Trish King, Director of Training and Behavior, Marin Humane Society, Novato, California, (marinhumanesociety.org) says potential dog park problems include:
–Dogs who bully other dogs who are more cautious or reserved.
–Dogs who form an impromptu pack, threatening incoming dogs.
–The natural tendency of dogs to gather around gates and entrances, posing a threatening environment for dogs just arriving at the park.
–The dogs’ instinct to protect themselves, particularly if the owner fails to. (Source: Marin Independent Journal, August 14, 2006; marinij.com/marin/ci_4178959)
Eric Goebelbecker, CPDT and owner of DogSpelledForward.com, of Maywood, New Jersey, says, “The problem is most dog parks aren’t a safe place to play either. What dogs are going to be there today? Are they trustworthy? Did they come with responsible humans? Are they healthy? Are they fully vaccinated?” (Source: dogstardaily.com/blogs/dog-parks-and-why-you-should-avoid-them)
Attorney Kenneth M. Phillips, owner and author of dogbitelaw.com, Beverly Hills, California, warns owners about potential legal issues, including:
–Dog owners not cleaning up after their dogs (resulting in possible fines, disease transmission, and municipal decisions to close parks).
–Inappropriate dogs at parks, resulting in dog fights and bites/injuries.
–Ambiguous waiver of rights/assumption of risk; if a sign says “Use park at your own risk,” what does that mean?
–Inappropriate park locations, such as near playgrounds.
–Canine professionals who bring as many as 6-10 dogs to a park at once.(Source: dogbitelaw.com/dog-parks-liability-for-dog-bites/dog-parks-and-liability-for-dog-bites.html)
Park rules should be posted prominently near park entrances – if they’re not, ask about them prior to bringing your dog to the park, and make sure you are able and willing to comply. Here are some of the rules that you are likely to find:
-If a separate area is provided for small dogs, please honor the size restrictions.
-Dogs over the age of 6 months must be spayed/neutered. (Alternatively, no females in season allowed.)
-All dogs must be currently licensed.
-No choke, prong, or shock collars. Remove harnesses.
-No unsupervised dogs; dogs may not be left unattended.
-Owners must clean up after dogs.
-Aggressive dogs are not allowed. Please do not bring dogs with a past history of aggression toward dogs or humans. Dogs who demonstrate aggressive behaviors toward dogs or humans in the park should immediately be removed from the park and not return.
-Children under the age 8 (or some other designated age) should not enter the off-leash area of the park. Alternatively, children under the age of (designated age) must be directly supervised at all times in the park. No running, loud, or rough play allowed.
-No more than three dogs per person (or other designated number).
-No smoking or eating within the fenced dog park area.
-Always close gates behind you.
-Be polite and considerate of other park users.
-Keep dogs on-leash until you enter the off-leash area (or the “airlock” immediately preceding the off-leash area).
Dog parks have gotten a bad rap in the past few years, thanks in large part to articles written and statements made by training and behavior professionals. That’s unfortunate, because, while there are, indeed, problems with some dog parks, a well-run facility can be a lifesaver for some dogs.
These days, most dog park administrators understand the need for rules that purport to regulate, at least to some degree, the behavior of the canines and humans who avail themselves of the dog park privilege. Problems arise when there’s no one in attendance to monitor the action and enforce the rules. Some parks run well on a peer-pressure basis, but this format often acts only to evict an offender after a problem arises – sometimes a serious one – rather than screening users in advance to prevent problems.
The majority of official dog parks are municipally owned and operated. I am always delighted to see communities recognize that dog owners and their canine family members are as deserving of a slice of the local park pie as are soccer players and Little League teams. However, very few municipally run dog parks provide adequate supervision. They put up the fence, post signs with rules, and keep the grass watered and mowed, and that’s it. When problems arise, animal control is called, and the issue may or may not be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction.
The ideal model for a successful dog park is a privately owned or very well-supervised municipal facility where dogs are screened before being accepted and owners are issued membership cards that they swipe to gain entry through a locked gate. The park should have at least one attendant on duty during park-use hours, to intercede, hopefully before a problem behavior becomes serious, but if not, at least to manage the situation after something occurs.
Off-Leash Dog Parks: How Humans Should Behave
Half the problems (or should I say at least half the problems) at many dog parks stem from human behavior rather than dog behavior. When you take your dog to a park your primary responsibility is to keep your eyeballs on her and intercede if/when things are getting dicey.
There can be a fine line between two dogs happily playing body-slam and chew-face, and the moment one decides he’s had enough and things escalate to real snapping and snarling. If you and your dog-owner friend are drinking wine and chatting with your backs to the action, you’ll miss the early warning signs that trouble is brewing, and lose the opportunity to intervene before things turn ugly. Oops, too late! Now there’s a full-blown dogfight, and you’ve lost your dog park privileges. Turn in your membership card!
Rule-ignoring is also a problem. See that 85-pound Shepherd in the small-dog area? That’s a tragedy waiting to happen. The owner who is blithely feeding her dog pieces of chicken while her toddler tried to hug the pretty doggies, even though the sign says “no treats in the off-leash area” and “no children under 8”? Another disaster in the making. Maybe two or three.
Well-run parks have paid staff whose job it is, among other things, to make sure dogs and humans play by the rules. Parks that aren’t staffed are likely to have a much higher rate of unfortunate incidents than those that do, thanks in large part to those oblivious owners who think that rules only apply to others. If you plan to play in the park with your dog, be sure you’re not one of them.
What Dogs Do Best at the Dog Park?
Perhaps you are fortunate enough to have a well-run dog park in your community. How to do you if your dog is a good dog park candidate? For starters, she must already play well with others. A dog park is for socializing, not for socialization. It’s a terrific place for a dog who already understands how to read and respond appropriately to the body language of other dogs. It’s a great place for a dog who enjoys the company of other dogs and likes to engage in appropriate play. It’s not the right place for a dog who is socially challenged. The undersocialized dog needs to learn those skills elsewhere, and may never be comfortable with rowdy play styles of unknown stranger dogs in a dog park setting.
If your dog is undersocialized, she needs to learn her canine social skills in a more controlled environment than a dog park. Pair her with one appropriate dog, who will tolerate her social ineptness. If yours is a little shy, a calm, stable adult dog can help her learn that other dogs are okay, maybe even fun to be around. If yours is a Rowdy Roberta who never learned when to back off, a more energetic playmate is in order, but one who will politely, firmly, and without taking offense, tell your dog when enough is enough. In time, you hope, she will learn to self-inhibit her over-excited play, and be ready for group action. Or not. Some dogs are never good candidates for dog park membership.
It’s perfectly normal for some dogs to eschew group play even from an early age. Others start out in life happy to play with all comers, but as they mature, decide they’d rather have a small circle of intimate play partners rather than interact with the canine hoi polloi found at most dog parks. Dogs who love to romp with any and all takers for their entire lives are the exception rather than the rule in the canine world – really not all that different from humans in that respect, when you think about it.
If you have any doubts about your dog’s suitability for dog-park-play, get an outside opinion. Ask a competent dog behavior and training professional or a very dog-knowledgeable friend to evaluate your dog’s social skills before taking the park plunge and risking an incident that could put your dog and others at risk of harm. It could be a costly mistake if your dog attacks another and you end up paying vet bills and dancing to the often-onerous demands of your local dangerous dog ordinance.
If you do think your dog is a good park candidate, be sure you’re making an honest assessment. It’s easy to be blinded by your love for your canine pal. Unless he has a history of playing well with lots of dogs in a wide variety of situations, approach your dog park experience with caution. Make his first visit to the park at a low-usage time, perhaps accompanied by that dog-knowledgeable friend who can help you interpret his behavior around other dogs and assist with intervention should things not go according to plan. You cannot be too careful. And remember that dogs don’t have to go to dog parks.
Pay Attention to Your Dog’s Behavior and Body Language!
Some dogs seem to be eternal victims at the park, as if they have an invisible (to us) “kick me” sign taped on their backs. They may or may not put out aggressive signals; tense, nervous, or submissive behavior may also elicit bullying responses from some other dogs. The value of exercising at the park may be negated by repeatedly subjecting a dog to this treatment.
Qualities of a Good Dog Park
If you’re fortunate enough to have a dog park in your community and a dog who plays well with others, your last step before actually taking her to the park is checking it out to be sure it’s a good place to take your canine pal. Here are some things to look for:
Space and Fencing
The best parks are several acres or more, and are enclosed by a sturdy, well-maintained fence that’s at least six feet high, perhaps with an anti-climb device on the top, and preferably buried in the ground at the bottom. If the area is too small for the number of dogs, there is a greater risk of canine conflict; the more space there is, the easier it is for a dog to avoid dogs that make her uncomfortable. And, of course, good fencing prevents escapes.
Another vital escape-protection and safety measure is an “airlock” system of gates, where dogs and their humans enter the park into a small enclosed space with another gate to the actual park run area. The owner removes the dog’s leash in this airlock, checks to be sure the gate behind her is latched, and then opens the gate into the park. This prevents dogs from slipping out when a new dog enters the park, and also avoids the “one dog on-leash being mauled by a pack of loose dogs” scenario that can give rise to aggression and fear-causing incidents.
There should be at least two separately fenced areas in the park, clearly designated for large and small dogs, and owners should respect the designations. Even better: four or more separate areas clearly defined by size and play-style, so dogs who enjoy a good game of “chase me” aren’t being tackled by body-slammers.
Maintenance
Upkeep of the facility is another important consideration. Scrutinize the conditions of the park. Is the grass mowed and nurtured, or is the park a muddy mess with overgrown weeds? There are some parks that are kept in a more natural state – especially parks that are larger and include woods and meadows and real hiking trails, but the entrance and social area should still be well maintained. If there’s equipment for dogs to play on, it should also be kept up – painted, no splintered or rotten wood, and no exposed nails.
Rules
All good dog parks have rules. They should be clearly posted in plain view and obeyed. The best parks have someone in attendance to monitor rule compliance as well as user comfort and safety. Some assign their human users a numbered armband that they are required to wear when using the park so if there is an incident of some kind the culprit can be easily identified. Read the rules to be sure you are willing and able to comply with them before taking your dog to the park.
Ambience
Visit the park at several different times of day without your dog. You’ll see usage patterns – low, high, and moderate-use times throughout the day. You may also see specific groups of dogs who tend to come at fairly fixed times. With this information you can make deliberate decisions about when you want to bring your dog (high or low usage) and which groups of dogs might be the best match for her (and which dog owners you might most like to hang out with – it’s a social outing for you, too!).
If everything looks positive after your fair and careful assessment of the park and your dog, you’re in luck! Now it’s time to go to the park with your dog. Pick a low usage time at first, even if you’re convinced she will have a blast with the group of six-to-eight dogs that normally gathers at 6 pm.
Do this a few times, at least, until she’s clearly delighted to be there. This will give her a chance to explore and get comfortable with the environment without being mobbed and overwhelmed. Her introduction to the 6 pm group will go much more smoothly if she’s not distracted and wondering where the heck she is. The positive association she gets from being and playing there without being stressed by a pack of dogs will help her through any stress that may arise as a result of being greeted by multiple dogs.
When you’re ready for 6 pm, stop by at that time, again without your dog, and let the group know you’ll soon be a newbie in their group. Tell them about your dog, to help ease any concerns they may have about an addition to the 6 pm club.
When you do bring your dog, get there early, assuming there’s less dog traffic while everyone is still at work. Let her run and work off some energy while you’re waiting for the others to arrive. This way she gets to meet and greet them one-at-a-time instead of in a bunch. This is likely to make introductions go more smoothly.
For appropriate dogs, the opportunity to run, play, and socialize with other dogs can be a real blessing to canines and their humans. I still have fond memories from when I was working at the Marin Humane Society (Novato, California) 15-plus years ago of the “dog-pack hikes” that staff would take with their dogs at the nearby off-leash open space areas. We all would return from that lunchtime hike in the hills, dogs tired and humans more relaxed, much better able to deal with the stressors of shelter work.
If you have a good dog park in your community, and a dog who is suited for dog-park play, go for it! If your dog-park-worthy dog doesn’t have a park place to play with his pals, maybe you can get dog owners in your community to rally together to start one, or talk your local positive dog trainer or pet supply store into launching a private park. If all else fails, start one yourself!
IS THE DOG PARK SAFE FOR YOUR DOG?
1. First check out your local dog park without your dog, to determine if it’s a well-run facility and a safe environment for you and your dog.
2. Make an honest assessment of your dog’s ability to play at a park. If you’re not sure, ask a knowledgeable dog person to assess her park-play potential.
3. Be responsible. Follow the rules, and be attentive to your dog’s behavior at all times so you can intervene when you see early warning signs of pending problems.
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, is WDJ’s Training Editor. She is the author of many books on positive training, including, Do Over Dogs: Give Your Dog a Second Chance at a First-Class Life.
July 4th is a dreaded time for thousands of noise-sensitive dogs and their owners. In many parts of the country sound-sensitive dogs and the humans who love them are already struggling with the effects of thunderstorms – thank goodness fireworks really only occur once a year. Our Corgi, Lucy, is a thunder-phobe, and we know all too well the impact thunder and firecrackers have on her (and our) quality of life. Fortunately, the following can make life better for you and your dog during noisy events.
1. Stay Home
Ever since the mid-1980s, when we shared our lives with our first sound-sensitive dog, Independence Day and New Year’s Eve have been occasions to stay home rather than go out and celebrate. You can relieve some of your dog’s stress with just your comforting presence. It’s harder to stay home consistently during thunderstorms unless you have the good fortune to work from home, but there may be times when you can make the choice to pass on an optional outing if a storm is coming.
2. Hold Your Dog
Despite what you’ve heard to the contrary, it’s perfectly okay to comfort your sound-stressed dog, as long as you do it calmly. If she wants to be in your lap, or next to you on the couch or the floor, let her. If it helps her to calmly put your arms around her and hold her, or do calming massage or T-Touch, do it. This is not operant reinforcement of her fear; it just helps her feel better – and may even work to classically counter-condition her very negative association with thunder or fireworks.
It doesn’t help, though, if you are stressed, chanting, “It’s okay, it’s okay,” over and over, while rubbing your dog as if you were drying her off with a towel. In other words, you need to stay calm, too!
3. Manage/Minimize Intensity of the Stimulus
Reduce the intensity of the fear-causing stimuli by closing curtains to shut out the visual effects (flashes of lighting, lights, or sparks of fireworks) that your dog associates as reliable predictors of the bad noise.
White noise machines can help mask the sounds; so can the especially composed “Through a Dog’s Ear” CDs, especially if you have played the CDs during relaxing times so your dog already has a calm, positive association with the music. (If you play them only during storms he may form a negative association with the otherwise calming music.)
You can also use Mutt Muffs to muffle the sound. Use positive classical conditioning to convince him that the earmuffs make wonderful treats happen. (Of course, if he is disturbed by the Muffs even after multiple classical conditioning sessions, don’t force them on him.)
4. Counter-Condition
Use recordings of thunderstorm sounds and/or storm sounds. Start with the volume at barely audible levels – or even inaudible levels, if your dog is still worried. Pair this low-level sound with wonderful things, such as high-value treats, or games of fetch or tug, until your dog gets happily and consistently excited in anticipation of his favorite things when you turn the sound on. Then turn the volume up slightly and continue.
This is a long-term project; don’t expect to turn up the volume every session. This won’t fix everything; your storm-phobic dog may also react to wind, rain, and even the change in barometric pressure, but it’s a start. When a real storm approaches (or fireworks begin) try the counter-conditioning strategy at the earliest hint of stimulus, and keep your dog playing the game as long as possible. When he’s too stressed to take treats or play, revert to other strategies. It helps if you’re lucky with a lot of near-miss storms that give you conditioning opportunities without reaching full intensity.
5. Drugs
Short-acting anti-anxiety medications can greatly enhance your sound-sensitive dog’s quality of life. I give Lucy Alprazolam (Xanax) when storms threaten. It not only helps ease her immediate fears but also seems to have reduced her strong reactions to storms in general.
I can’t tell you which drug is right for your dog, but veterinary behaviorist Dr. Karen Overall strongly cautions against using tranquilizers such as acepromazine for sound-anxiety behaviors. “Ace” is a dissociative anesthetic; it scrambles perceptions, which may make the dog more fearful. If your vet isn’t well educated in the use of behavior modification drugs, urge her to do a phone consult with a veterinary behaviorist prior to selecting medications and dosages for your dog.
This is a follow-up to an issue we discussed via the Letters to the Editor section of the May issue (“Bad news for dog owners looking for single-antigen vaccines”). A subscriber had written us out of concern that his veterinarian no longer offered distemper-only vaccines. We looked into the matter and learned that in fact, Schering-Plough, the last veterinary vaccine company that still made a distemper-only vaccine, had recently ceased production of the vaccine. It’s just not available anymore.
We’ve had a number of readers send us letters or email messages giving us information about the vaccines they use for their dogs. Many buy their dogs’ vaccines from mail-order catalogs or internet veterinary pharmacies and administer the vaccines themselves. Here is an excerpt from one such letter:
“I’ve been inoculating my dogs (yearly booster shots) for longer than I can remember. I get my single dose vaccines from [XX]. You can get a [XX name] (including) Canine Distemper, Adenovirus Type 2, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus Vaccine Modified Live Virus, Leptospira Canicole, Icterohaemorrhagiae Bacterin – single dose 1ml dose w/syringe and needle for $4.89.”
I apologize if the issue we discussed in the May issue was less than clear. Our concern is not the ability to purchase a vaccine for one dog – a “single dose.” What we were lamenting was the new lack of availability to purchase a vaccine for distemper only – one that contained the distemper antigen and no other disease antigens.
To be even more clear: We deplore the widespread use of what are sometimes referred to as “whombo combo” vaccines – the combination of a number of disease antigens all packed into one “shot.” Dogs don’t need to be vaccinated every year in order to be protected from disease; most vaccines stimulate an immune response in dogs that will last many years. And many of the disease antigens that are combined and presented to dog owners as our “only option” for protecting our dogs are ineffective and/or unnecessary. Decades ago, veterinarians thought of vaccines as something that “couldn’t possibly hurt, and will probably help.” Today, we know that immunology is more complex that previously understood, and that overvaccination can cause health problems.
Please see the following articles for more information on vaccinations:
It’s a never-ending quest – like looking for the Holy Grail – the search for the perfect piece of humane equipment that will teach your dog not to pull on the leash. Here’s a tip: it doesn’t exist. Any piece of equipment is merely a tool that opens a training window for you. To use it correctly, you must take advantage of that open window to reinforce the behavior that the tool encourages the dog to offer. If you fail to consistently reward the desired behavior when it happens, the tool becomes a crutch that you rely on to make the behavior happen. In worst case scenarios, the dog learns to ignore the tool and reverts to his former behavior even with it on. What you want, instead, is for the dog to learn the desired behavior – not pulling – so you can wean him off the tool and still have him offer the desired behavior, independent of the presence of the piece of equipment.
For more details and advice on how to select the best collar and leash for you and your dog, please refer to A Close Look At Dog Collars.
In the past few months, to accommodate a shifting family situation, I’ve moved my “home office” out of my home, twice. First to a rented office space, which I hated (after 14 years of being able to go to the kitchen or back yard or to go take a nap any time I wanted to!). Then my husband and I bought a second house in a short sale, to use as my office, extra space for extra family members, and a fix-up project. It’s two blocks from our home, and Otto and I walk (and bike) from house to house several times a day. This house has a fenced backyard; the front yard is unfenced. The street is about 30 feet from the front door.
Why all the trivia?
Because it might help you visualize what happened to me just the other day. I clipped a leash onto Otto’s collar, grabbed a few things, and then we walked out the front door of the new house/office onto the porch; we were about to go home for dinner. Otto had just woken up and was yawning and stretching next to me on the porch, dragging his leash. I turned around to lock the front door behind us, and suddenly Otto roared and launched off the front steps at high speed, headed straight for the street. And in the same moment that my brain registered the fact that Otto was running toward the street, I also heard a car or truck approaching. I screamed, even as I was turning around, “OTTO OFF!”
Why “OFF”? It was instinctive. I thought that he must be chasing something – which turned out to be the case. And we’ve worked on “off” a lot: “Off” the cat, “Off” the chickens, “Off” the cat food,” “Off” the UPS driver, “Off” the plate of food sitting on the coffee table.
As I finished my turn toward the street, my brain registered the sight of Otto flying down the last step before the sidewalk, dragging his leash behind him. And a strange cat, fleeing, but hovering right at the curb. And a pickup truck traveling from our left to our right, fast.
And then my “OFF!” registered in Otto’s brain, and he screeched to a halt, practically in mid-air. And both the approaching truck and Otto’s halt registered in the cat’s brain, and the cat turned left, hard, and raced up the sidewalk. I don’t think the truck driver’s brain registered any of this. We were about one second away from a dead cat for sure, and surely a badly injured dog, if not a dead one. And a massively regretful, sorrowful person (me).
I was frozen for a second, and then Otto turned and bounded back toward me, tail high, eyes shining. “Ha!” he seemed to say. “Didja see that? I showed THAT cat what’s what,” he bragged, all puffed up. And I burst into tears as I buried my face in his fur, patting and hugging him. “Good boy, Otto. GOOD dog. Wow! WHAT a good boy!” I was still shaking 10 minutes later.
So I learned a lesson. Even with a quiet street, and a great dog, I can’t take anything for granted. I need to hold that leash as we walk out the door — or at least scope out what is going on outside before letting the dog through a door that leads to the street. And we’ll keep practicing “OFF!” Every day, folks, every day. Training pays.
Organs are an important part of a raw diet. Liver and kidney in particular are nutrient-dense and provide a great deal of nutritional value. These foods should make up about 5 percent of the total diet. Note that they may cause loose stools if too much is fed at one time. It’s better to feed smaller amounts daily or every other day than to feed larger amounts once or twice a week.
Heart is nutritionally more like muscle meat than organ meat, but it is rich in taurine and other nutrients. If possible, make heart another 5 to 10 percent of the diet. More can be fed; just remember that too much can lead to loose stools in some dogs.
Other organs, such as spleen, eyeballs, sweetbreads (pancreas and thymus glands), brain, etc. are nutritious and can be added to the diet in small amounts.
For more information on Home-Prepared Diets for Dogs, purchase any of Whole Dog Journal’s ebooks on the subject:
Recently, I brought Otto to the vet for a routine visit. The postcard I received from the vet’s office suggested that Otto was due for some vaccinations, a heartworm test (so I could refill Otto’s prescription for heartworm preventive medication), and a test for tick-borne diseases. The latter two tests are available in a single in-office blood test.
First peeve: “Routine vaccines.” When I call to make the appointment, I let the receptionist know I won’t be vaccinating my dog unless a distemper/parvo titer test tells me he needs a “booster” shot. First, she claims that they don’t do these tests. Argh! When I tell her to look in Otto’s file, she will see results from LAST year’s test (admittedly, ordered through another vet, one I’ve “fired” already), and can’t they just order the same test from the same lab? She puts me on hold to check with the vet before agreeing that yes, they CAN do a titer test.
Next peeve, at the appointment: The vet assistant reaches for Otto’s leash to lead him to the scales. Why should that bother me? Well, Otto is weird about slippery floors (like the kind they have in vet offices), so I quickly explain that she needs to allow him to take it slow, he might freeze up if she rushes him. I also hasten to slip him some bits of hot dog as we approach the scale, and I tell him “Up!” (It’s only an inch off the floor, but he knows “up!” from agility and other things, and it will help him understand what to do.)
(By the way, as I came out of the exam room with Otto, an older gentleman with a big, strong dog on a Flexi lead came in the front door of the clinic. He allowed the dog to charge right across the lobby and get right in Otto’s face; he made no effort to press the “lock” button on the Flexi at all. I was able to call Otto away from the dog, and an assistant came out to direct the man to bring HIS dog to the scale . . . but I noticed that THAT assistant did not take the leash, nor ask the man to lock the Flexi to a shorter length; the dog sailed across the room several times without a word from anyone! So, apparently, taking the owner’s leash is not a policy at the clinic, even in the few cases when maybe it should be . . .)
Next peeve: Again with Otto’s leash in hand, the assistant heads for a door — not to an exam room, but to “take him in the back.” Um, no. I’ve had too many dogs who had inexplicably bad experiences “in the back,” and given Otto’s fear of floors (and his willingness to walk on them thus far), I’m not going to let him out of my sight, just in case he balks and is pulled or pushed into a bad experience. “No, no!” I said. “Sorry, but I’d really prefer for you to pull blood in an exam room, with me present. We’ve made a lot of progress on the slippery floor thing, and I don’t want anything to happen to reverse that, if you don’t mind!” I said it smiling and lightly, but it’s a deal breaker for me.
Final peeve of this visit: After the assistant (and another assistant) draw Otto’s blood, I’m told that I can call back for all the results later. No exam? But I’m here to get a prescription for heartworm preventive; we need both a negative heartworm test and, I had thought, at least a brief exam in order to ascertain that my dog was healthy enough to safely be given a prescription for heartworm preventive. Without seeing the dog . . . what about this exchange, aside from the test result, warrants the “prescription”?
And all this is from a clinic that I *like*!
Are my vet visit pet peeves ridiculous? What are your vet visit pet peeves?
Living with multiple dogs brings a whole new set of challenges. Adding a second (or third, or fourth) dog means more fun, more love, more joy and more wonderful doggy companionship. But it also means much more from you: more time, more money, more energy, and more working through problems.
Pay attention to the type of dog that your dog “likes” as well. While many puppies and young dogs play with just about anyone who will engage, mature dogs often have a few select “friends.” Notice the personalities of your dog’s friends. For example, pay attention if your dog generally does well playing with quiet females, but avoids rowdy adolescents.
For more details and advice on ways to add a new dog to a multi-dog household, purchase Whole Dog Journal’s ebook, Managing A Multi-Dog Household.
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I was recently contacted by a friend about a darling Border Collie puppy whose photo she found on Petfinder.com – and who was deaf. This friend is crazy about Border Collies, and also knows that I have a deaf Chinese Crested. Thus, she thought of me when she saw this puppy. The person who was fostering the pup was unable to keep her much longer, and did not want to send her to the local shelter as that would almost certainly result in the puppy’s euthanasia. Why? Because that shelter considers all deaf dogs as “unadoptable.”
Yes, deaf dogs can even learn how to perform a fast recall; contrary to popular belief, in order to respond quickly, dogs don’t need to hear a loud call, or any audible signal at all! Trainer Cindy Rich uses the “pledge of allegiance” gesture (hand over her heart) to cue the recall.
This concept is common – and dead wrong. Many people assume that deafness somehow makes a dog untrainable, or that training a deaf dog will require an enormous amount of extra training to prevent tragedy. In reality, training any dog requires time, regardless of whether she can hear or not. Training a deaf dog requires some common sense, but not a ton of extra training. It is unfortunate that deafness often results in a death sentence for perfectly healthy dogs.
Congenital Deafness
Congenital deafness is deafness that a dog is born with. Dr. George M. Strain, Professor of Neuroscience at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, has found that congenital deafness in companion animals is most commonly inherited from a deaf parent, but may also skip generations.
Dr. Strain lists 92 dog breeds with reported congenital deafness, though he notes that individuals of any breed can have congenital deafness from a variety of causes. Breeds with white pigmentation are most commonly affected, with Dalmatians, Bull Terriers, Australian Shepherds, and Australian Cattle Dogs frequently reported to be partially or completely deaf. Out of more than 5,600 Dalmatians tested for deafness, 441 (7.8%) were reported to be bilaterally deaf, and out of 442 Australian Cattle Dogs tested, 11 (2.5%) were bilaterally deaf. Dr. Strain is currently gathering data on the prevalence of congenital deafness in other breeds.
Are deaf dogs different? It’s often suggested that deaf dogs are prone to biting when startled. The truth is that any dog can nip or bite when startled – it’s just easier to startle a deaf dog than a dog who hears your approach. It’s important to desensitize your dog, hearing or deaf, to touch (for more on this, see “Stay in Touch,” WDJ Jan 2011).
Cindy uses a hand signal to cue a spin.
It’s also a good idea to choose a specific place (shoulder, hip, etc.) to lightly touch your deaf dog as a cue for “pay attention to me” – the equivalent of calling a hearing dog’s name. It’s best to start while your dog is awake and looking at you. Lightly touch this area and feed your dog a treat. Repeat many times. Work up to the point where you can give your dog a light touch while she is looking away and she turns her head toward you with a happy look.
I use a light touch to get my dog’s attention when other methods aren’t convenient. Other methods to get your deaf dog’s attention might include a good stomp on the floor, a flashlight, or a remote-controlled vibration collar. Before relying on these methods to get your dog’s attention, first teach your dog the meaning of them by pairing them with good things – treats, toys, and/or attention.
Another myth about deaf dogs is that you cannot call your dog back if she runs away from you into a dangerous situation. It goes without saying that you should not let a deaf dog run free in any place that you would not let a hearing dog run free. However, there may be an occasion when your dog inadvertently gets away from you. Teaching your deaf dog to “check in” with you frequently, and thus being able to see your non-verbal cue, will aid in preventing disaster.
You can also use a remote-controlled vibration collar to get your dog’s attention over some distance. These devices vary in their maximum range (from as little as 100 feet to more than a mile), but many have an additional shock element, which I do not recommend. Just as a hearing dog must be trained to respond to a recall cue, a deaf dog also must be trained to respond appropriately to a collar vibration. But remember, any dog can have selective “hearing” when recalled unless the behavior is practiced and proofed.
Juneau has been taught to accept touch.
Not Any More Difficult Than Training Any Dog
Deaf dogs are not any harder to train than hearing dogs. It just takes a little practical consideration to train without sound. As a clicker trainer, I use a conditioned reinforcer to mark correct behavior. Since a completely deaf dog cannot hear a clicker, I have found that a keychain flashlight works well. I choose a small flashlight that turns on when the button is pressed and turns off when the button is released – just like a clicker.
As a backup marker, much like using the word “yes” when I do not have a clicker on me, I use a “thumbs up” gesture. It took practice for me to remember to put the thumbs up away quickly, instead of holding it up for an extended period of time and marking more than just the behavior I want. Another practical consideration is that when you mark a behavior with a thumbs up, the dog must be looking at your hand to perceive it. Thus, you must be in your dog’s line of sight while she does the behavior. I prefer the keychain flashlight, because the light can be perceived in the dog’s peripheral vision, thus allowing your dog to focus on what she is doing instead of watching for the thumbs up.
When I explain clicker training in my orientation seminar for basic obedience courses, I use my deaf dog as my demo dog. In my experience, deaf dogs take to “clicker training” just as well as hearing dogs. An added benefit to working with a deaf dog is that they are not distracted by background noises during training. Using my deaf dog in demonstrations highlights the fact that there is nothing magical about a clicker – it is just a convenient tool.
Some people ask if a keychain flashlight would be a good event marker for their hearing dogs. In my opinion, no; light is not quite as versatile as a clicker. It’s difficult to see in bright light, whereas the clicker is a distinct sound that can be perceived in most situations, even in a noisy room, and from a distance.
Some trainers use a “no reward marker” (NRM) during a training session when a dog is not on the right track. It would be easy to use a specific hand signal (maybe a thumbs down?) to act as a NRM.
Juneau’s heelwork is show-ring pretty.
What to Use as Cues?
Without hearing, deaf dogs must rely on their other senses. They are quite attuned to body language, human and dog alike. It makes sense that the majority of cues that they are taught would be visual, including hand signals, body posture, foot position, and eye contact.
Some owners of deaf dogs use American Sign Language (ASL) hand signals as cues. This lends consistency in hand signals for deaf dogs, and is a resource for possible hand signals for us unimaginative folk. Unfortunately, few people are fluent in ASL. Also, it’s inconvenient to use two hands for a cue, as one hand is needed to mark the correct behavior, deliver a treat, and possibly hold onto a leash during training.
I sometimes use letters of the ASL alphabet for behaviors ( “n” for nose touch, “l” for lick) as they only require one hand and are distinct, but I made up most of the hand signals I use with my deaf dog. Her signal for “heel” is a double tap on my left leg. “Leave it” is a flat hand shaken side to side in front of her face. “Spin left” is a flick of the right hand to the right (toward her left side).
Just as you wouldn’t shout when you teach a new verbal cue to a hearing dog, hand signals need not be exaggerated, just perceivable by the dog.
To Talk or Not to Talk?
I do feel that clicker training a deaf dog has made me a better trainer for hearing dogs. It highlights the fact that verbal coaching while training is unnecessary, and can actually get in the way when trying to give consistent cues.
On the other hand, when talking to our dogs our body language naturally and unconsciously changes. Talking to your dog can actually aid in keeping her attention, and in conveying praise and excitement. By talking to your dog you actively engage her. Your entire body conveys that your attention is on her, and this is something which even a deaf dog will be able to pick up.
The lesson is to talk less when training new behaviors, but to talk when you want to keep your dog’s attention and as praise for a job well done.
For example, you want to keep your dog’s attention while heeling. Try silently heeling with your dog, then try happily talking to your dog while heeling. Your body language changes – when you talk to the dog, you will be more animated – and your dog will notice. If talking to your deaf dog produces better results, talk away!
What Does a Deaf Dog Need to Know?
Here are five things that I believe are the most important for deaf dogs to learn:
1. Socialization – Your dog should be comfortable with novelty; new places, people, animals, etc.
2. Touch – Your dog should be comfortable being handled all over.
3. Eye contact/attention – Remember, your deaf dog must be looking at you to perceive your cues.
4. Checking in – Your dog should regularly look to you in case you might give a cue.
5. Emergency recall – In an emergency, you must be able to cue your dog to come back quickly.
Note that these things are important for all dogs – not just deaf dogs. I tend to focus more on touch desensitization and checking in with deaf dogs than with hearing dogs, but otherwise work on the same concepts in the same amounts. If you do not have dog training experience, I would recommend finding a positive reinforcement trainer who is open to working with a deaf dog.
Deaf dogs are not more difficult to train than hearing dogs if you use common sense while training. They are very responsive to hand signals and body language and don’t often startle at unexpected noises. The things that are important for hearing dogs to learn are just as important to deaf dogs. If you find yourself with an opportunity to work with a deaf dog, consider it a learning experience!
Author and trainer Cindy Rich, KPA CTP, of The Canine Connection in Chico, California, has modelled for WDJ photos for a while, but this is her first written contribution to the magazine.
Years ago, I had high hopes for participating in dock diving sport with my now-9-year-old dog, Woody. But it turned out that my high-jumping, strong-swimming dog absolutely hates getting water in his ears!
