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Nose Work: A Super Fun Dog Sport

By
Terry Long
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[Updated August 17, 2017]

Snapshot: K9 Nose Work

What is this sport? In nose work, dogs indicate the location of a “target” scent by using their natural sense of smell.

Prior training required? None.

Physical demands? On the dog: Mild to moderate. On the handler: Mild to moderate.

Best-suited body structure? No specific structural demands in this sport.

Best-suited temperament? Confident, high-energy, but the sport is also well suited to timid dogs.

Cost? Low.

Training complexity? Low.

Mental stimulation? High.

Physical stimulation value? Moderate.

Recreational opportunities? High; this sport can be played in your backyard.

Competition opportunities and venues? This is a very new sport, primarily available in California, but reaching into other states as instructors become certified.

Although handlers take their dogs to group training classes to learn the game of nose work, only one dog is worked at a time. As a result, this is an ideal sport for dogs who are shy or reactive around people or dogs. It is also ideal for people looking for a sport that is less physically demanding on their dogs and isn’t populated by over-the-top, high-arousal dogs (and handlers).

At the beginning levels of training, dogs are encouraged to “find” their toy in a box. Lavish praise, the toy, and treats reward the dog for his efforts. Later, the toy is hidden in a box among other empty boxes, and the dog is rewarded for finding the box that conceals his toy.

Fun Dog Sports

Once the dog gets hooked on the game of “find it,” an essential oil such as birch, anise, or clove is used. A miniscule amount of one of these essential oils is placed on a very small cotton swab. The dog is rewarded for sniffing the container to indicate his find. This essential oil is then placed in more and more difficult locations for the dog to find.

As the dogs learn to play the game, handlers learn how to closely observe their dogs so they know when their dog has found the scent. This “indication” behavior is an important part of the training process since handlers will use their individual dog’s behavior to start rewarding their dog for “indicating” their find. Amy Herot explains why this is important.

“We want the dogs to first learn to enjoy hunting without much handler intervention. Many handlers want to teach their dogs a particular way of ‘indicating’ a successful search – such as barking or a sit – very early in the game. We prefer to take ‘control’ out of the game in the early stages. This frees the dog to just play the game. Later, the handler, from keen observation, can shape the dog to offer a particular behavior that demonstrates he has found the scent. As a trainer, this is one of the most satisfying things about teaching nose work: People learn to pay very close attention to their dogs; they become masters of observation.”

The difficulty of the game increases as the scents are hidden out in the real world in bushes and stairwells and, in vehicle searches, the wheel wells of parked cars and trucks.

There are several levels of competition that are described on the National Association of Canine Scent Work‘s website.

History of Nose Work

The sport of canine scent work is the brainchild of three trainers with experience in training detection dogs for narcotics and explosives. Ron Gaunt was a police dog trainer for 12 years and now runs a private security firm. Amy Herot is a professional trainer and certified detection dog handler and trainer, and Jill-Marie O’Brien is the director of training and behavior for the SPCA LA and is also a certified detection dog handler.

Their collective experience training their own dogs, as well as professional detection dogs, convinced them that companion dogs would benefit from the mental and physical stimulation provided by using their natural sense of smell in a very directed way. (See “The Birth of a Smelly Sport,” below.)

The initial classes quickly filled. Soon, there were long waiting lists, even though additional instructors became certified and other locations added. Co-founder Amy Herot admits that keeping up with demand has been difficult. “One of the biggest challenges for expansion is ensuring the quality of instruction and preventing the dilution of the basic concepts. It’s most important to us that the sport is always fun for the dog (and the human). That said, we are indeed expanding. We have several certified instructors in Southern California, three new instructors in the San Francisco area, one soon to be in New England, one in Denver, and another in Albuquerque. We also look forward to the opportunity of doing workshops to help bring the sport to more locations. Our hope is that more and more dog enthusiasts will become involved and realize the value to their dogs and the relationships they have with their canine companions.”

The Birth of a Smelly Sport

K9 nose work is arguably the newest dog sport to be added to the seemingly endless list of sports created by people who thought, “Hey, my dog loves doing this; I bet other dogs would, too.”

This is exactly what inspired Amy Herot, CPDT, to team up with two of her training partners, Ron Gaunt and Jill-Marie O’Brien, to create fun nose work classes and, later, the sport of canine scent work. The three trainers were convinced that nose work was one of the best ways to mentally and physically stimulate dogs, many of whom have behavior problems because of lack of stimulation.

It started several years ago when Amy became interested in training her own dogs in professional detection work. After a lot of long hours and hard work, Amy’s first dog became certified nationally as a narcotics detection dog. She was hooked. She went on to train and certify several other dogs in both narcotics and explosives detection. She learned a lot from professional detection trainers Ron Gaunt of Travel’n Mandogs (Covina, California), Rodney Spicer of Gold Coast K9 (Oxnard, California), and Andy Jimenez of Falco K9 (Brea, California).

Amy, Ron, and Jill-Marie O’Brien (the director of training and behavior at the SPCALA) started teaching classes in Long Beach, California, trying out the concept of teaching nose work to companion dogs. It took off with a bang. Developing exacting standards for competition came as a natural evolution of teaching those classes.

Amy remembers the early days in 2007:

“The sport idea came later. In the early classes, dogs had been searching for objects (toys, Kongs, food, etc.) We had been playing with the idea of teaching dogs a particular scent in order to advance those classes by making the ‘hides’ smaller and, therefore, more challenging. (It gets difficult to find places to hide a large, stuffed mallard duck without dog and handler seeing it.) We considered some sort of oil, like anise, as that has been used for evaluating detection dogs’ ability to work a novel scent, but we hadn’t settled on anything yet.

“About that same time, I had the opportunity to experiment with the concept while in Seattle during a John Rogerson Instructor’s course. He had invited me to teach the scent discrimination portion of the course and wanted to introduce the concepts of training a dog on odor. All of the dogs in the course were just out of the local shelter and during their three-week stay were exposed to a crash course in tracking, agility, obedience, and nose work. Handlers not only had to get the dogs interested in searching, but also had to train them on an odor and pass an odor-recognition test. John likes to challenge people to be creative in their training and to accomplish a lot in a short time.

“What I witnessed in that course – because of the speed and intensity of training – was a spirited, competitive edge to the nose work that confirmed our thoughts about where we could go with the training in our classes. It proved a good testing ground for using odors with companion dogs and for leveling the playing field in terms of what the dogs were searching for. You can’t really have a competition if one person is hiding a treat bag of hot dogs and the other is hiding a stuffed pink bunny rabbit, but a cotton swab with a dab of oil eliminates that problem.

“When I returned to Los Angeles, Ron, Jill-Marie, and I talked about constructing a class to introduce the dogs to odor, which opened up the possibilities for competition and much
more advanced handling and skill-building for the teams. Those next set of classes helped build the elements we now use in competition for the nose work titles. As handlers got more involved and interested in nose work, we had to keep adding challenges, like exterior area searches and vehicle searches.

“The original purpose of the class, whether dogs are hunting for food or odor, was to have fun. Watching dogs hunt – and watching the light bulb go on for them that they are allowed to hunt – is a beautiful and inspiring experience. I know this to be true every time I witness a dog searching in class. You can hear a pin drop because the observers are watching and listening so intently…often followed by rousing applause when the dog finds it.”

Attributes of a Nose Work Dog

The most attractive thing about this sport is the broad array of dogs that can do it. In essence, if your dog has a nose, he can play this game! Although certified search and rescue and detection dogs have a very demanding job, fun nose work does not place the same physical demands on the dog or handler. Amy Herot describes the difference between fun nose work for companion dogs and police detection work:

“Fun nose work incorporates elements borrowed from skills that we work on with detection dogs without it being detection dog training. Although nose work shares similarities with detection, there is much more that goes into a detection dog.

“Smelling is the easiest thing. The mental and physical ability, stamina, and stability for dogs to endure long and difficult searches are a big part of detection work. The dogs must be highly driven, uninhibited, and focused on their work all the time. The training is technical, requiring dedication, documentation, and certifications. It also presents the handler and/or owner with great liability and pressure.

“Many companion dogs and even sport dogs share the basic sniffing skills of a working dog, but aren’t really suited to live that life. Nose work allows an owner to tap into those skills without pressure and to provide a great outlet for the dog’s natural abilities.

Fun Dog Sports

“In our classes, we have Pugs, Whippets, Shepherds, Labs, Shih Tzus, Huskies, Dobermans, Chihuahuas, Beagles, and Jack Russell Terriers, some of which are top nose work competitors. Certainly, the traditional dogs come to mind: German Shepherd Dogs, Bloodhounds, and Labradors. The skills do come naturally to most of them. Other breeds, however, just need the opportunity.”

Scent Work Handler Attributes

This sport requires a human team member who enjoys the simple pleasures of seeing her dog have a good time, without all the equipment and more complex training that is required in many of the other dog sports. The most strenuous part of the sport is running behind or along with your dog as he is working a scent.

Scent Work Equipment and Supplies

Very little is needed to teach your dog to participate in nose work.

• Rewards – Both toys and treats can be used. In the initial stages of training, dogs are encouraged to find a favorite toy or treat bag.

• Target odors – Small bottles of the target odors (essential oils), small cotton swabs, and containers into which the scented swabs are placed are all that is required. These materials can be purchased online from a variety of sources. There is a link at the fun nose work website. Individual supplies are available, as well as a full kit with everything to get started.

Expenses

This is a very inexpensive sport. The costs mentioned below are for participation in a nose work class.

• Essential oils – All materials are provided in the introductory classes. A student who chooses to continue training might want to purchase his/her own materials. A full kit with three essential oils and cotton swabs is $35.

• Classes – A package of six classes runs $95 to $150 depending on the location.

• Entry fees – If you choose to compete, trial fees are only about $30 plus a nominal one-time NACSW membership registration starting in 2010.

Training for Nose Work

Introductory classes focus on building enthusiasm in dogs for finding their toy or treat bag, hidden in an obvious place such as a cardboard box. A lot of praise and generous rewards are used to encourage the dog to continue to use his nose to find the treasure. Continuing classes leverage the dog’s understanding of using his nose to find “target” scents such as anise, birch, and clove. At the beginning, the target scents are in easy-to-find locations; as skills develop, they are hidden in more difficult locations.

People whose dogs are fearful or reactive around other dogs find that fun nose work classes are a rare opportunity to take their dogs to a class. That’s because one dog is worked at a time, which allows each dog to concentrate on the task at hand instead of other often overwhelming environmental factors. Ramona Audette, a professional trainer in Southern California, was so thrilled with her own dog’s experience in fun nose work classes that she went on to become a certified nose work instructor (CNWI).

“I did not realize the impact fun nose work would have on my dog. I was hesitant to enroll him in the class because of his fear issues. Because there would be no other dogs around him and he didn’t have to engage with anyone but me, I thought, ‘This might work!’ There is such a difference in him today after his involvement with the fun nose work class. His confidence has soared. He loves doing it.

Fun Dog Sports

“I have since become a Certified Nose Work Instructor and have been able to see the same results with other dogs. I have seen a Corgi and an English Bulldog go from not wanting to leave their owner’s side and be afraid of a box used in the introductory class, to leaving their owners to go put their head in a box to make ‘their find.'”

Levels of Competition

Currently, dogs as young as six months can compete, and there are three levels of competition.

• NW1 – Dogs earn points for each search for the target scent of birch in each of four locations with maximum time limits assigned to each location:

1. Several cardboard boxes in a row (on- leash).

2. A room in the interior of a building (on- or off-leash).

3. A 1,000-sq. ft. exterior area (on-leash).

4. In up to three vehicles (on-leash).

There are a total of 100 points possible; 90 points are required for an NW1 title.

• NW2 – At this level, dogs must show proficiency with searching for either birch or anise, distractions are added, and the locations become larger and more complex. There are a total of 100 points possible; 95 points are required for an NW2 title.

• NW3 – At this level, dogs must show proficiency with searching for birch, anise, and/or clove.

There are multiple distractions at this level, and one of the rooms in the building can be without scent (a decoy so to speak), and the locations become larger and more complex. The vehicle search includes five vehicles. There are a total of 100 points possible; 100 points are required for an NW3 title.

For detailed information, download the rule book from the NACSW website.

Sniffing Out Confidence

Jesse, a Rhodesian Ridgeback-mix, was four years old when Lezle Stein enrolled him in a nose work class in 2007. Stein is a professional dog trainer and also spends countless hours volunteering with rescue organizations, working with dogs to help them overcome fearfulness. Jesse was afraid of men, children, and new places. He also suffered from separation anxiety, scaling six-foot fences and breaking through windows when suffering from a bout of the disorder. Stein hoped to build his confidence by enrolling him in the nose work class.

“I spend a lot of time in the rescue world working with emotionally damaged dogs. Amy Herot explained that nose work can be an excellent ‘rehab’ for nervous or fearful dogs. They develop confidence, overriding their fears by going back to what comes naturally for them – using their noses! And we make sure they always succeed.”

When Stein first enrolled him, Jesse was too terrified to do anything except cling to her side. Especially terrified of men, Jesse would panic if Ron Gaunt, one of the trainers, came within 10 feet.

“I really would never have guessed how much nose work could improve Jesse’s life. When
he first started, he had zero confidence outside of my house. His strategy was a panicked avoidance and running away so nobody could approach him. He would never bite; he would just shake and pull to get away.”

Stein says the training and positive experiences have completely changed Jesse into a more comfortable dog. “He is a different dog today. He visits with all the class members and is willing and wanting to leave my side to find the scent.

“Amy was so careful and caring to help Jesse and me succeed. The process is slow and methodical in building confidence, but always fun and always with a win at the end. He understands the game and enjoys it now. His separation anxiety has also gone away. And he can say ‘hello’ to men now as well.

“It is a joy beyond words to see any dog, of any breed, awaken their nose and use it to the degree they can. It’s mind-blowing how incredible their ability to smell is, and I still think we have a lot more to learn about that. As a rescue person, I will continue to rehab dogs using their noses.”

And the icing on the cake? Jesse went on to compete as part of a team on two separate occasions. One team took home a first-place blue ribbon and another team took third place.

Overcoming Separation Anxiety

Janice Delaney brought home Mattie, a female Australian Shepherd/Cattle Dog-mix, when Mattie was about six months old. Mattie loves people – perhaps too much! She couldn’t seem to bear being without her owner, and began tearing up Janice’s home any time she was left alone. In an attempt to stop Mattie’s destructiveness, identified by her trainer as separation anxiety, Janice enrolled her in obedience and agility classes. lt wasn’t until Janice enrolled then 13-month-old Mattie in fun nose work classes that her behavior at home improved.

“Nose work was a great overall experience,” Janice recalled. “Mattie loved it and just came
into herself. The training was very well done, from beginning basic box drills to being able to compete in trials. Amy Herot and her colleagues were wonderful at understanding Mattie’s [separation anxiety] issues and allowed her to be in the building where she could watch me but not distract the other dogs from searching. The best part of it all is that Mattie no longer suffers from separation anxiety and has a whole new level of confidence.”

Janice went on to advanced levels of training and entered Mattie in trials starting in 2008. Mattie won her NW1 title on June 7, 2009, and her NW2 in August of that year.

Of special pride to Janice is that Mattie is a recipient of the Harry Award, which was established in 2008 in honor of Harry and his relationship with handler Penny Scott-Fox. Harry was entered in the inaugural nose work trial, but died from a rattlesnake bite just days before the trial. The Harry Award is awarded to “the most outstanding rescue dog that demonstrates extraordinary ability and spirit in nose work,” emphasizing the relationship with the handler and the teamwork.

Is This Sport for You?

This is a sport for just about everyone. It is easy on the handler, easy on the dog, inexpensive, and doesn’t require a lot of equipment. You’re hooked as soon as you see your dog’s face when he realizes that he will be rewarded for using his nose. As usual, have fun, train positively, and revel in the relationship with your dog, not the ribbons on the wall.

Terry Long, CPDT, is a writer, agility instructor, and behavior counselor in Long Beach, California.

A Progress Report on Positive Dog Training and Our New Dog Otto

By
Nancy Kerns
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I can’t believe it’s been a more than a year already since I brought Otto home from a shelter. The date was June 16, 2008. There were actually two dogs I was considering at the shelter, and I thought I might bring the other one home for a night, too; I wanted to make sure I had absolutely the right dog for me and my family. But Otto was “the one.” He’s developing into everything I could want in a dog – no small part, I think, due to all the positive training work we’ve put into him over this past year. I can confidently testify, “Folks, this stuff really works!”

A year of progress
I haven’t managed to do half of all the things I planned to do with Otto in his first year with us – and yet, he’s doing incredibly well. Our major accomplishments?

He hasn’t chewed anything he wasn’t supposed to chew for months and months. Okay, he’s about 20 months old now; he’s not teething like he was. But he’s also had a steady supply of appropriate chew toys – and ones that he showed he liked. There is no use in buying a bunch of toys for your dog if you don’t pay close attention to what the dog does and does not like! With the exception of one rubber “stick,” Otto doesn’t like chewing on rubber toys or Kongs (except for the Kong with a squeaker in it; he loves anything with a squeaker). Same with plastic chews. He likes stuffed animals with squeakers, actual wooden sticks (and pieces of scrap lumber), rawhide chews, and fresh raw meaty bones. That’s about it.

I’ve found that it’s important to rotate his chew toys, picking all of them off the lawn and deck at least once a week, and doling out a fresh one or two a day. If they are all laying around all the time, he loses interest in them. But he’s newly enthusiastic when I dole out a chew he hasn’t seen for a few days.

His barking is mostly limited to a few, appropriate barks, such as those that alert us to the arrival of the mail or UPS, or to a passing “suspicious person” (such as someone lurking near our cars, or a late-night stumbling drunk).

This has taken quite a bit of work. We rarely leave Otto out in the yard when we’re not home, so he almost never gets an opportunity to “practice” nuisance or boredom-barking. My husband and I both work at home, and when we hear Otto bark, one or the other of us always investigates, acknowledges Otto, and calls him to us for a pet or a treat. He’s learned that coming straight to us is consistently rewarding, and so he “calls off” of anything he’s barking at very easily.

He’s far more confident with strangers than he used to be. This, too, has taken a lot of work. I enrolled Otto in two six-week classes with a wonderful local positive trainer, Sarah Richardson, CPDT. (I’ve been meaning to sign up for a tricks class, or beginning agility, but just haven’t found the time!) I’ve taken Otto to dog parks, people parks, friends’ homes, and businesses where dogs are welcome.

My friends can attest that I’ve had a “bait bag” full of training treats fastened around my waist just about every day this year, so I could classically condition him to the sight (and then the presence) of strangers. I ask practically everyone we meet to give him a few treats. Now his tail starts waving and his expression brightens when we see someone coming toward us on a sidewalk or trail!

He readily turns away from “forbidden pleasures” such as stray cats crossing the sidewalk in front of us or the carcass of a dead animal on the side of the trail. I make sure I always have high-value treats for reinforcing Otto when it really counts, and it’s paid off in spades.

Just the other day, as I was biking with him on a trail – and he was off-leash – we spotted a raccoon eating from a pile of cat food that someone left for feral cats. Unlike them, the raccoon did not run away from the pile as we approached; growling and snarling, it backed into the bushes a little bit. The moment Otto spotted it, though, from a distance of about 100 feet, he turned his head and fixed his eyes on me. I sped up, while verbally confirming that he was doing exactly what I wanted him to do: “Good dog, Otto! Yes! Good boy!” and Otto kept his eyes on me, even as we raced past the raccoon and the cat food. When we were about 100 feet or so past the raccoon, I stopped my bike and fed him a jackpot of about, oh, I don’t know, maybe 50 pieces of hot dog! I was bursting with pride!

He’s rock-solid with other dogs. I can’t take all the credit for this; Otto was already very friendly and playful with other dogs when we got him. But I’ve taken pains to maintain this trait, by giving him lots of opportunities to play with other nice dogs and puppies, at my and friends’ homes, at the dog park, and in occasional doggie daycare sessions. He’s also gotten to play with some not-so-nice dogs, and he’s been unflappable with them, too, even after getting rolled over or pushed around. I limit his exposure to playmates who have “issues,” though, to preserve his good attitude toward and interest in other dogs.

Work still to be done
This is not to say that Otto is perfect! We still have some work to do. This is what I’m working (or planning) to improve in the immediate future:

He’s still “iffy” with kids; he sometimes growls quietly and turns away from small children. Now that my son (and all of his friends) are older teens, I don’t have a steady supply of small kids to expose Otto to. And with a baby niece about to be born, I have to get on the job! We live across the street from a YMCA, though. I’m thinking that this summer, I’m going to make it a habit to sit with Otto on the sidewalk outside when swimming lessons are getting out, and ask kids if they’d toss Otto a few treats.

He is afraid of slick floors, like the polished concrete floors in pet supply stores. This one is weird. Sometimes he’ll go right across a slippery floor; on other occasions, he’ll suddenly freeze and, panicky, try to flee the floor as quickly as he can. I need to work on desensitizing him to slick floors.

If he gets very afraid of something, he “checks out” and won’t come to us. Recently, my husband took Otto fishing on a stream in the mountains near here. The trip entailed wading across rushing whitewater several times. Otto likes wading, but not swimming, and once he ascertained that this water was deeper and faster than he felt confident about, he dug in his heels.

The first time this happened, Brian just pulled him into the water by his leash; once he was half-way across, he leaped for the other side. The next time Brian prepared to cross, Otto was ready. He ducked his head, pulled back, and neatly slipped his martingale (“no-slip”!) collar over his ears.

Afraid the collar was coming off, Brian dropped the leash, and Otto took off upstream, looking for his own way across the water. Worried that he had lost the dog, Brian waded back across, calling Otto – who reappeared without collar or leash (and tags). The rest of the day sounded like a trial for both of them.

Worse, the avoidant behavior recurred. A few days later, I called Otto to me as I watered some plants in the garden. He took one look at the hose, (wrongly) guessed at a possible bath in the works, and took off to hide on the far side of the house.

I plan to work hard to extinguish this behavior; I don’t want him to even consider the option of running away from us in a stressful moment. We need to go back to square one with our recalls.

Once they are solid again, we’ll work on recalls in the face of distractions and even scary things, using a long-line if we need to make certain he can’t run away. The goal will be to rebuild his confidence in the concept that coming to us is always a better option than pulling or running away.

How to Introduce Dog to Baby

By
Nancy Kerns
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By the time this issue arrives in your mailbox, my newest little niece should have made her debut into the outside world. The fact that my brother and sister-in-law are expecting to deliver a baby girl at the end of July will be a surprise to only one party in our immediate and extended family: their dog, Hannah.

I’ve written about Hannah before, and her photo has graced these pages on a number of occasions; she’s a big, pretty, expressive mixed-breed, and my brother is an excellent photographer. Hannah also has some issues with strange people from time to time, and while she’s always been rock-solid with kids, Keith and Leslie have wisely gone out of their way to prepare Hannah as much as they can for the baby’s arrival.

Nancy Kerns

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To make sure they were on track, I asked our editor of training topics, renowned positive trainer Pat Miller, to prepare an article about “what you should do before baby arrives” (see page 10). Yes, I was indulging my own interest; I wanted to satisfy myself that I had communicated to the happy couple everything that a responsible, dog-knowledgeable aunt should convey to expectant parents about dog- and baby-safety. (And then I was able to use them as photo models for the article, too!) But I am confident that many of you, too, can use this information, if not for your own family, for some other family you know.

Many families suffer when they discover, too late, that their dog just can’t abide babies or children. Years before Whole Dog Journal was conceived, I went through that very experience with my own son and dog, a sensitive Border Collie. Rupert had rarely been around kids, but he was so well-behaved with adults that I never dreamed he’d be deeply uncomfortable around my precious baby.

I now know that I failed Rupert on many levels. I never socialized him with kids and babies; when he was frightened of strange people or loud noises, I’d allow him to avoid them (never knowing that he could be desensitized and counter-conditioned to the things that scared him). I was dismayed when he would slink out of the room every time the baby cried or made exuberant noises or motions, but I failed to realize that this would be a bigger problem when baby Eli started toddling.

I didn’t have much time to ponder the impending danger; Eli started walking at 10 months! And it wasn’t long after, that Eli once stumbled suddenly toward Rupert, grabbing double handfuls of fur as he fell. Rupe swung around and banged Eli on the face with his muzzle; it was a miracle that Eli didn’t end up with a nasty bite and scar on his face (especially because Rupert had very poor bite inhibition; I didn’t even know what that was at that time). I was right there, and there wasn’t a thing I could have done to prevent it. All I could do, once Eli was calmed down, was place a call to my mom and dad; could Rupert go live with them for a while?

Yes, I once rehomed my dog. But it was the best thing I could have done at the time; Rupe loved my parents and staying at their house in the country, and they lavished all sorts of attention on him during his not-quite two-year stay with them. Rupert came back to live with me once Eli was old enough to throw tennis balls; that’s what won Rupert’s heart, as it pertained to Eli and all other oddly sized or -shaped humans.

Knowing what I know now, I would have super-socialized Rupe to babies and kids when he was a pup, and kept those experiences fresh as he matured. I would have been more assiduous about preventing accidental contact between my adventurous but not-yet-coordinated toddler and my sensitive dog. And I would have read Pat Miller’s article, and taken every precaution presented there! I hope Keith and Leslie and every other expectant couple will, too.

How to Handle Your Dog’s Accidents in the House

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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There’s probably not a canine companion on earth who hasn’t had at least one accident in the house; it’s inevitable no matter how careful your management. Ideally the accidents are few, but what do you do when they do happen? It may depend on the circumstances, but here are five things that are appropriate in most cases when a previously well-housetrained dog goes potty in the house.

1) If you discover your dog in flagrante, cheerfully interrupt him with an “Oops! Outside!” and hustle him out to his legal potty spot. Do not punish him. If you do, you’ll just teach him to pick a more secluded spot next time where you’re less likely to catch him in the act.

Potty Training dogs

2) Thoroughly clean any soiled spots with an enzymatic product designed to clean up animal waste. Use a black light to find untreated spots. Do not use ammonia-based products to clean! Urine contains ammonia and the ammonia in the cleaning products may actually inspire your dog to urinate on the spot where the ammonia-based product was used.

3) Take your dog out more frequently so he has more opportunity to do it right; every hour on the hour (during the day), at first, for young pups or older dogs who need remedial housetraining, then gradually lengthen the time between bathroom breaks.

Go out with him; don’t just send him out to the yard on his own. When he goes potty where he is supposed to, calmly praise him as he’s going (you don’t want to interrupt him!), then mark the desired behavior with a “Yes!” or other verbal marker when he’s finished, and give him a tasty treat.

Keep a potty journal, so you know when his last accident was and to keep track of his housetraining progress. When he’s gone a week with no accidents, increase the time between bathroom breaks by 30 minutes.

4) Give him periods of house freedom when you know he’s empty, but confine him to a crate or other small area (exercise pen) when you can’t supervise, or when you have to leave him alone for an extended period (or overnight). Be sure he doesn’t tank up on water just before bed. Don’t crate him longer than he can hold it; if you have to be gone for a long time, have a friend, family member, or pet-sitter take him out for a potty break.

5) Make sure there are no medical issues that might be interfering with his ability to “hold it.” If he has several lapses in housetraining, make an appointment for a thorough health examination with your vet. Diarrhea almost guarantees accidents, and things like urinary tract infections, and kidney and bladder stones will also cause housesoiling.

By the way, I don’t consider a dog reliably housetrained until he’s at least a year old. My own Bonnie was more than two years old before she could be trusted for long periods in the house.

One last thing: That old rolled up newspaper? You can use it to smack yourself in the head every time your dog has an accident, for allowing your management program to slip. If it’s not caused by a medical problem, an indoor potty incident is always a management lapse. Urine “marking” – a different behavior from housesoiling – is another story, and one for a future column.

Canine Health News You Can Use

By
Mary Straus
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0

 

VeggieDent Chews Recalled in Australia

Irradiation suspected of causing problem

In June, Virbac recalled VeggieDent Chews for Dogs in Australia as a precautionary measure after veterinary researchers noticed a possible link between dogs developing kidney disease and consumption of these chews. No reason has been found and there is as yet no proof that the chews are causing the Fanconi-like syndrome. The chews were introduced to Australia in March of this year. They are manufactured in Vietnam, and are made of corn, starch, glycerin, soy, rice, yeast, sorbitol, corn derivatives, and water.

Canine Health News

288

The Fanconi-like syndrome linked to VeggieDent Chews is similar to that associated with consumption of chicken jerky strips made in China. In fact, it was researchers looking into that problem who first noticed the correlation with VeggieDent chews, when a few dogs who had not consumed chicken jerky treats developed the same form of kidney disease. Possible problems with chicken jerky treats have been reported in the U.S. and elsewhere since 2007. Symptoms include excess drinking and urination, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, and glucose in the urine. Despite investigation by the FDA and others, the cause is still unknown.

VeggieDent chews have been marketed in the U.S. since September 2008, and in Europe and Japan for two years, but Virbac claims it has not received reports of problems anywhere except Australia – the only country that required some imported pet foods to be irradiated. Virbac blames the irradiation for the problem.

Neurological problems were found in cats consuming irradiated food in Australia last year, and after this problem, that country dropped the requirement for irradiation for those foods. While researchers are not yet certain what exactly has been responsible for the health problems caused by these irradiated foods, it is suspected that irradiation-induced changes in the food can cause toxicity. An upcoming article in WDJ will discuss irradiation of pet foods in more detail. – Mary Straus

For more information:
Virbac Animal Health
(800) 338-3659; virbacvet.com

 

New Treatment for Mast Cell Cancer Tumors

Not without risks, but a good option for inoperable tumors in particular

In June, the FDA approved the first drug used specifically to treat cancer in dogs. The new drug, called Palladia (toceranib phosphate) and made by Pfizer Animal Health, targets mast cell tumors. It does not replace surgical removal, but is used for higher-grade tumors that recur after surgery, with or without lymph node involvement. It is not recommended for dogs with systemic mast cell tumor, due to the increased risk of adverse side effects.

Mast cell tumors primarily affect the skin. They can vary widely in appearance and must be identified by fine needle aspirate or biopsy; there’s no way to tell if a lump or bump is a tumor by looking at it or feeling it. Mast cell tumors are graded on a scale of I to III, with III being the worst. They are the second most common tumor found in dogs. If left untreated, they can spread to other parts of the body.

Surgical removal with wide margins is always the preferred treatment for this type of tumor, but that’s not always possible, particularly when the tumor is in an area without a lot of extra skin, such as the face or lower limbs. Chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy are used in these cases, as well as for high-grade tumors and those that have spread.

Palladia is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that works by killing tumor cells and cutting off the tumor’s blood supply. The result is that it shrinks the tumors and prolongs survival time. The initial study of 86 dogs found the tumor disappeared in 8.1 percent of treated dogs, shrank in 29.1 percent of dogs, and stopped growing in another 20.9 percent of dogs. In addition, Pfizer reported that quality of life improved in dogs whose tumors responded to treatment. In its testing phase, Palladia was found to cause side effects in the majority of dogs who received it; these included diarrhea, decrease or loss of appetite, lameness, weight loss, and blood in the stool. Additional side effects were reported in a minority of the dogs. Most side effects are mild and resolve when the drug is stopped temporarily and then dosage is reduced, but in rare cases they can be life-threatening.

Canine Health News

 

288

 

Palladia is given continuously every other day, with weekly vet checks and blood work recommended for the first six weeks, then every six weeks thereafter. The cost is as yet unknown, but it’s likely to be expensive, especially when the cost of follow-up care is included. For these reasons, if there is no lymph node involvement and it’s possible to try again to surgically remove the tumor after it recurs, that could be the better choice. You’ll need to discuss all treatment options with your vet before making a decision.

Palladia will be available in 2010. Initially, it will be available only to oncologists and veterinary internal medicine specialists. – Mary Straus

For more information:
Pfizer Animal Health Inc.
(800) 366-5288; palladia-pi.com

 

Canine Influenza Vaccine

May not be needed by most pet dogs, but will be useful in shelters and kennels

A new vaccine for canine influenza virus (CIV) developed by Internet/Schering Plough was conditionally approved in May. Conditional licenses are granted before much is known about a vaccine’s effectiveness. This is a killed virus vaccine, so it cannot cause disease itself. The makers suggest that two vaccinations are given two to four weeks apart; then it can then be given annually. (Whether it needs to be given annually is unclear, since most viral vaccines confer long-term immunity.)

Canine influenza was first identified in 2004 in racing Greyhounds in Florida. It has now been found in 30 states, though the number of cases is still small. The areas most affected are Florida, New York City’s northern suburbs, Philadelphia, Denver, and a recent outbreak in New Jersey. There is no evidence that it has spread to other countries. Most cases occur where dogs are housed closely together.

CIV is a highly infectious respiratory disease that is considered one of many types of kennel cough. Each type of kennel cough is different, so vaccinations for other types will not protect against CIV. The virus can persist for up to a week in the environment, but is deactivated by common disinfectants, such as alcohol and bleach. It is most commonly found in high-traffic facilities, or kennels where many dogs are housed together.

The vaccine may only reduce the duration and severity of the disease rather than giving complete protection, similar to influenza vaccines in other species. It may also reduce shedding of the virus and so make it less contagious. Canine influenza is not contagious to other species.

Virtually all dogs exposed to CIV will be infected, though the severity will vary considerably. Symptoms can last up to a month, and may include a low-grade fever, nasal discharge, and a mild, productive cough. In 10 to 20 percent of cases, the virus can lead to high fever and pneumonia, usually caused by secondary bacterial infection. The fatality rate is currently between one and five percent of affected dogs. The virus is not responsive to antibiotics, though they can be helpful for secondary infections.

Should you vaccinate your dog? It depends on your dog’s likelihood of exposure and overall health. Because the risk of CIV to most dogs is minimal at this time, few household dogs are likely to benefit from the vaccine. It may be helpful for kennels where large numbers of dogs are housed together, especially in areas where the disease is prevalent. – Mary Straus

For more information:
Intervet USA
(908) 298-4000; intervetusa.com

 

Update on Doxycycline and Heartworm Disease

A safer and more effective alternative to to slow-kill method of heartworm treatment

In August 2006, we reported on the finding that heartworms harbor a symbiotic organism called Wolbachia, and that treatment with doxycycline to destroy the Wolbachia could reduce the chance of adverse reactions during heartworm treatment.

According to studies published in late 2008, treatment with a combination of weekly ivermectin (Heartgard) and intermittent doxycycline helps rid the body of adult worms, reduces the effects of the worms, and stops the heartworms from being infectious to other dogs. The effects of the combined treatment are more pronounced than with either drug alone, making the treatment a more effective and safer alternative or adjunct to Immiticide.

“Preliminary observations suggest that administration of doxycycline and ivermectin for several months prior to (or without) melarsomine (Immiticide) will eliminate adult heartworms with less potential for severe thromboembolism than melarsomine alone,” one study concluded.

This study followed dogs treated with weekly ivermectin at standard monthly heartworm preventative doses (6 mcg/kg), and with doxycycline at 10 mg/kg daily for weeks 1-6, 10-11, 16-17, 22-25, and 28-33 (the study lasted 36 weeks). Antigen test scores gradually decreased, reflecting a reduction in the number of adult worms (antigen test scores did not change for dogs treated with either ivermectin or doxycycline alone).

After 36 weeks, adult worms had been reduced by 78.3 percent in dogs treated with both medications. In addition, all microfilariae were gone by week 9, meaning that the adult worms had ceased reproducing. Mosquitoes that fed on the dogs treated with doxycycline produced heartworm larvae that were not infectious to other dogs.

An Italian study found that dogs treated with the same combination of doxycycline and ivermectin had less perivascular inflammation. Dogs who also received Immiticide showed no thrombi in their lungs (pulmonary thromboembolism, or blood clots in the lungs, are the major life-threatening adverse effect of worm death). A third study with the same protocols concluded, “Results indicate that the combination of these two drugs causes adult worm death.”

These studies clearly indicate that treatment with a combination of weekly ivermectin and daily doxycycline given intermittently will sterilize the heartworms, prevent the dog from being infectious to other dogs, speed up the death of the worms prior to (or in place of) Immiticide treatment, limit inflammation and damage caused by the worms’ presence, and reduce the chance of serious adverse reaction from Immiticide treatment.

Weekly doses of Heartgard should be safe for all but those dogs with the mutant MDR1 gene that affects collies and related breeds, making them more sensitive to ivermectin and a number of other drugs. – Mary Straus

For more information:
Heartworm and Wolbachia:
Therapeutic implications
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18930598

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No Regrets

By
Nancy Kerns
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0

The article on page 19 conveys (I hope) some very useful information about fostering a dog or puppy. It’s an article I wish I had read before I embarked on my latest fostering venture. There is so much that a person should know before fostering, in fact, that there was little room to share my own fostering experience. Here’s the story behind the story.

I wasn’t planning on fostering; it was an impulse decision (mistake #1). I had spent all day at my local shelter, helping out during an “Adopt-a-thon” event that drew a crowd of potential adopters with extended hours and reduced adoption fees. I personally matched three families with appropriate dogs that day, and was feeling really good about that adoption accomplishment. At the end of the day, the shelter director and I were taking one last tour through the kennels, noting which dogs had been adopted and which remained, when we heard a staffer exclaim, “Hey!”

“What happened?” the director asked as we walked over to the run the staffer was cleaning. “This dog just tried to bite me!” he replied. The director and I looked at the “dog” in question; it was a skinny puppy, 11 weeks old, who was cringing in fear at the back of his run. Many (if not most) dogs bite when they are scared to death (as this puppy appeared), but something else about the pup’s expression and posture made us doubt his potential for danger. Still, a shelter can’t responsibly present dogs who bite to the public. “Would you mind taking that puppy into the ‘get acquainted’ room and assessing him again?” the director asked me.

I entered the kennel slowly, crouched low. He hid his face against the back wall and shivered. When I carefully picked him up, he made no defensive gestures whatsoever – and while he wouldn’t look at me, his long tail thumped against my side as I carried him to a small, quiet room.

I spent about an hour with the pup in that room. I sat on the floor quietly as he slowly smelled every inch of the floor, save for a wide circle around me. I tossed bits of hot dog to him for another 10 minutes or so, until he warily approached my outstretched hand to take one from my palm. A few minutes later, he allowed me to touch him with one hand as he took a treat from the other. When I stroked his head, he stopped chewing and briefly closed his eyes. Then, slowly, deliberately, he climbed into my lap and lay down.

So, duh, I had to finish what I started. This poor little guy was obviously undersocialized, but it seemed to me that he was a good dog. I figured I’d take him for a week or two and return him as a better-socialized, confident pup who’d readily attract good adopters. The shelter director had no objections and so I took him home.

The train derailed shortly afterward. The pup had a poor appetite and his energy level ebbed and waned. He developed a snotty nose and a bad cough. When drinking seemed to irritate his throat and make him cough, he stopped drinking, got dehydrated, and earned his first trip to the vet. Fluids and antibiotics perked him up for almost a week – and then he got worse. He was diagnosed with pneumonia on his second trip to the vet, but just needed more subcutaneous fluids and an anti-emetic medication (for nausea) on his third visit.

Finally, I was able to get him in to see my favorite holistic vet, and we launched a multi-pronged, aggressive attack on his illness. I administered subcutaneous fluids twice a day for almost a week, until he felt good enough to drink adequate amounts of water. I also gave him daily injections of an antibiotic and an anti-nausea drug, and dropped a second antibiotic drug down his throat twice a day, until his appetite returned and I could hide them in treats. He also got colostrum mixed in an aloe distillate and probiotic treats (to stimulate better GI health, which improves immunity) and an herbal cough syrup.

The experience was totally worth the tough parts. He blossomed while he was here – Otto played a huge role in his education – and we found a perfect home for him. I’ll share more about the pup, now named “Tonka,” next month.

Door Darting Management

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

[Updated January 24, 2018]

“Oh, [expletive deleted], there he goes again!” Sounds like the frustrated human companion of a canine door-darter – a dog who slips out the tiniest crack of an open door every chance he gets. Frustrating for the human, dangerous for the dog, who likely romps around the neighborhood just out of his owner’s reach. Here are five things to do if your dog dashes out the door:

1. Catch Him!

Easier said than done, you may say. An accomplished door darter is often an accomplished keep-away player as well. Don’t chase; you’ll just be playing his game. Play a different game instead – something else fun. Does he love squeaky toys? Grab one, take it outside and squeak it. When he looks, run away, still squeaking. If he chases after you, let him grab one end of the toy. Play a little tug, trade him for a treat, then squeak it and play tug some more. Let him follow you, playing tug-the-squeaky, into your fenced yard, and close the gate behind you. Play more squeaky with him.

Door Darting Training

If he loves car rides, run to your car and say, “Wanna go for a ride?!” Open the car door and invite him in. When he jumps in, take him for a ride! Playing tug? Chasing tennis balls or flying discs? Fetching sticks? Walkies? Whatever he loves, provide it.

2. Reward, Don’t Punish

You’ve managed to get hold of your cavorting canine. No matter how upset you are, don’t yell at him! Don’t even reprimand him calmly. He’ll associate the punishment with returning to you, not with darting out the door. Don’t even take him back inside immediately – that’s punishment, too. I promise, if you punish him when you finally get your hands on him, it’ll be even harder to catch him the next time. Instead, happily and genuinely reinforce him with whatever he loves best – tug, fetch, a car ride, or high value treats.

Door Darting Training

3. Create “Airlocks” for Your Doors

Even if you can’t fence in your yard, you can put up a woven wire barrier around the door(s) he darts out of – a small area with a self-closing gate, so if he darts out the door he’s still contained. Use baby gates or exercise pens to set up a barrier inside, to block his access to the door. Insist everyone makes sure he’s behind the barrier before going out the door, or greeting a visitor.

4. Teach Him to Wait at Doors

Implement a “Say please” program, where “sit” makes all good things happen, including doors. Teach him to “sit-and-wait” at doors until he’s given the release cue. The more consistent everyone is at sit-and-wait, the more reliable your dog will be at waiting, and the less likely he’ll dart out that door.

5. Increase His Exercise

If you keep your canine pal busy and tired, he’ll be less inclined to look for opportunities to dash through doors. A tired dog is a well-behaved dog.

Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, is WDJ’s Training Editor. Pat is also author of several books on positive training.

Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis in Dogs

By
CJ Puotinen
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32
hemorrhagic gastroenteritis

HEMORRHAGIC GASTROENTERITIS IN DOGS: OVERVIEW

1. Pay attention to the symptoms of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis in dogs, especially vomiting and diarrhea (either at once or alternating consistently).

2. If you see blood in your dog’s stool or vomit, don’t wait. Take your dog to veterinarian immediately.

3. If you live in an area known to have HGE outbreaks, be especially vigilant.

4. Do what you can to keep your dog’s immune system strong. It can’t hurt and might help.

The signs of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis came fast and furious. One day Chloe was a healthy, tail-wagging Labrador Retriever and the next day she was vomiting mucus all over the house. Then her vomit turned red with blood and then came matching diarrhea. Chloe had hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE).

Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis is a mystery disease. No one knows what causes hemorrhagic gastroenteritis in dogs and there is no recommended prevention. It does not seem to be contagious from one dog to another, although dogs living together sometimes develop HGE at the same time, and some parts of the country have reported outbreaks of several cases. It’s most dangerous for small dogs, and although some veterinarians consider toy and miniature breeds between the ages of two and four the most typical HGE patients, males and females of all breeds and ages have been affected.

Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis in Dogs

There are few, if any, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis warning signs. It is not usually accompanied by a fever. Diarrhea containing bright or dark red blood is the illness’s signature symptom. Vomiting, which usually accompanies the diarrhea, typically begins as mucus or bile and then becomes bloody. Affected dogs may eat grass and vomit that as well.

Because HGE in dogs can be fatal, prompt veterinary care is essential. Patients are not usually dehydrated when first examined, but dehydration can develop quickly, leading to hypotension (low blood pressure), an elevated red blood cell count, shock, blood clotting problems, or kidney failure.

Confirming Your Dog Has HGE

Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis is usually diagnosed by a process of elimination, since there are several other disorders that produce bloody vomiting and diarrhea.

Puppies and young dogs may develop these symptoms after eating slippers, leashes, or other foreign objects. Dogs of all ages can bleed from trauma injuries; the ingestion of toxic substances or contaminated food; gastrointestinal ulcers; colitis; infectious diseases such as parvovirus and coronavirus; infections from Campylobacter, Salmonella, Clostridium, Escherichia coli, and Leptosperosis bacteria; parasites such as whipworms, hookworms, cocciodiosis, and giardia; warfarin (rat poison); coagulation disorders; gastrointestinal cancer; and Addison’s disease (hypoadrenocorticism).

Because a comprehensive examination with complete blood count (CBC), biochemical profile, urinalysis, fecal examination, and bacterial cultures is both expensive and time-consuming, unless a specific cause can be quickly identified, such as a swallowed foreign object or parvovirus, the diagnosis is likely to be HGE. In addition to producing diarrhea that looks like raspberry jam, canine HGE patients appear tired and weak. Many have an elevated pulse and labored breathing.

HGE Treatment for Dogs

The treatment of HGE may or may not involve hospitalization, but it often includes the administration of fluids to prevent dehydration. Without sufficient fluids, the blood thickens and its flow through blood vessels may be impeded.

For patients treated early, subcutaneous fluids or even plain drinking water may be sufficient, but intravenous fluids are recommended to prevent “disseminated intravascular coagulation,” or DIC, a potentially fatal clotting disorder that occurs when the blood thickens and slows. Once DIC has begun, it is often irreversible.

Although HGE has not been shown to be caused by bacterial infections, parasites, fungal infections, viruses, or any other specific pathogens, many veterinarians prescribe medications that address these agents. In addition, patients may be given medications that treat ulcers, soothe the gastrointestinal tract, or prevent nausea, vomiting, or pain.

HGE recovery time for dogs is variable. The patient’s veterinarian may recommend that no food or water be given by mouth for one to four days to let the digestive system rest or that water be given in small amounts every few hours the first day and then in larger amounts as long as it doesn’t contribute to nausea and vomiting. Food is reintroduced slowly. A veterinarian may recommend that a new or different type of protein is fed to the dog in case the problem was related to the dog’s previous diet. Alternatively, a prescription pet food may be used until the acute phase of HGE has passed.

Is Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis Seasonal or Regional?

Two weeks before Chloe’s symptoms began, she and I moved from New York to Helena, Montana. At 7 p.m. on a Monday in May, she vomited blood, and I drove her to the first veterinarian listed in the phone book who could see us. I used a plastic bag to gather a sample some of the bloody mucus that she vomited to show to the vet.

Heidi Wampler, DVM, took one look at Chloe and the bag of mucus and said, “This looks familiar.” Chloe’s pulse was fast but her temperature was normal, and when Dr. Wampler removed the thermometer, a pool of bright red diarrhea came with it.

According to Dr. Wampler, dogs in the Helena Valley present these symptoms in spring and fall, when the ground is damp from snow melt or rain. She and her colleagues have tested affected dogs for the bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections listed above, and when dogs in multiple-pet households developed symptoms at the same time, as two dogs in a five-dog household did recently, they tested soil and water samples.

“But no matter what we test for,” says Dr. Wampler, “we can’t find a cause.”

When I spoke with Chloe’s previous veterinarian, Stacey Hershman, DVM, in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, she said, “Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis is common in the spring in the Northeast, too. I have treated five dogs in the past two months. There is usually no known cause, and we give supportive care with subcutaneous or IV fluids and medications like metronidazole, which works well against anaerobic bacteria and parasites such as giardia, just in case they’re involved.”

Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis in Dogs
Photo by Rick Steele

In the winters of 2004, 2005, and 2006, outbreaks of mild to moderately severe bloody diarrhea in dogs were reported to the Los Angeles County (California) Veterinary Public Health office. Because so many cases occurred near each other within a short time, researchers suspected that a contagious infection or food contamination caused the illness. However, extensive diagnostic tests conducted during each outbreak failed to reveal a connection.

In January 2009, the L.A. County Veterinary Public Health department reported a much higher than normal incidence of canine hemorrhagic gastroenteritis in the San Fernando Valley. They began collecting information about the diet and lifestyle of affected animals as well as the results of their physical exams, laboratory tests, and treatment protocols.

The department’s report explained, “If parvovirus is considered a possibility, a rapid in-clinic test on feces may be done first to make sure that is not the problem. Fecal tests for parasites are often performed. Blood tests often show that the dog has a very high red blood cell count and low protein levels as protein and fluid are lost into the gut. Sometimes additional tests such as fecal cultures are done, or radiographs of the abdomen are taken to check whether the dog has swallowed any unusual objects.”

Between January 1 and February 12, 2009, veterinarians at 13 Los Angeles County clinics reported 99 cases of bloody or watery diarrhea in dogs. Most of the patients (82) also had vomiting. Half recovered within five days and half took longer to recover or had a waxing and waning disease course. At least 29 cases required intravenous fluid treatment, while others required less intensive care. Most cases were treated with antibiotics and anti-nausea or anti-vomiting drugs.

No evidence links this disease outbreak to January’s recall of peanut butter products contaminated with Salmonella. Of the 12 Los Angeles County dogs with HGE who were checked for Salmonella, all tested negative. Tests for several other infectious agents were also performed but none were conclusive. There is no evidence that any food contamination played a role, because the affected dogs ate a wide variety of foods.

In almost 90 percent of cases reported, no other pet in the house had the same illness. HGE does not appear to spread easily from dog to dog, and it does not appear to spread from dogs to people. Whether HGE is a regional or seasonal illness remains speculative, but there does seem to be a connection in at least some parts of the country between HGE and certain times of the year.

In general, HGE strikes anywhere at any time. In most parts of the United States, it is a random rather than seasonal disorder. And it’s rare. If you’ve never heard of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, you’re not alone. Even at its peak, the Los Angeles County outbreak affected less than a fraction of one percent of the county’s 1.9 million canines. But if your dog is one of its victims, HGE is an enormous problem.

Canine HGE Patients

Janet Tobiassen Crosby, DVM, has treated only one dog for HGE, and that was during her first year of veterinary practice. However, dozens of dog lovers across the country have described their pets’ bouts with HGE at her Veterinary Medicine Blog and online forums.

The patients’ breeds include Jack Russell Terrier, Beagle, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Labrador Retriever, Pit Bull, Toy Fox Terrier, Miniature Dachshund, Golden Retriever, English Bulldog, Miniature Poodle, Miniature American Eskimo, Yorkshire Terrier, English Springer Spaniel, Maltese, Miniature Schnauzer, Bichon Frise, Shih Tzu, Chihuahua, Silken Windhound, and several mixed breeds.

Their stories illustrate the frustration, confusion, fear, and loss that HGE produces, for many of these dogs were desperately ill and some of them died. If the reports share a common message, it’s a plea for fast action.

“Time is of the essence,” agrees Dr. Crosby. “Because there are so many possible causes of vomiting or diarrhea, the best thing you can do is call your veterinarian immediately. HGE has a high survival rate when patients receive aggressive support therapy, and a pet that has observant caretakers (the situation just happened and they responded right away) has a much better chance than pets that have been sick for days. It also helps if the dog is in good health to begin with and at a good weight. Age can be a factor, too, with young to middle-aged dogs bouncing back faster. Like other illnesses, HGE is hardest on pets that are in poor shape to begin with.”

One HGE survivor whose story appears on Dr. Crosby’s forum is Helios (Ch. Talisman’s Light of Helios SRC IC), a Silken Windhound with racing and coursing titles who lives in Walnut Creek, California, with Joyce Chin. In May 2008, when he was one and a half years old, Helios became lethargic and vomited bloody foam.

“He wasn’t interested that morning in playing with the pups,” says Chin, “and he’s always playing with the pups. Since he’s always so happy and on the go, it was a dramatic change. He developed bloody diarrhea and was in the vet clinic on IV fluids and IV antibiotics for almost a week. He’s better now and has regained the weight he lost, but he really could have died. I’m so glad we were around to catch it. It would have been very hard to lose him, he’s such a happy part of the family here. When he was in the hospital, all the hounds were looking for him.”

Hospital stays can be expensive. Just ask Heidi Hansen, who lives in San Anselmo, California, with her eight-year-old, 100-pound yellow Lab, Herbie.

“Herbie’s HGE symptoms started at about 5 a.m. on a Sunday last April,” she says, “and by 9 a.m. he was in the hospital. He stayed there for three days and needed albumin transfusions. The total HGE treatment cost $5,620.”

Fortunately, Herbie survived his ordeal. “He’s better now,” says Hansen, “but he’s slower than before. This took a lot out of him. He had blood loss once before, so he has had a tough time.”

What Causes HGE?

So far, the cause of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis has eluded everyone, but the search goes on.

Enterotoxigenic Clostridium perfringens is the most commonly suspected agent in HGE cases because specific strains of Clostridium have been associated with hemorrhagic gastroenteritis in both dogs and cats. This common inhabitant of soil, air, dust, and manure is found in the water of lakes, streams, and rivers, and it is a contaminant in many types of commercially prepared foods.

Toxins associated with Clostridium bind to the intestinal epithelial cells of infected animals, increasing membrane permeability. However, since Clostridium in dogs is a normal inhabitant of the intestinal tract, no one knows whether it’s involved. Some veterinarians suspect that allergies may play a role, but no one has been able to find a specific allergen that has caused HGE in any patient.

Is diet a factor? Some veterinarians and Internet resources blame raw food, home-prepared diets, and “people food” for HGE, but the evidence doesn’t support those claims, either. Most HGE patients have eaten commercial pet food all their lives. This doesn’t mean that diet isn’t a factor, but it’s one that hasn’t been proven. “One common contributing factor,” says Dr. Crosby, “may be stress or hyperactivity. I wonder if this might help explain why smaller dogs are over-represented.”

The stress theory makes sense to me. For a month before we moved, Chloe lived with packing boxes and confusion. Her morning routine was interrupted when I tripped on a log while hiking and broke my right wrist. Thanks to friends, the packing got done, but I wasn’t able to drive, take Chloe for hikes, or prepare her usual dinners. We switched to a dehydrated food for convenience, and she did well on it as she has in the past while traveling or staying with friends.

After the moving van departed, my fiancé, Stephen, drove us 2,300 miles with Chloe and Pumpkin (a red tabby cat) on my car’s back seat. Waiting for us in Helena was our new roommate, a Cairn Terrier. Seamus is a sweet dog but he guards food and toys. While Chloe gets along with everyone, settling into her new home made May a stressful month.

And while HGE doesn’t seem related to pathogens, I can’t help but notice a coincidence of timing. For most of her life, Chloe has consumed one or two tablespoons of coconut oil every day, a supplement whose medium-chain fatty acids help destroy viruses, harmful bacteria, parasites, yeast, and fungi. She also received probiotics, which are the body’s first line of defense against many agents of infection, along with supplements that improve digestion and the assimilation of nutrients. But during and immediately after our move, I forgot or was at best inconsistent. When Chloe’s immune system most needed a boost, it wasn’t getting one.

Because a small number of dogs develop HGE more than once, one of my goals is to protect Chloe from future episodes. Even though the HGE experts say there is no way to do this, anything that strengthens her immune system sounds like a good idea! Stress relief is another strategy we’ll employ to keep her healthy. The passage of time and a comfortable daily routine are already helping to reduce Chloe’s stress.

Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis Home Treatment for Dogs

Not all HGE patients are hospitalized and not all of them need IV or subcutaneous fluids. Dr. Wampler sent Chloe home with medication and instructions to call during the night if she continued to vomit or if her symptoms grew worse. In her favor, Chloe was five years old, athletic, and otherwise healthy.

The directions on how to treat HGE at home were relatively simple. Dr. Wampler warned us that Chloe would probably have diarrhea without realizing it and that we might want to confine her to keep things tidy. I put layers of towels in Chloe’s crate and changed them twice during the night when they became soaked. Owners who describe how they discovered their dogs in what looked like a slaughterhouse or excecution scene aren’t exaggerating. HGE can be a huge and malodorous mess.

That night we gave Chloe small amounts of water but no food. According to Small Animal Clinical Nutrition, a veterinary textbook edited by Michael S. Hand, et al, the best foods for patients with acute vomiting and diarrhea are those that do not produce “excess dietary acid load.” Foods that normally produce alkaline urine are less likely to be associated with acidosis than foods that produce acid urine. Grains are alkalizing foods, while meat is acidifying. As a result, according to this theory, foods that are high in grain may be more comfortable than meat-based diets for dogs with gastrointestinal distress.

Another theory is that high-fiber foods, such as canned foods prescribed for dogs with diabetes, may be helpful during the acute phase of HGE. Dr. Wampler give us four cans of a high-fiber prescription food to help Chloe make a comfortable transition back to solid food.

Her appetite came back the next morning but she vomited the small amount she swallowed and lost interest in food for the rest of the day. The towels in her crate didn’t need to be changed, but she released alarmingly red diarrhea in the backyard. The one encouraging sign was her thirst, for she drank increasingly large amounts of water that stayed down.

By Wednesday, 48 hours after her first symptoms, Chloe’s appetite was back and she was on the mend. By Friday, she was her tail-wagging self again, producing normal bowel movements and ready for hiking. She was delighted to resume her regular diet and has been thriving ever since.

Keeping HGE in Perspective

Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis is a serious illness, but most dogs will never develop its symptoms. Still, because it progresses so quickly and is potentially dangerous, being able to recognize those symptoms and act on them can prevent another dog from HGE death. If your dog – or any dog – is bleeding from both ends, don’t wait. Get immediate help. With rapid treatment the story should, like Chloe’s, have a happy ending.

CJ Puotinen is a freelance writer and a longtime contributor to WDJ. She is also author of many books on holistic health, including Natural Remedies for Dogs and Cats. She recently moved to Helena, Montana from New York.

Dock Diving: A Dog Jumping Competition

By
Terry Long
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[Updated February 6, 2019]

What is this sport? Dock jumping, or dock diving, requires a dog to run with speed to the end of a dock and jump into a pool constructed specifically for the sport. Dogs earn titles based on the distance they cover once they leave the dock.

Prior training required? Sit-stay, love of water, and an obsession about a toy.

Physical demands? On the dog: High. On the handler: Mild.

Best-suited structure? Physically fit dogs of any size.

Best-suited temperament? Confident, high energy.

Cost? High (if you compete regularly).

Training complexity? Low.

Mental stimulation? High.

Physical stimulation? High.

Recreational opportunities? Low.

Competition opportunities and venues? Many in some states, very few or none in others.

Barking dogs, speakers announcing the dog on the dock and who’s on deck, handlers pleading with their dogs to Stay, stay, stay, okay, go get it! SPLASH! The audience cheers, oohs, aaahs, and claps wildly in support of a sport that brings a smile to the face of anyone watching or listening.

Dock Diving Competitions for Dogs

There are a few different types of dock jumping competitions, with new ones being invented all the time. In most events, some aspect of a dog’s leap off a dock into the water is measured, with the highest or longest jump winning the class.

Dock Jumping for Dogs

Photo by howie george

Long jumps and high jumps both start with dog and handler climbing a short stairway to reach the top of a dock measuring about 8 feet by 40 feet (there is some variation to dock sizes). The handler brings a toy, which has been selected based on A) the dog’s obsession with it, and B) the ease and predictability with which it can be thrown beyond the edge of the dock into the pool.

For standard dock jumping (which measures forward distance), the handler leaves the dog at the far end of the dock and walks to the end closest to the pool. She then releases the dog and throws the toy into the pool as far as she can, in order to motivate the dog to leap far into the pool to reach the toy. The current record is 28 feet, 10 inches.

The other common type of dock jumping focuses on the dog’s vertical distance. Depending upon the organization putting on the event, this game might be called Extreme Vertical, Super Vertical, or Ultimate Vertical. In this event, an apparatus that suspends the toy is raised over the pool, and the dog leaps vertically to grab the toy before falling into the water with his prize. The current record is 7 feet, 11 inches.

Organizations continue to add classes in the never-ending search for a variation on the theme of jumping into a pool.

The History of Dock Diving

The sport of dock diving or dock jumping got its start in England in the 1970s. In 1997, the United States saw the sport for the first time at the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge. The sport gained in popularity when ESPN televised it as part of their newly created Great Outdoor Games program. Three companies began offering the sport to the general public between 2002 and 2005 primarily through other organizations such as pet expos, hunting and fishing conventions, and other dog sporting venues.

Each of these organizations now offers separate titling opportunities and public demonstrations throughout the country. Two of them, Splash Dogs and Ultimate Air Dogs, also offer titles available through the United Kennel Club.

Many people see dock jumping for the first time while watching TV or at one of those outdoor events. Some of them are hooked the moment they see it.

Linda Hettich of Arcadia, California, was one of those people. “I first saw ‘Big Air’ on ESPN’s Great Outdoor Games in the 2000. It was the craziest sport, dogs running down a dock and flying into a pool. I told my husband, Randy, ‘Hey, our dog can do that!’ It was the perfect sport for him! Kadin (pronounced kuh-DEEN) loved the water, loved swimming and running, and had a very strong toy drive. I looked on the Internet and, unfortunately, there was nothing even remotely close to Southern California.”

It wasn’t until 2005 that Linda and Kadin got their chance, but she and her husband Randy have been training and competing ever since.

Kadin: A Great Last Year

Kadin was Linda Hettich’s first dog to try the sport of dock jumping. His first try at age seven was in early 2005 where he took 1st place in Novice. Hettich believes dock jumping contributed to Kadin’s quality of life as he underwent treatment for cancer.

“Kadin competed in Dock-Dogs at Long Beach and Del Mar (California). Then he com-peted in Splash Dogs in Orange County, where he made the finals for the first time. Then, Kadin was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Randy and I decided to take him to as many events as he could physically handle. It was what he loved to do more than anything.

“He earned his DockDogs Senior Title with both Randy and me at Cynosports in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was there that he jumped his personal best, 18 feet, 3 inches, while undergoing chemotherapy. His last event was two months later in January 2006 at DockDogs at the Fred Hall Fishing Boat and Tackle Show in San Francisco. He miraculously made the finals, as the 12th seed, and he finished 12th. Somehow, with cancer rapidly spreading throughout his body, he jumped 14 feet. He had just turned eight. We had to say goodbye to him just a few weeks later.”

Tessa: A Dock Jumping Addict

by Linda Hettich

Five months after Kadin passed away, we rescued Tessa. She was two years old, a little Lab, barely 20 inches at the withers — although, when we first got her, she was a very overweight 70 pounds! After we got her slimmed down to 50 pounds, we discovered we had a jumper. We introduced her to a pool and she took to swimming and dock jumping immediately.

Tessa is one of those dogs who would run through a brick wall; her drive is incredible. She starts barking from the moment she sees the dock. And she goes nuts when she sees another dog on the dock. “What are they doing on my dock? GET OFF MY DOCK!”

Tessa barks while waiting in line, and she practically rips my arm off trying to run up the stairs. She runs to the front of the dock and barks when I call her back to the end of the dock, jumping over my head as she tries to grab the bumper that I hold high in the air. She harks and harks! I have to stare her down until she stops barking. She is on edge, barely staying in place, until I get to the front of the dock. I turn and see her body tense up, her eyes wide. When I yell, “GET IT!” she runs at top speed down the dock, a little black blur racing past me, before launching herself in the air and into the water.

Tessa is a natural on the dock, as most Labs are. In DockDogs, Tessa holds a Senior Title, a Masters Title, and is on her way to earning an Elite Title. She also holds a Turbo Title in DockDogs Speed Retrieve and recently won a First Place Cadet in Extreme Vertical, then jumped a personal best 6 feet, 4 inches to move into the Top Gun class. Her personal best is 24 feet, 11 inches.

It seemed unreal when we learned that Tessa had developed a squamous cell carcinoma in her mouth; two dogs with cancer in a row? In a way, it was Kadin — the dog we lost to cancer — who led us to the people who helped us get through this. Because of him, we met our veterinary oncologist, people who have gone through similar experiences and supported us, and people who are devoted to raising awareness and money for canine cancer research. Both of our beloved dogs are why we’re devoted to Chase Away K9 Cancer.

Our vets assured us that Tessa’s chances of beating this cancer were good. We immediately began her treatment with radiation every day, Monday through Friday, for four weeks. Tessa lost weight and developed a urinary tract infection, and on some days she was tired. The radiation caused the fur on her chin to fall out, and the skin blistered. (The fur has since grown back, white.) Two immune system-boosting supplements (Eicosa-Derm and ImmunoSupport) helped quite a bit.

Reaching the one-year mark from the time of her diagnosis was a big milestone. Tessa’s oncologist says she looks fantastic and believes she will be fine.

Which Dogs Make the Best Dock Divers?

What sort of dogs will excel at this sport? “Dogs who are crazy about water and crazy about retrieving,” answers Splash Dogs’ Tony Reed. In addition to the usual complement of retrievers, he has seen everything from Pit Bulls to Chinese Cresteds to Dobermans.

This sport attracts a variety of breeds, but understandably is predominated by Labradors. The DockDogs’ website states that 56 percent are Labs. Golden Retrievers constitute 6 percent of the participants, 4 percent are Chesapeake Bay Retrievers; that means that 66 percent are sporting breeds. This makes sense, given that those breeds should love both water and retrieving.

Hettich’s Kadin exemplified this profile. “Kadin was seven years old when he started. He was a German Shepherd/yellow Lab-mix of about 60 pounds. His name means ‘friend’ or ‘companion’ in Arabic. He was very intelligent and highly trainable. He was also a fast runner, a great swimmer, and an incredible jumper. We’d play Frisbee with him and he could catch it in the air, making these incredibly acrobatic leaps. People would always stop to watch him at the dog park.’

Dock jumping requires quick bursts of speed, leaping into the air, and landing in water. Dogs who are physically fit will have fewer injuries than those who are couch potatoes, but as with many of the physically strenuous dog sports, there is always some risk of injury.

Good Handler Attributes

First, you have to have a high tolerance for wet dogs, dogs who smell like wet dogs, and getting wet-dog residue and spit on yourself. But, if seeing your dog play in the water has always put a big smile on your face, this sport will make you absolutely deliriously happy. All you need to do is learn how to throw that toy with reasonable precision. Or know someone who can.

Hettich remembers, “Kadin’s first jump [at a DockDogs event] was 9 feet, 1 inch. The next day, I was showing my husband Randy how to jump Kadin off the dock, but I threw the Floppy Disc clear out of the pool. Kadin immediately jumped in the water, started swimming, and then tried to jump out of the pool where the Floppy Disc had landed. That was the end of my handling career. Randy took over, and by the time the weekend was over, Kadin had jumped over 12 feet.’

Men and women participate in this sport in nearly equal numbers. DockDogs’ site states that 54 percent are men, 46 percent are women, and 9 percent are between the ages of 7-14. Both DockDogs and Splash Dogs have junior handler programs so the entire family can participate.

Equipment and Supplies for Training Your Dog to Dock Dive

There are not too many things required for dock jumping, but each is important.

The Toy

Ah, the almighty toy. Your dog must be insane about a toy, preferably one that can be thrown with some precision into the pool. Favorites in the sport include all the standard toys for retrievers, including bumpers, balls, and Frisbees.

Hettich reports, “I’ve seen the girl rubber chicken toy in a bikini, the boy rubber chicken in board shorts, and a short wooden stick like a 2×4. The retrieve object must be floatable, not edible, and not alive, or not formerly alive. There is a DockDogs legend that someone once asked if he could throw a raccoon in, and was told that no live animals were allowed. So he said, ‘Well, what if it’s in a cage?’ Uh, no.

A Pool or Lake

If you live near bodies of water, you have it made; otherwise, you’ll need a pool or a friend who has one and who doesn’t mind dog hair in their filters.

Miscellaneous Supplies

Towels, water bowl, and treats. Hettich remembers her first dock jumping event and what she forgot to bring. “Being unfamiliar with DockDogs and dog sports in general, all I brought that day was my dog, a Floppy Disc, a tennis ball, and a leash. I had no water, no water bowl, no towel, no crate, no chair, no food, and to make matters worse, I was wearing long pants. I came home in soaking-wet jeans, with a soaking-wet dog and a first-place blue ribbon!’

Dock Diving Competition Expenses

The biggest expenses are travel and entry fees if you choose to compete over an entire weekend.

Travel and Lodging

Hettich gave this example: “Events are usually Friday through Sunday, so figure $100/night for lodging. Let’s say I have an event in Scottsdale, Arizona: $200 for hotel, $95 for gas for 760 miles round trip, $150 for food/water/beverages: $445 total. Multiply that times the four or five events per year within a 400-mile driving distance.’

Entry Fees

Each dock jumping “wave”(single dive or jump) costs $20. Specialty classes such as Extreme Vertical, Speed Retrieve, etc., may cost $25 to $30 to enter. Pre-registration for classes reduces their cost; onsite registration costs a little more. Hettich typically enters 10-11 classes over a typical weekend.

Dock Jump Training

If your dog doesn’t naturally love water, you’ll need to train him to like it. You can start by having your dog bob for hotdogs in a shallow pool, gradually increasing the depth of the water so that he learns to hold his breath and blow bubbles.

Then, transfer this to the steps of a pool or the edge of the lake. You can carry your dog into the water and feed him yummy treats, only gradually lowering him while you still cradle him, just letting him feel the buoyancy that will keep him afloat.

Once he’s comfortable with that, you can let him swim on his own a very short distance with you nearby to cradle him again. Depending on the dog, this can create a dog who gradually likes water more and more or simply tolerates it.

Your dog must like his toy enough to jump into water to get it. Some dogs are natural retrievers while others must be taught to chase, grab, and return the toy to you. If your dog really, really likes a particular toy, you can use it to increase his motivation to enter the water. However, if your dog doesn’t like toys or water, this is probably not the sport for your dog.

Running and jumping off an elevated surface to chase a toy can help, but be careful due to the added risk of landing the wrong way on a hard surface.

Once your dog has a solid retrieve, you’re ready to transfer the behavior to a pool or lake. In a pool, start by getting your dog on the steps of the pool and tossing the toy a short distance away, gradually throwing farther and farther. Next, try him at the edge of the pool and throw the toy a short distance. Wherever you start, make water fun, throw short distances, build confidence, and then build distance. By the time you have built this foundation, you can add height by building platforms from which your dog jumps into the water.

The biggest challenge for dock jumping addicts is finding a place to practice if they live in an urban area and do not have a pool. As a result, most competitors practice at the events themselves.

“Unfortunately, in Southern California there are no official training facilities and very few venues with docks that allow dogs in the water. We have to do our training during practice time at the events. Some competitors use their own pools or take the dogs to dog-friendly beaches.

“We recently established a SoCal DockDogs club, an affiliate of DockDogs Worldwide, and found a training facility at Lake Henshaw in San Diego County. We have had only one practice session there. We are currently trying to find any lake, stream, pond, river, or body of water where we could get permission to build a dock and train.’

Contact one of the organizations listed on page 9 to find other people in your area for support and practice ideas.

Levels of Competition

Each organization has its rules posted on its website. Each has slightly different classes or divisions and distances or heights to be attained in each class for a variety of colorful titles.

For example, Splash Dogs’ “Dock Jumping”is broken down as follows (and each is split further by size of the dog):

Splash: 0-9’11”
Junior: 10′ to 14′ 11″
Senior: 15′ to 19′ 11″
Pro: 20′ to 22’11”
Extreme: 23′ plus

How to Start Dock Jumping

Go online or call each of the organizations listed on page 9 to find a list of upcoming events. Depending upon where you live, there may be many, few, or none. This is a growing sport; each of the organizations has plans to expand geographically.

When you go to a dock jumping event for the first time, you’ll find the staff and volunteers to be very helpful to newcomers. At some events, they even have a practice pool in addition to the competition dock and pool.

Hettich, a journalist by profession, was delighted when she heard about an event being held near her home. She contacted Mark Stuart, who was putting on the DockDogs event, and asked for an interview. She also mentioned, “And by the way, I have this dog . . .”After the interview, Stuart invited her to bring her dog to the event.

She reports: “After fighting Friday afternoon traffic, Kadin and I got there around 2:45. By 3:30, Kadin was successfully jumping off the dock and into the water; by 4 o’clock, we were competing in our first ‘wave,’ and by 4:45, Mark was presenting us with a blue ribbon for finishing in first place in the Novice Division with a jump of 9 feet, 1 inch.

“By 5 o’clock, I placed a hysterical call to my husband Randy, telling him not only did Kadin jump off the dock, but we won! Randy was suffering from a really bad cold at the time and was probably deathly ill, but I told him we absolutely had to come back the next day because he had to try this. And Kadin? He had this crazed look in his eyes that I’d never seen before. He was hooked and so was I.’

Is Dock Jumping for You?

If your dog loves toys, loves water, and has an owner with car keys who will go to the ends of the country to keep that smile on his face, this sport is for you. You don’t need to compete; this is a sport that welcomes newcomers, whether you come out once a year or a dozen times. And bring the family; they won’t want to miss it!

As usual, have fun, train positively, and revel in the relationship with your dog, not the ribbons on the wall.

Terry Long, CPDT, is a writer, agility instructor, and behavior counselor in Long Beach, California. She is addicted to agility and animal behavior.

Probiotics and Dogs

By
Nancy Kerns
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Curly, a five-year-old Standard Poodle, eats the best food his human can afford. Raw chicken, rabbit, and venison are his favorites. Tina, his two-legged companion, switches the meats every few days, mixing the protein with some sweet potato, carrots, an occasional stalk of broccoli, and always a good fish oil supplement. Plus, to be sure that Curly is getting full nutritional benefit from every delicious bite, Tina always adds a sprinkling of a probiotic and digestive enzyme supplement as a final touch.

Probiotics for Dogs

Everything Curly eats is the best of the best: human-grade ingredients, no preservatives, no by-products. But somehow, despite all of the good lovin’ and great food, Curly is a bit thin, won’t put on weight, and his stool is sometimes dry – making it hard for the poor guy to poop during his daily walks. Tina knows that something is amiss and she is worried. She was told that maybe the probiotics weren’t active, so she tried several different brands. But nothing has improved. So what gives; is it that the probiotics don’t work?

Adding supplemental Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, or other probiotic organisms to your dog’s diet is almost always a good idea. This will support the resident microflora that are always present in Curly’s gut, enhancing digestion and absorption of nutrients, supporting detoxification and elimination processes, and helping to boost his immune system.

The digestive system is the largest immune organ of the body; roughly 70 percent of the body’s immune cells, enterocytes, goblet cells, and other immune warriors reside in the mucosal linings of the intestinal tract.

Probiotics, like those that Tina adds to Curly’s food each day, work in concert with these immune warriors by producing special enzymes and other chemicals that support immune functions at many levels. Probiotics will also help keep populations of “bad guy” pathogens, like Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli, in check. But in Curly’s case probiotic supplements may not be enough. Curly’s digestive microflora need something more.

It may simply be that his digestive tract is host to a different assortment of beneficial bacteria than those included in the supplements Tina is feeding.

One of the fundamental rules of holistic pet care is to always remember that no two animals are alike. Curly may be a Standard Poodle that looks and behaves like others like him, but his inner nature is different from any other dog.

This is true of his digestive flora, too. While Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Lactobacillus bulgaricus represent some of the frequently encountered residents in the canine gut, not all dogs are host to the same mix. In fact, studies have shown that each individual dog hosts its own, custom mix of these and several other digestive bacteria – and the actual counts of each strain can vary considerably from dog to dog. It is theorized that this is because microflora are constantly evolving and adapting to the nature of the beast they inhabit. Health issues, eating habits, influences such as antibiotic therapies – or even something that was eaten while at the dog park – can affect the way beneficial microbes behave and replicate, or help determine which ones take up residence in the gut. This makes it virtually impossible to create a perfect probiotic supplement, as none can totally serve the needs of every dog’s microflora.

If the probiotic you feed to your dog isn’t diverse enough to replace and support what is already living there, what other supplements can be added to a healthy diet to maintain healthy digestive flora?

Feed the Gut Flora

Curly may need a prebiotic supplement. In the simplest terms, prebiotics are food for resident microflora. They are defined as indigestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the host by selectively stimulating the growth of one or a limited number of bacterial species in the colon – specifically those which have the potential to improve host health, such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli.

Probiotics for Dogs

A scant, daily dose will provide the resident beneficial bacteria with the food they need to flourish. It will also feed the bacteria that are in the probiotic formula that Curly the poodle is already eating on his dinner, making the supplement more effective. Prebiotics are a class of carbohydrates known as oligosaccharides – soluble carbohydrates that are naturally found in many foods, including whole grains, onions, bananas, garlic, honey, leeks, and Jerusalem artichokes. In the world of herbs, burdock root, dandelion root, and chicory root are rich sources, too.

Oligosaccharides differ from other types carbohydrates (sugars) in that they are indigestible in the stomach and small intestine. Instead of being broken down by acids, enzymes, and other digestive chemicals in the upper GI tract, they remain intact until they reach the large intestine, where they are finally broken down and fermented by resident microflora. The result is stimulation of the growth and/or activity of bifidobacteria and other beneficial bacteria that dogs need to properly digest their food and metabolize waste.

Remarkably, prebiotics are selective about what is actually fed – good bacteria flourish, while growth of “bad” pathogenic bacteria like Salmonella, Peptidococci, and Clostridia is inhibited. Studies have shown that when bifidobacteria (good guy) counts increase, acid levels in the gut also increase, making the environment less hospitable to harmful strains of yeast (Candida, etc.) and pathogenic bacteria. In the colon, prebiotics may also raise levels of short chain fatty acids (SCFA), which can help protect against carcinogenesis, inflammatory bowel disease, and even some forms of chronic allergy.

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS)

Many pet food and supplement manufacturers are now adding prebiotic fructooligosaccharides (FOS) to their formulas to improve the digestibility of food ingredients. Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are plant sugars that occur in a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and cereals. They are produced commercially by partial hydrolysis of chicory inulin (an oligosaccharide found in chicory root), or from sucrose (sugar) using an enzymatic process.

In addition to improving the digestibility of various food components, FOS may also improve absorption of dietary calcium, iron, and other important minerals. Although many foods contain appreciable amounts of oligosaccharides, questions remain about how much is really available to your dog from food sources. Dogs don’t digest grains, fruits, and vegetables as effectively as humans or herbivores and therefore may not find full benefit from the oligosaccharides contained in the foods they eat.

On the same note, diets comprised primarily of meat will be pretty much void of prebiotic oligosaccharides. This is where FOS offers a big advantage; it is carried directly to your dog’s large intestine, where it is needed. It is very sweet – much like powdered sugar – making it an easy addition to your dog’s food. Only a small pinch (50-100 mg) is needed for the job of feeding the “good guys” in your dog’s gut.

Herbal Prebiotics for Dogs

I prefer feeding prebiotics in the form of an herbal extract formula. Chicory root, burdock root, and dandelion root are my favorites. All contain inulin, an oligosaccharide compound that is highly soluble and easily extracted into hot water. A properly made liquid tincture of any of these herbs will contain appreciable amounts of inulin in a form your dog can fully utilize.

Herbs offer a distinct advantage over isolated sources of FOS in that they provide much more than just prebiotic support. Chicory, burdock, and dandelion are all known by herbalists for their antioxidant properties and their abilities to strengthen various functions of the liver and gall bladder. This in turn helps to improve digestion and aid in removal of systemic waste.

My personal formulation, Prebiotic Plus from Animals’ Apawthecary, contains extracts of inulin-rich chicory root, along with fennel seed (to prevent flatulence). It also includes marshmallow root (Althea officinalis), an herb that contains impressive amounts of mucilage polysaccharides that are known to soothe and lubricate digestive mucosa while stimulating immune functions in the gut.

Probiotics for Dogs

Probiotic Safety

Inulin and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) have been used in animal feeds and supplements for many years. They are considered safe, but overfeeding may cause flatulence and bloating – the effects of intestinal fermentation. This can usually be prevented by feeding only small amounts (e.g., one-half the recommended dose) for a few weeks until your dog’s digestive tract adjusts.

Inulin has a minimal impact on blood sugar and does not raise triglycerides, making it suitable for diabetics and potentially helpful in managing blood sugar-related illnesses.

Greg Tilford is well-known in the field of veterinary herbal medicine. He is an international lecturer and author of four books, including Herbs for Pets, recently released in a second edition. He is president and formulating herbalist for Animal Essentials, a company that produces natural supplements for animals.

Demand Behaviors in Dogs

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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[Updated December 12, 2018]

DEMANDING DOGS: OVERVIEW

  • Identify your dog’s demand behaviors and make deliberate decisions about which ones to keep and which to modify.
  • Embark on a behavior modification program to teach an incompatible behavior and extinguish the unwanted ones.
  • Educate everyone who comes in contact with your dog so they don’t inadvertently reinforce demand behaviors you’re working to extinguish.

Missy sidles up to me as I type and nudges her nose under my arm, lifting my hand off the keyboard. “I want you to pet me, now!” she says. As much as I’m reluctant to reinforce demand behaviors, her rakish one-blue-eyed, one-brown-eyed expression is irresistible. My hand drops onto the soft fur of her head, and I scratch briefly behind her ear before asking her to go lie down. She obliges, curling up under my desk.

I laugh as Scooter, our recently rescued Pomeranian, stands on his hind legs in front of the sofa and waves his front paws at me. “I want up, now!” he says. Because he’s cute, and because I want to reinforce his affiliative social behavior, I reach down and scoop up his furry little body and deposit him next to me.

Demand Behaviors

These are “demand behaviors,” often frowned upon in the dog training world. Yet, from another perspective, they are simply my dogs’ way of communicating their desires to me. There’s a grey area between acceptable communication and unacceptable demand behavior; what’s perfectly appropriate to one dog-person may be annoyingly inappropriate to the next. Who gets to decide what’s acceptable for your dog? You do.

A dog’s mission in life is to make his world work for him to get good stuff. His goal is to get as much good stuff as possible, perhaps including a safe, predictable environment, lots of attention from his human, opportunities to herd sheep or chase rabbits, plenty of bone-chewing time, hikes in the woods, running after flying discs, sailing over flyball hurdles, or a soft bed upon which to lay his body.

Recognizing that those with opposable thumbs are more able than he to open doors, throw tennis balls, and operate can openers, a dog spends a good part of his time figuring out how to manipulate his humans into making good stuff happen. Although he’s never studied B.F. Skinner and the science of behavior, he knows exactly how operant conditioning works. He repeats behaviors that make good stuff happen or those that make bad stuff go away, and controls himself from repeating behaviors that make bad stuff happen or ones that make good stuff go away.

Demand behaviors occur because they make good stuff happen. Initially, your dog may offer a new behavior to see if it works. A dog with a strong reinforcement history for a behavior such as sitting may offer a sit to get your attention. If you, like a lot of humans, are too absorbed in your computer, your book, or your TV program to reinforce your dog for sitting, he may fidget a little, stand up and sit again, or inch a little closer to you.

Demand Behaviors

If he’s just looking for a scratch behind the ear, he may give up and lie down on his bed. But if his need is urgent – say he has to go out to pee – he may woof at you or nudge your arm to get your attention. When he does, you look at him and say, “Oh hi, Buddy, you have to go out?” He dances happily, you get up to let him out, and his brain registers this important note-to-self: woofing (or nudging) gets reinforced. The new behavior strategy gets added to his repertoire – and he’ll happily generalize it when he realizes it works to get other things, like that scratch behind the ear. That’s all fine and good if you’re okay with your dog communicating with you by woofing or nudging. But if you find those to be undesirable behaviors, it’s time to take note and take action.

All Behaviors Are Trained

Every moment you are with your dog, one of you is training the other. Behaviors are constantly being reinforced – or not – and you and your dog are constantly making choices – deliberate, or not – about how to behave, based on which behaviors get reinforced. In general, your relationship with your dog is more successful if you are the trainer more often than you are the trainee – that is, if you’re manipulating your dog’s behavior more often than he’s manipulating yours.

When I realized this vitally important concept, I started paying a lot more attention to what my dogs are doing all the time, and started being more deliberate about reinforcing behaviors that I like, and not reinforcing those I don’t.

While I really don’t mind Missy’s nose-nudge, when she comes and sits by my chair, I do try to notice and pet her before the nudge happens. She also knows that my “That’s all!” cue means petting is done; it’s time to leave me alone. And if the nudge escalates to “paws scratching on my leg” I tell her “Oops!” and turn away.

The “Oops” is a “no reward” marker (NRM). Just as the clicker tells my dog which of her behaviors earned her a reward, the NRM tells her the behavior she just did – pawing at my leg – made my attention go away.

You can avoid having to deal with demand behaviors if you remember an important concept from puppyhood on. The key is to teach your pup from the outset that deference behaviors such as “sit” or “down” will work to get attention, rather than pushy behaviors such as pawing or barking.

If you never reinforce a communication behavior that you don’t want, and you make sure it never gets reinforced by anyone else, or the environment, your dog will have no reason to keep the behavior in his repertoire. The more often a pushy behavior does get reinforced, the more likely your dog will decide it’s a successful behavior strategy, and the more quickly and persistently he’ll offer it the next time.

What is a Demand Behavior?

Before we continue, let’s define demand behavior. Also called “attention-seeking behavior,” Dr. Karen Overall in her excellent book, Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Small Animals (1997), says “Dogs that exhibit attention-seeking behaviors can bark, whine, or ‘talk’ to the client to get attention, or they can use physical behaviors like rooting, pawing, pushing, leaning, jumping, scratching, or mouthing.” According to Overall, “The hallmark of attention-seeking behavior is that it . . . elicits some attentive response.”

Demand Behaviors

The problem with demand behaviors is that they are usually intermittently reinforced (sometimes the behavior gets reinforced, and sometimes it doesn’t), which makes them very durable, or “resistant to extinction.”

This means that if and when you do decide to try to make the behavior go away, it’s difficult to succeed. With intermittent reinforcement, your dog learns to play the slot machine – “Maybe it’ll pay off this time!” – and keeps on trying, hopeful that the next try will win the jackpot. If, on the other hand, a behavior is on a “continuous schedule of reinforcement,” the dog expects to get reinforced every time, and is likely to give up sooner after missing a few reinforcers when he realizes the game is no longer on.

Incompatible Behavior

One way to modify demand behavior is to find an incompatible behavior – one your dog can’t do at the same time as the unwanted one – and reinforce that. Lucy, our Cardigan Corgi, has an annoying habit of demanding her meal – in a very shrill voice – when two of our other dogs get fed first (necessary for pack management purposes). She’s a very vocal dog anyway, but her mealtime barking is particularly annoying.

While you wouldn’t think that “sit” was incompatible with barking, I recently discovered that to Lucy, it is. She doesn’t bark when she’s sitting, only when she’s dancing around, demanding her dinner. So now I ask Lucy to sit-and-wait while I place bowls down for the first two dogs – and give her a treat when I return to her. The dinner-demand barking has stopped, and a reasonable level of calm has returned to mealtime in the Miller household.

If your dog nudges for attention, like Missy, an incompatible behavior might be lying at your feet to ask for attention, or touching her nose to a designated target – perhaps a yogurt lid stuck to the wall near her normal sitting spots. “Sit” is an incompatible behavior commonly taught to dogs who demand attention by jumping up.

Extinguishing Demand Behaviors

The other way to modify demand behavior is to remove all reinforcement for a previously reinforced but now unwanted behavior; say “Oops!” and turn away. This is “negative punishment”; the dog’s behavior makes the good thing go away, and when carried out to its conclusion (the behavior goes away entirely), it’s called “extinction.”

If the dog jumps up, say “Oops!” and turn away. If he persists, walk away, perhaps even through a door, and close the door behind you. Or, practice with him on a tether so he can’t follow you. The behavior of jumping up results in the removal of all reinforcement. If he demand-barks for treats, say “Oops!” and turn away. If he paws at you to demand his walk, say “Oops!”, put the leash down, and sit until he calms, then pick up the leash again.

Demand Behaviors

A caveat about extinction is that when you use “removal of reinforcement” to extinguish behavior you may witness an extinction burst, in which the dog’s behavior becomes worse before it gets better. This is a frustrated canine’s equivalent of a temper tantrum because a behavior that used to work isn’t working any longer. It often happens shortly before he gives up.

As he nudges or paws harder, or barks louder, he’s saying, “Hey! Hey! I want it! I want it now! This used to work, darn it! Hey! Hey! Give it to me!” It’s the equivalent of kicking the soda machine when you’ve put your money in and it won’t give you your drink – before you finally decide to walk away without the soda.

Here’s the big problem with the extinction burst. Many people think the extinction process isn’t working when they see their dog doing the behavior louder or harder, and give in to the dog’s demands. Don’t! If you reinforce the more intense presentation of the behavior, your dog will offer the more intense version more quickly next time. Grit your teeth, turn your back, walk away, and wait for it to stop. Beware the extinction burst!

Positive Reinforcement

You’ll see the best results with your demand-behavior modification efforts if you do both: reinforcing an incompatible behavior and extinction. You’ll get the most bang for your treat if you:

1. Pre-empt the unwanted behavior by asking for and reinforcing an incompatible behavior. With enough repetitions, the incompatible behavior will become the dog’s offered “default” behavior. When it does, be sure to reinforce it, gradually putting the new behavior on an intermittent schedule of reinforcement so it becomes very resistant to extinction. Otherwise the dog may quickly revert to his original demand behavior, especially if the behavior has a long history of reinforcement.

2. Remove reinforcement if the unwanted behavior does occur. If you miss the opportunity to pre-empt the behavior, or your efforts to forestall the behavior didn’t work, your second line of defense is the “Oops!” Remove your attention until the behavior stops and you can reinforce an alternative or incompatible behavior.

Demand Behaviors

3. Reinforce an incompatible behavior. Your dog will be the least frustrated (and you’ll be the most successful) with your extinction program if you also remember to positively reinforce incompatible behaviors. Negative punishment works best when it’s followed by positive reinforce for a desirable behavior.

If Missy starts pawing at my leg, I say “Oops!” and turn away. When the pawing stops I turn back and give her the attention she seeks. I use a “variable schedule of reinforcement” – sometimes waiting longer after the pawing, sometimes only a second or two. I gradually increase the average wait time until she realizes that it’s waiting quietly with her paws on the floor that gets reinforced, not the pawing.

This is an important step, required to avoid creating a “behavior chain” of paw, turn away, get petted. If there’s only a brief pause between the pawing and the petting each time, she’ll still think that pawing is earning the reward of attention and petting.

Remember that consistency is vitally important. If a well-used demand behavior is reinforced even only rarely, it will likely persist. If Dad sneaks a bit of steak to the family dog under the table once a month, the dog will continue to beg for food at the table. If, instead, Dad tosses a bit of food occasionally to the family dog who is lying on his bed on the other side of the dining room, the dog will learn to “beg” by lying politely on his bed (a deference behavior) on the far side of the room. This is much more acceptable to most people than begging at the table.

Remember, you get to choose which behaviors you want to reinforce. If you like a particular demand behavior, be my guest – reinforce to your heart’s content. So yes, I consistently reinforce Scooter’s demand-waving, and the behavior will persist. I intermittently reinforce Missy’s nose-nudging, and it, too, will persist – although in my defense I only reinforce mild nose-nudging. But Lucy’s demand barking? That one we’re very consistently working to modify. Sorry, Lucy!

The “No Reward Marker”

There is some difference of opinion in the positive training world about the appropriate use of the “No Reward Marker” (NRM). Some trainers suggest that simply withholding reinforcement, without a marker, is sufficient consequence to reduce a behavior, and that the use of a “wrong” marker is too aversive. This can be true if the marker is offered in an aversive tone, or if the dog is sensitive to any suggestion that he did the wrong thing.

For example, some trainers use an “eh-eh, no” or “wrong,” as their NRM. All of these can be spoken softly, but they are often uttered in a harsher tone, with a subliminal meaning of “bad dog!” It may be unintentional, but people tend to use a harsher tone when they are even slightly upset.

I do use an NRM for my dogs, to communicate to them exactly which behavior earned the withdrawal of reinforcement. I believe that, like the clicker, it helps the dog identify the behavior in question. I like to use “Oops!” as my NRM; it’s almost impossible to say it in a harsh tone unless you try really hard, and because it’s a humorous sound it tends to lighten the emotion even if the human is upset.

Marine mammal trainers don’t, as a rule, use an NRM. I am told that whales, dolphins, and other marine mammals tend to shut down very quickly if told they are “wrong,” and
that lack of reinforcement is adequate to send them the “try again” message. The same is true with some dogs — and your choice to use an NRM, or not, is wisely based on your own philosophical position on the question as well as your own dog’s response to some kind of “Oops!” marker.

While we call it a “No Reward Marker,” any indication that the dog made a wrong choice is, in fact, a form of negative punishment: the dog’s behavior made a good thing – the
opportunity to earn a reward – go away. So, while it might be more accurately called a “Punishment Marker,” I recently saw it described by noted positive trainer Gail Fischer as a
“Loss of Opportunity Marker,” or LOM. I like that, and think I’ll use it. Thanks, Gail!

Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, is WDJ’s Training Editor. Miller lives in Hagerstown, Maryland, site of her Peaceable Paws training center. Pat is also author of many books on positive dog training.

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