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Dog Mounting and Dog Dominance Behavior

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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15
Dog mounting behavior is an embarrassing nuisance.

HUMPING PROBLEMS IN DOGS: OVERVIEW

1. Watch for early signs of mounting, and take appropriate steps to discourage them as soon as they arise.

2. Neuter your male dog sooner, rather than later.

3. Use “Good Manners” training and a “Say Please” program (described below) to create structure in your household and give yourself a control advantage.

4. Seek assistance from a positive trainer/behavior consultant if you’re not making progress on your own, or if you don’t feel comfortable addressing the behavior on your own.

Luke had been at the shelter for more than a month, and the staff was delighted when the two-year-old Cattle Dog mix was finally adopted to what seemed like the perfect home. Introductions at the shelter with the adopter’s other dog went reasonably well – although the two didn’t romp together, they seemed perfectly willing to peacefully coexist. Luke went to his new home just before Christmas. Before New Year’s, he was returned.

Her cheeks damp with tears, the adopter explained that the two dogs were fighting. Luke insisted on mounting Shane. Shane would tolerate the rudeness for a while, but when he finally let Luke know that he found the behavior unacceptable, a battle would ensue. The intensity of the fights was increasing, and the adopter was concerned that one or both of the dogs was going to be badly injured. I discussed the situation with her, and agreed that returning Luke was the right decision.

Dog Mounting is NOT About Sex

Dog Mounting

First, we’re not talking about sexual behavior displayed by intact male and female dogs used for breeding. High hormone levels and normal sexual responses to other intact dogs are different from “problem mounting.” Sometimes, an owner will report that when her young dog plays with other dogs, he gets overstimulated and will attempt to mount another dog or even just “air-hump” for a few seconds. In preadolescent and neutered dogs, this is generally a byproduct of physiologic arousal – an inappropriate response triggered by sensory stimuli, motor activity, and/or emotional reactivity.

The dog who is most likely to be reported as having a real mounting problem is the dog who routinely mounts people, or, like Luke, who mounts other dogs to the point of provocation. This sort of mounting behavior has nothing to do with sexual activity. Rather, it’s often a social behavior, and sometimes a stress reliever. Nonsexual mounting of other dogs is generally a dominance, control, or challenge behavior, although when practiced by puppies it’s primarily about play and social learning, beginning as early as 3-4 weeks. Mounting of humans is strictly nonsexual; it may be about control, it can be attention-seeking, and it can be a stress-reliever.

Dogs will also mount inanimate objects. Our Pomeranian will hump our sofa cushions if we leave the house and take all the other dogs with us. While some dogs do sometimes masturbate for pleasure, in Dusty’s case I’m convinced he’s not seizing a moment of privacy for self-gratification, but rather mounts the cushions as a way to relieve his stress of being left home alone.

In fact, if dogs did wait for some private time to engage in their mounting behaviors, most owners would be far less concerned about it. But dogs, having no shame, are far more likely to take advantage of a visit from the boss or the in-laws to display their leg-hugging prowess. Regardless of how much you love your dog, it’s embarrassing to have him pay such inappropriate attention to your guests.

Get Your Dog to Stop Humping

Like a good many canine behaviors that we humans find annoying, inconvenient, or embarrassing, mounting is a perfectly normal dog behavior. And like other such annoying, inconvenient, and embarrassing behaviors, it’s perfectly reasonable for us to be able to tell our dogs to stop mounting!

Brief bouts that involve mounting of other dogs in canine social interactions might be acceptable, as long as they don’t lead to bloodletting or oppression of the mountee. Mounting of human body parts rarely is, nor is mounting that, as in Luke’s case, leads to dogfights.

So, if there’s a Luke whose mounting behavior is wreaking havoc in your family pack, what do you do?

The longer your dog practices his mounting behavior, the harder it is to change. So it’s logical that the sooner you intervene in your dog’s unacceptable mounting, the better your chances for behavior modification success.

Neutering is an obvious first step. A 1976 study found an 80 percent decrease in mounting behavior following castration. (This is far more often a male dog behavior problem than a female one.) The same study determined that within 72 hours of surgery, the bulk of hormones have left the dog’s system. Since mounting is partially a learned behavior as well as hormone-driven, the extent to which neutering will help will be determined at least in part by how long the dog has been allowed to practice the behavior. Just one more strong argument for juvenile sterilization, between the ages of eight weeks and six months, rather than waiting for your dog to mature.

When Your Dog Humps Other Dogs

Luke, at age two, had been practicing his mounting behavior for many months. In addition, as a mostly Cattle Dog, he was assertive and controlling. When Shane attempted to voice his objections, Luke let him know that he would brook no resistance. Shane, a Shepherd/Husky mix, also had an assertive personality, so rather than backing down in the face of Luke’s assertions of dominance, he fought back. Neither dog was willing to say “Lassie,” and so the battles escalated.

In contrast, we later introduced Shane to a somewhat timid but playful four-month-old Lab puppy. Dunkin also attempted to mount Shane in puppy playfulness. But when Shane snapped at Dunkin, the pup backed off apologetically; in a short time the two were playing together, with only occasional puppy attempts to mount, which were quickly quelled by a dirty look from the older dog. No harm, no foul.

Similarly, you will need to work harder to convince your adult, well-practiced dog to quit mounting other dogs than you will a young pup, and there’s more potential for aggression if the recipient of unwanted attentions objects.

With both young and mature dogs, you can use time-outs to let your dog know that mounting behavior makes all fun stop. A tab (short, 4- to 6-inch piece of leash) or a drag-line (a 4- to 6-foot light nylon cord) attached to your dog’s collar can make enforcement of time-outs faster and more effective when you have to separate dogs – as well as safer.

Set your dog up for a play date with an understanding friend who has an understanding dog. Try to find a safely fenced but neutral play yard, so that home team advantage doesn’t play a role. If a neutral yard isn’t available, the friend’s yard is better than your own, and outdoors is definitely preferable to indoors.

When you turn the dogs out together, watch yours closely. It’s a good idea to have some tools on hand to break up a fight, should one occur.

If there’s no sign of mounting, let them play. Be ready to intervene if you see the beginning signs of mounting behavior in your dog. This usually occurs as play escalates and arousal increases, if it didn’t happen at the get-go.

As a first line of defense, try subtle body-blocking. Every time your dog approaches the other with obvious mounting body postures, step calmly in front of your dog to block him. If you’re skilled, you may be able to simply lean your body forward or thrust out a hip or knee to send him the message that the fun’s about to stop. This is more likely to work with a younger dog, who is likely to be less intense about his intent to mount. Be sure not to intervene if your dog appears to be planning appropriate canine play.

If body blocking doesn’t work, as gently and unobtrusively as possible, grasp your tab or light line, then cheerfully announce, “Time out!” and lead your dog to a quiet corner of the play yard. Sit with him there until you can tell that his arousal level has diminished, and then release him to return to his playmate. If necessary, have your friend restrain her dog at the same time so he doesn’t come pestering yours during the time out.

Keep in mind that the earlier you intervene in the mounting behavior sequence, the more effective the intervention, since your dog has not had time to get fully involved in the behavior. Also, it’s important that you stay calm and cheerful about the modification program. Yelling at or physically correcting your dog increases the stress level in the environment, making a fight more likely, not less.

With enough repetitions, most dogs will give up the mounting, at least for the time being. With an older dog for whom the habit is well ingrained, you may need to repeat your time-outs with each new play session, and you may need to restrict his playmates to those who won’t take offense to his persistently rude behavior. With a pup or juvenile, the behavior should extinguish fairly easily with repeated time outs, especially if he is neutered. Just keep an eye out for “spontaneous recovery,” when a behavior you think has been extinguished returns unexpectedly. Quick re-intervention with body blocks or time-outs should put the mounting to rest again.

Does Your Dog Only Hump Humans?

This embarrassing behavior is handled much the same way as dog-dog mounting. One difference is that you must educate your guests as to how they should respond if your dog attempts his inappropriate behavior.

Another difference is that some dogs will become aggressive if you physically try to remove them from a human leg or other body part. It works best to set up initial training sessions with friends who agree to be human mounting posts for training purposes, rather than relying on “real” guests to respond promptly and appropriately, at least until your dog starts to get the idea.

For your average, run-of-the-mill human mounting, ask your guests to stand up and walk away if your dog attempts to get too cozy. Explain that it is not sexual behavior, but rather attention-seeking, and anything they try to do to talk him out of it will only reinforce the behavior and make it worse. You can also use a light line here, to help extricate your friends from your dog’s embrace, and to give him that oh-so-useful “Time out!” If the behavior is too disruptive, you can tether the dog in the room where you are socializing, so he still gets to be part of the social experience without repeatedly mugging your guests.

If your dog becomes aggressive when thwarted, he should be shut safely away in his crate when company comes. Social hour is not an appropriate time to work on aggressive behavior – it puts your guests at risk, and prevents all of you from being able to relax and enjoy the occasion.

If your dog becomes growly, snappy, or otherwise dangerous when you try to remove him from a human, you are dealing with serious challenge and control behavior. You would be wise to work with a good behavior consultant who can help you stay safe while you modify this behavior. The program remains essentially the same – using time outs to take away the fun every time the behavior happens – but may also involve the use of muzzles, and perhaps pharmaceutical intervention with your veterinarian’s assistance, if necessary.

Do Dogs Masturbate?

Dog owners are often surprised to discover that some dogs masturbate. Our diminutive Dusty discovered early in life that he was just the right height to stand over a raised human foot and engage in a little self-pleasuring if the person’s legs were crossed. We squelched that behavior as soon as we realized what the heck he was doing.

There’s no harm in it, as long as the objects used are reasonably appropriate (say, a washable stuffed animal that’s his alone, as opposed to your favorite sofa cushions), and it doesn’t become obsessive. Removing an inappropriate object or resorting to time outs can redirect the behavior to objects that are more acceptable.

I’ve also known dogs to engage in push-ups on carpeting as a way to enjoy self-stimulation. You can use the time out if your dog chooses to do it in front of your guests, or whenever he does it in the “wrong” room (such as on the living room Berber), and leave him alone when he’s in the “right” room (such as on the indoor-outdoor carpet on the back porch).

If your dog practices the behavior to a degree that appears obsessive – a not uncommon problem in some animals, especially in zoos – then you may need some help with behavior modification.

A behavior is generally considered obsessive when it is causes harm to the animal or interferes with his ability to lead a normal life. If your dog is rubbing himself raw on the Berber carpet, or spends hours each day having fun in the bedroom, that’s obsessive behavior. There are behavior modification programs that can help with canine obsessive/compulsive disorders, and they often require pharmaceutical intervention, especially if the obsession is well-developed.

Other Ways to Modify Humping Behavior

In addition to specific behavior modification programs for mounting behavior, a “Say Please” program can be an important key to your ultimate success. No, we’re not suggesting you allow your dog to do inappropriate mounting if he says “please” first! A Say Please program requires that he perform a deferent behavior, such as “sit,” before he gets any good stuff, like dinner, treats, petting, or going outside. This helps create structure in the pack, and constantly reminds him that you are in charge and in control of all the good stuff. Since a fair amount of mounting has to do with control, Say Please is right on target.

“Good Manners” classes are also of benefit when you are mounting your defense against your mounting dog’s behavior. If he’s trained to respond promptly to cues, the “ask for an incompatible behavior” technique can serve to minimize mounting. If you see your dog approaching a guest with a gleam in his eye, your “Go to your place” cue will divert him to his rug on the opposite side of the room. He can’t “Down” and mount a leg at the same time. Nor can he do push-ups on the rug if he is responding to your request for a “Sit.”

If you start early and are consistent about discouraging your dog’s inappropriate mounting, you should be successful in making the embarrassing behavior go away.

Pat Miller, WDJ’s Training Editor, is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer, and past president of the Board of Directors of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. She is also the author of, The Power of Positive Dog Training and, Positive Perspectives: Love Your Dog, Train Your Dog.

Dogs Playing in The Garden

By
Nancy Kerns
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1

by Mardi Richmond

Dogs and gardens just naturally go together for me. I like to be outside with my dogs, them playing, me gardening, the birds singing. I enjoy watching my dogs running through the grass, lying on the patio in the afternoon sun, or exploring the scents left by visiting raccoons.

I’m not the only one who thinks dogs and gardens go well together. Cheryl S. Smith is the author of a great new book, Dog Friendly Gardens, Garden Friendly Dogs. She grew up with the commingling of gardens and dogs, and currently shares her home and garden with two dogs. “It never occurred to me that you couldn’t have dogs and gardens together,” she says.

Dogs Playing in The Garden

But a surprising number of people do see a problem with dogs in the garden, and for some very good reasons. With their digging, chewing, and even those annoying yellow spots on the grass, dogs at best can create extra work for gardeners. At worst, a bored or destructive dog can turn a beautiful oasis into a disaster area in a surprisingly short amount of time.

The garden can pose a host of dangers for the dog, too. Too often, the result is that the dog is simply banned from the family garden area, relinquished to a dog run or side yard. But it doesn’t have to be that way!

In fact, one of the reasons Smith wrote Dog Friendly Gardens, Garden Friendly Dogs was because she wanted both garden fanciers who happen to own a dog and dog lovers who have a garden to know that there doesn’t have to be a conflict between the dog and the plants. By keeping the dog’s needs in mind (as well as the needs of people, plants, and wildlife), your dog and garden really can coexist quite happily. By taking it a step further and incorporating special features just for the dog, you can enjoy your garden to the fullest, and enable your outdoor space to enrich your dog’s life!

Getting started
Whether you are starting with a new garden or revamping an already existing garden, taking the time to develop a design or plan that incorporates your dog’s needs can save you a lot of grief. Exactly how do you incorporate your dog’s needs into a garden plan? Begin, as with any garden design, by identifying how the yard is used – in this case, how your dog uses it.

“As far as actual design goes, you should consider how you and your dog will use the yard,” says Smith. For example, a dog will want to be able to get from the exit door to a good vantage point in a hurry – say, from the kitchen door to that tree where the squirrel lives – and will take the most direct route there. Planting a bed of fragile flowers in the middle of that route will only lead to bad feelings, she suggests.

Observe the paths your dogs take when they cruise the yard. Notice where they like to plop down and relax. Is your yard one of the main places your dog gets exercise? Make sure space for running and playing is part of your design. Plan for a potty area, consider where you might need mud control, and if your dog spends more than just a little time outside, don’t forget about shade or shelter from the elements.

You need to consider specifically how your dog may impact the space in his or her garden romps. Every dog brings his or her unique needs. If you have a rowdy dog, you may need to eliminate fragile plants (or devise a way to protect them) and plan for more open romping space. If you have a dog that insists on laying in the one sunny spot in the yard, you may want to think twice about putting your prize tomatoes in that very place.

One of my dogs loves nothing more than to nap in the shade. When I first planted the shady area in my yard, I forgot to consider Blue’s napping habits and put a Calla Lily in her favorite spot. Before I could clean off my shovel, she plopped down on my new plant, squashing its bloom. I could have battled with Blue (though she likely would have won) over her choice of napping spots. Instead, I opted to relocate the Calla Lily elsewhere and fill in the area with Baby Tears. The shade bed both looks great and provides a cushioned bed for my arthritic dog.

Now that you’ve thought about your dogs’ needs, look at what you would like to do in your garden. Do you want to entertain guests? Do you like to hang out quietly and read a good book? Do you enjoy tending to plants or growing vegetables? The more you enjoy your garden, the more time you’re likely to spend outside with your dog.

Of course, you may find places where your wants and needs conflict with your dogs’. Then what? “Compromise, compromise, compromise,” says Smith. “If you take the time to learn the basics of how the dog uses the landscape, and design around that, at least to some degree, you can avoid a lot of problems.”

Adding dog-friendly features
In addition to how your dog already uses the landscape, consider what additional features you would to like add. What can you include that will enhance your dog’s garden experience? Smith recommends creating a dog’s “wish list.” Would you and your dog enjoy a place to practice your agility moves? How about a place to toss the ball or play tug together? Would you like to provide your dog with a wading pool for hot summer days? How about a place for the dog to dig where he won’t get yelled at?

“Wish list” items will vary from dog to dog, and garden to garden. Smith notes that when her dogs, Diamond and Nestle, were younger, they really enjoyed having a digging pit. But they seem to have outgrown it. Now, her dogs’ seem to enjoy the large shady area where they can lie in the grass and observe their surroundings. Nestle also enjoys splashing in the pond.

Of course, you may not be able to include everything on your dog’s wish list; not all of us have the space for an agility yard, wading pool, digging pit, patio for entertaining, large shade tree, swing set for the kids, etc. You may have to choose between the dog and people enriching options. Consider including one or two of your dogs’ favorite activities, however. Not only will your dog friends appreciate it, but that wading pool or digging pit can give you a place to focus your dogs’ energy so that they are less likely to trample your roses or snack on your baby carrots.

Choosing plants and materials
Some of the primary considerations for the dog-friendly garden include the safety and comfort of the dog and the protection of the plants. Choosing dog-friendly landscaping plants and other materials can greatly impact both.

For example, incorporating a garden path where your dog naturally runs is a great idea. But, if you use a material on the path that is painful to your dog’s paws, she may run through your plants in spite of your best efforts. For example, small smooth gravel can make an excellent path. Substrates that are uncomfortable on your dog’s pads, such as larger gravel or lava rock, may force her off the path and into the plants.

There are more options for plants and landscaping materials than I could possibly list in this article, and plenty of general gardening books to give you ideas. But some options are tried and true when it comes to landscaping with dogs in mind. Consider your “hardscapes” – the structures, paths, patios, and other nonplant elements in the garden. Cement and stone patios, wood or composite decks, and crushed granite pathways are all options that hold up well under tough dog use. Mulches can provide a nice alternative, especially shredded cedar or small bark chips. Smith includes a detailed chart of the various mulch options along with dog use pros and cons in her book.

Please note that the very popular cocoa mulch (currently being sold in higher end garden centers as “designer” mulch) should be avoided in the dog-friendly garden. It contains theobromine, the same chemical found in chocolate that is poisonous to dogs. Cocoa mulch smells like chocolate and is toxic if eaten.

Be aware of poisonous plants, too. Some very common garden plants, including Morning Glories and Foxglove, can be very toxic to dogs. While most dogs don’t gobble up plants indiscriminately, some dogs and many puppies will put everything in their mouths. Choosing nontoxic plants and supervising your dog or puppy can help you avoid serious problems. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center provides an extensive list of both toxic and nontoxic plants on its Web site at www.aspca.org.

Choosing plants that will be durable around dogs is also an essential aspect of the dog-friendly garden. Some shrubs, like rosemary, lavender, and Mexican sage, do very well in our garden. The dogs can brush against the plants without doing much damage. If they do damage these shrubs, they recover quickly. And, as my friend Lisa points out, when dogs run through the rosemary or lavender, they end up smelling great too!

Certain ground covers also hold up well under dog use. We’ve had good luck with ornamental strawberries and thyme (though dog urine does damage the thyme). I have a gardener acquaintance who is currently experimenting with the ground cover “cape weed” (Arctotheca calendula) in heavy dog use areas. This particular ground cover is not only drought tolerant and very durable, but also damage from toenails and digging seems to actually stimulate growth. In addition, it can be mowed to keep it flat (as a lawn alternative), or left to grow in a clumping fashion where it sprouts yellow flowers throughout the growing season. (Warning: Cape weed grows very much like an out of control weed. It will spread and take over other ground covers and lawn areas if it is not controlled.)

Lawns, you probably know, are a mixed bag with dogs. Our dogs love to romp through the grass, but they also wear “trails” along their favorite paths, leave yellow urine marks, and dig after (but never catch!) our ever-present gophers. We’ve opted for a combination of solutions and compromises, including discouraging the gophers (and thus the digging) and regular reseeding.

Protect your plants and wildlife, too!
The location of your plants can have an impact not only on overall appearance, but also on their durability. For example, planting in dense groupings or clumps can help create a sort of “barrier” that many dogs will naturally go around, especially if you leave paths around and behind the groupings.

Distinctive planting beds – either raised beds or bordered beds – can create natural boundaries that many dogs will easily learn to stay out of. Using a decorative border fencing, if needed, can help enforce the boundaries. Putting particularly fragile plants in pots is another good option.

Consider your dog’s temperament and inclinations about wildlife, too. I love to watch birds, so I want a garden that attracts them. I’ve opted to skip the backyard feeders because one of my dogs likes to hunt. Feeders, which drop seeds on the ground, encourage birds and other small creatures to hang out at the dog’s level. Instead, we’ve planted a slew of flowers that attract hummingbirds, and we leave the fruit and nuts on the top branches of the trees for the songbirds and squirrels. This way, I get to birdwatch without encouraging the animals to come into an unsafe space.

Garden manners
Dogs are smart. They learn to follow our rules fairly easily. Consider the “house rules” you’ve implemented with your dog. They probably include things like not peeing inside, staying off certain furniture, or even out of certain rooms. Dogs can just as easily learn garden rules and good manners.

For example, if you’d like your dog to stay out of your tomato plants (a good idea both because the dog can damage the plants, and the plants can be toxic to dogs), you can teach your dog to respect the boundary of that particular area of the yard. Keep in mind that teaching your dog to stay out of certain areas will be easier if there is a clear delineation (such as a raised bed or border) and you are consistent in your training. This will mean taking the time to teach your dog where the boundary is, and that he or she is not allowed past the boundary. Plus, of course, offering lots of attention and rewards when your dog respects the boundary.

Along with boundary training, Smith suggests training your dog to use a specific potty area if you would like to avoid urine spots on the lawn.

Training a dog to use a specific potty area is similar to housetraining a new puppy. Simply take your dog to the “legal” potty area at regularly scheduled times (like first thing in the morning, after meals, and after play), give your potty cue, and praise or treat the dog for following through. Most adult dogs can learn to use a specific area with a week or two of training, though regular “refresher” exercises can help them keep it up long term.

In addition, Smith suggests incorporating training exercises into your other gardening activities. “You can practice your long down with the dog nearby while you work in the garden,” Smith offers as an example, “then have a play session with the dog as a reward.” You’ll not only work extra training into your day, but also teach dogs that the garden is another place where you would like them to follow your rules.

Digging and destruction
Let’s face it. One of the biggest arguments against having dogs in the garden is that they will destroy plants and landscaping. Many dogs are relegated to a dog run because they dig, chew, or otherwise demolish yards if given the opportunity. And, as you probably know, dogs can do a lot of damage to a garden in a short amount of time. So how can you deal with destructive behavior in the garden? Consider the following approach:

• First, give your dog a legal outlet for her destructive behavior. If your dog digs, for example, build a digging area complete with sand and a distinctive border. Teach your dog that digging in this area is not only OK, but encouraged. If your dog chews, provide him with a safe chewing alternative. If your dog tears around smashing into plants, make sure he gets plenty of off-leash exercise at the dog park.

• Supervise your dog in the garden until he or she learns the “rules.” Unsupervised time that results in destructive behavior will make it much harder for your dog to learn not to be destructive.

• Teach your dog what is okay. Teach her what specific activities are allowed (like running and playing) and where those activities are allowed, by going outside and playing with her!

• Make sure your dog has enough exercise and stimulation. You’ve heard it a million times: A tired dog is a good dog. If my dogs have not had enough exercise, attention, and brain stimulation, they are much more likely to get into trouble in the yard.

In addition, keep in mind that certain behaviors are natural and may be very difficult to train a dog not to do. Consider dogs digging after gophers or moles (especially if your dog is a terrier!). In my opinion, this is an almost impossible behavior to train a dog not to do. You can redirect the digging behavior; try burying stuffed Kongs in the digging pit. But in the case of a diehard gopher hunter, the best option is to eliminate the gophers. Or, if you are like me, and unwilling to do harm to the gophers, keep a bucket of top soil and grass seed available to “repair” the inevitable holes.

Do it for the dog!
You’ve probably figured out by now that there are several approaches to dogs in the garden. There is the “dog-proof” approach that most often means planting only dog-durable and dog-safe plants or delegating the dog to a dog run. There is the “dog-friendly” approach, where the goal is for both plants and dogs to coexist, and involves a combination of planning and training.

But I’d like to encourage you to take the concept of dogs in the garden a step farther. Really think about your garden as being as much for your dog as for you and the plants. Ask yourself, what can your garden do for your dog? How can the garden space enrich his life? This can be especially important for our city dogs! Most importantly, how can you enjoy your garden space together?

Remember that designing with your dog in mind will ultimately result in a more beautiful garden (at the very least it will suffer less damage from the dogs). In addition, your dog will benefit from the stimulation of garden adventures, more exercise, and the joy of having a place to just be a dog!

-Mardi Richmond is a writer, training enthusiast, and amateur gardener who shares her home and developing gardens with her partner and two wonderful dogs, Jesse and Blue.

Canine Urinalysis

By
Randy Kidd
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4

URINALYSIS FOR DOGS: OVERVIEW

1. Don’t hesitate to authorize your veterinarian to perform a urinalysis, especially in older dogs, who are more prone to kidney failure. Even if the results show no problems, they can serve as a baseline in the future.

2. Even though it sounds awful, cystocentesis (using a needle to draw urine directly from the bladder) is the best way to collect a urine sample, and it does not seem to bother dogs.

Urinalysis is a screening test that may be helpful in diagnosing many diseases, but it is an especially important test to perform whenever any urinary tract disease or abnormality is expected. Abnormal appearing urine (cloudy or red colored), difficulty in urinating, abnormal frequency of urination, or abnormal flow are all indications for ordering a urinalysis. The test is noninvasive, relatively easy to interpret, and nearly every veterinary clinic has the reagents and instruments necessary to perform it.

A Test of Kidney Function

Diagnosing Kidney Failure

Urine is the end product of a process of filtration that removes waste products and metabolic end products from the blood serum. In addition, the kidneys help maintain fluid balance in the body by concentrating (or diluting) the kidneys’ filtrate.

The functional unit of the kidney is the nephron, which is comprised of the glomerulus (with its attendant vascular bed that serves as a filtration unit) and the tubule, which modifies the filtrate. From the kidney the filtrate passes through the ureters into the storage organ, the bladder, where it remains until voided via the urethra and external genitalia. Analysis of the sediment of the urine reflects the health of all these structures and the cells that line them.

A complete urinalysis will test the function of the nephrons; provide some indications of the current metabolic status of the animal; and demonstrate the relative fluid status of the body. In addition, the urinalysis evaluates substances in the urine that might indicate ongoing disease.

Urine Analysis

Fresh samples give the best results; samples should be analyzed within two hours, or up to six hours after collection if they have been refrigerated. Samples can be collected via catheter, cystocentesis (removal of urine by using a sterile needle to tap through the abdominal cavity into the bladder), or by catching a mid-stream flow in a clean container – easer said than done, especially with small dogs and females who squat low to the ground.

Each of these collection methods has its advantages and disadvantages, and often, unless you are quick with the catch-jar and quick afoot to deliver it to the vet clinic, it may be easiest to have the technicians collect it at the clinic and read it in-house. Depending on what condition is suspected, there may also be a best time of day for collection; check with your vet.

In the lab, the urine is observed for abnormalities of color or odor; specific gravity is determined by placing a drop of urine on a hand-held instrument called a refracto-meter; and various chemicals in the urine are analyzed by dipping a chemically-impregnated dip stick into the urine and observing color changes. Finally, the sample is centrifuged and the sediment is analyzed under the microscope to detect the presence of cells, casts, crystals, microorganisms, and tumor cells.

Note: Urine provides a welcome place for bacteria to grow; bacterial contamination from the surrounding environment is a common error when a sample is not handled properly or when it is left on the counter for hours before being analyzed.

When I did relief work in different clinics, I often saw stains that had become contaminated with bacteria or yeasts, leaving the clinic staff with the impression that all the urine samples run in their clinic came from infected animals. I made it a habit to put a little stain on a slide and look for bacterial contamination under the microscope before I ran any urine samples.

• Color and odor. Urine color is clear when dilute; it is normally yellowish due to the urochromes in the urine, and the yellow color intensifies when concentrated (i.e., when the animal is dehydrated). Urine can pick up a variety of colors and odors, and these may indicate disease, diet, or drugs. For example, a cloudy appearance may be due to urinary tract cells, bacteria, fat, crystals, or mucus; an examination of the sediment will differentiate among these possibilities. Red colored urine may be due to red blood cells, hemoglobin, recent ingestion of beets, or one of several drugs.

Urine with a strong smell of ammonia may have come from an infected urogenital tract; some bacteria are urea splitters, creating the smell of ammonia.

• Specific gravity. Specific gravity measures the density of the urine, relative to the mass of an equal volume of water, and it is determined by using a refractometer. Osmolality, a measure of the number of solute particles within the urine, may also be used to differentiate diseases.

One of first signs of renal tubular disease is the loss of the concentrating ability of the tubules. Normal canine specific gravity is usually more than 1.030. A specific gravity above or below 1.010 ± 0.002 indicates functional capacity.

A “fixed” specific gravity of 1.008 to 1.012 (isosthenuria) indicates that the tubules are not functioning normally. A specific gravity of less than 1.008 may indicate an early disease condition: diabetes insipidus, hypoadrenocorticism (Addison’s disease), or primary renal disease.

The key word in the above is “fixed.” For example, fluid therapy may temporarily lower the value below 1.008, but if the tubules are functional, the value will return to above 1.012 after therapy has ceased. The specific gravity of a dehydrated dog’s urine may be in excess of 1.030, but after rehydration, he should display more normal values.

While specific gravity is a key assay for determining kidney function, if a problem is suspected, it should always be performed along with tests to determine the dog’s blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine levels to diagnose or rule out renal failure.

“Dip Stick” Tests for Dogs

The following tests – pH, proteins, glucose, ketones, occult blood, and bilirubin – are performed by immersing a “dip stick” into fresh urine and observing color changes due to chemical reactions from the reagents contained in small patches located along the reagent stick.

Some dip sticks also contain reagents for nitrite or leukocyte esterase. A positive nitrite test indicates that bacteria may be present in significant numbers, especially Gram negative rods such as E. coli. Leukocyte esterase measures the presence of white blood cells, whether they are intact or lysed (partially destroyed or dissolved). Thus a positive test indicates infection; a negative test indicates that an infection is unlikely.

• pH. Urine pH is dependent on the animal’s diet. In herbivores it is alkaline; carnivores and omnivores have acid to alkaline urine, depending on the amount of protein in the diet.

Urine acidity may also be caused by starvation, fever, metabolic or respiratory acidosis, prolonged muscular exercise, or administration of acid salts (e.g., ammonium chloride). Urine alkalinity may be due to bacterial infections (cystitis), metabolic or respiratory alkalosis, or ingestion of sodium bicarbonate.

• Proteins. A small quantity of protein passes the glomerular filter but is reabsorbed by the renal tubules; consequently, normal urine is usually negative when tested for protein. In concentrated urine (specific gravity greater than 1.050) a reaction level ranging from trace to 1+ may be normal.

A slight transitory proteinurea may be associated with fever, muscular exercise, or seizures. A false positive may occur with alkaline urine (pH greater than 8.5), and either hemoglobin or myoglobin in the urine may also cause false positive results.

A consistent presence of more than a trace of protein in nonconcentrated urine indicates the need for further diagnostics to determine the cause. Possible causes include: inflammation of the lower urinary tract (or cystitis, which is often accompanied by the presence of urine-discoloring red or white blood cells); abnormalities to the filtration system (glomerulonephritis and renal amyloidosis are the most common causes); or possibly from prostatitis, urethritis, and vaginal or preputial discharges. Rarely, a form of tumor (plasma cell tumor) produces low molecular weight proteins (Bence Jones proteins) that pass through the kidney’s filter, and that may create a positive protein test.

• Glucose. The presence of urinary glucose is a primary screening test for diabetes mellitus. The normal dog’s kidney can reabsorb blood glucose amounts up to about 180 mg/dl, and only amounts over this value will be spilled into the urine.

The dip stick test for glucose should normally be negative. Diabetes mellitus is due to an absolute or a relative lack of insulin and is defined as persistently high glucose (greater than 180-200 mg/dl) in the blood.

There are several artifacts, depending on the type of reagent strip used, that may interfere with dip stick tests for glucose.

False negatives may be caused by refrigerated urine; large amounts of ascorbic acid from high levels of vitamin C or tetracycline therapy (the therapeutic vitamin C interference with test results is especially a consideration if your dog is on high doses of vitamin C); salicylates; or large amounts of protein in the urine.

Falsely increased values may be caused by hydrogen peroxide or bleach (caused by collecting the sample in an old bleach bottle, for example). Also, many antibiotics may cause false positive results.

While the most common cause of glucosuria is diabetes mellitus, there are other physical causes that may elevate blood sugar high enough to be read on the dip stick. Stress may cause a slight and transitory elevation (especially in cats), renal tract hemorrhage, renal tubular dysfunction, and hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s disease).

In addition, there are several breed-specific diseases that are not related to diabetes that cause glucose spillage into the urine. (This glucosuria-causing phenomena has two different etiologies and has been reported in the Basenji, Norwegian Elkhound, Shetland Sheepdog, Miniature Schnauzer, Scottish Terrier, and mixed breeds.)

A positive glucose test in the urine is an indication that a blood glucose test should be performed.

• Ketones. Excessive ketones are produced when the animal is metabolizing fatty acids as an energy source. Slight ketonuria can be seen in malnourished dogs, and it frequently accompanies advanced cases of canine diabetes mellitus.

The odor of ketones can be detected on the breath or in the urine of fasting/starving animals – and, incidently, on the breath of some people who are dieting. The ketone odor indicates the person’s body is metabolizing excess body fat. Some people can detect the odor readily – it smells like fingernail polish remover; others are not as sensitive.

• Occult blood. A positive reaction indicates red blood cells, free hemoglobin (from the breakdown of red blood cells), or myoglobin (a byproduct of muscle breakdown).

A positive reaction must be interpreted in light of what is seen in the sediment. Red blood cells or red cell casts may be seen in the sediment; their presence reflects hemorrhage in the urinary tract.

If RBCs are not seen, the positive reaction may be from hemoglobin, indicating that either the RBCs have broken up in the urine, releasing free hemoglobin, or the positive test may be due to myoglobin, the oxygen-transporting pigment of muscle.

• Bilirubin. Bilirubin is a pigment found in liver bile, and it is formed mainly from the breakdown of red cells and the subsequent release of the hemoglobin they contained.

Bilirubin appears in the urine if there is an increase in the serum concentration. Small amounts (trace to 1+) are normal, but a result of 3+ or higher is significant and indicates the need for an evaluation of the status of the red cells, possibly along with further liver-function tests.

Some Causes of Discolored Urine

Urine Color Possible Causes
Yellowish-orange, green or black Bilirubin
Brown or rust-yellow Metronidazole
Sulfonamides
Red-brown Myoglobin
RBCs
Hemoglobin
Dilantin
Chronic lead or mercury intoxication
Red-purple Porphyrins
Phenolphthalein
Red RBCs
Hemoglobin or myoglobin
Dyes
Beets
Blue Methylene blue
Blue-green Urinary tract infection due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Milky Infection (pyuria)
Dietary fat

Canine Urine Sediment Evaluation

After the urine has been evaluated visually and via the dip stick, the sample is centrifuged, the fluid portion discarded, and the remaining nonfluid and cellular elements evaluated under the microscope. Results are reported in the average number of cells or other elements observed in each high power field (/hpf) or low power field (/lpf). Normal urine collected by cystocentesis contains only small numbers of cells and other formed elements from the urinary tract.

• Leukocytes (white blood cells). Normal values may be 0 to 3/hpf in urine collected by cystocentesis. Increased numbers (pyuria) supports the presence of inflammation (cystitis).

• Erythrocytes (red blood cells). Normal urine may have a few red cells (0 to 3/hpf). Increased numbers indicate inflammation or hemorrhage. If the red cells are seen in a cast (see below), hemorrhage in the kidney is suggested. Blood in the urine (hematuria) may be associated with stones in the urinary system (uroliths), tumors, bacterial infection, trauma, sterile cystitis, a variety of kidney diseases, urinary parasites, and thrombocytopenia (decreased numbers of platelets or thrombocytes, the clot-forming cells in the blood).

• Cells. A few large and small round cells may appear in normal urine, but their numbers may be increased in animals with cystitis, tumors, or other inflammation of the urinary tract. Evaluation of the urine sediment under the microscope is a good way to screen for urinary tract tumors.

• Casts. Urine casts are cylindric molds of the kidney tubules, formed of aggregated proteins or cells within the tubules and then passed into the urine, where they can be seen on microscopic exam. Urine from normal animals contains only a few hyaline casts (2 or less/lpf) or granular (1 or less/lpf). The type of cast present represents a continuum of severity of disease – from mild (hyaline) to more severe (granular) to very severe (waxy). The causes and significance of urine casts are summarized in the box above.

• Bacteria. Bacteria may be introduced to normal urine through the collection process when catheterization or midstream collection are used. Bacteria found in urine collected by cystocentesis indicate an infectious process. If a significant bacterial infection is found, your veterinarian may order or perform a urine Gram stain test to identify the bacteria and determine the most appropriate antibiotic for treatment.

• Yeasts and fungi. These are contaminants, which may have been introduced during collection or through contaminated stains used to evaluate sediment.

• Crystals. Since the appearance of crystals in the urine (crystalluria) may be a normal finding, their presence needs to be evaluated against the pH and concentration of the urine. We look to the pH because some crystals will normally be seen in acid urine; others require an alkaline media to form. For example, triple phosphate crystals are associated with some urinary stone (calculi) formation, but are more often present in alkaline urine without the presence of calculi.

We also consider the concentration of the urine. Crystals detected in dilute urine are more significant than crystals seen in concentrated urine, where more crystals might be expected.

Certain crystals may be of diagnostic significance. For example: cystine crystals may be associated with cystine uroliths, ammonium biurate suggests liver insufficiency, and ethylene glycol (antifreeze) toxicity often creates a characteristic Maltese cross crystal.

• Sperm. Sperm are found in about one fourth of urine samples taken by cystocentesis from intact males and recently bred females. In unneutered males, a certain number of misguided sperm must swim through the vas deferens (the exit tube of the testes) via the ejaculatory duct, through the prostate into the urethra, and then into the bladder. In the female, errant sperm, splashed about the female’s vulva during breeding, must be able to swim via the urethra into her bladder.

Interpreting Urine Casts

Type of Cast Associated With Interpretation
Hyaline Protein in the urine Insignificant
Epithelial Kidney tube sloughing Acute severe tubular damage
Cellular to granular Tubular epithelial cell degeneration Suggests tubular disease
Waxy They develop from cellular and epithelial casts Indicate a chronic tubular lesion
Leukocyte (white blood cell) Kidney inflammation Suggests kidney infection
Erythrocyte (red blood cell) Hemorrhage Usually the result of trauma

Final Diagnosis from a Urinalysis

Although the urinalysis may be the most straightforward of the diagnostic tests available, there is still a touch of art-form in its interpretations. It is an inexpensive test, and almost every veterinary clinic can perform one in-house, although some clinic managers prefer to send them to commercial veterinary labs.

Finally, as always, the results of the urinalysis need to be correlated with other observations, the history of the dog, with other tests, and with the signs and symptoms the dog is demonstrating. In the end, though, the urinalysis is one of the most vital tools available for the diagnostician.

Dr. Randy Kidd earned his DVM degree from Ohio State University and his Ph.D. in Pathology/Clinical Pathology from Kansas State University. A past president of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, he’s author of Dr. Kidd’s Guide to Herbal Dog Care, and Dr. Kidd’s Guide to Herbal Cat Care.

Car Restraints for Dogs

By
Nancy Kerns
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Canine seat belts offer an alternative to crates for a dog's car travel.

by C.C. Holland

Every day, people load their dogs into cars for trips to the vet or dog park, to run errands, visit friends, or to take day trips. Unfortunately, many of them don’t realize that the outing can spell danger for their four-legged friends.

While most of us, spurred by safety concerns and government regulations, wear seat belts as a matter of course, we don’t always think about restraining our dogs when they’re our passengers. But going without a restraint poses dangers to dogs and drivers alike. In the event of a sudden stop or crash, a dog can become a flying projectile that can injure you, crash through a windshield, or slam with bone-breaking force into the dashboard or seatbacks.

In addition, a terrified and battered dog who’s just survived a crash may, if unrestrained, leap into oncoming traffic or become lost in unfamiliar surroundings.

How to restrain your dog
We advocate keeping your dog restrained at all times when he’s traveling with you. The best form of protection is a crate, securely strapped or, better yet, bolted down to keep it from shifting. If your dog’s crate is too big for your car, a doggie seat belt is our recommended alternative.

Dogs should ride in the rear seat whenever possible, well away from airbags. Passenger-seat airbags can maim or kill a dog. If your dog must ride in front, disable the airbag and make sure that his restraint doesn’t allow him enough room to clamber into your lap and interfere with driving.

The designs of the dog restraint devices on the market are diverse. Some consist of a harness that can be attached somehow to your car’s seat belt. Some are simple straps that allow you to clip your dog’s harness to the seat belt. Some are intended only as restraints that limit a dog’s mobility in the car, and prevent him from being thrown out or escaping from a wrecked car. Others are designed to absolutely secure dogs in an accident; these, necessarily, also severely restrict the dog’s movement (and in some cases, comfort) in the car.

Overall ratings
Although strength is an important factor in selecting a dog seat belt, it’s not the only one. The “safest” product we examined was also the most difficult to put on and get off the dog, and the least comfortable for him. If a safety restraint is a pain for the person and dog alike, chances are it’s not going to be used as often as it should be. So we gave equal weight to three other criteria: quality/durability, adjustability, and ease of use.

Items that feature good quality parts and reinforced stitching at stress points, offer options for a customized fit, and are simple to put on and take off were given higher ratings. The overall score for each product is an average of the four criteria.

Top product
The Universal Car Harness was the only harness-style restraint we found that, instead of providing a loop through which a seat belt could be passed, came with a separate strap that clips directly into your seat belt buckle. The advantage to this attachment is that once your dog is latched in, there’s no play – and you don’t have to rely on your seat belt’s locking mechanism to secure your dog during a sudden stop.

The strap attaches to the harness with a carabiner-style clip. A metal tang on the other end of the strap is purported to fit into any standard seat belt buckle. It took a little bit of maneuvering to get the tang to seat firmly into our seat belt buckle, but once it did, it acted like a regular seat belt; it didn’t pull free unless we hit the release button.

The strap is adjustable from 12 to 21 inches, letting you determine how much room to roam you’d like your dog to have; we recommend keeping it on the shortest setting and then triple-stitching it in place. Another advantage: our test dog didn’t get twisted up, since she could easily walk over the seat belt strap when she turned around.

The harness itself is a marvel of simplicity: one plastic buckle connects and removes it. When unclipped, the harness resembles a bra; you slide two loops up your dog’s forelegs, and then clip them together behind his shoulders. The seat belt strap clips to a pair of metal D-rings, which provide a place to attach a leash, and more importantly, replace the relatively weak plastic buckle (see photo detail).

Adjusting the harness is easy and generous. Sliding metal clips allow 10 inches of fine-tuning both on the chest strap and belly strap. This Universal Car Harness was the easiest of all harness-type models we tested to remove: simply press the single plastic clip and the harness essentially falls off.

According to company president Bruce Cook, the product has been safety-tested by the manufacturer, although not by a third-party facility. “We have a pull strength of almost 1,400 pounds,” he says. “We were trying to get to eight times a dog’s weight, using a 150-pound dog as our benchmark, and we actually exceeded that.”

Cook said the harness probably won’t withstand a major crash; however, “We feel fairly confident that in most moving collisions at lower speeds, eight times the dog’s weight is a good number.”

One problem with this setup: if your dog steps on the release button of your seat belt buckle, he could be instantly free in the back seat. (This is a potential concern with all but one of the products we reviewed.)

Cook says about one percent of purchasers complain that the “universal” tang doesn’t fit the seat belt buckles in their cars. However, many of those complaints were from people trying the unit in a front seat; Cook says the universal tang should work on at least one of the rear-seat buckles.

I experienced a different problem with the tang. I had been using this model for several months when the tang became permanently wedged into my seat belt buckle. Nothing, short of cracking the buckle open and replacing it (at an estimated $200), is going to remove the tang, according to my auto repair shop. That’s fine for my dog – after all, it solves the accidental-release problem – but it’s not quite as convenient when I have a human passenger who cannot use that particular seat belt.

As you might guess, the Fleece Lined Car Safety Harness comes with a fleece chest pad, which (according to its maker) helps protect the dog at high-impact stress points. This may or may not be the case, but our test dog seemed extremely comfortable in this harness – when she stopped trying to chew the fleecy pad, which apparently reminded her of her favorite stuffed toys. The fleece is generously thick and the nylon straps are soft. The harness fastens with two large plastic squeeze buckles, and adjusts in four places. Usage is intuitive, and it took less than a minute to get the dog into the harness and adjust the straps for a secure fit. Removing it is even easier; just unclip the buckles.

Rather than providing a fabric loop through which the seat belt is threaded, this product offers a strap finished with a carabiner-type clip that attaches to a metal D-ring on the back of the harness. (One quibble: The carabiner is heavy, and its weight could be annoying or painful on the dog’s back.)You wrap that strap around the (fastened) seat belt and hook the carabiner to the D-ring. It’s quick, easy, and allows you to choose whether to clip the harness only to the lap-belt portion of the seat belt or to both the lap and shoulder section.

According to its maker, the harness hasn’t undergone strength testing, and although its components were rated by their manufacturers, the maker did not provide us with this information. The buckles are extra-large (and presumably extra-strong), but because the stress points on this model appear to be right on the buckles, it’s unlikely that it will withstand a serious impact.

Also, the design features a lot of straps stitched together; we fear these connections could be another weak point. In fact, the first product we purchased arrived with one of the back cross-straps unsewn – a defective model. Of course the pet supply company replaced the product, but it was worrisome; what if someone who didn’t know better used it anyway?

This simple black nylon harness has a lightly padded chest strap for comfort, plastic squeeze buckles (which connect conveniently on one side of the dog and allow a lot of adjustment), a metal D-ring (for attaching a lead), and a fabric loop through which a seat belt is threaded. It took very little time to place the harness on the dog and adjust it for fit.

Our concerns have mostly to do with adjustment. The buckles can loosen during usage, so you may want to triple-stitch the straps down once you find the appropriate fit for your dog.

According to its maker (Leather Brothers, of Conway, AR), the product has not gone through third-party impact testing, and although the company has done basic strength tests, they didn’t provide us with the results. Because of this, and because the plastic buckles are located at stress points, we would guess that the product offers less impact resistance than the above products.

NOTE: We found this item marketed under two or three different names. Two companies verified it was the same product: the maker, who calls it the “Kwik Klip Car Safety Harness”; and Drs. Foster and Smith, who sells it as the “Car Safety Harness with Kwik Klips” (catalog #JD-3243). A third company (Ethical Products Inc.) claims it manufactures its product (the “Ride ’n Walk Harness”), but it appears identical to the other two.

If your dog’s safety in the car is your main concern, the Roadie harness is the doggie seat belt you want; it’s far and away the strongest product we examined. Carl Goldberg, the owner of Ruff Rider Products, says the Roadie is designed as a “true safety harness” – not just a simple vehicle restraint.

According to documents provided by Ruff Rider, the Roadie underwent strength testing at Commercial Testing Laboratories in Denver, which showed it would withstand 9,600 pounds of force before its stitching tore. By comparison, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) requires that two-part seat belts used for humans be able to withstand 4,000 – 5,000 pounds of force (for the chest and lap portion, respectively).

Its strength is partly due to its design, which features wide webbing wound around in a figure eight, and exceedingly well-reinforced at its single joining point. Most other harnesses include at least two separate straps that are stitched together, and relatively weak plastic buckles in stress points. While the Roadie does incorporate plastic buckles, they are for minor fit adjustments, and not located at stress points.

However, we have to give it low marks for usability. The harness is a baffling conglomeration of straps, and when it comes out of the box, it’s anything but clear how it’s supposed to go onto your dog. Ruff Rider apparently recognized the challenge, and includes an instructional video and an illustrated how-to guide with the product.

Although viewing the video did explain which end was up, this knowledge doesn’t make using the product all that much easier. Two loops slide over the dog’s head; you must then pull the dog’s forelegs through the side loops to get the harness on. Even with a fairly docile dog who’s used to harnesses, this requires extreme compliance.

Removing the harness is a little easier. The video suggested two methods, and both require you to push your dog’s head down and slide a loop over it – not something every dog will cooperate with.

The harness comes with an extended strap on the back that can be used as a short leash; a longer leash can be clipped to a metal ring at the end of that same strap. There is also a “keeper” loop on the side of the harness that you can thread the strap through, to keep it from flapping around if you leave it on your dog for off-leash play.

The harness attaches to a standard car seat belt via one of its heavy-duty stitched loops, which are built into the extended strap. The maker of the Roadie recommends that you use the first (shortest) loop, which allows the dog the least amount of play. We found that adjustment to be punishing in its lack of mobility. Indeed, if you watch the video, you’ll see two dogs with the seat belt crossing tightly over their backs, as they lie presumably pinned to the seat. But given more mobility, the dog is less safe. Only you can decide what works best for your dog.

Finally, the webbing used is very stiff, and the adjustable straps offer very little leeway. If you guess slightly wrong with the size, the Roadie isn’t very forgiving; you’ll have to send it back for the next size (there are nine to choose from).

The Roadie has gained several improvements in the past few years, and, given Goldberg’s passion for his product, it will probably continue to evolve and improve.

Now we move from super-strong and complex to super-simple and not-so-strong. This product is designed to be used with a harness you supply; like the next product, it should never be snapped to a dog’s collar.

The Batzibelt is a web strap with metal spring snaps at each end; one snaps on to your dog’s harness, and one snaps to a triangular metal shackle that slips over your car’s seat belt to provide an anchor. The strap has a slide buckle to adjust in length from 6½ inches to 11 inches. It comes in two sizes, one with 5 /8-inch nylon webbing, the other with 1-inch webbing. This restraint is simple to use and we like it for that.

According to Batzi Enterprises owner A.J. Dupree, the Batzibelt recently upgraded its components by adding welding to the metal shackle. Both pieces underwent manufacturers’ testing that showed the shackle would withstand up to a 640-pound load, while the strap failed after 460 pounds. That’s not much of a strength rating. Dupree points out that the item is not designed to keep your dog safe in a high speed crash; it’s intended to limit your dog’s movement and help keep him from flying through the windshield if the car screeches to a halt.

The shackle can be used on either the lap belt portion (for maximum motion control), or on the shoulder belt strap (for more movement); however, we’re concerned that using it only on the shoulder portion could give your dog too much roaming room, and cause the locking action of the belt to fail to engage in a hard stop. This also enables the dog to get twisted up in the seat belt. The Doggie Catcher is essentially just a two-inch wide webbed strap with a D-ring and a spring clip that attaches to your dog’s harness on one end, and a plastic fitting that you clip your car’s seat belt through. The fitting doubles as a shield that prevents the dog from accidentally stepping on the release button.

The strap is adjustable from 12 to 18 inches, letting you decide how much room your dog gets for roaming. It’s exceptionally easy to use, and seems quite sturdy. Smiling Dog president Bobby Westbury says the components of the Doggie Catcher were independently strength-tested in 2001; following those tests, the snap hook was upgraded.

The ratings are based on pounds of thrust. The polypropylene webbing came up with a 1,600-pound limit; the D-ring, 1,763 pounds; and the plastic shield (which is injection-molded, high-impact polypropylene, says Westbury) at 726 pounds. Information on the new, heavier snap hook was not available. Any item is only as good as its weakest link, and a piece that can’t withstand more than 726 pounds of thrust isn’t going to weather a huge car crash, unless it’s attached to a minuscule dog. However, it’s a sturdy item and we like that it uses the car’s own seat belt system and buckle, rather than attaching to a seat belt strap and hoping the locking mechanism will kick in.

Also With This Article
“Safest Canine Seat Belts”
“Car Safety”
“Whole Dog Journal’s Car Safety Harness Recommendation”

Avoiding Potential Dog Attacks

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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1

[Updated October 11, 2017]

AGGRESSIVE DOGS IN THE COMMUNITY: OVERVIEW

1. Take immediate action if you or your dog is seriously frightened or attacked by a dog. File a report with your animal control agency and/or police.

2. If you learn that other neighbors or witnesses have also had bad experiences with the dog, encourage them to file complaints, too.

3. Follow up to make sure police and/or animal control reports were filed and appropriate action was taken.

4. If your local animal control or police officers appear reluctant to help, make an appointment with your local district attorney; ask him or her for information on applicable state or local statutes and advice on gaining support from local officials.

At the end of November 2003, a 40-year-old woman in a small ranching community southeast of Denver, Colorado, was killed by a pack of three dogs belonging to a neighbor. What made the gruesome event more shocking was the news that the dogs responsible for the attack were well known for roaming free in the community and threatening the safety of residents. In fact, the pack reportedly had also seriously injured a neighbor of the dead woman the previous April.

Maybe we’re just paying more attention since the infamous fatal mauling of Diane Whipple outside her apartment door in San Francisco. But it seems like we are increasingly hearing about serious and fatal dog attacks where a subsequent investigation determines that the attacking dogs had been an identified problem in their communities for some time.

“I’ve been an expert witness in two fatal dog bite cases, one in Wyoming and one in Kansas,” said Suzanne Hetts, Ph.D., a Denver-based, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, in the December 2003 issue of Animal Behavior Associates e-zine. “There were breakdowns in both situations where interventions should have been done, but weren’t. Both were accidents waiting to happen,” Dr. Hetts said.

The news reports on the recent Colorado tragedy contained similar quotes, such as, “The people in the area had their own sort of emergency phone network to warn each other if the dogs were loose before they would go out,” said Fire Chief Dale Goetz.

And, of course, following the death of Diane Whipple in January 2001, dozens of people – including neighbors, postal carriers, delivery persons, and other dog owners from the neighborhood, testified in court about numerous occasions when the two dogs that killed Whipple had threatened them. None of those incidents were reported to animal control or police.

“The Whipple case underscores the community’s obligation to report dangerous dogs to animal control authorities,” said Los Angeles lawyer Kenneth Phillips, a national expert on dog bite law who runs the website, www.dogbitelaw.com.

What Does a Dangerous Dog Look Like?

Despite the prevalence of certain breeds of dogs in the headlines, laws addressing specific breeds are far less effective than dangerous dog laws that do not mention breed. Breed-specific legislation applies unfairly to dogs who may be no threat whatsoever, and doesn’t help a community with dangerous dogs who are mixed-breeds or not of the breed mentioned in the legislation.

Dangerous dogs are better identified by their behavior than shape and size. The sort of canine menace to society we are talking about includes:

– A dog who shows aggression warning signs: freezing and giving a hard, direct stare; leaning forward, ears pricked, growling, perhaps with hackles raised; issuing one or more challenging barks; bared teeth, snarling, and/or snapping; stiff, rigid appearance and movements.

– A free-roaming dog or pack of dogs who have stalked, chased, or threatened neighborhood people and/or animals.

– A dog on leash who lunges aggressively toward other animals or people, and whose owner appears to be in danger of losing control of the dog.

– A dog who gets in a fight and punctures or lacerates another dog, or bites a person who is trying to break up the fight.

NOTE: Many dogs get in scuffles in group interactions. Dogs who have good bite inhibition may be involved in a fight that looks and sounds awful, but leaves no visible traces of injury on the participants. A dangerous dog in the same fight punctures or lacerates her opponents.

– A dog who bites another person or animal, puncturing or lacerating the skin.

Responsible Dog Neighborship

There are many reasons a person might tend to look the other way when confronted with a potentially dangerous dog. You may be busy; you may be fearful of the dog’s owner or potential retaliation; you may be friends with the owner and reluctant to cause hard feelings between you; you may worry about being responsible for the dog’s impoundment and possible euthanasia; or you may simply feel that it’s none of your business.

The thing is, it is your business if the dog lives, plays, or wanders in your community. It could be a member of your family – human or animal – that gets killed by the dangerous dog. And even if the next victim is not someone near and dear to you, how would you feel if the dog finally mauls someone and you had done nothing of substance to prevent the attack, even though you recognized that the dog presented a threat?

Actions to Take When Dealing with a Dangerous Dog

The following are suggestions for action if you are aware of a potential problem dog that roams your neighborhood:

1. Talk to the dog’s owner (if the owner is known). Be friendly, nonthreatening, tactful, and educational. Try something like: “You may not realize this, but when your dog roams the neighborhood he acts a little (or a lot) aggressive. He probably is very loving at home, but he chased my son on his scooter and grabbed his pants. I wonder if there’s something you could do to keep him more securely confined to your yard.”

2. Follow up your first visit quickly with another friendly one if the owner seemed receptive to your concerns but the dog continues to roam. This time you might offer some suggestions: “We talked the other day about your dog, and you seemed to understand my concerns, but he’s still getting loose. If you are having a problem keeping him contained, perhaps I can help.” If it’s a confinement problem, you can offer suggestions for keeping the dog at home, such as an overhead runner if there’s no fenced yard, or repairing an aging fence. You can also call the owner and politely ask him to come get the dog every time you see him loose. Document everything you do, for possible future use as evidence if needed.

3. It’s time to call the animal control authorities. If the owner was friendly on the second visit but fails to follow through on your suggestions, there’s probably no point in a third visit; similarly, there is probably no point in a second visit if the owner was not friendly or receptive the first time.

Be prepared to identify yourself; many agencies won’t act on anonymous complaints. Be specific in your information: give the name and address of the owner, a description of the dog, and dates, times, and detailed descriptions of any incidents that have occurred. It’s even better if you have photos or video of the dog acting in a threatening manner. You can also advise them of the owner’s schedule, if you know it, so they don’t make wasted trips to the owner’s home.

Ask the agency how long it might take for them to contact the dog owner, and to let you know when your complaint has been handled, and how.

If the person you speak to at the agency seems receptive to your complaint, you’ll need to wait a reasonable period – a week is good – for the complaint to be handled. Meanwhile, every time you see the dog at large, call them so they can (at least) put the reports on the record, and (better yet) patrol for him if they have adequate staff.

4. Ask to speak to a supervisor if the person you speak to does not seem receptive; tells you the agents don’t go out on such complaints; says your complaint is a low priority and could take several weeks; or if the person seemed receptive but a week goes by and no action has been taken.

Politely explain the situation to the supervisor, emphasizing your concerns about the dog’s potential to injure someone. Try to extract a commitment that the complaint will be handled within a specific time frame.

5. Step up the ladder. If the supervisor appears unsympathetic, or time passes and the complaint still has not been handled, ask to speak to that person’s supervisor. Continue to move up the administrative ladder until you reach the top. For a private, nonprofit humane society the top is likely to be the executive director, then the board of directors. For a municipal agency, it’s probably a director, followed by one or two layers of city or county administration, and then your elected representative – a city councilperson or county commissioner.

Meanwhile, you (or your fellow concerned neighbors) should still file a report every time you see the dog is loose.

6. It’s time to go to the media if you reach the top of the animal control administration and still haven’t gotten resolution. Let administrators know that you’re going public with your concerns; this may spur them into action. Sometimes a well-placed call or articulate letter to a local television station or newspaper reporter can pressure a lazy or ineffective agency into taking action.

7. Ensure your own safety until you start to see some fruits of your labors. A neighborhood watch system that alerts the community when the dangerous dog is loose is a good idea.

Also consider the very real possibility that you may need to defend yourself from a serious attack. This could involve the carrying and/or strategic placement of mace sprays, golf clubs, or other weapons, in easily accessible places so that one is always within reach if needed. While we would never advocate abusing an animal, there may come a time when physical violence against a dog is required to save a life.

If all goes well, the dog’s owners will be forced to become more responsible for their dog, or lose the privilege of owning him. Yes, the dog may be impounded and even euthanized if his owners refuse to take appropriate steps to confine him, but that’s their responsibility and guilt, not yours.

Dangerous Dogs On-Leash

Of course, not all dangerous dogs are roaming free. Take the infamous Presa Canarios in San Francisco, for example, who terrorized many people in their community while on leash and ostensibly under the owner’s control. What do you do if you are walking down the street and a dog lunges aggressively toward you? Or if you and your dog are at a dog park and you see a dog whose behavior is threatening the safety of other park users?

You need to file a report with the appropriate authorities – the police, sheriff, animal control department, or whatever agency handles dangerous dog reports in your community.

To file a report, you’ll need to give authorities as much information as possible about the event, the problem dog, and his owner. You can politely ask the owner for his name and address, but depending on the circumstances, you may not get it.

In these situations, unless you’re extremely lucky, it’s probably not realistic to expect even the most efficient animal control or police officer to arrive in time to apprehend the culprit, even if you immediately call to report it.

In these and other “dog-with-owner” scenarios there’s a good chance that you are near either the dog owner’s home or his car. Try following discreetly at a distance and getting a license plate number, or a street address when the offenders arrive at their destination. If you have a camera handy, take a picture to provide for positive identification of the dog and his handler later.

You can also ask other witnesses if they are familiar with the dog and owner; the culprits may be well-known for previous misdeeds. While you’re at it, get those witnesses’ names and contact information, and add this information when you call the appropriate authorities to file a report.

Even if you are unable to provide the identity of the dog and person in question, call the appropriate authorities and give them a complete description of the offending parties. The officials may recognize the offenders from your description or photo. If not, they may be able to identify the dog and handler later if there are future incidents.

Take ONLY Legal Action

You may be told that there are no laws to address your concerns. If so, you’ll need to either do some legal research yourself, or ask an attorney for help. First, ask the animal control agency to send you a copy of the local animal control ordinance. Read it for yourself, to see if you agree that existing law offers no relief from the threat of dangerous animals.

If you believe that it does have relevant provisions, make an appointment with your district attorney, and ask for his interpretation of the local ordinance. If he agrees with you, get his opinion in writing and ask him to notify animal control that the law provides for them to deal with the dangerous dog, and encourage them to do so.

If you agree that the ordinance is too weak, or your D.A. tells you it doesn’t apply to your local dangerous dog, ask about any dangerous dog laws at the state level that could be enforced locally. If authorities in Colorado had filed charges against the owner of the loose dogs after their April attack, using the stronger state dangerous dog law rather than the weaker county ordinance, one death might have been prevented.

If you find an applicable state law, take it back through the chain of command, D.A. opinion in hand, and ask that it be enforced. Again, ask the D.A. to urge the appropriate agency to enforce it as well.

If there are no existing laws that deal effectively with dangerous dogs, it’s time to work with local authorities to create effective but fair animal control ordinances. Many jurisdictions have incorporated a definition for “potentially dangerous” to address dogs who present a threat but haven’t actually bitten, as well as a “dangerous dog” category for dogs who have committed more serious acts.

Kansas City is currently considering such a law, the provisions of which would require dogs deemed “potentially dangerous” to wear an orange collar and be muzzled and leashed when outside, and require their owners to carry added liability insurance.

A Danger to Other Dogs

Make sure your ordinance language includes dogs who threaten and/or attack other animals, not just humans. Some communities’ existing laws address only dogs who attack people or livestock.

If your local or state laws don’t address dogs who attack other animal companions, start lobbying in your community for a new ordinance. Leave petitions to be signed at places where responsible dog owners congregate, such as groomers, veterinarians’ offices, and dog parks. Educate lawmakers to the fact that an aggressive dog poses an unacceptable risk to human and animal lives in the community.

If your community has laws providing for the control of dangerous dogs but the animal services department is not staffed or funded adequately to enable the officers to enforce the laws effectively, it’s time to mount a campaign to pressure your elected officials to make animal control a higher priority at budget time. The media can help here, too, if you feel that your requests and demands are falling on deaf ears.

Don’t Do Nothing

Please make a commitment to do something the next time you see a canine accident waiting to happen. If not all of the suggestions and strategies listed above appeal to you, select the ones that do, and enlist the assistance of family, friends, and neighbors to implement them. Some people need someone else to take the lead and help motivate them to become involved. If you do it, you, and those who join forces with you, will all sleep better at night, knowing that you are working to make your community safer for your loved ones.

A Must-Have Book: Dog Law

Self-help legal publisher Nolo Press of Berkeley, California, hit a home run with this book. One chapter helps you protect your community from dangerous dogs. Another provides help for someone who has suffered a dog bite – and advice for the owner of a dog who bites. Legal options for people whose companion animals are severely injured or killed are thoroughly outlined in another. Throughout the book, attorney/author Mary Randolph cites varying state laws that deal with dangerous dogs. Now in its fourth edition, Dog Law is available from its publisher or DogWise.

Teach Your Dog to Focus On Cue!

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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One of the first things I teach people to teach their dogs in my basic “Good Manners” class is to respond to their names. We can’t teach our dogs anything, I tell my students, unless we have their attention.

Getting a dog’s attention is not enough, however; to be truly successful in training you must be able to keep a dog’s attention once you have it. And this is best accomplished by convincing her that it’s in her best interest to offer attention of her own accord.

If you’ve ever watched an obedience competition and marveled at the dogs who gaze intently at their handlers’ faces throughout the entire test, never once breaking eye contact, you know exactly what we’re talking about. It speaks volumes about the relationship between dog and owner to have that kind of communication . . . or does it?

The old way
When I first trained my dogs seriously for obedience competition, I was disillusioned to discover exactly how that kind of attention was accomplished. My dogs and I learned two approaches: a force-based way and the hot dog way.

The force-based way was pretty brutal at times. The other students and I would stand with our dogs in the heel position, each of us exhorting our own dog to “Watch me!” while training assistants, otherwise known as “distractions,” would move amongst us, doing everything they could think of to get our dogs to look away: calling, clapping, whistling, offering hot dogs. If our dog took her eyes off us to look at a distraction, we were to say “Watch me!” and give a severe yank on the choke chain. Our dogs soon realized the price they paid for looking away, and kept their eyes glued on us from fear of the painful consequence of doing otherwise.

The hot dog way was more fun for all concerned. We humans would stuff our cheeks full of hot dog pieces (make mine a veggie dog!), which we would occasionally spit toward our canine partners as we heeled merrily around the training ring. Never knowing when the next hot dog “penny” might coming flying through the air, our dogs kept their eyes riveted on our faces. It was more eye-to-lip contact than eye-to-eye contact, actually, but it kept them oriented toward us as the obedience genre expected, and sufficed to earn us high scores in the competitive obedience ring.

I much preferred the far more benign hot dog method, of course – and I’m sure my dogs did, too – but it still left something to be desired in terms of positive training and relationship. My dogs looked at my face because they recognized that hot dogs appeared from that location, but I’m not sure they realized it was their intent gaze that made the hot dogs appear.

At the time, I didn’t know that teaching dogs how to “make” us give them a reward for their behavior was a desirable goal. I had been taught the luring technique as a way to elicit the desired behavior; I was as yet unfamiliar with the concept of teaching dogs to think from an operant conditioning perspective.

Modern methods
Today’s positive trainers have a much more sophisticated approach to teaching the “Watch me!” exercise. We want the dog to actually think, and understand that looking at her handler attentively makes good stuff happen, regardless of where the treats happen to be.

To that end, in the first session of my classes I have the owners come without their dogs, and I explain that when they arrive with their dogs the next week they will stand quietly, just holding their dogs’ leashes and not asking for any behavior or soliciting attention. The instant their dogs look at them – or even look in their general direction – they are to click! a clicker and give their dogs a treat. They are to continue clicking and handing over treats at a high rate of reinforcement as long as the dogs keep looking at them. If a dog looks away, her handler should stop the flow of treats, and wait for the dog to pay attention again. The intent of this exercise is to teach the dogs that voluntary attention is a highly rewardable behavior.

It takes only about five minutes for most or all of the dogs to be intently focused on their personal click-and-treat dispensers. Then the students can begin to ask their dogs for other behaviors, such as sit, stand, and down. I tell the owners to use their dogs’ names for brief lapses of attention, but to continue to look for opportunities to click! and reward voluntary attention.

As the dogs progress, I add distractions to the attention exercise, but rather than deliberately luring the dogs’ attention away so the owner can punish them, I introduce distractions at a low level so the dogs can succeed in remaining focused on their owners and get rewarded for that behavior. They learn that keeping their attention on their owners even in the face of increasingly tempting distractions is highly rewarded.

“He’s just looking at the food!”
At some point during the six weeks of my “basic” class, some owners point out that their dogs are orienting on their treats – on bait bags, treat pockets, or treats they hold in their hands – rather than really making eye contact. I have them work on this in my “intermediate” class by making the treats the distraction.

The owner starts by holding a treat up to her face to encourage eye contact. When the dog looks at her, she clicks! and gives the dog the treat. Then she moves the treat a few inches to the side of her face, and waits. Sooner or later the dog, who is watching the treat intently, will glance toward the owner’s face as if to ask why the click! is not forthcoming. At that instant the owner clicks! and feeds the dog the treat. She repeats this until the dog is looking at her face quickly, and for increasingly long periods (up to several seconds) to elicit the click! and treat.

Then she moves the treat a few inches farther from her face and continues the game. At this point she also adds the “Watch!” or “Pay attention!” cue that she will use to get the dog to maintain eye contact from then on. It is important to click! consistently before the dog breaks eye contact while gradually lengthening the contact time, so the dog comes to understand that “Watch!” means “maintain eye contact until released.”

Eventually, the treat can be anywhere, while the dog’s gaze remains riveted to the owner’s face for long periods. Voila! Now this dog/owner team can go into the obedience or Rally ring and achieve the kind of attention that spectators and other competitors envy. And this is accomplished not because the dog is waiting for a hot dog to shoot out of the handler’s mouth, or avoiding a punishing jerk on the collar. It happens because the dog truly understands and happily performs the desired and rewardable behavior of maintaining eye contact and attention, even while in perfect heel position.

For “regular” dogs, too!
Treats need not be the only reward for paying attention. If your Border Collie is obsessed with her tennis ball (and what self-respecting Border Collie isn’t?), teach her that eye contact, not bumping you with her nose or jumping up on you, is what makes you throw the ball. You can also teach your dog that sitting quietly near you and staring at you will earn her a chance to go play outside, go for a walk, or play a game with you.

Even though this skill is critical for competitors in the show ring, it’s also a valuable behavior for “regular” dogs and owners.

A good “attention” cue can keep your reactive dog focused on you while other dogs (or other reaction-eliciting stimuli) pass nearby. It can also keep your dog away from the Arrowroot biscuit in the nearby toddler’s hand, or from the pile of unidentifiable rotting carcass on the side of the hiking trail.

Also, if you have visions of fame and fortune, it can keep her attentive to you when you make your grand debut on the PetStarz stage in front of a huge live audience. But whether you make it to Hollywood or not, the two of you will be stars in your own right if you can perfect the “Pay Attention” game and apply it to everyday life.

 

The Calming Herb Chamomile

By
Gregory L. Tilford
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CHAMOMILE FOR DOGS OVERVIEW

– Use a chamomile glycerin-based tincture for dogs who vomit when they get overexcited. – A combination of cooled chamomile tea and saline solution can be used as an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial eyewash for dogs with conjunctivitis. – Look for chamomile products made from organic plants – or grow and prepare your own! With hundreds of trendy herb products lining the shelves of pet shops and health food stores these days, it is easy to forget that many of the most useful herbal remedies for pets are already in the kitchen. Many of the herbs we use every day in cooking or in a tasty cup of tea are also very medicinal. In fact, virtually every home spice cabinet contains remedies for upset tummies, nervousness, sore gums, itchy skin, or even intestinal worms. All we have to do is recognize them and remember they are there. Chamomile is just one example. One of the safest and most versatile herbal pet remedies around, chamomile has a broad range of scientifically proven uses. Among the herb’s attributes are anti-spasmodic, carminative (gas relieving), anti-inflammatory, sedative, antimicrobial, digestive, vulnerary (wound healing), tonic (strengthens body functions and/or structures), and antihelmintic (worm-expelling) activities, all of which can be safely and effectively applied to dogs, cats, and most other types of animals.

Calm the Nerves and Stomach

Chamomile delivers reliable antispasmodic, carminative, and mild sedative effects to the digestive system, making it useful in cases of indigestion, gas, or vomiting. I find the tea or tincture especially effective when used in dogs who are prone to stomach upset during episodes of hyper-excitability. You know, the “nervous stomach” types who get gas, a gurgling tummy, or end up vomiting whenever meal time is followed by an exciting event. For these pups, a sweet-tasting, glycerin-based tincture can be squirted directly into the mouth. One milliliter (about ¼ tsp.) per 30 pounds of the dog’s body weight fed once every two or three hours should do the trick. Alternately, a strong infusion of cooled chamomile tea can be used, but you will need to feed more – perhaps a full tablespoon every couple of hours until digestive upset subsides. Brew the tea on the very strong side: 4 tea bags, or 2 tablespoons of bulk chamomile flowers packed in a tea ball, to each cup of boiling water. Sweeten with a little honey if necessary, and allow the tea to steep until it has completely cooled before using. Unused portions can be stored for up to four days in the refrigerator. If you don’t see results after two feedings, don’t be afraid to increase the frequency of the feeding to once per hour. Chamomile is safe enough to be used fairly liberally. Why does chamomile work so well against stomach upset? The answer is somewhat of a mystery, although scientists have identified several chemical constituents of chamomile that are known to have powerful medicinal qualities. Among these constituents is a complex assortment of volatile oils (i.e., apigenenin, chamazulene, and its precursor, matricin) and various flavonoid constituents are known to be strong antispasmodic agents. In the digestive tract, these chemicals serve to ease nervous spasm, help expel gas, and aid in the production of bile (thus improving digestion). Many of these same components have also been shown to reduce inflammation throughout the intestinal tract, making chamomile useful for various forms of inflammatory bowel disease as well.

Clear Skin and Eyes

For itchy, inflamed skin, including flea bites, contact allergies, or minor bacterial or fungal infections, the same (but unsweetened) cooled tea can be used as a soothing, healing, antimicrobial skin rinse. Apply by soaking your companion’s coat and skin with the tea, and allow her to drip dry. For added itch-relieving and healing effects, peppermint tea, aloe vera juice, or calendula tea can be combined with chamomile tea in equal proportions. If raw, open patches of skin are visible, certified organic goldenseal root (Hydrastis canadensis) tincture can be added for an even stronger antibacterial effect. Add the tincture, which is available at any health food store, to the rinse at a ratio of ¼ tsp. per cup of tea. However, be aware that goldenseal can temporarily stain your companion’s coat yellow. For conjunctivitis, whether it is from bacterial infection or just airborne irritants or allergies, the cooled infusion can be carefully strained through a paper coffee filter and diluted with saline solution (the stuff made for contact lens care) at a ratio of 1 part tea to 3 parts saline; the end product should be transparent and light yellow. This inflammatory/antimicrobial eyewash can be liberally applied into the eyes with a dropper, twice or three times per day until inflammation subsides. If stronger antibacterial activity is desired, try adding 5-10 drops of goldenseal tincture to each ounce of the eyewash. However, if inflammation persists or worsens after a few days, or if pus, severe swelling, or damage to the eye or eyelid is apparent, consult a veterinarian.

Heart and Reproductive Tonic

Chamomile has also been shown to have tonic (strengthening) effects on smooth muscle tissues throughout the body, including those of the heart, bladder, and especially the uterus. For dogs with functional deficiencies of the heart, chamomile extract can be combined with hawthorn (Crataegus sp.) extract and/or garlic for use as a daily heart tonic. Chamomile also combines well with raspberry leaf or nettle leaf for use as a pre-pregnancy, tissue-strengthening tonic for the uterus. See a holistic veterinarian to find out if such a formula is appropriate for your companion.

A Natural De-Wormer

Chamomile’s usefulness in expelling worms is often overlooked in favor of stronger, antihelmintic herbs such as wormwood, black walnut hulls, or garlic. However, while chamomile may not act as quickly, it is relatively nontoxic and can be used over extended periods. It serves well as an added measure against worms. And, when added to antihelmintic herbs such as wormwood (Artemesia absinthe) and garlic powder, chamomile offers anti-inflammatory activities that can help minimize the side effects of parasites that have already wreaked havoc upon intestinal mucosa – especially when the soothing, lubricating properties of marshmallow root are added to the regimen as well.

Worm Prevention Regimen

Combine the following alcohol-free tinctures: – 2 parts marshmallow root – 3 parts chamomile Squirt this directly into the mouth, once or twice daily, between meals. Also, add to each cup of food, at each meal: – A pinch of granulated garlic – 1 tablespoon of ground, fresh, raw pumpkin seeds (these can be bought at the health food store and ground at home with a coffee grinder or mortar & pestle)

Chamomile Safety for Dogs

While the uterotonic activity of chamomile is very subtle, its use in pregnant animals should be limited to tea forms of the herb (which are less potent than tinctures). Like all herbs that constrict uterine tissues, high concentration chamomile extracts may act as an abortifacient if used in excessive amounts during early pregnancy. Furthermore, studies suggest that excessive use of chamomile during pregnancy may increase fetus reabsorption and inhibit fetus growth in some animals. Therefore, common sense dictates that chamomile is best reserved for only occasional use during pregnancy. Although chamomile is without doubt one of the safest herbs in existence, some animals (and humans) are allergic to it. Always check for sensitivity before feeding this herb, especially if your companion is already prone to hay fever or other plant allergies. Apply a small amount of the preparation to your dog’s skin. If no redness or other reactions are observed within a couple of hours, feed just a drop or two and watch for anything out of the ordinary.

Grow Your Own Chamomile

Chamomile is easy to grow in all climates, and once established, its promiscuous, free-seeding character yields abundant growth year after year. In fact, if left to its unruly ways, it will likely find its way out of the flower beds and into the pathways and beyond. Chamomile blooms continuously throughout the growing season. The flowers can be plucked off at any time and dried indoors, on a piece of clean paper or a non-metallic screen. Fresh flowers are useful, too, and in fact are a stronger option for use in skin rinses and against intestinal parasites. However, the dried flowers have a much more pleasant flavor.

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Nancy Kerns
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What’s Your Dog’s Complete Blood Count (CBC) Diagnosis?

By
Randy Kidd
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CANINE COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT OVERVIEW

1. Don’t hesitate to authorize repeated CBC tests. This will help track your dog’s response to disease and treatment. The cellular composition of a dog’s blood changes rapidly, so sequential tests will reveal more and more about his condition.

2. If your veterinarian has already gone beyond early screening for disease, and still needs definitive answers, insist that CBC tests are read at a commercial veterinary laboratory or vet college.

The complete blood count (CBC) is perhaps the most basic of all the diagnostic tools available. To do CBCs in-house, it takes only a few drops of blood from the patient, some specialized instruments that most veterinary clinics have on hand, and a modicum of practitioner skill.

I look at the CBC as the “great divider,” providing veterinarians with answers that help split our first impressions into either/or diagnostic scenarios. Sequential CBCs can often give us a handle on the progression of the disease and a reasonable assessment of prognosis. The CBC is also one of the easiest of the specialized diagnostic tools to interpret – but, as is true of every diagnostic or treatment tool, it is not without pitfalls if we don’t understand its limitations (see “What the CBC Can’t Do,” end of article).

Complete Blood Count Details

The CBC uses the various cellular components of the blood to help define the animal’s current state of health or disease. Leukocytes (white blood cells or WBCs) and erythrocytes (red blood cells or RBCs) are counted, and their total numbers, compared to normal values, are assessed. Thrombocytes (platelets) may also be counted, or they may be evaluated on the blood film and an estimate made for whether there are adequate numbers or not.

To start, a drop of blood is placed on a microscope slide and spread into a thin film. The film (or blood smear) is stained with a variety of substances that help accentuate cell structures for easy identification. Using the microscope, one hundred white cells are identified, and the percentage of each cell type is recorded. This percentage is multiplied by the total number of WBCs, and this absolute value of the cell type is compared to normal values.

It is a simple task to separate the major cell types of the blood into fractions because their relative mass differs substantially. In a tube that has been centrifuged (or left to settle for a few minutes), the red cells are found at the bottom of the tube, and the combination of white cells and platelets form a thin cap atop the red cells. The fluid portion (plasma or serum) makes up the remaining 50 – 60 percent of the volume of the blood. The plasma contains the enzymes and proteins that are evaluated in blood chemistry analyses, along with clotting and immune system factors and other components.

A quick look at the blood-filled centrifugation tube used for determining the hematocrit (also known as the packed cell volume or PCV) will also reveal dramatic increases in white blood cells, when the white “cap” atop the RBCs is more than a few millimeters deep. A look at the tube can also tell us if the serum is lipemic (contains excess fat, usually due to a non-fasting sample), or if there is serious liver damage (indicated by the yellowish tint that bilirubin imparts) or RBC breakdown in the blood (indicated by reddish serum).

Other red cell indices include MCV (mean corpuscular volume), MCH (mean corpuscular hemoglobin), and MCHC (mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration). When using manual methods for CBC analyses, these indices are calculated from directly determined measurements (PCV, red cell count, and hemoglobin). Automated counters determine cell numbers, cell size (MCV), and hemoglobin concentration, and mathematically calculate the PCV, MCHC, and MCH. These red cell indices are used as an aid in categorizing or classifying anemias, and they can be helpful for monitoring the progress of the condition.

Bone marrow is the starting ground for all blood cells, so when we can’t find a reason for the lack of any one cell line, we may refer to a bone marrow analysis. For example, when a patient has a nonregenerative anemia with no apparent cause, we will need to take a bone marrow sample, stain and identify the cells, and see if there is an identifiable problem somewhere along the normal progression of cell production.

Red Blood Cell Abnormalities

The normal PCV in the adult dog is 37 – 55 percent, and the normal RBC count is 5.5 – 8.5 million cells per microliter of blood. Values that are significantly higher or lower than these send practitioners looking for further clues in certain directions, to wit:

• Fewer than normal RBCs
Low numbers of RBCs or a decreased (or low) PCV indicate anemia. Arbitrarily the severity of the anemia is indicated by the following PCV ranges:

Mild: 30 – 37 percent
Moderate: 20 – 29 percent
Severe: 13 – 20 percent, and
Very severe: less than 13 percent.

Transfusions are usually necessary when the PCV is less than 13 percent, but the severity of clinical signs is often directly correlated to the rapidity of onset of the anemia. That is, if the anemia has developed gradually, the animal may be better able to adapt to the loss of red cells than if there was sudden and massive blood loss.

With anemia, the first step is to determine whether it is regenerative or nonregenerative. Under normal conditions it takes about seven days for the bone marrow to produce a new supply of red cells. But when the marrow is forced to work faster than normal, it tends to send new, not-quite-mature red cells into the blood stream. These immature red cells are called “reticulocytes” or “polychromatic cells,” and they can be seen and counted on blood films by using special stains.

After we give the bone marrow some lag-time to respond (three to four days), a regenerative anemia will have adequate reticulocyte response; nonregenerative anemias will not. Healthy dogs have the capacity to produce a hefty reticulocyte response; in severe anemia, 20-50 percent of their red cells may be reticulocytes.

When an anemia is nonregenerative after three to five days, we may want to look into the cause by evaluating the bone marrow. But often we can get diagnostic clues just by looking at the morphology of the RBCs on a smear and linking their appearance to the most likely causes (see table below).

For example, when there is considerable variability with the RBCs’ size (aniso-cytosis), we can assume the bone marrow is producing young cells, as it should in regenerative anemia. (Younger RBCs are larger than more mature ones.) The presence of high numbers of spherocytes (RBCs that are smaller and rounder than normal) indicates the probability of an immune-system disorder that is attacking the RBCs. “Heinz bodies” indicate an oxidative, toxin-produced change within the RBC.

And of course, a definitive diagnosis is possible when we observe parasites on the blood film, including Haemobartonella canis, Babesia canis, Ehrlichia canis, Histoplasma capsulatum, Dipetalonema reconditum, and Dirofilaria immitis (heartworm).

• More than normal RBCs
An elevated PCV value (polycythemia) is most often the result of dehydration, although sometimes splenic contraction (from fear or excitement) may also cause an increased value. Increased plasma proteins also indicate dehydration, and the protein levels will return to normal upon rehydration.

Polycythemia may also occur when the body is asking for more oxygenation capacity – living at high altitudes, for example, or as a secondary condition related to lung disease. And, there are some rare neoplastic conditions that cause persistently elevated PCVs.

What White Blood Cells Do

Leukocytes (WBCs) are the body’s cellular line of defense, providing a formidable, first-line armamentarium for tracking, isolating, killing, and removing all sorts of invaders, so the WBC portion of the CBC is commonly used to detect and monitor inflammatory processes. WBCs also hold the key for creating and maintaining the body’s immune system function.

The WBCs include the following cell types: neutrophils, band cells (immature neutrophils), lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils.

We first look at total response (total numbers of WBCs per microliter of blood), and then evaluate the current number values of each of the individual cell lines compared to normal values. Finally, we use these values to help give us the diagnostic category we will be working with to develop our therapeutic protocol.

Normal WBC values (including all white cell types) are 5,500 – 16,900 per microliter.

Neutrophils are usually the most prevalent WBC; in a healthy animal they comprise about 60 to 70 percent of the white cells. Typically, then, when we have increased WBCs, most of the increase will be due to neutrophils.

Neutrophils are thought of as the primary infection fighters of the body. They are attracted to pathogenic invaders – they actually have the capability to move toward the intruders – and they are able to engulf, kill, and remove all sorts of invaders. Normal neutrophil values are 3,000 – 12,000 per microliter. Neutrophils have a short life span (a few hours), so an evaluation of them is indeed a quick snapshot. However, since their turnover rate is so rapid, they offer a good monitoring tool for prognosis.

Bands are immature neutrophils, and they are released from the bone marrow whenever there is an increased need somewhere in the body. Normal band values are 0.0 – 299 per microliter.

Within hours, neutrophils respond to a wide variety of stimuli (including infections, tissue necrosis, and immune-mediated diseases) with the inflammatory response. The neutrophil response we observe in the blood represents a dynamic balance between the demand for WBCs at the site of the inflammation and the rate of bone marrow release.

As an example, a severe infection may initially deplete all the available WBCs, resulting in a decreased circulating number (neutropenia). Within hours, however, the bone marrow releases extra neutrophils, and within days is able to produce huge numbers of cells. As the bone marrow responds, it also releases increasing numbers of immature neutrophils (band cells). This process is referred to as leukocytosis with a left shift. So long as the production of cells stays ahead of the demand, there will be an orderly progression from a few immature forms to increasing percentages of more mature cells.

The magnitude of the neutrophilic response is an approximate reflection of the magnitude of the inflammatory response. Further, a localized inflammation, pyometra for example, elicits a greater neutrophil response than generalized inflammation. Some bacteria (pyogenic or fever-inducing bacteria, for example) stimulate a more intense neutrophil response than other types. Dogs have a tremendous capacity for neutrophilic response, and values of 50,000 per microliter or higher are not uncommon with these conditions.

The severity of the inflammatory process is reflected by the degree of the left shift – that is, when the number of band cells and even more immature cells increases greatly, we can assume there is a severe ongoing inflammatory response.

Lymphocytes are associated with immune function. They can become stimulated (reactive) with exposure to antigens (including those found in vaccines), and they carry a long-term memory that gives the immune system its capacity to respond to the antigens the body has been exposed to over a lifetime. Lymphocytes are also the cells most often involved in canine cancers. The normal values for lymphocytes are 1,000 – 4,900 per microliter.

Monocytes are thought of as the scavengers of the bloodstream, mopping up and eliminating the cells and debris of inflammation and infection. The normal values for monocytes are 100 – 1,400 per microliter.

Eosinophils respond to antigen stimulation as seen in many hypersensitive reactions. The normal values for eosinophils are 100 – 1,490 per microliter.

Basophils are a rare cellular component of blood. The “normal” value would be 0.

White Blood Cell Abnormalities

Values of any WBCs that are significantly higher or lower than normal values send practitioners looking for further clues in the following directions:

• More than normal WBCs
An elevation of total white cell numbers (leukocytosis) is usually from an increase in neutrophils, and it can be caused by several things:

Physiologic leukocytosis: Defined by an increase in mature neutrophils and sometimes lymphocyte numbers. It is epinephrine-induced and often due to the fear and struggling that occurs during restraint necessary for blood collection.

Corticosteroid-induced leukocytosis: Typically characterized by increased neutrophils (neutrophilia), decreased lymphocytes (lymphopenia), increased monocytes (monocytosis), and fewer eosinophils (eosinopenia). This reaction can be induced by exogenous (drug-induced) or endogenous (stress-related) factors. Note: These are specific and predictable alterations to the animal’s blood-borne line of defense, changes that occur whenever we choose to use corticosteroid therapy (or whenever the animal undergoes chronic or severe stress). These alterations are only a portion of the dramatic effects corticosteroid therapy has on the body, and to my mind represent one more reason to be very cautious when using this class of drugs.

• Fewer than normal neutrophils
Reduced numbers of neutrophils (neutropenia) can occur whenever there is an overwhelming bacterial infection and the increased tissue demand results in a depletion of the available neutrophils in the marrow. There are also several rather uncommon conditions in which the bone marrow is not capable of producing neutrophils in a normal manner, resulting in reduced numbers in the blood.

• More than normal lymphocytes
Lymphocytosis (increased numbers) may occur temporarily after vaccination or with increased exercise or anxiety. Lymphocytes may also increase with autoimmune disease and lymphosarcoma (cancer).

• Fewer than normal lymphocytes
Lymphopenia (decreased numbers) commonly occurs with excess glucocorticoids, whether they be from endogenous sources (stress, debilitating disease, surgery, shock, trauma, or exposure to heat or cold), or from exogenous sources (such as glucocorticoid therapy). Viral infections such as canine distemper, infectious canine hepatitis, parvovirus, and coronaviral enteritis also cause lymphopenia.

In addition, lymphopenia is expected in acute severe disease, and the return of the lymphocytes into the normal range is a good prognostic sign of decreasing stress. Finally, lymphocytes may be depleted with repeated drainage into a body cavity (chylothorax or protein losing enteropathies as examples).

• More than normal monocytes
Monocytosis (increased numbers) occurs along with inflammation and tissue necrosis, or glucocorticoid therapy.

• More than normal eosinophils
Conditions that typically cause eosinophilia (increased numbers) include parasitism and hypersensitivity reactions. Eosinophilia is also associated with carcinoma, lymphosarcoma, and other specific diseases such as eosinophilic enterocolitis or pneumonitis.

• Fewer than normal eosinophils
Eosinopenia (decreased numbers) occurs with an excess of either endogenous or exogenous corticosteroids, but since eosinophil numbers are so low in normal blood, this phenomena is rarely noticed.

• More than normal basophils
The number of basophils may increase (basophilia) with heartworm or hookworm infestation and with hypersensitivity reactions. With all these there is usually a concurrent eosinophilia. Hypothyroidism occasionally produces basophilia.

All About Thrombocytes

Thrombocytes (also known as platelets) are responsible for adequate clotting of the blood, and platelet problems are the most common cause of bleeding. Estimates of normal values can be done by an experienced technician by simply observing adequate numbers scattered throughout the blood film. Normal platelet values range from 200,000 – 500,000 per microliter.

• Fewer than normal thrombocytes
Severe thrombocytopenia is defined as fewer than 20,000 platelets per microliter, and it is at this value where we begin to see nose bleeding and hemorrhages into the skin and gut. Causes of thrombocytopenia include immune mediated diseases, improper production by the bone marrow, and consumption of platelets during intravascular coagulation (disseminated intravascular coagulation or DIC).

• Larger than normal thrombocytes
Large platelets indicate the possibility of immature cells being released by the bone marrow – perhaps due to increased need in the body.

Detecting Leukemia with the CBC

Leukemia is a progressive, malignant disease of the WBC or RBC bloodforming organs, with neoplastic cells evident in the peripheral blood and bone marrow. Leukemia is generally recognized by diagnosing high numbers of immature (blast) cells in the peripheral blood. Any of the cell lines may be involved, but the most common cell type is the lymphocyte (lymphocytic leukemia). Most cases of leukemia demonstrate elevated numbers of the involved cell type; rarely, the absolute numbers seen are actually decreased from normal.

Since dogs have such a dramatic capacity to elevate leukocyte numbers, it is often difficult to differentiate between leukemia and what is termed a leukemoid reaction – a strong and persistent leukocytosis without the presence of blast cells.

The most common neoplasia of the blood system of dogs is canine malignant lymphoma (lymphosarcoma, lymphocytic leukemia), with a reported incidence of 24:100,000. This is a progressive disease characterized by neoplastic transformation of lymphoid cells. The neoplasia may originate in either solid lymph organs (lymphosarcoma) or in the bone marrow (lymphocytic leukemia). Diagnosis is made, depending on the origin of the disease, by observing many swollen lymph nodes that can be huge, or by finding large numbers of abnormal lymphocytes on a blood film.

What the CBC Can’t Do

The first and foremost limitation that dog owners should recognize is that the CBC is only a snapshot of what is going on in the inner animal; it does not provide us a story with a beginning, middle, and end. To really know how a disease is progressing, we will need perhaps several progressive “snapshots,” each one giving us a better insight into the whole story of the dog’s ongoing health status.

We don’t often come up with a definitive diagnosis using only a CBC. Usually, it tells us how the body is responding or has responded to a generalized condition. For example, increased neutrophils (one of the white blood cells) indicate an inflammatory response. But the CBC does not tell us where in the body the inflammation is located or what has caused the inflammation, and it almost never helps us differentiate between specific diseases.

Another example: A decreased PCV (low numbers of red blood cells or RBCs) tells us only that we are dealing with anemia; it does not tell us whether the anemia is from poor production of RBCs or from blood loss. And, if the anemia is from blood loss, we still need to determine whether this is the result of a bleeding wound, blood loss into the intestine or other body cavity, parasitic infestation, immunologic conditions that directly attack red blood cells, or any other causes. Thus a CBC tells us only how the blood cells are responding to generalized diseases or conditions. It will not tell us anything about which specific organ system is affected; blood chemistries or other alternative diagnostic methods are needed for this step – to my way of thinking, a vital step for developing a holistic protocol for healing.

And, as with any diagnostic tool, the CBC needs to be interpreted in the context of the whole patient – relying on whole-body signs and symptoms – to put together the whole of the diagnosis. Again, as a holistic practitioner, I think veterinarians have the best chance for success when we combine several diagnostic methods, both Western and alternative.

There are a few variables that have a slight effect on the “normal ranges” of CBC parameters – for example, the dog’s age, sex, breed, and pregnancy status – and we need to keep these in mind when we interpret CBCs. But, for the most part, the normal ranges are well established, and these will remain basically the same between labs. Quality control is not as much a problem as it is for blood chemistries, but there are still some considerations to keep in mind (see below ).

Choose the Best Lab for the Job

Canine and human blood cells don’t all look the same on a stained blood smear, and technicians trained with human blood may not identify some cell lines as accurately as a veterinary technician would. Differentiating between monocytes and reactive lymphocytes seems to be a persistent problem, as does identifying immature neutrophils. Technicians trained in human medicine may not have the experience to identify specific canine diseases.

Further, the in-house stains commonly used by most vets are not as good as the stains used in commercial labs for identification of some cells or structures. Reticulocytes are RNA-rich cells that indicate the degree of response the animal is mounting to anemia. Special stains are needed to properly count the number of reticulocytes; poor staining technique (and/or poor technician training) may miss the presence of reticulocytes or miscount them.

Ultimately, quality control depends on the skills of the examiner, and some veterinarians (and/or the technicians in their hospitals) enjoy the art-forms of working with a microscope and using the methods required for counting, staining, and identifying blood cells, and they thus have developed the necessary skills to accurately assess CBCs. Other practitioners don’t have the requisite interest, and they either send their CBCs out, or the CBC becomes a neglected area in their diagnostic arsenal.

For the most part, these quality control issues are not critical – until we have gone beyond early screening and have reached a state in our diagnostic efforts where we need specific, definitive answers. At this stage, it is probably worthwhile to insist that the samples be read at a commercial veterinary laboratory or at the nearest veterinary college.

CBC Summary

The CBC is a quick and easy way to obtain information that helps separate diseases into categories, and provides some information as to the severity of the disease. Sequential CBCs can give us a reasonable idea for the progression and prognosis of the disease. As with all other tools in the practitioner’s tool kit, the CBC is only as good as the “practitioner-operator,” and good practitioners understand the tool’s limitations as well as its value.

Dr. Randy Kidd earned his DVM degree from Ohio State University and his Ph.D. in Pathology/Clinical Pathology from Kansas State University. A past president of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, he’s author of Dr. Kidd’s Guide to Herbal Dog Care and Dr. Kidd’s Guide to Herbal Cat Care.

Dog Appeasing Pheromone to Calm Anxious Canine

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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3

Early this winter, I decided to test the new behavior modification product on the market. It’s essentially an atomizer, similar to room deodorizers that are plugged into electrical outlets, but this product emits a substance dubbed “dog appeasing pheromone” (“DAP” for short) that is supposed to reduce any dog’s stress. The product is sold as the “Comfort ZoneTM Canine Behavior Modification Plug-In,” under the Farnam Pet Products banner.

According to its maker, DAP is supposed to mimic a natural stress-reducing hormone produced by mother dogs while nursing their puppies. It purportedly stops or reduces stress-related barking, urination and defecation, whimpering and whining, anxiety, fear, chewing, and other stress-related behaviors.

One plug-in unit is supposed to dispense enough of the DAP substance to “cover” 500-650 square feet for about four weeks. It has been used in Europe for some time, reportedly with positive results. Recently approved for use in this country, it is reputedly safe for dogs and puppies, and is not supposed to affect humans. Another variety, for stressed-out cats, is sold as “Feliway.” Both are available from pet supply catalogs, ranging in price from $20 – $25 per unit, with refills costing $10 – $15.

Putting DAP to the test
I wondered if the Comfort Zone would help my Scottish Terrier, Dubhy, who gets over-aroused in the presence of some dogs, and who had gotten into a couple of scuffles over his food bowl with my Kelpie, Katie. I also wondered if it would have any effect on the other three dogs in my home.

I plugged in the diffuser unit in my office, where the dogs and I spend our daytime hours. Within three weeks I noticed a marked reduction in Dubhy’s resource-guarding. Katie could watch him eat, and then lick his bowl clean when he was done, with no apparent tension on the Scottie’s part. In the past, he had guarded even his empty bowl.

I also noticed a reduction in his arousal around other dogs at my training center. In addition, he does less arousal barking in the backyard, and comes to me more readily when I call him away from stimuli that cause the arousal barking.

It also seemed to help my Cattle Dog-mix’s thunder phobia. We already give Tucker melatonin for storms, which improves his behavior from panicked to merely tense. At first, I thought the DAP wasn’t affecting Tucker’s storm-related anxiety. For weeks, there appeared to be no change in his behavior when storms occurred.

But about six weeks after I introduced the Comfort Zone, while working in my office during an unusually violent storm, I looked down to see Tucker, curled up, sound asleep on the dog bed under my desk. That behavior has continued since; he seeks out the spot under my desk during storms, but no longer trembles or shows the other signs of serious storm phobia that he used to display.

The product has not, however, reduced Katie’s typical herding dog’s control-freak behavior that compels her to stop our other dogs from playing in the house. Two out of three’s not bad!

Positive reports
A recent survey of trainers and dog owners on several e-mail lists found similarly positive results among a large percentage of Comfort Zone users. Here are some of their comments:

“I have been using a DAP diffuser for the last two months. My Dalmatian was beginning to show mild signs of anxiety/stress when we left him alone. The very first time I used it I found a remarkable change in his demeanor when we came home. We also continue to use management, and have had no further problems with him getting stressed when we leave.”

-Patricia Ellis
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

“In a nutshell: I think it’s a great aid to a program of management. Some recent successes [I’ve witnessed] include a pair of Wheaton Terriers who were extremely reactive about the door; a Jack Russell Terrier adjusting to a baby; and a dog who had been on medication for years. Coupled with about six months of effort on his owners’ part and a DAP diffuser, the latter dog is now on medication only for ‘hard times’ like the Fourth of July, Halloween, and New Year’s Eve.”

-Elaine Allison, CPDT
Canine’s Best Behavior
Los Angeles, California

“I have had very good results with DAP for a variety of anxiety-related problems in dogs (noise phobia, separation anxiety, aggression, fearful behaviors.”

-Lore I. Haug, DVM, MS, DACVB
College Station, Texas

“We started using the Comfort Zone a few months ago for two of our dogs: Trixie, a Giant Schnauzer with mild thunderstorm phobia; and Lucas, a Lab/Pit Bull mix, with severe thunderstorm phobia and mild separation anxiety. In less than a week, Trixie and Lucas were much calmer.

In addition, all of the other things we were using to try to modify Lucas’ behavior began to work! We were already giving him herbs for anxiety, vitamin supplements, acupuncture, massage, and more. Even with all that, his storm-related and separation anxiety was causing grand mal seizures.

Today, Lucas is doing great. He hasn’t had a seizure in two months. He has learned how to play ball and play with our other dogs, is relaxed when we leave home, and even tolerated a recent thunderstorm with very little anxiety. We are very pleased with Comfort Zone.”

-Megan Rollins
The Pawsative Connection
Chattanooga, Tennessee

“I have two clients who have used the Comfort Zone with great results. One has a bitch in false pregnancy, who started having aggression issues. The owner put the DAP unit at the gate she uses to divide the dogs, and reports that they no longer display any barrier aggression.

The other client has a dog who would drool in excess while crated. About two weeks after she started using the Comfort Zone, the dog stopped drooling when crated.”

-Cheri Spaulding, Rock Nest Kennels
St. Johnsbury Center, Vermont

Negative marks
Lest you get your hopes up that the Holy Grail of dog behavior modification has been discovered, please note that it doesn’t appear to work for all dogs and behaviors.

Like my own personal experience with Katie’s incessant herding dog behavior, a number of owners and trainers also reported a disappointing lack of behavior change after introducing the Comfort Zone. Here are some of their comments:

“I tried using DAP in the house to see if it might help the foster dogs coming in, and perhaps ease the resident dogs’ stress and adjustment that always accompanies a new dog in the house. I did not observe any effect on behavior, and did not purchase any more after the second refill.”

-Vicki Magnus
Waldorf, Maryland

“I tried Comfort Zone for both a mildly whiny dog during separation and for a hyperkinetic dog and saw no effect whatsoever. I was disappointed, because the comments I had read on some training lists were so positive. My conclusion was that it had no measurable effects. Possibly my test dogs ages (seven and up) may have been a factor.

-Carole Lawson
Classic Academy of Canine Learning Cleveland, Ohio

(Author’s note: Tucker, our Cattle Dog mix whose thunder phobia has eased significantly, is nine years old.)

“I advised two of my clients to try Comfort Zone. One client has a German Shorthaired Pointer who is very ‘busy,’ always in movement, and doesn’t settle until about 8pm. We tried Comfort Zone on this dog for over a month with no results at all. I was very disappointed. The second dog is a Beagle/Jack Russell mix with severe separation anxiety. We tried Comfort Zone for at least two months and it actually seemed to make the dog worse; greater anxiety and more destruction noticed. Again, disappointed.

-Bernadette Ball
Strickly Dogs
Cincinnati, Ohio

Making matters worse?
The trainer quoted above was not the only one who noted a deterioration of a dog’s behavior when exposed to DAP. One of my good friends has a mature yellow Labrador Retriever with an insatiable desire to eat paper, leather, and other inappropriate objects. We eagerly subjected her to Comfort Zone, only to have her pica behavior worsen.

While clearly not a panacea for all dogs, DAP seems to have a positive effect on enough dogs to make it a worthwhile adjunct to a behavior modification program. Of 42 responses to our survey question, 64.3 percent (27) reported positive results; 30.9 percent (13) reported no observable behavior change; and 4.8 percent (2) reported negative results. Not a scientific study, to be sure, but fairly convincing anecdotal evidence.

One has to wonder about the two dogs whose behavior deteriorated in the presence of DAP. Perhaps a negative association with those early nursing pheromones? Who knows? Maybe they had “Mommy Dearest” type puppyhoods!

 

Canine Immune System Boosters

By
Nancy Kerns
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by Shannon Wilkinson

What does the first milk from a cow have to do with improving the health of dogs? According to anecdotal and scientific evidence, much more than you might imagine.

Colostrum, the protein-rich yellowish-fluid produced in lactation by mammals the first few days after birth, is Mother Nature’s first superfood.

It is not only nutritious, but also contains immune and growth factors, enzymes, proteins, and many other beneficial substances.

Research shows that newborns aren’t the only ones that are helped by colostrum. Bovine colostrum isn’t species specific, so dogs (and other mammals) can benefit from it, too. Claims abound for bovine colostrum’s ability to treat allergies, bacterial, or viral infections; autoimmune diseases; digestive problems; and even cancer. But is it all hype?

“It’s not a cure-all,” says Dr. Stephen Blake, a veterinarian with a holistic practice in San Diego. Rather, he explains, it’s a great tool to have in your medicine chest to help animals when they get into trouble. That being said, he has seen dramatic changes for the better in ill animals once they start taking colostrum.

Benefits of colostrum
Bovine colostrum has a long history as a nutritional supplement, particularly with the Indian Ayurvedic tradition. Interest in colostrum as a nutritional supplement or treatment for medical conditions has increased over the last few decades, particularly as technology has improved the ability to process and preserve it.

In humans, much of the maternal antibody protection is passed through the placenta during gestation, rather than through colostrum. This makes human colostrum an important, but not vital part of the neonate’s first hours. In contrast, there is no transmission of antibodies through the placenta with cows and other hooved animals. Nature has solved this problem by making bovine colostrum even richer in antibodies and other immune system enhancers to protect the newborn calf.

Bovine colostrum contains more than 250 beneficial substances, from simple nutritional elements such as protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals, to more complex material such as lactoferrin, transfer factors, growth factors, and immunoglobulins or antibodies.

“Colostrum’s intrinsic value is that the ingredients are all together in a nice package,” says Dr. Blake. “It is a natural whole food that is greater than the sum of its parts.”

Using colostrum
Colostrum is the first product Dr. Blake reaches for when a dog presents with gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea. “In my experience, 95 percent of all diarrheas will resolve using colostrum rather than antibiotics,” says Dr. Blake. In addition to resolving the immediate problem, the colostrum may actually help heal the intestinal tract and keep it healthy.

This was precisely the experience of Chancey Marie, a 10-year-old Great Dane who had suffered from irritable bowel syndrome for years. About two years ago, her guardian, Cathy Cunningham, owner of VIP Pet Food Delivery in Oregon, started giving Chancey Marie colostrum. Within weeks her previously frequent diarrhea had decreased significantly. In addition, Chancey Marie, no youngster (particularly for a giant breed), is now full of energy. She even enjoys going jogging for a few miles with Cunningham’s husband several times a week.

Dr. Blake also finds colostrum useful for treating immune problems, whether they are caused by an underactive immune system leaving a dog open to infection, or a hyperactive immune system causing autoimmune diseases. “The proline-rich polypeptides help balance the thymus gland,” he explains. Since the thymus gland is chiefly responsible for directing the activity of the entire immune system, a balanced thymus gland can translate to a balanced immune system.

Problems with joints and connective tissue, such as hip dysplasia, degenerative arthritis, or cruciate ligament issues, have also improved with colostrum supplementation. “Without growth factors, all the chondroitin in the world won’t help,” explains Dr. Blake. “If the body can’t replicate cells, then it can’t heal. The growth factors in colostrum can facilitate the body’s own regenerative processes and even better utilize supplements such as chondroitin and glucosamine.”

Side effects
Generally speaking, Dr. Blake recommends colostrum for every sick animal, regardless of illness, and every geriatric animal under his care. Some animals, particularly those who are very ill with chronic disease, are started on no more than a pinch of colostrum. He will then work very slowly to increase the dose to his normal levels of about one-quarter to one-third of a teaspoon per 25 lbs. of bodyweight.

Most dogs like the flavor of colostrum; it’s reminiscent of powdered milk, making it easy to administer. Many times, a dog will lick the powder right up, says Blake, although mixing it in food or “pilling” with the capsules are effective alternatives.

Side effects are quite rare, assures Dr. Blake, although problems with colostrum can include diarrhea or vomiting. If these symptoms do occur, he suggests stopping the colostrum, then restarting it more slowly and in much smaller amounts. He says that some animals may also experience a “healing crisis,” with symptoms getting worse before getting better. As with side effects, the best treatment in these instances is to simply stop the supplement and then restart it in smaller amounts.

It’s important to give colostrum ample time to work. While some people might see nearly immediate improvement, this isn’t always the case, particularly with chronic illness. Allow at least one month for every year the dog has been unwell, and that often begins at birth, suggests Dr. Blake.

Topical wonders
Colostrum also really performs as a topical. It can be applied as a paste to virtually any skin problem such as abscesses, wounds, or surgical incisions. Following her positive experiences with using colostrum for her old Great Dane, Cathy Cunningham didn’t hesitate to reach for the colostrum when her four-year-old Dane developed a rash on her belly. “It resembled ringworm,” Cunningham says, but a paste of colostrum and Oxy Drops [a commercial liquid antibacterial agent] cleared the rash up in a matter of days, never to return.

My own Great Dane, five-year-old Booker, has had hot spots from time to time that worsen with chewing and biting. Sometimes the sores last for weeks, require shaving, and keep us all up due to Booker’s chewing and licking of the inflamed areas. After hearing about colostrum from a number of my holistically oriented friends, I decided to try it on Booker’s newest hot spot. I applied the paste before bedtime. When we got up in the morning, there was no sign of the red, oozy sore that he had the night before. Plus, it has worked every time it has been applied since then.

Part greater than the sum?
While Dr. Blake believes in and promotes whole colostrum supplements, some other practitioners attribute its effects to one specific component present in colostrum: transfer factor.

Transfer factors were originally discovered more than 50 years ago by Dr. H. Sherwood Lawrence, while he was researching tuberculosis. He discovered a molecule in white blood cells that could transfer immunity from the donor to the recipient.

In the 1980s researchers found this same transfer factor molecule in bovine colostrum. Since that time, transfer factors have been isolated in other substances, including the yolk of chicken eggs.

To harness the potential of this isolate, a network marketing company called 4Life Research, of Sandy, Utah, licensed a patented way to extract the raw transfer factors from bovine colostrum collected from two certified organic dairy herds. The extract is then dehydrated and packaged into a variety of forms. The product, called Transfer Factor™, is available as a supplement specifically for humans, dogs, cats, and horses.

According to company literature, the concentrated extract from colostrum is a more potent way to provide this key molecule. One capsule of Transfer Factor contains as much transfer factor as 90 capsules of some brands of colostrum supplements. (Remember, some veterinarians, such as Dr. Blake, prefer to administer colostrum in its whole form, without a concentration of any component.)

Though the product is taken orally, the transfer factor molecules don’t need to be digested to work, explains Bill Burlingame, DVM, of Marysville, Washington. “They are simply absorbed through the mucous membranes of the oral cavity or small intestine.”

Multiple products
The 4Life company includes transfer factor in a number of supplements, from the original Transfer Factor to combination products developed specifically for different health concerns and species, such as Transfer Factor Cardio™ and Canine Complete™.

The 4Life animal formulas are a combination of a line of nutritionals developed by Joe Ramaekers, DVM, which have been combined with Transfer Factor to create new products.

“The synergism between the complete supplement and the effect of Transfer Factor is what really works,” says Burlingame. In order to patent the blend, he explains, it was first shown how animals responded to the supplement blend without Transfer Factor, then how animals responded to Transfer Factor alone, and finally how animals responded to the combination. The result, he says, was more than just A plus B.

One of his favorite products (especially for use with cancer patients, he says) is Transfer Factor Plus™; the “plus” is a combination of potent immune stimulants, including Maitake and Shiitake mushrooms, Cordyceps sinensis (a Chinese herb), inositol hexaphosphate (IP6), beta-glucans, beta-sistosterol, and mannans (from aloe).

Five years ago, when Dr. Burlingame started using Transfer Factor and Transfer Factor Plus™ in his veterinary practice, he didn’t always get the results he hoped for. Since then, he says, he’s discovered that for maximum benefit, Transfer Factor needs to be started early and at high enough doses.

“It’s a numbers game when you’re dealing with bacteria and viruses,” he says. It is crucial to get high enough numbers of transfer factors into the system to combat the high levels of bacteria or viruses. Since using the Canine Complete Transfer Factor supplement, he sees more positive responses.

How to administer
Colostrum and transfer factor supplements are used for a wide variety of health issues, from gastric distress to cancer, allergies, and autoimmune diseases. Many of their uses overlap, and some people have found success with one product but not the other.

Dr. Burlingame uses Transfer Factor in many of the same situations where Dr. Blake chooses colostrum, such as viral or bacterial infections and immune disease.

Recently, Dr. Burlingame had a four-month-old puppy come into to his clinic. The puppy had bloody diarrhea and all the symptoms of parvovirus. In addition to the typical antibiotics, antiemetics, and IV fluids, he gave the puppy 1,400 mgs per day of Transfer Factor. The puppy was home in three days. “I wish I had this a long time ago,” he says.

According to Dr. Burlingame, Transfer Factor usually takes about 48 to 72 hours to educate the immune system. He looks for a regression in symptoms, particularly in the case of infections, within the first 48 to 72 hours. He says he will often see an improvement or increase in white blood cell counts in that time frame as well. And, overall, the patient will begin to feel and therefore act better.

With longer-term treatment, particularly using the Canine Complete product, Dr. Burlingame has found that many dogs can do well on reduced amounts of other supplements and medications they must take.

He also has had success using Canine Complete with more chronic immune system problems such as allergies. He feels that this product ensures an allergic dog has the nutrients necessary to function properly, as well as helps modulate the immune response.

Burlingame says that, like colostrum, Transfer Factor is a safe product and side effects are rare. In addition, because the Transfer Factor molecule is absorbed in the mucosa rather than digested, even very ill animals, particularly those with impaired digestion, can benefit quickly from being given the product.

Burlingame usually recommends that guardians use Canine Complete, as the best all-around supplement containing Transfer Factor for dogs.

Although he highly recommends Transfer Factor for dogs with autoimmune disease, Burlingame suggests that the Transfer Factor Plus product is contraindicated for these dogs; the “Plus” ingredients, including several potent immune stimulants, could possibly overstimulate an already overactive immune system.

Shannon Wilkinson is a TTouch practitioner who lives with two dogs, two cats, and a husband in Portland, Oregon.

Canine Athletic Competition and Sports Psychology

By
Lorie Long
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0

[Updated February 5, 2019]

Whether you and your dog are road-seasoned competitors in canine sports, just “playing around” in novice dog shows, or simply striving to train your dog to stop embarrassing you in public, you can improve your mutual performance and your relationship by learning and practicing basic sports psychology techniques.

When we work with our dogs, we communicate our wishes to them largely through our body language, posture, facial expressions, and tone of voice.

Agility dogs

Stress can vastly alter how our “messages” come across to our dogs. When we are nervous about going into the show ring or anxious about passing another leashed dog on the sidewalk, we are likely to inadvertently “tell” our dogs all sorts of things that we really don’t mean to or want to, such as, “Oh my God this is scary!” or “I feel like I’m going to be sick!”

Sports psychology techniques teach us how to get our brains and bodies under control, so our physical language exudes a relaxed confidence – which is enormously relaxing and confidence-boosting to our dogs, who operate best when they know they can trust a competent leader.

If I do say so myself, I’m sort of a “poster child” for the benefits of sports psychology, since I was absolutely stuck at a certain level of competence at agility with my two Border Terriers.

Sport Psychology for Dogs: What Brought Me Here

For me, it’s hard to imagine anything more fun than a weekend of dog agility competition with my agility partner, Dash. And, from watching the enthusiastic competitors at herding trials, obedience trials, flyball events, tracking exercises, freestyle performances, and other types of dog sports, I think most participants would agree with me about their chosen sports.

It’s also difficult to imagine an undertaking more holistic than dog sports such as agility. The effective combination of mind, body, and emotion, in the dog and handler individually and as a member of the team, holds the key to success. All elements are connected and interrelated to achieve peak performance.

Dash, my five-year-old Border Terrier and three-year agility competitor, and I earned the novice and intermediate qualifications necessary to propel us into competition at the highest levels of difficulty. Remember that line about being careful what you wish for?

Joking aside, as an aware and responsible handler, I created a regimen of training and healthcare to support the demands of high-level competition. I feed Dash a homemade, fresh food diet and augment her food with nutritional and herbal supplements that promote joint health, heart health, and strengthen her immune system.

Dash also receives regular chiropractic adjustments to prevent injury, and enjoys a superficial massage from me after competitions. These modalities increase the flow of blood and energy throughout her system after taxing it by jumping, turning, and racing through the agility courses. I combine training, resting, and fun in a mix that keeps her motivated but not tired.

Personally, I focus on eating and resting well, and shed a few pounds to make running the courses easier. In essence, I put together a well-thought-out plan to support our athletic endeavors.

When Progress Stops, Seek Outside Assistance

As new entrants into advanced levels of competition, we struggled with the issues of courses more difficult to navigate and faster time requirements, and our progress stalled. I made embarrassing mistakes at trials and Dash became frustrated with our clumsy runs. We qualified occasionally, but disappointment and frustration were settling in.

I wasn’t sure what piece of the holistic puzzle we were suddenly missing, so I began to carefully watch the top competitors at each trial and try to figure it out. Advanced agility competition presents only the slightest chance of redeeming a run after making even a small mistake of any kind. So I knew that competitors who qualified consistently were not just good at making up for errors made during a run. They were just plain good.

One of the first things I noticed about these top competitors was that their dogs were not faster than Dash at her best and the handlers themselves were not quicker than me when I ran in good form.

As I got to know some of my fellow competitors, I discovered that many had limited access to agility practice equipment and did not receive regular lessons from national level instructors. They had to juggle work, family, and travel, and some wore knee braces, had bad backs, or suffered from weak ankles or sore hips. Several were significantly older than me, and I have to look backward to see 50. Some of their dogs were rescued from abusive homes, so their intense agility preparation program as puppies was nonexistent.

My hopes of identifying any sort of “disadvantaged circumstances” as the root cause of our slow progress quickly vanished!

The Key to Dog Sport Success

The next thing I noticed was that these highly successful competitors were more poised, more focused, and more relaxed than most competitors. They rarely complained about the course, the weather, the footing, the judge, or whether Mercury was retrograde. And they spent more time interacting with their dogs than socializing with the other competitors at the trials.

I began to suspect that they had mastered the art of sports psychology, or tapping into the power of programming their minds to reach their highest potential of performance and to capture that level of performance from their dogs. By observing and talking with these competitors, and reading about the new concepts of sports psychology, a missing piece of the holistic puzzle for Dash and me has gradually taken shape.

Programming Dogs for Success

Agility enthusiasts are embracing the sport psychology techniques presented in books like the one written by Jane Savoie, an award-winning equestrian competitor. In That Winning Feeling, Savoie explains how the subconscious mind cannot distinguish between the real and the imagined. The subconscious mind reacts to information provided by the conscious mind and attempts to accommodate what the conscious mind sets forth as a goal or as reality, whether positive or negative.

For instance, my unconsciously controlled fear responses, like tight muscles and dilated pupils, kick in when I watch a horror movie, even though my conscious mind knows it’s not real. But the biochemical responses my body produces, as a reaction to my feelings of fear, are very real, and they cascade into a corresponding physical response that can impact my behavior and performance.

After viewing the movie, I probably will be much more hesitant to enter a dark room alone for a couple of days. And, if entering dark rooms alone is required in my life, I have just degraded my performance by induging in the negative imaging in the movie.

Savoie suggests that when we carry negative images of a particular activity (like a poor agility run) in our conscious mind, our unconscious mind believes those images to be reality, or a real goal of the conscious mind. The belief of the unconscious mind can provide desired or undesired cascades into conscious behavior.

Savoie also states that achieving peak performance results from mastering acquired skills, not from relying on genetic gifts. She believes that persistence, not talent, lies at the root of competitive athletic success.

Top competitors have learned to use the power of positive imaging and other precepts of sports psychology to their advantage in the agility ring and in many other competitive dog sports. Let’s take a look at some of their proven techniques:

• Banish negative visual images. One fellow agility competitor refuses to wear any of the popular, humorous agility T-shirts that read “Double Q Challenged” (Double Q refers to qualifying in both a regular and a jumpers-with-weaves run on the same day in an American Kennel Club agility trial) or “My Dog Needs a Faster Handler.” Her T-shirts read “Agility: an Army of Two” or “Agility: Fun on the Run” or, my favorite, “Agility Forever, Housework Whenever.” Don’t you get different feelings about agility just by reading each of these phrases?

• Banish negative verbal input. A national level agility competitor often walks the course carrying a CD player and wearing headphones. I asked him if he was listening to motivational messages. He replied that the CD player was empty. He uses the headphones to block out all of the negative conversation that takes place among competitors while they are walking the course. He doesn’t want to overhear folks talking about it being a course that favors big dogs, or requires unfair maneuvers, or has a particular “crash and burn” zone. He wants to focus on the challenges of the course and prepare his handling strategy.

This competitor also eliminates all negative words and phrases from his agility vocabulary. He replaces works like “try” and “hope” and “if” with “when” and “will.” He no longer “hopes to win if he’s lucky” but instead “he and his dog will do their best and put winning well within reach.” His agility “challenges” are defined by others as agility “problems.”

I have come to think of my course handling challenges as agility “obstacles” that I need to negotiate just like the A-frame and the weave poles are agility obstacles that Dash has to negotiate. And I remind myself to do so with the enthusiasm and confidence that Dash demonstrates when faced with her course (I discovered that my dog is a great role model, too).

• Learn relaxation and positive imaging skills. Practice deep-breathing exercises and muscle relaxation techniques to clear your head. Then paint mental images of successful agility runs, tracking tests, or obedience work on that blank canvas. Never paint mistakes or apprehensions. Mentally rehearse a successful performance several times, and then rehearse the especially critical parts again and again. Even visualize stepping up to receive your ribbon. Show your unconscious mind your conscious goals.

• Be prepared. There’s no substitute for training and practice, which provides the foundation for your positive images and confidence. Meet the basic needs of both you and your dog: rest, eat right, and find moments of mental and emotional serenity.

• Set training and competition goals. Make them realistic, but a stretch. Currently, my competition goal is consistency, not winning. But we’re almost ready to set our sights on regularly qualifying, the next step up for us from consistent performances with minimal mistakes.

I have also experimented with using a mantra, or a word or phrase repeated over and over to program my thoughts. When I notice that I’m over-managing Dash on the course I repeat the word “effortless” or “dancing” again and again before I enter the ring. I want the run to appear “effortless” to an observer, like Dash and I are dancing, and not like I have to work so hard. Somehow, the mantra settles me down and our runs become much smoother.

Dash and I submit to the natural cycle of agility to reduce stress and provide temporary relief from goal-driven thinking. The trials occur predominantly in the spring and fall. I keep Dash tuned up during our competitive seasons, train and practice skills during the winter, and work very little agility in the summer. Late in the spring I look forward to our coming rest, and, by the end of the summer, we’re both ready to go again.

• Learn to fake it. Even if you feel out-of-sorts, apprehensive, or worried, behave as though you feel rested, prepared, relaxed, and confident. The behavior alone triggers the unconsciously supportive responses that the actual feelings trigger. When you’re upset, direct your facial muscles to smile and see how long it takes your mood to change.

At our last trial the weave pole entries were very difficult to accomplish, but it was too late to go home and practice more tough entries. In our first run I panicked and “micro-managed” Dash’s weave pole entry, which she promptly fumbled. Before our second run I told myself repeatedly that her weave poles entries were always impeccable. During the run I directed her to the weave poles, let her find her own way in, and she aced it.

• Stay flexible and use rituals sparingly. Some competitors rely on a series of rituals, or repetitive behaviors, to calm their nerves and focus their thoughts before a competition. They might play with a specific toy with their dog, offer a particularly tasty treat, approach and enter the ring, ask for a down, then turn to run the course.

However, I have witnessed their panic when they discover they have left the tasty treat back in the tent. Keep your options open. A top competitor I know “doodles” before she enters the ring. She asks her dog for a series of random “tricks” to focus their attention, but never relies on an established sequence of behaviors or rewards.

• Get the most out of every competition. Besides running your event, observe and study the best competitors. It’s a real education. Pick a couple of role models and talk with them about training and handling techniques. Solicit feedback on your performances from trusted competitors.

Don’t forget to look for ways to enhance the bond with your dog while you’re spending the day together, fully focused on each other. The measure of the day’s success does not hinge on the ribbons. If you enjoyed yourself, and your dog is happy, it was a good day.

• Don’t totally disconnect from negative feelings. Suppressing negative feelings does not resolve them. Just deal with them after the competition, not during the performance. Need some worry time? Schedule it into your day, worry for about 20 minutes well before the competition, and then forget it until the next scheduled worry session.

Negative thoughts disrupt the smoothness of physical actions you have practiced and that have become familiar to you and your dog. Practiced actions are the most efficient actions and are your finely tuned route to success in competition. Don’t undermine your long hours of practice with negative thoughts right before the event.

• Bounce back. Developing the ability to rebound from setbacks is much more useful than working to eradicate failure, an impossible mission.

My friend’s Corgi unexpectedly runs off course in a trial and refuses to be caught. He loves agility but occasionally gets “the zoomies,” which my friend finds very discouraging (and expensive). Once close to leaving the sport, she sought out training options and worked them hard. The zoomies have dramatically decreased and she has become a testament to the power of persistence and creative training. And she has many more alternatives in her training tool bag than most, because she had to work through a lot of them to succeed.

Don’t turn against yourself or your dog. You are the only two beings who can secure your success!

• Find the humor. At a recent trial a competitor, who works with a breed that does not traditionally excel in agility, had a terrible run. Not only did he and the dog make several serious mistakes, but the competitor tripped over a large panel jump, sent it sprawling in all directions, and landed on top of the pieces. He got up and completed the run. We all had a chuckle from the sidelines. When he exited the ring I heard him say to another competitor, “Even THAT was better than sitting at home!”

Evaluating Your Dog Sport Performance

If improved performance does not follow your mastery of the skills taught by sports psychologists, examine your motivations. If you don’t love the game more than the win, you may have established a pattern that undermines your enjoyment of the sport and your overall performance.

A competitor I know recently left agility. The sport did not appear to energize either her or her dog, but she was determined to own the first dog of that breed to achieve an advanced agility title. Her motivation impeded her success, rather than contributed to it, and she finally agreed that she should find another method of bonding with and enjoying her dog.

An agility instructor recently told participants in a seminar I attended that just stepping up to the agility start line with our dogs puts us in the top one percent of dog owners, win or lose, for we had cultivated a relationship few people experience with their dogs. And we were willing and happy to play our game together and in public!

I treasure that thought and use it to help me focus my thoughts and keep a smile on my face at a trial. His words always run quickly through my mind in that split second, right on the start line, just before I turn to Dash, catch her eye, and say “Ready? Let’s GO!”

Sports Psychology Techniques for Training “Ordinary” Dogs

One of the most ubiquitous sports psychology techniques used by human athletes is visualizing – mentally practicing – an ideal performance of some kind. While you don’t need to have competitive goals of any kind, you must have a behavioral goal for your dog to reap the benefits of this powerful tool.

Say your dog is a strong puller on leash, and it’s often a real struggle to walk him without getting dragged down the sidewalk. You should, of course, consult a professional positive trainer to help you develop a step-by-step program to help your dog learn more appropriate on-leash skills. But it will also help if you frequently mentally rehearse taking a calm, quiet, controlled walk with your dog. Imagine the picture down to the smallest details: Your erect but relaxed posture, your hands closed gently yet securely on the leash, your comfortable and purposeful stride, a smile on your face as you greet passersby and they murmur words of admiration for your dog. And the dog! Trotting on a loose leash by your side; glancing up to you every few feet for direction and affirmation; and his eyes, ears, and tail all expressing a contented trust in you and your leadership.

Once you have thoroughly visualized a picture of you and your dog at your mutual best, walk yourself through this vision for at least a full minute at least a couple times a day. Then, silly as it might seem, practice acting out your part of the picture – in the privacy of your own bedroom, at least at first! It helps if you have a full-length mirror you can use to assess your current posture and expression, and make adjustments so you start to resemble the person in your idealized picture!

Once you feel that you can inhabit the picture fairly accurately, practice this posture and movement around your dog. Try to adopt the same at-ease and self-assured stance and manner with your dog at all times.

If you go through with this, you’ll notice two important things. First, your dog’s behavior will start to improve. Whether or not we notice it, dogs look to us for clues about how they should act, and the cooler you look and sound, the cooler they’ll become. Really. Second, you’ll start to become more conscious of the moments when you aren’t acting “right” – when your responses to your dog become frantic or your voice becomes shrill. And noticing this is the first step toward stopping it.

SPORT PSYCHOLOGY FOR DOGS: OVERVIEW

1. Set and then visualize specific goals for your dog’s behavior. Wanting him to “be good” is too vague. For example: “I want my dog to be calm and friendly when greeting people, without jumping on them.” Or, “I want my dog to be able to walk by other dogs on leash as if he doesn’t even see them.”

2. Practice brushing off your dog’s (and your own) mistakes cheerfully. Don’t fixate on them.

Lorie Long is a freelance writer living in Oriental, North Carolina, with two Border Terriers, Dash and Chase. All three are addicted to agility.

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