Many dogs who behave aggressively toward other dogs do so as a result of learning that their barking, growling fit results in the other dog going away. Because that behavior has been successful in the past, it’s been reinforced, and the behavior has continued or increased.
In contrast, in a CAT (Constructional Aggression Treatment) procedure, the subject dog is presented with a different reinforcement scenario. The behavior that worked so well before – barking and lunging – no longer works. Instead of making the other dog go away, it actually makes her stay close or come back! A new behavior – acting calm – now makes the “bad approaching dog” go away. So, in theory, the subject dog learns to offer calm, relaxed behaviors to make the other dog go away.
Eventually the subject dog becomes calm and relaxed because he no longer needs to act aggressively to make the other dog go away. Lo and behold, once the subject dog becomes calm and relaxed about the other dog approaching, he actually gets happy about having the other dog approach; the change in his emotional response follows the change in his behavioral response.
Back in 1998, we were a happy one dog family, made complete by the light of my life dog, Axel, a grand Bouvier des Flandres. So why did I have to mention in passing to his groomer, a woman active in Bouvier rescue, that maybe we’d like to add another?
It wasn’t long before we got a call about Jolie, a sweet, pushy, two-year-old rescue Bouvier, ready for home number three. How could we say no? Axel, at the time, was two-and-a-half years old.
Could I not do the math? I really don’t recollect the notion ever popped into my head that these two dogs were virtually the same age. While that was fabulous at the time and for many years, my mind didn’t travel 10+ years into the future when not only would I be dealing with living with two large breed senior dogs, I would possibly be dealing with losing two senior dogs, not too far apart.
Axel made it to his 14th birthday and beyond this year, only to succumb to a swiftly moving hemangiosarcoma in July. Jolie is still with us, and hit the 14 mark in November. She’s hobbly due to arthritic knees, courtesy of double partial cruciate tears, and continues to receive the melanoma vaccine after a diagnosis a year and a half ago, but otherwise, is fairly vibrant.
Time is healing the intense pain we experienced after losing Axel, but when Jolie went through a horrific bout of vestibular syndrome in late September, I sobbed to a friend, “I’m not ready.”
I know that we can lose our dogs at any time, and there was always the chance that one would leave us far before the other. While we don’t regret bringing Jolie into our world, I doubt I will ever again have two dogs, particularly of the same size and breed, so close to each other in age.
Do you think about this issue when you add a dog to your family? Do you purposely “diversify your portfolio” with dogs of differing ages? Or do you graciously open your heart and your home to whoever comes your way, regardless of age?
Traveling over the holiday weekend, I spent a night at a friend’s house. I brought my foster dog (and her crate); she isn’t civilized enough yet to be entrusted to the only part-time supervision of my regular pet sitter. I woke up earlier than anyone else in the household, and took the foster dog for a walk. Several times along our walk, she stopped suddenly to scratch. I thought, “That’s weird. I wonder if she ate something that she’s allergic to?”
Have you heard the expression, “If you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras”? Fleas did NOT occur to me, although it should have been the very first think I thought of as an explanation to this little foster dog’s sudden need to scratch herself silly. But it’s been years since I’ve had a dog with fleas! Literally, more than four years! They just haven’t presented themselves where I live now. In the Bay Area (where I was visiting over the weekend), though, they are common. I just forgot, somehow. But it all came back to me in a rush when the foster dog rolled over for a tummy rub and I saw several of the hated bloodsuckers scurry across her belly.
I worry about using the topical flea and tick treatments. I hate the idea of applying a deadly pesticide to a dog’s skin – a substance so toxic that it can kill fleas for a month. And yet, the bites of fleas and ticks are awful. The itching caused by a flea bite can cause a dog to literally tear her skin open and infections can set in. Tick bites can transit all sorts of deadly tick-borne diseases. Faced with a potential threat of a reaction to a pesticide and the here-and-now presence of fleas, I drove straight to a pet supply store for a topical flea treatment. I didn’t want to give a living flea population a ride home, or anywhere else.
I think these topical treatments can be overused, and I know that they can cause deadly reactions in some sensitive dogs. I am concerned about the fact that much of the substance that we drip onto our dogs’ skin needs not be identified by the makers of the pesticide; Federal law permits the maker to hide the so-called “inert” ingredients in the preparations, even though they may themselves be quite toxic. (For more about this, see “Are Spot-On Flea Killers Safe?” WDJ February 2002 and “Eliminate Fleas Without Poisons,” March 2002.) And yet, in certain situations, such as an acute exposure to fleas – and one that I hope won’t recur – the substances can be a fast, effective solution, one that puts an almost-immediate end to the torture of flea bites. I wouldn’t put them on a dog every month, and I wouldn’t put them on every dog I own, but they do have a place, at least in my dog-care kit.
How about you? Have you experienced trouble with spot-ons? Or do you rely on them for flea- and tick-preventives?
Old-fashioned training methods can work. Decades of well-behaved dogs and the owners who loved them can attest to that. So why should they bother to cross over to the positive side? The short answer is that positive training works, it’s fun, and it does not have the potential to cause stress and physical injury to our dogs through the application of force, pain, and intimidation. It takes the blame away from the dog and puts the responsibility for success where it belongs on human shoulders. In the old days, if a dog didn’t respond well to coercion we claimed there was something wrong with the dog, and continued to increase the level of force until he finally submitted. If he didn’t submit he was often labeled defective and discarded for a more compliant model. With the positive paradigm, it’s our role as the supposedly more intelligent species to understand our dogs and find a way that works for them rather than forcing them into a one-size-fits-all mold. The longer answer is that it encourages an entire cultural mindset to move away from aggression and force as a way to achieve goals. The majority of dog owners and trainers who have fun (and success) using positive methods with their dogs come to realize that it works with all creatures, including the human species. They feel better about training and find themselves less likely to get angry with their dogs, understanding that behavior is simply behavior, not some maliciously deliberate attempt on the dog’s part to challenge their authority. For more details and advice on positive training, purchase Whole Dog Journal’s ebook, Positive Training Basics.
Preparing your dog’s meals yourself is not as easy as simply opening a can or pouring kibble out of a bag. However, once you’ve done the initial work of devising the diet and finding sources for the products you will feed, it isn’t terribly time-consuming. The actual preparation is fairly simple; the hardest part is buying products in bulk and then splitting them up into meal-sized portions for feeding. But the rewards can make it all worthwhile.
Most people who switch their dogs to a raw diet notice improvements even in dogs who seemed to be perfectly healthy before. Feeding a homemade diet may cost a little more, but many people report a decline in vet bills. Best of all is watching the enjoyment our dogs get from their meals, and taking pride in knowing we are doing the best we can for our dogs.
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Those of us who are a bit older remember when seat belts, air bags, and infant car seats did not exist. Today, these safety devices are mandated by laws and most of us would not consider putting ourselves or our children at risk by not using them in our vehicles. So why do many people still risk the lives of another beloved family member – their dog – by allowing their pet to ride unrestrained in their car or truck?
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A Lab riding shotgun or loose in the bed of a truck, a Shih Tzu on the driver’s lap, a German Shepherd hanging his head out of the window, a Pomeranian lying up by the back windshield, a Heinz 57-mix pacing on the back seat – we’ve all seen, or even been guilty of, dangerous animal transport practices. “My dog loves to sit on my lap” or “…loves to feel the wind in her face” or “…will only sit in the front seat” or “…would never jump out of the truck,” are all excuses used by owners who subsequently lost their pets tragically in vehicle accidents.
So why don’t many dog lovers safely secure their canine companion in their vehicle? It’s not for lack of loving the animal, but may be attributed to lack of awareness of the dangers of having an unsecured pet in a moving vehicle. It never occurs to many dog owners that their dog needs to be protected in a car; it’s not something that was done with the family dog growing up, and protecting our traveling pets has never been in the forefront of car safety issues. There are no laws for restraining pets in vehicles in most states, and they are woefully inadequate in those states that do have them; most address only the need to secure dogs in the backs of pickup trucks.
Dangerous driving details The dangers of driving with your dog unrestrained are numerous and hardly hypothetical; in the United States alone, thousands of deaths of dogs, drivers, and passengers are attributed to unrestrained dogs each year, in addition to what must be an unimaginable number of injury accidents and fender benders.
Even a low-speed crash may turn an unrestrained dog into a missile, possibly ejecting the animal out through the windshield or side window, or perhaps injuring a passenger or driver, resulting in further loss of control of the vehicle. The Automobile Association of America (AAA) estimates that a 10-pound dog will exert approximately 500 pounds of pressure in a 50 mph crash, and an 80-pound dog will exert 2,400 pounds of pressure in a crash at only 30 mph.
If a dog survives the impact of a crash, he will likely be injured and frightened, and flee the scene, at risk of being struck by another vehicle or becoming lost.
An unrestrained dog can interfere with driving by crawling on the driver’s lap, falling down by the gas and brake pedals, or creating some other distraction that causes an accident.
While there are age and weight requirements for children to ride in the front seat of a vehicle, there are no such laws to protect our canine companions. If you have an air bag for the passenger seat of your car, the force of impact upon inflation can severely injure or kill a dog.
A small dog on the lap of the driver in a crash is at risk of being crushed between the air bag and the driver.
Dogs riding in the back of pickup trucks can be severely injured or killed by jumping or falling out of the moving vehicle, injured by airborne road debris, and easily ejected upon accident impact.
A dog who rides with his head outside of a partially opened car window is at risk of injury or loss of an eye from airborne road debris.
An injured and unrestrained dog can be a danger to any human trying to help. Dogs who are frightened and in pain tend to bite, even their owners.
Statistically speaking According to AAA, more than 30,000 accidents a year are caused by dogs riding in the front seat of the vehicle. As startling as this number is, it represents only dog owners insured by AAA. One can only imagine the additional high number of accidents due to unrestrained dogs by drivers with other insurers or uninsured.
According to the Travel Industry Association of America, in the U.S., 29 million dog owners drive with their dogs. But only 20 percent use dog safety restraints when traveling (according to the American Pet Manufacturers Association).
A recent online survey conducted by AAA asked dog owners how often they drive with their dogs; it also asked about their driving habits when their dogs were in the vehicle. The results:
Eighty percent of respondents said they’ve driven with their dogs, but only 17 percent report using a pet restraint.
One out of three admitted to being distracted by their dog while driving.
More than half (59 percent) said they have participated in at least one distracting behavior while driving with their dog.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reports that looking away from the road for only two seconds doubles your risk of being in a crash. Driving with an unrestrained dog can be as distracting as talking on a cell phone or texting. While laws addressing other distracting behaviors when driving have been passed in many states, laws proposed regarding pet restraint inside of vehicles have been routinely rejected.
Totally up to you Whether through legislation or education, vehicle safety is ultimately up to the individual dog owner. Our dogs can’t protect themselves.
Using a crate is an excellent option for keeping your dog from distracting you, protecting him from injury in the event of a crash, and keeping him secure and contained in the aftermath. Plastic airline crates are best; they help shield the dog from flying shards of glass and unlike metal cages, they don’t collapse easily on impact, causing injury to the dog. A crate should always be secured inside the vehicle to prevent it from flipping or flying forward, as well as in the bed of a truck so it won’t be ejected upon impact.
Dog seat belts, used in the back seat, are another great option to secure your dog in your vehicle to minimize injury in the event of an accident. Available at many pet stores as well as on the Internet, seat belts designed for dogs are harnesses that are secured to the vehicle’s seat belt. Most allow your dog to sit, lie down, or even stand, but otherwise keep the dog in place.
For small dogs, car dog seats or booster seats can elevate your pet so he can see out the window while keeping him restrained for safety. Find one that attaches to the car seat, strapping to the vehicles headrest and seat, or secured by the seat belt, and is equipped with a leash tether to attach to your dog’s harness.
Pet barriers made of steel are intended to keep your dog safely contained behind the front seats. While keeping the dog from physically distracting the driver or crashing through the front windshield from the impact of a crash, other possible dangers are not addressed. The dog may still be ejected from the vehicle, hit by another vehicle, and be a danger to you, or to emergency personnel attempting to help you or your dog. Seat belts are a better option.
And what of the dog who loves to hang her head out a partially opened window? Keep the windows closed; if you feel like you’re depriving your dog of one of life’s simple pleasures, indulge her in another of her favorite pastimes, like a tongue-dragging game of fetch when you reach your destination. She’ll be a safer, healthier dog for it.
Susan Sarubin, CPDT-KA, lives in Easton, Maryland, with her husband and three Rhodesian Ridgebacks. Susan owns Pawsitive Fit, LLC, Puppy and Dog Training, and she is the Maryland State Coordinator for Rhodesian Ridgeback Rescue, Inc.
When someone becomes interested in feeding their dog a homemade diet, I always advise them to read at least one book on the subject before getting started. But which one should you choose? Guidelines run the gamut from diets that have been analyzed to ensure they are complete and balanced, to those that are dangerously inadequate. How do you tell the difference?
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I decided to check out the homemade diet books that are currently available. Some of them I’d read before, but wanted to take a fresh look at; others were new to me. It’s been an eye-opening experience.
I found some books that I’d liked a lot when I first read them didn’t hold up well now that I know more about canine nutrition, and in comparison with others that have been published since. A few new books and improved new editions were pleasant surprises, but I found that other popular books lacked any credible guidance on important topics such as dietary calcium, an omission that will lead to serious harm over time.
Whichever book you choose, it’s important that you read the whole book, or at least all of the sections pertaining to diet, rather than just looking at recipes. All of the books I recommend contain critical information about the diet in the text that you need to know before using their recipes or guidelines. If you just follow the recipes, you may miss essential details such as allowable substitutions, optional ingredients, and recommended supplements.
You may ask why I recommend reading books in the Internet age. Books offer a more complete and organized view of the author’s approach to diet, while even good websites often compress the information too much, leaving out important details, or scattering it onto different pages, making it easy to miss essential components. E-mail lists can be a good resource for beginners when they run into questions, but they’re not organized in a way that lets you learn everything you need to know.
Also, some e-mail lists are dominated by people with a single point of view, who will attack, ridicule, and remove anyone who disagrees, ensuring that you see only one side. Others allow anyone to say anything, meaning the advice you receive may be very good or completely misguided.
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Books allow you to see the big picture, refer back to relevant details, and (one would hope) gain a clear understanding of the whole diet before you start. You can read reviews, check references, and decide whether the information seems reliable. If you take the time to read a book thoroughly, you’ll be better able to distinguish the good from the bad when it comes to advice found on websites and e-mail lists.
I’ll start this month by looking at books that focus on diets based on raw meaty bones (RMBs). Next month, I’ll review some excellent new books that offer guidelines for diets where RMBs are optional. Last, I’ll discuss books that have only boneless recipes, either raw or cooked.
Most of the books reviewed are available from Amazon.com and bookstores. A few can be purchased only from pet book specialists (such as Dogwise.com), holistic pet supply stores, or from the author.
Some books contain additional chapters on such topics as herbs, health issues, the evolution of the dog, and more. I have ignored those parts and focused my reviews solely on dietary guidelines and recipes. My recommendation of a book’s diet does not mean that I endorse anything else that the book may include.
The origins of RMB diets When I first became interested in feeding my dogs a homemade diet based on raw meaty bones back in 1997, the choice of books was easy, as only one book on the subject existed. Australian veterinarian Ian Billinghurst published Give Your Dog a Bone in 1993. At least six more books that focus on RMB diets were published later, including two more from Dr. Billinghurst, as the popularity of the diets grew. Most offer variations on his original diet, though another Australian veterinarian, Tom Lonsdale, introduced a distinct style of feeding based on whole prey.
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Proponents of raw meaty bones diets believe that this style of feeding most closely mimics the evolutionary diet of the dog. Raw meaty bones are those that can be fully consumed by dogs, as opposed to “recreational” bones, such as marrow and knuckle bones. Typical RMBs used by raw feeders include chicken necks, backs, wings, and leg quarters; turkey, lamb, pork, and beef necks; and lamb and pork breasts (riblets). RMBs provide a perfect balance of calcium and phosphorus, along with other nutrients.
It’s vital to realize that these diets consist of much more than just RMBs, which is why reading a book on the topic is strongly advised. Again, it’s important to choose the right book.
One of the biggest variations between books on RMB diets is the amount of bone included in the diet. Some books recommend feeding diets that are two-thirds or more RMBs. Too much bone provides excess calcium that can contribute to skeletal disease in large-breed puppies, such as hip dysplasia, hypertrophic osteodystrophy (HOD), and osteochondritis dissecans (OCD). Because calcium binds other nutrients, I believe that even adult dogs do better if the diet contains no more than 50 percent RMBs.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the available books on feeding your dog a RMB-based diet.
Dr. Billinghurst’s books Australian veterinarian Ian Billinghurst wrote the first popular book on diets that include RMBs, which he called BARF diets, for “bones and raw food” or “biologically appropriate raw food.” His diet is based on the natural diet of wolves and wild dogs. He later wrote two more books, Grow Your Pup with Bones, on feeding puppies and dogs used for breeding; and The BARF Diet, an updated and condensed version of his first book.
I have a soft spot in my heart for Billinghurst’s first book, as it’s the one that I relied on when I started feeding a raw diet in 1998. The book has a tremendous amount of detail about the various ingredients that go into the diet, and helped me grasp the concepts of balance over time; feeding raw meaty bones; and that if we can feed our children without resorting to “complete and balanced” meals from a bag or can, we can do the same for our dogs.
Billinghurst’s books can be frustrating, though. The information is disorganized. None of the books contains an index. If you want recipes or simple, clear instructions, you will not like Billinghurst’s books. Even those who appreciate the details on the nutritional benefits of each type of food may find it difficult to extract the specific elements needed to formulate a diet and determine how much to feed.
The foods and ratios used in all three books are similar. Billinghurst recommends feeding a diet that is approximately 60 percent RMBs, 15 to 20 percent vegetables and fruits, 10 to 15 percent organs, and the rest a variety of “additives,” including eggs, fish, muscle meat, oils, table scraps, grains, legumes, yogurt, and raw milk.
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Billinghurst also adds whole food supplements: cod liver oil, apple cider vinegar, brewer’s yeast, honey, kelp, alfalfa, and garlic. He suggests supplementing with vitamins A, B-complex, C, D, and E, and offering the dog larger (recreational) bones.
Billinghurst stresses the need for variety in all three books, but he’s not consistent. In his first book, for example, he says that puppies can be fed up to 80 percent RMBs, stating, “We have found that we can get away with feeding puppies almost one hundred percent chicken wings, chicken necks, lamb ‘off cuts,’ and very little of anything else.” This advice is irresponsible, as it could lead to serious nutritional inadequacies and excesses that may cause lasting harm.
Feeding methodology varies between the three books. In the first, Billinghurst suggests feeding different foods at different meals. Over three weeks, you would feed 10 meals of RMBs, 4 vegetable, 1 starch, 1 grain/legume, 1 meat, 2 milk, and 1 or 2 organ meat meals.
The second book introduces the “patty,” a mix of all foods except RMBs (though those can be included in small amounts). Billinghurst suggests alternating between RMB and patty meals.
The third book offers two feeding choices: alternating RMB meals with a combination of other foods, such as meat (some including bone), organs, vegetables, fruit, and additives; or feeding “multi-mix patties,” consisting of all foods, including RMBs, ground together. The latter ties in with the introduction of “Dr. Billinghurst’s Meat and Bone Minces” from a company, BARF World, that he helped found (he is no longer affiliated with the company). The third book also places more emphasis on variety rather than feeding primarily chicken necks, wings, and carcasses.
The first two books are both quite long. While they are filled with valuable details and concepts, they unfortunately also contain misinformation about such things as the amount of protein, calcium, and phosphorus in commercial diets, and problems caused by too much protein that have since been disproved. The third book is shorter, making it easier to follow, and leaves out most of the earlier incorrect claims.
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None of the three books provides good guidelines for how much to feed. All contain at least a few recommendations outside the scope of the general diet that I consider dangerous, such as feeding too much bone to puppies, frequent or prolonged fasting, and starving dogs who are overweight and puppies with skeletal problems by feeding them almost entirely vegetables.
A large portion of the second book is devoted to topics (health issues, breeding, and history) that are beyond the scope of this review.
Good starter book Carina Beth MacDonald uses a lighthearted approach to cover the basics of a RMB diet without making things too complicated. Recommended proportions are 50 percent RMBs, 20 percent boneless meat, 5 to 10 percent organs, and 20 to 25 percent veggies, eggs, and fruit. In my opinion, this is a better ratio than other books that recommend a higher proportion of RMBs. Optional ingredients include dairy products, grains, apple cider vinegar, blackstrap molasses, garlic, ginger, nuts, legumes, and leftovers.
MacDonald’s book covers all the basics that a beginning raw feeder needs to know: what bony parts to feed, other foods to include in the diet, preparation, and how much to feed (as a percentage of ideal body weight). Note that the amounts given for puppies and small dogs (up to 10 percent of body weight daily) are too high. Recommended nutritional supplements include fish oil and vitamins C and E. Additional chapters go over customizing the diet based on age and size, problem solving, and answers to common questions.
I think this is one of the better “getting started” books for raw feeders, as it covers all the basics in a manner that is clear and easy to follow. The index is also helpful when you want to refer back to specific details as you put your diet together.
Billinghurst devotee Switching to Raw is a very simple and easy-to-follow translation of the first Billinghurst book. Both recommend feeding at least 60 percent RMBs; Susan K. Johnson’s sample menu suggests feeding two RMB meals every other day, with one meal of RMBs and one meal of other foods on alternate days. This comes to 75 percent RMBs in the overall diet, which I believe is too much.
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Instead, I would advise feeding just one RMB meal and rotating between the other foods Johnson recommends for the second meal each day.
In addition to RMBs, Johnson’s diet includes fish, eggs, organ meats (15 percent of the total diet), muscle (boneless) meat, and vegetables, with grains being optional. She gives guidelines for how much to feed dogs that weigh 20, 50, and 80 pounds, broken into meals of RMBs; vegetables with fish and egg; muscle meat with egg; and organ meat with egg.
Recommended supplements include fish oil and flaxseed or hemp oil; kelp and alfalfa; vitamins B-complex, C, and E; cod liver oil; digestive enzymes and probiotics; and molasses (although the recipes in the “Amounts to Feed” section leave out vitamin E).
Note that the recommendation to feed puppies up to 10 percent of their body weight daily is too high.
Other sections include information on treats and recreational bones; making the switch; what to expect; and shopping and preparation. The book does not address possible problems with RMBs for dogs who gulp their food.
Not recommended Schultze wrote one of the early books on RMB diets. Her diet consists of muscle and organ meat, RMBs, eggs, and a very small amount of vegetables. Recommended supplements include kelp, alfalfa, cod liver oil, “EFAs,” and vitamin C.
Schultze’s book is filled with absolutes. She tells you to feed just one meal a day, and fast your dog one day a week. You’re not allowed to use aluminum foil for storage. She avoids both grains and dairy products, inferring without evidence that dietary guidelines for dogs with cancer will also help to prevent cancer. She makes other unsupported claims, such as that most pets cannot tolerate yeast. Other statements are just odd, such as advising not to feed raw salmon “unless it has tested free of salmon poisoning.” Testing for the parasite that causes salmon poisoning is not a viable option for dog owners.
The kind of details that would enable a dog owner to feed this diet are lacking here. A few examples: Schultze recommends feeding fish, but offers no suggestions as to the type of fish. Instructions for adding oils are vague. Food ratios are never given and feeding guidelines are unclear. She provides sample amounts to feed dogs weighing 10, 50, and 100 pounds, but ratios cannot be calculated because amounts are in different units. To illustrate, this is what she says to feed a 50-pound dog: “3/4-1 cup muscle meat (plus organ meat or egg), 1 turkey neck or 6 chicken necks, and 3 Tbl veggies, pulped.” Supplement amounts are also given: “2 tsp kelp/alfalfa, 1 tsp cod liver oil, 2 tsp EFAs, and up to 3,000-6,000 mg vitamin C.”
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This book is too limited to be of much use, and doesn’t allow for variation in a dog’s needs. It also fails to address potential problems caused by bones.
I am even more unimpressed with Schultze’s newer book, The Natural Nutrition No-Cook Book (Hay House, 2005). In this book, Schultze offers human-style recipes, divided into sections such as Beverages (10 recipes); Dressings, Dips, Sauces, and Salsas (10); Fruit (15); and Vegetables (17). No attempt has been made to make these recipes complete; the book has no value to those who want to feed a complete and balanced homemade diet to their dogs.
Alternate paradigm: The “whole prey” diet Tom Lonsdale, another Australian vet, advocates a raw diet based on whole prey. I am not a fan of this style of feeding, as I feel it is impractical. It’s also restrictive; just because foods such as vegetables were not part of the evolutionary diet of wolves does not mean they provide no nutritional benefits. This book is the best guide available, however, for people who choose this feeding method. I’ll describe the distinguishing features of the diet and let you decide whether it appeals to you.
Lonsdale’s recommended diet consists of 70 percent RMBs, plus offal and table scraps. Lonsdale asserts that RMBs should come preferably from whole carcasses, such as rats, mice, and quail for small dogs; calf, goat, pig, kangaroo, and lamb for larger dogs; and rabbit, fish, and chicken for all dogs. Other recommended RMBs include chicken and turkey backs and frames (meat removed); poultry heads, feet, necks, and wings (small dogs only); sheep, deer, pig, and fish heads; lamb and pork necks; ox and kangaroo tails; sides of lamb; slabs of beef; and ox brisket. Table scraps and fruit are also allowed.
Large meals of liver are fed once every two weeks. Other offal deemed suitable by Lonsdale include lung, trachea, heart, omasum (part of the stomach of ruminants), tripe, tongue, pancreas, and spleen. Lonsdale says that if you can’t get offal, it’s acceptable to feed 100 percent of the diet as RMBs; he states, “Many of my clients fed almost exclusively chicken backs and frames – whether to adult dogs or litters of puppies – and their animals showed excellent health.” I do not recommend this!
Ground RMBs are not allowed by Lonsdale except for dogs with no teeth or health issues such as megaesophagus or pyloric stenosis; ground food can also be fed to sick dogs for short periods only. Problems with RMBs such as choking are blamed on feeding pieces that are too small. Foods to be avoided include excessive meat off the bone, excessive vegetables, small pieces of bone, garlic, and milk.
Lonsdale is opposed to adding supplements such as glucosamine, chondroitin, flaxseed oil, and kelp. He advises against using vitamin and mineral supplements for any dog, including pregnant bitches and puppies, saying they can be harmful.
Lonsdale suggests feeding dogs once a day, and fasting healthy, adult dogs one or two days a week; he also suggests fasting “fat dogs” for “lengthy periods . . . even several weeks” (which I consider abusive). One feeding method is to feed several days’ supply of food in one large piece, returning what is left to the refrigerator after the dog has eaten his share. Part-eaten bones can also be left outside “for further gnawing over ensuing days.”
Lonsdale and his followers are adamant that there is only one right way to feed dogs; no deviation is permitted.
Lonsdale has another book, Raw Meaty Bones: Promote Health (Rivetco P/L, 2001), which is not a how-to book; it’s mostly a history of Londsdale’s war with the pet food industry.
Mary Straus investigates canine health and nutrition topics as an avocation. She is the owner of the DogAware.com website. She and her Norwich Terrier, Ella, live in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Making a fresh look at the things we take for granted can be wonderfully enlightening. Sometimes, the little light bulb overhead begins to sizzle and sparkle, illuminating a new and better way of doing things. Consider this example: When some savvy veterinarians took a fresh look at performing spays, a surgery we’ve been doing the exact same way for decades, they came up with a revised technique that accomplishes all of the objectives of the spay surgery with fewer complications. How cool is that?
Spay is the term used for neutering a female dog. As I was taught in veterinary school, the medical jargon for spaying is ovariohysterectomy (OVH). “Ovario” refers to ovaries, “hyster” refers to uterus, and “ectomy” means removal of. In other words, spaying the traditional way involves surgical removal of the uterus and both ovaries. The objectives of the spay surgery are to render the dog infertile, eliminate the mess and behavioral issues associated with a female dog in heat, and prevent diseases that may afflict the uterus and ovaries later in life.
Thanks to some innovative veterinarians, we now know that ovariectomy (OVE) – removal of just the ovaries, leaving the uterus in place – accomplishes these objectives just as effectively as does the OVH. And, here’s the icing on the cake: removal of the ovaries alone results in fewer complications when compared to removal of the ovaries and uterus combined.
Female Canine Anatomy
Here’s a simple short course in canine female reproductive anatomy and physiology that will help explain why leaving the uterus behind makes sense. The shape of the uterus resembles the capital letter “Y.” The body of the uterus is the stem and the two uterine horns represent the top bars of the “Y.” An ovary is connected to the free end of each uterine horn by a delicate structure called a fallopian tube (transports the egg from the ovary into the uterus).
While the uterus has only one purpose (housing developing fetuses), the ovaries are multitaskers. They are the source of eggs of course and, in conjunction with hormones released by the pituitary gland, ovarian hormones dictate when the female comes into heat and becomes receptive to the male, when she goes out of heat, when she ovulates, and when her uterus is amenable to relaxing and stretching to house developing fetuses.
After the ovaries (and the hormones they produce) have been removed from the body, the uterus remains inert. The dog no longer shows symptoms of heat, nor can she conceive. Additionally, any chance of developing ovarian cystic disease or cancer is eliminated.
Better Outcomes with OVE
What happens when we leave the uterus behind? Isn’t it subject to becoming diseased later in life? Actually, the incidence of uterine disease in dogs whose ovaries have been removed is exceptionally low. Pyometra (pus within the uterus), is the most common uterine disorder in unspayed dogs, and typically necessitates emergency surgery to remove the uterus.
Without the influence of progesterone, a hormone produced by the ovaries, pyometra does not naturally occur. The incidence of uterine cancer is extremely low in dogs (0.4 percent of all canine tumors) – hardly a worry, and studies have shown that the frequency of adult onset urinary incontinence (urine leakage) is the same whether or not the uterus is removed during the spay procedure.
If you are not already convinced that the “new spay is the better way,” consider the following complications that can be mitigated or avoided all together when the uterus remains unscathed:
Compared to an OVH, an OVE requires less time in the operating room. This translates into decreased likelihood of anesthetic complications.
Removal of the uterus requires that the surgeon perform more difficult ligations (tying off of large blood vessels and surrounding tissues with suture material before making cuts to release the organs from the body). A uterine body ligation that isn’t tied quite tightly enough can result in excessive bleeding into the abdominal cavity and may necessitate blood transfusions and/or a second surgery to stop the bleeding.
The ureters (thin delicate tubes that transport urine from each kidney to the bladder) run adjacent to the body of the uterus. If a surgeon is not being extremely careful, it is possible to ligate and obstruct a ureter in the course of removing the uterus. This devastating complication requires a second corrective surgery; however, damage to the affected ureter and adjoining kidney may be irreversible.
Removal of the uterus occasionally results in the development of a “stump granuloma” – a localized inflammatory process that develops within the small portion of uterus that is left behind. When this occurs a second “clean up surgery” is typically required.
We know that the degree of post-operative patient discomfort correlates with the degree of surgical trauma. No question, of the two surgical options the OVH creates more trauma.
European veterinarians have been performing OVEs rather than OVHs for years. In fact, the bulk of the research supporting the benefits of leaving the uterus behind has been conducted in Europe.
Slowly, veterinarians in the United States are catching on, and some veterinary schools are now preferentially teaching OVE rather than OVH techniques to their students.
What should you do if you are planning to have your dog spayed? Talk with your veterinarian about this article. Perhaps OVE surgery is already his or her first choice. If not, perhaps your vet will be willing to take a fresh look at performing this old-fashioned surgery.
Nancy Kay, DVM, is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) and recipient of the American Animal Hospital Association 2009 Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award. She is also author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life, and a staff internist at VCA Animal Care Center in Rohnert Park, California.
Teaching is the best way to learn. I know I’m not the first person to realize this, but it feels profound every time I remember it.
I’ve been working with volunteers at my local shelter, trying to teach everybody a little basic positive dog training, so that all the people who take dogs out of their indoor kennels for exercise, recreation, and socialization are on the same page.
We have several goals. Of course we want to make the dogs more comfortable, with a chance to eliminate outdoors, to breathe some fresh air, and have some room to run around or time to just lie in the sun and decompress from the stress of the loud indoor kennels.
We also want to help the dogs become more appealing to potential adopters. People are much more likely to consider a dog who knows even one or two basic good manners behaviors, such as “sit if you want me to open the gate” and “when in doubt, sit.”
I’ve noticed that as soon as you mention “training” to a motivated group of inexperienced dog lovers, however, almost immediately they start jerking dog leashes, kneeing jumping dogs in the chest, and saying “NO!” a lot. So my orientation speech to each potential volunteer starts out as a blatant sales pitch for positive training.
Otto is My Model
I have my dog Otto constantly in mind as I’m working with the volunteers. I adopted Otto from these very kennels on June 13, 2008. He was absolutely no different from most of the dogs in the kennels today. He was an adolescent, about seven to nine months old. (There are more adolescent dogs than dogs of any other age in shelters everywhere. It’s not hard to know why. They are neither cute puppies nor calmer adults.) He was frightened of humans and most things in the human world. He didn’t know the most basic good manners behavior, not even “sit.” His cage card indicated that he had a “rap sheet” for murder – chicken murder, that is. He had been in the shelter for almost two months.
Today, though, he’s the best-behaved, most reliable, and fun dog I’ve ever owned. Not coincidentally, he’s the first dog I’ve ever trained from day one with positive methods only – and I can’t believe what a difference it has made.
Me and my last dog, a Border Collie named Rupert, were also very bonded, but this is different. Otto’s actions and expressions convey a deeper trust in me than Rupert had. Otto is also far more motivated to try to figure out what I want, and unafraid to offer one behavior after another in an effort to puzzle out what might earn him my attention, praise, or a treat.
I owned Rupe for a number of years before I was asked to serve as the founding editor of Whole Dog Journal. I had never before been exposed to positive training for dogs – although I had been exposed to many different types of force-free horse training. Somehow, it never occurred to me to seek out similar methods for training my dog.
As a result, I used a certain amount of force-based training in Rupert’s early years. He was a classic sensitive, “soft” Border Collie, so all that was usually needed to “correct” his behavior was a stern verbal reprimand or an occasional leash correction. Not a big deal, right? Wrong! These seemingly minor transgressions on Rupe’s sensitive psyche meant that he developed into a dog who, when in doubt, would become very still. “I’m not sure what to do, but I don’t want to make a mistake and get yelled at . . . so I’ll just sit here and not look at her and hope she forgets about me.” And because I didn’t know any better, I took this for good training; because I had a dog who wasn’t being bad, I thought I had a well-behaved dog.
I suppose some people would say he was a “calm, submissive” dog.
I now know that what I really had was a cautious dog – one who knew me as someone who might scare or hurt him if he did the wrong thing.
Otto, by nature or nurture, is cautious, too. He can get frightened by new things, unfamiliar places, and loud sounds. However, he’s not afraid of me. He is not afraid or reluctant to come to me, ever. When I ask him to do something he’s not sure about, he’s like a kid whose hand shoots up every time the teacher asks a question, whether he knows the answer of not. He tries something, anything, because the odds are really good that he’ll win a prize just for trying, and there is no chance whatsoever that there will be a scary consequence if he gets the answer wrong. He likes learning; he can’t wait for a chance to “play” the training “game.”
Do No Harm to Your Dog
Neither I nor the other volunteers are there to form deep relationships with the shelter dogs. Nor is our goal to truly train the dogs. We’re there to help the dogs get adopted. The best way to accomplish this is to increase the dogs’ initial appeal; realistically, we don’t have the resources to accomplish much more than that.
But I’m adamant that we should also do no harm whatsoever. The animals in the shelter have already had enough misfortune for a lifetime; they really don’t need to learn any more about man’s potential for abuse. We’re not doing them any favors if they learn to trust humans even less, or to associate strangers with being smacked, reprimanded, yanked on the neck, or kneed in the chest – no matter their own behavior.
This is a tough concept for most people to grasp. I’m no anthropologist, but humans seem to be natural punishers. It’s not instinctive to turn the other cheek – butt cheek, that is! – when a large rowdy dog jumps on you; most people almost automatically swat at the dog. And it’s difficult to train inexperienced handlers to quickly respond to any more desirable behavior from the dog (such as standing, sitting, lying down, or walking away) with something the dog finds rewarding (food, petting, verbal praise, eye contact). It’s hard enough to even get people to recognize behaviors like standing, sitting, lying down, and walking away as “a big improvement” or “very good!” And yet, compared to jumping up, they are!
Proud Accomplishment
I know it’s instinctive for most people to attempt to “correct” obnoxious – and typical – shelter dog behavior such as barking, jumping up, and pulling on the leash. But instead of “correcting” them (the volunteers), I try to show them how well it works to simply ignore the undesired behaviors and quickly reinforce good (or better) ones. Fortunately, it works. It works in the short term – I can almost always demonstrate how well it works within minutes, with even the rowdiest, most frustrated, and most physically restless dogs in the shelter. And it works over the long term; Otto is exhibit A.
Best of all, these methods can be taught quickly enough for the volunteers to make obvious progress with the shelter dogs in just a single session. You can see them experiencing the joy of accomplishment when they see fast, positive results. It helps them enjoy working with the dogs so much more. So they come back more often. And the dogs get out more, and get more training. Win-win-win, to infinity. I love this stuff. Nancy Kerns is Editor of WDJ.
There are some things every caring, responsible dog owner needs. Whether you are a longtime dog owner, have just acquired your first canine companion, or are still in the planning process to adopt a dog, it’s important that you have the basic tools that make life with a canine family member run smoothly. Some seem obvious – a collar, leash, food dish – but even those aren’t always as simple as they appear. Here’s a comprehensive look at the right stuff to have on hand to help your dog-keeping go smoothly.
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Training equipment Pretty much every dog owner has a collar and a leash for her dog. But do you have the right ones?
Collars and leashes
Call me simple, but my favorite leash-attachment appliance is still the plain old flat collar. Since many of us have stopped jerking dogs around, the dog training industry has devised a lot of tools to help with control in ways that are gentler than the old-fashioned choke chains and prong collars, or (heaven forbid!) shock collars. I do recommend and use front-clip control harnesses for training purposes – but since they can’t be left on the dog all the time, there’s still the need for a regular collar as a place to hang ID tags, if nothing else.
Attributes I look for in a collar: Strength; quality materials and stitching (pay special attention to the quality of any buckles); and ease of adjustment.
The same selection criteria apply to leashes. In my opinion, six feet is the perfect leash length for normal activities; it’s long enough to give your dog a reasonable “loose leash zone,” but short enough so that you can keep him out of trouble.
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I remember when trainers insisted on leather leashes only for training, claiming that leather was softer on the hands – you know, with all that jerking on the choke chain. It’s still true that leather is easier on the hands than a hard nylon leash; even though we’re no longer yanking on the leash, some dogs do pull hard. But there are some wonderfully soft nylon and hemp leashes available now, too.
Soft, high-quality leather collars and leashes – J and J Dog Supplies: jjdog.com; (800) 642-2050
Wonderfully soft nylon collars and leashes – White Pine Outfitters: whitepineoutfitters.com; (715) 372-5627
Comfy and attractive hemp collars and leashes – earthdog.com; (877) 654-5528
Identification
Speaking of ID tags – your dog should wear one, along with a license, on his collar at all times. If you’re worried about him getting the tags caught in a heater vent or wedged in a crack in his crate, you can rivet the tags to his collar. Or, get one of these neoprene tag pouches, which both contain the tags and keep them quiet.
Quirt Spot Pet Tag Silencer – Itzadog.com; (800) 961-2364
Additional Training Gear
A few more items can make handling your dog exponentially easier. A tab – a short, 4-inch or 6-inch leash attached to your dog’s collar – can be a useful item. Tabs are especially helpful for dogs who don’t like their collars grabbed, but also for any time you might need an unobtrusive “handle” for your dog. You can make one by cutting an old leash to the appropriate length; they are also available from White Pine Outfitters (see contacts for leashes and collars, left).
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You might also want to have a light line or long line in your supply closet, for those times when you want to give your dog more freedom but you’re not ready to let him off-leash. A dog can get a lot of exercise on a light line or long line in an open field, and it’s a perfect opportunity to work on recalls. A light line is a thin cord; a long line is normal or slightly narrower nylon leash material, anywhere from 10 to as much as 60 feet long or more. My Scottie wears a light line on all hikes – in woods as well as open fields – but it takes some practice to be able to keep the line from getting tangled in brush and trees. Others use light lines when practicing in unfenced agility fields.
Light Lines and Long Lines – genuinedoggear.com; (813) 920-5241
My favorite front-clip harness is the Freedom Harness, sold by Wiggles, Wags & Whiskers. This harness is made of superior quality materials in the USA, and fits better than many of the other no-pull harnesses I’ve tried on the market.
Head halters were once all the rage in the positive training field, and many trainers, including yours truly, have backed away from using them as we realized how aversive they were for a lot of dogs. Many dogs require a significant amount of conditioning to accept the halter, and even then never really seem to like it, as they take every opportunity to rub their haltered faces on grass, owners’ legs, and furniture. For those dogs who can be conditioned to love them, halters can be a very useful tool, especially for controlling dogs who have aggressive behaviors. Every model on the market fits some dogs better than others, so it’s best if you are able to try different models on your dog to decide which will fit best and bother your dog the least.
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Comfort Trainer Head Halter – ahimsadogtraining.com; (206) 364-4072
New Trix Head Halter – newtrix.ca; (866) 384-2135
Snoot Loop Head Halter – snootloop.com; (718) 891-4200
A reward marker is a word or a sound that lets your dog know the instant he’s earned a reinforcer. It’s an incredibly powerful addition to a positive training program, as it communicates much more clearly to your dog what he’s getting the reward for, than does the simple (and often tardy) delivery of a treat. It makes him a real partner in the program, as he will begin to offer rewardable behaviors deliberately in order to try to make you click the clicker – always a prized moment in a clicker training program.
Some people don’t like using a clicker “gadget.” Or they may love the clicker but know they won’t always have one in their hands when they need it. Never fear, there are many possible reward markers. While a novel sound that is always consistent (the click of the clicker) has advantages, I also teach my dogs a verbal marker, for those times I don’t have a clicker. You can use a mouth-click sound, snap your fingers, use the word “Yes!” in a consistent tone of voice that’s different from the way you would say it in normal conversation, or say “Click!” You can still be a clicker trainer even if you don’t use a clicker, as long as you use some kind of reward marker, and avoid training tools and methods that cause fear or pain. Just remember that your reward marker must always be followed by a high-value reinforcer if you want it to retain its power.
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Any inexpensive clicker from any pet supply store will do the trick. Some people like the ones with a button on the outside of the clicker. I prefer the plain box models that are clicked by pressing a thumb into the box. For sound-sensitive dogs, look for models with especially soft, quiet clicks, such as the i-Click Clicker from Karen Pryor’s Clickertraining Store.
i-Click Clicker – from Karen Pryor’s Clickertraining Store store.clickertraining.com; (800) 472-5425
Basic Dog Care
Every dog has to eat and drink out of some sort of bowl, and when they do, there’s a big advantage to using stainless steel. These utilitarian dishes are not cute – but they are dishwasher-proof, and they won’t rust, shatter, or leach harmful chemicals into everything your dog consumes out of them. Pretty much every pet supply store and catalog has them, so we won’t list sources. Don’t give into the temptation to use anything else.
Another article in this issue (“Buckle Up Your Pup!” on page 4) addresses why you should use a safely secured crate or a harness and canine seat belt every time your dog rides in the car. The Clix Car Safe Harness features a piece of hardware that snaps right into your car’s seat belt mechanism. The Roadie Canine Travel Restraint is a bit more difficult to put on the dog, but it’s designed and built to withstand serious, freeway-speed crashes. I’d feel safe with the Clix around town; I’d want the Roadie if my dog commuted regularly with me on the freeway.
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Clix Car Safe Harness – from Karen Pryor’s Clickertraining Store $20-$35. store.clickertraining.com; (800) 472-5425
Of course no dog’s home would be complete without a supply of canine toys. It’s critical to take the time to figure out your dog’s toy preference, and to work with him to broaden his repertoire of playthings. I let my dogs tell me what their favorite toys are by offering them lots to choose from; I also take the time to teach them games that may not come naturally to them.
Toys don’t have to be expensive or fancy. Tennis balls, sticks, and flying discs are favorites for many dogs (and yes, we know that tennis balls can wear down teeth, sticks can splinter, and dogs can blow their ACLs by leaping in the air, but used with good judgment they can be great toys all the same).
My Scorgidoodle, Bonnie, discovered that tangerines and oranges are wonderful toys (and I like that they don’t wear down teeth!); plus, after three to four days of play they double as a nice healthy snack. She even taught two other canine family members about the joy of fruit-as-toys.
On the commercial side, a good tug toy is a must for many dogs. I prefer tugs that are long enough to keep my dog’s teeth far away from my skin. One of my favorite tug toy sources is Helping Udders, maker of Udder Tugs. They have great tug toys (made with parts from milking machines) and they donate a portion of their proceeds to rescue groups.
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If your dog hasn’t yet learned the joy of tugging, the online dog sports supply store Clean Run offers a unique tug toy that also dispenses food. The “Tug It!” is made of a nylon-polyester mesh and meant to be stuffed with a semi-solid food (like the Natural Balance rolls); the food strains through the toy as your dog tugs. The harder he tugs, the more food he gets.
Also on my list of favorites are interactive toys. A staple for every dog owner is the Kong – a hard rubber toy that is easily stuffed with a dog’s dinner or treats. Filled with soft food, it can even be frozen for longer-lasting entertainment. Kong Company also sells a slew of other wonderful treat-dispensing and interactive toys that you can leave with your dog, unattended.
For toys you and your dog play with together, check out the Nina Ottosson Zooactive toys. We reviewed these toys a couple of years ago (“A Puzzling Activity,” June 2008) and our dogs had a blast! Although they are manufactured in Sweden, you can find these toys for sale through a number of US distributors.
Then there’s that staple, the soft squeaky toy. Countless owners have shelled out big bucks for fancy plush toys, only to find the toys eviscerated, sometimes within minutes of handing them to the dog. A new genre of tougher toys has been developed, including the Tuffy Toys, which are numbered according to their toughness (a “10” is the toughest); and the disconcertingly named Road-Kill toys. The latter are not as durable as the Tuffys, but are double-stitched and contain no stuffing, so at least there’s no mess to clean up, and not as much reinforcement for evisceration.
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We’ve only scratched the surface here of dog toys now on the market. Browse the Internet, check out pet supply catalogs, and go play with your dog!
Udder Tugs – from Helping Udders. $10-$24. helpingudders.com; (620) 488-5488
Tug It! – from Clean Run. $15. cleanrun.com; (800) 311-6503
Kong toys – from Kong Company. $10-$20. kongcompany.com; (303) 216-2626
Nina Ottosson toys – can be viewed at nina-ottosson.com. $40 and up from Paw Lickers Bakery and Boutique (pawlickers.com; 888-868-PAWS) and Karen Pryor’s Clickertraining Store (store.clickertraining.com; 800-472-5425)
There are lots of management tools that make life easier for you and your dog. Crates, once available only in “basic kennel wire,” now come in all kinds of designer styles suitable for any décor. Check out In the Company of Dogs for a wide variety of attractive crates, pens, and gates that will keep your canine pal out of trouble, and your home out of harm’s way. Less attractive but more utilitarian offerings can be found in most pet supply stores and in catalog/website stores like Drs. Foster & Smith.
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Designer crates – from In the Company of Dogs, $149 and up inthecompanyofdogs.com; (877) 757-3477
Airline–style crates – from Drs. Foster & Smith, $25 and up drsfostersmith.com; (800) 381-7179
Chaos would reign in my household without the judicious use of portable gates. We have one at the bottom of the stairs to our second floor, so our cats can have a domain of peace and quiet without having to keep one eye open for dogs. Our living room is gated, too, so we can limit our dogs’ access to that area to those times when we are with them. A third gate blocks off one upstairs bathroom, where the cats’ food bowls and litter boxes rest safely out of reach of dogs.
I prefer pressure-mounted gates with a latch that you can open and walk through (instead of climbing not-so-gracefully over) to those that actually screw into the door frame. If we need to change the position of the gates, it’s easy to move a pressure-mounted barrier to another location, without leaving holes to be patched. These hold up well to all but the most determined gate crashers, and can be found in tall versions if you have a dog who delights in bounding over them. Pet Gates Direct has a large selection of gates, including wide ones, especially tall ones, and one with a cat door at the bottom so your feline family members can come and go with impunity.
Gates – from Pet Gates Direct, wide variety of styles and materials (and prices). pet-gates-direct.com; (407) 349-2525
Tethers are another useful tool for keeping your dog under wraps – indoors, within your presence. Attached to a secure object (think grand piano for those large, strong dogs!) a tether can, among other things, prevent counter-surfing, manage intra-pack issues, and help teach polite greetings to visitors. A good source for tethers is BADDogs Inc. Family Dog Training.
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Tethers – from BADDogs Inc. Family Dog Training, $8-$12. baddogsinc.com; (951) 283-2101
One of your best management tools is a solid, visible, fence (see “Fence Sense,” May 2009). While I don’t advocate ever leaving your dog in his yard when you’re not home to supervise, a fenced yard offers your dog off-leash playtime without the added worry of him taking off to visit the neighbors (or having the neighbors’ aggressive dogs enter your electronically “fenced” yard and attack your dog). Absent a fenced yard, you must always go out with your dog if you want to be sure he stays safe and close to home.
Dog care professionals
It turns out that it takes a village to raise a dog properly, too. Research and interview the following dog care professionals before you need them!
Your dog’s veterinarian is a key part of keeping your dog healthy and happy for the 12 to 18 years he’s going to be with you. Take the time to find a veterinarian you like – one who patiently answers your questions, explains thoroughly the nature of any treatments your dog needs, and is willing to work with you to make important decisions regarding your dog’s health. Take extra care to be sure your veterinarian understands and supports your positive approach to training and handling, and is open to your requests to custom-tailor your dog’s vaccinations and treatments to fit your desires. Tell her that you intend to be present for all procedures, and make sure she will accommodate that.
You can find veterinarians in your area online or in the yellow pages. Ask your dog-owning friends about the veterinarians they use. Make an appointment to meet and interview the vets you select (be prepared to pay for their time), and select the one you feel good about. If you are looking for a holistic veterinarian, contact the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association to find a practitioner near you: ahvma.org; (410) 569-0795.
Your pet sitter will interact with your dog in your absence, so it’s even more critically important that you are comfortable with his methods and ethics. Make sure he understands and will comply with your wishes regarding equipment use (no shock or prong collars!) and handling techniques – positive only, no alpha rolls, finger pinches, or other punitive corrections. Be clear if you are comfortable (or not!) with your sitter walking multiple dogs at a time, or allowing your dog to interact with other dogs.
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A professional sitter will provide a contract that clearly spells out expectations and responsibilities on both sides. In addition to searching the Internet and phone book, ask friends, your veterinarian, and your local shelter for pet sitter referrals. Your professional pet sitter will probably be a member of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (petsitters.org or 856-439-0324). You can search on its website for a certified pet sitter near you.
Select your dog’s training and behavior professionals carefully. There are no legal requirements in the U.S. for someone to call themselves a dog trainer. Trainers who care about professional standards pursue ongoing education, membership in and certification offered through one or more of a number of organizations, such as:
Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. CPDTs are required to have at least 300 hours of training experience, provide references, and pass a written test. The CCPDT is working on a second level of certification for behavior consultants. You can search for CPDTs at ccpdt.org or call (212) 256-0682 for a reference to a trainer near you.
International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. The IAABC offers certification for behavior work with a variety of species, including dogs, cats, horses, and birds. You can find Certified Dog Behavior Consultants (CDBC) at iaabc.org or write to IAABC, 565 Callery Road, Cranberry Township, PA 16066.
Karen Pryor Certified Trainer. Karen Pryor is a former marine mammal trainer and author of the landmark book, Don’t Shoot the Dog, which launched the positive training movement. Pryor now offers certification via “Karen Pryor Trainers” around the country (and soon in Australia). KPCTs do extensive online study, apply that training to their own dogs, and attend several hands-on training weekends with their designated instructors to demonstrate their own and their dogs’ acquired skills.
Pat Miller Certified Trainer. I now offer certification for trainers who have completed my Level 1 and both Level 2 Academies (Behavior Modification and Instructor’s Course) and an additional level of certification for my Level 3 Behavior Study course. Students in the Level 1 and Instructor’s Courses work with shelter dogs, and usually bring their own dogs for behavior modification. The second level of certification requires submission of CEUs for ongoing study.
Certification is also available for groomers. You can find a certified groomer through the National Dog Groomers Association of America (nationaldoggroomers.com or 724- 962-2711). All of the prior cautions hold true here as well; if you leave your dog in someone else’s hands, you must trust that they will be as gentle and caring with her as you are.
I discussed doggie daycare providers last month, in “Doggie Daycare: Yay! Or Nay?” If daycare is in your dog’s future, be sure to check out the facility thoroughly, using the criteria described in the November article. Some daycare facilities are terrific; some, not so much.
Pat Miller, CPDT-KA, CDBC, is WDJ’s Training Editor. Miller lives in Fairplay, Maryland, site of her Peaceable Paws training center. Pat is also author of several books on positive training.
Our Corgi, Lucy, barks at the television. Not only does she bark at dogs, she may also bark at horses, giraffes, cartoon hippopotami, and any other animal or ersatz animal, as well as menacing human figures. It’s at least a little annoying, if not irritating. Given her herding-dog Type-A control-freak personality she may always be somewhat prone to respond to television stimuli, but we’ve made a lot of progress using several of these tactics:
1. Put your dog in a covered crate or in another room.
If your dog’s TV triggers are specific and visual-only, just blocking his view of the television can keep him calm and allow you to watch Victoria Stillwell’s “It’s Me or the Dog” training show without interruption from your canine pal.
Note: If you watch a lot of Animal Planet and National Geographic and your dog alerts to lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) as well as other canines, this might be too much separation during a prime bonding time of the day.
2. Lower the volume.
Simply lowering the volume to a level where you – and no doubt your dog – can still hear it but it’s not as overwhelming to him, can sometimes forestall a bark-fest. As long as you can keep the volume below your dog’s reaction threshold and still hear the television yourself, you can watch in peace.
3. Plug in your ears.
If it’s mostly auditory stimuli that get your dog going, you can use headphones to listen to your favorite dog-arousing shows.
If you have a large family, you’ll have to be more electronically adept than me to figure out how to get everyone plugged in. If your dog is also visually aroused, just tuning out the sound won’t be enough.
4. Cover your dog’s eyes and ears.
I’m not joking! If we’re watching a show and an animal comes on briefly that starts to set Lucy off, I can gently place my hand over her eyes until the offender is off-screen. She doesn’t object, and it keeps the peace.
Another option for more thorough ear covering is Mutt Muffs. Yes, these are ear muffs for dogs! They were originally designed to protect the hearing of dogs flying in small planes. They are available here.
Doggles (sunglasses for dogs) can be used to help reduce your dog’s visual stimuli. Find a local retailer by checking doggles.com or calling (866) 364-4537.
5. Implement a behavior modification protocol.
Television reactivity is a golden opportunity crying out for counter-conditioning and desensitization, to give your dog a new association with and response to the stimuli on your big screen. It’s a simple training procedure that still allows you to be a couch potato yourself!
Just arm yourself with a Tupperware container of high-value treats cut into pea-sized pieces and turn on your favorite dog program or doggie DVD. Try this first with the television set at normal volume, but be prepared to turn it down if necessary.
Sit on the sofa with your dog on leash at your feet, or on the cushion next to you, if that’s his normal hang-out spot. The instant he notices Dogzilla (or some other threatening on-screen entity) begin feeding him tidbits, one after the other, using the treat to draw his head toward you. Ideally, begin feeding before he has a chance to bark. If you miss that moment and he barks, feed him anyway. If he’s too aroused to eat your high value treats, decrease the intensity of stimulus by reducing volume or moving farther away from the television, or by using one of the tools in tactic #4.
After feeding a few treats, pause, let your dog look back at the screen, then feed him again. Continue doing this until the bark-inducing figure has left the screen. Then sit back and wait for the next opportunity. (Don’t forget to subtract calories from his dinner bowl roughly equivalent to the calories you feed during TV training.)
If you do this consistently, you’ll see your dog begin to glance at you for treats when a dog comes on the screen rather than going into arousal mode. When your dog consistently associates the dogs on TV with “Yay, treats!” you can gradually wean him off the high-value, high-rate delivery and move to an occasional bit of cookie to keep the association strong.
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, lives in Fairplay, Maryland, site of her Peaceable Paws training center.
I’ve had a number of older owners book lessons with me lately—more than half a dozen individuals and couples in their 70s and even 80s, all wanting some training help with their new dogs or puppies.
