory is that the sensation builds up slowly and so is not surprising the way it is when we do it. Keep a sharp eye out and stop proceedings when the dog is getting close to quicking his nails.
“If the dog started out with really long nails, the first few times he uses the board he is likely to file the nails unevenly and at funny angles. When the nails are shorter they will even out.
“I’ve been teaching people how to do this for more than 10 years and so far it’s been very easy to train, even with handlers who had terrible timing. Plus, dogs seem to enjoy it a whole lot more than they enjoy nail trimming.” – M. Shirley Chong www.shirleychong.com
1. Determine the location of touch your dog can tolerate without reacting fearfully or aggressively. Perhaps it’s her shoulder, perhaps her elbow, or maybe her knee. She should be a little worried, but not growl or try to move away. This is called the threshold.
2. With your dog on-leash, touch her briefly and gently at threshold. The instant your dog notices the touch, start feeding bits of chicken, non-stop.
3. After a second or two, remove the touch and stop feeding chicken.
4. Keep repeating steps 1-3 until touching at that location for 1-2 seconds consistently causes your dog to look at you with a happy smile and a “Yay! Where’s my chicken?” expression. This is a conditioned emotional response (CER) – your dog’s association with the brief touch at that location is now positive instead of negative.
5. Now increase the intensity of the stimulus by increasing the length of time you touch her at that same location, a few seconds at a time, obtaining a new CER at each new time period before increasing the time again. For example, several repetitions at 2-4 seconds, until you get consistent “Yay!” looks, then several repetitions at 4-8 seconds, then several at 8-12 seconds, etc., working for that consistent CER at each new duration of your touch.
6. When you can touch her at that spot for any length of time with her in “Yay” mode, begin to increase the intensity of stimulus again, this time by moving your hand to a new location, 1-2 inches lower than your initial threshold. I suggest starting at your initial touch location and sliding your hand to the new spot, rather than just touching the new spot. Continue with repetitions until you get consistent CERs at the new location.
7. Continue gradually working your way down to your dog’s paw, an inch or two at a time, getting solid CERs at each spot before you move closer to the paw.
8. When you get below the knee, also add a gentle grasp and a little pressure; each is a separate step in the CC&D procedure. Continue working down the leg, all the way to the paw.
9. When you can touch grasp, and put pressure on the paw, add lifting the paw.
10. If your goal is happy nail trimming, start the process over, this time with the nail clipper or grinder in hand. Show the clipper to your dog and feed a treat, again and again, until the appearance of the clipper or grinder elicits a “Yay!” response. Then counter-condition the clipper action (squeezing the clippers) or the sound of the grinder. Go through the whole touch sequence again, this time with the clipper in your hand, also touching her with the clipper, then again while you squeeze the clipper. Remember that you are still feeding yummy treats and obtaining CERs throughout the whole process. When you can hold her paw and make the clipper action right next to her nail with a happy response, clip one nail, feed lots of treats, and stop. Do a nail a day until she’s happy with that, then advance to two nails at a time, then three, until you can clip all her nails in one session.
The more complex the stimulus, the more successful the dog’s avoidance or aggressive strategies have been, and the more intense the emotional response, the more challenging the behavior is to modify. Take your time. Be patient. A few more weeks – or months – of long nails isn’t going to hurt anyone, and the result – a canine family member who willingly participates in the nail trimming procedure – is well worth the effort.
Nail-trimming used to be so simple. You found a stalwart friend or family member to restrain your dog tightly while you quickly clipped his nails in spite of his struggles, trying not to “quick” him (by cutting a nail too short and making it bleed), which made him struggle harder each time. If you ran out of stalwart friends, you started dropping your dog off at your vet’s office for nail clipping – out of sight, out of mind! He came back seemingly none the worse for wear – until your vet told you that they would need to start sedating him to trim his nails, after he tried to bite one of the techs. Hmm . . . maybe not so simple after all.
Valerie Balwanz uses counter-conditioning to change her dog’s response to the stimuli of nail clippers, having her paw held, and finally, having her nails clipped.
For owners and trainers who have come to value relationships with dogs that are based on cooperation rather than coercion, forcible-restraint nail-trims are a thing of the past. Muscle-power has given way to brain-power as the primary tool for clipping canine nails. Our job, as humans who choose to live our lives in peaceful partnership with our dogs, is to make creative use of our grey matter to figure out how to get our canine companions to enjoy nail trimming – or at least to be relaxed and cooperative about it.
When positive reinforcement was new to the dog training world, we hadn’t yet gotten creative with the nail-trimming challenge; we almost always used counter-conditioning to convince the dog that nail trimming was a good thing. Since then, smart trainers have come up with new ideas; these days there’s even less justification for manhandling your dog into submission for his pedicure. At my spring 2012 Peaceable Paws Behavior Modification Academy, trainers implemented three distinctly different methods to help their dogs overcome an aversion to nail trimming. Check them out!
1. Counter-Conditioning for Conventional Nail-Trimming
There is nothing wrong with using this old standby to help your dog love a pedicure. It’s the method selected by Academy trainer Valerie Balwanz of the Dogg House, Charlottesville, Virginia, for her Beagle-mix, Trixie.
Classical conditioning, also called Pavlovian conditioning, is a long-established principle of behavior science: creating an association between two stimuli in order to affect behavior. Many dogs are classically conditioned to dislike nail trimming, thanks to the scary restraint and accidental nail-quicking.
Counter-conditioning pairs nail trimming with one or more things your dog loves, so he comes to associate the procedure with good things instead of bad. A counter-conditioning protocol might start with simply picking up the clippers (or grinder) in one hand and feeding the dog a very high value treat from the other – and this is repeated until the act of picking up the clipper makes your dog’s tail wag and eyes light up as he searches for the expected goodie. You gradually move the clipper toward the dog, eventually touching him with it, all the while working to maintain the positive association: nail clipper/grinder makes really good stuff happen!
A separate, equally important procedure includes conditioning the dog to love having you touch (and eventually hold) his paw. Finally, you put the two together – the now-beloved clippers touch the now-comfortably-held paw – and eventually, a nail is clipped. See “A Counter-Conditioning Protocol for Trimming Your Dog’s Nails” for more details.
Valerie used counter-conditioning with Trixie, who had long been sensitive to having her paws touched. By Day 5 of the Academy, Trixie was offering her paw to be held, and gaining a positive association with the clippers. Valerie continued with her training, and reports that she is now trimming Trixie’s nails with ease.
2. Counter-Conditioning for Non-Traditional Trimming
Somewhere along the line, dog people decided it was necessary to hold a dog’s paw securely (tightly) in order to trim the nails. But it really isn’t so. You can teach your dog to voluntarily offer a paw and hold it still for trimming – and avoid having to counter-condition the restraint part of the procedure. (Of course, you still have to condition your dog to love the nail trimmer or grinder).
Steve Buckman used “shaping” to teach his dog, Apple, to lie down with her paws on his leg, and then to accept the touch of clippers on her nails, and then to accept restraint-free nail clipping in this position.
This was the method selected by Academy trainer Steve Buckmann of Bloomington, Indiana, with his foster dog Apple, a lovely young hound. Steve sat on the floor next to Apple, and used “shaping” (reinforcing small pieces of the behavior to build the complete behavior) to teach her to place her paws on his leg. In that position her nails were easy to clip. By Day 5 of the Academy, Steve was happily and carefully clipping his cooperative dog’s nails.
This is also the method I use with my Corgi, Lucy, who used to hate the sight of the clippers. I used counter-conditioning to help Lucy overcome her strong dislike of being touched on her legs and body. After we had completed her paw/nail clipper-touch protocol, I did the following:
– Told Lucy to “Down” and “Wait.” (When she lies down her nails are more accessible than when she sits.)
–Placed a yummy treat 12 inches in front of her nose.
–Clipped one nail.
–Told her “Take it!” so she could jump up and eat the treat.
–Repeated the previous steps for the next nail.
She now adores the nail clipping procedure, and I clip multiple nails in between “Take it!” cues, always keeping it random so she never knows which nail clip will result in the “Take it!” cue.
3. Operant Conditioning for Nail Trimming
Perhaps your dog truly hates the nail clippers, a grinder sends him trembling under the bed, and he’d prefer you leave his paws alone, thank you. You may want to select a nail-trimming procedure that requires neither restraint nor clippers by teaching him to file his own nails.
Positive trainer M. Shirley Chong of Grinnell, Iowa, suggests this method: Teach your dog to paw at a sandpaper-covered board to file his own nails. Shaping a dog to file his own front paws is pretty simple. I had already done this procedure with my Scorgidoodle, Bonnie, who loves shaping games and hated nail trimming, despite lots of counter-conditioning work.
Bonnie quickly became quite adept at filing her own front nails, but I had never pursued shaping a scraping behavior with her hind paws. Academy student Gina Burger, of Carthage, Missouri, elected to try this with Bonnie.
It proved to be a challenge. If your dog scrapes his hind paws on the ground after eliminating, you can capture the behavior with a click and treat as he scrapes. Bonnie doesn’t scrape.
She was, however, happily willing to move her hind feet in all sorts of ways. Gina tried putting emery boards flat on the floor, and then at various angles to try to elicit even a tiny scraping motion. The scrape proved to be elusive. Gina tried getting Bonnie to back up and then move forward. She tried clicking Bonnie for moving sideways, and reinforcing her for moving straight. The week ended without success for the hind-foot nail-filing project. (Gina did, however, pass the course!)
I have since reconsidered the exercise. In my own shaping sessions with Bonnie, I’ve determined that an actual “scrape” isn’t necessary – just movement that occurs while the nail is in contact with the abrasive paper. Bonnie moves side-to-side, wagging her tail and filing her nails in the process. Success!
Cooperation rather than coercion. Partnership rather than conflict. Voluntary participation rather than submission to force. Wagging, happy dogs rather than fearful, shut-down ones. What more could a dog – or a human – want?
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.
I recently fostered a dog who first greeted me at the shelter that I sprung her from by jumping up on me. I spent the first two days with her almost exclusively working on preventing her from jumping. When I introduced her to a friend, my friend immediately held her arms out and greeted the dog’s enthusiastic jump up with a big hug, petting, and cooing
